Oh, the places you’ll go! by Dr Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
This is my favourite Dr Seuss and although it is aimed at upper primary readers, younger children will love Dr Seuss’s rhyme and rhythm. It’s been around for a while, but I always include it on my Birthday gift list for anyone reaching a major(or minor) milestone in their lives – be it a confirmation, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, graduation, 21st or even 40th!
Suitable for everyone!

A Giraffe in the Bath by Mem Fox and Olivia Rawson. Illustrated by Kerry Argent.

What would the state of children’s literature be without Mem Fox? She truly has a gift and now she’s teamed up with one of her former pupils to write another rollicking rhyming book of tremendous proportions. The illustrations are magnificent (as always) and fill the reader with awe and surprise. In keeping with Mem’s love of animals we join a host of glorious beasts (both native and not so native) who find themselves doing all sorts of weird antics which will leave you laughing all the way with the roo on the loo and the sheep in the shower.

Sydney for Kids by Wendy Preston

How cool – a fifth edition of this ever popular book about what to do, how to do it and when to do it in Sydney. All you generally have to add is your kids and you have a day of fun, usually at minimal expense.

When I arrived in Sydney from London seven years ago, I was stumped. What a gorgeous place to live, but I had no idea where to start exploring. This book (or probably the second edition) saved my sanity, my pocket and added an adventurous dimension to Dan and my outings. Definitely one for the nappy bag!

Little Rex by Ruth Symes and Sean Julian

All is can say is “aaah”. What a sweet book which explores all those feelings of insecurities that a little (or should I say big) dinosaur may have. Little Rex is a
T-Rex who thinks he’s big and fierce. But to the rest of the gang, he’s just little Rex. Despite his best efforts at growling and ambushing no one takes him seriously. Then one day, responsibility comes his way in the form of a clutch of eggs and soon Rex finds out that being a big brother is more important than being scary and big in size. Very sweet with a great message about a child’s battle to find his/her place in the world.

What a sweet, loving bedtime story. From the author of “Goodnight Moon” comes this previously undiscovered book of love, friendship and universal joy. Published for the first time, fifty-six years after the death of its author, Margaret Wise Brown, this book will enthral and even bring a tear to your eye.

The moon shines down on children from all the world and as we turn each page we discover children from Amsterdam, China, Switzerland and, of course, Australia. The book reads through the familiar prayer of “I see the moon and the moon sees me, God bless the moon and God bless me.” This one’s a keeper for generations to come.

I recently returned from a much needed break to Margaret River, WA.  What an amazing experience –  stunning, white and wild sandy beaches, food that has so many facets to it, it could be described as having a severe case of multiple personalities and the friendliest people I have ever met . But I digress…

I was struck by an interesting phenomenon in the wine capital of WA – everyone (and her grapevine) has written a children’s book. At the very welcoming Margaret River Bookshop & Internet Cafe I came across mythical creatures keeping the beaches litter free in John and Biscuit and the Boodji Man, the not-so-stinky dung beetle in Squeeky Clean Gene and an allegory about the cycle of life in Isabella’s Garden. A magnificent, crisp Sauvignon Blanc with hints of vanilla was waiting for me so I didn’t get to read Meg’s House, but I am sure it was as charming and multi-layered as the wine I was about to sample. I am generally a teetotaller, but my arm had been gently twisted by my gorgeous wine-loving partner for this fine occasion (no kids for a week you see!)

For a population of a mere 5,600 the ongoing list of resident authors was impressive, so I suppose there is much to be said by the local liquid.  Inspired, I started thinking that perhaps we all have a book in us. Maybe not as in Kate Grenville or my favourite friend and talented author Joanne Fedler  -  shameless plugging for her amazing book Things Without a Name  -  but a book of sorts nevertheless.

You see when we are pregnant, we are convinced by our local library, media and prime minister (and rightly so) about the importance of reading to our children from a very young age. I proudly confess to reading Guess How Much I Love You to my son, Dan, when he was eight weeks old – that’s eight weeks after conception I must admit (I’m an overachiever). So, we rush out and borrow books from the library, supplemented by expensive armloads full of books from Dymocks or Borders (or the Margaret River Book Store) so we can give our kids the best possible start in life.

STOP RIGHT THERE new mother. Dig around in your cupboards, grab a black felt tip pen and paper and make your own. Search on ‘net for big, bold, black and white images, print them and make them into personalised board books for your baby (she LOVES black and white pics). Draw your own pictures and label them or make a pictorial dictionary using snaps from those photo albums gathering dust. Not only will your baby love the time you spend reading, you’ll feel an amazing sense of achievement. The books also make a touching keepsake for when your baby grows into a sulky teenager and you need to be reminded that she was once a gentle, smiling, bundle of love!

Parents of older kids, let your child’s imagination run wild as she dictates a novel about her favourite heroine to you while she draws the pictures. Now the sense of achievement is multiplied to you both. And whilst Pan Macmillan may not be rushing to your doorstep, cheque in hand, you’ll at least have had an afternoon of fun releasing your inner author. I’ll say “cheers” to that.

Sydney, 23 August, 2011 – A new eBook designed for the popular iPad platform was launched today in Australia, by author and mother of two Fiona Treweeke.

One of the few ‘edutaining’ children’s eBooks available on the iPad app – Hide, Run, Growl – is brought alive by creative animation and audio to educate and promote reading in young children. The global Apple iTunes store, which offers hundreds of thousands of different applications, will bring the new eBook to the attention of millions of young readers.

First-time author Fiona Treweeke has poured passion and pennies into the Kid-estorybooks range, the first of which is Hide, Run, Growl.

“The vibrant illustrations of the animal characters, combined with effective use of repetition and rhyme, will engage children in their desire to read. And among all the animation and opportunity to interact, there is a simple story with subtle messages around sharing, trust, friendship and other positive social behaviours,” Fiona said.

“I developed the eBook to maximise the potential of the interactive platform. The functionality offered by the app is designed to enrich the child’s experience and support the development of critical early reading skills,” said Fiona.

Narrated by Sarah Jane Honeywell, British TV presenter on BBC children’s channel CBeebies, Hide, Run, Growl tells the story of a tiger cub who must go hunting on his own for the first time when his mother hurts her paw.

Designed to suit the learning abilities of children aged 2-7, the eBook features words that highlight as they are read aloud and zoom up the screen when pictures are touched. Fiona faced the challenge of building her daughter Phoebe’s reading confidence and decided to use a rich platform like the iPad to develop her story books in a way that engaged Phoebe, and other children, to feel confident, happy and keen to read. Phoebe has reacted positively to Hide, Run, Growl, particularly as she is able to get word definitions without experiencing the anxiety and worry associated with attempting to read unknown words.

The beautiful animation, textures, colourful illustrations and rich expression in the narrator’s voice will capture children’s attention, inspiring them to read and learn. Get the app by clicking on the link below…

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hide-run-growl/id455935338?ls=1&mt=8

The story of the Adventures of Funny Bones and Charli Friends Forever is inspired by the belief in the kindness of the human spirit.

Funny Bones and Charli are two whimsical characters who meet and becomes friends and regardless of their differences accept each other and set out to play together.

The theme of the book is to share and be considerate as well as embracing and utilizing one’s imagination to rise above the clouds and enjoy the view of life’s rich adventures.

Funny Bones and Charli are cheeky and funny, ready to explore the world and share in their experiences.

The story of the Adventures of Funny Bones and Charli Friends Forever is inspired by the belief in the kindness of the human spirit.

Funny Bones and Charli are two whimsical characters who meet and becomes friends and regardless of their differences accept each other and set out to play together.

The theme of the book is to share and be considerate as well as embracing and utilizing one’s imagination to rise above the clouds and enjoy the view of life’s rich adventures.

Funny Bones and Charli are cheeky and funny, ready to explore the world and share in their experiences.

Funny Bones and Charli don’t eat Broccoli but they’ll illuminate the soul and set sail into your heart. Highly recommended by the team at Yummy Bubby!

See link below to download!

http://www.funnybonesandcharli.com.au/index.html

The Contented Little Baby series by Gina Ford

I am often asked by friends and patrons at our libraries in Randwick if I can recommend parenting books. I must confess that I was a parenting book-a-holic when I was pregnant with my son, Dan. Being used to my life being ordered and in control I believed that there was a book out there that would create harmony and contentment for my impending arrival of joy. 

I am not sure where I found the time to read after Dan was born – between feeds, nappies, sleeps, non sleeps, upchucks and so on. A super organised friend (who now has two nannies) recommended Gina Ford’s Contented Little Baby Book. She assured me it was the answer to my son’s (or my?) every problem. After all, her little darling turned into a super angel after she followed Gina’s advice. Needless to say, my son was not interested in Gina philosophies. As he obviously was not yet of a reading age (although he was showing signs of genius – of course), he did not understand when Gina said, “Babies who are settled into gentle routines are happy and contented because their needs for food and sleep are appropriately met.” I MUST BE A BAD MOTHER!!!!!!!

Seven years on, Dan is a healthy, happy and contended little genius. He sleeps well, eats well and is great fun to have around. I am a working mother- I thrive on organisation and control. Gina Ford’s book (and many others) try to help recreate that sense of control in a time of chaos and upheaval. I learnt a little too late that there really is no foolproof manual. Take each day as it comes – if something you read works for you, try it out. Listen to your gut and you will realise early on that, for many, being a good mother is one of the only lessons in life that you can’t learn from a book.

Come along mums and dads, let’s learn Spanish with Maisy. This
dual-language book by Lucy Cousins helps teach toddlers the Spanish and English words for everyday play items – a great idea for building vocab with a favourite character. It is often difficult to find dual language books that have not been badly translated – many sound great in one language and then slightly out of kilter in the other. No such worries here. The words are clear with bright illustrations. There’s so much research about the benefits of teaching language at a young age and this book is a great start. Remember, Randwick City Library Service runs English, Spanish, Turkish, Chinese and German story time. Call 9314 4888 for more information or visit www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/library