Bi-lingual child question and an Usborne book question..

[Sakura]

I am raising my kids abroad and DD1 is three next month. I have no idea how her English is compared to kids raised in English-speaking countries, but Im guessing its a bit behind. Could anyone tell me what kind of books a 2.11 enjoys having read to them? She likes Spot, Poppy cat, and the Usborne books (Holiday, Farm etc). Also, I love the usborne books for their designs but I was wondering what other people thought of them. I get them because there isnt much choice here and I dont have access to book-shops so I have to buy books Ive already heard about IYSWIM. How do you rate them against other kids books and can anyone recommend any other nice kids books for this age?

A long time ago for me! You could have a look at Red House. They give age guidelines for books and you could then look at reviews on Amazon, if anything catches your eye.

Thank you for the link. Yes, by the look of that Red House her English is a bit behind (she is stuck with some of the words of the books in the "baby" section there), but seems to be developing more rapidly now than it did before.

Have you read any of the Julia Donaldson books? The Gruffalo, the Snail & the Whale etc. They are hugely popular with children around that age. Also Mick Inkpen (the Blue Balloon, various Kipper books, Lullabyhullaballoo and loads of others), and the Hairy McLary books by Lynley Dodd

DS2 is a little bit younger than your DD (he'll be 3 in Jan) but has a very vocal older brother, so his language is pretty good. He loves the Hairy McClary books, Where The Wild Things Are, The Tiger Who Came To Tea, Percy The Park Keeper and aso anything by Shirley Hughes, especially the Alfie books and Dogger. The Oliver Jeffers ones (Lost and Found, The Way Back Home, How to Catch a Star) are also lovely.

Alfie and Annie Rose were always a favourite of my 2 dc and the same author has some really nice books, nicely illustrated in a British sort of way. I remember a story about the milkman which was great for my 2 to read as there is no such thing as a milkman in Germany (maybe not in a lot of the UK either anymore but still...)

Thanks you for all the suggestions. admylin, thanks for telling me about the ones illustrated in a British way. I think I am sensitive to that sort of thing. I really don`T want them growing up wiht an American accent for example, and I want her to have a sense of British cultural identity.

Is Topsy and Tim too cringeworthy? My kids (also bilingual, growing up abroad ) have loved them (and they're cheap, light and easy to send!).
Also books by Debbi Gliori - Mr Bear says Can I have a Hug, Tickle Tickle Under there, Tell me Something Happy Before I go to Sleep, etc.
Dr Seuss Books - the cat in the hat, Red Fish Blue Fish etc.Takver and Midnight express have the same library as us, I think!