May 2018

Month

Mon
14 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Sarah Parrott, Owner, Write Sparks

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

Hello! I’m Sarah- an exhausted mum of a lovely 13 month old boy. My husband and I are both South London born and bred, so we’re loving raising Joel in Forest Hill. Until I had Joel, I was a Primary Teacher and Head of English. I adored my job. However, our beautiful boy has had a difficult start, with lots of health issues. It soon became clear that I wouldn’t be able to return to teaching in school, as he needs more care than most and we spend lots of time in various hospitals. During one of the seemingly endless night feeds, I realised there was a way that I could still teach and share my passion for Writing with children and teachers, but work around my son’s needs. Soon after, Write Sparks was born! As the owner of Write Sparks, I teach creative writing classes for children and work as a freelance Writing Consultant in schools.

Sat
12 ^th

Hats of Faith By Medeia Cohen & Sarah Walsh

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I am proud to be raising Ivy in a culturally diverse environment and I think it’s really important to make sure she understands and respects different cultures from a young age.

She finds hats fascinating (although hates wearing them herself!) and loves to see the beautifully bright head wraps which are abundant in South London – so when I spotted this book I knew that she would love it.

Page by page it shows you a cross-section of different head coverings which people wear as part of their faith. It covers the Turban, Hijab, Rasta Hat, Patka, Tichel, Chunni, Topi, Kippah and Head Wrap and explains which religions they belong to.

The book is really simple and the illustrations are gorgeous. It’s a lovely introduction to religious diversity and a great way to open a conversation about a much bigger topic.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2rDtXtK

Fri
11 ^th

Never Ask A Dinosaur To Dinner By Gareth Edwards & Guy Parker-Rees

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This funny book by Gareth Edwards and Guy Parker-Rees always makes Ivy laugh. It follows a little boy as he goes through elements of his day – but he has chosen some rather crazy animal friends to help him with each task!

He eats his dinner with a dinosaur who gobbles everything up before he gets a chance to eat a single bite. He uses a tiger as a towel when he gets out of the bath – and unsurprisingly the tiger is a little cross! He even tries to use a giant bison as a blanket which proves a little uncomfortable.

Follow him as he discovers why dinosaurs, sharks, beavers, tigers, bison and owls don’t always make the best companions.

The rhyme scheme is really bouncy which makes it a lot of fun to read and it’s also a good book for discussion. A barn owl might not be the best thing to cuddle up to at night because of his sharp claws and nocturnal habits – so what might make a better bed fellow?

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2G8vahE

Thu
10 ^th

Under The Same Sky By Britta Teckentrup

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This beautiful book from Britta Teckentrup takes us on a journey around the world and shows us animals in many different habitats all united by one common thread.

Whether you’re a deer in the mountain or a bunny in a field you still play the same games under the same sky. Whether you’re a dolphin in the ocean or a bird in flight you still sing the same songs under the same sky.

The poignant illustrations and the cleverly arranged cut-out sections draw your child in and encourage them to peek through to the next page, whilst the thoughtful text teaches an important lesson. We are all different but we all share the same hopes and dreams for ourselves and our loved ones. If we unite and celebrate our similarities and differences then the world will be a better place for all of us.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2KObDXo

Wed
09 ^th

Sharing Time By Elizabeth Verdick & Marieka Heinlen

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I have been a big fan of the Toddler Tools books by Elizabeth Verdick ever since Calm-Down Time helped us with controlling tantrums. This other title from the series – Sharing Time – is the one we’re currently reading a lot and i’m hoping we’ll have similar success!

It shows how it’s fun to share some things (like hugs and see-saws for example) but more difficult to share others. Children worry about sharing their toys because they aren’t sure if they will get them back or if they will be broken.

Using calming language the books teaches children the words they need in order to be able to share things with their friends. It helps them identify the feelings they experience when they don’t want to share and offers a little breathing exercise they can do in order to regulate their emotions and move forward without a major incident. Ultimately it shows that we all have more fun when we play together nicely and share – something which is true for both toddlers and grown-ups alike!

Tue
08 ^th

The Princess And The Pony By Kate Beaton

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This book has caused a lot of laughs in our house since we first bought it, mainly because it features a farting pony and what toddler wouldn’t find that funny?!

Princess Pinecone lives in a kingdom full of fierce warriors and she wants to be one to, but she has one big problem. She is tiny and adorable, which makes being a warrior a little tough!

For her birthday she requests a big, strong horse to ride in the next great battle, but her parents don’t get it quite right. They buy her a cute, round pony with flatulence issues who eats everything in sight. Dismayed, Princess Pinecone tries to train him up but the poor little pony is hopeless.

Mon
07 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Rachel Bridge, Child Psychologist & Writer

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Tell us a bit about yourself and your family…

My name is Rachel. I am a mama from down under, living on the south coast of Australia. I have three delightful children. Corey, our 12 year old son who doesn’t share my DNA but quickly won my heart, Addison, our three year old daughter who oozes adventure, warmth and intrigue and Kaylee, our two year old daughter whose spirit is affectionately adorable and who shows those she trusts a mischievous sense of humour.

I am also a Psychologist who is passionately working with children and their families. I am on a journey to empower children and parents on building and strengthening connections through intentional parenting. I am a wellbeing writer who has a blog and shares fused snippets of my personal and professional journey in the hope that I may offer a sense of reassurance or support to others. And I am also an aspiring children’s author who is currently working on placing a piece of my heart into a carefully illustrated therapeutic children’s book.

Sun
06 ^th

Touch! My Big Touch-And-Feel Word Book

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We have lots of word books but this big chunky board version is definitely Ivy’s favourite. It features 150 words across a wide variety of topics, including clothes, food, vehicles, animals, mealtime and bedtime.

Each durable page features at least one textured image for your child to play with – a cosy blanket, a rough sponge, a corduroy jacket, some denim jeans – which make the book a great interactive experience as well as a learning tool.

The animal section is definitely the highlight, with really cute illustrations and lots of fur to stroke and scales to explore.

My only criticism (as someone in the UK) is that there is a handful of Americanisms in here (zucchini, eggplant etc) but it’s such a small percentage that I don’t feel it affects the book as a whole.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2jyVuZK

Sat
05 ^th

Beach Day By Rae Rankin & J-san

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Ivy will be going on her very first beach holiday this year so we’ve started to read some books about it to get her excited and so that she understands a little about what to expect.

This one, by Rae Rankin, follows a little girl called Penny as she enjoys a much anticipated day at the seaside. We watch as she does cartwheels on the shore, builds sand castles with her dog, collects shells, plays with a Frisbee, explores rock pools, and even flies her kite. I particularly like the fact it shows your child all the wonders of the beach but also takes the time to point out that you HAVE to put your sun cream on before you can run and enjoy it!

I was fortunate enough to grow up near the beach and this book conveys the excitement of a beach day perfectly. The bouncy rhyme carries you along and the adorable wide-eyed illustrations highlight the wonder and innocence of each fascinating new discovery.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2rolB9b

Fri
04 ^th

The Steves By Morag Hood

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This isn’t the book I was planning to review today. We only bought this one yesterday and I usually like to have a book in the house for a few weeks before I write about it so that I can get a proper feel for it. This story is a little bit different though. It’s captured Ivy’s imagination to such an extent that I felt the need to share it with you straight away!

At the start of the story you meet a puffin who introduces himself as Steve – but on the very next page we meet another puffin, who is also called Steve! The two puffins are not happy about this development. They each want to be Steve and they don’t want to share the title.

What follows is a madcap competition to prove which one is the most Steve – the very Stevest of Steves there can be. They compare birthdays, heights, speed and fishing abilities and when none of these provide the right outcome they start trading insults instead.

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