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Entries Tagged as 'books'

Captain Coconut and the case of the missing bananas

August 17, 2015

One of my favourite places to discover new and unusual kids books is in museum shops especially here in the UK and in the US. You can find real gems that you wouldn’t easily come across elsewhere. Last week we visited Tate Modern and after admiring the art I made a beeline for the shop. I barely glanced at the adult collections, knowing that I was here to check out the kids books which didn’t disappoint. There were loads of fabulous books some of which I had already come across but many others that I was delighted to discover. I could have bought about 20 books but I had to hold back. There was one though that I couldn’t resist and that was Captain Coconut & the case of the missing bananas.

Captain Coconut and the Case of the Missing Bananas is such a fun kids book – full of laugh out loud humour that kids (and adults) will love. Captain Coconut is a detective who is called in to solve the mind-boggling case of the missing bananas. But Captain Coconut is no ordinary dectective – he has a brain as fast as lightening or so he thinks. Mrs Y is distraught as she bought 14 bananas and 4 of these were eaten by her and her family. The next morning, instead of finding 10 bananas, there were only 6! Where have those 4 missing bananas gone? So Captain Coconut arrives and goes about solving the mystery with lots of silliness, fun and entertainment for the reader. Beyond the fun there are also some simple maths puzzles (about the disappearing bananas) that kids will enjoy solving with Captain Coconut. The graphic illustrations are so artistic and colourful using collage style art and there are lots of them so there’s plenty to look at on each page too.

Anya adored this book and after we had read it together, she went off to read it by herself. Every so often I would hear her laughing out loud. It’s a book that is ideal to read to younger kids and but also great for slightly older kids to read by themselves – like around 6-7 years. Captain Coconut and the Case of the Missing Bananas is the first book in this series but there are more cases coming soon – I can’t wait. This book is such a joy so if you are looking for something fun and a little bit different, then do check it out.

Larry and Friends

July 6, 2015

One of the best things about living in London has to be the diversity of the people and cultures. London is full of immigrants from all over the world living alongside native British people too. I too am not from here – I’m from India but now London is my home. In London you can experience culture, food, art and language from almost anywhere in the world and that is just special. Not that many cities can boast such a diverse range of people but there is one other that immediately comes to mind and that is New York City. Maybe it’s even more diverse than London if that’s possible and it’s another city I love for this reason. So I was absolutely delighted to receive a kids book last week called Larry and Friends that celebrates exactly this aspect of city life.

Larry and Friends by Nat Jasper and Carla Torres is a children’s book on immigration and all that is great about it. It is set in New York but it could be London or any other big, multi-cultural city. The book is about Larry the dog who is born and bred in NYC but his group of friends are from all over the world. Larry is celebrating his birthday and one by one his animal friends arrive at his party. As each friend arrives we get a little insight in to their lives – where they are from, what they do and how they ended up making NYC their home away from their native countries. His friends come from Peru, India, Korea, Iran, Tibet, Puerto Rico and lots more places but are all now living in NYC. There isn’t a typical story as such but each character has a little back story of their own. And the illustrations are colourful and so detailed and all done in a beautiful painting like style.

Anya really enjoyed this book and picked it up to read by herself too. She didn’t immediately get the significance of the animal friends from all over the world but we ended up chatting about how some people leave their native countries to settle somewhere else. It was an interesting conversation and we talked about how London is one of those kind’s of cities. She has friends from Pakistan, Lebanon and China so this made the book even more relevant. While this children’s book celebrates immigration, diversity and friendship, it also subtly puts across little life messages like it’s always important to be yourself, you can overcome adversity, knowledge is to be shared and more. Larry and Friends is a lovely, happy and uplifting book on a topic that I think we need to see more of in kids books. Unfortunately it’s not that easily available outside the US but you can order from there although shipping is expensive.

P.S. If you are looking for more kids book recommendations you might enjoy these:
Maps
What do you do with an Idea?
Once upon an Alphabet

What do you do with an idea?

June 17, 2015

What do you do with an idea? How many times have you let an idea slip by just because people told you it wouldn’t work? I know that I have pushed aside ideas many times because people have laughed at it or because I didn’t believe enough in myself to pursue it. We all have ideas, big and small, but often we are scared of them and don’t know what to do with them. Will people laugh at our idea, will they think it’s weird or worse will they think we’re weird? Do we have the determination and confidence to develop it? This kids book called What Do You Do with an Idea? is all about an idea and what can happen when you have one. It’s written in a very simple, easy to understand way for kids with beautifully simple drawings to match.

What Do You Do With An Idea is a kids book that is just as much for adults. It’s a great reminder for any age that ideas are to be treasured, nurtured and believed in but more than the idea, it’s also about believing in yourself and having the confidence to look beyond the meanies who try and put you and your idea down.

I bought this book a couple of weeks ago and read it to Anya expecting her to love it just as much as I did. She didn’t. She didn’t dislike the book but I think she didn’t fully get it. This book is recommended for three years and over but I think for younger kids it’s a cute picture book but not much more beyond that. Even for Anya who is six, I think we need to talk about the book a bit more for her to fully appreciate it. But don’t let that put you off as this book as it’s a keeper. What Do You Do with an Idea? is a book to pull out whenever you or your kids are struggling with an idea and self-belief. I am so glad I bought the book and will be keeping it and bringing it out every so often to read to Anya and I know she will appreciate it more in time, especially as she gets older and maybe starts having more doubts about things.

The Wolf’s Whistle

May 5, 2015

If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know how much I love kids books. And every time I come across a great book, I love sharing it here. While I love many of the better known kids books, I also love searching for lesser known gems and today I have one such gem for you. The The Wolf’s Whistle is a book I am so glad I came across. At it’s simplest form it is a twisted tale of the Three Little Pigs and the big bad wolf. But this book is so much more. It could be the story of how the wolf came to be so bad or even how superheroes are made. It features a lone wolf called Albert who is a bit of a misfit. He and his group of three friends, none of whom really fit in, are tormented by the ‘honeyroast brothers’ – three enormous pigs! Albert has a dream of becoming a comic book artist and his story continues from childhood in to his adulthood where tragedy befalls him and yes the ‘honeyroast brothers’ are involved.

The Wolf’s Whistle is not only a great read but also the illustrations are beautiful. The drawings are created in a retro style which works so well with the story. The book is aimed at 5 to 8 year old kids but I think the upper end of this age group will appreciate it better. Anya enjoyed the story and loved looking at the pictures but couldn’t fully understand the subtleties in the book. For her it is a simple story of a good wolf and bad pigs but that is what is so appealing about this book – it will grow with her and I see her reading it several times over the years. I love this book for it’s originality and the beautiful illustrations.

Have you come across any lesser know kids books that are unmissable? Do let me know in the comments.

How do you choose your kids books?

April 28, 2015

I absolutely love kids books and can spend hours upon hours choosing books for Anya and then enjoying them with her. We all know that it’s important to encourage our kids to read but to develop their interest and keep it going it’s so important to pick the right books for them. Apart from searching online, I tend to ask friends and colleagues for recommendations, browse real bookshops in London and on holiday (where I have found some gems) and I even ask on my facebook page which gets me some fabulous suggestions. Over the years we have discovered many fab kids books in this way but there have been some disappointments too. While I love searching for kids books, sometimes I wish there was a less time consuming way. And that got me wondering about a kids book subscription box as there seem to be monthly subscription boxes for everything else these days!

I went searching and I found some – yay! In the UK there is The Willoughby Book Club where you can subscribe for 3, 6 or 12 months and it’s aimed at children from 5-12 years of age but they also offer toddler and baby book subscriptions. You just answer a few questions about your child and the books are tailored to their age and interests. In the US you have Giftlit which works in pretty much the same way but has a few advantages. I especially liked that with Giftlit you get to see the books you are getting before you order and having briefly browsed their selection I have to add that it looks really good. So if you don’t like the sound of one, you can substitute it with another and you can also return books. This ensures you only get and keep books you and your kids love. Lastly again in the UK is Prudence and the Crow who specialise in vintage books for kids and adults. You don’t get to see the books which is a shame but I still like the idea behind the service.

I haven’t tried any of these book subscriptions yet but I am very tempted. I love the idea of a kids book subscription box because of the element of surprise and also any kid would love to receive a monthly package in their name. The anticipation would just add to their excitement of reading and enjoying the book. And especially for those months when you don’t have time to search and find books you know you’ll at least receive one in the post. Apart from your own child, these book subscription boxes would make great gifts too. Have you tried one? Where do you look for inspiration for your kids books? Do you know of any other services? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

{photo by Abigail Fahey Photography for ebabee}

Quirky and fun activity books

January 8, 2015

While Christmas shopping for Anya I came across these kids activity books which literally jumped out at me possibly because of their striking black and neon colours. I picked up one and had a quick flick through and thought it looked pretty good. So I bought it for her and she has loved it. We got the orange ‘Definitely not for chickens’ one which is full of drawing puzzles, number activities, memory games and lots more. Some pages are easier than others but all offer pretty engaging things to do. There are five different books in total each with different puzzles and activities.

Apart from being really fun for kids, these quirky Totally Twisted Puzzle books are nicely illustrated and use the same colour scheme inside and on the cover making it all very striking to look at. I’m planning to get another one once Anya has gone through the first one. It’s been a great book to take along when you need your child to be entertained (rather than giving them an ipad/iphone). Recently while planning our house renovation, we’ve had to spend hours at kitchen/bathroom/flooring shops and this book has been the thing we’ve taken along to keep Anya occupied. I also love these books to give as party favours or small gifts.

Ebabee Christmas Gift Guide 2014: Kids Books

December 12, 2014

We are complete bookworms in this house. I would go so far as saying almost more then adult books, I adore kids books and get excited every time we get a new one. Christmas is the perfect excuse for me to go a bit over the top buying new books for Anya. Last week I shared some great activity books for kids so today I wanted to share some story books. Most of these books are suitable for around ages 4-7 years but of course can be read out loud to younger kids too. Some of them are old classics like Puss in Boots and Aesops Fables but I’ve picked new and exciting editions which bring something different. We already own some of these books and love them and the rest are on our wish list:

Ebabee Christmas Gift Guide 2014: Activity Books

December 3, 2014

My absolute favourite thing to gift kids is books – any kind of book from story books, to picture books to activity books. Christmas gifts for Anya would not be complete without at least one book included but usually I give her many more. If you’re crazy for kids books too then you’ll love today’s round-up of gifts. I’ve chosen a range of the best kids activity books out there from drawing books to puzzles to colouring books. These activity books are for a range of ages mostly from around 4 to 8 years but even younger kids can get stuck in with your help. Here’s the selection:

Beautiful classic books for children

September 11, 2014

Once the school term starts, so do the birthday parties. Come September, I am on the hunt for gifts and this year I am trying hard to be organised. That means finding a few nice gifts and ordering them now so I don’t have a huge panic the day before each birthday party that ends in me paying crazy shipping prices for next day delivery. One of my favourtie gifts for kids is books. While on the hunt for some new books, I came across these timeless classics with the most beautifully illustrated covers and I thought they would make beautiful gifts.

Anya and her friends are a bit young for these books but Anya has older cousins and sometimes gets invited to her friends older sibling’s parties. So I end up looking for gifts for a range of ages and I thought I would share them here in case you do too. These classic books are a great way to introduce 8-12 years olds (depending on the book) to literature and are the kind of books that are kept forever. Over the years there have been many different covers for these books, but when I saw these ones illustrated by Anna Bond, I loved them. There are four classics in this range and each cover is illustrated in the prettiest colours with beautiful drawings that make you want to pick up the book and get reading. All the books also come with matching bookmarks. Wouldn’t they look lovely on a shelf or on a table? And besides, what can be nicer than giving a child a timeless gift that will last forever?

These classics will be available from October but can be pre-ordered now. And dare I say it, but I will – I am also thinking of these as lovely Xmas gifts.

A favourite book: Ramayana

April 16, 2014

Ramayana by Sanjay Patel is possibly one of the most beautiful kids books we’ve got. While the book is based on Hindu mythology, it’s a simplified version of the story that any child can relate to. The tale involves a prince, a 10 headed demon, a beautiful goddess like princess and some animals with super powers. It’s about an adventure involving deceit, wit, friendships and good triumphing over evil. The story is engaging and the illustrations are stunning. Full of colour and detail, each page comes to life with pictures that tell the story as beautifully as the words.

Since it’s a long book we’ve been reading it in chunks. We’ve already been through it twice and I know we’ll be reading it many more times in the coming years. Anya absolutely loves the book and will often get it out herself to look at the pictures.

Ramayana by Sanjay Patel is a book that can be appreciated by kids and adults alike. It really is a must have book in any child’s library (Hindu or not) and also makes a beautiful gift.

{top and bottom photo by Abigail Fahey for ebabee}

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