Archives

Letters From The Lighthouse by Emma Carroll

Feb9

To Guide The Lost To Safety

Letters From The Lighthouse by Emma Carroll is a wonderful historical children’s novel for ages ten and over. I am considerably older and I really enjoyed it.

The action is set in 1941 beginning in London. Emma Carroll has perfectly captured the Blitz with her full descriptions. I ‘walked’ through the dangerous streets peppered with bombs and fire. The bulldog spirit was very much alive.

The reader follows the action to Devon where the children are evacuated to. Here the fresh air is in direct contrast to London.

Loose lips sink ships. The reader sees the need for secrecy as things are definitely going on behind closed doors.

Continue reading →

Sweet Little Cub by K. S. D’arcy

Feb6

So Very Beautiful

Sweet Little Cub by K. S. D’arcy is a most beautiful book for the under-fives. It is written in rhyme with just four lines to each verse. There is a wonderful sing-song rhythm to each verse that bounces along, even when I read it in my head.

Each verse presents the reader with a choice – do you want to do this? Or that? This provides talking points with our children as they learn that life can be a series of choices.

The whole book is most beautifully illustrated by Zenja Gammer. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul – the little tiger cub certainly draws you in with his big, expressive eyes.

Continue reading →

The Caterpillar And The Butterfly by Michael Rosenblum

Feb3

Step Out In Faith

The Caterpillar And The Butterfly by Michael Rosenblum is a beautiful story for early readers. It has a powerful message about not letting fear rule our lives but to step out in faith and try new things.

The book is perfect to read to young children or for early readers to read themselves.

The message will also help children to know they are not alone with their feelings; we all feel that way. With love and encouragement, they too can bloom.

The style of writing has a friendly feel to it as the caterpillar is encouraged to live life to the full.

Continue reading →

So How Will You Sleep? by Annabel Gardiner

Feb3

Beautiful

So How Will You Sleep?  by Annabel Gardiner is an absolutely beautiful book and just perfect for young children.

Each page explores how different animals’ sleep. With simple rhyme and repetition, it is a book that will encourage children to join in with the words. As older children follow along, the repetition will help them learn to read. Even as I read the book in my head, the words bounced along.

The whole book Is beautifully illustrated by Samantha Thorley. We see each animal asleep but so much more than that is contained within each page – whilst viewing a fox asleep, we see a mole is digging. The illustrations are all starting points for wider discussions with our children about animals and their habitats, and which animals sleep at night and which are nocturnal.

Continue reading →