The best new children's books for the Easter break

Ages 0-5 The Polar Bear Day by Park Jihee (Floris Books, £12.99) is a stunning picture book with a magical quality. Almost wordless, it tells the story of a small child who, one day, opens the door to a polar bear. They spend time together, find snacks in the fridge, and the polar bear has a bath. When night falls, they must sneak out to help the polar bear return home. The book has a Snowman-like quality to it with the same wordless magic which draws in the reader and makes them curious about where the story will take them next.

Not Sleepy by Paula Bowles (Mama Makes Books, £7.99) is a charming board book that is perfect for bedtime. Little Dino doesn’t want to go to bed and is determined to stay up but his friends help him with his bedtime routine until he is tired and snoozy. Little ones will love the cute dino pop-ups and the adorable rock with a smiley face who is hidden amongst the pages.

In Solo by Neil Clark (Rocket Bird Books, £12.99), little Solo likes to go to the park but sometimes it’s too busy so she watches from afar. Jesse loves every game: hopscotch, leapfrog, and chase, and sometimes worries Solo is alone. But Jesse realises that crowds can feel overwhelming for some people. When Solo shares her magical world of imaginative play, Jesse discovers a whole new way to have fun. With distinctive risograph-style illustrations, this brilliant picture book celebrates different personalities and reminds us that friends don’t need to be alike to understand each other.

Toast by Yu Akinaga (Do Re Mi Books, £8.99) is a slice-of-toast-shaped novelty book with a smiling piece of butter melting into the cover that is ideal for little readers. Beautifully illustrated in bright, block colours it celebrates every possible topping you might want to eat on grilled bread. It manages to pack a lot into a small book, from classics like beans on toast to chocolate toast and even a green alien munching their way through avocado toast. ED

Ages 6-8 In Fairytale Fiasco: Hansel and Gretel by Evgenia Golubeva and Myles McLeod (Guppy Books, £7.99), Cleo loves fairytales but can’t help thinking she could change things for the better if she was there. Then, thanks to her friend (Book) Mark she gets to try. Cleo is sure she won’t fall for the witch’s mean tricks, but does she? A brilliant twist on a familiar tale, with bright illustrations throughout, perfect for those who are learning to read alone or to share and talk about.

The Gumdrops: Quest for Bravery by Elissa Elwick (Little Tiger Press, £7.99) is a fun, brightly illustrated, interactive graphic novel. Join the Gumdrops on a challenge to find the elements to make the perfect imaginary friend. Can you help them escape holes, avoid the traps set by Evilee along the way, and work together to find the crucial last ingredient? Each of the Gumdrops – Hope, Bubbles, Sparky and Rainbow – has a special skill which helps, and they encourage the reader to help as well (for example by saying silly words to feed the hungry Word Slurpers). This is a brilliant celebration of friendship and imagination filled with colourful illustrations. RB

Ages 9-12 If you like history and pets, then Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Rome by Rik Worth and Jordan Collver (Hachette Children’s Group, £10.99) is the book for you. What better way to learn about ancient Rome than from the animals who lived there, like dogs, wolves, chickens, elephants, lions and more? This graphic novel, written by Rik Worth and brilliantly illustrated by Jordan Collver, is packed with fascinating information, laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of “I never knew that” facts. A great way to learn about an empire whose power spread from North Africa to Scotland.

In Ian Eagleton’s The Dad Trap (Scholastic, £7.99) impulsive, endlessly chatty, neurodivergent William is determined to have his best year at school yet, but as soon as sullen and annoying Florence sits next to him on the first day they become instant enemies. Even worse is discovering that their dads are now dating each other. They decide to work together to split them up, but is that really what’s best for everyone? A fantastic, inclusive, funny and heartwarming twist on The Parent Trap, this is a book about identity and finding the strength to be your true self, and it sensitively explores LGBTQ+ themes, neurodivergence and adoption while also being at times laugh out loud funny. The real strength of the story, though, lies in the characters, particularly William.

If you are looking for magical storytelling at its best, look no further than Quill and the Last Generation by CM Lewis (Pan Macmillan, £7.99). In this epic fantasy, Quill lives in a world of perpetual winter where no babies have been born for 12 years, and he is frustrated by how protective his dad is, but when a shapeshifting raven girl appears he discovers that actually he comes from the underworld and is needed to fight the King of Darkness and bring back the Light of the World. Can he be the hero everyone wants him to be? Based on Welsh mythology, this is a book full of adventure, myth, magic, mystery, dragons and shapeshifters - there’s even a water horse. RB

2026 is the National Year of Reading, encouraging more people to pick up a book and to discover the joy of reading. Through Scottish Book Trust’s online shop, children can immerse themselves in the magic of stories with a full range of book-themed gifts based on classic favourites. From The Gruffalo, Peter Rabbit, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Winnie the Pooh, and of course our very own Bookbug, there are soft toys, puzzles, sticker books and special edition books. For book lovers of all ages, Scottish Book Trust’s monthly book subscriptions are the perfect gift. Best-selling authors including Val McDermid, Chris Brookmyre, Jenny Colgan and Sara Sheridan have curated their favourite books, and every month you’ll receive a beautifully wrapped mystery book to enjoy. A children’s picture book subscription has also been created by the team behind Bookbug, to help children explore the world around them, build empathy and grow in confidence. These are gifts that give back. All proceeds help fund more of the charity’s work, improving access to books for everyone in Scotland. Shop Scottish Book Trust’s book subscriptions and full range of gifts at shop.scottishbooktrust.com.

The Scotsman’s arts newsletter is now sent twice a week - subscribe today

Want the latest Scottish headlines sent directly to your phone? Sign up to our new WhatsApp channel here.