Julia Donaldson (Illus. Axel Scheffler), The Gruffalo

Macmillan, 9780333710937 | Suggested age range: 3-5

Trying to get through the forest safely, the little mouse tricks fox, owl and snake by telling them of the scary Gruffalo. He sounds so fierce and frightening that everyone is scared stiff of him. But is the Gruffalo really scary? And can the clever mouse outwit him too? A wonderful story of fear and triumph.

Julia Donaldson (Illus. Axel Scheffler), The Snail and the Whale

Macmillan, 9780333982242 | Suggested age range: 3-5

Told in Julia Donaldson's trademark rhyming text, this is a poignant story with a strong message. Hitching a ride on the side of a whale, the snail sets off on the trip of a lifetime to see the world. But the world is a huge place and the tiny snail begins to feel very small and unimportant. However, even a tiny snail can save the day ... The whale's glorious movement through wonderful seascapes of caves and islands is captured both in the flow of the text and the richly varied illustrations.