The New Small Person: welcoming a new baby can be a tricky business!

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The New Small Person: welcoming a new baby can be a tricky business!

Three-year-old Ivy is excitedly awaiting the arrival of a baby brother in a couple of months. She’s looking for things that will be the same and different for them. 

He’ll be little and she’ll be big. But, after a bath: ‘he’ll have a naked bottom just like me’.  Both true. 

Ivy is pretty keen for this baby to arrive. (So am I, truth be told.) Still, there’s bound to be some adjusting to do. 

The New Small Person is all about the adjustment – and the process.

Ages 2 to 8

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What's Your Favorite Bug?: inspiring a love of art and reading

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What's Your Favorite Bug?: inspiring a love of art and reading

When I think of picture books my thoughts always go to the story, which is funny considering we call them ‘picture’ books. But the artwork has a huge impact on our emotions and impressions when reading a picture book, adding depth and feeling. Talking about the artwork is so useful for developing emotional intelligence

ages 2 to 10

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Because Amelia Smiled: how a little girl's smiles went round the world and back

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Because Amelia Smiled: how a little girl's smiles went round the world and back

This is a wonderfully circular book. Amelia smiles, her smile is contagious and spreads all around the world and finally finds its way back to her - and she smiles again!

I love a book that shows (but doesn’t preach about) the interconnectedness of people around the world – this book manages exactly that.

And I think the key is the joyfulness of the illustrations. There’s a fuzziness* to them that invites the reader into the edges of the world each character inhabits. 

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Emma And The Whale: life is full when we have a respectful connection with nature

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Emma And The Whale: life is full when we have a respectful connection with nature

Emma is a young girl who lives in an old crooked house, but she doesn’t mind because it’s near the ocean, and that is her favourite place to be. The magic and mystery of the ocean solidifies one foggy day when Emma discovers a beached baby whale.

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The Whirlpool: a book to scaffold language about emotions

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The Whirlpool: a book to scaffold language about emotions

It can happen that, in the midst of crisis, children need explicit words to help them give structure to fears and thoughts and hopes. The Whirlpool is a book for those times.

I’ve seen the power of read-it-before-you-need-it books many times and, with that solid foundation, a book that gives words to feelings can be the next piece in the puzzle that is emotional resilience.

In The Whirlpool, we see ourselves in the everyday life of a sweet polar bear who is full of confidence and brimming with happiness while he is  '… a mastermind. A storyteller. A traveller and adventurer.”

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Is there a parent who hasn't dreamt of a peaceful night's sleep?

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Or worried about how a child will cope with an unkind friend, a new teacher, a move to a new home?

At WTBA we collect thoughts, ideas, research and of course books that address those universal concerns and the dreams that go with them. Things like sleep and emotional resilience as well as embracing diversity, healthy lifestyles, coping with anger and more: the sorts of things that occupy the head space of parents, grandparents, educators and, hopefully, policy makers.

Our great hope is that this will be a place to share wisdom. We hope you’ll share your tips as well as your questions - perhaps you have found a way to soothe an angry child that works every time, or perhaps you’re hoping someone else has. There’s a comments link at the end of each of our posts, and of course you can always email us or connect via facebook or instagram. (We’re on pinterest too, but not doing much on twitter for the time being.

Please have a look around – we’d love to hear from you in any comments at all. xx