• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Making It Up

as we go along

  • Home education: facts and contacts.
  • About me/contact.
    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate links and disclosure policy.
    • Read52 – the challenge and the books.
  • Cookie Policy (UK)

Jon Klassen

300 Picture books week 2.

13th January 2014 by Jax Blunt 6 Comments

300in2014

Continuing our attempt to meet the 300 Picture book challenge. We’re on track so far.

Our first Judith Kerr of the year. It’s not a Mog book (boo) but it does have a very Mog looking cat in it. When Willy went to the wedding. It’s not his fault, honestly.

Two ladybird books today, first being a Read it yourself, Sly Fox and Red Hen (mild peril, cartoon violence, threatening language), Forgetful little fireman – bonus points for being short, annoyance point is that the Fire Brigade doesn’t search for lost pets.

I want my hat back was in the massive pile of books I won on one day last year. Or at least, they all arrived on one day – I think I won them over several. This is a great picture book, very sardonic in tone – watch out for the rabbit.

the kiss that missedFriday – two library picture books. A lovely bedtime story from David Melling, the kiss that missed. I adore the breaking of the fourth wall picture of the knight. And My Gumpy’s outing, a classic I first read to Big a decade ago. Adore the pictures.

Saturday two more from the library. Box of tricks from Katie Cleminson which is a visual feast and Zoe’s Christmas List, which is from the Inkpen team of Mick and Chloe. It differs from the usual Mick Inkpen books, apparently Chloe is the illustrator here, and the style is very much her own.

Sunday, the last two library books. Your emotions: I feel angry is very child self help, and not very re readable. But Darkness slipped in is wonderful.

We need another library trip. I’d have gone today but our library opens Sunday and closes Monday. Might try to get there tomorrow.

Along with the reviews, we did a makeover on Shingle Street. Do let me know what you think of the new look.

So, our numeric tally. 16 picture books read 6/300 (5%)

Books bought – 0.

Books disposed of. 0

Library books borrowed – 0 ((11 cumulative)

I don’t think that Small has done any reading this week, I’ll have to poke him later.

Tweet

Filed Under: Book club, It's where it is Tagged With: 300PBs, david melling, Inkpen, Jon Klassen, Katie Cleminson, library

Read 52: George, Ducks, Dragons and Bears

6th September 2013 by Jax Blunt Leave a Comment

A reading challenge from https://liveotherwise.co.uk/makingitup

I was fortunate, a little while ago, to win the entire short list to this year’s Kate greenaway and Carnegie medals (I think that’s the right set of awards) from Mumsnet bookclub on twitter which meant we got a fabulous set of parcels with 8 picture books and 8 chapter books, including a signed copy of Black Dog, one of the two medal winners.

CKG13 book prizes

So oddly enough, we’ve been reading picture books this week.

Oh no George by Chris Haughton reminds me of Joyce Grenfell (If you don’t know George, Don’t do that you really should.) It’s lovely and simple, a story of a dog and temptation, and amazes me how much expression can come across in such simple drawings of eyes. And I don’t blame George on the cake one little bit, I hope the chocolate didn’t make him ill! Tigerboy enjoys this one – he loves animals, particularly cats, and he waits for the page with the cat ever so patiently so that he can miaow at it 🙂

icon

icon

I want my hat, a book about a bear who has lost his hat is also marvellously simple, and I enjoy the use of colour in the text. The repetition allows Smallest to join in, and she does, although I think some of the humour goes over her head a little. And again, the eyes are absolutely wonderful. The dialogue reminds me a lot of my children, although I don’t think any of them has ever eaten a rabbit that they shouldn’t have 😉 It’s entirely possible that they may have worn someone else’s hat though.

icon

icon

Just Ducks is another popular one here; Smallest is a big fan of birds. She enjoys both the story and the factual aspects and it’s quite nicely done, weaving the two strands together. You could read just one or the other, although I am usually required to read all words on every page. I do have one bugbear though and that is that it seems to imply it’s alright to give ducks bread. I’d understood that that was wrong as it makes them feel full when it’s not very nutritious for them. Something I need to clarify, and will be doing.

And finally, King Jack and the dragon. I like this book very much for itself. Love the rhyming language and the clever images of the four footed beast. And the children like it lots too, particularly getting the chance to roar at fearsome creatures. It’s the one that Small picks up if he’s going to read to his brother, or that Tigerboy fetches if he’s asked for a book to read. And I don’t think any of them notice that it’s multi racial, and isn’t that the way it should be? That all children are represented, and none are pigeonholed, or stereotyped, wedged into roles that don’t fit them, or corralled by society’s expectations?

Disclosure: Book links lead to Hive, and are affiliate links. You can support your local independent bookshop and me. Other online bookshops are available 😉

What have you all been reading this week? Stick a post in the linky if you’ve something to share, and feel free to use the button if you’d like to.

Tweet

Filed Under: It's where it is Tagged With: Chris Haughton, CKG13, I want my hat back, Jon Klassen, Just Ducks, King Jack and the Dragon, Mumsnet bookclub, Oh no George

Primary Sidebar

This site contains affiliate links.

Archives

Categories

Affiliate search on bookshop

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Lifestyle Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Manage Cookie Consent
We use cookies to optimise our website and our service.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Preferences
{title} {title} {title}