Some of you will know that on a Friday (or more frequently recently, a Saturday – just like to keep you on your toes) I usually post ‘Peapod’s Picks’ – a weekly round up of some of the books that Peapod* has read for his bedtime story each week plus a review of at least one of them.
*His social media alter ego, not his real name!
However on Monday I came across the Kids Love to Read (KLTR) link up on both Book Bairn and Acorn Books blogs so I’m doubling up this week to join in with that too!
With that in mind, I thought I’d kick off our KLTR posts (we hope to join in every month!) with a Q&A of sorts as an intro to us and our reading, rather than our usual round up and review – back to usual next week!
Introduce yourself and your chid(ren)
I’m Rachael. I’ve been a children’s bookseller for just over 2 years and before that I spent 8 years teaching early years and key stage 1. ‘Peapod’ is a six month old boy – he’s really easy going and desperate to be on the move! Peapod’s Dad also reads lots with us.
Did you enjoy reading as a child?
Yes! I could read before I started school and have always been a big reader.
Why? Or why not? (and if not, what changed?)
I think there were so many factors – talk, pretend play, books and stories at home…weekly trips to the library with the loveliest librarians…a school which nurtured my bookish side and encouraged my love of both reading and especially writing stories…
I’m short, being surrounded by reading, readers, books and imagination made me a reader.
What were your favourite books as a child?
This list could go on forever, but I’ll just choose a couple of picture books since that’s what Peapod Picks is about:
On the Way Home by Jill Murphy
Haunted House by Jan Pienkowski
The Timbuctoo books by Roger Hargreaves
Hedgehog and Mouse books by Gilly Meredith
And I’m counting this since my mum and I ADORE it and, although I had the chapter book version, is now available as a picture book too –
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson
What are your favourite picture/children’s books to read aloud now?
I’m not sure we have any favourites yet – Peapod is still too young to want anything on repeat! But I love anything by Barnett and Klassen, especially Triangle.
Daddy and I both find anything that needs voices doing hilarious – cavemen and pirates are apparently our favourites despite being awful at them!
You can’t beat a decent bit of rhyme and rhythm in a read aloud – I love Pants/More Pants by Giles Andreae and Nick Sharratt or 100 Dogs by Michael Whaite for this.
Or anything that makes us laugh – the Oi! books by Kes Gray and Jim Field, Simon Philip’s books You Must Bring a Hat and I Really Want The Cake or John Bond’s Mini Rabbit Not Lost spring to mind.
When do you read – for yourself or with your kids?
I read whenever I can find the time! Usually I manage to squeeze a few pages in around jobs during naptime, and audiobooks during pram naps or housework naps have been a recent revelation! I manage to read a few pages most evenings too.
Peapod has a bedtime story every night and it’s my favourite time of day. The three of us snuggle up on the dark and his Dad or I alternate nightly who chooses and reads the story.
We often read a board book in the morning too before we get up for the day. The That’s Not My… books are his favourites!
On a Friday we go to storytime at our local Waterstones (it’s been a nice change attending one rather than running one!) which we always enjoy and this term we’re starting a sensory story class too – I’ll post about that soon!
He has cloth books in his toy basket and change bag and we often look at a book during the day if we’re at home too.
And finally, if you could only read one bedtime story every night for the next year, what would it be?
Ooi, such a tough one. Either Triangle by Barnett and Klassen because I don’t think I’d ever get tired of reading that or Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton because it’s such a perfectly sleepy story.
I’d love to read your answers to these questions too – blog it and link back to me or let me know in the comments!
Which picture books or bedtime stories did you read this week?