Snuggle Up: 10 of Ollēdi’s Favourite Reads for the Season
SHOPPING & GIFT GUIDESTOYS, BOOKS & VALUESSPOTLIGHT STORIES
There is something special about the quiet moments spent with a good book as the evenings draw in, whether it is a bedtime story read aloud under a warm blanket or a pop-up adventure explored together on the living room floor. We have gathered ten of the reads we keep returning to at Ollēdi, from sing-along storybooks and look and find adventures to a cookbook for the whole family, a keepsake that little hands help to fill and a beautiful art book for parents to savour. Each one has been chosen for how beautiful it is to look at, how lovely it feels in the hand and the memories it helps families create together this season.
When a group of woodland animals stumbles across a strange object they have never seen before, they set about working out what it is and what on earth to do with it. Written by Dani Seatter and illustrated by Anna Stead, this gentle picture book opens up conversations about waste, plastic pollution and the effect our rubbish has on wildlife and the natural world. True to its message, it is printed on 100% recycled paper using eco-friendly inks and processes, and it is certified as carbon balanced by the World Land Trust. It has collected a string of awards, including Gold for Best Book at the Organic Baby Awards 2024 and the Golden Wizard Book Prize 2023, making it a thoughtful addition to the bedtime pile for families who want to talk with little ones about caring for the planet.
This keepsake book is one that babies help to write themselves. Its hardback pages hold 26 animal illustrations, one for every letter of the alphabet, and each is waiting to be finished with a handprint or footprint, so tiny hands might become an elephant’s ears. Everything needed to begin comes together in a magnetic box, including four large clean touch ink pads designed so the ink never touches baby’s skin, while the thick pages lie flat to stop prints bleeding through. Beside each page there is space to note baby’s age and milestones, plus a pocket for scans or photos. With no set ages to follow, families can fill it in at their own pace from birth to around two and a half years, making it a quiet, cosy project for slower days at home.
For families who love gathering in the kitchen, this inspiring cookbook offers a refreshing change from rigid step-by-step recipes. Instead, it champions a relaxed, creative approach to food, encouraging parents and children to experiment, taste as they go and work together on delicious meals. Cooking becomes a joyful, hands-on activity rather than a chore, and a lovely way for families to bond, discover new flavour combinations and create lasting memories, especially on chilly evenings when a warm kitchen is the best place to be.
Part storybook and part playset, this interactive pop-up book unfolds into an enchanting 3D world that sits somewhere between cosy storytime and imaginative play. It encourages parents and children to put the screens aside and gather round, whether they are exploring classic fairy tales together or dreaming up adventures of their own. Its sturdy, detailed design means it is made to be returned to again and again, becoming a treasured keepsake that brings the whole family together on long, dark evenings and is sure to be rediscovered for years to come.
A boatful of beavers sets off on an adventure in this sing-along storybook, meeting a roaring lion, a jiggly jellyfish, a zappy electric eel, a great big whale and plenty more along the way, and if a crocodile appears, everyone has to scream. Like the rest of the series, this board book is illustrated with photographs of handmade felt sets and characters. A QR code on the book opens a stop-motion animation of the rhyme, turning a cosy evening’s story time into a sing-along the whole family can join in with.
A cheerful gang of teddy bears takes to the road in this sing-along storybook, bouncing, beeping and dinging their way through the classic song, with a very jiggly business jellyfish making a surprise appearance on board. Every page is illustrated with photographs of felt sets and characters made by hand, giving this sturdy board book a lovely tactile, crafted feel. Scanning the QR code on the book brings up the matching stop-motion animation, sewn and animated by hand and already enjoyed by millions online, so little ones can watch and sing along on chilly afternoons indoors.
Part puzzle and part design object, this pop-up book takes classic optical illusions and turns them into three-dimensional scenes that seem to move before your eyes. Across six pop-ups, children pull, lift, slide and peek their way through pulsing patterns, twisting lines and arrows that point in impossible directions. Younger readers will be delighted by the shifting shapes, while parents may spot familiar illusions given a clever new twist. It comes from David A. Carter, the American author and illustrator behind the bestselling Bugs pop-up series, whose work has been named among The New York Times 10 Best Illustrated Children’s Books. It is an ideal one to puzzle over together when the evenings draw in.
In this lively look and find book, the whole town is run by dogs and every corner hides a surprise. Each large spread is packed with busy markets, playgrounds, concerts and picnics through the seasons, and every resident is a recognisable breed. Little readers can spot a Corgi teaching class, a Poodle gliding across the ice, Tim the Terrier at his hat shop, Coco the Chihuahua twirling as a ballerina and Duke the Great Dane busking in the street. A Who’s Who on the back cover lists each dog by name and breed, so children can follow their favourites from scene to scene. Illustrated with warmth and wit by Yayo Kawamura, this sturdy board book is perfect for snuggling up and searching together on dark afternoons.
For the grown-ups, this sumptuous art book traces how Henri Matisse kept reinventing his work throughout his life, from his early naturalist studies through Fauvism to the joyful paper cut-outs of his later years. Short, illuminating essays accompany around fifty key works, and six major compositions, including The Dance and The Red Studio, open out as large fold-out spreads that invite you to look closely at every detail. With its printed cloth cover and coloured page edges, it is as much a pleasure to hold as it is to read. It is a lovely one to linger over on a quiet evening, and the bold colours and cut-out shapes might just spark a little creativity in younger family members too.
Bridging the gap between a picture book and a learning game, this interactive system brings the page to life at the tap of a stylus. The stylus reads invisible dots printed on each page, setting off questions, challenges, songs and even a few jokes as children work their way through. Designed for ages two to seven, it covers counting, early reading and problem solving, with a library of more than 25 books, sold separately, spanning over 50 core skills at every learning level. Every book works with every LeapStart system, so the collection can grow as little ones do, and it is a lovely way to keep curious minds busy on long, dark afternoons at home.
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