Tiny Tantrum

She really wasn't about to have a tantrum. *I may have bribed her with gingerbread biscuits.

I hate the phrase 'the terrible twos'. Yes BookBairn sometimes shows signs of those 'terrible two' moments but I don't think it's because she's two that she's acting the way she is. If she's having a tantrum or a mini meltdown it's more than likely because:

1. She's tired. Or over-tired. And, do you know, when I'm tired I get frustrated more easily too. When I'm sleep-deprived thanks to a gorgeous but exhausting newborn baby I sometimes have meltdowns too. I cry. I stamp my feet. I crave comfort and cuddles.

2. She's hangry. One of my worst traits too. Just ask my husband.

3. She's poorly or teething. When I feel unwell I just want to curl up too. And when my wisdom teeth came in I cried in pain too.

4. She can't control her impulses. Now, I'm a bit better at this one. But she is only little and sometimes she will act before she thinks. I must confess sometimes I speak before I think and put my foot in it. So I can sympathise with this one.

5. The big one: she hasn't learned how to cope with those big feelings yet. Sadness, jealousy, loneliness, frustrations, inability to communicate something, even positive emotions like excitement can be overwhelming.

My lovely friend for 'Then there were three' wrote on her blog recently "I'm learning (and accepting) that tears and tantrums are a normal part of toddlerhood as our girl pushes boundaries, and learns to manage big or confusing emotions." And this really struck a chord with me. Little kid, big emotions. And so every time we experience a moment of 'terrible two-ness' I take a deep breath and remind myself: little kid, big emotions.

See she was happy about it!

But it's also part of parenting to help her understand and find coping strategies for these big emotions. And here, of course, I turn to books. There are lots of great books about emotions and you'll find a great list this month from the @kidlitpicks team on Instagram. We are all focussing on 'Little Kids, Big Emotions' this month so I'll hopefully have a round up post for you soon of other books at the start of next month. But here is my choice:

'Tiny Tantrum' by Caroline Crowe with illustrations by Ella Okstad is a brilliant story of a little girl called Tiny Tantrum. Tiny is a happy and smiley toddler when she's getting her way but if you try to tell her to wash her hair, or tidy up of go to bed, she, like many toddlers, goes into meltdown mode. But one day when Tiny is commencing a tantrum after her mum asks her to put on her coat a hairy, purple monster appears. And convinces her that it would be better to put on her coat otherwise she will get a chilly bottom and won't be able to play. (An argument that I'll bet her mum already made.) But a hairy, purple monster is, of course, more persuading and they all head off to the park.  When Tiny is presented with broccoli at dinner time she stamps her feet. Enter a turquoise monster in a chef's apron who does a wiggle and a dance saying that "vegetables taste better when you eat them with a giggle". When Tiny doesn't want to share the trike in the playground another monster appears and shows her that sharing is a good way to make friends. Toothbrushing time: another monster to ease the pain! But when the monsters don't want to go to bed it's Tiny's turn to tame the tantrums! 

This is a great story for toddlers who are learning to deal with temper tantrums or are struggling with sharing and making friends. Tiny is relatable and the monsters help soothe her little soul. I love the fact that the monsters are 'goodies' in this book too! Written in brilliant rhyme this story really rhythmically roles off the tongue, making it a brilliant read aloud story. It's hard not to get swept up in telling this story - even Papa BookBairn tried to put a tune to sing the songs (we haven't yet worked out the best nursery rhyme tune to borrow as we sing but I'll let you know if we do!). The illustrations are truly adorable - the monsters are so cute! And Tiny has a very expressive face which is so essential in a book about coping with emotions. I love the fun and quirky style of the story and the illustrations which match each other perfectly.


I'm not entirely sure this book really helps children understand their emotions but is will certainly help them realise that they are not alone in feeling that firey temper inside them and might help parents with a few more arguments to convince children to put on their coat, brush their teeth, eat their veggies and share. But I think mostly the monsters are a metaphor for distraction. When a tantrum is on the horizon - distract them. Turn them upside down. Make them giggle. Get the bubbles out. Because once they are in meltdown mode, in my experience, their is no reasoning with a toddler. 

Let's hope that the 'terrible twos' isn't a real thing! BookBairn certainly isn't terrible now she is two! She's just occasionally struggling to cope with those big emotions. And that's ok. Sometimes I struggle to. And that's ok too. I'll be there to hold her hand, wipe her tears, soothe the pain and support her in understanding her feelings. And sometimes I'll just stand back and let her get it all out. 

Look out for our 'Little Kids, Big Emotions' round up post in a couple of weeks for more books about helping little ones handle and understand their emotions. 

There's a Monster in Your Book

I have a terrible habit of buying BookBairn little gifts when she is poorly - I'd just do anything to make her feel better and it soothes my guilt that she somehow became poorly in the first place whilst 'under my watch'. I know it's irrational and expensive but I can't help myself. So when I had to trek to a pharmacy half an hours drive from home to pick up the second part of a prescription I couldn't resist a new release book that I just barely needed an excuse to buy.

'There's a Monster in Your Book' by Tom Fletcher and Greg Abbott is my newest discovery in interactive books that really throw children inside the story. In a style similar to the little rabbit series, Bunny Slopes and Tap the Magic Tree, children are encouraged to touch and manipulate the pages of the book to make the story come to life.

There is a little blue monster trapped inside the book and it's your little reader's job to get him out of the book. You have to try shaking, twisting, blowing and shouting at him. But what happens? He runs away, of course. Out of the book, of course. But what does that mean? It means he's in your room, of course. Argh! Little ones don't want a monster in their room. Fortunately it doesn't end there or we'd have a whole generation of toddlers terrified to sleep at night. At first, BookBairn was quite worried about this but we kept reading on with her trusted lion toy cuddled close to her chest. You have to shout for him to come back, and quietly tuck him into bed inside the book. BookBairn then makes us place the book gently in her brother's cot (he's still sleeping in his crib in our room) and tuck a blanket over the book. She really likes this little monster.

And no wonder, he is adorably illustrated! He's blue and wears a black and white striped jumper (making me think of a cartoon criminal!) and he's kinda cute. For a monster. And he's the only thing  of the pages, except a read line to help indicate the movement. But he's a very expressive little monster. (I say he, because the book says 'he' in the text but I don't think it would lose any value if you read 'she' instead - a girl monster could be blue too!)

A post shared by BookBairn and Mummy (Kim) (@bookbairn) on Jul 19, 2017 at 11:47am PDT

This really is a great book for bedtime! And nap time! And well any time really. Such a fun story, it even made our poorly girl smile!

Reading to You

Today I went for a walk with The Wee Page Turner in the pram to pick up BookBairn from nursery. And I cried as I walked along the street. Actual real, pouring down my cheeks tears. And no it wasn't because I was stressed or felt like I was failing as a parent (though these tears have been shed). It's because I was moved by a beautiful piece of poetry.

I've been listening to 'Nobody Told Me' by Hollie McNish on audiobook, and as The Wee Page Turner had drifted off to sleep, I plugged my headphones in and listened to a little more as I wandered. And as she read 'Reading to You' I realised my life has profoundly changed since I had my children. And the best nights of my life have been reading to them.

She begins, "I've had some beautiful nights in my life..."

And I have. I watched the Aurora Borealis on my favourite beach in the world with the love of my life (though I knew this not then). I have danced until my feet hurt. I have wandered through fields in my pyjamas. I have walked home from a concert, in Paris, in the snow in six inch high heels. I have been to the top of the Empire State, the Eiffel Tower. I have listened to live opera on the Spanish Steps in Rome. I wore a white gown and looked up at the stars holding the hand of my new husband.

She continues,

"but sitting here
as the night falls
reading to you"

Bedtime is my favourite part of the day. There's something magical about the twilight. About the lavender smell. About the sound of the lullaby from their mobile. About cuddling in close.

She says,
"and I watch as you sink past that magical gate
turn-point between falling asleep from awake

of all my nights and the stars I've walked through
of all the nights and the parties I've been to
I've no greater night-times than reading to you

till you sleep
open-mouthed
ear on my arm
heart to my heart
with a laugh
as you drift into dreams
and I finish the book
though I know
you're already asleep

I stare at your face
in the still silent room

the best nights of my life
have been reading to you"

The best nights of my life have been reading my children to sleep. Holding them in my arms in the dark as the world sleeps, feeling like the only people in the world awake, and gazing down as their eyes close. And breathing a sigh as their calmness washes over me. A sigh of relief, perhaps, that they are now asleep and I can finally rest. But also a sigh of love. So the best nights of my life are watching you drift off to sleep.

This is just an excerpt of my favourite parts of the poem. Thank you Hollie for such a beautiful poem. I highly recommend her poetry, it's accessible and about topics that I understand. Many of her poems have moved me emotionally. I often re read them over and over again.

Baby's First Books - Bonnie - bonniebridgman

We have been busy busy busy! If you know me, you will know that I like to have something on every day. And since having The Wee Page Turner we took time off from my crazy busy fill the days schedule and spent more time at home. And, honestly, I hated it. I hate being stuck in and around the house all day. Our garden is lovely but majorly lacking in play equipment and garden furniture which I will hopefully be able to rectify soon as we plan on getting some work done on the garden. So this week we have been to nursery twice, the library (of course), our local soft play, a day trip to Edinburgh, our friend's house (the one with the telephone box in the garden!), the garden centre and the hospital. Poor wee BookBairn has tonsilitis and an ear infection and she was truly miserable. Thank goodness we responded quickly and got her antibiotics because the next day she was far perkier again! But I think we might have a slower week this week and it will be back to crafting and sensory boxes at home.

Today I'm handing over to the lovely Bonnie, who I 'met' on Twitter as she's a major picture book fanatic, like myself, and she also writes picture books, which I'm beginning to think about trying myself. She's also a reliable and wonderful member of the #kidlitreaders book club that I started with my lovely friends 'Book Monster Ally' and 'Book Lover Jo'. So we have chatted online a lot. And I feel like I know her. So when she volunteered to write a blog post for us I was delighted! And here it is...

A Bookish Mother's Wish

I was absolutely inspired by Rebecca's (from 'the.bookplate') guest blog post for us when she wrote about her 'bookish mother's wish'. Holding a tiny newborn for the very first time can feel like the most wonderful thing in the world, but it can also place a heavy weight on your shoulders. "How will I raise you? How will I help you reach your dreams? How will I teach you to be a good person? What is a good person?" Ok, hormones are a bit out of whack and things are all a bit cloudy right after the baby is born but it stands true, months later, that I feel responsible for raising two little souls into good, responsible, loving and loved human beings. And of course, like Rebecca, I turn to books to help me do that.

I've started a wee list of 'Little Life Lessons' featuring books that help to share with my children what I want them to be, to believe and to place importance on. But I've decided to also write two blog posts, one to each child, sharing some of the books that will share some of the things I want them to understand and to know and to believe. I've split my list as they share age-appropriate books but also I want to share with them the things I want them to know right now.

As The Wee Page Turner is only 3 months old, there are only a few things he really really needs to know right now. But I still think he can learn some things from the stories we read.

To my darling boy,

You are loved. So much. We love to hold you in our arms and to watch you sleep. We love your cuddles. We love it when you smile at us. We love to see you discover your little hands, your face, our faces, the world around you. In 'Baby, I love You' this is all summed up so wonderfully and as we sing this story to you I hope you can feel all of the above. I just love it when you see your little face in the mirror at the end. Your face lights up as you recognise yourself.

The world is big and you are small. The world is fast and you are small. You are small. But you are getting bigger and fast! You are growing each day in front of our eyes. We enjoy watching you change and grow. Your grandparents visit you regularly and every time the utter the infamous "you're getting so big" and it's true. You are getting so big. When we read 'Me', I hope you will realise that the world is big but you (and your sister) are the biggest thing(s) in our world. You are our whole world.

Our lives changed 'On the Night You Were Born' (well, you were born in the middle of the day but allow me a little poetic license). Our lives changed when you were born. They changed forever. And so the world was changed too. There was a new little life in it. A new little person whose arrival has affected and will affect the lives of everyone you meet. Who wouldn't be moved to smile when they see you smile? Or giggle when you do? Or listen when you squeak your little stories? And you might not change the world in a big way. But you have changed our worlds and we don't want them to change back (though Mummy is looking forward to when we can sleep all night again!).

There's no need to 'Guess How Much I Love You'. I love you as much as a mother loves their child. I love you to the end of the road and back. I love you to the ocean and back. I love you across the world and back. I love you to stars and back. You cannot quantify my love for you. You just can't. It's a lot. And it grows. It grows bigger and further each day. But of all the things in this list of 'bookish mother's wishes', I wish that you know you are loved. And I know you will never know how much until you hold your own bundle in your arms and feel that love grow and grow and grow. Love is magic. It is never ending and it grows.

And it lasts 'Forever'. My life is now intrinsically linked with yours. When you're having fun, I'm having fun too. When you giggle, I'll laugh along with you. When you play, I'll join in too. I will strive to make you happy. If you're scared I'll be right beside you. I will always find you. I will never leave you. Your dreams have become my dreams. And I'll do all I can to make them come true. "Know that deep within my heart I will love you forever." I am forever your mummy and you will forever be my boy.

You already see the wonder in the world where I have forgotten. You are amazed by the sunshine streaming through the leaves of the trees. You adore the water at bathtime dripping on your skin. You watch the shadows move. You stare at your sister as she plays. You already find the joy in the little things. And when you smile you "Pass It On" and I can't help but smile too. I hope you continue to be a postive little person, seeing wonder in the little things. And keep smiling at those things and making me notice them too. Remind me to see the wonder too. I need that.

I have no doubt that your first word will be "dada". Your sister's first word was. And it's no wonder. You have a wonderful dada who loves you so very much. He has huge depths of patience. He makes you laugh and smile. He holds you when you cry. He gently places you in bed when you are asleep. He looks after mama as I hold you in my arms. He held my hand as you were born. He gasped a huge sigh of love the moment he laid eyes on you. He tears himself away from us every day to go to work so we can have our lovely home, and do lovely things, and so I can spend my days with you. He is the best dada you could have. You should say his name first. I don't mind. Dada deserves it.

I love you little chap. I hope you will take these messages on board over the next months and years. And you will enjoy reading these stories. All my love, Mummy xx


I hope you enjoyed reading this post - it's a little different from my usual review posts. But these books share all these wonderful messages and they are all superb stories. With great illustrations. But mostly I wanted to share them with you because I share them with my family.

Thank you for reading, I'll share my 'Bookish Mother's Wish for BookBairn' soon but I need to take the time to select the books carefully.
Kim x

Feel the Jungle Rhythm

If you read our post about 'Where We Read' you will know that BookBairn's nursery got a revamp into a bedroom suitable for two - and of course we had to get rid of the baby pink walls and choose something a little more gender neutral. So we went with one of BookBairn's favourite passions - animals! And having found a beautiful fabric for curtains we now have two little monkeys in their own little jungle. So I thought it would be appropriate to share some of our favourite jungle reads with you!

Baby's First Very Noisy Book: Jungle by Stella Baggott, Josephine Thompson and Anthony Marks

This was given to The Wee Page Turner as a new baby gift but unfortunately he's lucky if he gets to have a look at it! BookBairn loves a noisy book and this is one of the best that we've had. The sounds are lovely and have a little bit of percussion and music behind the animal noises. This means that BookBairn not only enjoys pressing the buttons and saying what animals she can see, she also likes to dance along to the music and is beginning to act out the animal actions: slithering on her tummy like a snake and jumping around like a frog. The illustrations are typical of Usborne books: bright and colourful! The only thing about this book is that it doesn't have any text beyond the animal noises written out in words meaning that it won't necessarily stand the test of time the way that other books do. But for the moment it's great fun for BookBairn and hopefully her little brother enjoys hearing the sounds even if he doesn't get a look at the pages yet!

Safe and Sound by Jean Roussen and Loris Lora

This is a lovely book which mixes story and non-fiction with incredible artwork. Most baby animals need protecting from the world until they are big enough to look after themselves and this book explores the different ways their parents protect them. Little chipmunks stay safe in their underground burrows; bluebird chicks cosy down in their nest; wolves stay protected within their pack; kangaroo joeys travel safely in their mothers' pouch; crocodile hatchlings hide inside their mothers mouth; monkeys ride on their daddies' backs. And of course human children get tucked up in bed! This is a book of wonderful artwork of animals from the treetops of the jungle to the depths of the ocean but I adore it! I would love some of the illustrations as artwork on the wall. This makes a lovely bedtime story about all the animals being tucked in safe and sound!

The Only Lonely Panda by Jonny Lambert

Baby's First Books - Wendy - Homegrown Reader