Last year flew by and before I start a new year, maybe decade(!), of blogging I thought I’d take a look back at the ten most viewed Story Snug blogposts in 2019. It was another busy year on the blog and Story Snug had several visitors – thank you to all those of you who invited us to be part of your blog tours, answered our interview questions and gave us drawing lessons!
Several of the most popular posts this year appeared on last year’s list, the most viewed post is still a ‘learning activities’ post which includes arts, crafts and science activities that I linked to picture books when I first started teaching. My daughter and I recreated many of the activities before she started school and I miss those crafty days now that she is older.
Several of the most viewed books are classic stories that I read to Reception / Year One classes when I first started teaching. It seems that many old favourites are still being searched for and are being read and enjoyed by newer generations.
So here you go – the top ten most viewed Story Snug blogposts in 2019 in reverse order…
Number 10
Blogtour: Lollies 2020 giveaway – win all 12 books on the shortlist!
We were delighted to be invited to take part in the 2020 Lollies blog tour and our giveaway post was very popular. Lucky Anne won all the books on the Lollies shortlist 🙂
We hope to do lots more giveaways in 2020!
Number 9
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
It was interesting reading How to Catch a Star with my daughter and her friend when they were younger. Both had very different interpretations of the ending! How to Catch a Star was one of the first picture books that I recommended on Story Snug and the post is still read on a regular basis.
Number 8
A CHILDREN’S BOOK OF MINDFULNESS ‘happy’ by Nicola Edwards & Katie Hickey
This beautifully illustrated introduction to mindfulness shows children how they can connect to the world around them. Although this is a picture book its simple rhyming text and fabulous illustrations have a calming effect on readers of all ages. Published last year, this is the newest book in our top ten.
Number 7
Learning with Eric Carle and The Very Hungry Caterpillar
So many of Eric Carle’s picture books can be used to stimulate and encourage learning in many areas of the curriculum. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has inspired lots of crafts and learning activities, both with my daughter and in the classroom.
Number 6
The Colour Monster by Anna Lllenas
The Colour Monster is a wonderful story about a little girl who helps a mixed up monster understand the emotions that different colours make him feel. We also enjoyed reading The Colour Monster goes to School which was published this year.
NUMBER 5
Funnybones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
I loved Funnybones when I was young, we bought our copy from a charity shop. It has a very atmospheric, repetitive text and the humour in the illustrations makes us laugh, especially when the skeletons put their dog ‘back together’! The story is particularly popular around Halloween and it has also inspired us to make skeleton puppets.
NUMBER 4
Prince Cinders by Babette Cole
This is a hilarious retelling of the Cinderella story with three male protagonists and a dirty fairy. Prince Cinders has been a popular blogpost this year and has crept up our list, last year it was at number ten.
NUMBER 3
Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
This amusing, action packed, first chapter book includes Rambling Isles, shipwrecks, sarcastic seaweed and nasty villains. It’s a great story for children starting to enjoy chapter books and for beginner readers who are looking for a more challenging read than a picture book. Lots of original action moves the story along at a fantastic pace and the characters’ ingenious thinking gets them out of some tight spots and brings the story to a very satisfying end.
Oliver and the Seawigs has moved up to 3rd place from 6th place last year.
NUMBER 2
The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake
We’ve reviewed several of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake’s stories but this story about a team of window cleaners is the only one of theirs that appears on our top ten list. It’s been the most viewed weekly blogpost many times during 2019. One of our favourite preschool crafts was making giraffes using our own footprints.
NUMBER 1
Learning with Elmer by David McKee
The first Elmer book is still our favourite and we had lots of fun with crafts and activities that were inspired by the story. It’s a great book for showing children that being different should be celebrated and that we don’t always need to follow the crowd.
Was your favourite blogpost on our top ten most viewed Story Snug blogposts in 2019?
A huge thank you to all of the publishers who send us wonderful books to review, I’m sorry that we don’t have time to read and review more.
Thank you to those of you who comment on our blogposts, share them on social media and enter our giveaways. We look forward to sharing more favourites, old and new, with you next year.
Wishing you and your families a very happy and healthy 2020!
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