Lift-the-Flap Christmas Stories

It summaries the meaning of Christmas in a very kiddy and meaningful way.

And I saw this book at Kinokuniya.

One, Two, Cockatoo!

One, Two, Cockatoo! by Sarah Garson

Recommended Age: Not mention

Paperback Book: 25 pages

What to expect: A counting book that goes... "One Cockatoo on his own in a tree. Two cockatoos fly over... ... that's three!" There is an unexpected ending for this book after counting ten.

Age when read to Yvette: 19 mths

Book review: Since Yvette like bird, it not hard to make her enjoy this book. She love the ending of this book where I make the sound "Tweet, Tweet."

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Waking Up?

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Waking Up by Bill Martin Jr & Micheal Sampson (Author) and Laura J. Bryant (Illustrator)

Recommended Age: Not mention

Paperback Book: 24 pages

What to expect: It's a book about Kitty Cat should be getting ready for school, but instead, she's practicing her purr, looking her socks, chasing a little mouse.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 19 mths

Book review: Yvette doesn't like me to read this book with her. But she didn't mind herself flipping the book. She will keep browsing the book herself when she got hold of it.

I like the wording of this book. It's so catchy. It read like "Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, are you waking up? Not yet, Mother, I'm a sleepy buttercup." "Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, do you want some fish? Just a second, Mother, I'm playing with my dish."

A good book to prepare our child for school.

Where Is Baby's Christmas Present?

Where Is Baby's Christmas Present by Karen Katz

Recommended Age: Not mention

A Lift-The-Flap (Board) Book: 12 pages

What to expect: All about baby searching for the Christmas Present.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 19 mths

Book review: Flap book! Yvette favorite. We can read it 3x per day. I love the illustration. Very nicely drawn. Colourful. A good book to read during Christmas.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Recommended Age: Age 2 up

Board Book: 22 pages

What to expect: A book that teaches the life cycle of a butterfly.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 19 mths

Book review: I thought she will not like this book. I have tried reading books from Eric Carle but she doesn't seem to like it. Perhaps she dealt with this book in JGC. She loves poking her fingers into the book when I read till the part "On Monday, he ate through one apple" and this goes on and one. I think this is a good for teaching nutrition, counting, science (stages of a butterfly) and days of the week too.

顽皮的奇奇

顽皮的奇奇　– 儿巧福国际出版有限公司

阅读年龄： 2-6 岁

故事大纲：奇奇是一个可爱又诚实的孩子。他喜欢和朋友一起玩游戏， 也喜欢学习的事物； 他就像许多孩子一样， 有时候会有一点顽皮不听话，偶尔也会做错事。这是一篇有关奇奇的顽皮的故事，导致爷爷受伤。　

琬文阅读年龄：19 个月

读后感： 没拼音，但是乎有一点长 （24 页）。琬文虽然喜爱，并没耐心听我把故事说完。

可爱的小黄鸭

可爱的小黄鸭　– 彩虹出版有限公司

阅读年龄：三岁以上

故事大纲：关于鸭子　

琬文阅读年龄：18 个月

读后感：除了喜爱，还是喜爱。她一直不停的呷呷呷。这本书生动有趣。唯一的遗憾，它印有拼音。

Craft for Letter B - Binocular

We added those (transparent) colour paper at the end of the Binocular to let Yvette  have a different view from the Binocular.

Gather materials – You will need 2 toilet paper roll, 1 kitchen paper roll, glue, transparent colour paper, scissor, cutter, tape, stapler & Construction paper.

Wrap the toilet roll using construction paper. Fold the end in and apply glue.

Hold the transparent colour paper at the end of the kitchen roll, then use a tape to stabilize the colour paper.

Insert into the toilet roll and cut the access away.

Use the “left over” to do the “joint”.

Join them together using a stapler.

This craft let Yvette experience viewing things via an object and since we made the craft with some colour paper, she could see her surrounding with more “colours”.

Yvette experienced doing taping and insert. She saw us doing cutting and joining the binocular with stapler.

胡罗卜种子

胡罗卜种子- 路斯.克劳斯（美）（作者）克拉格特.强森（绘）

阅读年龄：从幼儿到三年级

故事大纲： 讲述一个小孩坚信自己的想法。不论其他人不断的不看好，他还是很努力。　

琬文阅读年龄：18 个月

读后感：胡罗卜种子也有英文版本－carrot seed; 琬文在JGC也接触过这本书。我想或许是这个原因吧。她并不爱，也不排斥。她有不时的拿这书本给我，但不成让我与她一起阅读完。

没耳朵

没耳朵 - 童欣 （作者）甘咏琳 （文图）

阅读年龄：没指名

故事大纲：讲述一个小孩做什么事都不专心听，导致到自己让人嘲笑。

琬文阅读年龄：18 个月

读后感：琬文并还是不爱。我无法让她坐下来，听我阅读。我只好高声朗诵。

值得一提：这本书值得买。12册(可乐泡系列)只售S$9.90。它带给不止是故事。

This is the Bear

This is the Bear by Sarah Hayes (Author) & Helen Craig (Illustrator)

Recommended Age: Not mention

Paperback Book: 24 pages

What to expect: When the bear gets taken away to the dump, the boy and the dog have to go to his rescue.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 18 mths

Book review: Sadly Yvette doesn’t like it. I wonder because I have been reading too much flap book and Spot Series to her. But personally I do like this book. It is easy to read and it goes like this: “This is the bear who fell in the bin. This is the dog who pushed him in. This is the man who picked up the sack. This is the driver who would not come back. Catchy I would say.

Bear in A Square

Bear in A Square by Stella Blackstone (Author) & Debbie Harter (Illustrator)

Recommended Age: Not mention

Board Book: 26 pages

What to expect: “Bold graphics with bright colors and eye-zapping patterns will draw children to this picture book of shapes”

Age when it being read to Yvette: 18 mths

Book review: Yes it is a very colourful book but Yvette doesn’t seem to like it. I try reading with her, but she keep flipping the book and rushing me to finish them. Personally I really find it colourful and good for children when they are older when they could start to identify shapes. Well, I guess I would revisit this book when Yvette starts to recognize those shapes.

Craft for Letter B – Bubbles Bubbles

I learnt this craft from JGC. It was one of the craft she did with them. Since I am doing Letter B with her this week, I think it will be good I do it again with her. Most importantly, she like bubbles.

Gather materials – You will need : Bubbles, colouring agent, a straw, a bowl, and a piece of paper.

Pour bubble solution into the bowl, added colouring agent and then started to blow.

Gather the bubbles and collect them and “pour” them into the pieces of paper.

Yvette will just need to burst the bubbles and create a picture out of it.

It's a craft for senses. Yvette could feel the soapiness of the bubbles as she pressed them onto the paper.

Snip Snap! What’s That?

Snip Snap! What’s That? by Mara Bergman (Author) and Nick Maland (Illustrator)

Recommended Age: Age 2 up

Paperback Book: 30 pages

What to expect: Three siblings are frightened by the wide mouth, long teeth, and strong jaws of the alligator that has crept up the stairs – until they decide they have enough.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 18 mths

Book review: We didn’t have a good start when I wanted to read this book to Yvette. She was trying to flip the pages and I stopped her and she torn one page. This has warrant a smack on her hand. She cried. Perhaps this was the reason she didn’t like this book at all. I couldn’t get Yvette to sit on my lap while reading it to her. So I tried to read aloud to her but she really didn’t seem to like it at all.

But I like this book a lot. I like that part where the siblings finally picked up the courage to chase the alligator away.

I brought this book after reading review from this blog.

小乌龟上学

小乌龟上学 - 童欣 （作者）甘咏琳 （文图）

阅读年龄：没指名

故事大纲：讲述小乌龟如何不断的努力的爬到学校，只为了上学。

琬文阅读年龄：18 个月

读后感：琬文并不爱。我无法让她坐下来，听我阅读。我只好高声朗诵。 当她听到我念“爬呀爬”, 她也跟着我念。可爱！ 但没法达到学习的过程。

值得一提：这本书值得买。12册(可乐泡系列)只售S$9.90。它带给我们不只是故事。

Chicka Chicka ABC

Chicka Chicka ABC by Bill Martin Jr & John Archambault (Author) and Lois Ehlert (Illustrator)

Recommended Age: Not mention

Board Book: 14 pages

What to expect: Alphabet board book with its catchy rhyme. It’s like a chant.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 18 mths

Book review: Both of us love this book very much. It’s so catchy. Even my niece loves reading this to Yvette. This book is an abbreviated version of the popular story “Chicka Chicka… Boom! Boom!” The story might not make much sense but I just read it as though I am singing a song. (Not all song make sense right?) And Yvette simply loves the way it is. She keeps returning to this book.

The Apple Pie that PaPa Baked

The Apple Pie that PaPa Baked by Lauren Thompson (Author) and Jonathan Bean (Illustrator)

Recommended Age: Age 5 up

Paperback Book: 40 pages

What to expect: A good book with very good illustration. Even without those words, you can easily tell a story. This book was printed in opposite of the cover. I guess is to test the child to turn it to the right orientation before reading.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 18 mths

Book review: This book is exactly like The Napping House. I don’t like to read this type of book although baby/toddler, they learn by repetition. You have to keep repeating the same story line again and again. Yvette didn’t like this book too. She didn’t allow me to read aloud to her. So what I did was to flip the pages of the book and showed the picture to her if I can catch hold of her on my lap. Perhaps we can revisit this book when Yvette is older.

Pat The Bunny

Pat The Bunny By Dorothy Kunhardt

Recommended Age: Age 0 to 2

Paperback Book: 18 pages

What to expect: Eight activities in this timeless favourite. It a Touch and Feel book, along with colourful art and simple text. It contains things to touch, things to move, things to smell, and hidden surprises to peek at.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 14 mths and 18 mths respectively

Book review: When I first introduced this book to Yvette when she was 14 mths. She didn’t really like it. Last week, I brought it to HK with us. During the flight, I showed to Yvette again. Yvette loves it. She kept follow the instruction of the book and do all the touch, smell and feel actions. However this is not meant for this week curriculum, it just happened left on the shelf in the bedroom and Yvette picked it up and insisted me to read to her.

Baby Senses – Sight

Baby Senses – Sight By Baby Senses

Recommended Age: Age 0 to 2

Board Book: 10 pages

What to expect: Picture of a happy face, a sad face, funny face, etc, A mirror for baby to look into.

Age when it being read to Yvette: 18 mths

Book review: Yvette loves this book a lot and keeps returning to it when we doing our weekly learning curriculum, Letter A. This book is made up of different faces of real person. So by looking into it, Yvette could relate those emotion printed on the book easily. She will laugh when seeing the funny face and will become quiet when I flipped to sad and angry.

Add On To The New Beginning

Firstly, I have added one widget to the sidebar that was to link back to my main blog.

Secondly, for future book review, I will beef up the content of my book review. After subscribing The Children Book Review, I will adopt a similar format and will add some other observation at my end on the book.

I hope to get this book review blog more useful. Well, mean more work for me to do!

The New Beginning

My Yvette turned 18 mths a few days ago. With that, I have decided to do more structure learning with her at home.

I have found out several sites that offer me plenty of ideas on how I could prepare my child in a more structure manner. And they are listed as follows:

• ABC and 123 A Learning Cooperative
• HomeSchool Creation
• Confession of a Homeschooler
• No Time for Flashcard
• Delightful Learning
• StoryTime and More
• Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns
• Childhood 101

There are several sites offer free learning material too.

• Nursery Rhyme Corner
• A Rhyme a Week: Nursery Rhymes for Early Literacy
• First-School Preschool Activities and Crafts
• Making Learning Fun
• Play Activities

I will also be updating this blog more regularly with book review and learning materials I have. Our home schooling curriculum will only start at end of Nov, so stay tuned.

Spot Goes to the Farm

I never let Yvette watch any program on TV so she will learn words mainly thru books. Currently I try to buy books with big word print so that I could point to Yvette those words as I read.

Yvette and I fall in love with Spot after reading them. (Spot Goes to the Farm is our first book and it only cost me S$2.) Currently we have around 7 books and I am going to add another 2 into our collection. I try to source these books online via Singapore Motherhood Forum or E-bay. It will be usually very much cheaper. (These books are not cheap honestly.)

When I first read to Yvette about one month ago, she couldn’t stop laughing when I tried made those sound. And she immediately uttered those sound after me when I read to her the second time. Whenever she saw the book, she will pick it up and read it herself or passed it to me and asked me read them.

So what so interesting about the Classic Series, Spot?

• It is a book with big word print.
• It is a flip book.
• It is suitable to read to a baby when is below one.
• It is suitable for some role play as beside Spot, there are a Mummy Spot and Daddy Spot.

28 Good Night Stories

I have not been updating this blog mainly due to our family is running around for the coming renovation for our house.

Our trip to the library still on. But I really don't have much time to document down books we borrowed. And recently I have been buying a lot of books for Yvette. Some are totally new, some are 2nd hand books.

Anyway, we borrowed this book, 28 Good Night Stories by Brigitte Weninger & Eve Tharlet, from the library and hubby love it so much and I have decided to get it from Amazon.

Here is the review I have done for this book.

Under the bed

Book Review:

Under the bed are bugs and beasts. Imagination story line.

Worth Reading?

Yes

What does Daddy do?

Book Review:

Nice story.

Worth Reading?

Yes

Beartie at Bedtime

Book Review:

Simple word, simple storyline.

Worth Reading?

Yes

Rain Play

Book Review:

Simple storyline.

Worth Reading?

Yes

Goodnight, Sweet Pig

Book Review:

Simple story

Worth Reading?

Yes, it cute.

The featherless chicken

Book Review:

Simple story. A lot of words and nice phrases are introduced.

Words;
eg
Strutted along/off
Fluttered
Squished
Squawked

Phrases;
eg.

A beautiful patch of flowers
Sensitive nose was allergic to pollen
Splendid feathers
Tipped their beaks up high
Explosive sneeze
With a whoosh and a whack, the boat flipped
The lake finally grew still
Spluttering for breath
Chortling and cackling until they graped for breath

Worth Reading?

Yes

妈妈教宝宝

Book Review:

Simple story about moral. But too wordy for my child age, eg, 13mths now.

Worth Reading?

Yes if your child is older.

Where's that cat?

Book Review:

It's an optical illusion books. Very good for building your child's imagination.

Worth Reading?

Yes

P/S: Can't upload pic. Don't why.

儿童睡前小故事

Book Review:

Interesting. Too many stories in this book.

Worth Reading:

Yes

Little Bunny's Bedtime!

Book Review:

Texture book with simple story

Worth Reading:

Yes

Wobble Bear

Book Review:

Simple story

Worth Reading?

Yes

Marvelous Moms

Book Review:

A Sparkle & Shimmer Book. A texture book allows the baby to touch the material.

Worth Reading?

Yes

Princess

Book Review:

Simple story

Worth Reading?

Yes

宝宝快乐造型书 123

Book Review:

Number Book

Worth Reading?

Yes

恐龙世界

This book is for daddy not for Yvette

My First Look At Home 日用品

Book Review:

This book is designed to help young children learn about everyday objects found in the home.

Worth Reading?

Wrong choice for Yvette.

How Loud is A Lion?

Book Review:

A lot of adjectives in this book. Too hard for baby.

Worth Reading?

No

菜地尋宝记

Book Review:

Too tough for baby. Even for us....haha... it is about vegetable.

Worth Reading?

Maybe

Thumper's Scary Night

Book review:
A Lift-the-Flap Book. Simple story line, easy to understand.

Nice Phrases:

"The hour is late, the sun is low "
"Shadows are long and spooky"

Worth Reading?

Yes

亲亲宝贝认知童话

目录:

水果车

新房子

Book Review:

Simple storyline. Simple concept like colour and shape is taken care in this book too.

Worth Reading:

Yes

天黑了

Book review:

Very colourful book. Simple story line, easy to understand. Plenty of words introduce.

Worth Reading?

Yes

婴儿品德

目录:

1. 兔奶奶的小院
2. 长鼻子
3. 一大盘沙拉
4. 小刺猬的刺
5. 小松鼠的大尾巴
6. 蘑菇伞
7. 懒惰的小猪
8. 小白兔送罗卜
9. 小兔子摘苹果
10. 快乐的午餐

Book Review:

Simple story line. It about moral too.

Worth Reading?

Yes