World Book Day meant a busy week for me!
I know that sounds very odd but it is quite amazing how long it is
possible to continue the celebrations for and this is also quite a wonderful thing
for it means there can be a build up to the celebration and then a cementing of
all the good it does as a result.
For me World Book Day was a visit to one of my school’s pre-preps and a
morning spent with nursery children watching them parade in their costumes – their
favourite book characters – reading stories, playing with finger puppets to
bring the stories to life, and making character masks. It was all great fun!
It was also a 'Big Book Swap'; children all donated one book in order to
swap for another and to see the pleasure on their faces when they realised not
only would they have freedom of choice but that the book they chose was then
theirs to keep, was just priceless.
So World Book Day, thank you, for helping to create another buzz about
reading and a renewed enthusiasm for the children, one that I hope will stay
with them for the year to come.
I work hard to make sure there is a constant enthusiasm for books and
reading the books that arrive in parcels for me each day of the week certainly help
for the children are constantly curious about what lies within. Being able to share with them, and with you
through this Blog, the magazine and other social media outlets means that I can
cover books from the mainstream publishers as well as those who are
independent. Hence today I bring you
some short reviews of books from Blue Apple press. These are charming, well produced and well-written
books, one is a storybook the others are activity books, I recommend them all
highly, each for a different reason, becoming clear as you read.
The Princess and the Peas and Carrots by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated
by Travis Foster
For children who insist that things must be just so this is the perfect antidote! Rosebud likes things to be just so and she is
incredibly fussy – on the beach sand in her bathing suit means a change of
clothes, snow in the snow boots? A change of shoes and so the story goes on. When one night going to bed becomes a trial a
fairy tale is called for... What will Rosebud learn as a result and will it
make a difference? A funny story with a
strong message and a lovely version of a traditional fairy-tale too!
Doodle tom. A Space Doodle
Odyssey, illustrated by Elsie Gravel
Packed with more than 100 intergalactic drawing games, fun facts and even
space stickers this is a book for the activity loving curious child.
Doodle Tom and Astrocat are on a mission; a space mission. You can go too, with a pencil being all you
need. Start with the spaceship which you
can trace, learn about how to boost in into space, and colour it in before you
then turn over to find out some fascinating facts about flight and balloons the
space race and even space exploration.
Fly out to the planets, learn some amazing facts – did you know for
example that Mercury was the closest planet to the moon or that the Earth moves
at 66,700 miles per hour?
So much to learn and so many things to do ... I for one was captivated
and sad that I had to leave the book for the children to enjoy!
Kokeshi Dolls, illustrated by Jessica Secheret
Ever heard of Kokeshi Dolls? No
nor had I until today ... Originating in Japan 200 years ago they are lucky
charm dolls and nine of them are waiting in this book to be decorated by
you! Each doll has three pages of
associated colouring scenes and there are four pages of stickers to use too!
Red Cat, Blue Cat by Jenni Desmond
Red Cat Blue Cat, two cats, jealous cats.
Helping children to recoginze the pitfalls of jealousy and the importance
of being yourself this is a funny, clever story book for readers to share with
parents or friends and family members.
Cat-lovers will love it, fans of humour will love it, I loved it, I
think you will love it too!
These books are just a few examples of some of the many I receive but I
wanted to share them with you as part of my consideration of world book
day. Remember to come back regularly for
more thoughts on more new books and above all else remember to continue to be
inspired by World Book Day, making each and every day a Book day!
Over the last year there have been a number
of celebrations, celebrations of book birthdays and anniversaries and in 2014
this is set to continue, as we started the year there were anniversaries for a
number of books, some quite young, some much older. Now that we have come to May it is time to
celebrate 75 years of T.S. Eliot’s Mcavity
The Mystery Cat (Faber and Faber)!
Whilst we celebrate the anniversary of
Mcavity we should also take some time to remember those authors who are sadly
no longer with us but whose books continue to inspire, enthral and touch us
with their beauty. One such book that
has inspired and touched me this bank holiday weekend is Jim’s Lion by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Alexis Deacon
(Walker Books). Telling in graphic and
prose the story of a little boy needing a life-saving operation and the power
of dreams this is a modern fable with a dark magic that has been stunningly
captured by Deacon and his pen. I was
moved by the power of the pictures and comforted by the words. This is a winning combination of writing and
drawing that is evocative and important, for children and adults alike. This is a book to comfort those in pain and
fear but to also help us all understand the importance of letting a little
magic into our lives.
