Hat Cat

By Troy Wilson

Illustrated by Eve Coy

Walkers Books

February 2022, pp32, £7.99

978-1529515527

Reading age: 3-8 years

This book follows the story of an old man and a cat he found under his hat. Each day the old man leaves the cat (called Hat) inside the house while he goes to feed the squirrels, making sure Hat is safe. One day the old man doesn't return, and Hat must remember what the Old Man said to him for how to stay safe, despite the temptation to do otherwise when the door is mistakenly left open by a friendly neighbour.

This is a touching work which explores friendships and trust. It models how these can change, sometimes unexpectedly, and how to respond to and handle such situations. The story also explores how and why to trust adults as well as yourself, and to work through anxiety in the face of unknown circumstances to make the right choices.

Tender and emotive illustrations enable even the weakest readers to enjoy the story, as well as conveying the loving relationship between the Old Man and Hat. This will make a great resource for any child facing unexpected changes in their lives, as well as supporting communication and emotional resilience.

When I Became Your Sister

By Susannah Shane

Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

Nosy Crow

September 2023, pp24, £7.99

978-1839944598

Reading age: 2-5 years

Following on from When I Became Your Brother, this second book is a heart-warming story which explores the relationship between sisters – including the love, adventures and bond that is shared – through the image of two racoons.

The text is beautifully lyrical, introducing readers to gentle rhythm and rhyme through basic vocabulary. The narrative explores the different activities and adventures the two racoons get up to together, including disagreements, wishing and dreaming.

The artwork is a real highlight, conveying the narrative in a beautiful and rich manner with gold foil shimmering across each page.

This would make a fabulous resource for any child soon to become a sister or gain a sister into their family, modelling for children what this unknown situation will look like.

A beautiful and high-quality book, it could also be used to explore the habitat, diet and behaviours of racoons depicted in the illustrations, supporting children to understand the world.

Let's Save the Okavango Delta

By Catherine Barr

Illustrated by Jean Claude

Walker Books

February 2023, pp25, £12.99

978-1406399684

Reading age: 5-9 years

This is a wonderful information resource which outlines on each double page a different reason why the Okavango Delta needs to be saved and protected. It finishes with a lovely section that lists how children can help to save wetland areas, which can easily be done in settings and/or at home.

Aimed at the upper end of early years, this is fantastic for supporting children to understand more about the world, and particularly this delta area in Botswana and the surrounding countries.

The beautiful illustrations depict the multifaceted ecosystem of the area, including habitats for humans, plants and animals, and how this is all threatened as the world's climate changes. A real highlight is the double page which, when turned vertically, shows a cross-section of the delta from the river bed up to the animals living on the surface

The text is clear and brimming with information, which will need adult support when reading. It provides opportunities for teaching specialist vocabulary and is a rich resource for settings.