There is something so inviting about picture books that have used photography as their illustrations. The pages make it all that more real for little ones. It makes little ones think about how they could set up such a scene and it really gets their imaginations flowing on how they too could utilise everyday things around them for play.
David Ellwand is a talented author and photographer. He has produced many books including his much loved teddy bear books based on popular rhymes.
It was to my delight to discover that Ellwand had created Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star published by Old Barn Books.
My daughters adore Ellwand’s book The Wheels on the Bus, and I did think this could well be the case with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star is a perfectly formed sturdy board book. It is filled with Ellwand’s photographic delight and vintage teddy bears that you can but only adore.
Each page indicates that the story is set at night time, when it is dark and when we are able to see the twinkling stars. A reminder for young ones how night time differs to day time.
The rhyme begins as one would expect but it is after the first double page where it all changes. You may get faces of confusion from your little ones after this point but it didn’t seem to deter my eldest daughter who now at three years olds is an “expert” on all things rhyme.
Daddy bear is attempting to get his baby bears to sleep but true to mini humans they are far more interested in bouncing on the bed and having fun. Daddy bear, violin in tow, begins to sing to them and explains through song what other teddy bears are up to.
Children will enjoy the unexpected and they will witness teddy bears in space suits. The teddies Daddy bear sings about are adventurous. They go up in rockets to space and are just so busy while the rest of us prepare to sleep.
The rhyme continues and the last page shows you the younger teddy bears still playing happily but this time in space. Happily asleep and dreaming already perhaps?
The fun doesn’t stop there as there is also a sound button playing the tune of Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star. It is clear and loud and like Daddy bear the tune is played on a violin. This proved to be another brilliant talking point between my eldest daughter and I.
The book is an entertaining, interactive read. The refreshing change of words on a traditional rhyme makes for a brilliant discussion. It would also make a super text to further explore in a school setting and for those who are familiar a brilliant tool to use alongside any Pie Corbett work during the literacy hour.
My daughters are avid fans of music and nursery rhymes and they think this book is super.
Thank you so much to Old Barn Books who kindly sent this book to us.
Oh this is so unbelievably cute!! Perfect for a lovely bed-time story. Thank you for sharing with #readwithme
Thank you!
Oh my youngest would adore this! #readwithme
Baby absolutely loves this book. She loves music and her dancing is adorable. The teddy bears make it all that more real for her too, I think.