The Runaway Pea Series by Kjartan Poskitt 3 Books Collection Set - Ages 3–7 - Paperback

Titles in This Set:
The Runaway Pea
The Runaway Pea Washed Away
The Runaway Pea Left Behind

Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781471195181; 9781471194801; 9781471198793

Overview:
This playful, three-book collection brings Kjartan Poskitt’s ever-curious Runaway Pea to life in bright, bold pictures by Alex Willmore. The Runaway Pea is a cheeky, giggle-filled introduction to a brave little pea who finds mischief, friendship, and surprising courage in a world where vegetables talk and big adventures hide in ordinary places. The second title, The Runaway Pea Washed Away, ups the tempo with splashy water-play and a newly aquatic misadventure that keeps readers smiling as Pea navigates bubbles, waves, and brave choices. The final installment, The Runaway Pea Left Behind, sends Pea on an urban odyssey across a bustling cityscape—on a skateboard, a bus, and even the wings of a passing bird—before the welcome reunion with friends. This UK-edition paperback collection is ideal for shared reading between parent and child and for early readers building confidence. The trio is known for its time-tested humor, vibrant illustrations, and its ability to transform everyday kitchen-table adventures into big, memorable journeys. The Runaway Pea series has received notable recognition, including Oscar’s Book Prize shortlist placement for Washed Away. The books are widely loved by families seeking engaging, age-appropriate humor that supports early literacy. This set is perfect for ages 3 and up, inviting cozy reading sessions that grow with kids.

What This Collection Covers:
Across these three picture books, young readers follow Pea’s big personality and even bigger adventures in a world where imagination dwarfs size and danger is often just a new opportunity for discovery. The Runaway Pea sets the tone with nimble wordplay and brisk, humorous pacing that keeps early listeners engaged and encourages repeat readings. Washed Away introduces a water-filled misadventure that blends curiosity with resilience, showing budding problem-solvers how to stay brave when plans go awry. Left Behind completes the arc with urban exploration, teamwork, and resourcefulness as Pea navigates everyday landscapes with ingenuity. The consistent visual humor—bright, graphic art and expressive characters—helps emergent readers predict story structure, while the warm, playful tone makes the entire collection feel like a trusted read-aloud experience. Together, these books form a cohesive, complete set that supports early literacy, language development, and a lifelong love of reading.

Book-by-Book Guide:
The Runaway Pea: This opening adventure introduces a plucky green Pea and a cast of vegetable friends in a world where everyday items become extraordinary. With brisk humor, punchy dialogue, and lively illustrations, The Runaway Pea invites children to cheer for the tiniest hero as he explores new corners of his kitchen-turned-universe. The narrative momentum, paired with Willmore’s expressive art, makes it a superb choice for developing listening skills and predicting outcomes. Early readers will enjoy following Pea through quick chapters and memorable beat-by-beat rhythms that reward attentive looking and recall. This book sets the tone for a series built on mischief, curiosity, and camaraderie. The Runaway Pea Washed Away: In this second installment, Pea, ever the optimist, encounters a watery detour that carries him into a splashy, splash-filled scenario. The plot leans into brave choices, playful peril, and friendship as helpers and fans rally around Pea to navigate the bath-time-to-bay world. The balance of humor and heart remains front and center, while the aquatic setting provides fresh visual surprises and opportunities for emergent readers to engage with rhyme and rhythm. Readers will relish the familiar character voices and the quick pace that encourage confident reading aloud. The Runaway Pea Left Behind: The final chapter sends Pea on a city-wide adventure, as he rides a skateboard, hops onto a bus, and even rides on the wind with a passing bird. This leg of the journey emphasizes resilience, problem-solving, and creative thinking in the face of new environments. The urban setting broadens the world without losing the cozy, friendly tone, making it an ideal closer for new readers who crave a satisfying, hopeful ending. As with the earlier books, Willmore’s bold colors and expressive characters keep pages turning while Poskitt’s playful language sparks imagination and conversation.

Who This Set Is Perfect For:
This trio is ideal for parents and caregivers seeking a lively, accessible entry into picture-book storytelling for ages 3 and up. It’s an excellent gift set for preschoolers transitioning to independent reading, as well as for early-learning classrooms and libraries building engaging, low-risk entries into series reading. The approachable length, rhythmic text, and high-contrast art support developing readers, while the humor appeals to a broad age range—great for siblings and family read-alouds. Fans of illustrated humor and character-driven adventures will find these stories especially appealing, and the compact paperback format makes this set a practical, durable addition to any home library.

Key Benefits:

• Engaging, early-reader friendly storytelling with strong visual humor
• Vibrant, kid-pleasing illustrations by Alex Willmore that support word comprehension
• Strong themes of courage, friendship, and resilience across the set
• Perfect gift set for birthdays, holidays, or back-to-school reading
• Compact paperback editions that are easy to share and keep
• Great for classroom read-alouds and library story times

About the Author:
Kjartan Poskitt is a prolific and beloved author known for his wit-in-picture-book style as well as the renowned Murderous Maths series, which has been translated into dozens of languages. Poskitt’s collaboration with illustrator Alex Willmore brings a bold, lively aesthetic to The Runaway Pea books, combining playful language with dynamic visuals that invite children to read aloud and participate in the story. Poskitt’s work is celebrated for making learning fun through humor and imagination, and The Runaway Pea series stands as a bright example of accessible, high-spirited children’s fiction. Willmore’s expressive characters and splashy color palettes perfectly complement Poskitt’s light-hearted storytelling, resulting in a read that’s as much a visual treat as a linguistic delight.

Why You’ll Love This Set:
This Runaway Pea collection offers a complete, easy-entry set for little readers ready to dive into a playful world where curiosity leads to friendship and clever problem-solving. Owning all three titles means a seamless reading journey, ideal for nightly reading routines and weekend storytelling alike. The mix of humor, heart, and vivid art makes this set a reliable gift option for young families and a welcome addition to classroom libraries. If you’re looking to encourage a love of books with accessible text and big, joyful illustrations, this three-book collection is a standout choice.

Please Note: The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.