The shelves in Trotters book department are always stacked high. There are cot books for babies, picture books for toddlers, story books for bedtimes and even recipe books for busy mums! We like to have something to suit every event and special occasion, so the Queen’s Jubilee is a fantastic excuse for us to fill the shelves with books about the city we love best, and the kings and queens who lived in it.
The first book on our Jubilee Bookshelf is This Is London by Miroslav Sasek. The illustrations of Londoners are charmingly stylised (with playful jokes about how much we love queuing!), while the depiction of landmarks like the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Albert hall are accurately detailed and instantly recognisable. Having been around for almost as long as her Majesty has been on the throne, the book gives a nostalgic glimpse of London in days gone by …
Next up, Kings and Queens Sticker Book. Tracing the royal history of Britain from the Norman conquest in 1066 right up to the present day, this is a great way to learn your Hanoverians from your Tudors. All you have to do is match the stickers with their ornate frames, and there are some great and gruesome facts along the way too. Which 11th century king was said to have God-like powers? Which lady was queen for just nine days? Which English king didn’t speak any English!?
Jennie Maizels’ Pop Up London is, without doubt, the Best Ever book about London. Whether you’re a native Londoner or a tourist, you cannot fail to love this feat of paper engineering! Pop-Up London is a three dimensional, interactive, 360 degree guidebook loaded with fun and historical facts, and even ghost stories. Every page is an eye-popping delight guaranteed to entertain young and old readers alike!
Let’s not forget the extraordinary lady we’re celebrating – Queen Elizabeth II herself. Usborne have published a brilliantly readable biography of her Majesty in time for the big day, accompanied with coloured photographs and enchanting stories, like how she and Princess Margaret sneaked out of Buckingham Palace to celebrate the end of the Second World War. Queen Elizabeth II is great for reading together, perfect for a royal history lesson.
In 1924, Queen Mary was presented with an intricate dolls-house complete with running water, electricity and a library filled with books no bigger than a postage stamp and written by the most popular writers of the day, including J. M. Barrie and Arthur Conan Doyle. Celebrated cartoonist Fougasse wrote and illustrated the story of Joe Smith, a fairy blown out of Fairyland on a stormy day and landing in Eaton Square. Walker Books and the Royal Collection have brought the story up to scale, and now Queen Mary’s favourite can be enjoyed by everyone!
The Queen’s Knickers has been a best-seller since its publication in 1993 and won numerous awards. This funny, affectionate, and well-loved classic has been republished and repackaged just in time for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. Even the Queen herself is a fan! On a nursery school visit earlier this year she enjoyed the children’s exhibition of bloomers, saying, ‘Oh, they’re doing the washing’!
The Queen’s Knickers is definitely our favourite on the Jubilee Bookshelf, but which one is your’s?
