I grew up with my nose buried deep inside a book. My mum would often joke that we'd have to call an excavator to get me out of there. In hindsight, it did seem to me that I'd looked up from a book one day and discovered I had sort of elongated.
While I continued to chomp my way through age appropriate reading over the years, I never really gave up on my first love, stuck as I was in a Peter Pan sort of way to children's books. There is something fascinating about writers who write for children. Are they accomplished psychologists who can delve deep into a child's mind and shape the ideas there? Or are they children amusing themselves and believing in the story almost as much as the audience it is intended for? No matter.
I love all books, but I love children's books most of all.
Oh I just checked the title of this blog. What Kids Want. Well, what I think they want is a jolly good read. Nothing too clever, no hidden lesson, just another world to lose themselves in when it all gets too crazy in this one. And that's the whole of it.
My blog is for Mommies who want to know what book to pick up next to satisfy that insatiable cry of "Read, Mamma! Read!" that I hear ever so often. I read to my child all the time. At bedtime. At lunchtime. On a trip. In the loo. Everywhere. She is a book fiend. She refuses to learn to read because she thinks that might stop my reading to her. Silly thing. Little does she know I secretly enjoy it more than she does. Its not, therefore, about how soon your child starts to read, or how many books she wants to read. Its about a parallel universe you'll open the door to. I've opened that door a crack for my child. I'd also like to believe I've opened it a tad for other children as well. I'm the book auntie. The one that never, ever gifts you everything else.
So here are my recos if you want to start them young. And this one tops my list.
Julia Donaldson. Everything she's ever written or will write is a must read. My personal favourites are the books illustrated by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. I love that these books appeal to boys and girls equally. Too much gender typing starts too early anyway. Get "The Gruffalo", a delightful story about a fictitious monster who's well, not that fictitious after all and a clever mouse who avoids getting eaten in this book and in its sequel - "The Gruffalo's Child", both perhaps among the finest books ever written for kids. Just when you're getting into the rhyme of the thing, reach for "The Room on the Broom" and get onto an adventure on a broomstick with a real witch. "Tiddler" - a fish that tells tall tales is another must have. I love the generous "Smartest Giant in Town", and "Monkey Puzzle" is the best biology lesson you'll ever get! "Stick Man" is the adventure of your life!
Read them, Gift them, Love them, whatever.
While I continued to chomp my way through age appropriate reading over the years, I never really gave up on my first love, stuck as I was in a Peter Pan sort of way to children's books. There is something fascinating about writers who write for children. Are they accomplished psychologists who can delve deep into a child's mind and shape the ideas there? Or are they children amusing themselves and believing in the story almost as much as the audience it is intended for? No matter.
I love all books, but I love children's books most of all.
Oh I just checked the title of this blog. What Kids Want. Well, what I think they want is a jolly good read. Nothing too clever, no hidden lesson, just another world to lose themselves in when it all gets too crazy in this one. And that's the whole of it.
My blog is for Mommies who want to know what book to pick up next to satisfy that insatiable cry of "Read, Mamma! Read!" that I hear ever so often. I read to my child all the time. At bedtime. At lunchtime. On a trip. In the loo. Everywhere. She is a book fiend. She refuses to learn to read because she thinks that might stop my reading to her. Silly thing. Little does she know I secretly enjoy it more than she does. Its not, therefore, about how soon your child starts to read, or how many books she wants to read. Its about a parallel universe you'll open the door to. I've opened that door a crack for my child. I'd also like to believe I've opened it a tad for other children as well. I'm the book auntie. The one that never, ever gifts you everything else.
So here are my recos if you want to start them young. And this one tops my list.
Julia Donaldson. Everything she's ever written or will write is a must read. My personal favourites are the books illustrated by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. I love that these books appeal to boys and girls equally. Too much gender typing starts too early anyway. Get "The Gruffalo", a delightful story about a fictitious monster who's well, not that fictitious after all and a clever mouse who avoids getting eaten in this book and in its sequel - "The Gruffalo's Child", both perhaps among the finest books ever written for kids. Just when you're getting into the rhyme of the thing, reach for "The Room on the Broom" and get onto an adventure on a broomstick with a real witch. "Tiddler" - a fish that tells tall tales is another must have. I love the generous "Smartest Giant in Town", and "Monkey Puzzle" is the best biology lesson you'll ever get! "Stick Man" is the adventure of your life!
Read them, Gift them, Love them, whatever.
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