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Best books for EYFS & Reception

Books for EYFS and Reception (ages 3–5): lift-the-flaps, rhymes and animal noises to join in with, and gentle stories about big feelings.

17 titlesAges 0–8Last reviewed June 2026

EYFS and Reception are about falling in love with stories long before you can read them. These are books for the very youngest: lift-the-flaps and press-heres, rhymes and animal noises to join in with, and a few gentle stories about big feelings and starting school.

Read them aloud, read them again, and let children chime in on the bits they know. At this age the goal is simple and everything at once: that a book is a warm, happy place to be.

  1. Press Here

    by Herve Tullet · Picture Books · ages 2–6

    A landmark interactive picture book that makes children feel as if they are controlling the page with taps, shakes and tilts. Perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, reluctant readers and adults who want a screen-free book that behaves like magic.

  2. Goodnight Moon

    by Margaret Wise Brown · Board Books · ages 0–3

    A definitive bedtime board book: rhythmic, hushed, and almost hypnotically good at slowing the room down. Its simplicity is exactly the point, making it one of the safest and strongest first-books for babies and toddlers.

  3. The Colour Monster

    by Anna Llenas · Picture Books · ages 3–6

    A hugely useful emotions picture book that helps young children separate and name feelings through colour. Best for preschool and early primary emotional literacy, big-feelings conversations and gentle classroom or bedtime support.

  4. The Gecko and the Echo

    by Rachel Bright · Picture Books · ages 3–7

    Whatever Gerald the gecko shouts into the canyon comes right back at him, so when he shouts something unkind, the echo isn't very pleasant. A near-perfect picture-book mechanism for teaching children that what you put out into the world comes back to you.

  5. Oh No, George!

    by Chris Haughton · Picture Books · ages 2–6

    George promises to be good. George will not eat the cake. George will not dig up the garden. George absolutely will not chase the cat. Oh no, George. Chris Haughton's funniest and most beloved book: a perfect picture of impulse control that children recognise and adore.

  6. Monkey and Me

    by Emily Gravett · Picture Books · ages 1–5

    A joyful, repetitive preschool picture book about a little girl and her toy monkey pretending to visit animals. Excellent for toddlers who like movement, guessing games, animals and joining in aloud.

  7. Peek Through Nature: Home

    by Patricia Hegarty · Picture Books · ages 3–6

    Where do animals sleep? Where do they feel safe? Britta Teckentrup's die-cut pages let readers peek through to find animals in their homes, a warm, lyrical introduction to habitat that feels like a nature treasure hunt.

  8. The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!

    by Mo Willems · Picture Books · ages 3–7

    A funny, emotionally useful school-starting book in which the Pigeon insists he already knows everything while clearly being nervous. Excellent for reception/nursery transitions, school anxiety and comic reassurance.

  9. Neon Leon

    by Jane Clarke · Picture Books · ages 2–5

    A bright, funny and very preschool-friendly story about a glowing chameleon who wants to find somewhere he fits. Best for younger children who like colour, repetition, visual humour and gentle belonging stories.

  10. Shh! We Have a Plan

    by Chris Haughton · Picture Books · ages 2–6

    Three people have a plan to catch a bird. Ready, and... the bird flies away. A small child just says hello. Chris Haughton's most quietly subversive book, funny, perfectly repetitive, and with a gentle moral that lands without ever being announced.

  11. Dino Feelings: The Worrysaurus

    by Rachel Bright · Picture Books · ages 3–6

    Worrysaurus loves a picnic but can't stop 'what-iffing', until something small and beautiful shows him another way to look at the world. The go-to picture book for anxious children; widely used in schools and beloved by parents who recognise the spiral themselves.

  12. Hilda and Twig

    by Luke Pearson · Series of 2 · ages 5–8

    The gentlest Hilda entry point: short, beautiful adventures about Hilda, Twig, weather, wild places and small brave choices.

  13. Basil Dreams Big

    by Lu Fraser · Picture Books · ages 3–6

    A warm rhyming story about a little bat who does not believe he can fly until a friend needs him. Strong for children who struggle with confidence, bravery or trying something difficult.

  14. Blue Penguin

    by Petr Horacek · Picture Books · ages 3–7

    A luminous, emotionally direct picture book about a penguin rejected for being different and finding friendship. Excellent for belonging, difference, loneliness and children who respond to bold, beautiful art.

  15. Big Bright Feelings: Sammy Feels Shy

    by Tom Percival · Picture Books · ages 3–7

    Sammy loves music but is too shy to let anyone hear him sing. When the school show arrives, he must face the biggest stage of his life. Tom Percival's warmest account of performance anxiety, and what it means to be brave when being brave is the last thing you want.

  16. The Hueys in The New Jumper

    by Oliver Jeffers · Picture Books · ages 3–7

    All the Hueys look the same, until one wears a new jumper. A masterclass in doing a lot with almost nothing: Oliver Jeffers explores conformity, envy, and the price of individuality using barely any words and a cast of identical blobs.

  17. Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire

    by Flavia Z. Drago · Picture Books · ages 3–6

    A fabulous, funny and visually stylish vampire story about hiding what makes you different and learning to be yourself. It is a strong confidence-builder for children who feel self-conscious or out of step.

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