Updated!! Fill in the blank (A Book Review and a Giveaway around the world!)

When it comes to JED, I sometimes like books with no or few words. I like the book Tuesday with 12 words in it and I really liked this book that Fish Book Co Ltd sent out to JED. It's essentially a picture book of emotions as narrated by a fish, who is talking about emotions that little children encounter.

JED obviously descended onto it like a pack of wolves and in between snapping photos, I got them to point out which fish they like best and I asked them why. Jordan loved the proud fish, Evan the sad fish and Muffin the furious one.

The reasons?
Jordan: The proud fish is beautiful and looks like how my ballet teacher says I must look.
Evan: Because the fish is sad, like me. (He was being sulky because he didn't get to open the package the book came in)
Muffin: The fish look like that, because he ate a cockroach. He don't like cockroach.

That is precisely why I like books with few or no words. It gives them the opportunity to weave their own stories and gives me an opportunity to see what goes on in the mysterious little heads. And they really attached themselves to the pictures. Even after leaving the book and exploring others, they gravitated back to the same pictures again, though for different reasons.

Jordan also asked immediately if they could draw their own fish. Being the resident artist in the house, we got her to pencil in the sad and furious fish for her less artistically inclined-but happy to muck about- brothers.         

We don't really know what happened to Evan and Muffin's fish though, we suspect they got bored with it and disposed of it when we weren't looking, or just poured paint on it and mucked about. Jordan came up with her own version of a proud fish and  obviously, she was very proud of it. She has a knack for taking inspiration from something and drawing it in her own style.

So, yay to the book that kept JED occupied the whole afternoon. Muffin claimed the book was his because he has a thing for marine creatures and what better than a book of fish. I am thankful they love books. And I am grateful when people pass us books their kids have outgrown or when people like Fish Book Co send me books like this.

My most recent way of getting JED to stop fighting is to declare 5 minute time outs where they are to take a book, go to different corners of the house and read. And they are quite happy to do that and they actually do it for more than 5 minutes. That is when I am actually able to sit down and finish breakfast/ lunch/ dinner/ an email/ a blog post...

As I am writing this post, Jordan is using the book to teach Muffin how to read and explaining to him the different emotions. "ANGRY" She roars, "WHEN YOU SPOIL MY TOYS!" to which Muffin replies "Sorry Jie Jie. I am sad, Jie Jie angry!" Evan has waltzed in and added his two cents worth. "This one is anxious. You know anxious? When you watch TV and the zombie pumpkin (his biggest TV fear) is going to pop out and you don't know when? Your heart beat very fast!"

I love that they are at an age where they don't need me to initiate discussions and conversations about books and that they can read and explain things to Muffin. Funnily, they are more willingly engaged in it when I don't step in. And I'm not complaining and loving the eavesdropping.

Incidentally, Muffin has taken to bringing the book to school and they've used the book in school for various things. For devotion (it is a Christian kindy after all) to talk about why jealousy wasn't a bad thing, for their art theme on how fireworks were amazing and even emotionally where the teachers reminded them how they were all anxious on the first few days in school and cried for their mommies.

Fish Book Co has also set up a FB page with a whole lot of interesting activities related to the book. Evan gravitated toward it because there was a post with two sharks in it talking to each other. They will also be at the Rise and Shine Expo between the 27th to 29th of September where there will be an art competition. The winners of the art competition will have their fish featured in a subsequent book that is to be published! But whatever the reason, JED seem to be totally enthralled with the idea of the fish who is so expressive and the many conversations that I am still hearing about it are tickling me no end.

Anyway, Fish Book Co have offered me 5 additional copies of the book which I would like to share. If anyone would like a copy, simply do what JED did. Leave a comment, "Today, I am feeling _____________ (insert emotion) because __________________( insert reason)".

The 5 most interesting/ out of this world ones will get a copy. But to do so, please
1. Pop over to Fish Book Co's FB Page and 'Like' it.
2. Leave a comment here with your name and your email address (otherwise it gets really tricky trying to get in touch with you) and unlike most other giveaways, this is open to readers from all over the world.
3. Sit back and keep your fingers crossed that we'll pick you on 5 September 2013.


UPDATE:
Jordan had the honours of reading through all the comments and picking the ones she liked best! Here were the ones she picked!
1. Sheri- Hope the little one is feeling better!
2. Mel- Hopefully you'll be able to show the book to the little school going one!
3. Mag- Maybe your little one can read it while she's on the potty!
4. Nursing Cow- Wow! I'm amazed and impressed with your porridge cooking efforts!
5. Yvonne- Dental visits are worth a prize!

Congratulations! Check your emails! Fish Book Co will get in touch with you soon!

Disclaimer: We got a complimentary “Today I Am” book as part of a book review. No other monetary compensation had been received.The views and pictures are all Diaperbag's.