Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
BOOK OF THE WEEK with Linda Jennings. AN ALPHABET IN SILHOUETTE - Natalie Jarvis - ISBN 9781760125110 (CHIRPY BIRD) BD4.900 for Gulf Weekly Book Club members
Shadowgraphy or ombromanie is the art of performing a story or show using images made by hand shadows.
The art has declined since the late 19th Century when electricity became available to homes because light bulbs and electric lamps do not give off good shadows and because cinema and television were becoming a new form of entertainment.
Shadows are greatly defined by candlelight, therefore hand shadows were common in earlier centuries but now you have the chance to change all that and become a Shadowgrapher to entertain your child.
So turn off that computer (and the lights), get yourself a decent torch and a willing assistant and I can assure you of hours of fun, practicing all the shadow puppets in this book.
Whether it’s a cat, llama or yak, this amazing, beautiful yet kooky A to Z of hand shadows brings the ABCs alive in high-contrast black and white with this ‘handy’ graphic guide to shadow puppets.
Very, very clever - just look at the rabbit on the cover - it’s amazing the shapes you can make with a few props (nothing fancy, just things you will have around the house such as drinking straws) and you will be able to perform magic in front of your children’s eyes.
I remember my mother making horses and birds for me at bedtime. If you don’t know how, here is the perfect book to start making memories for your child. Made of sturdy board, it also contains a super pull out A-Z poster showing all the animals and how to make them.
READ IT NOW
BABY’S VERY FIRST NOISY BOOK OF THE JUNGLE, Isbn 9781474921732 (USBORNE)
BD4.900 for Gulf Weekly Book Club members
Usborne have been making children’s books for more than 40 years and are, without doubt, regarded as one of the top publishers in their field. Peter Usborne always says that his books are made to be enjoyed, shared, loved and played with – often with great passion and vigour so the books are often made of sturdy board and always to UK safety standards.
We like these books so much, that we are in the process of making an Usborne Corner in The Bookcase where Gulf Weekly Book Club members and their children can come and snuggle up to enjoy a book together.
This is a new title and one of my recent favourites - babies will love discovering the cheeky monkeys, hissing snakes, purring tigers and squawking parrots on the colourful pages of this book.
Children can press the buttons to hear the monkey, snake, tiger, frog and parrot sounds - and try making the noises themselves! It’s a joy to share and talk about with babies and toddlers alike and the perfect size to carry around.
My favourite
read of the week
DINO TAILS , Anne Wilkinson, Isbn 7098309704 (JELLYCAT) BD7.100 for Gulf Weekly Book Club members
Jellycat is best known for its fabulous collection of the softest plush toys you will ever find. However, it is now branching out into children’s publishing notably board books to much some of the toys and also colourful, interesting ‘soft’ books made of fabric. These are ideal for babies and toddlers as they all have a Velcro loop to attach the book to a pram or buggy and are safe, washable and don’t hurt when hurled in your direction!
So now, you can hang all sorts of ‘Tails’ books on your buggy! Jungly Tails, Pet Tails, Farm Tails or, as featured below, Dino Tails!
Scaly and shiny and furry and bumpy - the Dino Tails book has so many tails. It’s another wonderful title to read with babies, plus lots and lots of feely fun. Bright illustrations and a crinkly cover help to make it a favourite first soft book. And, since each page is made of soft fabric, it’s gentle on little hands and can have a nice soapy wash in with the baby when required!
