WHAT WE ARE READING RIGHT NOW
THE dodero family's current faves
'o-dod' (boy aged 4)
'b-dod' (boy aged 7)
'a-dod' (mama, age 43)
alone
barry falls
O & B: Both boys love to repeat Billy McGill's increasingly angry tirades and enjoy spotting the tiny little mouse on every page.
A: Stunningly gorgeous illustrations and a blissful book to read out loud. Celebrates friendship whilst embracing the joy of introversion. My absolute fave book of the last 2-3 years and already a classic in our house.
tyranasaurus drip
Julia donaldson & david roberts
O & B: Was a favourite of B's. Read it to O for the first time today. He was hooked at every page and asked so many clever questions.
A: JD is always a joy to read out loud to a child. This book wins extra points for its fantastically drawn characters and for championing a plant-based life!
love
Emma dodd
O: 'Can we do the snuggly bunny story?'
A: I love this book because every time we read it O recreates each picture with the baby rabbit and his mama, meaning 12 pages of snuggles and cuddles with mummy! The perfect bedtime read for a pre-schooler.
i want my hat back
jon klassen
O & B: Both boys adore this book and act out the facial expressions on every character. They even 'read' the silence on the final page!
A: A modern classic that I never tire of reading. And perfect for those who like to give accents to lots of different characters!
the koala who could
rachel bright & jim field
O & B: Good to straddle both age groups, with O now growing into this length of book.
A: My favourite RB / JF collab, with a gorgeous rhythm and strong rhyme scheme that helps non-readers to remember and recite the words. Go Kevin! (And O-Dod copies my Aussie accent which cracks me up.)
the HARRY POTTER series
J. K. ROWLING
B: Can't stop telling me about the latest plot twist and magical happening (I'm totally lost having never read them.)
A: I was worried this may be too ambitious for B-Dod but he's wolfing down these books and hungry for more! (And no nightmares as yet, phew.)
max and the midknights
LINCOLN PIERCE
B: A surprise gift from Santa (AKA our local bookseller) that B swallowed up in days and is asking for the sequels.
A: I love that it took 2 books in this series for me to realise that Max is a girl, and that B-Dod is equally engaged with this strong girl hero as he is with all the boy-centric american cartoon novels he reads (Dogman et al).
moles spectactles
Julia donaldson & axel scheffler
O: Although he's engaging in many more challenging books than this, O still takes great pleasure in lifting the flaps enjoys the satisfying denouement.
A: A more recent addition to the 'Tales From Acorn Wood' series, I LOVE the fact the O cannot say spectacles ("Espeggtables") so this is a warm-fuzzy-moment book for me.