I think that the picture on the front of ‘When I Grow Up’ really sums up what this delightful picture story book is all about! It shows a Mummy Bear and her son giving each other a great big hug. You just know that this is going to be the sort of warm humorous book that children will love.
Zachary is a little bear living with his mum. There are lots of things they have in common such as having the same colour fur and eyes, liking hugs and chocolate ice cream with honey on top, and feeling incredibly tired in the morning!
Zachary loves his mum so much that he tells her that when he grows up he’s going to live with her! His mum says that that’s alright but maybe there are other things he might like to do…
The story then follows all of her suggestions which range from being a famous footballer to being an ambulance driver to being a magician! Zachary quite likes all of his mum’s suggestions and agrees that he could do these things but he always concludes with the words:
‘and then I’ll come back and live with you!’
Finally, Zachary’s mum suggests that he might grow up and have children of his own to which Zachary agrees and then decides that he won’t then live with his mum BUT he will live next door!
“On each page there is so much to talk about in the pictures.”
My daughters and I love this book for a number of reasons. It is essentially a love story demonstrating the strength of the bond between mother and son (it’s another of those books that leave a warm fuzzy feeling!). It’s a very straightforward relationship between mother and son, and the words that they speak to each other are very realistic. For example, one of mum’s suggestions is that Zachary might become a baker:
‘Mmm!’ says Zachary. ‘And I’ll make sticky chocolate birthday cakes every single day.’
‘Will you let me lick the bowl?’ asks Mum.
‘I might.’ laughs Zachary.
I like this because it reminds me of those funny little conversations I have with my two daughters every day!
I also love this book because it is so full of possibilities for little children. It is basically saying that when you grow up you can be anything that you wish and that is so exciting! This can then prompt discussions with your own child about what they would like to be when they grow up too.
My daughters love this book, because they can join in with a lot of the story as there is a lot of repetitive language. They love saying ‘And then I’ll come back and live with you!’
This is an extremely well written story and to go with it there are lots of lovely illustrations. On each page there is so much to talk about in the pictures. It is written by Lennie Goodings, illustrated by Jenny Jones and published by Macmillan children’s books.
I am sitting here looking at our copy as I write this and looking at how well worn the pages are which must be the best recommendation there can be for a book! I know my daughters would agree as I think they choose this book to read more than any other!
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