Author jillrbennett

The Little Red Barn / Herdy’s Fun Day / Goodnight Herdy

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Little Red Barn
Kim Crumrine
Gecko Press

It could be thought of as a misnomer to call the sleeping place of all the farm animals ‘The Little Red Barn’ for it actually accommodates a total of fifty five creatures. First comes a mouse, then two cats, three dogs, four hens, five pigs and so on … In they all go each one showing its rear to the one following until when the final ten cows have disappeared through the door, it’s closed ready for sleep time.
When the last spread is reached, it becomes clear how a barn that seems so small has space for every animal.

This board book is a simple ‘good night’ story, a counting book and with its revealing finale, a joke to giggle over. There are additional fun details such as the teddy bear balanced atop the head of one of the eight alpacas and the night-cap sported by one of the cows. How was the barn door closed once all the animals had gone in, one wonders.

Likely to become a favourite pre-bedtime share, but equally it would work well when shared with a group of nursery children.

Herdy’s Fun Day
Goodnight Herdy
Happy Yak

Herdy is a little very lively sheep with lots of friends.
In the first book we join him one sunny day as he sets off to find some of his friends to have some fun with. It’s up to little humans to help him find where they are by looking behind the felt flaps. First he looks for dog, who invites his pal to join him and bounce. Next, clutching an acorn, he seeks Squirrel and receives an invitation to eat with his bushy-tailed friend. Down in the water Herdy wonders where his otter friends are and once they appear, Herdy is invited to swim with them. Good to see he has his inflated ring and flippers. At the bottom of the hill, hides Deer just waiting for Herdy to join in a dance routine. But then at the seaside it’s Herdy that disappears: where is he? Now that would be telling … It’s certainly a great way to end his adventurous day.

Goodnight Herdy are not the words the little sheep is ready to hear: he still wants to play with his friends. However, Duck, Rabbit, Worm and Dog all ignore his “Let’s play!” invitation as they’re all ready for bed. Will Herdy ever be sufficiently tired to nod off? Little ones can discover the answer by lifting the flap on the final spread.
I’m sure Herdy will win lots of little human friends once a grown-up has shared these two board books with them.

The Forest Is a Part of Me

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Forest Is a Part of Me
Elizabeth Wathuti O.G.W
Little Tiger

Written in a pictorial autobiographic style, Elizabeth Wathuti, Kenyan climate activist and Founder of the Green Generation Initiative, calls upon we readers to appreciate what forests are and what they offer. A tree lover from a very young age, the author tells how she planted her very first tree when she was just seven years old and since then has become part of the forest herself, growing alongside not only that tree but many others too.

She talks of how forests help humans and a wealth of creatures large and small from ‘the tiny ant to the mighty elephant.’ as well as human communities. We’re reminded of the huge threat to our planet that global deforestation poses especially when carried out in a rapid and ruthless fashion; this is heartbreaking for the author and to many readers too. It’s absolutely vital that we humans value and look after our forests the world over.

Elizabeth Wathuti’s poetic, powerfully moving narrative is illustrated by Michelle Pereira’s whose scenes of the verdant, thriving forest rich in fauna as well as flora, are a joy to behold, made all the more so with strategically placed cutouts.
As the ‘about the author’ final paragraph states, ‘Our future depends on how we nurture our bond with the natural world, because when we protect the forest – when we protect nature – we are really protecting a part of ourselves.’

(The publishers were mindful of these words as the book has been made on wood free paper, using mineral-oil-free inks that do not include petroleum-derived mineral oils. The result is paper that feels special to the touch.)
The final page of the book includes some ‘How can you help? advice which we can all follow.

Donut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Donut Squad: Destiny of the Donuts
Neill Cameron
David Fickling Books

In a dark future, humanity is in the clutches of AI, enslaved by their fitbots whose algorithms govern both their waking and sleeping hours. Defy those wellness algorithms at your peril. Needless to say the eating of donuts is a heinous crime punishable by DEATH! However, at the crucial moment when sentence is being passed along comes a donut and it transpires that the saved person is Frances and her rescuer is Anxiety Donut.

Said Donut leads Frances to the Donuts’ secret base but has difficulty locating it. Eventually though she meets up with what’s called the Donut Resistance and Frances learns that they have invented a time machine that can take them back to before the invention of those fitbots, so their creation doesn’t happen and thus, history is saved. (Does that remind readers of any famous stories, I wonder.) Before undertaking any time travelling though, a group of Donuts wants to spend months calibrating and testing the invention but are forced into accelerating their plan because it’s been detected. Will the nightmare come to pass or can that plan succeed against the odds?

That would be telling …

Deliciously daft and Donut enthusiasts will likely consume the main narrative in a sitting before savouring some of the other treats – tasty and otherwise. There’s a whole lot of new merch. to peruse, as well as a plethora of new donut flavours from as far afield as Great Britain and Japan to whet the appetites of readers.

Little Wolf’s Big Huff

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Little Wolf’s Big Huff
Harriet Howe and Katie Cottle
Templar Books

Taking a trip to watch the Wolf Moon rise has become an annual event for Little Wolf and Daddy Wolf. With just the two of them it’s a ‘wonderfully-waggy-tailed time’ for them, but especially for the little cub.

However this year, another wolf has taken Little Wolf’s place as the littlest in his pack and because Mummy Wolf is poorly on Wolf Moon Day, all his brothers and sisters are also coming. Little Wolf tries his best to feel pleased about this ‘Everyone Else Day’ but he knows things won’t be the same. Assuredly, he’s right about that.
Things go from bad to worse as nobody is interested in Little Wolf’s den design,

then he injures himself and ends up in the mud and not a single other wolf has noticed, and eventually big feelings begin bubbling in his belly, moving on to tingle in his tail and then to fizz all through his fur. Instead of feeling like Little Wolf, the little creature feels big and bad. He huffs and he puffs and …

Time for Daddy Wolf to help his Little Wolf before too much damage is done. This he does by teaching him what he calls ‘The Way of the Wolf’ – a special power hidden deep inside every wolf. Will it work and if so, then what …
Young children will definitely relate to Little Wolf’s worry wobbles and his ensuing BIG feelings when things don’t go as planned. 

Pebble and Po

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Pebble and Po
Emma Simpson
Little Tiger

Late one night Pebble falls fast asleep in a soft, comfy place. Little does she know until the next morning that she’s slept on the tummy of a large bear. She names the bear Po and soon after hears a loud rumble emanating from the creature’s tummy. Suspecting that her new friend is hungry, Pebble leads the way through the forest to search for food.

On their way the two meet some new friends – a bird with an injured wing in search of rest and a fox hiding from the stormy weather.

They all take refuge in a dark cave that becomes lit by fireflies until the storm passes and then after a while Pebble realises that they’re lost and asks for help from the others but they then find the confidence to ask for help too. The strong, silent Po is equally as endearing and caring as Pebble but shows empathy and care for others differently.

Emma Simpson captures the personality of each really well in the mixed media scenes for her gentle story and young listeners will delight in spotting the little white mouse that accompanies Pebble and Po on their adventure but is not mentioned in the text (I wonder where the umbrella came from that it holds in the storm.)

This reassuring book is likely to become a much requested favourite with young children at story time and is a great one for opening up discussions about finding the confidence to ask for help, as well as showing kindness and empathy towards others. “Asking for help isn’t easy. But it’s just about the bravest thing you can do.” So says Pebble as the story concludes.

Frankenkitty

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Frankenkitty
Maudie Powell-Tuck and Mini Grey
Little Tiger

There’s an adorable-looking kitty in the castle laboratory: is she or is she not responsible for all the terrible things that start happening?

“Here is a tale to chill the blood and thrill the soul—a tale of spooky paws and eerie claws… the tale of Frankenkitty” So begins the disembodied, talking skull narrator of this story that seems to be implying Frankenkitty, has been fashioned from many disparate parts. As his daughter Olive looks on, Frankenkitty’s inventor wails, “I’ve created a monster!” He goes on to tell her that they’re doomed on account of such things as slimy creatures in the bath, ‘spine-chilling sprouts … menacing moths! … slimy socks’.

The inventor is certain the castle is cursed despite what Olive thinks. Moreover the mummy starts unravelling and the mice terrorise the cook. Time to get rid of that loathsome creature decides the butler who proceeds to throw Frankenkitty out into the snow. Calm reigns. But could that adorable, forlorn-looking kitty be a cute creature after all? I wonder what listeners to the tale think. Do they agree with the inventor or his daughter?

The author includes plenty of horror motifs but essentially this tale is mock scary, and not likely to give readers nightmares even with Mini Grey’s splendidly detailed illustrations that are equally fun-scary in the way she shows the frights that abound within the that dark castle with ‘walls as grey as old knickers.’ – I love that.

Clive Penguin Learns To Fly, Sort Of / I Am A Squirrel

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Clive Penguin Learns To Fly, Sort Of
Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders
Little Tiger

This second story sees Clive Penguin dreaming of soaring through the sky like the ‘majestic’ gulls that reside in the same frozen parts as penguins. However, Clive doesn’t really want to admit how he feels, calling their ability to fly around as ‘Just showing off ’ Nevertheless he decides that being brave and adventurous, and certainly not afraid of heights, he will take flight and soar through the sky. So … after a number of crazy schemes, he launches himself and … yes he does become airborne.

Young listeners/ readers will of course be rooting for the penguin, particularly as he involves them in discussion about which are better, seagulls or penguins.

One thing you can say about Clive is that he’s a determined character and I love the dead-pan dialogue employed by the author in this quirky story. Equally enjoyable is Ben Sanders’ visual portrayal of the character with that fluorescent orange bobble hat, which is part and parcel of his unorthodox personality.

Immediately engaging and delightfully droll.

I Am A Squirrel
Scott Rothman and Tom Tinn-Disbury
Happy Yak

The young boy narrator of this story insists that he’s a squirrel that loves to run, jump, climb trees and have squirrel friends to play with. He also enjoys playing with his family but his elder brother won’t join in because he doesn’t believe his sibling is a squirrel. “Why don’t you eat acorns, sleep outside in a tree, feel afraid of dogs?” he wants to know. All of these questions are answered, some with ‘unsquirrel’ responses. However the dog question prompts the younger boy to admit in no uncertain terms, “I DO NOT CARE for HAWKS, a view I share with my other squirrel friends. Hawks are one of our most fearsome enemies.”

Determined to curtail his brother’s pretending once and for all, big brother tells him, Fine. If you’re a squirrel, then … “I AM A HAWK!”

He continues by talking of his hawk features, including a predatory characteristic that might just put pay to all the squirrel imaginary play of his younger brother. How though will this story conclude?

This ode to imaginary play, is a hilarious read aloud, cleverly told by author Scott Rothman and equally playfully illustrated by Tom Tinn-Disbury who has clearly enjoyed sprinkling his scenes with squirrels of the real sort.

A Wild Lullaby

jillrbennett Leave a comment

A Wild Lullaby
Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher
Otter-Barry Books

In this beautiful bedtime story a mother sings a lullaby to her child. She describes the various ways in which wild creatures all over the world settle their little ones.

In the field, the red fox barks; in the sea the whales hang side by side with their young and it’s the waves that create a lullaby for the seal pup as it snuggles close to its parent. Safe in an ice cave, bear cubs curl within their mother’s paws, and curled close to their mother in the jungle, tiger cubs hear the song of the breeze moving the leaves, their mother’s purring and the whirring of the bush crickets.

High up in the treetops in a nest built of branches, osprey chicks will hear the adult telling of the long journey over land and sea they will one day undertake: ‘A lullaby / of movement / around the turning world.’

Having guided her foal to a sheltered spot on the mossy heathland a Mother pony ‘sings songs of wild wonder’, the snow leopard family in the high rocks, and the elephants on the open plains watch over their young.

After singing her song throughout the day, it’s time for the mother owl to wake up and take flight in search for food to sate the appetites of the owl children as all around ‘Night sounds sing, / across land, across sky,/ a wild, / beautiful / lullaby.’


Jackie Morris’s lyrical text together with Cathy Fisher’s amazingly realistic watercolour paintings of the various creatures convey a feeling of peace and gentleness all across our wild and wonderful world.

How to Scare Blue Monster

jillrbennett Leave a comment

How to Scare Blue Monster
Petr Horáček
Otter-Barry Books

According to Blue Monster’s friends, Fox, Wolf, Raccoon and the rabbits the sounds he made when approaching made them very scared. However they are bemused by Blue Monster’s response, “Scared? What does that mean?” Even more so when Blue Monster requests that they teach him what it is to be scared: they agree to do so however.

The following morning Blue Monster goes out walking and there in his pathway is a pile of leaves containing Wolf. Rather than being scared Blue Monster recognises his friend. A similar thing happens when the monster encounters something white that goes, “Boo! Boo! Boo!” This time Blue Monster is amused and tells the rabbits and Racoon that they made him laugh.

Fox’s “Boo!” from up on a branch causes the monster to ask, “When are you going to teach me to be scared?”
Fox is left speechless and off he goes to meet the others in the meadow and there he suggests trying out his idea.

On his walk the next day Blue Monster meets … Nobody: this he finds strange. He wonders where all his friends are and having searched everywhere, calls out, “Where are you?” It’s a perplexed, lonely and worried Blue Monster that sits down and contemplates what might’ve happened to his friends. Supposing they are lost. Now it is Blue Monster’s turn to be scared ‘…

Really scared!” so he tells Fox, Raccoon, Wolf and the rabbits having given them all a hug.
Petr Horáček’s mixed media collage style illustrations for this second Blue Monster story are superb: those scribbles are so effective and I loved the mango print in the first scene. In fact all the printed items (block print or otherwise) add considerably to the overall effect and the depiction of the animals’ eyes catch their changing mood as the story unfolds.

A story to share, ponder upon and discuss, especially on the topic of what it means to be scared.

Bear Heart

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Bear Heart
Louise Greig and Hoang Giang
Flying Eye Books

Earnest is a bear, but he’s no ordinary bear. He has a heart that is big and it’s absolutely full of all the things that he loves – a large honeycomb, a blue flower, some salmon, his favourite tree – yet there always seems to be room for just one more thing. That is until he meets something huge. It’s a lion and Earnest can tell by its eyes that it needs a place in someone’s heart. Feeling that his own heart can’t accommodate the lion, Earnest tries asking some of his friends to help. However, none of them can: what will the bear do?
Earnest thinks and then makes a very brave decision. It’s one that rather than giving him a heavy heart, fills it with happiness.

Before the end of this gentle tale, the bear encounters another creature in whose heart, the lion truly belongs. he has another important decision to make and in so doing has learns a very important life lesson: true love sometimes comes from letting go.
Louise Greig’s tender, yet powerful telling is complemented by Hoang Giang’s equally tender scenes of Earnest’s changing emotions as the story unfolds.

This huge hug of a book is one that can be read on many levels and so deserves a place in family collections and in all class collections from the Foundation Stage to KS2.

Rapunzel is a Lettuce

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Rapunzel is a Lettuce
Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Shirley Hottier
Otter-Barry Books

The combination of its quirky title and Michael Rosen’s introduction should be sufficient to persuade readers to dive into Joseph Coelho’s latest poetry collection. I turned straight to the titular poem and in addition to the six metaphors relating to fairy tales is this: ‘It is the plants / that make the stories, / that is how stories grow. / It is the plants that root the fables. / Beware the stories that you sow.’ – thought-provoking for sure.
That is one of the ten poems found in the Plants section of the book. Before that are six other sections which are in order: Food, Families, School, Secret Messages, Special Places, Challenges and sections eight and nine are called Special Places and finally, Other Worlds.

Two book-related poems that I was immediately attracted to are Under the Covers with a Torch in the Special Places section. This reminded me of my own childhood: its final verse goes like this,
‘And then I am within the story / I feel every thrill and enjoy each glory / as the book fills up my heart / I drink comfort beneath the covers.’

I’m sure many avid readers will relate to this from Challenges – Finishing a Book wherein the author describes not wanting a fabulous book to end. ‘There are monsters and magic, / fairies and myths / and lessons I’ve learned / and people I’ve been / and loves I’ve lost / and friendships I’ve gained / and new gasps I’ve made / and I’m so close to the last page // but I don’t want it to end.’ That was exactly how I felt recently as I approached the final pages of a novel I’d been enjoying recently.

Joseph has used a variety of poetic forms including haiku; View from the Balcony is an example:

‘Every shade of green / seen from my concrete tower. / I am with the birds.’

With occasional black and white illustrations by Shirley Hottier, this is full of poems that are great for reading aloud as well as sharing at home and in the classroom. Joseph’s love playing with words is evident in so many of the offerings herein.

A Long Tail

jillrbennett Leave a comment

A Long Tail
Rebecca Atkinson and Kate Read
Happy Yak

Children can have fun as they follow the tactile trail of the tremendously long tail in this tale, a tale narrated by a little girl who discovers its tip disappearing through the front door that is slightly ajar. She follows the tail with its wealth of patterns as it meanders over the pages zigzagging, curling, looping, twirling left, right, over and under and across, out of her house, through the park,

onto the bus to school and finally back home once more.

At the end of the trail waiting to meet its new human friend is a Looperloo. It is, as the little girl tells us ‘so hugely, so lollopy and sweet. The cutest, most magical friend you could meet.’ The two of them eat, enjoy a bath, play and read a story together before bouncing right into bed beneath a ‘great big tail-ey heap’ and falling fast asleep.

A delightfully unusual, playful story with occasional die-cut pages, and near the end of the book, a large fold waiting for the reader’s hand to reveal the creature.

The Tale That Time Sews

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Tale That Time Sews
Sita Brahmachari and Jane Ray
Templar Books

A little girl is waiting for the birth of a new sibling and her nana is busy sewing a very special patchwork story quilt. As she works, Nana shares the story of her own personal journey, a journey of flight over land and sea from her homeland, the finding of special love in a safe, peaceful country – the joining together from fragile threads, a new beginning where happiness awaits. A happiness that includes the arrival of a tiny baby who will be wrapped up in the wonderful gift – that beautiful patchwork quilt, a gift of the warmth of what went before, intergenerational love and the hope and promise of what is to come. With each patch added, the girl’s understanding of her own place in the world is enhanced.

There’s a familiar repeat pattern underlying Sita Brahmachari’s telling of this heartwarming story inspired by her experience and that of Jane Ray at the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants.

There are lots of interesting details in Jane Ray’s illustrations – the Shiva Nataraja and the toran stretched out over the fireplace in one scene for example,

the patchwork piece showing a hand decorated with a mehndi design, the nesting bird (an Indian Roller maybe?). Whichever spread you choose, the reader is drawn right in and almost feels a part of the family too.

A book to cherish and to return to over and over.

Dream Keepers: Whispers of Wishing River / Lunar Grace Girl From Outer Space: Monster Mix Up

jillrbennett Leave a comment

These are both additions to series that are popular with young solo readers and as read alouds: thanks to Piccadilly Press for sending them for review:

Dream Keepers: Whispers of Wishing River
Rebecca Lewis-Oakes, illustrated by Anastasiya Kanavaliuk

Book 4 in this enchanting series set in the sleepy town of Sunny Wood and featuring Fatima and her friends who make sweet dreams for the town’s residents begins with Fatima eagerly looking forward to a day’s kayaking on the lake with her buddies. However as she’s getting ready she hears an announcement on the radio saying that due to a recent surge of pollution, the Sunny Wood Lake will be closed until further notice. She quickly contacts Mai, Paisley and Bella asking them to meet her at the library instead. Garvin the librarian, who arrives late to open up, as well as Bella, wonder why she wants boxes he’s discarded. After emptying out the contents of her bag she announces that they’re going to hold an anti pollution protest and the boxes are needed to make signs.

That night, with the aid of her black stone Fatima meets her friends again and they discover a new favourite part of the wood.
Then a few days later Garvin turns up at the library on foot having left his car at home and walked to work. Could it have been on account of a dream, he suggests. He also offers to put up one of the girls’ protest posters in the library. The girls then visit Joya (who was once a Dream Keeper) owner of the apothecary.

Horrified at the news of the pollution she willingly puts up a poster in her shop and also offers words of encouragement to the Dream Keepers, telling them, “It’s a big job but together you can do it … It’s not just Moon Wood, it’s the magic of the four of you together. There’s a strength in your friendship, you know.” Then Fatima’s mum tells her that she called off her daily run on account of the extra pollution, making Fatima all the more determined. Protest day is rather disappointing but Fatima remains determined, albeit getting a tad tetchy.She also starts to wonder if the Dream River is polluted, realising that if so, it must be the work of The Dark Queen, Queen of Nightmares.

By sticking firmly together, can the strength of the Dream Keepers defeat her once and for all?

The importance of friendships is key in this magical story that is an ideal read aloud for KS1 classes as well as a solo read for those who are confident with illustrated chapter books.

Lunar Grace Girl From Outer Space: Monster Mix Up
Julie Sykes, illustrated by Emily Jones

Luna is super excited to learn that her grandparents are coming to visit from Starbright, their home planet. She’s eager to show them how grown-up she has become since she and her parents moved to Earth and has decided to show them round her school’s Halloween fair.
However things don’t quite go to plan. With minor disasters such as a collapsed castle of the bouncy kind can she remedy her mix-ups? Perhaps, with an occasional sprinkling of subterfuge, some magical assistance at the hoopla stall and lots of determination.

This third story in the series with its generous helping of Emily Jones’s colourful illustrations will captivate younger readers and likely win Luna some new followers too. However those who haven’t met her before should start with Luna Grace Girl From Outer Space.

Spindlewood

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Spindlewood
Freddie Kölsch
Puffin Books

At the start of the story twelve year old Lilac Black lives in Salem, Massachusetts with Uncle Beau and Uncle Bell having done so since her mother died. She comes from a long line of Seers and has an inquiring mind, so says Uncle Bell.

One day when her Uncle Bell is struggling during one of his séances, Lilac comes to his rescue and in so doing accidentally exhibits abilities that make both of her uncles believe that she’s an ideal candidate to attend Spindlewood School of Seeing.
Full of remorse, Lilac realises that ‘either ghosts were real … or somewhere off the New England coast was an elite school full of delusional people.’ However, to the secret Spindlewood School of Seeing she goes, but as one of the Unseeing who’s never seen a ghost, she’ll have to keep everyone around her convinced that she can in fact, See.

When she goes into the library, a journal belonging to a Lenet Gardner falls from the shelf and lands right at Lilac’s feet. As she reads it she feels she must endeavour to unravel an enduring mystery. The first girl she meets is Emmanuelle Williams, a True Seer who needs no rituals to speak with spirits seemingly seeing them everywhere, and a roommate uses dream to talk to ghosts. The two don’t really get on and Lilac feels caught between them but becomes friends with Em.

But something is very wrong at the school: all the ghosts are sending messages warning students of danger. Something the adults refuse to talk about is in the library basement so it’s down to Lilac and her friend to save the school. Can they succeed and can Lilac keep her inability to See under wraps?

A terrific read for those around Lilac’s age: it’s enormously compelling with credible characters and occasional dashes of spookiness.

Squirrel Shady: The Golden Acorn / The Elementals: Peo Saves the Trees

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Squirrel Shady: The Golden Acorn
Nick East
Scholastic

If ever there was a zany story full of twists and turns and ups and downs both physical and mental, then this tale of Shady Squirrel’s attempt to steal the Golden Acorn of Destiny is it.
Meet Shady a crook who’s found himself back in Badun Island Prison, cell 101, the worst of all cells, with only a gang of beetles for company until that is, he gets a snake as cell mate, one Nadia Scales and she has an escape plan in her mind. And escape is what both Shady and Nadia manage to do.

Pretty soon Shady is back in his hidey-hole in an oak tree. However his freedom is very short lived for suddenly he’s seized by the neck and dragged before tortoise crime boss, Naughty Tortie, who wants Shady to rob the Big City Bank and steal the Golden Acorn from Mayor Vixford Slick’s vault. Trouble is there’s no refusing Tortie and so begins the mega-heist of Shady’s career.

Almost immediately he becomes reunited with Roxy ‘the Paws’ racoon, his old pal cum partner in crime. Enter Tina Two Hoots, Shady’s erstwhile hero, who has taken up knitting. She is just one of the criminal creatures – rivals or otherwise – that he encounters. Will Shady manage to get his paws on the loot or will it slip from his grasp?

With a wealth of Nick’s amusing black and white illustrations adding to the fun, this is a book for readers who enjoy a tale full of crazy shenanigans. I read it in a single sitting.

The Elementals: Peo Saves the Trees
Love Ssega, illustrated by Erika Meza
Little Tiger

The Elementals are an adventure loving group of friends who are learning to use their superpowers to care for our world. Like the other children on their island home of Sealand, each has a power that connects them to nature. Peo and her twin brother Elu are children of the soil and Wanzu is connected to the wind.

As the story starts Peo asks Wanzu for his help before taking her friend to meet her and Elu’s grandparents. Then the following morning Peo tells the others that to her surprise, it seems as though the trees are trying to talk to her. There’s a message calling for help from an island close by. Using Elder Oak as their raft, off they sail – the twins, plus Maali and Kikay, with Wanzu playing his harp to speed them on their mission, towards what they think is an island of trees. When they arrive though, all the trees have gone. Now it’s up to the friends to work together, solve the mystery and save the trees. But where and how have they gone and why?

With its combination of friendship, adventure, co-operation and the outdoors, plus Erika Meza’s black and white illustrations. this is a great story for new solo readers or for sharing with a class.

I Am Going To Jump This Log

jillrbennett Leave a comment

I Am Going To Jump This Log
Stephanie Stansbie and Jack Viant
Little Tiger

Frog has decided that he’s going to jump over the log. It’s going to be easy and he will sail over brilliantly. However, things don’t exactly go to plan. No matter how much he procrastinates, day dreaming, snacking and limbering up, (I love those leg warmers Frog wears) and how frustrated he becomes, he remains on the wrong side of that log until finally he accomplishes his goal, albeit with a little assistance from a passing avian. But then what should await him but … Yes! Another challenge…

This fantastically funny story told from the frog’s viewpoint has so much to offer. I love Jack Viant’s bold, bright, expressive illustrations. Readers will need to peruse the scenes carefully to discover all the hilarious details

and if the book, with Stephanie Stansbie’s aptly minimal text, is shared with a class or group, plenty of time will be needed for visual exploration as well as discussion of the text.

I think it’s one of those books that children will demand is read over and over and over. It would also work well as a book for those beginning to gain confidence as readers, to try for themselves.

The Boy, The Father and the Bear

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Boy, The Father and the Bear
Per Gustavsson
Greystone Kids

‘Once upon a time, a boy lived with his father where the forest and the blue sea met.’ So begins a mysterious four part tale of loss and transformation.

The first part tells how the boy and his father spend their time collecting berries, fishing or playing soccer close to their home where sea and forest met. However when the boy expresses curiosity about what was in both the forest and the sea, his father tells him of bears living in the forest and sharks swimming in the sea, both of which they need to beware of.

As the years pass, the boy notices that his father is getting older but not so himself. Then one day, despite his son’s pestering and best efforts to facilitate his participation, the father no longer wants to play soccer, insisting that he’s too tired. The days pass with the father sitting in a chair and not wanting to go outside until the boy notices roots growing from his father and burrowing their way through the floor. More time passes and the father has now completely turned into a tree that has grown so tall that its upper branches have cracked the ceiling. Now what? wonders his son. Eventually the house is no more, so large has the tree grown, so the boy climbs up and looks in turn towards the horizon and the sea,

Down comes the rain, causing the water to rise and rise and the boy to climb up and up. At last the tree starts moving through the water like a boat. Come the evening he feels completely alone but manages to fall asleep. It’s then his life changes for ever.
Next morning what should he discover but a bear sitting, absolutely still at the opposite end of the tree trunk looking at the boy. Having tried unsuccessfully to communicate with said bear, the boy decides to swim towards the land in the distance. In he jumps followed by the bear; the latter begins sinking and the boy dives down hoping to rescue it from the ocean floor. Eventually their feet touch what feels like ground and the boy realises what they’re resting on.

Instead of devouring the two, the shark rescues them and together they reach land where the boy falls fast asleep beneath the stars.

In the final part, the boy wakes to find no bear but he’s surrounded by trees, similar to those he’d left, trees that can used to build houses. However from the edge of the forest, the bear stands watching and the boy begins leaving food just in case … Finally he entices the creature right inside his house and so begins an unlikely friendship with his ursine friend doing the things the boy’s father had done once upon a time.
The book concludes with a poem, the final lines of which are: ‘Good new thoughts come every day / And Darkness lets me be’.

The colour of the digitally rendered pencil illustrations changes for each section – from green to purple to blue to brown. Told in a manner that leaves readers free to make their own interpretations, with its themes of life, death and fresh beginnings, this is a book that allows new meanings to emerge if read and discussed over and over.

Poo in the Zoo: Ready Set Poo

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Poo in the Zoo: Ready Set Poo
Steve Smallman and Ada Grey
Little Tiger

We return to the zoo of little Bob McGrew for the latest poo story, or rather, that’s where it begins. But then in dashes Hector Gloop sporting his top hat and tails and excitedly announcing a forthcoming race, of which he is sure to be the winner. He like all the other contestants will have to drive a vehicle powered solely by poop and the prize will be a golden poo. Just as Bob is wondering how such power is even possible up rides one Arabella Slater, aka a Poo Investigator and in her hand she’s holding a flask containing poo-fuel, made from poop. Eagerly she explains how she went about making said fuel and right after, off dashes Hector to start building himself a car. Arabella meanwhile sets about making more poo-poo fuel. Encouraged by Bob, the other zoo animals decide to make race cars too.

Come race day a range of fast-looking poop-powered vehicles are driven to the starting line, including one driven by Ebenezer Gloop, twin brother of Hector who confidently announces to his sibling, “ In any kind of test, I was always second best, / But now, dear Hector, I’ll be first and you’ll be number two!”

The race begins and Ebenezer starts well, from his viewpoint though not that of several of the other drivers as they head into the snowy mountains. Poor Arabella is treated to a small avalanche thanks to a gigantic trump that emanates from Ebenezer’s exhaust. He continues with his cheating ways throughout the jungle where another disaster happens and Ebenezer zooms off to claim his prize, so he says, until he hears just four pleading words. Who has called and what will Ebenezer decide to do thereafter? And who will be the winner of the race?

To find out, readers will need to get a copy of the book for themselves. For sure they’ll find plenty to laugh about both in Steve Smallman’s rhyming text and Ada Grey’s wacky illustrations. It’s a great read aloud.

Deerheart

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Deerheart
Eoin Colfer, illustrated by P.J.Lynch
Walker Books

This is an original Irish fable set long ago in a magical forest under threat from outside forces. Created by earth goddess Danu to protect Creedon, a stone, are three sister witches born from trees who keep Creedon safe from humans. When their brother, warlock Drogool betrays one of the sisters, Deerheart, the youngest witch is born.

Years later, when she’s just eighteen, Deerheart encounters Halvar, a young human who is part of a small Norse army wanting to invade the forest, and before they realise what’s happening, the two have fallen in love.

Could she possibly have fallen in love with the first human she’d ever met, wonders Deerheart, going on to tell him, “I am not like you, Halvar … I can never leave this place. The Wood needs me and I would not survive away from it.” He responds by saying, “I know. … That is why we need a plan.” As the lovers are having this conversation though, they are watched by Drogool and before long darts are thrown, the first at Halvar; the second at Deerheart.‘

All is lost.’ we read, but is it? …

The magic of Eoin Colfer’s story telling draws you in from the opening pages and keeps you reading, totally enchanted right through to the final words, such is its power. Equally powerful are P. J. Lynch’s rather eerie charcoal black and white illustrations.

Medusa Gorgon’s Deadly Side Eye

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Medusa Gorgon’s Deadly Side Eye
Bethany Walker, illustrated by Katie Abey
Scholastic

For me this was even funnier than Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day: I found myself laughing at almost every turn of the page. Again it’s written in diary form with lots of amusing illustrations by Katie Abey.

After six weeks spent holidaying with her friends it’s early September and Meddy G has returned for a new term at Shadewell Academy where she’s now entering year eight and her intention is to be the best Year 8 she can. She is, she tells us, fully committed to 21st century life and her snake friends Mr Car and Ian have seemingly, disappeared.
Things start pretty well, other than her being chastised by headteacher Ms Williams about her uniform style. However, it’s hardly any time before Meddy’s stress levels start rising. It’s during the first whole school assembly when she’s called up onto the stage by the head and is asked to speak about the final day of the summer term. What she announces is … “I … like … performing … magic tricks.” This satisfies Ms Williams who then proceeds to ask her to perform more magic in assembly the following week.

Before that though, she enjoys a weekend shopping trip to Shadwell Mall. ‘Does shopping count as a hobby in the twenty first century,’ she wonders. I loved her comment re Boots, which she’s bemused to learn does not sell footwear.
Suddenly Meddy’s stress levels start going through the roof, to the extent that she accidentally turns Ms Williams to stone. All this by the end of Act 1.

Highly amusing too is the H.E.A.T (Hermes Express Air Tortoise) correspondence between Hades and Athena interspersed between the diary entries.

I’ll leave readers to discover what unfolds in the 2nd and 3rd acts apart from saying that there’s a sudden new trend in ‘snonnets’

with Meddy becoming a fashionista. Enough said! That and the appearance of new boy Percy who makes Meddy get all hot and bothered when he’s around. (What she isn’t aware of is that Percy is actually none other than Perseus, sent on a mission to take down Meddy G.) Oh and further incidents of turning people to stone.

Medusa Gorgon is based (very loosely) on the Medusa Greek myth, making it a great choice for young Greek mythology enthusiasts especially. However, other readers who enjoy a good laugh should try it too.

African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders

jillrbennett Leave a comment

African Queens: Incredible Stories of Africa’s Legendary Women Leaders
Onyinye Iwu
Walker Books

It’s great to see a book featuring amazing African queens in an accessible style that will inspire child readers. By means of captivating visual images, immediately engaging captions and factual paragraphs, Onyinye Iwu introduces youngsters to some impressive leaders – thinkers, warriors and protectors (a dozen in all) – from various civilisations that developed over many centuries.

First, we’re taken right back to circa 1504-1459 BCE to meet Queen Hatshepsut who became a pharaoh, ruling alongside her stepson. Her focus was on trading and during the years of her reign, Egypt grew exceedingly rich. Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build huge temples, the most famous being the Temple of Deir-el-Bahri. After her death, her successors attempted to erase her memory but were not wholly successful.

New to me two women I was particularly drawn to are: Queen Arawelo and Queen Nyabinghi. Queen Arawelo did all she could to ensure that men and women were treated equally in her kingdom; awesome to see a peaceable ruler and one who fought for women’s equality in Somalia circa 15CE. Moving forwards in time, the other is Queen Nyabinghi (circa 1750-1800).

Not only did she give her all, including her life, to the people of Karagwe (she was murdered by her jealous husband), but her wisdom and desire for peace inspired Muhumuza, a wife of the King of Rwanda, some hundred years later who is remembered as a freedom fighter and spiritual leader.

I learned a lot from this absorbing book and think there should be a copy in all primary collections and on the shelves of all children with an interest in world history.

Hogbert

jillrbennett 1 Comment

Hogbert
Briony May Smith
Walker Books

Hogbert is the littlest of six boar piglets who live in a faraway forest with their mother.  One day Mummy Boar tells her offspring that it’s time for their first exploration of the forest but warns them to stay quiet and stay together in case the big bad wolf is about. Hogbert follows his snout along a trail of delicious smells – cherries, berries and acorns – but suddenly realises that he’s by himself. Remembering his mother’s warning about the big, bad wolf, the fearful piglet huddles down to hide. Then he hears rustling sounds getting closer and closer; could it be that lupine character about to gobble him up?

However his fear is soon allayed by the appearance of Little Red, a squirrel on her way to visit her poorly granny. Does that sound familiar? Before long the two are worried, not by the wolf, but a snoring fawn and then two small bunnies, Nettle and Hosel that have also been led by the trail.
Then comes a “HOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!”

The next spread shows a lost looking wolf cub too, above the passage where the other creatures are making their way towards the open air. Eventually Hogbert leads them to the foot of a tall tree where a happy reunion takes place between adult creatures and their young ones. Time for Hogbert to bid farewell to his new friends: I love the “Smell you later!” goodbye to Red.

Indeed there’s so much to love especially Bryony’s mixed media depiction of the sylvan setting of the tale with its tall trees and those foxgloves, anemones and other wild flowers: and definitely not forgetting that tiny frog wearing a crown and sitting a-top a stone in a pond. Equally delightful is the lyrical telling with its fairy tale allusions, descriptions and occasional word play.

A great story to share with KS1 classes and individuals, making sure there’s plenty to time to peruse the pictures.

The Bakery Dragon

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Bakery Dragon
Devin Elle Kurtz
Walker Books

Like all his fellow dragons, Ember loves gold more than anything else but his small stature prevents him from scaring anybody in the village enough to get it. Come dusk one day as the other dragons fly home with their latest spoils, Ember wanders into the foggy village led by a gold glimmer, only to discover that it’s a streetlamp. Continuing on his meandering he comes upon the window of a bakery and there, blanketed by warm light, falls asleep. During his slumbers a storm blows up and a kindly baker offers him shelter inside. She then proceeds to teach him her trade,

something that suits him very well. Ember can hardly believe his eyes at the product: trays of glowing golden toasty loaves of various shapes and sizes. The baker gives a tray to the little dragon and he flies back home where he lies atop his loaves, absorbing the wonderful aroma but feeling sad about missing the bakery.

This baker’s rich, buttery gold tastes even better than it smells and before long the delicious smell has attracted other dragons and their reactions to its delectable taste, gives Ember an idea. He returns to the bakery and after careful consideration, Ember and the baker establish what proves to be a very successful business arrangement. Finally, Ember has found his true gold and as we read on the final spread: ‘… baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.’

A feast for the eyes assuredly and one can almost smell the wonderful aroma emanating from the latter pages of the book and hear the soft crunching as everyone in the village sinks their teeth into the loaves: a truly tasty book.

Dylan, Daisy and the Disco Ball

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Dylan, Daisy and the Disco Ball
Robert Tregoning and Laura Brenlla
Oxford Children’s Books

Dylan and Daisy are dressed and ready for their first school disco but they’re unsure what they are letting themselves in for. However, no sooner has Dylan walked through the door than he starts feeling the rhythm and lights of all colours form a rainbow all around. Then from above descends a ball of silver light inviting him, so he feels, to move to the music and “Twirl and twirl and twirl like me and sparkle from within”. Almost immediately Dylan is shimmying and shaking like a disco diva. He’s having an amazing time but then he notices that everybody has stopped dancing to look at him. Highly embarrassed, he stops his boogie bopping straight away as he feels his inner sparkle dim, watched from above by the disco ball.

She doesn’t want Dylan’s self-confidence to wane and tries glowing and sparkling very brightly.

However, it’s Daisy’s feet that start tapping and soon she’s dancing with gusto towards Dylan. After a bit of encouragement from his friend, Dylan returns to the floor and so infectious is their boogieing that before long all their friends are joining in and twirling too.

With dramatic scenes by Laura Brenlla (you can almost hear the music emanating from some of her illustrations), this empowering telling by Robert Tregoning about letting go and over-coming one’s self-consciousness, will one hopes, encourage listeners to do likewise.

Wilomina: Land of Dreams and Nightmares

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Wilomina: Land of Dreams and Nightmares
John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs
Scholastic

Wilomina, her father, and baby brother Kes, are on their way to visit Mum in hospital when a creature dashes across the road causing their car to get stuck. They’re in the middle of nowhere but Wilomina insists she’s seen a station, dashes ahead and followed by Dad and baby, jumps aboard a train, destination unknown. While Dad is changing Kes, Wilomina meets a talking cat, who introduces itself as Mephisto. The cat tells her that they must leave the train immediately and Wilomina takes a leap and finds herself separated from her dad and brother, in a weird place called Nocturna, where, so Mephisto says, dreams and nightmares come from. It seems though, as if the nightmares are taking over: can Wilomina trust the shape-shifting cat to help her return to the real world and find her family? Seemingly it’s her only chance so they set off together.

On their travels they encounter snakes, spectres, spider-witches, dragons; they have to cross monster-infected waters on a raft before reaching the Premonition Library where mazes and monsters abound. In the library they encounter the librarian who leads them to a massive book-filled room, the maps and gateways section filled with millions of books. ‘Good luck! And remember: inner calm’ she tells them leaving them to search. Wilomina discovers a book that invites them to ‘solve this puzzle to find your gate to the Waking Hours’ with two small envelopes and the words, ‘choose carefully or perish!’

What next? The worst thing is that Wilomina is slowly but surely transforming into a fierce werepire. Will this nightmare ever end? Can Wilomina overcome her inner monster, find her dad and brother and get to the hospital to see Mum?

With a courageous protagonist, this spooky (but never too scary) magical adventure, vibrantly illustrated in graphic novel format will be devoured by readers who prefer their stories told mainly through visuals. This surreal story continues in book 2 coming next year.

The Waking Wood

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Waking Wood
Alexi Francis
Big Picture Press

Deep in the woods one warm summer evening, as the moon begins to rise many creatures wake to wander and search for food. In that wood stands an ancient oak tree in the roots of which resides a badger family. As the wood becomes engulfed by night the badgers emerge including a young one that is far smaller than his siblings. Eager to explore, this cub wanders off and before long has been left behind as he follows a path far beyond the badgers’ sett. Attracted by its luminous light, the cub goes to investigate a glow worm and is soon surrounded by many more that glimmer like fallen stars. Then having sniffed the air of the gentle breeze, entranced by the earthy notes of its scent, on goes the little badger to see what might be beyond the glade.

At the wood’s edge he has a scary encounter with a fox

and having run to safety, now all alone in the darkness, he discovers that he’s come to a pine wood, so different from his woodlan§d home, the home he so much wants to return to. No easy task as all the paths look the same but ‘Ooooo! Kewick! Ooooo! Kewick!’ hears the lost cub. He recognises that it’s the owl’s call and recalling a lesson his elders have taught him, he is sure that sound will guide him back home.

Following the sound of the owl’s call, the cub soon starts recognising the sights, sounds and smells of his home and before too long he’s hurrying to greet his family and joining the other young cubs in a final play before bedtime. Lesson learnt, the smallest cub knows that for the near future he should concentrate on learning the ways of the woods and staying fairly close to his sett.

I love the circularity of the narrative that begins and ends with the ‘Choowa, Choowa, Choowa, Chirr, Chirr, Chirr’ sounds of the birds in the trees. There’s so much more to love too – the intricately detailed illustrations that have a textured quality, the die cut cover and intricate die cuts in the pages and Alexi Francis’s poetic telling.
A gorgeous book to keep, to read and re-read and to cherish.

Encyclopedia of Fungi

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Encyclopedia of Fungi
Jules Howard, illustrated by Namasri Niumim
Wide Eyed Editions

‘Fungi are everywhere but they are easy to miss. They are inside you and around you. They sustain you and all that you depend on.’ So says Merlin Sheldrake author of Entangled Life. Jules Howard’s book, covering over three hundred species, provides a just a glimpse into one of life’s kingdoms on earth. There are examples from all over the world including Europe, Africa and Asia, Australia, North America, New Zealand, South and Central America.

Indeed there are so many kinds to marvel over with their awesome variety of shapes, sizes and colours as we see in Namasri Niumin’s illustrations. For instance there’s the Devil’s Fingers found in forests and grasslands,

and various Earthstars – the Arched Earthstar almost resembling a tiny human dancing on the forest floor.

Their intricate designs are astonishing: how does the Red Cage not fall apart one wonders. Also red in colour but beware, is the poisonous Fly Agaric; with its distinctive red cap dappled with white it is often depicted in woodland fairy tale illustrations.

There are also zombie fungi that prey on caterpillars and ants, ‘Gobbler’ moulds that invade other fungi, but on the more positive side are yeasts that can be used in baking and wine-making and for medicinal purposes.

There is so much more that scientists have yet to understand about this amazing branch of the web of life on Earth. Meanwhile there’s a wealth of information for child readers and adults to discover – the mycelium for example – between the covers of this celebratory volume. It’s definitely one to add to home and school collections.

How the Rivermaid Grew Her Tail

jillrbennett Leave a comment

How the Rivermaid Grew Her Tail
Jessica Wilson, illustrated by Sophie Bass
Words & Pictures

This is a wonderful anthology of folktales from the West African and Caribbean traditions. There are thirteen in all, many of which are new to me. Each one is introduced with information about the country of its origin, its people, and traditions. There is also a double spread with a map showing where in the world each story is from and acting like a pictorial index.

One character that is familiar to me is Anansi though in How Anansi Became King Of All Stories, (Ghana, Ivory Coast & Togo) we also meet Asase Yaa, Anansi’s mother the goddess of love, fertility and the Earth, and though traditionally depicted in humanoid form, herein she takes the form of a spider with two other offspring, Tano and Ben.

There are several pourquoi tales including the titular How the Rivermaid Grew Her Tail, from Jamaica. We first encounter her when she’s both tailless and purposeless and feeling very sad about her lack of a tail despite Turtle’s wise words, “Without your tail, you are enough.” However Rivermaid feels as though she’s already experienced having a tail and insists she needs it. Come the morning Rivermaid sees herself reflected in the eyes of a young girl singing a calypso while washing clothes along the river bank and it’s then she realises she is there to protect the waterways. After some while, joy of joys, Rivermaid feels her tail lengthening and sings in sheer delight.

It’s good to see How George Grew Wings, a retelling inspired by African American George Floyd who was murdered in Minneapolis by a white police officer, a shocking event that triggered the Black Lives Matter movement.

I could go on waxing lyrical about the stories Jessica Wilson retells herein, assuredly they are culturally rich, but instead, I will merely say that with Sophie Bass’s vibrant illustrations,

from The Evil Butcher Who Became a Calf

this is a book that deserves a place in every primary school collection, in secondary school libraries and on family bookshelves

Cass and the Beast

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Cass and the Beast
Claire Mabey and Jill Calder
Gecko Press

Something ‘other’ has arrived in town and the townsfolk, not knowing what it is, call it Beast. Their fear causes them to think it is likely to catch anyone who tried hunting it and munch them whole. Young Cass doesn’t believe this however; she’s seldom scared and if ever she is, it’s people who frighten her, not beasts.

One night, she watches through the window and sees the beast moving among the trees; with its rumbling belly she thinks perhaps it’s in desperate need of food. Once everybody else is in bed, she creeps out in her thin coat clutching a piece of bread and calls out “Hello. Are you hungry?” The beast turns and Cass offers the bread, which the beast takes. Suddenly she feels herself being lifted onto the beast’s back.

So begins a magical journey that takes her far from the town and into a meadow. There the beast sates its hunger and the two curl up and sleep till the following morning when they return from whence they came, with the townsfolk watching Cass and the beast bidding one another farewell. The townspeople give Cass a new name and the beast finds its true name, which readers/listeners will learn on the final page, though I suspect many will be ready and waiting to call it out, if the adult reader aloud pauses on the penultimate spread.

Difference and how people react to it is a key theme in Claire Mabey’s somewhat surreal, magical story of a risk-taking child; it’s complemented by Jill Calder’s powerfully atmospheric, detailed scenes of Cass’s journey with the beast. Would the young children you share this with be brave enough to undertake a similar journey?

Board Books are Fun

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Below are 4 recent board books from Little Tiger: thanks to the publisher for sending them for review.

Happy Dog, Sad Dog
Sam Lloyd

Using dogs of various colours in turn, little humans are introduced to a series of opposites: big and little, clean and dirty, happy and sad, hot and cold, hairy and bald, awake and asleep and the final spread has no dog on the verso and lots of dogs on the recto. Bold bright colours and Sam Lloyd’s alluring canine images will help very young children become familiar with simple words.

Little Ghost Little Ghost What Can You See?
Pintachan

Little humans can assist the little ghost to discover what is hidden beneath the flaps on which are depicted in turn a purple witch’s hat, a sturdy-looking wooden door, a pumpkin-shaped basket, a cauldron and finally, a pumpkin patch beside a gate. A friendly-looking spider acts as the little ghost’s interrogator on each double spread.
With its repeat refrain, at every turn of the page, young children will soon be joining in with the text and after several readings aloud some may start reading it for themselves.

Noisy Nursery Rhymes
illustrated by Laura Silveira

Five popular nursery rhymes (one per double spread) are presented herein. They are in order: Incy Wincy Spider, The wheels on the bus, Old Macdonald had a farm, Row, row row your boat, Mary had a little lamb and Twinkle, twinkle, little star. There’s a tactile patch embedded into an image on each spread, which when pressed plays the tune of each rhyme.
A fun way for small children to learn/reinforce the words of the songs as well as develop their fine motor skills.

100 First Words
Hettie Cox and Shutterstock

One of the ‘My First Lift and Look’ series introduces a hundred words. Each double spread has a theme – colours, wild animals from hot and cold places, 2D shapes, ‘things that go’ – modes of transport on land, in the air and through the water, favourite foods – savoury and sweet, clothes for indoors and outside, animals that live on a farm, things to play with, things to see outside come rain or shine and finally, items found in the home.
There’s a flap on each recto with a question and the answer to each is found by lifting the flap.
A playful way to help little ones extend their vocabulary.

Cat School: Odd Cat Out!

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Cat School: Odd Cat Out!
Rose Robbins
Scallywag Press

This is the first in a new graphic novel series featuring kittens Tangle and Eno, and their new neurodivergent friend Pelly.

It’s the day all three start Cat School and whereas Tangle and Eno though a little anxious at the outset quickly overcome their nerves, Pelly, who arrives late, is troubled by many things, one being the scent-vents that emit smells signalling lesson and break times. After lunch she feels the need to find a quiet place and goes off alone into the garden and there she discovers something she really likes – pinecones. This place, Pelly decides can become her ‘private pinecone hideaway.’

Come the end of the first day she tells an empathetic Granmog who has come to meet her that she feels “like there’s some kind of secret rule book everyone knows about except me!” Granmog however, believes she can learn to enjoy school.

Pelly decides that the only way she can enjoy school is to copy the other pupils but finds that very tiring; the alternative – to act like her real self – worries her even more. Then Tangle and Eno resolve to try and help her.

Their first plan fails leaving Pelly so distressed she runs home. Can Tangle and Eno learn to understand her and most important, can Pelly keep going long enough to understand her would-be friends and move towards becoming a confident cat?

Woven into the main story are a number of fun extras such as a map of Cat School, Cat School basics and a list of the school rules, a spread about the game of ‘Paw Ball’, Pelly’s Herbarium and more.

Rose’s graphic novel debut draws on her own experience of growing up as a neurodivergent person and is the first in a trilogy. With its gentle humour and warmth this book is definitely one to add to foundation stage class/KS1 collections and family bookshelves, especially those where there’s a child who might be in a similar position to Pelly.

Red Snake Blue Snake

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Red Snake Blue Snake
Olivier Tallec
Gecko Press

In this story we spend a day with Red Snake and Blue Snake: the pair have been close friends since they were small but they see things very differently. We join the friends as they’re doing their morning yoga and while doing an inversion they look skywards. Blue Snake comments thus, “See that cloud? It looks like a huge pirate hat.” “No it doesn’t. It looks like you when you’ve eaten too much,” comes the response from Red Snake, but wanting the last word, Blue Snake insists that this is nonsense.

Off they slither through the countryside through fields and sand dunes guided by the power lines above. Red Snake then remarks on the blueness of the morning sky, but Red Snake immediately naysays this maintaining that it’s grey and eventually they comprise on blue-grey, or as Blue Snake wants to put it, “ …grey-blue.” (Last word again.)

There’s more to disagree over as they continue their journey – the shape of a particular cactus, the view through a pair of binoculars lying on the ground and after a real spat, the view from atop a power pole. They disagree about the intentions of a human sitting on a rock playing a flute:

this almost ends in them being captured and after beating a hasty retreat, the puddle they quench their thirst from. Come nightfall they lie watching the clouds drifting once again: will either of them comment?

As always Tallec’s brand of comedy engages readers’ minds with its cleverness, this time as he shows how opposing viewpoints can both be equally true. Maybe it’s the lenses through which we see the world that make the difference. There’s much to enjoy and talk about with a class or group of children after sharing this tale of limbless characters slithering and observing the world around them.

The Flying Machine of Dreams

jillrbennett Leave a comment

The Flying Machine of Dreams
Kate Wakeling and Viviane Schwarz
Otter-Barry Books

From The Softest Things to a Shapeshifter and Word Food to a Little Worm, Kate Wakeling finds things to celebrate, things that will amuse readers in her seventeen beautifully crafted poems in her first collection for younger audiences.

A number of the poems celebrate close, careful observation: being a tree lover, one such that I particularly enjoyed is Six Ways of Looking at a Leaf. Here’s number 6: ‘Leaves breathe. / (It’s why we can too.)/ Hold the leaf close. / Breathe in and out. / See how it sways.’ It’s absolutely full of potential if shared in the classroom.

So too is Bubble: ‘ … a million rainbow twinkles, /winking in the sun. //It’d be fun / to dance through / soft, / round as a moon / made of magic glass.’ Bursting with joy, that one for sure.

Perfect for those times when you want nothing more than to relax is Song of the Slow which invites the reader/listener to ‘Feel slow inside, / like the soft green grass / as it grows, // then wave hello / to the things / that sing / the song of the slow.’ I wonder what slow things a group of children might wave to.

With their immediacy and directness, every poem is enormously engaging and will excite and inspire Foundation Stage and KS1 audiences, all the more so with Viviane Schwarz’s gorgeous illustrations.

A treat for all the senses, this is a simply splendid, must have book for both home and class collections.

Jam is for Eating

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Jam is for Eating
Jess Mountfield
Flying Eye Books

Benny is a bat and having achieved his ambition – to make the most perfect jam ever – he cannot wait to share it with his friends. He loads his cart with jars of strawberry jam and sets out to do just that, after all there’s nothing quite like the joy of sharing something homemade with others.

The first friend he meets is Filbert the Frog: Filbert loves the smell of the jam and is happy to receive a jar but Benny isn’t happy with what Filbert does with it. On he goes to find Poppy the Pig, followed by in turn, Gilbert the Goose, Beatrice the Bug, Stew the Shrew and Frankie the Fox, all of whom are pleased to receive a jar but by this time, Benny is exasperated. Every one of his friends appears to have another use for Benny’s jam; however clever these might be, not a single one has chosen to eat it.

Come the end of the day a very sulky Benny sits alone, eats a little jam and decides that his jam-making days are over, declaring this out loud. Then who should appear but Filbert wanting to know what Benny is up to.

He’s amazed at his friend’s reply, as are Benny’s other pals who suddenly appear too. Is Benny big-hearted enough to share that final jar with them all, as well as accepting that his confection could have multiple uses?

Be they divergent thinkers or just plain ignorant, Benny’s friends may just be instrumental in changing the bat’s mind about making more jam.

A sweet story with themes of friendship and acceptance illustrated for the most part in somewhat sombre hues. I love the details in every spread – the more you look the more you find – and I wonder what that worm thinks about Benny’s jam.

Bison Rule, OK!

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Bison Rule, OK!
Sarah Ziman, illustrated by Mia Havilliard
Otter-Barry Books

Wordplay, riddles and much more are to be found in Welsh poet Sarah Ziman’s wide-ranging collection of poems. The book is divided into six sections which are in order: School, Family, Astonishing Animals, Word Play and Riddles, Short Stories and Tall Tales, and Special Days. Most are light-hearted but there are some more serious ones too including Small Sadnesses, the final verse of which is: ‘Nan’s house. / The new owners / have got scaffolding up. / Where the old cherry tree once was, / two cars.’
One that particularly amused me from the Family section is Elegy about a poorly Dad. It begins thus: ‘He shuffles slowly room to room / Expression of the deepest gloom / The smell of Vicks is his perfume – // Yes, Dad’s got the man flu.’ It continues in similar vein to the final verse: ‘A prone position he’ll assume / And if he sees you, groans resume / There’s no one sicker, you’d presume?//
Well, Mum’s got a cold too.’ Mia Havilliard has certainly made him look appropriately sorry for himself.

On a more positive note from the Family section is Things I learned From Nana Jean, things such as ‘The names of wild flowers. And butterflies too. / Knitting is NOT something all Nanas do. … It’s actions that matter, not how people look . / You’ll never be bored if you carry a book./ ‘

My favourite from the School section is Forest School, the opening verse of which is: ‘No stale class air, but cooling breeze / No bells, but birdsong in the trees / no whiteboard, just the changing leaves – / Here in forest school.’ And it closes thus: ‘Out here, I walk the trails deer roam / I know where badgers built their home / Out here, I never feel alone – Here in forest school.’ Would that every child could have the opportunity to have such experiences regularly.

Would that every primary age child could also have the opportunity to enjoy the poems in this book either at home or in class.

Let’s Be Earthlings

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Let’s Be Earthlings
Mary Murphy
Otter-Barry Books

Narrated by what starts out as a yellow blob heading towards Earth, we see this ‘thing’ using its transformer to make it into an earthling with eyes, a nose, a mouth and legs. These enable it to see,, smell, talk, hear, touch and walk. Off goes the new Earthling to explore what it means to be alive on what it calls ‘ the best planet, ever’ be that as a mango-munching bat, a nectar nuzzling bee, a snail carrying its home on its back or a panda in a bamboo forest.

Our new Earthling learns that gravity enables Earthlings to stay close to the planet, going on to explore various kinds of movement including leaping, swooping and soaring; then discovers the loving care given to their young offspring be they bears, trees or humans, as well as how these young beings play together and even follow their dreams.

No matter where you open the book there will be more wonders to behold; it’s hardly surprising that the alien wants its friend, Batu to come to experience and delight in these wonders.

With Mary Murphy’s rhyming text, wordplays and energetic illustrations, this book is ideal for reading aloud to individuals, a group or Foundation Stage/ early KS1 class.

Ask Me About Bedtime / Ask Me About Busy Wheels/ Where Do They Sleep?

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Ask Me About Bedtime
Ask Me About Busy Wheels
Rebecca Atkinson and Susie Hammer
Happy Yak

It’s almost Bedtime in the first book, the opening scene of which is the bathroom where a little blue creature is enjoying a bubble bath. Also in the bath – or almost – is what introduces itself as a ‘Quizzy Bean. On this first spread the Bean asks how many boats little humans can find. The little human must then count and move the slider mechanism found on the right hand side to the appropriate number.

Once dry it’s time to put on pyjamas and the little human is tasked with finding the pattern on the pair in the cupboard tucked behind a flap: do they have stripes, spots or squiggles and again the slider is moved to select. A vital pre bedtime task is tooth cleaning and the favourite toothpaste is almost hidden behind the mug: opening the flap reveals the choice, which is then indicated by moving the slider. Every bedtime routine needs a pre-slumber story.The question is ‘What is Quizzy Bean reading about? The final spread sends the little human back to count the total number of Quizzy Beans and last of all, to answer a question.

Ask Me About Busy Wheels presents five vehicles – a digger, a fire engine, a rubbish truck, a tractor and a snack van and works in a similar way to the previous title, with its ‘decider slider’ mechanism and flaps to lift. Both have Susie Hammer’s bold, amusing illustrations and together with Rebecca Atkinson’s texts offer entertainment as well as developing Early Years concepts such as colour, and shape, plus furthering the development of manipulative skills, counting and vocabulary.

Also about bedtime is:

Where Do They Sleep?
Adam Thompson and Erica Harrison
Messy Press

This very simple look at where and how some animals like to sleep uses creatures large and small as exemplars. For instance flamingos sleep standing on one leg in lakes; bats snooze in caves, mice snuggle in nests and dogs sleep in dog beds (rather a different shape from those humans use as we see in the bright illustrations). I wonder where elephant sleep? Find out by getting a copy of this board book to share with your small human just before they snuggle down for the night.

Jake Takes Charge

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Jake Takes Charge
Michael Catchpool, illustrated by Shanarama
Otter-Barry Books

This is the second book about Jake, his family and friends who live in Maple Street. After an introduction to the characters there are four short stories: The Surprise Party, The Christmas Performance, A Great Adventure and That was Lucky!

The first story sees Jake and his brother heading to the park early one morning with Grandpa who lives in a flat below the home of Jake, younger brother Sam and elder sister Ellie and their parents. This is so Mum and Dad can make preparations for the party they are going to have as a surprise celebration for Grandpa’s birthday. When the three arrive at the park they find a sign saying that the play area is closed for repairs; Grandpa wants to go straight home but Jake hastily invents a delaying tactic, but will it give those at home sufficient time to get the party plans completed? Happily yes and a great time ensues.

In the second story, Jake is disappointed at being chosen as a shepherd rather than being allocated a star part in his school Christmas nativity play. Having accepted the role, thanks in no small way to Grandpa, Jake practises his lines and come the day of the performance, Jake’s little brother Sam mistakes the toy lamb for his own almost identical one and that causes an interesting diversion. How will the audience react?

A Great Adventure introduces readers to Algie, the bear that members of Jake’s class take turns to look after for the weekend. When it’s Jake’s turn, he wants to do something exciting but everybody seems too busy. Again Sam gets involved in the events that follow but so too does a very lively dog. Will it perhaps turn out to be an exciting adventure after all?

Jayden is Jake’s buddy from school and when he comes over the two play in Jake’s bedroom. The boys get rather excited; can the visit end without serious damage being done enabling them do decide That Was Lucky…

With Shanarama’s black and white illustrations on every spread, this is an ideal early chapter book for new solo readers, but equally the stories are great for reading aloud at home or in a Foundation Stage setting.

Bessie’s Bees

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Bessie’s Bees
George Kirk and Ana Gómez
Templar Books

Bessie has a head full of buzzing bees and she’s perfectly comfortable with them so long as the bees are kept busy which works well all the time she’s at home. However when her Granny takes her to nursery for the first time Bessie (who has autism and ADHD) does her upmost to act like the other children and keep her bees hidden. Unsurprisingly this strategy does not work and results in brick towers tumbling down ,

a spoiled story time and a little girl who is left alone and upset.

When Granny comes to collect Bessie at the end of the day she sees that the child is sad and fortunately she knows how to help. She explains that those bees are a part of Bessie and rather than hiding them she could try sharing them. In response to Bessie’s how do I do that, Granny says, “Now THAT is up to you,” With encouragement and support from Granny (who also has bees), can Bessie find a way for her and her bees to be themselves and for all those at nursery to enjoy themselves together?
Definitely written from the heart by George Kirk who uses the bee metaphor with great effect, to deliver a vital message, not only to young neurodivergent children but to everyone; and with Ana Gómez’s illustrations complementing the text perfectly, this is an empowering book to share at home or in an education setting.

Elfie’s Spellbook

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Elfie’s Spellbook
Christophe Arleston, Audrey Alwett, Mini Ludvin
Puffin

This bind up contains two stories in a graphic novel series: Elfie’s Spellbook and The Song of the Cicadas.

At the start of the first, Ellie introduces herself telling readers that she and her teenage sister have been living near Paris with their curmudgeonly Aunt Delphine since their mother died almost a year ago. But then their older sister, Louette turns up, driving her London bus-cum travelling bookshop, announcing that she has won custody of her younger siblings. Free at last, off they head with Louette at the wheel, first stop a place called Kermalo. Elfie is thrilled that all the sisters are together, particularly when Louette announces that they’ve each been left a special gift by their mother. Elfie’s gift is a notebook with gems on the cover. This is no ordinary notebook however; it’s a grimoire – a witch’s spellbook.

That night Elfie makes a start with her writing and then before falling asleep she tears a page from the book and makes an origami frog that she names Salicorne. Magically the frog comes to life but in the morning it has disappeared, only temporarily so it turns out. It reappears later on and speaks to Elfie telling her that only witches can hear it speak. It transpires that when Elfie writes a story in her special book, magic comes to life. Can she though, discover how to use her magic for good, help solve the mystery that has torn apart a small French village and bring the whole community together again?
Bursting with witchy magic, this story is certain to enchant readers who will eagerly continue to The Song of the Cicadas.

It opens with the book-bus moving on to new pastures – a sun drenched village in Provence called Gonerbes where they hope to meet writer Alistair Kinloch a friend of their mother’s; it was she who had been instrumental in making him become a best-selling author. When they start asking him about his new book, he’s reluctant to say much about it other than that it’s complicated.

Later, they discover that Alastair is being threatened. His cherished vintage typewriter, a gift from their Maman, has been stolen and now he is suffering from writer’s block.

Who though would want to harm Alastair and why? Time for Elfie to turn detective and find out, perhaps with the aid of some tiny, new magical friends. Can they discover what has happened to Alastair’s typewriter and will he find his muse again?

Captivating, joyful and magical with friendship and family at its heart.

Your Planet Needs You

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Your Planet Needs You
Elizabeth Laird & Will McDowall, illustrated by Paul Boston
Walker Books

After an exceptionally hot summer like the one we’ve been experiencing in the UK, few can deny our climate is changing. News about extreme weather conditions and temperatures that have reached highs like never before sound alarming. This we read, is largely due to the increase of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere thanks to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation throughout the world.

However, despite the huge challenges we humans face, people the world over are inventing real-world solutions to help deal with the problems and children can find out about many of these from this book that presents a broad range of green careers.
Several of these involve the use of wind power, which is clean as carbon is not released into the air. If you are specially interested in engineering you could perhaps become a wind turbine engineer or a turbine service engineer; you’ll need a head for heights to undertake the latter as to repair a wind turbine entails being dropped from a helicopter on top of the turbine in question and then climbing down inside to fix the problem. Alternatively, a driving expert could be employed to transport the massive turbine blades to hilltops. There are even roles such as captaining a ship taking turbines out to set them up in the sea.

Other areas offer roles in looking after nature, including marine conservation, creative fashion design,

sustainable farming and more.

I suspect there will be jobs nobody’s ever thought of as yet, but this inspiring book offers an engaging, accessible way to open up discussions around climate change and how anyone and everyone can help. It’s pitch perfect for KS2 classes, especially to support the area of environmental education.

Unicornia: Camping in the Clouds / Cosmic Cadets and the Bubblegum Bots

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Unicornia: Camping in the Clouds
Ana Punset, illustrated by Diana Vicedo
Walker Books

This is a charming adventure with a mystery to solve, puzzles and the discovery of secrets hidden way up in the sky. Its narrator Claudia, is sitting in the classroom with her best friends Sara and Pippa when their teacher announces that they are going on a class camping trip. Two nights in the sky, something about which Sara is not enthusiastic and it takes a lot of convincing from her friends to persuade her to join them.

The following morning off they set on their unicorns destination the Campsite in the Clouds where on arrival they are greeted by sky guides Valentina and Tim, identical twins. Having off loaded their rucksacks in a tent, the three go to join the other campers for some activities, after which they have dinner and then it’s time for bed. They don’t sleep straightaway but spend some time talking and Sara admits that she she doesn’t like the dark. Her friends reassure her but can they help her to overcome this fear, let herself go and enjoy the adventure?

With themes of anxiety and fear of the dark, Ana Punset’s story with its likeable characters, questions, fun lists and Diana Vicedo’s illustrations in soft green hues will enchant young newly independent readers and it would also work as a bedtime story.

More action in the sky but for slightly older readers:

Cosmic Cadets and the Bubblegum Bots
Ryan Crawford, illustrated by Rochelle Falconer
Oxford Children’s Books

In this new adventure, intergalactic duo and best friends Gloria and Razz, the Cosmic Cadets are off on a new mission. They are absolutely determined to finish it at the top of the unofficial leaderboard as well as remaining super glam. Their mission is to locate and rescue a missing lynx and return it to the owner, not exactly the glamorous mission they were hoping for but the one they must undertake.

As they approach Bubbly Blasters Universal Facilitation Factory Inc. and prepare to dock, Gloria’s confidence wanes and on arrival they are met by a fluffy pink Bubbly named Nimbulon. Before long the friends have forgotten about their mission, become careless, even disregarding a huge display notice stating “For our safety and yours, never chew gum inside the factory”. What happens some time later is that the two friends start a robot-apocalypse unleashing bubble-gum wielding bot replicas on their unwary teachers and friends.

Can the quick-thinking best pals restore order and do so before Gloria’s mum returns.

This addition to the action-packed sci-fi series will be loved by established followers and is likely to gain the Cosmic Cadets some new fans too. Watch out for Cosmic Cadets and the Wormhole Witch coming in September.

Scaredy Cat

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Scaredy Cat
Alex Falase-Koya and Ken Wilson-Max
Oxford Children’s Books

Gabe is extremely shy, especially at school where he frequently struggles to speak up, so imagine how he feels when his teachers says that the following week will be his turn to talk to the class about a book he has enjoyed.
Then his parents adopt a rescue cat from the animal shelter that is very timid and wants to hide itself away. Art hides in such places as a cardboard box and the clothes basket, inside a lampshade and even under Dad’s hat. Gabe understands just how Art feels so without telling his parents he decides on a plan.

He sits quietly in the living room reading his favourite comic book and little by little, day by day Art emerges from his hiding places, each time coming closer to Gabe and by the end of the week, he hops on the sofa and sits on Gabe’s knee.

Gradually a bond forms between them and on the following Monday, so involved with the cat has Gabe been that he’s forgotten about his book report until his mum says something. In the classroom Gabe still feels like hiding but he thinks how Art faced his fears and recalls some words of Captain Whisperfoot: ‘It’s okay to be scared. Bravery is doing things even though you’re scared.’ And so he speaks, gradually gaining confidence until he hears a round of applause at the end.

This is such a thoughtful, gentle, reassuring story showing how everybody gains self confidence in their own time. Ken Wilson-Max’s illustrations exude warmth and despite being allergic to cats I was able to feel the empathy between Gabe and Art. A reassuring book to share with Foundation Stage and KS1 children at home or in the classroom.

Snuggle Up / Make Some Noise

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Snuggle Up
Make Some Noise
Emma Dodd
Templar Books

These are two board books in a First Stories for Baby series. In Snuggle Up the youngest humans are introduced to Little Bear cub with her soft fur and ‘sniffly, snuffly’ nose; then goes Little Dolphin who loves to splash in the shallows of the sea using her shiny flippers and swishy tail to help her swim, leaving as she moves a ‘shimmery bubble trail.’ Little Owl is awake in the moonlight, his big round eyes peeping from a hole in the tree until the sun rises and Big Owl tucks him under her wing. Finally comes stripy Little Tiger that loves to leap and pounce under the watchful eye of Big Tiger till, come nightfall they snuggle close ‘in a tangled tiger heap’ and fall asleep.

Told through a gentle rhyming text and black and white illustrations that will immediately endear their subjects to humans both tiny and adult sharers.

Make Some Noise has the same characters and tiny children are introduced to sounds the little creatures (and sometimes their parents) make. Little Bear giggles “GRR! GRR! GRR!” as she’s tickled by Big Bear and following a playful time jumping and climbing together, Little Bear snuggles up to Big Bear with a contented “SNORE” Little Dolphin spends her time splashing splashing ‘SPLOSH’ and sometimes she jumps up from the water with a ‘PLOP!’, all the while under the watchful eye of Big Dolphin as they ‘SPLASH’ together through the waves. Little Owl waits, hidden in the RUSTLY leaves of his tree home and sometimes calls softly “TU-WHIT TU-WHIT TU-WHOO!” to Big Owl and as Big Owl flies back to her little one, gives a similar reply. Finally we join Little Tiger at dawn as he wakes with a YAWN before spending time playfully pouncing, prowling and chasing his tail with a “ROAR” and a “GROWL”. Then along comes Big Tiger with tongue at the ready to wash his fur, which makes him happy so he “purrs and purrs and PURRS”. Adult sharers can encourage their little humans to make some of the animal sounds as the book is read aloud to them – I suspect, over and over.

It’s as well they are sturdily built: both books are delightful.

Fish Are Friends

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Fish Are Friends
Jules Howard and Gosia Herba
Wide Eyed

Ready to take the plunge? It will be well worth it as you’ll meet all manner of underwater creatures including the ‘really smart’ fish that got together to write and narrate this book. Chief among the latter is a White-Spotted Pufferfish. Between them they will provide a wealth of information that is divided into an introduction, an explanation about what fish are – did you know they have been around for 500 millions years? – followed by five main chapters, the first of which is called Big-Brained Buddies wherein four fish including that Pufferfish describe the various ways in which they are clever creatures.

That Pufferfish then has a spread where it shows some of the beautiful patterns he and fellow puffers create in the sand – ‘works of art’ so some scientists call these designs on the sea floor.
I love the alliterative titles of some of the spreads, one such is ‘Nifty Navigators’ where we learn how sharks find their way using Earth’s magnetic field. Clever stuff, particularly the journey made by a whale shark named Anne that scientists tagged and found she swam 19,300 kilometres. Wow!

Chapter 2 explains why Pufferfish and others call themselves Loving and Loyal and looks at parenting and friendship by fish. Clownfish exhibit something called ‘sequential hermaphroditism’ (youngsters can impress their own friends by using that term) where the babies all start life as male but later in life change and begin to produce eggs instead, sometimes thousands. Female Humpback Anglerfish are also prolific egg producers and may fill their large bodies with around 1,000,000 tiny eggs before releasing them.

The third chapter, We’ve Got You Covered, introduces and explores the fact that fish perform all kinds of jobs that help ecosystems thrive and is full of hopeful medical possibilities that fish chemicals offer.

The two final chapters are Join The Party about fish social habits and Friends Through Time! The latter explores the evolutionary journey fish have been on over millions of years, even preceding dinosaurs.

A vital spread at the end presents how human readers could ‘Become A Friend To Fish’ and as you’d expect plastic pollution and overfishing are key problems for our fishy friends.

Zoologist, Jules Howard’s writing style is gently humorous as are Gosia Herba’s illustrations making the book very approachable for young readers to absorb a wealth of fascinating information almost without noticing.

Thoroughly recommended for primary class collections, secondary school libraries and home bookshelves.

Michael Rosen’s NICE! Poems

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Michael Rosen’s NICE! Poems
Michael Rosen, illustrated by Hannah Robinson
Walker Books

You can’t go wrong with a poetry book by Michael Rosen: this one is a new edition of a collection then named The Hypnotiser, I read to pieces in my classroom back in the late 1980s. Now it has a different illustrator whose line drawings are suitably hilarious. Here’s the one for a favourite of mine, The Car Trip that recounts the kind of journey many parents who have driven a car with fidgety children in the back seat will know all too well.

Young listeners will love Fast Food wherein a hamburger decides it’s not going to be eaten and starts a chase down the street following in the footsteps of the Gingerbread Man. Imagine your class full of six year olds all chanting, the repeat refrain “Eating me is cruel; / eating me is murder. / You can’t catch me / I’m the speedy hamburger.” at the top of their voices.

Also on the topic of food (indeed there are several poems about food) is Hot Food, so much fun that it has earned itself a solo picture book edition – Hot Food: Nice! and has become a meme in China and the USA. This one like many others you can catch Michael reciting on You Tube.

Much briefer and not actually having food related words in the title is My Mum:
‘My mum said to me and my brother; / “Don’t crumble your bread or roll in the soup.” / I said: / “I don’t want to roll in my soup.” // Then she said: “Eat up Michael.” / And my brother said: / “I don’t want to eat up Michael.”

Although the majority of poems herein are humorous there are some more serious including Deep Down about a sad place inside. I suspect we all have one of those that we visit from time to time.

It would be easy to go on enthusing about this book but instead I will finish by saying, just buy a copy; you won’t regret it.

Pog and Pickle’s Great Escape

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Pog and Pickle’s Great Escape
Ross Montgomery and Sarah Warburton
Walker Books

Guinea pig couple Pog and Pickle reside in a humans’ home with several other pets and the two are absolutely devoted to one another. There’s a big difference between them though: Pog ‘wanted more than to live in a hutch. There’s a massive world out there – I haven’t seen much,” she says to Pickle. However Pickle is scared of adventures such as the one Pog wants to undertake – to go and visit Peru and see the guinea pigs living there.

That night however, the family pack to go exploring Peru for a fortnight and unsurprisingly Pog decides to go too. Out of the hutch she squeezes and into a zipper bag where she hides in the socks. Off go the family with a stowaway guinea pig.
The following morning when Pickle finds the note Pog has left he’s devastated. Suppose she never returns? “I’ll have to go with her … I can’t be alone!” he groans. Off he sets to to the airport to find the plane to Peru but just misses it. Fortunately though there’s another flight almost immediately and he stows away on board.

Having arrived, the visitors have a long drive to the jungle and Pickle follows clinging tight to a lorry, eventually reaching a tropical paradise. But of Pog there is no sign. Suddenly he hears a familiar voice and can hardly believe it. There is Pog waiting and eager to introduce some of her new friends.
Thereafter the two visitors spend a summer full of fun

and Pickle reveals that she now understands Pog’s adventurous spirit and the allure of being brave and stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

When the family return home a surprise awaits …
Ross Montgomery’s rhyming narrative is a joy to read aloud and complemented by Sarah Warburton’s alluring, brightly coloured, detailed digital illustrations, brilliantly captures the adventure especially the initiative shown by Pog and Pickle to be together.

Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Indie in Disguise: Stylist-ing and Other Jobs
Katie Clapham illustrated by Emma Farrarons
Walker Books

This contains fun four short stories about Indie, an highly imaginative little girl with a large personality and a knack for theatrics. She loves dressing up, both herself and others, and role-play.

In this first book in what I believe is to be a series, she takes on four different roles starting with that of a stylist. First off she has to dress herself appropriately with lots of necklaces, her star-shaped sun glasses and funky un-matching socks, a jacket, dress and top. But how much style is too much: she starts by adding bracelets to her Mum’s outfit, plus Dad’s over-large sun glasses, a large floppy hat and fur-trimmed gloves and persuading her to put on her silvery high heels. In the end some of these are removed as Indie considered she’d given Mum ‘too much style’ and anyhow, she had another use for a couple of the items.


The second story sees Indie at the grandparents’ trying her hand at being a cleaner. For this job she ‘borrows’ an apron with the words My Kitchen! My Rules! emblazoned across the front. But can cleaning up during the time her gran is baking buns really be a good idea?

In story three Indie is at her friend Sydney’s house and there ‘Doctor Indie the Dentist’ extracts a tooth belonging to Sydney’s little brother, Teddy. This is a tricky task as it involves some balancing of the chair legs.

Finally, Indie acts out the role of a librarian. Successful or not? That depends on whose viewpoint you take and you’ll need to get a copy of the book to discover how successful Indie is. It’s ideal for new solo readers or for sharing with an adult either at home or in a KS1 classroom.

Neighbour’s Cat

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Neighbour’s Cat
Michael Rosen and Alex Willmore
Walker Books

This hilarious picture book is narrated by a small child whose home a feline intruder frequents.

The moggy named Neighbour’s Cat is an entitled creature complaining about such things as the lack of a blanket on a chair and the loudness of the TV. He’s also demanding and insists on using the narrator’s bed for a sleep. It’s a long sleep and during his slumber time, the narrator starts imaging what the moggy might be getting up to: maybe he’s constructing a huge marble run;

maybe he’s enjoying a bath or trying on Mum’s clothes. Could he perhaps be in the attic planning a trip into space aided and abetted by a horde of robot cats. Alex Willmore’s dramatic illustrations are as imaginative as the child narrator’s notions concerning the moggy’s shenanigans.

It turns out however that the mention of food is sufficient to entice the visitor to return to his house, albeit with a parting request to the child narrator who is left with rather a lot of work to do.

A great read aloud that will delight not only moggy lovers of all ages but anyone who likes to see children giving full rein to their imagination.