Raymond Briggs, Ug

Red Fox, 9780099417897 | Suggested age range: 3-5

Stone Age boy Ug longs for a better way of life, and in particular for a pair of soft trousers. But the poor boy is ahead of his time. Everyone scoffs at his notions. His mother thinks that he's a softy when he brings her flowers; his friends think he's mad to want something other than a stone to play football with ... but Ug persists. A book full of jokes and questions showing how questioning the norm (which is what all children do) may have some sense to it. After all, most of the things that Ug was asking for have come about.

Elfrida Vipont (Illus. Raymond Briggs), The Elephant and the Bad Baby

Puffin, 9780140500486 | Suggested age range: 0-3

The Bad Baby and the Elephant go boldly down the road taking something delicious from every shop they pass, and the Bad Baby never once says 'Please'. As a result, all the shopkeepers come running after the troublesome pair as they go, rumpeta, rumpeta, rumpeta through the town. But they never meant to be bad and soon they are forgiven, especially when the Bad Baby's mummy makes a feast of pancakes for everyone. A delightful repetitive text makes this fun to read again and again.