Right Reads: Best of books!

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Supermarket! by Charlotte Doyle & Nadine Bernard Westcott

If you are looking for a picture book to prepare your child for regular trips to the supermarket, this is a wonderful choice. I bought this book when my toddler was about 9 months old and he loved flipping through the book while I read out the words.

The first page begins with the Mother entering the sliding doors of the supermarket, with the toddler in the child’s seat. They move through section by section, with single words highlighting the various items a child would pass by while trundling through a supermarket.

The words and illustrations pick up speed and urgency e.g. from “Cherries.” to “Mop!” as the Mother frantically tries to finish her shopping before the Child does further damage…

What I like about the book is that the illustrations are simple but vivid enough to attract and hold a young child’s interest. Also, the single words on each page form an exciting storyline, which will engage a young child and arouse his interest and emotions.

The storyline is familiar yet quirky enough for both Mothers and kids to laugh over and enjoy together.

The items encountered in the supermarket may be more suitable for a Western child, while a child from other parts of the world may not be able to identify with some of the food or sundries the Mother bought.

Reading this book together with Toddler is always an easy joy. Even with only one word on each page, amounting to ten over words, we still ended up with an exciting and fulfilling story. Highly recommended if you want to introduce familiar concepts to tots in a fun way.

Tags: babies, picture book, toddlers by KittyCat
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What to Expect: The Toddler Years
by Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway
(ISBN: 978-0894809941)

This is the third book in the “What to Expect Series” after “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” and “What to Expect: The First Year”.

Many people I know are turned off by these series because:

a) it’s thick - almost 800 pages

b) its print is small - about 8 point

c) it’s got no colorful photos - only line drawings where necessary and

d) it’s very factual

However, I love the series because:

a) it’s very factual

b) it’s compiled based on the experiences of thousands of women out there

c) it’s written by journalists, who are some of the best writers out there because they need to do extensive research and cross-check their facts

d) it’s by an established publisher i.e. Simon & Schuster

e) it presents both the good and bad points of every issue, while suggesting the better choice (not promoting/persuading) and

f) it’s written in a conversational and humorous style

My only gripe is that it’s too Western-oriented (even though the writers have tried to include references to Black and Asian children where they can) and their experiences relating to Asian children seem to me like token entries.

Tags: non-fiction, toddlers by KittyCat
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Yoga for Pregnancy by Doriel Hall & Francoise Barbira Freedman

I came across this book when I was in my 4th month of pregnancy. Its tagline

“the safe and gentle way to prepare your body and mind for birth, in step-by-step sequences caught my attention”

as I’m a strong advocate of gentle yoga.

As a yoga practitioner since 2002, I was happy to see that yoga applies during pregnancy too and while I miss my yoga instructor, I found this manual a good companion.

It has a sound introduction to yoga (its basic concepts, breathing methods, practice and benefits) clearly illustrated in step-in-step sequence.

There are also colour drawings of the human anatomy to further explain the position of the baby in the womb and how our posture and movements affect him. Each section concludes with a box of frequently asked questions.

The next section focuses on a Healthy Conception. As with ethical yoga practices, the book does not prescribe ‘miracles’ and is careful to stress that yoga will help you to reduce your stress levels and balance all systems. This, in turn, benefits your body and helps achieve the optimum conditions to have a baby.

The following sections are dedicated to each trimester of a pregnancy, each with suitable poses and stretches for each week. The clear instructions and accompanying photos helped me to follow the various exercises suggested and thoroughly enjoyed the stretching and relaxation poses.

The lead author, Doriel Hall, is a yogi trained in India and is keen to share the physical and mental benefits of yoga without favouring any particular stream of yoga. One of the strengths I find of this book is the stress she places on being careful not to overstretch yourself and to ensure correct posture at all times.

As a long-term yoga practitioner, I am familiar with the breathing and proper posture required for the best of yoga. I will recommend this book to readers who are familiar and who have attended a proper yoga class.

For the complete beginner (especially a pregnant one), it is really best that she attends a class with a trained and certified instructor experienced with such advanced postures.

Tags: fitness, pregnancy by KittyCat
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