Time to get lost
"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free" - Frederick Douglass
But in the meantime, and even after they can manage it themselves, we can enjoy reading them stories. When they're sleepy and the day is coming to a close, we can settle down and get absorbed in a book.
We spend a long time curating our book selection, we are incredibly proud of it and of course we test them out on the harshest of critics - our own children.
If we’re going to be all formal and official we’d say that reading stories to children is important because it fosters a love of reading and learning from a young age, which in turn can have long-lasting positive effects on their academic success and overall development. We could also say that reading with children helps develop language and literacy skills by exposing them to a rich vocabulary and proper sentence structure. We could even add that it encourages imagination and creativity as children immerse themselves in different worlds and characters. We can say all of that and it’s true and important.
But really, that's not why we do it. In our hearts and in our guts we know that reading with children is inherently right, there is something fundamental and instinctive about it. It’s a closeness, a bonding, a moment to slow down, to take that moment when you’re not unloading the washing machine or scraping uneaten food off plates, or worrying about that upcoming meeting, when you can stop, take a breath, be present in the moment, have a cuddle and tell your child a story.
In a way, we need it as much as they do.
While riding the subway home with his nana one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their joy fills the train carriage.
When Julián gets home all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies and making his own fabulous mermaid costume. But will his Nana approve?
Moo’s thoughts: A story about love and acceptance, and about being our own authentic selves. This books is beautifully illustrated and uses a simple metaphor in a touching and unpatronising way.
Some feelings are big and some are small, some are fun and some are tricky, but no feeling is ever turned away. At the Grand Hotel of Feelings, there is room for everyone!
Moo’s thoughts: We can’t get enough of this book, it’s a great way to open a conversation about the different emotions we all feel. As parents and guardians of children we need to be like the hotel manager, accepting every feeling - easy or tricky - with patience and understanding. We need to treat these feelings with care and respect.
Did you know
We’ve introduced books into our popular MooCycle scheme - like clothes, we will now buy back books once you’ve finished with them.
We will pay 20% of the RRP in store credit and we will sell the book in our Pre-Loved room in our Canterbury shop for 30% of its RRP.
This will mean more children will have more access to books at an affordable price
A poetic, powerful story about a little brother and a big sister finding a new home and new hope after being rescued from a boat lost in the dark sea.
Moo’s thoughts: A poignant tale about two children dealing with the trauma from a perilous journey as refugees. The illustrations use greyscale and colour in contrast to great effect and the ending is moving and (importantly) hopeful.
Home might be a house in the country. Or a flat in the city. Or even a shoe! So many possibilities… all called home.
Moo’s thoughts: This book is much more than we thought it would be, it takes the reader through all sorts of homes, from the ordinary to the not-so-ordinary. Have you seen a home of a moonian? (That’s someone who lives on the moon) Or a Slovakian duchess? Or a Kenyan blacksmith?
"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free" - Frederick Douglass
But in the meantime, and even after they can manage it themselves, we can enjoy reading them stories. When they're sleepy and the day is coming to a close, we can settle down and get absorbed in a book.
We spend a long time curating our book selection, we are incredibly proud of it and of course we test them out on the harshest of critics - our own children.
