Board Books Archives - Ivy's Library

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Board Books

Wed
17 ^th

How Many Beads?
by Nicola Edwards & Thomas Elliott

When Ivy and I are looking for something fun to do then Maths generally isn’t at the top of the list – however this fab board book has managed to change that! It’s part of a montessori-insired series called ‘My World’ which encourages childen to explore the world around them. Aimed at children aged 3-5, the book has a built-in string of colourful beads which you can use for counting and measuring.

Each double page spread shows a different scene for you to explore – including the home, the garden, under the sea, around town, the inside of a drawer and nocturnal animals. Kids are then encouraged to use the beads to count or to measure the things they can see. How many apples are there? How many bees? What’s the tallest household object? Which is the longest fish? Which items are too big to fit in the shed? Which animals are small enough to fit in the tent?

Tue
01 ^st

Peas On Earth
by Jonny Marx & Lindsey Sagar

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

This chunky board book is a perfect festive read for babies and toddlers. Written in upbeat rhyme, it follows a group of adorable little peas as they count down to Christmas.

At the start of the story we have five peas, but page by page we lose one as they head off to complete their final preparations for the big day. One bounces away in pure excitement, one leaves to sort out the decorations, one visits Santa’s Grotto and one goes to bed early – leaving just one smiling pea sitting on top of the tree giggling as she watches Santa’s legs come dangling down the chimney.

Will all the peas make it back in time to open their presents?

Thu
19 ^th

Lambies in Jammies
by Bea Shepherd & Sharon Harmer

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

What could be more relaxing than counting sheep? This little board book teaches children the numbers 1-10 and introduces them to a calming way of settling down to sleep.

Every adorable page features little sleepy lambs, each wearing different nightwear. There are lambs in pyjamas and lambs in nightgowns. There are lambs slumbering on haystacks and lambs snoozing in hammocks. There are even lambs being sung to sleep by puppies!

Ivy enjoys counting the animals and exploring all the details on the tiny pyjamas. There’s an array of different styles and she loves to pick out her favourites. She also likes trying to spot the sneaky little sheep who still have their eyes open when they should be asleep.

Tue
03 ^rd

Bear & Mouse Start The Day
by Nicola Edwards & Maria Neradova

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

This adorable board book follows best friends Bear and Mouse as they start their day. We follow along as they wake up, make plans, cook breakfast, get dressed and head out for some fun at the park.

Every page features a slider or flaps for little hands to play with. Your child will be able to help Mouse do his morning stretch, make toast pop out of a toaster, do up Bear’s coat and help the friends go up and down on a little red see-saw.

There are also lots of questions to encourage children to think about the structure of their own morning. What do they like for breakfast? Can they dress themselves? What are their favourite activities?

Wed
28 ^th

My Family Fart Book
by Buddy & Barney Ltd

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Hopefully by the time you read this you will have finished your dinner as this review is all abourt farts. And not just any old farts – we’re talking about smelly ones!

My Family Fart Book is a scratch and sniff board book which is guaranteed to make little ones giggle. Someone has emitted a large bottom burp and it’s up to your child to track down the culprit. Was it Grandad, Grandma, Dad, Mum or even the dog? Lift the flap and scratch the patch to find out…

Fortunately all of the smells featured are pleasant so there are no nasty surprises here! The gassy emissions we encounter smell like mint, cherries, coffee, apple, strawberries and chocolate cake, depending on what each family member has been eating.

Tue
06 ^th

Out of This World
by Pat-a-Cake & Kat Uno

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It’s World Space Week so I thought I would share this gorgeous little board book which is perfect for babies and toddlers.

Featuring bold illustrations and lots of eye-catching shiny sections, it introduces small children to some very big ideas. The pages are folded like a concertina and they are designed to be stretched out to create a frieze. You can use it to keep a baby entertained during tummy time by standing it up in front of them, and toddlers will enjoy sitting in the middle of it and interacting with the pages.

On one side of he frieze we see all of the planets laid out in order. Each of them has a very expressive face (which can be used to talk about emotions) and a descriptive name which tells us something about that specific planet – Little Mercury, Red Mars, Cold Neptune etc. As someone who was born in the seventies I love that there is also a little nod to Pluto as I refuse to accept that he’s been downgraded!

Mon
05 ^th

Everybody’s Welcome
by Patricia Hegarty & Greg Abbott

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In the middle of the forest stands a tiny little Mouse, daydreaming of her very first home. Her thoughts are disturbed by a Frog who explains that his pond has dried up so he has no place to go. Mouse takes this to be a sign and she suggests that they build a house together.

As construction begins, more animals appear and each has a sad tale to tell. There are rabbits who have been chased from their home by an eagle, birds who have had their tree chopped down and a big brown bear who feels isolated because his size scares people.

Mouse comforts each displaced creature in turn and invites them to be a part of her project. Soon they are all working together to build the perfect home, where they can all reside safely together.

Wed
23 ^rd

Clap Hands for Key Workers by Pat-A-Cake & Kat Uno

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The events of 2020 have definitely highlighted the critical role which keys workers play in our society. This gorgeous little touch-and-feel board book celebrates the part they play in keeping us safe and well.

Each double page spread introduces us to a different key worker and encourages your child to talk about what they are doing. Harriet the doctor is bandaging a child’s leg. Jay the shop worker is working the tills at the supermarket. Ruby the postal worker is delivering parcels. Logan the bus driver is helping people get around the town. Once you’ve talked about the role each worker plays, your child is invited to clap for them and say thank you for their hard work.

Wed
09 ^th

Owl Always Love You: A Bedtime Book of Love!
by Patricia Hegarty & Bryony Clarkson

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Books about sleep are always great for calming over-excited kids before bedtime and this particular one is ridiculously cute and very soothing.

“Time for bed, my little one, another day is through. As we snuggle up together, you know owl always love you.”

Written in gentle rhyme, this chunky board book takes us on a tour of the forest as all the baby animals settle down to sleep. We see little owls, bunnies, dormice, hedgehogs, squirrels and songbirds be coaxed in to bed by their grown ups and snuggle down for the night.

With glossy pages, raised sections and clever cut outs, this is a warm and cozy story for curious toddlers to explore. The pages are brimming with love plus the gorgeous illustrations give you the opportunity to talk about different kinds of animal homes and habitats.

Thu
20 ^th

My Book of Feelings
by Nicola Edwards

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Ivy and I were very excited when this board book landed on our doorstep as it has a built-in emoji spinner! Amusingly, I wasn’t allowed to even touch it for the first 15 minutes because Ivy wanted to play with it by herself, twirling the faces and looking at the pictures inside. Definitely the sign of a good read!

The toddler-friendly introduction explains that the expressions on our faces will often change to reflect our mood. By observing these changes we can tell how someone else may be feeling.

The emoji spinner features six faces, each representing a different emotion – happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, calmness and confusion. As we move through the book your child is presented with lots of scenarios and then invited to choose the face which they think best represents how they would feel. How do they feel when it rains? How do they feel when they dance? How about when they eat a tomato?

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