One day, a Monday to be precise, a little boy discovers a polar bear in his garden – a very tiny one. So small is the bear that he can sit in the boy’s hands. The boy speaks to the bear and realising he must be lost wants to help him. Over the next few days two things grow – the polar bear and the friendship between bear and boy and by Wednesday, it’s time for the two to set sail.
They embark on a journey that takes until Sunday when the bear is reunited with his family. After a day playing with the polar bears, the boy knows he must say goodbye to his special friend and sail back home. This he does, safe in the knowledge that the bear’s love will stay with him.
With the caring boy narrating the story, and Richard’s wonderfully gentle portrayal of the events and the growing loving bond between bear and boy, we truly feel as though we’re with them throughout. It’s this care and concern that lies at the heart of the story: “Are you lost, little bear. Can I help you?” comes the boy’s first question; then on Thursday we read ‘he had grown too big for my hat … So he curled up tightly, safe and warm in my bag.’ while on Saturday we see this:
Comforting and reassuring, this is heart-winner of a book that lingers in the mind and is open to several interpretations depending on what readers/listeners bring to the story.
Little Elf’s Christmas Surprise Helen Baugh and Nick East Harper Collins Children’s Books
Little Elf can hardly contain his excitement: at last he’s sufficiently grown up to be able to wear one of those red and green hats that are considered a special perk for Santa’s elfin helpers. As the other elves complete the loading of Santa’s sleigh, Little Elf proudly holds in his hands the final ‘Dear Santa’ letter in the entire land and begins to read. So intent is he that Little Elf fails to notice the icy patch in the workshop doorway and whoosh! He slips, slides, thumps and in so doing lets go of that all important letter.
Back on his feet, Little Elf chases the whirling, swirling letter through the snow and ice but just as it’s almost within his reach, the elf takes another tumble. ‘But he HAD to catch the letter! / It just COULD NOT disappear! / Or a child would think that Santa had / forgotten them this year.’ Off he goes again with increased determination.
After further accidents, our Little Elf finally has the letter in his hand and off he hurries back home to read it.
What he discovers as he shares its contents with his fellow elves causes considerable consternation among them and a selfless action on the part of our little hero.
Young listeners will love joining in with the repeat refrains in Helen’s rhyming text and revel in the final surprise. With gentle humour, Nick captures the chaos that is Little Elf’s chase, brilliantly showing his perturbation as he ploughs his way through the wintry landscape.
Whose Tracks in the Snow? Alexandra Milton Boxer Books
‘Look! Look! / Tracks in the snow!’ is the cry on each alternate spread in this gorgeously illustrated book that introduces readers first to the footprints and then having described the chief characteristics of the prints, ‘Tracks like hearts, Tracks in two lines’, asks them to guess who left those marks, ‘by the snow-covered pines?’
The black smudgy marks each time are a close facsimile of what children would see in the natural world and a small glimpse of a part of each animal provides an additional clue, in this instance, the dark brown tip of a lighter brown tail. The page turn reveals the answer—‘A shy red deer’—and some information about the creature depicted in all its glory.
The rhyming text with its repeat refrain is a joy to read aloud, the descriptions of the tracks are superb ‘Tracks with lines, / Tracks like a kite’ are those of a waddling wild duck,
‘Tracks like diamonds …’ refer to those made by the bushy-tailed fox’, but it is Alexandra Milton’s exquisite collage illustrations at every turn of the page that are the real show stoppers. Just look closely at the snow with its variations in colour and small portions of shading. Six animals, six landscapes and each a joy to behold.
What a wonderful way to entice youngsters out into the woods on a snowy day for some track-spotting. (The back endpapers show life size tracks of the six animals – pheasant, duck, fox, hare, deer and squirrel.)
The Frost Goblin Abi Elphinstone and Fiona Woodcock Simon & Schuster
If you don’t think winter’s frost is fun then you should read this book: actually you should read it anyway as it absolutely sparkles with magic and fizzles with enchantment.
One cold winter’s night quiet young Bertie Crash-Wallop’s heart wobble causes him to creep out from his noisy home without his family noticing. As he pauses on the swing, he spots for the first time, a door handle and having investigated further, not only does he get a tingling feeling but he discovers a small door through which he steps, only to hear someone whispering.
Thus it is that Bertie is drawn into a thrilling goblin adventure for he follows one Archibald Frostgobble and a wonderful chocolatey smell and learns that on this, the night of the deepest, most important frost of the year, the goblins must ensure that it’s scattered over the entire town of Clatterstomp before dawn. Before long it seems as though Bertie himself might make some magic; he meets a young goblin child, Ada, and is soon accompanying her on an exciting, magical undertaking scattering frost with his new friend.
Eventually ‘It was as if a giant had breathed silver into every corner of Clatterstomp.’
Goblin magic we discover has the power to transform for not only can it ‘rekindle hope in the sleeping hearts of all those who needed it,’
it also shows Bertie that he does in fact belong in his family and just how much they all love him.
Team Abi (author) and Fiona (illustrator) have created their own magic in this wonderfully heart-warming, moving story that makes a perfect read aloud, especially on the coldest days.
Floof Heidi McKinnon Allen & Unwin Childrens Books
Put me in a room with a cat and within minutes I will be wheezing and sneezing and have streaming eyes, so the thought of getting close up and cuddlesome with one is something I would certainly avoid. However, one glance at the alluring image with those big round eyes on the cover showing star of Heidi McKinnon’s book, Floof, is enough to make even this cat phobic reviewer want to spend some time with the creature.
Then to see this
brought on a strong urge to snuggle up and share some of the books in the pile with the ‘furball’. Even better, readers and listeners are able to have a whole ‘busy’ day with the mischievous Floof and in so doing, relish all the mismatches between what the words say and what the illustrations show is actually happening.
Not only is this a smashing book to share with young children, it’s also a good one for those in the early stages of reading to try for themselves, preferably after an adult or older child has read it with them.
With humour and delight in equal proportions, this fun book will bring a smile to your face at each turn of the page.
The Heart of a Giant Hollie Hughes and Anna Wilson Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Meet young Tom. His mother ‘has gone away’ we read. Not so the hills up which Tom likes to climb every day and beneath which so it’s said, sleeps a giant.
When out walking one day Tom lies down to rest and pressing his ear to the ground, he listens for a heartbeat. Suddenly he feels the earth start to tremble and shake, which sends him rolling downwards. The giant has woken, but having found his feet again, does Tom run away as his instincts first tell him? No, for he realises that the great being is a child too. The giant introduces himself as Abram, Abe as Tom is to call him and thus a new friendship is forged. Abe goes on to tell Tom that more than a century ago his Mammy Giant left him and now he’s grown tired of waiting. Perhaps she’s in need of help, they decide, and so begins their long, arduous trek in search of her.
Eventually they lose hope, Abe especially, and his outpouring of pain, frustration and fury causes the ground to open. Can Tom, an ordinary human child save the situation and perhaps even bring some cheer to Abe? He’s certainly going to have to draw on his new-found inner strength and resourcefulness.
With themes of friendship, love, loss and bravery, this beautifully written and illustrated book is one that lingers in the mind, especially the thought that as Tom’s mother said to him before she died, “each of them would always be within the other’s heart.’
Hollie’s lyrical, rhyming, self-affirming text has its perfect complement in Anna Wilson’s illustrations with that gorgeous colour palette and which capture so well the emotional roller coaster of a journey both friends undertake.
Supertato Presents Evil Pea and the Beanstalk Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet Simon & Schuster
Welcome back to the supermarket. The curtain’s up on the silliest ever pantomime performance of Jack and the Beanstalk narrated by Tomato and starring a said to be kind-hearted pea, Jack and its mum, Supertato – oops mustn’t let the name slip during the show.
In an endeavour to eke out their almost non-existent cash, Jack’s mum sends him off to market to sell Daisy their cow. You pretty much know how the story goes with Jack agreeing to swap Daisy for some supposedly magic beans, which against the odds the following morning, having been tossed out of the window in disgust, have transformed into a beanstalk.
Upon learning from said beanstalk that the riches await at its top, Jack (don’t even think of calling him ‘good’) begins to ascend, protesting loudly and vigorously.
Happily with Jack duly saved from his life threatening experience, he and his rescuer proceed upwards, enter the castle they find and encounter first an egg laying being, followed shortly after by a ‘glorious mystery guest’ of the fruity kind intent on consuming its visitors.
Fortunately for Jack and his ma they manage to escape, Jack still protesting his ‘not’ goodness, and about to receive a show-stopping surprise. With its delightfully daft finale, this latest Hendra/Linnet extravaganza definitely deserves the encores that young audiences will demand. There’s no doubt who is playing the bean swapper Jack encounters but I wonder if they’ll guess who is playing Daisy the cow.
This is the tenth Supertato book and it’s great to hear that £1.29 of the cover price from each copy of Supertato presents Jack and the Beanstalk sold will be donated to Save The Children.
Namaste is a Greeting Suma Subramaniam and Sandhya Prabhat Walker Books
When I first started visiting India many years ago ‘namaste’ was explained to me as ‘my heart to your heart’ – a lovely summary I thought. Now the author and illustrator of this delightful book explore the meaning of the word namaste, used by Hindi speakers as a greeting. Herein a little girl discovers that in fact ‘namaste’ is all around her and can be expressed by a smile, through friendship, celebration, a yoga asana, silence and much more.
I love Sandhya Prabhat’s bright storytelling illustrations showing the interactions between the child and the grandmother character and how the former nurtures a plant for the latter.
This seemingly simple book has considerable depth and is one to share over and over with young children; it’s a delight.
Balloon to the Moon Becky Davies and Jennica Lounsbury Little Tiger
Drawing on mindfulness and meditation techniques, Becky Davies’ dreamy lilting rhyming text and Jennica Lounsbury’s soft lyrical illustrations encourage young children, safely tucked up in bed to let go, relax completely and gradually drift off into dreamland.
An adult switches out the light and we watch as the moonlight calls through a small girl’s window, causing her bed to lift and balloon-like, drift gently out into the star-filled, moonlit sky, guided by firefies. Silver songbirds and sheep-shaped clouds accompany the moving bed over land and sea to the accompaniment of dolphins’ songs, shushing water and chorusing whales
as it continues its journey through the velvety night sky towards the smiling, welcoming face of the moon and sleep’s loving embrace.
If you’re looking for a sleep-inducing picture book to share with young children, try this gentle, reassuring story just before bed.
These are two small books from Gecko Press – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review
Perfect Presents Anke Kuhl
In this mini hardback wherein Kuhl uses crayon to great effect, a monstrous-looking creature sits in an armchair, waiting. He keeps looking at his watch until BRRING! goes the doorbell. Enter a skinny lizard pulling a trolley, who greets him with, “Best wishes for today!” Clearly the large creature is celebrating his birthday and the visitor holds out first a cake, then a bunch of flowers and finally, a gift-wrapped surprise, all of which the monstrous one devours with obvious relish.
He then grabs hold of his guest: surely the lizard isn’t going to be consumed too? The tension mounts … Anyone for tea? …
Hugely satisfying: I hope it’s to your taste; it certainly is to mine.
For younger children is
Let’s Play, Little Rabbit Jörg Mühle
Herein we see Little Rabbit behaving in the same exuberant fashion as would his human toddler counterparts – playing peekaboo, enjoying a swing and wanting to go ever higher, splashing in a tub of water and having fun with a soft toy rabbit. “Can my little rabbit play too? One, two, three….” “Wheeee!” comes the request in Jöge Mühle’s simple first person text, which speaks directly to his intended audience.
A sweetly playful, vibrantly illustrated, interactive board book to share with the very youngest.
Gaspard’s Christmas Zeb Soanes and James Mayhew Graffeg
The enormously popular fox Gaspard returns in his fourth adventure, the proceeds from which will go to St. Martin-in-the-Fields Charity that helps the homeless.
When out hunting for food one bitterly cold night near to Christmas, Gaspard comes upon what he thinks is a bulky black bag in a bus shelter. On investigation he discovers an old man with a white beard wearing a black overcoat who is obviously freezing. He quickly realises that the man needs help and goes off in search of assistance, calling on his friends Flinty the dog and Peter the cat before returning and attempting to warm the man whose condition has clearly deteriorated.
The savvy creatures investigate and find that the old man’s name is Nikolas and off rushes Flinty to find her person. Then together Honey and Flinty struggle through the streets back to Nikolas and the other animals.
Eventually back in the church, the old man is given a meal, clean clothes and a warm shower, and later a special temporary role at the shelter party.
Despite being given a small reward each, Peter, Flinty and Gaspard understand that their true reward is the knowledge that their kind and speedy actions have saved someone’s life.
Such a vital message about selflessness and a thought-provoking story about the importance of showing kindness to those less well off than ourselves. I love James Mayhew’s painterly, detailed illustrations that, as always in this series, are infused with loving concern.
The Red Sledge Mick Jackson and Victoria Ball Walker Books
Mabel Taylor is thrilled with her shiny new red sledge. She dresses herself warmly and opens her front door only to find – no snow. Back indoors she sits in her sledge and starts to imagine … She visualises herself as a bobsleigh champion and next morning, quite excited, she races to open the curtains. But what does she see; no snow at all. Back in her sledge she gets and this time she imagines herself as a polar explorer dragging her laden sledge and trudging through the deep snow. ‘Tomorrow it might just snow, she thinks.
The following morning, a little bit excited she opens the door and peeps out only to find – you’ve guessed it – not a single snowflake has fallen. Again she sits in that sledge and takes on the Father Christmas persona, with her sledge being drawn by four reindeer. Next morning convinced there won’t be any snow she almost fails to notice what is happening through her window: heavy snow is falling – whoopee! Warmly wrapped up, she crosses the field, climbs the steep hill and pausing to take in the view, gets into that sledge, breathes deeply and Wheeeeeeeeee! She’s off at last.
Although it’s not mentioned, in the words, young children will likely deduce from the excited look on the child’s face in the first illustration, that Mabel’s sledge is a Christmas present. I love the way she copes with the disappointments of no snow, turning them into opportunities for imagined indoor adventures.
We’re Going on a Sleigh Ride Martha Mumford and Cherie Zamazing Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Having chased elves, hunted for eggs and treasure in previous books, it’s now Christmas Eve, time for Martha Mumford’s bunnies to wrap up warm, load the presents and take off on a round the world sleigh ride with Santa and his reindeer. Much of the rhyming text comprises the refrain “We’re going on a sleigh ride./ HO! HO! HO!” along with some onomatopoeia (‘Honk! Honk!’ ‘Ding-a-ling-aling!’) and more. Readers and listeners meanwhile can have fun hunting alternate spreads for the hidden gifts and watching their tally mount and they reveal them.
The narrative zips along merrily and Cherie Zamazing’s jolly watercolour illustrations show the varied locations visited with all kinds of animals enjoying the spectacle of the sleigh whooshing by. I suspect little ones will relish the sight of Santa with his feet waving from a chimney top, down which, aided by one of the four reindeer, he’s attempting to enter a house.
With lots of flaps to explore, this is a perfect Christmas Eve read together and equally, the simple text makes it ideal for those in the early stages of reading for themselves.
We Disagree About This Tree Ross Collins Nosy Crow
The duo from There’s a Bear on My Chair are back and as usual they are disagreeing: why break an established habit just because it’s the festive season?
Mouse is excited when Bear bursts through their front door clutching a large Christmas tree and urges him to relax and leave the adorning to him. Inevitably Bear soon begins making disparaging comments about Mouse’s efforts and this precipitates back and forth critical animosity, culminating in tree overload
and disaster. However, not everything is a cause for contention thanks to two neatly wrapped packages waiting to be opened. Have the two bickerers finally found a way to share a Merry Christmas?
The interplay between Ross Collins’ sparkling verse telling together and his superbly expressive illustrations that are simply bursting with humour, is wonderfully done and will appeal to both young listeners and adult readers aloud.
The Big Christmas Bake Fiona Barker and Pippa Curnick Happy Yak
Author Fiona and illustrator Pippa cook up a wonderful festive tale based on the structural rhythm of the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas.
On the first day of Christmas two children head to the kitchen and begin to make a Twelfth Night cake. The list of ingredients is long and they wonder where everything will come from. Happily however, day after day for the next eleven days animal friends of all shapes and sizes show up bringing in turn, dried fruit, flour, sugar, candied peel, eggs, spices
and all the other things needed, until on day ten, ten lords come leaping in ready to carry the cake to the stove for baking. All that’s left then is the piping pipers to show up on the eleventh day to add the finishing touches so that come Twelfth Night, the most incredible confection is set on the table ready for every single one of the contributors to enjoy. I wonder who finds the bean that was hidden in the mix …
A tasty treat indeed and don’t forget to check out the recipe after the story.
A Family Christmas Alana Washington and Emily Nash uclan publishing
With echoes of Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Alana Washington relates the events of a family’s Christmas day. There’s excitement about the arrival of guests and a kitchen of hot chocolate drinkers with cousins squeezing close together clutching their mugs.
Then at dinner time, dish after dish of delicious food is served up, an unexpected visitor turns up and when everyone is bursting with extra helpings of pudding, it’s time for a toast to the host. In order to work off some of that food, family members go for a walk, followed by further indoor festivities: dancing and games, singing and the playful adornment of those who take a snooze. With the washing up duly done, it’s present time at last. Darkness comes all too soon and some of the family must head for home, but there’s one final treat still to come: something big and extra bright high up in the sky. What better way to end the day than by sharing a special story and watching a sprinkling of snow fall before snuggling down in bed after a perfect family celebration.
With joyful scenes of togetherness, Emily Nash’s gently humorous art captures so well that magical feeling of the festive season described in the author’s text.
Kid Christmas of the Claus Brothers Toy Shop David Litchfield Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Everything David Litchfield does is a winner as far as I’m concerned and this one is no exception. It features young Nicky and his three uncles: Louis, Hans and Levi, aka the Claus Brothers, the finest toy makers in all the land.
Nicky is now old enough to work for his uncles in their emporium behind which is their workshop. There, Uncle Hanz was to be found making the toys, Uncle Louis would check them and Uncle Levi had a special role: he added the magic sparkle to every single toy making it perfect for the recipient. From time to time Nicky would notice less fortunate children outside the shop peering in and on Christmas Eve, with the shop closed early, Nicky decides to follow the children. What he discovers saddens the boy greatly and he vows to give every child in the city a present to make them happy, even if only for one day.
Back in the Toy Shop, his uncles are agreeable to the plan and with huge sacks full of gifts, Nicky suddenly realises that delivering them is going to be beyond his capabilities. Or maybe not, thanks to another of his uncles’ creations.
Off he sets but then faces other difficulties on his journey pulled by reindeer that require frequent supplies of carrots. Will Nicky ever bring his plan to fruition? Happily yes: how else would the story of Father Christmas have come to be?
David’s illustrations are out of this world brilliant. Full of Victorian details to pore over, and combined with a story brimming over with kindness that will fill anybody lucky enough to read the book, with a wonderful seasonal glow.
The Christmas Doll Amy Sparkes and Katie Hickey Walker Entertainment
I have a lot of admiration for Jay Blades having heard him share some of his back story on the radio recently so was especially excited too see him as one of the characters in this seasonal Repair Shop story.
Evie and her great granny Sue, have come to the Repair Shop with a very special doll named Lizzy, who’s in need of some TLC from Jay’s Teddy Bear Ladies. “That is a very beautiful doll. Can you tell me something about her?” he asks Granny Sue. His inquiry transports Sue back to her childhood. She then recounts the story of how she was evacuated as a young girl from London at the beginning of the war in 1939. Sent to stay with the Russells, a husband and wife who treated her with such loving kindness, that by Christmas Eve, the little girl is feeling much more at home. On Christmas Day she can hardly believe her eyes when she discovers a beautifully wrapped present at the end of her bed. Inside is the doll and she names her Lizzy, taking the doll everywhere but thinking that at the end of the day she will have to return her. Imagine her joy when she’s told Lizzy is hers to keep for ever. What a truly magical Christmas.
Eventually however, it’s time for Sue to bid farewell to Mr and Mrs Russell and return to London. Even now, Granny Sue recalls the couple with fondness, going on to explain that Lizzy’s damaged state is on account of all the love and cuddles she’s been given over the years. Enter Amanda and Julie. Lizzy is left in their safe hands while for the next week they work on the precious doll
and Granny Sue is overjoyed with the result of their creative work. But that’s not quite the end of the story: a new chapter in Lizzy’s life is about to begin …
Amy Sparkes has worked her own magic by fashioning the ‘true story of the Christmas doll’ related at the end of the book, into an utterly charming, heartwarming new tale wherein past and present come together seamlessly. The Repair Shop team are immediately recognisable in Katie Hickey’s portrayal and she infuses the scenes of Granny Sue’s childhood memories with a warm glow. Don’t miss the gorgeous endpapers – the front one captures that wonderful community spirit of Jay’s team.
This is a book I see being shared in countless families and classrooms over and over, as part and parcel of the Christmas season.
The Christmas Department Store Maudie Powell-Tuck and Hoang Giang Little Tiger
It’s Christmas Eve but Benji feels anything but festive: it seems as though Christmas has lost its magic this year. His family can’t afford either a tree or a turkey and so they’re sad. As Benji walks through the snow-filled street wishing he could buy them spectacular presents he recalls his Granny’s words about magic happening on Christmas Eve. Suddenly a huge polar bear knocks him flying and as he gets up, there before him is a large department store. But this is no ordinary store; it’s full of wonder and magic, with penguin doormen and a shiny steam train that puffs along on a glittering spiral track.
One by one, Benji discovers the most perfect gifts for his family – a funky trumpet for his sister Hana, which he pays for by singing a silly song,
an unusual imaginary hat for his gran (he tells a story to a leopard in payment for that) and a very special warm-smelling potion for his dad. Full of excitement and high hopes for a wonderful Christmas Day, he returns home.
Next morning those hopes become doubts; but when he sees the smiles on Hana, Dad and Granny’s faces when they open their presents, he realises that the real gifts he’s given them are not material things but love and happiness.
Absolutely full of heart, this enchanting tale shows that the very best presents aren’t those bought with money, but those given with love and care. With their warm festive tones of red, gold and green Hoang Giang’s illustrations on every spread are filled with the magic of the department store.
The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince Ian Eagleton and Davide Ortu Owlet Press
With links to the classic fairytale The Snow Queen, Ian, a wonderful spinner of inclusive stories brings us what is, despite its wintry setting, a magical heart-warming tale of a lonely woodcutter who searches for love.
Kai is a woodcutter who enjoys carving statues for people to enjoy on Christmas Eve but nobody ever passes by. This year he is feeling particularly lonely without his grandmother, whose wondrous tale he recalls: ‘But this year he was alone,’ we read. Then as Kai ponders upon the possibility that his grandmother’s stories might be true, he is visited, but only briefly, by the Snow Prince. What he sees in the Prince’s eyes is hope.
So begins his journey to find love. To do so though, Kai undertakes a long, long journey, travelling though days, weeks and months
and all kinds of weather until it’s Christmas Eve once more. Now he needs to break the curse on the Prince imprisoned once again in his palace of ice. Can he do so with his loving touch?
The power of love is palpable in both Ian’s lyrical words and Davide Ortu’s beautiful, richly detailed filmic illustrations;
and make sure you take time to look at the pictorial maps that precede and follow the story.
Teachers and others, if you want your seasonal bookshelves to be for everyone, then you must add this LGBTQ+ picture book to your collection and share it this winter and beyond.
Little Elephant Anna Brett and Carmen Saldaña Little Platypus Anna Brett and Rebeca Pintos QED
In the first of these additions to the Really Wild Families series, Anna Brett takes readers to the African Savannah, home to Little Elephant (our narrator) and family to spend a day with the elephant herd comprising fifteen elephants, almost all of which are female, the oldest and most knowledgeable being Grandma. The youngest member of the herd is a two day old cousin of the narrator.
We see how the elephants search for and eat their food, meet some of the other animal inhabitants of the savannah and then head for the watering hole to drink and have some fun too, all under the watchful eye of Grandma.
It’s she that sounds the trumpet alarm call warning of a lion in the vicinity: time for the adult elephants to form a protective circle around the calves until the danger is over. There’s information about the role of tusks, ways of communicating and more, until at sundown, members of the herd stop to rest for the night.
Following the simple narrative are some additional elephant facts, information about elephant conservation, a case study and some activities. Carmen Saldaña illustrates this one, supporting the information well.
Belonging to a much smaller family (a mother and her two young ones) and living tucked away in a burrow on a riverbank in eastern Australia is Little Platypus, a nocturnal animal. It’s Little Platypus’s voice that tells readers about platypuses’ physical features, habits and habitat, reproduction and how they are born,
what they eat and how they survive. Males such as Little Platypus have a spur on each back leg that is able to release venom in dangerous situations. Again Anna Brett’s manner of presenting the information is well pitched for young children and Rebeca Pintos’s illustrations are beautifully executed, playful and alluring. The backmatter is similar to the previous book though platypus related. Like the elephant title, the few photos are especially useful as both illustrators have made their animals look rather more endearing than realistic.
I’m (almost) Never Bored Anna Milbourne and Åsa Gilland Usborne
This is a wonderful celebration of the power of childhood imagination, in this case called into play when one wise father decides to curtail a little girl’s screen time. Furthermore his response to his daughter’s “I’m BOOORED!’ is “Oh, that’s great … being bored comes right before having a Really Good Idea.” And so the young narrator discovers, first when she spies a large cardboard box among those her dad is unpacking. This she turns into a magic train by using coloured pens
and then most importantly, in the company of Mr.Unicorn, imagining a wonderful adventure that involves visiting all manner of strange places – a land of wibbly-wobbly jellies, for instance.
Fortunately the girl’s mother is of the same mind and she responds in similar fashion to her daughter’s complaints about being bored. This time pens and mind conjure up a massive monster with a seemingly insatiable appetite. And so it goes on until our young narrator is sufficiently convinced by what she’s been told by her parents that she is ready to give a confident reply to the boy next door’s “I’m bored!” and you won’t need to use much imagination to guess what she says …
Åsa Gillard has clearly used her imagination to bring Anna Milborne’s text to life in exuberant scenes (with strategically placed die-cuts) of the little girl’s wonderfully playful flights of fancy. If any parents/ carers have doubts about the necessity to limit young children’s screen time, then this story will surely convince them to do so. Most certainly a smashing book to share both at home and in foundation stage settings.
Zeki Rise and Shine Zeki Sleep Tight Anna McQuinn and Ruth Hearson Alanna Max
So much thought has gone into these two books starring the totally adorable Zeki wherein we share his family rituals. In the first Zeki has just woken up and from his cot, he greets readers with THE most engaging smile you could ever imagine as his Mummy opens the curtains to reveal the sparkling lemon-yellow sun. Then released from the confines of his cot he proceeds to dance his way into the kitchen where Daddy, preparing breakfast, joins his little one in a bit of box shaking.
With cereal consumed, it’s off to the bathroom for a wash and teeth brushing. Then on go a snazzy top and shorts, and to complete the outfit ,wonderful sunglasses and jelly shoes. Now Zeki is ready for whatever the day brings; and it’s patently clear just how much this little one is loved by his parents as they enjoy these simple routines together.
An equal amount of love and care has been taken in the creation of this simple presentation of family rituals. With each and every word having been carefully considered, the text is an absolute pleasure to read aloud: ‘He munches crunches. he sips zingy juice.’ and there’s a wealth of other onomatopoeia and alliteration too.
Equally, Ruth Hearson’s illustrations radiate joy, while cleverly using repeat images such as the sun (hanging from Zeki’s cot and in his book); the chickens (on the window sill and in the kitchen); the crocodile (on Zeki’s bib and the rolled up mat in Mummy’s bag); the ducks (on the soles of Zeki’s shoes matching the string puppet). Sheer delight for adults and little ones at every turn of the page.
The same is true of Zeki Sleep Tight wherein the atmosphere is much gentler as Zeki slows down and prepares for bed. He sips warm milk, soaks in a bubbly bath, wriggles his creamy caressed body into a fleecy sleep suit
and settles down for a pre-bedtime song and favourite story. Bliss.
Beautiful calming, soothing, sometimes sibilant language (‘they sing a slow song about a slumbering sloth’) and illustrations full of delightful details including plenty of sheep and other sleepy creatures. No need for parents to sing their little ones a lullaby, a quiet read aloud of this at bedtime will surely send them off to slumberland.
Both books are made from thick card and have rounded corners – ideal for little hands as well as a change from board books. I wholeheartedly recommend these for parents of very young children and for early years settings.
Three boys, Bill (the driver), Danny and Bob and their sister (the narrator) are in a car on their way through an arid landscape to see their mother in hospital when the girl suggests stopping to pick some flowers for her.“White roses we follow, towards Teller’s Hollow” sings Bill, as they leave the car and start to pick. “Dead earth to a spring, the house of a King,” he continues the ominous rhyme as they gather a bouquet. Feeling hot and thirsty the boys move towards a spring beside which stands a large palace, silent, imposing and seemingly empty; they take a long, deep drink, then instead of returning to the car, climb the stairs and enter the edifice.
Once inside, hungry and thirsty the boys consume what they find, then plunge into a pool and are transformed into dolphins.
The girl meanwhile has an encounter with the creature calling itself the Teller and offering drink and food to her. ‘I only want to leave with my brothers” comes her response. She’s offered a deal: three days without drinking or eating and things will return to what they were before the family entered his domain. His terms are accepted by the girl and despite being tempted she neither eats nor drinks;
she does however use some water for another purpose. For this she must pay in the future.
When she returns to the car, her brothers are already there and they drive to the hospital to see their mother and give her the flowers …
This is a truly eerie tale with much left for the reader to ponder upon. Pinfold’s illustrations are mesmerising, unsettling and haunting, drawing us to them again and again in search of further meanings.
Penguin Huddle Ross Montgomery and Sarah Warburton Walker Books
Meet the penguin pack, a playful lot that spend their days having fun, then at sundown they come together under the starry skies and form a huddle. Thus they keep snug and warm throughout the nights; till one night a particularly fierce gale blows up and the following morning the penguins awake to discover they’re stuck fast together. No amount of pulling and puffing, shuffling and scuffling can unfreeze the ginormous ‘penguin ice pop’.
Acting on tiny Pipsqueak’s suggestion they call on their friends to help; but neither the heaving and hugging of the snow hares, nor the prising and puffing of the walruses made the slightest difference. Can Pipsqueak’s clever idea diffuse the panic that now besets those huddling, muddling penguins?
By means of various modes of transport the penguins journey over land and sea until they eventually reach a shining city, the streets of which are full of animals from all parts of the world. Several of the creatures are ready to try defrosting the huddle but they meet with no success. Just when the other penguins are on the point of abandoning their search, Pipsqueak has another idea. Can they reach the establishment of Doctopus before the surgery closes? Happily their new friends are there to assist.
What happens when they reach their destination though …
This is a cracking tale of friendship, community and helping those in trouble that will surely melt the hearts of young audiences and the readers aloud who share it with them, be they huddled, cuddled or snuggled. Sarah’s portrayal of all those penguins is absolutely wonderful, especially Pipsqueak.
Ella and the Useless Day Meg McKinlay and Karen Blair Walker Books
Having had a good look around their house, Dad and Ella decide it’s time for a serious clear out and so they get to work right away. Together, they search, scramble, sort, poke, pick and pile all the useless stuff they find into the trailer to take to the rubbish tip, where useless things go. However, before they’ve even set off, their neighbour delightedly relieves them of the tricycle, calling it “Absolutely perfect!” and so it goes on until by the time they reach the dump, their trailer is almost empty,
even the holey blanket has been given a new lease of life. Then Ella realises that the final item is one they can make use of back in her own bedroom.
Meg McKinlay tells a subtle, gently humorous tale of recycling and reusing, creativity and community, that is highly pertinent in our throwaway society, where we all ought to be giving serious thought to living more sustainably. One wonders what on earth can be done with the “fashion disaster” of a suit,
the leaky goldfish bowl, the broken crockery and other things but young listeners/readers could have fun thinking of possibilities before turning to the final wordless spread where in a series of vignettes, Karen Blair shows just what their new owners did with them. Throughout the story, her watercolour and pencil illustrations provide lots of delightful details and underscore the wry humour of the words.
Here’s something strange, a story about endangered languages. Its main characters are circles of various colours and sizes, every one contains symbols, characters and script from a living or extinct language, each representing a story. These include stories about ‘beautiful sunsets’, the bottom of the sea whereas some are ‘simply full of dogs.’
All seem to co-exist peaceably until one story decides to become the most important story in the world. It calls itself One, the Only story and goes around the world’s story-verse consuming each and every other story, and thus filling its belly.
Therein however, something is happening: some letters get together to make words and eventually a voice speaks thus, “… you’re not the One story then. You’re Every Story.” This causes the One to come to an understanding and it then explodes into a myriad of stories. What’s left is a question. “Maybe you can answer it, ‘ asks the author …
The telling thus far has been minimal but what follows is the author’s note. This describes in some detail first the importance of preserving endangered languages and then introduces us to the linguistic characters that are shown in the illustrations. I’m not sure who the intended audience for this picture book is, but this reviewer certainly found it interesting.
How To Make A Picture Book Elys Dolan Walker Books
If you’ve ever considered the possibility of making your own picture book, then look no further. Elys Dolan, aided and abetted by her annelid assistant, Bert, shows you how in this humorous, step by step guide. First make sure you have all your favourite pens, pencils, crayons, brushes etc to hand.
Of course, inspiration is key and according to our trusty tutor it’s time to visit your gallery of muses – in other words, your very special things; these can be used to generate a ‘story idea’. Then there’s the creation of credible characters, the first being the main protagonist and you need to get to know them very well.There’s lots of advice from Doc Dolan on how to do so.
Setting is another consideration – where is your story going to unfold and hugely important is what is going to happen throughout the story and how the events will be structured.
The use of building blocks is suggested – not the things young children love to play with – but sequences of words.
Two other vital elements in the creation of a picture book are also discussed. The placement of words and pictures on each spread means the creator needs to decide what the pictures should look like and how they and the words will use the space on each page. This allows the pace of the telling to be changed at different times: for example zooming in on a particular moment in the story heightens the dramatic impact,
whereas framing a picture creates distance between the action and the reader of the book. Moreover in the best picture books, the illustrations show things not said in the text and the text should say things not shown in the illustrations: not always easy this.
Our pro has one last tip to make the book a winner and it concerns colour: that means the author/illustrator putting themselves into the shoes or maybe that should be head, of the reader and then choosing appropriate colour(s) to generate the feeling wanted.
With a sequence of activities, tips aplenty and jokes too, Elys’ guide is highly entertaining and very informative. (Bert has even sneaked in step-by-step instructions on how to make your own blank book.) It’s a brilliant tool to use in the primary classroom or at home.
Rosie and the Friendship Angel Lucinda Riley & Harry Whittaker, illustrated by Jane Ray Macmillan Children’s Books
This is the third of the Guardian Angel series written by Lucinda Riley with her son Harry Whittaker before her death in 2021. Like the previous ones it’s based on stories she would tell her childen when they were facing challenging situations that made them fearful.
Here we meet young Rosie and her Guardian Angel Frederick. It’s Rosie’s first day at a new school and she is feeling very nervous as she ‘s greeted by her teacher Miss Marshall and reluctantly lets go of her father’s hand. Rosie is introduced to her classmates, one of whom, Jessica, has been asked to look after the newcomer. However Jessica doesn’t seem particularly friendly and come playtime Rosie is made to feel an intruder.
By the end of the day she’s feeling invisible and lonely, especially after what happens in the final task. That night having kept her feelings to herself, Rosie lies awake in bed and she makes a wish, a wish that is heard by Angel Frederick, whose job it is to help anybody in need of a new friend.
Frederick moves down towards Rosie’s home town and sets in motion events that result in Rosie finding a wonderful new friend.
Starting at a new school is an event that many children find stressful and scary and this gentle story is one that could help them overcome those fearful feelings. Jane Ray’s illustrations are strikingly beautiful and capture Rosie’s anxiety perfectly. There’s a special angel bookmarked ribbon attached to this lovely book.
Everybody Feels Fear Ashwin Chacko Dorling Kindersley
As this book’s creator asserts we all have fears, some long-lasting, others much less so, some are small and some can be huge and overwhelmingly. This picture book is an exploration of the wide variety of fears we might have, from spiders to mice and bears to monsters. The text starts in rhyme and part way through changes to prose that offers encouraging words about fears: no matter how seemingly overwhelming a fear feels, with a modicum of courage, ‘as small as a mustard seed’ we can begin to face up to whatever is making us fearful. Assuredly fear does not define a person and most importantly love fuels courage and ‘where love lives fear cannot be.’ In other words, working together is the way to go.
Chacko uses a wacky, bold illustrative style combining it with arresting typography to put across his important message. This zany book offers a helpful starting point to encourage children to talk about their fears and in a classroom could act as the prelude to a circle time discussion.
Before the title page we meet a small boy holding up a doll dressed in ballet attire, who introduces himself thus, ‘I’m Thomas, and I want to be a ballet kid.’
He then goes on to share with readers in a straightforward manner, the events of a ballet class day. Having dressed up warm as befits the snowy day and packed his ballet shoes, off he goes to the dance studio clutching mum’s hand. He introduces us to each of the friends he meets on the way, all of whom are heading to the class too.
Once there, with their ballet shoes on, the children start their lesson. Thomas takes readers through the warm up, and the various moves, describing the exercises,
defining ballet terms, while speech bubbles provide comments from the young participants. Mr Elliot, their teacher is enormously encouraging as are the children one to another and then with Christmas approaching, the pupils choose outfits and thus, roles for the winter show, a performance of The Nutcracker. Thomas picks out what he thinks is the most wonderful costume he’s ever seen. “You’re the Sugar Plum Fairy”, Mr Elliot tells him and puts on the music for him to dance. When it’s time to leave Thomas has started feeling butterflies in his tummy but they’re soon allayed by his teacher’s words, “Just listen and move with the music, the magic will come from within.” And it most certainly does …
In her inclusive illustrations, Holly Sterling captures that magic and the sheer joy of the young dancers both in their class and as they perform the winter show. Young audiences will surely be swept up in that enchantment, especially the aspiring dancers among them.
A research team – three adults and a child – are in the Antarctic exploring. The adults are looking for penguins; not so the child narrator who insists: ‘But I’m going to see a MAMMOTH.’
Setting out alone the little protagonist comes upon a skateboarding mammoth. ‘Mammoths are extinct. And I’m pretty sure they’re not even from around here.’ is the response of one of the researchers. ‘Are you sure it wasn’t a wonderful … penguin?’ More determined than ever to prove it was a mammoth, the child sallies forth again and sees in turn the mammoth skateboarding wearing a frilly pink tutu doing ballet and the mammoth sporting a scuba mask submerged underwater.
Still no one believes the child and a shouting match ensues. Followed soon after by a full on tantrum by the youngster. This results in the ice cracking, an avalanche and a surprise revelation for some of the party. The final twist is huge fun and the book concludes with a brief note about both mammoths and penguins. Adult readers aloud will love sharing this humorous tale and listeners will relish shouting ‘Mammoth’ at every opportunity, as the child’s indignation turns to anger. Alex’s illustrations are superbly expressive, especially the penguins every one of which is a visual treat.
A super wintry book.
The Grizzled Grist Does Not Exist! Juliette Maclver and Sarah Davis Gecko Press
Ms Whiskersniff, Ms Whisk for short, having assessed her pupils’ forest skills, takes her class trekking up the Dismal Hills. When shy Liam announces that he’s good at hiding, he’s told, “You can’t call that a skill”. Really? Soon the group pass a sign announcing the Grizzled Grist; Liam attempts to draw Ms Whisk’s attention to it and is immediately given the titular response, “The Grizzled Grist does not exist.”
So what has made the very large footprints that Hider, Liam (now camouflaged) urges his teacher to take notice of? You can guess what he’s told, in no uncertain terms. Lunchtime comes and goes with the occasional near disaster and eventually after trudging for much of the day it’s time to think about wending their way back. Liam meanwhile has gone into hiding up a tree and from this vantage point he spots something alarming. Yet again, the teacher will have none of it and back they continue to trek until …
Catastrophe! Thank goodness Liam is so good at hiding; but can one small boy possibly save all of 2B and Ms Whisk from the clutches of the gruesome Grizzled Grist?
Juliette MacIver’s rhythmic rhyming text tells a witty, playful tale that is humorously illustrated in scenes that show much more than the words say, especially regarding the characters. I love the endpapers.
Timmy is a non-binary child who loves performing and dreams of one day becoming a stage star and being able to share stories with others. However unless singing and dancing in the bedroom there’s problem in the form of a very large, grumpy lion and it’s always lurking stopping Timmy from focussing. One day Mr Stevens, Timmy’s teacher announces to the class that there’s to be a school play, Timmy feels no excitement on account of that lion.
At lunch break Timmy sits watching the other children playing together when a classmate approaches
and a friendship begins to blossom between the two. It turns out that both children are actually shy and with mutual encouragement they create costumes,
rehearse, meditate and use positive affirmations. Little by little the relationship between Timmy and the lion becomes calmer and Timmy becomes more self-assured.
Come the night of the show however, Timmy has a crisis of confidence. Can it be overcome with Nia’s help? It surely can and as for the show: it’s a dazzler.
This uplifting story of getting the better of shyness will surely resonate with almost any young child. Youngsters will understand that the lion is a metaphor for Timmy’s anxiety and love the vibrant illustrations. There’s lots to explore in the opening scene set in Timmy’s bedroom and take a look at the various flags shown during the story.
Black Swans Laurel van der Linde and Sawyer Cloud Sunbird Books
The six brilliant Black ballet dancers almost leap right off the pages of this show-stoppingly illustrated, narrative non-fiction book.
First we are introduced to Essie Marie Dorsey who although she never made it as a ballet dancer herself on account of her colour, made sure that others could by opening her own dance school in Philadelphia – The Essie Marie Dorsey School of Dancing; and to get Black parents to enrol their children, she went knocking on their doors asking them to send their offspring as pupils and so they did.
Next is Arthur Mitchell; such was his skill at ballet, that he attracted the attention of George Balanchine, artistic director of New York City Ballet and was invited to join the company, eventually becoming the first Black principal dancer. Even then it wasn’t plain sailing for in 1957 an audience deemed it unacceptable for a Black man to dance with a white woman. Some twelve years later using his own money, Arthur co-founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem ballet company.
Christian Holder moved to England aged seven with his family, then later attended the New York High School of Performing Arts. His talent was noted by the choreographer Robert Joffrey and as principal dancer, he had to face racial prejudice but it was his partner, not Christian who was replaced.
Dwight Rhoden too was held back on account of his skin colour, but as a choreographer went on to cofound Complexions Contemporary Ballet.
Last come two women, Misty Copeland who in 2015 became the first Black ballerina to be Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre and finally Michaela DePrince who when a very young orphan in Sierra Leone saw a magazine picture of a ballerina.
When she was adopted by a family from New Jersey she went on to become a star dancer of Boston Ballet.
Ground breakers all and each of these dance lovers achieved greatness by overcoming obstacles through self belief, determination and of course, amazing talent.
A lovely book to inspire youngsters to follow their dreams, whether or not that involves dance.
Baby Polar Bear Anne Rooney and Qu Lan Oxford Children’s Books
In this latest of the Amazing Animal series, we follow a recently born Baby Polar Bear cub and her twin as they take their first forays away from the Arctic den their mother has built. They’re a playful pair and both stay close to Mummy Bear as they frolic in the thick snow.
One morning their mother leads them away from the den on a long journey across the icy terrain. The little ones take care not to stray too far away in case of wolves.
Eventually they reach the sea and the cubs delight in chasing the birds and Baby Bear takes a tumble into the chilly water. Brrrrr! After some splashing for a while, it’s time for the cubs to snuggle up together under the star-filled sky. All this is told in the narrative part of the text while facts about the bears are found beneath the gate-fold flaps of this cleverly designed book.
The illustrations are gorgeous and Anne Rooney’s engaging text with its interactive element, is pitched perfectly for the intended young audience; to add to fun, there’s also a Bonaparte’s gull to find on every spread.
A book I’d strongly recommend for both home and class use.
‘In this book you’ll find / Many kinds of things / Some have slippery scales / Some have feathered wings. // But kind is more than type / Kind is how to care / For creatures that you meet / And places that we share.’ Thus begins the beautifully illustrated, rhyming narrative that urges readers to show kindness to all living creatures and to our precious planet.
Making each spread a joy to explore, the author takes us first on a tour of the animal kingdom and presents flutterers, weavers, animals with shells, fish, the horned, the waddlers, owls and more, including some of the most spectacular. Every creature illustrated is clearly labelled with its Western common name; and each kind has a four lined verse that reads aloud well: ‘ Be kind to those who glitter / In gold and blue and green / There’s treasure in the world / That sometimes goes unseen’.
Having presented us with that wealth of wonderful creatures, Jess McGeachin moves the kindness focus, first to the planets, particularly Earth, and finally having gone large, he comes back small to remind readers that we humans are part of nature and we need to treat other people kindly too.
It’s good to see the author’s carefully considered afterword includes recognition that many of the animals depicted have names in the languages of the First Peoples who shared the land with them. This is a book to add to family shelves and primary school collections.
Hugg ’n’ Bugg Finding Home Ian Brown and Eoin Clarke Graffeg
High in the Himalayas lives Bugg, a mountain flea. Unlike most of the other creatures living in this chilly location, Bugg does not like the freezing climatic conditions and so decides to search for somewhere warm to shelter. The sight of him bobble-hatted and carrying a load on his back is hilarious. First a lost sock and then a stinky boot, offer temporary accommodation and then he quickly rejects the bat-filled cave. Eventually, after a series of other unsuitable stops, Bugg takes a huge leap, landing somewhere promising at last – in the fur of the Abominable Snowman, aka Hugg. This huge creature introduces itself as “Bummy Nubble Snowman” going on to explain that on account of his looks he keeps himself hidden on the highest ground. Bugg offers to look after the Yeti in return for a home in his warm hair and a deal is done.
A deal that leads to the most unlikely of friendships and some tonsorial treats for Hugg.
Totally crazy and hugely entertaining is this latest Brown/ Clarke collaboration, the first of a new series with a theme of mutual friendship, it offers some vital lessons to young audiences. Ian Brown’s terrific talent for story-telling in combination with Eoin Clarke’s comical illustrations make this a read aloud, which despite its chilly setting, leaves a warm feeling within.
Cloud Babies Eoin Colfer and Chris Judge Walker Books
This story is inspired by events in the family life of Chris Judge, the book’s illustrator. Young Erin’s favourite game is spotting animals in the clouds with her mum and dad and friends. She sees all kinds from cats to crocodiles and snowball polar bears to puff-less dragons. She calls them her cloud babies.
One day, Erin is very ill and has to spend a considerable length of time in the children’s hospital. She’s made to feel very welcome, is looked after with loving care by doctors and nurses and makes lots of friends. Even in hospital Erin takes delight in playing cloud babies with her new friends and either personally or remotely, with her dad.
Eventually Erin is thrilled to be discharged from hospital but learns from the doctor that she will still need to have further “Hospital days”
Rather apprehensively she returns to school but things have changed considerably and Erin, now six, is sad to find that people there don’t share her imaginative interpretations of clouds. Indeed that comforting world she’d built and become used to in hospital feels distant and unfamiliar; moreover she decides that cloud babies aren’t for her any longer. It’s SO difficult to feel a part of either her hospital friends’ or her school friends’ group.
However her loving, empathetic parents don’t give up on those cloud babies and with their guidance and support from her class teacher and classmates, Erin comes to understand that through sharing her world and her cloud babies, she will find joy in being her true self again.
This story is written with great warmth and sensitivity by Eoin Colfer who has also included a special letter to readers at the front of the book. Chris Judge’s art is a skilful fusion of photographic images and vibrant illustration that blend children’s unlimited imaginative powers with the day to day world of a children’s hospital. No mean feat and the end result is an upllifting book that offers great help and comfort both to children faced with illness and to the adults who share their lives.
I would love to see Cloud Babies in all children’s hospital wards and doctors’ surgeries.
The Bear and her Book: There’s More to See Frances Tosdevin and Sophia O’Connor uclanpublishing
The big brown ursine bibliophile with an enormous heart returns and despite being snuggled up cosily one warm winter’s night, she feels that urge to explore. It’s prompted by a white, book-less bear looking lonely and downhearted in a picture in her Book of Being Wise. She packs her book and sallies forth, first aboard a fishing boat and then an ice floe. Soon she encounters a kindly whale who points her in the right direction but mentions a blocked up spout. Fortunately Bear’s book has the remedy and having helped the whale, receiving a “Yay” … “my blowhole’s mended. Thank you so much, my spouting’s splendid!” off she goes again.
On land as she walks across the snowy Arctic terrain, Bear meets first a moose and then a muskox, both of whom she helps, as is her way;
and then again repeating the words, “I’m a curious bear who must explore / The world is big and there’s more to see, / And I’ll find this bear who is not like me.” she proceeds on her way, eventually stumbling into an icy sleep.
On waking she repeats her refrain once more and there before her stands the object of her search, sobbing gently and speaking of wanting “A great big book – with lots of pages”.
I suspect readers can guess what happens next, but perhaps not how this tale of friendship concludes … Despite the chilly setting of most of this rhyming story, Sophia O’Connor’s illustrations give you a warm glow inside as you read Frances Tosdevin’s lyrical narrative of the tender-hearted Bear with a desire to do good. I hope to see lots more of this character and her passion for exploration.
Gotcha!: A Funny Fairy Tale Hide-and-Seek Clotilde Perrin (translated by Daniel Hahn) Gecko Press
Between the covers of this large format book are three mock-scary monsters just waiting to give you the creeps and to catch the small character from the title page. First there’s a big yellow and decidedly nasty ‘hairball’. Fear not though, there is safety if you seek refuge within the brick house cleverly constructed by the third little pig and so our porcine pal says, this residence is built to withstand monsters.
He’s waiting within, cooking up something delicious and is willing to share it with little human visitors who want to hide from hairballs and the like.
Also on the prowl is the ‘fizzling stinkwort’; this monster uses its gaseous emanations to render you senseless and then consume you, unless you flee forthwith. Where better to hide than what looks like a deliciously welcoming abode with walls of gingerbread covered with confections of all kinds? Therein you will find the self-sufficient children, Hansel and Gretel – kind hosts who can help keep you safe once you’re within those walls.
Having recently consumed its breakfast, the tired-eyed creeper has its mind on the next meal and to ensure staying safe, it’s necessary to fight a way through the creepers covering the walls of Sleeping Beauty’s castle wherein lie sleeping fairytale characters.
However the three nasties don’t give up that easily so don’t think it’s safe just yet …
With the three residences full of amusing references to the stories they come from (and others), as well as flaps to explore and the satisfying disposal of the nasty monsters, this will keep youngsters entertained for ages, and returning for further forays into those favourite fairytale abodes.
These are two recent titles from Allen & Unwin Children’s Books: thanks to the publisher for sending them for review
Dear Grandpa Kate Simpson and Ronojoy Ghosh
Separated by a huge distance, a little boy Henry and his grandpa sustain a very special relationship through their letter writing that begins when the child moves to a new apartment in the big city 2003 km from his grandpa’s house. The first letters are factual and Henry talks of things in the city that he hopes just might encourage Grandpa to come and visit (ice-cream shops, cinemas and me). As their exchange proceeds, the two become imaginative, inventing and deflating one another’s way out visiting plans – riding on a whale,
catching a shooting star – and readers are presented with a series of facts that the letter writers share while coming to terms with the physical distance between them. I love the way the author brings us full circle with Grandpa’s closing letter mirroring Henry’s opening one with talk of that needle and magnet to point the way to one another’s abodes.
A gorgeous demonstration of how it’s possible for a loving human connection to transcend distance, with Ronojoy Ghosh’s imaginative illustrations being quirky visual representations of each of the letters. A smashing book for a grandparent and grandchild to share.
Where? Jordan Collins and Phil Lesnie
Where? is an enormously powerful, heartfelt slam poem by Jordan Collins written when the author was in his teens, in response to the ‘where are you from’ question. Thoughtless racist comments such as that can be incredibly hurtful yet still some people continue to ask such things. Here the author makes a plea to be seen in the same way as everybody else (everybody with white skin that is) as opposed to somebody entirely ‘other’. Readers cannot help but feel for the young narrator, and by implication, every other person who is being judged not by who s/he is, but on account of their skin colour, type of hair, way of speaking, from where they’ve come.
lllustrator Phil Lesnie has taken Jordan’s words and brought them to life in a stunning way that expands on those words which quite rightly, (and optimistically), end thus ‘I’m from the same place that you are. // So no need to ask again.’ Every spread is one to ponder over and think deeply about and one can but hope that the book finds its way into all primary school classrooms wherever they are. For sure, we all need to celebrate our common origins and shared humanity.
Well Done, Mummy Penguin Chris Haughton Walker Books
I’m a big fan of Chris Haughton’s animal picture books and immediately fell for the penguin family, especially Little Penguin.
As the story opens Daddy Penguin is explaining that Mummy is off searching for yummy fishy dinner for them all in the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean. She needs to swim very fast and dart at great speed – swoosh swish swoosh
and while she is so doing Little Penguin seeks reassurance that she will return safely. And so she does but to do so she has to jump, climb a slippery slope – cu-crunch cu-crunch cu-crunch and then tip-toe carefully past some slumbering seals – shh! – in case she wakes them.
Little Penguin is concerned to see that Mummy Penguin finds herself face to face with one now wide awake seal
and as a result has to perform an amazing leap. Fear not though for Mummy is unstoppable and Woo-hoo! she lands safe and sound with a tasty offering for her little one. Can you guess what he says having consumed his dinner with relish?
With beautiful Antarctic landscapes, this is a gorgeous celebration of mothers, be they penguins or other; I’m sure little humans will love following Mummy’s progress and joining in with the onomatopoeic words sprinkled throughout the telling.
The Very Hard Book Ian Ben-Barak and Philip Bunting Allen & Unwin
In this zany book readers are asked to try some very challenging things and it’s all in the name of helping us to become aware of our thought processes (metacognition). Are you up for the challenge of some open-ended thinking? Right … ‘Sit in an empty room.’ ‘Drop something by accident.’ ‘Dig half a hole.’
Each page (almost) gives a different instruction or asks a different question and by the time you’re half way through you’ll be giggling (partly thanks to Philip Bunting’s quirky creatures) and your brain will be going into overdrive with the creators’ comical ideas. Certainly however you will be more conscious of the limitations of your own mind.
You might even be prepared to have a look at The Very Hard Gallery at the back of the book. Here you will find a more detailed exploration of the paradoxes presented: you’ll see some interesting sounding names such as the Stroop Effect (your mind having to process two conflicting messages; in the example given, they are meaning and colour); then there’s Panta rhei. You will need to find out what this means for yourself, which means getting hold of a copy of the book (no cheating by using google).
Try putting this in a KS1 classroom; as well as introducing them to some surrealism, it will surely get everyone’s little grey cells working hard as they embark on a fun-filled thinking journey.
The Woman Who Turned Children Into Birds David Almond and Laura Carlin, Walker Studio
When a woman, Nancy Solo by name, arrives in town claiming to be able to turn children into birds, the adults warn the youngsters to stay away, scoffing, calling it piffle and balderdash. The children however think differently. First to approach Nancy on the bench is Dorothy Carr. Nancy whispers into her ear and off flies the girl, a swallow ‘swooping up into the blue’, but only briefly.
Before long another child, Colin Fox steps forward
and takes to the air – as a sparrow. Very soon the sky is full with a goldfinch, a rook and a host of other children transformed into birds. With more and more children enjoying their flight, Nancy asks the adults, “But what on earth are you afraid of?” Twice she asks the question and on the second occasion one of the grown ups starts to soar, thoroughly enjoying so doing; and it’s not long before the sky is filled with joyful song and soaring birds.
Nancy’s work here is done; everyone has become a risk taker, overcoming that fear of flying, and it’s time for her to move on to another town and work her magic.
Full of playful language, there’s a fable like feel to David Almond’s tale and Laura Carlin’s wonderful mixed media illustrations show an aura of light surrounding each transformation as it occurs. A story to revisit over and over with the possibility of new meaning emerging with each reading.
Planet Football Michelle Robinson and Chris Mould Walker Books
Jackson is football mad; everywhere he goes and everything he does involves football: he lives and breathes it.
One dull wet day he decides to play outdoors no matter the thunder, and making a run up to his ball he wonders just how high he can kick it. WHAM! Off it soars skywards, narrowly missing a plane and a space vehicle. This stupendous kick catches the attention of a passing reporter and the following day a huge crowd awaits Jackson all demanding he attempts even more. What follows is a tour of cities and towns the world over and each time his massive kick sends a ball sailing up but it never returns to earth.
Where can all those balls have gone? The answer is, they’re all up on the moon where the moon-folk are becoming football crazy. However the lack of a single ball on Planet Earth means disaster: the world Cup is cancelled. Now what?
Jackson knows he must fix things forthwith but can he do it? Perhaps with the help of all his pals: let operation moon mission commence.
This totally bonkers tale is told in Michelle’s rollicking rhyming narrative and Chris Mould’s highly comical, inclusive scenes of soccer mania. With the countless young soccer fans out there I have no doubt this will be a resounding success
The Mouse Who Carried A House On His Back Jonathan Stutzman and Isabelle Arsenault Walker Books
Vincent is a mouse ‘with boots on his feet, a hat on his head, and a house in his back.’ He also has an enormous heart and a special skill of knowing just where to stop and put down his house. Said house is no ordinary house however: it expands to accommodate whomsoever needs shelter. On this occasion he puts it down upon a hill and almost immediately along comes a weary bullfrog. Straightway Vincent offers him a roof over his head and in goes the frog, surprised that he can fit within. It’s not long before the house has expanded to welcome in also a hungry cat, a family of wet hedgehogs, a fox, badgers and a herd of deer and Vincent serves them all with dinner.
Just as they’re all seated around the table an enormous bear knocks saying he’s lost. The other animals are terrified. insisting, “there is no room for a bear.”
Vincent however thinks otherwise. “This is my house … all animals are welcome, “ he insists. And so it is on that night all the animals sleep safely and comfortably, ‘full of honeycomb and warm milk under a sky that stretched for miles.”
Jonathan Stutzman adopts a formal tone for his telling using repetition to good effect in this fable-like story of unconditional acceptance and inclusion. Isabelle Arsenault’s playful gouache, ink and cut-paper illustrations bring these themes to life: on the opening spread, she shows Vincent’s house as a simple cut-out pentagon and each time a new visitor appears at Vincent’s doorstep, a new house in a different style appears on the hillside adjacent to the pentagon, gradually creating a conglomeration of homes; then a gatefold spread captures the final proliferation.
A timely message of open hearts making for open doors in these troubled times of ours.
Who Will Kiss The Crocodile? Suzy Senior and Claire Powell Little Tiger
Suzy Senior puts a hilarious spin on a favourite fairytale in her snappy rhyming take on Sleeping Beauty. It starts on Princess Liss’s first birthday when her family hold a big fancy ball for all the town’s residents, or rather, all but one. With the party in full swing there’s a sudden chill as in sweeps a furious fairy who proceeds to shout, “… In fifteen years, she’ll bump her knee.And then the princess DIES!” and with a wave of her wand she turns the infant into a baby crocodile. All is not quite lost though thanks to a life-saving pixie who informs the princess’s distraught parents that instead of dying, their daughter will sleep `til woken with a kiss. But who would be willing to kiss a crocodile, especially one with increasingly long claws?
On her sixteenth birthday the princess injures her knee while swimming in the lake and takes to her bed for what turns out to be a snooze lasting around a century, during which numerous princes have shown up at the castle only to flee when they realise what slumbers within the increasingly crumbling castle.
Eventually the neighbours decide to call upon the services of the Handy-Grans to carry out some urgent work on the thorny hedge surrounding the castle. This they do and after a day’s slog they discover the slumbering crocodile within.
Rather than running for their lives, they run back to their van for some knee soothing salve… Surely there couldn’t be a happily ever after to this story – or could there?
Claire Powell’s comical scenes are simply bursting with bright colour, her cast of characters is inclusive and Suzy’s text is a delight to read aloud. If you like fractured fairy tales, don’t miss this one.
An Invitation to the Ballet Theatre Charlotte Guillain, illustrated by Helen Shoesmith Welbeck Editions
At this time of year especially, an invitation to participate in a special VIP tour of the world of the ballet theatre, particularly when it culminates in watching a performance of Swan Lake on stage is very enticing. This invitation enables the reader to go on a virtual outing to the world of ballet that begins with an empty auditorium capable of seating over two thousand people. Next comes a look at what happens in the costume department where, beneath a gate-fold, there’s a designer fashioning a ball gown for the dancer who is to play the part of Cinderella in an up-coming show, as well as other people hard at work.
I never before realised that there is a ballet-shoe manager responsible for checking that every dancer’s pointe shoes fit properly and that the right ones are always available. We explore the crucial warm-up routines, the clothes worn for training, see the various ballet positions and movements being practised in a morning class and then watch what happens in the rehearsal studio where the dancers spend a fair part of the day.
Those of us who just go and enjoy a ballet performance don’t stop to think about the considerable amount of stress, both physical and mental, that dancers are under, nor about the importance of a dancer’s diet. These aspects require expert support to ensure the performers stay healthy in mind and body. To that end there is a healthcare suite wherein we see dancers working with weights, gyrotonic equipment for stretching and toning, doing Pilates exercises and consulting the experts available.
We also visit the orchestra pit, and the make-up room: I was surprised to find that most ballerinas apply their own make-up prior to going on stage; this involves accentuating features to make sure they are seen clearly under the bright stage light no matter where members of the audience are sitting.
Produced in consultation with English National Ballet’s Ballet Futures programme, this terrific, highly informative, beautifully illustrated book, is one to include in classroom collections, to give to youngsters who aspire to be become dance performers, or indeed to any child who is going to a visit to the theatre to watch a ballet.
The Perfect Gift Alan Durant and Marjan Vafaeian Tiny Owl
Rabbit is a much-loved creature, always ready to help and share with friends and neighbours. One day Meerkat knocks on her door with news: the birth of a royal baby is announced and the queen is having a celebratory party in the palace. Meerkat urges Rabbit to come along but in her paws she’s holding a gift. Rabbit doesn’t have a gift and she turns down her friend’s offer to share. Back indoors she searches high and low but can find nothing she deems suitable for the new baby.
Then ostrich calls and she too make the same offer as Meerkat, but is also turned down and told to go ahead. Other creatures also stop by, each bearing a gift.
By now the sun has almost gone for the day but still Rabbit won’t join them. As the sun sets she decides the only answer is to go to the party sans gift and ask the Queen’s forgiveness.
With her lamp in her paws, she makes her way to the palace and is surprised on arrival to find the place in darkness. Holding up her lamp, Rabbit approaches her majesty. Imagine Rabbit’s surprise when she’s greeted with the words, “And you’ve brought the perfect gift.” What can she mean by those words?
With themes of selflessness, kindness and friendship Alan Durant’s tale accompanied by Marjan Vafaeian’s delightfully quirky, detailed illustrations (love Ostrich’s knobbly knees) leave you with a wonderfully warm feeling inside. A thought provoking book to share both at home and in the classroom.
Anyone But Bear Suzy Senior and Dubravka Kolanovic Scamp Publishing
Fox is excitedly making plans to host a moonlight party. He starts compiling his invitation list – Deer? – tick, Squirrel?- tick. Bear? Definitely not. Off trots Fox still planning in his head when suddenly rocks cascade down the mountainside, some of which smash straight into the party planner.
Fox is left flat out on the path-side unable to move. Several hours later, along comes Deer: help at last thinks Fox now awake and all too aware of his injuries. However, with a look of disgust, Deer turns away and takes an alternative route to avoid passing the injured creature. As snowflakes begin to fall along scampers Squirrel carrying nuts but he too decides not to stop. Seemingly the safety of his nuts is more important than that of a fellow forest creature.
Fox begins to despair but then round the corner comes someone massive, someone with large paws and a hairy scary face. Oh no! Soon though, Fox’s fear dissipates as he sees not the scary countenance he first thought but a kindly caring one. So kind and caring that he takes Fox all the way back home to his den; not only that but Bear brings him sustenance and takes care of the little fox cubs and their parent all through the night. This selfless act is one that Fox will remember always.
Based on the parable of the Good Samaritan, Suzy’s story, with Dubravka Kolanovic’s splendidly expressive illustrations will certainly make youngsters think about the meaning of real friendship.
Albert in the Air Ian Brown and Eoin Clarke Graffeg
Albert the tortoise’s latest adventure sees him first wishing to emulate his winged friends and then, tunnelling his way beneath the garden fence into the next door garden and wandering out into the hubbub of the territory beyond. It’s there, while foraging among the piles of trash that he unintentionally finds that his wish is actually being fulfilled. The wind lifts a balloon entangled Albert skywards and he gets a tortoise-eye view of the sprawling urban landscape beneath him.
Meanwhile back on home territory, the other creatures are missing their friend and enlist the help of the birds to search for Albert. Will they return him safe and sound?
The answer is yes, with the timely assistance of a bee and he makes his return felt in a rather noisy manner.
An amusing demonstration that the grass most definitely is not always greener and perhaps home is the best place to be. With its humorous ending and stand out illustrations, Albert’s new story is sure to please his numerous fans and will likely win him some more followers too. Don’t forget to peruse the information spread at the back of the book.
I Really Want To Share! Simon Philip and Lucia Gaggiotti Templar Books
Sharing is a challenge for many young children and so it is for the young narrator protagonist in this the fourth in the I Really Want To series, who is faced with a new sibling in her family. Not only will she have to share her parents but lots of other things too. However sharing does not come at all easily even to a determined character like the one here.
On the day the baby is due to arrive, soon to be big sister is sent to stay with her grandparents, and her grandfather quickly sees that something is wrong. When he’s told the problem, he explains that sharing has been tricky for him ever since he married her grandma, it’s something they have gradually learned to do. Then his granddaughter reveals that her biggest fear is that she will lose the affection of her parents.
When baby brother is born there are up times and down times for everyone,
but will there come a time when big sister can honestly say that four in our family makes me glad; will she truly say, “I really love to share”? I wonder …
Lucia Gaggiotti’s wonderfully funny illustrations in a bold colour palette really capture the protagonist’s emotional roller coaster and the spirit of Simon Philip’s text. Together they make a book that is just right for sharing with young children who are soon to be, or have just become, a big sister or brother.
Goodbye Hobbs Emma Bettridge and Josephine Birch Graffeg
Based on real life events of love, loss and grieving, the author offers a dog’s eye view of losing a very dear friend. It’s with great reluctance, that Merlin eventually follows his owner out of the house for a walk to the shops. It’s hard for him to do so without Hobbs, his gentle black Labrador best friend.
As they walk, Merlin catches the scent of something on the wind and following his nose he detects a message asking ‘ … How are you today?’ but the message is incomplete. Merlin sniffs again and again as they continue walking and he finally stops beneath a weeping willow tree beside the river. ‘I just wanted to tell you that I am OK. It was time for me to go away. I love you. If you need me …’ Again the message stops mid-sentence.
On the two go, Merlin sniffing and gathering pace as he and his human head through the woods, back towards the village, bound for home.
Still sniffing and alert to any message, Merlin finally receives the words he needs so much. Words that will help him cope with those feelings of near despair as little by little he accepts that although his belloved Hobbs is no longer present in a physical form, he remains in the form of memories of the wonderful times the two have shared over the years together.
Josephine Birch’s painterly illustrations of the walk capture the complex emotions of Merlin. Her initial sombre colour palette changes to one of warm autumnal shades, and her subdued brush strokes become more exuberant as his mood lifts with each new discovery of his friend’s scented messages.
A helpful book for any parents or educators wanting something to help explain the feelings surrounding the loss of a loved one.
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish Chloe Savage Walker Books
Dr Morley is passionate about jellyfish; she’s even more passionate about finding the giant Arctic jellyfish, a creature nobody has ever seen. Having spent years researching and planning with the aid of her dedicated crew, she’s ready to start out on an adventure, bound for the icy waters of the Arctic Circle.
Their first animal sighting is of narwhals; perhaps they can lead the ship to that elusive jellyfish: or could it be the scientific data and samples members of her team collect as they dive hopefully into the chill beneath the ice? Days pass, blizzards howl but still the search continues. The days turn to weeks and then months but even then that hope remains strong. Eventually crew members start to think of home: maybe that giant Arctic jellyfish doesn’t really exist.
However, driven by their loyalty to their leader they don’t give up. At last thanks to the sunshine, comes hope in the form of a massive patch of algae. Convinced this is the opportunity she’s been waiting for, Dr Morley dives down.
Can you imagine how she feels on seeing nothing? Time to head home, she decides.
The words tell the story of the expedition from Dr Morley and the crews’ point of view but Chloe Savage’s stunning, action-packed illustrations documenting the search show that the creature is never far away but always, tantalisingly, just out of sight of the exploring party; or is it?
Eight Nights, Eight Lights Natalie Barnes and Andrea Stegmaier Little Tiger
Presented from the viewpoint of children Max and Lara who lives opposite, this is a lovely introduction to the Jewish festival of lights, Chanukah. It begins in a bustling city just before the festival itself when Max is excitedly hurrying home telling his grandpa that he’s going to light the first candle on the family’s menorah that night. This he does in the company of his grandparents and mother. Meanwhile across the road Lara and her family are doing likewise. As the story progresses we see other festivities taking place in other homes – the candle lighting, the preparation and sharing of special foods
including latkes and cookies decorated with Jewish stars, the playing of dreidel
and the welcoming of visitors. There’s an exchange of gifts and one young couple are spending their first night in a new home together. On the eighth night there’s a party at the synagogue and the rabbi tells the story of the festival’s origins – how the oil in the menorah lasted not one but eight nights. Finally back home once more, having lit all eight candles Max and his mother look out onto the street where ‘fireworks burst overhead’ and windows are bright with light. A joyous way to end the festival.
Beautifully illustrated, this is a smashing book to introduce younger primary age children to the Chanukah festival, which begins on December 18th this year.
Cat Problems Jory John and Lane Smith Walker Books
Following a Giraffe and a Penguin with problems, this is the third hilarious title in the Animal Problems series. It features a perturbed moggy who shares its inner feelings about a far from purr-fect existence as a confined creature that’s not been outside for eight whole years.
First it’s “I’m awake, and I only got nineteen hours of sleep.” Then it’s a meagre dry meal, followed by another (ginger) cat that insists on curling up exactly where Cat wants to curl. Oh my goodness, now there’s monster.
Further tirades ensue and eventually a slightly sanctimonious squirrel that has been watching the continuous grumbling through the window holds forth with a powerful lecture on being thankful – most certainly it’s food for thought for our moaning moggy – in more ways than one. Will our grumbler ever cease from grumbling? Using a muted colour palette Lane Smith brings out the hilarity of the protagonist’s tirade
and the design of every spread further amplifies the visual impact of the book. Providing plenty of food for thought, this droll offering is definitely one young listeners will lap up and likely ask for second helpings.
Red Reading Hub - Jillrbennett's Reviews of Children's Books 