June Barefoot Book of the Month

With long summer days on the horizon, dreams of being in a hot and sunny country are at the forefront of our minds. Our Barefoot Book of the Month for June takes us to the exotic plains of Zambia, where the African heat gets a little too much for a spirited group of animals. The Tortoise's Gift is a fun tale that can be read over and over again, with moral of the story becoming more and more prominent each time.

One hot, dry summer in Zambia, the rain stops falling. Soon, the animals are very hungry and thirsty. How can they recover? They have heard of a wonderful tree that can produce fruit, but it will only do so if it is asked by name—and no one can remember what it is called! The animals agree to send a messenger to the wise mountain to find out the name of the tree and bring it back. One by one, the animals set out, but remembering the name is not as easy as they had imagined.

The cheeky animals and the bright illustrations will keep young readers entertained as they learn that, just like the Hare, slow and steady wins the race. A great book for reading aloud, if you are a storyteller looking for a story that will engage an audience of mixed ages or an ideal book for children who have just started to read independently. This is one in a series of Animal Stories by the team at Barefoot Books.

Don't forget, if you are new to Barefoot Books, you can enjoy 20% off your first order using SPRING2014.

Adopt a word

1 in 10 children in the UK have communication difficulties that require specialist help. For me, this was a surprising number and something that I come across via Adopt A Word . Adopt a word is an initiative that supports I Can, a children's communications charity providing practical solutions and support for children and carers. I Can tell is that ' for children with communication problems there is no magic cure, but with the right help. their outcomes can dramatically improve'. I am in no way an expert on children's communication, I simply make sure that I am aware of guidelines as to how my child should be developing and when to raise any concerns I have. It is good to know that there is great support out there for those experiencing difficulties, which is why I wanted to help out by adopting a word. I happened upon the campaign by chance, being a lover of words and books,  and think that it is fantastic.

As an ambassador for Barefoot Books, I have sponsored the word ' barefoot '. As an ambassador for Barefoot I want to spread the love of books and reading to parents and children and an an adopter I am making a small contribution to something that could be so big.

Whilst reading about I can and adopt a word, I came across Talking point , a service for parents and carers that provide information and advice for those worried about communication difficulties. The site is great for new parents as it gives guidlelines of development milestones, that we are all told about in numerous books and health visitors, but what can be lost amidst the madness of bringing up baby. Of course there is always support from health visitors and children's centres, with great groups such as chatterboxes, to help parents and children. Of course it is important not to over think and worry if your baby is not hitting the development milestones as we all know every child is different, some doing things quicker than others and some longer. It is good, however, to familiarise yourself with key indicators for development and to learn how you can help make the most of your child's communication. If you want to help out other children as well as your own that why not adopt a word!

May Book of the month; The Animal Boogie

Can you boogie ?

As you know, I am 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. For may I have picked something fun that will entertain the kiddies over half term and beyond.

Down in the jungle , the children and animals are learning about actions like leaping, stomping, shaking 

and flapping while meeting different jungle animals. The books bright and fun and comes with a CD to enhance the reading experience. The book is for children aged 3-7 but can be fun for all of the family to join in. Take a look at this video to get you in the mood ; The Animal Boogie

Read all about it

If you have read any of my tweets or visited my blog before, you will know I have huge love of books. For as long as I can remember I have been a dreamer and I love getting lost in books with amazing characters. Now that I have little Sofia I find myself reaching a new level of excitement and am taking a keen interest in children's literature.

Due to my love of books and education I have recently become and ambassador for Barefoot Books. Barefoot is an independent publisher that specialise in books that celebrate diversity and the wonders of our world, with a collection of books that offer something that little bit different. As an ambassador I want to share the lovely books barefoot has to offer and encourage parents and carers to read to their children more. As well as doing individual book parties I will be looking to sell and promote books and fun days  at fairs and markets etc as well as raising money for charities through various face to face or online fundraisers.

As well as Barefoot, I love to support independent bookstores both locally and online. Whilst I do admit that my local Waterstones is one of my favourite places to get lost in on a stressful day, I do try to buy from independents as much as possible. One great independent store you can find online is Mr B's emporium of reading delights, which is based in Bath and has a great selection of books for children and young adults.

If you love reading to your children but are stuck on what books to buy next then check out Babble about books, a great website that reviews children's books and all things educational.


It really is so much fun reading and sharing books with children, as all you mummies and daddies will know. For those of you who want to share a little more then check out Book Aid International to get involved in a great cause that helps children in Africa get the same joy from books as our children do.

So, if you haven't already done so today take a break, relax and pick up a book to enjoy some quality time with your little one!

International children's book day

April 2nd celebrates international children's book day.  The day celebrates the wonderful world of children's books and the love of reading. As a Barefoot Books ambassador I am excited about new ways we can all reach out to help mums and children read more. Reading is a huge passion of mine, a passion that I have had for as long as I can remember. Getting lost in a book and dreaming of plots and characters takes me to all kinds of wonderful places, where I think everybody should visit. As a new mummy, I want my daughter to share my passion and I hope that I can help other children learn to love books too.

ICBD is organised by the International Board of Books for Young people, with a different country leading each year. This years sponsor is Mexico and the theme is ' once upon a time, there was a story that the whole world told '. With that in mind, and the fact that ICBD is held on Hans Christian Anderson's birthday, here are a few Barefoot titles that can help celebrate.

Visit my Facebook page for up to date info on lots of new titles and offers www.facebook.com/deborahgiannasibarefoot