WTBA is a collection of and conversation about powerful books that strengthen, elevate, inspire and help to grow powerful, resilient kids. We're a book oriented guide for parents, grandparents, educators, aunts, uncles and anyone involved in nurturing children and caring for friends.
This month we have 6 very funny books about poo. While poo jokes do get a bit tiresome when you’re hearing them every day, they’re also a useful and important developmental stage. The trick is getting them to move on!
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How wonderful to think and understand that thought.
Brownie Downing was born at Manly, Sydney in Australia on the 9th May 1924. While her art is just beautiful, parts could be considered controversial today, as historian Robert Holden noted: "Today, Downing’s stylised work would probably not survive the more rigorous tests of political correctness. But .... this is more a reflection of changing times and social values than of Downing herself."
His last sentence is a well composed reminder about how the historical lens works in our lives.
This might be a child’s first introduction to double entendre! There are three characters in the story – a mouse, a monkey and a jackass – guess where the double entendre comes from! Jackass and Monkey have a frustratingly funny conversation about a book with Jackass looking for its technological qualities.
ages baby to about 10 years
ages 2 to 10 years
I particularly like the spoonerisms page in this great book - it comes with a little story about William Spooner – a teacher who would mix up sounds when he spoke. “One day, he accused a student of missing his history lecture but accidentally said: ‘You hissed my mystery lecture!’” And there's lots more fun to be had!
I'm pretty sure the reason I read this book so many times had nothing to do with the funny story, the cute illustrations or the healthy body image messages. And I’m pretty sure my kids found it totally hilarious that I kept reading the word ‘bum’ out loud. This is a FUNNY book.
ages baby to 12 years
ages 4 to grownup
There is so much that connects the human experience through the passage of time. Here the power of place is powerfully illustrated through the lives of consecutive children living on one plot of land over 200 years. It's a beautifully diverse group of children who are amusing and relatable and individually fascinating.
ages 2 to 8 years
Alison Lester has a gift for writing words that bounce – there’s a rhythm to her words that's easy for the reader to catch and hold onto. The Journey Home isn't a rhyming book, but it does read in a lyrical sort of way. There’s a repeated refrain of ‘come inside and stay’ making this a good early reader.
A conversation about books + kids. A website resource and book reviews for educators, parents, grandparents. The main focus is emotional resilience.
