SPOILER ALERT
Anyone who has not read Loving Comfort by Julie Dillemuth, Tiddler: The Story-Telling Fish by Julia Donaldson, Postman Pat: The Secret by John Cunliffe, Charlie Crow in the Snow by Paula Metcalf or Nicola Baxter’s version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Ladybird Picture Books) is hereby advised that this post may contain a few unavoidable spoilers.
My daughter has been into books ever since she was a baby. Now, being just shy of two and a half years old, she’s more story daft than ever before and so I thought it was time for yet another exciting instalment of Super Snappy Speed Reviews: Children’s Edition (you can check out al the previous editions at the bottom of this post).
You know the drill by now. These reviews reflect nothing but my own personal opinions and impressions, reduced, flattened and shrink-rayed into a few short sentences. The books I have selected have nothing in common, save the fact that they are all fictional stories for very young children. They are not necessarily books I particularly liked or disliked, nor are they sorted into any particular order. So, here we go.
Loving Comfort by Julie Dillemuth
This little book is aimed particularly at young toddlers who about to take that difficult step towards being fully weaned. It tells the story of baby Jack and how, with the help of his parents, he eventually managed to stop nursing when the time came for him to do so.
If you’re not American, you might find some of the language a little foreign (my daughter calls her grandfather papa, not me) but it’s a well written story which my daughter appears to understand. She certainly enjoys it.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tiddler: The Story-Telling Fish by Julia Donaldson
When it comes to writing books for toddlers, Julia Donaldson can do no wrong. I’ll be honest and say that I don’t think Tiddler quite reaches the lofty standards of The Gruffalo or Monkey Puzzle (at least, my daughter doesn’t ask for it quite as often) but still a very solid offering from the author who seems to write all my daughter’s favourite books. No toddler’s bookshelf should be without it.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Postman Pat: The Secret by John Cunliffe
My daughter is a huge Postman Pat fan. This book was first published way back in 1982 and is based on a particular episode of the original TV series, in which the friendly Yorkshire postman Pat Clifton is surprised to discover that everybody in the village has learned his secret: that today is his birthday.
Personally, I find the book a bit of a drag to read when compared to some of my daughter’s other books and, in true classic Postman Pat style, the story is very genteel even for a toddler’s book, but my daughter seems quite taken with it.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟
Charlie Crow in the Snow by Paula Metcalf
This book is one of my daughter’s hot favourites right now. Personally, there’s something about it I find a little jarring, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s a perfectly cute little story about a crow and his animal friends facing winter for the first time (presumably).
If I’m being clinical and analytical, I can find nothing wrong with this book. It’s sweet, educational, and my daughter loves it. It just doesn’t quite ring my bell, but then I don’t suppose it’s aimed at me.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟
Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Nicola Baxter
It’s really difficult to pick just one version of this classic folk tale, so I went for Nicola Baxter’s version published by Ladybird Books (1999) because it is, hands down, my daughter’s favourite. The repeated contrast between Father Bear’s big things, Mother Bear’s medium sized things and Baby Bear’s tiny little things is a particular source of entertainment to my daughter, who enjoys trying to impersonate the booming voice I use for Father Bear and the squeaky one I use for Baby Bear.
Goldilocks was never my favourite folk tale, not even as a child, but I really enjoy this version of it and so does my wee girl.
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL THE PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF SUPER SNAPPY SPEED REVIEWS
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ATTENTION AUTHORS:
I’m still looking to interview fiction authors here on Penstricken, especially new or indie authors. Whether it’s books, plays, comics or any other kind of fiction, if you’ve got something written, I want to hear about it. If you’re interested in having your work featured on Penstricken, be to sure to drop us an e-mail or message us on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest.
You can check out our previous interviews here:
- Sharleen Nelson, author of The Time Tourists [2]
- D. Wallace Peach, author of the Shattered Sea duology [2]
- Jacob Klop, author of Crooked Souls