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Find out moreIn this section we have brought together some of our favourite bedtime reads that we hope will become yours too.
Madeline adores her grandfather – she always has. To everyone else he might seem a bit strange – an eccentric inventor – perhaps even a little mad. Yet Madeline knows that these are his very best qualities. Perhaps one of Grandpa Gilderberry’s most secret inventions is his box of potions which he delights in giving to Madeline each year on her birthday. Each potion conveys an unexpected and magical experience for Madeline, often to the frustration of her father. At one year of age, the red potion allows Madeline to breathe fire like a dragon and at two, the blue potion turns her into a mermaid for a day. Year after year, Madeline selects a new potion with exciting results, however each time she reaches for her enchanted birthday present, her grandfather reminds her of only one rule – ‘don’t drink the pink’. Exploring the special relationship between a grandfather and his grandchild, the potions in Don’t Drink the Pink provide an apt metaphor for each magical moment. Yet with birthdays comes aging and this tale doesn’t shy away from what this means for both the young girl and her loveable grandpa.
Reece’s Vintage Tales, a sequel to the award-winning Reece’s Timeless Tales, is a collection of ten original and two adapted children’s stories. The tales are refreshingly humorous, inventive and exciting, with an unexpected plot twist that will keep readers, young and not-so-young, entertained. Three of the stories have Christian underpinnings. Reece's Vintage Tales has just recently won a 5-star rating award from Readers' Favorite. ? The famed garment-maker, who is commissioned to make the coronation robe, could not make his hands do what he wants ? A crown prince loses the one and only lady he loves because of his vanity ? The moon-babes find their Lost Atlantis in a most unusual and unexpected time-warp manner ? The legend of Ken and the Gigantic Urn survives the passage of time and lives on even today ? The spunky mustard seed witnesses the promise his CREATOR made to him comes to pass in an amazing way ? The Rainbow Babies bless an old childless couple and outwit the Emperor's soldiers in the nick of time ? A pair of twins fights to survive before and after birth by lovingly encouraging each other to hang in there ? The Grandpa of Little Green Riding Hood steals a march on the cunning Vegetarian Wolf and pips the latter to the post ? Two mice save the eating house of the master chef from being burned down and are rewarded with gourmet fame ? A professor learns a lesson of resilience from a despised willow tree ? A gorgeous pig does what she loves most and comes away laughing all the way to the bank ? A rabbit uses his ingenuity regarding his bodily gas to save his tribe from extinction.
June 2019 Book of the Month | Mia and Ben are the very best of friends. They live side by side at the edge of a great, wide lake and together they sail, and swing, and sing. But the thing they love the most is making paper planes. They dream of one day being able to make a plane that will fly all the way across the lake, and their planes become more and more intricate... But one day: terrible news. Ben's family are moving far, far away. How can Mia and Ben stay best friends if they are so far apart? And how will they ever realise their dream of making a plane that can fly across their lake? Find out in this moving, lyrical story of friendship and flight.
May 2019 Book of the Month | Out walking, Elmer the Elephant is in a reflective mood, taking his time to soak up the sounds, smells and sights around him. He spots shapes in the clouds and in the sandstone rocks, he listens to the noise of the river crashing over a waterfall, notices the raindrops in a spider's web that look like sparkling diamonds and smells the scent of wild flowers. The other animals hurry past, far too busy to stop and enjoy these natural wonders. Fortunately Elmer meets his cousin Wilbur and they both stand happily together to watch the night-time draw in. This is a gentle introduction to mindfulness, a celebration of being in the moment and making time to appreciate the world around us. Head to over our KidsZone for more Elmer fun! Elmer the Elephant celebrates Elmer Day on 25 May 2019! Visit our Elmer the Elephant feature to find out more about the Elmer books and ways to celebrate Elmer's 30th Birthday!
Sweet dreams, sleep tight, hope the Night Bear comes tonight... After dark, the Night Bear goes on the hunt for his favourite snack: delicious nightmares. But one night, he almost munches on a dream of unicorns and rainbows by mistake - yuck! It might not be his up of tea, but surely there's someone who might like it? Prize-winning husband and wife team Ana and Thiago de Moraes present The Night Bear: the perfect bedtime story.
April 2019 Debut of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2019 | An ebullient debut picture book with a great twist which young readers will love spotting as the story unfolds. When Grandma loses her glasses, Isobel sets about helping her to find them. Searching in the garden they find a very big cat… Grandma loves cats and she is always taking in strays. Without her glasses she can’t really see just how big a bundle of orange fur that this new cat is! Nor can she work out why so much cat food is getting eaten. Young readers will spot that she is reading a story about a tiger which is probably very familiar to them. And they will realise that this cat is actually very closely related to the two tigers who come looking for it! Bold cats in strong colours are at the heart of this great story. Find colouring in and puzzle pages in this Big Cat Activity Pack - download here!
This is a much-loved classic but as relevant today as it was when first published in 1969! The vivid and colourful illustrations and cut back and die-cut pages, together with some very simple text, provide a wonderful story that is immensely satisfying for parents and children alike. It’s a book that’s more threadbare than most in the nursery in my house.
Benji Davies’ new book is a story of escape that has a particular resonance for little children. Tad lives with her brothers and sisters in their pond. The smallest almost-a-frog she has to wiggle her tail twice as fast just to keep up, and they all know that Big Blub waits at the bottom of the pond for left-behind tadpoles. With Tad the very last tadpole in the pond there’s a touch and go moment, but in a glorious burst of light, her legs arrive just in time. It’s the perfect story to reassure any child worrying they’ll always be at the back, and Davies handles light and shadow brilliantly to create and control the drama. A beautiful and very special picture book.
February 2019 Debut of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month February 2019 | What better present can a princess receive than a pudding making machine! Soon puddings and cakes of all sorts are spilling out of the machine as the young Princess Hannah takes control of her fabulous birthday present. But the present has an unfortunate impact on the princess; it reveals that she has never had to share. Luckily, her friends take matters into their own hands and soon they too are pulling the levels and turning the wheels and together they all make the most fabulous puddingly treats – including a giant meringue. The moral is well mixed into this bubbly tale which is vibrantly told in verse by Sally Duran.
Best-selling and glorious Guess How Much I Love You has delighted children – and adults - for a quarter of a century. Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare want to tell each other just how much they love each other. But how do you measure love? Luckily, the two Hare’s know just how much they mean to each other. And Anita Jeram’s illustrations convey that brilliantly.
A board book edition of the picture book classic that follows Mr Bear's quest for a peaceful night's sleep! A timeless storybook classic full of bright colourful pictures that accompany a simple, repetitive text. Children will delight in all the wonderful sound effects and Mr Bear's reaction to the noises that stop him going to sleep until...you'll find out when you read it to your toddler. The familiar noises, repetition and beautiful illustrations make this delightful picture book an all-time favourite with children and adults everywhere.
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month January 2019 | | It’s bath time for Baby Bear but he is determined to fit in a quick trip to the moon beforehand. Can he do it? Sure he can. Finding a space rocket under the stairs, a helmet in the kitchen and some boots by the door Baby Bear is soon off and away floating high in the sky, up through the stars and all the way to the moon. A gloriously imaginative story brought to life in Jill Murphy’s wonderful illustrations.
Bedtime is a special time and we all have our favourite books that we love to read over and over....but sometimes we need new recommendations, and that is where we come in!
All bedtime routines are different. Some have a bath, others a warm drink but the best routines end with a cuddle and a good book.
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