Pearlie in the Park: Books and a Party

Edit: Full Pearlie Party post here.

PudStar turns six next week and to date we’ve managed to convince her that family parties are the way to go. She had a Middle Eastern lunch for her first birthday as I’d just purchased ‘Saha’ and needed to justify the expense, she had a Miffy party for her second birthday with homemade pizzas as I’d just discovered the no knead bread/pizza dough thing…you get the picture- lots of good food. Not a scrap of fairy bread in sight.

Then she went to school. Here she discovered that other children have lollies, fairy bread and juice, juice, juice at their parties! Juice features highly on Pud’s most desired treats as she has a dentist for an aunty and a mother who would rather we all ingest copious amounts of sugar through home-baked cakes.

Packing party bags was not quite as much fun as anticipated by someone. #partyprep

So she is six and having her first friends’ party. We’ve invited all the girls in her class to a ‘Pearlie in the Park’ party. Pearlie is very possibly Pud’s style icon: the flowers; the necklaces; the changing of clothes every few pages; and the planning of delicious fairy food. One can only hope Pearlie’s kind and generous spirit will also rub off on my currently very challenging, strong willed, feisty soon-to-be six year old. We did a Vistaprint invite and away we went with planning.

There are now around 20 ‘Pearlie in the Park’ books and I love reading Pearlie with and to her. Wendy Harmer’s ‘Pearlie’ series is funky, funny and fast paced. Each short chapter book is a fully self-contained story which can be read in one or two sittings – absolutely perfect for young ones starting on chapter books. The urban setting of most of the books in the series is one which young readers will be familiar with and I love that the books have a very Australian feel whilst still remaining universal in appeal. Wendy Harmer is also clearly a foodie: dewdrop jellies; rose petal muffins; sunflower snap biscuits; butterfly cakes; and daisy fizz to drink. PudStar has scanned all the books for food for her party and is particularly excited about making her friends eat mouldy popcorn and smelly cheese sandwiches (these are for Scrag and Mr Flea, the ‘villians’).

The Pearlie books can be read in any order and there is far more than pictured below. Click on images to purchase.

Nothing like planning a scavenger hunt for a party sitting next to your husbands hospital bed. #blastedback #partyprep