A SMALL crinkly cloth book for babies that is all about Frome is due to be launched soon and has been uniquely designed to look like a newspaper.
The book has been created by two local designers, Jo Joof and Nic Moore, to encourage babies and toddlers to read rather than look at screens. It’s one in a series of books in Jo and Nic’s ‘The Nursery Times’ range which has 70 titles, all about places in the UK.
“We thought newspapers would be a fun idea,” explains Jo. “Children love to pretend to be adults and babies love rustling paper. Our newspapers feel and look like newspapers but without the inky, soggy mess. Our cloth books are lightweight, so babies can independently hold them and turn the pages, allowing them to engage with the content.
“In the Frome title, we chose to feature some things that would appeal to families and children and some of the fun things to do in the town. We use rhyming text which helps children read using rhythm and tone and we try to add some humour too.
“We love all those old toys that are reminiscent of our childhood. The cloth books with the pinking sheared edge were an old favourite.”
“My niece Meredith has disabilities and cannot see and she loves these books; they are a great sensory product. I wanted to create a lightweight and washable book that Meredith could grip easily with crinkly, sensory pages.
“Our other titles include many places to visit in the United Kingdom including London, Bath and Bristol. We have also done some bespoke titles for the Manchester Museum, London Zoo and the Glastonbury Festival. There’s so much potential to do much more and we are always open to suggestions!
“We are also working on a new range for people living with dementia called Back in the Day with illustrations of old favourite household brands. We found that older people also like the sensory appeal of the books and our Golden Times title is a great conversation starter as it features lines from old songs.
“The Frome cloth book will be on sale in Winstone’s Hunting Raven Bookshop in Cheap Street and at Studio One in Black Swan Arts on Justice Lane. We also supply some of the best independent gift shops, bookshops, and toyshops around the UK and overseas. The Frome book will also be available at the July Independent market.”
For more information visit https://www.joandnicscrinkly.com/
