Recently we had a new grandson, which was wonderful. His name is Noah, and he is a little poppet (well, we would think so, wouldn't we?) And I was further delighted when I asked what
we should get him for Christmas, and my son said, without hesitation, “Books!”
Given that Noah will only be 2 months old on Boxing Day, he is unlikely to be reading for himself just yet, but it's great that he will learn from birth that books are a GOOD THING! His parents decided that as his big sister
loves books and reading, they assume Noah will love them too. Which is also a GOOD THING.
So I had a brilliant time in our local bookshop looking through the huge variety of books for babies, but realising how different it is choosing a book for the second child in the family, rather than for the first. All the old favourites, like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Peter Rabbit",
are already in the house, as Big Sister has already
got them and knows them inside out.
The other thing to consider was that said Big Sister, having
reached the advanced age of six, may possibly feel that her new,
cute baby brother is getting rather more attention than she is.
So I thought choosing books for Noah that she
could read to/with him might help with sibling bonding.
In the end I came up with a clutch of real baby books, but
ones which I hope they will both enjoy.
These three are all Touchy-Feely, partly because babies love them, and partly because even if Big Sister had them once, she has probably forgotten them by now, and is unlikely to feel particularly
proprietorial about them. And with luck they will all elicit smiles and gurgles of delight from Baby Brother, which will be another GOOD THING.
There is also
a “Peekaboo” book for lifting the flaps and seeing the surprises underneath.
And lastly, because I just couldn’t resist it, “Noah’s Noisy Ark”, which includes buttons to press to make appropriate animal noises. (He has to know about the other Noah sometime, after all, and what better introduction could he have?)
I hope he (and Big Sister!) will enjoy them as much
as I enjoyed choosing them.
website: www.lynnebenton.com
website: www.lynnebenton.com
5 comments:
Brilliant present Lynne. Noah and Big Sister should have lots of fun with those. And you! Hope you get lots of reading time with your grandchildren.
I'm sure they'll love them!
Thanks, both. I hope so too!
Always good to start them early! What a lovely thing to be able to do, Lynne.
I love choosing new books for children and babies! I love the old favourites too. My mum, a health visitor, says that babies (0-6months) focus better on zig-zag, swirly, bold images, or black and white images, things with clear and solid colour differences - so I always choose something like 'Each Peach Pear Plum', and then something like 'Hello Animals!' by Smriti Prasadam.
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