Category Picture Books

Little Elephant / Little Platypus

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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

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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

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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.

Paradise Sands

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Paradise Sands
Levi Pinfold
Walker Studio

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

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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

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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.

One & Everything

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One & Everything
Sam Winston
Walker Studio

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

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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 / Everybody Feels Fear

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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.

Ballet Kids

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Ballet Kids
Holly Sterling
Walker Books

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.

I Did See A Mammoth! / The Grizzled Grist Does Not Exist!

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I Did See A Mammoth!
Alex Willmore
Farshore

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.

Timid

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Timid
Harry Woodgate
Little Tiger

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

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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

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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.

Kind

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Kind
Jess McGeachin
Allen & Unwin

‘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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Dear Grandpa / Where?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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 / Albert in the Air

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Fletcher and the Stars / The Winter Dragon

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Fletcher and the Stars
Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke
Graffeg

The fourth Fletcher story in the Four Seasons series is a wonderful wintry one.

One chilly night as Fletcher sits at the entrance to his den gazing up at the glittering stars, they begin to disappear. Concerned, he calls to tell his Mum but she assures him that they are just covered by cloud. However, he remains worried and can’t sleep. Instead he creeps out, determined to save the stars and before long he hears a snuffling sound. It’s a badger cub that says she’s afraid of the dark and is hiding till the stars return. Encouraged by Fletcher, Badger climbs onto his shoulders and twiggy branch in paw begins swish sweeping across the sky, but of shining stars there is no sign.
Next they try from up among the branches of a tree. That only succeeds in waking sleeping Squirrel; Squirrel offers to use his tail but to no avail. Can Owl sweep away those clouds?

The others wait snuggled up in a hollow in Owl’s tree and eventually fall asleep. When Owl returns having tried her best, Fletcher is down hearted at her news. But then at least Badger has some good news: she’s no longer afraid of the dark. Fletcher and Badger then tuck Owl into her tree once more and depart in the hope that by the time she wakes, their mission to reveal those stars again will have been successful.

Up the windy hill they climb and begin to puff. I wonder what will happen …

It’s a delight to be back in the company of Fletcher with his determination, consideration for his friends and passion for the natural world. Tiphanie Beeke’s gorgeous illustrations, glow even brighter than ever in this story as they evoke so well the icy winter’s night and the feelings of the animal friends. What a perfect match for Julia Rawlinson’s equally evocative, poetic text. Snuggle up and share this with young children at home or in school.

The Winter Dragon
Caroline Pitcher and Sophy Williams
Graffeg

Young Rory hates the long dark winter nights imagining them to be the time when hidden demons lurking in the shadows come creeping out. But Rory has recently made a model dragon from his craft materials and one night as he cowers beneath the bedcovers he hears a strange growling sound.
Peeping out cautiously he finds his dragon glowing like a nightlight, keeping away the dark and using its hot breath to warm his bed and his slippers and his bathwater.

Each night the dragon returns to warm him with tales of bravery with blazing fires, jewels hidden beneath the earth, elf kings, knights and dragons. With every visit Rory and the Winter Dragon together ‘banish the demons of the dark’ enabling the boy, his heart filled with the dragon’s stories, to sleep soundly, unafraid.

With the coming of Spring, Rory knows in his heart that it’s time for him and his dragon to bid one another farewell and one night safe in the knowledge that his friend will always be there should Rory need him, he watches the dragon leave, bound once again for his own world again.

With a gentle sprinkling of fantasy, Caroline Pitcher ’s lyrical telling combined with Sophy Williams’ soft focus, realistic illustrations highlight one little boy’s battle with his fears and his growing courage.

My Rhinoceros

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My Rhinoceros
Jon Agee
Scallywag Press

The boy narrator in this droll tale becomes the owner of a rhinoceros when he visits an exotic pet store. Said creature, despite its size is no trouble: he’s shy, quiet, remains in the garden and keeps himself to himself. Deadly dull in other words, for this new acquisition doesn’t participate in any of the usual pet things: no ball chasing or indeed any other thrown object retrieval; no rolling over; in short, it does nothing.

The rhinoceros expert tells the lad that his pet, like other rhinos, should only do two things: pop balloons and poke holes in kites. Time for a trial run in the park: but does the rhinoceros perform those two tasks? Oh no it doesn’t; seemingly this particular creature is, despite all the playful activities taking place around it, a total let down. Maybe he should swap the rhino for a hippopotamus, the boy thinks.

On the way home though two airborne robbers, one in an air balloon, the other suspended beneath a kite, are attempting to flee the scene of their crime Now unexpectedly the rhinoceros steps up to the mark, follows the instructions given 

and proves itself not merely a rhino but a superhero. Furthermore, popping balloons and poking holes in kites are not the only abilities our super-rhino possesses.

Jon Agee’s poker-faced telling, in combination with his ink and watercolour illustrations of the unfolding comical capers, work perfectly together highlighting the daftness of a story that will go down very well with young listeners, and readers of all ages.

Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles

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Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles
Michael Rosen and David Melling
Harper Collins Children’s Books

It would appear that Goldilocks hasn’t learned from her adventure with the three bears and now she has acquired a dog named Tiddles. Tiddles has a special liking for walking and it’s at his suggestion one sunny morning that they set out to rediscover that particular house in the woods – the one with the chairs, bowls and beds.

Off they go through the deep dark wood and suddenly in the distance comes the sound of the sea, seemingly calling to them with its ‘Pershooo, persheee, pershooo, persheee’. Arriving on a sandy beach, they soon discover a cave – a deep cave – and of course, in they go.

Yes they do find three chairs, three bowls

and even three beds, and Goldilocks and Tiddles do fall fast asleep. Moreover, their slumbers are disturbed by the sound of voices demanding to know , “Who’s been sitting on my …” – well you know how it goes. The cave owners are back …

I’m a huge fan of playful takes on fairy tales and this one is terrific fun. You’d expect no less from expert storyteller Michael Rosen and fantastic illustrator David Melling who, with his delectable details, highlights the humour of the telling. With slight echoes of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, this is a brilliant read aloud, be that at home or in a classroom: both adults and children will delight in its language and the mock-scariness of the story.

Maybe You Might

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Maybe You Might
Imogen Foxell and Anna Cunha
Lantana Publishing

Is it possible for one person to change the world? With the hope and determination shown herein, it certainly is.
In an arid country where it was supposed the land was beyond repair, one little girl discovers a single seed. With a strong conviction that something might come of it, she digs a hole and places it in. Then lovingly she tends to it, bringing water from the well each day and making a shelter against the blistering heat and strong winds until … 

Within the abundant fruits are seeds; the girl plants one from each fruit. Meanwhile beneath the ground things are also happening. Eventually down comes the rain and creates a river once more: the land is flourishing and does so for years.
But then a storm destroys the trees and the girl feels as though her heart is broken too. Nothing can ever be right again … or can it? Could it be worth planting another seed? Yes and when at last there are many fruit bearing trees once more, there’s food enough for the birds and animals, and the human community too.

Inherent in Imogen Foxell’s beautiful, optimistic rhyming story is a basic description of the water cycle, showing youngsters how, over time, an abundance of trees in an area can produce a river where once there was only arid soil. it shows too how a single, small action really can help to make a difference. Anna Cunha’s stunning mixed media illustrations are a perfect compliment for the text, changing from the virtually monochrome portrayal of the desert-like environment where the protagonist dressed in a beige dress, finds that first seed, to scenes where shades of green and blues predominate as the trees thrive and the land is renewed.

My Dog, Hen / Ruffles and the Cosy, Cosy Bed

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My Dog, Hen
David Mackintosh
Prestel

Owning any dog brings big responsibilities but adopting one from a rescue centre, even one as adorable looking as Hen, is likely to bring challenges. However as the child narrator of this story says, ‘why should we get a brand new dog when Hen is as good as new to us?’ So back he goes to his new family.

Although family members provide everything they think Hen needs in the way of food, water, a cosy bed and plenty of toys to keep him amused, such is Hen’s appetite that not only does he consume all his food but goes on to eat his bowl, items of furnishings and more.

Let’s say he’s a tad destructive, even gobbling up a supposedly indestructible dog toy. Enough is enough say the child’s parents.

But then Gran comes to visit bringing something with her. Could this perhaps help headstrong Hen relax?

David Mackintosh mainly uses solid blocks of red, beige, blue and black etched with white lines and patterning to create his stylish and striking illustrations that are full of playful touches. I love the spread of socks that Gran has adorned with cross-stitch darning that help to underscore the make-do-and-mend environmental message.

Ruffles and the Cosy, Cosy Bed
David Melling
Nosy Crow

The adorably playful Ruffles returns as lively as ever, but with something new to dislike – loud noises. These make him all jumpy and jittery and his instinct is to run away. However loud noises at night are far worse especially if they are the thundery kind that bring flashes, bangs and crashes. Time to hide, thinks Ruffles but where?

It must be a quiet place that’s also safe and snuggly. Hmmm… suddenly the little dog thinks of the perfect place and it’s ready and waiting for him. Now where could that be? Assuredly it’s the ideal place to wait until the storm has abated.

Sometimes set against a vibrant colour, sometimes only black and white, it’s amazing how much David Melling manages to convey through his seemingly simple humorous illustrations of this little pup, especially in those sequential strips of Ruffles responding to the scary sounds when his body language and facial expressions speak far more that the accompanying words.

Where in the World Are You?

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Where in the World are You?
Marie G. Rohde
What on Earth Books

In her cleverly designed, playful exploration of our world and our place therein, Marie G. Rohde places a cat centre stage.

We first see said creature sitting beneath a table, a wobbly table, which stands on a blue rug. The viewpoint gradually zooms further and further out and readers join the cat on a journey of discovery as it ventures through the green door, out of the flat and into the big wide world,

until eventually we are out in the expanding universe of which the Milky Way is a part; so too are we humans, each and every one of us and we are all connected.

This is a book that arose out of the Covid-19 lockdowns and people’s feelings all over the world of being stuck inside, but its invitation to youngsters to be outward looking and to think about their place in the world is important at any time.

The simple question and answer text and bold, bright scenes that effectively put into perspective the vastness of our world, is a great starting point for discussions with young children either at home or in the classroom, especially as the final spread sets the scene in its concluding, “Now, where are YOU?’ Young readers will also enjoy searching for the black cat in almost every scene; its whereabouts is not always easy to find.

The Season of the Giraffes / Wild Animals of the World

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The Season of Giraffes
Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton
Walker Books

This the first of the publishers new Protecting the Planet series looks at the effects of climate change on the much loved giraffes of Niger; its inspiration was the work of climate activist and film maker, Kisilu Musya.

Once some time back giraffes were very much a part of everyday life in Niger: and considered a blessing in the same way as the birds, the trees and the rain. The children saw them browsing the trees on their morning walk to school or when they brought home the cattle at night; the giraffes had a strange fighting regime and communicated in a language of grunts and snorts.

However the number of these graceful animals sadly started to decline as more and more buildings, roads and farms filled the land and then on account of climate change the rains began to fail too. The result was terrible droughts that parched the land causing much suffering to both animals and humans.

Soon very few giraffes were left in Africa but in the country of Niger, there was still time to save the few that remained. The humans stopped hunting, protected the trees giraffes fed on as well as the creatures’ favoured places and gradually, then more rapidly, the giraffe population increased. So much so that some have been transported by truck to other parts where they live under the watchful eye and care of wildlife rangers and scientists. The hope is that one day these beautiful animals might be able to return to the places they once roamed.

Nicola’s story of optimism shows how with resolve, we humans can change things for the better; it’s gorgeously illustrated by Emily Sutton who captures both the grace of the animals and their homeland, and the lifestyle of some of the people of Niger.
(There’s additional information about giraffes, climate change and what we can all do to help both causes.)

Wild Animals of the World
Dieter Braun
Flying Eye Books

This sumptuous volume brings together Braun’s Wild Animals of the North and Wild Animals of the South taking us on a world tour that begins in North America, moving in turn to South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and finally, Antarctica.

Magnificent art takes the forefront in an awe-inspiring introduction to an array of creatures great

and small of the land, sea and air. Sadly some – the Asian elephant, the Emperor penguin for instance – are on the endangered list, others are threatened, though this isn’t stated in the book.

Dieter Braun manages to encapsulate the very essence and spirit of every one of the hundred and thirty plus animals portrayed. Some have an accompanying factual paragraph, others leave the labelled illustration to speak for itself. (Both scientific and common names are given.) A great gift for young wildlife lovers.

My Family and Other Families / Some Daddies

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My Family and Other Families
Richard and Lewis Edwards-Middleton, illustrated by Andy Passchier
DK

In this story we follow Liam and his family on their visit to the funfair. Leo is super-excited at the prospect of riding on the big wheel, but with his ticket tucked into his pocket, we wonder if he’ll ever get to the wheel on time. There are so many other families there who all want to stop and chat – families that don’t necessarily look like his own but who all show loving care to their children just like his own. Suddenly Liam realises that his ticket is no longer in his pocket and he frantically retraces his steps asking the other visitors if they’ve seen it. 

Nobody has but everybody offers to join in the ticket search and eventually Liam has a ticket clasped tightly in his hand and he heads over to where a man is making that last call for riders to board the wheel. Now there’s one final opportunity for kindness so that all the children are able to have a ride.
The final sentence in the book, ‘A family is people who care about you’ sums up the authors’ crucial message of diversity and nicely rounds off the story.

Shown inside the front cover and hiding in plain sight in vibrant illustrations are thirteen hidden surprises that young children can search for during the telling. A book to add to collections in early years settings.

Some Daddies
Carol Gordon Ekster and Javiera Mac-lean Álvarez
Beaming Books

“Every daddy is different!” So goes the repeat refrain in this celebration of fathers of all kinds and their styles of parenting. Some are early risers, while others take a while to get going in the morning. Some drink coffee, some drink tea, some prefer a smoothie or water. Some wear suits, some don uniforms, and some work from home in their pyjamas! Some daddies are arty, some like growing things, some love to read. 

Daddies might be good cooks or they might rely on take-aways; some will bid you goodnight with a song, others with a bedtime story. Some are yours from the moment of your birth, others are not a biological relation and choose you later on, some share you with a mum, others with another dad. Yes there are many, many different ways that daddies can look, eat, work, play, and be; however there’s one thing all daddies have in common: daddies are special people who love their little ones.

Brightly coloured, slightly quirky illustrations support the upbeat text with its key message about similarities and differences.

Something About A Bear

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Something About A Bear
Jackie Morris
Otter-Barry Books

This is a new large-format edition of Jackie Morris’s ode to bears. It begins with a large brown bear nose to nose with a teddy bear and the words, ‘Let me tell you something, something about a bear.’ Readers are then introduced to eight kinds of bears through stunning watercolour illustrations and a poetic text.

Each turn of the page takes us to the natural environment of one sort of bear or another starting with Brown Bear watching salmon in a river. On a mountainside in China, a Panda is shown nurturing its child ‘Born as soft and small as peaches.’ Next we see a Sloth Bear carrying her cubs on her back set against ancient Mughal architecture; a Spectacled Bear with cubs high up in the canopy of a South American jungle;

from her nest an enormous Asian Moon Bear waits and watches, all set to go a-hunting. Now you might be surprised to learn that Polar bears are not white – their fur is ‘hollow’, their skin, black. Nor is the American Black bear always black; it could be cinnamon or honey coloured and even, rarely, white.

The very essence of each one of the magnificent ursine creatures is captured in Jackie Morris’s awesome paintings and it’s incredible to see the range of browns she uses. A considerable amount of information is included in the main narrative, which eventually comes full circle to the two we met on the first spread, closing with the words, ‘the very best bear of all is YOUR bear. Two further spreads give additional notes on each bear featured. A terrific gift book for bear lovers of all ages.

When the Storks Came Home

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When the Storks Came Home
Isabella Tree and Alexandra Finkeldey
Ivy Kids

This is a charming, fictionalized retelling of the successful reintroduction of the white stork at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, a UK native bird that has been brought back from extinction.

Herein we meet eight year old Beanie, a bird lover, who when she has a new baby brother, is curious to see on some of the baby cards, a bird that she’s never seen before. This bird is the white stork and encouraged by her mother, Beanie asks her friend Andy who works at the nature reserve to tell her about the storks. He tells her about their unfortunate disappearance from the UK on account of them being hunted for food.

Upset and angry, Beanie becomes passionate about encouraging the White Storks back. She does some research, makes a discovery and then with the dedicated help of lots of the village people who help with fundraising,

she eventually succeeds in her mission to provide a new home for some storks from Poland.

That’s not quite the end of this lovely story, but it does end happily and shows how one determined girl can really make a difference. Alexandra Finkeldey’s colour pencil artwork is superb and helps to highlight Beanie’s love of and engagement with the natural world. The book ends with a factual account of the White Stork Project.

A Practical Present for Philippa Pheasant

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A Practical Present for Philippa Pheasant
Briony May Smith
Walker Books

Philippa Pheasant lives in the forest close to Fairhurst village. Whenever she tries to cross the Old Oak Road in search of juicy blackberries, she’s almost knocked ‘pancake-flat’ by the cars that speed past seemingly out of nowhere. One day she decides that enough is enough; her friend hedgehog suggests writing to the Mayor, which Philippa does but her letter receives no reply.

The following day as she wanders along the lane near the school Philippa notices something that interests her greatly. A woman wearing a bright yellow uniform is standing in the middle of the road stopping the traffic so that the children can cross safely outside their school. This gives Philippa an idea; right away she sets about making something

and the next morning there’s a large gathering of woodland creatures waiting to hear what their pheasant friend has to say. Why is she wearing that strange attire?

Suddenly Philippa is thrust into the local limelight.

And the rest, shall we say, is full of surprises.

With her wonderful portrayal of rural life by day and by night, and a brave, determined avian protagonist, Briony May Smith has created another winner. I love the autumnal tones of the scenes, the wealth of amusing and interesting details, and the way Briony has used light and shadow to give her illustrations extra depth, all of which make the story even more of a delight.

Agent Llama Alpaca Attack!

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Agent Llama Alpaca Attack!
Angela Woolfe and Duncan Beedie
Little Tiger

It’s good to see llama super-spy Charlie Palmer in action again with a new mission. Somebody is intent on world destruction using can you believe – a ‘Pasta-Splat Machine’. Already spaghetti-filled streets are being reported as far afield as Delhi and Dublin, schools are shut and the streets awash with sauce.

Grabbing her gadgets from their subterranean hiding place, Charlie revs up her turbo engine and off she zooms, on mission halt that pasta doom, destination a popular beach resort that is currently under attack.

Almost immediately on arrival so too is she, from above and below, but our Charlie is not one to give up as she starts to perform some show-stopping feats.

However, having scaled the heights our agent gets the surprise of her life: I instantly thought of a drama currently showing on BBC tv wherein a politician has his identity stolen, for that is what appears to have happened to our intrepid Charlie Palmer.

There before her, once his disguise is removed, stands none other than one time agent, rogue alpaca Harley Hacker. What Charlie learns next is potentially catastrophic. Can she crack that vital code, halt one billion drones and thus save the solar system’s central star?

Full on drama indeed and I have no doubt young listeners will absolutely love it. Angela Woolfe’s high octane rhyming text trips nicely off the tongue and Duncan Beedie’s comic style illustrations are just brilliant.

That’s Nice Love / Dare We Be Dragons?

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That’s Nice, Love
Owen Gent
Book Island

We’ve all seen it many times and probably on occasion been guilty of what the adult in this book does when she accompanies her small child to the park. So distracted is the parent by her mobile that she fails to take a single scrap of notice of anything the excited child says about climbing the big tree.
As the boy ascends he has the most amazing adventures – or perhaps flights of fancy. First a multitude of butterflies dance before him as he gazes skywards; then comes an orchestral recital by a group of squirrels,

followed by a scary moment with snakes. To compensate for that though, a troop of monkeys crowns him king, he helps a super-sleek leopard and becomes its friend and finally, he flies with a bird. As he excitedly informs his parent of each event the child receives merely the response, ‘That’s nice, love.’

On the way home, the boy tells the parent that he sometimes feels distant despite their physical closeness and when the two eventually reach home, the child seems to have got through to the adult by revealing a few items he’s collected.
He’s then invited to regale the entire adventure again. Will that parent do what is promised on future excursions; I hope so …

Portable screens may seem amazing but are no match for the richness of a child’s imagination, stimulated by the wonders of the natural world that may be found in the branches of a single tree.
Owen Gent gives his imagination full rein in a series of sublime sequences that explore and expand the spare verbal narrative.

Also celebrating the imagination is

Dare We Be Dragons?
Barry Falls
Farshore

As a father prepares to bid his daughter goodnight, he embarks on an exciting sequence of flights of fancy, each of which arises out of seemingly ordinary everyday things or events. For when these two go adventuring together even such things as a grassy hill walk becomes a huge erupting volcano, tree trunks morph into giants’ legs and a playground swing is the means for launching them on a moon flight and a sandy shore becomes a place whereon lions play.

There’s a sequence of spreads where Barry Falls splits each one into two : the verso shows the everyday reality and the recto, a show-stoppingly imagined fantasy that occupies the entire page drawing the reader right into the adventure.

Along with a wealth of wonderful worlds to explore so vividly shown, there is a more understated portrayal of the loving bond between parent and child. For this is a playful, supportive father who promises always to be there through the years that constitute that wonderful adventure called life; and so he says in the rhyming narrative that complements those splendidly spirited illustrations.

Nibbles: The Bedtime Book

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Nibbles: The Bedtime Book
Emma Yarlett
Little Tiger

‘Once upon a bedtime, / it was getting very late, / And a book monster called Nibbles / Was sleeping in his crate …’ So begins this latest adventure of our favourite book devouring monster but anybody who knows Nibbles will immediately realise that sleeping will not be what he’s doing. Instead he’s off in search of favourite tales to chomp through.

The first to receive the toothy treatment is The Ugly Duckling (retold by an anagrammatic alias of Nibbles’ author). Having made waves in that

he proceeds to try his luck with a certain fairytale glass slipper try on and ends up showing his rear end to the newly weds as he exits their ceremony.

Thank goodness then for the next volume he discovers – a book of lullabies.

Can those starry wonders up above the world so high, prevent Nibbles from sinking his gnashers into every single planet in the solar system and sated by their galactic singing, transport him back into bed in time for young readers to bestow upon him one goodnight kiss before he finally drifts off to dreamland? Or maybe some other place … you never know with Nibbles.

A wonderful bedtime read, but equally enjoyable whatever time you choose to share it with young children. Adult readers aloud will have fun identifying their favourite childhood stories among those on the shelves in the book-filled room.

Lord of the Forest

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Lord of the Forest
Caroline Pitcher and Jackie Morris
Graffeg

‘Tiger was born fluffy and small, with his eyes tight shut.” So begins this gloriously lyrical fable about a tiger cub that doesn’t fully appreciate until he reaches maturity the meaning of his mother’s words, “The Lord of the Forest is …”.

Roaming the forest where all is new and exciting, or playing with his brothers, the little tiger’s focus is the sounds around: the sap rising in the trees, the slither of snakes, the Monkey’s whooping; he’s even aware of the curling of Chameleon’s tongue and little Gekko’s gulps, the flip of fish and Water-snake sliding down from the logs. His mother says, “When you don’t hear them, when silence burns and time stands still, then my son, be ready.” It’s then he’ll know the Lord of the Forest is present.

As he walks alone, grown considerably now, the tiger still listens and waits for the coming of the Lord of the Forest; but who is he? 

He asks the other forest creatures about this Lord, and the beautiful peacock, the rhinoceros and the enormous elephant all arrogantly claim the title belongs to them. However, Tiger understands that screeching, bellowing, roaring beasts such as these, couldn’t possibly be the one that his mother has readied him to meet. 

He continues searching but it’s not until he’s fully grown, with a mate and cubs of his own, that he discovers the identity of the beast he’s been seeking.

Elegance and humility reign both in Caroline Pitcher’s lyrical telling and Jackie Morris’s awesome art.
Jackie’s stunning watercolours immediately breath life into the creatures she portrays: the dignity and grace of the tiger in particular is palpable, while Caroline Pitcher’s poetic narrative truly transports us to the forest habitat with its magnificent sights and mellifluous sounds.

This enlarged edition of a book first published 18 years ago seems even more beautiful than the original. Sheer joy to read aloud, it’s one to add to family bookshelves and classroom collections.

An Unexpected Thing / Hello Autumn

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An Unexpected Thing
Ashling Lindsay
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Little Fred is a fearful child. Unlike most of us who feel frightened from time to time, Fred is fearful almost always, so he spends his days and nights in fear of such things as unexpected loud noises and shadowy shapes
Surprisingly one day a spot appears and unsurprisingly Fred hides himself away, too afraid to look directly at it. Coco also sees the same spot when standing close by in the garden, but her reaction is quite different for what she sees is totally different.

She decides that she can help Fred by trying to get him to see things from her viewpoint. For instance if Fred sees a moon blasted from its orbit whereas Coco sees it as a wind born bubble bobbing along: Fred sees a catastrophic comet, Coco a balloon bearing a birthday wish. Eventually after some discussion, fearful Fred and fearless Coco agree that the spherical object could have been anything.

As a result Fred now feels ready to face his fear.
When something else unknown comes along Fred is able to do something he’d never have done without Coco’s support: he joins her in a voyage of discovery. A friend can make all the difference when it comes to facing things that make us feel unsure or frightened.

This smashing story about finding the courage to go out and explore the world is touching and empowering. Ashling’s use of different perspectives for her beautiful scenes underscores the different viewpoints of the two characters.

On a similar theme is

Hello Autumn
Jo Lindley
Farshore

This story (the second in a sequence) features four friends – the Little Seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter in human form. As the book opens they realise that Summer must hand the weather crown to Autumn so the new season can begin. Doing so triggers changes such as the appearance of a chill mist and the heavens turning from green to golden yellow; the friends feel the call of adventure.
Some fun games ensue on the way to the Tick Tock Tree for a leaf romp but the sighting of ripe juicy blackberries causes them to pause and three friends start feasting. Not so Autumn: he worries about such possibilities as pricking a finger, or becoming entangled in the brambles.

A similar thing happens each time one of the others suggests trying something new: what his friends see as fun games, Autumn sees as worrying situations. His weather crown weighs heavy.
When the four reach the Tick Tock Tree with its abundance of fallen leaves, Autumn’s fear mounts even higher as a cascade of terrifying ‘what-ifs’ invade his thoughts. Suddenly there’s a cry for help. Summer is stuck on a branch. What happens after that involves teamwork, resulting in a jumbled tumble and a fear-releasing realisation for Autumn. What a relief; now he’s ready to face the world.

Vibrantly coloured scenes accompany an important message about facing your fears with the support of friends. A cute story and also some gentle learning about seasonal change that’s just right for sharing with foundation stage children.