We are enormous fans of the first Hop Lola Hop story. Written by Kathy Urban and illustrated by Siski Kalla, this is all about a wandering soft toy called Ella and the little girl who loves her. It even inspired copycat art here and my is the reason my eldest child hides different items in all the handwritten books she creates herself. We were thrilled to hear there was a new adventure and extremely excited to join the book tour celebrating its release.
There are so many reasons to love Hop Lola Hop: A Yummy Market Day Adventure, but here are our top five. 1) It's based on real people and a scenario most people will recognise
Author Kathy Urban looked to her own daughter and her favourite bunny when she was creating the characters Ella and Lola. The loss of a beloved toy is something that most if not all families will experience. Luckily, these absences aren't always permanent but for the teddies who don't return, it's lovely to think of them off having adventures. In this new story, Ella also gets lost, and little ones and their parents will relate to her despair and panic as well as that of her mother.
2) It celebrates the simple things in life What could be more perfect than fresh strawberries when you're young? Or even better, picking them yourself? It's wonderful how this story highlights how satisfying these simple pleasures are and shows you don't need much to make a day special.
3) It encourages healthy eating in a subtle way I love how this is centred around a farmer's market and features natural foods such as honey and fruit. There is even a recipe for pancakes to try at home and it includes different ingredients than we would normally use. We are looking forward to trying it out.
4) It's so gentle and comforting I love how Siski Kalla's illustrations complement Kathy's gentle text. The illustrations and the story expertly capture both the drama and the dreaminess of childhood. The soft colour palette Siski uses reminds me of my favourite patchwork duvet set from when I was a child, and as with the previous story, this is ideal for lulling little ones to sleep.
5) All the gorgeous details in the artwork
We loved spotting little creatures like ladybirds and the aerial views of the market where we could see Mum as well as Ella and Lola. Each page is filled with beautiful flowers and ripe fruits. One spread featuring a tiny Lola scampering next to towering cabbages gave me serious Peter Rabbit vibes, reminding me of Mr Gregor's vegetable patch and the stories from my own childhood. Don't just take our word for it! Follow the Instagram tour to find more reasons why you'll love this book.
Hop Lola Hop: A Yummy Market Day adventure was published by Little Steps on 30 April and available everywhere books are sold. Thanks so much to Kathy for our gifted copy. All opinions expressed are our own.