Stepping inside, breathing in the ink and paper.
Category: Reflections
Bridging the Atlantic Book Divide: Intro
Children's books on either side of the Atlantic differ - a lot. A series to introduce old and new friends.
The Creative Act of Reading Aloud – adlibbing as you go
I like to adlib as I read. When we know a book well, I might add an aside – Watch out, So-and-So! – or we quote one of our favourite Mo Willems books – that is really not a good idea. Very quickly, the children have taken over and are warning the characters. We know … Continue reading The Creative Act of Reading Aloud – adlibbing as you go
Longing for Spring and for Renewal – book reviews
Snowy weather turns my thoughts - and our reading - to seeds and growth and Spring, and the families we want to share it with.
To Fairy Tale (or not to Fairy Tale)? – a second bite
Some good collections, the line between fantasy and reality, some weird play and using Sleeping Beauty to teach consent.
To Fairy Tale or Not to Fairy Tale?
We are a household divided when it comes to fairy tales. My husband really dislikes a number of the well-known ones. Disliked them as a child. Still dislikes them. I try to be the one to read them (though he bravely reads on). We’ve taken the view that whatever we think of an individual story, … Continue reading To Fairy Tale or Not to Fairy Tale?
Pogalam vaanga! (Come on, let’s go!): thoughts on family and language
by Tulika Publishers, pictures by Rajiv Eipe, 2013 This is a book review of a book that I can’t read. Our children are growing up in the USA, but our families have roots in other countries, other cultures, and other languages. My husband’s family are originally from Tamil Nadu, the southern most state in India. … Continue reading Pogalam vaanga! (Come on, let’s go!): thoughts on family and language
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?
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
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
Books for Our Children 
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