Oceans
Lorna Freytag
Studio Press

This is one of the Ecobaby board book series that aims to introduce the very youngest children to important environmental issues, and assuredly it’s never too soon to start thinking about the importance of caring for the planet.

In Oceans, little ones are told about the threat ocean flora and fauna are under from plastic pollution; how over-fishing is depleting the fish population …

and ships are pouring polluting oil into the sea.

Finally come some suggestions to help make a difference.
Author/illustrator Lorna Freytag ‘s succinct text and simple, almost diagrammatic, illustrations put across the crucial message adeptly and one hopes this and its companion book Recycling will set under 4s off on the path to being ecowarriors.

When I am Happy
Sometimes I am Angry
illustrated by Marie Paruit
Campbell Books

Written in collaboration with early years consultant Dr Janet Rose, are these two board books in the Little BIG Feelings series.

The Happy book introduces Bella, Jamie, Zach and members of their families, and shows examples of how kindness and inclusion lead to happiness. So too do thinking about life’s ‘good things’,

doing things you enjoy and staying healthy. It’s no surprise to see that happiness is infectious. I had no trouble moving the slider – just one of the book’s interactive features – all the way to 10 as I thought of things that make me happy.

It’s all too easy to have angry feelings bubbling up in these difficult times (I’ll say no more) but little ones such as Oliver, Amy and their friends all of whom are at a party, find things that make them feel angry too.

Oliver finds his face getting red, his heart beating super fast and his fists curling when somebody knocks his block tower down. Others are not happy about the food, the drink incident, and Evie’s anger is not getting the hat she wants.

Fortunately each of the party grumpies can demonstrate a way to diffuse those feelings of anger and there’s a final slider to assist your little one(s) with calming down.

Both books have a final spread for parents/carers containing advice and strategies to try.

As the logo on each front cover informs, these are just right for ‘Sharing and Talking’.

For nursery collections and family shelves where there are very young children.