The Bear Under The Stairs. Written and illustrated by: Helen Cooper. Published by: Penguin Books
Summary: William is scared of the bear that lives under the stairs. William feeds him, worries about him. And finally, tells mum about him… Together William and mum confront the bear under the stairs, and find out maybe there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Why it’s worth repeating: This lovely book, with dreamy illustrations is perfect for helping children discuss their own fears. Repeated readings also allow you and your child to spot the clues that there might not be a bear after all!
Things to talk about while you read:
- What would you feed a bear that lived under the stairs?
- What foods do bears like?
- What other food begin with a ‘b’?
- What would you do if you thought there was a bear at home?
- Are you afraid of anything?
- If you’re scared of anything you should always tell me
- Would you like to live under the stairs?
Activities:
- Draw a picture of a bear that could live under the stairs (Just like William does!)
- What would a bear’s drawing of you/your child look like? Have a go at drawing each other and at self-portraits!
If you find yourself struggling to find time to read aloud, this just might help!
This is a great article (Washington Post) providing some tips on how to find a spare 15 minutes (in busy schedules!) to fit in some reading aloud with your children.
“[Reading aloud] may at times feel like another impossible obligation to fulfill, but reading aloud does not have to become an additional burden or activity to squeeze into an already overcrowded schedule. Try these small tweaks to carve out additional time for sharing a book with your child.”
Crispin, The Pig Who Had It All. Written and Illustrated by: Ted Dewan. Published by Corgi.
Summary: Crispin is a pig who has it all. He’s given lots of toys, but always gets bored with them, and they always end up broken! One Christmas, he receives the best present ever, and by the end of the story he learns what is really important for having fun.
Why it’s worth repeating: Once you know the story, you and your child can chat about what made Crispin happier: lots of present or playing with his friends? This book provides an excellent opportunity to talk about sharing and how sometimes material presents aren’t as good as experiences shared with others.
Things to talk about while you read:
- Was Crispin happy when the book started?
- Crispin had the most fun with his friends, what’s your favourite game to play with friends?
- Crispin had more fun sharing, than playing on his own. It’s good to share
- Crispin’s friends were kind collecting all the broken toys to play a new game
- Was the empty box a good present?
- What could you play in a box like Crispin’s?
Activities:
- Find an empty box and play imaginary games like Crispin and his friends: space base, pirates, shop, castle
We all have books we love to read and repeat again and again! Here is an alphabetical list (by title) of books we have reviewed with the links to our reviews and why we think these books are worth repeating. If you follow the links you will also find ideas to talk about with your child, and sometimes fun activities for afterwards.
The Bear Under The Stairs. Written and illustrated by: Helen Cooper. Published by: Penguin Books. Discover why you’ll want to read and repeat this book here.
Crispin, The Pig Who Had It All. Written and illustrated by: Ted Dewan. Published by Corgi. Discover why you’ll want to read and repeat this book here.
Dogger. Written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes. Published by: Random House Books. Discover why you’ll want to read and repeat this book here.
The Snowy Day. Written and Illustrated by: Ezra Jack Keats. Published by: Viking Press. Discover why you’ll want to read and repeat this book here.
