Five Minutes Peace

Give books for free with We Give Books

I saw We Give Books recommended by author Marie Phillips on Twitter. It features a growing digital library of classic stories you can read with your child for free - whenever you like, no matter where you are - and each time you read a book online, Penguin will give a hardcover or paperback book to a child in need. 

Brilliant book storage for kids

I recently received one these bigbooklittlebookcardboardbox boxes to review and I LOVED it. So much so, I raved about it over at LittleStuff.  

As I said in the review, every home should have one (or more). 

Christopher Eccleston reads Night Monkey, Day Monkey

Two of my favourite things, together at last. I love Christopher Eccleston (and have done for YEARS! I'm not one of these Doctor Who johnny-come-latelies) and Night Monkey, Day Monkey is one of my favourite kids' books. So I thought I'd share my joy. Here you go: 

Vintage children's audio books from the BBC

Whenever Johnny Morris is mentioned (which doesn't happen all that often, I'll grant you), my husband gets a misty look in his eye. So these new BBC audiobooks will be right up his street.  

Facsimiles of the original vinyl LPs, they come in vintage packaging with the CD even designed to look like an LP. This makes me happy. 

Along with Johnny Morris's Bedtime Stories, there's Camberwick Green, Willo the Wisp and The Magic Roundabout. Buy them from the BBC Shop. 

[via Parentdish and @joannemallon]

BOOK REVIEW: The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh & Judi Abbot

I received this book yesterday and as soon as I'd taken it out of the envelope, Joe (1) started hopping up and down with excitement, so we stopped what we were doing (he was chewing on a slipper, I was watching The Daily Show on catch-up) and read it.  

It's not a story, it's more a list of different types of kisses, illustrated beautifully. 

"Kisses on noses. Kisses on toes-es. Sudden kisses when you least supposes. Who likes to kiss? I do, I do! Even the shy do, Why not try, too?"

CHRISTMAS LIST: My favourite picture books

 

I love picture books (and thankfully so do my kids) and these three are my current favourites. All the World is absolutely gorgeous in every way and perfect for boys *and* girls. I Love You Through and Through is also perfect for both, but the illustration is a boy and so may be slightly better for boys. Someday is probably the most gorgeous picture book I've ever read (just try and get through it without crying), but it's all about having a daughter.

I can't imagine anyone not liking any of these books. 

CHRISTMAS LIST: Who Am I? by Anthony Adolph

Yep, I've thrown caution to the wind and mentioned the C word. I know. I'm as sorry about it as you are, but the fact of the matter is, there are only, I don't know, fifty-odd shopping days until Christmas and so we need to think about it. We do. We do and that's final.

So I'm going to start featuring some books that I think would make good Christmas presents, starting with Who Am I? which I think is completely brilliant. I was planning to give it to my 10-year-old nephew, but I might just end up keeping it for myself. It's a little bit like Who Do You Think You Are? but in book form (obviously) and with lots more facts and history and activities ... because it's aimed at children. It's not cheap at £14.99 (although it's currently only £8.99 on Amazon), but it's definitely one that certain kids will find fascinating.

Save 25% on Ladybird Prints

Ladybird books make me feel so nostalgic. And they're so much more charming than the Magic Key books Harry is learning to read from. 

At Ladybird Prints you can buy classic Ladybird covers and other images in a variety of different sizes of print and canvas and framing is also available. Living Etc magazine (one of my favourite magazines) currently has a special 25% discount offer. Just choose your print and enter the code LIVINGETC for your discount. Offer ends October 31st 2009.

MOVIE REVIEW: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

I took my 5-year-old to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs on Saturday morning. It wasn't until I got home and googled it that I found out it was actually based on a mega-selling book (of the same title) written by Judi Barrett and published in 1978. Apparently the film doesn't have much to do with the book apart from the same basic idea, but that's good enough for me.

That basic idea is that it starts raining food. Apparently in the book, it's a simple suggestion along the lines of 'what would happen if food fell from the sky', but the film takes it to extremes, with an inventor, Flint, coming up with a machine that can turn water into food. But when the machine accidentally fires up into space, food starts raining from the sky.

Opening soon: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I'm not a Harry Potter fangirl. I've read - and enjoyed - all the books, but I haven't seen any of the films (not for any reason, I just haven't got round to it), but I do think the idea of a Harry Potter theme park is really exciting.

Partly I think it's because, as a writer myself, I can imagine how unbelievably thrilling it must be for JK Rowling. Can you imagine what it would be like to be able to visit a theme park based on your own imagination? (In my case, that would be a terrifying place.) But even as a reader, I love the idea of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I think it's going to be magical.

Read more about it (and see more pics) here.

[via @tangledally and @victoriastrauss on Twitter]