Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. - Anthony Browne

We couldn’t agree more. And although Readings’ already has a list of collective favourites (see our 30 Essential Picture Books here) it’s always cause for celebration when some new notable picture books catch our eye. Here are 10 recent picture books we’d love to recommend to you, each one tied to a theme.

On independence:

A House Of Her Own by Jenny Hughes and Jonathan Bentley

I love the way this story unfolds. At first it seems as if the dad is merely humouring young Audrey, who has decided it’s time she moved out of home to her own place. But fortunately Audrey’s imagination takes over the narrative for a while, and we see her dad set to work on a treehouse of Audrey’s design: hoisting up a bathtub, building a spiral staircase, and making a blue bed so Audrey ‘can keep (her) secrets underneath’.

This is a beautiful father-daughter story. Perhaps Dad always knew that Audrey would come back inside their real house once she’d had a taste of freedom up in her special tree, but he isn’t smug at all. The illustrations are really comforting and fluid, with lots of movement and plenty of detail to pore over.

On friendship:

On Sudden Hill by Linda Sarah and Benji Davies

This illustrator first caught our eye with his very handsome The Storm Whale, and this story has the same empathy and tenderness. First there are two friends, who play on a hill in their cardboard boxes every day and have what seems to be an unbreakable bond. Then along comes a third boy, who wants to play too. One of them is fine with the adjustment to their dynamic, but the other struggles with it to the point where he lets them be two, while he becomes one. Don’t worry - they fix it!

This is a very touching tale of what it feels like when your idea of the perfect friendship is challenged, and a great reminder that cardboard boxes have infinite possibilities.

On dinosaurs:

If You Happen To Have A Dinosaur by Linda Bailey and Colin Jack

For a topic that’s so popular with children, there aren’t nearly enough brilliant picture books about dinosaurs. This one is really fun. It’s about all the many different uses for a prehistoric pet: from can-opener to paper-shredder, from kite to babysitter. Though the book is quick to point out the obvious – not all dinosaurs make good kites or babysitters… You have to choose your type wisely.

The illustrations are fun and bright, and I really like the final page which offers the reader an opportunity to come up with their own ideas. A very child-friendly new addition.

On long-distance relationships:

Hello From Nowhere by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair

Eve loves living in a roadhouse in the middle of the Nullarbor. Everything feels right to her: the wildlife, the tourists, the diverse range of people who live there and all that room to run. The one thing missing is her beloved Nan who has, so far, refused to visit ‘the back of beyond’. After a long wait, Nan finally comes for a visit and Eve is over the moon to be able to share special people, animals and places with someone she loves so much.

This is a gentle, touching story about happy reunions, heart-breaking goodbyes, and how to embrace that big space in the middle.

On siblings:

Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light

I love art! It’s my imagination on the outside. So begins Louise’s confident address about her favourite hobby: drawing. She’s so wrapped up in her creations and explanations, and curating a gallery of her finest work for the Gallery Du Fridge, that she doesn’t notice her adoring younger brother stalking her… and adding a few of his own touches to her drawings. When she discovers his misdeeds, she flips out and his resulting guilt is so perfectly captured with a curled-up pose and a simple, ‘Sorry’. But underneath Louise’s precociousness is a good heart, and she quickly forgives him.

The delightful twist is Louise’s little brother’s name: Art. Louise Loves Art is the most charming bossy older-sister / adoring little brother story. It gets me every time.

On dogs vs. cats:

Is There A Dog In This Book? by Viviane Schwarz

If you haven’t yet discovered this series, let me first introduce you to There Are Cats In This Book and There Are No Cats In This Book. Tiny, Moonpie and Andre are three cats, slightly mad-looking, and in their latest story, they have become suddenly suspicious that there is… A DOG hiding in their book!

As their suspicions grow, the cats address the reader, requesting that help is given to hide them from the terrifying dog (which actually looks significantly less terrifying than these cats). Their fear is magnified on every page until the littlest one gets brave and encourages the others to pat the friendly puppy. The flaps are used very creatively, and it’s a terrifically funny, feel-good story. It would also be a good one to use with children who are worried about dogs.

On true love:

The Scarecrow’s Wedding by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Betty O'Barley and Harry O'Hay are scarecrows who only have eyes for each other. Harry proposes and they start to plan their big day. Fortunately, Betty is no bridezilla – she’ll be happy with “a dress of white feathers, a necklace of shells, lots of pink flowers, two rings and some bells”. This story has the same sweet camaraderie of The Smartest Giant In Town, but this time it’s the animals’ turn to do good deeds. Some of their well-meant efforts, however, lead to disaster, with Harry missing in action and Betty fending off rival scarecrow Reginald Rake, a real horror.

Children will love Julia Donaldson’s confident and playful rhyme. For me this story didn’t have the same clarity of thought and theme as some of their previous collaborations, but it would make a really sweet gift for a couple getting married.

(And don’t forget that ever since the huge success of The Gruffalo, illustrator Axel Scheffler has hidden a Gruffalo image in every subsequent picture book.)

On poo:

The Great Garden Mystery by Renee Treml

I remember the first time my son said ‘Poo!’ and then cracked up laughing, some years ago now. Although I might have reasonably expected the fascination to dry up, it never has. What can I say? On a rainy afternoon we even play Plop Trumps (this is an actual card game) and of course he loves The Mole Who Knew It Was None Of His Business. So when I realised that Melbourne artist Renee Treml’s absolutely gorgeous-looking new picture book, The Great Garden Mystery, involved animal poo, I knew who to test it out on.

Verdict: thumbs-up. While I adore the personality Renee gives to each animal and bird, using her trademark scratchboard, my son loved the whole concept of finding out which animal does square poos. It’s a shame that there isn’t any information in the back of the book about how and why the Australian animal in question produces cube-shaped scats, but I’m sure many children will be encouraged to find out for themselves. As we did!

On fractured fairy-tales:

The Cat, The Dog, Little Red, The Exploding Eggs, The Wolf and Grandma’s Wardrobe by Diane and Christyan Fox

I think this is one of those picture books which has the potential to make adults and children cry with laughter together. The fracturing of this fairytale (Little Red Riding Hood) comes in the form of a young, enthusiastic dog, who interrupts the cat telling the story every few seconds with his brand of helpful suggestions and curious questions, usually involving which superpowers Little Red and the wolf might have (I bet she zaps him with her Kindness Ray!).

Although there was one line in the book that stopped this from being perfect for me, it is such a lot of irreverent fun and I think it will appeal to fans of the brilliant Mo Willems. I’d love to see this cat and dog take apart some other fairy-tales.

On elephants and… everything:

The Memory of an Elephant by Sophie Strady and Jean-Francois Martin

This book is the most weirdly wonderful of the lot, packed with factual information and subtext, and should be snapped up by fans of Shaun Tan. What begins as a simple, stunningly illustrated celebration of the elephant (how much they eat, their anatomy), evolves into a brilliantly bizarre encyclopaedia of fashion, architecture, musical instruments, food, etc. It is beautiful, strange and somehow makes sense.

I think older children will love delving into this one, and it is definitely one for adult picture book fans too.

Emily Gale