tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27608434480668479652024-03-13T14:29:13.109-07:00Read with RosieA journey through childhood books with my two young daughters and son (currently one, five and eight years old).
We've been working our way from very early board books through to picture books.
We'll share our reading adventures with you all!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-19332342859562784932018-09-18T05:49:00.000-07:002018-09-18T05:49:49.174-07:00The Girls by Lauren Ace and Jenny LovelieI bought this for my six year old's birthday and it's been a real hit. I think I spied it on Twitter and thought it looked just the sort of thing she would like. Particularly since the requested theme for her birthday party was 'friendship'. Unfortunately I didn't quite manage to deliver on that and just hired an entertainer and booked a hall - her friends were all there though! Just think of the instagramable/pinterest moments I could have captured if I'd properly gone to town on the friendship theme though. Hey ho - time is precious and crammed full of people needing attention so that didn't come to fruition.<br />
Anyway, I've totally digressed from the subject in hand...<br />
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<a href="http://littletiger.co.uk/the-girls-1?author_id=417" target="_blank">The Girls</a> is a wonderful depiction of friendship starting from a young age and going through to adulthood. There isn't a narrative as such but it's captivating reading through and seeing the characters grow and change and the main message is that through it all they stick together and are there for one another. It also shows how everyone is different and has many strengths and that we can all be good at different things and support each other when times are good and bad. This book in particular is lovely because it shows how valuable and deep friendship can be if you nurture it and keep it going. </div>
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I particularly like this book for my six year old who's just gone into Year 1 since I feel that she's at precisely the age where they really start to work out relationships with friends and it can be a huge struggle. It targets the issue is a very soft and likeable way.</div>
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The hardback format is very nice, cloth effect and feels very gifty. I love the illustrations too, the colours are slightly muted and I think the palette really works in this context. There is loads of detail to spot and talk about in the illustrations, in particular as the girls grow up and other people are added to their lives. Gorgeous!</div>
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<br />Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-44282801996089620712018-03-08T04:02:00.000-08:002018-03-08T04:02:54.038-08:00Look I'm a scientist - DK Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've looked at a few young science experiment books over the last few years and I think this is one that will get used again and again. It's packed full of great experiments and activities to do with children aged three to six years - although I've earmarked a few for my two year old, the freezing of polar animals in a big tub of water and then finding out what works best to get them out seems right up his street! And I've no doubt my eight year old will get involved so the age reach is definitely going to be stretched.<br />
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From making playdough, slime and snow (using baking soda and shaving foam - genius!) it's full of lots of gooey, messy fun which is always going to be a hit with this age group. There's also some lovely activities to do with senses, including making windchimes and a rainbow wind catcher. The bubbles using a hula hoop and a paddling pool is definitely down for a summer activity later this year, too.<br />
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I actually got the ebook version out from the library via the Overdrive app on my ipad. I haven't got kids books out this way before and for something like this it works really well.<br />
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I love the design and the clear instructions too. All in all a big hit, with lots of fun planned from this!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-31251386053681104132018-01-22T06:37:00.001-08:002018-01-22T06:37:22.705-08:00the lost words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris<br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />I'm kicking off this year with 'the lost words' by writer Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris. It was one of my Christmas presents from my husband and I have to say (alongside my microplane grater!) it's one of my favourites.<br />
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This is a sublimely beautiful and thoughtful book and I love the story behind the creation of it. You can read about it on Jackie Morris's blog <a href="http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/blog/book-list/the-lost-words-a-spell-of-words-by-robert-macfarlane/" target="_blank">here</a>. In a nutshell the discovery that the Oxford Junior Dictionary was removing words such as otter, kingfisher and willow sparked an outcry and a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11341311/Atwood-Morpurgo-and-Motion-join-campaign-to-bring-nature-back-to-childrens-dictionary.html" target="_blank">petition</a> was started by writers and naturalists. The reason behind the removal of these words was that they were slipping out of common usage, hence the title 'the lost words'.<br />
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I have to admit that when I first looked at this book in a bookshop I thumbed through it and didn't understand the whole concept behind it. But when I settled down on the sofa and properly looked at it, I completely fell in love. And later on when I read it with my children (five and eight) we had a lovely time together reading and sharing it. My eight year old really enjoyed reading the poems out to us both.<br />
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It's a big book and sumptuously made, with gold lettering. Because it's so large, it really allows space for the artwork to shine. It picks out a word on a double page, these are the 'spell' pages (it's called 'A spell book' in the sub-title). The following page has a poem about the word and the next page features a full magnificent double page illustration. So each word has six pages in total dedicated to it. The lost words are: acorn, adder, bluebell, bramble, conker, dandelion, fern, heather, heron, ivy, kingfisher, lark, magpie, newt, otter, raven, starling, weasel, willow and wren.<br />
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The poems are little works of art in their own right, each one unique and evocative of the word they are describing. The magpie one which ends 'Every Magpie for Every Magpie against Every Other Walking Flying Swimming Creeping Creature on the Earth!' makes me chuckle every time. And the 'Rooftop riprap street-smart hip-hop of starling song' is just wonderful to read aloud.<br />
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There is a great interview from Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris on the <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/on-writing/cover-story/2017/jul/designing-the-lost-words/" target="_blank">Penguin blog</a> which delves into a little more detail about making the book and how the cover was designed. There is also a current exhibition displaying the artwork and poems at the <a href="https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/events/the-lost-words/" target="_blank">Foundling Museum</a> in London.<br />
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There is a <a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/thelostwords/updates/?" target="_blank">campaign</a> being organised to get this book into every school in Scotland and I heartily hope that it gathers momentum and becomes the whole of the UK because this is an important book which deserves to be shared. Go and buy it! Preferably from a real life bookshop.Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-13342830070817508952017-10-05T04:15:00.000-07:002017-10-05T04:15:20.823-07:00Great Women Who Changed The World by Kate Pankhurst<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Rosie was given <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/fantastically-great-women-who-changed-the-world-9781408876985/" target="_blank">Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World</a> for her birthday and she's been dipping in and out of it and really enjoying relaying facts from it to us for the past few days. Written and illustrated by a descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst it's a great non-fiction title which is proving to be a real inspiration and hit with our suddenly rather grown up eight year old! </div>
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I particularly like the mix of great women they have included in here, it's diverse and also spans many interests from swimming, reading, science, flying and even fashion. It's nicely set out with fun facts and interesting summaries of their lives. I think it will serve well as a stepping point to finding out more about these people. Rosie is particularly interested in the Anne Frank story and although she's a bit young to read the actual diary yet it's a good start.<br />
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The woman featured are: Jane Austen, Gertrude Ederle, Coco Chanel, Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, Mary Seacole, Amelia Earhart, Agent Fifi, Sacagawa, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks and Anne Frank. I would imagine it was pretty hard to narrow it down and choose who made it into the book!<br />
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The publisher of the book, Bloomsbury, have also provided an <a href="https://media.bloomsbury.com/rep/files/fantasticallygreatwomen_activity_pack.pdf" target="_blank">activity pack</a> you can download from their website. It's got a sort of quiz about each woman first but afterwards it is more about the child and discussing what they think about things and how they see themselves and the world which I think could be a really lovely and interesting thing to do with your child.Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-78311440652337036532017-09-21T03:33:00.000-07:002017-09-21T03:33:01.318-07:00Katie and the Dinosaurs by James MayhewAt first my eight year old seemed more interested in <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/katie-and-the-dinosaurs/james-mayhew/9781408331910" target="_blank">Katie and the Dinosaurs</a> than my five year old, who I'd picked it up for. But then suddenly my five year old started flicking through it and now we're reading it every night. I'd like a little more variety in reading habits but I think at this time of year something familiar goes a long way, especially since she's just started school. She's totally knackered already! How are we going to get to half-term and then Christmas?<br />
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The <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Katie-Dinosaurs-James-Mayhew/dp/184362396X" target="_blank">Katie</a> books by <a href="https://www.jamesmayhew.co.uk/books-list/katie-and-the-dinosaurs" target="_blank">James Mayhew</a> are a very well-loved series which started out as a picture book with a little girl called Katie going to visit famous paintings. We haven't actually read those ones and they're on my list to pick up next.<br />
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Katie and the Dinosaurs has Katie and her Grandma in the Natural History Museum (I think we're on a museum-themed-roll at the moment - after The Missing Mammoth last time!) on a visit to look at the dinosaurs. I must say the last time I went to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaurs I gave up after half an hour because the queues were so crazy. But that was during a school holiday. Katie and her Grandma seem to have the museum to themselves, they must be there on a Monday, during term-time and just as it opens!<br />
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Katie wanders off, leaving Grandma resting on a bench and finds herself in a bit of the museum she doesn't recognise, at a door which warns her: 'ABSOLUTELY NO ADMITTANCE WHATSOEVER'. Of course she can't resist a peek and finds herself in a world where dinosaurs are living. She makes friends with a Hadrosaurus who is hiding from a T-Rex and can't find his family. They climb an Apatosaurus to get a better view and find the Hadrosaurus' home and then they set off. But on every page an unsuspecting Katie and her new friend are being followed by the T-Rex. I can imagine a younger child would particularly enjoy spotting it each time.<br />
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Hadrosaurus is eventually reunited with his family and Katie shares the contents of her lunchbox with them all (cucumber sandwiches because they are plant eaters). But then disaster! The Tyrannosaurus Rex has found them and he fancies a tasty snack in the shape of Katie. They all have to run away, until Katie remembers the meat pie she has, handily still in her lunchbox! The T-Rex is placated and Katie manages to escape back to the museum after a slobbery dinosaur kiss from Hadrosaurus. She finds Grandma who asks her where on earth she's been? Katie replies that she's seen all kinds of dinosaurs and would Grandma like to see them too? They set off together. We never know if they go back in, which is quite nice really since it makes a good activity to ask your child 'what happened next?'.<br />
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I really like the mix of dinosaur information and story that is so well combined in this book. It's not overloaded with dinosaur facts but there are plenty of name checks and the plant eaters and the meat eaters are noted and the landscape is great to look at and understand the different types of environment. All in all, a lovely book!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-79213057217219114202017-09-12T05:45:00.000-07:002017-09-12T05:45:02.505-07:00The Curious Case of the Missing Mammoth by Ellie Hattie and Karl James MountfordWe picked up a copy of <a href="http://littletiger.co.uk/the-curious-case-of-the-missing-mammoth" target="_blank">The Curious Case of the Missing Mammoth</a> from our local library (in fact they had some lovely books just loitering on a table so we took a whole armful home with us!). It's a lovely whimsical book which takes you through a beautiful Victorian museum room by room with the ruse of finding a young mammoth that has gone missing. The premise is that at midnight there is a magic hour when everything in the museum comes alive, the problem is that the young mammoth, Teddy, has gone missing and needs to be back in place before the hour is over.<br />
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There are lovely funny touches like the room containing the Extinct and Endangered Creatures doing an aerobics class. It's full of eclectic stuff, like all the best museums, with lots of different (some quite random!) information. There are loads of fun facts under the different flaps. It's great for reading to different levels of reader since you don't have to examine every flap and read all the text but you can if the child is interested or wants to read it themself (in the case of my nearly eight year old!).<br />
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I think this book would make a really lovely gift for a museum mad (or mammoth mad!) child. It has really lovely thick paper and beautiful flaps that work well inside each spread. Gorgeous!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-70524243452761331702017-03-12T07:19:00.001-07:002017-03-12T07:19:46.434-07:00Super Happy Magic Forest by Matty LongThe happiest of places, the <a href="https://global.oup.com/education/product/9780192742957/?region=uk" target="_blank">Super Happy Magic Forest</a> is home to the happiest of people. But one day the source of all the happiness (the mystical crystals of life) go missing. So five willing heroes (a unicorn, a fairy, a gnome, a faun and a mushroom) band together and go after the magic crystals, battling against all the odds they reach the source of all evil, Goblin Tower. Except the crystals aren't there!<br />
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I won't ruin the ending for you (of course it all comes right in the end!) but would just quickly like to point out that there are several similarities to Lord of the Rings in this brilliant picture book. That's not a nit picking thing, since I'm rather impressed that it has managed to work so well. The combination of artwork, speech bubbles and text gives it a fresh feel and there are quite a few contemporary references to modern films which is really quite clever. I think this is quite an ambitious story which manages to work really well within the picture book confines. My two daughters (four and seven years old) have certainly really taken a shine to it and indeed this morning I heard them playing a version of the story combined with the Trolls movie plot - which they're currently obsessed by. So the highest praise indeed - re-enactment!<br />
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I love the fact it works on a variety of levels, you can just read the simple story, you can add in the funny speech bubbles and you can also work out a couple of puzzles as you go. It's sort of a picture book version of an early graphic novel. It would make a great interactive app!<br />
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So in conclusion we love this book! And it's being very well used. We got our current copy from the library but we'll be purchasing it as soon as we send it back. Matty Long has a <a href="http://www.mattylong.com/shmf2/" target="_blank">website </a>which has several of the pages from the book so if you want to try before you buy take a look! And the sequel <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Happy-Magic-Forest-Slug/" target="_blank">Super Happy Magic Forest and The Slug of Doom</a> came out last year too, we will be hunting it down very shortly!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-40078438869674593472016-07-12T03:33:00.001-07:002016-07-12T03:33:59.716-07:00Where's Bear by Emily GravettWhen my three year old (not far off four!) picked up Where's Bear in the library my initial reaction was that it was too young for her but because she was insistent we bought it home. And although it is a very simple book that you could share with a much younger child it does work really well for her age too. It's a very witty book and the beauty of it is that it's so simple. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-noVPoJGL2cY/V4THlrAfWKI/AAAAAAAAAqk/Pvis6sFJrPk/s640/blogger-image--1635951298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-noVPoJGL2cY/V4THlrAfWKI/AAAAAAAAAqk/Pvis6sFJrPk/s640/blogger-image--1635951298.jpg"></a></div><br><div><br></div><div>Bear and Hare are playing hide and seek. Hare counts to ten and then starts to look for Bear. But because Bear is so big he isn't that good at hiding and Hare gets a little exasperated with how easy it is. So Hare has a go at hiding instead and proves a lot more difficult for Bear to find. There's a funny pickle of a muddle at the end with both of them ending up under a duvet and losing each other. </div><div><br></div><div>What we really loved about this book is the counting (my three year old proved herself surprisingly adept at recognising numbers) and also the spacial awareness. It is very clever at helping a young child recognise how big something is and if it will fit into a space or not. The relationship between Hare and Bear is very lovingly explored too and of course Emily Gravett's illustrations are sublime. There are other books in the Bear and Hare series and we will look out for them. </div></div>Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-76235039959078665732016-02-12T14:31:00.000-08:002016-02-12T14:31:13.568-08:00Dragon Jelly by Claire Freedman and Sue HendraIt's been a long time since I last blogged. Everything feels like it's been going at full pelt! But we've got such a favourite book at the moment that I thought it was worth breaking out of my silence and writing about it.<br />
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It's called <a href="http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dragon-jelly-9781408838846/" target="_blank">Dragon Jelly</a> by Claire Freedman and Sue Hendra and is a total hit with my three year old. It's one of those deliberately-designed-to-be-disgusting books that has me gagging as I read it.<br />
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It's very simple and have a plot as such, it's a monster's birthday party and goes through the traditional birthday fun but with yucky twists. The pass the parcel is full of worms - ugh! The party tea is creepy crawly delicious and the cake is squidgy eyeballs and earwax candles.<br />
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I have to be honest, and maybe I'm some kind of delicate flower, after one reading I really wasn't keen to do another due to the stomach turning I was experiencing! But my three year old loves it so much and is currently demanding it around three times a day! So I've got past all that and we're just enjoying the endless rereading that it brings!<br />
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It's got a great rhyming text, from Claire Freedman of Aliens Love Underpants fame and fabulous illustrations from Sue Hendra of Barry the Fish with Fingers fame. Another big plus point, which I've only just discovered is that it has a free downloadable activity pack available on the Bloomsbury Books <a href="http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dragon-jelly-9781408838846/" target="_blank">website</a>.Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-75460266413856392302015-11-03T05:38:00.000-08:002015-11-03T05:39:21.697-08:00Pumpkin Soup by Helen CooperThere's an abundance of pumpkin soup in our house this week (I wonder why!) and every time I heat it up I can't help but say 'Pumpkin Soup, the best you've ever tasted' in a singsong voice (it's now apparently starting to get annoying!).<br />
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But weirdly, given that it's one of my favourite picture books, I don't seem to have blogged about it before. So I'm going to rectify that right now!<br />
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<a href="http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/pumpkin-soup/9780552545105" target="_blank">Pumpkin Soup</a> is a perfect picture book for this time of year with sumptuous autumnal colours and a sense of crisp fresh air outside and cosy, warm times inside. The text is beautiful to read aloud and although it's fairly long I've never struggled to keep my children's interest throughout. This is probably because the story is full of twists and turns and keeps them entertained all the way.<br />
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Cat, Duck and Squirrel live in an old white cabin in the woods (incidentally if anyone knows of any cabins like this, please contact me!). They have a well worn routine and live harmoniously until Duck decides to make a few changes. This results in a terrible quarrel and Duck leaves. Thankfully, he does return and peace is restored, or is it?!<br />
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It's a lovely, gorgeous book that is a definite classic and should be read at least once an autumn!<br />
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Here's the 'mantra' which has to be quoted when making pumpkin soup of your own!<br />
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<i>"Pumpkin Soup. The best you've ever tasted. Made by the Cat who slices up the pumpkin. Made by the Squirrel who stirs in the water. Made by the duck who scoops up a pipkin of salt, and tips in just enough."</i><br />
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Oh, and also for the best pumpkin soup recipe I've found go to Delia's recipe page, found <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/soups/roasted-pumpkin-soup-with-melting-cheese.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I don't make it with cheese but it would probably be even more delicious!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-2253557158655357992015-10-08T06:55:00.000-07:002015-10-08T06:55:40.724-07:00National Poetry Day!It's National Poetry Day! I thought I'd break my extended silence and talk about a few of my favourite children's poems. <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">We have a small selection of children's poetry books at home and one the ones I like the best is the </span><a href="http://www.puffin.co.uk/books/100-best-poems-for-children/9780141310589/" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" target="_blank">100 Best poems for Children compiled by Roger Mcgough</a>. It's jammed full of fabulous poems and I love dipping in and out of it.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">nother firm favourite is </span><a href="http://www.puffin.co.uk/books/please-mrs-butler/9780140314946/" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" target="_blank">Please Mrs Butler by Allan Ahlberg</a>, fantastic for school age children and full of fun<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. I must share it with my six year old!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">A new poetry book out very recently and getting lots of plaudits comes from two venerated and wonderful authors Chris Riddell and Michael Rosen. </span><a href="http://www.walker.co.uk/A-Great-Big-Cuddle-9781406343199.aspx" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" target="_blank">A Great Big Cuddle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> is a lovely book which works brilliantly with young and old. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is a poem I particularly like for young babies, I think it's the chanting quality, maybe it soothes!</div>
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Star light, star bright,</div>
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First Star I see tonight,</div>
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I wish I may, I wish I might,</div>
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Have the wish, I wish tonight.</div>
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<i>(Traditional Nursery Rhyme)</i></div>
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And this is from Lewis Carroll, I also love Jabberwocky but I really like the conversational nature of this and the way the roles are reversed. And it's from one of my favourite ever books, <a href="http://www.walker.co.uk/Alice-s-Adventures-in-Wonderland-9781406360431.aspx" target="_blank">Alice in Wonderland</a>.</div>
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<i>You are old, Father William</i> by Lewis Carroll (from Alice in Wonderland)</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"You are old, Father William," the young man said,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"And your hair has become very white;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">And yet you incessantly stand on your head—</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Do you think, at your age, it is right?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"In my youth," Father William replied to his son,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"I feared it might injure the brain;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Why, I do it again and again."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"You are old," said the youth, "As I mentioned before,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">And have grown most uncommonly fat;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door—</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Pray, what is the reason of that?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"I kept all my limbs very supple</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">By the use of this ointment—one shilling the box—</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Allow me to sell you a couple?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"You are old," said the youth, "And your jaws are too weak</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">For anything tougher than suet;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak—</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Pray, how did you manage to do it?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">And argued each case with my wife;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Has lasted the rest of my life."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">That your eye was as steady as ever;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose—</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">What made you so awfully clever?"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"I have answered three questions, and that is enough,"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Said his father; "don't give yourself airs!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Be off, or I'll kick you down stairs!"</span></div>
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So there we have it, a celebration of children's poetry. It's not that extensive, given that it's drawn from my narrow collection. Happy Poetry Day!</div>
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Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-35603308891613990912015-07-16T04:36:00.000-07:002015-07-16T04:38:03.586-07:00Young fiction to read aloud featuring Princess DisGrace by Lou KuenzlerWe've been reading young fiction with Rosie for a while now. She really enjoyed reading The BFG by Roald Dahl with her dad a while ago and they're now onto <a href="http://www.puffin.co.uk/books/james-and-the-giant-peach/9780141333182/" target="_blank">James and the Giant Peach</a>.<br />
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In school her class has been reading The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton so we decided to carry it on and read the next book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1405272201/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1405230282&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1AKDCJ7R517TVX99YNX7" target="_blank">The Faraway Tree</a>. That was fun, although I got slightly bored by it!<br />
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And then from the school library Rosie has been bringing home some <a href="http://www.rainbowmagiconline.com/uk/" target="_blank">Rainbow Magic</a> books (slight groan) and the <a href="http://marketingassets.harpercollins.co.uk/magicballerina/index.html" target="_blank">Darcey Bussell ballet stories</a> which are actually very good!<br />
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When we were offered the chance to read Princess DisGrace Third Term at Tall Towers I decided it might work quite well and we started to read it together. I'm so pleased we did! It's been a total pleasure to read and is a great adventure story with a good message of an unprincessy fun, spirited girl. In fact we enjoyed it so much we sought out the other ones in the <a href="http://shop.scholastic.co.uk/series/899" target="_blank">series</a>.<br />
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Princess Grace attends a boarding school for young princesses on an island. Her horrid cousin, Precious, also attends and she has two best friends, Scarlett and Izumi. It combines the boarding school life with fantasy so the princesses ride unicorns and lean to swim with mermaids. The plots are great, full of twists and turns and easy enough for my five (nearly six - eek) year old to follow. In fact I've been enjoying them so much I occasionally read ahead when we've finished the chapter for the night, I just need to know what happens next!</div>
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The illustrations by <a href="http://kimberleyscottillustrates.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/princess-disgrace.html" target="_blank">Kimberley Scott</a> have been a big hit as well. Rosie always stops at them and stares at them attentively. </div>
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Thank you to Scholastic Books for our review copy of the Third Term. We've managed to get the first book and now just need to find the second in the series!</div>
Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-30958170332659335832015-06-23T07:46:00.000-07:002015-06-23T07:46:51.588-07:00This book just ate my dog by Richard ByrneHello! I feel as if I haven't posted a blog post in quite a while. It's been a busy few months but I'm going to try and get back to speed again!<br />
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I couldn't not post about this book - <a href="https://global.oup.com/education/product/9780192737298/?region=uk" target="_blank">This book just ate my dog</a> by Richard Byrne. It's brilliantly funny, interactive and great for all ages. I learnt about it through a meeting at <a href="http://www.booktrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">BookTrust </a>when I was part of the panel to help choose this years book for the Book Packs that are given out to every child. It was a wonderful day and I met some lovely people and read a shed load of children's books at breakneck speed!<br />
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Anyway a copy of This book just ate my dog was at the meeting and I immediately fell in love with how simple, yet clever it was and knew my children would adore it. I was right! They liked it from the start and it's been one of our best shared bedtime stories for a while. The book uses the fold in the middle to pretend that people (and dogs) are being eaten up. Then after everyone has disappeared it asks you to shake them out. It's very cute and we have been enjoying it very much.<br />
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It has also found a way into my new business which I have just started <a href="https://www.facebook.com/booknookevents?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank">The Book Nook</a>. I take my bell tent and lots of children's books plus cushions and rugs and set it up at events, weddings, fetes, parties, schools etc. This book is a brilliant one for storytelling when you have a mixed age group, and passing it round to get everyone to shake the characters out is lovely and interactive.Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-32318071996012746022015-04-21T12:47:00.001-07:002015-04-21T12:47:44.005-07:00Olivia by Ian FalconerOlivia is a bit of a modern classic (especially in the States where it was originally published) and we've come to it quite late really. She was first published 15 years ago and Ian Falconer has had numerous other Olivia titles after the first and original 'Olivia'. I think there is even a tv series as well. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Yk67gv3UeXk/VTapXVatXWI/AAAAAAAAAns/KZ6YOgmHfzo/s640/blogger-image--150848328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Yk67gv3UeXk/VTapXVatXWI/AAAAAAAAAns/KZ6YOgmHfzo/s640/blogger-image--150848328.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>It's quite an arty picture book in that the colour palette is limited and a lot of the backgrounds are white. The insertion of two famous paintings by Degas and Pollock help to elevate it slightly too! My two seem to really enjoy having it read to them and find the many parallels between them and Olivia hilarious. Especially the wearing people out bit. Rosie was particularly impressed by the elaborate sandcastle (Chrysler building in New York) and incredulous and then decided it would be impossible. I think our beach trips might get interesting this summer!</div><div><br></div><div>The text is simple but succinct. It works so well and it all feels so familiar (the irritation with the younger sibling, wanting to decide exactly what to wear, decorating the walls, I could go on!). But over and above all that is the incredibly beautiful and wonderful line drawing that makes the artwork. Gorgeous! </div>Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-58985819041686066502015-04-16T13:38:00.001-07:002015-04-16T13:38:02.146-07:00Meet the Parents by Peter Bently and Sara OgilvieI saw a lot of people saying how funny and fantastic <i>Meet the Parents</i> is last year so when I saw it in my local library today I picked it up straight away. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3V5_qNDb1mA/VTAdp7JU_AI/AAAAAAAAAnc/ht0NZ2QWkXM/s640/blogger-image-1499356108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3V5_qNDb1mA/VTAdp7JU_AI/AAAAAAAAAnc/ht0NZ2QWkXM/s640/blogger-image-1499356108.jpg"></a></div><br><div>It's a simple idea beautifully realised with the wonderful artwork of Sara Ogilvie. We love her books with Anna Kemp (Dogs Don't Do Ballet) as well. </div><div><br></div><div>The premise begins with a description of all things parents tell kids to do, brush teeth, tidy up, wash your hands, say please! But then it starts to outline the things parents are great for, covering them with sand at the beach, carrying everything, wiping all types of fluids on! </div><div><br></div><div>Sara Ogilive is particularly good at showing expressions on her characters faces and there is a lot of brilliant funny detail. The text is great, really funny with a wonderful ending. This book worked really well with both my girls, which is always handy at bedtime! </div></div>Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-83126323832409089302015-03-24T15:02:00.001-07:002015-03-24T15:02:09.161-07:00Paddington's Picture BookI have always looked forward to sharing books with my children that I loved as a child and my two have a special interest in Paddington since seeing the film at Christmas. <div>We have occasionally got the current Paddington picture books out of the library but they've never been that excited by them. </div><div><br></div><div>On a visit to my parents a while ago I suddenly saw my old edition of Paddington's Picture Book and quickly stowed it away to bring home. It even has writing in the front with my name, address, the last three digits of my phone number (was that all that was needed in the 80s?) and a picture of a bird with the word 'bird' written next to it. Priceless! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ye3LNv12Zmg/VRHez-IdyrI/AAAAAAAAAms/nBmKP_FLj60/s640/blogger-image-2083339894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ye3LNv12Zmg/VRHez-IdyrI/AAAAAAAAAms/nBmKP_FLj60/s640/blogger-image-2083339894.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I remember the stories in this book so well. I must have read them a lot when I first started reading properly. It has seven stories: Paddington Bear, Paddington's Garden, Paddington at the Circus, Paddington Goes Shopping, Paddington at the Tower, and Paddington at the Sea-Side. My girls particularly like Paddington at the Circus when he goes to rescue the high wire acrobats and then drops his ice cream on the Ring Master's hat. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CDji3wOpi5w/VRHe2jHVRWI/AAAAAAAAAm8/f6QvkYyNWj4/s640/blogger-image--1321111425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-CDji3wOpi5w/VRHe2jHVRWI/AAAAAAAAAm8/f6QvkYyNWj4/s640/blogger-image--1321111425.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>One of my favourites is Paddington's Garden where each of them get given a section of the garden and Paddington ends up making a rockery out of some cement from the builders after losing his marmalade. I can remember trying to make my own rockery as a child after reading that story. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ez3a6dfJ7No/VRHe3-EG4eI/AAAAAAAAAnE/2ZLVmlVY1ng/s640/blogger-image--1460890749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ez3a6dfJ7No/VRHe3-EG4eI/AAAAAAAAAnE/2ZLVmlVY1ng/s640/blogger-image--1460890749.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div>The Sea-Side is probably the most funny when Paddington thinks the Punch and Judy show is someone hurting the Brown's Judy and ends up with the show in the sea. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XH1CccNAypY/VRHe0wK-jzI/AAAAAAAAAm0/jLuYnVXsRJ4/s640/blogger-image-1689942594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XH1CccNAypY/VRHe0wK-jzI/AAAAAAAAAm0/jLuYnVXsRJ4/s640/blogger-image-1689942594.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The illustrations are beautiful and to me, because I grew up with this version, this is the definitive Paddington (I know Peggy Fortnum was the original illustrator for the paperbacks!). In fact Fred Banbery didn't do many of the Paddington illustrations and is probably one of the least known artists. It's got a very seventies feel to it but the detail and artistry is just lovely. It's wonderful having a trip down memory lane and enjoying sharing it so much. I'm not sure my kids are going to love all the books I loved as a child but so far so good! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HFyA2dfW4EU/VRHewczjYNI/AAAAAAAAAmk/M4oOiGi4jpk/s640/blogger-image--964840861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HFyA2dfW4EU/VRHewczjYNI/AAAAAAAAAmk/M4oOiGi4jpk/s640/blogger-image--964840861.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-71710072593382125892015-03-19T06:44:00.001-07:002015-03-19T07:40:13.952-07:00The First Hippo on the Moon by David Walliams and Tony RossWe've had <a href="http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780008113650/the-first-hippo-on-the-moon" target="_blank">The First Hippo on the Moon</a> out of the library for ages now. It's gone down a treat with both my girls and we've all been really enjoying reading it. So much so that I've been meaning to buy the Comic Relief book that David Walliams and Tony Ross have done called <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-queen-s-orang-utan/david-walliams/tony-ross/9780008135133" target="_blank">The Queen's Orang-Utan</a>. That one looks fab too!<br />
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I did approach these with slight caution. I didn't want to be swayed by a celebrity name! It helped that I'd heard along the grapevine from trusted sources that these books are funny and also have a great style about them, not a million miles away from the comic twist of Roald Dahl. </div>
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Anyway back to the Hippo on the Moon! Hilda (yes her name is Hilda!) has a dream and her jungle friends set about helping her to make it come true. It's a race to the moon for a very ordinary hippo and a rich, 'money will buy everything', hippo and guess who wins? <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It's full of little jokes and asides and some great bottom burps which really endeared it to my two year old and five year old. The typography is great as well. The 'BOOM' for the rocket really reverberates through the page! </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dream</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> Big everyone! </span></div>
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Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-49941487943937136992015-03-05T09:32:00.000-08:002015-03-05T09:32:02.427-08:00World Book Day 2015Well I haven't done anything extraordinary for World Book Day this year but we did dress a potato up as <a href="http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/the-fairytale-hairdresser-and-sleeping-beauty/9780552567558" target="_blank">Sleeping Beauty</a>, a thing of absolute wonder I'm sure you'll agree. We love the Fairytale Hairdresser series where Kitty Lacey the hairdresser saves numerous fairytale characters. They are lovely twists on the original fairytales and the series seems to be going strong!<br />
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I was all ready to send daughter number one to school dressed as a <a href="http://www.jampires.com/" target="_blank">jampire</a> but the school announced it was doing 'decorate a potato as a book character'. We could have kept to our original character but the clock raced on and at 7.30am this morning Sleeping Beauty seemed easier.<br />
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Rosie took an extra book into school to show everyone. '<a href="http://www.walker.co.uk/Help-We-Need-a-Title-9781406351477.aspx" target="_blank">Help We Need a Title</a>' by Herve Tullet is a brilliantly interactive and fun book and we've been enjoying reading it at home very much. The characters in the book talk to the reader and tell them that they're not quite ready to be seen because the author hasn't finished yet. Then the author appears! It's a great, imaginative read and I'd highly recommend it.<br />
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Finally I went into daughter number two's nursery and read them a story as part of their World Book Day celebrations. I couldn't decide what to read until I remembered <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.co.uk/Monkey-Nut/Simon-Rickerty/9780857078971" target="_blank">Monkey Nut</a> and how much fun we've all had reading it together. It has two spiders fighting over a monkey nut with a surprising conclusion. The main fun is reading the noises aloud and enjoying it together!<br />
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I also took <a href="http://www.panmacmillan.com/book/timhopgood/wowsaidtheowl" target="_blank">Wow! said the Owl </a>which is a lovely gentle book about colours. They seemed to enjoy it. They all sat still and shouted out when I asked them questions!<br />
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So that's World Book Day from me. Keep reading!!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-18900314848210127542015-01-19T06:34:00.001-08:002015-01-19T06:35:21.346-08:00In praise of book tokensThis is a slightly different post in that I'm not going to focus on one particular book but I wanted to concentrate on drawing attention to the fabulous gift that is a book token. Rosie won one from her school last term for entering a writing competition. She did a wonderful job and came up with a character called Ferdie the Fox, she came up with the concept, the words and the drawings all by herself (so proud!).<br />
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We took Rosie to our local Waterstones (it was a Waterstones token otherwise we would have gone to an independent!) and she was able to choose something all by herself. Given that most children's books are under a tenner she was able to have the pick of the shop. If you gave a child a ten pound token for a toy shop it would be a very different story.<br />
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I wasn't that keen on the book she chose for herself and did try to steer her in a different direction but she was adamant that she wanted this one:<br />
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It's a very nice book, my main reason for being reluctant for her to buy it is that she already has a few of them (it's a series) and I thought she might find something with a bit more longevity in the story section. However I think the thing that I've learnt most from this whole process is the pride that Rosie has in having chosen something for herself (and knowing she earned it). She's shown it to everyone and has spent hours looking at it and placing the stickers.<br />
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We did also get the latest <a href="http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/the-fairytale-hairdresser-and-snow-white/9780552567770" target="_blank">Kitty Lacey book</a> - which we both love and has had many readings at bedtime already.<br />
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So I guess the message from this post is, get a child a book token and give them the gift of a book and freedom of choice!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-89126866840204694872014-12-09T03:29:00.002-08:002014-12-09T03:29:52.277-08:00Have You Ever Ever Ever? by Colin McNaughton and Emma Chichester ClarkThis book feels like a love letter to libraries and for that reason alone I love it. I hate it when I read about libraries being forced to close or run by volunteers and their budgets being more and more squeezed. This coupled with a huge literacy push from the government is such a muddling contradiction and makes me mad!<br />
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Anyway I am not writing to rant about the failures of those on high to protect our precious libraries but to discuss <a href="http://www.walker.co.uk/Have-You-Ever-Ever-Ever-9781406338355.aspx" target="_blank">Have You Ever Ever Ever</a> which beautifully encapsulates the magic and brilliance that can be found within the four walls of a library. It's a cryptic tease of a book which draws you in and through a journey with different well-known (nursery and fairytale) characters. It points out the general craziness of nursery rhyme characters and fairytales in a gentle mocking way to a boy sitting in a playground on his own. It's a poignant image a child playing by himself in an empty playground and makes the big reveal that books can introduce you to a whole different world of friends and scenarios much more powerful. The idea that the library (and books) are full of these wonderful characters just waiting to burst out is a lovely image and just really rather fabulous!<br />
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I love the illustrations of Emma Chichester Clark anyway and this book is beautifully done, the repetition and rhythm of the text by Colin McNaughton is lovely. My daughters love it because they know all the characters (with the exception of Punchinello!) and they can join in the story telling. They like to chant the text back at me! All in all a wonderful book which celebrates the magic and secret worlds that books can draw you into.<br />
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<br />Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-77106359001908924192014-12-04T05:26:00.001-08:002014-12-04T05:26:42.572-08:00Charlie and Lola's Extremely New PlayWe're having a lovely time with Charlie and Lola at the moment, reading their books and going to see them at the theatre!<br />
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<a href="http://www.watershedtheatre.com/" target="_blank">Charlie and Lola's Extremely New Play</a> is on at <a href="http://www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Norwich Playhouse</a> this week. It's a lovely theatre to take children to see productions because of its relatively small size plus the seating is great with clear views. I took both my girls (5 years old and 2 years old) to see it and they both loved the play. It is loosely based on the seasons with as many different plots from the books as they could squeeze in! The amount of effects they used was extremely impressive, I think they were only missing a smoke machine! I had the good fortune (or otherwise) to sit directly underneath the snow machine so that was hilarious for everyone in my party.<br />
It was an unusual children's theatre production in that the voices of Charlie and Lola were pre-recorded (so very recognisable). The characters were puppets and skilfully manipulated by the puppeteers who also constantly changed and rearranged the set. The effects really were magical and the kids got very excited by the giant fish on sticks that swooped through the theatre and the leaves blowing, bubbles floating and the snow coming. All in all it was great and a lovely production, I'm not sure if the <a href="http://www.charlieandlola.co.uk/live-show-tour/" target="_blank">tour</a> is continuing but if it comes near you, do go!<br />
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We're also enjoying a particular Charlie and Lola book at the moment, <a href="http://www.puffin.co.uk/books/charlie-and-lola-this-is-actually-my-party/9780141333748/" target="_blank">This is Actually My Party</a>. The sibling relationship is presented so well in this book and I think it's why both my girls love it. They can understand the youngest wanting to be so involved that she nearly ruins the party for the oldest. It's a funny story of Charlie having his birthday (monster themed) party and Lola trying to help but not really thinking that maybe Charlie would like to open his own presents and cards and play his own party games. It's delightful!<br />
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I do like all the Charlie and Lola books we have read but my absolute favourite is <a href="http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/view/28376" target="_blank">I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato</a>, a sublime book - up there with the greats! A lot of the later books are based on Lauren Child's characters, and written with the TV scripts in mind, so although they are great stories they are not such complete picture books. So if you haven't read any of them yet I would recommend starting with this one.Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-59514486713218781342014-11-27T04:06:00.000-08:002014-11-27T04:13:35.295-08:00Mrs Pepperpot Learns to SwimI love <a href="http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/mrs-pepperpot-learns-to-swim/9781849418652" target="_blank">Mrs Pepperpot Learns to Swim</a>, it's a lovely, gentle fantastical tale about a little old lady being envious of the freedom of the children she sees frolicking in the water and deciding to do something about it. I remember reading Mrs Pepperpot when I was a child but I don't think we ever had this one.<br />
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My oldest daughter has recently really taken to swimming and is very confident about going on her own to her swimming lessons, as well as loving swimming as a family, so I think this really ticks all her boxes. My youngest daughter really likes it because she spends a lot of time being a frog at the moment and she also likes to swim, but not as much as she likes to pretend she's a frog! Ribbit!<br />
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Mrs Pepperpot is very special because she shrinks, usually when she least expects it. In this story she shrinks just as she is jumping into the woodland pool. It suddenly seems like an ocean to her and she panics and is rescued by what seems like a very large frog, who teaches her to swim. She's an unusual heroine, being a middle aged woman whose concerns are mainly domestic, but she's brilliant!<br />
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I must say that it has been a real joy rediscovering Mrs Pepperpot and I think we will be reading many more of them in the next year or so - I have my eye on Mrs Pepperpot's Christmas for the season which is nearly upon us (hold back, it's not quite December yet!).Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-12522527922385197012014-11-25T05:21:00.000-08:002014-11-25T05:21:14.977-08:00Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy and Joe Berger<a href="http://nosycrow.com/books/hubble-bubble-granny-trouble" target="_blank">Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble</a> is a delightful look at a very alternative type of granny! She's different because she's a witch and this causes all sorts of unusual scenarios! Her granddaughter eventually decides that it might be easier if her granny were to fit it and be a little more normal. But the granny gets quite depressed and finds it very boring so the little girl quickly realises that it's much more fun when her granny is just being herself.<br />
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I don't know if it's just me but I don't think that the problem that this book potentially identifies is really a problem for the age group that the book is addressed at. My girls are not bothered at the moment by differences - as far as I can tell and would probably love to have a witch as a granny, as well as keeping their current ones! Maybe as my five year old moves more firmly into school and her relationships with her peers develop this might be something that is more of an issue. Of course it might come in handy in a more subtle way as well, a difference that isn't a witch as a granny for instance! I'll keep you posted (and this book handy!).<br />
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However, both my girls really enjoy this book and the rhyming text is lovely to read aloud. The illustrations are great, lots to look at and lovely use of colour. It's one of those great books which we can all read together!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-23677239995350469142014-11-04T05:47:00.000-08:002014-11-04T05:49:15.367-08:00Millie's Marvellous Hat by Satoshi Kitamura<a href="http://www.andersenpress.co.uk/books/view/1842709488" target="_blank">Millie's Marvellous Hat</a> by Satoshi Kitamura proved a hit last week and also provided us with a fabulous half-term activity!<br />
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It's the lovely simple tale of Millie who goes into a hat shop after spotting a hat she likes in the window, but when she opens her purse and looks to see if she has enough money to pay she finds it totally bare and so the shopkeeper comes up with an imaginative solution. The text is spare but beautifully written and the illustrations are gorgeous with wry funny touches that mean going back again and again (and again!) is a joy rather than a chore.<br />
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We had a lot of fun making our own marvellous hat, although it proved hard to wear for very long! I'm sorry it's not a brilliant photo but you can see the kind of thing we did.<br />
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Satoshi Kitamura is actually appearing very soon at the <a href="http://southkenkidsfestival.co.uk/" target="_blank">South Ken Kids Festival</a> at the Institut Francais which runs from the 17th to the 23rd November. I wish we could go to this festival, there are more than 50 events on the programme including Quentin Blake, Judith Kerr and Axel Scheffler. You lucky London people!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2760843448066847965.post-42081131712798624852014-10-01T05:53:00.000-07:002014-10-01T05:53:05.035-07:00Woolly and Tig: I Love MummyI didn't really expect to be writing a post about <a href="http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/woolly-and-tig-i-love-mummy/9780857513724" target="_blank">Woolly and Tig: I Love Mummy</a>. We picked it up in the library a couple of weeks ago and I grudgingly said my kids could bring it home. I have nothing against Woolly and Tig, I like to watch the programme. I just prefer to read original picture books when possible and I find that sometimes the books that tie-in to a TV programme tend to just be retellings of an episode (nothing that wrong with that of course, heaven knows I've been responsible for a fair few myself!).<br />
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But when we read this story I was pleasantly surprised (and not for a totally honourable reason!). It is a book about Tig and her mummy and delves into the relationship between a working mother (from home) and a child who wants constant attention. I can more than relate to this because it's very much how I work, although I tend to do most of my work when my two year old naps or when they are both at school and nursery. Anyway the message that sometimes mummy needs to concentrate on other things and can't play all the time was an interesting and helpful one. And both my kids loved reading it, although I think it was partly the novelty of seeing the faces from the programme on the page!Read with Rosiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07143338984281840479noreply@blogger.com0