TEY_10_1_2020

HELLO, MR WHALE! (Templar, boardbook, £9.99) Now, I may be biased given that I’m a parent to two boys who get excited every time they see a whale (to the extent that they’ll happily award whale status to a range of things that are demonstrably not whales), but there’s a huge amount to enjoy in Sam Boughton’s latest lift-the- flap offering. Don’t let the fact this is a boardbook give you the wrong impression – it isn’t just for your youngest children; indeed, Hello, Mr Whale! is packed full of fascinating facts that will prompt plenty of discussion amongst preschoolers as you progress through its pages. Nor is it solely focused on whales: octopuses, dolphins, seahorses, seals, jellyfish, lobsters, sharks, turtles and even the anglerfish receive a turn in the spotlight too, with each creature depicted with bright and engaging illustrations. As a means of piquing children’s curiosity about the wide array of life in our oceans, there can be few better options. TALKING IS NOT MY THING! (Scallywag, hardback, £12.99) Many early years settings will have experience of caring for children with autism, and for those seeking picture books with positive representations of children with the condition Talking Is Not My Thing is a must-buy. It tells the story of a young brother and sister, the latter autistic and unable to communicate with her sibling verbally, as they go about their day. Despite her autism, we see that the little girl understands everything that’s going on: the story is told from her perspective via thought bubbles, and she makes use of gestures, the pictures she draws, and flashcards to help her family members understand what’s on her mind. While acknowledging the challenges the girl faces in her daily life, Rose Robbins’ story is sensitively told and always positive, her heroine fully involved and finding lots of ways to have fun; the bold, bright illustrations further reinforce the admirable message of inclusivity. READ ALL ABOUT IT! Have you seen these fantastic publications? The Dog that Ate the World (Flying Eye Books, hardback, £11.99) Packed with intriguing illustrations, The Dog that Ate the World is a folktale-inspired story of friendship and community in uncertain times. Its cast of colourful characters can help show young children the importance of helping others in times of crisis, as well as introducing the virtue of accepting and changing your circumstances through a positive attitude. Visit flyingeyebooks.com A Million Dots (Cicada Books, hardback, £12.95) Created by Berlin-based graphic designer and illustrator Sven Völker, A Million Dots offers children a fascinating perspective on numbers: starting with a single tree, the book’s varied illustrations double the count with every page, from two to four to eight, and so on, culminating on page 44, where we reach 1,048,576. A fascinating way to show children maths in action. Visit cicadabooks.co.uk Moon and Me: The Little Seed (Scholastic, hardback, £12.99) Already familiar with CBeebies’ early evening show Moon and Me ? Now you can share the adventures of Pepi, Nana, Moon Baby and friends at nursery with this, the first in a collection of Moon and Me: Storyland Adventures. Written by the series’ creator, Andrew Davenport, it’s sure to prove popular. Visit scholastic.co.uk Learning with Where the Wild Things Are (Red Fox)… l Max’s bedroom is the setting for the beginning and ending of Where The Wild Things Are , and a safe space to return to after his adventures. l Talk about the picture of Max’s bedroom, and show the children famous paintings of bedrooms such as Lichtenstein’s Interior with Waterlilies , Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles and Carpaccio’s Dream of St Ursula . l Encourage the children to compare the paintings with their own bedrooms and look out for similarities and differences. l Using wallpaper, fabric scraps and images cut from furniture catalogues, create mixed-media pictures of bedrooms. GET READY FOR BEDS! Teachearlyyears.com 57

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