Julia Donaldson writes great children’s books. When I look for books to read to my 11-month-old daughter I look for stories that have a great sense of humour and JD’s tales ooze hilarity. Her stories are quirky, funny and brilliantly entertaining. They are also beautifully illustrated – another prerequisite for a great children’s book.
Just to mention; JD’s books are not written for babies per se although some of her books are available in board. Never one to let logic be my boss, my reading philosophy does not limit my daughter to books only appropriate to her age. I also know that I would go mental reading single worded cloth books day in and day out. So I have subjected my daughter to books of all descriptions since birth.
One of the reasons that I admire JD’s writing is her choice of language; it is interesting, expressive and evocative, and her rhymes tell the stories with descriptive genius. To date, I have amassed a quantity of seven JD books and my collection is far from complete. Great stories always have what Simon Cowell has inarticulately articulated as the ‘X-Factor’ – that little bit of magic that no one can really describe or explain, and the Julia Donaldson tales offer X-Factor magic in abundance. Take a sneak peak:
The Gruffalo, probably Julia Donaldson’s best known book, is the story of a little brown mouse and a monstrous beast. Little brown mouse, a wily character, saves his proverbial bacon from the predatory animals – who would love nothing better than to gobble him up as a tasty h’orderve – by inventing a beast called The Gruffalo. Yet little brown mouse is in for a scary surprise… and so is your child!
Room on the Broom is one of JD’s best stories, which has also recently been turned into a West End play. The tale, assuredly inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ The Bremen Town Musicians, is about a clumsy witch who makes friends with some helpful characters whilst travelling on her broom. The witch’s new companions help to save her from a fearful dragon who is prepared to forgo his chips… just this once. The story’s rhymes are captivating and funny, and I take great pleasure in reading out my daughter’s favourite lines with as much expression as my booming ex-teacher voice can muster.
Tiddler: The story-telling fish is a fun story about a fish who makes up magnificent tales of adventure that nobody believes (except his faithful friend little Johnny Dory) until one day Tiddler has a real adventure. Poor Tiddler is lost out at sea but luckily his stories lead him home again. My 11-month-old loves the googly eyed fish in this book and spends many moments paging through Tiddler looking at the pictures.
The Snail and the Whale is my favourite Julia Donaldson book. It is the story of a tiny snail who hitches a lift around the world on the tale of a grey-blue humpback whale. The two creatures have magnificent adventures and the snail proves his worth in spite of his small size. The book’s poetry is beautifully expressive and I have fallen head over heels for this story. Also, keep a look out for Tiddler the story-telling fish, who makes an appearance on some of the pages.
Tales from Acorn Wood is a cute story about a happy little village called Acorn Wood. The book is great for smaller children who will have a fabulous time opening flaps to discover which woodland creatures are hiding behind them. Read about a fabulous birthday party, a game of hide-and-seek and a poor rabbit who just can’t sleep.
The Troll is the book my husband reads best because it allows him to go wild with ‘voices’. As a Troll searches for a new bridge (and some billy goats), a band of pirates search for treasure, and the destiny of both Troll and pirates intertwines in a dramatic conclusion that will make your child squeal with delighted hysteria. Who knew that Trolls hate fish… and that pirates love it?
The Smartest Giant in Town tells the tale of a generous giant who foregoes his dream of looking smart in order to help some struggling villagers. In so doing, the giant makes some new friends and learns a lesson along the way, which your child is sure to love.
you’ve made me want to run out and stock on books already – and read them to the peanut. oh! the joy of reading – I will thouroughly enjoy indulging in some fantasy, as most of my choice reads are business tasting, which is sometimes frightfully boring. Yeay for kids!!!