Posted August 7, 2012 by Michael @ Knowledge Lost in Question Tuesday / 0 Comments
When I was young I really loved the book There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake by Hazel Edwards about an imaginary Hippo on the roof eating cake, it turned out to be ‘special’ cake. I don’t know why I liked that book but I remember that I wanted it read to me over and over again. I probably could remember every single word from that book. Nowadays I have read a couple of picture books that I thought were quite entertaining. Where were these types of books when I was a child? You know the ones, they are written as a children’s book but they have this black humour to them that appeals to adults.
Here are some examples (while some of these might be considered parodies, they are still great);
Goodnight iPad by Ann Droyd
In a bright buzzing room, in the glow of the moon-and iPhones and Androids and Blackberries too-it is time to say goodnight…
It’s a Book by Lane Smith
IT’S A BOOK is a delightful manifesto on behalf of print in the digital age. This satisfying, perfectly executed picture book has something to say to readers of all stripes and all ages.
Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
Go the F**k to Sleep is a bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland.
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
A bear has lost his hat. What if he never sees it again? WAIT! He has seen his hat…
Now it’s your turn, what Children’s books do you like? And based on the books I’ve mentioned about, are there other books that I should read?
Posted June 19, 2012 by Michael @ Knowledge Lost in Question Tuesday / 0 Comments
I don’t really remember learning to read, but I do remember being read to a lot when I was young, there were books that I knew all the words from repetitive reading. When I was a little boy, my favourite book was There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake by Hazel Edwards about an imaginary Hippo on the roof eating cake, it turned out to be ‘special’ cake (whatever that means). This seemed to progress and my father use to always read books to the kids and as we grow up the books got more complicated and more interesting stories. I think this might have started my love of audiobooks; I just love being told a story, it’s very relaxing. My father read us the Spirit Flyer Series by John Bibee and The Cooper Kids Adventures by Frank Peretti. Even during primary school I remember story time and listening to Roald Dahl books.
These were my first memories of books, but I don’t really remember reading much back then. I do remember when my little brother and sister been born and reading children’s books with them, I remember In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak seemed to be a favourite of my little brother. To this day I remember the entire story of There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake and In the Night Kitchen, that I probably could recite the entire books by heart. Given the fact that I loved books and stories back then, I’m really surprised how long it took me to become a reader. I remember starting off as a very slow reader but I think I read at a decent speed now. Sometimes I wish I could read faster and retain more of the information but I’m happy that I found joy in reading. I really wish I knew more about learning how to read, I might have to ask my parents about that.
