A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer

Half term at our house has finally finished, London temperatures are starting to rise and I'm back with a fresh treasure trove of books for you. Over the break we had a very special visit from one of E's older cousins.  There was lots of playing with trains, piano and puzzles and more than one tussle over books and balloons. One book was a particularly contentious little number,  A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer with illustrations from the famed P. D. Eastman.

I remember this book vividly from my childhood and added it to E's collection sometime when he was first born. We started reading it when he was about 2+ years old and yes, the fish book, is still a popular choice. E's ever changing infatuations seem to breath new life into familiar titles and this time it's the fire truck scene that he waits for each read.

Otto is a seemingly innocent little goldfish that our young narrator purchases from one Mr Carp. Warnings not to overfeed him go unheeded and Otto soon grows out of his bowl, not stopping until he's bigger than the town pool. It's a wild frenzy of activity that takes places moments after Otto finishes his last nibble of food. He grows out of his bowl and is transferred to a vase, he grows out of the vase with alarming speed and is transferred to a giant pot. There's no rest for the wicked, however, and Otto is almost immediately too big for the pot. He's finally hoisted up by a fire engine in a final mad dash to get him to water and the last resort is the town pool. He's still growing though so Mr Carp is called in to save the day. He jumps in the pool and all we can see is the swirling, swooshing water and Otto's bright orange tail as it disappears beneath the waves. Finally, Mr Carp emerges, triumphant, with a gold fish bowl and Otto returned to his original size.

Originally published in 1961, this is a great story of a fantastical series of events that really gets children engaged. 'Look at that great big fish mommy!' is E's typical outburst when we get to the pool scene. The illustrations are detailed and effective, using a limited palette that makes Otto's bright orange stand out page after page. Otto's expressions are a study in the stages of worry and surprise and do much to bring him to life. This book was reissued more recently as an 'I Can Read It All By Myself' book and in my house it was haggled over by both a 3 year old and a 6 year. I can't help but feel as though E is a bit like my own little Otto, growing out of each pair of shoes, pj's and trousers almost faster than I can keep up!

a collection of books from Anthony Browne

I'm more than a little late to the game when it comes to Anthony Browne. I wish I'd learned about him decades ago but I've at least cottoned on to his books while E is still 'of age'. My introduction to his work is mostly based on my local library and charity shop availability, however, I've enjoyed learning about his impressive body of work while researching for this post. What a national treasure he is for the Brits!

A few things you need to know about Anthony Browne: he's an internationally celebrated author/illustrator, his text is simple but injected with irony and emotion, he loves gorillas (really loves them), and E love his books.  The three titles we're reading at the moment (How Do You Feel, Willy and Hugh, and Silly Billy) all have a common thread: feelings.  Feelings are a complex area when it comes to a toddler and Browne tackles them with a deft hand and gentle illustrations. Each of these titles is unique in its approach so here's a little summary to get you started:

How Do You Feel: Each page features a different emotion from angry, to guilty, to confident to shy. The emotions are illustrated by a charming little monkey and his various scenarios. E is especially fond of the guilty monkey who's drawn a picture on the wall. He regularly remarks that the monkey was naughty and then smiles a smile that promises much trouble in future!

Silly Billy: Billy is a worrier.  I found this one interesting because I've not spoken with E about worries but clearly they are starting to develop as he gets older. Willy worries about seemingly everything but with help from his grandmother and a set of worry dolls he's able to overcome his fears and get a good night's sleep.

Willy and Hugh: I'm a big fan of this book and it's due in part to the successful narrative. Small, wiry Willy needs a friend and he finds an unlikely companion in Hugh. They each have something to offer the other and delight in one another's company.  E and I both have a good chuckle over the final image of Hugh dressed up in his own version of Willy's trademark outfit. They're on facing pages with their arms outstretched and innocent looks of pure joy on their faces. It's worth the whole book!

Do yourself a favor and get to know Anthony Browne's work while your little readers are still of age. He has some wonderful things to say about reading and picture books and his illustrations are worthy of many a look. You'll find more on the children's laureate website and at Walker Books.

Cuckoo! by Fiona Roberton

Cuckoo! is an innocent little story that promises noisy fun and a sweet as can be main character. It's about a little chick who's also chic in his grey, black and white. Not long after he hatches from his egg the other chicks realise that he speaks differently from them and they can't understand a word he's saying. More specifically, he says 'cuckoo' and they say 'Tootooweet'. It all gets too confusing and the story unfolds as Cuckoo goes in search of someone who can understand him.

His search leads him to some entertaining encounters with a parade of animals who all speak different languages (i.e. make different sounds), but none of them speaks the same as him.  He even tries a stint at a language school to learn to speak like the other animals but that doesn't work out either. Disappointed and exhausted he seeks refuge on a rooftop when he hears the sound of 'cuckoo'.  It eventually leads him to a baby and his toy Cuckoo. It's a big movie moment when the baby looks at him and says 'cuckoo' and he is finally understood.

This is a tale about being different and being accepted.  It will get you making lots and lots of animal noises when read aloud, although I think my favorite is the rabbit twosome who communicate by thumping their feet. E may not have grasped the parallelism of the baby's toy cuckoo but he understood that Cuckoo made a different noise from everyone else and that in the end the baby is able to understand him. His final word on it all: 'that baby is Cuckoo's friend!'. I think that pretty much sums it up!

Give Cuckoo! a look along with some of Roberton's other titles: The Perfect Present and Wanted: The Perfect Pet. Her illustrations are fresh, modern and so very pleasing to the eye.

For the love of reading ...

In light of the recent World Book Day activity I've decided it's high time to talk a bit about why I think it's so important to read aloud with children, and how to make your home a book friendly environment. There are five key things that I put into place early on at our house:

1. Start reading early and make it a habit.

I started from about 3 weeks with E and at the beginning it was more about the ritual than the books. I started with a lap edition of Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. I read it so many times that the mouse, the little house, the mittens, the mush and the bunny all morphed into one.  E was none the wiser at the outset but as the year went by he came to recognise the characters and connect the story with bedtime. Even now he still pulls it out from time to time and I will always associate this classic book with his baby days.

2. Reading aloud with your child can happen at any time during the day.

It's a popular misnomer to refer to children's books as simply bedtime stories. I absolutely advocate reading books each night before bed but there's no need to confine your reading experience to that time slot. Over time, as E's naps got shorter and our days got longer, I realised that books naturally made their way into other parts of our day. Mealtimes are great for reading and I try to keep a stash in my bag too for when we go out. Reading books has also been one of the more positive surprises from our recent experience with potty training. 

3. Keep books in accessible places around your home.

We have book baskets around our house and it means that E is never far from a book. It's not an elaborate set up but it means we can reach for a book at the table, in the living room, in the bathroom or in his bedroom.  The baskets are all within his reach so that he can easily flip through the titles on his own. As adults we mostly recognize books by reading their spine but young children know books by their covers so make them accessible.

4. Make reading fun.

It's important that children associate reading with pleasure. In our house we do this by talking about the books, drawing pictures of different characters and doing basic craft projects (like building a rocket out of a box) based on the stories we're reading.  E really enjoys going to plays as well that are based on books we've read. Another tip I'll share is about books you don't like.  There's no point in reading something you can't muster a bit of enthusiasm about.  If it sounds dull to you it will sound dull to the child and that dullness will be associated with reading.  I freely admit that if I get completely sick of a book I'll put it away for a bit (yes, I'll hide it) and give us all a break until we can revisit it refreshed and enthusiastic.

5. Don't force a new book. Let your child discover books for themselves and let them choose the titles they want to read.

A question we've debated in our house is how best to introduce a new book.  My husband excitedly purchased a book by a very well known children's author only to have E reject it week after week.  It's kind of like forcing kids to eat their vegetables. It doesn't really work. Instead, we left this book in the basket so E could pick it up at his leisure and after about 10 months or so he finally decided to give it a go. We've been reading it daily for several weeks now.

All in all I urge you to read as much as you can in the time you have and you'll do your child a world of good.  You'll also build memories that will outlast even the most amazing storybook. If you'd like to read more about the benefits of reading aloud and how to instill good reading habits in children of various ages then one book I can recommend is the Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.  If you have any other resources or tips to recommend then please leave a comment!

You Choose by Nick Sharratt & Pippa Goodhart

You Choose is the work of Pippa Goodhart (author) and Nick Sharratt (illustrator). It's almost a cross between a picture book and an activity book.  At our house it's known as a conversation starter.

We read a lot of books at supper time when it's often just E and me around the table (plus one giant ginger cat at our feet).  A friend gave us this book for E's birthday but admittedly I'd had my eye on it for some time. The format is a series of questions accompanied by an array of mouth watering illustrations that let you make up new answers and stories each time you read it.

It's a real work out for the imagination and E took to it from the start.  It opens with a question we all may ponder now and again:

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? 

Below this text is a two page spread bursting with landscapes from volcanoes to deserts, to cities to the seaside.  There's even a snapshot of outer space for anyone who wants to go to the moon or visit the planets.  E tends to alternate between visiting a volcano and Saturn's rings.

The book continues in this format with questions about choosing the pet you'd like to have, the clothes you'd like to wear and the food you'd like to eat.  We seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on the transportation page debating the merits of rocket ships vs steam trains. I'm curious if this edition is sold in the US as the food section includes some very British fare like Christmas pudding and bangers and mash. The food pages are also useful for talking about some of those foods that your little reader may not readily eat.

I really like the way this book gives the child an active role.  E now initiates the questions without any prompting from me and it often leads to a dialog about why we like certain choices.  It's rewarding to have your child ask you a question and wait genuinely for your answer.  And it's even better when he asks if he can come to the moon with you.

Imagine Children's Festival

The Imagine Children's Festival is in full swing at London's Southbank Centre. We made a beeline down there as soon as we could. This is a festival for children that's run in part by children. I call it a celebration of fun, books, art and performance. The Book People are involved too so you can bet ya we weren't going to miss it!

With free events galore, a chill out zone for workshops and a dedicated arts space taken over by children, there are discoveries to be made in every nook and cranny, inside and out, of this concrete palace.

We ran into the Beastie while outside looking at boats, and inside we had a hard time choosing between live music, book readings, drawing, cardboard sculptures and theatre. The Southbank is filled to the brim with hoards of delighted children and it cheered me to no end to be a small part of all the excitement generated by books, books, books. E had a blast - admittedly at times just running the length of the fifth floor - and selfishly I wished I could have set up residence for the week.

E was lured down on day 2 to meet 'George' from one of our very favorite books by Chris Haughton.  We listened to Haughton read Oh No, George! and A Bit Lost before George came to life in front of us on Haughton's easel.  

We also crept in to Salvatore Rubbino's workshop where he had the group busy creating a 3D Thames scape with bridges and boats form his beautiful book, A Walk in London.  E was fascinated by the set up and spent quite a lot of time playing with the creations after everyone had left.

We carried his enthusiasm home with us and later made an amateur version of Salvatore Rubbino's Thames scape using E's toys:

What struck me most about our time at the Imagine Children's Festival was the excitement generated by activities involving books and art. What a treat for the kids and adults to discover together how much fun all these cultural activities can be. For more about the Imagine Children's Festival visit: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/festivals-series/imagine-childrens-festival.

We're back next week with a review of E's current favorite book by Nick Sharratt.

Whale by David Lucas

The cover of Whale looks more like album art than a fantastical children's book to me. This is a good thing. I love the vast expanse of blues and the lower case title, and how it looks like it could have been published in the 70's but is actually from 2006. Some of you will be old friends with David Lucas' books, but for any newbies this one's for you.

Our copy of Whale was a third birthday present for E from one of my sisters. It's now standard mealtime reading (so that's at least three times a day). He's fixated on the whale's smile and always remarks how the whale looks happy. Since reading Whale, E has learned about dolphins and fishmongers and almost grasped the meaning of the word 'innumerable'.

The story is a great tale about a town in deep trouble after the whale is washed ashore and flattens all the buildings in one go. It's a story of how the whale and the sea creatures save the day with a little help from Joe, the townsfolk, an owl, the wind, the sun, the moon and the innumerable stars.

Joe awakens one morning when something crashes into his house and it knocks him out of bed. He and his Grandma May escape their house through the chimney only to discover that the entire town, including the fishmonger and the mayor, are stranded atop the whale.  The whale is contrite but cannot help himself as he's stuck ashore. After much consultation from the owl and the elements the suggestion comes back that the townsfolk should sing.  Joe gets things started and soon everyone joins in, including the whale.  It's a rain song and before long they're all more than a little surprised to find the town flooded and the whale floating at sea. The whale gets to work putting things right and drinks as much of the sea water as he can.  Then he starts to sing and like a call to arms all the wonderful wild creatures come forth from the sea and rebuild the town in a dazzle of shells, pebbles and pearls. The town is saved, the whale is saved and Joe has made a new friend.

The narrative is uncomplicated but the added detail gives this book an edge over standard early reading picture books.  It's a good transition book for introducing your young reader to more text.  The illustrations are joyous and it's a treat to tread the pages of Lucas' distinct designs, patterns and illustrations. In fact, the illustrations alone make this book a worthwhile read.  To find out more about David Lucas and his other books, projects and illustrations you can visit: davidlucas.org.uk, Booktrust and this post from Playing By the Book.

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