What things are different in the town and the country? What things are the same? Town and Country by Craig Shuttlewood is a unique book published by Ivy Kids that explores towns and the countryside.
This is really two books in one, filled with bright and lively scenes from towns, but when you turn the book upside down you see the same subjects in scenes from the countryside. Journey through plants, wildlife, buildings, transport and even parties in this exploration of city living versus rural life.
We spotted bluebells, farmers, and windmills in the countryside, compared with window boxes, bus drivers and a theatre in the town. The colourful scenes are really engaging and full of lots of little details that are so satisfying to spot.
This is a wonderful book to share with a child, there are so many opportunities for conversation starters as well as searching for similarities and differences on the facing pages. A glossary list at the side of each page is great for helping children explore further by finding the objects listed. Each word is written in lower case in an easy to read font, brilliant for those who are just learning to read. The words are illustrated too so even very young children can join in by matching them up to the big pictures or helping them to learn the names of objects.
At the end of the book there is a colourful grid over two double pages showing most of the words and pictures from the glossaries.
There is also a list of some rather unusual things to spot for the eagle-eyed reader; Keep your eyes peeled for ice skating polar bears and sausage stealing dogs. My 4-year-old thought the sheep balancing on stilts was really funny!
A gorgeous book with fun illustrations and a really original design that will keep little ones attentions time and time again.
You can find out more about Craig Shuttlewood’s work on his website here.
This book is published on 2nd of February 2017, many thanks to Ivy Kids for sending a copy of this book for review.
Acorn Books 
This looks fantastic for younger children, so much to see and do! Thanks for sharing with #ReadWithMe
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It’s great fun, we love spotting things in the pictures. #readwithme
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This looks like a great coffee table book. I love the illustrations 🙂
#readwithme
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Definitely, it’s a good one to dip in and out of whenever the mood takes you #readwithme
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It sounds like a lovely read for little ones and very educational too!
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Yes it’s very easy to relate to real life #readwithme
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Eeekkk! This is sitting in an envelope right beside me just now but I’m waiting on BookBairn waking up from her nap to open it. And your post has made me super excited to open it! Thanks! #readwithme
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Did you manage to hold off until BookBairn woke up!? Looking forward to hearing what she thinks of it #readwithme
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What a gorgeous book. Would be a great one for the grandkids.
#readwithme
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It would be perfect I’m sure 🙂 #readwithme
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This looks lovely, such gorgeous illustrations x
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The illustrations are really fun. Thanks for reading 🙂 #readwithme
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This looks really lovely. Shame my two are too old now!
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looks like such a great book – I was hoping to be sent a copy after the publisher got in touch but it hasn’t arrived 😦
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I hope you manage to get a copy, it’s a beautiful book. #readwithme
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