We were sent My First Touch And Trace: First ABC and Look Out Ladybird by Jack Tickle (that's got to be an alias, surely? Or else it's a just a fantastic name!).
Look Out Ladybird is from the Lazy Ladybird series of books, which boy no.3 is familiar with from pre-school, so he was delighted with it instantly. It has a RRP of £6.99 and a suggested age range of 3+. It is beautifully bright and the characters have real emotion in their faces. It is a nice little story, perfect for bedtime reading with enough language to keep a 4 year old entertained, but not too long or tricky for a 2 year old to understand. It has a message that we shouldn't give up if we really want something, and that sometimes all it takes is some support from someone else, or even just a few kind words, and we can get the strength to carry on.
My First Touch & Trace: First ABC is a really nice little ABC book, with the usual page for each letter and familiar items and characters on each. It has a RRP of £5.99 and is suitable from birth onwards. What makes it special in my eyes is that each page is double thickness card and the letter is shown in counter-relief, so that you can feel the channel as you trace your finger around the shape, following the arrows that show how each letter should be drawn. It's vital when children start to write that they learn to do it correctly, because it's much harder to change bad habits once the child has already become used to them.
This is also a 'lift the flap' book, with each page having something else beginning with each letter hidden under a flap. This reinforces the beginning sound of the words and really helps a child to associate the written letter with the sound it makes. The pictures are big and bold and bright, and the flaps really easy to lift. Boy no.4 is nearly 3 and has 'read' this book for hours, and both boys like to trace their fingers over the letters at the top of the pages.
We're really delighted with both of these books, they'll both be read again and again. Little Tiger Press books are available countrywide, including online from Amazon.
Oh these look brilliant. Bud would love them I think. I love the idea of tracing the letters with a finger in the second book. I've been thinking about ways to promote mark making recently and this would be a gentle way to do it.
ReplyDeleteIt's just so simple, children love playing with things like that. While they're 'reading' they're running their fingers along the letters :)
DeleteSnap! They are great books aren't they!
ReplyDeleteThey really are lovely books. The boys have read them loads of times since they came :)
DeleteCute ;) they look brill x
ReplyDeleteThey're pretty darn good :D
DeleteThese books look fab, I really like the Letter Tracing idea - clever
ReplyDeleteIt is, isn't it. So simple yet it works a treat :)
DeleteThese books look brilliant! The tracing idea is fab! Maxwell loves flicking through books and loves things that he can touch!
ReplyDeleteI love how books have become far more 'hands on' now for small children :)
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