Bedtime tales: New Picture Books

Mog's Bedtime Tales: ; Includes: Mog the Forgetful Cat, Mog and the Baby, and Mog and Bunny / Kerr, Judith
Mog is an iconic cat in the world of picture books who's been a firm storytime favourite for decades! This forgetful, sassy, and adorable fluffball is the perfect companion to storytime, and the three books in this collection are an excellent introduction to the misadventures of Mog. The above collection contains three stories: 'Mog the Forgetful Cat', 'Mog and the Baby', and 'Mog and the Bunny'.

Mouse on the River: A Journey Through Nature / Melvin, Alice
A follow-up to the award-winning Mouse's Wood: A Year In Nature, which we also have in our library collection. This beautifully illustrated book follows Mouse as they row down a gentle river to visit their friend. This is a relaxing tale, a slow-paced story full of nature sights and rhyming, which might be a nice calming balm to the hyperactive nature of our more energetic books. Plus, it's filled with an adorable collection of characters such as beavers, water voles, and waterfowl. Also includes a "nature spotter's guide" at the back of the book that, with the interactive flaps within the illustrations, fosters an engaging and immersive storytime.

Forts / Pak, Kenard
A delightful and whimsical book about forts, and a celebration of the creative joy and wonder they bring. From treehouses to blanket forts, this book encourages little readers to find a place where they feel safe and relaxed. Everyone needs their own space sometimes, and this story as a playful invitation to transform the corners of the everyday into magic pockets of fun. Written as a poem, this is book promises to be both fun to read and to inspire some fort-building afterwards.

Farah's Nose: A celebration of South Asian heritage and family / Malik, Humera
People keep commenting on Farah's nose. They keep telling her it's "strong", but what does that even mean and Farah's feeling frustrated and confused. But when she visits a South Asian Heritage Photography Exhibition, she learns about women who share her nose. A warmly illustrated story about empowerment and awesome historical facts, praised by readers as a great introduction for children to South Asian heritage and history.

So Devin Wore a Skirt / Lalji, Shireen
Devin is hunting for something special to wear for Nanabapa's birthday. All his own clothes feel uncomfortable, but then he spots the perfect thing, his sister's incredible skirt. It's so fun to wear, but he's worried what everyone will say. He tries to hide the skirt under his clothes, but as the party starts, he learns it feels much better to just dress how you want. This book promises to be a heartwarming story about family acceptance and being true to yourself. A cheerfully illustrated, joyful book with an empowering message.

I'm going to make a friend / Chetty, Darren
A sweet, philosophical story about having courage to make new friends when you move to a new neighbourhood. This is a wonderfully illustrated book that traverses the many emotions that come with new friendship anxieties, as well as exploring questions that a young person might have about making friends. This book is also funny, with a delightful game of the double meaning of "make a friend". The accompanying illustrations are very cute, and a special shout-out to the hero's cat friend who follows them on every page!