Win a Tidy Books storage set worth up to £188 with Netmums

We’re delighted to kick off the new school year with our latest competition in conjunction with Netmums.   If you’re feeling lucky, we have a great giveaway that’s easy to enter.

Lucky readers have the chance to win one of two Tidy Books storage sets:  One original Tidy Books bookcase and one Book Box, and another set of a Tidy Books bookcase and a Bunk Bed Buddy, all in our stylish natural finish.

All you have to do is visit Netmums here and send them an email!  Simple as pie.

The competition is open until 22nd September and to UK residents only.

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What are you reading this summer?

If you’re off somewhere nice this year, or you’re just relaxing in the back garden, what are you going to read?  And what are the kids going to read?

Tidy Books are off on their hols for a couple of weeks now, but before we go, I wanted to share what’s in our pile of books to curl up in a deckchair with.

The seven year old has chosen Dr Proctors Fart Powder by Jo Nesbo, a crazy adventure involving gunpowder, fart powder and space travel, and David Walliam’s Billionaire Boy, reviewed here by Active Dad.  And, finally, there is the ubiquitous, and child centred humour of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney reviewed on Childrens Books.

In the three year old’s holiday reading bag is a classic; Elmer and the Wind by David McKee, and the even more classic The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark reviewed here on Goodreads , which I was a bit dubious about when my three year old pulled it off the shelf until I saw it way by Jill Tomlinson.  And from Playing by the Book’s recommendation, we also splashed out on newly released Thank You For Looking After Our Pets by Tim Hopgood.

I’m hoping that this will keep them quiet enough for me to get further into Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother Series.  Have ploughed through books 1-3 and hooked already.  They are fantastic for children and adults alike, and remind me of Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials Trilogy.

Have a fantastic time with what’s left of the summer.  And we’d love to hear what you’ve all been reading.  Happy reading!

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Do you ever hide some of your kid’s books?

Kids and reading is a topic which we are naturally enthusiastic about.  But, sometimes, children keep bringing you the most tedious book to read, which they clearly love.  Have you ever been tempted to hide these books?

In our house, the three year old has developed obsessions about the Traffic Club books, which are brilliant at teaching kids road safety, but very dull for the grown up to read again and again.   Other books that top my list of ones to hide are anything by Richard Scarry, and the Topsy and Tim and Berenstain Bears series.

I have to stress that my three year old loves them.  I think the appeal of reading about real life situations is very strong.   I do gather my patience and read them, but I have to admit to hiding them when we’ve read the same one every night for a week!

What books do your kids love, but make you groan (inwardly or outwardly) when they bring them out?  Do you hide them when you can’t take any more?  When you take them out of the kids’ bookcase, where do you hide them?

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A really useful idea for bilingual families: Book Box review and giveaway

We knew that our Book Box was great at organizing the piles of kids books often dotted around the house, but we were especially intrigued by the insight into how a bilingual family would go about using it.   Canadian blogger Mommy Moment puts her daughters’ books in French on one side and English on the other, providing a great way of not just keeping kids’ books organized, but keeping them ordered by language.

Mommy Moment who reviewed the Tidy Books Box, loved its sturdy, quality construction, and often finds one of her children “cuddled beside the Book Box” browsing their books, and then even putting them back in the Box when they’re finished.

Mommy Moment is hosting our latest giveaway, and you have the chance to win a Tidy Books Box, or a Bunk Bed Buddy, our bedside shelf especially for bunk beds.  You can enter here, and do as much or as little as you like to make an entry.

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Summer reading tricks: The Summer Reading Challenge 2011

There is genuine excitement in our house at the prospect of the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge; Circus Stars.  The seven year old, a veteran of previous challenges such as Space Hop and Quest Seekers,  looks forward to collecting his stickers, chart and medal – rewards for going to the library and reading six books over the summer holidays.

Created by the Reading Agency, and rolled out in libraries, the Reading Challenge is great for enthusing sometimes reluctant readers, and not so reluctant readers, aged 4- 11 to keep up their reading out of school.  There is an added incentive of getting your certificate sent to your school, which is given out in assembly.

During the summer, most libraries have events to entice young readers in, and the Circus Stars website you can create your avatar (along the lines of Madison the Intrepid Balancer) , as well as play games, and there’s a place to leave your reading recommendations, and ask questions of the Ringmaster.   The seven year old gave the games a whirl, but wasn’t blown away by them, but that’s not really the point of Circus Stars.

Do your kids get involved with Summer Reading Challenges?  Does it engage them?  You can find your local library here

A quick look around the world on other summer reading projects or programmes has brought up these suggestions if you’re not in the UK, but perhaps you know of a better one?

The Collaborative Summer Reading Program in the US

The Chicago Public Libraries has one called Book Beats

and blogger An Ordinary Mom has some suggestions to find local ones, and one in Barnes and Noble Bookshops

And of course, if you’re in Australia, summer has been and gone.  How was your Reading Challenge?

Happy reading!

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