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Seven Babies by Forest Xiao

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 19 Sep 2026
Winner Klaus Flugge Award 2026

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781529532807

“A sweet, rambunctious celebration of babyhood that begs for repeated readings.” KIRKUS
“Delightfully silly, Xiao’s picture book brings out the bliss and exhaustion that come with caring for little bundles of joy. A picture book within the story featuring seven peas is a humorous parallel to the babies as they stand together like a pod of their own, dressed in saturated yellow onesies adorned with playful patterns—from zigzag Z’s to cheerful polka dots—subtly hinting at each child’s distinct personality. The minimal text and soft, natural-toned backgrounds, painted in light washes of gouache and pencil, highlight the couple’s easygoing, carefree lifestyle, and their interactions with the babies are marked by a deep sense of patience and attentiveness, whether they are on the playground or doing the laundry together. A double-page spread with the couple alongside friends of all ages conveys their collective appreciation for the wonder and tenderness that infants bring into their lives. ” MUSE
“The babies’ expressive round faces recall Helen Oxenbury ’s drawings, but Xiao’s art has a zingier colour palette and a wildness of its own. It’s one of the cutest, and perhaps best, picture book portrayals of new parenthood that I’ve ever read” The Observer
“Xiao’s delightful debut, exploring the everyday chaos that comes with having a baby in your life, has a similar look (and as much warmth) as Helen Oxenbury’s A First Book for Babies series.” The Bookseller

Forest Xiao says:

“My sketchbooks from that time are full of babies – playgroups, children’s centres, playgrounds, parks, and all sorts of kids’ activities. They became a visual database for me. 90% of what the babies do in the book is inspired by real baby life.

For me, becoming a new parent has been the most unpredictable journey I have ever been on. It is a season of vulnerability, growth, and shifting identity—an ongoing lesson that is teaching me to be present, to embrace the beautiful chaos, and to accept my own limitations. It often feels impossible to balance it all: a constant see-saw between family life and my creative ambitions. And out of that came Seven Babies.

It is a celebration of the discoveries, the busyness, and the exhaustion of new parenthood —and a celebration of these all-powerful, magical little humans who change our lives forever.”

In this joyful and heartwarming debut picture book, Forest Xiao captures all the chaos, comedy and love that come with having a new baby in the family and then …multiplies it by SEVEN! Follow seven busy babies as they crawl, dribble, cry, chew, explore, play and turn everyday life upside down in the most delightful ways.

Perfect for sharing with babies, toddlers, this charming story celebrates family life, sibling relationships and the wonder of early childhood through Forest Xiao’s bold, graphic illustrations and irresistible visual humour. Packed with funny details and expressive characters, it’s a book families will enjoy reading time again and again.

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See all the books that reached the prize shortlist this year:
https://www.achuka.co.uk/blog/2026-klaus-flugge-prize-the-shortlist/

Gozzle by Julia Donaldson ill. Sara Ogilvie

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 31 Mar 2025

Waterstones
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“Part of the immense charm of [Donaldson’s] books is that the messages tend to be timeless – seen here in the story’s quiet celebration of compassion and humour, and the lesson that our differences, however apparent at first glance, are seldom as insurmountable as we think.” Telegraph
“Ogilvie’s scratchy, textured illustrations bring to life Donaldson’s playful prose, ensuring the book’s characters truly bounce off each other.” Guardian

It’s springtime. Bear has woken up hungry and finds a lost egg outside his cave. Breakfast? No! Out hatches Gozzle, a very sweet little gosling who is convinced that Bear must be her daddy – and that she should be able to climb, dig and eat honey just like him.

Follow Bear on his journey from reluctant carer to parent in this heartwarming and joyous picture book about what home and family truly mean.

Bluey: Baby Race – Bluey

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 21 Mar 2023

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ACHUKA is a huge fan of the Australian hit children’s TV series, Bluey.

Here, in picture book format, Mum tells Bluey a lovely baby story – about how Bluey first learned to walk!

Baby Bluey could roll, shuffle and even crawl backwards… but Mum was worried that she was never going to learn how to walk.

A story about how we all grow up in different ways.

My Dad by Susan Quinn ill. Marina Ruiz

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“Ruiz illustrates in semitranslucent layers of color, offering shifting, seasonally appropriate color palettes. Particularly effective are reflections of the child’s imagination, such as a spread of father and child imagining “lots of pirate ships/ sailing in the bath,” amid a fluid spread of blue-green waves and miniature boats.” Publishers Weekly

A beautifully illustrated, stereotype-busting celebration of all the everyday things one child’s dad does to make him so wonderfully, daddish-ly awesome! From baking cookies and gardening to playing make-believe and watching the sunset, a child reveals all the simple yet wonderful things he loves to do with his dad.

With lyrical rhyming text and gentle illustrations, this is a joyous celebration of fatherhood which creates a special reading experience between child and father.

Marina Ruiz is a Spanish illustrator based in Cambridge, UK. She studied Fine Arts in Madrid then moved to the UK to study at the Cambridge School of Art where she graduated with a Distinction in an MA in Children’s Book Illustration. Marina creates small narratives in her images, creating genuine warmth in the interactions between her characters across every page.
Follow Marina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandarina_ruiz/

Hello, Mum by Polly Dunbar

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Polly Dunbar is an award-winning illustrator who usually draws for children rather than adults, but when she had her own sons, she started recording the beautiful and maddening moments of parenthood with a doodle. Hello, Mum is her visual diary of the magical highs and absurd lows that many parents will recognise – from the shock and awe of the baby days to the delight (and terror) of the toddler years and the mayhem of sibling rivalry. Dunbar’s fantastically funny, wise and enchanting drawings capture this precious and fleeting time with heart-touching perfection.

Polly Dunbar also illustrated Can Bears Ski? an ACHUKA Book of the Day 24 Mar 2021.

Proud Of Me by Sarah Hagger-Holt

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An accessible child-centred story about self-acceptance and the importance of opening up to those closest to you.

Becky and Josh are almost-twins, with two mums and the same anonymous donor dad. Josh can’t wait until he’s eighteen, the legal age when he can finally contact his donor, and he’ll do anything to find out more – even if it involves lying. Becky can’t stop thinking about her new friend, Carli. Could her feelings for Carli be a sign of something more? Becky and Josh both want their parents to be proud of them…but right now, they’re struggling to even accept themselves.