Quentin Blake Archives - Ivy's Library

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Quentin Blake

Thu
14 ^th

My Dad is Fantastic by Roald Dahl

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.

Mon
25 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Jon Richards, Brand Identity Designer, Obladee

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

My name is Jon Richards. I am a Brand Identity Designer and along with my business partner Dan, we are Obladee. I live in Swindon with my wife and two young children, Emily aged 3 and Alice aged 1.

When our eldest daughter Emily was born, a friend gifted us a Hairy Maclary book along with the advice of reading a book everyday before bed from the day they are born and we have done so ever since.

Mon
18 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Marie Farmer, Founder, Mini Mealtimes

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

Hi, I’m Marie Farmer and I’m the founder of the family nutrition app, Mini Mealtimes. Coming to an app store near you soon. I live in London with my wonderful husband and 2 year old son, who is on the spectrum.

What is your son’s favourite book?

My sons favourite book seems to vary from week to week but Not Now Bernard by David McKee is a staple in our house.

Which book do you most like reading to him and why?

I love to read him any book by Julia Donaldson. Her engaging plots, memorable characters and the unique illustrations always keep my son glued to the spot. Plus they are entertaining for me so reading them over and over isn’t a chore. At least until the 5th reading in a row anyway 🙂

Mon
11 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Ruth Bradford, Owner, The Little Black & White Book Project

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

Hi! I’m Ruth and I am the owner/creator of The Little Black & White Book Project, monochrome animal illustrations for babies and toddlers in the form of books, flash cards, prints and accessories. After 6 years overseas in Singapore, we moved to Bristol in 2017 and I live with my husband and my little boy who is 2.

What is your son’s favourite book?

My son is a real little book worm! We’ve read to him since birth and it’s now his go-to activity every morning and of course at bedtime. His favourites change weekly but he usually comes back to the same few time and time again. So I’d probably say Paddington by Michael Bond would have to be right up there for him, but like most toddlers he’s also really into Room On The Broom and Zog at the moment too, I think he likes the lyricalness (if that’s a word?) of the stories.

Mon
12 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Dr. Pragya Agarwal, CEO, The Art Tiffin

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

I am Pragya, CEO of The Art Tiffin and Organiser of TEDxFPWomen events. I live in the north-west near the sea with my two-year-old twin girls, my eldest daughter who has just graduated from Cambridge, my Scottish husband, and our cat, Belle and dog, Taylor.

I did my PhD from Nottingham and was a Senior Academic in the US and UK Universities, and now run a social enterprise and think-tank about gender diversity, creativity and mental health. I am a TEDx speaker and I write about parenting, feminism, art and mental health for Huffington Post and Forbes. I run an active facebook group for parents ‘Raising Creative Kids’ and an art subscription which is a comprehensive learning programme to introduce children (ages 4-10) to various artists.

Mon
08 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Maxine Kerley, Owner, Digital Bon Bons

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

Hi, I’m Maxine. I live in Kent with my husband Patrick, our daughter Ava who’s 4, two kittens called Polly & Tigger and a snake called Kaa. I’m a digital marketing consultant for family focused brands and businesses.

What is your son/daughter’s favourite book?

For Ava it’s The Gruffalo and Stick Man by Julia Donaldson – we have read these to her ever since she was super little and The Gruffalo was one of the first books she started to recite by herself at 22 months, she knew all the words – we couldn’t believe it. She loves the stories. Plus going on the hunt for a Gruffalo or following a Stick Man trail if we’re out for a walk. She will always pick up a “Stick Man” to take home.

Mon
19 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Kate AKA The Muddled Mum

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

Hello! My name is Kate but I am also known as The Muddled Mum because, well, my mind is a bit of a muddle. I live in Dorset with my wonderful husband and 2.5-year-old daughter. My daughter is also called Ivy – a name I didn’t realise was so popular until I started going on Instagram!

What is your daughter’s favourite book?

Ivy has many favourites that get rotated around. Her current favourite is Lunchtime by Rebecca Cobb. I bought it to see if I could encourage her to eat more and it worked! She knows most of the pages off by heart and likes repeating phrases like ‘a nice clean plate’, and ‘revolting!’ The illustrations have a certain innocence to them and Ivy often says that she is the little girl.

Mon
12 ^th

Ivy’s Guest Book: Becky Coletto from Small & Wild

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family

I’m Becky, one half of Small & Wild – a recently launched range of yummy herbal teas blended especially with little people in mind. I’m also mum to Amelie, 4, and Monty, 2 and wife to Phil. We live in lovely Nunhead in South East London.

What is your son/daughter’s favourite book?

Oo, this is always changing. We’ve had many favourites along the way.

A current hit is Quentin Blake’s Three Little Monkeys, which is beautifully illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark. It tells the story of Hilda Snibbs and her three little monkeys.

‘Now, some people have dogs, and some people have cats, but Hilda Snibbs – Hilda Snibbs had three little monkeys. Their names were Tim and Sam and Lulu…’

Both of my two enjoy hearing tales of the mischief the three little monkeys cause whilst Hilda is out running errands. Poor Hilda always returns home and despairs at her house having been turned upside down. (My 2-year-old likes stomping around the bedroom at story time re-enacting some of the chaos they cause!) But one day Hilda comes back, the house is spotless, and her little monkeys are nowhere to be seen and she quickly realises that despite all their trouble-making she can’t bear to be without them. I imagine the story reminds my two a little of life at home and how they can wind me up no end but at the end of the day I will always love them to pieces!