‘Snailing ship, rise and shine.

Hoist your sails and trim them fine,

Taste once more the salty brine,

For with this spell I make you mine!’

With this begins the enchanting Legend of the Golden Snail. Wilbur, a wide-eyed clever young boy with a wild imagination decides to follow his dreams and go on a voyage to seek out the Golden Snail that has been banished to the end of the Earth by the Grand Enchanter.  He prepares well for an odyssey of a hundred years and sets sail with his trusty cat into the vast gleaming ocean.

During his quest he encounters many challenges in the form of a bush of blossoming butterflies wilting away in the sun, earwig pirates, lantern fish and monstrous magical creatures.

Will Wilbur choose to be like the ruthless Grand Enchanter or will he lend a helping hand? Will his acumen lead him to prosperity and return him safely home?

Does he make it past the dreadful doldrums, the slithering sea and the maze of madness and accomplish his mission of roaming the vast oceans for a hundred – maybe even a thousand years on the majestic Golden Snailing Ship?

With dazzling sprightly illustrations packed with intricate detail that you can venerate for hours and still find something fascinating every time, this book will leave you mesmerized. The vast horizons and infinite cloudscapes are a representation of the author’s incredible journey to England and back during his childhood.

Filled with melodious rhymes and alliterative prose, this instructive book engages all, young and old. It will surely capture the hearts and minds of all inquisitive voyagers setting sail on the high seas in search of their very own Golden Snail.

It builds on the literary themes of true mateship and compassion and reiterates the importance of relying on qualities of fortitude, helpfulness and veracity to propel us forward on our pursuit through turbulent seas to reach our ultimate goal.

The bonus mini book and the task of finding the hidden ‘snail n’ crossbones’ in every picture for an opportunity to bring the golden snail magically to life enhances the reading experience and will surely bring on endless hours of cheer and entertainment.

So what are you waiting for? Put on your captains hat and indulge in this captivating story of wondrous adventure!

Book Details:

Author/Illustrator: Graeme Base

ISBN: 9780670073498

Format: Hardback

Publisher: Viking (Penguin Australia), September 2010

Awards:

Shortlisted in 2011 for the Australian Book Industry Awards

Notable book in 2011 for CBC Book of the Year

Shortlisted in 2011 for the Neilsen BookData Bookseller Choice Awards

Shortlisted in 2011 for the W.A Young Reader’s Book Awards

RRP: $29.95

It is National Families Week in Australia. It is a time when “everyone is encouraged to think about the valuable role families play in helping children to develop, learn and grow, and reflect on the influence families have on a child’s wellbeing.”

I thought I’d share some of our favourite family books. Each of the following books is incredibly beautiful, which is why we enjoy reading them so much. Although, they are each quite different they all highlight the importance of family, in all the shapes and forms they take.

Please share with us your favourite books that celebrate the importance of family.

Tanglewood

Margaret Wild

Illustrator: Vivienne Goodman

ISBN: 978-1862915701

Format: Hardback

Publisher: Omnibus Books (Scholastic)

Published: Australia, April 2012

RRP: $26.99 (AUD)

Tanglewood is an incredibly  precious story that reinforces our inability to live without family. It is about a single tree that stands alone on a remote island wishing for company and wondering whether it was possible to die of loneliness.

For a short time, the tree enjoys the company of a seagull until the seagull returns to his own family. Understanding the importance of family to one’s health and happiness, the seagull eventually returns with some tanglewood seeds so the tree could have a family of his own to keep him company.

Out of interest, this book took 7 years to make- WOW! It is easy to see why. The illustrations are so emotive and life-like.

Suitable for ages 4+ (★★★★★)

Family Forest

Kim Kane

Illustrator: Lucia Masciullo

ISBN: 978-1921564703

Format: Hardcover

Publisher: Hardie Grant Books

Published: Australia, May 2010

RRP: $24.95 (AUD)

Family Forest is a clever book that represents a blended family. Their situation may seem complicated on paper, but their family is just as fun and loving as any other family. Together, Kim Kane and Lucia Masciullo, play on a range of family-related words (half-sister, whole-sister, step-mother and big-brother), making it a witty and entertaining book.

Suitable for ages 3+ (★★★★★)

My Sister Olive

Paula Russell

Illustrator: Gaye Chapman

ISBN: 978-1921272882

Format: Hardcover

Publisher: Little Hare Books (Hardie Grand Egmont)

Published: Australia, June, 2010

RRP: $24.95 (AUD)

This book is incredibly charming, and highlights the importance of sisterly relationships.  My daughter and I both love it for different reasons though. I love the vintage inspired illustrations: shabby-chic collages and classic pastel colours. Cam loves the adoration Little Sister has for her big sister, Olive. The ending is heart-warming, when Little Sister realises that she is equally loved by Olive. Every time we read this, Cam wishes for a little sister of her own.

Suitable for ages 2+ (★★★★★)

You’re Lovable to Me

Kat Yeh

Illustrator: Sue Anderson

ISBN: 978-0375860157

Format: Hardcover

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers, December 2009

RRP: $22.95 (AUD)

The family in this book is represented by mischievous children and a tired mama. The take- home message from this soft, charming picture book is the strength of parental love: it doesn’t matter how much mischief a child gets up to, they will always feel loved as long as they hear it often enough.

Suitable for ages 2+ (★★★★★)

You might also be interested in looking at some of our other family-related book lists:

-Mothers

-Fathers

-Grandparents (This list is a work in progress)

You could be mistaken for thinking this is a simple book by Oliver Jeffers. He has certainly stepped away from using the rich, lustrous colours we’ve come to love in his picture books. But, any sign of simplicity ends with the predominately colourless illustrations; the meaning behind the story of The Huey’s in The New Jumper (The New Jumper) is incredibly philosophical.

Jeffers’ illustrations retain the same level of quirkiness and charisma, but the choice to use fewer colours is certainly symbolic. The lead pencil sketches are representative of a society (The Hueys) which lacks individuality and personality. The Hueys all look the same and think the same. Every now and then a page is filled with a pop of colour- a sign that changes are taking place in this society.

Rupert is a Huey. One day, he breaks out from the uniformity of the crowd and knits a bright, new, orange jumper. He is the only one with a jumper and others begin to talk.

After a short period of rumour-mongering, the Hueys all begin to admire Rupert’s jumper and individuality. They like the idea of being different, and one by one they get a jumper; one just like Rupert’s.

The Hueys all think they’re being different, but the group-shot image of the Hueys together tells a very different story. The use of the contrasting text and image on this page creates a clever, tongue-in-cheek message.

The endpapers are the highlight of the book for me. Readers are left with a wordless illustration, and in doing so, Jeffers’ had created a gap between the final page of the story and the  endpaper illustration. The gap allows your imagination to run wild with ideas about what happens to the Hueys once the story ends. I suppose it is another symbolic gesture of Oliver’s that societies are ever-evolving.

I have an inkling that I’m not the only one who will love the endpapers because Oliver has created a special website based on the final illustration, where readers can create their very own, unique Huey (Mine is below).  You can create your own here.

Jeffers’ storytelling is clever. He doesn’t do the hard work for you. Instead he makes you read between the lines and think thoughtfully about the message.

The New Jumper is a wonderful springboard into a discussion on identity. It will encourage you to explore and think about the nature of people; where you fit into the mix of leaders and sheep; how you define yourself as unique or similar to others; what you lead yourself to believe about your actions and how you grow and develop over time.

Although my 2.5 year old daughter is entertained by the story, it is this catalyst for deep, philosophical discussions that makes The The New Jumper just as (if not more) relevant to older children, tweens, teenagers and adults.

With a title like The Hueys in The New Jumper, I think it’s safe to assume that we’ll be reading a little more about the Hueys in some of Oliver’s future books. Yay!

Book Details:

By Oliver Jeffers

ISBN: 978-0007420650

Format: Hardcover (Also available for iphone and ipad)

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books, April 2012

RRP: $24.99 (aud)

Suitable for ages: 4+

If you need some more encouragement to enter this giveaway, find out a bit more about the book and check out how you can get your children’s dad involved in this fun reading activity.

To enter:

• Leave a message below and tell us one interesting fact about author, Davide Cali. (Click here to read more about him)
  

The winner:

• A random draw will take place to find a winner

Terms and conditions:

1. Each reader may enter only once.

2. Entrants must live in Australia. The prize will only be awarded to entrants living in Australia.

3. All entries must be received by 8pm (EDT) on Wednesday 16 May, 2012

4. The winner will be selected using www.random.org

5. The  winner  will be notified via email

6. The winner will also be announced on www.mylittlebookcase.com.au, facebook and Twitter.

7. The winner is asked to send a reply email with their delivery address. The book will be signed by Davide when he arrives in Australia and will be sent directly from Wilkins Farago.

Book Details:

Author: Davide Cali

Illustrator: Anna Laura Cantone

ISBN: 9780958557191

Publisher: Wilkins Farago, 2007

RRP: $16.99 (aud) -paperback

Suitable for ages: 3+

The young girl in this story thinks her mum is wonderful. There is no other mother in the world who is as tall, as strong, as beautiful, as intelligent or as athletic as hers. The warm, textured illustrations help to evoke this sentiment. They are both endearing and comical at the same time, and are a real credit to the story.

It is just as well she feels this way about her mother because they only have each other. Unlike other children, this young girl doesn’t have a father. That is until she puts an ad in the paper for a dad.

She is looking for someone who would make a good match for her mum; someone strong, handsome, athletic, intelligent and kind. Many men come knocking but there is only one man that they invite to stay.

Although he is small, they let him stay because he is kind, he can cook, he remembers poems and tells two stories at bedtime (and we love any dad who enjoys telling stories)

This is a beautiful book about the importance of fathers. It highlights the importance of being loved and showered with kindness. Most importantly, Davide has written a story for all children to enjoy. Whether they are from single parent families, separated families, blended families or nuclear families, they will be able to relate.

If this book sounds delightful to you, make sure you enter our latest giveaway. We have one copy of this book to giveaway.

After reading A Dad Who Measures Up, we felt inspired to see how our own dad measures up.

Our family activity:

We collected our materials:

We asked Dad to lie on the paper and traced the outline of his body:

Cam gave Dad some facial features and some nail polish (creative licence):

We talked about what we love about Dad and what he does with us (and wrote it all over his body):

Here is a photo of Cam attempting to write ‘swimming‘ :

We measured Dad’s height, and the length of his arms and legs:

Cam and Dad went on a hunt to find items around the house that measured the same length as Dad’s arms and legs:

Finally, they discovered that the width of the fridge measures the same as the length of Dad’s arm:

Going Further:

If Cam was a little older there would be a few more tasks I’d like to try to extend the activity:

• Trace and measure all family members

• Use scraps of material to dress up our paper-dad

• Write an advertisement describing our dad (and other family members)

Author, Davide Cali, is about to undertake his Australian Tour. To celebrate, he is visiting a few bookish blogs before arriving. Click on the banner below to find out more about him. You can also read our review of his latest book, 10 Little Insects.

Davide Cali was born is Switzerland and grew up in Italy. He is one of Europe’s most acclaimed children’s book writers having had 40 books published in 25 countries. Needless to say, it is with much excitement that Davide agreed to join our wonderful line-up of confessors.

It is perfect timing as Davide approaches our Australian shores and is set to release his latest book here, 10 Little Insects (which you can read about here). Some other books we love of Davide’s include A Dad Who Measures Up and Santa’s Suit.

1 – The first time I was asked to make a children’s book project I answered, “Who, me? No, thanks. It’s not my cup of tea.”

At the time I just wanted to be a cartoonist and I figured myself as a cool, rotten rock star of the comics universe, just for adults.

2 – I like cooking. My favourite cuisine to cook is  Japanese.

I can do nigiri and maki sushi, chirachi, and noodle soup. Chirachi is my favourite meal when I’m around the world for work.

I also like spicy food. My favourite spice is ginger.

3 – I used to play the guitar in a rock band. I’ve got three electric guitars and… yes, each of them has got a name!

I’ve been playing with three bands, but I disbanded every time before we recorded something. I have a few songs but it’s not easy to keep a band together! Musicians can be really silly sometimes!

I hope to record some stuff all by myself, next summer.

The name of the “girls”? You won’t get them!

4 – For a few years now, I spend most of my time around the world. I often write and work in the airports or in the hotel rooms.

Just before coming to Australia I spent a month in Denmark to follow an animation project. After my Australian tour I’ll be back to France for a couple of book fairs but I already have a full calendar booked for the season 2012/13.

Next year I would like to go to the U.S.A. too.

5 – If I was not an author or a cartoonist I guess I’d be with a band playing the guitar.

The third possibility was to be a wrestler. You know, I grew up watching on TV the matches of Tiger Mask, a Japanese “hero” of pro wrestling. Later I became a fan of an American one: Hulk Hogan. I dreamed of a career in wrestling but now I guess it’s too late to begin one. So, in case my next books will be a complete failure… I’ll keep the “rock” option open.

6 – My secret dreams: are not so secret. Just movie and music!

I wish to write a song for Billy Corgan, my fav musician (the band is Smashing Pumpkins, from Chicago); act in a Woody Allen film; to see a movie based on one of my books.

One of these dreams is becoming true… Guess which one?

In anticipation of Davide’s Australian tour, some of Australia’s best book blogs have welcomed him with a blog tour. Make sure you take a blog hop and find out a little more about Davide. You might even win yourself a signed book or book pack in the process.

There are also many opportunities for you to meet him in person, and maybe have him sign a book.

We’re lucky here at My Little Bookcase to have been given the chance to preview this book before its official publication. 10 Little Insects is unlike any other book we’ve reviewed so far.

With 10 Little Insects as its title, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a counting book. In fact, it’s a graphic novel in the genre of a murder mystery, and one that I’d recommend for the tweens.

The story starts with 10 insects making their way to Tortoise Island for the weekend, each being invited under a false pretence. It doesn’t take long for the insects to work out that they’ve all received different invitations. With suspicion in mind, they realise that they’re playing out an insect version of 10 Little Indians, a well-known Agatha Christie murder mystery.

Just as in Agatha Christie’s classic, each insect is guilty of something, and this is where a plethora of insect related jokes emerge. The insects finally admit to sins that humans find irritating and creepy, from flies landing on cake icing to the Praying Mantis ripping of her husband’s head before eating him.

A comedy of errors develops. Strange events begin to take place, and one by one the insects begin to meet their deaths in the most unbelievable of circumstances.

It’s quite a long book, but you’ll be captivated by the murder mystery that unfolds;  the eccentric characters who are quick to blame each other;  the quirky twists; the unexpected turns and the witty one-liners. 10 Little Insects is like a good children’s movie; one that parents can take their kids to knowing they will be entertained, but with enough witty one-liners to ensure parents will be equally amused.

Cleverly written, 1000 scenarios will run through your mind as you try to solve the mystery. The ending though, I can almost guarantee you don’t see it coming.  There was never any intention to murder the insects. I can’t give away the punch-line, but know that you’ll laugh out loud when you find out why the insects were really invited to the island.

As I read this book, I constantly found myself thinking of a whole range of boys I’ve taught in the past; boys that I would have referred to as capable but reluctant readers. I wish I could have recommended this book to them.  As a graphic novel, it has a great number of illustrations to support the text. And whether we like it or not, my experience tells me that a bit of death, blood and guts never go astray with boys.

Originally written in French, this book has been translated and published by Wilkins Farago. It will be available from June 2012. Make sure you look out for it or pre-order your copy now.

An extract is also available if you wanted to take a sneak peek.

Editor’s Note: Davide Cali was born is Switzerland and raised in Italy. He is one of Europe’s most acclaimed children’s book writers having had 40 books published in 25 countries. We’ve already featured A Dad Who Measures Up and Santa’s Suit and we’re thrilled that Davide agreed to be a part of our confessions series (Check back here tomorrow).

It is with much anticipation that Davide visits Australia. To make him feel very welcome, some of Australia’s best book blogs have welcomed him with a blog tour. Make sure you take a blog hop and read more about Davide.

Book Details:

Author: Davide Cali

Illustrator: Vincent Pianina

ISBN: 978-0987109910

Format: Hardback

Publisher: Wilkins Farago

RRP: $29.99

Suitable for ages: 11+

Awards:

• Winner, Best Children’s Comic Book, Salon du Livre Jeunesse (France)
• Winner, Garonne Comic Festival (France)
• Winner,Tam-Tam Literary Prize (France)
• One of the Best Graphic Novels of the Year – Angoulême International Comics Festival (France)

The Little Book Adventure is being run as part of National Year of Reading 2012. Project #3 is sponsored by Bright Buttons Toys.

For the purpose of this project, when we use the term ‘spineless book’, we  are referring to  film, play or television adaptations.

I don’t think we should ever look at film adaptations as replacements for books, but I do think they are fabulous tools for helping our children to begin thinking critically about stories, even from a young age.

• Film adaptations can flesh out a story, which in turn helps children to understand the concept of character back-stories and events taking place beyond the pages of a book.

• After reading a book, watching a film adaptation can become a great vehicle for meaningful conversations about a story. Discussions about similarities, differences, likes and dislikes can help children to consolidate their own understanding of a book and compare that to another reader’s interpretation.

• Watching a film or a play can also be great for children who have strengths in auditory, musical and visual learning.

THE PROJECT (What’s involved?):

As part of this project we are asking you to:

• Read a book with your child/ren which has been the inspiration for a film or play. You might like to use this list to help find a suitable book/film. (Please note, that I do believe it is important to read the book first. It will give your child/ren the opportunity to make their own interpretations and connections without being influenced by the film or play.)

• Once you have read the book with your children, see its film adaptation or attend its play adaptation.

• If you have younger children, you might prefer to watch a shorter television episode based on a children’s book (e.g. The Little Princess, Charlie and Lola, Angelina Ballerina) or you could perform your own puppet show for your child.

Please be on the lookout for other film and play adaptations and share your ideas on our facebook page.

HOW TO GET ALL KIDS INVOLVED

Once you have read the book and watched the film with your child/ren, begin a conversation with them. Below are some questions you might want to start with, but your child/ren may make observations during the film. You can use these observations as a starting point too.

• Did the characters look the same as in the book?

• Did the characters speak the way you imagined?

• What parts of the story were left out of the film?/ Were there any extra parts in the film?

• What did you like about the film?

• What didn’t you like about the film?

• What did you like better- the book or the film? Why?

To cater for a range of ages, the questions above are quite general. If you’d like some more detail or if you are looking to undertake Project #3 in the classroom you might like to read this article I wrote in 2010 about using film adaptations in the classroom.

Going Further:

If your children seem to enjoy this project, you could create your own family play based on a picture book which has yet to be adapted to film. (This could also be a suitable alternative for libraries)

CHALLENGE PARTICIPATION:

Bright Buttons Toys would like to offer all Project #3 participants 15% off the entire range at Bright Buttons Toys for the month of May when you spend over $40.

To receive 15% off your purchase use the following discount code at the checkout:  Bookcase

This offer is valid between 1- 31 may, 2012 and is only available to Australian residents.

CHALLENGE COMPLETION:

This challenge will officially end on May 31, 2012

• Once you have finished the project, leave a comment below and tell us about your experience and your children’s responses to the project.

• To be eligible to win the prize for this month you also need to sign up to receive email updates at www.brightbuttonstoys.com.au and ‘like’ the Bright Buttons Toys facebook page.

BLOGGERS:

You might have your own blog and wish to write about how you and your family approached this challenge. Feel free to write about it in a post, publish it on your blog and link up here for our readers.

PROJECT PRIZE:

Bright Buttons Toys has one Just So Stories print by Spineless Classic to giveaway to a participant of Project #3.

The Just So Stories print measures 700mm by 500mm and is valued at $79.95. It features the full text of Rudyard Kipling’s Just-So Stories on one page, while at the same time showcasing some of the stories’ characters in the design.

You can read more about the Just So Stories print here or view the other Spineless Classics available through Bright Buttons Toys.

Prize Terms and Conditions:

1. To enter for your chance to win the prize, readers must:

a) Comment on this post once the project has been completed

b) ‘Like’ the Bright Buttons Toys facebook page

c) Sign up to receive email alerts from Bright Buttons Toys.

2. Entrants must live in Australia to be eligible to win the Spineless Classic print. The print will only be sent to Australian residents.

3. All entries must be received by midnight (AEST) on May 31, 2012 to be eligible

4. One participant will be chosen randomly to receive the Spineless Classic print

5. The winner will be notified via email and will also be announced on www.mylittlebookcase.com.au, facebook and Twitter

6. The winner is asked to send a reply email with their delivery address.

7. The print will be sent directly from Bright Buttons Toys.

The dirtgirlworld Scrapbook retails at $39.95. It is a fully expandable scrapbook that can become a daily diary, a garden journal, a recipe book, an art pad or a field guide.

It will make a wonderful resource for any child who enjoys gardening,  exploring the outdoors or simply ‘getting grubby’. It includes:

- Ideas for keeping your scrapbook

- 64pp heavy weight dirtgirlworld blank pages

- 1 sheet of full colour scraps to cut and paste

- 2 sheets of craft papers

- Plus loads of other fun scraps on the inside of the packaging

- Printed in Australia on 100% recycled paper.

SPECIAL OFFER

To celebrate, Leaf has a special pre-order offer for My Little Bookcase readers.

If you pre-order the dirtgirlworld Scrapbook between May 1 and May 31, 2012 you will receive a FREE Grow Garden Journal expansion Pack (valued at $17.95)

Here’s what you need to know to take up this special pre-order offer:

• Visit the Leaf online store .

• Pre-order your dirtgirlworld Scrapbook

• Make sure you enter this special promo code at the check-out to receive your Grow Journal Expansion Pack: LMLBDGWP1

I admit that the first project (although a good place to start)  was a time consuming and difficult one. I’m thankful that we had so many people embrace the project, and I really feel the need to highlight each and every entry.

Choosing a winner was made incredibly difficult because I felt that simply undertaking the task for the benefit of children made everyone a worthwhile winner. I also saw positives in each entry.

So without further ado, here is the Judge’s Report. I hope you’ll take the time to appreciate every entry before finding the winning entry at the bottom of the post.

SPECIAL MENTIONS

I loved the following entries for their appealing and inviting atmosphere for children:

Robyn Fairclough and Denmark Public Library

Erica Sumners and Family

Jodi Wallace and Family

Peta Kennedy and Family

Tammy Tatnell and Family

Felicity St. John and Family

Nabeela Wahid and Family

Danielle Quarmby and Family

Melissa Squire and Family

Tammy Reid and Family

Jessica Lee and Family

Nic Taylor and Family

The following entries are clever because they are mobile and allow for children to enjoy their books in a range of places and spaces:

Jo Wilkinson and Winmalee Public School

Maria Pizzirusso and Family

Tash Sinclair and Family

Julia Mustac and Family

I just love the resourcefulness of the following entries:

Maria Pizzirusso and Family

Liz Carraway and Family

Cerys and Family

Melissa Ross and Family

Of utmost importance is making sure that books are accessible for children. This is certainly the case with the following entries:

Suzanne Hurley and Family

Rebecca Malo and Family

Monica McKinnon and Family

Catherine Gierak and Family

Jolene Humphrey and Family

Julia Mustac and Family

Laura ( You, Me and The Mindees)

I think the idea of categorising and sorting books is a great way for children to learn about different text types and themes. There were some clever organisational strategies employed in the following entries:

Amber Kite and Family

Christine Chin and Family

Carolyn Kendrick and Family

The following entries used more than books in their reading space. They embraced themes and included toys and props to create a rich reading experience for their children:

Kellie McCarthy and Family

Mandi Johnson and Family

Kerry Morris and Family

Rebecca Harvey and Family

Jodie McAlistar and Family

Natalie Duchess Cooper and Family

The entries below were submitted late which means that, unfortunately, they are not eligible to win. They are wonderful just the same and deserve a special mention too:

3M and Jennifer Snowball

Tristine Blackwell and Family

THE WINNER:

Thank you to each and every family, classroom and library that took part in this challenge. You all did a tremendous job, but there can only be one winner on this occassion. When it did come to selecting the winner, I used the following criteria to assist in making the final call:

• Creativity

• Appeal

• Accessibility

• Effort

• Child involvement

Choosing a winner was an agonising task. There were many strong contenders who successfully met the majority of the criteria. However, there was one entry that brilliantly met all five criteria. What really made this particular entry stand out from the other strong contenders was the involvement the children played in choosing the theme and books that would contribute to the special book display.

THE WINNING ENTRY:

‘The girls and I had fun rearranging some furniture to create our “Reading Corner”.

Cosy chairs and rainbows were the necessities according to my eldest. We decided to go for a rainbow look in the dollhouse , easy to just match up the colours.

We added a basket in the corner so we can quickly grab books and take them downstairs or for a ride in the car. Its filled with beach themed books this week, next week Easter books have been requested of course!

The other two bookshelves we have are hiding in the bottom of the wardrobe , they have all the larger books organised into categories

Finally the finishing touches include their favourite rug to kick their heels off on! A gorgeous “Magic Beach” frieze, a rainbow bear, a “Sail Away With A Book” print and my absolute favourite a tiny brainy smurf reading a book!!!

They gravitate to their new reading space so much! I now know where to look when all is quiet!’

Congratulations Erica Sumners and family, and to all who got involved with Project #1.

As the winner of the first project, Erica and her family have won a Tidy Books forward facing bookcase courtesy of Rose and Lily.