1. Charlie and Lola have recently celebrated their 15th birthday. I mention this because the name of this blog is a little nod to Charlie and Lola. I love them to bits (especially when it comes to Sizzles). Continue reading
Tag Archives: children
Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts
1. Isn’t it fabulouso when friends think of you when they’re shopping? My ace friend Sam spotted these boots and texted me with “I’m seeing you in these boots. #sublime” I’m seeing me in those boots. Actually, scratch that. See me in those boots*.
2. The recommendation from the author of this article is “Don’t click on the Franzen think pieces.” Except that one, obvs. Continue reading
I’m the meanest mum in the whole wide world…
Last week I denied my nine-year-old son some triviality – staying up late/ chips/ ice cream/ whatever – it was minor but he was really tired. This is what happened: Continue reading
Bookish (and not so bookish) Thoughts
1. Christine, the lovely host of this meme, mentioned some books she was planning on buying for her baby. On that list was a book by Oliver Jeffers. Have I mentioned my thing for Oliver Jeffers before? No? Honestly, it’s got nothing to do with the devastating piercing blue eyes/dark hair combination. With an Irish accent. It’s all about the fact that he is a brilliant artist, who writes funny yet meaningful books for kids. Truly.
Continue reading
What book made you a ‘reader’?
I was recently asked what’s my favourite book. A really, really hard question. I don’t have one favourite – I have lots that I like for different reasons. A cop-out? Perhaps. So I rephrased the ‘favourite’ question for the person who asked me and said “I may not be able to tell you my single favourite book but I can tell you the book that made me a ‘reader’.”
Yes, there is one book that dominates my early reading memories. It’s a book that was read aloud to me and a book that I then read alone. It’s the first book I was caught reading under the covers with a torch. And without question, it’s the book that made me love, love, love reading.
That book is Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories by Joyce Lankester Brisley. Continue reading
It’s a nice day for a walk… And a read
This morning I saw a school girl walking along the street, with her nose buried in a book. I used to do the same thing as a teenager – my ten minute walk to the train station was the perfect opportunity to get a couple of chapters read!
At a parent-teacher presentation at my children’s school earlier this year, the Grade 4 teachers said that it was important that students managed at least 20 minutes of reading a day and that it was equally important that students see adults reading as part of daily routine.
A handful of parents around me did that special kind of under-the-breath-huffing-and-puffing which basically translates as ‘Yeah, right – like that’s going to happen.’ Thankfully, I have no trouble ticking those boxes as my kids spend lots of time reading and they constantly see me with my nose in a book – I may not be combining reading with the walk to school these days but I have mastered making breakfast whilst holding a novel!
‘Wonder’ by R. J. Palacio
I always say that if you want an accurate description of a person, ask a child. They don’t hold back on the detail – “He’s got a really, really big pointy nose, eyes that are a bit round but go down at the corners, a huge fat tummy…” But kids can also be mean. At a certain point, innocent descriptions or natural curiosity about people’s physical differences give way to deliberate and hurtful remarks. This is the basis for R. J. Palacio’s book, Wonder. Continue reading
Shelves gone wild
Lovely cardboard sheep shelf – via SwissMiss.
This amazing polar bear via Made in Design.
And this friendly whale from Justin Southey.