Best Pre-Schooler Book 3-5 yrs | Junior Design Awards 2022

JUNIOR DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS FOR BEST PRE-SCHOOLER BOOK 3-5 YEARS: GOLD

WHO: Mouse’s Wood: A Year in Nature by Alice Melvin (Thames & Hudson)

WHAT: A beautifully illustrated, lift the flap picture book that follows a mouse through the changing seasons in a wood.

WHY: When our judges went quiet for longer than usual, it was usually because they were entranced by this book! The exquisite illustrations, clever lift the flap details and sweet rhyming text, enchanted the entire JDA panel who loved this wonderful treatment of the passing seasons in the fascinating setting of a wood. Everyone agreed that this would be a book to treasure for years and hand down.

Oh wow! I absolutely love this book. So many beautiful details for children and adults to immerse themselves in while learning a huge amount about the changing seasons and nature.

Exquisite indeed. I fell totally in love with this! A fresh play on a traditional open flap book with an educational twist rather than just a story. Perfect family book for children to nourish their imaginations, learn from and read together with parents, siblings and friends. Just phenomenal. What a fantastic book!

The most adorable keepsake book that educates, entertains and enthralls. The best possible combination!

WHERE: Thames & Hudson and Waterstones

JUNIOR DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS FOR BEST PRE-SCHOOLER BOOK 3-5 YEARS: JOINT SILVER

WHO: The Music in Me by Sophy Henn (Simon & Schuster)

WHAT: A joyful look at the way music often imitates life and the rhythmic nature of our moods. A great way to explore feelings and emotions through the medium of music.

WHY: This beautifully illustrated book bursting with colour and excitement looks at how we all skip, hop, trudge and march to a different beat depending on how we’re feeling. The message that some days we feel great and some days we don’t and that’s OK, is explained in a clever and reassuring way and the panel felt this book would really help children to identify and navigate their feelings. Our judges loved the bright graphic illustrations, the rousing rhyming text and the introduction to the concept of the unique music inside of you.

I didn’t know books could sing but this one really does! A wonderful book that celebrates the good times and puts any clashing chords into perspective.

Great idea! Music and books should be part of any child growing up.

Totally wonderful! The design, the feel, the message, the colours, the imagery… POW! Love it! This would definitely be regularly off my shelf!

This is such a fab book! A great way of explaining the vast spectrum of emotions that all children feel on an ever changing basis. Love the illustrations!

WHERE: Simon & Schuster and Waterstones

JUNIOR DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS FOR BEST PRE-SCHOOLER BOOK 3-5 YEARS: JOINT SILVER

WHO: Who Do I See in the Mirror? By Vese Aghoghovbia (Philly & Friends)

WHAT: A hardback book about a young girl celebrating what makes her unique and why what you see on the outside is the least important thing about you.

WHY: Our judges loved the core message of this beautifully illustrated book that explores a young black girl’s celebration of her wonderful physical attributes, secure in the knowledge that she is so much more than what she looks like. The final message, that it is her good heart and curious mind that are her most important gifts makes this a great library staple for all children. A great book for promoting positive identity and selfcare.

This book reinforces such a simple yet important message in a way that will really resonate with young children. Brilliant.

This book celebrates difference and commonality in a wonderfully accessible and upbeat way, emphasising that it’s what’s on the inside that’s most important of all.

WHERE: Philly & Friends and Waterstones

JUNIOR DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS FOR BEST PRE-SCHOOLER BOOK 3-5 YEARS: BRONZE

WHO: Peckish Pets (Happy Yak at The Quarto Group)

WHAT: An interactive board book for pre-schoolers that introduces a range of animals and their favourite and not so favourite foods.

WHY: Our panel loved this original interactive book that allows children to feed a menagerie of animals with cut out foods attached to dangling ribbons. The simple, bright illustrations of cute pets with pop up mouths really impressed and the judges could see this book becoming a firm family favourite.

Feeding time just got even more fun with this bright, innovative book that entertains while helping to develop hand eye coordination.

I love the fact that this book encourages silly play as well as educational play. A great way to introduce animals and the concept of caring for them.

WHERE: The Quarto Group and Waterstones