Skip to content

Rhymes to Play and Say, at any time throughout the day.

Devised to entertain and delight small children from breakfast to supper. Busy toddlers will love the pattern of rhymes and actions, it will fill their minds with new vocabulary and playtime activities.

Have fun with jungle animals, buzzing bees, tractors, rockets, aeroplanes and of course ... big green crocodiles.

Jane Newberry has spent many years working with young children, parents and carers. She has a wealth of play-songs, rhymes and activities that she has devised and Big Green Crocodile is a brilliant addition to her work.

Carolina Rabei always loved drawing and gained a BA in Graphic Design in Moldova and then went on to the Cambridge School of Art, Children's Book Illustration. her illustrations have a real appeal for young children and the colours and different creatures make every page a pleasure.

Published by Otter-Barry Books, publishers making a difference, pushing boundaries and publishing books that children will love.

We do love this book,  and I am about to Face Time a 3 year old with .... which one shall I choose ... Big Green Crocodile

A great big green crocodile lay down for a nap.

I lay down beside him until he went... SNAP!

A great big brown lion lay down on the floor,

I lay down beside him until he went...ROAR!

A small furry teddy lay down with a yawn.

I lay down beside him and slept until dawn.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Brains are amazing! They are responsible for every single thing we do.

The Great Big Brain Book shows how our brains work and all the things and activities we do are directed by the brain, from sleeping and dreaming, to language and memory.

Illustrations and bite sized sections of text deliver the facts in an engaging and memorable way. You can use them to explore more about the subject or as an introduction to how are bodies and minds work together so well.

It is part of the series of The Great Big.... books about all sorts of things which children ask about all the time. It gives some answers and is a fascinating collection of thought processes.

At home I have a very large and detailed book about the brain, so far I have only ever read the first chapter, so maybe this will help me to get a little further!

Mary Hoffman is an internationally acclaimed author of over 120 books for children, with an amazing selection of genres, titles and age groups.

Ros Asquith who has partnered Mary on many books is the illustrator with  such a distinctive style and aptitude for pictures that will be a great part of the text for young children.

Frances Lincoln Children's Books are the publishers and The Great Big Brain Book not only joins an amazing series but an amazing publisher of total quality books.

 

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Discover how Astrid Lindgren grew up to become a best loved author, and creator of Pippi Longstocking, the character who never wanted to grow up. 

It is from Frances Lincoln Children's Books, Little People, BIG DREAMS series. We discover that at the age of four, Astrid met a whole new world of giants, fairies as a friend read to her and she discovered books.

Astrid did her best to learn to read as soon as she could, once she had exhausted the local library she started to write her own books. There was no stopping Astrid and she wrote many books including the much acclaimed stories of Pippi Longstocking.

Published  on March 3rd, this book is just in time for World Book Day on 5th March. It is a wonderful autobiography of Astrid Lindgren and contains a time line of important aspects of her life. There are now over 36 titles in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series and they are a great collection for any school or home.

Isabel Sanchez Vegara is the author and  she is excited by new concepts in children's' books and a creative way to enhance active learning.

Linzie Hunter is the illustrator, with a wealth of experience, including work for Apple, BBC and The Guardian. The illustrations are endearing and full of character.

A moving book, with a story to match with stylish and quirky illustrations, a great addition to the series and a great book for World Book Day.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Wild Wolf is Inspired and adapted from a traditional Algonquin tale this powerful story, decorated with brightly coloured paintings based on the First Nation costumes and bead work is by international celebrated artist and winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.

When the bravest warrior is refused as a suitor by beautiful Proud Girl, his heart turns to anger and revenge and he creates Ice Man who leads Proud Girl into danger. As the warmer weather returns and melts Ice Man, Proud Girl lays down to sleep in deep sorrow. Wild Wolf is the guardian spirit to the people of the high mountains and he saves Proud Girl. As Bravest Warrior realises what he has done he is sorry for his vengeance and Proud Girl returns to live with him by the lakes.

A moving story from long ago, the illustrations and text from Fiona French are evocative and deep and Wild Wolf is somewhere looking in on every page.

The story has been approved by an Algonquin storyteller and a donation from sales will go to Katarokwi Grandmother's Council of Kingston. Ontario.

A wonderful new book from Otter Barry Books, and part of their portfolio of books that will make a difference and push boundaries,

 

Sue Martin

 

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Take a ride through 26 fully illustrated search and find spreads, each one themed on a number. Count the animals going into Noah's Ark, two by two, spot 13 scary skeletons at the haunted house and 16 different things at the fun fair.

This is an amazing book to spend hours searching & spotting. Be warned children are  better than adults at this task!

You can learn numbers from 1-100, sharpen your visual skills, develop vocabulary and be an expert in search and find!

The two authors, Amanda Wood and Mike Jolley, plus illustrator Allan Sanders have come together with the publisher Wide Eyed Editions to create this beautifully produced book following on from Search and Find the Alphabet, which is a huge success.

Amanda Wood started her career in illustration at the Natural History Museum and then was the founding Editor and Publisher of Templar with many Greenaway winners.

Mike Jolley has worked in children's publishing for  25 years and is the author of several wonderfully illustrated books, such as Curiositree.

Allan Sanders has worked on animations for the FIFA world cup website and many books such as Little Explorers and How Machines Work.

Wide Eyed Editions have a high profile book list of top quality and intriguing books for children with attention to detail and the production of stunning books.

We love this book and I am about to take away with me to spend the evening searching for the 18 crazy golf objects!

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Bethlehem has never been so busy, Leah is the innkeeper's daughter and is rushed off her feet.

Then in the starlight miracles begin to happen.  This is a beautiful , fresh, new telling to the Nativity Story through the eyes of a young girl. It brings wonderful humanity to the Nativity story. In Bethlehem today, there will be young girls just like Leah walking through the streets star gazing.

"Leah reached her own street. But suddenly, she stopped quite still. A great silver star was shining right above her home."

The story is written for everyone and not just for those who believe in the Nativity story. There is a message of hope, peace and love, threaded throughout, and we all sometimes need to find that in a little space, whether  a stable or somewhere else.

The author Margaret Bateson-Hill is a famous children's author , including her series of Dragon Racer. The illustrator Karin Littlewood has a huge collection of children's book illustrations including The Colour of Home.

Alanna Max are the publishers and have a fantastic portfolio of beautiful books alive with diversity.

The last page in Leah's Star has a powerful message of love and knowing ...but I will leave that for you to find.

Happy Christmas from the Dolphin Book Blog

 

 

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


A beautifully illustrated, well told story...

"Deep in the jungle lived a fearless tiger. No other animal was as strong and powerful as he was."

But for all his boldness and strength he could not outfight the cunning human hunters.

He was brought back to be kept in a cage and stared at by inquisitive eyes.

A moving, thought provoking story, superbly illustrated by Petr Horacek, award winning picture book creator, a fable for our time.

It is a moving story about freedom and it addresses conservation and animal rights issues. The glowing, expressive artwork is a powerful imaginative stimulus and is an absolute joy to turnover each special page.

Petr Horacek was born in Prague and moved to England in 1994 after graduating at the Academy of Fine Art. He has created numerous high quality, award winning picture books.

Petr has an interesting article on his blog about inspiration and converting ideas to art work- really great!

Otter-Barry Books is an exciting imprint which publishes amazing books, just like The Last Tiger.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Three outstanding new books from Tiny Owl, beautifully presented and stories and illustrations to set your imaginations alight!

The Secret of the Tattered Shoes - cover image
A beautiful book!

The Secret of the Tattered Shoes written by Jackie Morris and illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi.

A fresh interpretation of the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale about twelve dancing princesses who are locked in at night, yet whose shoes are worn down by morning. But unlike the original story, this soldier seeks a different ending. Jackie's dark and poetic text updates this well known tale and intriguingly shows how stories adapt and change.

Beautifully illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi  with a style that encapsulates the beauty and melancholy of the story.

Fair Shares - cover image
A tale, beautifully illustrated, with a message too!

Fair Shares is written by Pippa Goodhart and illustrated by Anna Doherty.

Hare and Bear would love some juicy pears. But the tree is just too tall. So Hare finds some chairs to help. Hare has two chairs but Bear only has one. " That's not fair!" says Bear.

But a little friend teaches then that being fair isn't always everyone getting the same thing...

 

Quill Soup - cover image
A heart-warming story, not prickly at all...

Quill Soup by illustrator Dale Blankenaar and written by Alan Durrant

The third in the series 'One Story, Many Voices' series from Tiny Owl.

Noko the porcupine is very hungry. On arriving at the village, he asks the other animals for food and shelter. But despite their full bellies, they say they have nothing. So Noko sets about making soup from the quills on his back, which is so tasty that even the king likes it. Once the villagers hear of his plan they all want to share with him.

Three wonderful books a pleasure to read and to share.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Everyone Can Draw  celebrates the artist within us all. It encourages a discovery of our own unique way to draw and and to be successful in creating pictures.

If you are interested in drawing of any kind, from doodling to creating images using different mediums, then this is a great book to have and share with young children. The message is simple; that we can all draw and just need encouragement to pick up a pencil or a crayon and get drawing. Or we can use other things like needle and thread, our finger prints and paints...

The book was published in July 2019 by Boxer Books, who are very successful in publishing some brilliant picture books with a wide reaching portfolio.

Fifi Kuo is from Taiwan and graduated with a Masters in Illustration at The Cambridge School of Art. Her illustrations in Everyone Can Draw are beautiful and will capture imaginations for young children and older too.

Everyone Can Draw is already on the shortlist for many awards, including Cambridgeshire Libraries Picture Book Award- Read it Again 2019. Fifi has 3 previous titles which are very successful; I Can Fly, The Perfect Sofa and The Magic Hug.

Recommended for ages 2- 6 and adults will love it too.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Did you know that there are 20,000 ways to be a butterfly? That's a lot of butterflies. Maybe you need to have a long curly proboscis, or lay your eggs in  just the right spot, so the caterpillar babies can eat as soon as they hatch.

One thing you will need, is to have dazzling, bold colours, which look fantastic when you fly or are just staying still. And two antennae to smell for the flowers pollen and to help with balance. Some butterflies are very large with long wing spans. Another fact is that if your antennae are fuzzy, that means that you are not a butterfly but a moth!

Laura Knowles is the author of this exceptional book and she manages to choose just the right words, albeit just a few, to show diversity, interest and a real joy in the natural world.

Catell Ronch is the illustrator and her images of a number of coloured butterflies are stunning, each image is a true representation and in bold detail.

Words and Pictures are the publishers, part of Quarto Knows, and have an excellent way of publishing a great range of non fiction books which will appeal and interest young children.

We recommend for ages 2- 7, and especially early years, but How to Be a Butterfly will be a book that an adult will also pick up at the end of the day and not put down.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.