Best children and parenting books for February

Age 1-2: Squirty Elephant

Campbell Books has launched a range of bath books guaranteed to get your little one in the tub without a fuss. Told through lively rhyming couplets and cute illustrations, Squirty Elephant is all about how elephants use their trunks. And guess what - the book also doubles as a hand puppet with a water squirter for the trunk. What more could a toddler want? Other titles in the series include Squirty Croc and Squirty Frog.
Published 2nd February by Campbell Books, priced £4.99

Age 2-3: Goat Goes to Playgroup

Goat Goes to Playgroup is a fantastically fun-filled, colourful romp through Goat’s day at playgroup. And although Goat gets into a bit of mischief and even has a little “accident”, it doesn’t spoil his day. This book, from the stellar team of Julia Donaldson (The Gruffalo) and Nick Sharatt, is perfect for children just about to start nursery or pre-school as it shows just how much fun you can have without mum!
Published 2nd February by Macmillan, priced £10.99

Age 3+: Just One More

Just One More by Tracey Corderoy and Alison Edgson is a charming, beautifully illustrated picture book that is a great bedtime read. Little Brown Bunny loves going to bed for a story – but he always wants more. Then one day he has a great idea… This book will resonate with parents who spend their evenings reading “just on more” story and children will love Bunny’s special gift for them in the cover.
Published 1st February by Little Tiger Press, priced £10.99

Age 5+: Busy Helicopter Book

The Usborne Busy Helicopter Book is what I would call a perfect daytime book – in other words it has lots to look at and chat about. It comes with the added bonus of a rescue helicopter that moves around a track on the pages. At first glance, it may seem a bit more of a boy’s book, but my two daughters loved it and enjoyed giving all the injured parties names and little back stories of their own.
Published 1st February by Usborne Books, priced £14.99

For dads: Babies and Toddlers for Men (From Newborn to Nursery)

This is Mark Wood's second manual for dads following the successful Pregnancy for Men. Mark is a father of two and this is a frank and amusing look at the impact a baby has on a man’s life. But aside from all the light-hearted quips about lack of sex/sleep/attention and so on, there is a stage-by-stage guide to baby’s development and plenty of well-researched practical information to make this a welcome addition to your parenting resource bank. Makes a great “new dad” gift too.
Published by Crimson Publishing on 13th February, priced £10.99

For mums-to-be: Preparing for Childbirth

Miriam Stoppard’s Preparing for Childbirth (from the Trusted Advice series) is a must-have for all mums-to-be. Pregnancy and childcare guru Dr Miriam offers practical, straightforward, step-by-step advice on everything from antenatal exercises to where to buy plastic sheeting if you opt for a home birth. The books have a fresh, relaxing, contemporary feel which all adds to the overall aura of calm as you approach your labour. Also available as an ebook, priced £4.
Published by Dorling Kindersley on 1st February, priced £5.99