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Monday 14 October 2013

Halloween Books for Children

Halloween is fast approaching and I am sure you all have lots of ghostly adventures planned. As a child, I loved Halloween. Me and my sisters spent weeks making costumes out of bin bags and Kit Kat wrappers and planning our trick or treat route. These days, you can buy an abundance of Halloween decorations and outfits but I still plan on getting crafty with my daughter; we made a start today on papier-mache lanterns, which I will post about when they are finished. Another activity that I loved was Halloween storytelling, the scarier the better for me!

Barefoot Books have a great selection of Halloween books for children, for all those who plan on having a get together or just want a few (not too) spooky stories to read together.

The first two books I have listed are great anthologies that feature short stories that are great for reading each evening in the run up to Halloween or to appeal to a large group in organised storytelling events:

Tales of Wisdom and Wonder

Prepare to be amazed, intrigued and enchanted by these astonishing tales. The seven stories gathered from sources around the world are full of magic, mystery and transformations. This Book  comes with CD read by Hugh Lupton so it is great for playing in the background at your Halloween party.





Tales of Mystery and Magic

A bewitching world of mystery and magic awaits you! Meet singing elves with magical feet; skeletons that move of their own accord; and a heroic blackbird who outwits a powerful king. Master storyteller Hugh Lupton is at his exceptional best as he shares the most mysterious tales in his repertoire.

This book is now out of stock online but contact me if you are interested in buying a copy direct as I have some in stock at discounted price.




For those of you looking for books for independent readers, the Monster series is a great collection of books, with lots of popular titles, including the very popular The Feathered Ogre. "This Italian tale tells how Pírolo, the King’s youngest gardener, sets out on an impossible quest which frightens even the bravest of the King’s knights. Can he steal a magic feather from the back of the terrifying feathered ogre who eats tasty boys and girls for his supper? "





If you have little ones and totally want to avoid anything that may frighten then, I Could Be, You Could Be could be for you. Trick or Treat does not have to mean getting dressed as a witch or Dracula,  with a little imagination and creativity your little one can be whoever they want to be! " Join a young boy and girl on thrilling adventures as they imagine themselves as space-travelling astronauts, ferocious dragons, jungledwelling monkeys and more. The fine line between children's make-believe and the fantastic worlds they create is cleverly portrayed through Barroux’s bright landscapes "



For those of you wanting a little Halloween boogie,  Barefoot's Dragon on my Doorstep and  Creepy Crawly Calypso singsongs will add lots of fun to your Halloween party.




Saturday 12 October 2013

Storytime: Dinosaur Party

My daughter Sofia, decided that she would like to have a dinosaur party for her 2nd birthday, mostly due to Peppa's brother George but also because she loves reading dinosaur books. I do love a good theme, especially when it comes to parties and entertainment, so dinosaur inspired fun sounded great! Having read ' I Dreamt I Was A Dinosaur ' at a recent storytelling event, Sofia was keen for the book to be featured in her party.

We found lots of cute dinosaur decorations, including cups, plates, confetti and bunting, all of which made the part room look fun and fabulous; our little party guests loved it.




With lots of tasty food prepped, including our very own dinosaur egg ( a hollowed out watermelon, filled with fruit!) there were just a few finishing touches to make to the buffet table. I had prepped some dinosaur shaped biscuits and the first activity of the day was for the children to decorate their own biscuit



Whist the children's biscuits all looked very tasty, the highlight of the table was our amazing Say It With Flours cake. Just wait until you see the inside!



Before tucking in to our lovely buffet, it was time to settle down on our storytelling rug for Dinosaur storytime. ' I dreamt I Was A Dinosaur ' is a great little book from Barefoot Books. In the book, we join a young boy on a dreamland adventure, to prehistoric times, where he meets dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes. The rhyme filled text is followed by fascinating notes about the age of dinosaurs.




Storytelling is a great addition to a toddlers party, as it is a fun and interactive activity to bring the children together at the beginning of the party. Starting with popular songs and nursery rhymes to get everybody in the mood then moving onto a specially chosen book, to fit in with the party theme, storytime offers something for all ages. After all the roaring throughout the story our little dinosaurs were very hungry, so they tucked into the party food, before moving on to more party games. The obligatory pass the parcel was fun for all, as was dinosaur musical statues and 'pin the balloon on the dinosaur '!After a little bit of dinosaur dancing and stomping, it was time to move on to the final activity; our dinosaur piñata






Once our T Rex piñata was open ( after A LOT of bashing) it was time to gather up the sweets and toys, pop them into the children's dinosaur themed party bag and to finally sing ' Happy Birthday ' and crack open the fantastic cake. Happy 2nd birthday Sofia!



To book your own dinosaur party for an event or private party, get in touch for details on our range of  storytelling and party packages.





Wednesday 2 October 2013

Barefoot Book of the Month: October

Little Scribbles is an ambassador for Barefoot Books . Barefoot have lots of amazing books for children and I will be highlighting one as book of the month, that I think you and your little ones would love. As we step in to Autumn, there is one book that I always make sure I have copies of when I am out and about; The Gigantic Turnip. Written by Aleskei Tolstoy and illustrated by Niamh Sharley, this classic has been a favourite amongst primary school children for years.



Find out what happens when the old woman, the old man, and all twenty-one animals on the farm try to harvest a rather large root vegetable. This well-loved Russian tale uses humour, counting and repetition to appeal to beginner readers. The repetition is great for engaging young readers and allowing them to take part in the story as they recount who is helping pull out the turnip. With a great moral of all ' pulling together ' and supporting one and other for a common goal, this is a great book to explore some of ' life's lessons '.

Although the book is an old tale, it is still loved by many and, as one review suggests, it is great when adapted to the busy children of today

" The Gigantic Turnip is full of fun. The pace of the story makes it a real page turner. The characters are quirky and adorable. A great vista; aid for numbers and counting. It works beautifully for me as part of a children's yoga lesson plan. It really gets us moving! "

A CD version is available, if like our reader, you want to get active with the story. There is also a great activity via the Barefoot Books site, where you can grab a bag of vegetables, a bit of rope and lots of children looking for a fun story, and act out this fun tale.

Once you are all tired out, you can settle down by the fire and eat a big pot of autumn turnip soup, just like the old man, the old woman and their animal friends.

Like the look of this? Take a further look at Barefoot Books and get 20% off your order using the code GIRAFFE13 at checkout.