I Am A Baby, Bob Shea ( paperback July 2023)
£7.99
A hilariously deadpan look at new parenthood - from a baby's point of view. I am not sleepy. I am not sleepy because I am a baby.Mummy is sleepy. Mummy is sleepy because I am a baby. With humour and sympathy, Bob Shea looks at the chaos of life with a baby as amiably narrated by the new arrival.
Repeating the mantra (and blithe explanation) "because I am a baby," the tiny narrator leads us through scenes of exhaustion, grumpiness, squishy nappies, spilled milk, cowering kittens and chubby overfed pups (oopsie!). Playing against the simple, matter-of-fact text are freewheeling illustrations of mess and mayhem, in which the grown-ups' exaggerated body language is sure to send older children into fits of giggles. With its endearing, unabashedly self-pleased star, I Am a Baby will find a place at showers, in nurseries, on parents' shelves and in the hands of appreciative big siblings, as it celebrates the changes a little one brings, at once challenging and full of love.
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It's Your World Now, Barry Falls ( paperback, 2019)
£7.99
So go and play and live and learn. It's your world now, this is your turn to think and ask and make and do. The world is magic, just like you!' A beautiful, moving and funny celebration of life that highlights the potential of each and every child.This is the perfect book to read out loud - helping children to appreciate the wonderful things that exist in the world, and the great things that they can do. It also allows them to understand some of the setbacks that may occur along the way. And the overall message is that whatever happens, you will always be loved by those closest to you.
Barry Falls' illustrations burst from the page with exuberant detail while his rhyming text is a delight to read. This is a gorgeous, funny and thought-provoking celebration of where you might go and what you might do in life, a message from a dad to his daughter.
Welcome To The World, Julia Donaldon & Helen Oxenbury ( paperback April 2023 )
£7.99
From two bestselling and awardwinning creators comes a magical, lyrical celebration of babies' first experiences. From the comfort of home to the adventure of the great outdoors, from family to first encounters with nature, Welcome to the World revels in the joy that comes with sharing this new world with children, and seeing it through their eyes. A perfect read-aloud story for sharing from Julia Donaldson and Helen Oxenbury.
Stil Born, Guadalupe Nettel ( paperback 2022)
£12.99
Still Born, Guadalupe Nettel’s fourth novel, explores one of life’s most consequential decisions – whether or not to have children – with her signature charm and intelligence. Alina and Laura are independent and career-driven women in their mid-thirties, neither of whom have built their future around the prospect of a family. Laura has taken the drastic decision to be sterilized, but as time goes by Alina becomes drawn to the idea of becoming a mother.
When complications arise in Alina’s pregnancy and Laura becomes attached to her neighbour’s son, both women are forced to reckon with the complexity of their emotions. In prose that is as gripping as it is insightful, Still Born explores maternal ambivalence with a surgeon’s touch, carefully dissecting the contradictions that make up the lived experiences of women.
My Very Busy Day, Shirley Hughes ( hardback April 2024)
£12.99
A classic collection of first experiences for pre-schoolers, illustrated by the best-loved Kate Greenaway medal-winner, Shirley Hughes. In this beautifully illustrated book for first readers, little ones can find out about Olly and Katie's very busy day learning new words and improving their vocabulary along the way. From getting dressed in the morning, heading out for a walk in the park or having a story before bath and bedtime, this simple, joyful book takes the reader through key points in a toddler's day, with plenty of objects to spot and recognize in Shirley Hughes' reassuring and charming pictures.
Packed with evocative scenes from childhood and first words to spell out on each page, there is so much to see and do in Olly and Katie's gentle pre-school world.
