Here are some of Minipreneur’s favourite picture books this month.

No More Peas by Madeleine Cook & Erika Meza

Written by Madeleine Cook and illustrated by Erika Meza, No More Peas is the perfect picture book for encouraging fussy eaters to try vegetables. This humourous story about a boy called Oliver who rejects vegetables like carrots for being too orange and peas because they roll around the plate is filled with lots of laugh-out-loud moments to keep little ones entertained but also covers a wide variety of colourful vegetables with information about how they grow from seeds into vegetable plants.

By including a rainbow of different vegetables including blue corn and purple broccoli, fussy eaters will be introduced to an exciting world of food that they may have rejected at the dinner table or been unaware of previously. The book also promotes the message that it is important to try new things because you might just discover something you love. This book was one of Minipeneur’s favourites this month.

£6.99 published by Oxford University Press

How to Catch a Rainbow by Naomi Jones & Ana Gomez

Another favourite story this month for Minipreneur was How to Catch a Rainbow by Naomi Jones & Ana Gomez. The book explores colour, creativity, and problem solving as well as encouraging conversation about how rainbows are made. Minipreneur loved to hear about all the different things that represented the colours of the rainbow that the main character Freya collected around her garden.

Freya loves rainbows. She loves their bright colours and their curvy shape. More than anything, she wishes she had one of her very own. One that she can keep forever. So she decides to become a Rainbow Hunter! She searches high and low, but no rainbows are to be found, so she decides to make her own, collecting items in every colour of the rainbow from the garden. But when things don’t go quite to plan, Freya has to use her imagination and creativity to come up with a way to make her wish come true.

£6.99 published by Oxford University Press

Read with Oxford: Stage 2: Julia Donaldson’s Songbirds: Singing Dad and Other Stories

With a focus on building phonics skills, this collection includes seven fun stories with colourful illustrations. It is ideal for children who are developing early reading skills. Find out about Singing Dad and Viv’s Odd Pet, as well as Ron Rabbit’s job at the fish and chip shop! Tips for parents on reading together explain the letter patterns that each story focuses on and identify any words children may find tricky, helping you to get the most out of the collection.

Former Children’s Laureate and author of The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson, has captivated children all over the world with her lively and engaging stories. Songbirds is a phonics programme carefully created by Julia to support children who are learning to read and is used in schools to inspire a love of reading. There are eight Songbirds story collections for you to enjoy. Parents can also find expert advice on reading together, free eBooks and fun activities to help children progress on oxfordowl.co.uk

£10.99 published by Oxford University Press

I’m The Bus Driver illustrated by David Semple

This fun and immersive book puts the child in charge as they take on the role of a bus driver encouraging them to follow instructions and solve problems. Minipreneur loved taking the driver’s seat and pretending to use the controls.

The narrative is embedded with early learning skills such as recognition of colours, shapes, and numbers. This makes it perfect to share with children as a fun way to practise these key skills while enjoying imaginative play. The story ends with a sense of achievement as the children are delivered to school right on time.

£6.99 published by Oxford University Press

I’m The Tractor Driver illustrated by David Semple

Part of the popular series, this latest book lets the reader imagine themselves as a tractor driver helping out on the farm. Minipreneur loves singing Old Macdonald Had A Farm so this book became a new favourite at storytime.

This book can help children build self-confidence and encourage teamwork, problem-solving and following instructions. The story also is a great way to use imaginative play to practise early learning skills like recognising different numbers, shapes and colours. It’s a fun way to practise these key skills with your child while they pretend to drive the tractor around the farm and help out with various farming jobs. They’ll feel a sense of achievement by the end of the book when all the jobs at the farm are completed.

£6.99 published by Oxford University Press