reviewed by Jenny, Dexter (5) and Beatrix (3)
I have to be honest and admit that my children prefer this much more than I do; I found the rhyming/rhythm clumsy and awkward (try rhyming 'dam and' with 'salmon', and then 'face in' and 'basin') and so it just didn't work for me; I've been spoilt by other beautifully rhymed/rhythmic books. However, the kiddies loved it and the silly concepts which involved a variety of animals. Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Sarah, Jed (5), Lucy (7) and Josh (8)
We adored the muted watercolour illustrations in this book and the eponymous star of this story is a total winner. Fanny joins the circus and we are treated to pages of spectacular technicolour. My 5 year old was less impressed by the story but it appealed to my 7 year old. Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Jenny, Dexter (5) & Beatrix (3)
I can't begin to tell you how much my two LOVE this book – we have a cat so I think that helps. They absolutely love it – the bit they love the most is the real-life section/photos at the end, which I didn't expect. It's a lovely tale told from the perspective of Bob the cat and, despite some very sad parts (and some serious conversations about death and abandoned animals) it is such an uplifting tale about the relationship between Bob and his new owner. A big thumbs up from all of us! Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Cece, age 7
An absolutely brilliant book: there are 80 ideas to be kind to those around you and do something good, which are fun, and nice to the environment. I liked the idea called Knock Down Ginger, instead of knocking on somebody's door and running off, you knock on a friend's door and leave something nice on their doorstep, like some cakes, or a letter. You can spy on them to see their face! Another brilliant idea was to learn your favourite jokes and then do a comedy show for someone who needs cheering up. The book is bright and colourful with great drawings. There's so much to do and make and I like the way you can make people happy very easily. My mum also loved this book as it meant I could be find ways to be nice to my brother and sister instead of finding them annoying! Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by bemilu
We settled on this after a strings of 'nos' to anything by Donaldson or Seuss. It was salvaged just before a house move and is an absolute gem. For a child just beginning to grasp the concepts of time and money and sport, the book is a great page-turner. There are great shots of F1 cars sporting cigarette logos: 'What's a cigarette?' asks my 5-year-old. 'What's that (logo)?' 'That is an advertisement' explains the book, 'It helps to sell the cigarette'. There are also nice sections on the high cost of racing ('Tyres cost £50 each'), the seventies fuel crisis, ('We need every drop of petrol and oil. Should so much of it be wasted on racing?'), and safety (one driver has his blood group written on his overalls in biro). I can't think of another title on the shelf that has got us all talking so much about so many different things. Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by hamburgexpat
My 16 month old son has a box of books from which he selects and brings me the books he wants me to read (all day long). There is definite selection going on as he will stand in front of it, visibly contemplating which one to pull out. One book seems to win lately: Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss. I am quite lucky in this regard as it is a book I don't mind reading with him approximately 10 times a day. The rhymes are short and seem to always end on a "high/happy" sound. The pictures (by Quentin Blake) are detailed enough for a 16 month old to find intriguing - whilst being cartoonish enough to be fun. Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Stephen and Frankie (3)
There's an escapee from the supermarket freezer and only one hero can save the day: Supertato! This book is full of bright and colourful pictures and shot through with a great sense of humour (the pea's doomsday weapon for dealing with supertato? a potato masher, of course). Sue Hendra is obviously an aficionado of comics and superhero cartoons and it's impossible to read the story without putting on the voice of the narrator from the Batman and Robin TV series: 'Is this the end for Supertato?' Frankie loves the exciting hunt for the bad guy and has followed the books instruction to check our freezer for escapees every time we have finished reading. We've not had any breakouts yet but we're on our guard, just in case. Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Laura
Great book, sweet but also exciting enough for rough and tumble little boys! Even my parrot loves it! Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Jenny, Dexter (5) & Beatrix (3)
After coming home from school and learning about the brain, my 5 year old became obsessed; this book was brilliant and full of interesting snippets. I found it a bit cluttered; the information is scattered all over the pages, but this seemed to suit my son who could flick through and pick out the bits he liked. The activities were really fun. Photograph: Guardian
reviewed by Joshiey, aged 8
I really liked this book and because it said not-for-parents on the front. It was like travelling back in time when the dinosaurs lived. I really liked learning about fossils and seeing how they were preserved. If you like dinosaurs then you will definitely like this book. Photograph: Guardian
