Resilience books for children

A child has an idea, struggles again and again to make it work, gets very frustrated, steps away for a while, and comes back to it.

Try asking: “What do you think she could do when she feels like giving up?”

Useful for talking about what happens when being afraid of a mistake starts getting in the way of enjoying things.

Try asking: “What would you try if making a mistake was completely OK?”

A family sets off on a bear hunt through long grass, a river, mud, a forest and a snowstorm. They can't go over or under each one, so they go through it, together. A much-loved read-aloud about keeping going when something is hard.

Try asking: “They couldn't go over it or under it. What did they do instead?”

Young Mia loves football but quits whenever her team starts to lose, until her brothers and sister stop letting her play. Written by a real footballing champion, it shows that even winners have to learn how to lose.

Try asking: “Why didn't her brothers want to play with her any more?”

Mr Bear can't sleep: Mrs Bear snores, Baby Bear plays aeroplanes, the clock ticks, and every room has a new noise. A funny, repetitive classic about frustration, persistence and finally finding peace, perfect for joining in at bedtime.

Try asking: “What kept Mr Bear awake?”

A tiny seed travels with bigger seeds through a whole year of wind, sun, snow and hungry birds. Many seeds don't make it, but the smallest one keeps going and grows into a giant flower. A gentle way to talk about patience, being small, and how growing takes time.

Try asking: “The seed was the smallest of all. How did it keep going?”

Abigail the giraffe loves to count, but Zebra's stripes and Cheetah's spots won't sit still long enough. It's hopeless! A beautiful story about frustration, patience and finding another way, with a fold-out night-sky ending.

Try asking: “Why couldn't Abigail count the spots and stripes?”

On the Isle of Struay, Katie Morag is trusted to deliver the mail, but the parcels get muddled up, and soon everyone has the wrong one! With a little help from Grannie Island and her tractor, Katie Morag sets out to put things right. A classic Scottish island story.

Try asking: “How did Katie Morag fix her mistake?”

Early one morning a little spider begins to spin her web on a fencepost. The farm animals invite her to play, but she's too busy, and she keeps on spinning. A beautiful touch-and-feel book where children can feel the web grow.

Try asking: “Why didn't the spider stop to play?”

Ada Twist has endless questions: why, how, what if? Inspired by Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this rhyming bestseller celebrates curiosity, perseverance and girls in science, and the importance of always asking "Why?"

Try asking: “What question did Ada want to answer?”

Zara is curious about everything. Travelling around the city with her gran, she wonders: how do roller coasters loop the loop? How do planes stay up? She learns about brilliant engineers, and can't wait to start creating her own inventions.

Try asking: “What did Zara want to know?”

When young Anna inherits a crumbling, once-grand hotel from her great-aunt, she sets out to restore it to its former glory with the help of her animal staff. A flamboyant, funny early chapter book about hard work and teamwork.

Try asking: “How did Anna bring the hotel back to life?”

Izzy Gizmo loves to invent, but her inventions don't always work, and she gets very cross. When she finds a crow with a broken wing, she has to build him new wings, and keep trying. A rhyming story about invention and persistence.

Try asking: “How did Izzy help the crow?”

Elvie wants a puppy she can train to do amazing tricks. But Mum comes home from the pet shop with a fish. Elvie doesn't give up: she trains Fluff the fish. Fluff can't sit or bark, but she can do something very special... A very silly story from Michael Rosen.

Try asking: “What trick could Fluff do?”

Max the hedgehog is determined to find a safe way across the dangerous road to the park. A bump on the head muddles his words, but not his bravery. A timeless classic from the master of animal stories, Dick King-Smith.

Try asking: “How did Max cross the road?”

Madeleine is forced to work in her uncle's horrible restaurant, The Squealing Pig. Then she discovers the marvellous shop of Madame Pamplemousse, full of otherworldly edibles. A delicious, magical story set in Paris.

Try asking: “What did Madeleine find in the shop?”

Mr Penguin is an adventurer and penguin. When he's asked to find a lost treasure hidden in a museum, he and his trusty spider sidekick Colin set off on a mystery full of slapstick humour.

Try asking: “Who helped Mr Penguin find the treasure?”

Ossiri, a Traveller girl, makes her own musical instrument from a willow branch and recycled objects. She plays it enthusiastically, but it sounds terrible! Ignoring warnings not to wake the ogre in the hills, she goes there to practise. A Traveller tale about creativity and persistence.

Try asking: “What happened when Ossiri played near the ogre?”

Rosie Revere is no stranger to flops and fails. This time she has a big project: her Aunt Rose's friends, the Raucous Riveters, who built aeroplanes in the Second World War, need help inventing something. A first chapter book in the Questioneers series.

Try asking: “What did Rosie invent for the Raucous Riveters?”

Lila doesn't just want to be a firework-maker's daughter, she wants to be a firework-maker herself. Her father refuses to share the final secret, so Lila sets off on a dangerous journey to find it. A beautiful fairy tale from Philip Pullman.

Try asking: “What was the firework-maker's secret?”

Join Harley, her robot dog Sprocket and best friend Cosmo for problem-solving adventures in Inventia. When something goes wrong in the Iron Forest, Harley must use science and invention to fix it. A joyful mash-up of robots, conservation and school story.

Try asking: “How did Harley solve the Iron Forest problem?”

Leonora Bolt spends her days creating incredible inventions in her top-secret laboratory, under the eye of her terrifying uncle. Then she discovers a secret that changes everything. An adventure fizzing with fun, friendship and fabulous inventions.

Try asking: “What secret did Leonora discover?”

Oluwalase Babatunde Benson is the No. 1 car spotter in his village, in the world! He's also good at solving problems for his village. When the family's cart breaks, No. 1 has an idea. Funny stories set in West Africa.

Try asking: “How did No. 1 solve the village's problem?”

When their plane crashes in the Amazon, four children must survive in the jungle: finding food, building shelter and facing danger. Then they discover a mysterious explorer. A Costa Award-winning adventure about friendship and survival.

Try asking: “How did the children survive?”

Sam and Dave decide to dig until they find something spectacular. They dig and dig, and keep just missing the treasure that the reader can see. A funny, deadpan picture book about sticking at things, and finding the day was spectacular anyway.

Try asking: “What did they keep missing?”

Lou and her friends are brave adventurers, until they decide to play pirates up a tree. Lou has never climbed a tree, and she's sure she can't, so she comes up with every excuse not to. A warm, funny book about trying new things, and that it's fine not to manage first time.

Try asking: “What excuses did she make?”

Elmer is a patchwork elephant who makes everyone laugh, but he wishes he looked like the other elephants. When he covers himself in grey berry juice, the herd misses the real Elmer. A joyful classic about being yourself.

Try asking: “Why did the other elephants miss the real Elmer?”

Alfie rushes into the house ahead of Mum and slams the door, and now he's stuck inside with Mum and baby Annie Rose outside, without a key. The whole street tries to help, but Alfie has a plan of his own. A much-loved classic about getting upset and then solving a problem yourself.

Try asking: “How did Alfie open the door in the end?”

Titch is the smallest in his family. Pete and Mary have bigger bikes, kites that fly high and instruments that make bigger noises. But when Titch plants a tiny seed, everyone finds out that starting small is just the beginning of growing. A classic for every littlest sibling.

Try asking: “What did Titch have that grew the biggest?”

"We're going on a lion hunt. We're going to catch a big one. We're not scared." Two sisters go through swishy swashy long grass, a splishy splashy lake and a big dark cave on the African savanna, until they meet their lion and have to run, run, run! A beautifully illustrated version of a well-known chant.

Try asking: “What did the sisters do when they met the lion?”

Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer's prize cow. But the tiniest, quietest creature of all, a ladybird, has heard their plot, and she has a plan of her own. A brilliantly funny rhyming farmyard adventure.

Try asking: “How did the ladybird stop the robbers?”

A mouse who is overlooked decides to ask a lion to teach him to roar, and finds out the lion is frightened too. It is a good way to talk about being nervous and doing the thing anyway, and about how the confident-looking child in the class may not feel confident either.

Try asking: “What helped Mouse feel brave enough to try?”

Gerald cannot dance the way the other animals dance, until he finds music that suits him. The useful conversation is not that he tries harder, but that doing something your own way still counts.

Try asking: “Do we all have to be good at the same things?”

Norman grows a pair of wings and covers them with a coat so nobody will notice. The story sits with how tiring hiding is, and ends with him uncovering them, which makes it a gentle way in to talking about difference without framing difference as a problem.

Try asking: “What changed when Norman stopped hiding his wings?”

Zog tries so hard at dragon school that he keeps crashing, and a kind princess patches him up each time. It shows effort and mistakes as part of learning, and that the thing you're good at may not be the one you expected.

Try asking: “Zog kept crashing. What helped him keep trying?”

A tiny snail sees the world on a whale's tail, and when the whale is stranded it is the snail who gets help to save him. A gentle way to show that small people can do big things.

Try asking: “The snail was tiny. How did she still help the whale?”

Sugarlump the rocking horse wishes to be something else, and a unicorn grants each wish, until he realises he was happiest as himself. A gentle story about being content with who you are.

Try asking: “Why did Sugarlump want to go home in the end?”

Five animals called ugly sing about themselves with pride, and to their babies they are beautiful. A cheerful way to talk about appearance, teasing and being loved as you are.

Try asking: “Why did the babies think their parents were beautiful?”

Ramon loves drawing until his brother laughs at a picture, and he stops. Then his sister shows him that his pictures don't need to be perfect: they're vase-ish, tree-ish, and wonderful. A short, warm book about letting go of getting it exactly right.

Try asking: “How did Ramon feel when his brother laughed?”

Vashti is sure she can't draw, so she jabs one angry dot on her paper. Her teacher frames it, and Vashti sets out to make a better one, then many more. A simple story about how one small start can build confidence.

Try asking: “What made Vashti want to try again?”

After his famous fall, Humpty Dumpty is too scared to climb up high again, even to his favourite spot on the wall. Little by little, he faces the fear. A moving story about getting back up after a setback.

Try asking: “What helped Humpty Dumpty climb the wall again?”

When the supermarket closes, the Evil Pea escapes from the freezer and causes chaos among the vegetables. Supertato, a superhero potato, sets out to save the day. A silly, much-loved story that opens up talk about being brave and helping friends.

Try asking: “What made Supertato a hero?”

On a hot day, Little Bear and Dad Bear go down to the river to cool off. When Little Bear tries a big jump across the rocks to impress his dad, things don't go to plan, and Dad is there to help. A joyful story about trying brave things with someone who loves you.

Try asking: “What did Dad Bear do when the jump went wrong?”

Astrid loves the stars and wants to be an astronaut. While Mama is away, she and Papa act out what astronauts do: eating from a tube, doing experiments, sleeping in near-zero gravity. Then it's time to meet Mama, and Astrid finds out where she's been. A warm story about big dreams.

Try asking: “Where do you think Mama had been?”

The Hargraves' new baby is tiny and will hardly eat a thing, until he gobbles up an avocado. Soon the strangest things start to happen, and the baby turns out to be astonishingly strong. A funny classic about food, babies and surprising strength.

Try asking: “What happened after the baby ate the avocado?”

Pip the blackbird doesn't know what he wants to do, so he goes on a journey to find out. He tries doing what Heron, Owl and Pigeon do, until he discovers that singing is the thing he is best at. A charming story about finding yourself.

Try asking: “What did Pip find he was best at?”

Far away in a dark cave lives a mighty dragon who terrorises armies, destroys castles and kidnaps princesses. But this mighty dragon has a deep, dark secret, and the hero of the story is very unlikely indeed. A gently funny tale about how even the biggest can be scared, and the smallest can be brave.

Try asking: “What was the dragon's secret?”

She likes to win, she's fast and strong and she wears T-shirts and shorts, so she's always being mistaken for a boy. When she meets a boy who loves princess dresses and dolls, they discover they have more in common than anyone thought. A joyful book about being exactly who you are.

Try asking: “Why did people think she was a boy?”

Jabari has passed his swimming test and he's a great jumper, so he's definitely ready to jump off the diving board. But when he gets up there, it looks very high. With his dad's gentle support, he takes his time and finds his courage. An award-winning story about bravery.

Try asking: “What did Jabari's dad say that helped?”

Riding the subway with his Nana, Julian sees three women dressed as mermaids and decides he's a mermaid too. Back home, he makes himself a costume, and waits to see what Nana will say. An award-winning, joyful picture book about self-expression, identity and unconditional love.

Try asking: “What did Nana do when she saw Julian's costume?”

An old woman sets off through the forest to visit her granddaughter, when out jump a hungry fox, a hungry bear and a hungry tiger. She escapes by telling them she'll taste better on the way back, once she's eaten her dinner. But how will she get home? A vibrant retelling of a traditional tale from India.

Try asking: “How did the old woman trick the animals?”

Ruby is always racing after her big brothers, but she can never catch up. Then she finds some sticks in the grass. Not just sticks: swords! Suddenly the world is her kingdom. A joyful story about perseverance, creativity and imaginative play.

Try asking: “What did Ruby turn the sticks into?”

Osebo the leopard has a magnificent drum, and he won't let anyone else have it, not even Nyame the Sky-God. All the animals try to get it, and all fail, until a very small tortoise outwits the boastful leopard. A vibrant retelling of an Asante tale from West Africa.

Try asking: “How did the tortoise trick the leopard?”

One night, Tom is woken by noises outside his house. He peeps out of the window and sees pirates, girl pirates, stealing the front of his house! Tom joins their adventure across the high seas to an island of grown-up pirates. A much-loved night-time adventure.

Try asking: “Who were the night pirates?”

Piggie wants to fly today. Gerald the elephant is sure she can't, but Piggie won't give up. Told entirely in speech bubbles, this Elephant and Piggie book is a funny story about determination, friendship and getting a little help.

Try asking: “How did Piggie fly in the end?”

Farmer loves looking after her animals, and she loves her trusty sheepdog Flo most of all. When Farmer gets sick, Flo leaps in to save the day, but does Flo know how to do the farm jobs? A funny farmyard story about helping and having a go.

Try asking: “What went wrong when Flo did the farm jobs?”

Fifi the flamingo loves flamenco, and she's fabulous. But when she tries to dance in front of everyone, things don't go to plan. A tongue-twisting, read-aloud celebration of being fabulously yourself.

Try asking: “What did Fifi love doing?”

There was once a boy who loved stars so much that he wanted one of his very own. He tried everything to catch one, climbing trees, waiting for it to tire, but nothing worked. Then he found a star in an unexpected place. Oliver Jeffers' magical first picture book.

Try asking: “Where did the boy find his star?”

Billy and her trusty sidekick Fatcat are out for a walk in the woods when they hear a terrible rumble. A Terrible Beast is making Terrible Soup out of all their friends! Luckily, brave Billy has a trick or two up her sleeve (or in her hair). A funny story about a quick-thinking heroine.

Try asking: “How did Billy trick the Beast?”

"I am a tiger," declares a little mouse, and he convinces a raccoon, a fox, a snake and a bird that it's true, and that they aren't what they think they are either! But then a real tiger turns up... An award-winning, very funny story about confidence.

Try asking: “What happened when the real tiger arrived?”

As a child, Evelyn Glennie's hearing faded: voices became distant whispers. When she was told she'd need hearing aids and should give up music, she found a new way to listen, through her whole body. The inspiring true story of the world-famous deaf percussionist.

Try asking: “How did Evelyn learn to listen?”

Meet Gigantic, the smallest blue whale in the Atlantic. Dwarfed by the other whales, he keeps to himself, making friends and practising his somersaults in the bay. But one day, when his family are in trouble, it's Gigantic who has to be brave. A powerful sea-life story.

Try asking: “How did Gigantic help his family?”

Gina Kaminski is here to tell you three facts: the story of Jack and the Beanstalk is FULL of big mistakes, she has a plan to fix it, and she's going to rescue the giant. An empowering retelling with a confident, autistic heroine at its heart.

Try asking: “What did Gina think was wrong with Jack and the Beanstalk?”

Panther is not like the other cats. Leopard has beautiful spots, Tiger has impressive stripes and Lion has a magnificent mane. Panther feels plain beside them, until he discovers his own special gift. A stunning fable about courage and finding your place.

Try asking: “What was special about Panther?”

Starting school is a big milestone, and this hero is ready! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to join a whole new kingdom of kids. A joyful, confident story about the first day of school.

Try asking: “What was the boy most excited about?”

When a Traveller family has a run of bad luck, an imaginative boy called Yokki lifts their spirits with tales of a magical white horse. A traditional Traveller folk tale, told by a Romani storyteller, that inspires hope and celebrates creativity.

Try asking: “How did Yokki help his family?”

A stylish, relatable picture book about a child doing something on their own for the first time, and all the worries and pride that come with it.

Try asking: “How did it feel to do it alone?”

Smart is not just ticks and crosses: smart is building boats from boxes, painting patterns, being mermaids and riding dragons. An international bestseller that celebrates the many talents every child brings to the world.

Try asking: “Which ways are you smart?”

Grace loves stories and acting them out. When her class decides to put on Peter Pan, Grace wants to play Peter, but her classmates say she can't, because she's a girl and she's Black. With her Ma and Nana's support, Grace shows everyone what she can do. A classic about courage and determination.

Try asking: “Why did people say Grace couldn't be Peter Pan?”

A girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends'. Her eyes are like her mother's, her grandmother's and her little sister's: eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea. A lyrical bestseller about loving your Asian-shaped eyes and your family heritage.

Try asking: “Whose eyes are like the girl's?”

When a dragon smashes Princess Elizabeth's castle, burns her clothes and captures Prince Ronald, Elizabeth sets off in a paper bag to rescue him with her wits alone. But when she finds Ronald, he's not as grateful as he should be. A classic with a twist.

Try asking: “How did Elizabeth outsmart the dragon?”

It's Faizah's first day of school, and her older sister Asiya's first day wearing a hijab, a beautiful blue one like the ocean and the sky. Not everyone sees it that way. A ground-breaking picture book about religion, sisterhood and being proud of who you are.

Try asking: “How did Asiya handle unkind comments?”

Paralympic gold medallist Claire Cashmore was born without a left forearm, and as a child she was scared of water. Based on her real experience, this is the story of a girl who overcomes her fear and discovers she loves to swim.

Try asking: “What helped Claire overcome her fear?”

You can be anything, do anything, dream anything. An empowering picture book that follows a diverse group of children, including disabled children, as they grow up, with a message that everyone can find their own way.

Try asking: “What can you do?”

As Amrita prepares for her sister's wedding, she wants to wear the brightest colours. Despite unwanted 'advice' from her aunties about her complexion, Mum gives her a sunflower-yellow lehenga that complements her brown skin. A joyful story about colourism and self-love.

Try asking: “What did Mum give Amrita to wear?”

The Gumdrops guard a magical land of Imaginary Friends, story characters and creations from dreams. When they get a letter from a child who needs an imaginary friend to help them be brave, they have their work cut out! A funny, colourful early comic-style book.

Try asking: “How did the Gumdrops help the child be brave?”

At three, Michaela DePrince found a photo of a ballerina in a magazine, while living in an orphanage in Sierra Leone. She was adopted and brought to America, and never forgot that photo. The true story of how she became a professional ballerina.

Try asking: “What did Michaela see in the magazine?”

Kitty has special cat-like powers, but she's scared of the dark. When the moon rises and a cat needs help, she must join the rooftop cats on a night-time rescue. A magical superhero adventure about courage and friendship.

Try asking: “How did Kitty find her courage?”

Marvin loves comics, time with Grandpa and science experiments with his best friend Joe. Then he discovers a superhero suit in the attic, and learns he's next in a long line of superheroes. A full-colour early chapter book about bravery and kindness.

Try asking: “What did Marv find in the attic?”

In the middle of winter, three kittens are born in a barn. Two are ordinary, but the third, jet black and born on the stroke of midnight, is brimming with magic. A mischievous, rhyming early reader about being different.

Try asking: “What was special about the midnight kitten?”

In a world built for Perfect Pets, Barnabus is a Failed Project, half mouse, half elephant, kept out of sight with other misfits. His dreams of freedom lead him and his friends on a perilous adventure. A stunning picture book from the Fan Brothers.

Try asking: “How did Barnabus and his friends escape?”

Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden loved numbers. They worked at NASA as mathematicians and engineers, facing racism and sexism, and helped launch astronauts into space. An inspiring true story in picture-book form.

Try asking: “How did the four women help NASA?”

Could you be EXTRAORDINARY? The real-life stories of 15 extraordinary people with very different personalities and talents. Whoever you are, read their stories and decide how you will be extraordinary.

Try asking: “Which story inspired you most?”

Isadora Moon is special because she's different: her mum is a fairy, her dad is a vampire, and she's a bit of both. Which school should she go to, fairy school or vampire school? A sparkly first chapter book about being yourself.

Try asking: “Which school did Isadora choose?”

Meet the little leaders: brave, bold women who changed the world, like Alice Ball, who developed a treatment for leprosy, and Josephine Baker, dancer and wartime spy. Short biographies with beautiful illustrations.

Try asking: “Which leader would you like to learn more about?”

When Pippi Longstocking moves in next door to Tommy and Annika, their world is turned upside down. Pippi lives alone with her monkey and her horse, is the strongest girl in the world and does exactly as she pleases. A picture-book introduction to the classic heroine.

Try asking: “What's the most unusual thing Pippi did?”

Princess Magnolia is having hot chocolate with a nosy duchess when the monster alarm rings. She ditches her flouncy dress and becomes the Princess in Black! A funny, action-packed first chapter book about a princess who's not just prim and perfect.

Try asking: “What does Princess Magnolia do when the alarm rings?”

Tola lives in a flat in Lagos with her clever sister Moji, fast brother Dapo and very bossy Grandmummy. Tola may be small, but she's very determined, and she proves it again and again. Three charming, funny family stories set in Nigeria.

Try asking: “How did Tola prove she wasn't too small?”

A snake has escaped London Zoo, and it's up to Toto the Ninja Cat to find it. Toto is almost totally blind, but she learned to trust her senses from a ninja cat-master. A funny, action-packed animal adventure.

Try asking: “How did Toto use her senses?”

Barb is a Berzerker, one of a group of warriors sworn to protect the land. When the evil Witch Head captures her fellow warriors, it's up to Barb to rescue them. A side-splitting graphic novel for fans of Dog Man.

Try asking: “How did Barb rescue the warriors?”

Kick-start your adventure with Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie and more. A vibrant, award-nominated introduction to inspiring women from history, packed with fascinating facts.

Try asking: “Which woman inspired you most?”

Wanting to prove to his brothers and sister that magic exists, Leon volunteers for Abdul Kazam's magic show, and is transported to the Place Between, where everything that magicians make disappear ends up. A dazzling, imaginative picture book.

Try asking: “What did Leon find in the Place Between?”

As a child in Pakistan, Malala wished for a magic pencil to redraw the world. As she grew up, she saw that girls weren't allowed to go to school, and realised she could change things with her words. Malala's own story for young readers.

Try asking: “What would Malala draw with her magic pencil?”

"I'm no mere guinea pig! I'm a Handsome, and Handsomes have always been famous." Piggy Handsome has a hugely inflated ego and a plan for stardom. A funny illustrated chapter book.

Try asking: “Why did Piggy think he should be famous?”

When Babe the piglet arrives at Farmer Hogget's farm, he's adopted by Fly the sheepdog. Babe wants to herd sheep too, and discovers that asking politely works better than barking. The classic that became the film Babe.

Try asking: “How did Babe herd the sheep?”

Travel back to the age of the Vikings, where a small, bookish boy called Arthur must find the courage to save his village from the mighty wolf Fenrir. A beautifully illustrated adventure inspired by Norse myths.

Try asking: “How did Arthur defeat Fenrir?”

It's Princess Magnolia's birthday party, but the monster alarm keeps ringing. Again and again she has to slip away, become the Princess in Black and save the goats, then get back before her guests notice. A funny, fast early chapter book about keeping going when everything goes wrong.

Try asking: “How do you think she felt each time the alarm rang?”

Scooter McLay's cerebral palsy affects how quickly he can move, but his brain is a fizz of brilliant ideas. He spends every day inventing recipes and machines in the family jam factory, until an alien arrives. A funny, jam-packed adventure.

Try asking: “What did Scooter invent?”

Property Jones was left in a bookshop's lost property cupboard when she was five. She loves living there, but she has a secret: she can't actually read. When the family win a magical bookshop, adventure follows. A charming, funny story.

Try asking: “What was Property's secret?”

Dylan has always wanted a superpower. When he finally gets one, it's the ability to talk to iguanas. Can he tame a bunch of hyper iguanas and save the world? Probably, but he'll need a massive cheese pizza.

Try asking: “What was Dylan's superpower?”

Nim lives on a beautiful island with her father Jack, an iguana, a sea lion and a turtle. When Jack disappears and disaster threatens her home, Nim must be braver than she's ever been. A classic adventure.

Try asking: “How did Nim cope alone?”

Shylo is the smallest and weakest of his family, but when he overhears a plot against the Queen, he sets off to warn the secret Royal Rabbits of London. A charming adventure proving even the smallest rabbit can be the bravest.

Try asking: “What plot did Shylo uncover?”

When Mabel Jones unknowingly commits The Deed, she's bundled into a sack and carried off to the pirate ship the Feroshus Maggot, crewed by strange animal pirates. A wildly funny, prize-shortlisted adventure.

Try asking: “What was The Deed?”

Dragons have invaded Crumbling Castle, and King Arthur's knights are all on holiday. Luckily there's a spare suit of armour and a very small boy called Ralph. A collection of Terry Pratchett's early, funny stories.

Try asking: “How did Ralph deal with the dragons?”

Cece lost her hearing as a young child and has to wear a powerful, awkward hearing aid called the Phonic Ear. It lets her hear her teacher anywhere in school, even in the toilets! She imagines herself as El Deafo, a superhero. A funny, honest graphic memoir.

Try asking: “What superpower did Cece's hearing aid give her?”

Harriet wears hearing aids, and one day she starts hearing something no one else can: an alien asking for help to save the galaxy. A hilarious, heartfelt adventure by comedian Samantha Baines, who wears hearing aids herself.

Try asking: “Who did Harriet hear through her hearing aids?”

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. As heir to the Hairy Hooligan tribe, he must train a dragon, but his dragon, Toothless, is small and very disobedient. The hilarious book that inspired the films.

Try asking: “How did Hiccup train Toothless?”

Ivan lives in a land where winter is dark and fearful. When Starjik, King of Winter, steals Ivan's little brother, Ivan braves the bitter cold to find him. A classic short novel about courage and love.

Try asking: “How did Ivan rescue his brother?”

Murph Cooper is a normal kid with no superpowers, who accidentally ends up at a school for superheroes. He has to hide his normal-ness and keep up. A laugh-out-loud adventure from radio stars Greg James and Chris Smith.

Try asking: “How did Murph manage without superpowers?”

Ruskin Splinter is small and clumsy, with glasses. When Krindlekrax, the monster that lives in the sewers, terrorises his street, Ruskin is the one who must face it. A classic story about bravery.

Try asking: “How did Ruskin defeat Krindlekrax?”

Podkin is the lazy son of a rabbit chieftain, until the terrifying Gorm attack his warren and he must flee with his sister and baby brother. A spellbinding fantasy adventure about friendship and bravery, for fans of Redwall.

Try asking: “How did Podkin become brave?”

An artist's drawing starts with a mistake, then another, and each one is turned into something new until the picture becomes something wonderful. A quiet, beautiful book about how mistakes can lead somewhere good.

Try asking: “Which mistake turned into your favourite part of the picture?”

With flaps, folds and torn pages, every spill and smudge becomes something new: a tear becomes an alligator's mouth, a blot becomes a cow. A playful, hands-on book for children who get upset at the first mistake.

Try asking: “What could a spill turn into?”

Pippin wants to paint a portrait. He tries painting like famous artists, but something's not quite right each time. A laugh-out-loud story told in speech bubbles, in which Pippin finds his very own way of creating.

Try asking: “How did Pippin find his own style?”

The author can only draw worms, so this is a book full of worms. A riotously funny, ever-so-slightly bonkers counting book where every character is a worm.

Try asking: “How many worms were there?”

A boy's head is always full of wonder. On an ordinary school day, his daydreams transform the world around him, but everyone tells him to get his head out of the clouds. Then, in art class, his wonder finally has a place.

Try asking: “Where did the boy's wonder finally fit?”

Mildred Hubble is a trainee at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, but she's making an awful mess of it. She keeps getting her spells wrong and can't ride her broomstick without crashing. The original magical boarding-school classic.

Try asking: “What did Mildred keep getting wrong?”

When the circus comes to Inventia, Harley's curiosity gets the better of her and she breaks a cabinet that makes things disappear. Soon after, the Moon goes missing: time speeds up, the tides stop and the wildlife gets confused. Is Harley to blame? A funny, inventive science adventure about mistakes and putting things right.

Try asking: “Why did Harley think she might be to blame?”

Mog is always forgetting things: that she has a cat flap, or that she's already had her supper. The Thomas family get cross, and Mog feels sad. Then one night her forgetfulness saves the day. Judith Kerr's classic about mistakes, and being loved just as you are.

Try asking: “How did the family feel when she forgot?”

Sally hates losing so much that she sulks, cheats and storms off, until her friends stop wanting to play with her. A coach helps her see what being a good sport looks like, which gives you words to use at the next game night.

Try asking: “How did Sally's friends feel when she cheated to win?”