Tag birthday celebration

His Royal Tinyness: A Terrible True Story

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His Royal Tinyness: A Terrible True Story
Sally Lloyd-Jones and David Roberts
Walker Books

I think I’ve just found my favourite ever picture book take on a new sibling. This one had me spluttering at every turn of the page; both words and pictures are utterly priceless.
Let’s meet the Happy Family: there’s a mum, a dad and a little princess: ‘the most beautifulest, cleverest, ever-so-kindest Princess with long flowing wondrous hair’ is how the young miss describes herself. (“That’s her tights,” one of my listeners was quick to point out.) Oh! and there’s a gerbil too.
All is peace and harmony in the kingdom aka The Land until one fateful day, a new ruler is born: His Royal Highness, King Baby. Let right royal disaster commence for, from that day forth for a whole year thereafter, the increasingly chubby babe rules The Land, not to mention the household. A certain young Princess’s nose is well and truly out of joint, but come infant’s first birthday, things get even worse.
Relations gather from far and wide to celebrate, fawning and fussing over the infant, and totally ignoring big sis. Seemingly the prince has cast a spell over The Whole Land.
Time for some drastic action: our innocent Princess knows just what to do – a disguise and a cunning plan are called for.

Before she’s barely even begun however, the sight of birthday cake and the sound of singing …

spark off horrendous screams, drooling dribbles and a tremendous tantrum from young King Billy.

Can anyone console the poor little chap?
Surprisingly, yes. But to find out exactly who and how, you’ll need to read the story for yourself …
Let’s just say that peace and harmony are finally restored and from a most unexpected quarter.
David Roberts must surely be king when it comes to pen and watercolour illustrations. Herein his distinctive illustrative style is retro 1970s (mum with frizzy permed hair and dad wearing bell-bottoms) ; but running in tandem with that are crayoned images showing the Princess’s version of events taken from Princess Marigold’s Drawing Book– a brilliant comic counterpoint if ever there was one. All this, alongside Sally Lloyd-Jones’ terrific fairytale pastiche and the result? A new dream team is launched.

Here’s one little princess totally loving the story.

Maisy Goes to the Bookshop / Kiki and Bobo’s Super Surprise

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Maisy Goes to the Bookshop
Lucy Cousins
Walker Books
A book that promotes the idea of reading and bookshops for the very young – what’s not to love? And when it’s a child-friendly establishment (or in this case Maisy friendly) with a kindly bookseller on hand to help you make a choice once you’ve had a good browse, as is so at  ‘We Love Books’, you know you’re in one of the best possible places.
Then when you happen to bump into your friends, all enthusing about their choice of reading matter things get even better. There’s even a story time session …

and a café to complete the delights, before you head off to give another friend a very special present.
Lucy Cousins captures the magic of books and bookshops for pre-schoolers in her bright, engaging scenes of budding bibliophiles. Hurray for Maisy and friends, and child-friendly bookshops everywhere.

Kiki and Bobo’s Super Surprise
Yasmeen Ismail
Walker Books
Two friends return in another lift-the-flap fun story.
It’s a special day in Kiki and Bobo’s house, so they both think; far more special than waffle day, Bobo tells his friend as he departs to market.
Kiki meanwhile decides it must be her best friend’s birthday and sets about preparing for a surprise party. She bakes a cake, blows up balloons, hangs bunting and dons her best party clothes.
She of course, is not the only one preparing for a surprise party.
Bobo’s shopping includes lots of yummy food …

and a special present; and on his way home, he stops to pick a birthday bouquet for Kiki, who back  indoors, seems totally unaware that it’s actually her birthday that is being celebrated.
Let the merriment begin …

Gentle offbeat humour for the very youngest: it’s brimming over with flaps to explore, labels to read and yummy things to tingle the taste buds, not forgetting that BIG SURPRISE for one of the main characters that will be eagerly anticipated by knowing toddlers.

I’ve signed the charter  

Ellie and Lump’s Very Busy Day / Monster Party

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Ellie and Lump’s Very Busy Day
Dorothy Clark and Becky Palmer
Walker Books
Exuberant is the word that immediately came to mind as I read this action-packed story.
Two young elephants, Ellie and Lump instantly spring to life  on receiving Mum’s wake-up call.

Then it’s a dash downstairs to receive a pile of parcels from the postman. This is followed by a ‘Split splat!’ eggs-cracking, toast soldiers-dipping breakfast. After which it’s jackets zipped and off into town, there to buy decorations, balloons and most important, cake.
They take a quick stop to gaze in the pet shop window before heading home to get busy decorating the room and donning fancy dress costumes.

PHEW! Just in time for the arrival of the guests. But what is all this rushing around and secrecy in aid of? Shhh!
In walks the special birthday guest himself – Dad; and then it’s party time.

The whole joyful thing effervesces and sparkles with joie de vie: Lump and Ellie are an adorable duo especially in their party gear.
Dorothy Clark’s text takes the form of a running commentary from the young pachyderms as they dash through their day; and is full of delicious noises and action words for young listeners to join in with. They’ll surely love ‘split splat’ting, ‘dip’, dipping, ‘rustle’ rustling, ‘zzzzip’ zzzipping, popping, crunching, wriggling, stomping, skipping, puffing and such like along with you as you read. All this and more is illustrated in Becky Palmer’s scenes of those frenzied preparations for dad’s surprise party. Every one of them is full of wonderful details that will delight toddlers; and many will cause adults with young children to smile in recognition.

Monster Party!
Annie Bach
Sterling
Young monster is excited to receive an invitation to a party, so much so that he even spends time selecting his most jazzy underpants. Once at the party, its full on fun with disco dancing, games, scrummy pizza. Then it’s time for a spot of candle blowing out which precipitates the toppling of a cupcake tower resulting in pink goo adhering to all the guests.

No matter; it tastes good and birthday monster is thrilled with all his presents. Less so, our main character who kicks off when it’s time for him to leave; never mind though; there’ll be another exciting event soon …
A brief rhyming text accompanies Anne Bach’s animated scenes of young monsters partying; despite the shaggy appearance of the guests, their actions bear a striking resemblance to young children engaged in the same activity. A high energy board book; best not shared at bedtime though, I’d suggest.

I’ve signed the charter