Playing by the book

Reviews of kids' books and the crazy, fun stuff they inspire us to do

The best show in town this season

Over the Christmas holidays M and J decided they wanted to create a show for the family, and Pushka by Stephen Mackey was chosen as the basis for the production. With all the elements of a fairy tale (an enchanted wood, a trapped heroine, a terrifying giant, a sprinkling of magic, kindness from animals and [...]

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Bubbles and spells and books full of magic

Back in the summer I wrote a piece for Netmums inspired by the release of the last of the Harry Potter films. Here’s my updated post, all about magic potions and spells and how my girls and I created our own bubbling potions to see what charms we could cast at our kitchen table. We [...]

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The magic and enjoyment of suspending disbelief

Do you enjoy suspending disbelief when you read? For me it can be like entering into a secret pact with the book, forming a special bond of trust, being cocooned in little bubble of escapism and magic. It seems to me that children’s books can be especially brilliant at enabling, encouraging their readers to suspend [...]

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