All the books I shared, reviewed and enjoyed reading in July and August 2022.
A Sense of Place - Mindful Practice Outdoors by Annie Davy. An inspirational, accessible and practical guide to helping our children and ourselves to build our ecological identities, become more mindful and in tune with the environment, and understand our place in and connection with the natural environment. This one is a serious recommended read for parents, carers, early childhood practitioners and teachers, and grandparents. If we care about the children in our care, and we care about leaving a healthy planet for them, we need to inspire and nurture a sense of awe and wonder about the world within them. And to nurture the values of kindness, equality, fairness and freedom (which the author cleverly links to the British values within the EYFS). There are tons of practical ideas and resources here, but @Anniedavy also talks about the theory behind the practice in a clear and simple manner that inspires the reader as they move through the book. I challenge you all not to be inspired and get outside and breathe mindfully after reading this🙂. Show children what it is like to walk barefoot on the grass, help them to hear birdsong, teach them where our food comes from, let them slow down and breathe mindfully, and let them get their hands and knees covered in mud and grass! Published by @featherstonepress @bloomsbury. Find out more here -
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/sense-of-place-9781472953650/
Love for imperfect things - How to accept yourself in a world striving for perfection by Haemin Sunim. This is about how being yourself is enough. And how being at peace with ourselves first , enables us to then be at peace with the world around us. Like he says "...there is only one you in the world". The book is full of simple wisdom, quotes, and perfect illustrations, to provoke thought and reflection. And it's a beautiful little hardback book to look at and hold too. 🙂Published by @penguinrandomhouse. Find out more here - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/306729/love-for-imperfect-things/9780241331149.html
The Invention by Julia Hubery and James Munro. The story of a little girl who lives in a big block of flats with her dad who is the caretaker of the flats. It makes her dad when so many residents just pass each other by without a word, and she vows to do something about it. As she begins to make her invention, people pass by and ask "what is it?" and "what does it do?". She doesn't even know when it will be finished or what it will end up looking like. Invites are sent to all the residents for the "Invention Party", at which everyone comes together to make the invention work, laughing , talking and getting to know each other. A wonderful story of accidentally on purpose creating a community. Gorgeous. Published by @graffeg. Find out more here - https://graffeg.com/collections/childrens-books/products/the-invention .
I've been sent | Lord of the Forest by Caroline Pitcher and Jackie Morris. A large size hardback picture book with larger than life illustrations of the tiger, the main character in our story of the forest and its inhabitants. But just who is the Lord of the Forest? And where are they? The prose is almost poetic, wonderfully describing the sounds and sights of the forest as tiger roams and grows, and eventually discovers the identity of the Lord of the Forest.This would make a beautiful gift and is perfect for sharing together. Published by @graffeg. Find out more here - https://graffeg.com/collections/childrens-books/products/lord-of-the-forest
I've been reading | Just Ignore Him by Alan Davies. Wow. The man that we love to watch regularly on our favourite quiz QI, here shares the harrowing tale of his childhood, losing his mum aged 6 and being abused by his dad thereafter. But it's done with gentle humour, and after the first chapter I couldn't put it down. So cleverly written, giving you a sneak peek in each chapter of something you know you will find out later. Published by @littlebrown. Find out more here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/just-ignore-him/alan-davies/9780349144368
Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal by Jane Simmons. Flo, Mum and Bird are busy, but Ebb wants to play, so she eventually finds the perfect play mate in a baby seal on the beach. But when it's time to go home, the baby seal tries to follow Ebb, and seem upset. Mum and Flo get to the rescue, setting off in the rowing boat to seal island to find the mummy seal. But can they find her among the very many other mummy seals on the island? Another beautifully illustrated adventure starring Flo, Mum and little dog Ebb. Published by @graffeg. Find out more here - https://graffeg.com/collections/childrens-books/products/ebb-and-flo-and-the-baby-seal
The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson, and photographs by Nick Kelsh. Rachel Carson was known as "the patron saint of the environmental movement", writing Silent Spring which exposed the dangers to all life and habitats on earth of pesticides and fertilisers. This little paperback is an essay she wrote about accompanying her grandnephew Roger in exploring the surroundings of her cottage in Maine by the sea. She talks about how she doesn't force names for things onto him, rather joins him in his sense of awe and wonder, answering his questions as they go. I like this quote, "We have let Roger share our enjoyment of things people ordinarily deny children because they are inconvenient, interfering with bedtime, or involving wet clothing that has to be changed or mud that has to be cleaned off the rug. And this one, "A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wobder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood." As early years practitioners we can help to ensure that doesn't happen... Published by @harpercollins. Find out more here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-sense-of-wonder/rachel-carson/9780062655356
Man's war against nature by Rachel Carson. Part of the Penguin Green Ideas series which brings together some of the classics of the environmental movement, this little book is an excerpt from the groundbreaking Silent Spring. Written in 1962, she reveals in brilliantly accessible language, while never dumbing down the science, how manmade pesticides have destroyed wildlife and created polluted waterways and silent songbirds. It seems very sad to me (very often angry too) that we have known about so many of the factors that contribute to the destruction of the environment, for so long now, and we still allow it to happen. And in the news only today, scientists have found microplastics in the meat, milk and blood of farm animals. If you're into film rather than reading a book the brilliant Mark Ruffalo stars in Dark Waters, the true story of a lawyer who goes up against the chemical giant DuPont who were illegally dumping toxic waste including the "forever chemicals" PFOA's in West Virginia, which are used to make our cooking pans non-stick. You'll not use a teflon-coated pan again.....Seriously though, it's so important to raise awareness of these issues, which are very often hidden from us by giant corporations and the media. Published by @penguin. Find out more here - https://shop.penguin.co.uk/products/mans-war-against-nature-by-rachel-carson
Grow, Tree, Grow by Dom Conlon and Anastasia Izlesou. The brilliant Wild Wanderer's series continues with this perfectly illustrated tale of an oak tree growing taller and taller each year until it becomes home for a hundred different species of insects and plants, finding their place in a rich forest of trees. Perfect for sharing with young children to inspire a love of the natural world and a connection and belonging within it. Published by @graffeg. Find out more here - https://graffeg.com/products/grow-tree-grow
Who's Tickling Tilly by Rob Jones. A very long, long, long board book, uncovering the answer to who is tickling the dinosaur Tilly. We get to search all around the prehistoric landscape looking for the culprit, and 2 metres later, find out who it is. Lots to spot and talk about and lots of fun to be had with this concertina board book illustrated on both sides for added fun. Perfect for little ones to explore and talk about with a grown up. Published by @pavilion. Find out more here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/whos-tickling-tilly/rob-jones/9781843655244
A Time of Love and Tartan by Alexander McCall Smith. Another installment (number 12) in the lives of the residents of 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh's New Town. Elspeth struggles with the triplets, Pat struggles with whether to go out for coffee with Bruce, who doesn't struggle with being a narcissist, and Stuart struggles with whether to apply for promotion. Meanwhile Bertie and co make life at work a struggle for their new teacher, and Irene doesn't struggle over leaving to pursue a PhD in Aberdeen.... Published by @littlebrown. Find out more here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-time-of-love-and-tartan/alexander-mccall-smith/9781408710999
