Last year I took part in the Walkers Book Party Blog Tour so when I was asked if I would like to participate again this year, I jumped at the chance to gain some more wonderful books for the boys.
This year I was sent 5 new Walker books:
Captain Cat by Inga Moore
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Silver Buttons by Bob Graham
Romping Monsters Stomping Monsters by Jane Yolen
Peck Peck Peck by Lucy Collins
The boys were very excited when they saw the books and all the lovely extra bits that Walker Books sent us, balloons, stickers, bear biscuits, bunting (a pretty vintage floral design which I loved), game and fact sheets and some lovely prints one of which Jenson was very happy with and wants me to frame to hang next to his bed, of last years book Oh No George! by Chris Haughton, which has become a firm favourite story of his.
The boys and I held our book party today and invited two of their cousins to join us. In preparation for the event, which both boys were very excited about and had been looking forward to all week ever since we invited their cousins, this morning we did some baking for our picnic. I attempted to bake some teddy bear rolls which ended up looking not quite as bear like as I had hoped but good enough that the boys recognised what they were meant to be! The boys made some fairy cakes all by themselves, and despite more cake batter being eaten and spilt, and the chocolate buttercream being tasted rather a lot when the cakes were being decorated, they did a really good job!
I made some picnic bags up for the boys and their guests, just a teddy bear roll filled with ham, some cheese, breadsticks, grapes, cocktail sausages, a homemade fairy cake and teddy bear biscuits. Then I blew up the balloons and hung the bunting from the tree in our garden and the boys brought down some of their cuddly toys as extra picnic guests.
Once our guests had arrived and some bouncing on the trampoline had taken place, everyone sat down for their teddy bears picnic. While they ate their food I read all 5 books to them, and after they had eaten I invited each of the children to look at the books and then I asked them some questions about the stories and the illustrations.
The boys favourite of the five books is Peck Peck Peck a fun tale of a young woodpecker whose daddy teaches him how to peck a hole in a tree one day, and then after successfully completing this lesson, he sets off to see what else he can peck peck peck! Needless to say he goes on a bit of a pecking spree and the mischievious woodpecker pecks a hole in just about everything inside the house with the big blue door! This picture books contains lots of bold primary colours and the boys and I, love the cut out holes that the woodpecker has pecked and the narrative is simple but amusing and makes Burton and Jenson giggle and buy the end they exclaim “read it again mummy!”. Burton actually pointed out that the holes that the woodpecker makes in the food, was like the food from the Hungry Caterpillar book. I was really impressed that he thought of this to be honest!
They also like Monsters Romping Monsters Stomping which has few words but the pictures are funny and we like the fact that even monsters can fall out, make each other upset and have to learn to say sorry to each other for their actions – just like brothers must do too! Burton and his cousins tried out some romping stomping monster moves and did some hurling and catching with the balloons too (in place of balls!)
The other three books are aimed at children a little older than my two – Goldilocks and the Three Dinosuars for example contains a lot of humour which went over Burton and Jenson’s head but made me smile – it reminded me of a cartoon actually where its aimed at kids but it is thier parents who laugh at the subtle comedy!
All four children enjoyed the book picnic party so thank you Walker Books for sending such lovely titles for us to share and enjoy together!
For other Walker Book Blogger Parties please check out the blog tour and see what the other people thought about the books, and what kind of book parties they had.
I was sent the above mentioned books and some party items for the purpose of this post. All comments made are my own and are honest.
Notmyyearoff
Such a cool party- Z would probably run for all the balloons and bunting at first I think 🙂
Hayley @hayleyfromhome
What a lovely idea! I really like the picnic bags and I think I might actually get Lucas to sit still if I read to him while he ate his lunch. So nice to be able to share the books and the boys looked like they all looked like theay had lots of fun xx