Blog

The Best Books of 2021: Baby & Toddler

Posted on 3rd November 2021 by Mark Skinner

Whether it's spotting spooks with Oliver Jeffers, hunting for monsters with Malorie Blackman or receiving some dino-tastic hugs courtesy of Rachel Bright, there have been lots of big treats for little hands this year. Check out our selection of the very best picture books and board books of 2021 below.

Squirrel's Snowman - Tales From Acorn Wood (Board book)

Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler

£7.99

Board book

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

A great new winter addition to the popular Tales from Acorn Wood stable, with durable flaps on each page, Squirrel’s Snowman sees the animals on the hunt for all the pieces of the perfect snowman.

Book of Animals - Here We Are (Board book)

Oliver Jeffers

£6.99

Board book

Not available

Currently not available to order

Inspired by his acclaimed picture book Here We Are, this gorgeous board book introduces very little ones to a beautifully illustrated A-Z of creatures.

Cat Chat: How cats tell us how they feel (Board book)

Dr Jess French, Penelope Dullaghan

£7.99

Board book

In stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Vet and television presenter Dr Jess French presents an invaluable introduction to understanding your feline friends in this board book, boldly illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan.

Make Tracks: Building Site - Make Tracks (Board book)

Johnny Dyrander

£9.99

Board book

Temporarily unavailable

Currently not available to order

From trucks to diggers, experience the fun of driving a series of building site vehicles around five different tracks in this chunky interactive board book.

This product is currently unavailable online. Click to be notified when it is back in stock or to collect in store.

There’s a Ghost in this House (Hardback)

Oliver Jeffers

£20.00

Hardback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

From the author/illustrator of Lost and Found and Stuck comes a hauntingly beautiful picture book ghost hunt, boasting interactive transparent pages and Jeffers' unique artistry.

Michael Rosen's Sticky McStickstick: The Friend Who Helped Me Walk Again (Hardback)

Michael Rosen, Tony Ross

£12.99

Hardback

In stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Filled with all of Michael Rosen’s trademark humour and humanity, this moving and inspirational picture book details the author’s recovery from coronavirus and is a wonderful testament to perseverance, compassion and kindness.

The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess: Winner of Foyles Children’s Book of the Year (Hardback)

Tom Gauld, Tom Gauld

£12.99

Hardback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

With a cast including goblins, magic puddings and a mushroom queen, Gauld’s adorable and exquisitely illustrated tale of a young robot’s search for his sister combines gentle magical adventure with a whimsical tribute to sibling devotion.

The Invisible (Paperback)

Tom Percival

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Once more unafraid to tackle complex themes in picture book form, Tom Percival delivers a deeply moving and inspiring tale of a young girl living at the edge of society and a message of hope and understanding for young and old alike.

Margaret's Unicorn (Hardback)

Briony May Smith, Briony May Smith

£12.99

Hardback

Out of stock

When unicorns descend on the shore near Margaret’s new home and leave behind one of their babies, a magical adventure begins in this adorable picture book about the power of friendship.

This product is currently unavailable online. Click to be notified when it is back in stock or to collect in store.

The Bench (Hardback)

Meghan The Duchess of Sussex, Christian Robinson

£12.99

Hardback

In stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

A heartwarming celebration of the enduring love between fathers and sons, the debut picture book from Megan, The Duchess of Sussex combines inspiring rhyming text with the beautiful watercolour illustrations of Christian Robinson.

Hey You: An empowering celebration of growing up Black (Paperback)

Dapo Adeola, Dapo Adeola

£8.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Former recipient of the Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year award Dapo Adeola crafts a tender and inspiring picture book about growing up Black, incorporating stunning artwork from eighteen illustrators of colour.

Mini and Hardly and the Big Adventure (Hardback)

Catherine Rayner, Catherine Rayner

£12.99

Hardback

5+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

From one of our most distinctive author-illustrators comes a big-hearted picture book all about being small, as two diminutive unicorns who are desperate to grow up find themselves on an unexpected adventure.

The Boys (Hardback)

Lauren Ace, Jenny Løvlie

£11.99

Hardback

In stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Following up the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize category-winning The Girls by tracing the paths taken through life by a quartet of young boys, Ace and Lovlie craft another charming and inclusive picture book which encourages difference and love.

Three Little Vikings: A story about getting your voice heard (Paperback)

Bethan Woollvin, Bethan Woollvin

£7.99

Paperback

5+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Award-winning illustrator Bethan Woollvin gives voice to three intrepid Viking warriors who are out to prove their Chieftain wrong and save the day – Viking girl style.

The Whale Who Wanted More (Paperback)

Rachel Bright, Jim Field

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

From the author and illustrator of the bestselling The Lion Inside comes a heartwarming rhyming tale about a whale on the hunt for the one trinket that will make him feel complete.

A Song of Gladness: A Story of Hope for Us and Our Planet (Hardback)

Michael Morpurgo, Emily Gravett

£12.99

Hardback

In stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

With vibrant illustrations from Emily Gravett, Michael Morpurgo celebrates the diversity of the natural world with a tour of English gardens, African savannah and forest canopy and the wild and wonderful creatures that live there.

The Burpee Bears: Signed Bookplate Edition (Hardback)

Joe Wicks, Paul Howard

£12.99

Hardback

Out of stock

Explore the ups and downs of family life with the adorable Burpee Bears in the first of a delightful picture book series from the nation’s PE supremo Joe Wicks, complete with warm-up and wind-down exercise routines.

This product is currently unavailable online. Click to be notified when it is back in stock or to collect in store.

There Is No Big Bad Wolf In This Story (Paperback)

Lou Carter, Deborah Allwright

£6.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

The storytelling double act behind There Is No Dragon in This Story return with a clever, tongue-in-cheek take on Little Red Riding Hood when wolf decides it’s time that he took a day off…

An Odd Dog Christmas (Hardback)

Rob Biddulph

£12.99

Hardback

Not available

Currently not available to order

‘Draw with Rob’ Biddulph’s enchanting picture book Odd Dog Out gets a festive makeover in this heartwarming rhyming tale in which the maverick mutt helps a friend to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

The Rock from the Sky (Hardback)

Jon Klassen, Jon Klassen

£12.99

Hardback

Temporarily unavailable

Currently not available to order

Boasting the same wry, deadpan humour and distinctive artwork that made Klassen’s Hat trilogy such a phenomenon, The Rock from the Sky is a hilarious tale of friendship and frustration between a turtle and an armadillo.

This product is currently unavailable online. Click to be notified when it is back in stock or to collect in store.

Maybe... (Hardback)

Chris Haughton, Chris Haughton

£12.99

Hardback

5+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

The author/illustrator of A Bit Lost and Shh! We Have a Plan tempts a trio of monkeys with a tantalising mango tree in this joyous picture book packed with youthful cheekiness and boundary pushing.

100 Birds (Paperback)

Michael Whaite

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

The author of former Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted picture book 100 Dogs unleashes a host of avian antics in a rundown of just about every kind of feathered friend that you can imagine.

You Can't Take an Elephant on Holiday - You Can’t Let an Elephant... (Paperback)

Patricia Cleveland-Peck, David Tazzyman

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

From golfing meerkats to a candyfloss-covered albatross, there is more zany rhyming fun from the team behind You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus in this madcap menagerie of transport-taking animals.

Weirdo (Hardback)

Zadie Smith, Nick Laird

£12.99

Hardback

Out of stock

Zadie Smith teams up with acclaimed poet Nick Laird and debut illustrator Magenta Fox to produce a marvellously funny and warm-hearted story about a rather unconventional guinea pig.

This product is currently unavailable online. Click to be notified when it is back in stock or to collect in store.

Rabunzel - Fairy Tales for the Fearless (Paperback)

Gareth P Jones, Loretta Schauer

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Rapunzel gets a rabbity reworking in this delightful story of a long-eared bunny forced to live in a sky-scraping hutch to avoid the attentions of hungry predators.

Greg the Sausage Roll: Santa's Little Helper - Greg the Sausage Roll (Hardback)

Mark Hoyle, Roxanne Hoyle

£10.99

Hardback

5+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

From the Christmas hit factory that is LadBaby comes a fast-paced, hilarious festive adventure as everybody's favourite savoury snack goes on a whirlwind caper with Santa.

The Viking Who Liked Icing (Paperback)

Lu Fraser, Mark Mckinley

£6.99

Paperback

5+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

The author/illustrator of The Littlest Yak celebrates being yourself with the delicious rhyming story of a Viking boy who loves to bake and the impending Sports’ Day that could prove his undoing.

Grandude's Green Submarine (Hardback)

Paul McCartney, Kathryn Durst

£12.99

Hardback

Not available

Currently not available to order

A riotous underwater adventure awaits Grandude and the Chillers as they follow the musical trail of the missing Nandude in this second, fun-filled picture book from the one and only Sir Paul McCartney.

The Grumpy Fairies (Paperback)

Bethan Stevens

£7.99

Paperback

5+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Hilariously demonstrating that not all fairies are sweetness and light, Stevens’s hugely entertaining picture book sets a hungry goblin on the trail of some foot-stompingly moody sprites.

We're Going to Find the Monster (Paperback)

Malorie Blackman, Dapo Adeola

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

The picture book dream team of Malorie Blackman and former Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner Dapo Adeola deliver an irresistible story of adventure, imagination and family as two intrepid children transform their house into a fantasy landscape.

Supertato Night of the Living Veg: Signed Bookplate Edition - Supertato (Paperback)

Sue Hendra, Paul Linnet

£6.99

Paperback

Out of stock

Things get very spooky in the vegetable aisle in this rip-roaring instalment in the bestselling Supertato series, as strange and ghostly things start to happen in the supermarket after closing time.

Ten Delicious Teachers (Hardback)

Ross Montgomery, Sarah Warburton

£12.99

Hardback

In stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Blissfully unaware of the gathering horde of monsters, a group of teachers make their way back through the forest in this wonderfully irreverent rhyming tale from the author of Space Tortoise.

Discovering the Natural World

Nature Trail (Hardback)

Benjamin Zephaniah, Nila Aye

£12.99

Hardback

We can order this from the publisher

Usually dispatched within 5 days

The beloved poet and author pays tribute to the wonders of the natural world in incandescent verse, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations from Nila Aye.

Meet the Oceans - Meet the . . . (Paperback)

Caryl Hart, Bethan Woollvin

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

The sparkling sequel to Meet the Planets sends young readers on a fascinating journey through the depths of the ocean as rhyming text describes incredible underwater creatures from beluga whales to manatees.

Understanding & Confronting Racism

My Skin, Your Skin: Let's talk about race, racism and empowerment (Hardback)

Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Onyinye Iwu

£12.99

Hardback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Packed with vibrant illustrations from Onyinye Iwu, My Skin Your Skin is an invaluable resource for helping young children learn about anti-racism and celebrate the achievements of all children from a noted Early Years expert.

Being Proud of Who You Are

Rapping Princess (Paperback)

Hannah Lee, Allen Fatimaharan

£6.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

Bursting with energy and effortless rhymes, Lee and Fatimaharan’s feelgood fable focuses on a junior royal with unconventional singing talents and sends a message of embracing your true self.

Developing Kindness

The Hugasaurus - DinoFeelings (Paperback)

Rachel Bright, Chris Chatterton

£7.99

Paperback

10+ in stock

Usually dispatched within 1-2 days

From the author of The Worrysaurus comes the heart-melting story of a kind and caring dinosaur, perfect for teaching children about the value of compassion and love.