Category: Books and Music
Taro Gomi Play All Day pop out book
Taro Gomi is the Japanese illustrator who has previously brought us some classic board books, including Tabitha’s much-loved Bus Stops, and, infamously, Everybody Poos. He’s also got a whole stack of creative doodling books – like Doodle Numbers. Loving the Gomi style, I was interested to see Play All Day, a book of over [...]
Buying vintage for children
In these thrifty times, recycling and reusing are all becoming a necessity. But, actually, vintage and second-hand goodies for kids make sense and are often much more appealing than the latest thing. Clothes, toys, books, furniture – nothing’s sacred. I’m a bit a of fan of all things vintage, so I’ve put together a mini [...]
The High Street by Alice Melvin
I’ve been a fan of illustrator Alice Melvin’s work ever since I first came across her fabulous birds in Tate Modern. I can’t really explain why I like it so much but, suffice to say, I was pretty excited to discover she has a new book out. The High Street (RRP £9.99, Tate) is [...]
Thomas Flintham’s Amazing Mazes
Browsing through the absolutely vast and incredible children’s book section at Salts Mill in Saltaire, I came across Thomas Flintham‘s work for the first time. And I was impressed. With this many years of parenthood below my belt, I’m a veteran of mazes: mazes on cereal boxes, mazes in comics, mazes on the CBeebies website. [...]
Sneak peek: new Eric Carle book!
It’s been a while since a brand new Eric Carle book has been published, but this one is definitely worth waiting for. The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse (RRP £12, Puffin) isn’t out until 4 October, but I’ve been lucky enough to have a sneak peek. Inspired by the work of Expressionist artist Franz Marc, [...]
Latest Oliver Jeffers out today! And other brilliant new books
We’re complete book fiends here, so I’ve always got my eye on publishing catalogues for the latest releases – and the summer months have brought a host of fantastic new titles to our bookshelves. Firstly, boy was I excited to see that one of BG’s favourite authors, Oliver Jeffers, has a new tome out today, Stuck (HarperCollins, [...]
Ladybird Classic Me Books app
I’m more than a little obsessed with Ladybird books. I have a few saved from my own childhood that I’ve topped up with eBay and junk shop finds, a mix of practical learning tomes and nursery stories (although not The Three Billy-Goats Gruff – that troll still gives me nightmares!) So it was encouraging to [...]
Muji alphabet and funny face books
Poking around Muji the other day, I came across two fun-looking activity books. It’s a shame the pictures on the Muji website aren’t a) bigger and b) more exciting, because these did look like potentially excellent gifts. They’re also just the kind of thing I like to snap up so we have activities ready for [...]
5 Great Books About Starting School
We seriously heart Usborne sticker books which saw us through 8 flights on our recently holiday to the US. Themed, enthralling for kids, and educational too, I wasted no time getting the Starting School version which helps to build conversations around the imminent Big Day and make links between their own concepts of what’s happening. [...]
Bedtime Meditations by Christiane Kerr
Of all the possible parenting trials and tribulations, fate dealt us a child who doesn’t like to fall asleep. In the grand scheme of things I’m ok with that I suppose, especially when we consider all the other possibilities we’ve dodged – Tabs was never a bedwetter, a biter or a terrible eater, for example [...]
Wonderland – New contemporary baby & children’s knitting pattern book by MillaMia
I’ve been a fan of MillaMia, the collection of modern knitting patterns for babies and kids by sister duo Katrina and Helena, ever since Kat featured them last year. Along with their range of merino wool, their collection features books and individual knitting patterns plus they’re going to be in John Lewis this autumn where [...]
The Starting School Survival Guide: a handy guide for when your child starts school
I’m still pinching myself in disbelief, but Saria ‘the bambino’ is starting school next month – sob! I’ve been a little anxious about it because she was only 4 in May, she’s still my baby and also because you do hear a lot of jibber jabber and scary stories about schools. Considering it’s 29 years [...]
Paul Thurlby’s Alphabet book
Oh, how we love Paul Thurlby and his (A is for) awesome alphabet. And now you can own it in book version. Alfie loves reading letters and associating them with objects or people (‘G is for grandma, isn’t it, Mummy?) at the moment, so I can’t wait to introduce this to him. I particularly love [...]
Super Hot: Moleskine Baby Journal
I know a lot of Moleskine addicts so I think the baby journal from their ‘passions’ collection of notebooks designed for documenting the loves of your life, is bound to be hugely popular. From pregnancy through to the first two years of baby’s life, this subtle yet super stylish 240 page notebook with embossed cover, [...]
V&A exhibition goodies: The Tiger Who Came To Tea
Practically every household has a fondness for one of Judith Kerr’s picture books, whether it’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea or one of the Mog series. Somehow, this purveyor of slightly naive drawing, whose style became noticeably more adept as the years went by, has come to be regarded as a seminal illustrator. Now [...]
