Cinderella's Bum by Nicholas Allan

Cinderella's Bum is a bit of a misleading title since it's really not about her bottom at all! But it is about bottoms and it makes my four (nearly five - eek!) year old laugh a lot. It's classic Nicholas Allan and lots of fun to read and talk about.

Narrated by an adorable younger sister, it tells the story of her older sister not wanting to go swimming because she feels her bottom is too big. Her younger sister talks her through various characters from history and fiction that have had big and different shaped bottoms. We particularly like the page where it says 'Some bottoms have trumpets in them' (cue us trumpeting loudly!)  and then 'Posh ones have clarinets' (cue us peeping!). Rosie loves the page where the wicked queen from Snow White is talking to the mirror with her bottom 'Mirror, mirror, don't be rotten. Say I have the nicest bottom!'

All in all it's funny, good to share and generates lots of laughter - you can't get better than that!

Cinderella app from Nosy Crow

I haven't posted about apps as much as I would like but that's partly because I haven't managed to treat myself to an iPad yet!! But they do work as well on my iPhone (and other non-Apple devices I'm sure).

To my shame although I've read about the brilliance of the Nosy Crow apps for the past year or so it wasn't until World Book Day when they were all reduced that I managed to buy any. But I did make up for it by purchasing three in the same day. Bizzy Bear on the Farm, The Three Little Pigs and Cinderella.

Rosie loves all three of them but her absolute favourite is Cinderella. At the moment instead of bringing me a book to read in the morning she is requesting Cinderella on my iPhone. It's ok though - we just read five books instead of three in the evening!

The whole Cinderella app is just brilliant. It has three different setting so you can 'Read and Play', 'Read to Me' and 'Read by Myself'. We use 'Read and Play' the most. As you move through the story the text is read to you but you can then tap on the different characters to hear what they have to say. There are lovely interactive bits such as helping Cinderella to clear up, opening up the invitation to the King's ball, the user appearing in the mirror on the mantelpiece, collecting the mice for the coach and horses, choosing the colour of Cinderella's ball gown (always has to be pink according to Rosie - agggh!) and my personal favourite, changing the music the Prince and Cinderella are dancing to. Finally you can help the Ugly Sisters and Cinderella try on the glass slipper.

I like the voice-over by the child who reads the story and the other characters as well as the music that has been used. The artwork is beautiful too. All in all I think this sets a very high standard in story book apps. We love it! Although we are constantly acting out the wedding of Cinderella at the moment. And the app does nothing to dim Rosie's obsession with ice cream. But that will be lifelong if I'm anything to go by!!