When one of Ella’s birthday invitations flutters around the town, everyone who sees it thinks it’s for them. When the big day arrives, a rather unusual crowd has gathered at her house. Age 3+

Presented in a carry case, this set comprises three storybooks featuring the characters from Monsters INC, Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo, plus a Pixar-themed colouring book, activity book and 100 stickers. Age 4+

A boy from a poor village hikes over the mountain to the more prosperous settlement on the other side. Hungry but penniless, he trades a story, song, and merriment for a juicy apple, highlighting the message that happiness is wealth enough. Age 6+

This split-page farmyard-themed board book helps little ones learn to mix – by creating a funny hybrid such as a picken (half piglet/half chicken) or lappy (half lamb, half puppy), and match – by putting the two correct halves of each animal together. Age 1+

By following the illustrated step-by-step instructions, children can learn to draw 15 bugs, including a dragonfly, tarantula and ant. The author includes information on anatomy, colour and texture plus advice on techniques and materials. Age 7+

The twelve press-out, slot-together, moveable monsters in this collection include a vampire, werewolf, mummy and cyclops. To encourage the development of assembly skills, the designs become more complex as the book progresses and are accompanied by easy-to-follow instructions. Age 6+

Michael Rosen conducts a guided tour of Charles Dickens’s life and work, from his poor childhood to his successful one-man shows. He explains his influence, inspirations and appeal, introducing classic characters such as Scrooge and Miss Havisham. Age 7+

This illustrated, pocket-sized guide provides junior explorers with the information they need to embark on an outdoor adventure in safety. Step-by-step instructions list the essentials to take, and include how to use a compass and read a map.

With colouring pages, 150 stickers to complete the seasonal images and an egg-shaped jigsaw, Happy Easter, Twirlywoos! encourages pre-schoolers to develop hand-eye coordination. More activities featuring the colourful characters, including a dot-to-dot, a maze and pictures that can be completed time and again, are offered in the Wipe Clean Activity Book. Age 3+ The two titles included in this set are:Happy Easter, Twirlywoos! (Read more...) Wipe Clean Activity Book (Read more...)

The finale of the bestselling series sees the future of dragonkind hanging in the balance. All hope lies with unlikely young hero Hiccup, who needs to be crowned king in place of Alvin the Treacherous and persuade the Dragon Furious to call off the rebellion. Age 7+

Based in Hong Kong, artist Ophelia Pang is known for working with bold colours and simple shapes. In this interactive book, with coloured pages and templates to cut out, she encourages novice artists to create 30 projects by exploring different colour schemes, experimenting with drawing, and making a series of collages. Age 7+

With interactive pieces such as pop-ups and removable sticker sheets, this illustrated guide introduces the fantastic beasts of the Harry Potter world, from the innocuous house-elf to the dreaded Obscurus, and demonstrates how they were realised on the big screen. Age 9+

In an award-winning partnership that has spanned two decades, Tony Ross (creator of the Little Princess) has brought many of Jeanne Willis’s humorous stories and characters to life with his colourful illustrations. The ten titles in this set include creatures from slugs to dogs and dinosaurs in a wealth of mishaps and comic moments. Titles included are The Pet Person, The T-Rex Who Lost His Specs, Cottonwool Colin, Hippospotamus, Old Dog, Daft Bat, Slug Needs a Hug!, Big Bad Bun, Boa's Bad Birthday and Misery Moo. Age 3+

When Ted falls out of bed and can’t wake his friend up (his two eyes are tight shut), three mice invite him to come and play. It’s the beginning of an exciting counting adventure – up to ten and back again – for Ted and all the other toys. Age 3+

When their widowed father's business fails, the five intrepid Bastable children decide to restore the family fortunes themselves. Their creative money-making schemes – from inventing a Certain Cure for Colds to becoming highwaymen on Blackheath Common – tend to result in trouble rather than treasure. Off-mint. Age 9+

Written in consultation with a literary expert, this simple story for new readers follows Mr Happy as he attempts to cheer up Mr Grumble, with a little help from Mr Strong. Age 3+

Elmer the Elephant sees, hears and smells amazing things on his mindful walk, but the other animals are far too busy to stop and appreciate the wonders of nature with him. Age 1+

This sturdy board book retells five traditional nursery rhymes, including 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' and 'Baa Baa Black Sheep', placing Mr Men in the leading roles. Age 1+

It’s Christmas at Mossy Bottom Farm and Shaun the Sheep and his friends need help to complete codes, anagrams and other puzzles, as well as to decorate their tree (stickers provided). Age 5+

In this brightly illustrated board book, the cabin boy on a pirate ship sings his own version of the well-known Christmas song, from 12 pirates cheering to a parrot in a palm tree. Slightly off-mint. Age 6+

Young naturalists travel through the Painted Lady's various habitats, learning all about the butterfly's anatomy, diet and travel patterns as they go. Each double spread features press-out cardboard components with which to construct a 3-D model of the colourful insect. Age 5+

Designed for those who love fairies, this collection has over 25 papercraft projects including making a wand and fairy wings, and magical scenes to decorate, postcards, and press-out models. Age 8+

Written by Vita Sackville-West in 1922, this illustrated story narrates the adventures of an inquisitive sprite who has moved into Queen Mary's dolls' house. Present at many pivotal moments in fairy tale history, she recalls waving Cinderella off to the Ball, and encouraging Jack to climb his beanstalk. Age 7+

When the one-legged tin soldier falls in love with a ballerina, an evil jack-in-a-box tries to keep them apart; but after enduring terrifying adventures, the soldier is finally reunited with his beloved. Age 4+

This three-novel collection examines conflict from different perspectives: two boys evacuated to the country in Friend or Foe, Jewish children fleeing the Nazis in Waiting for Anya and animals at the front in War Horse. These stories do not avoid the horrors of battle, but reflect the bravery and heroism of ordinary individuals caught up in events beyond their control. Age 8+

In this gentle, rhyming picture book with a satisfying twist at the end, Stanley spots a fine-looking pie high on a shelf and dreams up ways of reaching it. Age 3+

Horus is born high up on the Houses of Parliament, and takes his fledgling flights over London, where peregrines are a protected species – by hunting pigeons, they help humans to control their numbers.

With bold and informative illustrations and concise facts, this encyclopedia introduces young readers to numerous aspects of the human body, exploring the senses and how different systems work. It includes chapters on the life cycle, keeping healthy and how we use our bodies to communicate, as well as quizzes and activities to support the learning. Ages 5+

Five of David Walliams’s bestselling children’s books, all illustrated by Quentin Blake or Tony Ross, make up this ‘best boxset ever’: the stories of Chloe and Mr Stink, the local tramp; Joe Spud, the Billionaire Boy in need of a friend; Dennis, the Boy in the Dress; Ratburger, in which the dastardly Burt the burger van man has designs on Zoe’s pet rat; and the tale of Ben’s thieving grandmother, Gangster Granny. Slip-cased.

Featuring the original cover art and drawings by Eileen Soper, this collection of the first three adventures sees the famous five searching for hidden treasure on Kirrin Island, tracking down the thief who stole Uncle Quentin's important papers, and foiling a dastardly kidnapper. Age 7+

Presented in a Yoda-themed tin box, this set of three colouring books challenges creative young Jedis to bring famous characters (both Light and Dark) from the Star Wars universe to life, and also features images of some of their most iconic ships and battle craft. Age 7+

Organized in themes including 'Summer Meadow', 'By the Coast' and 'Desert in Bloom', each double-page spread in this volume comprises a page of black-and-white flowers to colour in and a colour scene to embellish with the 1,000 floral transfers. Age 6+

Written and illustrated by Anna Doherty, this year-by-year account of the lives of the Brontë sisters, including their terrible schooling experiences, feminist tendencies and shared ambitions, introduces young readers to the challenges of being a woman in the Victorian era. Age 5+

First published in 1960, this timeless tale by William Papas, the renowned cartoonist and illustrator, tells the story of young musician Tasso, whose bouzouki playing enlivens the local taverna in his Greek fishing village – until the proprietor decides to install a jukebox. Age 5+

Fifty animals from around the world are in the running for prizes that celebrate their most remarkable qualities, with awards in categories including Really Smelly, Super Sprinter and Services to Hygiene. Each presentation includes illustrated background information about the winning species. Age 7+

Using objects found on nature walks and some basic craft supplies, this collection of 40 illustrated step-by-step projects ranges from a feathery bird bookmark to a wide-eyed fir cone owl and a jolly sheep made from tufts of fleece. Age 7+

This humorously illustrated volume presents the biographies of fifteen lesser-known female inventors – from Martha Coston, who disguised herself as a man to get her idea for maritime flares off the ground, to Letitia Mumford Geer, whose innovative syringe revolutionized medical care. Age 6+

According to Frog, dogs must sit on logs and armadillos on pillows; and, while cats could once relax on mats, a recent rule change dictates that they must now repose on gnats. Can our disgruntled feline protagonist rhyme his way out of trouble? Age 3+

Arranged in four sections, these 35 geometric colouring challenges increase in difficulty from simple shapes to highly complex animal designs and enable the artist to create a 3D effect through the careful use of colour. Age 10+

Offering hours of sleuthing fun, this clever card game challenges budding detectives to follow a series of clues to unmask 25 amateur crooks, each of whom boasts a different set of nefarious skills. Age 7+

Challenging little readers to find specific objects from the billions (well, hundreds) of bright illustrations, this search-and-find story follows a day in the life of a feisty narrator, as they make decisions from what to wear to whether or not to do their homework. Age 5+

When Elizabeth's father takes her (and her imaginary friend Zenobia) to live in his crumbling ancestral home, their exploration of the eerie East Wing, with its sentient wallpaper and mirrors made of water, draws them into a gothic otherworld full of possibility – and peril. Age 9+

Determined to avoid bedtime, Viking twins Hack and Whack set off marauding around the village, waking up their playmates to join the rumpus and finally hiding under a longboat in an audacious, and ultimately futile, attempt to outsmart their mother. Age 3+

When observant reader Jill notices that one of the characters in her storybook – Dragon – looks anything but cheerful despite the traditional 'and they all lived happily ever after' ending, she invites him into the real world to work on his skillset. Age 5+

Each of the intricately illustrated double-page spreads in this introduction to five world habitats, including the Amazon Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, can be extended to reveal a panoramic landscape populated with hundreds of creatures – from tiny termites to giant humpback whales. Age 5+

With accurate illustrations of the animals and a great range of puzzles, quizzes, mazes, sticker activities and even a wall poster, this is an enjoyable way to learn about the world’s mammals. Age 6+

This illustrated series uses a question and answer format to introduce various aspects of the natural world. Each book gives straightforward explanations for topics including ‘Why do trees lose their leaves?’ and ‘What is air made of?’ and suggests a simple activity, such as making a sundial, to explore one subject in more detail. Age 6+

This illustrated rhyming picture book introduces a range of different types of air travel – such as a hot air balloon, a fighter jet and a space rocket. The interactive elements include planes that glide along a path on the page, a stunt aircraft that revolves 360 degrees and numerous flaps that lift to reveal pilots, passengers or crew. Age 4+

Designed to develop early language skills, each of the four board books in this collection has a different theme. Little ones are introduced to a range of creatures and toys, prompted to differentiate between black and white and coloured illustrations, and encouraged to imitate Teddy and his friends as they calmly wind down to bedtime. Age 1+

Delving back millions of years and illustrated with colour drawings, this concise history of evolution traces the development of single-cell organisms from the Cambrian explosion, when complex plants and animals began to emerge, through the ages of the dinosaurs and early man, to the current era.

'When Edward Bear said that he would like an exciting name all to himself, Christopher Robin said at once, without stopping to think, that he was Winnie-the-Pooh. And he was.' This slipcased set contains the four children's classics by AA Milne, all with their original line drawings by EH Shepard: Winnie-the-Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner, When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. Age 6+

The most significant Impressionist artists are introduced in this book, with concise text and spaces in which to position stickers of familiar paintings, including images from Monet’s garden, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and several of Degas’ pictures of dancers. Age 7+

Inspired by his favourite bedtime story, Monty the Mole ventures into the nighttime garden, where he meets Herbert the hedgehog and discovers that heroes, monsters and magic come in many guises. Age 3+

From the animals found around the trees and pond to those who prefer the playhouse or veg patch, this colourful board book encourages little ones to learn the creatures’ names and explore the garden pictures. Age 1+

Following colourful illustrations of ten iconic London locations – populated by animals and with prompts for things to spot in each one – this activity book contains some simple puzzles and stickers to complete the pages. Age 5+

Zebra wishes he had different coloured stripes, and in the clever cutouts in this board book young readers can see just how he would look if he was pink like Flamingo, green like Crocodile or any other colour. Age 2+

It’s Christmas Eve and Santa and his helpers are getting ready for a busy night. As each page of the book is turned, the sliding cardboard panels transform their faces – as if by magic. Age 1+

Well-illustrated with colour drawings throughout, this large-format atlas introduces the animals that are endemic to each of the world’s continents, from the Grizzly Bears of the Rockies, through a fold out section covering Asia, to marsupials in Australasia and the sea creatures of Oceania. Simple outline maps of each landmass accompany the images, and concise text offers facts about the species, including the threats many are facing. Age 7+

The Gruffalo’s child seeing the enormous shadow of the mouse, the witch’s broom with its creatures and comforts, the snail and the whale swimming away – scenes and characters from the popular children’s stories can be completed by colouring, drawing or joining the dots in these books, with some extra puzzles in The Gruffalo Activity Book. Age 5+ The four titles included in this set are: The Gruffalo (Read more...) The Snail and the Whale (Read more...) The Guffalo's Child Colouring Book (Read more...) Room on the Broom (Read more...)

Devised to introduce toddlers to basic French vocabulary, each volume in this set features bold, dual-language text illustrated with bright, engaging artwork. The ten titles include Zoo Animals, At the Beach, Colours and Counting from 1 to 10. Age 2+

Toto cherishes a lofty ambition – to be the first donkey on the moon. Despite many setbacks, he never gives up hope, demonstrating that, through hard work and determination, anything is possible. Age 4+

Well-illustrated with diagrams and photographs, this guide explains to budding geologists how different types of rock and mineral are formed, their identifying features and where best to see them, with a final section exploring the formation of fossils. Age 7+

Timid Mr Finch is horrified when he wakes up one morning to find the city overtaken by a jungle and his much-loved caged bird, Pip, missing. Venturing outside his comfort zone to search for his pet, he learns an important lesson about friendship. Age 5+

Motivated by love, the little mermaid exchanges her beautiful voice for legs. Set between land and sea, this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's bittersweet tale features a sparkling foiled cover and inky silhouette artwork. Age 5+

A little girl is bewildered when a visiting baby orangutan throws away her chocolate and howls at her shampoo. When it’s explained that humans are burning down her rainforest home to make way for palm oil crops, all becomes clear. Age 5+

When Matty the goblin princess acquires a well-behaved baby dragon, the king, reminding her sternly that every troll knows pets must be messy and disobedient, decrees the tiny fire-breather be untrained immediately. Age 5+

One snowy morning, Iggy and Martina build a friendly-looking snowbear before setting off on their sledge. When they lose their way in the wintry woods, watched by a wolf with eyes as cold as icicles, who will save them? Age 3+

Slightly off-mint

From the thick-furred caribou of the icy north to the heat-seeking iguanas of the Galapagos, this volume, illustrated with detailed artwork, follows the migrations of 25 species of mammals, birds and insects, by water, land and air. Age 5+

Set in a snowy Canadian forest on Christmas Eve, with black bears playing the leading roles, this beautifully illustrated re-telling of the Nutcracker story follows young cub Clara as she journeys to the Ice Palace of the Great Bear. Age 5+

Each of the cardboard elements that make up this charming paper town, complete with a town hall, cafe, greengrocers, florist, sweet shop and townsfolk, is designed to be pushed out from the pages of the book, slotted together and secured with tabs. Age 7+

Using maps, fact-files, photography and illustrations, this book introduces young readers to more than 600 wildlife species in 40 habitats worldwide, from the grey wolves that roam the North American Taiga to the clownfish that dart amongst the Great Barrier Reef. Each habitat is explored in detail, revealing its characteristics and the temperate zone to which it belongs. Age 6+

Unlikely teenage Irish policeman Ronan Boyle enters the land of the leprechauns in this story, encountering a host of magical characters on a mission to prove that his parents were framed and unjustly imprisoned. Age 9+

Quentin Blake’s illustrations bring to life the full extent of the mayhem caused by Old Mother Hubbard’s dog, whose mischievous deeds are revealed in these humorous rhyming texts. Age 4+ The four titles included in this set are: Old Mother Hubbard's Dog Needs a Doctor (Read more...) Old Mother Hubbard's Dog Take Up Sport (Read more...) Old Mother Hubbard's Dog Dresses Up (Read more...) Old Mother Hubbard's Dog Learns to Play (Read more...)

The cat goes to comical lengths in his desperation to get some custard, but his owner just doesn’t understand – even after he spells it out. When his efforts finally pay off, the treat isn’t quite what he expected. Age 3+

'Masterfully' disguised as a rabbit, Quentin the Wolf sails through round after round of the Great Bunny Baking Competition – until events conspire to derail his quest to be crowned Star Baker. Age 3+

This exuberantly illustrated tale sees two fun-loving crocodiles arriving in Dullsville to a very lukewarm reception. When the toothy twosome foil a burglary, the townsfolk soon realise that diversity makes their community stronger. Age 3+

When Shaun the Sheep's plans to have a day off go awry, he must head into the city to save the Farmer. Little ones can team up with the resourceful ruminant by completing a variety of tasks including drawing challenges, crosswords, mazes and connect-the-dots. Contains more than 100 stickers. Age 5+

From the birth of Gaia to the twelve labours of Hercules and the story of Atalanta the Huntress, over 30 Greek myths are recounted in simple form in this children’s book. Stylized illustrations accompany tales of legendary heroes and their deeds, the world’s creation, and profiles of the Olympian Gods and their domains. Age 7+

When the Farmer accidentally purchases a trio of quad-bike-riding, fanatical-football-supporting, fizzy-cola-drinking llamas at an auction, Shaun must think outside the box to prevent Mossy Bottom Farm from descending any further into chaos. Age 6+

When the flock's complicated ruse to get a day off goes awry, the Farmer ends up wandering around the Big City, his memory erased. As Shaun and the gang attempt to track him down, they fall foul of a vengeful Animal Containment Officer. Age 6+

Michael Rosen’s characteristically thoughtful retelling of A Christmas Carol sees young Harry playing Scrooge in his school play, and discovering that its message has a lot to teach both him and his often-absent father about the value of their relationship. Age 7+

It's Bella Donna's birthday – the first she has celebrated since she moved into the enchanted house on Coven Road. When she receives a new broomstick as a gift, she's keen to take to the skies straight away – perhaps a little too keen. Age 5+

Whether exploring the Overworld, fighting off zombies or competing in minigames with other players, these official guides from the creators at Mojang offer Minecrafters of every level essential tips and inspiration, with hundreds of images accompanied by concise text. The eight titles are Survival, Creative, Ocean Survival, Farming, PVP Minigames, Enchantments and Potions, The Nether and The End, and Redstone. Age 6+

Bella Donna is having the time of her life at Witch Camp, casting spells, sleeping in a treehouse and roasting marshmallows over a rainbow fire. Then she realizes someone has cast a hex over the proceedings, and she must act quickly to save the day. Age 5+

These nine miniature board books include the popular early learning topics of shapes, numbers and colours, using the theme of Christmas throughout. Especially festive is ‘Busy Day’, with simple verbs describing Santa’s actions as he prepares to ‘build’, ‘wrap’ and ‘deliver’ the gifts. Age 1+