Kids book club – September

0-4 years
Birdsong
Ellie Sandall
£5.99
9781405247382

A tiny bird lands on the branch of a tree and begins to chirp. Then another joins it, with his own unique song. Then another. And another. Where could it all end? Sandall's debut book is replete with gorgeous, colourful illustrations, very much in the vein of the great Brian Wildsmith. This sumptuous evocation of the full spectrum of feathery folk is a neat, simple rhyming treat for the very youngest reader. Both memorable and enjoyable, there's plenty of fun to be had in reading out the symphony of bird noises. Kitcha kitcha kee kee kee!

4-6 years
Dogs Don't Do Ballet
Anna Kemp / Sam Ogilvie
£5.99
9781847384744

Biff the pug dog doesn't much care for common canine pursuits like fetching sticks and scratching. Instead, he's under the distinct impression that he's a ballerina. More 'barre', less 'bark', if you will. As you'd expect, Biff isn't given many opportunities to display his pirouetting skills. But one day his young owner goes on an outing to the Royal Ballet, and strongly suspects a four-legged someone has tagged along. For Biff, the limelight beckons at last. A simple idea, beautifully executed, with strong, stylish illustrations and a nimble sense of humour, this would be ideal for young fans of dance. Or indeed of dogs.

6-8 years
The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future
Dav Pilkey
£8.99
9781407123882

The creator of the mighty Captain Underpants series returns with an anarchic tale in the form of an doodly comic book. Best pals Ook and Gluk hail from 500,001 BC, but their cheerful prehistoric existence is skewered by means of time travel. The unscrupulous Goppernopper Enterprises, from the 23rd century, arrive to plunder the untapped resources of their town. But feisty Ook and Gluk won't take it lying down. They bring the battle to the future - and take their martial arts skills with them. A riotous barrage of gorillas, fighting, explosions, dinosaurs, giant robots and more fighting, this offers all the silly, messy irreverence of Captain Underpants - as well as a relaxed attitude to spelling that won't intimidate learner readers.

9-12 years
Pippi Longstocking
Astrid Lindgren / Lauren Child
£9.99
9780192782410

For fans of classic children's fiction this is a marriage made in heaven. Charlie and Lola creator Lauren Child has created a full range of new illustrations for Lindgren's extravagant tales of Pippi Longstocking, first published almost 70 years ago. Pippi, who is both phenomenally strong and immensely rich, lives on her own since her seafaring father went missing. Along with local children Tommy and Annika, and her wayward pet monkey Mr Nilsson, Pippi is drawn into an endless stream of peculiar adventures. Child clearly knows a thing or two about remarkable little girls - aside from Charlie's little sister Lola, she also invented Clarice Bean - and her vivid illustrations are a fine match Lindgren's writing, breathing fresh life into an old favourite. Pippi newcomers may well find this combination irresistable.

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