Frog In Love by Max Velthuijs

Originally published in 1989, Frog in Love was the first of 17 books to have been published in this classic character series. Taking the very grown-up theme of romance and presenting it on a level that children can appreciate is quite an ambitious endeavour, but this gentle and touching tale manages to pull it off with grace and sincerity.

At first Frog thinks the thumping in his chest must be an illness, until Hare diagnoses him as being in love. Anxiety turns to elation as Frog proclaims the object of his desire to be a beautiful white duck, and then back to anxiety again as he is too shy to tell her his feelings. But despite Pig’s reservations about the feasibility of an inter-species relationship (slight political undertones perhaps?), Frog finally gets Duck’s attention by showing off and doing the biggest jump EVER.

For such a simplistic character who really bears little anatomical resemblance to an amphibian, Frog is unfalteringly lovable and bursting with personality. Let’s hope that the re-release, with its more contemporary cover design, will keep Frog bouncing through the generations into the hearts of children for years to come.

I Love You Muddy Bear by Jane Simmons

Mousse the dog loves Muddy Bear almost as much as his best doggy-friend Nut. So when Muddy Bear gets accidentally rolled up into a snowdog, Mousse is distraught and sets off to find him with the help of Nut. Some well-meaning but misguided rabbits send them off on an erroneous mission to confront Big Bear, whom they think might have taken Muddy Bear, but they only succeed in needlessly waking a grumpy Big Bear form hibernation. Eventually Muddy Bear turns up, but not before Mousse has endured a fretful night without him.

The lost toy scenario is one which has been tackled by many a children’s book before, but the winning combination of lovable yet quirky characters, some clever tension building and a heart-warming happy ending make this a pleasantly refreshing take.

Elephant by Petr Horáček

Most children invent an imaginary playmate at some point, and for the little boy in this book, it’s an elephant. But is it imaginary? Just like Bernard’s monster in Not Now Bernard, the parents (or in this case, grandparents) can’t see the child’s unusual companion, and the child gets blamed for all the mess and destruction caused. But this un-named boy enjoys many an adventure with his elephant friend, and eventually the grandparents join in the game.

Softly drawn with grey scribbly skin and a docile friendly face, the elephant is surprisingly inanimate and lacks the personality of his anarchic anthropomorphic forbears - The Tiger Who Came to Tea, The Wild Things or even Bernard’s monster. The repetitious expressions on the human faces also make the characters feel slightly cold and removed, though the illustrations are by no means unpleasant. A simple if rather dispassionate tale, the themes of make believe and making a mess will surely appeal.

I'm Not Going Out There! by Paul Bright, illustrated by Ben Cort

What could possibly be scarier than a fire-breathing dragon, a ghost with no head, stubbly witches, or tutu-wearing monsters? An angry sibling of course!

Anyone who has ever hidden from an older brother or sister will identify with this vibrantly illustrated, light-hearted picture book.

Written in rhyming, rhythmic verses, young readers will enjoy anticipating and joining in with the refrain 'I'm not going out there!' on every page, as an assortment of potential menaces in the child's bedroom are eventually upstaged by the ultimate peril – a shrieking sister with a spider in her shoe!

Wibbly Pig's Silly Big Bear by Mick Inkpen

The latest Wibbly Pig story maintains the subtle simplicity of what has become a favourite character series, this time offering a touchingly hearfelt message: that being kind and fun is just as valid as being clever and coordinated.

The chemistry between Wibbly Pig and his silly big bear leaps off the page via Inkpen's expressive illustrations. WP's resigned reactions to his bear's inability to eat peas, put pyjamas on properly, or indeed undertake the most routine tasks with any efficiency, turn to joy as we learn that he can jump...crash...and bash and is enthusastic.

The humourous text has a pleasing rhythm to it, with emphasised words on each page that children will delight in shouting out, as this is one story they will surely be learning off by heart.

Is It Because? by Tony Ross

The familiarity of Tony Ross's charmingly chaotic illustrations makes the potential awkwardness of his chosen subject matter somehow easier to swallow, in this simple poem about a common childhood problem. When a little boy asks his dog: “Pepe, is it because he's got silly names?..Is it because he's no good at games?...” and so on, we are initially oblivious as to the reason for his musing. It's not until the final few pages that we discover the boy is being bullied, and is in fact pondering over his tormentor's motives. Ross's refreshingly alternative morality tale boldly advocates a more philosophical approach to the too-often seemingly black-and-white issue of bullying, and by keeping it simple, cleverly avoids the usual patronising tone of other such 'issue' based books.

Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

Last year's Nestle Prize (0-5 category) Gold winner, Lost and Found, has just come out in paperback, prompting me to finally get round to reviewing it. Being rather a fan of penguins, I was immediately drawn to the cover, which depicts a boy and a penguin looking lost whilst floating in an umbrella not far from an iceberg. Jeffers's quirky, contemporary style puts me in mind of another promising young author- illustrator and former Nestle winner, Mini Grey, which is no bad thing. Both manage to convey huge amounts of energy and expression using stylised, simplistic drawings and unpretentious, child-friendly text. Before even opening the book, I was intrigued and expectant.

The story drops straight in, without any pre-amble, to an unnamed boy opening his front door to find a penguin. Presuming it must be lost, the boy sets out to return the penguin to its rightful location, not knowing where that might be. After rowing to the South Pole and dropping the penguin off, the boy finally realises that the penguin just wanted a friend, and a heart-warming reunion follows. Lost and Found is a touching, subtly moral story that encourages the reader to think beyond the seemingly obvious. One is utterly endeared to the silent penguin as he unquestioningly follows the boy, unable to convey his true desire for company. The unanymity of the boy is sure to appeal to young readers who will enjoy filling in the gaps, or indeed placing themselves in the starring role. Similarly, the uncluttered, open spaces between the pictures and text, and the big blocks of colour across double-page spreads leaves room for the imagination to breathe. Appealingly simple, gently atmospheric and pleasingly reassuring, Lost and Found is certainly deserving of its acclaim.