Bookish - Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid

Hi Hi,

My boys absolutely love the Wimpy Kid diaries by Jeff Kinney so when I saw there was a new one coming out I knew they would love to get their hands on a copy. The day it arrived in the post they had a friend over who was very excited to see there was another one about to be published.

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid Rowley Jefferson's Journal may have a long title but it's jampacked with the illustration and writing combo that seems to be particularly engaging for readers.

This time instead of focussing on Greg it's Rowley Jefferson's chance to take centre stage. (Even the illustrations are slightly different). Kinney has maintained all the humour and joy that have made the Wimpy Kid books so popular.

My big boy read through the whole book cover to cover twice while son number two kept asking when it would be his turn. It's been on constant reading rotation since then which is the best endorsement a book can have.

If you've fans of the Wimpy Kid books in your life be sure to add this to their collection.

Details - Penguin Random House, April 2019 RRP $17.99

love you more than a fliporama in the corners xxx

Bookish - Granny McFlitter

Kia ora koutou,

I'm imagining that many of you may have heard of Granny McFlitter Champion Knitter which charmed the NZ picture book scene last year.

This year author Heather Haylock and illustrator Lael Chisholm have created another delightful yarn together. Granny McFlitter A Country Yarn.

The local country show is the location for Granny's current knitty adventure. Forget the home-gorwn and home-baked delights Granny has knitted up an array of delights. But will a runaway bull ruin the fair? Not if Granny McFlitter has anything to do with it.

The rhyme scheme is solid, the illustrations charming and the story enchanting.

Perfect for knitters large and small, farmers large and small and animal lovers large and small.

Details - Penguin Random House, March 2019 RP $19.99 PB

love you more than a knitted lasso xxx

Bookish - The Baker's Companion

Hey Foodies,

I love getting recipe books - I quite like browsing them like you would a magazine.

Allyson Gofton's latest offering The Baker's Companion does not disappoint.

It's a beautiful hard covered book and the images make you feel either like baking immediately and certainly like brewing the kettle and sitting down to some serious eating.

Just after I received it my hubby was scheduled for a work shout so I made a couple of the recipes. Both went down a a treat so I consider that a good advert for the book.

The book has a great general know-how section at the start which is perfect if you have someone wanting to become a proficient baker.

The chapters are Pastry, Tray Bakes/Slices/Brownies, Tea Time Quick Bakes, Biscuits and Baked Puddings (hooray for wintery nights and warm puds), Pavlovas/Meringues, Breads and Yeast Baking.

It's a fabulous hard covered book and would make a great gift, or a gift for yourself if you're a baking type.

Details - Penguin Random House, April 2019 RRP $55.00 HB

love you more than a lemon brownie xxx

Bookish - Saving You

Heya friends,

My book reading this year feels like it has been much curtailed - I guess studying and working will have that effect.

A while ago I finished reading Charlotte Nash's book Saving You.

The premise of the book sounded entertaining 'three escaped pensioners and a single mother trying to rescue her son.'

The book follows Mallory and her estranged from Australia and across the USA. I expected the book to be good holiday reading and I wasn't disappointed. The world Nash creates is colourful and engaging.

What I didn't expect was to get emotionally invested in the story, which I did.

This book is a great read if you have a bit of wanderlust or a soft spot for retirement home dwellers or you've ever wanted to put some history to right (or you like men on motorbikes).

I would happily pick up other novels by the same author.

Details - Hachette NZ, Jan 2019 RRP $29.99

love you more than a stetson hat xxx

Bookish - We Are Displaced

Kia ora

Living in Christchurch, New Zealand has been incredibly sad over the last few weeks. On 15th of March a terrorist entered two mosques in our city and opened fire on people while they worshipped.

The grief and sorrow of this is hard to put into words.

Many of those who lost their lives had come to NZ to make a life at a distance from their original homes, making home on this whenua (land) in our city.

While this was happening I was reading We Are Displaced by Malala Yousafazi with contributions from other refugees from around the world.

The stories in this book are beautiful and painful and hopeful. Now in our history more than ever we must see the humanity and the human stories that are unique and universal to people who have been displaced from their homes by politics, persecution and war.

These are the stories our children must read and that we must position ourselves to hear not just in books and online but in person from those in our communities who have these heartbreaking stories too.

The stories in the book are written as records of different young women and girls who have had to leave their homes and build new lives in different places.

We must see one another not as an 'other' but as a person - with stories and hopes and talents and joys.

This book is an excellent and accessible read and I'll be encouraging many people to read it and enter in to deeper understanding and hopefully to be people who build a more welcoming space in their communities for the richness new people bring.

Details - Hachette NZ, Jan 2019, RRP $34.99

love you more than Dave Dobbyn's song Welcome Home xxx

Bookish - Threads of Life

Hi readers,

It's not often that I read one chapter of a book (especially the first chapter!) and feel like crying afterwards. Such was the effect of Threads of Life by Clare Hunter.

I actually did cry quite a few times reading this book.

Just the back cover is enough to make me want to find a quite space and spend the next 6 months with thread in hand. Indeed, after I read that first chapter I opened up the list on my phone of potential topics I want to do for my Masters in Theology and added another one. (The list currently sits at 29... I think I may need some direction!)

This book is an absolute triumph. It's a historical exegesis of thread but woven together under different headings. Each chapter has a theme of its own for example captivity, work, voice but each explores a range of historical and modern contexts about how stitching has worked in that way.

The work explored is culturally diverse and not only about women.

I learnt so much during reading this book and I kept making tiny folds on pages I wanted to revisit. Maybe it's just me and the people I hang out with but I've recommended it to a number of people already.

For anyone who appreciates history, art, craftivism or stitch this will be a joyful and informative read.

I am so glad to have it in my collection and I will be reading it and referring to it again.  It's also inspired a very large project I want to undertake that may take a very long time.

I loved it!

Details - Hachette NZ, February 2019 RRP $32.99

love you more than a stitch imbued with purpose xxxx

Bookish - Remembered

Heya Readers,

Over the summer I read Yvonne Battle-Felton's incredible book Remembered.

The book opens in 1910 in Philadelphia. Spring goes to visit her son Edward in the hospital in the coloured section of the hospital.

He is dying and her dead sister Tempe is on her case to let Edward know his story, his history.

Meanwhile outside the crowds rage did Edward have an agenda driving the streetcar through the crowd? What is really going on?

This was one of those books I didn't want to read. Revisiting the awful ways in which Black people in America were enslaved and treated is horrific. I am coming to realise though that hiding from past hurts and crimes perpetrated against people does not deal with the pain or redeem the past. It's part of the work of all people to see what happened, not the cleaned up or white-washed versions that we may have been presented or may not know at all. Being present to the realities of the world may challenge us to do our part to recognise, repent and to determine to play a part in changing narratives for people today.

Battle-Felton is an excellent writer. Her characters are nuanced and full. They are weak and strong and loveable and difficult.

This book arose from a series of questions that led her into her thesis in creative writing.

The action of the book moves from 1910 and backwards tracing the whakapapa (genealogy) of Edward and Spring and the harrowing and beautiful moments that led to them being in 1910 and the happenings of that fateful night.

Although it is devastating in places it is also beautiful. The relationships between the characters stand out as hopeful and wonderful against the terrible. Highly recommended.

Details - Hachette NZ, Feb 2019, RRP $37.99

may we all have courage and grace in the hardest of things xxx

Bookish - Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel

Ngā mihi nui,

Last year I read Ruth Hogan's novel The Particular Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes and really enjoyed it so I was really keen to read her next offering Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel.

This one didn't disappoint either. The book is completely different. It still features characters who are real, complex and nuanced. The book jumps between the life of Tilly a small girl with large ideas, a penchant for finding delight in varied unusual things and Tilda the woman she becomes.

The difference between Tilly and Tilda cannot be bridged unless Tilda is able to face her mother's death and unravel why it was she was sent away from the place of happiness and home they finally found with Queenie.

Will she be brave enough to face the truth and will this new truth shatter the truth that has made her who she is?

A book about perception, the people we become and the inherent imperfection and beauty in all people.

I really like Ruth Hogan - I think her writing is delicate and strong and human.

Details - Hachette NZ, February 2019 RRP $34.99

love you more than a fresh box of matches xxx

Bookish - When You Read This

Kia ora

When You Read This by Mary Adkins is book that is conceived in a really original style.

The book is entirely composed of correspondence. In the wake of Iris Massey's death her blog is discovered along with her thoughts that maybe Smith (her former boss) might think it was worth publishing. This leads Smith and his intern Carl (enthusiastic, socially clueless) on a quest to discover a relative for permission.

Enter Jade the (somewhat neurotic) sister of Iris.

Mishaps, mis-understandings and some hilarious crossed wires and quirky characters round out the narrative. Who will we hear from next and what turn will their email take us on?

Don't be fooled that the style will flatten the characters each person jumps larger than life off the pages.

Entertaining, original and modern.

Details - Hachette NZ, February 2019 RRP $34.99

love you more than an email self-help guru xxxx

Bookish - When All Is Said

Happy New Year Lovelies,

Last year I read 42 books which feels good. So far this year I've read 4 although I might slow down once I'm back reading large academic texts.

When All Is Said is the debut novel from Anne Griffin.

It's a really unusual novel. The whole novel is basically a stream of consciousness. Maurice Hannigan sits in a hotel and orders five distinct drinks and toasts five important people from his life.

As he toasts his stream of consciousness follows his life story, his losses and joys.

This novel is really absorbing. I read it in a day following each toast and growing more connected to Maurice as the book unfolded. By the end of the novel there were tears.

This book is written so differently than any other I have read but it is brilliantly realised. Even though there is essentially only one character there are multiple characters and each is brought to life through the eyes of a single individual.

There are some very moving moments and some real insights into the nuances of relationships and love.

I look forward to Griffin's next offering.

Details - Hachette NZ, January 2019, RRP $34.99

love you more than a penny picked up xxx

Bookish - Two Can Keep A Secret

Dear Friends,

It has become apparent that I am using this space to document my reading more than anything else but that's okay... it's what it is at the moment and I love looking back and seeing how my reading life moves about.

Two Can Keep A Secret is the latest YA Crime/Murder novel on offer by Karen M McManus.

Ezra and Ellery have arrived in the 'blink and you miss it' town of Echo Ridge to live with their grandmother for a period of time while their mother fights her own battles.

Echo Ridge might be small but it's not without its demons. Two homecoming queens have disappeared - one murdered and now threats are appearing that it will happen again. Ellery, who's obsessed with playing detective can't help but get drawn into the drama. However, real life is not as simple as a TV drama and she's soon finding out there are secrets hidden everywhere in Echo Ridge.

Will her determination see her solve the mystery or will it land her in the sights of a potential murderer?

Like McManus' last offering I enjoyed this read. It has enough pace to draw you in and is told from the perspective of two characters. While there is some romance this is definitely a murder/crime novel and I really like that about it. The characters are fleshed out but the story isn't weighed down by teenage drama. There are some definite surprises in the story and some breadcrumb trails that might be worth following.

A great summer read for anyone who enjoys crime or YA fiction. I enjoyed it even more than her last offering which did very well being translated into 38 languages.

Details - Penguin Random House, January 2019 RRP $21.00

love you more than a satisfying escape xxx

Bookish - Hedgehog Howdedo

Heya Lovelies,

If you have a little person to buy a gift for this year please do consider a book. As any parent of small people can attest they will get read at least a million times! (Plus so much better than a present that makes loud noises when you trip over it at 3am.)

Lynley Dodd has weaved her magic again with Hedgehog Howdedo.

This delightful board book is so cute and the rhyme scheme so perfect and the language so pared back I was halfway through before I even realised it was a counting book. Some counting books are about counting and not much more but this one has so much charm. I could feel myself smiling as I read it and it feels like an absolute treasure of a book.

I have a little person in my life (niece) fairly newly arrived and I'm sure her big brother would read her this book - question is can I part with my copy? I might have to go and buy another.

Dodd at her wonderful best.
(The link has an author photo - Dodd is very different than I imagined, in my head she was a 'soft/ squishy' grandmotherly look with a million animals and a patchwork coat!)

Details - Penguin Random House, December 2018 RRP $15.99 BB

love you more than some 'bold as brass' hedgehogs owning the woodpile xxx

Bookish - Bright Young Dead

Kia ora Koutou,

I must confess I rather like a good murder mystery. I have been a watcher of Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders for some time. (I feel like such a grandma typing that sentence!) However, I haven't read murder mysteries before. I have picked up a couple of Agatha Christies at op-shops so there is hope.

This meant I came to Jessica Fellowes Bright Young Dead with a very open mind.

The book is set in the 1920s and focusses around the 'bright young things' as they emerge into and claim ownership of the glamorous new ways of their time. The upstairs/ downstairs roles are highlighted and Louisa Cannon the maid and often-chaperone finds these worlds are both colliding and pulling her to make a choice between dutiful maid and a woman who cannot accept the murderer is really guilty.

Alongside the drama that unfolds with the murder of a dinner party guest is the infamous Alice Diamond and her forty thieves - all women and the police's attempts to trap the queen of the ring. Dancing, jazz music, secrets, lies and threats all lie in the way of unravelling the mystery.

A real whodunnit and not an obvious answer - surprises right to the end. I also enjoyed the insights into the lives of women in this era. Longing for independence and emancipation but very much reliant on others giving them the benefit of the doubt and opportunity to prove themselves.

Nice to curl up and read with chocolate and a cup of tea and some jazz playing somewhere in the background.

Details - Hachette NZ, October 2018 RRP $34.99

love you more than a bolt of cloth hidden under a bustle xxx

Bookish - the next person you meet in heaven

Heya Readers,

It's getting to the Christmas Season and I'm trying to make the most of times where I'm sitting waiting for dance rehearsals to finish or just snatching moments here and there. Last year and this year I've kept a record of all the books I've read cover to cover. (Or finished reading if I started last year!). In this list I count longer non-fiction, novels, YA novels and children's novels but not picture books.

My list currently sits at about 40. So I feel like that's pretty good for a year where I've been studying part time, working part time and being a parent and partner.

Mitch Albom's book the next person you meet in heaven (the lowercase is how the title is written on the book) is a sequel to his best selling The Five People You Meet in Heaven. 

Now I must confess I haven't read the first book and it didn't matter at all. The narrative stands alone. Although, now that I have read it I'm very keen to read the other.

Albom has a really unique style of writing. It feels almost like spoken poetry. There is an immediacy to it and it lacks long descriptive passages. It is very different in its writing style to anything else I can think of.

I so enjoyed this book. It is brutal and beautiful and heartfelt without being wish-washy emotional. The story follows Annie (who was rescued by Eddie in the first book) on her wedding day and what will be a difficult 24 hours ahead. It is so readable as well. I started it and finished it in a short amount of time because the writing style is so pacey.

I don't want to say anymore about the plot because I do hate spoilers before I have read something. I would just say read it, buy it for someone you know who enjoys reading. Curl up in a cheeky corner somewhere and eat it up.

Details - Hachette NZ, October 2018 RRP $34.99 HB

love you more than a dog and girl who both need rescuing xxx

Bookish - Perfect for Presents

Bonjour :-)

How is it that we're already in October?? Today I'm excited to talk about more books by excellent New Zealand writers. These would all make great presents for people in your world. If you buy them from your local bookshop you'll be supporting local and supporting local authors and publishers - triple win! :-)

Oh Boy: A Storybook of Epic NZ Men by Stuart Lipshaw is a wonderful contribution to the the profiles of inspiring people that are popping up at the moment.

Raising 2 boys means these kind of books are very welcome at our place. (We do have girl books too because we can be inspired by anyone.) This book has a great line up of men who have had a real influence in their chosen fields from artists to inventors, from sportsmen to surgeons there are so many great men to be introduced to. A great book for quick stories with a wide variety of illustrators there is also a real assortment of artistic styles. These kind of stories are great jumping off points for talking about ambition, hard work and resilience. This one stays on the coffee table or nearby at our place for easy grabbing - a perfect book for dipping in and out.

I love that these kind of books push us to realise their are so many great people who are kiwis and are doing/have done great things for Aotearoa and the world.

Super gift for any family in NZ!

Details - Penguin Random House, October 2018 RRP $45.00 HB

Wake Up Bear by Lynley Dodd

As an illustrator and writer Dodd is synonymous with excellent books created for small people. Her feeling for language and stories that last the test of time is so well established. Wake up Bear is a book full of delightful interactions as all the animals try to wake up bear for Spring.

Will anyone succeed in waking up bear or will someone very small offer a little incentive that will get past everyone else's efforts?? Fun, sweet and joyful - as can be expected of Dodd.

Details - Penguin Random House, August 2018 RRP $17.99 PB

Hero of the Sea: Sir Peter Blake's Mighty Ocean Quests by David Hill and Phoebe Morris

The next in this great series of influential New Zealanders. I hadn't appreciated that my littles wouldn't have heard of Sir Peter Blake. This story has all the wonder and joy of a life lived for ocean adventure.

I love that this book includes Blake's death by pirates - not in a gratuitous or violent way - but that it sits with the sorrow of a life cut short. Death by old age seems an acceptable thing in children's books but that can be limiting of the reality that we experience as people. It's good that this book gives a framework to discussions of loss and living onwards. (It includes the lives of Pippa and the children to the present).

My nine year old LOVED the red socks - especially on the elephant in the zoo. Like the others in the series it has a great timeline as well. I can imagine this series will be very enjoyed by small people with particular passions and also by people doing special projects on famous kiwis.

I hope as the series continues (I am assuming it will) that it will include Māori, Pasifika and other cultures. Super pleased to see a woman included and looking forward to more of them too.

Details - Penguin Random House, October 2018 RRP $25.00 HB

Love you more than being inspired on home turf xxx

Bookish - Beautiful Bookish Gifts - middle sized people

Heya peeps,

I feel like I am so looking forward to mid-November when all assignments are done and my TWO day exam is finished. I have this large stack of books piling up for when I have some leisure reading time available to me.

I'm also starting to think about Christmas gifts. I often fall for books as an option especially for little people. I'm going to do a few posts with some line ups of books that have been recently added to the shelves at your local bookshop.

The Wizards of the Once by Cressida Cowell

Cressida Cowell is one of those writers who seems to have a golden touch. Her How to Train Your Dragon books need no introduction. (I also have a real soft spot for her Emily Brown books). Her latest book The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic is filled with adventures and twists and turns and her classic relatable sense of fun and humour. The novel, which she also illustrated, follows Xar and Wish and how they meet again.

Mr 9 has been reading it and giving me feedback, he says 'My favourite bit is when it says the punishment cupboard would like to remind you that ALL MAGIC IS BANNED IN THIS CASTLE. No sprites, no spelling, no cursing, no charming and absolutely no enchanted objects. By order of the queen who will most unfortunately remove your head if you disobey. I like it because Wish is using magic inside the punishment cupboard. This book would be good for 7-11 year olds.'

Details - Hachette NZ, September 2018 RRP $24.99 PB

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson and illustrated by Laura Barrett.

This classic story has been reimagined with the exquisite silhouetted illustrations by Barrett. Printed on concertinaing heavy card the final page becomes a pop-up castle. In the front pocket of the book are little stand up paper-dolls that you can use to reenact the story in the castle at the end. I imagine this would be a very precious gift for any little fairytale and imaginative play loving person. Because of the small pieces and the delicate nature of pop-ups I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under 7.

I could also see it being a very special grandparent or auntie/uncle book that would be anticipated each trip. Even without the words there would be much to love about this book for anyone who loved to tell their own stories. Just wonderful.

Details - Hachette NZ, October 2018 RRP $29.99 HB

Stories for Kids who Dare to Be Different by Ben Brooks

You may remember the Boys Who Dare to Be Different book I reviewed recently. This one is in the same vein. It highlights is a range of heroes who come from a variety of time periods and cultures and whose life had an influence on others. Some of them had an impact while they were young and others just began their passion while they were young. There is a pleasing variety both geographically and in time periods. I love being introduced to new heroes whose 'sound bite' (one page) stories can be grabbed and shared easily.

I love that the book introduced me to women like Biddy Mason whose generosity and tenacity is inspiring others so many years on. I keep our growing collection of these kind of books under the coffee table and we all grab them now and again and discover a new inspiration.

Details - Hachette NZ, October 2018 RRP $39.99 HB

love you more than a great stack of books and a fireplace to read them by xxx

Bookish - For those who care

Hi Again,

More amazing titles from Aotearoa authors who care for conserving our beautiful land.

New Zealand's Great Walks: The Complete Guide by Paul and Shelley Hersey.

This husband and wife team, photographer and writer, have put together a beautiful book of Aotearoa's nine great walks (one is actually a river journey). The book is a testament to their love for the land and the outdoors and opens with a challenge to all who walk the tracks to play their part in defending and protecting the amazing environment we enjoy here. The book includes great information for any walker, cycler, kayaker as well as very detailed descriptions of each walk. Included is a graph of the topography, a map of the walk, highlights and lengths and times for each day as well as plenty of other goodies.

This is a fabulous book for anyone who loves tramping and exploring. Plenty of details to whet the appetite! I can think of quite a few people in my life that would love this for Christmas.

Details - Penguin Random House, September 2018 RRP $45.00

Eco Home by Melinda Williams.

We're hoping to dive into a bit of a renovation project at our place and I'm keen for us to make as little impact as we can environmentally speaking. This book has a wealth of accessible, inspiring and detailed information for anyone who is wanting to make 'greener' choices in their own project. It's not just for builders or renovators though the book also has great info boxes throughout to help give ideas to anyone who would like to just live a little lighter on the planet. It's great to have a book like this written in a NZ context as often international books have things that we cannot source here.

I'm so enjoying all the things I'm learning and I love that there are plenty of photos scattered throughout to keep the inspiration levels high. A perfect gift for anyone whose making lifestyle changes or request your local library to get a copy I'm sure it will get plenty of borrowing.

Details - Penguin Random House, September 2018 RRP $45.00

love you more than treasuring what we have xxx

Books to Enjoy With a Cup of Tea

Kia ora koutou,

I love having books that I can dip in and out of for a few quiet minutes. Two books that sit near me on the couch for that very purpose are Big Weather: Poems of Wellington and I Am New Zealand: Aotearoa Through My Eyes.

Big Weather is a book of collected poetry that capture the shapes and sounds of our capital city.

The authors range from established poets like Hone Tuwhare to emerging voices on the poetry scene. My husband grew up in Wellington and we have family who live there so it's familiar territory for me. This book would make a great gift for anyone who loves poetry and the land and cityscapes of our capital city. I love how a good poem can completely transport you in a few moments and words to another place.

Details - Penguin Random House, June 2018 RRP $30.00 PB

I Am New Zealand is a book of stunning photography capturing their NZ.

It stemmed from a Nikon photography competition. The book travels from Cape Reinga all the way to Stewart Island and the variety of images is stunning. It's a book that makes me want to travel the length and breadth of my own country. It's a wonderful testament to the beauty of this whenua and the creative ability of those who dwell in it behind the camera lens.

This would make a fantastic gift for anyone and I am so enjoying the way it expands my heart as I linger with different images over a cup of tea and the sound of birdsong. Also all profits from the book are being donated to the Mental Health Foundation of NZ, wins!

Details - Penguin Random House, October 2018 RRP $45.00

It is so good to see books being published in Aotearoa by our own. I think it's especially important to support these kind of books.

Love you more than a cup of tea and birdsong xxx

Bookish - Is it Bedtime Yet?

Heya Readers,

My fabulous sister is a real fan of Emily writes so I've asked her to guest contribute a review for this book for me.

Review – Is it Bedtime Yet?  Emily Writes and Friends

Ahhh… “Is it bedtime yet?”  How many parents have wondered, prayed and wished this question and it is a fitting title for Emily Writes’ latest book.

Those who laughed, cried and “amen-ed” their way through her first book, Rants in the Dark, will not be disappointed with Emily Writes’ latest work.  Of the 50 stories in the book, nearly half are penned by Emily, with the rest written by a range of parents, many also Wellington-based.

The unifying theme of the book is honesty.  Diverse parents share their honest truth about what parenting looks like for them.  And there is something for everyone here.  Parents will relate to topics such as the inner conflict about the kind of birthday party you want to host vs. what “everyone else” seems to be doing, the disproportionate negative impact of daylight saving on young families, fertility challenges and raising children who believe in themselves.  Some of the stories are raw and painful, others are challenging and humorous.  All are vulnerable and infused with love - “Oh, the capacity of our hearts for our children!” 

Emily Writes has a particular talent for retelling stories with humour and dialogue that makes you feel like you are in the room with her.  I also love her tendency towards hyperbole such as (on making a homemade birthday cake): “It took only 160 days, a two-month course on fondant, and a small piece of my soul but it was worth it.”  Some of the other contributors have a more poetic narrative.  I particularly enjoyed the imagery used by Thomasin Sleigh, Holly Walker, and Nichole Brown.  Thalia Kehoe Rowden’s imagery in the science of motherhood also appealed to me. Regardless of the authors’ writing styles the message hits home loud and clear: parenting is complex and hard.  We’re all doing our best.  Being honest about the journey - the highs and the lows - helps everyone.  Amid the laughter and tears is woven a steady thread of encouragement for struggling parents everywhere:  “We do our best.  Sometimes our best doesn’t feel like it’s good enough.  But it is.  And we keep doing our best.  Every day.  For the best things that have happened to us, we do our best.”  And “You will survive this, and you will learn that you are stronger than you know.”

This book will resonate with any parent with under-fives in their care, and perhaps also with parents of older children if they haven’t already blocked the early years from their memory.  You will see your own life, conversations and thoughts reflected here.

For readers who are undecided about starting a family, it might pay to save this book until it’s too late to change your mind!  (Perhaps not a suitable gift for your childless daughter-in-law if you’re hoping for grandchildren any time soon).

Health warning: this book contains traumatic birth, swearing, sleep deprivation, sexual references, bodily functions, alcohol and substance use.  Prepare to laugh.

 A few choice extracts:

[Advice for Dads] “Unfortunately, the world isn’t ready to see you spray-foamed into yoga pants, downward dogging.  Until times change, wear good trainers and bend at the knees when lifting”.

“If you go to sleep now, I promise you I will buy you a car when you turn sixteen, we can work this out.”

“’Any day now’ the midwife says.  Any day.  But not today, or today, or today.”

 “Our roots are something to be proud of.  Our stories are begging to be told.”

 “Attempt, if you can, to halt the Earth’s gravitational pull.  It can impact the sleep patterns of your baby.”

Guest review by (my sister) Abi Vink of Wellington.  Abi is a Strengths-based Career Coach, avid reader and mother to 3 small children.

Details - Penguin Random House, July 2018 RRP $35.00

love you more than sharing the love xxx

Bookish - Little People Big Contrasts

Hi Readers,

Today I'm celebrating the fact that little people can enjoy books that are silly and books that have beautiful poignant messages.

Oi Cat! by Kes Grat and Jim Field is a example of the silly.

For any fans of Oi Frog! or Oi Dog! the absurd humour and funny animal moments will be familiar, and I suspect well loved. Poor Cat has to sit on gnats, as per Frog's new rules. It's terribly itchy and not much fun and so the other animals try to come up with a another rhyming word that will give him some more comfort. Guaranteed laugh out loud moments and fabulous colourful illustrations are bound to make this a book that gets read again and again.

Details - Hachette NZ, September 2018 RRP $19.99 PB

Little Mouse and the Red Wall by Britta Teckentrup (author and illustrator) is a gorgeous example of poignant and beautiful.

Little Mouse wonders what lies behind the big red wall that has been around his, and the other animals, home for ever. No one seems to know or even care but Little Mouse is a wonderer and a determined little mouse. With the help of Blue Bird he will discover there is much more than any of them imagined. Stunning illustrations and a beautiful, courageous, adventure. Sure to be a favourite with little and big people.

Details - Hachette NZ, July 2018 RRP $19.99 PB

love you more than story time at school xxx