I am always on the look out for classic stories retold in a simplified style and I’ve got two gorgeous ones plus a classic song for you to enjoy in picture book form.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, retold by Caryl Hart, illustrated by Sarah Warburton (Nosy Crow)

This is an absolutely stunning re-telling of J.M. Barrie’s story of a little boy who refuses to grow up. One dusky evening, Peter Pan swoops into the Darlings’ bedroom and persuades them to fly with him to Neverland where they’ll never grow old.  What follows is an adventure full of fairies, mermaids, Lost Boys and wicked old Captain Hook.

Caryl Hart has perfectly retold his classic tale in her distinctive rhyming style, making it a joy to read aloud whilst maintaining the original magic and humour of the original story. This is perfectly accompanied by Sarah Warburton’s gorgeous dreamy illustrations, full of texture and detail.

The second title in the Nosy Crow Classics collection, Peter Pan is beautifully-produced and would make a Christmas gift to treasure.

Alice’s Wonderland Tea Party by Poppy Bishop, illustrated by Laura Brenlla (Little Tiger)

We all know the story of Alice in Wonderland: the tale of a curious little girl with a nose for adventure.  This fantastic fold-out, peep through, lift-the-flap Book twists the original story and finds Alice hosting her own perfectly sensible non-magic tea party.

Alice has invited all her new friends to what she hopes will be the perfect party – none of the nonsense which happened at the last one! As her guests arrive, it soon becomes clear that her party might not be as sensible as she had hoped.

I love the vintage feel of the illustrations and host of details hidden within.  Watch out for the Cheshire Cat weaving in and out of the pages with his mischievous grin.

The perfect way to introduce young readers to a cast of beloved characters  with lots to explore and entertain.  A great gift for any Alice fans.

Moon River, based on the song by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini, illustrated by Tim Hopgood (Oxford University Press)

Take a trip through this dreamy song with a little girl and a bear on their boat as they drift through the countryside on a lazy river and soar over cities on the back of a moonlit horse. Readers will visit the Sydney Opera House, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and many other of the world’s greatest sights.

Discover new places and new adventures with this classic song, brought to life by Tim Hopgood’s beautiful dreamlike illustrations.

With an accompanying sing-a-long cd, this is another great addition to the series of classic songs picture books published by OUP and all illustrated by Hopgood.

I hope these beautiful books have given you some Christmas gift inspiration – they’re sure to inspire a love of classic children’s literature into a whole new generation of readers. Happy reading.

Library Girl.

*Many thanks to all involved in sending me these titles to review*