Favourite books: The Growing Story

Originally published in 1947, The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss (HarperCollins, ISBN 9780007254514), is a delightful chronicle of a year in the life of one small boy. Acclaimed illustrator Helen Oxenbury, famous for picture books like We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, has provided new, contemporary illustrations to bring the book into the 21st Century.

I love this book for its measured simplicity and its cheerful take on that bittersweet reality familiar to every parent: our children grow up far too fast! For younger Key Stage 1 children, however, growing up is an exciting and far from melancholy business, which generally happens all too slowly. As The Growing Story unfolds, children will love spotting the visual clues to indicate the passage of time.