5–8 yrsRuby Finds a Worry
Tom Percival
Ruby is happy until a Worry appears and follows her everywhere — and she doesn't know how to get rid of it. Tom Percival's most beloved book: a warm, visual exploration of childhood anxiety.
5–8 yrsDays with Frog and Toad
Arnold Lobel
Five more tender stories about the seasons of friendship — from flying a kite to telling ghost stories. A warm and satisfying chapter in Lobel's beloved series.
5–8 yrsThe Day You Begin
Jacqueline Woodson
Some days you walk into a room and feel like no one could understand where you have been or who you are. A luminous, lyrical picture book about finding the courage to share your story — and discovering you are never as alone as you feel.
5–8 yrsThe Ring Bearer
Floyd Cooper
A young boy is asked to be the ring bearer at his parent's wedding to a new partner. Nervous and uncertain about what this new family will look like, he discovers through the ceremony that love has room enough for everyone. Warm illustrations and a gentle story about blended families forming.
5–8 yrsThe Invisible Boy
Trudy Ludwig
Brian always feels invisible at school — until a new boy arrives and notices him. A gentle, moving picture book about the difference one act of inclusion can make.
5–8 yrsDinosaurs and All That Rubbish
Michael Foreman
A man destroys the Earth racing toward a distant star. While he's gone, the dinosaurs return and make it beautiful again. A vibrant, funny and surprisingly moving story about the environment, greed, and second chances.
5–8 yrsFrog and Toad Are Friends
Arnold Lobel
Five gentle stories about the friendship between Frog and Toad — two completely different characters who need each other. Arnold Lobel's early reader is a quiet classic about what real friendship looks like.
5–8 yrsFrog and Toad Together
Arnold Lobel
Five more stories of Frog and Toad navigating willpower, bravery, and the comfort of a good friend. A masterpiece of simple storytelling with surprising emotional depth.
5–8 yrsOliver Button is a Sissy
Tomie dePaola
Oliver Button doesn't like the things boys are supposed to like — he loves reading, drawing, and dancing. A gentle classic about being true to yourself when the world tells you to be different, and what it really means to be a star.
5–9 yrsDivorce Is the Worst
Anastasia Higginbotham
A bold, honest picture book that names exactly what divorce feels like from a child's perspective — the anger, the sadness, the divided loyalties — without minimising any of it. Part of the Ordinary Terrible Things series, which treats children as capable of handling truth alongside comfort.
5–9 yrsMama's Nightingale
Edwidge Danticat
When Saya's mother is sent to an immigration detention centre, Saya listens to her mother's voice on tape each night and begins to write a story. A courageous, beautifully told picture book about family separation, immigration, and the stories that hold us together across impossible distances.
5–10 yrsAll Dogs Have ADHD
Kathy Hoopmann
Using delightful photographs of real dogs, this book shows children what it actually feels like to have ADHD — the distractibility, the energy, the creativity, and the joy. A warm, funny, and deeply validating book for any child whose brain works differently.
5–8 yrsAda Twist Scientist
Andrea Beaty
Ada Twist asks why about everything — and when a terrible smell invades the house, she applies the scientific method to solve the mystery. An inspiring picture book for curious children, especially girls interested in science.
5–8 yrsIggy Peck Architect
Andrea Beaty
Iggy builds extraordinary structures out of anything he can find — and when his class gets stranded on an island, his skills save the day. A love letter to children who build, design, and create.
5–8 yrsRosie Revere Engineer
Andrea Beaty
Rosie secretly builds contraptions in her room but is afraid to fail in front of others — until her great-great-aunt shows her that magnificent failures are the key to success. A brilliant book about persistence and engineering thinking.
5–8 yrsWhat to Say When You Don't Know What to Say
Davina Bell
A beautifully honest picture book about the awkward, important moments when we don't know what to say — when a friend is sad or something hard has happened. Teaches children the power of simply showing up.
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