There’s no surprise – we love reading a new book. My children’s school teacher may argue otherwise as I never seem to read the school books with the kiddos (I do, but it’s sporadic) but they love getting a brand new book to read. The kids have a good collection but there’s always room for more!
I’ve been away from the blog for a little while since my last post as I’ve developed eye strain and pressure building up behind the eyes. Sitting at the computer and blogging using the phone have not been easy on my eyes. I’ve been to the opticians and my prescription’s changed a lot since my last check up so I’ll be getting new glasses. A couple weeks ago, we were sent a delightful children’s book called ‘Big Splash Circus’ written by Karina Choudhrie. I’ve read it a few times with the kids and Little Man’s read it himself once too. Both of them have enjoyed the story book in their own ways.
This book is filled with beautiful and colourful illustrations sure to take your children on a little journey with Lantern Fish. Each character from the book has been hand-drawn and individually created over a six-year journey. Karina is a supporter of several charities advocating literacy and opportunities for women and children so it’s no surprise that this book is a product of her passion.
“The book follows Lanternfish, a loveable character who is searching to find his special talent to join the greatest show under the sea and is yet to discover his part in the show.”
—
Karina Choudhrie
Big Splash Circus Book Review
The message behind the story is all about inclusion – every creature in the circus has a role to play and without them working together, the magic is lost. I read the book to Little Miss first who seemed so immersed in the book. She loved looking at the illustrations and really picked up on Lantern Fish’s facial expressions throughout the story. Lantern Fish takes us on a journey with him as he tries to figure out his part in the circus – we’re left feeling lost and sad, then happy and important. It’s the kind of story you’d want to read to your children if you want to discuss difficult things like diversity and inclusion (or the lack of), self-love and/or identity. My children are of dual heritage – they’re mixed race and so proud of both their countries however I know that there will be a time when they will have to face some kind of identity crisis as they might find it hard to ‘fit in’ into society. I’ve been there and so has Daddy P so we know what awaits them. However, the inclusive message in this book gives the kids hope that there will always be a place for them in this world and they are a part of something much bigger, even though they may not know it at first.
If you also have mixed children or want to find a way to teach your children about inclusion, this book is wonderful. It really touched home for me as I’d always wished I had parents to read to me when I was little which I missed out on. My parents didn’t speak enough English to be able to read to me so I had to teach myself – mobile book day at school was one of the things I looked most forward to! 🙂 It doesn’t just stop at the book either… take your reading off the pages and head over to the interactive website, where you can learn more about the book, print out colouring pages for the kids and find teaching resources to get more out of the story book.
Big Splash Circus is published by CandyJar Books and is available in hardback (£11.99) and paperback at Waterstones, WHSmith, Foyles, independent bookshops and other online retailers.
About the Author
Karina Choudhrie is a mother, jeweller, gemologist, nutritionist, and founder of jewellery brand, K&Co. Karina was born in India, raised in Dubai and college-educations in the US. She now lives in London with her husband and three children who are her inspiration for the undersea world of Big Splash Circus.
NB. We kindly received a complimentary sample of the book, Big Splash Circus in exchanged for an unbiased book review post. All opinions, words and content in this post are my own and must not be used without my permission. Any photos that are not mine have been credited respectively their original sources.
This post was first published on thewanderingmother.com November 2020.
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