PSA Thread for Dadsnet/Mumsnet/Unclesnet/Auntsnet/cousinsnet Christmas presents 🎄🎄🎄

christmas
#1

Basically I just wanted to start a thread to wax lyrical about my absolute favourite book to read to my little one. She’s 4 now & I’ve been reading it to her as bedtime reading since she was 2 and it’s still a delight every time for both of us. Thought it would be a good time to do it as it would make an excellent present to anyone who has a pre-schooler or young school-age kid to buy for this Christmas

It’s this

not nearly as well known as Cat in the Hat but so much better imho - the four stories here are all just hilarious & fun to read but embedded deep in the stories are really valuable lessons for the wee ones

the first story - as the wiki says - is about prejudice & tolerance, but much more than that it’s about how divisions are exploited by the unscrupulous

the others deal with stubborness, forethought and fear of the unknown in such a hilarious and delicate and genius way that any parent will glad of this one in their little one’s reading list

get it if you have a 3-7 year old to buy for - their parents will thank you. The paperback is about a fiver & the hardback is £12ish - worth every penny & more

also, bonus for anyone who has a family with a young person an an elderly relative in a nursing home or suffering from dementia …this is a wonderfully illustrated book about how a young person can understand memory loss and feel empowered to empathise - really touching

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http://memfox.com/books/wilfrid-gordon-mcdonald-partridge/

anyway, that’s the end of my PSA

add your bedtime story book recommendations or indeed any other CHAT about what to buy (or what not to buy) the little ones for Christmas

#2

Good thread!

My favourite book to read is (this is Scottish DiSer centric) the Gruffalo in Scots. Basically, replaces fox with “tod” and owl with “hoolet” and the nut is “braw”. It’s a delight to read. We’ve not bought the Gruffalo’s Child because it’s not in Scots.

We love Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers. Good story about a boy when a penguin shows up at his door, and is sad. He decided to take it back to Antartica. It’s lovely and well drawn too. The same author has The Day the Crayons Quit which is quite loverly and charming too.

#3

Good thought, my older brother bought me the Sneetches when I was little so maybe it’s my turn to get his daughters a copy

#4

I haven’t found an Oliver Jeffers book that isn’t just lovely and moving and heartwarming yet.

How to Catch a Star is beautiful as well.

#5

Heartily second The Sneetches, I read this countless times to my daughter.

#6

Love Dr Seuss but have never read The Sneeches, will have to pick it up. Read Oh, the Places You’ll Go! to my kids a lot, it’s a lovely book:

I really like Jon Klassen, we’ve got some prints of his illustrations up at home. I Want My Hat back is my favourite:

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#7

Jnr’s fave Dr Seuss is Mr Brown, which I really don’t like readingas it’s just a succession of noises.

As a kid I read the Little Matchstick Girl every Xmas eve and loved it but it’s well maudlin so holding off on that one.

Pretty standard but Gruffalo’s child is a massive hit at the moment and set in winter so it feels a bit festive

#8

Top toddler book but not festive is I Am Bear, there’s even a rap version of it online.

Robert McFarlabe tweeted this last week and it sounds ace (for older kids). Anyone read it?

#9

definitely give sneetches a look - it’s a real joy to read and jr. will still appreciate the nonsense bits in Too Many Daves

#10

This sounds amazing

#11

The best are Shirley Hughes tbh tbf

#12

:heart: Dogger, even if its name hasn’t aged well…

#13

Love this one:

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#14

For Arab Strap fans, I definitely recommend this book:

Really nice story

#15

Book wankers.

Get them a ps4 and nerf guns

#16

Big fans of Ryan from the Office’s book in our house

and also this one by the guy from McFly

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#17

I got The Book with No Pictures for my nephew a couple of Christmases ago. He was asked if he wanted to hear it and wasn’t interested, but @he_2 went ahead anyway. By the end, he was asking for an instant second read through.

#18

I’ve got that, and it’s signed, and we read it last night. She repeats the final line back to me and has since she was very young; “But love’s the best”. Wonderful book.

We have an edition with it read by Moffat and with music by Bill Wells, which is great too.

#19

That encore request was all about the delivery, clearly…

He still enjoys that book.

#20

Was really into a good picture book even before R came along (I am a sucker for nice illustration).

I second @sheeldz’ recommendation of Oliver Jeffers though we haven’t had Lost and Found yet (Up and Down which features the same characters is wonderful though). This Moose Belongs to Me is collectively our favourite, R doesn’t always sit through it but frequently asks for it to be read. Beautiful painted backgrounds, lots of wit and warmth in the story and plenty of detail.

For babies/toddlers Sandra Boynton is great, a counting bool called Hippos Go Beserk especially, also Barnyard Dance is a lot of fun for getting up and doing all the actions.

Britta Teckentrup is another great one - she has lots of books which are spotting/pairing games and are beautiful. She has some very sweet story books too: not so much a Christmas gift, but I think The Memory Tree would be a great comfort for a child after a bereavement if they are too young to fully understand death (my sad bear circle picture is from there, incidentally).