a favourite book to explore night, independence and family life

/
a favourite book to explore night, independence and family life

ages 0 to 8 years
Have you ever heard the patter of little feet in the night and found toys and books scattered around the house in the morning? It used to be an almost nightly routine at our place.
In this tender story Hannah wakes and, ‘surprised to find that it was still dark’, discovers that her family is soundly asleep.
She gently finds her way around, pouring milk for her cat, eating cherries without permission, and borrowing some of her sister’s precious possessions.

Read More

5 books that comfort and prepare for a move away from much-loved people and places

/
5 books that comfort and prepare for a move away from much-loved people and places

ages 3 to around 8 years
Change in any form can be hard (not just for children!) but moving to somewhere new and leaving people you love can be particularly difficult for little ones. Our move to Tasmania is happening next week...

Read More

when you were born . . . our hearts sang, our spirits soared . . .

/
when you were born . . . our hearts sang, our spirits soared . . .

ages newborn to 5 years
I came across this really sweet book at the library. It's a lovely collection of different animal and human parents telling their young ones what it felt like when they were born. For the bear family it was: When you were born the snow melted, the birds sang, the flowers grew. For the owls

Read More

a sweet confirmation of the value of owning and loving a book

/
a sweet confirmation of the value of owning and loving a book

Funny bedtime reading that says: “we love books, you and I, and we know how to use them.” Perfect for booklovers who already know that books can be read anywhere in any way + for reluctant readers who need something to inspire without preaching.
ages 2 to 8 years

Read More

16 books that make bedtime a communion of parent and child

/
16 books that make bedtime a communion of parent and child

ages 0 to 8 years
Perhaps the most cherished of all childhood rituals is the bedtime story - that gorgeous twilight-ish moment when parent and child come together and forsake the world. Here are 16 favourites for just such a time, including 6 wonderful chapter books.

Read More

a gorgeous lullaby book for beautiful reassuring bedtimes

/
a gorgeous lullaby book for beautiful reassuring bedtimes

There are some books that really are best read in a whisper while little bodies cuddle up and begin to sink heavily into sleep. Lullaby books, if you like. They need to be lyrical, preferably poetic for cadence, gentle on the eyes and have a reassuring predictability. (Certainly nothing to startle or surprise!) Let’s Go to Sleep is all of that – it’s one of my favourites. 

ages 0 up to about 8 years - a gorgeous baby shower or new-baby gift.
 

Read More

a lovely bedding-down story for the end of the day

/
a lovely bedding-down story for the end of the day

ages newborn to early childhood
In our house at least, Big Red Barn is a bedtime book. It’s the softly told story of farm animals bedding down for the night ... lovely, calming and reassuring. And elevating.

Read More