Older Reading with ‘Marge In Charge’!

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We absolutely love books and although Mia has her regular favourites, she also loves new books and often has a good look through the supermarket books shelves for her next bedtime story. We were recently asked if we would like to read the newest in the collection of books in the Marge series and we were really excited to be sent all 3 of the series books.

The Marge series is a collection of 3 books written by none other than the Australian actress Isla Fisher who is best known for her role in ‘Home and Away and marriage to comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Isla has been making up stories for her 3 children at bedtime ever since they were born and the Marge books are a reminder of all the fun they have at bedtime reading books and sharing stories. These stories are the first chance we have had to do some older reading with Mia.

The Marge series, first published in July 2016, January 2017 and then the latest book last week are collections of 3 short stories aimed at 5-8 year olds. Marge in Charge came first and is a hilarious story about 2 children and their new babysitter. On first meeting, she doesn’t look very good with her sensible looks, old age and being very small however the children soon realise there is much more to Marge as she sets about creating a wild evening of racing snails, slurping chocolate soup and mixing potions in the bath!

The 2^nd book in the Marge series, Marge and the Pirate Baby is equally as funny. By now (if you have read book 1) you know the characters well and Mia was really excited for Marge to arrive in the story each time. The story where the children attend their Uncles wedding is particularly funny and Mia really enjoyed all of the mishaps on the day!

Finally, the latest in the Marge series is Marge and the Great Train Rescue. Mia really enjoyed how Marge tried to get Jakes wobbly tooth to come out as she had seen an advert for a tooth fairy game that same day and had asked me lots of questions about what happens when teeth fall out! Mia has really related to this series of books as she has a regular babysitter and although she isn’t as crazy or as full of mayhem, she certainly knows what it’s like to enjoy time without mummy or daddy around!

Although the stories are longer than Mia and I would normally read at bedtime, each story contains humorous and comical pictures by Eglantine Ceulemans, a French illustrator which Mia really enjoyed looking at and kept her focused on the pages as I read to her. It was also her first experience of someone talking in the 1^st person so I had to keep reminding her that it was one of the children, Jemima, telling the story.

Each of the 3 stories in each book took us about 3 separate evenings to read but it was nice to put down and pick up the story and Mia was still interested in what happened next! You don’t have to have read previous Marge stories, they are complete stand-alone books but they are such a lovely collection that I’m really glad we have all 3 and I’m excited to see if Isla Fisher writes any more about Marge in the future!

I can definitely see Mia reading these to herself in a few years’ time whilst older reading and I’m sure she will enjoy them as much then as she does now!