All three of the Little Postcards have loved a bedtime story, just as I remember enjoying my Mum and Dad reading to me as a child. My Dad’s impressions of Len the Lighthouse keeper’s wife, shouting for him to “Lower the rope!” to get his food deliveries in this Play School story book are as vivid to me 40 years on!
I can remember giggling so much as the howling wind and crashing waves prevented his order of supplies from getting through so he got lemonade instead of marmalade and so on. In the days of online supermarket deliveries this must seem alien to children nowadays… (For reference, the story was Marmalade for Breakfast by Judy Whitfield).
How appropriate that I should remember this the day after Father’s Day…
The bookshelf in the top photo is in Littlest Postcard’s bedroom and still features a few baby books which have been passed down from both of his brothers. They are no longer read but when I tidied the shelf recently and had a sort out I couldn’t bring myself to part with them.
Twinkly Night by Helen Stephens was a favourite of all three when they were very small because of the glittery foil on the pages and was acquired for free from a Government book scheme Books for Babies when we still lived in England.
I also secretly love the Thomas the Tank Engine stories I read endlessly to my eldest. I liked the idea of this little island of Sodor… (perhaps I should get out more). His two younger brothers had less interest in the adventures of the little blue train and his friends but similarly I was loathe to part with the books. Perhaps one of their children will like them one day?
This photo (above) featured in Sunday Sevens over Christmas time and was a rather clever way to display books in the foyer to the building which houses the public library here in Gibraltar. People were invited to guess how many books were used to build the alternative Christmas tree and win a prize.
I’m linking with Nana Cathy & Wild Daffodil for this weekly photo challenge throughout 2017.
More Stories from Play School was published by Piccolo & BBC in 1976 it was edited by Sheila Elkin & illustrated by David Eaton
Bedtime stories should be compulsory for all children everywhere. It’s one of the many reasons why I volunteer at the library. I love the Lighthouse keeper books too, the asides from the seagulls were my favourite bit, and the opportunity for parent acting was wonderful!
Yes it’s such a special time isn’t it? Both for bonding and having a shared experience as well as introducing children to the wonders of literature 😊
I always read to my girls at bedtime too (and any other time we felt like it) and, like you, I can’t bear to part with our favourites. We often quote from their childhood books and it’s like a secret language between us. They are both avid readers to this day (they’re 22 and 23 now) and even though I find some of their book choices a bit of a mystery, I’m so glad I managed to pass on my love of books to them
It’s such a special bonding time isn’t it? So lovely that you passed your passion for reading on to them 😊
Bedtime reading is so wonderful and so precious, it’s sad to think it isn’t part of every child’s growing up experience.
Yes, you are right. I think that was why we received a couple of free books when Eldest was little in the hope of reaching some babies who otherwise wouldn’t have come into contact with books. I can’t imagine life without them but sadly a lot of children don’t get read to until they get to school.
I went for childhood fiction too.
Can’t beat it – it’s so important 😊