Book Review - The Ladies Book of Baking.

Its the Summer holidays and obviously its raining here. When the weather is gloomy and grey my mind tends to turn to food. Any food. Its a boredom thing I suppose. My kitchen shelf is weighed down with cookery books, bought in the hope of a) alleviating that boredom and b) providing my family and I with tasty dishes. Most are dog eared and well worn. I have my favourites, of course, but I'm always on the look out for something new.

When I went to BritMums Live this year I met a very lovely lady from Parragon books who asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing a couple of cookery books. Well, obviously, at the mention of "cookery books" my ears pricked up and although my blog is not specifically a cookery blog, I thought "Why not?"

So I headed home with a sparkly new book called The Ladies' Book of Baking. Now, before I tell you about it you need to know that my opinion is unsullied by the fact that I was given it for free!!And I am not being paid to write about it ... so read on, safe in the knowledge that you are getting a very honest review. Ta dah!

I have to say that at first glance at the book's pretty, glittery cover I thought "Well this probably isn't that great a book - more style over substance..." But, you know what? I was wrong.

The book is full of useful tips and hints and each recipe is set out neatly and succinctly so that its easy to follow. I like the step by step method rather than long paragraphs.

The recipes are a mix of classics such as Viennese Fingers and Red Velvet cake and imaginative twists on originals like Raspberry Crumble Muffins. All are easy to follow and follow the theme of afternoon tea bakes.

I also like the photocopiable pages of labels and cake flags which are pseudo vintage and I would imagine would look pretty as a picture on a cake.

The book is well laid out and the pages wipe clean - which to me, as a bit of a messy cook is a bonus! Usually my recipe pages are splattered with chocolate and the battle wounds of the kitchen!!

I think the only down side of The Ladies Book of Baking is the print. It may be my age, but I found myself squinting to read the delicate typeface on the pastel pages and had to resort to my specs, but I think this is a failing I could learn to live with!!

All in all this book is a good buy - perhaps as a gift for a young cook. If you are an experienced cook then I would imagine that its contents will already be covered in your cookery book shelves, but I like it and will be attempting, possibly, the Chocolate Mint Cake Pops at any moment!!

Phonics and what works best when teaching children to read.

For the last 8 years I have worked in Year 1 of a Primary school. One of the best bits of my job is helping children learn to read and I have watched with interest the debate on whether phonics are the best way to achieve this. Today I read an article on Mumsnet which put both sides of the argument, but I thought, as someone who works every day with children, I would put my two pen'orth in as well!

In the U.K the government want schools to use phonics to teach children to read. They want them to be tested at the end of Year 1 when they are 6 and if they have not achieved a certain level their parents will be informed.

Other parties such as the writer Michael Rosen argue that phonics should be only part of the regime to teach reading and that:

  What really matters is what produces young readers who read for meaning and want to read more and more and more, now and for the rest of their lives. 

As someone who thinks phonics are an essential part of learning to read I was ready to disagree with Michael Rosen as he seemed to be condemning their use. However, as I read more of what he had to say and thought more about what I actually do at work, I found myself agreeing with him. To be honest, although the government might lay down rules, what actually happens is that the staff working day by day with children use all sorts of ways to encourage their reading skills and ability.

Reading is not something that happens magically when you start school. A love of reading starts when you snuggle up with your child way before they are school or even nursery age. Having books around the house, reading bedtime stories, looking at books together on a rainy day ... or a sunny day if we ever get one, that's where it starts.

Its about learning to turn pages, following the words with your finger so your child begins to learn that the story begins here and finishes here, talking about what's happening in the pictures ... Its knowing that your love of books as a parent is absorbed by your children. Its about sharing books together, asking your child's opinion on what's happening, what might happen, how are the characters feeling ... 

Year after year the children who read well are the children who have support and input from home so that by the time they reach school they are already on their way to enjoying books - whether they be story books or non-fiction.

Phonics are the building blocks of reading, but they are not the only tool in the teacher's box. For me, phonics are essential for children to be able to build words, decode words and the correct pronunciation of them is essential too. But the language surrounding them scares people ... What are phonemes, synthetic phonemes,  graphemes,digraphs, split digraphs?? I know because I work in school and I work in Year 1, but how many people outside of that sphere could say? The language alienates parents and makes it all sound like something scary and scientific. All it is really is the basic sounds - not ABC, but a as in at, b as in bob and c as in cat.

Phonemes are the sounds in our words. Graphemes are the way they are written. Digraphs are 2 letters put together to make a sound - like ch or sh. A split digraph is where 2 letters are split to make a sound - like     a-e, so rat becomes rate. The split digraph or 'magic e' changes the vowel from its short sound  to its name in the alphabet ... bit - bite, con - cone, cut - cute ...

Where I work we know our way round the library - which books work for which problems - which books are fun, which ones suit particular needs. That's how it should be. Its about encouragement and enjoyment.

What really helps is support at home - reading each evening. Yet so often children don't get that support - maybe they do their reading in the back of the car on the way to school with their grown up unaware of whether they are actually reading or just making up words, or there's 'not enough time', sometimes reading at home is a battle. Sometimes, in fact very often, reading becomes a competition. Parents want their children to shoot up the reading levels as quickly as possible, writing notes like "too easy!" or "next book!!". Its not a competition!!! Sometimes its lovely to have a book that you can read easily and enjoy - don't you think? Reading shouldn't be like training for a triathlon ... full of sweat, frustration and hurt.

In our classroom we have a reading corner full of pluffy cushions and gorgeous books that children can curl up and read or 'read' for pleasure and I love seeing them do so, maybe reading to each other.

Of course we have to assess them, but this is done continuously - not in some government test, but individually, with praise and encouragement. Some children take longer than others to learn - perhaps literacy is not a strong point at home or perhaps they have a particular problem, but with care and dedication they get there. If they don't get support from home they get extra support at school. I love it when a child with whom I have worked in Year 1 comes to me when they are in Year 2 or 3 and proudly says "Can I read with you?". To sit down and listen to them reading is a joy. Spending time together with a book can be time spent sharing more than the book - thoughts, fears, hopes.

Michael Rosen is right when he says that phonics shouldn't be the only tool used, but it has, in my opinion, to be the starting point in school. Our language is hard and there are tricky words where phonics don't work, but you have to start somewhere and by having the building blocks of sound as a tool you are given a method of accessing books. Its our job as grown ups and school staff to add to this by encouraging children to enjoy books and understand their meaning - after all there's no point being able to read if you have no idea what the words mean.

As someone who loves reading I love sharing my enjoyment with others and really what matters most to me is that the children in my care are helped in every way to learn the skill of reading which they can carry with them through life. 

Trying to learn about autism.

You may have noticed the book I am reading at the moment. You may not have noticed, but bear with me! My friend at work lent it to me. I have only just started it, but already it is a book that is hard to put down. It is called Multicoloured Mayhem and its by Jacqui Jackson. If you click on my GoodReads section on the right hand panel you can find out more about it.

It deals with the family of Jacqui Jackson, a remarkable lady who has 7 children, 4 boys and 3 girls. All the boys are on the autistic spectrum. As a person who does occasionally come into contact with autistic children through my work I am eager to discover more about autism and its many 'colours' as Jacqui would say.

From what I have learned it would seem that there are as many colours of autism as there are autistic people. Each person has their own very special traits which can make their lives both very difficult and very different to those of us in the 'normal' range. I have to state here that I consider myself very lacking in knowledge when it comes to autism. It is a mystery to me and that is why I want to find out more. Our reactions to children with autism although well meant can often be completely the wrong thing to do. Putting an arm round an upset child seems to be a natural reaction, but to an autistic child the action can feel threatening, the touch like fire.

The last thing that I want to do is hurt or upset a child through my own ignorance. This book speaks from the point of view of a mother and a remarkable mother at that. Her patience is incredible. When realising that one of her sons was unable to follow her finger to where she was pointing she began a long process of training him by colouring the tip of her finger red and attaching a length of red ribbon from her finger to the window where she had placed a red smiley face. Over time she got him to follow the red ribbon to the face and then she slowly shortened the ribbon until he understood how to follow an imaginary line from her finger tip to where she was pointing. Now that's dedication.

Understanding an autistic child's literal view of things is essential too. To a child with autism 'crying your eyes out' is a scary thought. I have a long way to go in my understanding and I have to admit that I find understanding autism very difficult. For me body language and facial expressions are easy to understand. For me approaching life with a sense of humour is second nature. But in my job I have to think more and more about how I speak, the language I use as autistic children do not have the same understanding or outlook on life. For those of you who know about these things please don't worry - I am only a small cog and am not connected to any autistic children right now. I just want to learn for when I do come into contact with them so I can give them my best care.

When I have finished reading I will write a more thorough review, but for now if you are interested I would say its well worth having a look at.

Book Review of Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds: Wisdom and Enlightenment of the Past and Present. (3rd edition).

A little while ago I wrote a review of Now:Embracing the Present Moment by Richard Singer. I was thrilled when the author himself contacted me to ask me if I would write a review of the third edition of his book Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds:Wisdom and Enlightenment of the Past and Present.

Now I am in a dilemma because I believe that honesty is paramount and I want to write an honest review of the book. When I read Now:Embracing the Present Moment it touched a part of me very deeply. I absolutely loved it. I have to say though that Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds:Wisdom and Enlightenment of the Past and Present is not for me.

Both books embrace the same ethos - that of seizing the moment, but where the first is a book that one can dip into, the second, to me, is more a recipe for daily life. It seems to be designed to be read every day and to be used as a tool for self improvement, self enrichment.

Each day of the year is provided for with a book of the month to read and a daily meditation on which to ponder. The reader is guided through each day with gentle suggestions that lead towards positivity and an emphasis on living in the 'Now'. Personal journalling is encouraged and the book is not a short term quick and easy read. This is a book aimed at people who are prepared to put in a lot of care, thought and effort.

Some of the monthly book suggestions are books that I have found inspiring - for example Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven.The sentiments of the book are genuine, heartfelt and will definitely inspire people. Unfortunately, however, I just don't think its for me. 

Maybe its because I am a bit of a cynic or maybe its because I don't feel I need that much improvement (that does sound a bit arrogant doesn't it??) but the book left me cold. Where Now:Embracing the Present Moment inspired me Your Daily Walk irritated me with its use of language. Perhaps its my down to earth Englishness but sentences like 'Today I will remember that I have a vital purpose in this universe and that it is my responsibility to fulfil this obligation.' are not my cup of tea.

Now, having said all this don't let me put you off. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean you might not find Your Daily Walk fantastic. This book is in its third edition and Richard A Singer is well regarded, but I am not going to lie and say that I loved it because I didn't. 

Book Review of Go the F*ck to Sleep ...

A little while ago I received an email inviting me to write reviews for the Blogcritics site. I was really pleased to be asked and have written a couple of reviews so far. The following review appeared on Blogcritics today. I have to say that I really loved this book - it actually made me laugh out loud!

Article first published as Book Review: Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach on Blogcritics.

A Review of Go the F*ck to Sleep, by Adam Mansbach

As a mother of two boys now aged 11 and 13 I can only wish that this book had been written when I was struggling through sleepless nights and ghastly bedtimes with my little dears! I think that any parent with young children will recognise the tone of voice in which this book is written – recognising the frantic desperation and ever present guilt suffered by parents. I would have loved, as I cried myself to sleep, to have known that I was not alone in being “fed up”, to say the least, with being a mum!

I laughed out loud at the beautifully written lines which would give a Gruffalo a run for his money! The juxtaposition of gorgeous illustrations, courtesy of Ricardo Cortes, and the poetry that mimics many a children’s story book taps into the rebellious side of any parent. Each stanza ends with a desperate, but wickedly funny line that had me giggling with guilty understanding.

At a glance Go the F*ck to Sleep with its bright paintings of babies, kittens, moonlight and mountains  would slip into any nursery bookcase, but maybe this would not be a wise idea. It’s more a guilty pleasure – to be savoured away from young eyes.

I think that this book should definitely take its place as a compulsory gift, given about three weeks after becoming first time parents. It’s about this time you realise that having a baby is not a laugh a minute and the guilt over the thought that maybe having a baby wasn’t such a great idea after all, is just kicking in. Haggard and exhausted parents the world over would benefit from a read of this, accompanied by a glass of wine or a large bar of chocolate. Possibly both.

Adam Mansbach has taken a bold step in writing a book that totally understands an unspoken part of parenthood. I don’t imagine there are too many parents who can honestly say they don’t identify with Mansbach’s take on the art of being a mum or dad and haven’t spent time trying desperately to get a child to sleep. Part of me cringes at the use of the “F” word like this, but somehow it works. It’s funny – very funny. Placing an expletive in the title of what appears to be a children’s book is a real taboo, but obviously, this is not a children’s book and when you are drowning in a never ending stream of nursery rhymes in the sugary sweet realm of early parenthood Go the F*ck to Sleep is a refreshing shot of reality.

Book Crossing - an ecologically friendly way to read!

I have just joined a book crossing site. I have heard of these things, but never before indulged.You register and then 'release' books around the world with a label in and see how far they travel, where they travel, who reads them and so on....

In turn you can 'hunt' books and read them then release them back into the 'wild' !! This is all a bit of friendly fun and an ecologically friendly way of sharing books. I certainly have a shelf full of books which I intermittently take to the Charity shop. I keep my best and favourites, but there are always a few that I would be very happy to share with the book crossing community - and don't worry, they're not rubbish!!

Have you indulged in Book Crossing? Do you want to join the Book Crossing site? Let me know what you think...

Reading for pleasure - who wouldn't do it??

I have been sitting outside in the sunshine, reading Dombey and Son and taking notes.There is nothing nicer at the end of a day at work than to be at home with no pressing chores and be able to settle down to read. There is a friend of mine who never seems to read.We started our book club and she came along as a social member - not by design, but because she never got round to reading anything.

She always seem to think it quite funny that she never read, but, after a while, it began to slightly irritate me. The rest of us led busy lives too, but we managed to find the time, usually just before bed, to read. I wondered at how awful it must be, not to read. I suppose that what you don't do, you don't miss. Reading has never been a chore for me - more an absolute pleasure.I would be mortified to admit to people that I never read.I think some people see it as some sort of badge of honour .... an achievement...I certainly don't see it as that. If, for some reason, I did not read, I certainly would not admit to it...

I am not saying that you have to huddle in a darkened room with only a reading light and a copy of Solzhenitsyn for company. But whatever is your chosen pleasure - whether it be Dickens or Danielle Steele, Bronte or Grisham - reading is a pleasure. It is an escape from the everyday world, an escape into a world where one can experience other lives, other emotions. For me it is relaxation and therapy...

I would imagine that most of you who enjoy blogs and blogging enjoy reading too... What do you read? Who do you read? I would love to know...