Have you ever tried reading a book while simultaneously wrestling with an octopus? That’s about what story time feels like at the moment now the littlest girl is crawling, climbing and pulling herself up. Nevertheless we shall soldier on! We love books here and we read every day, starting from very young. Soon the little one will become interested in what we’re reading instead of just trying to eat the books. Let’s just say that for now she’s exploring them in a more tactile way, but it’s all learning right? So, time to share with you some of the beautiful (and apparently tasty!) books we’ve been enjoying lately…

Actual Size

The title of this one is pretty self explanatory. A book about animals that shows them, or parts of them, at their actual size. The girls find it fascinating to see just how big or small some animals are!

(Find it at Book Depository here, or Amazon here)

The Squid, the Vibrio & the Moon

Kids have BIG questions don’t they? Sometimes about things that are really hard to explain! So I always love a book that explains some of the more complicated concepts in a child friendly way. This is one of those books! The Squid, the Vibrio & the Moon is our newest favourite. It’s a story about a symbiotic relationship between a bobtail squid and the bacteria that helps it glow.

It’s presented as an engaging story with beautiful illustrations but doesn’t skimp on the facts! We find out about bacteria and molecules, learn some new scientific vocabulary, and discover how and why the bacteria and squid work together to help each other. My science and nature loving kids were absolutely fascinated.

At the end of the story there is also several pages explaining some of the concepts in greater detail which is really helpful. I learnt so much!

(This book is currently unavailable at Book Depository and Amazon but I bought it online from the publisher here)

Flower Fairies of the Autumn

We have a few seasonal books that we change each season and this is one of the ones we have out currently. Miss 7 is a fairy lover so she is particularly interested in it at the moment. It’s just a simple book of poetry but it has sparked some great discussions lately about different types of texts, interpreting poetry, and unfamiliar words.

(You can find it at Book Depository here, or Amazon here)

BIG Kids Magazine

Now this one is obviously not a book, but a magazine! A beautiful inspirational magazine for children full of art and creativity. This is the first issue we have ordered and we will definitely be ordering more. BIG features the work of children and adult artists side by side. Each issue is centered around a theme and children can submit their own artworks. Also includes activities, ideas, lift outs, and lots of loveliness! I love that the kids get to see what other children around Australia (and the world) are creating and doing and be inspired by it.

(You can order the magazine here)

Mirror

This gorgeous wordless book is two books in one. The pages open out and you read each side simultaneously. On one side you follow a day in the life of a family in Sydney, Australia and on the other side the contrasting lifestyle of a family in Morocco. The girls love pointing out the differences and similarities in the different cultures. And of course Jeannie Baker’s signature collage illustrations are stunning.

(Find it at Book Depository here, or Amazon here)

Those are the current favourites here! So tell me, what have you been reading?

If you’d like to discover more wonderful books, you can find the rest of the posts in this series here. Happy reading!