Thank You for the Little Things Caryl Hart and Emily Hamilton Bloomsbury Children’s Books
‘Whenever I am feeling sad / or life feels hard or wrong or bad, / I focus for a little while … // on little things / that make me smile.’ So says the small girl narrator as she runs through the park at the start of this book. She goes on to thank some small things she encounters on that particular day. There’s a ladybird, daisies – ‘each flower like a TINY sun / with petal rays around each one’; the playful dog that accompanies her.
Stopping for a while in the playground, she thanks the swings for the feelings they engender; the mud with its wonderful squishy squelching feel, and a strong stick. Then back home she makes pictures of some of the things she’s enjoyed, reminding herself to look forward to further possibilities of the little things.
Homely things – spicy noodles, dribble ice-cream, bath time bubbles and more are mentioned, and it’s great to see she appreciates the book she shares with her parent. Come bedtime, it’s time to thank the stars and last of all, her snuggly teddybear.
Caryl’s gentle rhyming text, together with Emily Hamilton’s gorgeous illustrations of the small girl and the things she says thank you to, offer a way into mindfulness with little ones as well as showing the importance of looking out for things to appreciate even when days might feel a bit grey and dismal . As we emerge from Covid gloom it’s particularly important not to forget these ‘Little Things’.
Eyes that Speak to the Stars Joanna Ho and Dung Ho Harper360
With similar themes to Eyes that Kiss in the Corners is this sequel with a boy narrator and a focus on the male members of his family.
The boy comes out of school upset and shows his father a picture drawn by one of his classmates entitled ‘My Friends’. Seemingly no offence was intended but Kurt’s portrayal of the boy with slits for eyes has hurt his feelings, especially as the others in the picture all have wide open eyes.
Back at home, father and son stand in front of a mirror and the boy is comforted by these positive words, “Your eyes rise to the skies and spread to the stars. The comets and constellations show you their secrets, and your eyes can foresee the future. Just like mine.” The two head for the garden, father carrying his son on his shoulders shouts, “We’re ready for takeoff” and the boy comments ‘his eyes shine like runway lights.’ Meeting grandfather, the boy notices that he too has similar eyes though his look at the world ‘through the lenses of time’ and he ‘holds the wisdom of generations’. Those eyes are visionary, just like those of Di-Di, the boy’s younger sibling too.
Thus little by little, the narrator, discovers the powers of his eyes, – eyes that ‘shine like sunlit rays that break through dark and doubt. … My eyes gaze into space and glimpse trails of light inviting me into impossibilities. I am the emperor of my own destiny.’
That’s inner strength for you.
What power there is in Joanna Ho’s poetic words too, with their emphasis on looking up. This is reflected in Dung Ho’s digital illustrations that not only portray the strength of the family bond but also elements of Chinese mythology.
A splendid celebration of family and of diversity.
Snowy White Gareth P. Jones and Loretta Schauer Farshore
This third twist on a classic fairy tale from the partnership of Gareth P. Jones and Loretta Schauer is set in Purry Tale Lane where, up on a roof top, is a cat kingdom ruled over by ginger tom, Kingsley. He is the proud owner of a crystal ball, so the object says. It also responds to Kingsley’s nightly, “who’s the finest cat of all?” with an assurance, “Kingsley is the best of all, / as sure as I am a crystal ball … / And honestly, I am / a crystal ball.”
One night however, a newcomer, one Snowy White by name, zooms into town and Kingsley is horrified when he hears the Crystal Ball giving a different reply to his usual question. Needless to say he resolves to get rid of his rival, resorting to graffiti and bombardment to let her know she’s unwelcome.
As she flees, Snowy runs headlong into a litter-collecting mouse sending her rubbish bag flying. The mouse, surprised by Snowy’s offer to help pick up the contents of the sack, introduces herself as leader of the Mouse Cleaning Service. While Snowy spends the night with Penny and her crew collecting and sorting the rubbish, the cats continue with their mindless mess making.
At the end of the night, Kingsley is shocked to hear the Crystal Ball declaring Snowy White the finest once again and is more determined than ever to get rid of her. However he accidentally knocks the Crystal Ball off the wall and it splashes into a pond below.
This results in a face to face meeting of the rival cats, after which, something said by the Crystal Ball causes a big change, first in Kingsey and then in his cat pals. Said spherical object also makes a surprise revelation.
There’s a vital message, or several, in Gareth’s tale that, with its occasional breaks into rhyme, is a super read aloud. Equally super are Loretta’s dramatic, detailed illustrations that exude humour and energy at every turn of the page.
This allegorical tale about greed and over consumption will likely ring alarm bells with many readers. It’s set on a small island ruled by an enormous monster who has an insatiable appetite for more of everything. To that end he has hundreds of islanders toiling at machines night and day endeavouring to keep pace with his never-ending demands for the new, improved, the latest, most fashionable, must-have things, all of which he gobbles voraciously as soon as his workers have produced them. There’s no end to their labours – or is there?
There comes a day when, seemingly unfazed by those threatened ‘consequences’ for non-fulfilment of the daily quota, one small islander begins to question things. Hurrah! Somebody that thinks for herself and not satisfied with the answers her workmates proffer, is prepared to look for answers to her ‘what if … ?’ question. Her search takes her to a very scary place – the monster’s innards and therein she discovers something amazing: unbeknown to anyone the greedy monster is a machine. The answer seeker is overwhelmed by the task of setting things right from within,
the result being a rampaging monster that gobbles all the workers. Is this the end for the islanders?
Happily not, for they possess a wealth of practical knowledge when it comes to machines and from within they successfully pull off a collaborative reprogramming operation.
Thereafter, it’s time for operation repair, a fair redistribution of the monster’s hoard and the creation of a new world order that works for everyone. Total revolution? Hmmm! make sure to look carefully at the final scene.
Hayley Wells’ words and playful visuals work wonderfully well together, the result being a truly thought-provoking book that has much to say to people of all ages.
The old man in this story has a daily ritual: he puts peanuts in the crease on the top of his hat, goes outside, and sits, ‘as still and welcoming as a grand old tree.’ Then he waits for the squirrels to come. One day he’s delighted to find a cat emerges as he lifts up his hat and unsurprisingly he names him Hat.
Taking the creature inside, he allows Hat to do whatever he wants other than going out. “If I let you outside, you might leave me. Or you might chase the squirrels … or worse.” So whenever he goes for his daily outdoor sit, the old man closes the back door behind him leaving a mewing cat inside watching from within.
Then one day the old man isn’t there:Hat is alone for days until other people come and feed, rub and talk to him.
Times passes and one day Hat notices that the door has been left open. Seizing the opportunity, out he goes straight onto the decking. Now what will he do?
Nothing is said about why the old man is absent and we surmise that he’s been ill. Happily though there is a happy ending for Hat and for the old man and the other humans who have stepped in.
Troy Wilson’s words and Eve Coy’s soft, warm watercolour pictures work beautifully together showing the deep affection between Hat and his old man in this warm-hearted tale wherein companionship, trust and love are key.
The Little Spacecraft That Could Joyce Lapin and Simona Ceccarelli Sterling
From the title of this book you might expect a story somewhat similar to the Watty Piper classic The Little Engine that Could. Not so. This book is essentially a non-fiction story that, beginning in January 2006, chronicles the journey of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft travelling towards Pluto, a destination that will take a decade to reach, by which time astronomers have down-graded Pluto from planet to dwarf planet. (This is covered in the text)
The author tells how having burst forth from Earth, the first engine is allowed to fall away leaving, encased in gold foil, the spacecraft ‘no bigger than a small piano’ whizzing through space at over 10 miles per second. (Illustrator Simona Ceccarelli bestows a big grin on the face of New Horizons as this happens and thereafter she becomes a quirky character with personality.)
Now tasked with many questions to answer: what is Pluto made of? What colour is its sky? Are there creepy-crawlies? being just three, New Horizons will fly 3 billion miles to collect close-up photographic evidence and other kinds of data and transmit it all back to scientists on Earth.
On route the spacecraft receives a massive gravity speed boost from ‘ginormous’ Jupiter, after which follows a very long period of hibernation during which time a weekly signal is sent back to Earth. Eventually on 6th December 2014, the probe reawakens and soon begins transmitting photos of Pluto,
photos that hugely enlarged scientists’ understanding of the dwarf planet and its moons.
A few years later, on New Year’s Day 2019, New Horizons reaches another object called Arrokoth that had been discovered since her launch. Photos of this far distant world helped scientists understand more about the solar system’s early years. New Horizons continues to travel further out in space and the hope is there’ll be a visit to the Kuiper Belt sometime during this decade.
Altogether an absorbing book that, in addition to conveying a huge amount of information about space exploration and the solar system, makes scientific discovery highly engaging and accessible for readers who might not otherwise be inclined to explore this topic. It also includes a timeline, glossary, and resources for further investigation.
Octopants: The Missing Pirate Pants Suzy Senior and Claire Powell Little Tiger
There’s definitely a plethora of pants in this new story about Octopants (narrator) and his ocean pals Turtle and Pufferfish. It’s the latter who has lost his favourite pirate pants and to make him feel less glum Octopants organises an undersea search. Having drawn a blank in the usual places in town, the friends brave the wreck and there they come upon a pirate crew with a pirate party in full swing with pants simply everywhere.
But then who should show up unexpectedly out of the blue sporting a funky hat and asking to join the pirate crew … This is a jaunty rhyming text that flows well, and vibrant illustrations with plenty of humorous details to make little humans laugh, but Suzy Senior’s tale contains a serious message too: appearances can be deceptive so don’t be too hasty to make a judgement. With young children, you really can’t go wrong with a story about underpants.
Rita Wants a Ninja Máire Zeph and Mr Ando (Andrew Whitson) Graffeg
Is there no end to Rita’s demands? Seemingly not for now a game of hide-and-seek with her smaller sibling fuels a desire for her very own martial arts expert in the form of a ninja. How wonderful to have someone to instruct her in the art of stealth and invisibility. She’d learn how to control both mind and body as well as those shouts used when on the attack. However invincibility ninja style seemingly comes at a price –
a very big price and one she definitely isn’t prepared to pay after all. So it’s a resounding NO! for a ninja master … Andrew Whitson’s expansive, action-packed scenes of Rita’s imaginings take readers along with the two children, into verdant Japanese bamboo forests and snowy landscapes wherein lurk fighting ninja clans.
Little Scoot Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Edson Ikê Boyds Mills Press
Perseverance no matter how difficult the situation, is key in this vibrantly illustrated American import. I was itching to tweak the beginning part of the rhyming text but like its little tugboat protagonist, I kept going, and happily it improved. Keeping going and not giving up is the essence of the tale of Little Scoot. Suddenly she receives an alarm call: a large barge is aground on a sandbank and in need of her help. With a gathering storm the tiny tugboat has to force herself forward, pushing through her fears and the splashing, sploshing waves, as she tries her level best to be brave. Eventually, there before her is the stranded Big Barge. Will the tiny craft succeed in her rescue mission? Even in the most difficult situations, she certainly isn’t a quitter …
Apple and Magnolia Laura Gehl and Patricia Metola Walker Books
Britta insists that her two favourite trees Apple and Magnolia are best friends; this she knows deep down inside herself and there’s no swaying her. She visits the trees every day and watches how they communicate with one another. Some members of her family tell her that trees cannot have friendships – her father speaking kindly, her elder sister Bronwyn forcibly; her Nan in contrast says, ‘unusual friendships can be the most powerful of all’.
One night Britta notices that Magnolia’s branches have started drooping. While her father and sister tell her the tree won’t survive the winter, Nana asks about a plan. This galvanises her into action.
Aided and abetted by her pets she makes a telephone using cups connected by string for the trees to use, knits an enormous scarf and wraps it around them so they can share one another’s warmth during the chilly winter months and hangs a string of lights between Apple and Magnolia so they can always see each other.
Time passes and one morning Britta thinks that the trees have become closer together. She measures the distance between them and continues to do so every morning, getting the usual responses from family members. The arrival of spring sees pink blossom on Apple’s branches whereas Magnolia doesn’t flower, although Britta’s measurements decrease and you can’t argue with scientific data.
Eventually the first blossom appears on Magnolia sending Britta’s hopes soaring. Soon it’s time for a celebration.
The repetition of the comments, be they negative or positive heightens, the impact of the telling of this delightfully fanciful story. Not entirely fanciful however; author Laura Gehl includes this in an introductory note, ‘Scientists are just at the beginning of understanding how trees are able to communicate with and support other trees.’ Equally delightful are Patricia Metola’s whimsical illustrations of the characters, both human and arboreal.
Saving the Butterfly Helen Cooper and Gill Smith Walker Books
This is a timely and very moving story about trauma, the way different people respond to it, empathy and the possibility of recovery.
Two children, a big sister and her small brother are rescued from a boat adrift on the dark sea; they’ve lost everything. The younger one remembers little of his ordeal whereas his sister appears more resourceful, talking to rescuers and being instrumental in finding them shelter in a broken house.
However, while she remains inside dwelling on what’s gone before, her little brother ventures outdoors and begins to make friends.
Feeling greatly concerned about what to do to help shift that ‘dark in her mind’ the boy, keen to coax his sister outside, catches a beautiful butterfly and brings in back to their refuge.
The girl upsets him by telling him to release the tiny thing that begins hitting its wings against the walls. It needs space and it needs time, she tells the boy. The boy goes out again; his sister counts the colours of the butterfly’s wings to calm her breathing. Eventually the girl opens the door; the butterfly settles on her hand. She steps out and blows the tiny thing. Can she now find the courage to follow the butterfly as it takes flight towards the sun where it belongs?
Helen Cooper’s heartfelt telling shows how, in their own ways, the siblings help one another to begin to move forward after such a life-changing ordeal. To me the blackness of the sea at the start represents their loss and the butterfly symbolises transcendence of that dark fearful state. Equally poignant, Gill Smith’s stunningly beautiful illustrations perfectly capture the feelings of the siblings in those early stages of rebuilding their lives.
Every primary school classroom needs a copy of this one.
One Camel Called Doug Lu Fraser and Sarah Warburton Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
Star story spinner Lu Fraser has created another winning picture book in a new partnership with illustrator Sarah Warburton.
When it comes to flying solo Doug is an expert; everything he knows about comes in the singular – at least as this rhyming story starts that is the case. But Doug thinks he might be better off with a playmate. Almost as soon as he thought that however, what should come along but another camel, Brian by name. Two proves a whole lot more fun than one but hot on his heels or rather hooves, come Claire,
Bruce and Rita. A veritable footie team no less. And so it goes on until there’s an entire train of the humped creatures – just the thing for a party.
However, all that romping and stomping can prove a tad overwhelming if it goes on and on and on … What then for our adorable dromedary?
Lu’s faultless rhyming narrative has a fun counting element but there’s so much more to enjoy: not least the way she uses a repeat refrain, “What’s that, cried … “is it a …? to set the scene for the next arrival, the name of which is part of an on-going guessing game.
Sarah Warburton manages to bestow a real personality on each camel that comes along – no mean feat – and the scene with the ‘fancy dress camels’ is definitely one to pore over. In fact it’s the way that words and pictures work together that makes this such a super book and one that youngsters will want to hear read aloud over and over.
Mayor Bunny’s Chocolate Town Elys Dolan Oxford Children’s Books
Mr Bunny is back and he’s feeling a tad bored with his current role in the chocolate factory so he decides to run for mayor of Coop Town which is in desperate need to some repair work. Seeing the mayoral office as an ideal way of increasing his influence he zealously starts his campaign, promising to make the town great again. Does that remind you of anything I wonder?
Initially the town’s residents are delighted by what Mr Bunny promises – new amenities and houses – chocolate naturally, which, so Mr B. says is a fox repellent.
Of course, by now alarm bells should be ringing as readers realise that this particular candidate is merely seeking power, making pledges he has no intention of fulfilling and doing his utmost to discredit his sensible, honest rival, chicken Debbie. His campaign is waged with dirty tricks, a plethora of lies and come election day bribes.
However this is a tale of be careful what you wish for, at least it’s so for Mr Bunny: having been elected, he finds he has some very important lessons to learn in his new role.
As one has come to expect, Elys Dolan’s illustrations are brimming over with deliciously droll details and her wonderful narrative has a wealth of speech bubbles that are just brilliant.
Having read my copy, eagerly seized after her younger brother put it down, my nine-year old relation remarked, “I think this is going to be Dad’s new favourite picture book.” I suspect she’s right for he, along with this reviewer (apart from being chocolate addicts) will draw parallels between the antics of Coop Town’s Mr Bunny and a certain ex mayor of London.
My Mum Is A Lioness Swapna Haddow and Dapo Adeola Macmillan Children’s Books
From the same team that gave us My Dad is a Grizzly Bear comes this hilarious follow-up starring a mum with a very big personality and a huge amount of love – love she clearly both gives and receives.
The little human narrator introduces readers to this larger than life parent serving her up by means of suitably leonine language that Dapo Adeola dramatically portrays in his action-packed scenes of family life. This powerhouse of a personality, is constantly busy. She appears to have boundless energy as she goes about her role as mum,
partner, friend, sporting hero and teacher. Most important she always manages to be there at the ready to bestow those wonderfully warm ‘lioness hugs’ just when they are most needed.
An absolute corker of a book for mums and little ones to share at home and for educators to do likewise at school or nursery. This rip-roaring tribute to the power of mums everywhere would make a smashing present for mothers of young children on Mother’s Day.
Love is … Sarah Maycock and Lily Murray Sometimes I feel … Sarah Maycock Big Picture Press
In the first book, using a variety of creatures great and small, furred,
feathered or smooth and leathery, author Lily Murray and illustrator Sarah Maycock explore some of the myriad ways that we can experience love, both feeling it and giving it.
In each example, figurative language ‘Love is / BEAUTIFUL / like the sanctuary / a bowerbird builds for its mate -/ adorned with treasures.’ … – ‘love’s beauty comes / in many forms … / … a simple song, / a colourful dance, / a loving face’, and gorgeous painterly images extend across two double spreads whereon the artist makes use of vibrant hues and monochrome colour to great effect.
Having met a host of members of the animal kingdom the final spreads make the assertion ‘Love is a POWERFUL THING, / For with love … / We can do / ANYTHING.’
What better words to give a loved one: this large format book would send a powerful message to its recipient.
Presented in a small format, again using animal similes is Sometimes I feel … which looks at emotions.
At the end of the book, in a note the artist explains that this had its origins as a project in her final year at university. She wanted to explore the ‘universal nature of animals and how we can relate them to our own (human) experiences and characteristics. She spent a considerable time studying animals both in zoos and in natural history documentaries on TV and as she painted it seemed that like us, wild animals display a gamut of complex emotional responses. Some of these she captures in this superbly executed series of watercolour and ink paintings.
A little book that offers children an unusual starting point for exploring their own feelings and emotions and those of others.
I Am Not an Octopus Eoin McLaughlin and Marc Boutavant Walker Books
As he pushes a shopping trolley loaded up with tins of tuna, eight-limbed Terry states firmly, ‘I am NOT an octopus.’ and continues to do so as he leaves the supermarket and walks to the park. Seeking to justify his pronouncement he continues that he’d be in the sea if that were the case, ‘Unless I were afraid of water (which I’m absolutely not).’
So why the panic when he finds himself showered by the sprinklers he passes?
Terry carries on talking about the potential difficulties fear of water would pose for an octopus: no meeting octopus friends and family, no outings to Super Octopus Fantasea Adventure World either. Perhaps Terry should try learning to swim: he asks readers for some advice were he to pay a visit to the swimming pool including to pee or not to pee, and he decides to take the plunge.
Then with a newly acquired skill under his trunks, there comes Terry’s big reveal. However what’s said will come as no surprise to readers.
Delectably daft, Eoin McLaughlin’s tale of facing and overcoming your fears, octopus style, is one that children will relate to while relishing its silliness: silliness made all the more engaging by Marc Boutavant’s zany scenes of the protagonist narrator and his antics.
Hope the Whale illustrated by Laura Chamberlain Macmillan Children’s Books
This picture book was published in collaboration with the Natural History Museum and inspired by one of its most popular exhibits.
In spring a boy watches from the cliffs near his small town home as two blue whales – one large, one small – glide through the water as they begin their journey north. The boy calls the smaller whale Hope and throughout the summer months he imagines her swimming through the blue waters, passing polar bears and icebergs.
The arrival of autumn brings Hope once again, still keeping close to her mother as they head for the warmer southern waters.
A stormy winter follows and come the spring again, there is Hope. This migratory journey goes on through the seasons for some years
until eventually, not only is there no sign of the mother whale, but one spring Hope doesn’t come either. Older now, with hope in his heart, the boy heads out in his boat to search for her. Will he ever see her again?
Happily yes, she’s grown considerably and she’s not alone.
A final superbly coloured, fold-out spread follows the story. When opened up it reveals information about the real blue whale that gave rise to this story, along with facts about the annual migratory journey such creatures make.
With its whale watcher acting as narrator and Laura Chamberlain’s arresting illustrations, this is a book to add to home collections and primary school bookshelves.
A small sailor (Jonas we learn later) in a small boat is sailing on the calm ocean when suddenly it becomes anything but. As the sea rages violently ‘neath a now black sky the cry goes out, ‘Help! help! Mayday! Mayday!
Happily to the rescue comes an enormous whale, Blue by name. Later from the safety of his lighthouse, the sailor bids goodnight to his Blue, telling the creature, ‘You are the prettiest of whales.’
The following morning it’s calm once more and the sailor searches for Blue, much concerned when the creature fails to appear. Blue is down deep and far from well. Venturing inside his mouth, Jonas is shocked to find that his belly is chock full of plastic bags. The little sailor collects up all the bags
and takes them away in his boat having told the whale to breakfast on jellyfish. Their meeting the next day sees a much livelier Blue, then an affectionate boy and Blue together and on the promontory wall beneath the lighthouse are written some crucial words.
A powerful environmental message indeed and one that young children will most certainly relate to. Barroux’s soft-coloured illustrations with simple, thin black outlined images are highly effective conveyors of the tale alongside the child protagonist’s telling.
After the story the author leaves readers a heartfelt message explaining that Blue represents every one of the different whale species in our oceans, and giving information about things that can be done to support the causes of whales and ocean pollution.
The Fussy Flamingo Jonnie Wild and Brita Granström Otter-Barry Books
Fantastically funny is the latest in the Five Flamingos series from team Wild and Granström. It stars Baby and as the title says, this little bird is an exceedingly fussy creature.
On the day we meet her she’s throwing a tantrum about all things flamingo and has decided to flounce off into the forest to find a family whose diet is more to her liking. Her first encounter is with the monkey family: they, so she’s told feast on “Big burpy bananas. ” Baby consumes two but is far from impressed with their taste or her change of hue so it’s suggested she heads off to see the fruit bats. However their berries – the ‘chewy-bluey’ variety are not to Baby’s taste either. Neither is the outcome of her consuming same.
Equally unhappy about her consultations with the giraffes
and the anteater, Baby heads off to the river to try her luck there. Meanwhile the other flamingos are desperately seeking her whereabouts.
When she reaches her destination, Baby meets a lip-licking crocodile to which she asks a rather dangerous question …
Brita’s hilarious scenes heighten the drama of Jonnie’s text with its playful language and plethora of speech bubbles: together they’ve created a tasty tale of a fussy eater that youngsters will relish and if they’ve not previously met the Five Flamingos, they’ll likely want to sample others of their stories.
(The author’s royalties are to be donated to support wildlife habitat conservation in Africa.)
The Last Tiger Becky Davies and Jennie Poh Little Tiger
Climate change and destructive human actions are at the heart of this tale of Asha the tiger.
As the story opens, she and her family are living happily in a lush forest along with boars and other creatures. but little by little their environment changes. Sunny days become hotter and hotter and rainy ones, much wetter, so wet that the land is flooded, forcing the boars to leave the forest in search of other places to live. Tigers too disappear, and without the boars, food for the remaining tigers becomes extremely scarce.
Eventually Asha finds herself completely alone, save for the scent of humans. Yes, humans had come into the forest, bringing with them huge destructive machines that cut down all the trees.
As Asha creeps through the devastation the humans have left in their wake, she sees a flash of bright orange. Another tiger perhaps? But no, it’s an orangutan, but company at least. Can the two of them possibly find a new home somewhere else …
Tragic and poignant, this timely story looks at the plight of just one of the animal species endangered, due for the most part to human actions such as the deforestation we saw in Asha’s natural habitat. Saving tigers from extinction means saving forests and there’s relevant information in the final pages of this book including the alarming fact that there are now less than 4,000 tigers left in the wild.
What is more important to you: is it being a winner or being a really good friend? That question is explored in Chris Naylor-Ballesteros’s new story starring bear Bert and Frank, a fox who acts as narrator.
Their favourite game is hide-and-seek in which Bert is sure he’s an ace hider and loves to do so. The trouble is the bulky bear is far from an expert and inevitably Frank finds him easily every time, which Bert puts down to not being given sufficient time to stow himself away.
So, instead of the usual count of ten, Frank decides to give Bert a hundred before he starts to search.
Can he now find the perfect place to hide?
The crazy comic capers of the adorable duo are brilliantly highlighted by their day-glo bright garments be they in their appropriate places or gradually becoming unravelled across the lumpy, bumpy landscape.
Hugely entertaining yes, but with a moral dilemma at its heart. It’s great for sharing with a class, group or individual, though equally, the simplicity of the language makes it a rewarding story for learner readers too. An absolute gem of a book in every way.
Dogs in Disguise Peter Bently and John Bond Harper Collins Children’s Books
In a hilarious, bouncy rhyming text, Peter Bently introduces a veritable virtuoso performance by ingenious canines. Each successfully infiltrates some kind of humans’ place disguised in garments garish, gaudy, smart, stylish, sporty, trendy, minimal, or sometimes just plain silly and even, if unpractised in the art of deception, terrible. Clad in gear ‘borrowed’ from their places of residence, they wander the streets, strutting their stuff, then stroll into shops – we see them – that ‘pair of OLD SCHNAUZERS’ ‘there, in PINK TROUSERS …’ ; while others gain admittance to seriously cool cafes like this one
Others with a sporty inclination cleverly compete in jujitsu – that’s CHARLENE the SHIH-TZU, or splash around in the swimming pool. We view one trying its paws at a tonsorial establishment, whereas that Frenchie family might simultaneously be gorging themselves on goodies at the theatre.
Now all of this requires training from an early age; but if like Barney one tries to be just a tad too clever, there’s the danger of embarrassing moments down at the park.
With their bright blocks of colour and superbly expressive eyes, John Bond’s illustrations are the perfect match for Peter’s wacky words.
Perfect for pooch lovers, fashionistas and anybody who likes a good giggle.
Stop the Clock! Pippa Goodhart and Maria Christania Tiny Owl
I do so appreciate young Joe’s frustration when everything he does has to be rushed. First it’s mum with a myriad of things on her mind, telling him to hurry up before they set off for school; then the walk itself is done at a run in case they’re late. Worse still, when he gets thoroughly immersed in the art topic Mr Khan has set the class, he’s told to stop and he’s nowhere near finished.
“STOP THE CLOCK!” he cries in sheer frustration. By now everybody else has complied with the instructions, but Joe – and who can blame him – adds his crying sister to his picture, picks it up and walks out. Now this is where readers, especially adults, will have to adopt that willing suspension of disbelief mode, for Joe leaves the school premises and heads to the street where he kneels down and continues drawing.
There is so much to see from ground level: so much to interpret about what’s going on and so many wonderful details to add to that picture of his. He even finds something that his sister must have dropped in the rush to reach school on time. Finally with picture complete to his satisfaction, Joe goes back to the classroom, leaves his picture with the others and gives instructions to the clock to restart. Come home-time, after a slight pause, four happy people walk home together.
A heartfelt look at the busy lives that most of us live, often trying to do more than one thing at a time and in danger of missing out on those quality, slow moments we all need. In the past two years, the majority of adults at least, have come to appreciate the importance of time to stop and stare. With more and more people now back working full time as well as juggling child care and more, it’s crucial that everyone, young and not so young, has time to appreciate the world around without feeling guilty about doing so. Author Pippa Goodhart and debut illustrator Maria Christania capture this need so beautifully in this picture book – it’s a wonderful example of how some good things have come from the lockdowns we’ve been subjected to.
Also showing the importance of taking time to appreciate the wonders of the natural world is:
A Walk Through Nature Libby Walden and Clover Robin Little Tiger (Caterpillar Books)
Through twelve, two verse poems and beautiful collage style illustrations with some facts tucked away behind flaps and die-cuts that allow readers to glimpse (or sometimes guess) what lies beneath, author Libby Walden and artist Clover Robin take us through the countryside presenting the numerous transformations that take place throughout the year.
No matter where one looks there’s much to wonder at. We visit a field in springtime as the flowers are starting to bloom in their myriad colours; look up high where birds fly seeking nesting places in the trees; stand at the edge of a peaceful pond wherein tadpoles are hatching and baby duckling are learning to swim.
Other habitats we visit are a woodland and a beach in summertime; a forest area and a mountainside through which a river flows in autumn, and, as winter arrives, swallows taking flight to warmer climes and foxes heading to their earths and as day turns to night, the emergence of nocturnal creatures ‘neath the silvery stars.
Containing a wealth of nature-related vocabulary, both gently educative and awe inspiring, this immersive book, now in paperback is a lovely introduction to nature poetry and nature itself.
The Midnight Fair Gideon Sterer and Mariachiara Di Giorgio Walker Books
Oh WOW! This is such a superb wordess book ( wordless save for the occasional fairground signs) – definitely one of the very best I’ve seen and way too good to restrict to a particular audience.
As the book opens, forest creatures – bears, squirrels, deer, a stoat, racoons, a badger, a fox, rabbits, mice, a wolf – watch from beyond the fence as the fair unloads. From the edge of the woodlands they see the fairground filling up with humans large and small who spend the entire day enjoying the thrills, leaving only as night descends. The keeper switches off the lights.
From the shadows the animals emerge – it’s their turn now for some of that fun. In they come eyes aglow, through a gap in the fence, two racoons reactivate the power and the place becomes theirs. We also feel it’s ours, so immersive are the illustrations. As well as revelling in the rides and other attractions the animals take on the roles of the stall holders using various natural objects – acorns, pinecones, shells, leaves, fungi and wild flowers – as payment and we can almost inhale the scents of popcorn and candy floss.
At daybreak, the keeper wakes; it’s time for the animals to leave. Tired but very happy and a tad messy, they clear up the entire place and hurry away in the nick of time,
leaving only some of their currency on the ticket counter. But, their business is not quite done yet: as the others bed down, wolf carrying the goldfish won at the hoop-la stall, heads down to the lake and releases it into the water.
With clever use of both dark and light, and the natural world and the human one, Mariachiara Di Giorgio’s mixed media spreads, both detailed frames and expansive double page scenes, are a satisfying mix of the whimsical and the wondrous. This is one of those books that the more you read it, the more emerges.
A Hero Called Wolf Lucy Rowland and Ben Mantle Macmillan Children’s Books
There are all kinds of heroes in storybooks – big ones, small ones, male and female, but wolves? No, never. That is certainly the experience of the one in author Lucy Rowland and illustrator Ben Mantle’s new book. It’s a wonderful take on the world of fairy tales starring a reformed wolf who now, thanks to the library, has become an avid reader who loves to share that book love with his new friends.
One day however, he pays a visit to the library looking very downcast. He’s come to the realisation that no matter what kind of heroes he meets in the books he reads there’s never, ever one of the lupine variety: wolves are always portrayed as the baddies. The librarian makes a suggestion: write the kind of story you want to read. Do I have what it takes, he wonders, far from sure. Then into the library storms a woodcutter with a blunt axe.
Shortly after a troubled knight appears, followed by a handsome prince, all of whom wolf helps with the aid of books, the prince actually calling him “My hero!”
Suddenly there comes a shelf-shaking stomp heralding the arrival of a giant. The others want to send him packing.
Can Wolf summon up his courage to act … ‘For heroes are BRAVE and they’re CLEVER and KIND.’ Could that now be Wolf? …
The combination of Lucy Rowland’s rhyming text, which is a joy to read aloud, and Ben Mantle’s playful, often arresting illustrations make for a stereotype-challenging tale. As well as being huge fun to share, it demonstrates that everybody can be a hero, no matter who or what they are. That, and giving a real plug to the importance of libraries and the power of reading.
Owls Are Cool Timothy Knapman and Jason Cockroft Walker Books
Meet Oscar, a burrowing owl and narrator of this story; he’s a cool creature he tells us, because of his inability to fly. He has no desire to emulate the flying owl species that soar and swoop in the sky. Instead he much prefers to spend his time burrowing and running and ZOOOOOOOOMing around the grassy terrain.
One day he issues a challenge to a watching snowy owl that comes swooping down to watch him strut his stuff. As expected the challenge is accepted and Oscar watches unimpressed at what he calls “showing off”.
But then disaster: the snowy owl smashes right into a tree and crash lands nearby, injuring both wings. The creature introduces himself as Reggie and Oscar then has a change of heart. Offering his burrow as a temporary haven to Reggie, he discovers that the need for friendship is what really matters.
This is a sweet story showing how friendship can transcend differences and being different is ‘cool’. I’ve never come across a burrowing owl in the wild; I don’t think they are resident in the UK and it was good to meet this one in Timothy’s tale. Jason Cockcroft captures both the long-legged strigine and the snowy one beautifully in his gently humorous scenes of the countryside shown from a variety of viewpoints.
I Am Hungry Michael Rosen and Robert Starling Walker Books
Following the smashing I Am Angry collaboration between Michael Rosen and Robert Starling is another offering from the poetry book A Great Big Cuddle, which again results in a terrific read aloud picture book for foundation stage children especially.
Expanding on the ideas in Michael’s poem, Robert Starling’s illustrations are executed in bright, bold hues and his characterisation of Squirrel (and the bit part players) in his dramatic scenes is superbly done.
In an introductory note, Michael writes that when he feels hunger pangs he sometimes daydreams about things he could eat, some real and some weird, going on to suggest that this might become a game. Seemingly Squirrel has read those words for that is what the ravenous creature does: starting from normal hunger sating fare like bread rolls and popcorn, cheese and peas, things become decidedly outlandish – a funny joke,
a very bad dream, a frying pan,
a nasty fright for example.
Youngsters will relish this absurdity and delight in thinking up their own lists of possibilities. What a wonderful starting point for flights of fancy – verbal or written – this would make after a class sharing of this super book.
These two picture books offer fun ways to introduce mathematical ideas to young children:
Catastrophe! Anne Marie Stephens and Jenn Harney Boyds Mills Press
This is a clever book about a crew of cats sporting either green or orange lifejackets that embark on a dinner-catching fishing trip. They begin well enough as they line up beside the lake with all their gear intact but then some of their lines become entangled and they’ve paid no regard for the colour of their jackets. ‘This is a CATastrophe!’ declares their leader, ‘We need a pattern.’ With the core pattern duly discovered the cats reorganise themselves ‘green, orange, green, orange and so on and climb aboard the canoe. Captain Cat now calls the rowing pattern ’Row, row, meow’ to synchronise their paddle strokes but the kitties make a mistake which sends them into a spin. And so it goes on till the bait is dropped, but the fish have a trick under their fins and that leads to another CATastrophe …
Will this crew end up going hungry perhaps?
Author Anne Marie Stephens and illustrator Jenn Harney have created a simple, fun learning tale: youngsters will love to join with chanting the patterns, while also enjoying the playful scenes of the comedic crew.
Noni the Pony Counts to a Million Alison Lester Allen & Unwin Children’s Books
If you are looking for a number/ counting book that goes beyond ten, then join the lovable Noni for a whole day of counting fun that begins when she stops one morning beside one tree to watch her two friends Dave the dog and Coco the cat as they dance beside the sea.
From there Noni gives a ride to a trio of speckled hens, races with cows, then come encounters with some wallabies, the watching of swooping swallows (six), a game of puppy hide-and-seek (seven), followed by fluttering butterflies (eight) and nine spotty fish swimming through the reeds. That takes us through to ten.
Unlike many counting books though, this one doesn’t stop there; rather it introduces ‘dozens’, ‘hundreds’, ‘thousands’ and finally, we see the three friends fast asleep beneath ‘millions of stars’.
Not only is this a delightful book about numbers, but with an interesting, short rhyming text well matched to Alison Lester’s playful scenes, it’s also great for beginning readers.
This Tree Is Just For Me! Lucy Rowland and Laura Hughes Bloomsbury Children’s Books
It’s impossible for Jack to find a quiet place in which to settle down with his brand new book in the garden so he decides to search for a tree of his very own. Having discovered the perfect one and made the titular declaration, up the boy climbs and begins to read. Before long though the branches start to shake heralding the arrival of tiger wanting a chat. Jack politely explains and sends the big cat on its way. However said tiger is only the first of a series of visitors to the tree: an alligator, a snake, a couple of monkeys, a sloth and others follow in quick succession until one wonders how Jack’s chosen tree can possibly stand all that weight.
Enough is enough decides the boy now shouting the title sentence and discombobulating the visitors, all of which hastily descend. Peace at last. Jack finishes his book
but then a realisation dawns …
I love this story that celebrates the joy of reading, be it solo or with others. Far-fetched as it is, Lucy’s rhyming text is a terrific read aloud that really works and Laura’s scenes of that idyllic reading location and its visitors – human and otherwise – are hugely expressive and highly amusing.
The Longest Storm Dan Yaccarino minedition
‘A storm came to our town. It was unlike any storm we’d ever seen. No one knew how long it would last. We would have to stay inside maybe for a long while.’ So begins this story wherein three children, a Dad and a dog find themselves stuck inside with not enough to do and too much time to fill. Inevitably things start to deteriorate: frustration , boredom and anger become the norm and eventually Dad loses his temper completely.
Everyone goes their own way until one night comes a huge flash of lightning that shakes the house. This causes them to come back together. Apologies ensue and come the morning something has changed. The storm still rages outside but little by little things within improve and eventually the storm abates, the sun appears
and the task of rebuilding begins.
They’ve all undergone an emotional upheaval like no other and one suspects that Yaccarino’s story is a metaphor of the pandemic lockdowns we’ve all endured in the past couple of years. It will definitely resonate with families and offers a useful starting point to open discussions either at home or in the classroom as we start to emerge from our restricted lifestyles once more.
The Window Laura Gehl and Udayana Lugo Studio Press
Written from the child’s viewpoint this is a beautiful, sensitively written (Laura Gehl) and illustrated ( Udayana Lugo) heartfelt story about a little girl and her relationship with her beloved grandfather in the last weeks and days of his life.
Visiting Grandpa alongside the child during his long-term illness, readers share the love that exists between the two as they look at the view from the window of her grandpa’s hospital room and talk about the things they’ll do together on the beach they see below, when as the little girl says, the old man is better.
That’s not what happens though for Grandpa gets progressively worse and eventually dies. It’s a very sad time as we see, but at the end there’s an unexpected, yet very powerful, heartening twist to this poignant tale. It’s one that serves as a reminder that although no longer physically with us, loved ones are always present.
At the end of the book are some helpful, supportive words of advice from psychotherapist Dr Sharie Coombes about how to talk with a child about the death of a much loved family member.
Rabbit’s Pancake Picnic Tegen Evans and Paula Bowles Nosy Crow
Rabbit is a determined, independent character and insists she’s going to make pancakes for her picnic all by herself. That’s the plan but then she discovers her recipe book is missing from the basket she’s packed. Botheration! She’ll have to wing it she decides as she starts adding ingredients to her mixing bowl.
In go first, strawberries (10) then syrup (9 spoonsful), followed in decreasing numbers by apples , lemons, bananas, cheese chunks, tomatoes, blobs of cream, spoonsful of sugar and finally a single pinch of salt. All the while she firmly resists her friends’s suggestions, but the end result is a ghastly-looking mess. Poor Rabbit; she dashes off to the woods to hide herself away.
But then along comes Bear and he has something that might just save the day …
A sweet, but unlike Rabbit’s mixture – far from sickly tale of teamwork, listening to the advice of one’s friends and the delights of working together. There’s so much for young listeners to enjoy including the adorable characters, the repeat refrains to join in with, the counting opportunities and then there’s the bonus of Rabbit’s Perfect Pancake recipe at the end. MMM!
Little Owl’s New Friend Debi Gliori and Alison Brown Bloomsbury Children’s Books
In this new Little Owl story, the chief protagonist is far from happy when his mum interrupts his play with his toy hedgehog, Hedge, announcing that “Small Squirrel has come to play.” A flat refusal comes from Little Owl: no way is a new friend joining in their Hungry Lion game.
Now Mum needs to use some clever tactics,. Can cinnamon buns (now I’d certainly weaken at the mention of those), change her offspring’s mind?
Small Squirrel seems to like them. If not perhaps a bear hunt, picnic-marauding Snaffleworms, or even a ‘Hush-Hush’ might save the day?
There’s SO much to talk about here. Both author Debi and illustrator Alison beautifully capture the feelings of youngsters who are apprehensive about making new friends. Young children will delight in Mummy Owl’s clever ploys while also empathising with both Little Owl and Small Squirrel. Add to early years collections and home bookshelves if you have little humans of the preschool kind.
Snuggled up with her little cub, a mother panda explains the importance of the little things in life and how they are what really matter: ‘It’s the little things that matter./ It’s the little things that count. / It’s not the biggest or the best / or the largest amount.’ She goes on to give examples of the things she’s referring to: morning kisses, time spent together perhaps watching passing clouds, apologising, saying “well done”, hugging a friend or smiling at a stranger; acts of kindness and more. Through a simple rhyming text and adorable scenes of the actions she writes of (many with copper foil embellishment), Emma Dodd conveys parental devotion and love showing how the ‘little things’ add up to something really big: a contented, happy life with a caregiver. A small, heartwarming book for adults and their little ones to cuddle up with and enjoy together at any time of day.
Maisy’s Chinese New Year Lucy Cousins Walker Books
We join Maisy and her friends as they prepare for the Chinese New Year. The day before the festival Maisy prepares by sweeping her house; we see her visiting the market to buy food, decorations and something red to wear, and generally getting ready for the festivities. On the day itself, she’s joined by first Tiger, (bringing presents and decorations to wish everybody luck and happiness), shortly followed by Tallulah, Charley and Cyril. After they’ve finished feasting who should come a-visiting bearing lucky red money envelopes but Ostrich and Penguin. They all gather around Tiger to listen to the story of the Chinese Zodiac
and then come midnight they welcome in the new year by watching a firework display. Next morning everybody participates in a colourful parade and then Maisy leads all her friends in a good luck dragon dance. The story is followed by a ‘can you find?’ page. With Lucy Cousins’ bold, bright illustrations containing lots of Chinese touches such as paper lanterns, a blossom branch and a blue and white vase, this is a lovely way to introduce very young children to the traditions associated with the Chinese New Year.
These are two picture books with an undersea setting: thanks to the publisher Walker Books for sending them for review
Under the Sea 1,2,3 Frané Lessac
Vibrant illustrations, a counting element, fun fascinating facts and an environmental message are combined in this picture book that takes readers beneath the ocean to meet some of the animal inhabitants living in and around the coral reef.
First we encounter one giant whale shark and discover that some of their kind can grow as long as a bus. Then, in a double spread each, come two dugongs, three playful clownfish … parrotfish (7) which young children will love to discover, use their sharp teeth to ‘crunch up coral’ and later ‘poop out the chomped-up coral as sand.’
After twelve tired seahorses, comes a final scene showing the reef along with a gentle message about their important role in keeping the sea and ultimately the planet, healthy. There’s also a visual summary of all the creatures we’ve met alongside the relevant numerals that may well send little ones back to the beginning to start over again. A gentle way to learn some marine biology facts relating to habitat and habits of the creatures selected.
Jelly-Boy Nicole Godwin and Christoper Nielsen
A highly important topical issue lies at the heart of this seemingly simple eco-themed love story. Assuming that the object of her affections is another jellyfish, Nicole Godwin’s jelly-girl narrator – against the advice of other family members – falls in love with a plastic bag. ‘ “We’ve seen his type before.” “He’s highly dangerous.” ‘ they warn. Nonetheless, the attraction is so strong that she follows the object of her affections into wild and dangerous waters as little by little the dreadful realisation dawns …
You can almost feel the pull both of the narrator’s love and the ocean waters as the narrative moves across the spreads taking readers to the final farewell.
Mixed media illustrations and an unusual telling combine to deliver the crucial message about the pollution of our oceans and its devastating effects in a picture book that will make a different starting point for primary classroom discussions about, and more important action concerning, single use plastics and caring for the environment in general.
Monster! Hungry! Phone! Sean Taylor and Fred Benaglia Bloomsbury Children’s Books
To say that Monster is hungry is something of an understatement, he’s starving. The fridge is empty. He reaches for his mobile – TAP TAP TIP TAP TAP … BLING-BRING BLING-BRING … It won’t be long before his hunger is sated – so he thinks.
However things don’t quite go to plan. Thanks to a series of wrong numbers he calls up a jaguar, a panda,
a salamander, a sleepy sloth and an alien none of which are purveyors of pizza.
Finally – hurray! A delivery of mouth-watering cheesy pizza is on its way. Monster is drooling as he opens the front door. However even then, poor Monster is in for yet another surprise. Now what? He’s ravenous …
Stupendously silly and anarchically brilliant both verbally and visually this is a terrific treat for both listeners and readers aloud. The former will relish chiming in with the tapping and tipping, blinging and bringing, and yelling out MONSTER! HUNGRY! as the drama unfolds in Fred Benglia’s sequence of hilarious spreads and Sean’s relatively few words,carefully selected for maximum impact. Adults will appreciate the chance to deliver a monstrous performance.
A delicious offering through and through and one that’s likely to become a much requested favourite in classrooms.
I’ll never forget, back in the day when I was doing my very first teaching practice in a primary school in south London coming upon a six year old West Indian boy, Errol, during an art session with white paint all over his hands – backs and fronts – trying to paint his face white too. ‘I hate by brown skin’ he said. That memory has stayed with me ever since and it saddens me that in the twenty first century, Michaela’s young son should have said something similar to her, prompting her to create this celebration of brown skin.
Michaela’s narrator is an adorable little girl who like many children of her age, loves finger painting. She shares with readers, her pet turtle Myrtle and her grandmother her experiments in colour mixing using the three primary colours.
First she makes orange by mixing red and yellow, then mixes yellow and blue, which results in
the same colour as her turtle and so on. Putting all three primary colours together gives her brown, which she recognises as her own colour. “This is ME. This colour suits me … PERFECTLY!” she announces and then goes on to create a glorious rainbow shaped design on the wall …
The positivity of both the rhyme and the glorious illustrations in this, the first of Michaela Dias-Hayes’ books as both author and illustrator, shine through on every spread of this, the first of a new series.
Isabelle and the Crooks Michelle Robinson and Chris Mould Walker Books
Young Isabelle Crook is something of a misfit in her family of ‘ordinary crooks’. Unlike her sneaky dad, stealthy mum, cunning grandparents or little brother, Isabelle is a law-abiding citizen. In one week she turns down opportunities to participate in a bank robbery, a toy shop burglary, a spot of breaking and entering with her Grandpa and Grandma; she eschews the chance of some super exciting stealing with her parents and on Friday when the entire family set out to the tower to steal the crown jewels, she firmly refuses to accompany them.
On Saturday it’s a rest day and an early night at the Crooks’ residence but Isabelle lies awake worrying about how the Queen might be feeling. So, she embarks on a mission to return those crown jewels to their rightful owner. However, despite using her innate skills to enter the tower, as she’s in the process of replacing the stolen loot Isabelle is apprehended.
Rather than have her entire family imprisoned, the girl spends a night in jail
giving the rest of a family quite a shock next morning when they wake and find her (and much more) missing.
Perhaps now Isabelle might consider breaking her own good behaviour rules just once and if so, even persuade them to emulate the Ahlberg’s Burglar Bill and put it all back.
Michelle’s cleverly constructed narrative coupled with Chris Mould’s outrageously brilliant gothic style illustrations make this a delectably droll, altogether unmissable picture book.
When Anna and Kiki are stuck inside on a rainy day they soon become bored with their usual indoor activities. After a short period of staring gloomily through the window at the rain teeming down Kiki has a brainwave. “We could play the Think-Ups!” she suggests. With the only rule being to think up a Think-Up and it will appear, off they go despite Anna’s initial misgivings.
Before long the girls have called into being a whole lot of bouncing bunnies, a very lively moose,
an octet of octopuses have emerged from the loo and a host of hungry koalas are attempting to sate their appetites.
It’s huge fun for a while but then mayhem ensues as the menagerie storms into the kitchen
where the friends start to lose it with one another. However in the nick of time, just as the rain stops, Kiki comes up with a solution Think-Up
– her best so far, decides Anna. Then, the girls head outdoors into the sun, order duly restored. Or is it?
With its animated language and pastel hued scenes showing superbly the descent into chaos, coupled with the author’s portrayal of girls’ irrepressible energy and rapidly changing moods that is so typical of preschoolers, this is a terrific read aloud, made all the more fun by the use of half pages and the wealth of delightful details at every page turn. Long live the power of the imagination, especially when it’s captured as adeptly as in this story.
Nursery? Not Today! Rebecca Patterson and Nikki Dyson Farshore
Rosa starts nursery, so she tells us, on a Monday. Everything goes wonderfully well: she paints an ace picture, sings without any shouting, enjoys lunch and plays without any rough stuff. At the end of the day, her teacher Miss Lewis deems her ‘an absolute star!” Seemingly Miss Lewis wasn’t quite as observant as she could have been.
Assuredly the newbie enjoyed the plentiful action the nursery offered and she’s even prepared to share her new song with her younger sibling on the way home.
However, come Tuesday, Ruby has other plans that keep her more than a tad busy. Daddy is not impressed, especially when the young narrator suggests sending little brother Alby in her place and even less so when she suggests if he won’t do, perhaps Bernard (the pet gerbil) might stand in.
Is there anything that might persuade Rosa to don her coat and shoes and set out? I wonder …
Well observed, Rebecca Patterson’s funny story with Nikki Dyson’s bold, splendidly expressive, illustrations will appeal both to preschoolers and adult sharers though for different reasons. Youngsters will love exploring the wealth of detail in the illustrations as well as Rosa’s antics whereas adults will particularly appreciate the child/father interactions.
A smashing story to share with those about to start nursery and those already happily settled in a preschool setting.
Despite there apparently being plenty to amuse them on their own island, the dinosaurs are bored with sandcastle construction, skeleton reassembling and the other possibilities at home, and so they decide to pay a visit to Kitten Island. After all those kittens look like friendly creatures so despite what the narrator says about them, the prehistoric creatures are having none of it and potential catastrophes notwithstanding, off they go.
Game 1 is Launch the Lizards (courtesy of a geyser) but was that sudden flight and soaking really what the visitors came for? Lesson learned: surely that’s enough. It doesn’t appear so and nor does the second game ‘Deflate the airship’.
However apparently undaunted, the dinos are daft enough to participate in some ‘hairball floaty’ racing. Hmm! this could be their worst experience to date … Or not?
Seemingly these three friends revel in a high level of risk taking or else they’ve left their dino-brains at home for even after another unsettling outcome they precede to game 4, Fall-o meow that begins with them plunging into a dark chasm.
However it ends with them all in Tiny Baby Kitty Playroom, which is absolutely full of even tinier kittens. Now this looks a pretty safe place where both kittens and dinosaurs can play happily together.
Um …
With its brightly hued scenes, this is huge fun and hugely silly. It’s sure to go down well with the countless young dinosaur story enthusiasts out there who will definitely relish joining the prehistoric creatures in some loud RAWR, RAW-ing at each opportunity.
Baby, Sleepy Baby Atinuke and Angela Brooksbank Walker Books
Exuding warmth and tenderness from every one of Angela Brooksbank’s illustrations is this lullaby.
Author Atinuke introduces the entire family on the title page and thereafter we see mother, father, a girl sibling and a grandmother, each of whom is shown cuddling the baby in the sequence of stunningly beautiful spreads that follow.
Although the narrative doesn’t rhyme it is lyrical: ‘Baby, sweet baby, / I’ll call on the winds // and you’ll sail like a ship / through the sky.’ it begins with infant on mother’s lap and big sister sharing the adult’s embrace.
The babe is then passed to Grandmother who bestows a kiss
then cuddles the little one with a fondness that is palpable.
We assume but it’s not certain who speaks on each spread,
although this reviewer suspects it is the person holding the little one: other readers might think differently but picture books can always open to more than one interpretation.
Once each family member has wrapped the baby in love
as well as allowing in turn, the wind, clouds, stars and moon to do likewise, everybody feels so calm and peaceful that sleep comes easily and they drift off to slumberland, with the little one between its mother and father.
Gentle, soothing and utterly gorgeous: what better book than this to give a family with a new baby.
These are two picture books from Little Tiger both written in rhyme and both celebrating love: thanks to the publisher for sending them for review:
I Love You More Than All the Stars Becky Davies and Dana Brown
The joys of a loving friendship between two small children is celebrated against an inky sky and Dana Brown’s unusual colour palette is what helps to makes this book that bit different from many of its kind.
We hear how the young friends share an unbreakable bond that is ‘deeper than the sea’, ‘stronger than a storm’ and ‘softer than a snowflake dance’, a bond that so the speaker says, will last for ever.
Much of what we see the two enjoying together takes place at night under the moon in scenes
illuminated by silver stars and the only additional colour is provided by the pops of salmon pink on the friends’ clothing and some of the natural images, a bird in flight and dancing leaves for instance.
I Love You Forever and a Day Amelia Hepworth and Tim Warnes
In the sequel to I Love You to the Moon and Back the focus is on parental love as an adult bear takes its cub through an idyllic day of togetherness. We meet them at sunrise and join them walking through the countryside, jumping paw-in-paw to cross the water, pausing to observe a mother bird and her young, basking in the meadow, picking wild flowers, splashing in the river
and finally, heading homewards under the stars ready to snuggle up close and fall fast asleep,
The characters’ shared joy shines out from Tim Warnes’ scenes of ursine activity: his bears are hugely appealing to young children who will delight in snuggling up close to their own mum or dad (or perhaps grandparent) for some pre bedtime togetherness with this story.
Home Is Where The Heart Is Jonny Lambert Little Tiger
What does it mean to really belong somewhere: that is what is explored in Jonny Lambert’s new picture book.
When Bear wanders into the old wild wood, he decides it’s where he wants to build himself a new home and so he does. There’s plenty of room inside and he adorns it with lovely things (those familiar with Jonny’s books will likely recognise Saffi’s portrait on the shelf); but something is missing. Feeling lonely Bear decides to pay his neighbour a visit and is immediately welcomed into Hare’s small, cramped home.
Despite being complete opposites in many ways the two absolutely love spending their days together outdoors. Spring, summer
and autumn pass in happy companionship, but come the winter, Hare takes to his bed with a nasty chill. Bear takes good care of him till his friend is back on his feet.
When a fierce storm comes crashing through the woods, Bear’s home is completely destroyed. Where can he go? He feels devastated but not for long thanks to Hare who welcomes his friend in with open paws. “From now until forever, my home is your home,” he says.
Now however, their friendship is really put to the test … Will it survive Bear’s clumsiness and Hare’s constant messiness?
The title says it all …
Jonny Lambert portrays so well the emotions of Bear and Hare: the warm glow of friendship illuminates almost every one of the elegant, textured scenes; his capturing of the storms, both meteorological and emotional are equally powerful too. And as always, the balance between text and illustrations is as harmonious as ever.
Aaron Slater, Illustrator Andrea Beaty and David Roberts Abrams Books for Young Readers
It’s such a joy to see a child whose neurodiversity is celebrated in the latest of the Questioneers series.
The titular Aaron D. Slater, of this rhyming picture book, is based on Aaron Douglas, the African American painter, muralist, and graphic artist, who was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance movement.
As a very young child there’s nothing Aaron loves more than to sit in the old garden swing and listen to others reading to him, and he aspires to be a writer of stories in the future.
First though he has to learn to read and to write, both of which on account of his dyslexia, he finds challenging. ‘the words are just squiggles, and try as he might, even with help Aaron can’t get it right.’
Once he starts school, Aaron who also loves to draw, decides that rather than show his feelings, the best thing to do is to try to blend in with his classmates.
In his second year at school Aaron has a new teacher and she sets the class a story writing assignment. That night the boy spends all night attempting to write “a story. Write something true.” as his teacher has said.
Filled with fear the following morning, at Miss Greer’s behest he stands before his classmates and suddenly Aaron finds his voice: ‘beauty and kindness and loving and art / lend courage to all with a welcoming heart.’
So it is that he begins to find his own way of using visual images to create stories: ‘His art makes the difference. His art leads the way and helps him discover what he wants to say.’
This superb tale of creativity, acceptance and finding your own way to transcend insecurities and challenges, will be an inspiration to all youngsters, in particular those who like Aaron, struggle with reading and spelling. (The book is set in Dyslexie, a dyslexia-friendly typeface and David Roberts, creator of the stylish illustrations, tells in a final note how he himself has struggled with reading and spelling, making those superb spreads wherein Aaron’s images literally take flight, all the more powerful.)
The Katha Chest Radhiah Chowdhury and Lavanya Naidu Allen & Unwin Children’s Books
Despite all that has happened since 2018, the UK retains its rich cultural tapestry, one that we all should celebrate.
I have never before seen a picture book that celebrates Bangladeshi culture so I was thrilled to be sent this one by an author and illustrator who draw on their own Indian Hindu and Bangladeshi Muslim heritage respectively.
Together they have crafted a fascinating story of young Asiya’s visits to her Nanu’s house which is full of treasures, Asiya’s favourite being the large katha chest containing quilts Nanu has made over the years from old saris. The little girl loves to immerse herself among these soft warm quilts and imagine the stories they hold just waiting to be whispered; stories both sad and happy, told to her by family members.
To begin with she shows readers a purple and blue quilt and we learn of Bora Khala’s medal from the war represented by the circular patterns on the fabrics. These help recall a sad time when he had to leave his wife alone with the children, to return after many years.
Then follows the first of Lavanya Naidu’s beautiful wordless double spreads of framed illustrations showing that time of the family’s life.
This and the five other four panel strips are in the style of Pattachitra – Bengali folk art cloth paintings, with simple colours, bold lines and intricate details, each one conveying a story within the main narrative. So it is that through these heirloom quilts, family history – the story of each aunt, mother and grandmother that wore the fabric – is passed on from generation to generation.
Each of the quilts holds a special memory and they’re also taken out when Asiya’s mother and aunts come together for sessions of tea drinking, story telling and reminiscing.
Both author and illustrator’s presentations of family history are imbued with so much tenderness and love that this a book for everyone regardless of their ethnic background.
Winter Lullaby Dianne White and Ramona Kaulitzki Walker Books
At the approach of winter when the air is crisp and cold, Mama Bear tells her little one that it’s time for bed but Small Bear notices Mouse and Chipmunk are still wide awake and busy; so too are Skunk and Hare.
Patiently acknowledging her offspring’s “But why must I?”, Mama explains that each one is preparing for a long winter sleep: Mouse is rushing to rest in her soft grassy nest and Chipmunk is storing nuts then he too will hibernate; Skunk will soon slumber underground and Hare will spend winter in a hollow log.
However Small Bear also spots Badger and Old Racoon, both still awake too, so he holds firm to his “But I don’t want to go inside … Why must we hide?”
Mama then promises that come the spring, they’ll both wake up and find their world green again, just waiting for them to play together once more. Finally Small Bear accepts that it is time to snuggle up warm with his mother and let the night sing them lullabies until they both fall fast asleep and slumber all winter long.
Told in rhyming couplets and through Ramona Kaulizki’s scenes of the final autumnal days giving way to winter’s bluish-silvery landscapes, this is both a lovely reassuring pre-bedtime tale and a simple explanation of hibernation for adults and little ones to share, snuggled together just like Mama Bear and her cub.
Wonky Donkey’s Big Surprise Craig Smith and Katz Cowley Scholastic
One morning wee Dinky Donkey is hugely excited and that’s because her pa Wonky has promised her a very big surprise. Rather than tell his little one what to expect, Wonky turns the whole surprise thing into a guessing game explaining that behind the big green door is where she’ll find her surprise. The guessing begins – “Is it warm?, “Is it washable?” … “is it witty? …
By the time Wonky has acknowledged “Sometimes it’s even whiffier than your dad!” Dinky cannot contain herself any longer. She leaps up and dashes to the door: now what could possibly be wonderful, wrinkly, wiggly, witty, weird, whiskery, washable, warm, whiffy and wise? WOW! What a lot of w’s to describe just one thing. Now what could it possibly be? It’s certainly something that will make Dinky and young listeners feel warm all over.
The story is delivered in Craig Smith’s characteristic playful, spirited rhyming narrative and Katz Cowley’s strokeable illustrations wherein the focus is on, not Wonky, but his endearing offspring.
Walrus Song Janet Lawler and Timothy Basil Ering Walker Books
In this narrative non-fiction picture book with its lyrical rhyming text and brilliant paintings, author Janet Lawler and illustrator Timothy Basil Ering present a superb portrait of a walrus in his icy environment, taking readers right up close to the creature .
He plays on an ice floe, flopping and plopping into the chilly water where he twirls and whirls with swirling flippers, kept warm by the layer of fat beneath his coat. Then, having found some clams on which to feast, he slurps until he’s full when it’s time to tease that playful puffin before, using his powerful tusks, he heaves himself out of the water and onto the ice.
‘Waddle. Walk. Slap! Slap!’ he lumbers, till he meets up with a pack of fellow walruses, snuggling up among them.
Sometimes however he get involved in a crashing, tusk-bashing fight with another walrus till fight over, he emits a variety of exciting sounding calls and songs that echo across the frozen landscape.
I imagine young listeners will love to copy these sounds as you read.
Come the spring, baby walruses are born. Noting is said in the main narrative about mating but the author includes information about this in a final double spread of additional walrus facts. Thanks to his chosen colour palette, you almost feel the chill as Ering’s paintings zoom in on the action documenting every move the creature makes and its every change of mood, holding readers totally captivated throughout.
Nen and the Lonely Fisherman Ian Eagleton and James Mayhew Owlet Press
Far out to sea lives Nen; he’s a merman who loves exploring but nonetheless has an empty feeling in his heart. Every night he sits beneath a starry sky singing to the sea whose waves carry his words of hope but Nen remains alone when he returns to the seabed.
Despite his father Pelagios’s warnings, Nen’s explorations of the world beyond his own lead him to discover fishing boats beyond which lives Ernest, a lonely fisherman who also feels something is lacking in his life.
One night Ernest hears Nen’s song and feeling something in his heart, he sets off in his boat to find the owner of this magical voice. So it is that a bond develops between Nen and Ernest. However Pelagios urges his son to stay away from the humans who are harming the oceans. Nen pays no heed however for he feels that the gentle, kind Ernest is special and their nightly meetings continue.
As Pelagios’ anger and sadness increase they unleash a terrible storm that puts Ernest’s life in danger as he’s thrown from his rickety boat into the foaming deep. Can Nen possibly come to his rescue
and if so, might it just change the mind of his father?
Washed through with an important conservation message, Ian Eagleton’s soft-spoken, lyrical tale of acceptance and love is compelling and perfectly paced, helped in no small part by James Mayhew’s powerfully atmospheric illustrations that include a wonderful full-length vertical scene of Nen searching the depths for Ernest, as well as small vignettes and double page spreads.
There’s love too in:
Love Grows Everywhere Barry Timms and Tisha Lee Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
‘Love grows everywhere… From country farm to city square From desert village, hot and dry, to mountain home where eagles fly.’ Through Barry Timms’ gentle rhyming text and Tisha Lee’s vibrant illustrations we share a family’s love, not only for one another but also for the plants they grow, nurture, sell, and give to members of their local community, newcomers especially. When reading this It’s impossible not to feel the various ways love is shown and shared
be it within the family, the richly diverse community or anywhere else: for love is a gift that helps to make the world a brighter, happier place; it keeps on growing and there’s sufficient for everyone, everywhere. It might just take some time for its magic to happen.
How wonderful it would be if this heartfelt book could show the way to everyone, in every place where such love is yet to manifest itself.
Once There Was a Bear Jane Riordan, illustrated by Mark Burgess Farshore
To celebrate the 95th anniversary of A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, having previously written two standalone Pooh books, Jane Riordan has created a prequel collection of ten stories, again in the style of Milne. It takes readers back to where it all began, when Pooh was bought in Harrods as a gift for baby Christopher Robin. Using a similar style to that of E.H. Shepard, Mark Burgess illustrates each episode with panache depicting Pooh and his friends Eeyore, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Tigger. The original Pooh books have an enduring appeal for those who met them first as children; however this one has a charm of its own with many of the adventures taking place outside of Hundred Acre Wood. I loved the museum outing wherein dinosaur skeletons with their ‘bothersome long words’ for names prove unusual ladders for a bear to climb upon.
This is definitely worth getting hold of if, like this reviewer, you’re a fan of Pooh et al.
The Little Prince Louise Greig and Sara Massini Farshore
Award-winning author and poet Louise Greig has adapted Antoine de Saint- Exupéry’s classic as a picture book for a younger audience than the original novella: it’s illustrated by Sara Massini who has also won many awards. The result is a thing of beauty, mysterious and poetic both verbally and visually.
I’m not sure whether the stranded pilot’s encounter with a little prince who visits neighbouring planets will appeal to children; its enigmatic nature will certainly provoke much thought and lots of questions for, as the author says, ‘What is hidden is beautiful.’ That in itself is well worth exploring.
Are You Feeling Cold, Yuki? K.I. Al-Ghani and Haitham Al-Ghani Jessica Kingsley Publishers
This picture book is about a family of snow monkeys that live in Japan, and one young monkey, Yuki, in particular. He gets so absorbed in what he’s doing that he frequently fails to realise when his body is signalling to him that, for instance, he is cold or hungry, needs to wee or to poo. This is of great concern to his parents and sister. Things come to a head when the family go off to bathe in the hot springs in the valley, for instead of joining the others in the warm water, Yuki continues playing in the snow. His mother calls upon his grandfather to help and the following morning Yuki pays him a visit.
Step by step, over the next days, weeks and months,
Grandfather helps Yuki to understand how his brain picks up sensations and sends ‘funny feelings’ to the relevant part of his body. For instance when he’s too cold, the skin on his feet and fingers get a tingly sensation and he starts to shiver so his brain tells his body to do something to warm up. Thus, he learns to recognise as well, the meaning of “a rumbly tummy” and the sensations he feels when he needs to get rid of excess liquid or the remains of food after all the goodness has been extracted.
The problems Yuki was having were on account of his being unaware of his bodily sensations and what his Grandfather taught him was something called ‘interoception’, which scientists call the eighth sense: the perception of sensations from inside the body including the perception of physical sensations related to internal organ function such as respiration, heartbeat and fullness.
By providing a place from which to become aware, story is a great way to help neurodiverse youngsters to learn. This one written by specialist advisory teacher Kay Al-Ghani with its mixed media illustrations by her son Haitham, subtly teaches about interoception and is accessible, empathetic and gently humorous. It would make a useful resource for parents, teachers and support staff.
Albert Upside Down Ian Brown and Eoin Clarke Graffeg
The latest episode in the life of my favourite tortoise Albert is full of action; not however that of the protagonist – he finds himself belly up after an unfortunate rock climbing episode undertaken in an attempt to reach a tasty treat. During his efforts to right himself the creature gives a big sigh that attracts the attention of a passing worm. Said worm stops to enquire about its cause and is soon joined not only by a second worm but also several ants. Both parties claim to be best at moving large objects and Albert suggests they work together to flip him over.
Before long it seems that the entire minibeast population has come together in the cause of operation Albert. They give it their all as they push and shove, lift and pull but the tortoise remains stuck, legs skywards. Maybe a food luring tactic might do it, but no, though it does serve to attract further attention in the form of a butterfly that offers to assist only to be given the push by a snooty snail on account of being too delicate.
Further shoving, pushing and lifting ensue to no avail so the workers pause for some silent thinking. That silence is broken by the voice of a young worm with a clever suggestion. Under the direction of the chief worm some concentrated team work begins and there’s some movement as Albert rolls slightly but not enough. More weight is required states another worm when suddenly what should return and land gently upon that snooty snail but the butterfly. Now she might just be the one to make all the difference …
And so she does but with Albert now back on his four feet, why are all those who came to his rescue making a hasty dash to put some distance between saved and savers. Hmmm! Seemingly it’s because Albert is his normal self once more and we know what that means …
Ian Brown’s story of struggles and strife, rivalry and ultimately, creative teamwork becomes a truly comic episode thanks in no small part to Eoin Clarke’s hilarious, detailed illustrations. In the style of Tolstoy’s Great Big Enormous Turnip tale that has become a classic, we see how just a tiny bit of additional assistance can make a huge difference.
This is sure to be a winner with young listeners either in the classroom or at home. Don’t miss the final facts page about the real Albert (inspirer of the tale) and his cousins.
Joanna Partis’s Toucan protagonist plans a jungle sleepover inviting his friends Tiger, Sloth, Frog, and Monkey; but he’s a perfectionist so at the last minute he has a crisis of confidence. The food he thinks, is insufficiently tasty and the bedding not snuggly enough,
so off he goes in search of items to make his party go swingingly: “the best sleepover ever!’ as his pals have declared it will be.
He fills his beak with fabulous flower decorations, then finds fluffy ferns for bedding and bananas for a yummy feast – hmm! As he flies back he spies fireflies that he decides will provide must-have, mood creating fairy lights. Swooping to collect them proves disastrous and Toucan dives headlong into the river below so it’s a distraught host that finally returns to the sleepover venue to own up to his failure. Fortunately though, the reactions of his friends reassure him that everything is, after all, just as it should be: friendship reigns supreme.
Assuredly this is a book that will resonate with youngsters who struggle with the impossible task of being perfect at all times. Joanne’s vibrant illustrations speak volumes about feelings providing a starting point for discussions about the importance of friends and of making mistakes.
Shine, Star, Shine! Dom Conlon and Anastasia Izlesou Graffeg
This is the latest in the excellent Wild Wanderers series about various aspects of the natural world and it’s another wonderful book.
Deep in space from the heart of a nebula many stars are born: big stars and small stars each shining forth from millions of miles away across the universe, reaching out to us with their rays of colour. And so it is with our star, the Sun, enabler of life on planet Earth that shines down from 93 million miles away. She keeps us warm, causing changes in the weather; she makes the crops grow all over the world from Idaho to the Punjab, as well as all other planet life;
she pumps air from floating green ocean gardens giving rise to wind and creating clouds and sometimes, rainbows. Beware though, sometimes the strength of her rays can cause damage for our star can also be a ‘world-burner’ but the world she reveals is mostly one of rich life and potential.
I love the way in which both poet author Conlon’s lyrical language and illustrator Izlesou’s atmospheric art both focus on this single star of ours, turning the otherwise ordinary into the truly extraordinary: truly a painting of words and pictures. Or rather a series of paintings that remind us of how our Earth moves around our Star and what that means for different environments; or shows the gradual change from day to night,
from season to season, through countless lives and trillions of years. It’s not until the final spreads that we are shown the night sky with its ‘trillions of stars with planets of their own whose stories are yet to be heard’. That too is something to ponder upon and perhaps dream about along with the small boy and the cat that we see throughout this powerfully beautiful book. It’s one that’s sure to provoke awe and wonder in young listeners.
Red Reading Hub - Jillrbennett's Reviews of Children's Books 