Let your 5-year-old's imagination take flight with these classic tales. Here are our top ten picks of the best books for 5-year-olds...
By Maurice Sendak, published by Red Fox, RRP £5.99
What’s the story: One day, Max plays at home making mischief in his wolf-like costume. As punishment, his mother sends him to bed without supper. In his room, a mysterious, wild forest and sea grows out of his imagination, and Max sails to the land where the wild things are. Max manages to tame them and he’s made King of the Wild Things. However, he soon finds himself lonely and homesick and returns home to his bedroom where he finds his supper waiting for him, still hot.
Why we love it: To those who read this book as a child, the story has remained constant and fresh in their memories. Sendak’s colour illustrations are beautiful, and full of wonder. The wild things manage to be scary looking without being terrifying to a young child - most of the time they are made to look comical. Sendak creates somewhat of a floating feeling, of being half way between a dream and the wondrous imagination that children have. The message at the end of the book, like many others, is that there’s really no place like home.
First published: 1963
