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Review Octopus’s Garden – Simon & Schuster book review

Octopus’s Garden – Simon & Schuster book review
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Octopus's Garden - Simon & Schuster book review :
4.57 out of 5 based on 36 reviews.
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Octopus’s Garden with CD written by musical luminary Ringo Star and illustrated by Ben Cort.

Based on the lyrics of the world famous Beatles song, this glorious picture book follows five children on a magical journey through the Octopus’s garden. The playful Octopus takes them on a wondrous underwater adventure – riding on the backs of turtles, playing pirates in a sunken city and sheltering from a storm in the octopus’s cave. The book comes with an accompanying CD which includes an exclusive reading by Ringo Starr and a never–before–heard version of the song.

Octopus’s Garden, written by Ringo Star and illustrated by Ben Cort, is a brand new release from Simon & Schuster.

Available where all good books are sold in hardback for $19.99.

Find out more about Octopus’s Garden here.

 

 

Published 4th November 2013

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  • Colourful, imaginative and so much fun.

    Any book that captures a child’s attention and has the ability of them willing to read it or having it read to them is a great book in my eyes. This book is extremely imaginative, cleaver and so very colourful. The CD is an added bonus and it was enjoyed by child and adult alike. Well Done.

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    the book?
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    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • My Book of the year for Children under 8.

    I bought this book as a result of reading these reviews.
    I loved the drawings and the book is delightful. The added bonus of a CD was a surprise and the kids loved that!
    I decided that I would buy this book for Christmas presents for many of my family friends and teachers and children. My niece and nephew loved their gift. My teacher friends loved the idea of a book to add to her library to read to their students. I bought three for the school library as a donation from our family. The school loved this gift.

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    the book?
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    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • A hit with playgroup!

    I reviewed this book with my son and decided to take it to his playgroup to see how the other kids liked it. They were just hooked on the illustrations and the story then enjoyed dancing to the song afterwards. Another massive thumbs up for this book!!!!!

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  • absolutely the best childrens book

    what a great book .. we love the ocean so to read this to my toddler she absolutely loved it .. so did I

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  • Love this book

    I really liked this book. It’s very colorful and kids loved it too. Books are kept safe like treasure in our house and this book has become an important part of that treasure. We read it almost every week and kids love looking at the pictures by themselves. It’s a total win, love this book

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  • Wonderful Book Loved it

    What a fantastic book My 5 year old daughter loved it. Its now her favourite and I enjoyed it too.The illustrations are amazing and it is very engaging for children with the bright colours .The cd was a major bonus we sang and danced around the house .My daughter wants me to read it everyday to her now which is fantastic. I would recommend this book to all parents as its a pleasure to read .

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  • Bright and beautiful book full of joy!!

    My 5yr old and I absolutely love this book. Being bright and colourful and very engaging had my son completely spellbound. My son tends to sing song books he reads so to come across a book that is a song was the bees knees. Kept us entertained for an hour. Reading through it and discussing the pictures and then going through the CD was so much fun. Recommending this to everyone I know and is on the nieces’ and nephews’ Christmas presents list.

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  • Fun Read

    I loved reading this book. My Dad loved reading to my son, they both are big reader’s (even though my son is 2, he still loves a good book). I had learnt he was learning about the ocean at Kindy. So I bought the book in so all the kids could use it. I honestly found it hard not to sing the song after I’d read it to him.

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    the book?
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    it to a friend?

  • Fantastic book with amazing pictures

    We read this on a daily basis and listen to the CD often my son loves this book so much the pictures are amazing and the song is just plain cute!! My son knows all the words and can sing the song. This book is a favourite in our house

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    the book?
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    reading it to them?
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    it to a friend?

  • My Son's fear is GONE!

    I bought this book for my curious toddler.. who hasn’t got the ability to sit still if his life depended on it. He also had a fear of octopus’s… thanks to some (Tv show) he saw of a scary Octopus. THIS book restored his calmness in loving not only the octopus.. but all things under the ocean. Every night.. he says.. “Mummy read opoppus”. So it’s a great read before bed. My son also now.. wants to ride on turtle backs.. every time he see’s a turtle in a book..lol too funny! LOVE books that enrich children’s imaginations.. the colours in this are bright and perfect! Would totally buy this for a friends child.. however.. I would wait till they are a little older.. so that their attention span can sustain the CD..lol (We have to speed read it.. every night) . Awesome book!

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    reading it to them?
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    it to a friend?

  • Colourful and bright

    I thought the Octopus’s Garden, written by Ringo Star was a really great book! I loved the big, colorful illustrations and the kids seemed to really like them too. Play the cd, as it is included with the book, and it will get you singing to or with your kids. Well done, I’ve enjoyed reading this kids book.

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    it to a friend?

  • A lovely bright colourful book!

    Octopus’s Garden, written by Ringo Star, is a lovely bright colourful book, the will keep the littlies entertained. My 7 year old loves reading it to her younger cousin, so I’d say she’s also enjoying the book! For any parent who is familiar with this song, you’ll find it hard not to start singing as you read along!

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  • Loved by all

    I borrowed Octopus’s garden from our local library as my sister was visiting with her little one. What a fun book! Lots of bright colourful pictures and of course wonderful lyrics. My sister and I had so much fun that we ended up singing the book to my nephew. Very enjoyable, very entertaining for everyone!

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
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    reading it to them?
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    it to a friend?

  • Fun Read

    I loved reading this book. My Dad loved reading to my son, they both are big reader’s (even though my son is 2, he still loves a good book). I had learnt he was learning about the ocean at Kindy. So I bought the book in so all the kids could use it. I honestly found it hard not to sing the song after I’d read it to him.

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • An enjoyable cute read

    This book has lots of colors and its really pretty to look at. My child enjoyed it and I enjoyed reading it to her as well. Its a fun and imaginative story that she loves to re-read again and again and again. Loves to flip over the pages and just looks at the pictures and the colours with such amazement and wonder in her eyes. Definitely will recommend to play groups and other moms who wants to encourage reading to their kids

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
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    it to a friend?

  • Love this book

    I really liked this book. It’s very colorful and kids loved it too. Books are kept safe like treasure in our house and this book has become an important part of that treasure. We read it almost every week and kids love looking at the pictures by themselves. It’s a total win, love this book

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • Both my boys loved this book. Such a fun colourful and interactive read. I took it to work and read to my playgroup who were all engaged and enjoyed how bright and colourful the pictures were.

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • Fantastic book with amazing pictures

    We read this on a daily basis and listen to the CD often my son loves this book so much the pictures are amazing and the song is just plain cute!! My son knows all the words and can sing the song. This book is a favourite in our house

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • My Son's fear is GONE!

    I bought this book for my curious toddler.. who hasn’t got the ability to sit still if his life depended on it. He also had a fear of octopus’s… thanks to some (Tv show) he saw of a scary Octopus. THIS book restored his calmness in loving not only the octopus.. but all things under the ocean. Every night.. he says.. “Mummy read opoppus”. So it’s a great read before bed. My son also now.. wants to ride on turtle backs.. every time he see’s a turtle in a book..lol too funny! LOVE books that enrich children’s imaginations.. the colours in this are bright and perfect! Would totally buy this for a friends child.. however.. I would wait till they are a little older.. so that their attention span can sustain the CD..lol (We have to speed read it.. every night) . Awesome book!

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • Colourful, imaginative and so much fun.

    Any book that captures a child’s attention and has the ability of them willing to read it or having it read to them is a great book in my eyes. This book is extremely imaginative, cleaver and so very colourful. The CD is an added bonus and it was enjoyed by child and adult alike. Well Done.

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • Great book to share with your little ones let you imagination go!

    I recently brought this book for my little man mainly for the fact that I love the song and because of the illustrations on the cover of the book. My son really enjoys the book, except for when i try to sing the words! In which I get “mummy no singing”. We also make up our own story giving each of the little people in the books names talking about their magical underwater adventure!

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • My Book of the year for Children under 8.

    I bought this book as a result of reading these reviews.
    I loved the drawings and the book is delightful. The added bonus of a CD was a surprise and the kids loved that!
    I decided that I would buy this book for Christmas presents for many of my family friends and teachers and children. My niece and nephew loved their gift. My teacher friends loved the idea of a book to add to her library to read to their students. I bought three for the school library as a donation from our family. The school loved this gift.

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
    Did you enjoy
    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • Fun book for children of all ages

    My little one enjoyed being read too, And her Big brother and sister enjoyed taking over story time just to read the book themselves. It is the first book that has kept my little girl interested to the end. The adventures and fun in the book and the vibrant colours made it fun to read to her. This is one book that will be coming of the shelf time and again to dive into adventure and absolute fun!

    Did your child enjoy
    the book?
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    reading it to them?
    Would you recommend
    it to a friend?

  • Great colourful book with a tune we all know

    My three year old loved the pictures – vibrant colourful sea creatures and friendly little kiddies swimming around and loved the song. What is great about this is we all know the tune and song so it is a great and easy to introduce to the kids. The only drawback is, when reading it is hard not to sing the words and if you are not confident with singing, can feel a bit odd, but the kids don’t care about that. There is also the Ringo cd as well. My boy was up and dancing like a crazy octopus after only reading it twice and listening to the song.

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    the book?
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    reading it to them?
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    it to a friend?

  • Great kids book but prefer a solid cover.

    We loved reviewing Octopus Garden with my daughter. She is almost 4 and this book was perfect for her. Loved the characters and the big pages size. The colours were lovely too, very bright. My daughter loved learning about new sea creatures and pointing the ones she already knew. Was great having the CD, too, especially created by one of the greatest musicians of the 20 century. Overall it was a great experience, but I would prefer to have a solid cover because the paper one tears off quickly with the little ones.

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    the book?
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    reading it to them?
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    it to a friend?

  • Octopuses Garden great read and lots of fun :-)

    I never got chosen but my younger children had heard me talking about this book and how fun it would be with the readalong cd as you do not see many of these books with cds anymore………so I went and bought it for them.Not the cheapest book Ive bought but it definately has had its value for money.Little miss 4 took it to kinder for the teacher to read&she was so happy with herself when she got home as the teacher&her classmatesloved it 🙂 The teacher was happy as it was different to their usual storytime and as it was raining they had the cd on ………Ive read this greatbook somanytimes that the children nearly know all the words.Its alovely colourful book and Im sure itl get alot more reads.The kids laughed when I was singing the song as Id told them I used to love this song too but their had been afew changesmade so I sang some wrong they thought that was funny that mummy/nanny got it wrong and they know the words.So glad I ended up buying the book as we all love it 🙂

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    it to a friend?

  • Fantastic!

    I loved reading this to my little girl, I am a huge fan of Ringo, and to share this with my daughter was amazing 🙂

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  • Both my beautiful kids loved this book 🙂

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  • Great introduction to classic music

    My daughter loved this book. She wasn’t really struck at first, but got into it quickly, especially when I put in the accompanying CD, with read-along version, song and intrumental. By the end of the night she was singing the song back to us, I can only hope that they turn a few more songs out, great way to bring old classics to a new audience!!!!

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  • Kids loved it and I loved singing along!

    I am a Pre School Teacher so as well as reading this to my children ( my eldest enjoyed reading it to his little brother and they loved the music CD) I read it to my class. The group sat captivated by the book ( and it isn’t always easy to get them to sit!) and we loved learning the words to sing along with the CD.

    Thanks so much!

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Article Buon Appetito! A Busy Mum’s Guide To Memorable, Simple Summer Entertaining

Buon Appetito! A Busy Mum’s Guide To Memorable, Simple Summer Entertaining

I fondly remember slow, summer afternoons with family and friends gathered around a table of delicious finger-food during my childhood – the adults chatting and laughing, the kids pretending they understood the jokes. My parents had continued their Mediterranean traditions long after settling in Australia – and the simple joy of an effortlessly elegant gathering was one of my favourites.

What I don’t remember is my parents ever being stressed about the gatherings. It all just seemed to ‘come together’. Ah, how times have changed!

There’s something about the Italian style of entertaining that’s still so alluring in our fast-paced family lives. The idea of La Dolce Vita: a sweet life surrounded by family, friends, food and minimal fuss. Which is why we’ve enlisted the help of the entertaining experts at Sandhurst to share easy tips for elegant, memorable summer get-togethers.

We also asked our community of mums to share their tried and true, easy summer entertaining ideas, and we can’t wait to share them with you!

Euro-Inspired Entertaining

Sandhurst

Before we dive into the delicious world of sumptuous, simple summer entertaining, it helps to know a little about the inspiration behind our guide. And that’s the concept of Italian entertaining – where time is taken to lovingly grow ingredients, before enjoying them with those you love.

Established in 1988, Sandhurst was born from the time-honoured traditions of generations of the family behind the brand – a proud Italian Australian family passionate about quality produce sourced from world’s best growers.

At the helm of Sandhurst are brothers Mimmo and Ray Lubrano, who live and breathe the impeccable ingredients that become the centrepiece of so many gatherings in Australian family homes.

“Tradition is what we stand for. We’re custodians of Italian values,” explained Mimmo. “When we go to Italy we see it in our grandparents, our parents came from Italy in the 50s. The tradition is a set of values: honesty, teamwork, participation, family – all the things you would associate with Italian family are the values.”

And it’s these beautiful values that make summer gatherings in Australia an extension of the European table.

Easy Summer Entertaining Starts With … Time Saving Secrets!

Sandhurst

A sweet summer of entertaining doesn’t need to be stressful. In fact, it shouldn’t be. It’s a chance to spend time with loved ones. To press pause on life and make memories. And it can be simple! So here are some really easy tips for making your home the place where everyone wants to gather this summer.

Create An Entertaining Kit

Whether it’s pre-planned or you’ve had friends or family drop-in, having a few things ready to go immediately melts away any stress. Here are some things to include in a summer entertaining kit:

  • A red table cloth: It instantly says festive!
  • Some platters and serving dishes
  • Candles
  • Some quality antipasto ingredients that simply need to be decanted and enjoyed!

Many Hands Make Light Work

As mums, we tend to be our own worst enemy when it comes to delegating tasks. But remember, a summer of entertaining is about creating memories – not perfection. So let the kids help, and accept offers from your guests who’d like to bring something along to share.

“It can be overwhelming, so just delegate, and prepare. I do one dish prep per day and pop them in the freezer. Then they just need to be heated up. Let the kids do the decorating for you – plus keeps them busy!” – MoM Member Kirsty

Decorate With Happiness

There’s no need to pull out your finest crystal to pull off an elegant get together. Take a look around your home and garden to see what will bring your table to life. A bowl of lemons is a gorgeous addition, as is a bunch of gum leaves. Keep it simple and understated.

Sandhurst

Finger Food For The Win

Nothing says simple summer elegance more than a charcuterie board (or three!). When my friends and our families get together, it’s our go-to – every family is asked to ‘bring a board’. Some do savoury and some sweet, so we’re covered for a long afternoon of catching up.

“Food wise, I keep it simple by doing cold deli meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies.” – MoM Member

But just because boards are easy to put together, doesn’t mean they can’t ooze elegance. And that comes down to including quality ingredients. Choosing Sandhurst products is the easiest way to guarantee the highest quality ends up on your table. We love the premise behind the brand: from our family to yours – it invokes that nostalgic feeling of shared stories, history, gatherings and family.

How To Put Together A Charcuterie Board 

Sandhurst article image

There are no right or wrong ways to create a charcuterie board, but to ensure a balance of textures and flavours try to include:

La Dolce Vita!

A summer of sophisticated entertaining doesn’t have to be hours and hours of work. We don’t want it to be! By grabbing some beautiful ingredients to fill your pantry next time you’re shopping, you’ll know that at a moment’s notice you’ll have everything you need for a Euro-inspired gathering. No fuss, but plenty of substance and style!

Sandhurst

Ready to host your own summer gathering? Choose Sandhurst’s quality produce and look for the red lid.

Mouths of Mums is proudly working with Sandhurst to bring you this article.

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  • I’ve really needed some inspiration this year for Christmas and this is great! I Love a good charcuterie board and I think I may do one this year for the family as well as all the regular Christmas trimmings. I have 6 kids and all the extended family coming to entertain and feed!

    Reply

  • I’m loving all the ideas here in the comments and pictures above! I love to be able to just look at what others have done and straight up copy it. Takes all the thinking energy out of entertaining!
    Such a good and trusted brand to purchase over the silly season! You know you are faring great quality and value!

    Reply

  • We often have homemade pizza nights aka fakeaway night! And my pizza is always on a low carb Pizza base with roasted and sundried tomato and capsicum. My fav combo with grilled chicken and a swirl of peri peri mayonnaise! Making our own is always better than takeaway versions and healthier!

    Reply

  • Sandhurst products are my go to for great healthy and tasty snacks, especially after school.

    Reply

  • Great information! Loved it. You can see https://reminiiapp.com/

    Reply

  • Looked so good I couldn’t wait – Dove in off the end of my bread baton and swirled around in a couple of cheesy dips only to finish up at the Sandhurst stackers and sun-dried olives, who needs a Holiday when there is one in the kitchen, I can take any day.

    Reply

  • I have been buying Sandhurst Kalamata Olives, Sandhurst Semi-Dried Tomatoes, Sandhurst Baby Capers, Sandhurst Sicilian Green Olives for years as our kitchen staple adding that extra flavours to our dishes. I buy Sandhurst products for Gift Baskets as presents for family and friends and they love this idea as I add a chopping board and a knife and crackers and cheese for a celebration of flavours.

    Reply

  • Great ideas for entertaining guests and love that brand I buy it all the time

    Reply

  • i buy this for family they love the brand and the taste of sandhurst and the different flavors and range to choose from and i find it great value for money, i re-use the jars when im done with for small items in the house.

    Reply

  • I have been a purchaser of Sandhurst goods ever since they first appeared on supermarket shelves and still buy it to this day. The Sandhurst brand is the best without a doubt. This year I have not been able to find the Sandhurst cheese stuffed baby capsicums anywhere. I have tried to get on the Sandhurst site, but no luck with what they make. Help – these are such a wonderful addition to a salad.

    Reply

  • Fantastic Article

    Reply

  • I Love a good charcuterie board. I Love all the different options all on the one board. I love to do a chocolate board when we have guests over, it’s a fun way to do dessert after dinner. The kids love seeing everything layed out so they can pick and choose.

    Reply

  • This is great for the grandchildren they love them as they use them as finger food and make up their own meal and use plenty of ingredients including meat and cheese on the dips and crackers. We keep it simple with the Sandhurst’s products as it is a meal in every jar and the kids love them.

    Reply

  • This looks like the perfect relaxed way to have a picnic! I am loving the idea of this! Just bring along lots of fillings and plenty of cheeses and breads and of course a little alcohol and you’re all set. This sounds like the perfect way to catch up with friends!

    Reply

  • I hate being taken to a third party page to enter comps.

    Reply

  • Certainly most welcome for summer, and would be wonderful for the festive season. I can see this platter on the table Christmas Eve, when we get together with our neighbours.

    Reply

  • Love the look of the olive on creamy fetta

    Reply

  • This is timely and helpful, thanks – I aspire to entertain more and tips to make it less stressful are very welcome.

    Reply

  • Charcuterie boards are the absolute best! We do these so often in the warmer months because there’s something for the whole family. People pick and choose what they like and there’s no complaints because there’s so many different options to choose from, everyone is happy. It’s such a simple stressful way to make dinner.

    Reply

  • I absolutely adore finger food and this style of feeding people when we have family and friends at our home; or when we go out for a picnic, bbq or get together. These types of food are so easy to source and to buy and to prepare and to happily eat.

    • Yes I agree, finger foods are easy and yummie ! And you can assemble a healthy enough plate (certainly when you add salads, cheeses, nuts, fruits, boiled eggs, olives and rustic breads) that it can certainly can replace a meal (either lunch or dinner). Everyone happy and no hours of preparation in the kitchen 🙂

      • Also; the other bonus is less mess to clean up when cutlery is not needed. Finger food is the best for laid back and relaxed get togethers. There is always such a clam and relaxed feel to a finger food meal without the need for any fancy and stuffy table settings.

    Reply
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