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Sat
03 ^rd

Our Favourite Picture Books About Families

I’ve had quite a few messages recently from parents and teachers looking for books about different types of families, so I have created a list of our favourites.

There are 24 books in total and they cover a really wide range of family groups and family members. There are books about mums, dads, grandparents, siblings and new babies. There are books with two parents, books with single parents and books with same sex parents. There are also books about adoption and foster care, IVF and surrogacy.

Hopefully every child will see themselves represented within the pages of these stories and they will learn a little about other families too.

Mon
03 ^rd

Our Favourite Picture Books about Starting School

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Ivy starts reception in September so in recent months we have amassed a lot of books to help prepare her for this exciting (and potentially nerve-wracking!) experience.

There are hundreds of books out there about this topic so I have put together a collection of our 24 favourites to help you choose the ones which are best suited to your own child.

Along with books which are specifically about the school experience, I have included titles which focus on other helpful topics like making friends, showing kindness and helping to ease any worries they may have.

We’d love to hear about your favourites too. What would you add to this list?

Wed
17 ^th

Our Favourite Picture Books About Dads

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Sunday, June 21st 2020 is Father’s Day in the UK, so to celebrate we have put together a collection of our favourite books about Dads.

It’s a varied list which includes books which make great gifts, bedtime stories with strong father figures and even some beautiful poetry.

We have dads of many different races, bearded dads, gay dads, tattooed dads, animal dads, flatulent dads and if you look closely you’ll even spot a book with a pregnant dad (spoiler: he’s a seahorse – but still!).

We’d love to hear about your favourites too. What would you add to this list?

Sat
30 ^th

Picture Books which Help Children Process Loss and Grief

Posted by Shelley Edwards - 5 Comments

In recent months I have seen a sharp increase in the number of messages and emails I receive from parents asking me to recommend books to help children cope with a bereavement.

There are many stories out there which offer great comfort and encourage children to talk about their loss and how it makes them feel, but trying to find the right one for your child when you are dealing with your own grief can feel like an enormous task.

Here is a list of the 24 books which I would recommend. I hope you find it helpful, and please do share it with friends and family who you think may need it.

Mon
18 ^th

Our Favourite Books About Emotions & Feelings

Posted by Shelley Edwards - 1 Comment

Saturday October 10th 2020 is World Mental Health Day so we thought we’d take the opportunity to share our favourite books which focus on understanding and managing emotions.

We recommend:

A Little Bit Worried by Ciara Gavin & Tim Warnes – This is the perfect picture book for children who have a tendency to be a little anxious. It teaches them that everyone gets worried sometimes, but if you share your concerns with a friend or family member they will always be able to help you. Read the review.

Allie All Along by Sarah Lynne Reul – A fantastic book for helping children learn to manage their anger. The visual representation of the layers of emotion works really well and the story offers up lots of useful tools to help children learn how to calm themselves down. Read the review

Thu
23 ^rd

Our Favourite Picture Books About Friendship

Posted by Shelley Edwards - 2 Comments

There are lots of lovely books available which celebrate friendship and help children learn how to form healthy relationships with their peers. Here we have compiled a selection of our favourites.

Big Hid by Roisin Swales – A beautifully illustrated tale about the friendship between Big (a tortoise) and Little (a squirrel). Together they have many adventures but one day Big just doesn’t feel like doing anything anymore. Can Little help him feel better? Read the review.

Bob Goes Pop! by Marion Deuchars – When a rival artist comes to town Bob is not impressed. Locked in competition, the pair try their best to outdo each other, but soon discover that life might be better if they work together instead. Review coming soon.

Wed
01 ^st

Picture Books Which Will Make Kids Laugh Out Loud

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

Since the UK lockdown was announced I have had lots of messages from parents who are looking for new books to entertain their little ones. To lighten the mood, I have put together a selection of all our funny favourites. Let us know if there are any you would add to our list!

The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak – Without giving too much away, the basic premise is that the person reading the book has to read every single word out loud, whether they want to or not. Read the review.

Daddy Fartypants by Emer Stamp & Matt Hunt – Daddy Fartypants has a problem. He farts ALL THE TIME! And what’s worse is that he never owns up. Every time he does a bottom burp he blames someone else, whether that’s a tiny baby, a snail or a bear on the telly. Read the review.

Sun
08 ^th

International Women’s Day: Books Which Feature Strong Female Characters

Posted by Shelley Edwards - No Comments

March 8th 2020 is International Women’s Day so I have collated a list of our favourite books which feature strong female characters. Take a look and let us know in the comments if there are any others which you think should be included!

Fiction Books

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty & David Roberts – Little Ada’s endless need to question everything means that she is the perfect mini scientist. She devises experiments and builds hypotheses, trying to work out how the world around her works. Read the review.

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman & Caroline Binch – An uplifting story is about a little girl called Grace who loves stories and has a big imagination. Can she find the confidence to follow her dreams? Read the review.

Thu
14 ^th