Getting your child reading from a young age can be a challenge but I am sure you can remember some fantastic stories from your youth, where the illustrations only added to the magic. For me it was the Peter Rabbit drawings in Beatrix Potter books and the Quentin Blake drawing in all of the Roald Dahl books. They helped make things seem way more exciting!
So here’s 10 great illustrated books to help you get your kids reading. Nice prices too!
The Station Cat – by Stephen Hogtun:
This book is absolutely adorable, a lonely kitten walks into a dull grey station full of dull grey people but hear colourful fur starts changing things. Great little book!
Paperback or Kindle – The Station Cat: A story of Kindness and Hope
The Fairy Garden by Isabella Mazzanti:
Follow Mimi a little girl who wants to see fairies in her garden, she does all she can to make the garden perfect so the fairies give her a chance.
A lovely story with great illustrations for anyone lusting for a little magic. Very cute too.
The Stompysaurus by Rachel Bright:
This beautiful book is full of colour and great illustrations by Chris Chatterton this story is all about a dinosaur with a bad temper.
I’m sure your toddlers know how to stomp so it could make for some good bedtime reading!
What do you see when you look at a tree? By Emma Carlisle:
A lovely and slightly longer book with stunning images, thoughtful passages and appreciation for the environment.
It’s a gentle book that encourages us all to look a bit further and appreciate what is around us. You’ll even enjoy it as an adult!
What do you see when you look at a tree? Paperback or Hardback Book
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson:
Perhaps Julia’s most well known book, it looks exciting and brings you to deep dark wood where a mouse comes face to face with an owl, fox, snake and….a Gruffalo!
It’s a rhyming story and a bedtime favourite for many children around the world.
Can I play? By Nicola Kinnear:
This book is seriously cute, Grumpy George the dog doesn’t want friends until he meets a funny little seal called Pebble.
It’s all about an odd couple becoming friends with lovely illustrations and messages about friendship and sharing.
I want my hat back By Jon Klassen:
A bear goes searching for his missing hat. He wanders asking all sorts of animals whether they have seen his hat. It’s a funny little book and great to read aloud with amusing illustrations that will make your kids laugh along too.
Oscar the Hungry Unicorn and the new Babycorn by Lou Carter:
This is part of a series, so there’s other Oscar books. This time Oola has rescued a new baby unicorn, it needs looking after and teaching about how to unicorn. Oscar prefers to eat, working his way through the baby bunting, crib and rocking chair Mmmmm!
Oscar the Hungry Unicorn and the new Babycorn in Kindle or Paperback
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies:
Noi lives by the sea and his father is a fisherman, one day Noi finds a baby whale washed up on the beach and tries to take it home to care for it.
A cute story about belonging, friendship and definitely a future classic. Beautifully illustrated,
The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith:
Beware, this WILL get stuck in your head but it’s so much fun you won’t mind that much.
Best read out loud with lots of HEE HAWS! And giggles as you enjoy the tales of this very wonky donkey.
What are your favourite illustrated books for the kids? Let us know and we can share them on here! Might also do an article on some of the older childhood faves, if they’re still politically correct enough. Enjoy the books and illustrations and may every story your children leave come to life in their imagination!
