The CNA Readathon 2011 suggests these stimulating reads for children in the foundation phase, including titles such as Not So Fast Songololo, Room on the Broom and The Smartest Giant in Town.

 

This story is a sweeping, old-fashioned romantic tale, in which a boy becomes a man and the baby he saves, becomes his bride. An epic journey begins when a young boy rescues a falling baby by catching her in his hat. He uses his reward money to sail off round the world, making his fortune along the way. When he returns home, he finds that the baby has grown up into a beautiful woman. They fall in love, marry and have a baby of their own. Even children as young as three years old will love this picture book.

 

When Monkey finds a strange creature in the jungle he's very puzzled, and he calls the other animals to help. It doesn't have a tail for swinging, a trunk for washing, and a long neck for reaching the high trees or even webbed feet for swimming. Whatever could it be? And what kind of creature goes ‘wah-wah’? Young children will soon realise what the creature is (a human baby), but they’ll soon be laughing out loud at the animals, as the latter struggles to ‘pinpoint’ the creature. The story is filled with lovely, sharp humour and it’s a great bedtime read.

 

Celebrate with the author the warmth of Afro-Caribbean family life in this multi-award-winning picture book. Everybody wants to squeeze the baby, everybody wants to kiss the baby, and everybody loves the baby just so much. As each member of the family arrives at the gathering, the baby is given lots more attention – and then the party can begin. This is a tender and humorous look at modern family life. The book won the Smarties Book Prize for picture books for children from birth to five years old, as well as She/WH Smith’s Under Fives Book Prize and Kurt Maschler Award.

 

When Songololo's grandmother plans a shopping trip to the big city, he has to help her cope with all the hustle and bustle. It's worthwhile, because at the end of the day there is a wonderful surprise in store for him. The story is set in South Africa and the love and respect between grandmother and grandson will appeal to most children. Young ones will find the shopping trip exciting, especially as Songololo (his grandmother’s nickname for him), gets a pair of bright red shoes. The catchy illustrations make this book a favourite with readers four to eight years old.

 

Children can join the witch and her cat for a broomstick adventure. The witch and her cat fly happily over forests, rivers and mountains, until a stormy wind blows away the witch’s hat, bow and wand. These are returned to the witch by a dog, a bird and a frog, and each animal wants a ride on the broom. They climb on, one after the other, until the broom is so heavy that it snaps in two. What will happen as they tumble into a bog and meet a greedy dragon? This is an adventure for children three and older.

 

This is another charming story from the award-winning team behind Room on a Broom and The Gruffalo. George didn't like being the scruffiest giant in town, so when he sees a new shop selling giant-size clothes he decides it's time to update his image. With smart trousers, a smart shirt, stripy tie and shiny shoes, George is a new giant. But on his way home, he meets various animals that desperately need his help… and his clothes. Children from four up to the age of eight just love this book.

 

‘Hot diggety!’ exclaims Mole when he sees the full moon for the first time. Mole thinks it is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, so he sets about retrieving it – but bringing down the moon is not as easy as he thinks. Throughout the book poor Mole is trying all kinds of tricks to get the moon and his attempts are quite hilarious. He leaps for it, tries to poke it, knock it down with acorns and tries to grab it from a tree branch – but the moon stays put. This is a serene story with a special ending.

 

This is a follow-up to Bringing Down the Moon. Mole thinks his burrow is small and dark and dull, so he sets off to find somewhere big and bright instead. His friends Hedgehog, Squirrel and Rabbit are full of ideas – a hollow log that's too big and drafty, an empty bird's nest that feels a bit dangerous, and a nice niche beside a waterfall that's a little too splashy. Finding a new home that suits him just right is not as simple as it seems. The lovable Mole and his friends show us there really is no place like home.

 

All the birds have laid an egg except Duck. Fortunately for him, and to his delight, he finds an egg of his own to look after: it's the most beautiful egg in the whole world. But all the other birds think it's a very odd egg indeed: it’s enormous and green and speckled. Everyone is in for a big surprise when it finally hatches. With split pages that allow the visual jokes to unfold, this is another witty and lively book from an award-winning creator. This book is recommended for children from the age of four to the age of eight.

 

One day when Lulama was playing in the shallow waters of the river near her home, a fish eagle with very poor eyesight swooped down and scooped her out of the water... Where will the fish eagle take Lulama? How is she going to find her way home? Join Lulama on this adventure as she meets a ticklish snake, a confused troop of baboons, a gullible lion and a host of other characters. Which unlikely animal will help her find her way home? This is a clever and fun tale about making the most of a bad and scary situation.

 

Ma has made a dozen delicious cookies. It should be plenty for her two children, Sam and Victoria. But then the doorbell rings, and rings and rings. Each ring of the doorbell brings more friends to share the delicious cookies Ma has made. And with each new guest arriving, the cookies need to be re-divided. Eventually Sam and Victoria each have only one cookie left, when the doorbell rings again. To their delight, it’s Grandma, with more cookies. Children between the age of four and eight will love this refreshing tale full of surprises and colourful, cheerful illustrations.

 

This is a lovely story about being the youngest in the family. Titch has an older brother and sister and when they get bicycles, he gets a tricycle. When they get big kites, he gets a little pinwheel. When his siblings get to help dad with grown-up tools, Titch is only allowed to hold the nail. But then Titch gets the chance to be the hero; to be ‘bigger’ than his siblings. Any child that is the youngest in a family will be delighted in Titch’s glorious moment. The book is recommended for children between four and eight years old.

 

Everyone’s favourite family cat, Mog, always seems to be in trouble. She forgets that she has a cat flap and she forgets that she has already eaten her supper. Mog is sometimes a nuisance and does annoying things like squashing the flowers in the window box or sitting on a hat. But, one night, Mog’s forgetfulness comes in very handy, when she accidently helps a burglar get caught and earns a medal. The first Mog book appeared in 1970 and entertained today’s parents when they were young. It’s still a big hit with a new generation of children.

 

This classic story of Sophie and her extraordinary teatime guest has been loved by millions of children since it was first published over 30 years ago. The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? It can’t be the milkman, as he’d already been, and it can’t be dad or the grocery store boy. What they certainly don't expect to see at the door is a big furry, stripy tiger. This classic picture book is perfect for reading aloud, or for small children to read to themselves time and again.

 

Dora the Hen is proud of her first eggs and wants to invite all her friends over to admire them. But Penny Pig is too busy with her wriggling piglets, and Daisy Dog is playing with her cute puppies. The little ducklings learn how to swim, the little lambs are playing in the meadow and a calf snuggles close to his mom. The more animals Dora visits, the more boring her eggs seem to be. Then the eggs hatch and the fluffy chicks is everything Dora ever wanted. Children as young as three love this book about animals with feelings.

 

‘I want my mommy!’ Three baby owls awake one night to find their mother gone, and they can’t help but wonder where she is. What is she doing? When will she be back? What scary things move all around them? Stunning illustrations from striking perspectives capture the anxious little owls as they worry. Not surprisingly, joyous flapping and dancing and bouncing greet the mother’s return. Never has the plight of young ones who miss their mother been so simply told or so beautifully rendered. This is a tender tale to remind the youngest of children that Mommy always comes back.

 

Join the jungle fun in this series of delightfully simple and surprising tales for early readers. The parrot, the bumblebee, the frog, the hummingbird – everyone keeps asking if anyone has seen the crocodile and the answer is always no. Little do they realise how close the cunning crocodile actually is. This book is part of the Reading Together series and even very young children enjoy these reads, with its bright and bold illustrations and simple stories. Also try Not me, said the Monkey, Pardon, said the Giraffe and Hello, Great Big Bullfrog by the same writer and illustrator.