Itch - older children - watch this space

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Itch-Simon-Mayo/dp/0552565504

 

 

We have only just started this one, so you will have to bear with me, it may eventually turn out to be a pants book. However at the moment we are absolutely loving it.

 

Over the last two nights it has had both Aidan and I laughing, squealing, shouting encouragements and keen to read more.

 

It is a book for older kids and I think it may naturally appeal more to boys, but I am bit of a 10 year old boy at heart, there is nothing I like more than a scientific explosion. The idea is that the hero ( a young lad called Itch) is out to collect as many of the elements as he possibly can, but he stumbles upon an amazing find, and then heads into a huge adventure.

 

At the moment Itch has been experimenting in his bedroom, has managed to nearly destroy his room and burnt his eyebrows off, so his mum has barred him from the house and sent his kit packing to the garden shed.

 

Aidan is loving it, but it has got me worried about the science kits sitting in his bedroom. He is under strict instructions not to touch them without an adult present, I just hope he does not decide to copy Itch and blow parts of the house and himself up.

 

 

 



excellent idea for homework

So Aidan normally has relatively boring homework, but for a change I loved this one, any thing ( even if its daft) that gets them thinking about reading is good in my book!

So the brief was to read a book in the oddest place you could think of ( with the caution that it must be safe). Aidan wanted to do it up a tree, but the heavy snow put a stop to that idea, so instead he came up with the idea to read in the rabbit run.

I am looking forward to getting into the school some time soon and seeing the other kids photos. Love it!

Christmas present

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Body-Childrens-Encyclopedia-Reference/dp/1405391510

 

 

This may seem like a slightly odd present for Santa to bring a 5 year old. However my oldest daughter has an obsession with blood, guts and body parts.

 

I think she is likely to follow in the foot steps of her old mum and become a Nurse, but with her current level of being a little gross I wonder if she may be a Surgeon. I can well imagine her getting stuck in and chopping off a leg or debriding a wound. She is such a clever and intense little lady that I am sure she will find a way to fly.

 

I love my kids, but I am not one for pushing them hard or forcing them to do things, they are kids and they should enjoy this precious time. However Santa and I know that she will absolutely love the pictures and facts in this book. It will be a great introduction, and if she does love it she can then have my old anatomy books to learn even more gross stuff.

 

This book is rated for slightly older children, so once Santa gives it to her I will let you know what we think. Keep an eye on this space to see my review when the big fat fella has been and gone.



Fiction V non fiction

I love a good fiction book both for the kids and myself, and thats normally where the majority of our reading lies.

However Alex has decided that she only currently likes non fiction, so I get the joy of reading such books at bedtime. Tonight We read a book about eggs, inluding how eggs are made, owl eggs and ostritch eggs. All very interesting, but not my idea of a rip roaring bedtime read. Lets hope this phase passes soon ( sorry I know non fiction books have their place and are great in many ways).

Then we have Aidan nd his obsession with superhero comic books. I hate reading comic books at the best of times, but we have now found that many superhero comic books are nor suitable for his age, so we have to read them in detail beforehand or face amending/ avoiding words or themes in the midst of reading. I wonder why I find comic books so horrible to read aloud.....

Babies and toddlers - Whose Tail? - 9/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whose-Tail-Sam-Lloyd/dp/1854308807

This is yet another romping good book from the amazing Sam LLoyd. Surprise surprise we got our copy from the excellent bookstart scheme a little while ago. Being a smallish board look it has lasted well, although one of the kids did attack it with a pen when they were little. Toddlers and pens just don't mix!

This is one of those books that its nice to snuggle up and read to a baby, but equally fun to read to an older toddler, and await them shouting out which creature is coming next.

My girls have always lacked patience, so they tend to be hollaring out the next creature before I have barely turned the previous page. I have to admit that sometimes this does drive me bonkers, but I know its actually their way of showing how passionate and excited they are about reading the book.

The book follows a serious of slightly naughty animals, who pull each others tails. We start with the lovely little cheeky monkey featured on the front cover, and the only clue that the words give us to the next animal is a description eg stripy, prickly, very tall, snappy, sleepy. The picture gives us a clue in the form of the next animals tail. Its great fun to get the kids to guess from the words or the picture or the tail alone.

Any book that has a crocodile and a lion is just my type of read, with the chance to roar like a lion and snap like a crocidile its a perfect combination.

 

In conclusion:

  -  Who can beat those naughty little animals and their tail pulling antics 9/10



Read the review, read the book, let us know what you think?

 



How sad am I !

There was a time when going out or heading off on holiday would be the reasons for my excitement and anticipation.

How things change, we got a book people mailing today, which describes a sequel to my daughters favourite book "you choose"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Imagine-Pippa-Goodhart/dp/0857530119/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349725833&sr=1-1

Needless to say Just Imagine is flying in our direction as we speek, watch this space for the review, I am so excited at the moment when I present it to Caitlin, I think its possible that her head may explode!

Young children - The big animal mix up - 10/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Animal-Mix-up-Gareth-Edwards/dp/0340989890

This one is a book we have borrowed from the library, and myself and the girls are LOVING it!

The idea for this one is that daddy bear is telling little bear all about animals, and its baby bears job ( and ours) to look out for mistakes. Its then a rollercoaster ride of mixed up animals. Each picture and rhyme gives us a clue about the animal we are trying to talk about. Then the correct animal is hiding away under the flap on each page.

Bonkers,very bright and funky pictures make up both the mixed up and the real creatures. Its fun to look at the mixed up animal, and to work out which bits belong to each critter.

The book ends with daddy bear getting mixed up and saying hello instead of good night, very lovely.

This is a book that is very exciting with so much to talk about, and yet it can still make a good bedtime read. However I would also advise reading it in the daytimeas well  to really make the most of all the things you can discuss

In conclusion:

Mixed up madness  - 10/10

Read the review, read the book, let us know what you think?