So said Lemony Snicket about grief, in the very first chapter of A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Heartbreaking, and so, so true, this line always catches in my throat when I read it.
A few months ago, a friend of mine lost their best friend. It was totally unexpected and shattering, as all loss is.
My own words failed me - what is there to say in a time of grief? "I'm sorry", is true but too small for the scale of such loss. "Let me know how I can help", is empty of any real support. And what help is there really anyway? Nothing eases pain like that, except time. And even time can only do so much.
So I did what I always do in times of sadness. I went to the bookstore. But what to buy? Every grown up book fell short or felt too dismissive. Do I choose something off topic as a distraction? Would a book about grief only make it worse?
Bea's beautiful Granny bought her the first in this series, Snail and Turtle Are Friends, that tells the lovely and whimsically illustrated story of a friendship between Snail and Turtle - who have different interests and passions but are the very best of friends anyway.
In this sequel, Snail and Turtle Rainy Days, Turtle wakes up, excited to play in the rain, but soon finds that Snail has hidden away in his shell and won't come out. As rain falls, day after day, Turtle patiently waits, holding an umbrella and building a warm, safe, shelter, to help his friend emerge again.
This is an incredibly sweet and gentle story about friendship and sadness and what it means to support someone - it said everything that my words couldn't. Turtle doesn't try to endlessly cajole snail from his shell with cheery talk but instead waits, patiently standing by his friend's side until he is ready, at last, to face the day.
Although a simple story about friendship, I think this is a beautiful book for anyone that has suffered loss, or who is fighting a battle with depression. It's a sweet book for children too (toddler and up) as a way of exploring sadness and
grief.
Although it doesn't directly talk about loss or great sadness, it
does communicate what it is to feel sad, alone and grey. The ending (though a little abrupt!) is ultimately cheerful and uplifting, a reminder that one day, if not today or even tomorrow, things will seem a little brighter.
Thinking of everyone that knows how grief feels, and sending love and hope (and a Turtle umbrella) today.
A little Zooey to get you through the last of your Christmas shopping
This is it! Our last guide.
And just in time too - can you believe it's two weeks until Christmas? Far and away, my favourite time of year - even better this year as the Bea is old enough to know what's going on! We've been going crazy with the decorations, celebrations and a certain elf on a shelf (who is much more work than expected...).
Anyho, on to the list! Some are recommendations from my (almost) teenage niece, some are recommendations from one of my favourite bookstores and the others are ones that I know and love.
Tweens and teens are tricky book-wise I think - there's so much YA fiction now and it's hard to keep an eye on the kinds of books they're reading. My sister and I were chatting about what books her 12 year old would like this year and there's so many that she wants to read that we're not too sure about. Hunger Games? Divergent? Sure, we loved these series but is she really ready for that level of violence and adult themes? I want to say no, because I still see the tiny baby she was when I look at her, but the bookworm in me says yes - particularly when I remember the scary books I was reading when I was that age (Victor Kelleher's Del Del will haunt me forever).
I guess the point I'm making is that these are the books tweens and teens will want to read - but it's really up to you to consider what they're ready for emotionally. I've flagged themes so you can have an idea of what you're buying (and to spare you the wrath of angry Christmas parents!).
Rainbow Rowell is a real favourite of mine. Her writing is witty, clever, and most importantly real - although it's been a while (only a very short while) since I was a teenager, I remember feeling so many of the emotions and having so many of the thoughts of her protagonists.
Eleanor and Park is Rowell's first novel and tells the story of...well, Eleanor and Park, two outsiders who form an unlikely romance.
Eleanor is a curvy, red-headed sixteen year old who wears all the wrong clothes and comes from the wrong side of town. Park is half-Korean, comes from a loving family and knows how to fit in. When the two meet on the bus on Eleanor's first day of school, love blooms, sparked by their shared love of comic books and 80's mixed tapes.
This is such a moving story - witty, real and heartbreaking - I was weepy by the end. The story involves heavy themes - domestic abuse, body image and bullying - making it best for older teenagers, 15-16 and up.
My niece P (just turned 12) loves these books. From the author of Percy Jackson (also a big hit in my niece's house), this is the story of Magnus Chase, who has been living on the streets of Boston following a terrifying night when his mother told him to run. When his mysterious uncle tracks him down, Magnus learns that there is much more to him than he realised....he is the son of a Norse god.
My niece loves the adventure and mystery of these books - plus my sister informs me that she's now quite the source of information on all things ancient mythology. Handy on trivia nights apparently. There are currently two books in the series, with the third due in March 2017. Good for kids 12 and up who enjoy fantasy and adventure.
John Green is my intellectual crush. I would marry this man, and his writing, in a heartbeat.
I mean. Watch this guy review Twilight and then tell me you're not in love (I apologise for the thumbnail for this clip, there's a whole lot of heaving chest and angsty stares going on here):
Like so many, I discovered John Green through The Fault in Our Stars (thinking about it makes me weepy...and again contemplate the feasibility of changing Bea's name to Gus) and quickly sped through Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, An Abundance of Katherines and Will Grayson,Will Grayson.
Any of these books would be perfect for a teenager 13 and up. The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns are his best known books, thanks to their movie adaptations (Looking for Alaska is still in the works) - so if you're looking for one that teens likely won't have, I'd aim for An Abundance of Katherines and Will Grayson, Will Grayson - both are probably the most light hearted of his novels too.
Be warned, all of these books have heavier themes, particularly Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, which will leave you (I mean, the teen you're buying them for, right?) broken hearted. In that weirdly grateful way.
In the blink of an eye, everyone over 15 has vanished. Soon after, the phones, internet, any connection to the outside world disappears. Soon, all that is left are mutating animals, teenagers who are developing unimaginable powers....and a sinister creature. How will these teenagers survive?
I have yet to read this one, but it comes recommended as a great read for teenagers who love supernatural mystery. Evoking Lord of the Flies (and Stephen King's The Dome among others) this (the first in a series of seven, with the latest book due in 2017) is also a thought provoking novel on what happens when the adults aren't around anymore to call the shots. Suggested for kids 13 and up.
Here it is friends, the next big YA hit. Recommended by one of my favourite bookstores, this sounds like the next Hunger Games or Battle Royale and has already been added to my list of Christmas reads.
An ancient fairy folk, the Sidhe, has vowed revenge upon Ireland, the country that banished them thousands of years before. They take their revenge through the Call - in which every adolescent over the age of 10 will, at some unexpected time, disappear to the Sidhe world where they must fight to survive a single day (three minutes in "real world" time).
Now, Irish children from the age of 10 are trained in survival colleges to prepare them for the Call. Enter Nessa, a 14 year old girl preparing for the Call, against all odds and her own challenges - she has been disabled by polio and can only move around with the use of crutches. Can she make it?
Although aimed at YA audiences, I have it on good authority this novel is a little on the violent and gory side so probably isn't the best idea for squeamish readers or anyone under 14. A sequel is on the way and it wouldn't surprise me to hear of a movie in development!
This book is my favourite YA of the year. A love story to books and bookstores, it tells the story of Rachel who returns to Melbourne and her friend Henry, after tragedy strikes. Henry's family owns a second hand bookstore, Howling Books, and through it's books and it's readers, we learn more about Rachel and Henry and about love, loss and grief.
This is such a beautiful story - I couldn't put it down. The love of books and language leaks from every page and so in love was I with the idea of the Letters Section of Howling Books, where readers leave letters to each other in the pages of books, that I've now gone back to dog-earing my favourite passages in books, as a way of passing on my own story to the people who read after me.
"Before
you say it words do matter. They're not pointless. If they were
pointless then they couldn't start revolutions and they wouldn't change
history and they wouldn't be the things that you think about every night
before you sleep. If they were just words we wouldn't listen to songs,
we wouldn't beg to be read to when we're kids...If they
were just words then people wouldn't fall in love because of them, stop
aching because of them..."
I recommend Words in Deep Blue for teens 16 and up (and I recommend that you add it to your own Christmas wishlist!)
I hope this has helped with last minute shopping for those (sometimes terrible but mostly wonderful) teens. Wishing you all a very Merry (and Bookwormy) Christmas!
Perfect for: Ages: 3-6 Occasions: school/dance/preschool performances, shyness, anxiety
It will come as a surprise to no one, that I am a socially awkward person. I've always been shy, sometimes painfully so, and though I'm now pretty good at hiding it, it can take me days to recover from a party with strangers (the thought of professional networking gives me hives).
I sometimes see shadows of this part of myself in the Bea. Funny and bold with friends, she'll turn quiet and pensive in a crowd. Confident playing at home, but suddenly needing to remind herself that "Mummy always comes back". She watches, and takes her time, which is something that I love about her.
The Underwater Parade is a beautiful exploration of what it feels like to experience social anxiety, shyness and introversion. To be afraid of something that seems so small to everyone else. To feel that as much as you aspire to be otherwise, the challenge of being the life of the party, noticed in a crowd or BIG feels insurmountable.
The Underwater Parade tells the story of Alfie who, the night before the big Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade, gets that feeling. It's the same feeling he had before a friend's birthday party, when he had to ask his Mum to turn the car around. It isn't a nice feeling.
Alfie wants to be brave enough to be Captain Starfish, but he doesn't know if he can be.
What I loved most about this story, apart from the way it so perfectly captures the fears and worries of sensitive children, is the calm understanding and patience of the parents. Sure, they encourage Alfie along, but ultimately they accept him. They realise that his fears are real, even if they seem small in a grown up world. One day he will be brave enough, but it won't be today. He is loved, just as he is.
There's also a realness to this story. No heroism, no miraculous pep talk that leads to him conquering the show. And that, I think, would be a comfort to an anxious child. They're not alone - here is someone that feels like them. And they don't have to be a hero or experience a miraculous recovery from feeling the way they do. It's okay to be shy and nervous. It's okay not to do the thing that makes you worried. It's okay to be who you are.
This is the perfect story for an anxious little person in your life, especially in peak school and Christmas time performance season. The illustrations are incredibly beautiful and the narration is soothing and reassuring. It won't make the anxiousness vanish but it might make sensitive souls feel a little more understood which, I think, is infinitely more important.
We can't all be Captain Starfish in the school play. And that's okay (the world has plenty of Captains anyway).
Welcome to our second last Gift Guide! I kept a certain three nieces up long past their bedtime for this list, but I'm sure we can all agree it was totally worth it (right kids?)
Here are ten (yes ten!) of this year's must have books for kids aged 8-11.
"Just Crazy! Yes! Add that to the list!"exclaims Miss A.
"JUST NO!" yells my sister.
And thus begins the most hotly debated book of our guide. Just Crazy, by Andy Griffiths (of Treehouse fame) is apparently the most popular book in Year 3. I can't tell you that much about it, because Miss A was laughing too hard to communicate with actual words, but I get the impression it's a collection of gross and funny stories ("and then he falls in the sewer!") that have kids in hysterics and parents grossed out. There's a whole series of them to "enjoy", including Just Doomed, Just Tricking and Just Stupid (among many, many others). My sister feels that I should warn all parents that sitting through them is painful (I'm pretty sure she used the word "horrifying"). In other words, it's the perfect present for other people's kids.
'My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.'
Wonder tells the story of August (Auggie), who has a terrible facial deformity and, after 10 years of homeschooling, enters real school. All he wants is to be accepted, normal and ordinary but is that possible when the first thing that people notice is how you look? Very sad, moving and ultimately uplifting, this was a favourite of Miss M (10 years old).
This is a beautiful story of friendship, bravery and hope and for encouraging compassion and empathy. Miss M loved that each part of the book told the story from a different person's perspective so that you can understand where each person is coming from and how they see the world. In her words: "It makes you think and after reading it I'll never look at a disabled person the same way."
I've been a big fan of Lemony (aka Daniel Handler) for years now (“Wicked people never have time for reading. It's one of the reasons for their wickedness.” how could I not love this man?). About a year ago I attended a talk of his, which was brilliant, and
one of many things he said that stood out for me was how we try to hide
the darkness of the world from children but that they're much more
aware, and capable, than we give them credit for. Enter A Series of Unfortunate Events.
My 10 year old niece S discovered these books after watching the movie a few months ago. Incredibly gloomy, and darkly funny, the series tells the stories of the Baudelaire orphans - Violet, Klaus and Sunny - who are placed in the care of their evil Uncle Olaf after their parents tragically pass away. Over the course of 13 books, the Baudelaire orphans continue to evade the evil Olaf (who is after their inheritance) and along the way discover a secret society known as the V.F.D.
This isn't a happy series (the first page is very clear about this) but kids will love witnessing the orphans outsmart Olaf again and again by using their smarts (and Baby Sunny's incredible bite). It's exciting and mysterious and pretty fun (tragic storyline aside).
My niece M and I have an ongoing debate, which she likes to raise every time I visit. Who is the best Dr. Who? I stand by my assessment that David Tennant is the true stand out and that Peter Capaldi is the worst. I think she's with me on David Tennant (though she's a fan of Matt Smith's fez) but frankly, we'll just have to agree to disagree on Peter Capaldi (once and for all M, as the one with the blog on the interwebs, he is the worst).
What we do agree on however, is that fantasy stories are the greatest. There's no better escape from the real world and the possibilities are limitless. So, the moment I read the first page of Howl's Moving Castle, I knew I was on to a winner for this kid's Christmas present.
Sophie is the eldest of three daughters and, after attracting the ire of the Witch of the Waste, finds herself transformed into an old lady. Her only hope of returning to her true self lies in the ever moving Wizard Howl's castle. Along the way she discovers there's much more to Howl, and herself, than she thought.
This is such a great book - the first in a trilogy - and is a particularly great one for girls as it features a strong, feminist lead. Boys will love the adventure of it as well - it's a great present for kids 10 and up who love fantasy and adventure (and Dr. Who. But not the Peter Capaldi Dr. Who). 5. A most magical girl by Karen Foxlee
When finding a new book, I have a simple criteria. The first line, and the cover. This book passed both with flying colours.
Annabel Grey, a young, proper lady in Victorian England, discovers - to her horror - that she is magical. When her mother disappears and she's left in the care of two aunts, she is caught in a quest to rescue the Moreover Wand from London's dangerous underworld. Annabel teams up with a young witch, Kitty, to defeat dragons and trolls to save the city. This is a great story, fast-paced and beautifully written, best suited for kids aged 10 and up.
I picked this one up at our favourite book store the other week and almost brought it home, until Howl's Moving Castle jumped out at me. Still - this would be a great one for kids from 9-11!
The Potion Diaries tells the story of Samantha (Sam) Kemi, and her quest to find a cure for the Princess of Nova, who has fallen head over heels in love with her own reflection as a result of a love potion gone awry. Can Sam perfect her alchemy, compete with the best of the best, negotiate a romance with an arch nemesis and find the cure to restore her family's reputation? Easy, right?
This is a quirky, fun adventure and one that teaches the value of hard work and overcoming challenges. If you were looking for a series, the the sequel to Potion Diaries - Potion Diaries, The Royal Tour - was released in August 2016.
This was in the pile of books that M presented to me for this Gift Guide. I was so excited to see it in her list of favourites as it was always such a favourite of mine. I mean, who doesn't love this story?!
"As you wish". "My name in Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die"
And the most beloved: “I've been saying it so long to you, you just wouldn't listen. Every
time you said 'Farm Boy do this' you thought I was answering 'As you
wish' but that's only because you were hearing wrong. 'I love you' was
what it was, but you never heard.”
It's the perfect mix of adventure, action, mystery, comedy and friendship (ok, ok, with a little romance thrown in) - I think it's a must have for all the adventure seekers from nine and up. 8. The land of stories by Chris Colfer
Remember this guy? Actor, Golden Globe winner, singer and Emmy nominee?
Well now he's writing novels. Frankly I think it's outrageous unfair - my theory is that everyone should have only one talent so that there's enough to go around. ONLY ONE, CHRIS COLFER!
Anyway. Fairness aside, these books are great. Recommended by a friend at work, who's just turned ten year old adores them, they're full of adventure, a little darkness and mystery and turn the Happily Ever After trope in it's head.
The Land of Stories tells the story of twins, Alex and Connor, who on their twelfth birthday receive a mysterious book from their Grandmother - The Land of Stories. When Alex falls into the book, and Conner swiftly follows her, they find themselves in a mysterious world full of their favourite fairytales...but not quite as they imagined. Goldilocks is on the run from the law and the Evil Queen (who might not be as evil as she seemed) has escaped prison.
There are five books currently in the series - great for readers eight years and up!
Here's the skinny on this one according to M: Friday Barnes is a girl who was born on Thursday, but her parents named her Friday because they couldn't remember when she was born. After solving a local mystery she wins a bajillion dollars and enrols in High Crest Academy. Strange things start happening there and the books are all about how she solves different mysteries.
M started reading this series (there are currently six books) when she was nine and says they're great because Friday is funny, has great friends and uses her smarts to get out of trouble. The Principal never believes her but she always gets to the bottom of the case one way or another. This modern day Nancy Drew with attitude would be great for kids nine and up.
My niece A is a huge history buff. I remember feeling this way too - understanding where we came from and how we got here - the sacrifices made by grandparents and great grandparents. The My Story series is fantastic for kids who are interested in history and want to relate to the people who lived through years gone by.
Codename Celine tells the story of a young girl in WWII who goes undercover to help the resistance. A loved this story as it gave an insight into things that happened in the war, by telling the story from the perspective of a girl just like her. She said that it was nerve-wracking to see how she kept her cover and sad, because so many people lost their lives in the war. She recommends this for history lovers aged ten and up.
The Bea and I had the most wonderful weekend away with family - birthdays, Gilmore Girls, decorating the Christmas tree and a quick viewing of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (I could give this a post of it's own, I loved it so much!) - but!
I can assure you, it wasn't all fun my friends, I was determined to put in the hard work for all of you and mercilessly hassled my nieces (5-12) for their best book recommendations. Here's what they're reading now, and hoping for from Santa.
From the geniuses behind Rosie Revere, Engineer (read our review here) comes Ada Twist, Scientist - the next must have on every kid's bookshelf. This book is so full of heart - you'll be cheering for our hero from the get go. Ada Marie is a super curious little girl, who just can't stop asking why, what, how and when (by bedtime she comes back to why once again!). When she encounters a mystery smell one day, ("Zowie! What is the cause of that terrible stinking?!") she just has to get to the bottom of it - even if it means ruining dinner and (almost) the cat.
Andrea Beaty continues the tradition of naming her heroes after amazing real life world-changers - Ada Marie is named for the incredible female scientists, Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie. This story is great for little girls, to inspire their curiosity and love of science, and for boys too, to learn more about the female scientists who have changed our world. A friend also mentioned to me that it would be great for kids with Aspergers as Ada displays many characteristics in common with them. I personally love the bonds of family:
"They watched their young daughter and sighed as they did,
"Well, it was like this". And so begins the many (32!) amazing tales of Tashi, the little boy from very far away, sold by a warlord but saved by a swan. Tashi came to me via my now eight year old niece, who has loved this series since she was about six and a half. Miss A tells me that she loves these books because they're funny and because she loves seeing how Tashi will escape his next near disaster, always through outsmarting the baddies and "using his brains". He's funny and clever (and his best friend Jack is pretty cool too. Not so much Jack's Dad who always asks the wrong questions!).
Oh man. This one makes me laugh just thinking about it. I bought this for my niece when she turned five - great for the dance lovers in your family or really anyone that gets a giggle out of underwear humour (everyone, right?).
Ballet Cat loves to dance with her friend Bear and can't understand why, oh why, he keeps coming up with excuses not to boogey! All is revealed in the final pages...quite literally.
Cute illustrations, a cat with attitude and some extremely honest friends - what's not to love? It's a great giggle for 5-6 year olds and their parents.
Is she gone? Good! This is the book that I picked up for her for Christmas! Best for kids seven and up, who love fantasy and adventure, this is the story of Hilda, who lives with her mother and deerfox, Twig. In this, the first of Hilda's adventures, she meets a mysterious Wood Man and a rock. Shaped suspicously like a troll...
The Hilda series are graphic novels, which will appeal to kids who aren't the biggest fans of longer chapter books. The author, Luke Pearson, was also a storyboard artist on Adventure Time - fans of the cartoon might recognise his work. Look for others in the series - our favourite booksellers at The Younger Sun suggested that Hilda and the Midnight Giant is a great read too! 5. Smart about Sharks by Owen Davey
Full disclosure - I am crazy about sharks. Loves of my life if I'm honest (in addition to the Bea and Harry Potter, of course). Perfect for the ocean lover in your life, this illustrated guide to sharks is divine and bursting with information about these amazing creatures. Younger ones will need some help getting through the text, however the illustrations are awesome and do most of the explaining so I think kids from six would love this.
Informative and beautiful, and perfectly timed to combat the "maneater" messages we get on our televisions every summer, I love that it encourages passion about these amazing creatures and understanding about their importance and beauty.
Julia Donaldson is a genius. We adore all of her books in our house, especially Snail and the Whale, Room on the Broom, Gruffalo and Paper Dolls (which will have it's own special post soon!). The downside of her popularity of course is that it makes these books really hard to buy as presents - chances are the little people in your lives will have them already. So, may I present, for all kids five and up, ZOG!
Not as well known as the others but just as brilliant, Zog tells the story of a dragon, his years at dragon school and his blossoming friendship with a helpful and brave girl who is always there to help him when his dragon lessons go wrong. One day, Zog discovers something surprising about his new friend - she's the Princess Pearl! But does she really want to be a Princess? Kidnapped and rescued and wearing frilly dresses? This book is brilliant for turning traditional gender roles on their heads (for both girls and boys) and the rhyming language packs the usual Donaldson charm. Keep and eye out for the sequel - Zog and the Flying Doctors!
Remember how I'm not such a fan of Princesses? Well. That still stands BUT my niece (at five, a firm Princess fan) insisted that The Princess in Black join our gift list as a book that boys and girls will like.
Princess Magnolia is no ordinary Princess. Sure, she enjoys wearing fancy dresses and sipping hot chocolate but when that monster alarm sounds - watch out! She transforms into Princess Black - a superhero who, with her trusty unicorn, specialises in defeating monsters!
Funny and packed with adventure, this series offers respite from the usual princess story. Princess Magnolia is tough and brave but also enjoys the finer frilly things in life. After all, why can't a girl try everything?
Happy reading bookworms - hope your Tuesday (and your Christmas shopping!) brings you the kind of joy that can only be felt on the first page of a new favourite book.
I think this age group is my favourite to find stories for. You're over the board (bored, amirite?) book phase and can get into the more exciting, imaginative and hilarious stories. Here's just a few of the best for this Christmas: 1. They All Saw a Cat, by Brendan Wenzel
“The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . .”And on that walk passed by a bee, a child, a dog, a fish, a fox, a snake and a bat. What did they see?
This is a great little story about perspective
(with a little science thrown in) and how, while everyone saw the same cat, they all
saw and felt very differently. Eyecatching and engaging, I'd suggest this one for
the animal lovers, two and up.
This is one of my personal favourites (how could you not love a turtle wearing glasses?)!
After enjoying an quick dip in the ocean, poor Hector discovers that his beloved shell is missing (a turtle swimming
without his shell? Totally logical)! He knows his Mum and Dad will be so mad if he comes home without it and so, he sets out on an adventure to find a new one.
There's something hilarious about the language and sentence structure of this one "He started to suspect foul play. Among other things" and the lesson that Hector takes from the whole adventure is brilliant. Parents and kids (two and up) will love this one!
Thelma the pony longs to be special. One day, through the serendipitous combination of a carrot and a paint and glitter spill, all of her dreams come true! Or do they? This is a very sweet and funny story about loving who you are (with a nod to the perils of fame and the fickleness of fans).
Another Aaron Blabey hit, it's
the illustrations that really make this one for me. Keep an eye out in your friendly bookstore for the boxed version which comes with it's very own Thelma! For the performer in
your life, aged four and up. 4. Miss Hazeltine's Home for Shy and Fearful Cats, by Alicia Potter
For the cat lovers out there! When Miss Hazeltine opened her home for Shy and Fearful Cats, she wasn't sure if anyone would come. But come they did. This is
a sweet, gentle story about shy cats and how their beloved Miss Hazeltine
teaches them to be brave. "To arch their backs, to hold their tails high!"
But will they be able to summon their courage when Miss Hazeltine needs them most? Even if they haven't yet had the lesson on "What to Do When The Lady You Love Goes Missing?"
This is one of Bea's favourite bedtime stories - a beautiful story about facing your fears and finding the people who are worth being brave for.
"Aliens love underpants in every shape and size!" My niece insisted this one join the
list because it is universally acknowledged by all children that underpants are hilarious. I asked what age she thought would be best and she wisely suggested age two and up because
they "might be toilet training and need a little encouragement". Watch out for others in the series: Aliens Love Panta Claus and Aliens love Dinopants. 6. Piranhas don't eat bananas, by Aaron Blabey
They eat bums! Aaron Blabey is getting
a little over-represented around here but this book is in Bea's parcel
this year so I had to include it. Brian is a piranha that eats fruit and tries,
mostly unsuccessfully, to encourage his friends to enjoy the same. Hilarious
illustrations and a bit of butt humour which, let's face it, is irresistible for
the cheeky littles (and bigs!) among us. 7. I like myself!, by Karen Beaumont
"I like myself, I'm glad I'm me, there's
no one else I'd rather be!" This book is such a glorious celebration of
loving yourself and embracing everything that makes you, you (no matter
what they do or say!). With a plucky young heroine and engaging rhyme, it's a great one for slightly bigger kids aged four and up heading off to the scary world of preschool or big school.
Bear has lost his hat and he wants it back. It's red and pointy...similar to the one that Rabbit was wearing...wait a minute! The deadpan writing and expressions (or lack thereof) on the animals faces are classic. This is definitely one that parents and kids 3 and up will love.
The humour is a little dark so it's probably not the best choice for any super sensitive souls (spoiler: things don't end too well for Rabbit). Keep an eye out for the other two books in the Hat trilogy, including the just released "We Found a Hat"!
Phew! This Gift Guide business is seriously
hard work. Not because it's hard to find great books but because there
are waaay too many to choose from. I've tried to narrow the list as best
as I could, which unfortunately means some of our favourites have missed
the cut. I'd love to hear about any others on your list in the comments! The Book and the Bea x
