Otter-Barry Books

Bart the spider has always been different. He's not like the other spiders though he looks just like them. He runs about, he jumps, he doesn't listen at school and is scolded by the teacher. Bart is a dreamer, creating amazing patterns with his thread. But nobody wants to play with him and he stands at the edge of the playground, lonely and misunderstood. Then his only friend, the wind, changes everything. "Have confidence and be yourself," the wind tells Bart. And, helped and inspired by the wind, Bart discovers that he has an incredible, unique talent... When he shows his very first picture "Smiling in the Wind", his family and classmates are astonished - Bart has found his true self and happiness, and when he grows up he becomes - a famous artist! Yes, Bart is truly different!

FOOD! We all need it to live – and here is a book bursting with information, questions and ideas about the food we eat, where it comes from and how it is shared. Is there enough food to go round? Do some countries have too much? Should we all eat organic food or go vegetarian? Where does the food on our plates start from and how does it get to us? Is farming making climate change worse – and, most important of all, how can we feed everyone on our planet, now and in the futur? reated by bestselling superstars Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith, the team behind The Great Big Books series, this is a brilliant, inspirational and diverse exploration of FOOD, with witty and thought-provoking illustrations.

Max is going for a haircut – but Wendy’s Hairdressing Salon is too bright and noisy. He doesn’t like the cold water spray, the too-tight cloth round his shoulders or the spiky hair clips. It’s all just too much for Max and he shouts, “STOP!” But Wendy has a wonderful idea. Maybe a cat, a soft cushion and some bubbles could make a haircut fun after al? his beautiful, sensitively told story is perfect for any child anxious about having their hair cut.

Find hamsters, dogs, robins and unicorns, little cars and big diggers, stomp like a dinosaur or fly like a big red dragon in this beautifully illustrated collection of 15 action rhymes, each with clear instructions for the parent or carer on how to act out the rhymes. Rhymes celebrate festivals and special events, such as Easter, Halloween, Diwali, Christmas and Chinese New Year. This book is a perfect companion to Jane Newberry’s very popular first collection, Big Green Crocodile, which was shortlisted for the CLiPPA award. At home, playgroup or nursery, the rhymes provide fun while also nurturing children’s responses to language, rhyme and images.

They're all here...every kid in the class has their own poem. The pushy one, the shy one. The whizz kid and the daydreamer. The best-friender and the kid who runs in his wheelchair. The tough kid, the poet. And not forgetting the class hamster. This collection from an outstanding poet, Rachel Rooney, winner of the CLiPPA Award, is perfectly matched by the amazing witty and inventive illustrations by Chris Riddell, the former UK Children’s Laureate.

There’s a new king in the land, but he’s a child!The people say he must go to King School, but the king hates wearing heavy robes and remembering difficult rules. So the king says, “NO!”And he takes the people into the forest and shows them a different way to be king…. A brilliant new story from the internationally acclaimed author of Beegu and Slow Loris.

Bring nature to the big city! Cities across the world are doing it – making themselves friendlier places for plants and wildlife – and happier, healthier places for all of us. Find out about Sky Forests and Bird-Friendly Cities, Spongy Spaces and Rain Gardens, Insect Super-Highways, Living Walls, Urban Jungle Food and all the other ways in which cities worldwide are changing. Have fun spotting the birds, insects and other creatures that share our cities. And look out for lots of activities, so that YOU can make YOUR city green!

Little Rhino is lost in the big, crowded city and he's afraid his mummy will never find him, far from home, with no tall trees, yummy leaves or green grass anywhere. Maya wants to help but what can she do to make her home a place that Little Rhino's mummy will come to? Can Maya and everyone around her turn their homes and their city into a welcoming green space, with flowers, plants and trees - somewhere a little rhinoceros could call hom? his enchanting story shows how kindness, determination and community spirit can come together to bring about real change and make our cities greener.

Has your dad ever filled up the bath with 48 litres of lemonade? Have you ever seen a battle rapping badger? Have you ever felt so tired that you can only think in zig zags? Welcome to the poetry world of Simon Mole – a place of rhyme, rhythm, and wonder!Bursting with laughs, lyricism, and heartwarming moments, Poetry Pizza is a spellbinding collection of poems. From magical creatures that deliver marshmallows to your bedroom when you’re bored to a cure for the end of day blues, these poems celebrate the wonder of words, the joys of everyday life and the power of imagination. Whether you're reading aloud, performing for friends, or dreaming up verses of your own, this is a book you'll return to time and time again. Funny, fantastical, and full of feeling - there’s a poem in here for everyone!

The first in a funny and lively new chapter book series – Maple Street. Written for first readers, about a Black British extended family – Jake, older sister Ellie, little brother Sam, Mum, Dad and Grandad, all living in Maple Street. Jake in the Middle has four delightful interlinked stories about home and school life – Shoes, Shoes, Shoes! where naughty Sam runs off with Jake’s new trainers; Catch of the Day, where a favourite toy falls into the pigsty at the city farm; The Class Museum, featuring a special fossil Jake  ‘borrowed’ from Ellie’s bedroom; and All Fall Down, where Grandpa displays his amazing cricket skills.

Small poems are fabulous funSo I thought I would write this oneIt will not be too long I thinkCos my pen has run out ofOnly Neal Zetter could create a collection of short poems that includes 'The Loooooooooongest Poem in the Universe'. His new volume makes a great introduction to the fun, enjoyment and new understandings that poetry can bring. All are short, direct and entertaining. Whether reading with a single child or a group, they arouse immediate interest and are perfect for reading aloud. Year 6 children in a London primary school followed the production from draft to publication: here are some of the things they said about it. "A book where you go up and down and swirl around", "Neal's poems challenge me, but I enjoy figuring out the jokes", "His poems inspire me and make me want to ROAR with joy".

One hot day at the edge of the desert, Maryam and Issa know something exciting is going to happen. Mum and Dad bring spades, Uncle Cedric brings lots of plants and seedlings, the neighbours bring water. Everyone works together, digging, planting and watering – and the children all help too. Then they wait… and hope…Set in Mali, this powerful story is about the creation of The Great Green Wall of Africa, an exciting real-life project to bring trees, growth and regeneration across sub-Saharan Africa.

Remarkable Animals is one of the most ingenious mix-and-match books ever devised. Based on ten real-life animals, each described in words as well as pictures, it offers 1,000 fantastic variations. Just flip the pages and see ten remarkable animals become 1,000 crazy creatures, taking on new names and astonishing new identities as their heads, bodies and tails are swapped around. Devised and brilliantly executed by master-artist Tony Meeuwissen, this is a book that will be treasured by readers of all ages.

One cherry, one cheetahTwo dogs, two balls, one big, one small         Three bears, three bowls, three silver spoonsThis stunning counting book, illustrating numbers 1 to 10 in beautiful animal paintings, is now presented as a very special board book, embellished with gold leaf as in the original hardback edition, bringing this gorgeous book to a younger readership. With playful words and  stunning pictures with lots of detail to pore over, the book depicts dogs, bears, foxes, elephants, tigers, pandas, otters, mice – and of course one cheetah and a cherry – making this a perfect introduction to numbers and counting.

Words with rhythm, words with rhyme,Words to make you feel just fine,To clap your hands, tap your feetOr click your fingers to the beat. Words to make you grow… or cower. Have you heard the word…   WORDPOWER!Exuberant, funny, full of surprises! Put on a show, find your favourite food, look out for animals, then find monsters, famous people and nursery crimes…. This exciting collection from award-winning and multi-anthologised poet Michaela Morgan is perfectly matched by the witty and wonderful pictures of world-renowned illustrator Nick Sharratt.

A little alien touches down on Planet Earth and looks around. A shape-shifter, able to transform into all sorts of Earth''s living things, from frogs and and fleas to even plants, and of course human children, the visitor gets to experience the wonderful energy and variety of our planet. It''s such an amazing place, and playing with young human earthlings is best of all. Mary Murphy''s brilliance in presenting big ideas in simple but vibrant images and words shines in this exceptional picture book for the 3+ age group.