The Tiger-Skin Rug & The Tiger Who Came To Tea

I happened across this book in the library and was so pleased, I think it’s just lovely. Beautiful illustrations and a funny sweet story of a ragamuffin becoming a hero who is then accepted into family life. I’ve read it to Erbie two nights in a row and he asked for it “again mummy” this evening falling asleep during the second reading.

The Tiger-Skin Rug was written and illustrated by Gerald Rose, originally published by Faber & Faber in 1979, the copy I have from the library was republished by Bloomsbury in 2011.

The Tiger Skin Rug © Bloomsbury Publishing

In 1960 Gerald Rose won the Kate Greenaway medal for illustrating for Old Winkle and the Seagulls a collaboration between him and his wife, sadly now out of print, I’d love to get my hands on a copy - (come on please republish). Gerald Rose was born in Hong Kong in 1935, during WW2 he and his family were interned which was where he saw his first real tiger.

Old Winkle and the Seagulls by Elizabeth & Gerald Rose

While I’m on the subject of lovely books and with tigers on the mind I can’t help but mention The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr which, if you have a preschooler and have been into a children’s bookshop or library you cannot have missed. First published in 1968 it has become an absolute classic and rightly so. The author, Judith Kerr used to tell the story to her own children, it was only when they were older she wrote it down and illustrated it. 

The eponymous tiger comes a knocking and consumes everything that Sophie and her mummy have to offer. We especially like reading about the tiger having, ‘drunk all of daddy’s beer’.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr © Harper Collins

In the end daddy comes to the rescue by taking mummy and Sophie for a lovely tea of sausage and chips in a cafe. Then the next day Sophie and her mummy go shopping to replace all of the food and buy a large tin of tiger food in case he ever visits again.

School Place

Erbie got a school place.

Hurrah!

It is at our first choice school over the road.

The letter came today.

The sun is out.

I took Erbie to the Toy Museum (Hamley's Toy Store) on Regent Street for hand painting and a Disney Pixar Cars 2 Carlo Velosa.

Life if GOOD.

I feel for all the poor families still waiting to hear about primary places though.

Diamond Jubilee Treats - Biscuiteers

I love Biscuiteers, they always manage to come up with really pretty and cool ideas for biscuits to suit almost any occasion. I know we are all going to be SO over Union Jacks and bunting by mid June but who could resist these biscuits. And if you visit their site now you are in with a chance to win one of 10 of their fabulous Diamond Jubilee garden party packs in conjunction with Emma Bridgewater.

Biscuiteers Diamond Jubilee Tin - £40

Biscuiteers London Mini Tin - £30

Biscuiteers Diamond Jubilee edible biscuit card - £9

Yum!!!!

All images © Biscuiteers

French hot chocolate

What do I crave on yet another wet morning in May? Something to transport me, why a french breakfast of course. Not a grown up version with freshly baked croissants and sharp espresso, no mes enfants, a steaming bowl of hot chocolate, crusty baguette and Bon Maman strawberry jam.

One of the most popular brands of breakfast hot chocolate in France is Banania another Nesquick, but it was Banania I was after, with it's super cheery packaging and promise of energy giving properites. I tell TheGR of my desire and he profferes that any house with a box of banana chocolate milkshake mix has to be a house of happiness, I'm sold.

I find some at the online provider of fine french foods: frenchclick.co.uk and indeed one click plus delivery charge and it arrived by courier tout suite.

A big box of it, with this lovely chap on the front. It mixed into perfectly sweet hot chocolate and whilst I drank a steaming mug of it, the rain and the broken heating and the faulty kettle all melted away. Y'a bon! All I need now is the bowl...

or perhaps a vintage sign.

or a tray - French ebay is my huitre!