ABOUT THE BOOK!
** This beautiful book is supported by BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE (BSL) **
“Come and see my new friends” my littlest daughter says as she takes my hand and leads me into the woods to meet a new bug or worm that has caught her eye. Her adventures inspired this story, her love of nature and her questions about the world around her. She loves to give the creatures she sees a personality.
At the Bottom of My Garden is the second in the series of ‘Rhyme and Sign’ Adventures. We’ve been sure to include all the things you loved so much when reading Our Farmyard Friends. A rhyming a repetitive story line (enabling little ones to join in easily), beautiful illustrations (we invite you to spot the surprise additions!) and the enjoyment you will get from signing alongside your baby, toddler or pre-schooler.
At the Bottom of My Garden captures the awe and wonder of childhood explorations whilst supporting emerging literacy and language skills with the addition of key BSL signs to enable little ones to retain and recall information more easily. Developed in conjunction with Little Signers Club.
WHAT DO WE THINK?
We have been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book. We very much enjoyed the first in the series “Our farmyard friends” and many of my mindees can now sign the names of farm animals as well as other key words in the story. So being asked to review the second book was very exciting! It timed nicely with our “Minibeast” topic too!
The great thing about this book is that before you read to your child there are a whole heap of useful tips on how to get the most from the story and signing. This makes it suitable for any stage in your signing journey with your little one. There is a section on helpful tips and hand shapes which will make the signing much easier.
The story has a fantastic repetitive feel to it that will engage children. Mine picked it up very quickly and joined in each time. They loved seeing a new bug on every page! The descriptions of each are so cute and all written with a rhyming flow.
EYFS LINKS!
The links to the EYFS with this book are endless. Not only does it increase language and vocabulary but by including signs it makes this inclusive of all ages and abilities. The introduction to new descriptive words support children’s language development and ability to describe the world around them. The Bugs in this story and the bright pictures of their homes and appearance help children to build an understanding of our native minibeasts. How they live, the habitats they are likely to be found in their unique qualities. Spiders making webs, snails in their shell. Each one is different!
- Communication and language
- Physical Development
- Personal, Social and Emotional
- Literacy
- Understanding the world
- Mathematics
- Expressive Art and Design