Even before having children I liked looking at picture books, so it was inevitable that once the kids came along books would play a big part in our family. And they do.
We all have our favourites. At the moment Louis would happily have Janet and Allan Ahlberg's Burglar Bill every single night at bedtime (especially if I do funny voices.) Tilly currently loves books with plenty of rhythm and repetition like Kaye Umansky's Pass The Jam Jim or books with flaps and pulls.
Never really being one for fantasy or escapism in literature, my favourite children's books have always been those about day to day domestic, life, particularly Shirley Hughes' stuff which makes me feel incredibly warm, fuzzy and nostalgic.
Just recently though on a trip to the library I discovered Sarah Garland, another author/ illustrator who captures the delight, chaos and mess of ordinary family life with two small children. Maybe what I like best about her books is that from the detail and expression in the illustrations, you can immediately tell that the books are written by a mother. The mother characters in her books look like they are 'only just' coping and that sometimes, as much as they love their kids they are counting down the minutes until bedtime when they can collapse in front of some crap tv with a big glass of wine. Who said children's books were just for the kids!
Like the look of those Sarah Garland books!
Posted by: Gherkin | Wednesday, 28 April 2010 at 11:49 PM
I love Burglar Bill, I still have my copy from when I was little.
Posted by: Claire | Sunday, 09 May 2010 at 05:27 PM