Books

[mumofone]

I'm in the process of updating my book selection for the kids and wondered what titles no self respecting childminder should be without....?! :)

[alex__17]

I love books, have far too many, faves are any Julia Donaldson, one called 'nurse mousey', old topsy and tims from when I was a child, aliens love underpants series and so many others.
I buy from 'books for bugs' and spend a fortune every time I go on their website! :-)

[catswhiskers]

There's so many but Helen Oxenbury books go down well with all my mindees at the moment.

Also I discovered Rachel Isadora books years ago and they've been a favourite.

[loocyloo]

Barefoot books are great.

All the Elmer books by David McKee

Daisy the duck books by Jane Simmons

I could go on and on ... children's books are my weakness!

[Ellisha]

Mine like the Julia Donaldson ones like Hippo Has A Hat, One Mole Digging a Hole and Toddle Waddle. Also the book Pants by Giles Andreae is a big hit. Anything with lots of rhyming is good!

[hulahoops]

Shark in the park by nick sharratt. It's great and you can make kitchen roll tube telescopes and take them to the park.

[hulahoops]

The very hungry caterpillar

Tiddler

Three Billy goats gruff

Handas suprise

[Bluebell]

I visit our local library with the children - they can choose a couple of books each (the library put my card membership as a child-minder so I can borrow 20 books and i don't get charged if they are late) The children have a wide range of ever changing books, experience of going to the library - they love meeting the librarians, we join in any community activities going on, they check out their own books, they can collect stickers and get certificates for taking out books and if we ever find a well-loved book -one that is enjoyed by everyone and taken out again and again and reread lots I might buy it off ebay. I have a passion for books and my book collection was getting out of control - I found this was a good way to keep a good selection.
- and be able to follow the children's own interests

[Maza]

I'm like Bluebell - my collection was getting out of control and so I borrow stacks of books from the library all the time too.

In terms of buying, I like to buy books that I know I will get out each year. So, I am a sucker for books about seasons, weather or festivals. I also have a collection of books about starting school, first trip to the dentist/doctors, potty training, new baby, books about feelings etc. Then I can just grab them as and when I need them. I like reading poetry so children and so I have a small collection of poem books which cover a range of topics.

I have a few books about friendship/relationships - Lucy's Quarrel, The Rainbow Fish...

I do like to have 'decent' versions of all the classic - Three Bears, Billy Goats Gruff etc.

The rhyming books are all ways popular - Ketchup on Your Cornflakes, Pants etc.

Julia Donaldson books - you can usually pick up a set from The Book People

My all time favourite books are the Alfie and Annie Rose books. I have them all - but my DD hates them and so I read them to mindees as they don't seem to mind!

[BallyH]

Also, for a change, you may want to watch other's reading children's books on youtube. Plus some of the books 'come to life' as they are shown in 3D.

[FloraDora]

I have my old favourites but I tend to resource new books slowly and regularly as I focus on something, or realise I have a gap, maths or science or multicultural gap for instance or we have borrowed one from the library and I decide I like it so much I want my own copy. My LO's bring books too and again, sometimes I think one of their books is worth having permanently in our library. Children's interests also lead my purchases.

I read book reviews, visit bookshops and sit with the other children on the floor on a Saturday afternoon and read and touch the books to see if I agree ( Foyles has just come to Birmingham - lovely childrens area).

I have bought two today when we went out and about in Exmoor, discovered a small independent bookshop, I saw them on display ...about Owls and one of my LO is very interested in owls.

I do like Julia Donaldson....she has written some brilliant books ....Jack and the flum flum tree has taken over our Ladybird who heard favourite......but I think some under 5's are having just her diet currently - the National Forest sponsorship encourage this too. Her audio books and video's too are good marketing to encourage us to stick with her.
I feel sort of sorry for other children's book authors.

I tend to read a book and think what I could do with the story...rhyming.....props....puppets......setting. ...information....to bring it alive.
I like to buy a non fiction that goes with a fiction story too.

What a lovely task you have ahead mumofone - creating my library has been one of my favourite hobbies over the last 40 years....and I still love it.......enjoy.

[samb]

Like others my book collection is way out of control! I have a bookcase which is 6 foot tall and most shelves have 2 books deep too. My daughter then has a Kallax unit in her room with 8 holes and 6 of those are full - most 2 deep plus a shelf next to her high rise bed full. And my son has 3 shelf fulls too! I have been considering cutting back down to just a few classics that I might make story sacks from like the hungry caterpillar, seasonal and festival and those that have a specific purpose like the new baby or moving house type books and some other multi cultural/bilingual but getting rid of the rest in favour of visiting the library and getting books that are topical/ chosen by the children. ... But I love books and feel too emotional about it! I need to pull myself together!