Sunday morning is shopping day at ReadItDaddy towers. For parents with youngsters in tow it can be a trial trawling around the supermarket, trying to find new and exciting things to eat for the week. But secretly I still like to try and turn it into a fun activity. Trolleys are great for skidding down the aisles with, and throwing random things in when @TheStrollingMum isn't looking (and trying to get away with it) can also be fun.

I am, for want of a better word, a shopping dad!

So it's great to be able to dip into a book all about a fun-loving shopping dad - courtesy of Barefoot Books. A rhyming story that starts with a bizarre shopping list, and finishes with a calamitous crashing of cans.

Like most Barefoot books, "Shopping with Dad" by Matt Harvey and Miriam Latimer is not only beautiful to look at, and great fun to read, there's actually a nice little moral tale tucked between the pages. A little girl learns that telling the truth and making sure that you take the blame if you're done something wrong is always for the best.

It's a whacky story really nicely drawn and written (I rather liked the 'stay at home' mum drawing the final panel as the final panel unfolded around her) so if you feel burned out with the weekly trip to the supermarket, make shopping fun with "Shopping with Dad!"

Buy "Shopping with Dad" from Barefoot Books!

Charlotte's best bit: Mum's crazy shopping list

Daddy's favourite bit: Loved that final panel

(Kindly sent to us for review by Hilary at Barefoot Books)

Crocodiles are always superbly effective "villains" in children's books and the croc in "Click Clack, Crocodile's Back" is no exception. He's a bully, he's sneaky, he's sly and most animals are at the top of his menu every day.

The animals soon tire of his antics and decide that the only way to sort Croc out is to work together, and prove that even the nastiest bullies can be dealt with without resorting to their tactics.

In Kathryn White's book, humorous rhyming text is used in conjunction with Joelle Dreidemy's marvellous animal illustrations to convey a fairly serious underlying message, that there are far better ways to deal with nasty folk than playing them at their own game. I really like the fact that using brains rather than brawn, the animals come up with the perfect way to divert Crocodile from his snapping and sneaky subversion.

We've seen the theme many times before (as I said, Crocodiles make such effective bad guys and there are so many books that use them in a similar way - take "The Selfish Crocodile" by Faustin Charles or Kathryn White's other croc-based book "Here comes the Crocodile" as further examples). Here though I think we rather admired the fact that the real stars of the stories are the other animals.

It may not be intended as an anti-bullying message but it most certainly feels like one, wrapped subtly in an entertaining and funny rhyming story.

Charlotte's best bit: Crocodile's natty dress he's unintentionally tricked into wearing

Daddy's favourite bit: Superb book, really entertaining and with a quite subtle message on how to deal with disagreeable folk (or crocs). Love it!

(Secret ReaditDaddy admission, I always loved Snowbert the Polar Bear best!)

On saturday the ReadItDaddy collective headed to the wonderful Beale Park in Berkshire for a very special occasion. To celebrate the launch of An Vrombaut's fantastic set of 64 Zoo Lane books, we had the chance to meet the good lady herself so naturally we couldn't pass up the opportunity.

We're regulars at Beale Park, which is a fantastic little animal park tucked away next to the Thames about an hour away from us so off we headed!

Time for a bit of Giraffe drawing!

Dot to Dot time!

As soon as we got there, we were just in time for the first story reading of the day, but managed to squeeze in some Giraffe drawing first. An Vrombaut is collecting lots and lots of piccies of Giraffes for her online Giraffe Gallery, so Charlotte got out the colouring pens and drew a rather cool one.
We got to meet An (which was ace) and also the rather ace Wallingford Books who were on hand with lots and lots of copies of An's books to be signed.

An Vrombaut, complete with luxury Giraffe ears!

How DOES that theme tune go again?

Soon enough An read "Georgina the Giraffe" to a thrilled audience of children and parents (she also did a brilliant version of the 64 Zoo Lane theme song, with a little help from the audience - and I think we spent the rest of the day either humming it or singing it!)

Lots of activities took place during the day, including a fabulous effort to make a huge paper and craft Giraffe with a long neck (we missed the unveiling as Charlotte had spotted the paddling pool and no amount of parental coercion could lure her out of there on what turned out to be a very hot day in the end).

While walking around the park though, we did happen to spot what An's second favourite animal (after Giraffes) was...

TheStrollingMum won't let us have a pet Capybara. Probably a very wise decision but you can sponsor animals at Beale Park!

We had a fantastic day and it was great to see so many people turning up for the event, and also brilliant to meet An and also the organisers, and Wallingford Books too of course!

An Vrombaut's 64 Zoo Lane books are now available, published by Hodder Children's Books.

Find out more about Beale Park on The Strolling Mum's fab days-out and travel blog.

Beale Park on "Can I Walk, Mummy?"

Play dress-up with the extensive Usborne "Sticker Dolly Dressing" range (including "On Holiday!")

While the sun still blazes away in the sky (and the inevitable mumbles about 'it being the rainy season soon' rumble around like gathering grey clouds) it's the perfect opportunity to kick off our next #ReadItMD13 Theme Week - Holidays!

The long school summer holiday is here for most of us (we've actually been 'in it' for the last two weeks but a lot of kids broke up last friday) and there's always time to cram in a stack of summer reading and activity books for children.

Let's start with the Usborne sticker range, particularly the "Sticker Dolly Dressing" books. These are staple fodder at home, and with hundreds of stickers and brilliant illustrations, they're great for keeping kids occupied for a while. We recently looked at the fabulous "History" range with the Edwardian Costume book, and we've also been enjoying "Sticker Dolly Dressing - On Holiday" too.

The Usborne Holiday Activity Book - Makes, puzzles and stickers ahoy!

Usborne do quite an extensive range of activity books including the above holiday-themed one, and our recently reviewed "Summer things to make and do". They're very reasonably priced so stop by your fab local indie and pick up one or two.

Reading wise, we're aiming to tackle a few lengthier books over the summer as well as our usual picture book fare.


The Strolling Mum and Charlotte have recently been thrilling to the antics of those fabulous Rescue Princesses. Written by the wonderful Paula Harrison and published by Nosy Crow, the 2nd adventure "The Wishing Pearl" has been very well received at home with Mummy and Charlotte chipping away at it a chapter a night, which is a great way to supplement short and sweet picture books with early chapter reading for children who are just beginning to shrug off the need for illustrations with their text. Paula's Rescue Princesses, and her new range of Faerie Tribes books are hugely popular and thrilling so we're always ready for a new Princess or Faerie adventure.

Faerie Tribes by Paula Harrison - Edge-of-the-seat fairy-based stuff, awesome!

Our early chapter-based book list is rapidly growing and also on our stack is Mo O'Hara's latest giggle-a-thon "My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish 2 - The Sea-Quel" serves up a tasty seaside batter-covered duo of stories that are sure to tickle the funny bones and the tastebuds of your discerning mighty mites.

My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish - The Sea-Quel by Mo O-Hara. Do NOT look into his eyes!!

It's great fun and the bonus horrifying flip-book corner is ace!

We'll be back later on in the theme week with more summer book recommendations to tide things over during the holiday. In the meantime, please drop your favourite holiday or summer-based book recommendations into the comments below, tell us what YOU'RE reading!

As we all melt under the onslaught of a heatwave, it's nice to imagine that - probably not far from now - we'll be marvelling at the minty freshness of the first wintry weather. So, next Tuesday then probably?

I jest but perhaps reading books about the cold might make you feel a little cooler - and this is one seriously cool book.

"Jack Frost" by Kazuno Kohara is a delightful book featuring a boy and his dog, and the slightly mysterious and somewhat mischievous titular Jack. The boy discovers the scamp at play, dancing his intricate patterns over the landscape.

For want of a friend, the young boy enjoys lots of fun and games with Jack but always with one rule in mind. Jack Frost must never hear mention of anything warm, or the change in seasons otherwise he'll disappear!

The two (and the fantastic little pet pooch) spend the long winter throwing snowballs, making snowmen and having lots of wintry fun until completely by accident, the boy muses on the first blossoms of spring. True to his word Jack Frost disappears - but will he ever come back to visit his lonely little friend ever again?

Unusually for a children's book, Jack Frost is picked out in a really reduced palette which lends to its cool-as-a-cucumber feel. It's atmospheric in spades, and is a good fun romp. Kazuno Kohara's artwork reminds me a little of the muted hues of "Harold and the Purple Crayon" or the great works of early Sendak or Ezra Jack Keats. Simple though it is, it's wholly effective and perhaps it'd be something more children's books could adopt - whereas the norm is now sumptuously painted and colourful stuff, kids don't actually seem to mind a reduced palette.

Charlotte's best bit: Jack Frost's deadly aim with a snowball. POW!

Daddy's favourite bit: This is my favourite sort of weather, so it's the perfect antidote to being too blinking hot by half!

Meet Heloise, a little Rhino with a big heart!

Way back in February we introduced you to "Stories for my Little Sister", a website full of wonderful stories, great activities and lots of pictures to keep your little ones entertained.

Samantha (who loves to write) and Diana (who loves to draw) have teamed up to produce a brilliant collection of free stories for everyone to enjoy - including an all new story introducing us to Heloise.

Heloise is a Rhino with a real sense of fun (and one of the most beautiful necklaces you'll probably ever see).

Find out more about Heloise's story on the Stories for my Little Sister Website, handily available as a PDF ready for you to read on your computer, or on your tablet or E-reader.

With colouring sheets, activities and makes, there's a lot of busy fun to enjoy with your little ones so if you're retreating from the heat, or are wondering what to do when your children shout "I'M BORED!" at the top of their voices, go and visit Stories for my Little Sister and find lots to see and do.

“O Nature, and O soul of man! how far beyond all utterance are your linked analogies! Not the smallest atom stirs or lives on matter, but has its cunning duplicate in mind” 

Written in conjunction with The International Children's Heart Foundation, here's a book with a huge thumping heart full of loveliness. Nicholas Allan (who we normally associate with slightly cheekier book fare like the superb "The Queen's Knickers" and "Cinderella's Bum") has woven a gorgeous tale around Babette and Bill, two inseparable friends. Nicholas, having grown up with a heart condition, is backing a campaign to raise awareness of congenital heart conditions, and offer the same standards of care to children in other countries. A fantastic and noble cause indeed!

Babette and Bill do everything together. Babette loves to run in the park (and drags a sometimes-reluctant Bill along for the journey). They're always ready to enjoy a game, a gastronomic feast or perhaps just some quiet book-time (Hooray!)

But when Babette falls ill one day, and ends up in hospital, poor Bill is at a complete loss.

None of their usual games are as much fun when you're on your own, nor is cooking up a feast for one.

Fortunately Bill and Babette share a bond, a string of hearts - and the strength of love that links them together. So Bill is at Babette's side as she recovers in hospital, and gets stronger and stronger every day until one day they can enjoy their fun and laughter together once again.

Gentle, touching, beautifully told and wonderfully drawn in Nicholas' trademark style, it's a book treasure this - and with a fantastic cause being supported, there's a huge amount to love about "The Big Hearted Book". The book will be released on 1st August 2013.

Find out more about the International Children's Heart Foundation here.

Also, if you fancy something rather special linked with the book, join in with The Big Hearted charity auction with some of the biggest names in children's books contributing to special heart-themed works of art (the list of names reads like a "who's who" of our favourite people!)

Charlotte's best bit: Bill being grumpy about getting up in the morning (we know the feeling!)

Daddy's favourite bit: Beautifully told, beautifully drawn and with no pun intended, a subject that's obviously very dear to Nicholas Allan's heart. A classic and for a wonderful cause. Go buy it!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Hachette Children's Books)

The Tobermory Cat by Debi Gliori (Birlinn Books) - Out today in paperback!

It seems like a long time ago that we took our first look at Debi Gliori's gorgeous book "The Tobermory Cat" - in its original hardback form.

Today sees the release of the book in paperback, so we thought we'd compliment our original review (where The Tobermory Cat was deservedly nominated "Book of the Week") with a fresh look at everyone's favourite stripy orange Highland Moggie.

In the Scottish Highlands and Islands, each island has its own particular breed of cat. Some sing, some are fabulous fisher-moggies, but what of the Isle of Tobermory and its lone Ginger moggy, what is he good at?

Mee-OW! (Dancing on JCBs is NOT recommended btw!)

The Tobermory Cat tries all sorts of things to impress tourists who flock to the islands, with very little success. But soon word spreads, and The Tobermory Cat finds that sometimes it's not being good at one thing that makes you stand out from the crowd, perhaps it's the ability to try lots of things that can end up making you special.

Oh no! Stinky socks! Ew!

We loved the book - and we'd definitely recommend you grab a copy (in hardback or paperback).

I'm the king of the swingers, the highland V.I.P!

· The Tobermory Cat by Debi Gliori

· Published 18th July 2013 by BIRLINN

· £5.99 Paperback

· ISBN 978 1 78027 131 6

Who can possibly resist a cheeky bum-based story? Well we obviously can't, particularly when that big bottom belongs to a big cuddly friendly bear.

Though as many of us will already know, packing a few extra tonnage in the trunk area doesn't come without its own drawbacks. Knocking things off shelves, making you utterly rubbish at hide and seek, and taking up all the room on the sofa when it's time to sit down and relax. Big bums aren't always welcome and though the lovable bear in Steve Smallman's story is a good friend, sometimes his clumsiness upsets his friends.

The last straw happens at a party as Bear's derriere causes abject chaos, and soon Bear slinks off to hide away.

But with a wily fox looking for supper, could bear's backside save the day?

With bouncing rhymes befitting a big bumpy boingy butt, this story is fun and cheeky and Emma Yarlett's fantastic illustrations once again establish her as a talent to keep a sharp eye on. We love big bear butts and we cannot lie :)

Charlotte's best bit: Bear's rather brilliant monstery coup de grace at the end of the book. Rarrrrr!

Daddy's favourite bit: A book that is a sheer joy to read aloud, with plenty of giggles and big beautiful bouncy illustrations. J-Lo's right, a big bum can be an asset after all!

(Kindly sent to us for review by Little Tiger Press)