Ballet Kids by Holly Sterling, Walker, £12.99
At their ballet lesson, little Thomas and his friends plié and sauté, twirl and thump – until it’s time to choose costumes for their big show, where Thomas will be the perfect Sugar Plum Fairy. A candy-sweet, gently inclusive picture book capturing the magic of dancing and performance for the very young.
My Rhinoceros by Jon Agee, Scallywag, £12.99
When a boy buys a rhinoceros, he’s disappointed to discover it can only do two things: pop balloons and poke holes in kites. But perhaps those skills will come in handy some day – and is that really the limit of his pet’s special powers? This hilariously unexpected and dynamic picture book has the feel of a perfectly constructed joke.