BookBairn

BookBairn has become such a helpful big sister! She is particularly happy to help out now that The Wee Page Turner has a bedtime and gets his bath just before we all cuddle up for story time and bedtime. She just loves helping with his bath - though I'm not entirely convinced that he's as enamored with being drenched!

We recently received a copy of 'Let's Care for Baby' by Geraldine Krasinski and Amy Blay and it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Not a story book, nor a non-fiction text I'd describe this one as a lifestyle or a real-life book. It simply (though, not simply, I'll explain...) shows children how to look after a baby. Over the four pages, children can see different things that babies need like nappy/diaper changes, making up a bottle, feeding them and getting them dressed or ready for bed. Expect, not so simple I said. This book has fifteen movable parts so that little ones can actually practise doing these things. The series is called 'play learn do' and it couldn't be a better description: children learn best when they interact and can have hands-on learning.

Hands-on this book is! You can put the baby's socks on, and cut it's nails, brush its hair and wash it's face, check it's temperature and change it's nappy, get it dressed, clean, fill and feed the baby it's bottle, find it's favourite toy, put it in it's sleep-bag and give it it's dummy. The baby is gender-neutral making it perfect for new siblings and siblings-to-be, especially where parents' haven't found out the gender. The illustrations are also scattered with a few keys words and phrases or instructions but it's more of a book to play with and discover than to read.

I love the colour palette of the book with predominantly complimentary colours of turquoise and orange. The baby is very sweet but not overly detaillled which places the focus on all the objects and things that you can do with the baby rather than what any particular object looks like. I should also mention that it is made of super-thick board making it very sturdy for all that play and rough use that toddlers are known for. We haven't had it very long so I can't say that it is indestructible but it's definitely been thought-out for rough handlers!

This is a perfect books for encouraging hands-on learning and helping children develop a sense of responsibility for younger siblings. BookBairn has had so much fun with this one. She loves that it has a handle and can easily take it from room to room. She loves playing with the baby and putting it's dummy in - something that she is now getting good at in real life too. But her favourite part is definitely giving the baby it's bottle.

If you check out our Instagram link below you will see some of the moving parts in action!

A post shared by BookBairn and Mummy (Kim) (@bookbairn) on Jul 27, 2017 at 11:21am PDT

This is a great book for new big brothers or sisters! And we would highly recommend it. I wish we had had this before The Wee Page Turner was born. But we have it now, and she can practise her big sister skills and learn on the job! If you're expecting a new baby soon you might want to check out some of our other recommendations by clicking here.

Happy book-play learn do!

Mummy, BookBairn and The Wee Page Turner xxx

*DISCLAIMER* I was given our book for free for review purposes, however, all words and opinions are my own.

BookBairn really loves dinosaurs! She's fascinated by their different sizes, shapes and colours. And one of our local bookshops has pocket money toys and she always chooses a new wind-up dinosaur. On a recent day of torrential rain I was crazy enough to brave the weather and go to the shops to get BookBairn new shoes and to spend my book token on something for me. But you won't be surprised that I also picked up something for BookBairn!

I figured it was raining so 1000 stickers wouldn't go wrong! So we chose a dinosaur sticker book to go with the latest in the collection of dinosaurs and then I saw a book I just couldn't resist. We love Campbell books for toddlers - they are bright and brilliant - and I love their 'First Stories' series. And when I saw this book and realised that they have a new series called 'First Explorers' I had to pick it up!

First Explorers: Dinosaurs by Campbell Books with illustrations by Chorkung is a truly fascinating first information book. Each page features several dinosaurs with a short statement about the dinosaurs that are starring on that particular page. It also has bullet points asking questions and adding additional facts in a way similar to non-fiction books aimed at older children do. But one of my favourite parts is that each page has a little 'Can You See?' list with the names of the dinosaurs (meaning I have to use my phonics knowledge and sounding out skills to pronounce!) and a little illustration. It turns the page into a little game.

The illustrations in this series are absolutely brilliant! So colourful! And whilst there are several dinosaurs chosen to feature on each page the illustrations reveal so so much more! The dinosaurs manage to be cute without being cutesy and the sharp teeth and claws are fierce looking without being threatening. The illustrator has found a really good balance. I would certainly look for more work by this illustrator now that I have found the name hidden on the back.

But the part that really gets little ones engaged is the interactive paper mechanisms that they have to push, pull, slide and turn to reveal baby dinosaurs inside their eggs, or long-necked dinosaurs reaching above the treetops, or spinning fish into a dinosaurs open jaws, or (the best part) making T-rex's teeth chop by opening and closing them! BookBairn can't get enough of these mechanisms! She loved them in the First Stories books too. And similarly they are super sturdy and pretty indestructible (depending on how rough your children are but these are pretty strong in comparision to other books of a similar style). My only criticism of these books is that they are only four pages long and I'd love more! But at £4.99 they are such a bargain!*

You can see how much fun BookBairn has with this one in the videos below.

A post shared by BookBairn and Mummy (Kim) (@bookbairn) on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:17am PDT

There is a whole series of books like this - Night Animals, Sea Creatures, In the Jungle, My Body, Brilliant Bugs and Astronauts - and I can see us collecting a few more! I particularly like the sound of Brilliant Bugs and would like My Body as we don't have many books on this topic yet. (Let us know of any good ones that are age-appropriate). I mentioned on my social media accounts recently that there are a lot of good new non-fiction books out for toddlers and preschoolers at the moment and I have promised a blog post sharing these soon. But in the meantime I have collated all the ones I have reviewed in the past under the label 'Fantastic Non-Fiction' and you can find them all by clicking here.

Happy fact-finding little explorers,

Mummy and BookBairn xx

*DISCLAIMER: I shelled out the £4.99 myself!

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.

And wish me luck with the rest of the 'terrible twos'.

Mummy and BookBairn xx

*DISCLAIMER* I was given our book for free for review purposes, however, all words and opinions are my own.

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!

Be careful, there's a monster in this book!

Love Mummy and BookBairn xx

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.

And I find this one so inspiring. I have read it dozens and dozens of times. It strikes a chord with me.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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...

When Kim requested book recommendations for BookBairn or her little brother, I knew instantly the book I would choose; Oh the Places You’ll Go by the formidable Dr Seuss.

I read this book for the first time as an adult. Readers of my own blog 'bonniebridgman' will know that it's a favourite of mine and has helped me during a more challenging part of my life. That's what great books can do. They speak to your soul. Now, many of you may not think that a baby or a toddler will need a book that talks to their soul. All they want is a book that they can put in their mouth and gnaw on or simply just enjoy turning (or ripping in my daughter’s case) the pages. Do they really need an important life lesson so early on?

I think they do. It doesn't hurt to manage expectations and by that I don't mean to tell them everything is all doom and gloom but let them know early on that they won't be able to have every toy they want in the supermarket when you go shopping so please stop having the tantrum that's making all other shoppers stop and glare at you.

When I read the following to my daughter, she gasped, actually gasped.

“Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

But, sadly, it's true

That Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.”

I'm glad she's not encountered much disappointment in her life yet. I don't want her to ever feel sad or insecure or let down but I do know that one day it will happen. I like to think this book will prepare her for it in a small way.

If you've not read this book yet, don't think it's all depressing and hopeless. It's not. It's one of the most uplifting reads I've had the pleasure of sharing with my child. It touches on the different paths we might take in life. It indicates that we have to make things happen and it implies that life involves a lot of waiting. The waiting section is one I think will resonate with a lot of us and starts to educate kids about supermarket, post office and theme park queues!

The ending of this delightful tale is beautiful. It's encouraging and, dare I say it, truly inspirational. I think it gives a lesson that every child and adult should hear.

“you're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So…get on your way!”

So go ahead, make your dreams come true and I hope BookBairn gets to read this one day to her little brother.

Thank you Bonnie! It's quite daunting thinking about the places these two might go in their future. But I'm sure I'll enjoy holding their hands and encouraging them along the way. I think this book really resonates with adults for explaining to children what we want for them and it's magical rhyme and rhythm, as well as illustrations, make it a great read for children. It really appeals to the reader and the listener. I wrote about this one recently too as I thought it summed up well what I wanted for BookBairn's future. If you'd like to read it I'll link the blog post here. I've also started a new collection of blog posts called 'Little Life Lessons' as sometimes books do more than simply entertain us (although good books must always entertain us) they go a little further and try to show us the way the world could be, should be or open our eyes to another's plight, or another's world. You can find the ones I've written blog posts about in the past here and I think The Places You'll Go fits in well with this collection.

That's all from our 'Baby's First Books' series for now as I've published all the contributor posts that I had been sent so far. If you'd like to join in by recommending a book you would recommend for The Wee Page Turner, or a book you think makes a great new baby gift please do send me an email. You can find all the other Baby's First Book posts here.

Hope you have a lovely week, we'll be having a quieter one I think!

Love Mummy, BookBairn and the Wee Page Turner xxx

How to Find Bonnie

Bonnie is a regular Twitter contributor under the username 'BonnieMrsbbh' and you can find her blog here. It's a fabulous record of life and books and also insights into what it's like to write as she keeps a 'writing diary' of sorts.

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

*Some of these books were sent to us by publishers for review and others are ones that we have borrowed from the library or purchased ourselves.

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

We all know that pandas are an endangered species so it's not surprising that the panda in this book finds himself all alone with no friends to play with. He tries to fit in with the flamingos but his stilts make him topple over rather than gracefully dancing like the flamingos. His attempts to bounce like the sifakas (a type of lemur) end in a bumped bahookie. He gets on the wrong side of the peacock when he plucks their feathers in efforts to make himself a magnificent tail. So he plods off in search of some bamboo for dinner and who does he find? Another panda of course! Such a lovely story and the illustrations are adorable. Each page is a shimmery silver making the animals stand out and almost appear to move on the page. Love this one!

Where's the Elephant? by Barroux

This is a brilliant wordless picture book from the fabulous Barroux. If you read our 'Finding Nemo' post you will know that his books are a wonderful introduction to environmental issues for little ones. Elephant (and his friends parrot and snake) are hidden amongst the jungle foliage and as you turn the pages the forest is reduced and reduced as the loggers come and chop down the trees and developers build houses on the land. It becomes easier and easier to spot Elephant, for he has no place to hide. Eventually the only tree left standing is put inside the fencing of a zoo. What will happen to Elephant and his friends? This really is a great way to introduce children to the plight of the rainforest in an approachable way. The illustrations are so adorable and the colours are very vivid. And I like that this one has no words and you can discuss the issues facing Elephant and the rainforest at a level you feel is appropriate for your child. This one is suitable for children of all ages from the littlest toddlers to primary school aged children, who may enjoy telling their own version of the story. Great for reluctant readers too as it's a story they can enjoy without needing to read! Brilliant! And meaningful!

Tiger Tiger by Jonny Lambert

When Old Tiger gets asked to cub-sit for Cub, he's not too impressed. He just wants to have an afternoon snooze (I sympathise!). But little cub has other ideas and wants to explore the jungle and investigate all the world around him and all the animals in it and, of course, like all little ones he wants to play. Old Tiger follows along dutifully and soon his eyes are opened as he sees the wonder of the jungle through little Cub's eyes. The magical thing about this story is the way the colour changes subtly as you turn each page. The initial pages feature illustrations of the jungle that predominantly feature grey-greens and browns and duller colours, but as you read on the colours become more vibrant and vivid. It brings to life the vibrancy and dynamism of the jungle. The back cover describes the book as "a touching celebration of the light and colour little ones can bring to the world." Which sums the story up perfectly. I certainly know that since BookBairn and The Wee Page Turner entered my life it has been turned upside down, become chaotic and full of wonderful wonderful colour. And if I stop to see the world through their eyes I realise how magical it really is. This book has a thing or two to teach us grown ups and it's a great read for little ones too.

Deep in the Forest: A Seek-and-Find Adventure by Josef Anton and Lucie Brunelliere

This is truly one of the most beautiful books that I have ever seen. I adore the illustration! Each page is packed with jungle animals and the flora and fauna of the rainforest. The colours are vivid, striking, intense, brilliant, bright, strong, rich deep... I could go on! Each page takes a different perspective showing the forest from above, delving underground, floating down the rivers, above the tops of the trees, and even a night scene where the eyes of all the creatures are glowing luminously. Seriously they look like the glow in the darkness of the deep purples and blues of the night scene. It really is a work of art. To add to the brilliance of the artwork there are over 50 animals to find which are listed on the back and throughout the text with an animal truly hidden under a flap on each page too. Slightly over-sized and hardback it's definitely one to lay on the floor, stretch out and explore. It's a perfect non-fiction encyclopedia of jungle creatures. It's a brilliant brilliant book. I can only give it the highest of praises!

And I guess I will end it on that wonderful note!

Let's hope my two jungle monkeys like their new room! Happy jungle reading!

Mummy, BookBairn and The Wee Page Turner