Tag Ruth Hearson

Zeki Goes To The Market

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Zeki Goes To The Market
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Max

No matter where little Zeki goes he always brings a big smile to the faces of those he encounters. He definitely does just that when he and his Mummy visit the bustling Saturday market. There he experiences a veritable symphony of sights, sounds, smells and tastes as they stop at various stalls. There’s Salvatore whose pasta shapes are fascinating to look at, Fleur who makes smoothies; Zeki tastes a very fruity one. Next stop is at Mr Adams the spice seller where Zeki smells what appear to be cinnamon sticks – mmmm – a delicious aroma (as well as a yummy taste when ground and sprinkled on porridge perhaps).

Zora offers the boy a taste of her sweet, sticky buns – maybe those have sprinkling of cinnamon in them, they’re definitely irresistible. Miss Fay suggests a dab of belly butter ‘for a better belly’; it makes Zeki’s skin extra soft and smooth.

Mum then decides it’s time for a short rest; she puts down her heavy bag and treats herself to a cup of Paloma’s delectable hot chilli chocolate (my favourite too). Feeling refreshed she moves on and buys take-home noodles from Yuto before making her final purchase at Sean’s veggie stall. Finally with a goodbye wave, Mum and Zeki set off home.

There’s SO much goodness packed into this small book. It would be really fun if adult sharers could have to hand some of the items Zeki’s Mummy bought to enable small children to share in Zeki’s sensory samplings.

Can You Share Little Whale? / Zeki Eats Out

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Can You Share, Little Whale?
Jonny Lambert
Little Tiger

Little Whale doesn’t want to share: her place at the front of the pod has been taken despite Mum saying she can be the leader; then it seems that noisy gannets are taking all the silvery fish and leaving none for her to feed on. “It’s not fair!” complains Little Whale but then up swims her friend Blue offering to share a snack with her. This pleases her and she decides to search for something delicious to share with Blue. Down she swims towards to coral reef but is concerned in case she isn’t able to find a special something: suppose there isn’t sufficient, she worries. Happily though, Turtle helps her discover a reef burgeoning with treats aplenty,

more than enough for everyone and thanks to the reef’s inhabitants Little Whale is able to return to her pod with a juicy treat to share with Blue.

Again, however, Little Whale is upset for she finds Blue swimming alongside HER mum! “That’s my mum!” says Little Whale pushing her friend away. Mum scolds her, and reminds her offspring that “it’s always good to share.” Little Whale turns to Blue, confirming that there’s enough room for them both and together, they swim forward as friends.

It’s great to see Mum whale using gentle guidance rather than chastisement to help her little one learn the vital lesson about sharing. Jonny’s beautiful, detailed scenes of the coral reef are a particular delight and he captures so well the movement and textures of the whales and other marine fauna.
The life lesson Little Whale learns is an essential one for little humans to learn too: this story is an enjoyable way to make sure they realise that sharing is both important and brings mutual pleasure to those involved.

For slightly younger children:

Zeki Eats Out
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Max

The adorable Zeki, is going out to have lunch at a restaurant with Daddy and Nana-G. Accompanying them is Zeki’s Mr Seahorse so the little boy gives him some tips on appropriate restaurant behaviour before they set out.
Having greeted Nana-G outside the venue, in they all go and Bruno their waiter is there to serve them. The three consult the menu and make their choices of what to eat and then Dad and Zeki head to the washroom to wash their hands before the food arrives. Clearly an enjoyable time is had by all.

Equally an enjoyable time will be had by adults and the little ones with whom they share this latest episode in the life of my favourite story book toddler. It’s simply told in Anna’s straightforward prose which leaves Ruth’s spreads to portray the warmth of the love between Zeki and his family members.

Zeki Hikes With Daddy / Fiona on the Swings & Herbert Climbs to the Top

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Zeki Hikes With Daddy
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Max

This latest Zeki story is so full of joy from the front cover illustration right through to Ruth Hearson’s final scene showing a blissfully slumbering infant being carried home on the back of his smiling father after their wonderful day together.

As they explore the great outdoors Zeki notices small details such as a tiny falling leaf, crisp footprints left by a bird in the squelchy mud beside the water, a delicate feather and a bumpy pine cone: what lovely rich descriptive language Anna uses in her verbal pictures of these natural objects and the others mentioned.

It’s great to see both father and son being excited by the natural world,

as well as spending quality time in each other’s company. Spending time in the company of Zeki and his family is always a delight for small children and their adult sharers; both audiences will surely cherish this shared time too.

Like all the others in the series, this book deserves to be part of the early experiences of every toddler. It’s pitch perfect for encouraging talk and new learning.

Fiona on the Swings
Herbert Climbs to the Top
Rilla Alexander
Hippo Park: Astra Books for Young Readers

Just like little humans, Herbert and Fiona Hippo love using the equipment in the park: Hippo Park is where they meet their friends including a frog, a mouse, and a turtle.

Fiona is eager to learn to swing though needs help to get herself up onto a swing seat but Herbert is on hand to assist and provide an initial push to give her some momentum. Following his instructions, she’s soon kicking and tucking her legs as she swings back and forth till Herbert too starts his swing and then it’s time to let their imaginations take flight …

The top referred to in the second title is that of the arched climbing ladder. Urged on by his pals, Herbert takes tentative steps gradually gaining confidence as he goes step, pull, step, pull right to the very highest part. Overcoming sudden wobbliness and the dropping of Teddy, back down he climbs and off into a flight of fancy with frog et al.

Endearing, cartoonish drawings of the activities at the park combined with simple, chatty storylines of friends at play will please the very youngest.

Zeki Goes To The Park / Grandads Are the Greatest

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Zeki Goes To The Park
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Max

Another wonderfully loving little book starring the adorable Zeki. It’s a hot, sunny day and we join him and his Mummy as they set off for the park. There they meet up with some friends, Yu, her mummy and little baby sibling.

Zeki and Yu do the usual things that toddlers do in such situations such as use the swings (with parental help of course), build sandcastles

and bury themselves in the sand before sitting down with the others for a yummy picnic under the trees. Come sundown, they bid farewell to one another and set off home with their respective parents.

Anna McQuinn’s use of joyful, sometimes exuberant language as befits Zeki and Yu’s rides on the springy horses and their splashing in the cool water is a delight to read aloud and every one of Ruth Hearson’s illustrations radiates the wholehearted playfulness and focussed concentration of small children when engaged in activities they enjoy.

Perfect for sharing with toddlers around the age of Zeki and sufficiently robustly constructed to stand up to all the re-readings the book will surely have.

Grandads Are the Greatest
Ben Faulks and Nia Tudor
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

It’s the day of a special picnic – Grandads’ Summer Picnic – and it’s being held in a large field full of wild flowers and trees; an idyllic spot for each child to introduce his or her own very special grandad. This they do through Ben Faulks’ jaunty rhyming text and Nia Tudor’s wonderfully warm, inclusive illustrations, each with a wealth of details and an evident abundance of joy being able to share that special intergenerational love.

One grandad is a baker, famed for his yummy cakes, another is a retired builder; there’s an explorer,

an inventor, a barber, a fisherman who likes to tell salty tales, a magician who appreciates help from his young apprentice, a hang-gliding enthusiast, and a grandad who spends lots of time sharing books and singing songs with his young grand-daughter, someone who’s always there when a bit of extra comfort is required. Every one of them is different but all show an abundance of love to his grandchild.

Ideal for sharing with a grandparent on their special day in early October, but equally one to read with young children on Father’s Day coming up in June. (in the UK)

Zeki Rise and Shine / Zeki Sleep Tight

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Zeki Rise and Shine
Zeki Sleep Tight
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Max

So much thought has gone into these two books starring the totally adorable Zeki wherein we share his family rituals. In the first Zeki has just woken up and from his cot, he greets readers with THE most engaging smile you could ever imagine as his Mummy opens the curtains to reveal the sparkling lemon-yellow sun. Then released from the confines of his cot he proceeds to dance his way into the kitchen where Daddy, preparing breakfast, joins his little one in a bit of box shaking.

With cereal consumed, it’s off to the bathroom for a wash and teeth brushing. Then on go a snazzy top and shorts, and to complete the outfit ,wonderful sunglasses and jelly shoes. Now Zeki is ready for whatever the day brings; and it’s patently clear just how much this little one is loved by his parents as they enjoy these simple routines together.

An equal amount of love and care has been taken in the creation of this simple presentation of family rituals. With each and every word having been carefully considered, the text is an absolute pleasure to read aloud: ‘He munches crunches. he sips zingy juice.’ and there’s a wealth of other onomatopoeia and alliteration too. 


Equally, Ruth Hearson’s illustrations radiate joy, while cleverly using repeat images such as the sun (hanging from Zeki’s cot and in his book); the chickens (on the window sill and in the kitchen); the crocodile (on Zeki’s bib and the rolled up mat in Mummy’s bag); the ducks (on the soles of Zeki’s shoes matching the string puppet). Sheer delight for adults and little ones at every turn of the page.

The same is true of Zeki Sleep Tight wherein the atmosphere is much gentler as Zeki slows down and prepares for bed. He sips warm milk, soaks in a bubbly bath, wriggles his creamy caressed body into a fleecy sleep suit 

and settles down for a pre-bedtime song and favourite story. Bliss.

Beautiful calming, soothing, sometimes sibilant language (‘they sing a slow song about a slumbering sloth’) and illustrations full of delightful details including plenty of sheep and other sleepy creatures. No need for parents to sing their little ones a lullaby, a quiet read aloud of this at bedtime will surely send them off to slumberland.

Both books are made from thick card and have rounded corners – ideal for little hands as well as a change from board books. I wholeheartedly recommend these for parents of very young children and for early years settings.

Zeki gets a Checkup / My First Day

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Zeki Gets a Checkup
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Books

Lulu’s little brother is now a playful toddler drinking from his own cup and feeding himself. It’s the day he’s going for a health check and having helped pack his bag, Daddy and the infant are ready to visit the clinic.

Once there they have to wait their turn so Zeki is glad he’s got his favourite Mister Seahorse to play with but it’s not too long before it’s their turn.

Zeki is happy to show what he can do; he’s weighed and measured, has his eyes, ears and heart checked

and is given a jab to help him stay healthy. He leaves with a well-deserved sticker, a new book and a cheery farewell wave from the health practitioner.

Full of warmth, reassuring, and as with all the books in this series, inclusive and beautifully portrayed.
Definitely one to add to the bookshelves of those with toddlers be that at home or in a nursery setting.

My First Day
Amber Stewart and Layn Marlow
Oxford University Press

This is one of the newly packaged My First Milestones series and features little duckling, Puddle who, along with his two friends is about to start nursery school. Having eagerly anticipated the big day since he was ‘barely more than an egg’, when it finally arrives the little duckling is more than a tad nervous.

His Mummy Duck however, has taken steps to ensure things go smoothly. She offers words of reassurance and packs into his school bag things that will remind him that she’s never far off: one of her soft feathers, his favourite nibbles, some biscuits to share with his friends

and his Cuddly for afternoon rest time.

Creative activities fill the rest of the day and before you can say, ‘going-home time’ there waiting is Puddle’s very own Mummy Duck with a warm hug.

It’s not nerves but excitement that causes the duckling’s heart to go pitter-patter that night as he anticipates his next day at duckling school.

A sweet story, told in a direct manner that expresses so well Puddle’s feelings, beautifully illustrated with scenes of the riverside in spring, this is just right for sharing with children about to have their own first day at nursery.

I’ve signed the charter  

Family Friendly Books

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Freddy and the Pig
Charlie Higson and Mark Chambers
Red Squirrel Books
School is anything but Freddy’s favourite place; he’d far rather be at home playing games on his Xbox. So he devises a clever plan, one involving a porcine substitute. This allows young Fred to stay lounging at home, racking up his levels on Total Death War, all the while growing more and more rotund. Pig meantime grows to love school and is even sticking up his trotter in class;

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he’s helpful around the house too. Soon it is hard for Mum to distinguish boy from pig so massive is Freddy

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and so grunt-like his utterances. Eventually she sells her son to a local farm and sends the pig to university though that’s not quite the end of the story.
This amusing cautionary tale is one of the latest additions to the Red Squirrel dyslexia-friendly books, the hallmarks of which are good stories, well illustrated and presented in a clear type face set against a plain, uncluttered background so that all parents can share them with their children.
Buy from Amazon
In the same series is:

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Wolf Man
Michael Rosen and Chris Mould
Red Squirrel Books
Just what or who are all the terrified local residents running from? It’s Wolfman and he’s escaped from his cage and is rampaging through the town, tearing up paving stones and consuming lamp-posts.

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Even the army is too terrified to do anything: but where is Wolfman heading to? It’s certainly not the park, nor the swimming pool. Wait a minute, that’s the house of the Chief of Police our hairy horror is making for, where, behind firmly closed doors cowers the jittering policeman.
So exactly what has compelled Wolfman to come here leaving a trail of havoc in his wake?

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Suffice it to say it is connected to a weak bladder and an urgent need.
Typical Michael Rosen madness – slightly over the top and deliciously subversive; just the thing to make less than confident readers want to keep turning the pages, especially when his well chosen words are combined with Chris Mould’s wickedly wacky images.
Assuredly one to help families ‘Grow a Love of Reading’ which is what this series aims to do.
Buy from Amazon

Where better place to start growing that love than:

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Zeki Loves Baby Club
Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson
Alanna Books pbk
We join Zeki and his mum at home before they set off for their regular Wednesday Baby Club session at the local library. There they meet lots of other babies and parents, and the club leader who has brought all manner of exciting instruments, some props and her repertoire of suitable toddler songs and rhymes. This week, after greeting one another,

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they sing the happy song with actions, play peek-a-boo (with translucent scarves to peep through) and join in the ‘stretchy’ and ‘rolly’ songs. Then it’s time for some noisy  fun with cuddly animals,

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more action rhymes and a final cuddle-up story before bidding farewell and ‘see you next time’ to all those friends.
At the end of the narrative, are the words of all the songs and rhymes mentioned plus some useful presentation tips and other information for adults.
All in all, this charmingly illustrated, sturdy book is a lovely opportunity to enjoy a simple story with the very youngest and to have a wonderful sing-along session too.
A great choice to give to new parents.
Buy from Amazon
Buy from your local bookshop:

http://www.booksellers.org.uk/bookshopsearch