The Great Nut Hunt by Karl Newson & Nia Havilliard (Scholastic – August 2025)
There’s something so delightful about squirrel stories! These cute, charming creatures are always on the go and always in some sort of trouble. In The Great Nut Hunt, Squirrel has collected too many nuts. When they won’t fit in his tree, he decides to hide them all over the woods but then forgets where he’s hidden them. Has Bear taken them? Or maybe Owl or Beaver? Squirrel decides to search their homes and steal their stash. But it isn’t his nuts and now he’s offended his friends. Fortunately, they’re very forgiving and help Squirrel discover what really happened.
With lovely rhymes and adorable illustrations, young readers will be captivated by this bouncy book. Because they know where the nuts were stashed, they’ll be able to foresee Squirrel’s mistakes and make suggestions for how he could solve his problems. This is sure to be a hit in EYFS and KS1!
The Snappy Shark by Michelle Robinson & Tim Budgen (Scholastic – August 2025)
Michelle Robinson’s picture books have always been favourites in our house. The Snappy Shark is another brilliant example of using rhyming language, fun illustrations and a gentle message to help children explore their feelings.
Mark the Shark wants to play with his friends but when he loses a game or things don’t go his way, he gets snappy. He shouts, complains it isn’t fair and accuses others of cheating. When his friends tell him to play nice, he storms off. Left alone, Mark realises he must control his temper and uses deep breathing and counting to calm down. He apologises to his friends and they graciously forgive him. A funny twist at the end will leave readers smiling as they appreciate the special friendships.
The Snappy Shark is a fantastic book for PSHE lessons in EYFS and KS1. Through reading and discussion, children will be able to reflect on times when they or their friends have gotten snappy and how everyone can handle it postively.
Pencil’s Best Story Ever by Carly Gledhill (Post Wave – September 2025)
Pencil really wants to write a story about his friend Peanut going on a big adventure – but things keep going wrong. Instead of following the plot he planned, Pencil starts to lose control of his characters. Peanut is scared to go into the forest, there’s a plate of jelly instead of a grizzly bear and it starts raining peas. Whenever somthing pops up that isn’t a part of Pencil’s story, he has to rethink and rewrite to make it work. In the end, they all have a fantastic adventure while Pencil learns the value of redrafting and seeing where his story will take him. This is a brilliant example for children writing their own stories with imagination, fun and the power of the writer taking centre stage.
Planets by John Devolle (Pushkin Children’s – August 2025)
Part of the “Big Science for Little Minds” series, Planets encourages children to explore the wonders of space through captivating illustrations, fascinating facts and funny twists. Explained in language younger children will understand, the information is clear and accessible. Budding scientists will come away with a lot of new knowledge to share. This is a delightful book for EYFS and KS1 classrooms or to help expand children’s scientific awareness at home.
Find out more about Atoms and Germs from the same series in the posts below:
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