Making It Up

Read52 with Big by Tim Hopgood and My busy being bella day.

—

by

Jax Blunt
in
A reading challenge from https://liveotherwise.co.uk

We’ve had a couple of lovely picture books sent for review in the last week or two, and we’ve very much enjoyed them.

Big by Tim Hopgood arrived first.

It’s the first story book that Tigerboy has responded to. He loves board books, particularly if they’ve got mirrors in them, but picture books have largely passed him by apart from the odd glance here and there. Something about this one held his attention the whole way through, and he sat on my knee pointing at the pages. Is it the little boy? I’m not sure. He loved the elephant, I know that, there was much excitement on that page. Whatever it is, we’ve read it several times, and he responds to it every time. Which makes me very happy. Smallest enjoys it too, so I’ve been getting to read it most evenings. Getting bigger and older is something she asks about a lot, although she gets confused with tenses and asks about what happened when she was bigger. This book helps by showing the timeline of growing, so perhaps that will help her come to grips with it all.

Then Bella’s back. We love the Big Shouting Day This is all about Bella’s day at nursery. It’s beautifully observed. Bella is a little loud, a little awkward, and a little worried about what she might be missing out on. But everything gets better as her teacher manages her very well. I love the artwork in these, with people of possible shapes, and fantastic expressions, particularly on the adults. But, and it’s only a tiny but, I don’t like the number of these lovely picture books that we seem to need to persuade our very youngest children that it’s OK to go to school and nursery. Oh, I do understand that most children go to these places. And that it’s good to have books explaining what goes on and helping them make sense of it, and not be scared. But I wish we could take a step back as a society and think that maybe if we need to do that much reassuring and explaining, perhaps it’s because children aren’t actually ready and don’t need it?

Just a thought. Probably a bit of a deep thought for a picture book review. I apologise.

And I’m also sorry that there’s no giveaway set up this week. I’m behind in pretty much everything blog related right at the moment, and I’ve got lots of lovely things lined up for you over the next few weeks to celebrate an impending anniversary, and so I’ve nothing set up for right now.

Be lovely if you still comment and join in the linky anyway.

Grab the badge

disclosure: Above book links are affiliate links.

The background: I’ve challenged Big to read 52 books this year. She will probably be mentioning them over here on her blog. I’m also going to have a crack at reading at least 52 books myself, and more importantly, I’m going to keep track of what books I’m reading to the little ones. I’m going to do all of that in a weekly post, and I’ve also set up a google plus community which you’re very welcome to join. (If you need an invitation, leave me a comment using relevant email address – which will stay hidden.)