Books in Child's Play Library series

Brigg lives in a small, grey room in a large, grey city. When he finds a book in the library labelled 'Do Not Read', he cannot resist taking it home. In it, he comes upon pictures of bright, vibrant objects called flowers. He cannot find flowers anywhere in the city, but stumbles instead on a packet of seeds. This sets off a chain of events which bring about unexpected results, continuing to grow and bloom even after we have turned the last page. John Light's enigmatic story is told with utter simplicity, but resonates long after we finish reading this book. His increasingly optimistic vision is hauntingly captured by Lisa Evans's beautiful and whimsical illustrations.

Living with Mum is a bit like a roller coaster ride. At times, she is excited and full of energy, but at others, she is tired and withdrawn. But she's always my mum, and we're sharing the ride. For children who grow up in the care of a parent who has bipolar disorder, life can be filled with anxiety and uncertainty. With the aid of a clear and simple information spread, this story helps us to understand the causes of bipolar disorder and how we can learn to live with someone who has it. Developed in close consultation with families who have a parent with bipolar disorder, and created in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust.

In the Forest of Nod, a snail is rudely awaken by an Odd Old Owl's snoring. She attempts to rally all the birds who come by her tree in increasingly large numbers to help her wake the owl so she can catch a few zee's. They clitter-clatter, shout, shriek, screech, squawk, whir, sing, quack, knock, hammer, chirp, chirrup and cheep..." But One Odd Old Owl continues to sleep." Finally comes a "Princely Peacock" whose "deafening fanfare gets rid of that Odd Old Owl all right "But before that poor Snail can doze off to bed, fifty-five birds start snoring instead!"

Crunch the guinea pig loves his food, so it’s just as well there’s plenty of it, especially when a hungry little mouse wants a share.So why does Crunch refuse?Later, Crunch can’t settle to his feast for worrying about the mouse. Although he’s never stepped outside his hutch before, Crunch sets off to look for him. Will he find the little mouse, and if so, what else might he discover?

A group of friends wanders out into the meadow to play a game of hide-and-seek on a beautiful summer’s afternoon. Children will delight in spotting the hidden creatures on each page as the little girl tries to find them. But it’s not always clear who is hunting whom, or who is actually playing. A charming, richly illustrated book, with a gentle hint of suspense and a satisfying twist at the end.

King Leonard is so rich that he can buy whatever he wants. Anything old or broken is thrown onto the growing pile of trash outside his castle. But one day something breaks that can’t be easily replaced. And what’s worse, King Leonard can’t find anyone who knows how to fix it. Phoebe Swan’s striking illustrations grace this powerful story with a strong environmental message.