Zot is a small alien from a colourless world, who arrives in his spaceship to see all the colourful wonders of Earth. In a thoughtful story told through delicate illustrations and brief prose, he steals all of our colours, only to realize that he cannot head for home and leave behind a grey planet. Age 3+

Little Nutbrown Hare just cannot explain how much he loves Big Nutbrown Hare; and Big Nutbrown Hare always has a way of loving him more. Then, when he is almost too tired to think and about to fall asleep, the little hare is inspired by the Moon. Here the timeless tale is accompanied by an animated version that features a voiceover by Kevin Whately. 1 DVD 5mins

Rhythm, repetition and hilarious illustrations will all grab the attention of children in this fun picture book. Foo Foo is a wicked rabbit intent on causing mischief in the forest, but the Good Fairy, a granny with a brolly, is equally determined to stop him. The accompanying animation is narrated by Lewis star Kevin Whately. DVD 3mins. Age 4+

Anita Ganeri introduces the medieval period to young readers by describing the life of children: what were their houses like? What did kids eat, and wear? How did they have fun - and did they have to go to school? The book ends with a quiz and a glossary, while illustrations include photographs, paintings, engravings and tapestries. Age 7-9

Part of A Child's History of Britain, this book introduces Tudor history from a child's viewpoint with illustrations and simple text on topics such as clothes, food and drink and school. Age 7-9

This book is ideal for children who want to know how the frogspawn or tadpoles they have seen in the wild turn into frogs. Simple, expert text explains each step in the amphibian's life-cycle, supported by high-quality, close-up photographs. The book ends with a glossary and suggestions for further reading. Animal Life Stories series. Age 6-8

The obvious next step for a child obsessed with dinosaurs, this picture book brings an extinct giant back to life. Photographic reconstructions and informative text give details of the woolly mammoth's environment, behaviour and physical features, as well as explaining how the species eventually came to die out many thousands of years ago. Ice Age Animals series. Age 5-7

This engaging book enables young readers to imagine themselves living in Stuart Britain. It focuses on what life was like for children, where they lived, what they wore and ate, what they learned at school and where they might have worked. Contemporary illustrations, a glossary and a quiz are included. A Child's History of Britain series. Age 7-9

One morning Henrietta lays her very first egg, but the crafty Red Fox offers to trade it for a juicy worm. Poor Henrietta takes the worm, not knowing that the egg is so precious. When the other animals find out, they help her outwit the fox and get it back - and now it's Red Fox who looks very silly. Age 3+

Richard Collingridge's picture book is a magical journey through one boy's dream world. We follow our young hero into the furthest reaches of his imagination as, lost in his favourite book, he sets off into a snowy, welcoming world of snowmen, fairies and elves, the Queen of the Poles and a giant reindeer. Age 3+

With its swishing and squelching and tiptoeing in the dark, children will love the suspense of this adventure. It was first published in 1989, when the Smarties Book Prize judges gave it top marks. Age 3+

From monster trucks to sail-powered ocean liners, this book presents the most extraordinary, technologically advanced or eccentric vehicles on land, sea, air and in space. Each colourful, entertaining page contains a montage of photographs, fact panels, tales of amusing and extraordinary feats and information boxes explaining technologies such as jet propulsion and the internal combustion engine.

There's a huge surprise - and clean socks - for Sir Charlie Stinky Socks at the end of The Tale of the Wizard's Whisper, but all three stories in our special bundle have good surprises. Is that a Coconut? Yuck! (by Tony Bradman and Katharine McEwen) could have ended very badly, but Mama monkey gets to the 'coconut' just in time; and in Jane Fearnley's Harry and the Jaggedy Daggers, Harry gets a hero's reward after paddling to the rescue in his teacup. Three books. Age 3+

These 150 pages are full of ogres, princesses, grandmas, giants etc - the stuff of fairy tales for you to make up some new ones.

Donald Duck takes the part of Ebenezer Scrooge, Mickey is Bob Cratchit and Pluto is Marley's Ghost in this Disney version of A Christmas Carol. Dickens's classic tale is retold for children, with big colourful, 3D pictures - and the 3D glasses to view them. Age 3+

Introducing the concepts and techniques of art as well as the work of some of history's most celebrated artists, this book is a triumph of paper engineering, using flaps, pop-ups and 3D models to demonstrate key ideas. Including a separate activity book, the set is ostensibly aimed at older children but is an entertaining look at the history of art for people of any age. Age 9+

As well as 18 different dinosaurs (from Allosaurus to Velociraptor) this book has simple three-or-six-step instructions for drawing all sorts of 'cool stuff' - pirates, parrots and the jolly roger, trains and boats and planes, lots of different fish, cartoon characters, monsters and superheroes. Altogether there are 404 things to draw. Age 5+

'In a very noisy house in a very noisy city lived three noisy foxes'... They do try to find somewhere quiet to live in the countryside, but nothing quite suits them until they meet a helpful mouse who shows them the perfect place. Full of whispering and shouting and all sorts of noises, Amy Husband's clever tale and lively pictures are tremendous fun. Age 3+

Fresh from his adventures on CBeebies, and still trying to 'Do it right', Mike the Knight and his wizard-in-training sister Evie are the heroes of seven more stories from the Kingdom of Glendragon. With his enchanted sword and shield, Mike tackles the challenges of the Fluttering Favour, the Mighty Shield, the Invisible Monster, the Great Gallop, the Wizard's Treasure, the Scary Dragons and Trollee in Trouble.

Published in the Looking Glass Library series of children's classics, this is E Nesbit's sequel to Five Children and It. Robert, Jane, Cyril and Anthea find a magical egg which hatches into a phoenix and takes the children on a series of fantastic adventures. First published in 1905. Reprinted with HR Millar's original illustrations and an introduction by Bruce Coville. Age 8+

Jam-packed with doodles, colouring, drawing activities, mazes, puzzles and quizzes, this activity book will entertain all young dinosaur lovers. Including dot-to-dot dino, dinosaur wordsearch, and do-it-yourself dinosaur cartoons, this seriously silly book will leave your young ones laughing while they learn and have fun.

In this madcap race through Paris, an unlucky family tries to make it to the airport through a chain of catastrophe. With no taxis to be found, a crashed pink limousine, an escaped elephant and a diversion down a sewer, will they catch their plane in time? The brightly coloured illustrations and outlandish events are sure to appeal to crazy kids everywhere. Age 3+

What colour is your world? If you lie in the grass, the world is green; if you turn over and look at the sky, it's blue. With its bold illustrations and entertaining narrative, this book, originally published in the 1960s, encourages children and their parents to think about colour and look at the world in a new way.

A great way to learn about art, this book introduces the life and work of Alexander Calder, then explores six of his paintings, looking at the original and letting you try out your own version on the opposite page. By arranging the re-usable stickers, you can experiment with colours, shapes and compositions to recreate Calder's original or create your own masterpiece. With 6 sheets of stickers.

A great way to learn about art, this book introduces the life and work of Arcimboldo, then explores six of his paintings, looking at the original and letting you try out your own version on the opposite page. By arranging the 70 re-usable stickers, you can experiment with colours, shapes and compositions to recreate Arcimboldo's original or create your own masterpiece.

When Ramzi and Shaima get Auntie Urooj a suitor from the Truly Deeply Muslim online marriage agency, the 'match' becomes a case for the Black Cat detectives in this very funny novel for children. Age 7+

A great way to learn about art, this book introduces the life and work of Gustav Klimt, then explores six of his paintings, looking at the original and letting you try out your own version on the opposite page. By arranging any of the 60 or so re-usable stickers, you can experiment with colours, shapes and compositions to recreate Klimt's original or create your own masterpiece.

A great way to learn about art, this book introduces the life and work of Paul Klee, then explores six of his paintings, looking at the original and letting you try out your own version on the opposite page. By arranging the re-usable stickers, you can experiment with colours, shapes and compositions to recreate Klee's original or create your own masterpiece. With 6 sheets of stickers.

A great way to learn about art, this book introduces the life and work of Vasily Kandinsky, then explores six of his paintings, looking at the original and letting you try out your own version on the opposite page. By arranging the re-usable stickers, you can experiment with colours, shapes and compositions to recreate Kandinsky's original or create your own masterpiece. With 6 sheets of stickers.

Babar's children discover a Wully-Wully and bring him home to Celesteville. The lovable creature has a wonderful time playing with the little elephants; but there's trouble when Rataxes the rhino decides he wants the Wully-Wully. Will Rataxes steal Wully-Wully, or will he learn to share? This anniversary edition, by the son of the original creator of Babar, is sure to charm a new generation of readers. Age 4+

This classic collection of 45 stories for reading by and to young children was first published in 1966. Illustrated with Shirley Hughes's original line drawings, the stories were chosen because they are 'well-told, simply told, and, nearly always, briefly told'. They include folk tales and adventures as well as traditional nursery favourites such as The Ugly Duckling and The Three Billy-Goats Gruff. Age 3+

The much-loved children's author and illustrator Val Biro introduces Charles Perrault and retells seven of his most famous tales: Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, Diamonds and Toads, Cinderella, Hop o' My Thumb, and The Ridiculous Wishes - all illustrated with Biro's wonderfully animated pictures. Age 4+

Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales have been favourites of children since they first appeared between 1835 and 1872. In this 2005 edition, a selection of the tales are retold and illustrated in colourful paintings by children's author Val Biro. There are eight stories, including The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, Thumbelina and The Wild Swans, in words and pictures for young readers. Age 4+

The Egyptian pharaoh, King David, Solomon, the Queen of Sheba, Jezebel, Belshazzar and Esther: Mary Hoffman retells the Old Testament stories of the kings and queens of Israel and surrounding kingdoms, while Christina Balit's colourful illustrations bring alive the countries and characters of the ancient Holy Land.

Escape into a world of knights and princesses, wicked witches and talking frogs in this beautifully illustrated treasury of fairy tales. All the favourite stories are here, such as Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella, as well as lesser-known but no less charming tales. It is the perfect collection for sharing with young children and for them to treasure and read alone as they get older. Age 4+

Val Biro seems to be revelling in the daring adventures, bandits, genii and caves full of treasure as he retells and illustrates seven of Scheherazade's stories from the Arabian Nights: The Voyages of Sinbad; Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp; The Enchanted House; Awake or Asleep?; True or False?; Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves; and The Pot of Gold. Age 5+

From anteaters to x-ray fish, yeti and zebra, this bright and playful introduction to the alphabet, with its bold colours and quirky characters, was created by the influential and much-respected British designer Alan Fletcher (1931-2006). Age 3+

Illustrated by Christian Birmingham, this edition of Dickens's tale of a young orphan who falls into the clutches of the wicked Fagin has been abridged to make it accessible to younger readers.

To cheer up his mouse friend Seymour, Splat the Cat has made a thank-you book, with pages listing the reasons (often hilarious) why he is thankful for their friendship. Age 3-5

Written by friends Anna (12) and Tessa (13) this book suggests 101 things to do, including inventing a secret language and making a music video, to combat school-holiday boredom.

For very early learners, the pop-up pictures, tabs to pull and flaps to lift in Simon Abbott's book make taking-away fun. There are planes, cupcakes, mice and dinosaurs to subtract, and the book ends with some simple sums - answers under the flaps. Small parts. Age 3+

Charley is Henry's new puppy and although he has a pillow bed in the warm kitchen, with Henry's teddy bear and Henry's clock for company, Charley really wants to be in Henry's bed. This simple tale by Amy Hest, with Helen Oxenbury's illustrations, captures the magic of getting your first puppy. Age 4+