PICTURE BOOKS

The beautifully illustrated Little Echo by Al Rodin (Puffin, £12.99) is the endearing story of a shy Echo who lives in a cave, only speaking to echo the words of others. When a boy called Max arrives, hunting for treasure, Echo must find her own voice if she’s to make a friend.

In The Cat And The Rat And The Hat by Em Lynas and Matt Hunt (Nosy Crow, £11.99), a cat, rat and bat fight over a hat and a cravat. A delightfully silly story with boldly eye-catching illustrations, this is fun to read aloud.

In If I Had An Octopus by Gabby Dawnay and Alex Barrow (Thames & Hudson, £10.99), a girl excitedly imagines the fun she’d have with a pet octopus, its tentacles helping with everything from counting to painting – and cuddles. Brightly illustrated rhyming fun.

Pearl is moving house

and starting a new school. So she’s relieved when Mooncat appears at her window, takes her exploring, and shows her that the world isn’t so scary after all in Mooncat And Me by Lydia Corry (Two Hoots, £12.99).

In No! Said Rabbit by

Marjoke Henrichs (Scallywag Press, £12.99), Rabbit says no to everything from food to a bath. It’s guaranteed to raise a smile, especially if you read aloud saying your child’s name instead of “Rabbit”.

Though Triangle loves playing with circles and squares, she longs to find someone who looks like her. In The Perfect Fit by Naomi and James Jones (OUP, £6.99), she learns the key to happiness lies in celebrating difference.