our favourite books

Jed is a thirsty to learn, in a hurry/got things to do sort of a two year old and we’ve been into these books for awhile. I keep an eye out for books that convey important things in life. Call me picky if you like but i reckon there’s enough absolute crapola in the bookshops and libraries already, we trawl for the treasures, the ones that fit into the integrity of our lives....the ones I can see us enjoying for years to come. Either that, or real old retro ones, many of which i, er, edit out the sexist bits out as we go...but that’s another post!
We love the library (we frequent four different ones) and also have a wee library of our own at home. Many gems come from trawling secondhand shops. Many vintage ones we have are out of print so i’ll focus on the ones still available from bookstores and at your community library. Some of these have good fun CD’s with them, i love those for the days we drive into town or rainy afternoons.

Mem Fox. Whoever you are. A beautifully illustrated book about how everyone is the same under their differences. A good multi-cultural one.


Helen Oxenbury. I imagine anything she illustrates would be worth reading. We especially love Meal One, The Growing story and very most especially, Big Mama Makes the World (written by Phyllis Root). It has to be the best creation story out.

Benedict Blaythwayt. Bear’s Adventure is a perennial favourite 'round here. Any of his little red train books. Tangle and the Silver bird recently snagged for 50 cents at an op shop and being very well loved. Wonderful artwork and beautiful true to life details.

Charles Fuge. My first love in the domain of children's books. We have a bunch of his board books: My dad. I know a rhino. Where to little wombat? Swim, little wombat swim. Sometimes i like to curl up in a ball. (And dont we all sometimes?) I love the topics he covers and how. These books have such lovable characters and much to learn.

Julia Donaldson. One ted falls out of bed, with Anna Currey. Monkey Puzzle and The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s child with Axel Schaeffler. All great. The gruffalo ones come on CD.

Jez Alborough. The duck books, especially Captain Duck. My friend Bear and It’s the Bear both come on CD and have been great at working through fears through play.

Gina and Mercer Mayer’s Just a little different is a good book about a kid moving into the neighbourhood whose ma is a rabbit and pa is a turtle...I like that the critters family are supportive, communicate well and are okay sitting in the face of the little guy’s anger. He gets pissed off that his other friends are rude about the ‘new kid’.

Eileen Brown’s Handa’s Hen and Handa’s surprise stories are perennial favourites around here. The CD is just delightful with lots of cool music, songs and great reading of the story by Floella Benjamin. I like that the stories are based in a true to life African village.

At a quick journey through our library shelves (there are two, shelves that is, in case you harboured delusions of grandeur about me), these are the most well thumbed and most asked for books. Love to hear your favourites.

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