We have a few books in the ‘Zoe and Beans’ collection and they are a real hit with both Sophie (two) and especially Jonny (four). Chloe and Mick Inkpen really do know how to appeal to a younger audience as, even though I have to admit that sometimes I don’t really get the stories, Jonny finds them absolutely hilarious and wants to read them again and again. He loves the style of illustration and how they and the text are creatively used on the page.

Two new chunky board books have just been released that are perfect for little destructive hands and may survive that bit longer than the paper books. They are aimed at a slightly younger age than the picture books but both the kids love them.

‘Look at Me!’ is all about Zoe and Oscar dressing up (eventually with a bit of cross dressing). Jonny follows the words and the way the ‘Beep beep’ of the robot is written, with the funny picture makes him hysterical. Even Sophie finds them funny, especially the pirate with a duck on his shoulder. As for Beans… Poor Beans who ends up wearing necklaces.

I think ‘How many pets?’ is probably my favourite out of the books we have. Sophie is pretty good on her numbers and this book is more creative than others. The numbers are dotted around the page and, although it is clear enough for Sophie to spot, it introduces another element, rather than most counting books which are set out the same way every page. Another thing I like is how the rhymes don’t necessarily follow the numbers in the same way, so you don’t get rhyming words for every number. Our favourite is definitely the tortoise…

Maybe, just maybe, I have become a convert to Zoe and Beans… One thing’s for sure, the kids adore them!

Copies of the books were received free of charge for our consideration. All opinions are entirely our own and, as always, completely honest.

This book has been a huge hit with Sophie who has recently turned two. The size of the book allows for big, colourful illustrations that are perfect for young children. The pages are full of interest without being too cluttered. Even the leaves on the front cover are all different and we’ve spent ages pointing out different colours and patterns.

Little Lucy Ladybird has no spots and she wants to be like everyone else. No one wants to be her friend. She leaves home and passes through the different seasons meeting different creatures before returning home.

The book is so beautifully illustrated with each season and Jonny (four) has loved talking about what changes through the year. There is lots to look at on each page and the creatures Lucy meets encourage Sophie to practise her speech and counting. There is a perfect amount of text on each page for her to remain focused.

The end page is, in particular, lovely and we notice different things all the time.

This is a book with a moral to it that you can relate to everyday life. Anything that helps instil morals in children has to be good!

There’s even a website to get Lucy Ladybird activities on. Brilliant!

A copy of Lucy Ladybird was received free of charge for our consideration. All opinions expressed are entirely our own and, as always, completely honest.