Summer is the perfect time to snuggle up in the cool shade with children or grandchildren for a mini escape to another world. There’s nothing quite like a nostalgic step back in time to enjoy the wonder of a child hearing a new story for the first time. So, we’ve gathered an inspiring collection of new children’s book releases that deserve a place on the bookshelf, along with well-thumbed favourites.
We’re also fans of books designed to help adults and children have a shared understanding around emotions and how to communicate – Guess How Marion Feels is a picture book designed to help children cultivate emotional intelligence and to help both neurotypical and neurodivergent to be guided by their parents on #selfawareness at an early stage.
The Dragon Who Lost His Spark is themed around emotional intelligence with fun characters and rich language to portray a message of confidence.
Big Little Blue: Double Dipper delivers three playful stories in each volume. Each story is connected by a wellbeing theme and is designed to offer children coping strategies for navigating friendships, understanding emotional responses, and the importance of mindfulness and being yourself.
The Run, Rabbit/E Oma, Rāpeti series is a collection of three adorable bilingual books that follow the adventures of a playful and determined young rabbit, offering accessible introduction to te reo Māori vocabulary for young readers and their whānau. The books have themes of determination, individuality, self-belief, and exploration.
