One of my favourite memories of Christmas time as a child was looking at the TV schedule to see what movies were going to be on and planning what TV time I’d have – there was no screen time limit at Christmas time (never mind the fact that it was the 70s & 80s!).

So if you like watching a good Christmas movie on TV with your child, here’s a big roundup of what’s on this Christmas 2023.

10.20 – A Christmas Carousel – C4

10.50 – Wolfwalkers – RTÉ2

11.35 – A Song for Christmas – RTÉ1

13.15 – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – BBC1

13.15 – Sing – UTV

14.20 – Twinkle All The Way – RTÉ2

14.35  – Scrooged – C4

15.20 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas – UTV

15.25 – Mrs Doubtfire – RTÉ1

16.30 – It’s a Wonderful Life – C4

17.15 – Stickman – BBC1

17.35 – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – UTV

18.45 – Paddington – BBC1

19.00 – Men in Black 3 – C4

10.05 – The Boss Baby – BBC1

10.45 – Angela’s Christmas Wish – RTÉ2

12.10 – The Overcoat – RTÉ2

12.30 – Charlotte’s Web – C4

13.00 – Sherlock Gnomes – RTÉ2

13.05 – The Secret Life of Pets – UTV

13.10 – Annie – TG4

13.40 – The Goonies – RTÉ1

14.30 – The Christmas Contract – RTÉ2

14.40 – The Grinch – UTV

14.50 – The Sound of Music – BBC1

15.45 – Miracle on 34th St – RTÉ1

16.10 – 101 Dalmatians – RTÉ2

17.25 – Home Alone 2: Lost in New York – UTV

17.45 – Miracle on 34th St – C4

18.10 – Home Alone – RTÉ2

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07.30 – Paw Patrol – RTÉ2

08.00 – Smurfs: The Lost Village – TG4

08.40 – Puss in Boots – C4

08.45 – Puffin Rock and the New Friends – RTÉ2

08.50 – The Gruffalo – BBC1

09.15 – How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming – BBC1

09.30 – Finians Rainbow – TG4

09.40 – The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse – BBC1

10.00 – The Witches – RTÉ2

10.15 – The Highway Rat – BBC2

10.25 – Kung Fu Panda 2 – C4

10.40 – Wallace & Grommit: A Close Shave – BBC2

11.15 – Cinderella – BBC1

11.40 – Mirror Mirror – RTÉ2

12.20 – Miracle on 34th St – TG4

12.25 – Wallace & Grommit: A Matter of Loaf and Death – RTÉ1

12.55 – The Addams Family 2 – BBC1

13.25 – The Jungle Book – RTÉ1

13.25 – Sonic the Hedgehog – RTÉ2

14.00 – Ice Age 3 – TG4

14.40 – Beauty & The Beast – RTÉ1

14.55 – Sing – RTÉ2

15.10 – Toy Story 4 – BBC1

14.00 – Mary Poppins Returns – RTÉ1

16.25 – The Wizard of Oz – VM1

16.30 – Sing 2 – UTV

17.00 – Spirit Untamed – RTÉ2

17.30 – Home Alone – C4

18.15 – Into the West – TG4

18.15 – The Lion King – RTÉ1

18.20 – Angela’s Christmas Wish – RTÉ2

19.05 – Home Alone 2 – RTÉ2

07.55 – Zog – RTÉ2

08.25 – The Snail & The Whale – RTÉ2

09.25 – Gangsta Granny – RTÉ2

09.50 – Pokemon: Detective Pikachu – BBC1

10.00 – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – RTÉ1

10.25 – The Croods – UTV

10.50 – Wallace & Grommit: The Wrong Trousers – RTÉ2

11.25 – Madagascar – RTÉ2

11.25 – Abominable – BBC1

11.40 – Annie – C4

13.15 – Beauty & The Beast – BBC1

15.00 – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – UTV

15.15 – Peter Rabbit 2 – BBC1

17.00 – The Boss Baby – TG4

17.05 – The Lion King – BBC1

18.30 – Paddington 2 – RTÉ1

18.50 – Raiders of the Lost Ark – C4

08.30 – Mr Stink – RTÉ2

09.20 – Dora & The Lost City of Gold – C4

09.45 – Beethoven – RTÉ2

10.15 – Trolls – BBC1

10.20 – Believe – BBC2

11.25 – Beethoven’s 2nd – RTÉ2

11.40 – Spirit Untamed – BBC1

13.00 – Lemony Snicket – C4

13.55 – The Snail & The Whale – BBC1

14.25 – The Croods 2 – BBC1

15.50 – Ghostbusters – BBC1

17.01 – Are We There Yet? – VM2

17.20 – Smurfs 3 – TG4

17.40 – Stardust – C4

21.00 – 1917 – BBC1

08.10 – Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel – C4

08.50 – Fluke – RTÉ2

9.50 – Aliens in the Attic – C4

10.05 – Trolls World Tour – BBC1

10.30 – Wallace & Grommit: A Grand Day Out – RTÉ2

11.00 – K-9 – RTÉ2

11.30 – Inside Out – BBC1

13.55 – The BFG – BBC1

14.20 – Fiddler on the Roof – RTÉ1

15.20 – Brewsters Millions – RTÉ2

15.40 – Ghostbusters 2 – BBC1

17.30 – Stuart Little – TG4

18.40 – Spiderman: Far From Home – RTÉ2

21.00 – Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle – C4

08.00 – A Monsterous Holiday – TG4

09.00 – The Good Dinosaur – BBC1

09.15  – Ben 10 vs. The Universe – RTÉ2

09.20 – Barnyard – C4

10.40 – Wallace & Grommit: A Close Shave – RTÉ2

11.15 – The Witches – RTÉ2

11.25 – Big Hero 6 – BBC1

13.00 – Are We There Yet? – VM2

13.45 – My Girl – RTÉ1

13.55 – Trolls in Harmony – BBC1

14.15 – The Book of Life – BBC1

15.25 – Planes, Trains & Automobiles – C4

15.45 – Alice Through the Looking Glass – BBC1

15.50 – My Girl 2 – RTÉ1

17.20 – Ice Age 3 – TG4

19.05 – The House with the Clock in it’s Walls – RTÉ2

08.40 – The Gruffalo – RTÉ2

09.40 – The Highway Rat – RTÉ2

10.00 – Calamity Jane – TG4

11.35 – Gangsta Granny – RTÉ2

12.55 – The Water Horse – TG4

13.15 – The Secret Life of Pets 2 – BBC1

13.25 – Wallace & Grommit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit – UTV

14.35 – Finding Dory – BBC1

15.05 – Jumanji – UTV

17.20 – Wallace & Grommit: The Wrong Trousers – BBC1

18.00 – Paddington 2 – BBC1

18.35 – My Spy – RTÉ1

19.00 – The Sound of Music – BBC4

19.40 – Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom – C4

08.00 – Yogi Bear – TG4

08.55 – The Snail & The Whale – RTÉ2

09.20 – Stickman – RTÉ2

09.30 – Over the Hedge – UTV

09.55 – Cars 3 – BBC1

11.05 – About a Boy – UTV

11.45 – Mr Stink – RTÉ2

13.05 – Evan Almighty – UTV

13.25 – Madagascar – RTÉ2

13.50 – Zog & The Flying Doctors – BBC1

14.20 – Saving Mr Banks – BBC1

14.55 – Matilda – UTV

15.15 – The Boss Baby – TG4

16.20 – The Jungle Book – BBC1

19.00 – Johnny English Reborn – RTÉ2

08.00 – My Little Pony – TG4

09.00 – The Highway Rat – BBC1

09.55 – Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon – BBC1

10.30 – Babe – UTV

11.05 – Daddy Day Care – C4

11.15 – The Boss Baby 2 – BBC1

11.45 – Oliver Twist – VM3

12.55 – Paw Patrol – C4

14.15 – Space Jam: A New Legacy – RTÉ2

14.20 – Moana – BBC1

14.35 – Around the World in 80 Days – RTÉ1

14.55 – Mrs Doubtfire – C4

16.00 – Wallace & Grommit: A Matter of Loaf and Death – BBC1

17.00 – Are We There Yet? – VM1

17.20 – Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade – C4

17.30 – Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – TG4

Entirely funded through sponsorship and staffed by volunteers, Christmas FM will be celebrating its 16th year on air this year and has raised more than €3 million for a range of wonderful charities. Broadcasting almost nationwide, the station is listened to by almost 1 in 3 adults – and more than a few kids!

Thanks to sponsors and partners who cover the costs of running the station each year, 100% of listener donations go to the annual charity partner.

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This year, Christmas FM will continue with their fundraising initiative called ‘The Magic of Christmas’ which brings together some of Ireland’s best known Children’s charities – Barnardos, Barretstown, Make-A-Wish Ireland and The Community Foundation for Ireland – to raise over €1 million in three years (2022-2024) for children who need it most.

The funds will go directly towards helping vulnerable children in our communities affected by traumatic life events such as poverty, abuse, neglect and bereavement, and to supporting children whose lives are affected by serious childhood illness. By donating to The Magic of Christmas, you will give the gift of childhood to those who need it most, because every child deserves magic at Christmas.

Christmas FM is on-air thanks to more than 100 volunteer presenters and staff each year, and funded by various sponsors – which ensures all on-air fundraising and donations will go directly to charity.

If you fancy listening to Last Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (a great one to sing along to!), Christmas FM will broadcast on the FM band in Ireland from November 28th til December 27th. You can check your local Christmas FM frequency here.

Virgin Media Digital TV subscribers in Ireland can listen in on Channel 900 during the on-air dates.

Christmas FM fans in Ireland and around the world can also listen, on their smart speaker, online and via mobile apps.

But, wait for it! The news that really made my day is that I can actually listen to Christmas FM all year round! It’s true – you can sing along to your festive favourites 24/7 every day throughout the year online and via the mobile apps.

I can’t wait!

Showcasing the top toys, ‘must-have’ gadgets and children’s books for this Christmas, the Late Late Toy Show is a uniquely Irish bundle of fun, hosted by the new presenter for 2023, Patrick Kielty.

The most anticipated night of the year for many kids is getting to stay up way past their bedtime to watch the Toy Show, and it is one memory many of us still cherish. To get to do it with our own kids is special, and lots of new (and old) traditions are played out – from Christmas pjs and lots of sweet treats, to seeing who falls asleep first…!

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So, it’s time to make sure you’re fully stocked up and ready with all the Toy Show essentials:

• Christmas PJs or other cosy nightwear
• A blanket or something to snuggle up under
• Hot chocolates with marshmallows (try these polar bear marshmallows for a wintery treat!)
• Sweets and treats for sharing
• Pen and paper to jot down any toys, gadgets or books you think would be good
• Tissues for all the weepy bits!
• Fun Christmas games to play in the ad breaks
• Santa hats, reindeer antlers or other fun Christmas accessories
• A pillow in case any one falls asleep
• Our Late Late Toy Show Bingo game to play while you’re watching

Don’t forget to see if any of our Hot Toys for Christmas predictions make it onto the show too!

The first Toy Show aired on RTÉ in the early 1970s as a 30-minute slot at the end of the regular Late Late Show. Gay Byrne hosted a segment for parents on the current toys for Christmas while the children were tucked up tight!

It proved so popular, that it eventually became a full-show special with Christmas musical entertainment. Lucky children were invited on to test and review the toys and it eventually evolved into the Christmas extravaganza that we love!

It continues to attract record audiences, with nearly 1.6 million people tuning in in Ireland to watch the show live on RTÉ One last year, and 303,000 streams on the RTÉ player online around the world. Viewers watched from 139 countries!

Every year, applications to be in the coveted Toy Show audience attract more than 100,000 entries for just 200 tickets! Not only is it a chance for adults to indulge in some festive fun, dress up in their best (and worst!) Christmas outfits, but there is also the very famous catchphrase to look forward to…”There’s one for everybody in the audience!”

The MS Readathon encourages children to open a wonderful world of adventure and imagination through reading for a great cause.

For kids who are already bookworms, it’s a chance to perhaps challenge themselves with longer, more advanced books.

For children who aren’t so keen on reading, the MS Readathon can help them rediscover the wonder they felt when they first heard those magic words “Once upon a time…”.

The MS Readathon will take place from 1st – 30th November 2023.

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Taking part in the MS Readathon is easy – just sign up at www.msreadathon.ie and start reading. Children can register with their school (teachers, you can register your class) or individually.

Your child can pick whatever books they like, and as many as they like, then ask friends and family to sponsor them. After November 30^th this money should be sent back to MS Ireland.

And for participating schools around the country, the MS Readathon website has lots of teacher resources to print and lesson plans to use.

Over 9,000 people have MS in Ireland. Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease, the most common disabling neurological condition affecting young adults in Ireland, which is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. Three times as many women as men are affected, and there is no known cause or cure for MS.

MS Ireland is the national organisation providing service, information and support to the whole MS community.

Stream Hubie Halloween on Netflix

Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler) thanklessly spends every Halloween making sure the residents of his hometown, Salem, celebrate safely and play by the rules. But this year, an escaped criminal and a mysterious new neighbour have Hubie on high alert. When people start disappearing, it’s up to Hubie to convince the police and townsfolk that the monsters are real, and only he can stop them!

Hubie Halloween is a hilarious family film about an unlikely hero with an all-star cast including Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Noah Schnapp, Steve Buscemi, Maya Rudolph and Kevin James.

Stream The Worst Witch on Netflix

After stumbling into a school for witches, a bumbling heroine comes to realise that she just might belong there! Based on Jill Murphy’s beloved books.

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Stream The Curse of Bridge Hollow on Netflix

Halloween-hating dad Howard is all about science. His teenage daughter is all about the paranormal. But on Halloween, they team up to fight a supernatural menace that’s wreaking havoc and running amok in their town.

Stream Goosebumps on Netflix

Upset about moving to a small town, Zach Cooper finds a silver lining when he meets his beautiful neighbour Hannah, daughter of R.L. Stine (Jack Black), the famous and mysterious author of the bestselling “Goosebumps” series.

When Zach accidentally unleashes the monsters from the fantastic tales, it’s up to him, Hannah and Stine to return the beasts back to the books where they belong.

Stream Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween on Netflix

Be careful what you wish for…

With their after school junk business, best friends Sonny and Sam hope to find treasure in other people’s trash. But when cleaning out the old Stine house, they open a locked book that frees a supernatural nightmare – Slappy! Now, with the help of Sonny’s sister Sarah, they’re in a race against time to get the sinister dummy and all the creatures he’s brought to life back into the pages before he unleashes total pandemonium!

Stream Monster House on Netflix

Even for a 12-year old, DJ Walters has a particularly overactive imagination. He is convinced that his haggard and crabby neighbour Horace Nebbercracker, who terrorises all the neighbourhood kids, is responsible for Mrs. Nebbercracker’s mysterious disappearance.

Any toy that touches Nebbercracker’s property promptly disappears, swallowed up by the cavernous house. DJ has seen it with his own eyes! But no one believes him, not even his best friend, Chowder. What everyone does not know is DJ is not imagining things. Everything he’s seen is absolutely true and it’s about to get much worse than anything DJ could have imagined.

Stream A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting on Netflix

Recruited by a secret society of babysitters, a high schooler battles the Boogeyman and his monsters when they nab the boy she’s babysitting on Halloween.

Stream Dreamworks Spooky Stories on Netflix

Get a Halloween spook from some of your favourite DreamWorks characters!

Join the cast of Shrek and Monsters vs. Aliens for some funny (and chilling!) tales for the whole family.

Stream Scaredy Cats on Netflix

On her 12th birthday, Willa Ward receives a purr-fect gift that unlocks a world of witchcraft, talking animals and so much more with her best friends.

Stream Phantom Pups on Netflix

A young boy and his family move into a haunted home, where he meets three adorable ghost pups and tries to help them turn back into real dogs.

Stream Open Season: Scared Silly on Netflix

When a spooky werewolf tale scares Boog out of joining the annual camping trip, his friends hatch a plan to cure him of his fear.

Elliot, Boog and all of the beloved woodland creatures are back in a brand-new comedy adventure.

Stream The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants on Netflix

When Melvin tries to cancel Halloween, clever best friends Harold and George create their own spooky holiday – and it’s a huge success.

Stream A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix

Based on the classic Lemony Snicket books A Series of Unfortunate Events follows the extraordinary Baudelaire orphans as they face trials, tribulations and the evil Count Olaf in their fateful quest to unlock long-held family secrets.

Stream Gnome Alone on Netflix

When Chloe discovers that her new home’s garden gnomes are not what they seem, she must decide between the pursuit of a desired high school life and taking up the fight against the Troggs.

Here are some of the summer reading challenges that kids will enjoy. Some involve visiting the library, others can be done by downloading reading lists online.

Happy reading!

This year’s Summer Reading Challenge 2023 theme for The Reading Agency in the UK is Ready Set Read! arriving online and in your local library this summer.

Get ready for a whole load of team spirit, your fave sporty (or not!) heroes, and plenty of fun with our latest collection for the 2023 sports and games themed Summer Reading Challenge: Ready, Set, Read! Each book has been specially chosen by an expert group of readers for everybody taking part to enjoy.

The aim of the challenge is to get children to read any six books of their choice from their library during the summer holidays.

The Summer Stars reading programme runs in public libraries throughout Ireland during summer, from June until the end of August. All children throughout the country are invited to join the adventure and to enjoy the fun and pleasure of reading and writing over the summer. Summer Stars is non-competitive and every child who reads even one book / ebook is regarded as having completed the programme – and it’s all completely free!

Each child who registers for the programme at their local library joins in the fun of reading lots of exciting books during the summer.

Children can sign up for the programme in their local library at the start of the summer and are encouraged to read as many books as they can during the months of July and August.

Track your reading progress with reading cards which can be marked each time a book is read, online or in print form. These are available from your local library or for download and print here.

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Readingrockets.org has 10 Weeks of Summer Reading Adventures for you and your Kids with activities for each week on different topics from outdoors to recipes to travel.

Their Start with a Book website offers lots of book ideas by age.

The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge is a free reading program dedicated to stopping the “Summer Slide” and encouraging kids to read every day this summer. The Summer Reading Challenge invites kids to log the minutes they spend reading as they strive to set a new world record for summer reading.

From May 4 through  September 7, kids can visit the summer zone in Scholastic Home Base, a completely free digital destination which offers stories, characters, games, and a community of readers. Home Base is moderated for safety 24/7.

PBS Parents has some good resources for parents with fun, educational activities that explore reading, writing and language. Just pick the age group you are interested in and there are also some nice tips to encourage reading every day.

Don’t miss the chance to have your say! We’re looking for parents to get involved and give their feedback on all aspects of family life.

Reading can take children (and adults!) on magical journeys. Through reading, children learn about people, places and events outside their own experience. They are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from those which surround them. Reading lets children learn about different countries and cultures and encourages their imagination to grow.

Children naturally have vivid imaginations and reading will nurture and support their creativity. Creativity is very important for developing interests and ideas, as well as building confidence. David Walliams books are wonderful reads for kids of all ages, laugh out loud funny.

We have all heard the phrase ‘Practice makes perfect’ many times. But in this case it really does. Children who read from a young age, invariably get better at reading. This builds confidence to attempt more difficult books.

The vocabulary children gain from reading cannot be underestimated. Children will use words they have just read to understand it’s meaning in everyday life – sometimes with quite funny results. Captain Underpants is a big favourite in our house and boy we have had some funny utterances as a result.

Many children find it difficult to concentrate for long periods, hey even some adults do too! Reading encourages children to get lost in a story, thus focusing them on one task for a period of time.

In order to fully understand what is being read, a child needs to devote 100% of their attention to the words and this is how concentration is developed. One of the many benefits of reading that is appreciated in all aspects of their lives as children grow into adulthood.

My eldest has recently discovered the world of Harry Potter. The writing in the books is smaller than she is used to and they are a step up from her regular reading. But her concentration levels have definitely increased as she is so involved with the story!

We all know that a good plot and well written story will draw you into a book. But it is great characters that you can identify with that will really pull at the heart strings and make you feel empathy.

We recently watched the movie Wonder and days later in our local bookshop my 8 year old spotted a copy of the book and had to have it. He is really enjoying it and comes to ask me questions regularly about different things that happen in the book and how he feels about them.

Children will often identify with characters in books – whether it be a child who is afraid of something or who has done something brave. We all want to be the person who gets over their fears and achieve great things.

There are also characters and stories that we will have empathy for, a friend or indeed themselves may be going through a similar situation to that in the story. Sometimes this can enable them to find a solution to a problem they are having, or at least feel like they are not alone. The written word can empower them with the right vocabulary to voice concerns or thoughts to those around them.

If you read, you are never alone and have no reason to ever be bored! Hours can be spent with a good book and it can take you away from whatever is going on around you and transport you to a new world.

One of the amazing things about books and reading is the wide availability of topics on offer. There are books on every subject and topic available from libraries, bookshops and online. Why not start your child’s journey today?

Not only does literacy improve confidence in language subjects, it improves schoolwork across the board.

The obvious ones are history, geography, science where text is read and important points are picked out to be remembered. But even subjects like maths benefits from an ability to read and understand a question.

My Mum is Fantastic is a celebration of an amazing mum – and mums everywhere!

The mum in this book is truly fantastic. She’s a brilliant artist, she can balance on a tightrope, she can swim like a fish, do amazing stunts on a bike and she can tame wild animals… in fact, there’s very little this astounding mum can’t do.

The book ends: “It’s great to have a mum like mine. It’s fantastic!” And no one can argue with that!

I think my mummy’s MAGIC – I notice every day . . .
That whenever MAGIC happens, Mummy’s never far away!

From a morning cuddle to a bedtime kiss, follow a mum and her little one through the day as they find magic in the simplest of things. My Mummy is Magic is the perfect gift to share with Mum on Mother’s Day and every day.

In this stunning gift edition of Mother’s Day, a classic story by Kate Greenaway-winning author Shirley Hughes, Katy and her little brother Olly tell us about their day with Mum.

From the fun of waking up in the morning, getting the bus into town with Mum or even stories all together at bedtime, this joyous tale gives readers a snapshot into a child’s day and celebrates the special bond between a mother and child.

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I Love Mum is a beautiful little gift book from The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the perfect way to say ‘I love you, Mum!’

Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar for a celebration of love and all the ways to tell your mum how much you care. This delightful little book features Eric Carle’s bright and distinctive artwork of animal mums and babies – from giraffes and crocodiles to bears and penguins – with The Very Hungry Caterpillar making an appearance alongside each one.

Mama’s love is brighter than the sun, even on the rainiest of days. This celebration of a mother-daughter relationship is perfect for sharing with little ones!

On a rainy day when the house smells like cinnamon and Papa and Luca are still asleep, when the clouds are wearing shadows and the wind paints the window with beads of water, I want to be everywhere Mama is.

With lyrical prose and a tender touch, Mama and Me is an ode to the strength of the bond between a mother and a daughter as they spend a rainy day together.

Push, pull and slide the tabs to celebrate Mother’s Day in I Love My Mummy! Play together in the park, bake delicious cookies and snuggle up for a story, then thank Mummy for everything she does for you!

Children will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Louise Forshaw.

Join little rabbit and his mummy as they spend a glorious sunny day together in the meadow. Little rabbit finds love everywhere, but knows that a mummy’s love is always the best love of all.

Love features a tenderly-told rhyming text and delightful illustrations from Emma Dodd.

My Mum is Magnificent is a read-aloud, read-again rhyming board book that celebrates the brilliance of Mums everywhere – ideal for parents and chiddlers to read and share together. The perfect gift for your magnificent mum this Mother’s Day!

‘I love my mummy because… ‘

Everyone’s mummy is the best. And who better to tell the world than children themselves? Why I Love My Mummy is a charming book that combines endearing things said by children about their mothers with gentle illustrations of familiar animals.

Everything is…MAMA!

Jimmy Fallon, one of the most popular entertainers in the world and NBC’s Tonight Show host, was on a mission with his first children’s book to have every baby’s first word be DADA. And it worked! A lot of babies’ first words were DADA. However, everything after that was MAMA.

So take a lighthearted look at the world from your baby’s point of view as different animals try to teach their children that there are other words in addition to MAMA for familiar objects and activities.

When Maxine wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one morning, she wonders if the problem might be her mother. What if she could try out a new mom who doesn’t make her brush her teeth or comb her hair? Enlisting Mom to help her with the search, Maxine interviews various prospects to be her new mother at the park, the toy store, and the zoo. Unfortunately, these other mothers present a host of new problems and concerns. Maybe her “old mother” was the best mother of all?

For every child who’s ever wondered if the grass is greener, The Best Mother affirms that there’s nothing better than your own mother’s love.

This very special Little Miss book, My Mummy, is the perfect gift for Mother’s Day. The Little Miss will help you show your mummy just how special she is to you.

From making you smile, even when things are going wrong, to knowing just when hugs are needed, mummies are Splendid, Fun, Magic, Sunshine – lots of the Little Miss rolled into one!

Children can also add their own words to the story to make it a really personal gift.

Spot loves spending time with his mum. They do lots of fun things together. Sometimes, he helps her with the groceries and sometimes they play hide-and-seek in the garden.

Join the much-loved Spot in Spot Loves His Mum as he learns what it means to spend time with his mum.

I Love My Mummy is a sweet, rhyming board book about the special relationship between mother and child.

With a gentle, rhyming story and lovely illustrations, this is a book to be loved, shared and treasured. The perfect gift for every family, for new Mothers, on Mother’s Day or at any time of the year. From the author of picture book classic, Giraffes Can’t Dance.

In The Night Before Mother’s Day, Dad and the kids are determined to show Mom just how much they love her. They whip up a cake from scratch, and offer a special coupon for a day at the spa, right in their own kitchen!

Kids and moms will love reading this sweet story aloud together for a fun way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Maria the Mother’s Day Fairy looks after mums everywhere and makes sure they get on well with their sons and daughters. But when Jack Frost steals her magical objects, the magic of motherhood goes all wonky!

Can Kirsty and Rachel help restore order in time for the special surprise they have planned for their mums?

My Mums Love Me is a lyrical and heartfelt picture book, and a gorgeous celebration of same-sex parents and motherhood.

This beautifully-told story about a same-sex family of two mums and their baby is a love letter to close-knit families everywhere. Lyrical and calming, it’s a perfect picture book to cuddle up with.

Days with my mummy are always such fun,
and ever so special together, as one.

From playing in the park to cuddles at bedtime, being with Mummy makes every moment of every day special.

A touching celebration of the special relationship between mother and child. Warmly told in gentle rhyme and brought to life with charming illustrations, With My Mummy is a heartwarming picture book and the perfect gift to share time and time again.

Little Bear is sure that no-one is as strong as his mum. She can carry anything: his bike, Zebra’s shopping, Elephant’s carpet and even…Flamingo’s piano! And of course, there’s ALWAYS room in her handbag for Little Bear’s treasures. But even mums can get tired and need a helping hand sometimes, as Little Bear learns when Mum takes on one thing too many, with hilarious and heart-warming consequences.

The Strongest Mum is a warm, funny and original story about a parent-child relationship, perfect for learning about helping each other out. Packed full of endearing animal characters, it is sure to delight young children. Nicola Kent’s bright, jewel-like colours and eye-catching illustrations make this a truly stunning picture book debut.

She’s nice, my mum…My mum’s a fantastic cook, and a brilliant juggler. She’s a great painter, and the strongest woman in the world! She’s really nice, my mum.

My Mum is a warm, funny tribute to Mum (and to mums everywhere) by the brilliant author/illustrator Anthony Browne.

There’s nothing quite like the love a mother and child share. Join mother, daughter, and a silly little frog on a heartwarming journey describing love through the eyes of a child.

Kids will enjoy cuddling up with their parents to read You Taught Me Love while exploring their own unique, special bond. The beautiful illustrations and joyful rhymes are sure to tug on your heartstrings.

Write now, read later, treasure forever. The 12, fold-and-mail-style envelopes in Letters to My Mom invite sons and daughters to surprise and delight her with memories, appreciations, and hopes for the future.

Each letter is printed with a unique prompt like “A special memory I have of you is…,” “From you I learned the importance of…,” “I always think of you when…,” and “One thing I’m glad we share is…,” plus two blank letters to write your own. Seal your letters with the included stickers, postdate, and gift this book to your remarkable mom. When she opens the letters in the future, she’ll receive an invaluable gift: a tangible reflection of her child’s love.

Lift the flaps and join in the fun with Rod Campbell’s classic, Dear Zoo, with a host of favourite zoo animals and flaps to lift on every page.

‘I wrote to the zoo to send me a pet…’

Young children will love lifting the flaps to discover the animals the zoo has sent – a monkey, a lion and even an elephant! But will they ever manage to send the perfect pet?

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a perennial favourite with children and adults alike. Its imaginative illustration and clever cut-out detail charts the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through the week.

Check out more of our favourite Eric Carle books here!

We’re going on a bear hunt. We’re going to catch a big one.

For over a quarter of a century, readers have been swishy-swashying and splash-sploshing through this award-winning favourite, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

Follow and join in the family’s excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river, squelch through the mud and brave their way through the swirling, whirling snowstorm in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest!

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This beloved Scarry classic is packed with things to spot on every page. What Do People Do All Day? is beautiful, fun and has been a favourite with children of all ages for more than 50 years.

Everyone is busy in Busytown – from train drivers to doctors, from mothers to sailors, in police stations and on fire engines. Follow lots of busy people working through their busy days!

Captain Salty and his crew are getting ready to go on a voyage; Doctor Lion is busy at the hospital; Sergeant Murphy is working hard to keep things safe and peaceful; and engineers are building new roads. Packed full of activity and funny details to discover, this celebration of Busytown and its inhabitants will keep curious minds occupied for hours on end!

It would be most definitely a tragedy, if at least one Julia Donaldson is not in your child’s collection! There is lots of rhyming fun to be had with books such as The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, Zog, and many, many more.

With a cast of everyone’s favourite farm animals, What the Ladybird Heard is a brilliant rhyming adventure that is perfect for reading aloud. Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len are two crafty robbers with a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But little do they know that the tiniest, quietest creature of all has overhead their plot, and she has a plan of her own…

Check out more of our favourite Julia Donaldson books here!

Set sail on a wonderful adventure in Lost and Found, a toddler-friendly book from award-winning, bestselling picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers!

There once was a boy and one day he found a penguin at his door…

The boy decides the penguin must be lost and tries to return him. But no one seems to be missing a penguin. So the boy decides to take the penguin home himself, and they set out in his row boat on a journey to the South Pole.

But when they get there, the boy discovers that maybe home wasn’t what the penguin was looking for after all…

Join the Jolly Postman as he delivers letters in fairy-tale land in this fun, interactive story book!

The Jolly Postman is off on another adventure as he delivers letters around fairy-tale land! Children will love opening the envelopes to read a letter from Goldilocks, a postcard addressed to a giant up a beanstalk… and even a note for the Big Bad Wolf!

Discover the magic of letters with this much-loved rhyming tale, which has delighted readers for generations.

The Enchanted Wood is the first magical story in the Faraway Tree series by the world’s best-loved children’s author, Enid Blyton.

When Joe, Beth and Frannie move to a new home, an Enchanted Wood is on their doorstep. And when they discover the Faraway Tree, that is the beginning of many magical adventures!

Join them and their friends Moonface, Saucepan Man and Silky the fairy as they discover which new land is at the top of the Faraway Tree. Will it be the Land of Birthdays, the Land of Toys, or even the Land of Ice and Snow with its magic snowman?

The Giggler Treatment is a gloriously silly comedy from Booker prize winner and bestseller Roddy Doyle.

If adults are mean to children, they get the Giggler Treatment. It’s smelly. It’s squishy. And it sticks to your shoe. But sometimes, just sometimes, the Gigglers make a mistake…

Can Robbie, Kayla, Jimmy and Rover the dog come to Mr Mack’s rescue before the poo hits the shoe?

George Kranky’s grandma is a grouch. She’s always mean to George (and not much nicer to his parents either).

One day, when George is put in charge of giving Grandma her medicine, he wonders if he can come up with his own remedy to try and help Grandma become less of a grump.

Using some rather unusual ingredients, George creates his magic medicine. But will it stop his grandma from being so horrible…or will it shoot sparks out of the top of her head?!

George’s Marvellous Medicine is a laugh-out-loud book that kids and parents will enjoy together.

Andy and Terry live in the WORLD’S BEST treehouse! It’s got a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory, a tank of man-eating sharks and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you’re hungry!

Just watch out for the sea monkeys, and the monkeys pretending to be sea monkeys, and the giant mutant mermaid sea monster…Oh, and, whatever you do, don’t get trapped in a burp-gas-filled bubble!

The 13-Storey Treehouse is the first in this hilarious series.

Alex and Conner Bailey’s world is about to change. When the twins’ grandmother gives them a treasured fairy-tale book, they have no idea they’re about to enter a land beyond all imagining: the Land of Stories, where fairy tales are real.

But as Alex and Conner soon discover, the stories they know so well haven’t ended in this magical land – Goldilocks is now a wanted fugitive, Red Riding Hood has her own kingdom, and Queen Cinderella is about to become a mother!

The twins know they must get back home somehow. But with the legendary Evil Queen hot on their trail, will they ever find the way?

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell, the first in The Land of Stories series, brings readers on a thrilling quest filled with magic spells, laugh-out-loud humour and page-turning adventure.

Meet the great Skulduggery Pleasant: wise-cracking detective, powerful magician, master of dirty tricks and burglary (in the name of the greater good, of course). Oh yeah. And dead.

Then there’s his sidekick, Stephanie. She’s… well, she’s a twelve-year-old girl. With a pair like this on the case, evil had better watch out…

Stephanie’s uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that while he may have written horror, it certainly wasn’t fiction. Pursued by evil forces intent on recovering a mysterious key, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source the wisecracking skeleton of a dead wizard.

Will evil win the day? Will Stephanie and Skulduggery stop bickering long enough to stop it? One thing’s for sure: evil won’t know what’s hit it.

Join the world of Artemis Fowl, the number one bestseller by Eoin Colfer.

Rumour has it Artemis Fowl is responsible for every major crime of the new century. Just twelve years old and already he’s a criminal genius, plotting to restore his family’s fortune with a spot of corruption and kidnapping. Kidnapping a fairy for ransom, to be precise.

Artemis Fowl has discovered a world below ground of armed and dangerous – and extremely high-tech – fairies. But he may have underestimated their powers. They will fight back. Is the boy about to trigger a cross-species war?

Let the misadventure begin.

Gangsta Granny is a hilarious and moving novel from bestselling author David Walliams.

Our hero Ben is bored beyond belief after he is made to stay at his grandma’s house. She’s the boringest grandma ever: all she wants to do is to play Scrabble, and eat cabbage soup. But there are two things Ben doesn’t know about his grandma.

1) She was once an international jewel thief.

2) All her life, she has been plotting to steal the Crown Jewels, and now she needs Ben’s help