CHILDREN’S FICTION

PICTURE BOOKS WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD ON HOLIDAY by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Lydia Monks (Macmillan £11.99)

ONE FINE day in the middle of may, the ladybird went on holiday to the vibrant city of London — so begins this lively adventure in which the insect overhears an evil plot by repeat offenders Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh (when will they ever learn?) to steal the Queen’s crown.

She enlists the help of the zoo’s animals and the royal corgis to ensure the thieving pair get their comeuppance.

Donaldson’s jaunty rhyming story is perfectly paired with bright, busy collage pictures, liberally sprinkled with glitter.

THERE IS A TRIBE OF KIDS by Lane Smith (Two Hoots £6.99)

WINNER of this year’s prestigious CILIP Kate Greenaway medal for illustration, this beautiful book is about a small child who travels across the world encountering a pod of whales, a troop of monkeys, a colony of penguins, a smack of jellyfish and many more collections of animals until a tribe of kids provides the perfect home.

A wonderfully clever exploration of the rich variety of nature and a sensitive message about the importance of belonging, this deserves a place on every bookshelf.

GRANDAD’S SECRET GIANT by David Litchfield (Frances Lincoln £11.99)

THERE’S something mesmerising about the way David Litchfield combines traditional and contemporary art techniques to create bursts of shimmering sunlight and smoky shadows.

in this touching and witty book we meet Billy, who is bored by his grandad’s stories about a mysterious giant who keeps them safe and decides to prove him wrong by exposing the giant’s adventures as fairy tales. But what he discovers teaches him valuable lessons about fear, loneliness and friendship.

Funny, touching and visually stunning, you’ll find something new every time you read it.