Top Books for Encouraging Discussion

*This is a guest post from Gemma over at Mummy’s Waisted on her top books for encouraging discussion in preschoolers. 

We get through a lot of books in our house, with a five year old boy and two year old girl. There are some which have remained favourites for a long time though, through my son as a pre-schooler and now in Reception, and now onto my daughter. It seems that the books which stay popular for us are those which prompt a lot of further discussion, or attempting to copy what’s in the book!

cute kids reading book education - encouraging discussion

View Post

Potty Training with Little Budgie’s Done A Fudgie

Baby girl is now 26 months old. She is very switched on and has shown that she is nearly ready for toilet training. A few weeks back we reviewed the Step’n’ Potty from Bumbo, but she wasn’t quite ready for potty training then. When we saw the health visitor for her 2 year check up, she gave us some advice on potty training, but said to leave it for a couple of months due the change in her life of having a little sister next week. She said that with having a newborn in the house would be a big adjustment without having potty training as well in her life. So we will be back on the potty training in the Summer.

For now though we have been reading this great little book called Little Budgie’s Done A Fudgie by Simon Harris. It’s all about a little bird taking his first steps out of a nappy onto the potty.

Little Budgie's Done A Fudgie

View Post

Blog Tour: Seas of Snow by Kerensa Jennings

Last year I was lucky enough to read a truly mesmerising book Seas of Snow by Kerensa Jennings. To celebrate it’s release into paperback, I’m excited to be a part of this blog tour.

Seas of Snow by Kerensa Jennings

Book Description

1950s England. Five-year-old Gracie Scott lives with her Mam and next door to her best friend Billy. An only child, she has never known her Da. When her Uncle Joe moves in, his physical abuse of Gracie’s mother starts almost immediately. But when his attentions wander to Gracie, an even more sinister pattern of behaviour begins.

As Gracie grows older, she finds solace and liberation in books, poetry and her enduring friendship with Billy. Together they escape into the poetic fairy-tale worlds of their imaginations.

But will fairy tales be enough to save Gracie from Uncle Joe’s psychopathic behaviour – and how far will it go?

Seas of Snow is a haunting, psychological domestic drama that probes the nature and the origins of evil.

View Post

Blog Tour: The Death Chamber by Lesley Thomson – Extract and Giveaway

Today it’s my turn to be on the blog tour for The Death Chamber by Lesley Thomson. This book is a fantastic eery crime thriller that you won’t be disappointed with.

I have an extract to share with you today, but first here is a little about the book.

The Death Chamber by Lesley Thomson

Book Description

Queen’s Jubilee, 1977: Cassie Baker sees her boyfriend kissing another girl at the village disco. Upset, she heads home alone and is never seen again.

Millennium Eve, 1999: DCI Paul Mercer finds Cassie’s remains in a field. Now he must prove the man who led him there is guilty.

When Mercer’s daughter asks Stella Darnell for help solving the murder, Stella see echoes of herself. Another detective’s daughter.

With her sidekick sleuth, Jack, Stella moves to Winchcombe, where DCI Mercer and his prime suspect have been playing cat and mouse for the past eighteen years..

The Detectives Daughter series from Lesley Thomson

Available from Amazon.

View Post

Oliver the Owl Review and Giveaway

This past week we have been reading Oliver the Owl by Sally Bailey-Young. We thoroughly enjoyed reading The Little Red Airplane by the same publishers Austin Macauley so was eager to see what Oliver the Owl is all about.

Oliver the Owl Review

Book Description

Oliver is a barn owl and he is growing up. The day he learns to fly is a great day and his new skill gives him the ability to observe the world. For instance, he watches the deer in the forest. He watches the children around the barn. He’s wary of the banging machine that’s used to scare the birds away from the crops. But most of all, he learns how things can help each other. When he discovers two old scarecrows in the barn he discovers how great it can be to make other people’s lives better.

View Post

Blog Tour – The Elf King by Lorraine Hellier

Today it’s my turn to be on the blog tour for The Elf King by Lorraine Hellier. It’s a children’s book that follows a family of elves. Before we get onto my review, here is a little bit more about the book.

The Elf King

Book Description

Bay Leaf is the new Elf King and must take his Oath of Allegiance. His sister, Sweet Pea, demonstrates her love and support on a perilous journey to the Mountain Shrine.

An enchanted book offers advice and guidance from their ancestors and warns Sweet Pea to take care of her brother. Will her interference resolve Bay Leaf’s heartache?

Purchase from Amazon 

View Post