Favourite rhymes for an Irish childhood

By Sara Webb and Claire Ranson

Illustrated by Steve McCarthy

A lovely collection of rhymes from childhood that you will want your children to learn and carry on. It has a great mixture of the common rhymes from the Mother Goose collection, such as Hey Diddle Diddle and Little Miss Muffet, but also purely Irish rhymes that you probably haven't heard in ages or ever heard at all, such as The Claddagh Boatman or the current favourite Two Cats of Kilkenny.

By Valerie Thomas

Illustrated by Korky Paul

The latest in the Winnie series recounts Winnie's adventures in space. Winnie packs a picnic basket, her Big Book of Spells and with cat Wilbur takes off in a rocket. But space travel with Winnie was never going to go smoothly and soon Winnie needs to use her magic wand. The visual text is packed full of detail and fun. A rattling good read!

By Niamh Sharkey

The big, bright images in this large format picture book will attract the younger pre-schooler. Mavis and Marge are feeling adventurous and want to leave the farmyard to explore the big world outside. There is a clever use of font ant text design to fit the story and the characters, and the comic-book style successfully draws the eye and will focus the understanding of the preverbal child. The images and story combine well to engage younger listeners.

By Lizzie Finlay

Honesty pays off! It's a strong message, nicely executed with bold, colourful illustrations, filled with mischievous crocodiles and lively dialogue. Little Croc has found a huge purse full of money and is determined to return it to its owner. His journey to the police station is filled with obstacles and temptations to spend it. It is a delightful story about honesty, generosity and friendship, supported by lots of good visual detail.