Bedtime reading to and with children has long been one of the best ways to get children into the reading habit, as early as possible in life. It’s never too early to start enjoying a book – yet only too often that book is an English one, because quality Maltese picture books are hard to find.

Merlin Publishers have been working on increasing the range and variety available, publishing books by key authors, including Trevor Zahra and Clare Azzopardi. More recently, the publishers have added four new picture books in Maltese, as part of the Id-Dinja Tiegħi range for pre-school and early learning.

Beautifully-illustrated and with detail-rich stories that stimulate a child’s imagination, the new set serves two purposes. The stories can be read to children when they are still extremely young (even at two and three years of age). They can also be read by the children themselves as they grow a bit older and start to read their first few sentences.

The first picture book in the series is Lupu Lupettu Kull Kulur. It is the simplest of the four. Lupu Lupettu is tired of the way he looks and decides to change his skin colour – and each day of the week he tries on a new colour. This book is a perfect way of introducing, through story, the concepts of colours and days of the week.

Kukku l-Kukkudrill Kantant is the next in the series. Animals, much loved by children of all ages, are the protagonists in all of these picture books.

Next in line is Rosetta Banana Tinten jew Tfuħ? where Rosetta is faced with her new classmates shunning her and keeping her out of their group.

Serafin il-Prinċep-Denfil is the lovely story of a young mischievous dolphin whose pranks on all his ocean friends come back to haunt him when he lands himself in a spot of trouble.

These new picture books come in sturdy vinyl covers, ensuring that they are long-lasting in the hands of young children. They are available from all bookshops or directly online

www.merlinpublishers.com

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