This has been a series I’ve been meaning to write for a long while now.
A little look at the ‘Best of Our Bookshelf’ where I will share with you the books which I read each night with my darling daughters.
Reading is so good for our little children. For their minds and their souls.
Books provide us with the perfect platform in which to spend quality time with our children, and when, they’ve grown up a little, the perfect escape for them into another world, where they can independently encounter and experience.
I hope to maintain this series and I’m so keen and fascinated to see where their journey takes them, and what will eventually become their favourite reads and characters, which we’ll be able to discuss together.
As I said in an earlier post for World Book Day 2014
I’m extremely keen for my girls to read. And enjoy reading!! Especially in this ever technically advancing world of the iPad/tv/video games etc.
I want them to be whisked away, up into the air on a magical flying carpet, or to be shipwrecked on a desert island, or to visit a land from long ago with talking animals. I want them to learn from books, become emotionally attached to a book, empathise with characters from books or form their dreams and ambitions from books (although Holly’s last request “to be a princess” is something even a book may not be able to help with).
It’s good for our little ones to learn to take themselves off to places they may only dream of.
The books may be old, new, funny, pre-loved, classic, quirky or just plain silly.
They could be books for quiet time, noisy books, interactive or pop-up.
To us in our house it doesn’t matter.
The more variety my little ones have available to them, the better as far as I’m concerned.
As long as there is opportunity for imagination!
So, first up in my ‘Best of our Bookshelf’ series is….
Sharing a Shell by the brilliant Julia Donaldson
I’d say we have most of Julia Donaldson’s books as the girls love her stories – but more of those to come in later posts.
So, back to Sharing a Shell……This is such a lovely little picture story book.
It’s so bright and colourful andfull of glitter! And the illustrations by Lydia Monks are beautiful.
The story is of a little hermit who doesn’t have a shell, who then goes on to find one. And tells the rhyming tale of how he makes friends along the way.
The key message for children to take away with them from the book is that it’s best to share and by doing so, not only is life a little easier, but you make the best of friends.
I’ll leave you with the book teaser…..
Have any of your children read Sharing a Shell too?
What did they think?
We are big fans of Julia Donaldson in this house, but we haven’t got this book yet. I will have to keep a look out for it!
Author
Oh you must – it’s so lovely, and so easy to read with little ones. I dare say they’ll be a fair few other Julia Donaldsons featuring on my series!!
this is one of the few Julia Donaldson books I haven’t read!
Thanks for linking to #weekendbookclub x
Ah we love this book too, though we don’t own it, we read it in the doctors’ waiting room! It’s a great read. Have you tried Tiddler by Julia Donaldson? It’s a funny under-the-sea book!
Author
It’s great isn’t it!!! No – we’ve not read Tiddler – we’ll definitely go and grab a copy!!! Thank you. Xxx
Love this! It’s something I always want to write about, I manage one post then never forget! I’ll look forward to seeing more of your and it is so important to read to your children. This is one we haven’t got and we just love Julia Donaldson so I’ll have to look out for it! xx
great idea steph I love julia donaldson books have not seen this one yet will see if i can grab a copy my girls love the glittery pages love the photo of the girls reading together. thanks for linking up to #sundaystars x
We are big Julia D fans here – Day Monkey, Night Monkey and The Singing Mermaid being ours faves! I do find reading a rymying book so much easier -especially when I am tired! (always!) as they seem to roll of the tongue so much easier…. Your little are super cute xxx
My kids favourite is day monkey night monkey by Julia Donaldson too, our copy is particularly well loved. Highly recommend xxx
Author
I had to go out and buy this one after you replied with this comment!! Hahaha!! Another one for my series I think!! Steph xxx
I too love books, have the girls read day monkey night monkey its my absolute favourite by Julia Donaldson, the boys loved it, if fact I have kept it as I can’t bear to part with it, it brings back to man lovely memories of me snuggling with them and reading boo x
That is Noah and Els fave too, it is completely battered now but there is no way that I can replace it xxx
Author
It’s the best isn’t it! I think it’s most deco in my own top 5!!! Steph xxx
Hey… How have I never heard of this one?! I thought we had all of them. I love her books, we have too many favourites. I love the idea for the series hun. Look forward to seeing your girls’ next book x
Oh I haven’t heard of this one by Julia Donaldson but love the brightness of it, and as it is Julia Donaldson it is bound to be brilliant!.
Would love to have you link up to the #weekendbookclub if you want? http://trainingmummy.com/weekend-book-club-4/
Our kids love this book (and all the Julia D books) – glad to see yours do too!
I love Julia Donaldson books, we don’t have this one but I’ll look out for it x