Fiona’s Luck by Teresa Bateman, illustrated by Kelly Murphy, published by Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA, 2007 Set in Ireland in the 19th century, Fiona relies on her wits to best the Leprechaun King. Written in beautiful, rhythmic prose, the clever twist at the end as Fiona outwits the King is a pleasure every time. The illustrations … Continue reading Book Review: Fiona’s Luck
Author: ruthcoffey
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site: Why are the anthropomorphised vehicles all male?
by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld This is a rhetorical question. Perhaps it has been asked and answered before. However, considering that vehicles have no gender at all, as they are, in fact, vehicles, then the least I can do is mix up the pronouns in this one. The book is quite sweet … Continue reading Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site: Why are the anthropomorphised vehicles all male?
Book Review: Maybe Something Beautiful
Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F.Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, illustrated by Rafael Lopez, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016 Mira lives in a grey city. She draws and colours for herself and for her neighbours, making small changes, until she meets an artist, a muralist (inspired by the ilustrator, Rafael … Continue reading Book Review: Maybe Something Beautiful
Love It/Loathe It: the Books You Can’t Stand – Intro
There are many reasons to love a book, and just as many to loathe one. Everyone has their own triggers. Inspired by Aimee Bender’s wonderful article on Goodnight Moon in the NYT’s writing blog back in 2014, we have spent a lot of time thinking about what we look for in children’s books. We are … Continue reading Love It/Loathe It: the Books You Can’t Stand – Intro
Where to Get Books: Owning Them
As I love libraries, so too I love secondhand bookshops. Some have a children’s section and are worth a good rummage. Many charity shops also have at least a few children’s books. When we lived in London, I used to get quite a few from the British Heart Foundation bookshop on Streatham High Street. Friends … Continue reading Where to Get Books: Owning Them
The Vital Importance of Illustrations
For babies, toddlers, young children, the pre-literate and the newly-literate and for many others, the pictures really matter in a book. The illustrations don’t just accompany the story, they are part of the story experience. Children see the pictures for themselves – the words they hear from you. And the illustrations give you something to … Continue reading The Vital Importance of Illustrations
Book Review: We’re Riding on a Caravan
We’re Riding On A Caravan: An Adventure on the Silk Road by Laurie Krebs, illustrated by Helen Cann, published by Barefoot Books, Cambridge, MA, 2005. This book comes from one of my favourite publishers, Barefoot Books. It’s a gorgeously illustrated narrative poem about a family’s year-long journey on the old Silk Road. There’s a strong … Continue reading Book Review: We’re Riding on a Caravan
Where to Get Books: Borrowing Them
I love libraries – but we have had mixed experiences. Not due to the libraries, but due to our children. Many children in their early years are quite rough with books. Not just chewing on them – which is expected, but also grabbing at tabs, ripping pages. I have spent nights with the sellotape before … Continue reading Where to Get Books: Borrowing Them
Books for Our Children 
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