Family Archives - Page 2 of 13

The Day Mom Joined The Circus
by Sue Downing

Does your home feel like a circus right now? I dedicate this review to everyone out there trying to parent through the pandemic!

In this colourful story, the children wake up to discover a note from their Mum pinned to the fridge. It says that she needs some alone time so she’s decided to join the circus. She invites them to take on her share of the chores whilst she’s away.

The beautiful spreads which follow perfectly illustrate the ‘Mum juggle’ with which we are all so familiar. On the left hand page we see the children doing a household chore and on the right hand page we see how that chore has helped make Mum a fantastic circus performer.

Sun
24 ^th

The Year We Muddled Through
by Lauren Fennemore & Zoe Damoulakis

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Right now everything feels very unsettled. We are locked down in our homes, juggling the education of our children with our day jobs, dealing with sorrow and and being faced with a constant barrage of negative news. We’re all just muddling through and taking it one day at a time.

But what will we remember about this strange time in years to come? And perhaps more importantly, what do we want our children to remember?

A love letter from parent to child, this gorgeous picture book adds a sprinkle of magic to what has been a very difficult year. It alludes to the bad but focuses on the good, and in doing so the story of 2020 takes on a wonderful fairytale quality.

We see giant sunflowers and animals running wild on empty streets. We see rainbows shooting from rooftops as families take their daily walks. We see smiling faces as communities come together to celebrate everyday heroes.

Wed
13 ^th

Love Makes A Family
by Sophie Beer

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Families come in all shapes and sizes and this gorgeous board book celebrates the ones which we often don’t see in mainstream books.

The brightly coloured pages show happy families enjoying life together whilst the words explore the different ways in which people can show their love.

We see two children waking up their dads in the morning by shaking maracas and banging a drum. We see a family with grandparent carers baking and sharing cakes. We see single mums finding lost objects and single dads jumping in puddles in the park. We see a group of children reading stories by the light of a torch with their two mums. I particularly like the inclusion of a dad wearing a baby carrier as i’m not sure i’ve seen this in any of our other picture books!

Tue
05 ^th

While We Can’t Hug
by Eoin McLoughlin & Polly Dunbar

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Well here we are again! It’s lockdown 3.0 and I am really feeling it this time around. Ivy hasn’t seen her grandparents since August so she’s really missing them, plus the dreary weather and general sense of uncertainty is adding an extra layer of gloom.

If your little ones are feeling the same then you might want to take a peek at this heartwarming story which talks about how it feels to be separated from your nearest and dearest.

Hedgehog and Tortoise are the best of friends. They love to spend time together but they’re sad because they’re not allowed to go near each other right now. How can they show each other they care if they can’t hug?

Fri
01 ^st

The World Made A Rainbow
by Michelle Robinson & Emily Hamilton

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Well that was quite the year! Whilst i’m extremely happy to see the back of 2020, the realist in me knows that the first few months of 2021 aren’t going to be much better. We live in a ‘high-risk’ area so Ivy won’t be returning to school next week as we had originally thought. She’s already missing her friends and is having to deal with so much change and uncertainty so i’m really sad for her.

As always, we turn to books in times of turmoil and this beauty by Michelle Robinson and Emily Hamilton is our current favourite. It follows a little girl in lockdown as she processes the fact she can’t see her friends and family.

The girl is feeling sad so her mum suggests they work on an art project together. They decide to create a rainbow to display in the window of their house, however the colours and materials trigger memories of the things that she misses. As her emotions threaten to overwhelm her, her parents pull together and turn the situation around.

Mon
09 ^th

Ella Has A Plan
by Davina Hamilton & Elena Reinoso

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It’s the day of the big family party and everyone at Ella’s house is busy getting ready. Kind-hearted Ella can’t wait for her relatives to arrive but she’s also a little bit worried. Two of her cousins, Taye and Jade, have a habit of arguing and bickering and she’s concerned that this might ruin the party for everyone else.

Mum tells her to go and chat to Great Grandad Frank who apparently has a great story about how he once tricked two of his children into playing nicely together. Ella speeds off to find him, but sure enough, a fight breaks out before he gets the chance to share his wisdom.

As Ella steps between Taye and Jade she realises that she needs a plan. How can she get the two cousins to understand that they are more alike than they realise, and that arguments are not the answer?

Mon
09 ^th

Together
by Charles Fuge

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If you have been searching for the perfect snuggly bedtime book then you can stop now as I have found it! This beautiful story feels like an enormous hug.

In a vast landscape of ice and snow a polar bear and cub find warmth and comfort in each others company. We watch as they explore their surroundings, battle snowstorms and find joy in small things. They dream of faraway lands, gaze at the stars in the night sky and master new skills. Life in the snow may be tough at times but they know they will never be lonely as they have each other.

Written in gentle, reassuring rhyme this story celebrates love and kindness. The icy tones of the illustrations are really calming and the bears are depictied beautifully. I find myself drawn to the depth of love you can see in their eyes as they live their lives peacefully side by side.

Thu
05 ^th

City Moon by Rachael Cole & Blanca Gómez

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A few weeks ago I shared a collection of books about different kinds of families and a discussion began in my instagram comments about how there aren’t enough books out in the world which depict single mothers. Somebody recommended this one and the author chimed in to confirm that she indeed had single mothers in mind when she wrote the story. Intrigued, I bought a copy and I am so glad I did as it is BEAUTIFUL!

One Autumn evening a young mother bundles her child in to pyjamas, a coat and boots and together they head out in to the crisp night. They are going on a walk to look for the moon! Hand in hand they traverse the city streets, catching brief glimpses of the moon as it hides behind buildings and trees. They talk about stars, reflections, the bustling pavements and the flashes of light from the speeding cars until eventually they return home and the child is tucked up warm and safe in bed.

Mon
02 ^nd

Coming to England
by Floella Benjamin & Diane Ewen

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Hands up if you’re old enough to remember watching Play School when you were a kid? I loved it and just seeing pictures of Dame Floella Benjamin makes me feel all warm and nostalgic! When I saw that she was releasing a children’s book I was very excited and I am so pleased that it is utterly wonderful.

Coming to England is a very personal story about the author’s own experience of the being part of the Windrush generation. The stunningly illustrated pages follow a young Floella as she makes the journey from Trinidad to England in 1960 to start a new life with her family.

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