Books! Books! Books! Our list of 50 Favourites

We are keen readers in our house – something already passed on to Little Bear. She loves being read too; turning the pages and looking at the pictures together. We feel it is really important to read to our daughter and encourage a love of books. It will help her learn to speak, read and hopefully even develop her imagination…not to mention it is also a great time to bond together. Every evening before bed the three of us read a story together. As December has arrived, I thought a list of our favourite books might be a good idea to share. Perhaps you will get some ideas for Christmas gifts?

The day we joined the library. Little Bear choosing some books 

 There are a handful of books that we all know and love, I didn't want to just comprise a list of 10 books that I know everyone will already own. Hopefully with a more extensive list you will find something new or perhaps be reminded of books you loved as a child. The list is split in to two, the first half - our favourites as a family. The second half - recommendations from friends and relatives to form a ‘Reading List’ for Little Bear in the weeks and months ahead.

Little Bears stack of books for her Birthday

1. The Gruffalo - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler: Possibly one of the best known children's books out there; and definitely over-merchandised. But I love this clever little mouse!
2. The Lonely Sea Dragon - Helen Dunmore: This is one we discovered at the library and it actually bought a tear to my eye when reading. Set in St. Ives, it also reminds me of the lovely times I have spent there. The Illustrations are so beautiful.
3. There Is a Bird on Your Head - Mo Willems: Another we discovered at the library and it is hilarious! We loved it so much that we now own the full set of ‘Elephant & Piggie’ books (thanks big bro). Think somewhere between a picture book and a comic, it is clever and laugh out loud funny.
4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle: This is a childhood favourite of both my husband and I. We have the board book, the puppet book, the number and letter books. We even have the Spanish version, (thanks to little bears God Mummy).
5. Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell: Little Bear loves this as she gets to join in by looking beneath the flaps. She also loves animals so we have plenty of enjoyable interactions as a family practicing our animal noises!
6. Each Peach Pear Plum - Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg: We all love a good rhyming book and this is a particularly clever one. A classic!
7. Nuddy Ned - Kes Grey: I remember reading this to my niece when she was younger and finding it hilarious. I was so excited to re-discover it now I have my own little one to read to, and it was just as fun as I remembered.
8. Peepo - Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg: Although a classic, I had not heard of this one before having a baby. It was handed down to us and I fell in love with it the first time we read it.
9. The Gruffalos Child - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler: OK so not the most original sequel, but I really do love that clever little mouse! 
10. The Jolly Postman - Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg: Another childhood favourite for my husband and I; we haven't actually read it to Little Bear yet but it is on her Christmas list. Can't wait to have fun re-discovering this wonderful book together.
11. The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas - Tom Fletcher & Dougie Poynter: We have all ‘The Dinosaur That Pooped’ books, and they are so funny and well-written. My husband and I both love them all. Maybe we are immature…but when do poo stories stop being funny?
12. The Tale of Peter Rabbit - Beatrix Potter: This is one of my favourites from the Beatrix Potter stories (although they are all brilliant). My Little Bear has ‘The Complete Collection of Original Tales’. It was mine from my Grandmother when I was a child and it is heart-warming getting to hand it down to her. I love reading to her the stories that I loved as a child.
13. Dogger - Shirely Hughes: I bought this home from the library one day and my husband was so excited – it turned out that it was a favourite of his as a child. I adored it when we read it to Little Bear that evening. It was an emotional roller coaster though, so be warned!
14. The Tiger Who Came to Tea - Judith Kerr: Little Bear’s Nana bought this for her following a trip to the zoo where she loved seeing the tigers. Nana loved the story and recommended it…we were not disappointed.
15. Bears on Chairs - Shirley Parenteau: This was part of a collection of books we bought when I was pregnant. It is a sweet little story, and another one with great rhymes.
16. You and Me, Little Bear - Barbara Firth: I really liked this one, obviously because it is about a little bear, but it is also a gentle reminder of the importance of having fun and playing together with your little one.
17. Guess How Much I Love You - Sam McBratney: This book holds a very special place in my heart. As a child my Mother would always say 'I love you to the moon and back again'. I want to make sure my Little Bear always knows just how much I love her, just as my mum showed me. I cannot read this book without shedding a tear.
18. You Are All My Favourites - Sam McBratney: Another bear book (it seems like there are millions!), this one is good for children with siblings. When I read it I always think of my brothers and sisters, how different we all are but how we were all equally loved by my Mother.
19. We’re Going On A Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen: This was an absolute favourite of mine as a child. I get far too excited when reading it to Little Bear. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am for the TV adaptation on Christmas Eve!
20. You're Not So Scary Sid - Sam Lloyd: We picked this one up at a children's market. It is brilliant fun. The first time we read this as a family my husband and I may have gotten a little carried away making the Sid puppet eat our fingers, toes and faces – to the extent that Little Bear actually was a little cautious of him! We have since showed her that he really isn't so scary after all so now she likes him too!
21. Horns To Toes - Sandra Boynton: This was another handed down to us. Little Bear loves it, it's another nice rhyming book, plus we can point out body parts together.
22. Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler: Another present from the aforementioned God Mummy…she knows all the best books! This one is really clever. It is a journey through all the best children’s classics!
23. A Quiet Night In - Jill Murphy: OK, so, my husband and I enjoyed this for perhaps the wrong reasons. It is a lovely children's story, but we are quite sure the whole book is about Mr & Mrs Large trying to find some peace to get frisky! As parents we understand it is sometimes hard to schedule it in, Mr and Mrs Large!!
24. Lost & Found - Oliver Jeffers: Another from God Mummy. This one definitely made me cry. "I would row to the south pole for you buddy!" ;-)
25. One Bear Lost - Karen Hayles & Jenny Jones: Another generous gift to us from friends. This one is a lovely story of friendship and introduces counting...and learning is always fun!
26. Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You? - Dr. Seuss: I'm not sure how but it was only a few weeks ago I first read a Dr. Seuss book. I saw it at the library and thought it was about time I read one, and it was great! I am excited to read more.
27. Here Be Monsters - Jonathan Emmett & Poly Bernatene: This was a library book that my husband thought was brilliant! A really good rhyming book about pirates, monsters…and a surprisingly dark twist at the end!
28. Supertato: Hap-pea Ever After - Sue Hendra & Paul Linnet: This is the book we got free as part of World Book Day this year. My husband and I both found it hilarious. We now often think about what the groceries in the supermarket might be getting up to over night when we are out shopping!
29. Funnybones - Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg: Another favourite from my childhood, not yet read to Little Bear but is on the Christmas list. I am excited to see how much comes flooding back to me! On a dark dark night, on a dark dark street, stood a dark dark house... something like that anyway?
30. Old Bear - Jane Hissey: Another of my husband’s favourites as a child. I managed to find in the library. We all loved this sweet story
31. Alfie - Shirley Hughes: I couldn't choose just one! I loved reading these as a child and I love reading them to Little Bear now. There are always lots at the library so I keep discovering new ones.
32. Please Mr Panda - Steve Antony: This is a new one for Little Bear’s birthday. The illustrations are so striking and distinctive. I am totally on Mr Panda’s side too, I wouldn't give doughnuts to anyone being ungrateful! Although unlike him I love doughnuts!
33. That's Not My... - Fiona Watt & Rachel Wells: These girls must be loaded! There are around a million of these books and most children seem to love them, mine does for sure.
34. Winnie The Poo - A.A.Milne: I was super excited to pick up The Complete Collection from a local charity shop for just £2.50. All of these stories are of course excellent.
35. A Squash And A Squeeze - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler: I don't think these guys can write a bad book. This one is particularly funny

Little Bear and her cousin reading together, one of the Dinosaur That Pooped

Little Bears reading list...

36. Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes - Mem Fox & Helen Oxenbury
37. Rabbit’s Nap - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

38. Where The Wild Ones Are - Maurice Sendak

39. Meg & Mog - Helen Nicoll& Jan Pienkowski

40. Elmer - David McKee
41. Burglar Bill - Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg
42. The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark - Jill Tomlinson & Paul Howard
43. Fox's Socks - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
44. Cops And Robbers - Allan Ahlberg & Janet Ahlberg
45. Higgly Hen -  Axel Scheffler
46. Sometimes - Emma Dodd
47. Fungus The Bogeyman - Raymond Briggs
48. Snail And The Whale - Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
49. Peace At Last - Jill Murphy
50. Goodnight Spaceman - Michelle Robinson & Nick East

Little Bear and Daddy reading at the library

Check out your local library, charity shops, children's markets, car boot sales, facebook buy & sell pages, swaps with friends etc. There are plenty of ways to get hold of books without spending lots!

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