No Such Thing As A Gruffalo

During the snatched chinwags I get to have with my friends regarding reading to our little dahlings (what a top book pun) one name keeps coming up. It would seem that a children's book blog is incomplete without a reference to Julia Donaldson. So let's get started. 

Let me declare my position from the outset. I am, like most of you out there, a fan of Julia Donaldson's books. The former Children's Laureate deserves her huge popularity. Her many books are probably lining your shelves right now. You can find them in any bookshop or supermarket for that matter. Whilst JD's books retain their high standards we are happy for her to keep churning them out. 

I was first introduced to JD when I bought Room on the Broom for my niece and nephew. We all loved it straight away. I gave the narrator a Scottish accent for no reason at all and whoosh we were gone.  This book, like most of JD's stories as I was to discover, reads like a timeless tale and is delivered in her trademark tight rhymes. Where my favourite author Aggie C was the Queen of Crime so JD should be crowned the Queen of Rhyme. Few can maintain her quality of rhyme and interesting storyline so well in one book nevermind in so many books. We could discuss our growing collection of JD books for hours: from the delights of lifting the flaps in the glorious Tales from Acorn Wood to the lovely climax in Monkey Puzzle to feeling Christmassy in Stick Man. And we cannot avoid The Gruffalo. Although, actually, we very much do.

There's No Such Thing as The Gruffalo in Our House.

Allow me to defend our controversial position. The Gruffalo, why didn't you know?  He started as a creature with terrible teeth in terrible jaws and now is a much loved beast with his own website. Again, I first met The Gruffalo as a fun auntie. I thought that the rhyming, the illustrations, the tale, and the twist, all created a masterpiece. But the master will not have a piece of it, reading wise. Matt has the slippers, the pyjamas, and the proverbial cuddly toy. But he will not read the book! He is on board with the paraphernalia attached to the Gruffalo but he also feels that way about Spiderman and other popular characters.  I know we are very much swimming against the tide with this but that is pretty much the story of our life together so far.

Wish they did these for grown ups

If you have had the huge pleasure to meet Matt you will know that he is a character. He walks his own path. He likes to cut the dash in cords and flat cap. He is intent on riding a shire horse in the Grand National. He is his own mini man and knows his own mini mind. So, try as I might, the book stays on the shelf. The world famous tale of the mouse walking through the woods has not made it into his heart. It could be that my impeccable acting skills have gone too far again and I have made the story too frightening! But I think it all went to pot when we tried to make The Gruffalo more real. Too real. In the context of a journey through the real woods it all became a little too frightening for this little boy with a big imagination and a formative understanding of what is fact and fiction. The Gruffalo Trail became our Gruffalo trial.

                           One of these boys is hugging The Gruffalo. The other one is not so much.

Despite his excitement at spending the afternoon in the woods with Jack, Matt constantly had to check that it was still cardboard cut outs we were searching for and not real beasts. He never really relaxed into it. Since that day Matt has not wanted to read the book. His fear of The Gruffalo has developed in conjunction with his need for a stick sword every time we enter the woods. So what appears to be a rather boisterous little boy roaring through the trees is actually a very brave boy trying to protect us all. Matt is too distracted by the Gruffalo and the deep dark woods to follow the story and the boy certainly does not appreciate the mouse's trick at the core of the book. I think it is a book that we will revisit in the future. So, whilst I like the book it is not big on our list. And that is ok. JD and The Gruffalo will not suffer from our opting out and neither will Matt. Maybe if my pal (don't worry I won't name you, Elyse) can write a spin off based on her dad's invention of a wife for the Gruffalo we will get back into it. I am sure that 'The Muffalo' would fly off the shelves!

The reverse effect of The Gruffalo trail was experienced after watching a performance of The Scarecrow's wedding at the Lyceum Theatre by Scamp. We were invited along to see this show with our good pals. I was worried how Matt would cope for three reasons: he had not read the book very much; he does not like the dark; and he does not like people in costume (oversized cartoon costumes. He loves a Victorian as much as the next person.)  The book had the potential to win Matt over as it is set on a farm but for some reason it had failed to hold his attention. It is the tale of two scarecrows planning a wedding and Harry does his all to get everything they (Betty) want for their big day. I think Matt was initially disappointed with the equine absence in the book. Only today (as I type- who knows when you will read this) he showed his disdain for a rendition of Old MacDonald (Old MatDonald as he calls it) in the library because there was no horse.(Sorry about all the brackets. I will try to stop with the asides). I personally like The Scarecrow's Wedding- except for the ending. I find the resolution a little too bridezilla! Betty is saved from a fire and her reaction is phew we have everything on our list now let's marry. Surely a nicer and wiser ending would have been for the long sought after flowers to get ruined and for Betty to realise that the list wasn't important after all and only her love for Harry matters? Just a suggestion. Back to the show.

Ooh the excitement

                The boys were excited in the stalls. As were the fuzzy people in the background.

Matt looked a wee bit perplexed when the lights went out but the stage lit up, a banjo played and all was fine. He did not need my hand to hold although did take up my offer of a knee when a big head got in his way. The play was performed by three people and there were no hideous costumes. Phew. The humanization of the scarecrows as a love struck, giggly couple worked well. The boys were enthralled. The youngest of our posse, Eli, got so far into it he kept heckling the stage. The show gave a risky interpretation (depending on your definition of risk. Sorry more brackets). They used an armchair for a tractor, bells to represent cows, and the geese were portrayed with glove puppets. The one actor played a variety of roles as well as narrating. The shock of the day was that the boys were neither confused or disappointed by this approach. They accepted it and embraced it. Although Matt did cover his eyes at the kissing parts. They clapped along at the end and were both disappointed when it was over. Mrs S was relieved as Noah had been doing a wee dance for about twenty minutes. Over cake at an M&S cafe (the theatre cafe had closed after the performance- shame on you) we all agreed that it was a successful trip and that the show gave a great rendition of the book. Since then Matt has acted out a wedding with his Bruder figures and has showed a greater interest in the book. So a great result- that's culture for you, innit? 

The time has come to lay our cards on the table and declare our favourite JD books.  Drum roll please.  This has been a difficult task but we kept going for you, dear pals. First, our honourable mentions go to The Smartest Giant in Town, Tyrannosaurus Drip and The Troll as these are frequently chosen to be read at bedtime. However, the following are the JD books that most appeal to us.

One book that doesn't need bells or a banjo to win over Matt is The Highway Rat. It is his favourite JD book.

The Highway Matt

It is the tale of a greedy rat who steals food from other animals. He even 'once stole his own horse's hay'. Trying saying that fast. Most of the book flows in a lovely rhythm but I do cut some of the repetition of 'I am the rat of the highway' if it has been a long day. I am not sure Matt wholly gets the crux of the story when a clever duck leads the rat to a cave and he is enticed in by an echo. This is also a difficult piece of writing to read aloud. It is also hard to teach Matt the moral of the story when the naughty rat ends up working a cake shop which most three year olds would agree is a huge career success! However Matt loves a horse (if you didn't know) and the campfire picnic scene really holds his interest. It is food based so it is not one to read on an empty stomach or a full one. But, all in all it is a winner. 

My favourite JD book and Matt's second favourite after the above is Zog. This book is the tale of a dragon attending school and the progress he makes each year. Matt is three (possibly four when you read this) and he loves dragons and knights on horseback. Throw in a Princess and this book has it all. I don't want to spoil it for you so it is suffice to say that it is a modern fairytale that will appeal to all. It has a great twist of an ending.(Ignore that- The Other Parent spent the whole of The Usual Suspects telling me to wait for the massive twist so that when it came it was completely underwhelming!) For the reader, the book follows a simple structure with consistent rhythm so it is an effortless read. The little person has much to gain from this book too. Aside from the great characters there is a moral to the tale so maybe this should be the one JD book to demand our attention. This should be the one that girls and boys want to read. This should be the one we give as gifts and make a classic in our time. I urge you to read this to your children. Have I made my point?  

Ooooh look a baby dragon

And a knight. Wahoo.
And wait oh no- there's a cameo from The Gruffalo

Finally, the one that got away. There is one more JD book that should be on this list. Sugarlump and the Unicorn is the story of a horse who yearns for a different life and so follows a tale of his different horse world adventures. PERFECT. This book could have been Matt's forever book.  In fact, it is the story I would have loved to have written for Matt but with one small change: the cover. The issue we have with this book is that it had all the potential to win our hearts and minds but it fell at the first fence. If the unicorn could grant my wish it would be that the book had not been sparklified in the design/production process. There is a proud sticker on the cover of the book to celebrate that there is glitter on every page!? Why, WHy, WHY? The glitter is completely unnecessary and it's presence is detrimental to Matt's relationship to this book.

Son refused to be in photo

We practice sex equality at every opportunity. Matt has baby dolls and a pink buggy for them and in many ways he is open minded but more often than not he exhibits traditional masculine tendencies. And that is fine too. He is a little man boy trying to make sense of the world; to understand the codes and plot where he fits and what his role is. Matt does not identify with the book cover or the glitter and having the lead jockey in pink sparkly silks further alienates him from interacting with the story.

Should have been our winner

I have tried to explain that the glitter represents the Unicorn's magic but he cannot connect with it. Teaching Matt that glitter is for boys and girls is like telling him that vegetables are good for him. He hears it and he sort of understands it but he just doesn't feel it.

I am well aware we may be on our own with this but the point is that Matt sees himself as horse trainer, stable lad, cowboy, and jockey on any given day and he incorporates this into most play activities. It is no coincidence that the two JD books he has taken on as his faves feature horses. It is regrettable that the one story that would truly entertain him and engage his imagination is inaccessible because of a stylistic decision. I know boys and girls who would love the glittery book. I know boys and girls who would not even notice it. But, I do not know any other child who loves horses as much as Matt and who yearns for such a story. So, can we also use this opportunity to clarify that horse books, clothes, and toys do not have to be pink,purple or glittery? Thanks for that. I feel lighter now. Anyway, this could have been Matt's mostest favouritest book ever but he judged it by it's cover and is missing out on a wonderful story about his favourite animals. Maybe he will grow out of it and discover the delights of Sugarlump at some future point. I hope so- it is a lovely read. If you have a child who is not deterred by glitter then give this book a whirl. Actually, you can borrow our's!

For us there is no such thing as The Gruffalo, and Sugarlump is stuck in the starting gate, but we have a rat, dragons, a troll and a giant to inspire Matt's imagination and adventures. Now we just need some Zog slippers and some cake from The Highway Rat and we will be all set.

Few authors know their audience so well. Few authors write so broadly, wittily, softly, sweetly, or scarily as JD. The stories entertain parents and children alike. Read them, treasure them, share them, for Julia Donaldson's books are, without a doubt, the safe bet in children's literature. But, sometimes, Matt and I also like to take a punt on an outsider and that can pay dividends too. 

Books and Arrows

Or the attempt to trick an active child into a quiet reading session.

Driving home from a play date Matt decided to nap. This is a problem. He rarely sleeps when it is convenient. On day two of Matt's life on Earth I asked the midwife why he would not sleep like the other babies. She said 'you just have one of those babies'. Not the finest moment for the NHS. On day three, a nurse told us that we would have our hands full as he was far too alert. Almost four years later, Matt still fights sleep and is indeed A LERT (Grandad Rob loves a lert joke). For Matt, sleep is BORING, he doesn't want to miss anything, and he wants to be where Mummy is at all times. The only place he willingly submits to the zzzzzs is in the car. The automobile has magic powers that lull most little people into the dream world. In desperate bedtimes I have driven Matt around the village to force him to sleep. The irony being that the very times I want to keep him awake are the times he sleeps most deeply. There are two detrimental consequences to the daytime nap: firstly, it means that Matt gets to recharge his batteries and I do not. Don't bring that sleep when they sleep claptrap to my door- I am pretty sure you aren't meant to snooze whilst driving. And even if I got home and Matt stayed asleep I would have the age old dilemma: eat chocolate and catch up on social media or try to relax enough to catch a quick doze. On the odd occasion that I opt for the latter Matt usually wakes up before I have had chance to dream so I wake up even more tired than before. The second problemo is that Matt considers a nap to mean that his sleep is complete for that 24 hour time period and I end up wrestling him to sleep around ten pm. To prevent impromptu nappage I used to avoid going out after noon, then as he got older I would avoid going out after three. However, the hermit life does not suit us so sometimes we live dangerously and take the risk. This was one such occasion. I had already written off my chance of an evening and was pondering how to get through the afternoon following Matt's unscheduled powerboost. I was panicking not least because I was well aware that Matt's plans for the afternoon were pretty active. Matt was given an archery set by his grandparents. He was chuffed and so was I as it meant I could have my coathangers back from Robin Hood(ed towel).

I was worrying how I was going to keep up with him as all I really wanted was a quiet book session under the shade of a tree. Preferably my book but I thought that was too much of an ask so his books would suffice.

It was whilst we trundled along in the car and Matt snored away and plotted wild schemes, that I became a genius! Every moment in my life had led to this discovery. I yelled EUREKA and considered whether I should apply for my Nobel prize now or wait a while. For the purposes of modesty I decided to wait. Let this hesitation not over-shadow my discovery. I had created a way for a bouncy boy and a tired mum to have both their needs met. I had devised a way for the child to be active and for the adult to just watch and, at most, read. No worries, you are most welcome.

I originally named this beaut of a game- Barchery. But I decided against it based on the fact that it sounded a little like a drinking game or the consequences of such. I spent the next five minutes coming up with an amazing title and I would like to present to you Books and Arrows (patent pending).

I devised the following simple but fun rules:
a) Place books on washing line.
b) Fire an arrow with bow.
c) Whichever book it hits you read to, with, or at child. 
d) Parent sits, watches, cheers, takes photos, reads, and crucially rests.
Foolproof Fun for Child and Mum (patent still pending)

 

Sitting Ducks (or books. Ho hum)

After Matt woke, he was fed, watered, and shooed into the garden. He was excited about the game but then he announced a rule change. I was TOTALLY fine with this. (Big sobs as she mourns her precious rules). The revised plan was that Matt wanted to shoot all the books first then read them all. It was a risky strategy and I feared he may skip the reading part afterwards but I recalibrated my brain and decided it was ok to proceed with this idea if only to stock up on the child-led points.

Flat cap is optional

So off we went. Matt was really into it. I loved watching his stance and the concentration on his face. I especially loved it all from the comfort and safety of my blanket on the grass.

There were amazing celebrations when Matt hit a book. Although he was disappointed that the books didn't fall off when they were hit. I was most relieved. He kept up the momentum until all six were shot down.

So to the reading. We sat down and Matt said 'I want to read this one first and I don't want to read this one until later'. He then ordered the books; it was interesting to watch the process. We won't critique all six books here but the top of the pile was All Pigs are Beautiful by Dick King Smith. Matt was obsessed with this book last year. The book is aimed at age 5+ but I won't tell Matt if you don't. Or the editors. The book has the right amount of detail, humour, and interest for a pre-school farm-fan. I may ever so slightly leave out the bits about pigs biting. And, I don't technically read every word but I figure it means there will be some surprises for him when he learns to read it himself! I am afraid that I do struggle with the title. I would like to change it to All Piglets are Beautiful because if you have seen a fully grown large white or, more specifically, smelled one, I imagine 'beautiful' would not be your primary adjective. This book is worth reading even if you just like pigs. It is also good because it provides a break from picture story books. We own and have borrowed (from the library, not from people or shops) a variety of the Walker Nature Storybooks and would recommend them. We could return to this series at some future point. Remind me? 

After our pig-fest we read some more but the reading session halted after four books when Matt asked if we could do the arrowing again. I was initially disappointed but then he said 'with different books' and I made the mistake of thinking 'Wahoo'. This bubble was soon burst when Matt said 'and also instead of a bow and arrow please can I use my water pistol?' I gently dealt this request a swift and definite NO! Rubber Arrows are fine but water pistols are not to go near my books. His books I mean. Obviously.

After letting Matt down with a firm NO! (Incase you also missed it the first time). He asked me to spin him around. Aaaargh Come in Mother your book time is over. It was good while it lasted. Evidently you can't trick a child into doing something for long so enjoy the magic while it lasts! I would also like to add that reading should not have to be part of an elaborate game or ploy they are enough themselves but sometimes we need to innovate. This book based activity gifted me a quiet hour in the garden and Matt got to grips with a new skill. So, you can encourage a child to slow down and read but be prepared for the sudden gear change! Never rest or your laurels (wherever they may be). For whilst I thought I was an excellent Game Maker I had underestimated what incredible Game Changers children can be. Sometimes for the worst (let's try making a pond on the carpet) but sometime their rules are for the better. Matt got what he wanted from this activity and I got just what I needed.

Disclaimer- no books or children were hurt in the making of this activity but if he gets that water pistol out...

Can Super Tato Save World Book Day?

World Book Day  March 2015

World Book Day/Week/Month (WBD) is the time of year when our streets and Facebook news feeds are crowded with little people dressed as Harry Potter, Mr Stink, and Matilda. The event intends to get children really thinking about their favourite books and the characters they most identify with or enjoy reading about. What is not to love? Well, can we take a moment to address annual the appearance of dubious book heroes such as Frozen and Minecraft characters? Are they really the most fitting tribute to a child's interest in books? Does it matter if they arrived at their character via another media? The traditionalist in me screams YES. The book snob in me would have judged the parent's commitment to their child's literacy and questioned the scope of their child's imagination. 

HOWEVER, rest assured, the well-worn parent sees things slightly differently. Firstly, you can't judge a child based on their outfit- book day or not. Seeing a child dressed as a Disney Princess in wellies now elicits a sympathetic nod and the thought- yup I understand. I had a morning like that yesterday. Took a cowboy to the supermarket. Just go with it. The mornings we spend battling over clothing are getting more frequent. I fight for decency, dignity and temperature. Matt fights for whatever makes him look like a farmer or a lad (stable lad not Magaluf). So I guess, if it is a dalek day it is a dalek day. Secondly, the parent-reader in me also understands the book struggle. I wish I could say that we are working our way through the top 100 children's books but sometimes we are get stuck reading the most random books. If you happen to have a book featuring Spiderman and your child identifies with it then go for it. Read every bloomin' Spiderman book there is. Let's not be snobbish about their book choices. The day is a celebration of the books they love not what we want our children to love or what we want other people to think we love to read! Maybe it is even a positive thing to have a broad range of books represented and a host of characters to be our children's heroes. So in the spirit of this open minded introduction please do not judge our future WBD decisions.

This year was the first time that we officially and publicly took part in the tradition. We didn't have to dress up but I knew from a friend that Matt's nursery would ask for parents to read and I knew I would have to do it: the opportunity to choose a book, to read it to small people, to offer them a new story, to show how much I love children's books and reading. This required serious preparation. However, I was not prepared for how it would turn out. I had imagined that World Book Day would be deeply satisfying and edifying; but it left me feeling like an amateur.

Stage One: Child-led Book Selection
Me: Matt, who is your favourite book character?
Matt: Robin Hood.
Me: Ah. He is a great character but we don't actually have a Robin Hood book.
Matt: Yep we do.Robin Hood is in my book. And his baby. 
Me: Hmmmm. Robin Hood has a bow and arrow. Not so much a baby.
Matt: He does. Baby Bunting. Hang on and I will show you...
Matt: Ta-Dah!

Boy presents Robin Hood holding Baby Bunting in Each Peach Pear Plum. 

Stage Two: Scrap Stage One

Each Peach Pear Plum is easy to read for the grown up and entertaining for the non-reader but it is quite a small book so it would be difficult to read to a group. I asked Matt to choose another and he chose Seabiscuit: The Wonder Horse by Meghan McCarthy. I bought the book as Matt took a great interest when I was reading the adult version. This book offers a short and concise insight into how Seabiscuit was trained and features the crucial race of his career. The illustrations are cartoony and the text is simple to read.  Great stuff. However, I did have worries: I was concerned that not every preschooler would be interested. Also, the book also touches on the Great Depression which is a bit extraneous for this situation. Furthermore, after a trial run, I realised that I would have to give the race some welly to make it work. I wasn't too sure I would have the energy or confidence for a full on race commentator performance. What if the audience did not get involved and I was the only one romping on home with The Biscuit?

Whilst I was pondering what to read, inspiration came from an unlikely source. One rainy afternoon, we were watching CBeebies. I have no idea if it was actually raining but I wanted to justify having the telly on. It was time for a story and Andy (taking a break from adventures of Wild and Dinosaur natures) read Supertato by Sue Hendra. We loved it. It caught our attention straight away and we ordered it immediately. The story is based on a super hero of a potato variety who saves other veggies in a supermarket from the villainous pea. We read it a couple of times and both agreed that this should be the story because it is colourful, funny, and exciting (depending on your definition of exciting). Could Supertato be our Preschool WBD hero?

I spent hours rehearsing my delivery. I gave Supertato a deep American voice. The pea was given a baddie Spanish accent. Perfect. Really. I did get B in GCSE drama and I had been waiting years to put it to work. I tried not to let nerves take over. They are only children afterall. Children. Plural. Argh.

Stage Three: Performance

I was ushered in to the room and it was quiet. Too quiet considering there were 20 plus children in there. Including my son. I was so nervous I forgot to hug Matt. He looked so proud of me too. (He did get plenty more hugs later). This wasn't my first mistake- stay with me. We sat together at the front. I smiled and spoke to the group of children who gave nothing back. Nowt. A sea of little faces all waiting...I opened with a highly humorous gag that Matt loves horses, tractors, and diggers so we were going to read about a potato. No reaction. Tough crowd. I looked to Matt for support but he was busy chewing his hoody string. I just had to get going. The story is fast paced and full of twists and turns and I delivered it clearly, with feeling. My accents trailed off but I made up for it with enthusiasm. They seemed to enjoy the chase scenes and liked trying to spot the pea. Matt was enjoying it now and that spurred me on. I think they were all with me to the end. However I got to that point and realised I had no idea what the moral of the story was. Eat Your peas? Put any strays back in the freezer? Watch out for peas they be evil? The End was followed by an awkward silence.

(Photo is a reconstruction only. Obviously, I am the cowboy and Matt is the pirate.)

The nursery leader thanked me and praised my upside down reading. Riding this wave of pride I did something rather silly. I offered to read a second book. Second mistake.

I had brought in a late entry, a rank outsider. In a last minute decision I grabbed it from our bookshelf. Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers is a funny and heartwarming tale with beautiful illustrations. The story is about a boy who befriends a penguin and tries to help him return home. I decided the message of kindness and friendship would go down well. The failure here was that I really laid it on about how lonely the penguin was. The children's expressions went from blank to a little worried. When the boy and the penguin lost each other I swear I saw a little girl cry. Well, she wiped her eyes. I am hoping it was just an allergy. Let's go with early onset hayfever. It began to dawn on me, as I neared the end of the book, that some books work better with groups and some do not. However, the problem I had was very much mine and not the book's. I think this narrator was lacking the emotional skills necessary to steer a group of children through the sad to the happy. The problem is one of momentum. You have to keep going and take them all with you to reach the happy ending. I really tried to ham up the reunion at the end of the book but I fear I left a couple of children on the island. Without a boat. I was thanked (a little) and ushered out (a little more) with the son. We got into the car and Matt really put the boot in with- "that wasn't the story I said to read." So it seems that Supertato could have saved our WBD if it wasn't for me and that pesky penguin. 

(Another reconstruction. In real life the children do not carry as many weapons as our Playmobil fleet.)

Luckily/unluckily, Mr and Mrs S had similar experiences when they read to the same group. Mrs S soon regretted taking Julia Donaldson's Super Worm to read when it dawned on her she would have to sing! 

So, dear friend, please learn from our public reading experiences. Some books are too sad for the occasion no matter how happy the ending; some books race to the end and you have no idea what the moral was; some books demand singing. Do choose wisely. But, most of all, don't forget to hug that child no matter what book they wanted, however distracted you are, and despite whatever they are wearing.  Next World Book Day, I plan to read what Matt chooses and will whole-heartedly blame him when the children get bored or develop an addiction with horse racing.

Maybe you know the perfect book for reading to an audience of the plural and preschool kind? I am thinking minimal performance requirements but maximum enjoyment. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comment box. I am off to make a Robin Hood outfit- complete with obligatory baby carrier.

Introduction: The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Reading to Children

You know that feeling- when you have been dragged out of bed at six am, played vikings, watched an imaginary falconry show, applied two plasters to minuscule injuries, saved a light bulb from the brink of smashdom, served two different breakfasts, and played dinosaurs, and you sit and look pleadingly at the clock to calculate how long it is until bedtime- then you discover that it isn't 8 am yet. This is the time to Bring out the Books!

Motherhood has dragged me into the world of horses, farming, fighting (sometimes of the play variety), building, mud, and machinery. Matt is never happier than chasing me with a stick sword or making me his bucking bronco at the rodeo. It is not least due to this fact that books play a significant role in our lives. Books give us an opportunity to slow down. To create closeness. To sit and have quiet time together. (Except those books with noise tabs. Who invented those? Whilst I am on this subject who decided that libraries need tunnels, tents, or mock hot air balloons? Matt may embrace it but I am not so sure).

Despite the sideshows, we make regular library visits and we read most days whether it be at home, in the car, the garden, the woods; anywhere and everywhere. Don't be thinking us a pair of nerdy bespectacled geeks - that only applies to one half of this duo. I have been an avid reader since the days of yore and have fond memories of Billy Blue Hat. How wonderful it is to be able to share this life enhancing hobby with my young son. And it is. Most of the time. The joy we share when we receive an Amazon parcel is pretty epic. Matt is also up for most book adventures but he is possibly the most enthusiastic about reading at bedtime. It is his favourite form of sleep aversion. I usually open the bidding with a couple of books. This can be dependent on what I fancy reading (anything by Judith Kerr), what issues need addressing (Teeth are Not for Biting), what is on the forthcoming agenda in the real world (George's First Day at Playgroup), or what I have the energy for (Cowboy Small). Matt then selects a small hoard to add to the pile. After we have read all of these he will ask for another last story. And I will relent. (And hope for the best.)

Most of the time our reading journey is exciting, amusing, and fulfilling, but sometimes not so much. Reading had always been a solitary affair for me but now it involves a demanding, opinionated, and active audience. Sometimes reading requires more energy than I have, sometimes we want different types of stories, and sometimes the material is hard to work with. Yup, I am afraid that there are some books I would gladly pop in the charity bag if it wasn't for the enjoyment on Matt's face. Although the smile could be from making me read said book time and again. Sometimes, the last thing I want to do in an evening is read a chaotic book with lots of words; the last thing I may care about on a given night is whether Wibbly Pig brushes his teeth or whether we will get the Little Red Train back to it's shed, but on we read.

This is the point of the blog. We are exploring the world of children's literature as a mismatched pair in a three legged race. There are lots of laughs, moments of brilliance, and wonderful closeness. The process is good for you and character building, but also, sometimes, it feels like one is being dragged as the other tries to race ahead. Sometimes, it is like hobbling through treacle, wearing flip flops. Often, we want to go in different directions, at different speeds, and one is much in need of a sports bra. But we keep going. (I almost stretched the metaphor and went with it is a marathon not a sprint. Imagine the shame if I had kept it in.) We may not always be on the same page but, side by side, we are forging ahead on our journey and building a great relationship to books together. This is crucial before Matt becomes an independent reader and our book adventures will head in a different direction.

This blog is about the fun and failures we have as we try to master the art of reading together. We aim to celebrate our love of books and share some of the highlights of our reading adventure- the Good (Little Wolf), the Bad (Tempered LadyBird), and the Ugly (Duckling). It is an attempt to preserve some of the moments we share as we read, to recommend the books we enjoy; to review the body of literature; and to reflect on what remains to be written...

"So, let the wild rumpus start..."

N.B. There is another potential reader in the house: The Dad. However, as Matt tells anyone who will listen- Daddy cannot read me stories as he misses pages out. This man cannot be trusted but we will continue to retain him for swing pushing duties only.