Family Archives - Page 5 of 13

Sisters by Harriet Evans & Andrés Landazábal

This gorgeous little hardback book celebrates the joy of having a sister.

The gentle rhyme takes us on a journey through siblinghood, highlighting all of the ups and downs. They may steal your toys, make you cry and drive you a little crazy at times but a sister will always be there for you through thick and thin. They will brighten you up on dark days, share your adventures and celebrate your successes.

The simple but heartwarming illustrations show siblings from different countries and cultures as they move through life together. It also references how friends can become like sisters because of all the experiences you have shared together.

Sun
07 ^th

My Daddy Rules The World by Hope Anita Smith

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

This beautiful book of poetry is a celebration of dads everywhere.

From dancing and wrestling to bedtime stories and learning to ride a bike, each of the 16 poems highlight the joy of the little meaningful moments we share with our dads as children.

He’s tickly like an octopus and wise like an owl. He snores when he sleeps but he makes breakfast like a pro. He makes you feel brave and he teaches you new skills. He knows the names of all your friends and he knows just what to do when you have a problem. Your daddy rules the world.

The poems are touching and poignant. Some make you laugh out loud whilst others encourage you to pause for thought. All of them are wonderful but there are two which stand out for me. The first is ‘Love Letter’ where we see a child writing to a father who is far away. The second is ‘Some Dads’ which has a beautiful line about stay at home fathers.

Fri
05 ^th

The Perfect Shelter
by Clare Helen Welsh & Åsa Gilland

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The sun is shining, the picnic has been laid out and a family of four are enjoying the perfect afternoon in the woods near their home. When Mum and Dad reach for their books, the two sisters decide to build a den. They gather sticks and leaves and they sing joyfully as they work. But as the younger girl adds the final touches, she realises there is something wrong with her sister. She looks pale and she doesn’t have the energy to finish their game.

The little girl learns that her sister is sick and soon visits to the woods are replaced with hospital visits and waiting. The perfect shelter which they had built just a short while ago falls in to disrepair as the seasons change.

When the snow comes her sister seems a little brighter, even though she must stay in her bed and wear a scarf on her head. Together they cuddle and whisper, making secret plans in the way only sisters can. They might not be able to build the perfect shelter outdoors right now, but if they work together they might just be able to create something even better…

Mon
01 ^st

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle

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Seahorses are special because, unlike most animals, it is the male of the species which gets pregnant. When it’s time to mate he puffs out his tummy and the female lays her eggs in a little pouch where they are then fertilised. He carries the eggs until the baby seahorses are ready to be born.

This beautiful board book follows Mister Seahorse from conception to birth as he meets a whole host of other sea creatures who are preparing for the arrival of their own little ones. As we follow his journey we discover that he is not unique and that many other male fish go to great lengths to keep their young safe.

Mr. Stickleback builds a nest for Mrs. Sticklebacks eggs and then hovers over it, protecting them. Mr. Tilapia carefully carries eggs in his mouth so they are safe from predators. Mrs. Kurtus lays her eggs on Mr. Kurtus’ head and he carries them there until they are ready to hatch. Mr Pipe has a line of eggs running right along his belly and Mr. Bullhead is the primary carer of his brood once they are welcomed in to the world.

Sat
30 ^th

You and Me, Me and You
by Miguel Tanco

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This smartly written book follows a father and his child as they enjoy the small moments of wonder to be found in an ordinary day.

Together they play in the park and count the ants on the ground. They make boats out of cardboard boxes, splash about in the rain and read bedtime stories. The simple pleasures shown in the illustrations are underlined by the minimalist text which, rather cleverly, can be interpreted in two ways.

The words are essentially a list of lessons being passed from one to the other, including how to choose words with care, how to be creative and how to look at the world in different ways.

The first time I read the book to myself I instinctively saw this as knowledge being passed down from father to child. However on further examination I realised that equally these could be lessons that we as parents learn from our children.

Fri
15 ^th

If All The World Were… by Joseph Coelho & Allison Colpoys

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This moving book about the loss of a grandparent makes me cry every time I read it. It’s beautifully written and the vibrant illustrations are just stunning.

The poetic story follows a young girl through the seasons as she has wonderful adventures with her grandad. Together they explore the great outdoors, go to the beach, play cars and share stories.

But her grandad is ill and she wishes there is something she could do to make him stay by her side. She dreams of planting his birthdays in the ground so that he can’t get old or healing him just by listening to the tall tales from his youth.

Then the day arrives when she comes home to her Grandad’s empty chair.

Thu
14 ^th

My Dad is Fantastic by Roald Dahl

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Most parents of my generation can’t wait to introduce Roald Dahl books to their children, and this gorgeous board book all about dads is the perfect primer.

At just 16 pages it’s a short read but there’s a lot of nostalgia squeezed in. Dads are fantastic just like Mr. Fox. They are giants like the BFG. They are as mischievous as monkeys, do magnificent whizzpops and sometimes they can be twits, but they will always be there for you.

And of course, the jolly rhyme is accompanied by Quentin Blake’s classic illustrations.

This is a great introduction to Roald Dahl and the chunky board pages are durable enough for you to enjoy it many, many times with babies and toddlers.

Fri
01 ^st

My Dad Used to Be so Cool
by Keith Negley

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As children it can be hard for us to believe that our parents ever had lives before we came along. Even as an adult I can’t quite picture the younger versions of my mum and dad in full colour – he on a scooter with hair to his waist and she in a Mary Quant dress, twirling the night away at the local ‘Palais de Danse’. That’s why this book, about a dad who used to be a rock star, is so much fun!

The little boy in the story has heard that his dad used to be cool, but he’s really not so sure. As he watches him fold the washing, vacuum the study and tie his shoe laces he wonders what on earth happened. His dad was in a rock band and now he’s just dad. He thinks something massive must have occurred to bring about this change but he can’t work out what!

Tue
28 ^th

It’s A No-Money Day by Kate Milner

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This sensitively written book explores the topic of poverty in a way which is easy for small children to understand.

The mum in this story works very hard but despite this, like so many people, she struggles to pay her bills. Life is a constant juggle, and on this particular day there is no money and no food in the cupboard so she and her daughter need to visit a foodbank.

The little girl is upbeat throughout and she sees the positives in every situation. She tells us about all the fun things you can do on a no-money day, like reading a library book, practising your singing or trying on the clothes at your local charity shop. She enjoys the visits to the foodbank because she gets some squash and a biscuit, and she likes to talk to the volunteers about the cat she hopes to have one day.

Fri
17 ^th

Cave Dada by Brandon Reese

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After a hard day of hunting and gathering Cave Dada is looking forward to putting his feet up – but his little baby has other ideas. He wants his father to read him a book and he’s not going to stop crying until that happens.

The father seems somewhat reluctant and suggests he plays with a rattle or snuggles his blanky instead – to no avail. Tired and a little grumpy, Cave Dada sets off to get the book and when he returns we can see why this wasn’t his first choice of activity. The book is a giant stone tablet!

Unfortunately this isn’t the book the baby wants so the tears resume until a bigger book is brought, but that turns out to be the wrong one too. Whilst travelling back and forth to gather more books Cave Dada accidentally invents fire, but still the baby is unimpressed. All he wants is his favourite story before bed.

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