Where Can I Find Great Books to Share with Children?
I’ve seen this question asked so many times and for me the answer is definitely bloggers. There is a wonderful community of children’s book bloggers out there who I’m proud to be a part of. This week is Children’s Book Week and in honour of the occasion I’d like to share some amazing picture book blogs with you.
The Book Sniffer
If you want to know what books are being published today, The Book Sniffer is the place to be. Emma has her finger on the pulse of the latest in picture books and shares sneak peaks of upcoming books plus a host of interviews and exclusive content from authors and illustrators. Like her alter ego, Emma is bubbly and enthusiastic and her tweet stream is definitely one to keep an eye on. Twitter: @maybeswaybe
Library Mice
For the most beautiful picture books published in the UK, Library Mice is the place to go. Mélanie brings a European sensibility to her choices and only reviews books that meet a high standard. As a librarian and parent, Mélanie sees a lot of books so you know that each one reviewed has been hand picked by someone with an eye for what appeals to both children and adults. Twitter: @librarymice
Playing By The Book
Playing By The Book contains a treasure trove of book-inspired activities. Each book reviewed is put through its paces by Zoe’s children as they use it as a starting point to explore art, culture, science and maths. Zoe also hosts interviews, book recommendations by theme, book charity links and her tweet stream is full of children’s literature news and events. Twitter: @playbythebook
Read It, Daddy
With approximately ten reviews added each week Read It, Daddy hosts an extensive collection without sacrificing quality. Phil covers a breadth of picture and early reading books from the newest published to library finds. There are weekly themes pondering on areas of literacy, and regular press releases from publishers and literacy organisations. If you’re looking for a picture book review, you’ll probably find it here. Twitter: @Readitdaddy
Rhino Reads
Rhino Reads covers books that promote inclusivity and exclude gender stereotyping. Unsurprisingly, I love this blog. Carmen also carefully selects books to take to nurseries in deprived areas actively getting books in the hands of children who don’t have any at home with her Rainbow Library scheme. She’s one of my heroes. Twitter: @carmenhaselup
Story Seekers
Story Seekers is an exploration into starting book-based baby and toddler workshops. Loll shares her musings on starting a business along with sharing books that are great for storytelling sessions. There are also some wonderful nostalgia trips with ‘loft treasures’ and the blog is brimming with ideas and recommendations. Twitter: StoryseekersUK
Story Snug
For tried and tested picture books that have withstood repeated reading, Story Snug is the place to go. Catherine is a teacher and chooses books that have been enjoyed over and over by the children she’s shared them with. The books chosen are not the ones that look shiny from the outside, but they are the true gems. Twitter: @cjfriess
Overdue Books
Written by a family of librarians, Overdue Books explores picture books through themes, activities and wonderful children’s art. Damyanti shares her love of books and libraries with well thought out recommendations. Overdue Books is also home to an extensive list of picture books about libraries. Twitter: @damyantipatel
A Few More Children’s Book Blogs
I’ve concentrated on blogs that primarily review and recommend picture books (and a bit more) but I also thoroughly recommend these wonderful children’s book blogs: Barefoot in Belfast; Barefoot Mum; CApptivated Kids; Did You Ever Stop To Think And Forget To Start Again?; The Little Wooden Horse.
I’d be a bit remiss in my role as a Barefoot Books Ambassador if I didn’t mention the wealth of books that you can only find at Barefoot. From sing-a-longs to story collections; bilingual books to baking; puppets to puzzles, Barefoot Books include everything you need for storytelling sessions, parties, gifts, educational resources and of course snuggling up with a good read.
For me, every week is Children’s Book Week, and I expect this is the same for regular readers. But if you’ve stumbled on this page I hope this has given you a starting block for discovering wonderful children’s books that are as unique and individual as the children who read them.
Disclosure: Barefoot Books links are affiliate links.
Martha and the Bunny Brothers: I Heart Bedtime
Martha and the Bunny Brothers I Heart Bedtime: Clara Vulliamy (HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2013)
Occasionally, when I review books, I look at them almost entirely from an adult perspective. This is usually when the book is so loved by my daughters and me that I feel it really needs some extra attention in the review. This is one of those books.
I Heart Bedtime is the sequel to I Heart School and is just as utterly delicious as the first book. There is a wonderful adult-centric review as to why I Heart School is such a great picture book on the blog Did You Ever Stop to Think…?, which I thoroughly recommend.
For a child-centric reason why both Martha books are wonderful, I offer up the examples of my daughters. Destructo-Girl (almost-four) has slept with a variety of Clara Vulliamy books under her pillow for chunks of the mere fifteen months since we first discovered them. Martha Bunny was a favourite from the moment it arrived a year ago, and DG could find it spine-out on a bookcase at age two. Mighty-Girl (six) is a good reader but currently stuck in the mindset that she can only read banded books, but she has read the entire Martha books to her little sister – and they are fairy verbose books even though they don’t feel it when you’re reading them. Both DG and MG can quote huge sections of the text from either book, and they both relate to almost all of the scenarios. These are picture books for children that children enjoy, but are packed with so much that they are a joy to read over and over again as an adult.
From the very first page, the bright colours and happy smiling bunny entice you to read more, but more than that the links between both I Heart School and I Heart Bedtime are cemented in this first page too. Small children love and need the familiar, the world can be a scary enough place and often children latch on to a familiar toy or comforter. The Martha books understand this need in small children and keep the familiar not only in the situations that children will experience, but in the structure of the book too starting on this first page:
Other similarities are more subtle, but bring the child into the second book with ease once they are familiar with the first book (in whatever order they are read):
I often comment on fonts used in picture books and how I like easy-to-read fonts for early readers. But for some books, the array of fonts used is part of the story. In the Martha books, there is a script font that can be challenging to read but it is used sparsely and for similar words (see examples in images above) so familiarity/guesswork can be used!
On the subject of fonts, and being such a part of the story, I have to share these examples of words (doodling is from I Heart School, and sharks is from I Heart Bedtime). What an absolutely wonderful use of typography in the text:
My final example of book love for the two Martha books is Martha’s clothes. In I Heart School we are shown a selection of Martha’s favourite clothes, and in I Heart Bedtime we are shown her favourite pyjamas. What is absolutely wonderful is that Martha is shown in pyjamas in I Heart School which then appear in I Heart Bedtime, and shown in a dress in I Heart Bedtime that appeared in I Heart School. Just wonderful!
And I haven’t even mentioned that lovely expression Martha has in both the inset pictures above, all because of her bunny brothers! Or that their toothbrushes in I Heart Bedtime are the favourite colours listed in I Heart School. Or that no adult characters appear, all the images are about Martha, Monty, Pip and Paws. Or that my Destructo-Girl copies Pip’s antics regularly including the necessity for strawberry toothpaste…
And really finally, I don’t know about other parents, but I am certainly guilty of this little white lie in order to get children to bed on time:
In this case, Martha is so excited to spend some time with her best babysitter that she starts trying to get her bunny brothers to bed as early as possible. Later in the text, mum says “Now it really IS bedtime, little bunnies,” as they have taken so long coming up with excuses not to go to bed that the time has flown past. There is a delightful scene where Martha, Monty and Pip are shown going up and down the stairs with one excuse or another. Something else that is very familiar in the Chaos household!
There are too many little (and big) familiar moments in I Heart Bedtime that makes it a delight to read. Not only that but the highlight for MG and DG is the Bedtime Bunnies Song. My singing is rubbish but I do try! To listen to the song pop along to www.claras.me.
Martha and the Bunny Brothers: I Heart Bedtime is published on Thursday, 28 March 2013, and I’ll be sharing some bunny-inspired crafting with you then as part of the official blog tour. I can’t wait! 🙂
Disclaimer: We were sent a copy of Martha and the Bunny Brothers: I Heart Bedtime by HarperCollins Children’s Books for review. No other financial reward was given and the opinions are my own. I was not asked to write this post.
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Posted in Detailed Picture Book Commentary, Picture Books
Tagged Bedtime, Children's Books, Clara Vulliamy, HarperCollins Children's Books, Martha and the Bunny Brothers, Martha and the Bunny Brothers: I Heart Bedtime, Picture Books, Reading