Bravery, hope and escape: the best books to cheer up kids in lockdown
From polar bears to murder mysteries, Katherine Rundell’s picks will make long days feel shorter and a small world seem larger
We read books to my daughter from birth, which enriched all our lives
A difficult pregnancy meant the only item I dared buy for my unborn child was a book. When she arrived we read it to her every day
Picture books for children – reviews
From bonding over bees and a deft exploration of race to a lipstick-loving toddler, the latest illustrated stories are a joy
Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels
Secrets in the second world war, great female scientists, a wonder dog, a slug in love and more
From Grug to The Fire Wombat: six books to help kids deal with bushfire anxiety
Since last summer’s horrific fires, Australian authors have stepped up with picture books to help manage children’s fears and answer their questions
How Julia Donaldson conquered the world, one rhyme at a time
The long read: She published her first book in her 40s, and became the biggest selling author of the past decade in any genre – The Gruffalo alone has sold 13m copies. How did this former busker make it so big?
Reading my son bedtime stories has become a real page-turner
The boy has learned to love the rhythm and pace of a book like The Gruffalo. By Séamas O’Reilly
Crime-fighting Australian pigeons take flight to Hollywood with help from James Corden
Comedian to produce film and TV series based on Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood’s Real Pigeons children’s books
Are We There Yet? Alison Lester, beloved author, is here to answer your child’s questions
Her books, including My Farm, Imagine, and Magic Beach, are adored by younger readers. Now she’s answering their questions
Mem Fox on fear, creativity and Covid-19: ‘What if I die with the story unfinished?’
After a dangerous illness the children’s author is high-risk for coronavirus, but she insists there’s a positive side to lockdown
Oh No, George! review – playful pooch’s tail-wagging caper
No pot plant or bin is safe in Can’t Sit Still’s pleasingly physical adaptation of Chris Haughton’s picturebook
Picture books for children – reviews
A dazzling plant compendium, Axel Scheffler’s crucial guide to coronavirus and a bear in Bermuda shorts lift the spirits in lockdown
Annalena McAfee: ‘I enjoyed writing this really rather unpleasant character’
A controlling female artist is at the heart of the author’s new novel. She talks about cruel egos in the art world and the logistics of writing alongside her husband, Ian McEwan
How I managed to raise a little bookworm in the age of smartphones and tablets
Most children now prefer screens to books but it is possible to nurture a passion for print
Quentin Blake: ‘Spend time with children? Good God, no’
The writer and illustrator talks about bringing some of the most cherished children’s characters to life, his work with Roald Dahl and Michael Rosen – and the tiny weed that inspired his latest book