My Life in Books (So Far...)

My first encounter with a book was when I was 12 weeks old, and Mummy read me Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo’s Child. I enjoyed listening to the rhythms as Mummy read it enthusiastically, no doubt hoping that I would be inspired by her example and take up poetry. Dream on, Mummy! I will be far too busy heading up a large multinational law firm or being a Formula One driver.

For a while mummy read The Gruffalo’s Child to me most days – it was nice sitting on her lap and hearing the repeated sounds, and a pleasant diversion from plotting world domination. After a while Mummy diversified to The Gruffalo, just to make sure I had the whole story. At this point I was still too young to interact with the book, but I imagined that one day when I met the clever mouse we would be friends. I like mice. I like their squeak, squeak, squeak! noise. And I too am very clever.

Christopher Calamari, my cuddly octopus, also started to feature in stories made up by Mummy about his seafaring adventures around Europe. These tales always began in the same way, and in a dubious pan-European accent: 'Allo Ally. My nehm is Christopher Calamari. Ah am a squid. Today I am going to tell you zee story of ow I became a ship’s captain…'

To be honest, both Daddy and I thought that these stories were a little puerile, but I humoured Mummy anyway.

When I was a little older we started reading some of the Usborne That’s Not My… books, which I still love. They have feely patches you can touch, and the books are really good to chew. I particularly like That’s Not My Elephant. Grandpa likes reading these with me and is very impressed that I know where all the textured areas are.

My current favourite books are Happy Snappy by Jo Lodge, Babies by Ros Asquith and Peekaboo Moo by Mandy Ross. I like most pop-up books or books with flaps, and books that Mummy can make animal noises with. Unfortunately I ripped the crocodile on the last page of Happy Snappy off, so Mummy has had to draw him in with a marker pen. Books are good to rip and tear.

I also like musical books, especially The Wheels on the Bus, which Mummy thinks is loud and abrasive but I think is brilliant, especially the sound of the babies laughing. I like laughing.

That’s all for now. I have some very important playing to do.

Ally (aged 13 months) xxxx