I’m more than a little bit excited at the content of this list. I love seeing the huge effort that is poured into creating wonderful reading fodder for even the tiniest readers. From iconic designs to great works of literature, this list has it all. Join me and delve into this wonderful collection of books.

Orla Kiely Board Books

Egmont Books

What’s not to love about Orla Kiely’s beautiful range of board books for little hands? Let’s start with that wonderful cloth bound cover – perfect. The sturdy pages are full of the eye-catching, modern designs that have made Orla Kiely a household name. The simple format encourages a range of basic skills from counting, patterns, and most recently creatures and shapes. All are presented in a wonderfully accessible format which is simple enough to capture the attention of young eyes. Revel in the iconic images and a beautiful collection of books that may well co-ordinate with your linen and handbag!

BabyLit Board Books

Jennifer Adams

Ill. By Alison Oliver
Gibbs M. Smith

This is such an inspired idea. A range of board books, primarily aimed at encouraging recognition of numbers and colours. The standout feature is that each one uses a different classic work of literature as its inspiration. Genius! Choose from Little Miss Austen: Pride and Prejudice (1 English village, 2 Gentlemen), Little Miss Bronte: Jane Eyre and Little Master Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet or head for colour primers in Little Master Dickens: Christmas Carol and Little Master Carroll: Alice in Wonderland. I love the attention to detail found in the pages such as cheeky comments from the caterpillar in Alice, and the little quotations from the original Pride and Prejudice. The illustrations are full, vibrant and clever. Look out for Little Master Melville: Moby-Dick in February 2013!

10 Scared Fish

Ros Moriarty
Ill. By Balarinji
Allen & Unwin

A beautiful counting book with a wonderful blend of vibrant, eye catching colours used to depict a myriad of animals. Using traditional elements straight from the Balarinji design studio this book is perfect for little ones. Furthermore, a proportion of the income from the sales supports indigenous pre-school literacy through Indi Kindi.

Squish Rabbit

Katherine Battersby
University of Queensland Press

The ever so cute Squish Rabbit comes complete with its very own squish cover – perfectly tactile for little hands. A clean crisp background ensures the mixed media illustrations pop off the pages. Squish Rabbit’s story about friendship is an engaging one aimed specifically at younger readers, and never fails to entertain.

A Bit Lost

Chris Haughton
Walker Books

Set against a stunning collection of illustrations which feature a comforting palette of burnt oranges and reds, Haughton tells the hilarious story of a little owl who gets lost. Squirrel comes to the rescue, determined to help his little friend find his mum – with giggle inducing consequences. Wonderfully simple sentences make this perfect for reading to little ones.

Full reviews and online price comparisons can be found at www.mybookcorner.com.au

Emma Perry is a freelance writer, reviewer and founder of the popular www.mybookcorner.com.au a children’s book review and price comparison website. A Melbourne dwelling book lover, she can be found buried under a mountain of books.