Our Favourite Books for 8 and 9 Year Olds

I am really enjoying reading to slightly older children now, being able to pick books with more of a storyline and I am finding that I often enjoy them too. I thought I would share some of the books the bigger boys and I have really enjoyed recently and I would love to hear any recommendations.

The Christmasaurus - Both boys voted this as the best book I have read to them.  Written by Tom Fletcher it is a wonderful book full of humour and excitement and we enjoyed The Christmasaurus and The Winter Witch just as much.  I know it isn't the perfect time for reading a Christmas book but Archie has been asking if we can re-read it already so I couldn't resist adding this magical story.

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant - Nizrana Farook, the author visited Dylan's school pre-covid, but it took us another year before we got round to reading the book.  This is a tale of adventure set in Sri Lanka and opened up a lot of questions about different cultures and ways of living.  This book is aimed more at 9-12 year olds and I think for independent reading Archie especially would struggle, but he enjoyed having it read to him.

The Storey Treehouse Collection - I haven't tried reading these books to the children, but this is Dylan's favourite series for independent reading and books he happily got stuck into, even as a reluctant reader. He got the newest one for Christmas but there is a whole series and I think they are great for 6-10 year olds depending on their ability.  They are full of fun illustrations which make them less intimidating for younger readers.

The Danger Gang - This is another Tom Fletcher book but I couldn't not include it as we have just finished it and both children loved it.  This book is written as a series of letters, one for each month about the freaky goings on in a town called Freaky and we love how each of the Tom Fletcher books references the others in little ways. (We have read the Creakers too).  We all can't wait to see what he writes next.

The Secret Seven - This Enid Blyton collection is dated and I have to explain words and ideas to the children sometimes (and look them up myself too), but the themes of friendship and adventure seem to resonate with the children as they ask for the books and enjoy the stories.  I bought the collection on a special offer and we are working through it slowly, reading the books in between others (we are currently on book 5). I like the way that the books my mum read as a child and that I read as a child can still spark their imagination now, over 70 years since they were written.

I would love to know what children's books your children of this age like reading independently or like having read to them.

Read more ⇨

Little Loves in January

As January comes to an end (finally), I wanted to share some of my favourite things from the month.  New Years Day seems to have been months ago and isolation schooling certainly isn't making anything go faster, but there have been little things that have made the month enjoyable, from a good read to tasty snacks. Here are some of my little loves from the month.

Read - A Brief History of Seven Killings

I am hoping that by the time the month ends, I will have read 10 books, probably a record for me (apart from my Uni days).  I have tried to start the year with a real variety of authors and genres but my favourite by far has been A Brief History of Seven Killings.  Set in the Jamaican ghettos in the 1970s this book gave me an insight into a different world.  I loved the way the language was used, the characters and it is one I am keeping on the bookshelf to read again.  

Watch - Gilmore Girls

I decided to start watching Gilmore Girls from the beginning and it was a great choice.  The show is familiar, easy going and feels like coffee with an old friend.  It was the light tonic I need when the news is so dire, I could sit and colour in as I watched and I was sad when it ended.  There aren't many shows I watch more than once but I am already looking forward to the next time I start Gilmore Girls.

Wear - Owl and the Pussycat Jumper

Pyjamas have featured heavily in January's outfit of the day but when I do go out, it is all about comfort and warmth and this jumper from The Owl and the Pussycat (Pr Product) is snuggly and such a beautiful colour.  I have worn it with jeans and under dungarees as well as on top of pyjamas on a lazy day.  

Listen to - Lucas Graham

My children get a song in their heads and then listen to it on repeat for the next month.  This month was apparently the month for Lucas Graham.  I am pretty sure Archie now knows all the words to 7 Years, in fact he typed them out on his online learning instead of answering the question at one point.  If they aren't asking Alexa to play it, they are singing their own (incredibly loud) version.

Drink - Baileys Orange

I am not a big drinker, but I couldn't resist trying orange truffle flavoured Baileys and it does not disappoint.  At the end of a long day of isolation school battles, it is delicious poured over ice.

Eat - Mini Eggs Dairy Milk

It took me a long time to get hold of this after finding out about its existence.  Lockdown means less time in shops of course, but when I eventually got hold of some, I bought a few bars in anticipation of it being delicious.  It is.  I don't want to guess at how many bars I have eaten this month, but my hiding places are running low. 

I would love to hear about what has made you smile this January, either as a comment below or over on social media!

Read more ⇨

52 Books in 52 Weeks

I set myself a challenge at the beginning of 2020, that I would read 52 books this year, the equivelent of one per week.  I was an avid reader as a child, something that followed me through life and culminated in my studying an English Literature degree at Reading Uni.  I loved studying literature, but I found that the extensive reading lists and pressure to read widely around the topics meant I wasn't able to fit in reading for fun and all the crime thrillers I had previously enjoyed were neglected.  Motherhood seemed to turn my brain to mush for a while and books were not a priority, and reading stopped being such a big part of my life.  I have tried to get back into it many times, but I thought a challenge would really help (nope, not competitive at all).  

I started out with some safe books, following a series I had started last year, easy reading page turners but I wanted to make sure I read well, adding variety to keep it interesting.  I finished book 52 in early November and realised I have learned a few things throughout the year that I should share, so here goes.

1. The best way to find time for reading is to make it part of your daily routine.  For me, this means turning off the tv/laptop at 11pm each night and reading until I am ready for sleep. It might be first thing in the morning, over lunch or another time, but make it part of every day.

2. The classics are that for a reason (with the exception of Middlemarch, possibly the most boring book I have ever read).  I tried to add a few that I had managed to miss during education and realised why they were still so popular many years on.  To Kill a Mockingbird and The Colour Purple were new reads for me that I really enjoyed.

3. Reading doesn't have to be expensive.  I love buying a new book and can spend hours browsing the shelves in a bookshop, but I can't afford to buy 52 new books a year so I chose a few, ones that I really wanted to read and couldn't get hold of any other way.  I also used the library, charity shops and book swaps with friends.  Some of the books I have loved this year I found for 20p in the local charity shop and it has been fun borrowing books that friends recommend.  My local library also offered a service over lockdown where you could submit favourite genres, authors and likes and they would pick books for you to pick up.  I am hoping this is something they continue!

4. If you feel in a rut, try diversifying your reading list.  Try different genres, different authors or different styles.  I found some great book-instagrammers who recommended books I probably wouldn't have found on my own and loved them.  I also tried non fiction, travel writing and autobiographies as well as the stories I am usually drawn to.

5. It is ok to start reading a book and decide it isn't for you, but make sure you give it a real chance.  One of the most interesting books I read this year was one I put down 20 pages in and almost didn't pick it back up.  There is only one that I started and really couldn't get into but I tried three times just to give it a real chance.  We won't all love or appreciate the same books and that is ok.

6. Instagram is a great place for inspiration.  I have picked up lots of books based on the recommendations of book influencers but I have also found many parenting or lifestyle bloggers I follow have shared what they are reading and loving and have influenced me to hunt something out too.  I have loved Book of Cinz this year and have a whole folder on Instagram of books she has shared that I want to read!.

7. Once reading becomes a habit and you find interesting books, it is so easy to fall back in love with it.  I have read the 52 books I had challenged myself to and I am half way through a fascinating number 53 (War Doctor about surgery on the front line by David Knott)with a pile next to my bed ready to go!  I won't share every book I have read this year, but I will pop down a top 10 for anyone needing inspiration.  If there is anything you think I should add to my reading pile then please leave a comment or pop me a message.

Where The Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens 

The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides

Girl, Woman, Other - Bernadine Evaristo

Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari

Around the World in 80 Trains - Monisha Rajesh

Becoming - Michelle Obama

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Little Girl Lost - Carol Wyer

The Beekeeper of Aleppo - Christy Lefteri

Slow Boat - Hideo Furukawa

Read more ⇨

5 Animal Books for Children

This World Book Day I wanted to share five of our favourite animal based books for primary school aged children.  These are all books that we have had for a while and enjoyed and satisfy my children's curiosity around animals for a while.  If you are looking for a book for a young animal lover then check these out!

(please note some title links are affiliate links)

10 Reason to Love a Lion

written by Catherine Barr

Illustrated by Hanako Clulow

This book is part of a series (we also have one about penguins) and features beautiful illustrations explaining why lions are such amazing creatures.  We love talking about the pictures and find it very informative. This is enjoyed most by my younger children but older ones can read it independently.

Travel Through the Amazing World of Animals

Factivity

This is an interactive book that older children can explore on their own.  It is full of information on a large variety of animals but also has puzzles and challenges throughout to encourage them to stay engaged.  If you want to encourage a reluctant reader this is great as each page is a different animal and the writing is broken up with games and illustrations.

Amazing Animal Journeys

Chris Packham

Jason CockcroftThis book covers a variety of species but linking each one in a way that makes it flow as a book to read to younger children whilst still being factual.  This is one we have read as a bedtime story as it slots in with other fiction books easily.  I love the way it is written and how children are often integrated into the images.

Lifesize

Sophy Henn

This is a larger book than the others to accomodate the fact it is actually lifesize.  You can hold the book against you to get a real idea of a toucan's beak or a lion's roar but the book is simple enough for younger children to explore on their own too as everything is easy to understand.  The pictures are bright and inviting and this is always a favourite in my house.

Animalium

Curated by Katie Scott and Jenny Broom

We have a few books from this series and they never disappoint.  This book is like an illustrated encylopedia of animals and I love the drawings.  This is one that we bring out when the children are curious about a specific species but we also enjoy opening it on a random page and seeing what we can discover.  This is a big book and one that I see us keeping for many, many years.  

I would love to hear of any animal themed book suggestions for children!

Read more ⇨

10 Reasons to Love - A Book Giveaway

All four children are going through a stage of preffering non fiction books so we have been on the hunt for some great factual books aimed at young readers.  I was sent some information about the '10 Reasons to Love' series and it looked perfect for all four of them.  The two newest releases are '10 Reasons to love a Lion' and '10 Reasons to love a Penguin' (two of our favourite animals) and both have been big hits!

The books are beautifully illustrated and full of interesting facts about what makes these majestic animals so special.  Written by an expert in the field, the books look at conservation issues and discuss how we can best look after these animals.  Dylan especially is becoming very aware of our impact on animals habitats and he loved learning a bit more.  Cora and Finn love to make up their own stories as they flick through and we love the details in the illustrations.

These hardback books look beautiful on a bookshelf and would make a lovely gift for a curious child.  There is a whole series including turtles, elephants, whales and bears but I have two sets of the penguin and lion books to give away today!

If you would like to win a copy of both the penguin and the lion book then enter via the rafflecopter form below.  Two winners will be drawn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was sent the books for the purpose of this post.

Read more ⇨

Early Reader's Christmas Books List

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #CollectiveBias

Waterstones, Christmas Books, Early Readers

We are at the beginning of what I consider to be one of the most exciting journeys my child is going to travel - he is learning to read.  I have always been an avid reader, and my mum tells me as young as 18 months I would sit in the corner looking at picture books whilst my friends played.  Once the written words started making sense, I would take a torch to bed to read under the covers, and take an hour getting ready for school as I had a book permanently in my hands.  My love continued through an English literature degree and even now, whilst I don't find nearly as much time as I would like, I love to curl up with a good book.

I am so excited that Dylan is already showing such enthusiasm.  Whilst we have tried never to push him, we have made sure he has the resources and time should it be what interests him, and he has proven that he does want to learn.  As we progressed from letters and sounds to small words, we have wondered about the next step, whether we continue as we are until the school give us a direction, or whether we continue providing the resources for him to learn at his own pace, whatever he decides that to be.  

I went to Waterstones to look at the different options for young readers and to choose a Christmas present, and liked that there was so much variety, especially once they start progressing.  I saw the familiar books of my childhood, although with a slightly updated cover (definitely the same pictures), alongside new books from new authors with colour and fun.  Here are my picks for the first stage:

Read more ⇨

Lost My Name Giveaway

We are a family that loves books, and my boys are lucky to have plenty to keep their imaginations going. We discovered Lost My Name early last year and fell in love.  Their personalised stories are not just a name added in, but a whole story based around your name.  A little boy or girl with a lost name visits creatures big and small, mythical and real to collect letters which in turn remind them of who they are.

Read more ⇨

Personalised Book Bundle Giveaway

My children have a lot of books.  They have them in their playroom, in their bedrooms and in the nappy bag for trips out.  I loved books as a child (I still do) and I really want to instil in them a love of reading, an imagination and an appreciation of the written word.

A book can transport you to a magical place, it can give you time away from reality, it can teach you, it can show you how to express your feelings.  We have books that have been read to death, with bent corners and tatty covers, and books that live on the top shelf as they are special, ones that come out only for bedtime stories.

I have a wonderful giveaway for you this week, to win your choice of personalised story as well as a bundle of themed books to go with it.  What's more, is that the winner will get their books in plenty of time for Christmas - the perfect present for a special little person.

Read more ⇨

Dylan's New Playroom

It has taken four months, but we have finally finished unpacking and Dylan and Archie have their very own space.  Our living room is nice and long so we have decided to have half as an adult end with the sofas and TV, and the other half for the boys.  The idea is that it is their playroom, without being in a separate room and the bloke and I can have nice relaxed evenings without toys covering every surface.

We have a lovely bookcase from Tidy Books in blue wood, so I bought some blue wooden toy storage too to contain the multitude of toys that we have accumulated over the past twenty months.

We have been sent a gorgeous blue wooden table and chairs too and  Dylan loves to sit up at his table and do some drawing or puzzles.

The set was a little tricky to put together, but the bloke managed it by himself and the table and chairs seem nice and sturdy now.  I think they will last Dylan quite some time as he has plenty of growing space but he can climb onto the chair by himself too.  They are the perfect addition to our playroom!

Disclaimer:  We were sent the table and chairs free of charge but all thoughts, opinions and photos are completely my own.

Read more ⇨