Pick-up a Penguin and read it with your pre-school child. Polly's Dunbar's delightful Penguin was awarded the Booktrust Early Years Award for the Best Pre-School Book at an Awards ceremony at BAFTA in Piccadilly, London on Thursday 27th September. This utterly charming, child-centred picturebook is sweet but not saccharine, playful but not silly, perfectly paced with distinctive characterisation. A very well deserved winner.

Winner of the Baby Book Award was Jessica Stockham's Tucking In and Emily Gravett's Monkey and Me won her the Best Emerging Illustrator Award.

Michael Rosen said, 'The picture book is a wonderful art form that can delight the eye and the ear at the same time. It is really good that we have this campaign to support this medium. Awards like this will enable us to welcome in the next generation, which will give us the Quentin Blake, Raymong Briggs and Shirly Hughes of the future.'

Polly Dunbar PENGUIN

Synopsis: Ben is delighted when he rips open his present and finds a penguin inside. "Hello, Penguin!" says Ben. Penguin says nothing. Ben tickles Penguin; he pulls his funniest face; he puts on a happy hat, sings a silly song and does a dizzy dance. "Can't you talk?" says Ben. Penguin says nothing. It isn't until a passing lion intervenes that Penguin finally speaks...and when he does, Ben discovers something that was really worth the wait.

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Emily Gravett MONKEY AND ME

Synopsis: A cheeky little girl and her toy monkey swing irresistibly through the pages of this gorgeous playful book. Young children will love guessing what animal they are pretending to be, before shouting out the answers as the pages are turned to reveal the real creatures. Soon, everyone will be waddling like a penguin, jumping like a kangaroo and hanging upside down like a bat!

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Jessica Stockham TUCKING IN

Synopsis: Babies will love lifting the flaps in these delightful board books to find out all about themselves! Focusing on different aspects of babies' feelings, features, abilities and tastes, these books encourage interaction and discussion. Designed with the Early Years Foundation Stage in mind to encourage a Healthy Child in terms of self-awareness and esteem.

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