The Greatest Gift – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: sun, moon, waves sea, stars.
Children’s book title: The Greatest Gift.
Children’s author: Emma Dodd.
Genre: Children’s picture book.
Published by: Templar Books.
ISBN: 9781800781795.
Recommended for children aged: 3-6 year-olds.
First published: Paperback January 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: capturing the unbreakable bond we share with our children.
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Our review:
The sun, moon, waves upon the sea, glittering stars – in fact, the whole world. We all wish we could give our children the best start in life. The Greatest Gift is just that – a beautiful, rhyming collection of the most important gifts we would love to give our children. Not material things, but the kind of experiences that help a child feel loved and know they are the centre of your universe.
The experiences described are beautiful, such as “each smile of surprise.” The illustrations are charming and designed for under-fives, featuring soft, varied landscapes throughout. Children will love the gold-effect grass, shooting stars, and the smiley, playful characters.
The baby zebra is accompanied by an adult zebra, sharing moments like “dreamy sleep” and “the voice to sing,” and the illustrations beautifully reflect their close bond. I also appreciate that the word “mum” isn’t used, making this book perfect for sharing with significant carers and other important adults in a child’s life. As a foster carer, I will be keeping this on my bookshelf, and it will be well-loved.
I adore Emma Dodd’s books, but this is my new favourite. The combination of lovely illustrations and a thoughtful, rhyming journey really captures the unbreakable bond we share with our children, putting love and belonging into words.
Many thanks to Templar Books for the review copy.
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Browse our list of Books for EYFS.
