Author jillrbennett

Fly Free!

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Fly Free!
Roseanne Greenfield Thong and Eujin Kim Neilan
Astra Books for Young Readers

Using a chain of simple interactions between a variety of people and the repeat refrain, “Fly free, fly free, in the sky so blue. When you do a good deed, it will come back to you!” the narrative of this story comes full circle.

Set in Vietnam, the story opens with young Mai who visits the temple early one morning. Before going inside she feeds the birds kept in a cage near the entrance. As a Buddhist, it is her hope that someone will be able to do what she cannot afford: to pay for the release of the birds. On this particular morning Mai notices another girl Thu, who removes her red slippers before going in; Mai waits and when she comes out, offers her some bird seed so she too can feed the birds. She also whispers the “Fly free …” refrain. This sets off a concatenation of good deeds and having performed a kind action each person sings the same refrain as a kind of suggestion to pay it forward when an opportunity arises.

Eventually the chain comes full circle and as Mai watches, a man pays for the birds’ release, nodding to her to open the cage.

In a final note the author explains that her story of the characters’ actions is based on the Buddhist doctrine of karma as well as the principle of the wheel of life.

Using earthy tones and subtle texturing Eujin Kim Neilan’s striking scenes show the gentle joy each character experiences as they perform a kind act.
It’s vital that all children come to understand the importance of empathy and generosity and sharing this heartwarming tale of selfless actions and having a circle time discussion is one way of demonstrating these qualities.

A History of My Weird

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A History of My Weird
Chloë Heuch
Firefly Press

For Mo, the narrator of this story, things are changing way too fast. She’s just started secondary school where one of the teachers in particular doesn’t understand how to work with what they call her disruptive behaviour, sending her out of the classroom frequently. Mo is neurodivergent and has trouble making real friends; they tend to be bemused by her stimming and annoyed by her tendency to correct factual things when others, teachers included, get them wrong. Add to this, the fact that her body is developing she hates the ‘rubbery blobs that have appeared seemingly overnight’, on her chest.

Then Mo meets Carys, preferred name Onyx; who appears to like her; could this be the true friend she’s been hoping for. She certainly encourages Mo to go to drama club.

During history the class hear of a disused Victorian asylum in the locality. This sparks Mo’s interest but Dad tells her Denham is private property and exceedingly dangerous. However after school one day she and Onyx manage to get in, albeit only for a short while. So, despite Onyx’s father having told his daughter that Mo’s a bad influence they resolve to make another visit, at night this time, fuelled by the possibility that her great uncle had been kept there. Meanwhile rehearsals for the drama club’s forthcoming production take up some of Mo’s time and energy.

When Halloween night comes the friends keep their promise to each other and return to the asylum. There Onyx opens up to Mo about the issues she’s dealing with, but as they proceed disaster strikes: the floor and Onyx vanish down into blackness. What will be the outcome of the accident?

Mo is a very endearing character and her friendship with Onyx/Carys is really well portrayed, which is no surprise as the author, Chloë Heuch is herself neurodivergent, a part-time teacher and a parent. Highly recommended for older readers.

Huxley and Flapjack: Trouble At Sea / Wigglesbottom Primary: The Pirate Cat

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Huxley and Flapjack: Trouble At Sea
Alan MacDonald and Francesca Gambatesa
Little Tiger

This is the second story of best friends, Huxley, an outgoing koala and Flapjack, of a somewhat nervous disposition who prefers staying at home whereas his bestie likes to seize every opportunity for a new adventure.

It’s a hot summer’s day and the two are spending the day on the beach, Flapjack hoping to be able to finish reading his book. It seems unlikely this will happen as the rescue of a wildly thrown ball (you can guess by whom) results in a meeting with underwater explorer, Winston, or Wizz for short.

Wizz invites the two to join him aboard his submarine to search for the shipwreck of the Isabella on board which he suggests they might find some treasure. Needless to say Huxley immediately starts imagining the possibilities whereas Flapjack is rather worried, especially when his friend takes over steering the craft. This almost inevitably leads to a troublesome situation but also a discovery; make that several, not to mention a shark encounter

when the two friends try to untangle the submarine’s propellor from the seaweed. Do they find treasure though? That rather depends on what you call treasure.

Full of drama and with one of Francesca Gambatesa’s illustrations on every spread reflecting the humour of each situation, this is ideal summer reading for new solo readers.

As is:

Wigglesbottom Primary: The Pirate Cat
Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Becky Moor
Nosy Crow

This latest in the Wigglesbottom Primary series is, like its predecessors, pitch perfect for newly independent readers. Like the others too, it contains three zany episodes, the first being the titular The Pirate Cat which starts when Miss Riley announces a Y2 class trip to the beach. However it’s not for the purposes of paddling, sand castle building and picnics. Rather the children are to spent their time participating in a beach clean up project. The possibility of a prize makes things rather better but then what should appear on the sand but a black and white cat; a cat Jayden King immediately suggests could be of the piratical kind.

It isn’t, but it certainly ensures that the litter grabbers are put to good, if unexpected, use; moreover the moggy – Carlos – is actually a regular passenger on the bus used for the class trip.
Episode two, The Tallest Pupil in the World is so called because Miles suddenly has a growth spurt that gets rather out of control. Can this really be so or is there another reason that his trousers are way, way too short when he puts them back on after PE?
The Halloween Disco concludes the book and inevitably its announcement causes MEGA excitement but ends up with one of Class 2 in a decidedly sticky mess thanks to ‘ghost slime’ no less.

Brilliantly funny, laugh out loud silliness conjured up by an author with a wonderful imagination, abetted by an illustrator who accentuates the drama in every situation.

The Seal on the Beach

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The Seal on the Beach
Mara Bergman and Brita Granström
Walker Books

This treasure of a picture book celebrates the delights of a British seaside holiday: sand dunes, cliff walks, bracing salt water bathing, beach huts, a pier, a boat trip, ice-cream and the littoral wild life to be seen. It’s also a story of a young girl, Maggie’s anxiety; about missing her Mum, her new-born baby brother sick n hospital and the seal pup abandoned on the beach, which she finds stranded among the pebbles while out walking with her Uncle Jack and Aunt Jean.

It’s the most amazing thing she’s ever seen and she feels very protective towards it, so much so that it haunts her dreams.

Her aunt and uncle, as well as the lifeguards to whom they report their find, reassure Maggie that the seal mother will return. That doesn’t happen however and a very sickly little seal has to be rescued and cared for by the RSPCA.

There’s a happy ending though both for Maggie’s own family and the seal pup, named after her, which she sees returned to the sea.

Mara Bergman’s episodic, poetic prose is every bit as elegant as Brita Granstrom’s beautiful watercolours, which are a joy to behold. Feast your eyes on the seaweed, snail and shell strewn endpapers before reading the story with children. For adult sharers it will likely bring back memories of their own childhood summer seaside adventures.

The Boy and the Octopus

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The Boy and the Octopus
Caryl Lewis and Carmen Saldana
Puffin Books

The arresting cover image of a small child snuggled up with an octopus immediately drew me into the pages of the book.
Meet Stanley whose favourite toy is that octopus and who in his dreams sees its skin change colour according to various feelings. Particularly important is Octopus’s ability to camouflage himself and hide when something scary comes along; indeed when beset by anxiety and fear Stanley would really like to be able to disappear.too.

There’s the occasion when other children mock him as he walks in the park leaving him unable even to talk with his dad about what happened. That night though Stanley and Octopus have a dream encounter with a sea monster and when he wakes from the experience something feels different.
The following morning Stanley sets about using his creativity to convey his feelings

under the watchful eye of his supportive dad. Thereafter having made a promise to his dad, Stanley is ready to step out and face up to difficult situations with a new-found confidence, empowered by his artistry.

Being bullied is a topic that many children find hard to talk about, often thinking when it happens that it’s somehow their fault. In her text Caryl Lewis makes it clear this isn’t so.

Carmen Saldaña’s arresting underwater sleep scenes are awash with pinks and blues in contrast to the family and park pictures that have been executed with a much more varied colour palette.

As an Early Years teacher I have encountered many traumatised children from different parts of the world: they would frequently reveal their feelings through their art so this story particularly resonated with me. It’s one to share and talk about in Foundation stage settings and at home.

Tiny Bear Can, Too! / Where Do You Sleep?

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Tiny Bear Can, Too!
Yusuke Yonezu
minedition

Here’s a case of ‘anything you can do’ as an adorable baby bear copies the actions of a series of animals, for instance ‘If the frog jumps … Tiny Bear jumps too1’ This ursine character is certainly energetic for it also seeks to emulate cat’s stretch, snake’s wriggle and five other actions in turn.
Tiny humans will certainly enjoy demonstrating their own rolling, standing on one leg, flipping over kicking their feet up and hugging a loved grown-up. Equally they will delight in lifting the flaps – two per spread – as an adult reads aloud the simple repetitive text.

I envisage this interactive little board book being read to destruction.

Where Do You Sleep?
Agnese Baruzzi
minedition

Each of the featured young animals has a different place to sleep that suits them (eight if you count the owl in the hollow of the tree on the cover illustration revealed by pulling the tab.)
Small children will also discover a baby fox beneath the roots of a tree, a kitten in a basket beside the couch, a hedgehog with adult under a pile of fallen leaves, a bat dangling in a cave, a fledgling snuggled in a cosy nest, a husky in a den beneath the snow and a squirrel in a tree trunk hole. The final spread addresses the little listener who, as expected will fall fast asleep in a cot.

Each of the tabs stands out from the full page scene as the artist has used a colour that contrasts with the background and to keep the toddler’s interest, it’s not located in the same place on every spread.
Interactive fun that can also help little ones develop their fine motor skills.
Agnese Baruzzi’s text, four lines per animal, is written in rhyme that won’t cause the adult reader to cringe when they read it aloud and she also makes effective use of texture throughout.

Aisha’s Colours

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Aisha’s Colours
Nabila Adani
Walker Books

Aisha and her parents live in Jakarta. It’s the summer holidays so they are going to spend the time at Grandma’s in a countryside village as they always do. However, Aisha’s not happy: she longs to go somewhere different like her friends.

Once in the car, Aisha talks of her friend Jennie; she’s off to a snowy place: what does snow taste like? Recounting Jennie’s description to her parents gives Mum an idea and they stop for a while and savour a special sweet crispy, crunchy treat – es campur.

As they continue Aisha talks of the blue sky another friend sees when in his holiday home swimming pool, prompting Dad to point out the stunning blues visible through the car window.

The car engine overheats and they have to pause their journey. At her mum’s behest Aisha and Dad go and lie down in a grassy field where the little girl describes the wonderful hues of tropical fish in an aquarium, another of her friends saw on his holiday. Suddenly the sky is filled with multi-coloured kites soaring above.

When they resume their drive, Aisha contemplates the beauty of the colours she’s seen on the way until they finally reach their destination. There Grandma stands;

Aisha is so excited to see her, but she’s even more excited when Grandma serves up her favourite meal. Could its predominantly yellowy colour be Aisha’s favourite? She’s not sure but of one thing she is certain: henceforward she is going to savour the amazing colours in her own life rather than compare her experiences with those of others.

Appreciating what you have is an important theme of this book wherein Nabila Adani’s illustrations engulf readers in a kaleidoscope of colours as they join Aisha on her journey of discovery.

Olu’s Teacher

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Olu’s Teacher
Jamel C. Campbell and Lydia Mba
Walker Books

Understandably Olu is very nervous about starting nursery school. His Dad reminds him that his friends Akeem and Sarah will be there, but what about the teacher? As he contemplates this new person, imagining all kinds of scary possibilities, he suddenly says, “MACARONI!” This is the word Olu uses when he’s really nervous. His worries get the better of him several times despite the reassurances from his Dad and Mum; and they reach the nursery building all too soon for our little narrator. However, it’s a really warm, friendly face that greets him and introduces himself as ‘Jay”. When Jay smiles he shows his shiny gold tooth, which he does all the way to the classroom. Once there he invites Olu to sit with his friends and make some pictures.

Mum gives her son a goodbye hug and departs leaving him in Jay’s care.
Olu could not have had a better teacher that Jay: he plays the boy’s favourite reggae music on his guitar

and at story time, dons a special cape before sharing a book with the children. Olu is surprised at how quickly the session has gone and it’s time to leave. Before so doing, however, a realisation dawns: Jay actually looks like Olu – another reason he’s eagerly anticipating returning to nursery the next day.

A smashing, hugely reassuring book by a smashing teacher (the author is himself an Early Years educator) and as he writes after the story, he knows that starting nursery is one of the big, and most important, transitions in a child’s life and it’s vital everything possible is done to ensure that for every child, it’s a positive one. Lydia Mba’s illustrations of the diverse community Olu joins when he starts nursery certainly make it look an exciting, enabling place to be.

The Dandelion’s Tale

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The Dandelion’s Tale
Margaret Anne Suggs
Graffeg

In this allegorical tale about migration, a group of once happy dandelions is forced to move in the face of tools, machines and weed-killing chemicals.

With their spirits low, they hear the words of a calling breeze that gives them the courage to move from the persecution of their homeland field and float upwards. They drift over the walls, fields, meadows of the countryside, higher over city rooftops, up, up traversing mountains, cliffs and seemingly endless seas of blue.

Finally they find a peaceful place and with hope renewed, land in a green grassy environment to begin life anew;

a tranquil place where the bees and other minibeasts make them feel welcome and where in time, they will become a part of a thriving community of wildlife once more.

The watercolour illustrations are touched by whimsy whenever a minibeast is depicted, helping to keep the fable light in tone throughout the book. The penultimate page gives factual information about dandelion plants – their importance and various uses.

A seemingly simple story about seed dispersal that offers a good starting point for talking with very young children about humans who, in times of crisis, see no option but to flee their homes and seek sanctuary in another country.

Rabbit On the Rampage

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Rabbit On the Rampage
Lorna Watson and Rikin Parekh
Walker Books

Like many young humans, Rabbit has a favourite object that accompanies her to lots of different places and like adults, young children get very annoyed when they can’t find that special thing.
Rabbit’s favourite thing is a carrot; this she takes to swimming with her every Sunday but rather than plunge said carrot into the pool, Rabbit deposits it in her coat before entering the water. One Sunday though, shock horror! When she goes to retrieve Carrot it’s not there. A search of the pool and changing room prove carrotless and Rabbit is convinced it’s been stolen.

Following the suggestion of the swim coach, she retraces her steps; first stop Badger’s home where she’d had lunch. In storms Rabbit accusing her friend of Curly Carrot theft. Badger’s response is to remind her he doesn’t like carrots and instead offers one of his garden peas. This infuriates Rabbit and wow does she let Badger know.

Next Rabbit returns to the dance school where she’d had a lesson with Madame Mouse. Once again she makes a dramatic entry and accusation. This is met by the offer of a cauliflower from the dance teacher, which again infuriates Rabbit causing her to hurl the crunchy crucifer out the window.

A further revisit results in an awful outcome,

though now Rabbit is starting to feel just a tad bothered about the way she’s treated her pals. Off home to bed she goes and there garment by garment she removes her outdoor attire …

Time for Rabbit to make amends to her innocent friends …

Hilarious! Lorna Watson’s debut as picture book author is definitely destined to be a big hit with young children. Her rhyming text is brilliantly complemented by Rikin Parekh’s wonderfully dramatic scenes of Rabbit and her outrageous behaviour as she storms around on her search.

G.O.A.T.

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G.O.A.T.
Kate Temple, Jol Temple and Rebel Challenger
Scholastic

Goat considers himself the Greatest Of All Time: none of the other creatures comes anywhere near him when it comes to greatness. Take Duck for instance; Duck is the Deadliest Underwater Crumb King and Donkey is Devourer Of Nice Kind Easter Yams.

Donkey needs correcting on G.O.A.T. for thinking it stands for Grunts Often At Termites, something Goat denies doing, though the Termites disagree on that. And so the discussion goes on until it appears that all the animals have ways of being GOAT, well maybe make that all but one.

Totally bonkers though if you’ve met books written by Kate and Jol Temple this probably won’t surprise you. Deliciously daft too are Rebel Challenger’s colourful portrayals of the animal characters – an ideal complement for the text.

Now should you want to introduce acronyms to children, this book offers a great starting point; however first and foremost it should be shared for its hugely playful content. I imagine it going down really well in a KS1 classroom: the most important thing children will get from it is that language is fun.

Max Meow: Cat Crusader / Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig!

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Max Meow: Cat Crusader
John Gallagher
Puffin Books

There’s a feline superhero on the prowl It’s Max Meow, resident of the ‘furr-ociously cool city of Kittyopolis’. Max is an aspiring vlogger and podcast host and his best friend is human scientist Mindy Microbe whom he visits in her secret lab, the intention being to make a science video. Mindy has acquired a rare space meatball, which is suddenly snatched away. by a robot. The friends give chase, seize it back and when Max takes a bite of it, he finds himself with superpowers; with the ability to fly, super strength and a fiery tail, he becomes the Cat Crusader.

It transpires that the robot Reggie was sent by the villainous Agent M, a mouse, and Big Boss who want the meatball for their own heinous purposes.

Max finds that being a super hero is hungry work and so he and Mindy head for their favourite restaurant to sate their appetites. This leads via some hot sauce, to a falling out between the two of them and they stop speaking to one another.

Both tricky and sticky situations occur with the result that Max realises that superpowers alone will not be sufficient to save the day and indeed, save Kittyopolis itself.

Action-packed, and with pawsful of wacky humour, this pacy tale cleverly sets the scene for the second book in the series. Fans of visual story-telling especially will lap it up.

Bunny vs Monkey: The Impossible Pig!
Jamie Smart
David Fickling Books

I’m sure for readers of comics and graphic novels, the name Jamie Smart and his anarchic Bunny vs Monkey series needs no introduction and this is a paperback edition of a previously published hardcover documenting the wild and wacky escapades of Bunny et al in the woods through the four seasons from spring through to winter, concluding with a gathering for Christmas lunch. With its frenetic pacing and giggle-inducing gags throughout, enthusiasts will relish the on-going daftness.

Off-the wall comedy for primary readers doesn’t get better than this.

The Bison and the Butterfly

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The Bison and the Butterfly
Alice Hemming and Nancy Leschnikoff
Ivy Kids

Free to roam wherever she chooses and well fed, Bison should feel happy but she doesn’t. Woodpecker suggests that she needs a friend. Woodpecker’s place is in the treetops so off sets Bison in search of that “Someone to trample through the woods with”. But why would any creature want to befriend a big hairy animal like her, she wonders. Woodpecker explains how Bison’s stripping of bark from the trees, provides access to food, a great help for a bird seeking breakfast.

As she goes about her regular daily activities, Bison encounters some of her smaller forest neighbours – Dung Beetle,

Lizard – in particular but although both say they benefit from her actions, (Dung Beetle eats her poo and Lizard enjoys sunbathing in the bare patches of earth the large animal makes as she rolls) neither is that special friend.

Suddenly Bison hears what sounds like crying; she stops and asks, “Is everything all right?” Resisting the ‘Go away” instruction because the voice sounded so sad, Bison responds thus, “It sounds like you need a friend.” .

Now despite not wanting to trample through the woods, it turns out that this lonely butterfly is the ideal companion for woodland rambles. So begins a wonderful friendship …

Produced in collaboration with Kent Wildlife Trust, the author uses a sweet tale of searching for a friend to show how an ecosystem works. Backmatter gives information about Bison’s role as a ‘keystone species’ that helps keep nature in balance enabling key plant species to flourish, which act as a food plant for heath fritillary butterflies. Following that is an outline of The Wilder Blean Project launched two years back – an exciting success story so far.

With its expressive illustrations and narrative style writing, sharing this story containing messages about the impact we have on those around us, and the importance of kindness, empathy and friendship.with young children would provide a good starting point for learning about ecosystems.

Secret Factopia!

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Secret Factopia!
Paige Towler, illustrated by Andy Smith
What on Earth Books

You never know where you might end up when you open this book. Readers will discover all kinds of weird, wonderful and sometimes downright disgusting facts as they explore the various trails presented in this latest Factopia extravaganza. With 400 mysterious facts trails to follow, there are revelations of secrets relating to a whole gamut of topics from fashion to forensics, creepy crawlies to camouflage and cryptography, and toilets to theme parks, all in bite-sized chunks.

Did you know that the spiky tropical durian fruit has a powerful smell that is said to resemble sweaty socks and rotten onions? I think I’ll pass on that one despite its nutritional value.

This, like the previous six titles in the series, acts as a great springboard to further research on topics that capture a reader’s interest. I found myself looking several things up as I worked my way through the pages, including that about clothing with hidden solar panels that can charge a phone battery and the reference to a lady slipper orchid so rare that it’s given its own police guard.

This is one of the spreads that integrates photography and Andy Smith’s (often comical) art. Another is that where a photograph of a place in China where 1437 people participated in the largest ever hide-and-seek game has numerous faces peeping out. Readers will surely enjoy seeing how many they can count.

Back matter includes an index, and a list of information sources. Fun and immersive; it certainly deserves a place in primary school collections.

Perla The Mighty Dog

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Perla The Mighty Dog
Isabel Allende and Sandy Rodríguez
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Isabel Allende’s debut picture book is narrated by Perla, a pooch with self-attributed superpowers. The first is, ‘I can make anybody love me.’ The second is ‘I can ROAR like a lion.’ The latter is pretty astounding given Perla’s diminutive size.

When the Rico family arrives at the animal shelter looking for a guard dog, Perla employs superpower number 1, which makes young Nico Rico fall for the pooch. For him no other will do but to convince the other Ricos, Perla uses the lion-like roar and that seals the deal. Once in the Rico’s residence – a big old house that once ‘belonged to a wizard’ who still apparently visits leaving sprinklings of magic dust behind – Perla gets to know the family members better. That includes forming a pact with Lucy, the somewhat lazy moggie.

What would satisfy Perla the most though is to be able to help Nico, who unbeknown to the humans in the family, is being bullied at school.

Then one Saturday when playing ball with Nico, an incident with a squirrel results in Perla facing up to a very large, fearsome dog by roaring and charging, the result being celebrity status for Perla.

This prompts Nico to ask magnificent Perla to teach him superpower number 2, aka the mighty roar; this the obliging pooch promptly does with some slightly alarming but ultimately satisfying results for both Nico and Perla.

It’s the latter’s winsome narrative, with its vital message about finding the courage to stand up to bullies, which makes this book such an enjoyable read aloud. That and Sandy Rodríguez’s spirited, splendidly expressive ink and watercolour scenes.

Around the World with Friends

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Around the World with Friends
Philip Waechter
Gecko Press

When Racoon decides he’s ready for adventure he anticipates his round the world trip will be a solo one. However, having visited Badger to borrow his boat and paddle, he’s persuaded that his friend should accompany him. Before long Racoon has also collected Fox with a supply of eggs, Bear to keep jellyfish and marine monsters at bay and Crow to act as lookout. Off go the friends in upbeat mood down the river. It’s not long before they encounter what Fox decides is a poisonous water snake but is quickly put right by Racoon’s reassurance that it’s a grass snake. On they go,

only to be caught in rapids which fortunately don’t capsize the boat, eventually reaching a sandy bank where they decide to make a camp and eat. Wasps make a nuisance of themselves but Bear gets rid of them while Fox cooks a delicious meal. After this they play football and take a cooling swim.

Then down comes the rain and with night descending they realise that it’s time to head home.

Agreeing that it’s been ‘a proper adventure’ they gather up everything and agree to have another expedition in a few days time.

A perfect day, thinks Raccoon as he lies abed reading the same book that prompted him to undertake the trip in the first place.

Waechter’s illustrations created mainly with pen and crayon, be they of the animals’ homes, the locality or the areas the friends pass through on their adventure, are full of details that will cause readers to pause and spend time looking closely at each one. With its gentle humour, this is just the story to share with children on a warm, lazy summer’s day.

Pirate Academy: New Kid On Deck / Missing At Sea

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Pirate Academy: New Kid On Deck
Justin Somper, illustrated by Teo Skaffa
uclan publishing

ARRR! me ’earties! It’s time to fast forward to the year 2507 and step aboard for a cracking pirate adventure.

Classmates Jasmine and Jacoby are privileged to be studying at the Pirate Academy under the tutelage of legendary pirates. Like their fellow students – fifteen are chosen each year – Jasmine and Jacoby are from famous pirate families and are in Barracuda class. All is not well though: unexpectedly Jacoby receives an unfavourable assessment; this the lad graciously accepts promising to do better in future. Then Jasmine is summoned to Captain Salt’s office where she’s hoping to hear about what has caused the non-return of her parents and their ship. Tensions rise even further when Captain Raven Moon dramatically removes her son, Wing, from the Academy, ominously telling Jacoby, “These are dangerous times to be a pirate … be careful my precious boy.”.

Shortly after, another boy, Neo Splice, mysteriously arrives at the school. He tends to keep himself to himself, which arouses the suspicions of others and Jasmine has a feeling she’s seen the lad before somewhere. Is he trustworthy or an enemy? There are certainly enemies at work outside the Academy but could there be a traitor within threatening their safe world too? There’s definitely a surprise in store for Jacoby. It’s crucial that Jasmine and Jacoby set aside any differences and work together using all the skills they’ve learned.
This action-filled page-turner ends on a cliffhanger leaving readers eager for the second adventure;

Missing At Sea

Book 2 starts four weeks later with Barracuda class about to face the first challenging test of their abilities, the Oceans Bound.weekend. The pirate apprentices are divided into five teams, each with a leader, one of whom Jacoby hopes will be himself and when this isn’t so he’s devastated. Jasmine though is selected and this makes their relationship somewhat tricky but eventually she, Neo and Jacoby form a team.

A much greater difficulty emerges when she learns that her Uncle Noah – a ringleader of the League of True Pirates – has somehow managed to escape from Pirate Federation’s maximum security prison. Nonetheless she refuses to let this put her off participating in the event and her crew sets sail along with the other four. Before so doing each leader is given a coloured glass bottle continuing a note on which is written the first of a series of tasks.

Soon members of one team (you can probably work out which) find themselves facing unexpected dangers in the form of highly venomous vipers and spiders with a poisonous bite,

as well as a skull. Eventually another crew’s members become concerned that a rescue might be required; they just need to persuade the remaining Barracudas to join them in operation rescue mission.
Even so, it will take all they’ve got for the tenacious young pirates to complete the course and triumph against their heinous enemy.

With some shocking plot twists, the story like the first one, ends on a cliff hanger that will ensure readers are left thirsting for book three.

Torla & Smorla and the Lower Than Average Cloud

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Torla & Smorla and the Lower Than Average Cloud
Kes Grey and Chris Jevons
Happy Yak

Meet giraffe friends, Torla and Smorla with their star patterned coats. One day the two are out on a ‘longer-than-average walk’ when Smorla comments on the beautiful day. However with Torla’s head engulfed by a fluffy white ‘lower-than-average cloud’, as her friend tells her, nothing is visible but white. Her concerns about seeing where she’s going are quickly allayed when Smorla offers to take the lead, saying that sooner or later the cloud will disappear.

Now trust is crucial in such situations and Torla totally trusts her pal, following her instructions carefully. In this way (but now seeing grey) she avoids bumping into a tree (taller than average), tripping over ‘lazier-than-average lions’;

she navigates a path without getting scratched by the ‘pricklier-than-average bushes’. By now the cloud has become an even greyer grey.

They stop just before a chasm in their path where Smorla tells her friend to bend her knees and do her biggest forward jump ever. Safely across, they walk round crocodiles practising yoga and bingo-playing hippos, over an elephant enjoying the sun, across a tightrope traversing a ravine,

past dancing flamingos until finally they stop. Down comes heavy rain from the now black cloud above Torla’s head. Now can you believe it but Smorla just happens to have a pocket within which she has something else that’s bigger-than-average. Can you guess what?

Children will love the animal antics of the bit part players almost as much as the dialogue between the giraffe characters, which as one would expect of Ken Grey, is wonderfully droll.

Brainy About Bears

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Brainy About Bears
Owen Davey
Flying Eye Books

This is the ninth in Owen Davey’s deservedly popular non-fiction animal series. At the start is an overview that mentions there are eight distinct bear species and possibly around fifty subspecies from various parts of the world from Arctic regions and tundra to tropical jungles.

Featured in By Design, the spectacled bear, native of South America, is so-named for its facial markings, has an immensely powerful bite, sharp, fang-like canine teeth, good eyesight and sense of hearing but mostly explore the world through their excellent sense of smell, which so we read, is over 2,000 times better than a human’s. Did you know that bears are able to smell a bar of chocolate stashed away in a locked car? Hopefully they can’t use their long claws to pick car locks but stick to using them for purposes such as digging, climbing, fighting and catching prey.

Amazingly, the earliest modern bears -the dawn bears – lived about 23 to 5.3 million years ago whereas modern day humans have been around less that 1,000,000 years.

With regard to movement, bears normally walk on all four legs, all have the capacity to outrun Olympic sprinters, use their claws to climb trees for such purposes as finding food, escaping enemies or perhaps hibernating. They are also able to swim and like being in water, polar bears being the best swimmers; this last fact you will discover on the And the Award Goes To spread.

When it comes to nutrition, almost all bears tend to eat anything depending on what is available, not so giant pandas, which stick almost exclusively to bamboo, the result being they are now classed as a vulnerable species as few areas have sufficient bamboo to satisfy their needs.
Bears feature in the mythology of many cultures around the world and have been thought of as such diverse things as healers, spirits, religious symbols and guides.

The final spread mentions giant pandas and polar bears as reminders to readers. of the damage we humans do to the planet and the hope of giving greater priority to the protection of bears and their habitats in the future.

Characteristic of this series is the vast amount of facts presented in a well organised, lively and entertaining manner. The information level is spot on for primary school readers and the illustrations are as always, superb.

The Boy Who Painted the World

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The Boy Who Painted the World
Tom McLaughlin
Oxford Children’s Books

When a boy steps into a book he’s under the impression it’s empty but he’s wrong. So intent is he at looking around that he upends three cans of paint sending their contents everywhere. When he apologises for the mess he’s made, he’s told by a brush that the spilt paint is not mess, rather it’s an opportunity and soon the green splurge is transformed into a ‘messy-a-saurus’. The brush then suggests the boy should try painting, something the boy says he cannot do. Nevertheless he dips the brush into the pot of blue paint and nervously makes a square shape, albeit a wobbly one.. With further encouragement from the brush he proceeds to produce all manner of things with wobbly shapes.

This so excites the brush that he tells the user that he’s made art. Further playfulness with the brush and paint in various hues results in such things as a pink lemonade ocean, llamas sporting pyjamas and a brown bear until finally they’ve got all the colours of the rainbow. After a bit of rainbow sliding, paint splashes and splurges are everywhere. As you will by now probably expect, these are rapidly transformed, becoming creatures, friendly and not so friendly, and a way more enormous mess.

By this time, the boy needs no encouragement: a realisation dawns and whoppee! There’s no stopping our young paint brush wielder.

What a wonderfully joyful, effervescent celebration of creativity unleashed and an important demonstration that if you accept your mistakes with a positive attitude you can turn them into imaginative opportunities. Young children aren’t inhibited by not being able to draw/paint, rather they just enjoy being creative. However all too soon those negative, “I can’t paint” notions take over and their confidence in themselves as artists wanes. Share this story; it could, one hopes, help keep that creative spark from being extinguished as they get older.

Godfrey is a Frog

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Godfrey is a Frog
Alex Latimer
Oxford Children’s Books

After undergoing the usual changes from tiny egg floating in a pond, Godfrey has become a frog. He sits atop a lily pad eagerly anticipating the next change but weeks pass, then months and he’s still the same two armed, two legged, long, sticky tongued frog.

As he looks around at the other creatures he decides they’re all way more exciting than he is. Then having made a final inspection in the hope he might have missed a new development. Godfrey plunges into the pond, right to the bottom, where he immerses himself in the mud. Up swims minnow, Brinley. “I wish I had legs like yours so I could hop about!” says the fish. Other pond creatures also express a wish to possess features like Godfrey’s.

The frog ponders upon their words for a while. Maybe now something else is changing – something within. Is Godfrey finally ready to accept and appreciate himself and his fabulous frogginess.

Alex Latimer’s fabulously funky portrayal of Godfrey will ensure he endears himself to young audiences who will love being in the know about a frog’s life cycle. (Just in case any have yet to learn this, there’s a pictorial spread showing how it happens after the story).

Listeners will love the alliterative phrases in the text and Alex’s playful scenes, especially those showing Godfrey’s protruding tongue and imaginings about possible changes.

Bea’s Bad Day

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Bea’s Bad Day
Tom Percival
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This is the latest in Tom’s Big Bright Feelings series.
Bea has been counting down the days to her birthday and now with just two left to go, she’s very excited. A party is to be held and all her family members have been invited including her Grandma, Bampi and cousins.

The following day though it starts to snow and it keeps on and on until everything is white and it’s obvious the postman won’t be able to deliver any cards or presents; moreover her dad can’t go and get any party food. At least some relations are coming tomorrow, thinks Bea.

Next day Bea wakes early but after three hours nobody has come: her Mum says it’s because all the roads are blocked. Having tried hard the previous day not to show her disappointment, Bea cannot control her emotions any longer.

She’s too upset to open the present Mum gives her, and Bampi’s phone call does nothing to lift her mood. To a tearful little girl, it feels like everything is broken.

Then her elder brother, Archie suggests the two of them go out sledging. To Bea’s surprise, as the two WHOOSH down the hill in the falling snow, Bea decides that although different, this birthday is after all, great fun. Gradually those cracks disappear and by the time they return into the warm, every single crack has vanished. In comes Dad carrying a splendiferous cake but he fails to notice there’s something in his path.

Is it possible that Bea’s special day can still end with laughs? Maybe, with the help of some spoons and that yummy cake …

Another cracking – pun deliberate – story to share with children around Bea’s age. This one sensitively portraying the emotions around disappointment, helps ensure that little ones are better equipped to cope, should they find themselves in a similar situation to Bea.
Add to family bookshelves and foundation stage collections.

Bear’s Wash Day / Hide and Seek with the Baby Animals

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These board books are Little Tiger Books – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Bear’s Wash Day
Nicola Kent

As a result of Bear and Croc’s smoothie making, Bear’s clothes are covered in spatters of juice so the two decide to do some washing. They collect all the dirty clothes, load up the washing machine, add the washing liquid and press the on button. Round and round go the clothes and once the machine has done its cycle, it’s tine to go out into the garden and hang everything on the line to dry in the sun. As soon as Bear’s dungarees are ready to wear once more, he puts them back on and the friends finally drink their smoothies.
With a spinner and flaps to help develop their fine motor skills, little ones can enjoy this simple domestic episode and have fun making the various sounds that accompany the action.

Hide and Seek with the Baby Animals
Molly Littleboy and Gareth Lucas

A game of hide and seek offers an opportunity to meet the baby animals that are playing the game on the five spreads herein. Each one has a different shaped felt flap behind which lurks a noisy little creature. Toddlers can join in the play and try to guess the baby animal that went WOOF!, the chirping bird in the birdcage, the squeaker behind the heap of hay,

and meet the bubble blower that’s giving his location away before finally meeting the winner of the game.
Touchy feely fun with dayglo bright scenes by Gareth Lucas in which various minibeasts appear on every spread, adding to the playful experience.

Cake for Everyone

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Cake for Everyone
Thé Tjong-Khing
Gecko Press

This wordless story really begins on the title page where we see a group of fourteen animal friends gathered for a picnic. Down swoops an eagle and snatches up the outspread blanket on which are the animals’ belongings – a hat, a football, a toy sword, a small soft toy, a parasol and various other bits and pieces, plus a cake. The animals give chase and suddenly a heron goes for the thief causing it to release the blanket with the result that its contents are scattered far and wide landing in various places on the cliff, in the water and up a mountain.

The ensuing rescue operation is a wonderful example of visual storytelling. I would advise concentrating on one item to follow at a time, then going back and following another as the whole picture is too huge to take in every detail at once: I started with the floppy hat and immediately noticed the gorilla sitting in a bush perhaps eager to get its paws on the thing.

On the other hand there are some helpful animals that appear on the scene and observant readers will delight in contemplating all the outcomes

as the romp of a tale twists and turns its way to a thoroughly satisfying finale. Time for a slice of cake methinks.

Dirty Bertie: Pets and Pests / The Determined Kitten

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Dirty Bertie: Pets and Pests
Alan MacDonald and David Roberts
Little Tiger

This is a bind up of three previously published Dirty Bertie books: Fleas!, Rats! and Bees! each of which contains three episodes in the life of the lad with a magnetic attraction to mischief-making possibilities. He’s involved in such escapades as flea catching (thanks to Whiffer, the house is infested with the things); Bertie and Gran take the pooch to the vets where as you’d expect, chaos soon ensues. In another episode, having locked the supply teacher in a cupboard, Bertie learns what it’s like to be a teacher, under the watchful eye of a slightly bemused school inspector.

He also participates in a cross country run with his classmates that results in a too close for comfort encounter with cows, sets a mouse loose in the classroom (accidentally of course) and decides to try his hand at being a bee-keeper courtesy of Mr Monk’s bees. All this and more besides.

Adult readers aloud, youngsters just starting to fly solo, and listeners at home or in the classroom will find it impossible not to come under the Bertie charm especially with the wealth of comical black and white illustrations.

The Determined Kitten
Holly Webb
Little Tiger

While out walking the dog in the park with her Dad, Rosie comes upon a box containing five ginger kittens, evidently they’ve been abandoned by someone. There appears to be something wrong with one of the kittens but nevertheless Rosie manages to persuade her Dad to take them home. Once Mum sees them, she insists they must be taken to the local animal shelter. To Rosie’s surprise, Sam the cat fosterer lives in an ordinary house and is willing to take them on and help them find new homes. She tells Rosie that she’s welcome to come and visit the kittens at the weekend but also mentions the possibility that little Bill has something called cerebellar hypoplasia, also called wobbly cat syndrome. Rosie continues visiting and helping Sam but it’s not long before all the kittens except Bill have gone to new homes.
Rosie is determined to persuade her parents to let her adopt Bill but Mum is quick to remind her of what her teacher has said about her struggling to concentrate in lessons. The reason for this however, is because she’s being bullied but Rosie doesn’t say so at that point.
How will the bullying problem be resolved and where will kitten Bill eventually find a home?

Just right for animal loving readers around Rosie’s age, especially those who have a penchant for cats.

Who Ate Steve?

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Who Ate Steve?
Susannah Lloyd and Kate Hindley
Nosy Crow

Here’s a deliciously tongue-in-cheek tale wherein, in best teacherly voice, the narrator embarks on a lesson about size and to that end has enlisted the services of Marcel, a corvid of some sort, as an exemplar of big and earthworm Steve, to represent small, and like Marcel, sports a hat.
However Marcel’s undesirable behaviour soon annoys the teacher/narrator. The teacher part of myself was greatly amused by the words and different type used to show this: ‘I’m waiting, Marcel. We are ALL waiting. … Thank you. AND his HAT, if you please … That wasn’t so hard, was it?’

As you would expect Marcel’s natural instinct is to consume his fellow helper and his continuing efforts so to do – each of which is thwarted – increase the narrator’s frustration at being unable to deliver the lesson in its entirety as the end of the book draws nigh.

You are probably wondering if we do learn about size before the final page; the answer is in the affirmative and there’s a superbly satisfying twist on the last spread.

With the combination of that memorable voice created by Susannah Lloyd and Kate Hindley’s brilliant comical illustrations, in particular those showing Marcel’s facial expressions, this has to be the funniest picture book I’ve read for many months. Share it wherever and whenever you can.

Lola and Larch Save the Sunshine Spell / Mirabelle and the Picnic Pranks

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Lola and Larch Save the Sunshine Spell
Sinéad O’Hart
Nosy Crow

Despite her grandma’s excitement about the size her marrows have grown to overnight, Lola suspects something isn’t right and then Larch is sure she’s seen a plant from the wheelbarrow waving at her. Lola’s convinced something weird is afoot, especially when Grandma’s polytunnel smells decidedly odd, tomatoes grow so much they explode and the veggies start leaping about.

Lola and Larch decide to make a foray into the forest to investigate. Shock horror: the fairy kingdom is almost completely overgrown; Their encounter with King Ash (the fairy king) leads to a suggestion that the dastardly Euphorbia Spurge is behind what’s happened; furthermore he insists that Larch remains rather than return to the human world with Lola.
It’s a tearful Lola who sets off back to her Grandma’s but on the way a tiny fairy, Con, gives her a special leaf that will enable her to talk to Larch without being able to see her so long as Larch too is holding a similar leaf.

That night Lola is awoken by Larch’s voice coming from the special linden leaf and before you can say ‘Sunshine Spell’ she’s up and out to a forest rendezvous with Larch.

Then with Euphorbia’s purple magic swirling around them, the two friends head for her house. A difficult journey for Lola, but they must get there and retrieve the distilled sunlight that’s a vital ingredient for the all important Sunshine Spell that will break Euphorbia’s magic. Can they save the day once more?

Another mix of enchantment and friendship that will delight fans of the first story in the series, again with Rachel Seago’s black and white illustrations that bring out the humour throughout this second adventure.

Mirabelle and the Picnic Pranks
Harriet Muncaster
Oxford Children’s Books

Mirabelle has promised her Mum that she’ll be on her best behaviour when their new neighbours, Fredrick, Felice and their son Oswald come for a barbecue. So how come her brother Wilbur discovers frogspawn in his drink when they all sit down for the feast? Not only that but the kitchen floor is awash after Mirabelle’s mopping.

When Mum comes in with a pile of dirty crockery she goes flying, dropping what she’s carrying and smashing it to smithereens. The result is that Mirabelle is sent up to her bedroom. From there she watches as her brother and Oswald head for the sprinkler. Longing to join them but realising she’d be spotted, Mirabelle finds a sneaky plan has come into her mind; one she just can’t ignore. Out comes her potion bottle necklace, her swimming costume and her special fairy wings, off comes the lid of her shrinking potion bottle and …

Having eventually succeeded in descending to the garden, Mirabelle starts to wish she’d stayed in her bedroom. Indeed before long she realises that the whole escapade is a big mistake. Then she hears her distressed-sounding mum shouting that her daughter isn’t in her bedroom. Can Mirabelle restore herself to her normal size and if so, what will her parents and the visitors have to say? Let’s just say that one of the latter surprises everyone at her reaction.

This sixth story starring the mischievous Mirabelle will delight her countless young fans who will be rooting for her throughout. Anyone for trifle?

Billie’s Buzz

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Billie’s Buzz
Alison Brown
Farshore

If it didn’t sound so ridiculous to call a bee adorable I would do so with regard to Billie. When she drops into a little boy’s life she’s searching for a someone who wants a pet: Billie has decided to enter the pet show in the town’s Festival of Talents. As luck would have it, the boy has been looking for a pet though he warns the bee that to enter will mean hard work. Nonetheless the two start getting ready for the events. .

When the big day arrives the boy warns Billie to keep her wings tucked in and make sure she doesn’t buzz. What incredible entries there are for some of the events but then comes the much anticipated pet show. Billie is entered as a ‘miniature, long-eared, yellow-striped fluff-bean.’

With two rounds under her fluff Billie faces the agility round. Her boy issues a reminder to Billie before she sets off and things are going well until the final obstacle – a high wall. After one failure Billie prepares for her second chance and uh-oh! You can guess what she does; and what happens next.

Up steps Billie’s boy; he speaks out for his ‘pet’ and decides to leave. As you might expect, Billie is disqualified but that’s not quite the end of the story.

Following Billie’s adventure is a factual page giving some of the reasons why bees are such an important part of the natural world.

A fun book a-buzz with an abundance of humorous detail on every spread and vital messages about being true to yourself and the importance of friendship.

Where the Water Takes Us

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Where the Water Takes Us
Alan Barillaro, illustrated by the author
Walker Books

When eleven year old Ava learns she’s to spend the summer at her grandparents’ remote island cabin with her Nonno and Nonna, because her mother’s twin pregnancy has become complicated, she can’t let go of the fact that she’s been labelled a ‘burden’. In addition she feels terrified that something awful could happen to her mother.

Soon after her arrival when out paddling the canoe, Ava notices a boy standing with a fishing rod on the dock. He endeavours to make conversation but she turns down his offer of showing her pike and continues paddling before ending up in the water. Ava is so tired that once she’s pulled herself out she falls asleep. She’s awoken by a powerful storm and a woodpecker falling at her feet, which she is unable to revive. This leads to second encounter with the boy, Cody MacDonald, who is with his father and he insists on seeing that she gets safely back to her grandparents’ island.

That evening when Ava and Nonna are talking about birds, Nonna says that a dead bird falling at your feet or on your doorstep can be a sign that a death will come to the family. Ava then hears her mother is back in hospital and decides that nothing else matters except that her mother must be saved. She returns to Deer Island to make a deal with the dead woodpecker. Back at the cabin, Ava is told that rather than trying to call her Mum she should write her a letter and as a further distraction, she should walk to the spring with Nonno to collect some jugs of water.

At the spring there’s another chance meeting with Cody and despite Ava denying she’s friends with him Nonno leaves her with the boy to fill their jugs. While there Ava discovers two eggs – robin’s eggs so Cody says. During the ensuing conversation despite herself, Ava finds she’s getting closer to the boy, and she then takes the two eggs back to her grandparents home for protection. Caring for two baby robins with her Nonna’s help might just be what she needs.

Then a situation unfolds which puts Cody’s life in danger and Ava must summon both her swimming skills and courage to save the day.

With themes of protection, friendship and identity, this is a truly compelling, sensitively written story full of lyrical descriptions about the natural world. The author’s occasional delicate watercolour illustrations have a quiet power of their own: be sure to follow the development of the two eggs along the bottom and up the edge of the recto pages.

Kodi & the Mystery of Komodo Island

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Kodi & the Mystery of Komodo Island
Paul Deslandes and Rose Gerrard
New Frontier Publishing

Young Kodi is a Komodo dragon living on the island of Komodo, a place with an ancient mystery about a gigantic lizard-eating beast. Kodo has many skills: he can crack codes like no other but what he wants to do most is to discover the truth about the legendary beast without becoming its latest feast. Determined to prove his mother wrong when she insists the creature is mere myth, he decides to call the deadly dragon with a song , “Oh, Dragon, Oh Dragon, wherever you may be. I’m juicy and delicious so come and munch on me!” No sooner are the words out of his mouth than Kodi hears an enormous swoosh above his head and feels the shaking of the ground beneath his feet.

Safely back home he reports to his Mum but she still insists he’s making up stories. However the following night Kodi sallies forth again. He immerses himself in the waters around the island and sings his song for a second time.

Back home safely his Mum dismisses what her son says about his encounter, but this serves to fuel Kodi’s determination to meet the dragon face to face. And so he does. Now though, there is nowhere for Kodi to hide.

There he stands: will he be Dragon’s next treat or will the resourceful detective Kodi live to see another day? …

A funny read aloud told in rhyme, with suitably dramatic scenes of the cast of characters, especially the young protagonist whose expressions and body language are really well done.

Unicornia: Learning to Fly

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Unicornia: Learning to Fly
Ana Punset, illustrated by Diana Vicedo
Walker Books

Young Claudia, the narrator of this story, has recently moved to the city of Unicornia. Her first day at the Unicornia Academy of Magic proves much more challenging than she’d anticipated: her potion mixing goes wrong to the amusement of her classmates and then she’s too upset to participate in the Unicorn Flying class which displeases teacher, Mr Trot, especially with an assessment imminent.

Meanwhile, her parents have opened a shop selling magical food and it’s here that she encounters two familiar-looking girls who introduce themselves as her classmates, Pippa and Sara, Before long the three girls are laughing together and Claudia has two new friends. The next day’s spell mixing lesson goes much better thanks to Pippa and Sara and in Magical History Claudia makes another friend, a crow named Nibbles. However the Unicorn Flying class does not go well.

Pippa and Sara take Claudia around the city to get to know it better and one place they visit is a shelter for unicorns, another is the school stables after the staff have left, their intention being for Claudia and Chai (the unicorn Mr Trot had introduced to her) to get to know one another better. Can Pippa and Sara help Claudia form a bond with the unicorn and make sufficient progress to succeed in tomorrow’s flying exam?

Bursting with excitement, and with whimsical illustrations by Diana Vicedo at every turn of the page, this enchanting chapter book is perfect for new solo readers especially lovers of fantasy and magic stories.

Dive, Dive into the Night Sea

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Dive, Dive into the Night Sea
Thea Lu
Walker Studio

This book has such an alluring cover illustration that you immediately feel you want to join the diver/narrator and plunge into the depths of the night sea. If you choose to do so, you will be rewarded by a fascinating and awe-inspiring undersea journey. Each spread (they open horizontally) reveals something different: the first being the coral reef where small fish including triggerfish and batfish are able to find safety in its cracks and crevices. The narrator likens the reef to an underwater hotel where such fish can hide from potential nocturnal predators.

The beam of the narrator’s torch attracts a wealth of creatures from plankton, the tiniest organisms in the sea, to some gigantic ones such as the scary-looking but harmless Manta rays. However, turning off the torch enables the diver and readers to see the bioluminescent plankton, described as ‘a constellation of stars’.


A return to the reef brings another surprise in the form of fluorescent corals; these are revealed only when the diver’s special blue/ultraviolet torch light is shone on the reef after dark.

Clever use of scale allows us to appreciate the size of the creatures in relation to the diver and the use of flaps allows for two levels of text: a larger font offers a text that will is essentially an interesting story to share with young children, whilst hidden beneath the flaps presented in a smaller font is more detailed information about the fascinating night sea. Did you know that sperm whales usually keep half of their brain awake when they sleep; this is termed unihemispheric sleep? This helps them to control their breathing,

Inspiring awe and wonder aplenty, this is a smashing, cleverly designed book to have in a Foundation Stage/Key Stage 1 classroom.

This Is Happy!

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This Is Happy!
Anna Ross and Debi Gliori
Otter-Barry Books

Happiness can be found in the very smallest of things, but we need to slow right down and look carefully. Only then will we truly appreciate what a wonderful world surrounds us. The adult carers in this book are aware of this and do all they can to ensure that the children have as many opportunities as possible tto discover it too. The children experiment with paints, plant seeds and watch them grow,

get right up close to damp earth after a rain shower They frolic on the seashore, lie flat in the grass on their tummies and investigate using all their senses. There are birthdays to celebrate with energetic dancing and delicious food, muddy streams to splash in, opportunities to let their imaginations take flight in a variety of ways – inventing new stories ,

entering those in books and perhaps even visiting distant galaxies as they stand beneath a starry sky.
Maybe the very best of all though is to be found when snuggled up with family members …

Lyrically and engagingly written by Anna Ross with Debi Gliori capturing the rapturous moments the diverse cast of five families enjoy.

Slow down and share this delightful book with the little ones in your life; it’s never too soon to introduce young children to mindfulness.

Monsters At School

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Monsters At School
Laura Baker and Nina Dzyvulska
Happy Yak

My goodness! How glad am I that I’ve never had to teach a class anything like the one in this third book featuring the monsters created by Laura Baker and Nina Dzyvulska.

Now the monsters are having their first day at school and as it begins we see them setting off and approaching the entrance. Once inside they start getting up to all kinds of ridiculousness but that’s in-keeping with the “Yes, it’s free-play time!’ line in the rhyming text.

Lunch time, as you might expect, is a very messy affair, after which, out go the monsters to expend some of their energy in the yard, swinging, sliding, skipping and more. Back indoors an art session gets under way with the Dog Monster noisily making its presence felt as it sets all the other monsters off on a chase. Near chaos ensues but eventually everyone settles down again until it’s time to go home. PHEW!

The vibrant, action-packed illustrations are hilarious especially those of monster mayhem, which at one point author Laura Bakesr describes as ‘Catching, snatching, steering, clearing! Climbing up the walls.’
Young children will delight in this madcap romp and have great fun looking for Monster Dog hiding (often in plain sight) on every spread.

Bartie Bristle and other stories

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Bartie Bristle and other stories
Julie Tatchell & Amanda Middleditch, illustrated by Elke Boschinger
Walker Books

The six charming read aloud tales in this collection are an exciting venture for Julie and Amanda aka the Teddybear Ladies.

In common with the other bears, Bartie Bristle – we learn how he got this name in the first story – has a special magical thread of kindness stitched into him by Mrs T and Rose.
The second story features a lost bear who remains in the shop window and is fed sticky treats until she’s claimed by her owner

The biggest bear in the shop is Sanderson; he’s gentle, wise and extremely helpful. He becomes the school’s ‘Reading Bear’ a role he loves on account of all the books in the school library.

Sanderson plays a vital part in the fourth story too: he explains the importance of bees to the other bears after one buzzes into the shop on a very hot day.

Story five sees Bartie accompanied by Tom Boot (so called as he was fashioned out of a child’s boot) setting out on an adventure wherein they meet the womins. These creatures send the adventurers flying onto the floor – it’s a good thing bears never hold grudges. A very sticky adventure it turns out to be, especially for the womin called Sparkle; he gets stuck in some honey that had leaked from Bartie’s bag. All ends well however, with a friendship being formed between the womins and the bears.

Dear Old Albert is the title of the sixth story. Albert being the name of a bear that arrives in the post in a very sorry state. He requires a lot of work and so stays a long time at the shop. During that time he regales the others with stories about his long life, they become very fond of him and tell Mrs T they’d like him to stay forever. What will her decision be?

With its gorgeous mixed media illustrations by Elke Boschinger this would make a wonderful gift for teddy bear lovers especially.

The Memory Key

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The Memory Key
Nigel Baines
Hodder Children’s Books

Lily Slade lives with her mum, Mum’s boyfriend Matt, his son Alex and her Grandad George. Train-loving Grandad has always been her hero but recently he’s been forgetful and confused: he has Alzheimer’s. Mum has started saying that with his deteriorating condition, Grandad will soon need specialist help in a residential home.
When it’s her turn to present her family origin story to her class at school, Lily tells how Grandad originally lived in Hungary and moved to the UK as a child when the political situation in Hungary became repressive. This prompts questions from her classmates but the most important question for Lily remains that concerning the fate of her Grandad.

Mum insists they all go and visit a care home but Lily remains determined to help Grandad get better, especially when his train and railway memories start coming to life magically.

However things start to spiral out of control especially when Lily loses the key to go back home. Will there always, as Grandad says from time to time, be light at the end of the tunnel? And will Lily be able to find it even when it seems impossible?

Enormously powerful and written with such sensitivity, readers cannot fail to be swept along to the end like one of Grandad’s trains. The straightforward explanations about Alzheimer’s are spot on for the target audience who will be hugely moved by the abundance of love between Lily and Grandad. They will also likely discover something about a part of recent European history that is new to them.

Ettie and the Midnight Pool

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Ettie and the Midnight Pool
Julia Green, illustrated by Pam Smy
David Fickling Books

Eleven year old Ettie is living a peaceful life with only her grandma for company. They grow their own food, sell anything they don’t need and the girl spends much of her time listening to stories, reading, sketching, and roaming the beautiful countryside surrounding High Fell House, their home. Ettie’s mother, a doctor, left to go travelling but war, sickness and grounded planes have prevented her from returning or even sending letters. This leaves a deep sadness residing within the girl.

One afternoon while exploring the woods, Ettie spies a girl who seems to be walking with a fox. Enter the mysterious Cora: Ettie finds herself drawn to the stranger and follows her. Grandma is horrified when that evening, Ettie tells her she’s come across the disused quarry, a place that lingers in her mind long into the night, leaving her determined to return the following morning.

When she does so, Ettie discovers Cora is lying hurt in one of the old slate mine tunnels. She just has to help her but without letting Grandma know. A friendship begins to develop: Cora teaches Ettie how to dive into freezing water. Another late return upsets her grandma but Ettie is resolved to keep her adventuring a secret. Grandma however is becoming more and more worried about her grandaughter’s protracted absences and her change of attitude towards their restrained life together, asking lots of questions and even giving her an old watch. Ettie in turn is convinced something secret is being kept from her too.

While Ettie is strongly attracted to Cora’s wild existence, readers have a mounting sense of unease. Maybe Cora can lead Ettie to discover the truth about the secret; on the other hand she could be leading her towards tragedy. Tension mounts to a dramatic climax – a life or death situation – after which Ettie has to face a difficult decision: who is she and what does she want? Cora’s identity remains a mystery though the author’s interweaving of myths provides clues and Grandma eventually shares her tragic tale about the pool and goes on to agree that Ettie should live her own best life, darkness and all.

Enhanced by Pam Smy’s powerfully evocative illustrations, Julia Green’s wonderful descriptions of the countryside, in combination with intrigue and nail-biting moments, make this a mesmerising story that lingers in your mind long after you’ve set the book aside.

Here’s what Emmanuelle (11) an avid reader, had to say about the book:
Julia Green’s new book is thrilling and full of secrecy. Ettie lives in the countryside with her grandma. One day, whilst out in the forest, she sees another girl and follows her to a hidden quarry pool. She soon makes friends with the girl, whose name is Cora. But Ettie notices that she never gives answers to any of her questions about where she came from. Ettie is in awe of the stunning pool but soon discovers that it holds deep and dangerous secrets; so too does Cora.
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy adventure, family stories and mystery. It has you hooked right from the beginning and keeps you turning the pages right through to the end. The story builds to the biggest scenes where Ettie finally swims in the quarry pool and learns a massive secret. This reader was left wanting to know more.


Whisper to the Rescue

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Whisper to the Rescue
Rose Robbins
Scallywag Press

Meet Whisper; he’s the smallest, quietest dragon on the mountainside. He’s also the most observant, and extremely considerate; but his family members appear not to notice him. What they do spend much of their time doing is building huge bonfires and to that end, they damage the environment by tearing down trees and burning their branches. Now as you would expect Whisper has noticed the effects, not only on the trees, but on the birds and other creatures.

How though can he make the other dragons pay attention to the consequences of what they’re doing, especially when they pay no heed to his efforts?

Fortunately Whisper has two good friends, Bear and Owl. So he pays them a visit. Owl in her wisdom explains that there are times when showing, not telling is what is needed and together the friends devise a plan. Then, thanks to some help from one bird in particular, using perfectly timed creativity

Whisper finally succeeds in getting his vital message across to the rest of his family. Their reaction and future actions demonstrate their contrition and the mountain home of the animals becomes a safe place at last.

Rose Robbins portrays Whisper and his pals as such appealing campaigning characters, so one hopes they will succeed in galvanising young children into using their own voices – vocally and visually – to stand up for environmental and other important issues they believe in.

The Wild Beastie

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The Wild Beastie
Helen Kellock
Walker Books

On the secret Isle of Begg live Bumple and her Mama. Now Mama is aware of its shores alive with wild and wonderful creatures, but Bumple isn’t at all interested; indeed she is scared of what she calls the “wild beasties”.

One morning she heads off to her favourite safe place beside the stream, a place where no beastie could find her – ever. How wrong could she be for suddenly, splash! Right in the water where Bumple is sailing her boat lands a little creature. Taken aback, Bumple asks who the creature is and what he wants. “I’m Little Mop” comes the reply “… I want to play!” Somewhat reluctantly Bumple agrees and the two start sailing her toy Peedie in a tiny boat but Little Mop gives the boat an over-enthusiastic push and the two playmates have to chase it a long way downstream

till they’re far, far from Bumple’s safe place, at the sea. There, as you might expect, Little Mop is eager to play but Bumple is equally eager to return home so off they set, with the former in the lead. Before long Bumple realises Little Mop is still messing about and the two fall out. Only briefly however and fuelled by Little Mop’s secret stashes, the friends make their way towards Bumple’s cottage until they’re almost there. But first they need to cross a gorge.

Can Bumple take a brave leap she’d never even have contemplated at the start of the day?

A lovely, magical tale showing how stepping out of your comfort zone and discovering that letting yourself go and trying a bit of wildness can be a whole lot of fun. From endpaper to endpaper, the watercolour illustrations are a marvellous mix of playfulness and beauty. Share this with young children: I’m sure they’ll love visiting the wondrous Isle of Begg.

Moon Bear

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Moon Bear
Clare Helen Welsh and Carolina T. Godina
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Ettie is afraid of the dark, even keeping a torch under the bedclothes at bedtime. One night though, there’s no need for her torch; instead a surprise cascade of shimmering light enters her room through the gap between the curtains.

Rising from her bed, Ettie starts to interact with the lights, using them to paint patterns on the walls and dancing with them. She does so until the bedroom is a wondrous sight to behold. She then draws the curtains right back, smiles at the moon and begins to connect up the dots made by the glowing stars until she has created a bear. A bear that comes into her room in a burst of brightness. Together the pair spend the night playing

and having a wonderful time. Come the morning the bear has disappeared and so too have Ettie’s fears about the dark. Throughout the day the girl eagerly anticipates the return of her ursine friend and can hardly wait for her bedtime routine to be over . Will she have another visit?

Told almost without words, the delightful fantasy unfolds in different sized panels containing gouache and coloured pencil scenes, comic book style. Sparkling with gentle magic, this tale of a girl who doesn’t like the dark and a bear that doesn’t like bright light, leaves young children free to let their imaginations take flight in similar manner to the girl protagonist.

Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise

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Destiny Ink: Sleepover Surprise
Adeola Sokunbi
Nosy Crow

Destiny is one of life’s enthusiasts who finds every day an adventure. As the book opens she is excited to be going to the park to meet her best friend, Olivia. On the swings Olivia reminds her of tomorrow night’s sleepover when the two will be spending the night in a tent under the stars in Olivia’s back garden. Destiny’s tummy starts to feel a bit funny though she assures readers that it’s not because of the sleepover or the possibility of scary monsters. Her mum’s reassuring words “It’s going to be INKTASTIC” followed soon after by “It’s OK if you feel a bit nervous,” don’t completely allay her fears.

Back at home Destiny creates her own tent in her bedroom for a practice sleepover to prepare both herself and Fuzzy, her hamster. She plays in the tent but come bedtime, despite Dad’s brainwave of lending her his torch, she’s still wide awake at 01:28. Suddenly she becomes aware of something strange and the torch reveals an actual monster. A monster – Trog by name – that is clearly scared too and is accompanied by a pet named Furbs. Trog, she learns, is scared of being away from home so Destiny sets about showing her new friend that there’s nothing to be frightened of.

Come the morning with her own fears dissipated, she feels somewhat different. Is she now ready to enjoy her own sleepover at Olivia’s?

It’s great to see how Destiny uses her creativity in overcoming her apprehension and fearfulness.
Adele Sokunbi’s description of how, helped at one point by her Dad, Destiny uses a silk scarf to protect her hair in bed is a detail that will be new to many young readers/listeners, but equally important for those familiar with the practice to see themselves reflected in the story.

Look out for Talent Show Magic, the next sensitively written episode in the life of the delightful Destiny Ink coming this autumn.

Mabel and the Big Wide World

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Mabel and the Big Wide World
Paul Stewart and Jane Porter
Otter-Barry Books

Mabel mouse lives happily in a barn with her five siblings, Martin, Marjorie, Marcel, Max and Millicent and is perfectly content in this enclosed world. She has no intention of venturing into the big wide world when her brothers and sisters invite her to accompany them. She does though on occasion watch them frolicking with one another outside but despite it appearing fun, she stays put. The seasons come and go; the other mice tell her she’s missing so much but she’s put off by the possibilities of great big hairy things and teeny-weeny scary things.

One day however the sky is full of colour: a beautiful rainbow has appeared and having seen it,

Mabel slowly, slowly creeps outside to get a better view. WOW! An arc of colours stretches right across from hilltop to sea as the rain continues falling gently. This is a day Mabel doesn’t want to end as she frolics in the wet with her siblings enjoying every moment.

Then back in the barn, which now feels very small, Mabel creates an inside rainbow to remind her of the wonders beyond its confines. Seasons come and go but now Mabel makes the most of the great outdoors, taking in her stride whatever happens.

One night there’s a thunderstorm. It frightens all the other mice but not so Mabel: “It’s just the weather showing off,” she reassures them. Autumn brings fallen leaves to romp in and winter ’s snowfall provides plenty of snow from which to make a snowmouse.


Meanwhile in the barn exciting things have happened too: Mabel is no longer the smallest mouse: she has lots of new brothers and sisters including Marco. He might just need a bit of encouragement to go outside like his big sister did.

Young humans will immediately recognise those feelings of uncertainty and fear that Mabel experiences, feelings that little by little change into a self-confidence, which enables them to take delight in the freedom and opportunities the outdoors brings. Jane Porter’s distinctive richly coloured, collage style illustrations together with Paul Stewart’s storytelling written from Mabel’s viewpoint make for a reassuring book to share with young children at home and in an educational setting.

Toby and the Pixies: Worst King Ever!

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Toby and the Pixies: Worst King Ever!
James Turner and Andreas Schuster
David Fickling Books

Twelve year old Toby Cauldwell is desperately trying to fit in at Suburbiton High School, not very successfully though. Then there’s Mo who is in a similar situation and despite their differences the two become buddies.

Meanwhile deep in the undergrowth of Toby’s garden is a hidden kingdom of pixies ruled over by the evil King Thornprickle. Not for much longer however for having bid farewell to Mo, Toby kicks at a plaster gnome in his garden and the next thing he knows is that he’s being hailed as the new king of the pixies. Pixie law states that the ruler can do anything they want – not a prospect Toby relishes AT ALL. But perhaps the whole pixie thing is a dream; that’s what he tells his Dad who is completely obsessed with making the perfect piece of toast.

How wrong can the lad be though for the pixies just won’t leave him be. They come into his house, pop up in school and turn his life into a nightmare. Then Toby makes the biggest mistake thus far: he grants the pesky things freedom to become autonomous. Pretty soon the classrooms are awash with green sludge and mushrooms are springing up everywhere: it’s chaos. Time for a rethink decides Toby, but again it’s a case of the best laid plans. So the boy heads home with Mo to play Camel Calamity, a video game, but there’s no stopping those pixies. More crises occur with badgers in a bathtub and Mo morphing into a bird so Toby decides to take Mo into his confidence re the pixies.

Then, shock horror: state duty calls and his majesty is told he’s the groom at a royal wedding

and marrying Princess Persephone. How will he extricate himself from this one?
Maybe there will come a time when Toby decides that perhaps being the King of the Pixies isn’t really so bad after all – stranger things have happened.

All of this certainly goes to show that life is above all a journey of possibilities and to read of Toby et al is a deliciously fun way of demonstrating this.

Bird Boy

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Bird Boy
Catherine Bruton
Nosy Crow

Following the death of his mother, Will is sent to live with his Uncle Ian in a wild part of the Lake District. Will blames himself for the tragic accident that resulted in his mother’s death, but staying with her estranged brother is his only option while he waits for documents to be processed, after which he will move to Australia and live with his paternal grandparents. This new life couldn’t be more different from his enclosed, homeschooled life in a city tower-block where his mother had kept him cut off to ‘keep him safe’ so she said. Together they would spend time watching the birds and his mother had passed on her love of birds to her son, frequently telling him, “We will all come back as birds “.

Will feels overwhelmed as he battles with his grief and then two things happen: he meets Omar at a nature camp he attends during the day when his uncle is at work; and the boys discover an osprey nest with two tiny chicks in the mountains. It’s an amazing find as ospreys are one of the most endangered species in the country and haven’t been seen in this area.

The boys form a strong bond; Omar (a refugee from Afghanistan) shares Will’s passion for birds, while battling his own issues. Then Will rescues the chick that’s injured, unknowingly breaking the law and the friends devote themselves to caring for the little bird they name Whitecap, ‘the little one with the snow-tipped wings and forget-me-not blue eyes’, that reminds Will of his mum. However before long the boys realise that they have embarked upon way more than they can cope with; but dare they risk seeking help from someone else?

Little by little as the bird heals, so too does Will. Gradually he finds solace and even joy in his new life and his love for his well-meaning uncle grows. It’s hugely moving to see Will now able to support Omar in his grief, as Omar supported him, and with the help of the community both boys gradually face up to their loss.

This magnificent, profoundly moving story explores big themes including death, mental health, grief, depression and the lives of asylum seekers with huge sensitivity and optimism. showing how nature’s healing power, friendship, a sense of belonging and finding a family can provide the strength to rise above tragedy. Have a box of tissues to hand as you read.

Little Lion Girl

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Little Lion Girl
Olivia Hope and Fiona Woodcock
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Leonie and her mother are city bound when they board the train for a day’s adventure. As Leonie looks around her everyone she sees is somewhat extraordinary. This prompts her to become a brave little lion girl and swinging her tail, she roars, determined to make the most of all the sights and sounds the city has to offer.

“I’m a lion girl and I’m totally amazing!” she says as she views the exhibits in the museum gallery.

What wonders she sees all around and after some refreshments in a cafe, off dashes Leonie across the square and climbs right up to the very top of a fountain where she proclaims herself king of the city.
But when she sees a butterfly while her mum is chatting to a friend, Leonie forgets mum’s warning to take care and dashes off in pursuit.

Suddenly her surroundings seem to engulf her and that little lion girl discovers her roar has disappeared along with her pride. Huddling in the shadows she hears a very loud “Leonie!” Her fears begin to dissipate and as her mother embraces Leonie her roar starts to grow within once more. “I’m lion girl and I love you” she says giving her mum a tight hug.

This is such a lovely story of the power of the imagination and coming to understand the vital importance of having a loving someone to look out for us and help us become whatever we want. Told through Olivia Hope’s lyrical text and Fiona Woodcock’s vibrant, wonderfully expressive illustrations working in perfect harmony creating a roarsome story to share and discuss with young children at home or in an educational setting.

The Secret Hen House Theatre

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The Secret Hen House Theatre
Helen Peters
Nosy Crow

The author has drawn on her own childhood memories of life on a farm to create this exciting family story.

Since her mum died some ten years ago, eleven year old Hannah’s life has been pretty chaotic. Her dad is working as hard as he can to keep the family farm going but things get worse day by day and she and her siblings are called upon to do all they can to help. Hannah isn’t worried about having to search jumble sales for clothing or cook the family meals, finding refuge in her love of theatre and passion for acting although she has little time for so doing, especially as her Dad thinks it’s a waste of time. But then the landlord doubles the rent charged for the farm putting it in jeopardy and Dad’s money raising plans (he’s only a tenant farmer) are never going to raise enough, even those that work.

So, Hannah decides to enter a play competition with a first prize of £500 which she will give to her dad, should her play win. Her best friend Lottie and other family members (unbeknown to Dad) all help and together they set about turning an old disused hen house into a theatre and Hannah gets to work writing the play. Thus the secret theatre begins to flourish but things don’t go quite to plan. Friendships are tested to their limits; Hannah however is a determined character and she’s not prepared to give up without a fight. Raise money she must; but what will Dad say when he finds out what has been going on?

With a powerful plot, a splendid cast of characters and a setting that feels timeless, this story (first published over a decade ago) is totally absorbing and you won’t want to put it down till you reach the final page.

The same farm is under threat again in The Great Farm Rescue, to be published in August.

The Night Whale

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The Night Whale
Bryner Mackenzie and Gillian Eilidh O’Mara
Walker Books

A grandmother and granddaughter sit beneath the stars looking skywards at the patterns and hoping to see the Night Whale, a truly magical creature of the night that Nana hasn’t seen since she was a child.
Then lo and behold, swimming majestically amongst the stars she comes, greeting Nana like a long lost friend. Woman on the cliff and majestic whale in the sky dance, connected, despite it being winter, by a warming breeze.

With the Night Whale’s consent, the two mount on her back and with a whistle, whoosh! They ascend, travelling over seas and forest trees, towns and cities all a-twinkle, as far as the Northern Lights

keeping one another company all the while, until Nana whispers that it’s time to go home. Knowing that their stargazing and night sky painting adventure together is coming to an end, Nana and the child embrace as they look towards the beautiful hues above.

With Nana and the Night Whale’s reassurance that “Anything is possible” this tender, lyrically told tale with Gillian Elide O’Mara’s awesome illustrations offers readers much to ponder upon concerning the enormity of the universe, intergenerational relationships and farewells.

Freya’s Gold

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Freya’s Gold
Fiona Longmuir
Nosy Crow

This cracking adventure is set in Edge, the same sleepy seaside town as the author’s debut novel Looking for Emily.

Twelve year old Freya lives with her Granny Kate and together they run the popular B&B on the old boardwalk. This B&B is also their home and during the summer when the town is alive with activity, their home is full of happy holidaymakers. Now though it’s February and things feel totally different with sleety rain and sea mist replacing the crowds of people and Freya has much more time to spend with her best friend, Lin. The B&B is empty until a strange woman with a false smile and heavy suitcase arrives at reception and asks for a room. Something about her makes Freya feel ill at ease although her gran is only too happy to have Ms Oleander as a guest in the off-season.

One morning Freya and Lin are on the otherwise deserted beach using their jointly owned metal detector and hoping to find some treasure to help Granny Kate and they come upon a gold coin. Later that day Freya sees Ms Oleander talking to the mayor outside the town hall and almost immediately Freya senses someone else close at hand: it’s a boy but he disappears in a flash. It transpires that on account of Ms Oleander, the town is under serious threat; but why is the boy seemingly following this woman?

A few days later, determined not to let this unpleasant woman ruin their town, Freya and Lin head for the beach again with the metal detector and make for the caves, Freya’s courage rapidly evaporating as they enter the dark However, things don’t go to plan; the two girls have a row and part company. Meanwhile the clock is ticking. It’s time for Freya to face her fears, summon her inner strength and search the tunnels properly for the legendary pirates’ treasure. Can she do it? Perhaps, with the assistance of her bestie and Teddy, the boy she has now befriended, since that first fleeting sighting.

With its twisting, turning plot this fast-paced tale is full of suspense and mystery and will engulf readers like the sticky salt off the sea that coats the town in winter.

Luigi the Spider Who Wanted to Be a Kitten

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Luigi the Spider Who Wanted to Be a Kitten
Michelle Knudsen and Kevin Hawkes
Walker Books

If you think spiders can’t be cute you might find yourself changing your mind having read this story.
A big hairy spider on the lookout for a new home comes upon an old house that he’s sure will provide plenty of dark nooks and crannies. He weaves himself a splendid web in the dark space beneath an old sofa and falls fast asleep. The following morning Betty, the owner of the house discovers the arachnid, calls him a very unusual-looking kitten and names him Luigi.

Now this spider is sure he’s not called Luigi and even more sure he’s not a kitten. Nevertheless he accepts the woman’s offer of breakfast and finds the contents of the bowl placed before him perfectly acceptable. So too is the game they play together with a toy bug on a string for the remainder of the morning. Then replete with excitement Luigi retreats to his dark spot and goes to sleep.

Next day he’s up before the woman and so begins web spinning, all the while wondering where she is till he decides to take a walk and finds her in the kitchen offering to play again.

Not only does Luigi fancy playing, but he also wants some more of the same breakfast as the previous day. Why not go along with the kitten pretence, he decides and so he does. The woman even goes so far as to provide a cosy bed for him: who knew that kittens led ‘such magical lives’? Certainly not Luigi.

Come Friday, the woman announces that her friends will be coming later on for a games night. Suppose one of the friends reveals his true identity: time to disappear under the sofa, thinks Luigi but the inevitable happens. Out comes the woman’s hand, out comes Luigi and introduction is made

Eventually the pretence is over: he couldn’t fool those visitors but what about Betty?
Luigi beats a hasty retreat but next morning he receives a surprise declaration from her and an invitation that lifts his spirits.

Kevin Hawkes’ acrylic and pencil illustrations, be they large or small, portray Luigi’s kitten-ness with panache making him a delightful and endearing character and Michelle Knudsen’s longish text offers a sympathetic story of being yourself, trying out a new persona and companionship that works well as a read aloud or for confident solo readers to enjoy for themselves.

Pavlo Gets the Grumps / Two Birthdays

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Pavlo Gets the Grumps
Natalia Shaloshvili
Walker Books

There are days when we wake up and everything seems out of kilter: Pavlo is having one of those. Nothing his Mama suggests be it a visit to the park, a swim or a cinema outing, appeals to Pavlo. Why is that?

Mama suggests it’s an attack of the grumps and that he best treatment is to go out anyway, so they do, Pavlo somewhat reluctantly. However before long there’s a shout of ‘Pavlo! … Are you OK?” It’s his best friend, Mila who understands just how to respond to his “I’ve got the grumps”. Happily she also knows how to get get rid of grumps and off they all go for a good mood restoring whizzy slide followed by a tasty treat. I wonder what they’ll do next?

A comforting hug of a picture book that shows little ones (and reminds bigger ones) that sad feelings don’t last forever and friends are often the best remedy.
Both sad and funny at once, Natalia Shaloshvili’s soft focus smudgy illustrations are a wonderful reassurance that no matter what kind of day we’re having, even a grumpy one, there are family and friends who love and nurture us, and happier times are coming.

Two Birthdays
Tim Hopgood
Walker Books

Cedric the crocodile and Boo the elephant are the very best of friends. When Boo’s birthday comes, so do lots of cards, a very special extra long scarf specially knitted by Cedric and the two celebrate with enormous ice creams for tea. Boo declares it’s his best ever birthday.

Cedric’s birthday is a few weeks later; he too receives lots of cards and presents. However there’s nothing from Boo. He waits and waits and eventually calls his best pal but it’s clear to him that Boo has completely forgotten his birthday.

The following day the two meet in the park, Cedric riding his new birthday scooter.

Boo notices and asks about it and quickly realises he’s missed Cedric’s birthday. Is it too late or can he put things right and make his best pal feel happy again.

A simple story showing that true friendships can transcend accidental errors. As always Tim Hopgood’s bright, collage style illustrations are a visual delight, even the sad ones.
Share with preschoolers and I suspect they will have lots to say about this.