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Children's books

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Could anyone recommend a reference type book or books for an inquisitive four year old?

5 replies

SnoozleDoozle · 12/07/2011 16:35

My DD, who is four, is a questioner. Its constant, from when we get up in the morning to when we go to bed at night. That's great, DH and I are glad that she is bright, interested in the world etc, but she is asking questions that we don't know the answers to! We are both bright enough, well enough educated etc but she seems to ask a lot of scientific stuff, that neither of us have studied at any stage or know anything about.

e.g. why does changing the shape of your mouth make a different sound? how does the sound reach your ears? why do the plants need sun? how is a plane engine different to a car engine? why do some flowers come back every year but some flowers don't?

We are exhausted trying to answer things that we don't really know much about ourselves, and I don't want to fob her off with wrong information.

Can anyone recommend an age appropriate book that might help?

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RuthChan · 12/07/2011 18:53

Isn't it great to have a 4 year old who is interested in so many things!
Yesterday, mine asked me 'where did the world come from?', 'Do people live on other planets?' and 'Why do men have nipples?'.

Like you, I too wanted a book to help answer such questions. However, I wanted less words and was looking for something with good pictures to help illustrate my answers.
In the end, I chose the WOW Encylopedia of Everything.

www.amazon.co.uk/Wow-Encyclopedia-Everything-Dorling-Kindersley/dp/1405322489/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310493086&sr=8-1

It covers a wide range of topics and has good illustrations.
It does have some good text, but less than other encyclopedias, which is what I was looking for.

I wonder if it would be suitable for your needs too?

munstersmum · 13/07/2011 10:56

Not one book alone but take a look at Usborne flap books eg Inside Science, Inside Your Body, How Things Work etc (can get on Amazon now).

jongleuse · 13/07/2011 13:16

Mine also loved The Story of Everything by Neal Layton and a lift the flap one called The Wonderful World Book by Kate Petty. In fact I'm almost sure that last one was recommended by a MNetter when I asked a similar question a couple of years ago!

meala · 13/07/2011 13:22

I've just been reading some of the "i wonder why" books to my 3 and 5 year olds. They love them. Their are loads of titles on different topics.

SnoozleDoozle · 14/07/2011 20:05

Thanks so much for your suggestions, I will definitely check those out.

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