The best children’s picture books to inspire their imagination

A personal favourite, The Jolly Postman takes kids on the journey of a postman on his round. What we particularly love is being able to open up the envelopes to read all of the letters and postcards inside.

Including fairytale characters that you'll be sure to recognise like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Cinderella and the Big Bad Wolf, this book was truly a treat to read. It's one that they'll always remember reading with you growing up.

One review said: "Anyone would be charmed by this book, it’s beautifully illustrated and put together containing letters delivered by the postman for the various characters. We have been buying books by this author over the past 30 years and they are still instilling the joy of childhood within us."

You Matter is a beautifully illustrated book featuring a very important message. This book shows us how the world is all connected. With inclusive artwork and powerful affirmations, it's a book about believing in yourself and how much you're valued. A stunning read.

A reviewer wrote: "Lovely case covering. Beautiful end pages. Using acrylic paint and collage, Robinson’s illustrations draw the reader in, and his words share the most important message our young people need to hear right now: YOU MATTER."

Teaching your little ones about their bodies through rhyme: This charming book Whose Toes are Those? will engage their curiosity. Of course, making the book interactive by tickling their toes always makes for lots of laughs. It will quickly become their new favourite picture book.

One customer wrote: "An absolutely delightful story that my daughter adores. The illustrations are great as is the rhyme of the book. A nice, light-hearted book to read to young ones."

A story about strength, courage and embracing who you are, this book follows the journey of Millie and what makes her wonderfully unique. Millie Doesn't Mind aims to empower and spread hope to little girls, bringing about awareness and inclusion to readers. Watercolour pages and bright, fun illustrations make for an attractive picture book your little readers are sure to enjoy.

One review said: "‘Millie Doesn’t Mind’ - This story could be about me. I smiled, I cried. I can smell Grand-nanny’s cooking. Thank you for taking me back to a place I will never forget. I can’t wait to read this to my grandchildren. I wait patiently for the next episode"

Filled with positivity, Academy Award-winning Matthew A. Cherry illustrates the story of a father learning how to style his daughter's beautiful hair. "I love that my hair lets me be me," says the main character, Zuri, as she embraces her hair texture in all its different styles. The Hair Love picture book shows the importance of love in all its forms, whether that's familial love or self-love.

One review said: "This is such an uplifting story of father and daughter bonding over hair. The message is so clear. Appreciate all that life gives you and find strength in your differences. Look at the beauty of what you've got and work with it. A story that's read over and over and always puts a smile on my face."

Keep your child's interest and attention with this iconic open-the-flap picture book. They'll love interacting with the pages by lifting the flaps and trying to find Spot! Where's Spot? is a children's picture book you're sure to be familiar with, this one will have them entertained for hours.

Your little one will soon come to recognise the wonderful animals across each of the pages in the Dear Zoo children's picture book. On their next trip to the zoo, your child will be delighted to be able to name all of the animals from their favourite open-the-flap book.

A classic picture book, nearly all parents know the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This colourful tale shows the journey of the caterpillar on his quest to munch through everything he can find. This children's picture book incorporates textures with easy-to-follow text that'll have your child unable to look away.

We all love The Gruffalo! Be prepared to read this picture book to your child again and again. With friendly characters like Mouse and Snake, this much-loved favourite will definitely be a hit with your little ones, and a hit for years to come. Any picture book by Julia Donaldson is sure to go down a treat.

One reviewer wrote: "Fab book, excellent catchy rhyming that kids adore! Great vocabulary too so it’s a great descriptive book for little ears! It’s hardcover and pages are really sturdy so with old drops from little hands!"

One of our favourites, this children's picture book tells the story of Sophie, who welcomes in a cheeky and uninvited guest! The charming and iconic illustrations show the events unfold as Tiger sits down to tea with Sophie and her mum. The Tiger Who Came To Tea is a lovely story - one to remember.

One review: "I remembered reading this book as a child so when it cropped up as a suggested purchase I couldn't resist for my own son. A wonderful story that is beautiful to pass down the generations. Wonderful illustration."

A wonderfully whimsical picture book, Where The Wild Things Are is a classic that hasn't been forgotten. Absolutely packed full of gripping illustrations of Max's wild adventures, author Maurice Sendak was considered one of the best children's authors of his time.

One review said: "Gave as a birthday gift to a child who is moving away; this is one of my favourite books and I wanted him to have it. It's a new one for his Mom so I was glad to be able to introduce her to the joy of this book. Every child should read this!"

With vocabulary perfect for early readers and featuring text that interacts with the reader: this clever picture book breaks the fourth wall. It'll get both you and your little one laughing. We Are in a Book! tells the story of best friends Gerald and Piggie as they come to terms with the fact they're the main characters in a book.

One review said: "When I first found this book, I couldn't stop laughing at it. While it doesn't have a plot like most in the series do, it's still fun watching Gerald and Piggie figure out what to do with us.

"I do wonder just how much kids will get some of the jokes, but as an adult, I can't stop laughing at it. This is a departure from the rest of the series, but still just as fun. Highly recommended for fans of these picture books."

If a hungry little mouse shows up on your doorstep, you might want to give him a cookie...

The "If You Give" series of picture books includes rhythmic text and colourful illustrations that have a sense of humour, all while keeping your little ones engaged. A great introduction to reading for those at nursery level and even earlier.

One reviewer wrote: "The words are easy to follow, and closely track the illustrations. Children can easily begin to memorize the story, decode the words, fill in the blanks, and later begin to read aloud to you (first from memory, and later in reality).

"The book is beautifully illustrated in a semi-Dr. Seuss style by Felicia Bond that adds much to the enjoyment.
One thing I like about the story is that it gets into how one thing can lead to another. That's one of the best ways to stimulate intelligence and imaginative thinking. It is also good for problem-solving later in life."