Category

Emotions & Feelings

In My Heart
by Jo Witek & Christine Roussey

In My HeartA few weeks ago we interviewed the lovely Rachel Bridge (who is a a child psychologist), and she mentioned that she has used this book as part of her therapy sessions. Intrigued, we ordered ourselves a copy and we’re very glad we did!

‘In Your Heart’ is an in-depth but age-appropriate look at the wide array of emotions which we experience as humans. Each page takes a specific feeling, spells out what it might feel like in your heart and then names it. This not only helps your child understand what they may be going through but also gives them the language they need to articulate that feeling back to a grown-up.

The book covers happiness, courage, anger, calm, heartbreak, sadness, hope, fear, silliness and shyness and it explains really nicely that all of these feelings live in our heart and we all have experience them in different ways at different times. The underlying message is that it’s good to talk about your feelings and to ask others how they are feeling too.

Continue Reading…

Prince & Knight By Daniel Haack & Stevie Lewis

Prince & KnightI think representation is SO important in children’s books so when I spotted this LGBT-friendly book I knew we had to add it to our library.

Prince & Knight is a beautiful fairy tale set in a magical world of castles and dragons which has a wonderfully diverse twist. The prince of the realm has come of age so his parents set about trying to help him find a bride. He meets many, many ladies but none of them catch his eye. He’s looking for something different but he just doesn’t know what that is.

Whilst they are on their travels, the kingdom is attacked by a mighty dragon and it seems like all may be lost. The brave Prince rides off on his horse and soon come face to face with the fire-breathing monster – but it seems that he will not have to fight this battle alone. A magnificent Knight appears and they work together to bring the evil dragon down.

Continue Reading…

Hug Me
by Simona Ciraolo

Hug MePoor Little Felipe. All he wants is a little hug but his family are far too prickly and aloof. They are very concerned with appearances and don’t seem to notice that he needs some affection. It’s a tough life being a little cactus with a big heart!

He tries to make friends with a balloon and at first this looks promising but when Felipe tries to get close the relationship ends with a POP. Ashamed, he decides to leave home and start life anew.

He settles in to life as a solitary cactus but then one day he hears someone sobbing. Can he make them feel better with a hug and if so is it possible they could be friends?

Continue Reading…

Sharing Time By Elizabeth Verdick & Marieka Heinlen

Sharing TimeI 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!

Continue Reading…

A Rule Is To Break By John Seven & Jana Christy

A Rule Is To BreakWe love this little guide to anarchy which encourages your child to test their boundaries and not to follow the status quo.

It shows how it’s healthy to question authority and to ask why when someone asks you to do something. It suggests getting muddy and messy to build things and grow things and to figure out how things work. It tells you that you should always think for yourself.

The core message is that a little anarchy is a good thing. It doesn’t encourage your child to be naughty – although it does suggest they make a lot of noise and try staying awake all night to see how it feels! – it just highlights that life is better when you try new things, embrace change, listen to others thoughts and walk your own path.

The cheeky illustrations are perfect for the subject matter and always make Ivy giggle – there’s a bare bottom on one of the pages which cracks her up every time!

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2JQxn3D

Grandad’s Island
by Benji Davis

Grandad's IslandGrandad’s Island is one of those books that I think every child should read. It covers the sensitive topic of bereavement but in a really smart and beautiful way which helps the child grasp the concept as best they can at a young age.

The story is about a little a little boy called Syd whose beloved Grandad lives in a house at the bottom of the garden.  One day Syd pops around but he can’t find his Grandad anywhere. He searches the house and eventually finds him up in the attic where he has prepared an adventure.

They go through a magical door which takes them to a ship and then sail the oceans until they reach a tropical island. Look closely at the illustrations and you can see that the wonderful treasures on the island echo the pictures and keepsakes you see in Grandad’s house in the first few pages. On this island Grandad is surrounded by all of his favourite things – and he doesn’t need to use his walking stick to get around anymore! They build a shack, swim together in the waterfall and play with all of the exciting animals they find.

Continue Reading…

Kaya’s Heart Song
by Diwa Tharan Sanders & Nerina Canzi

Kaya's Heart SongOne day little Kaya stumbles across her mother meditating. She is also humming an unfamiliar tune which Kaya finds fascinating. When she  asks what it is her mother explains that it is her heart song – the song which her heart sings when she is happy.

Kaya would very much like a heart song of her own but she doesn’t know how to find it so instead she goes out to play. She follows a butterfly in to the jungle and there she finds an old man guarding a broken-down elephant carousel.

Drawn to the elephants, Kaya climbs on top of one to try and free it from some vines. She imagines what it would be like to be a beautiful princess riding the elephant through the jungle and suddenly she hears the soft beat of music in her ear.

Continue Reading…

Forever… By Emma Dodd

Forever...This little book about a parent’s love for their child is super cute and may have made me well up a little the first time Ivy and I read it together!

The gentle rhyme reassures your child that you will always be there for them in their life no matter what they are going through. Whether they are happy or sad, smiling or scared you will always walk besides them and help them in any way that you can.

The illustrations are delightful and really evoke the spirit of the book. Our version has shiny silver patches for the snow which Ivy really likes.

It’s not explicit within the book (but then i’m no polar bear expert!) but the back cover says that this is a daddy polar bear which is a lovely touch as so many of these types of books feature a mother instead.

Buy it now: https://amzn.to/2Hzc5La

 

Petra By Marianna Coppo

PetraWe love a book which encourages imagination and individuality and Petra is definitely one of those books.

When you first look at Petra you see a rock surrounded by fronds of grass. She is an adorable little rock with curious eyes and a quirky little smile. Or is she?

Perhaps she is a magnificent mountain, the solid foundation of a village above the clouds. Or is she a tiny pebble? A shiny egg? An island? Is it possible she is even an elephant?

Petra has lots of important lessons to teach children. You don’t have to be defined by where you start out in life or by who other people think you are. If you believe in yourself you can be the person (or rock!) you dream of becoming. You also don’t have to be the same person every day or even the same person to everybody. Some days you might want to be a mountain and some days you might want to be an island, and that’s ok.

Continue Reading…

Beautiful OOPS! By Barney Saltzberg

Beautiful OOPS!This creative little book is a fantastic tool for teaching children that it’s healthy to make mistakes.

Every page features a spill or a smudge or a tear which could be deemed a disaster to a small child – but the clever illustrations and the excellent paper craftsmanship shows that each little mistake is in fact an opportunity.

A torn page becomes the mouth of a crocodile. Some spilled paint becomes a pile of puppies, some ducks and then an elephant. A bent page becomes a penguin’s beak and a scrunched up piece of paper becomes a lovely sheep.

Ivy enjoys saying ‘OOPS!’ at the turn of each page and is always excited to see what the oops will become. Her favourite is the dog’s head created from a torn scrap of paper.

Continue Reading…