Welcome to Book.co.uk where we list some of what we think are the best books for children and babies. We and our children are avid book readers and over the years have built up a lot of opinions on what books we do like and what books would make our list of favourites. This site draws on that experience and is aimed at helping you find new ideas on the best books to buy for children of all ages. This guide is useful whether you are searching for books for your children or as a gift for someone else. The age groups are intended as a guide only. Not all children develop their reading skills at the same rate, some will be ahead of the average and some slightly behind the average. When you are looking for ideas, look at the books in the age groups just above and below your childs age for further ideas. We hope that by reading our posts you will find the best books for the children you know.
Best Pop-up Books for Children
Children of all ages love pop-up books and here we have listed what we think are some of the best pop-up books for children. They add an extra element of fun to the story and make reading with your children more interactive. Pop-up books are available for toddlers as well as older children. Below we have listed our 5 best pop-up books for toddlers as well as our 5 best pop-up books for older children.
5 Best Pop-up Books For Toddlers And Young Children
5 Best Pop-up Books For Older Children
| Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs - A fantastic book which is excellent for boys or any children who love reading about dinosaurs. When you first open this book you are confronted by a detailed pop-up T-Rex. The book contains lots of facts but is fun to read. The pop-up dinosaurs contain an incredible level of detail and are superb to look at. A must have ! The authors and illustrators, Sabuda and Reinhart have done lots of other amazing books – see more further down this page. | |
| My Fairy Princess Palace- This is one of a whole series of pop up books which include a space station, fairground and Winter Wonderland among others. See the entire range of Pop-up books here. Each book opens up into a 360 degree pop up model with lots of cardboard figures and accessories to play with. The included story is very short but the amazing pop-up playset more than makes up for it. | |
| The Gruffalo pop-up theatre Book- This book contains the story along with a pop-up stage and the characters from the story which you attach to ’sticks’ (cardboard) so you can enact the story. There is also a separate booklet containing the script for the play. Hours of fun! | |
| Peter Pan Classic Pop-up Sound Book – This is a really nice pop-up book which plays different sounds when you open the pages. The pop-ups are very detailed, well designed and lovely to look at. Children love the story as well as the sound effects. | |
| Danger Island: Perilous Pop-up World - This pop-up book is actually more of a game than a book but is great fun so we thought we’d include it. When you open the book up pops an incredibly detailed large island. The story goes that your plane has crashed, you are on your own on a dangerous island inhabited by creatures as diverse as aliens and dinousars, and you have to get off alive. You have to complete various tasks to escape such as setting up zip-wires and building rafts. Suitable for 7+. |
More Pop-up Books by Sabuda and Reinhart
Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart are famous for their pop-up books. Each book is a work or art with incredibly detailed and intricate pop-ups. The books make a perfect gift for any child and are the sort of books that are kept until adulthood. Here are some of our favourites.
Make Your Own Pop-Up Books
If you have a creative child who wants to make their own pop-up book, there are a few excellent guides available. Obviously this will be easier for the older children, but with a little help, making a pop-up help is a great activity for younger children as well. Here are a selection of books you might like to consider.
If you want some free ideas on how to make your own pop-ups then have a look at the Robert Sabuda pop ups website. He has more than 30 clear instructions on how to make a wide selection of simple pop-ups such as the pig on the left. Simple enough to be able to do easily at home with your children.
Pop-Up Books Based on Films
If you are buying a gift for a child then these pop up books are well worth looking at.
Best Cookery Books For Children
Children of all ages love cooking. When looking for cookery books for young children it is important to select books with clear and well laid out pages. The recipes should also be relatively simple and easy for a child to follow (with help for younger children !).
Below are what we think are some of the best cookery books available for children today.
Cooking is a great activity for children and is perfect for spending some quality time with them. Cooking will help children learn about different foods and it is often the case that if a child has helped cook something, they are more likely to eat it ! Childrens cookery books make great gifts for children and adults alike.
New Baby Books For Children
Books are a great way to explain to a toddler or young child about the new baby brother or sister that they have or that will soon be arriving in their life. By reading young children stories and discussing what is happening in the pictures you can help them understand what life will be like with a new baby.
Here are some books which we would recommend to help introduce the concept of a new baby brother or sister to your child. We have also included books which cover life and sibling interactions after the new baby has arrived.
Best Poetry Books For Children
Best Poetry Books For Children - Children love rhymes and patterns of words with rhythm and an almost musical like quality. All babies and very young children should grow up hearing nursery rhymes and songs and then move onto poetry when they are a little older. You should introduce your children to poetry not just because they enjoy it but also because it helps with their language development and vocabulary. Above all though, reading poetry with your children should be fun. There are a lot of poetry books available for children but here we have listed some of our favourite poetry collections aimed at a range of ages. There is something here for both boys and girls.
We hope you like our selection of our best poetry books for children. One good thing about poetry is that it exposes your children to a large number of words through a variety of sounds and rhythms. As children grow older they will learn how just a few carefully chosen words can describe a much bigger scenario or situation. Children don’t need to understand the meanings of all the words in a poem to enjoy listening or reading poetry.