Family Archives - Ivy's Library

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Family

Fri
12 ^th

That’s My Daddy
by Ruth Redford & Dan Taylor

This diverse and inclusive picture book encourages children to think about all the things which makes their dad unique.

Is your dad grumpy in the mornings? Does he have big feet? What colour is his hair? Does he give you a bath? What fun things do you do together? How does he get to work? Every page poses a question and then the lovely illustrations give your child lots of options to choose from.

The book features a huge variety of different father figures. There are dads from different cultures and races, dads in wheelchairs, dads in glasses, gay dads, beardy dads and tattooed dads. There’s even a dad with a blue mohican!

Thu
11 ^th

Sisters by Harriet Evans & Andrés Landazábal

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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

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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.

Tue
17 ^th

Just Like You! by Jane Chapman

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Piccolo is a tiny woolly mammoth who wants to grow up to be just like her Dad. She watches him topple trees so she can nibble the leaves and marvels as he ploughs through giant snowdrifts so that she has room to play. When she tries to copy him she gets very frustrated – she can’t wait until she is big and strong just like him.

One wintry day her Dad suggests that the two of them head off on a little adventure. Piccolo starts off bouncing with excitement but their journey turns out to be much longer than expected and soon her little legs are struggling. Despite her tiredness she doesn’t want to give up and when they arrive at their destination she discovers that her Dad has brought her to a very special place.

Fri
08 ^th

The Blanket Bears by Samuel Langley-Swain & Ashlee Spink

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When a child is going through a difficult transition or is about to experience something new, the first thing we do is look for a book which can help guide them through it. That’s easy enough if you want to talk about starting school or moving house, but there are some topics which just aren’t covered in mainstream books – like adoption.

Written by an adoptive Dad, ‘The Blanket Bears’ follows two little cubs as they go through every step of the adoption process.

When we first meet the bears they are cold, alone and losing their fur. They are found by Tilly, a social worker bear, and taken to a foster home to be looked after until a Forever Home can be found for them. Their foster carers look after them very well and make them adorable little onesies out of blankets to keep them warm until their fur grows back. Eventually a Forever Family is found for the bears and they slowly make the transition to their new home.

Tue
10 ^th

In Every House On Every Street
by Jess Hitchman & Lili La Baleine

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This gorgeous book celebrates the love, warmth and mayhem of a family home. The story follows a family of four as they take us on a tour of each of the rooms in their house.

First up is the kitchen where they bake, dance, sing and make a mess. Then we see the dining room where they eat, pretend to be pirates and tickle their parents feet under the table. The living room is for relaxing and getting things off your chest, whilst the bathroom is for washing and pulling funny faces in the mirror.

The richly worded rhyme and the warm illustrations show us love, laughter and tears against a familiar backdrop of toys, washing up and teetering piles of books.

Sat
27 ^th

Eve’s New Brother
by Sheju Adiyatiparambil-John, Judy Skidmore & Anastasiya Epishina

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Eve is very close to her two mummies, so when baby Stanley joins the family she isn’t quite sure what to expect. She hopes that he’ll play with her and share her love of trains, but she knows that babies cry a lot and she’s not looking forward to the dirty nappies!

The path they tread will be a familiar one for many parents of more than one child. Eve is initially excited about the new baby but this quickly turns to resentment as Stanley gets lots of attention for things she doesn’t deem that interesting. He can’t talk, he can’t play and he messes with her train set all the time. Eve decides that there’s only one thing for it – Stanley will have to go back to wherever he came from so that she can have her mummies back!

Then one day, Eve throws a ball and everything changes. Stanley wobbles towards it on uncertain legs, picks it up and returns it. A game! As Stanley’s ability to interact with the world grows, Eve realises that maybe there’s room in this family (and her heart) for a little brother after all.

Fri
21 ^st

My Brother Otto by Meg Raby & Elisa Pallmer

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Piper Crow is a little bird with a very special brother called Otto. Otto is on the autism spectrum which means that he sees the world a little differently, and sometimes other people don’t understand him.

This beautifully illustrated story follows a day in the life of the two siblings as they face new challenges together.

We learn that Otto loves the colour yellow. In fact, he loves yellow so much that he needs everything to be yellow – from his clothes and his toys right through to his drinks and his food. When things aren’t yellow, Otto is very unhappy. Otto likes to spin in circles, go extra high on the swings and hold his hands over his ears when things get too loud. Piper also tells us that Otto is non-verbal, so he uses a tablet to communicate.

Thu
02 ^nd

Little Tigers by Jo Weaver

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The majority of the books on our shelves feature cartoon creatures, loud colours and bouncy rhymes – because let’s face it, all kids love a fun story! However at 3.5, Ivy seems to have reached a stage where she’s showing interest in books which require a little more thought (but still have lots of pictures).

This book is perfect for her as it works on two levels. The story itself is simple, but it encourages lots of questions about habitats and environmental issues.

The story follows two little tiger cubs and their mother as they move through the jungle trying to find a new home. Frightened by the sound of men and dogs the previous evening, mother tiger is determined to find somewhere safe before sundown.

Fri
05 ^th

How Big Is Our Baby? by Smriti Prasadam-Halls & Britta Teckentrup

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The prospect of having a new baby brother or sister can be both exciting and daunting for a toddler. A new playmate sounds fantastic but where will the baby come from and how will life change when it arrives?

When I found out I was having Ivy I bought a big book which told me what to expect from my pregnancy and beyond, and this gorgeous book is like a mini version of that for kids!

The early pages talk about what having a new baby means and how it might affect you. It addresses the fact you might be a little worried and emphasises that although life won’t be the same, it will be better because there will be even more love and cuddles.

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