There have been some excellent picture books for children published in recent weeks. Here are four of my favourites all of which I would recommend for differing reasons.

The Boy and the Octopus written by Caryl Lewis illustrated by Carmen Saldaña

The Boy and the Octopus tells the story of a little boy who struggles with bullying and who finds the strength to tell his Dad about the problem with the help of his toy octopus friend.

Some children love to snuggle with teddies, others with dinosaurs but Stanley loves his octopus. Whilst he sleeps Stanley dreams of the magical way its skin changes colour according to its feelings and its ability to hide from something scary. Stanley wants to be like his toy friend and be able to disappear and to hide from the school bullies who taunt him. But then Stanley learns that there are ways to share your feelings that don’t require words and that he can face his difficulties with the creative power of art.

This is a gentle, kind story told with a touch of magic but grounded with a wise and thoughtful message of finding your voice and living with hope rather than fear. The stunning illustrations work well with the text, featuring a palette pinks and blues in the underwater sleep scenes contrasting them with the realistic portrayal of Stanley’s family life. Stanley is blessed with a supportive Dad and this portrayal of a parent who listens and encourages is a reassuring element of the story for children. The Boy and the Octopus would be a valuable picture book for educational settings, providing a tool for discussion and a perfect way to encourage children to express themselves, especially in difficult situations. Published by Puffin on 4th July.

Imagine a Time written by Penny Harrison illustrated by Jennifer Goldsmith

This beautiful story told in rhyme begins with the phrase, “Imagine a time when all the world STOPS.” A few years ago that would have been difficult, perhaps impossible, to contemplate yet now reading this as an adult one instantly remembers the period of COVID lockdowns. In this book the planes stay on the ground, the trains are halted and families stay at home and for the families depicted it is a time when they re-discover the healing power of nature and nature itself starts to creep back into the urban areas. Then when the clocks start again a touch of that re-discovered magic remains.

Imagine a Time is a hopeful and positive portrayal of nature and its impact on us and the book itself encourages the reader or listener to slow down and savour things. Told in rhyming couplets Penny Harrison’s text uses few words but evokes emotion prompting a more contemplative read and the design of the book provides a feeling of space around the words themselves. The artwork by Jennifer Goldsmith is simply wonderful. The cover is inviting and inclusive encouraging instant engagement and the use of dandelion clocks on the endpapers linking to the theme is a thoughtful touch. There is clever use of framing, double page spreads and switching to the vertical viewpoint throughout the book all of which add to the understanding and themes of the story. There is so much to talk about that this book would be a delight to share with young children either alone or in Early Years settings or schools. Published by Frontier Publishing on 11th July.

How to Move a Zoo: The Incredible True Story by Kate Simpson and Owen Swan

How to Move a Zoo tells the true story of Jessie the elephant who along with all the other animals is to be transferred from Sydney’s Old Zoological Gardens to a new zoo more suited to the growing city. At the time, 1916, Sydney Harbour Bridge had not yet been built so this was a long and more difficult journey than it would be now, across five separate bridges. Therefore the animals went by ferry. Many of the animals were transported by truck but Jessie the elephant would have to walk, guided by her keeper, Mr Miller. In this charming non-fiction picture book Kate Simpson details how Jessie’s journey went accompanied by fitting sepia tinted illustrations by Owen Swan.

The bond between Jessie and zookeeper Mr Miller is evident as the pair walk quietly through the city streets just before dawn. A startled milkman and his horse and an early riser at an open window are the only observers of our two travellers until eventually they arrive at the ferry at Fort Macquarie. There Jessie’s calm demeanour is tested but putting her trust in the kindly Mr Miller they cross the harbour while “Jessie stood still as a statue.” The story ends with Jessie arriving safely at her new home at Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head.

There is a nostalgic charm to this book, both in its presentation and the gentle pace of the text. Like many narrative information books for children it provides enough detail to pique their interest and maybe to ask questions or to investigate further. The helpful author’s note informs us the today Taronga Zoo has an elephant breeding program and raises money for elephant conservation. There is a photo of Jessie herself en route to the zoo and among the illustrations is a wonderful double page spread map of Jessie’s route providing information about the city of Sydney at the time. How to Move a Zoo was published by Allen and Unwin Children’s Book in June.

The Great Expedition by Peter Carnavas

One day five brave little explorers embark on The Great Expedition across wild country on a dangerous mission to deliver an important parcel. As the journey progresses they face hazards of many types and slowly some of the explorers fall by the wayside. But is the journey as dangerous as it appears? Are they heroes? The Great Expedition tells their story…and it will not be forgotten!

Peter Carnavas has such an appealing writing style and this is a joy of a picture book full of humour and kindly observation of children. Each member of this little gang of explorers has an important role but as they progress across ‘rugged terrain‘ numbers dwindle due to insect attack, adult intervention and a wayward dog. However two trudge onwards eventually delivering their precious cargo to its grateful recipient. Our story ends (spoiler alert!) as our heroes look back across their hazardous route across the playground next to their home as ‘first officer’, Mum waves from the gate.

I confess to a soft spot for this delightful picture book and am greatly looking forward to sharing it with my grandson when he is a little older. The water colour illustrations are full of detail and are relatable to young children with elements of the story not told in the text depicted to add to the fun and involvement. This would work well as a prompt for discussion about journeys and teamwork. The vocabulary used such as ‘confrontation’, ‘landscape‘, and ‘ramshackle‘ will challenge children and enable adults to explain and discuss usage and meaning making this a good book to share with slightly older children than the target age of 3-6. The Great Expedition has won awards in the author’s native Australia and I can well understand why. It is witty, clever and written with great understanding of a child’s view of the world. Peter Carnavas also recognises the importance to his readers of imaginary play and independence. Published by Frontier Publishing in July and recommended.

I should like to thank the publishers for providing me with copies of the books reviewed above.