Give the gift of reading!!! {Christmas Gift Guide}
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some gift guides, brand spotlights and some GIVEAWAYS as part of my Christmas Gift Guide series for 2018. Today we kick off with the first post in the series!
It’s no secret that I love to read, and my kids love to read…hence the creation of the #BookReviewFriday series every week! I have been so blessed this year to receive the most fabulous books to read and review, so it’s no surprise that I am doing a book guide as suggestions for gifts this year! Whether for yourself, your spouse, your kids….I really hope you’ll be wrapping up some books to go under the Christmas tree this year! I’m going to share some exciting new releases, as well as a recap of some of the books that I (and the kids) have loved this year!
The Room on The Broom Cookbook – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
The Room on the Broom Cookbook is jam-packed with spellbindingly delicious treats, healthy snacks and simple meals – all inspired by the bestselling picture book Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Make your own cheese wands, creepy crawly crackers, roasted dragon or even witch and chips. With twenty-three recipes specially designed for adults to use with children, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and lots of hints and tips on what to do next, The Room on the Broom Cookbook is a great way to inspire an interest in cooking and baking.
So I love my family, makeup, macarons…..and cooking! I don’t cook a lot though, because my mom lives with us and so she does most of…okay 99% of the cooking. I do miss cooking though, because it’s something I really love doing. My stack of cookbooks are testament to this fact. Addison also really enjoys helping me in the kitchen, but we honestly don’t do it often enough. The kids are always concerned: What if Ma dies??? What will we eat? Who will cook? I usually roll my eyes….because they seem to forget I do also cook that 1% of the time. *insert eye roll*
When Pan Macmillan kids sent this book to me…I squealed in delight. Addison herself was so excited and immediately made a list of the items she planned to make. This book is an amazing keepsake item….it’s filled with beautiful illustrations, and recipes that are really interesting sounding for the kids! This would be an ideal gift for your kids…and also ensure you spend some quality time together.
Rabbit and Bear Series – Julian Gough and Jim Field
In this laugh-out-loud funny story, a rabbit and bear discover that things are always better when they’re shared with a friend.
Bear wakes up early from hibernation. If she can’t sleep, then at least she can make a snowman.
Rabbit has never made a snowman, but he definitely wants to make one that’s better than Bear’s.
However, with an avalanche and a hungry wolf heading his way, Rabbit soon realises that it might be nice to have a friend on your side. Especially when it comes to building snowmen.
A tale of friendship, gravity, and just a little bit of poo.
There are 3 books in this series: Rabbit’s Bad Habits, The Pest in the Nest and Attack of the Snack. This is such a delightful series and Joshua read these books flat-out in under a week. They’re just under 100 pages per book, so quite a feat I thought. It’s really an easy read and the humour???….I wouldn’t even let Joshua read with his dad, because I could not miss a page of this myself! When I told him that the 4th book was in the works…he immediately wanted to know when we could pick it up!
His only complaint though, was that the illustrations are in black and white (I think they’re brilliant!), whereas the cover is in colour. He was very annoyed that Bear is black in the book and brown on the cover. I don’t know why that bugged him so much. lol. I would guess that a child upto age 9 would enjoy this series.
You’re called what
I reviewed this book previously….I think it’s really educational and so fun. Go check out my review over HERE if you missed it.
The Everywhere Bear
This is one of the first books I ever received from Pan Macmillan and I actually ended up donating it to my son’s Grade 1 class. They have a real Everywhere Bear, with the book, that goes home with a different child every few days and gets up to all sorts of adventures. Joshua has been praying to get the Everywhere Bear again to bring home….ahhh bless him.
This is just a really cute book and I absolutely loved the illustrations and the rhyming story telling. Is there anything better than rhyming sentences??? If you missed this review, you can find it over HERE. 
So seeing as I started and ended this post with books by Julia Donaldson….it’s only fitting that I have a Julia Donaldson book giveaway for FOUR of you! I have 4 SIGNED COPIES of The Cook and the King up for grabs!
What is The Cook and the King about?
There once was a very hungry king
Who needed a cook like anything . . .
. . . but the king is very fussy; he tries all the cooks in the kingdom, but no one is good enough. Then he spots Wobbly Bob. Maybe Bob can whip up his
favourite dinner? But how will Bob be able to cook for the king when he’s scared of . . . well, everything?! Discover how the hungry king helps Wobbly Bob face his fears on a cooking adventure across the land and sea.
A big thanks to Pan Macmillan Kids for providing these books for the giveaway!
How to enter:
- Name your favourite Julia Donaldson book in the comments below.
- Make sure you’re following Pan Macmillan and An Ordinary Gal on Facebook.
- Not a requirement, but it would be great if you tagged a friend on the Facebook post.
RULES:
- This competition is only open to readers residing in South Africa.
- The giveaway will run until 17:00pm, on Friday, 30th November 2018, with a winner being selected at random shortly afterwards. I will announce the winners of my giveaway on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, so make sure you follow me on all 3 social media platforms so you don’t miss the announcement.
- If no reply to my email has been received within 72hrs, a new winner will be selected.
- Ensure you complete the necessary steps to validate your entries. I have no choice but to disqualify any incorrect entries received.
- Please allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery.
27 Comments
Nasrene Sheik
My daughter simply loved me reading her Room on the broom one of her favourites from when she was little. I also like The Gruffalo. This cook book sounds like fun.
Zeenat Carrim
Haven’t read any but I know my 5yo will enjoy Room on the Broom… Sounds like easy and fun recipes to do with her ❤️
Lisa
My favourite is The Gruffalo! My kids adore it too and I know they’d be thrilled to receive another of her books! She’s so good 😁 Fingers crossed 🤞
Shenaaz Khan
Good day. My all time favourite Julia Donaldson book would have to be A squash and a Squeeze. My daughter’s really do enjoy reading all her books. They will be so thrilled to hear about the cookbook. (Would be even better to win it)
Liezel Pienaar
My favourites are Room on the broom and Tyrannosaurus Drip
Cirsten Van Den Heuvel
Gruffelo
Megan Hartwig
The Room on The Broom book stood out for my daughter when she was younger.
Chantal Dewolf
I honestly can’t choose our favorite… the Gruffalo is such a classic, the girls love The Singing Mermaid And I love Rhyming Rabbit… but in interest of winning one of your fabulous prizes, I’m going to go with Stick Man, since it gives us the Christmas feels.
Michelle Butler
My daughter and I love Sugarlump and the Unicorn!!
Debbie Cornforth
Oh Where to start!! I love them all. I think Stick Man is my favourite. Have used all of them in lesson plans or assembly lessons. eg: A squash and a squeeze when teaching children to be grateful for what they have. My favourite books 🙂
Lynn Botha
It has to be the Gruffalo… but I have many.more favourites too
Dionne Peters
We absolutely love a squash and a squeeze!
Ramon
I love all her books but my most favorite are the gruffalo and the gruffalos child a child who didn’t heed her fathers words about the big bad mouse 😊she went into the forest and encountered the mouse that wasn’t big nor bad but the clever little mouse made the gruffalos child think he was dangerous but all’s well when she runs back to her daddy for hugs and comfort I absolutely love this story!! And so does my niece! I dont mind reading it everyday all day a great book is a great book regardless who it was written for
Cara Bosch
The Cook and the King
Megan Keith
I’ve never read a Julia Donaldson book, but I’ve heard so much about The Gruffalo, and am dying to read that with my son! Megan xx
Wendy wessels
Do I have to choose one favorite 😂 we love them all- Detective Dog, The Ugly Five, Tabby McTat, Tiddler, Gruffalo, Gruffalo’s Child, Highway Rat, Stickman, A Squash and a Squeeze, Super Worm, Zog…the list goes on. She is one of the best Children’s authors out there. I love her sense of humor and they are always beautifully illustrated. But I think our favorite might be Detective Dog- the little pic of the Penguin getting takeaway pizza makes us laugh every time! We are so excited for her new book the Cook and the King – I don’t think I can wait for Christmas to get my son this one!
Roxy
The Gruffalo – would love to read more of her amazing books!
Zaheera Mahomed
My favourite is the gruffalo
Ansha Naidoo
Difficult to choose love her books an amazing author of childrens books.
If I had to choose just one it will be
Squash and a Squeeze.
Thank you for the post and giveaway.
Fatima Moolla
Both my kids all time favourite book has got to be the gruffalo. Even my 3 year old knows it by heart cover to cover now. They’re little bookworms-in-the-making so this would really be a treat!!
Tracy
Defnitely Charlie Cooks Favorite Book, What the Ladybeard Heard and The Troll. OK, that’s three, but Julia Donaldson is fantastic. My six year old adores her books and we listen to the audio books in the car on the way to school.
Margo Brink
My favorite is Tabby McTat
Carly Cane
Definitely the Cook and the King! My son insists on reading this EVERY NIGHT. Love it!
Mel Pieterkosky
Room on The Broom, is an all time favourite in my home.
Terri
My FAVOURITIST (yeh I’m making that a word) is The Snail and the Whale 🐌 🐳… what a freaking amazing giveaway!!!
Tamsyn
We all love the Gruffalo! Haven’t read any others so would be great to expand our Julia Donaldson collection! 🙂
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