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Children's books

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Best book for a 6 month old — Peace At Last or Peepo?

44 replies

FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 08:24

I'm getting three board books for a friend's baby, who is nearly 6 months old. I've already decided on Hairy Maclary and Where's Spot?, but I'm not sure what to get for the third, out of Peace At Last and Peepo. I realise a 6 month old will not be able to appreciate these as much as a slightly older child, but I know my baby niece enjoys being read to, even if it's just about hearing her parents' voices, and of course they can be grown into. What do you think?

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FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 08:49

I should add that I am biased towards Peace At Last because that's an absolute childhood favourite of mine, whereas I never had Peepo as a child, but I'm not sure that should factor in!

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TheBumbleNums · 15/12/2020 08:57

My DD loved the ‘where’s baby chick’ range of books with felt flaps at that age. You can get them from Amazon.

TheBumbleNums · 15/12/2020 08:58

Peepo is nice but even at 18 months DD isn’t interested in it yet

ramblingsonthego · 15/12/2020 09:00

Thats not my........ range of books are great for this age and onwards. They can feel all the different textures and they love them.

SleepingStandingUp · 15/12/2020 09:00

I'd get the one that has meaning to you and then you can enjoy reading to her in the future

SherryPalmer · 15/12/2020 09:01

Peepo is a nice book but It’s nicer for parents than children I think!
Mine preferred “The Baby’s Catalogue” which is similar.

At that age though I agree that tactile books were favourites, even the dreaded “that’s not my ...” series.

rbe78 · 15/12/2020 09:08

I don't know either of those books - but choose the one that would drive you less crazy if you had to read it out loud 20 bazillion times...

FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 09:55

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions. I'm definitely overthinking it, but I get the impression Peace At Last is more suitable for an 18+ month old, whereas with Peepo at least there's the repetitive "Peepo!" and some interest from the peepholes in the pages. But I don't know if the pictures in Peepo are a bit busy and detailed for a baby. Personally I far prefer Peace At Last — it's a great little story! — but I don't want to be wildly age inappropriate.

Thanks for the recommendations of the touchy-feely books (though I wish babies didn't prefer them — they're so much less interesting ).

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Marmite27 · 15/12/2020 09:57

Peace at last is horribly misogynistic. The whole large family are tbh. I don’t throw away books lightly, but they went in the bin.

The ‘Oi’ series of books are great fun.

harrietm1987 · 15/12/2020 09:57

Peepo for sure! Or Baby’s Catalogue. DS was definitely interested in that at 6 months. He was given that with Hairy Maclary, Where’s Spot and Each Peach Pear Plum by my sister when he was born and all 4 were favourites from very early on and still are now at 2.

harrietm1987 · 15/12/2020 09:59

@Marmite27

Peace at last is horribly misogynistic. The whole large family are tbh. I don’t throw away books lightly, but they went in the bin.

The ‘Oi’ series of books are great fun.

Peace at Last is the bears, not the large family (elephants) - I think you’re thinking of 5 minutes peace (by same author). Agree though that the large family is awful - a piece of cake is about dieting/mrs large being fat, and there’s one about the parents going out to mr large’s “dinner dance” which is mrs large’s one night out in the year! Very dated.

FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 10:01

@Marmite27 Peace At Last isn't one of the Large Family books — are you thinking of "Five Minutes' Peace"?

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FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 10:02

Ah, cross-posted!

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Doveyouknow · 15/12/2020 10:02

My kids both loved peepo from quite early on and it's a beautiful book. Each peach, pear, plum is also a good one for little ones. I liked the large family stories although I know they are viewed as misogynistic and outdated on here (alongside Peppa pig). However, I think they work better for older kids.

LadyCatStark · 15/12/2020 10:04

Neither, Peace at Last is too old for a baby and Peepo has wishy washy colours what won’t interest a baby. I’d get Dear Zoo personally.

FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 10:16

@LadyCatStark I was originally going to get Dear Zoo as the third book, but it's very similar to Where's Spot?, and I liked the idea of getting three different styles of book (though I realise the baby won't care).

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LittleMissLockdown · 15/12/2020 10:20

Ds is a year old and still doesn't like peepo or peace at last.

I'd recommend dear zoo, any oi! Or that's not my book or any of the Julia Donaldson/Alex scheffler board books.

duploo · 15/12/2020 10:21

I love both! My first liked to poke through the holes of Peepo, and as she got older she liked the cadence of the rhymes. Peace at last is a bit 'funnier' to her - when I read it out I made all the noises (snoring, fridge, birds) and she liked that. I read both to my 5-month old now and she seems happy to go along with both. Both classics, you can't go wrong

duploo · 15/12/2020 10:24

I know you asked which one out of those two, but a lot of posters have offered their own suggestions. If you're at all after a wildcard third option, maybe a Julia Donaldson with flaps. Great cadence and fun flaps.

FindHungrySamurai · 15/12/2020 10:24

That’s not my... are very good for a young baby.

Mine loved Each Peach Pear Plum when tiny.
Peepo also went down well. I agree with others that the drawings are a bit cluttered for tiny babies, but they’ll grow into it.

FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 10:27

@duploo Would you say Peace At Last is an acceptable choice then, even at 5 months-ish? It's clearly a lot more advanced content-wise than the lift-the-flap/touchy-feely books, but I was imagining that with all the different sounds it might just about be okay. But it does look like it requires a much longer attention span.

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FiveSecondsMore · 15/12/2020 10:29

I'm definitely open to alternative suggestions, though, if they're likely to go down better!

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duploo · 15/12/2020 11:07

Definitely acceptable. Also, grandparents bought our little ones lots of books before they were ready. I loved going back to the bookshelf every so often to check if they're ready yet. Like slow released gifts to self!

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Merrow · 15/12/2020 11:10

DS loves Peepo - early on I think the cadence and the repetition, then the joy of poking the holes, now pointing out the various things he can see on the page. And I don't hate reading it! Which at that age is really the most important thing in my view

Marmite27 · 15/12/2020 11:28

My mistake! Sorry, but definitely avoid the Large Family

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