Children’s books for Christmas gifts
Our 20 great children’s books for Christmas – spectacular picture books to surprise, bewitch and survive longer than one holiday season.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Emma Chichester Clark is a British author and illustrator known for her work in children’s literature. She studied at the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art, where she was taught by Quentin Blake. Chichester Clark began her career illustrating books for other writers before publishing her own stories.
Her first picture book, Listen to This, was published in 1990 and won the Mother Goose Award for best newcomer to children’s book illustration. She has since written and illustrated numerous books, including the popular Blue Kangaroo series, which began with I Love You, Blue Kangaroo! published by HarperCollins Children’s Books. The series follows the adventures of a young girl named Lily and her beloved toy, Blue Kangaroo.
Chichester Clark has also illustrated works by other authors, such as Michael Morpurgo and Roald Dahl. Her illustrations are recognised for their expressive characters and detailed settings. In addition to picture books, she has created retellings of classic tales and contributed to anthologies.
Emma Chichester Clark’s I Love You, Blue Kangaroo! was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1998.
Our 20 great children’s books for Christmas – spectacular picture books to surprise, bewitch and survive longer than one holiday season.
Children’s books about families and adoption for children aged 2-11 in EYFS, KS1 & KS2 – including stories by Samuel Langley-Swain, Jamie Lee-Curtis, Todd Parr, Phoebe Koehler, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Justin Richardson.
Grief and loss themed books for children and teens with titles by Britta Teckentrup, Samuel Langley-Swain, Judith Kerr, Harry Woodgate, Laura Dockrill, Oliver Jeffers, Kereen Getten, Michael Rosen and Joseph Coelho.
Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops, or Waterstones.com, or Blackwells.co.uk.
Keep up to date with our email newsletter and our latest social media posts about reading, children's books and literacy.
Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
Picture books for the under 5s | Books for Reception | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11