Books From
EarlyMinds
Teaching Parents How To Teach
by Jill & David Whitehouse
Inside you will find an easy to understand introduction to the multi-sensorial approach to teaching. This guide will take you through the early stages of development with lessons in hand to eye coordination, learning the alphabet and understanding numbers and quantities, to name just a few.
Show Me The Book
Jill's All Time
Top Ten Children's Books
The Velveteen Rabbit
by Margery Williams
This book is one of my absolute favourites. It’s the first book my son received from his godmother, Annette. We read the book many, many times, and I was always touched by the story. This is a classic book about a stuffed animal and a young boy. It is a strange and magical story about, “How toys and people become real through the wisdom and experience of love.”
The Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle
The repetition and prediction in this book make it a favourite of children. The simple illustrations and story take you through the journey of a caterpillar to a butterfly. I’m still fascinated with the remarkable metamorphosis of butterflies, and the discussions created by this story, with children, are always fun. Eric Carle’s books are a must for any child’s library.
Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed
by Emily Pearson
I love sharing the idea of ‘paying it forward’ with young children. Each action creating a reaction in someone else. Ordinary Mary makes you feel good about celebrating a world full of ordinary things. Acts of kindness are infectious. “One ordinary day, ordinary Mary picked some ordinary blueberries …,” and starts a chain reaction of kind acts.
One
by Kathryn Otoshi
This is a clever book in how simple it shares its message. It reminds us, “It just takes one to make everyone count.” The book is great for younger readers covering numbers and counting, primary and secondary colours. It also covers a deeper subject matter for older students, bullying, and accepting differences.
The Giving Tree
by Shel Silverstein
“Once there was a tree . . . and she loved a little boy.” This book has made me cry on many occasions. It’s a favourite of mine to share with students. It’s the moving story of the relationship between a boy and a tree, and the interpretation of gift giving. Shel Silverstein explores the boy wanting more and more from the tree, and how the tree continues to give unconditionally.
Fantastic Mr Fox
by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl is one of my favourite children’s authors. He flirts with inappropriate scenarios and language in an acceptable and funny way that makes me laugh out loud. I love Fantastic Mr Fox because it’s the battle of woodland animals against some mean farmers. Mr Fox is an extraordinary fox with a fantastic plan. The marriage of Roald Dahl’s story with Quentin Blake’s illustrations is perfect.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
by E.B. White
This is a story about making your own rules, following your heart, and doing the best you can, regardless of other’s criticism. I read this book with older students, and enjoy the discussions. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is persistent in developing his skill with lots and lots of practice, this follows through into most experiences in life, the harder you work at something the more likely you are to succeed.
Charlotte’s Web
by Richard Bach
This is a lovely story about friendship and relationships. It covers love, life, and death. It reminds us of the impermanence of life, and the joy of living. The story takes place on a farm with a little girl, the pig she saved, and a spider and her web. A beautiful old classic.
The Red Tree
by Shaun Tan
Shaun Tan writes and illustrates his own books. All of his books are full of extraordinary pictures. I spend a lot of time looking at the intricate detail in each illustration. The story lines are short, and invite the reader to create their own story and the meaning of each page. Children love looking for the red leaf in each picture, which covers the subject ‘the character always had it, she just couldn’t see it!’
The Whales’ Song
by Dyan Sheldon
This beautifully illustrated poetic book is the haunting story of a little girl and her grandmother’s tales of the whales’ song that once filled the oceans. Gary Blythe’s enchanting paintings on each page lead the little girl, Lily, on a wondrous journey of imagination.