Parents' blog
What do Bookstart parents have to say? Find out more and add your comments.
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Bookstart TV ads
Posted Thursday May 28th 2009
by Nikesh ShuklaBookstart’s TV campaign, featuring three different animated films, ran across national terrestrial and satellite channels throughout February 2008. You can view them here:
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Baby Katie- youngest library member in the country?
Posted Wednesday May 27th 2009
by Nikesh Shukla
We've just been sent this charming story about a dad who signed his newborn baby up for a library card when she was only 2 hours and 8 minutes old so we thought we would share it with you.
>Can you tell us how you came to join your baby to the library at just 2 hours old?
New parents have a tick list of things to do on the birth of a new baby– register the birth, register with a doctor, open a bank account etc. To us, joining your local library should be an important part of this list. We both grew up as users of our local libraries, but feel that the importance of libraries in today’s super fast world is often overlooked. Books are great for enjoyment as well as learning. Therefore I made sure that Katie became a member at the earliest opportunity– and being able to join Barnsley Library Service online made that so much easier. And best of all…. libraries are a free resource…
>Are you and Mum both ' booky' people? Do you use the library? Do you read a lot?
We both enjoy reading and use the library where we live…
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Bedtime Reading Stories
Posted Wednesday May 27th 2009
by Natasha Worswick
I hope you’re enjoying national Bedtime Reading Week
However old your child is, whatever you do now to inspire their love of books and reading is sure to pay off in the future.
My mum and dad would both read to me at bedtime when I was a small child, and the love of language and storytelling has stayed with me ever since. I remember, long after they stopped reading to me, continuing to read by myself before bed.
It was the ideal way to lose myself in my imagination, so there were a good few times when I’d carry on reading past bedtime, with a torch under the duvet cover!
Fast forward to 2009, and Milo’s enjoying Bedtime Reading Week a lot. We’ve even chosen a new book to read before his final feed – Elmer and the Last Teddy by David McKee, which we found through Booktrust’s recommended books list. He just loves Elmer’s colourful patches!
How are you enjoying Bedtime Reading Week? Any successes or stories you’d care to share?
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Make the most of Bookstart online
Posted Tuesday May 26th 2009
by Natasha Worswick
In addition to keeping you up to date with our news and sharing parents’ perspectives on reading with little ones, the Bookstart parents’ blog also be taking a regular sideways look at how this site can help you – helping you track down all the useful features and interesting nooks and crannies around to support you.
First up is something that you can find all across the site if you’re looking for it. But seeing as we’re all about encouraging a love of reading, it’s the most important thing of all – the book recommendations!
Over there on the right you’ll see the title, cover and author of a book. If it catches your eye, clicking on it will take you through to our children’s books site that Nikesh blogged about a couple of months ago. As well as plenty of book reviews, you can also find great interviews – including one with the brilliant Satoshi Kitamura, if you pop over there right now.
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Trying out new titles
Posted Tuesday May 26th 2009
by Natasha Worswick
What an unusually warm and sunny Bank Holiday it has been! I hope you’ve been able to get out and enjoy it.
We took the opportunity to sit out in the garden and have a read of a few new books for Milo. New to him, that is – not necessarily new on the market!
Top of Milo’s favourites on Sunday was Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, published by Campbell Books. It’s the story of a zoo sending potential pets to the reader. As you turn the page there’s a new crate to open with the pull of a flap to reveal the new animal. Great fun!
It seemed to make a nice change for Milo, as we tend to rely on the same two or three books to see him through his play time and to wind him down before his naps. We made noises for each animal, but weren’t too sure what sounds to make for camel and giraffe (any ideas?). He really enjoyed us whispering 'ssssssssssnake' and also bouncing him up and down when we got to the frog page. He loved the big reveal as we lifted the flaps, and he paid extra special attention…
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Snuggle down for a bedtime treat
Posted Monday May 18th 2009
by Natasha Worswick
I’m getting really excited about the fact that next week is Booktrust’s very first Bedtime Reading Week, as part of National Family Reading Week.
At home, we always have a bedtime story with our little boy Milo. He is six and a half months old now and it was something we started almost straight after he was born (well not the first few weeks because back then, let’s face it, we were exhausted and had no idea what we were doing).
Our bedtime read has definitely helped with Milo’s routine, and it’s now a familiar part of his wind down after his bath and before his final feed. The consistency of it all helps him prepare for what will hopefully be a nice long sleep through the night.
What’s more, it’s clear that Milo really loves his bedtime book. He sits on my lap whilst his dad reads out loud and shows him the pictures. Simple, short picture books obviously work best at this age, and a current favourite is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Milo can often be heard laughing out loud as his dad performs different voices for different… -
Recommended books for children under 5 May 2009
Posted Tuesday May 5th 2009
by Nikesh Shukla
Every month, our Children's Books website recommends books to children of all ages. They often recommend books for Bookstart children under 5. The website is a great resource for book reviews, interviews with authors and illustrators, and competitions so be sure to visit there once you've finished here.
The recommendations for May 2009 can be found here
This month's Bookstart-related recommendations are A Small Surprise by Louise Yates and Elephant by Petr Horacek. Click on the title to be taken directly to the review.
Also, check out the shortlist for 2009's Kate Greenaway award; there may be some books on the list that may interest you.
What have you and your child been reading this month? Do let us know!
