little miss austen {what we're reading}

I love classic literature.

And Jane Austen's novels are right up there as some of my favourites.

We had the tables at our wedding named after them

(amongst other favourite classics)

and our cats are named after two of her greatest romantic heroes;

Mr Darcy and Captain Wentworth.

So it's fair to say I'm a little bit of a fan.

So on discovering the Baby Lit series of board books

inspired by classic literature,

I was always going to be a done deal.

We have quite a few of the Baby Lit books

(I'm saving the others for other posts)

but I thought it only right to start with the Little Miss Austen books

as they are two of my favourites.
These books aren't shortened, simplified versions of the original tales
but instead are educational books inspired but those stories.

Pride and Prejudice is a number book.

It has a new number for each page as you might expect from a small child's board book,

but the objects to be counted are inspired by the novel.

1 english village and 2 rich gentleman,

3 houses, 4 marriage proposals,

5 sisters, and so on.

There are various elements from the original novel included amongst the illustrations

and for a fan like me, finding these elements is just charming.

The illustrations are delightful.

Simple, bold and bright

but without the patronising imagery that is so often used in children's books.

They feel like grown up images,

despite the fact that they are in a board book.
They are graphic with a lovely colour palette and sweet details.

Sense and Sensibility is an opposites book,

which is perfect considering the opposites in it's title

and it is an equally lovely book.

Again it includes details from Austen's original novel

and introduces the characters from the book

and elements of the story

without being a story book.
It also includes some opposites that you wouldn't expect to find in the average opposites book
and this offers a great chance to develop vocabulary and understanding.

I just know that we will continue to enjoy these books over time,

as they will allow me the opportunity to share some of my favourite characters and stories.

This way when my children are ready to read the originals or watch the movies

the characters and their relationships will already feel familiar.

I can't wait to share the beautiful stories of the Bennet and Dashwood sisters
with my little lady when she is big enough.

And I was over the moon to find these books that allow me to get a head start

on her love affair with the serious but romantic Mr Darcy 

and her disdain for the charming cad that is Mr Willoughby.

Because a girl is never too young to learn about those things.