Children's Picture Books
Longlisted for the UKLA Children's Book Award.
From ploughing the winter fields to pulling a car out of the springtime mud, the tractor has big jobs to do all year long. With brightly coloured illustrations and plenty of vehicles and farm animals to spot, get ready for a rollicking ride.
Reviews:
'Many a reader will love this book...keen searching of the delightful collages will reveal many sub-plots...this is so much more than a book about a tractor. It is celebratory, following the seasons, the creatures and the humans that inhabit the farm... Find a copy!' Books for Keeps (five starred review)
'Across pages of torn-paper collage that seem to leap off the paper, the large-format double-page spreads showcase the changing landscape around the farm with close-ups of brightly coloured machinery. A delightful book that will stand up to repeated readings on a lap or in a group setting.' Kirkus Reviews (starred review *)
'The boldly coloured pictures are beautiful...The book's large size and vivid spreads make it an excellent choice for storytimes, and its clear font and simple rhyming text make it a good early- reader choice. Recommended for all kids who love farms and big vehicles.' School Library Journal
'We expect beautifully illustrated books from Susan Steggall...this time (she) complements her wonderful illustrations with a beautifully written, poetic text that is a joy to read aloud again and again. A must-read for 2-5 year olds with treasured adults. Highly recommended' The School Librarian
'Steggall's collage illustrations are tactile enough that readers will try and feel them. The clever artwork brings vividness to an engaging process story. Expect a good amount of lingering' Booklist
'The bright simplistic illustrations make use of all sorts of textures and techniques and are full of fascinating details to spot - an excellent book which offers many stimulating opportunities for learning and discussion about life on the farm.' Parents in Touch
'The illustrations are rich, lively and wonderfully convincing...When this publication hits the village library there may well be a stampede.' Bookbag
Shortlisted for the Coventry Inspiration Award.
Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award.
Follow a red bus along the road until it is joined by a red car...And then a yellow car...And then a yellow van...Until the road is filled with a colourful sequence of different cars, trucks, bikes and buses. This beautiful and simple picture book, with its endless trail of traffic and steadily unfolding street scenes, is packed with details to absorb young readers.
Reviews:
'a good one for an adult to share with a child, savouring the pictures together...They will love the story running through the book about the little boy who drops his bear. It is this kind of detail which is likely to appeal and make the book a favourite.' Books for Keeps (five starred review)
'One of our books of the year for 2013. A joy of a book for its simplicity and vigour...wonderful' LoveReading
'ingenious in its simplicity' Irish Examiner
'Gorgeously crafted paper illustrations reveal the interconnectedness of a small town's inhabitants while introducing young readers to colours and the concept of patterns.
...Steggall moves beyond this beginning concept to brilliantly execute an array of storylines for readers to find and follow...'
Kirkus Reviews
'...there are all kinds of patterns, shapes, numbers and relationships to be uncovered. This is a most attractive book for sharing with the very young and is strongly recommended.'
Carousel
'This deceptively simple picture book offers young children so much more than an introduction to the concepts of pattern...Within the illustrations are interesting and fun explorations of shape, texture, numbers and letters, while the text presents a tongue-twisting read.' Nursery World
Selected as an Independent on Sunday Book of the Year 2012.
Biff, bash, bang! Welcome to the building site. There are huge bulldozers clearing the ground and noisy diggers, mixers and cranes all hard at work. People are busily planning and building and hammering. Follow everyone involved in constructing a house, from digging the foundations to tiling the roof, until the furniture vans arrive and the families finally move in.
Reviews:
'Susan Steggall's super-vivid collage illustrations of bulldozers, trucks and cranes leap from the pages of...her amazing account of what happens in one year on an urban building site.' Independent on Sunday - Books of the Year 2012
'A really beautiful book. Susan Steggall has a superb understanding of what appeals to young children...Preschoolers and emergent readers from about five years onwards will delight in reading this book or having it read to them. Every home and library should have a copy.' INIS
'Machine-mad readers will love this dramatic picture book which brings to life all the action and especially the noise of a building site... brilliantly created 3D collage illustrations' Julia Eccleshare - LoveReading
This is a marvellous book that captures the pace and excitement of change on the building site through rhythm, rhyme and repetition, rich onomatopoeic language and bold collage illustrations. Children will love it.' Nursery World
'Steggall's use of colour makes stars of her machines... gleaming bright vehicles... really pop in her textured collages. Her text has lots of phonic and onomatopoeic crunch as well. Perfect for the young truck fanatic.' Kirkus Reviews (*starred review)
This is a lively, well-designed addition to the many books on construction for young enthusiasts, distinguished by its brilliant creative collages and an imaginative, descriptive text that's full of fun, alliterative phrases'
School Library Journal (*starred review)
'bright and colourful...wonderfully simple rhyming text...perfect for sharing at home or in school.' Armadillo
Shortlisted for the Southampton's Favourite Book to Share Award.
Selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the best children's books of 2009.
Take the train to the seaside and join in as it whooshes through a tunnel, rattles across a level crossing and rumbles along the track, taking its passengers safely to their station. This delightfully simple and vibrantly illustrated story sweeps the reader along on an imaginative journey that everyone will want to take.
Reviews:
'An outstanding picture book...the illustrations show the noisy, bright urban setting in wonderfully assured collage' INIS
'The detail-rich, full-spread pictures are stunning in their evocation of the real world' Publisher's Weekly (*starred review)
'brightly coloured, gloriously detailed torn-paper collages that give the illusion of texture, depth and perspective...it's a journey to be savoured again and again' Kirkus Reviews (*starred review)
New 'Rattle and Rap takes you on no ordinary journey...Be prepared for a cacophony of sound on every page. There are spreads of wonderful artwork across pairs of pages and gigantic machines wherever you look ... Alliteration abounds in this straightforward, repetitive and extremely memorable book.' Early Years Educator
'Bold design and bright colours make this book most attractive to very young children .... There is great rhythm in the words and some lovely sounds...the alliteration makes for a sensational journey when read at speed.' Carousel
'A delightful picture book to share' Books for Keeps
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Award.
The harbour is a busy place and there are boats everywhere. Follow the fishing boat as it leaves the dock in the morning. See cargo boats being loaded, the tourist boat filling up with people, tug boats bringing a tanker in and lifeboats speeding to a rescue. And in the evening, see the fish being unloaded for tea. This vibrant picture book, with its rhythmic text, is full of life and detail to keep all young readers engrossed.
Reviews:
'This life enhancing picture book first invites young learners to join fishermen setting out to sea in the morning. The appeal of this book is to do with the quality of the colourful and energetic double spread pictures with their sharp line and the simple but effective rhythmic text. "Judder, judder, judder, as the engines shudder'...Every page has the interest and detail likely to get young children thinking and talking.' Books for Keeps
'The rhythmic text and bold illustrations will captivate children's attention and draw them in to the daily comings and goings of the harbour' Nursery World
'Perfect for sharing with a group of children at story time or with a single child at bedtime.' Carousel
'Ideal for sharing as part of a topic on transport or vehicles, this vibrant picture book, full of life, detail and the sounds of the sea, is ideal for reading aloud with its rhythmic text.' Early Years Educator
'The text uses rhyme and rhythm to create a sense of atmosphere and the wonderful colourful illustrations are bright and bold. Young children will love looking through the details to discover a host of surprises.' Armadillo Magazine
Follow a family on their day trip to the sea. Join them as they drive past the garage, over the bridge and around the corner. Children will love to point out the roadworks, the bulldozer and the brightly-coloured cars. This is a simple story, for even the youngest child.
Reviews:
'The bold collage images of diggers, fire engines and cyclists whizzing by and the little mini into which the family has piled are hugely attractive, and the final double-page spread of arrival is a beautiful and satisfying conclusion.' Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian
'Steggall has used collage to create compositions full of interest, with bold shapes in flat, strong colours. All very handsome.' Times Educational Supplement
'The vibrant collage artwork is bursting with colour - bold hues in the bustling city, serene shades and textures in the country' School Library Journal
'In this vehicle-rich road trip, the burgeoning travel and automobile enthusiast will like what he sees...extra zoom comes through the vividly coloured, torn paper illustrations that fill the oversized pages and almost crunch with texture.' Kirkus Reviews
'In a vehicular extravaganza perfect for car and truck crazy toddlers ... Steggall follows the journey of a mother and her two children in their bright red car...Steggall's bright illustrations locate the red car in the midst of each busy scene, which always includes a bright array of vehicles.' CCBC Book Choices
Follow the life of a car from when it leaves the factory, to being sold, driven, cleaned, crashed, scrapped and recycled. Featuring a glorious assortment of vehicles and big machines, this is the perfect book for all car and truck loving readers.
Reviews:
'What a simply splendid introduction to the life of a car...The pictures are bursting with colour and will encourage children to talk about their own experiences. An information story as interesting and lively as this will reinforce in young minds the message that print books can be exciting and relevant.' Books for Keeps
'simple but effective torn-paper collage illustrations feature a double-page spread for each stage of the car's life rendered in bright, child-friendly primary colours and flat shapes, with enough detail to intrigue the motor-minded...should appeal particularly to budding mechanics.' Kirkus Reviews
''My four year old nephew loves this book because of the subject matter, the boldness of the text, the powerful bright colours and the hunt for Susan's red mini from her previous book...We particularly liked the car wash, the stripping of the car and the crusher...In addition to the cars and trucks the collage is effective at giving enough clues about the pedestrians for us to speculate about personalities and backgrounds. I recommend it for early years as it is effective and full of interest.' English 4-11
A fantastic first concept book about colours, featuring 22 vehicles from bulldozers and trucks to tippers and diggers, showing ten different colours. There's a wheel to turn on the final spread, where the child can match vehicles to colours, for extra interactive learning and fun.
Reviews:
'With the big, bold form of a truck, van or car centred on each brightly coloured page, the images show up brilliantly from a short distance, making the book a natural for group sharing...From the large, arresting images of vehicles to the playful wheel addendum, this uncommonly engaging truck book offers a subtle, versatile approach to colours.' Booklist (starred review)
'Steggall uses bold black text and brightly coloured diggers, dumpers, dozers and cranes to present basic colours and words. The bold collage images are set against colourful backdrops, allowing the machines to pop on the page. VERDICT - A perfect choice for preschools or Head Start programmes' School Library Journal
'Steggall fuses (common picture book) themes into something different, something more - an introduction to the colour wheel that bypasses explanation in favour of demonstration' The Bulletin of the Centre of Children's Books