Sharing a Shell

(Get it here)

Written by Julia Donaldson / Illustrated by Lydia Monks..

This was our very first Julia Donaldson book. Not The Gruffalo, not The Spiffiest Giant in Town, not Room on the Broom. Not any of her more popular books. In fact, when I bought this book, I had never heard of Julia Donaldson before. Yes, Josh was almost 3 before I’d even heard of Julia Donaldson. Mommy fail.
I’d picked up the book because of how pretty the illustrations are. There are glitters, my friends. Glitters. I read through the book. I love the rhyming narrative. I knew that I would enjoy reading this aloud to Josh. I knew that he’d enjoy the story and that he’d enjoy looking at the colorful and pretty pictures. The message about sharing was a good one. Sold!

Josh enjoyed turning the pages, lingering a bit and touching some of the pictures with glitters on them. We’d read it so many times that Josh had most parts memorized. He still enjoys reading this book to this day.
Now, Zoë has discovered the book as well. Every night this week, she has been picking this book to read at bedtime. As it was with Josh, she would softly touch the glitters, marvelling at the texture, while we read to her. After we’re done reading, she’d then get the book from us and would insist on “reading” to us. Filling in with her own words how the story unfolds.

Sharing a Shell book is definitely a treat for booklovers young and old and would make a very good book to start for those children who might not be so interested in reading books. The colorful and cute illustrations, the glitter, the story, and Donaldson’s trademark rhyming narrative are all wrapped up nicely in this little gem of a book.