#FridayFiveChallenge

To join in with the #FridayFiveChallenge please read the rules at the bottom of the page.

It’s nearly December so I’m looking for books for my grand-daughter, who is a precocious two and a quarter year old.  There are many bright colourful covers to browse through but I am quite fussy about the style of drawing and determined to avoid Disney and PP.  Those of you who don’t know who PP is, obviously haven’t been near a small child for some time.  First I stopped at Mog the Forgetful Cat, as Judith Kerr is such a wonderful children’s author and illustrator, but I really ought to look for a new book.

           

Laura’s star is another book I am familiar with, but now there is an interactive App of Laura’s Christmas Star.  It’s probably wonderful but not really something that a Gran who used to be a teacher and librarian should give!!

Recently my grand-daughter had a digger in her garden and when it was put back on the lorry to be taken away she stood at the door waving and saying, “Bye-bye Digger,” for a very long time, so Goodnight Digger by Michelle Robinson illustrated by Nick East seems most appropriate.

   

With 122 reviewers giving 5 stars, the comments include,  A ‘must have’ book for a mechanically-minded two year old. A wonderful combination of digger and good night story…..a perfect way of rounding off a day full of playing and imaginings of trains and diggers and trucks.

My 2 year old girl loves it.   Obviously helps if they like diggers and other vehicles!

I needed to look inside to check that there were words and preferably a rhyme which she loves to repeat.  But perhaps I should choose an animal book?  I quickly spotted Giraffe’s Can’t Dance written by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees.

      With an average 4.7 stars, reviews say, Superb book which subtly points out that we can do something if we really want to – it might just need a different approach!  Great for narrating – the flowing rhyming text is easy to encourage the important ‘all-join-in.

A real treasure that teaches children and adults alike that appearances can be deceptive and we must look past the cover. Look past this books cover and you find yourself on a magical road to self awareness. A great tool for discussing all forms of prejudice or just a wonderfully funny book.

So what shall I do?  Looking at these four options shall I BUY or will I PASS?  I am going to BUY Giraffes Can’t Dance and Goodnight Digger.

What have others chosen this week?

Shelley has found a book to change your habits and improve your life. http://shelleywilsonauthor.com/2015/11/20/would-you-buy-or-pass-nonfiction-selfhelp-for-fridayfivechallenge/

Rosie is looking for medieval history about Queen Matilda https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2015/11/20/searching-the-twelfth-century-for-the-empress-matilda-fridayfivechallenge/

Cathy went for a Nordic Noir Thriller http://betweenthelinesbookblog.com/2015/11/20/fridayfivechallenge-buy-or-pass/

So now it’s your turn.

Get yourself a cuppa and give yourself 5 minutes.

In today’s online shopping age, readers often base their buying decisions from small postage stamp size book covers (Thumb-nails), a quick glance at the book description and the review. How much time do they really spend making that buying decision?

AUTHORS – You often only have seconds to get a reader to buy your book, is your book cover and book bio up to it?

Rosie’s Friday Five Challenge is this….. IN ONLY FIVE MINUTES….

1) Go to any online book supplier,

2) Randomly choose a category,

3) Speed through the book covers, choose one which has instantly appealed to your eye,

4) Read the book Bio/ Description for this book, and any other details.

5) If there are reviews, check out a couple,

6) Make an instant decision, would you BUY or PASS?