Browse the site
BookTrust Storytime is returning to Hertfordshire Libraries. From Monday 12 January – Sunday 1 March 2026 libraries across Hertfordshire will be enjoying 7 weeks of stories, songs and rhymes celebrating the fantastic BookTrust Storytime Prize shortlist.
The annual Prize aims to find the best picture book for sharing, while inspiring families to share stories together and make visiting their local library a part of everyday life.
The fantastic titles on the shortlist are:
• Five Enormous Dinosaurs illustrated by Annie Kubler and Sarah Dellow
• Suki Cat Astronaut by Grace Habib
• Superwolf by Helen Docherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty
• The Jellyfish Jiggle by Caryl Hart, illustrated by Nicola Slater
• Tiger, It’s Snowing! by Daishu Ma
Each fun, interactive, 30-minute session will feature a different book from the shortlist, an activity, and a chance to vote towards the overall winner. These sessions are free (donations welcome) and ideal for children ages 2-5. Libraries also have some fantastic sticker books to give away, with a different sticker to collect every week (while stocks last).
For families who can’t make a session and would love to get involved, 12 of our libraries are setting up Reading Nooks. Families can drop in at any time during opening hours to enjoy the shortlisted books together and vote for the overall winner.
More information, including when the sessions are happening and which libraries have Reading Nooks, can be found on our blog.
Hertfordshire Libraries also have our My First Library Card, available for children aged 0-5. It is free to join your local library where you will find a huge range of picture books, fact books and beginning to read stories to borrow. We think joining the library is exciting as there is so much to explore and be inspired by, to mark this occasion children will be presented with a special certificate. This is part of our My Firsts promotion, helping families to celebrate early years milestones. You can find out more here.
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
