Ideal for toddlers

Buzzy Bee’s Birthday Party   &   Buzzy Bee’s Food Shapes
by Joy Cowley
Illustrations by Richard Hoit

  
  You can hardly go wrong buying these two books as presents for toddlers – the main character is New Zealand wooden toy icon Buzzy Bee, and the author is Joy Cowley, who has written hundreds of children’s books, many of those award winning.
    Joy Cowley really ‘gets’ the way to write a book for very young children, with simple vocabulary, repetition of sentences, and minimal detail, which allows the point of the story to be clear to small children.
   These books introduce early maths skills of counting and shape identification.  They are simple stories with a funny end (at a toddler level of humour!). 
   The characters will be recognised by parents and grandparents as well known New Zealand children’s wooden toys, and children will also recognise them from their popular television show. 
   Being small, easy to hold board books with colourful illustrations, these books are ideal for toddlers.  With their simple language, they may also be good for children who are starting to learn to read for themselves.  

Review by Annie Whiterod

Buzzy Bee’s Birthday Party
Buzzy Bee’s Food Shapes
Author: Joy Cowley; illustrator Richard Hoit
Available: bookshops