Learn With Alex and Anna by Peter Hayward.

                Learn With Alex and Anna by Peter Hayward.

And now for a complete change…children's books for your child or grandchild. This was my area of expertise when I was in educational management and conducting some post-grad research into reading so it is an area I am more than happy to promote.

"Each story is written around a basis of positive family, personal and social values," didactic in nature. Series 1 will consist of 20 books, 9 of which have already been published. Peter Hayward covers a wide range of themes: train journeys, rain molecules, road safety, acorns, seat belts and a plethora of other relevant subjects. All of them are well-illustrated with the added bonus of primary colours so the reds, blues and yellows are appealing for the young readers.

"With the aid of significant people helping them on their life's journey, Alex and Anna are duly taught educational subjects whilst learning important life skills in a fun and friendly way."


Alex the Superhero: Grandpa arrives just before the imminent birth of Anna to do some DIY dressed in his extra large shirt which he believes is the suitable attire for a superhero. A touch of make-believe, inventiveness which is needed in children's stories can be seen when Grandpa and his little soldier go to school looking out for someone or something that might need rescuing! Important work.

"When they arrived at the school, they had both orbited their pretend world three times. Having saved lots of people and loads of animals, Grandpa was almost exhausted."

After school, Alex wears a makeshift red cape (a bath towel) as "Alex the superhero was everywhere in a flash." He even saves Freddie, the family dog from monsters. Whilst Alex is "saving" lives his mummy gives birth to Anna so an excitable Alex visits his baby sister and sees some babies in what he thinks are "fish tanks." He learns about why some babies are kept in incubators. Alex thinks that "superheroes fly through the air and save people." Mummy teaches him truisms: "Real superheroes don't {fly}because real superheroes are like you." A strong moral emerges here: "Being a real superhero means you are kind and helpful."

Alex the Fireman Saves the Flowers:
"Fire officers are very brave people. They help lots of people in trouble every day. They are heroes."
Alex and Anna visit their Auntie Lucy with Grandpa who has agreed to fit some extra smoke alarms. Auntie Lucy demonstrates how they work and Grandpa explains why it's important to have an extractor or a chimney to allow the bad air and gases to escape. The children tighten the screws which makes them feel proud and important. They both "took a bow as everyone congratulated them with a big round of applause." On the way to the park they heard real sirens blaring, on their way to a house fire. Alex was "mesmerised" and "looked on in awe at this astonishing sight."


He was able to climb into one of the fire engines and sit in the driver's seat before being given an unexpected gift-a special fire officer's hat to cherish. Hosing Auntie Lucy's flowers later seemed a bit of an anti-climax after the day's events.
"Visiting and helping members of their family was always packed full with fun and learning."
This is evident in the story.

The Burping Competiton: Don't we know that laughter is contagious so when Alex "took in huge gulps of air and a small burp erupted from him" this turned into a burping match with Grandpa who was willing to oblige. Onlookers were bemused by this. A visit by the midwife to check on Anna's progress also allowed Alex an opportunity to find out about burping and the function of the brain. We learn how the eyes focus, how hearing improves and how speech starts. We are also told about the ideomotor effect.


"Some fathers and grandfathers think that only mums and grandmas should change nappies and feed babies." The story dispels this idea and we are told that Alex's father is a very "hands-on-father" as well as Grandpa who feeds and changes Anna. The books are aimed primarily at the 6-10 age group and are available from Amazon.co.uk

Publisher: Alex and Anna Publishing. ISBN: 978-1-49976-1894/978-1500-632-762/978-1499-753820.

REVIEW it by Carol Naylor.

Copyright 2015. Permission must be obtained from the author before any of this article review is reproduced.

 I have the first 8 books to give to someone who can email me with contact details explaining why their child or grandchild would enjoy reading the books. Email: carolesleynaylor@gmail.com The winner will be notified by the end of March 2015.
The winner is: Jean Summers of Leeds, UK. Congratulations.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Stranger From Lagos by Cyprian Ekwensi

Image
  image courtesy of Google images   Ekwensi was born in Nigeria in 1921. He wrote about the country and people of Nigeria-city life and life in the rural areas. Loko Towns and Other Stories was published in 1966. A Stranger From Lagos was one of the nine stories in that collection.   The writer explores the place of women in society. Lilian is trapped by social conventions. Her fiance treats her like a possession as if he owns her. It is written in third person to allow the writer's thoughts to merge with Lilian's. The protagonist is unable to speak to the stranger in public although it is obvious that there is a strong physical attraction between the two. If Lilian asserts herself she will go against social conventions (for females) and her reputation will be damaged through rife and unhealthy gossip. She will therefore be stigmatised as a loose woman. The story explores her inner conflicts in accepting these "conventions" or flaunting them as well ...
Read more

A Stranger From Lagos by Cyprian Ekwensi Final Part

Image
                                                                    courtesy of Google images Lilian uses her sexuality to liberate as well as attract the opposite sex. Ekwensi uses "wiggled." Lilian had just had her hair done and was wearing very large, loop earrings. This had been done for her lover's benefit. She was conscious of all the eyes watching the two of them. The writer uses the simile: she felt like something projected on a 3D screen for all Onitsha to view. We are told very little about the stranger other than that he was tall and good-looking. We are told he didn't feel embarrassed by all of the attention. He would ruin her reputation...
Read more

A Bit of Singing and Dancing by Susan Hill

Image
Here you'll find 11 varied but intense stories about emotional struggles of ordinary people trying to get to grips with life. For some unfortunates, the adjustment is too great and tragedy is inevitable, something very characteristic of Hill's writing as many of you will already know. A Bit of Singing and Dancing is less dramatic and not quite so tragic. I can stay out here just as long as I like, I can do anything I choose, anything at all, for now I am answerable only to myself. Esme is still coming to terms with her mother's death and her new-found freedom. She is over 50 years of age and has reluctantly been forced into caring for her forthright and domineering bedridden mother for 11 years prior to her death. She had been half-alive satisfying her mother's needs and repressing her own needs and desires. Her mother's death had given her a new lease of life, an unexpected freedom which also attracted fear and bewilderment to someone who had been so sheltered...
Read more