Book of the Month: July

July is an exciting time as school is out for summer and it is time to think about summer holidays. We are enjoying some glorious weather at the moment, so it is the perfect time to go outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer. Our Book of the Month for July is the brand new singalong CD book from Barefoot Books, Outdoor Opposites.

The book invites little ones to grab their backpacks and head into the countryside for a camping adventure full of contrasts! Looking through the book, your child can act out the different opposites, such as fast/slow, run/walk and high/low and they can bring it all together when the enhanced CD singalong is played.

Take a look at the video here

This book is ideal for fun in the garden or in nurseries and pre-schools, to help children learn opposites in a creative way. Check out more books about opposites for children to enhance your child's learning. You can also check out our Opposites Sensory Storytime Pinterest board for activity ideas.

You can enjoy 20% off these books until the end of July using 2015SUMMER when you checkout

April Book of the Month

Spring is finally here and it has brought along lots of sunshine, yay! I am sure, like us, you are enjoying lots of outdoor time and are eager to try new activities with your little ones. With that in mind, we have chosen Millie's Chickens as our April book of the month, so that you can celebrate the great outdoors.

Read along as Millie tends to her chickens, that she keeps in her backyard, and learn how to tend to chickens day and night. The rhyming text engages children, as do the beautiful illustrations by Valeria Cis.

Silkie, Leggy and Rhodie are just some of Millie's wonderful chickens, that love to roam in the sunshine. Millie's Chickens is a great book for pre-schools and early years classes, that teaches children all about different breeds of chicken and how eggs are made. The STEM friendly science information, in the end notes, makes this book educational as well as lots of fun, and may just teach adults a thing or too also!

Unfortunately, we do not have any space for chickens in our backyard but we still had lots of fun learning about chickens and how to look after these fun animals. A trip to our local farm is on the cards, to test our new found knowledge of chickens. If you are looking for books about outdoors, for your children, this is the perfect springtime story.

If you are new to Barefoot Books, you can enjoy 20% off using SPRING2015 when you checkout. Hope you have lots of fun! Cluck, cluck, cluck!

December Book of the Month

With Christmas upon us, there will be lots of people looking for books as gifts for children. Books for bedtime, annuals and  anthologies are top of the list for many people, with hundreds of books to choose from. To help you out with your choice, we have chosen My Big Barefoot Book of Wonderful Words as our December Book

The book follows a lovely family throughout their busy dat, with pages filled with everyday activities and products. Each scene is filled to the brim with people, places and things, and you’ll meet people of all races, cultures, lifestyles and abilities as you go. With images of children and adults with disabilities, breastfeeding, baby wearing, different types of family and much much more, children's eyes are opened to all that is diverse in our wonderful world.

This book is vibrantly illustrated and immerses children in detailed scenes of daily life, which are followed by simple spreads of labelled illustrations to help with vocabulary building and word recognition. It is a great choice for a Christmas gift as it will last for years and can be passed drown to younger children. We would not wait to get our copy when it was released during the summer, it has not been put away since we opened it! Another Barefoot Books gem.

November Book of the Month

We can't believe that we have just typed November 'book of the month'! What a quick year it has been? We have loved introducing to new titles and old favourites and for November we are bringing you a bit of both. Our book of the month for November is ' Magic Hoofbeats ' from Barefoot Books. The book is back by popular demand, after going out of print for a few years. Magic Hoofbeats is a must for all horse lovers and would be a great addition to any child's bookshelf.

Children can lose themselves in the world of the equestrian with this beautifully illustrated collection of mystical tales of memorable horses. The collection brings together tales from many different cultures and traditions and is written by horse whisperer Joseph Sherman.

As with many Barefoot Books, there are fantastic endnotes that will educate children on different breeds of horse give you fun facts about this wonderful animal. The book also has an accompanying CD, which is ideal for a quiet pre-bedtime wind down or for long car journeys.

We love a good collection of short stories as it allows for great shared reading amongst the whole family, each reading out a story to practise storytelling skills and bonding together when discussing each others favourite story. As well as being inspired by the stories, children will be inspired by the fantastic illustrations by Linda Wingerter, so there is plenty of opportunities to get pencils and paints out for a creative post book craft session. A truly enchanting book.

Book of the Month for October

Wow, this decision this month was very difficult as there have been so many great releases from Barefoot Books as well as lots of other releases from our other favourite publishers. After much deliberating, we have chosen Dara's Clever Trap and we think you are going to love it.

Meet a cunning princess who is known for her brains, not her beauty. Dara uses her talent as an engineer to foil a wicked plot and save her husband in this Cambodian traditional tale.
The Book is part of Barefoot Books' latest early reader collection, Princes Stories, was released this week alongside The Princess of the Springs. 

Now in general, we are not huge fans of princesses, especially super pink princesses, but we feel that Barefoot are taking a step in the right direction when it comes to stories about traditional princess tales. In this series of books we do not see images of Barbie doll princesses and the plot lines do not revolve around a simple search for true love. Yes, there is a little love in there but this is not the sole life purpose for these women. Take Dara for instance, she is an engineer who loves nothing more than designing buildings and using her skills to help others, in this case her husband. 

I personally think that the covers could have steered away from the pink banner at the top as it is still playing on gender stereotypes but that I could be here forever talking about my issues with pink. Whilst the styling is not perfect for me, there is definitely substance in the story and I hope that it appeals to both boys and girls who are interested in science and engineering. I like that there is a story to tell, based on a traditional Cambodian story, rather than simply churning out age old tales of girls who flutter their eyelashes and meet a prince that solves all of their problems.

I can't wait to get feedback from young boys and girls about this books, so do let us know what your child thinks.

Book of the Month:August

With school out for summer and many of us jumping on a plane to a sunnier climate, what better book to choose for a shiny holiday read than Off We Go To Mexico!

Travel to Mexico and discover its many wonders, from the amazing monarch butterflies in the Highlands to a mariachi show in the village square. Like most Barefoot Books, this story is so full of colour and verve, with images jumping out of the page as if we were in Mexico ourselves (we can dream). It is great for reading aloud and putting lots of animation in your voice to really get the children engaged. Such a fun book.

We love how educational this book is without taking away any of the fun. The rhyme and lyricism of the text is complemented by endnotes about the history of the country, national fiestas, and a glossary of simple Spanish vocabulary. This book would be great at home or for schools, for language and history classes. 

Why not extend your storytelling session by making a Mexican feast and indulging in some Mexican crafting to extend the learning process. Arriba!

Book of The Month: July

Come along on a high-seas I-spy adventure! In a spectacular seascape, a young boy sails for a distant island where he finds a special friend waiting for him. Who could it be? Find out in this wonderful book, a re-release of an old Barefoot Books favourite, An Island in the Sun.

Nicoletta Ceccoli's radiant illustrations spill off the pages with their vibrant tropical hues and dramatic ocean scenes. Young readers will delight in pointing out everything the boy sees through his telescope. Why not incorporate a craft activity and let your little ones make their very own telescope. All you need is an empty kitchen roll, colouring pens, stickers and a little creativity.

The rhyming, cumulative text, built on the familiar I-spy refrain, helps develop memory skills and builds reading confidence. There is no need to stop when the story ends as you can let your children's imaginations run wild, by encouraging them to use their telescope for many more adventures. Anchors aweigh!

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.

February Book of the Month: Motherbridge of Love

St Valentine's Day is not just a celebration of love between partners but of all the loves we can share. I still look forward to getting my card and cream egg of my dad each year! Of course, we know that love should be enjoyed and shared all year round but, in the busy world we live in, Valentine's Day can be a reminder for us all to slow down and take time out for one and other. For families, Valentine's Day can be a great day of family fun and the perfect time to read aloud together. With love in the air, our book of the month for February is Motherbridge of Love.

Featured in Time Magazine's Top Ten Children's Books of 2007, this beautiful poem celebrates the bond between parent and adopted child in a special way. Through the exchanges between a little girl born in China and her adoptive parent, this title offers a poignant and inspiring message to adoptive parents and children all over the world. The poem is very touching and is a great read for all families, not just those with adopted children. It offers opportunity to discuss feeling and emotions about how strong our family bonds can be. For children that are not adopted, the book is a great way to introduce them to the diverse nature of family lives and how their are many different types of family.

As well as giving us a beautiful story and enchanting illustrations, this book gives back by as text royalties for this book are donated to ' The Mothers' Bridge of Love ' set up by bestselling author Xinran. The book is on offer over at Barefoot this month, so why not spread a little love amongst your family.

Barefoot Book of the Month for January

As we enter a new year, Little Scribbles will providing you with lots more book reviews and recommendations. As an ambassador for Barefoot Books, I will be continuing to choose my Barefoot Book of the month but the blog will feature lots of our other favourites, that we will be stocking over at our Little Scribbles' Stories shop. For most of us, New Year has been and gone but for those who celebrate Chinese New Year, the festivities have yet to get into full swing. Barefoot Books have a great selection on books that introduce children to different cultures and that includes a selection of stories that can give children an insight into Chinese culture and traditions. The Great Race is a great book for Chinese New Year story time as it introduces children to the signs of the Chinese zodiac, with a fun and engaging story. Whilst this is a great read aloud story, I have chosen Lin Yi's Lantern as my Barefoot Book of the month for January as it is such a beautiful tale with lovely artwork to engage all ages.

Meet Lin Yi — a little boy with a big heart and a talent for bargaining. Tonight is the moon festival and he wants nothing more than a red rabbit lantern; but first he must buy the things his mother needs at the market. This heartwarming story shows the rewards of putting others first, and includes educational notes at the end about the Chinese moon festival, life in rural China, and the legend of the moon fairy.

Little Scribbles will be holding  Chinese New Year storytelling sessions this month and will be posting a guide on how you can hold your own session to get children involved in the festivities. If you are in the Merseyside area, drop us a line and we can book you into one of our great sessions, where we will be reading stories, learning about the zodiac and having fun with fortune cookies.

Barefoot Book of the Month:December

With winter upon us and Christmas in mind, our Barefoot Books book of the month had to be the beautiful new hardback release of The Snow Queen. In this exquisitely illustrated retelling of the classic story by Hans Christian Andersen, an evil troll creates a mirror which reflects the bad and ugly sides of people. When shards of its glass enter a young boy, he rejects his loving family and best friend Gerda. Helped by kind strangers and guided by her warm heart, Gerda makes the perilous journey to rescue her friend from the icy palace of the Snow

Queen.

The Snow Queen has been a popular title in the Barefoot Books independent reader series, with many adults and children being enticed by Miss Clara's beautiful images. If you have fallen love with Miss  Clara's artwork already, this book will blow you away. The Snow Queen is part of a trio of hardback books, illustrated by Miss Clara that would make great Christmas presents for book lovers.The Princess and The Pea and The Twelve Dancing Princesses are the other two titles in the series. To read more about the making of the fairy tale trio,take a look at the Barefoot Blog.

To buy this book head over to Barefoot Books and enter TWENTY13 to get 20% off.

Barefoot Book of the Month: November

As much as the sunshine is lovely, especially on relaxed summer evening when the BBQ's are blazing and children are running about by the paddling pool, I must say that the season I enjoy most is winter. I just love going for walks on cold, sunny days when the air is fresh and you can snuggle into a big woolly hat and scarf. Of course, we are all different and perhaps spring or autumn is your favourite season. As we move towards winter, after the blustery blow of autumn fun, we can take the opportunity to explore the new season, with lots of activities, crafts and stories. I have chosen ' Skip through the Seasons' as my Barefoot Book of the month, as I think it is the perfect way to introduce children to the changes happening around them.

Jump into January and dance all throughout the rest of the year. This rhyming, seek-and-find book of months features plenty of seasonal objects on each page for readers to point out. Educational endnotes include facts about different calendars, seasons and days of the week.  This book is the Practical Pre-School Silver Award Winner and is Recommended by the National Literary Association.

Creative children will have lots of fun designing crafts related to the book and there is also a handy lesson plan, in Barefoot Books ' For Schools ' section. Find the ' Skip through the Seasons' lesson plan here 

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

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.

Barefoot Book of the month: September

As you know, 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 September is Organic Month, I have chosen a book that enable children to learn about how food grows and healthier food options.  'Grandpa's Garden' is a beautifully told story, following Billy from early spring to late summer as he helps his grandpa on his vegetable patch. They dig the hard ground, sow rows of seeds, and keep them watered and safe from slugs. When harvest time arrives they can pick all the vegetables and fruit they have grown. Children will be drawn in by the poetry of the language and the warm illustrations, while also catching the excitement of watching things grow!

Written by Stella Fry and illustrated by Sheila Moxley, this book is a very popular for Grandparents wanting to pass on their love of gardening to their grandchildren. With great end notes on the vegetable featured in the book and ideas on how you can grow your own, this is a fun way to get to know vegetables and encourage healthy eating.

To learn more about how you can make a small difference this Organic September, and for some great organic check out The Soil Association

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

Barefoot Book of the Month : August

As you know, 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. This month I have chosen the fabulous new addition to our ' Ruby ' series"; Ruby's Baby Brother ', by Kathryn White and Miriam Latimer.

Ruby's mum is having a baby, but Ruby is not very happy about it. She knows that babies are smelly and noisy, and she is sure that he will steal all her toys! When baby Leon comes along, will she change her mind about having a baby brother?

The book is suitable for children ages 3-7 years, but it can be helpful for toddlers or slightly older children, who may be struggling to deal with their emotions when there is a new baby on the horizon.

As a keen supporter of breastfeeding and a lover of Barefoot illustrations, this book is a joy to read: with positive images of breastfeeding and also of support from dad, which can often be lacking in new baby books. We are already seeing high levels of praise for Ruby's Baby Brother and it is currently being heralded by the School Library Journal as a ' classic baby story with a twist' and a ' refreshing take on the universal experience of an only child gaining a sibling'. They say that Kathryn White's writing captures a ' very real. recognisable child's voice and perspective'

Like the look of this ? Take a further look at Barefoot Books and get 20% off your first order using the code TWENTY13 at checkout.

Barefoot Book of the Month: July

As regular readers 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. This month I have chosen a book that is a perfect summer read for young bookworms, to keep them entertained during the holidays. ' Grim, Grunt and Grizzle-Tail ' is a new addition to the Barefoot 'Monster Stories' series. Set in Chile, this fun story is retold by Fran Parnell and illustrated by Sophie Fatus and is ideal for children ages 6 and up.

One day, a frustrated king flies into a rage and turns his mischievous daughters into oranges. The gruesome monsters Grim and Grunt decide they'd like to get their hands on the princesses, and bully their little brother, Grizzle-Tail, into stealing the girls. Who will rescue the princesses from the monsters' clutches?

To help bring the story alive, Barefoot have designed a fun craft activity for you to make and use alongside the book, take a look here 

Like the look of this ? Take a further look at Barefoot Books and get 20% off your first order using the code TWENTY13 at checkout.

Barefoot Book of the Month: May

As regular readers 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 a classic Barefoot story: Catch that Goat! A Market Day in Nigeria.

Chase after a mischievous goat! Ayoka has been left in charge of the family goat but within minutes the goat has vanished. the Nigerian market tale helps youngsters count from ten to one and uses humour to impart a simple message about responsibility. 

The book is aimed at ages 3 to 8 years but, if you are anything like me, you will love reading the book yourself! The images are just beautiful with lovely illustrations of family life, babywearing and great colours in and around the market. The book also includes endnotes about life in Nigeria and Yoruba traditions; helping you bring the story alive.


Like the look of this ? Take a further look at Barefoot Books and get 20% off your first order using the code TWENTY13 at checkout.

March book of the month

As regular readers 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. Once again I was spoilt for choice this month, especially as we have launched our gorgeous new book ' The girl with a brave heart ' : a book about a young girl having the strength to overcome a lot of difficulties in her life. I will write up a review of the book for you all to read in the next few days as I have decided to go with a book more in tune with the season, ' The Beeman '. This book is ideal for spring and summer and could even be a great gift for your little one this Easter. I chose  ' The Beeman ' as I have picked a copy up again this week when once of my team members told me she was making the recipe, featured in the book, for  Grandma's honey apple muffins to help celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight.

In this beautifully illustrated book, you will find out where honey comes from as Grandpa the Beeman teaches the basics of beekeeping to his young grandson. This rhyming story includes endnotes full of essential facts about bees, beekeeping, honey and the vital part that bees play in the natural world. To enhance your storytelling, we also have a gorgeous bee hand puppet that I am sure will bring a lot of fun to you all!


Like the look of this ? Take a further look at Barefoot Books and get 20% off your first order using the code TWENTY13 at checkout, including all our weekly dazzling deals and sale items.