All the books I read, shared and reviewed in January and February 2022. Lots has happened since the year turned to 2022, omicron, storms, floods, and now Putin has invaded Ukraine, and we hear news of a nursery being hit by a cluster bomb, killing a small child, at the same time as we sit reading to the 2, 3 and 4 year olds in our care. Ordinary people just like us, going off to school, work and visiting family every day just like us, whose lives are now turned upside down in the most unimaginable way possible. For further information on the situation in the Ukraine, please see the following useful links
International Committee of the Red Cross appeal - https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/ukraine
Amnesty International UK - https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/ukraine-russian-military-have-carried-out-indiscriminate-attacks-new-expert-analysis
BBC Newsround for children - https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround#more-stories-2
Department for education on talking to children about the situation in Ukraine - https://educationhub.blog.gov.
I'll leave it there - but end with a call for more empathy and kindness in the world, and for solidarity with Ukrainians.
[my image - Surlingham, Norfolk, Janury, flooded... good job I wore wellies]
Nurturing natures by Graham Music. Written by a consultant child and adolescent psychotherapist, this up to date edition puts together in one place the latest scientific knowledge about children's emotional development. He starts by reminding us that we cannot look at human development in discrete topics like emotional development, physical development and language development. Rather we must look at human development from many perspectives and in a holistic way, as all elements of development are inextricably linked. However, we also need to look at development through a series of lenses, putting it into context for each child, for example attachments, cultures, what we now know about brain development and the effect of stress, and epigenetics, or the interplay between genes and the environment. I've picked out some wow moments that I had while reading this, rather than talking through the whole book,
* Babies are responding to and learning from their environment before they are even born, and can even be affected by stress
* Attachment styles are not set in stone and can change with new experiences and relationships.
* We're not the only species that indulge in play
* Building resilience is really important, having good experiences can protect us when bad ones come along, and facing and managing bad experiences can foster resilience.
* Too many children are suffering from less than optimal emotional experiences, and this affects their mental health, but there is much hope for the kinds of support we put in place and the kinds of societies we build to support future generations.
A brilliant up to date look at early childhood and development, which will be thought of as essential reading for anyone working with small children and families in the early years. Published by @RoutledgeEducation
Shine, Star, Shine! by Dom Conlon and Anastasia Izlesou. The fourth book in this Wild Wanderers series from Graffeg is another beautifully lyrical story of our nearest star, the Sun. The illustrations are gorgeous, showing us the wonders of the Sun and all she gives us, from warmth and growth to seasons, sunburn and sunset. It invites us to look up, and explore the wonders of the night sky containing all the Sun's brother and sister Stars, joining them like dots on a page to make curiously named constellations. I love this picture book series, and this one might just be my favourite. Published by Graffeg in Novembe 2021. Find out more here - https://graffeg.com/collections/books-1/products/shine-star-shine
Talking Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah. A collection for older children from 1994. Honest, funny and provocative, this collection is great for reading aloud, and even though it's almost 30 years old, its relevance is a shock. His poems discuss a huge range of issues form veganism to politics to climate change to turkeys and planets and a beetle called Derek. Perfect for opening up discussions with older children and prompting creativity and imagination. Published by Puffin Books
The things you can see only when you slow down by Haemin Sunim, translated from.the Korean by Chi-young Kim and illustrated by Youngcheol Lee. A beautifully illustrated guide to being more mindful in a busy world, from the best-selling Korean Buddhist monk who now lives and teaches in America. Essays and short mindful messages, words of advice and wisdom and prompts for meditation.
Rambles in North Norfolk from Norfolk Rambler's Association, published by North Norfolk District Council. It's very old, going by the telephone numbers in the back, but no date. But lots of ideas to extend our walks around the North and East Coast of Norfolk, joining places together. I love the old descriptions of windmills, churches and inns, some of which might no longer exist, but that's the fun of it.
The Dinos on the bus by Peter Millett and Tony Neal, a Ladybird sing-along story. The wheels on the bus, but with dinosaurs, accompanied by cheery, fun illustrations. What more could a 3 year old need? The dinos are off on a school trip on the bus so plenty of ideas for verses there - I like "the teacher on the bus says Sit Down please", a great opportunity for jumping up and then sitting down and an opportunity to use the Signalong signs we've learnt. This is 0erfect for sharing with some active young children in any setting, and will be perfect for songtime at our drop-in family group. Published by @penguinbooks August 2021 . Find out more here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/321/321509/the-dinos-on-the-bus/9780241493618.html
Map of You, the journey of self-discovery starts here by Sophie Williams. One for slightly older children here, aimed at those around 8-13 years old, outside my usual remit of picture books for 0-5s, but I love the illustrations and it's an important topic. Anything that creates an opportunity to think or talk about feelings from birth should be welcomed, and this is beautifully written and illustrated by the author. We are invited to explore, in illustrations that frame the mind as various landscapes, our personalities, wishes and feelings, strengths, fears, likes and dislikes, and memories. Each page invites the reader to draw or write, and I especially love the page where readers are invited to write about their "rocks", those who will always be there, who accept us for who we are and stand by us. And there's also a short double page spread introducing mindful breathing, grounding and a few simple yoga poses. Published by @cicada October 2021. Find out more here - https://www.cicadabooks.co.uk/books/p/map-of-you
Colour and Me by Michaela Dias-Hayes, who also illustrated Sunflower Sisters (nominated for the Kate Greenaway medal). This is th first book in her debut series exploring mixed race and black heritage. It's a gorgeous rhyming story about a little girl who loves to paint with her fingers, and is exploring mixing colours. She discovers how to make orange, green and purple, and then finds out that brown is a mixture of all the colours, and that's her colour, which suits her perfectly. Published by @owletpress 25th January 2022. Find out more here - https://www.owletpress.com/product-page/colour-and-me
Cat eyes and dog whistles, the (five) seven senses of humans and other animals written by Cathy Evans and illustrated by Becky Thorns. I love this book, mostly at first glance because the last 2 senses get completely forgotten, but are really important, and lots of people do t know they exist. So this is dedicated to the vestibular sense (balance and motion), and the proprioceptive sense (how we know where we are in space, how we can touch our nose with our eyes closed). Every sense is given some great illustrated spreads with simple explanations, perfect for little ones with lots of "why" questions or bigger little ones who love science. It gives examples of the senses in action in humans and in other animals, and at the end, introduces some more senses that are just in the infancy of research, like interoception. Published by @cicadabooks October 2021. Find out more here - https://www.cicadabooks.co.uk/books/p/cat-eyes-and-dog-whistles
Transforming Early Childhood in England (Towards a democratic education) edited by Claire Cameron and Peter Moss. At the time of writing this it was free to download (www.uclpress.co.uk) or to read on Google play books. Published in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of everything, this is a collection of essays that look at how we desperately need, in education, not just to get back to normal, but to go beyond normal to a transformation, because "normal" wasn't good enough anyway. The book tackles early childhood education, showing how aht we have now, as many of us know, is "flawed and dysfunctional", but does point out that transformation is essential in so many other areas of life too. They show how it is possible to have a universal and integrated system of children and family services, a trusted and supported workforce, and a pedagogy of listening that values all, as well as accountability that is participatory and meaningful rather than buzz words and tick boxes and punishment. They describe a system that is driven by ethics of care, equality, democracy and solidarity. I'd put this down as essential reading for anyone who works with children and families. And politicians should read it so they are aware that an alternative is possible and better (I do have some hope...). Just the fact that child poverty is worsening, even since this book was published must be a reason to make a change, not to mention homelessness, increasing mental health issues and the need for food banks. The authors do paint an amazing almost utopian picture of what we all dream the sector could be, but they also draw on examples from around the world, so we know it's possible. Children need to be nurtured and listened to as they learn how to learn, becoming agents of their own futures, who love learning and have the chance to fulfil their potentials. It's really not rocket science, but we'll need to convince those in power that change is coming and is needed, if only by our use of our voice at the voting booth. Published by @UCLPress - . Find out more here - https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/128464
Rita wants a Fairy Godmother by Maire Zepf and illustrated by Mr Ando. Another brilliant installment in the adventures of Rita, the little girl with big ideas. The latest idea is a fairy godmother to wave her wand and help her with getting dressed and all those other little things that she can't be bothered doing. As usual Rita's inner voice suggests that things might not be all that amazing, what if the fairy godmother dressed her in completely inappropriate clothing? Perfect for fans of previous Rita stories, as well as for anyone with big ideas and imaginations. Published by @graffeg on 24/2/2022. Find out more here - https://graffeg.com/collections/books-1/products/rita-wants-a-fairy-godmother
The More Monster by Hayley Wells. Described as "stunning, timely and thought-provoking", this debit novel from Cambridge MA graduate Hayley Wells, is a fairy tale for our modern times. Once upon a time... the island was run by a greedy monster who demanded more and more, gobbling it all up and leaving little for everyone else. Until one day someone asks "Why?". And she discovers a surprising secret about the More Monster. It took a lot of time, but eventually the islanders begun to repair the damage, sharing equally in a free new world that worked for them, with a new community and a better life. It certainly is a timely tale, telling an undercover story of greed and capitalism, and how it's possible to change things for the better. Published by @pavilion on 17/2/2022. Find out more here - https://www.pavilionbooks.com/book/the-more-monster/
Tiny Tales by Alexander McCall Smith. Short stories and little illustrated cartoon stories, in a lovely little volume.
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