Story Snug sends many congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate and William, on the birth of your little princess.
Giving a book as a new baby present is a lovely idea to help start a child’s home library. We asked authors, illustrators and book bloggers which book they would choose to give to the new royal baby and why. There are some lovely choices on this list.
Anne Booth, author of Girl With a White Dog and Lucy’s Secret Reindeer; ‘There are so many gorgeous books for babies, so it is very hard to choose. I think I would give her two old favourites: ‘Guess How Much I love you?’ by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, and ‘Can’t you Sleep Little Bear?’ by Martin Waddell and Barbara Firth, because, Royal or not, the important thing is that all babies need to know they are loved and listened to, and both those books were ones I shared with my children and we all found very comforting to read over and over again.’
Emma, book blogger at My Book Corner and organiser of International Book Giving Day; ‘The 150th anniversary of Alice’s now famous adventures, makes the timing just perfect. This edition has been a favourite of mine for some time, not least because it features the glorious, original illustrations by Sir John Tenniel. Such a gorgeous book to gift & keep forever.’
Paula Harrison, author of The Rescue Princesses and The Red Moon Rising series; ‘I would choose The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This book is a classic that has entertained masses of children. It has a very simple storyline and lovely touches of humour.’
Sally Poyton, book blogger at Space on the Bookshelf; ‘Thinking of one book that I’d give a gift to the new royal baby, is tricky, as there are so many beautiful books. But I have thought very hard and decided I’d give Debbi Gliori’s ‘Dragon Loves Penguin’. It’s an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a story of love and acceptance, family and bravery. Plus it has Penguins and Dragons! What’s not to love?’
Sam Garton, author and illustrator of I Am Otter and Otter in Space asked Otter to choose a book; ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt sounds like the most fun thing ever, as long as Otter Keeper came too. I wouldn’t be scared, but I think Giraffe might be. Teddy should get to meet some of his family, so he would be too excited to be scared. It’s also a really pretty book with fantastic pictures. Otter Keeper says there is a lot of nice repetition and fun sounding words, making it great to read with very small people.’ – Author: Michael Rosen / Illustrator: Helen Oxenbury
Zoe Toft, book blogger at Playing By the Book; ‘Peekaboo by Giuliano Ferri is everything I think a board book should be. It’s playful, interactive, beautiful and perfectly reflects a world Baby can understand and enjoy. Babies just love playing peekaboo and in this delightful book they get to explore who’s hiding, indeed who’s playing peekaboo with baby behind each flap. Soft, gentle illustrations, combined with the best possible ending make this book where baby a perfect book to give a newborn.’
Zoe has also written two blogposts with the arrival of a royal baby in mind – Building a Baby Library and Books for big brothers and sisters to-be.
Anne Booth also thought about books that she would give to Prince George; ‘I think the Royal big brother might need something just for himself too, and as an example of a modern book illustrated by a new young contemporary artist, I’d give him ’15 Things not to do with a Baby’ by Margaret McAllister and Holly Sterling, to help him with a few important tips! And I think he should have a cuddle and a special read of another book by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, ‘You’re all my favourites’, so that he knows that a new baby doesn’t mean there is any less love to go around!’
Phil and Charlotte, book bloggers at Readitdaddy, told us about a special book, Stories For a Prince, which was published on Prince William’s birth; ‘This book was originally written for your Dad, little Princess – and in it, children wrote their own very imaginative collection of stories to be read to your dad at bedtime. The stories are fabulously inventive, with some fantastic artwork by brilliant children’s illustrators at the time (including illustrative royalty Babette Cole!) It’s a fantastic book, someone really needs to do a modern equivalent methinks as I’ve a feeling it’s sadly out of print (though I’m sure your daddy has kept a copy!).’
Story Snug; It is hard to choose one picture book but we finally decided that Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg would be a great book to start a royal baby’s library. It is a lovely, first ‘I Spy’ story in which the rhyming text encourages a child to find various fairytale and nursery rhyme characters that are hiding in the pictures.
Do you have a favourite book that you give on the birth of a new baby?
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