Shirley Hughes

Things aren’t always as they seem as young Alfie learns when he helps one of the “big boys” Alfie knows from the school next door. Young readers will see themselves in Hughes’ gentle illustrations which depict everyday people doing daily things.

Alfie takes his trusty blanket with him when he attends his first party alone, but bravely puts it down to comfort a friend who is frightened by a mask.

Alfie, a preschooler, understands his baby sister, Annie Rose. Like most siblings, Annie Rose is both a delight and a trial. In this book, realistic illustrations depict real children in sometimes untidy but always recognizable settings.

Katy and her baby brother Olly go out and about through four seasons beginning with spring when “The birds are busy/And so am I.” Realistically rumpled children engage in recognizable activities are presented in short poems and the artist’s signature illustrations for a charming collection that celebrates childhood and the seasons.

In rhymes that are meant to be shared aloud, Annie and her brother, Alfie, share the everyday pleasures of childhood presented in playful language and true-to-life illustrations. The siblings joyfully make a huge difference to each other and their family in everyday activities.