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With World Book Day just around the corner, now is a great chance to introduce the children at your nursery to some new cultures from around the planet.
The Book – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Richard Howard
*In a nutshell *– A boy leaves Earth to travel the universe.
Tell me more – The most translated book in the French language, The Little Prince focuses on a boy learning about the adult world through all sorts of extraordinary encounters.
Other options? – The Cat Who Walks Across France, The Story of Babar
The Book – Karlsson on the Roof by Astrid Lindgren, Ilon Wikland, Patricia Crampton
In a nutshell – Adventures with a man who has a propellor on his back.
Tell me more – Karlsson takes the young Svante on any number of mischievous adventures, with chaos and fun always following them.
Other options? – Good Night Alfie Atkins, Can You Whistle Johanna?
The Book – Possum Magic by Mem Fox, Julie Vivas
*In a nutshell *– An invisible possum longs to be seen again.
Tell me more – When Hush is made invisible by his grandma, it’s not long before the novelty wears off and the playful journey to find the antidote begins.
Other options? – The Magic Pudding, Big Rain Coming
The Book – The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, Jerry Pinkney
In a nutshell – I don’t think you need us to tell you about this one…
Tell me more – For more than a hundred years we’ve been reading about one duckling’s journey to grow into a beautiful swan, and everything he faces along the way.
Other options? – The Princess & The Pea, The Little Mermaid
The Book – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, Helen Oxenbury
In a nutshell – One family’s journey to find a bear hits a few obstacles.
Tell me more – With more awards to it’s name than The Titanic, this splash sploshing adventure will make any child want to get their wellies on and start their own bear-finding quest.
Other options? – The Gruffalo, Elmer
The Book – The Magic Paintbrush by Julia Donaldson, Joel Stewart
In a nutshell – One girl’s journey to protect her magic paintbrush from the evil emperor.
Tell me more – As Ma Laing realises that her paintbrush can bring the things she draws to life, she has to find a way to outwit an emperor intent on stealing it.
Other options? – Grandfather Tang’s Story
The Book – The Road to Mumbai by Ruth Jeyaveeran
In a nutshell – A girl and her monkey meander towards a top-secret monkey wedding.
Tell me more – Truly bringing India alive through pages bursting with colour, the story of Fuzzy Patel and Shoba brings magic, imagination and a few unexpected turns along the way.
Other options? – One Grain of Rice
The Book – Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd
*In a nutshell *– How much trouble can one mischievous dog get up to?
Tell me more – This famous tale follows Hairy Maclary as he collects friends and gets in trouble with Scarface Claw, the toughest tom in town…
Other options? – My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes, The Little Yellow Digger
The Book – Three Samurai Cats by Eric A. Kimmel, Mordicai Gerstein
In a nutshell – Samurai Cats saving a canine lord from an evil rat.
Tell me more – What’s not to like? Beautifully drawn, this hilarious story retold by Eric Kimmel is the perfect introduction to an ancient Japanese empire.
Other options? – The Hungriest Boy in the World, Yoko’s Paper Cranes
The Book – Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss
In a nutshell – One man’s quest to get his friend to eat some pretty unusual food.
Tell me more – Originally written because of a bet that Seuss couldn’t write a story using fewer than 50 words, the book’s simplicity and humour have helped it to endure as an all time classic.
Other options? – The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are
The Book – My Cat Copies Me by Yoon-duck Kwon
In a nutshell – One girl learns about the world with the help of her cat.
Tell me more – A gorgeous book that explores the important relationship between kids and their pets, as her cat helps this little girl experience new things and explore the world.
Other options? – Hush: A Thai Lullaby, Peek: A Thai Hide-and-Seek
Guidance from the Danish Health Ministry, translated in full to English.
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The full recommendations from a working group of over 70 nursery chains in the UK.
Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.
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