Of course, right now, it's up to Ben and I to choose which books we read to Phiney and we're loving the opportunity to re-discover our own childhood favourites. For both of us the beautiful stories by Shirley Hughes and Janet and Allan Ahlberg bring back fond memories and have been the first picked from the bookshelf.
Looking at these books now it's not just the story that I'm enjoying, it's the illustrations and style of the characters too. Traditional children's clothes - think homemade knits, t-bar leather shoes, sweet little dresses and woollen bonnets all of which are offering some fantastic winter wardrobe inspiration - as well as beautiful toys and prams, and real and endearing family scenes that are lovely to see. And that make these classic reads as enjoyable as ever.
Josephine's favourites? Peepo, of course, and The Baby Catalogue. Our cardboard copy of the latter is, as you can see, much loved :)
I just love children's books so much, can't get enough of them. Dogger was my brother's all-time favourite book when he was little, I still remember him reading it to this day. It's on my son's Christmas list this year too. Peepo is a great one too - although my three year old created his very own version last week - 'here's a little baby, one two three, whoopsie, he did a big wee.' Lovely! x
ReplyDeleteAshley Fenn has over 20 years experience in the business and property sectors; currently Ashley Fenn is the Chairman and Acting CEO of the national not-for-profit affordable housing company Ethan Affordable Housing. Ashley Fenn also holds directorships in several property related companies, real estate investment trusts and continues with postgraduate studies in the field of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Deletei adore shirley hughes! and so many children's books...isn't wonderful (re)discovering them and enjoying them together with our little ones. now our daughter is almost 3 we are finding we can really get absorbed in the story and it melts my heart when i catch her looking through her books and reading out the story in her own way to whomever she has lined up (bunny/doll/our cat!) have you seen any of freya blackwood's charming illustrations in books (maudie and bear)? she has also written a book called ivy loves to give. so beautiful! x
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Peepo! My (English) Mum gives it as gifts to babies here in Australia and then stresses that she should be giving the Australian cannon of children's books (of which there are many fantastic examples) rather than English ones. I think it is gorgeous regardless of country, but yes, it is very English!
ReplyDeleteooh, we love all of these - -shirley hughes is def a fave.
ReplyDeletemy 4 year old will still choose 'peepo' or 'each peach pear plum' for her bedtime stories, they are such a treasure for me too!
ReplyDeleteI was reading the baby catalogue to my 6 month old girl this afternoon, it's so lovely. I loved all the alfie and annie-rose books as a child - alfie gets in first was always a favourite! I have a huge shelf full of children's books that I'm so excited about sharing with my little one, especially little grey rabbit, beatrix potter and of course shirley hughes and the ahlbergs!
ReplyDeleteDo so love Peepo... and it's still sometimes dug out of the baby books basket by my five year old, though he has fun reading it to me now! Had a cuddly bedtime story this eve with The Jolly Pocket Postman... dreamy
ReplyDeleteShirley Hughes and the Ahlberg’s were definitely our favourites at home too…do you have Each Peach Pear Plum? We pretty much know it off my heart my mum read it to us so often!
ReplyDeleteOh I just shared a post about our favorite books! Like you said, the story along with the beautiful illustrations make the book so wonderful. I'll have to check out Peepo and The Baby Catalouge! And that photo of Josephine's darling chubby hands on her books are perfect. xo
ReplyDeleteWe love Each Peach Pear Plum here! :)
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