These two books are perfect for toddlers starting to explore the world around them; one helps you with words, and one with practical skills. Both books were sent to me free of charge to review, but all opinions are my own!
100 First Words: City illustrated by Edward Underwood, from Nosy Crow
This is a book of words – no narrative, just lots of lovely illustrations of things you might find in a city, each labelled with its name. It’s nice and big – a little larger than A4 size – and full of charmingly drawn images in bright, eye-catching colours, and there are even flaps to open to reveal more things behind doors and inside boxes! I really enjoy the cheerful art style, and it’s a nice change from the photos you usually find in first words books. Though it’s ostensibly city-themed, there are sections for zoos and museums, as well as supermarkets, restaurants and more, so it’s not all pigeons and bins – there’s plenty of great words to learn here.
Everyday Skills: A Sensory Book of Fastenings by Nicola Edwards and Thomas Elliott, from Little Tiger
Wow, this book is just so clever. It has clearly written explanations of five different kinds of fastening with nice easy-to-follow diagrams, and there are also real examples of each one in a fold out section of the book, so you can have a go while you read! The button is a little fiddly, as there’s not much give in the fabric, but otherwise all the elements are so great for little hands – having an interactive side to a book like this is such a great idea. This one’s going to be very useful, I think!
A Cat, A Book, and A Cup of Tea 