I am going to write-up a lot more about Topsy and Tim very soon, as the books are one of the rare occurrences where I read them as a young ‘un, only to find H is now reading them with just as much enthusiasm.
But! Did you know there’s still new books being released? The illustrations are new modern ones though Topsy still has her familiar pigtails, but these days T&T are very much small children of these times and are just as popular as they were in my day.
The Book People had a set of the books, twelve in all for a really good price, and given my addiction for buying books, we splashed out. The books were a hit, so we added more to the collection. There really is a book for almost every occasion you could think of (‘Safety First’ is good for warning about dangers, and ‘Itchy Heads’ has been updated and is very useful should headlice enter your world), it’s written in a way which your little one can relate to, and if they’re anything like H when you’ve got to the fifth reading of the same book, there’s still plenty to talk about on the page and spot on the pictures each read.
Oh, and then there’s also my addiction for car boot sales, where I’ve picked up some 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s T&T editions.
Our newest additions to the collection arrived in the post today, and I have to admit, of all the books I’ve seen, Topsy & Tim Visit London was one I was particularly excited about. Despite living 20 minutes by train from Clapham Junction, so just a little bit further from Central London, I’ve never really ventured that far. Now H is a bit older we’ve done bits here and there, and this book is perfect – it’s filling in a gap – I know where I’d like to take her, Topsy and Tim also happen to be visiting those places, and I know once we get there that she’ll be excited and will relate to it – so we get the Tower Of London (with Tower Bridge in the background), Horse Guards Parade (via the Underground), Big Ben, The Natural History Museum, Kew Gardens and Diana’s Playground in Kensington Gardens – which are all places I want to take H! Add to that there’s a London map in the back where I was able to point out where daddy works (that’s H’s daddy, not T&T’s one), and I think H is starting to understand a bit more about where she lives – seriously, if you live in London and needed a way to help your little one remember places, this is the book. It’s not too complicated and the pictures are great.
As a sidenote, the coolest thing we spotted was Topsy and Tim arriving at mummy’s friends house in London, and both of them have Trunki’s! Proper children of the 2000’s now, they are.
We also received Topsy & Tim Go For Gold – a sports day related story. This one is very much your standard T&T story, with the various races on sports day – but this time Topsy and Tim have fallen out. Now I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t remember this having happened before in any of the books – but in the end there’s a happy ending, and as Shaun pointed out, also a lesson to be learnt that arguing doesn’t get you anywhere, and working together does.
H loved the story straight away, and asked for it to be read several times, which is always a good sign!
Both these titles are being promoted by Penguin in their Olympic themed book promotions – plus if your little one is at a Busy Bees nursery, they’re doing a promotion there for the London book – complete with T&T handpuppets (how cool? I wish!!), so keep an eye out.
I received these books from Penguin, all opinion is my own, and I’ll be gushing over Topsy and Tim a little bit more very soon – we’re big fans in this house!
