At forparentsbyparents, we often discuss how hit and miss it can be buying children's books. While some are fantastic, others just don't work. We have therefore researched the ranges that we feel work well. Hopefully our suggestions will take some of the risk out of buying books for your children.

Also, we are delighted that so many of you have taken the time to tell us your particular favourite(s).

On this page we've included:

• details of your favourite children's books;
  
  
• details of our favourite children's publishers.

If you'd like to share your own favourite children's book and author please email the site at contributions@forparentsbyparents.com.

Your Favourite Children's Books

Whilst we compile a full list here's a selection of the recommendations you've made. All these books can be bought on the Amazon site - you'll find that the title of each book is linked to the appropriate Amazon page.

Helen Cooper

Michael Rosen

Publisher - Walker Books

Brian Robinson

Publisher - Bloomsbury Children's Books

"Animal Stories"

including Big Bold Lion, Smelly Dog, Edwina the Aardvark, and Trevor the Frog

Tony Collingwood

"These are a series of small story books for pre-school children, based on the hugely popular TV series Animal Stories. Each title follows the amusing antics of an animal character who is struggling to overcome a particular burden in life, such as baldness in the lion, bad breath in the dog, ugliness in the aardvark and slowness in the snail."

Michael Rosen

Anthony Browne

"This is a fantastic book with more to see each time you look through the wonderful pictures that accompany the simple yet thoroughly enjoyable text. My three year old son loves this book and it is a firm favourite. We borrowed it so frequently from the library that I bought him his own copy eventually. Even though he has a huge selection of books it is one he goes back to choose again and again, especially as a bedtime read."

Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Rod Campbell

"This is a short story for 1-3 year olds with flaps to lift to see the animals. The story starts with a request to the zoo for a pet, but each animal is unsuitable for some reason. It teaches the names of the animals and also why they are unsuitable. My daughter (3) loves to fill in the missing words as we go through the book and she now knows all the animals and the problem with each one. We generally have to read it several times and she still loves it 2 years on."

Our Favourite Children's Publishers

The books in the 'Baby Power' range have been specifically designed to provide stimulation for each stage of a child's development from newborn to 3 years and over. They include Touch and Feel titles, Action Rhymes and Peek-a-boo books and are all very bright, involving and hard wearing! There is an accompanying Parents Guide that gives parents advice on selecting the right books for babies.

Walker Books publish the most gorgeous picture books - They are always the ones my son picks off the bookshelf first.

Our favourites new Walkers Books are:

Barefoot Books has formed an innovative partnership with the Manchester Art Gallery. They are currently holding monthly children's workshops at the Gallery and from 21st Sept 02 to 12th Jan 03 will be running a special exhibition aimed at families called 'Imagine'.
Click here for more information.

www.barefoot-books.com

BBC Worldwide offer an excellent range of children's books that are all based on favourite BBC Children's Characters, including the Teletubbies, The Tweenies, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam and Postman Pat.

They have a new range of Teletubbie and Bob titles out this summer.