So Much!

Name: William Joseph
Price range: $

by Trish Cooke, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Interest age: 2 to 5
Reading age: 5+

Published by Walker Books, 2008

Picture books

About this book

One by one, family members drop by on a mum and her tot – all wanting to squeeze, kiss and give undivided attention to the baby. When Dad finally homes home to a surprise birthday party, the house erupts in celebration and love. It's a night that the baby never wants to end...

This picture book is adorable: from the wonderful palette of autumnal colours (browns, taupes, russet and oranges) to the baby realising that everyone wants him 'Because they loved him so much'. It really gets to the joyful essence of a new baby and all the ways an arrival brings together a family. The double-page spread of everyone dancing with Daddy just overflows with happiness.

The text is also brilliant – written in an easy, sing-song rhythm that is fun to say aloud. It's refreshing to see it capture the cadence of an Afro-Caribbean family, with Trish Cooke writing the language as it would be spoken. It's a brilliant way for all parents and carers to talk about different cultures with children.

High-spirited, vibrant and fun.

About the author

Former children's TV presenter Trish Cooke is an Olivier nominated playwright. She writes for theatre, TV, film and radio and is a multi-awardwinning children's author. Born and still living in Bradford, Trish's parents are from Dominica. Frustrated by the lack of roles for black women, Trish began writing plays she could act in herself. Similarly, when she had her first child, the lack of black characters in children's books drove her to create stories with black children in them.

Her most popular children's book, So Much, was voted one of the 100 Best Children's Books in 2016 by Time Out. It won the Smarties Book Prize and the W H Smith Award among others. In 2009, So Much was included in the National Strategy good practice publication on raising achievement of Caribbean children at foundation stage.

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