Summer books of 2019: Picture books

The Worry Box , by Suzanne Chiew, illustrated by Sean Julian, Little Tiger, RRP£7.99

With children seemingly more susceptible than ever to anxiety and stress, this charming book presents strategies for coping with life’s uncertainties, as little bear Murray learns how to contain his worries in a special box so that they won’t prevent him from having fun and being adventurous.

The Sea Saw , by Tom Percival, Simon and Schuster, RRP£6.99

In an enchanting fable about loss, rediscovery and the passing of time and generations, young Sofia loses her teddy bear at the beach. The sea does its best to reunite her with the toy, which once belonged to her grandmother. The process takes years, by which time Sofia is a grandmother herself.

Monsters: A Magic Lens Hunt for Creatures of Myth, Legend, Fairy Tale, and Fiction, by Céline Potard, illustrated by Sophie Ledesma, What on Earth Books, RRP£14.99/$21.99

This survey of monsters from folklore, literature and the movies is both informative and interactive. The reader is invited to pore over its pages, detective-fashion, with a “magic lens” whose red cellophane aperture reveals the creatures hidden amid the repeating patterns in the elaborate illustrations.

The Wizards and the Whale , by Anthinula Tori, illustrated by Jean Tori, Jean Tori Books, RRP£12.99

Twelve wizards are summoned from their kingdoms to a meeting with the Worldly Wizard, a whale with a sincere message to impart about care for the planet and unity among people. Produced by a mother-and-daughter team, the book marries an abundantly alliterative text with illustrations that burst with kaleidoscopic colour.

For a look at the best summer books across genres, go to ft.com/summerbooks2019

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