Tag Chris Jevons

Fart Zoo / Not Another Unicorn Book

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Fart Zoo
Leigh Hodgkinson
Walker Books

Have an air freshener close at hand when you share this malodorous book with youngsters for you’ll be paying a visit to an exceedingly pongy place.

At this unique zoo (make sure you read all the signs at the entrance) you will encounter more than twenty fart varieties so wearing a nose peg or a face mask might be a good idea. Read too the signs relating to the beastie(s) in each enclosure. Thanks to Leigh Hodgkinson’s narrative and madcap visual portrayals you will quickly discover they come in all shapes and sizes including those sneaky, cheeky …

shlumpy and grumpy, squeaky and freaky, even posh farts (though how that’s possible I truly wonder) and several others.

Finally, however comes an empty enclosure: seemingly a fart has done a runner but where could it possibly be? Chaos rapidly ensues. With the zoo gate wide open the escapee might be anywhere, but it’s not actually left the venue. A couple of eagle-eyed security staff eventually apprehend the whiffer (Evade Fartum), put it back on its recliner and lock the gate but how long will it remain there is anyone’s guess – check out the final scene.

Replete with silly speech bubbles, this is fetid fun for little ones and any adult with a sufficiently strong constitution to read aloud Leigh’s rhyming rendition. (Wearing my science studies hat, the final User’s Guide to Farts is not strictly correct as a classification. For instance ‘Escaping farts should be Fartum evado and ghostly farts should be Fartum umbrabilis and so on … ie only the genus name is capitalised, not the species.)

Another subject with great appeal for young children is:

Not Another Unicorn Book
Laura Baker and Chris Jevons
Scholastic

The unicorn narrator of this book is anything but pleased at the possibility of being in a unicorn book, vowing she would ‘never, ever ‘ do so but fate takes its course …


There’s nothing for it but to escape its covers as soon as possible. Try as she might with her chomping, poo-dodging and running, her search for adventure doesn’t match up to her expectations. Maybe being in a unicorn book is not actually so bad after all. Assuredly it has its compensations.

Undoubtedly countless little human unicorn lovers will fall for the protagonist in this rainbow coloured setting with its sparkly starry sprinkles that even hover over the poo piles and delicious-looking confections shown in Chris Jevon’s dramatic scenes

Torla & Smorla and the Lower Than Average Cloud

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bun on the Run

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Bun on the Run
Smriti Halls and Chris Jevons
Scholastic

Starring Bernard the Bun, this is a delectably funny take on the traditional tale The Gingerbread Man. As the tale opens Bernard sits atop a display in the baker’s shop, a perfect confection of its kind. The thing is that Bernard has a yen to see life beyond the bakery and so down he jumps and off he sets only to be confronted with a drooling dog. Our quick thinking Bernard turns down the dog’s offer to tarry awhile with “You can chase, chase, chase, / you can run, run, run. / But you can’t catch me. / I’m Bernard the bun!” and dashes away. Almost immediately a moggy appears pondering on the possibility of a bun for tea.

As it pounces, Bernard dashes over the gate and into a sunny meadow repeating that same refrain.
His next potential consumers – two feathered creatures – receive similar treatment. Even when our adventurer is in terrible danger, he uses his wits to outsmart the black one,

lands safely and keeps running and running … and the story ends with a tasty final twist.

Child listeners to Smriti’s rhyming text will soon be rooting for Bernard and joining in with his repeat refrain as he hastens across the pages on his marathon dash. Chris Jevon’s use of a bright colour palette for the illustrations, together with the various background hues indicate the time of day as the tale progresses and readers will come to realise that our bun has been on the run for a whole day from early morning till sundown.

A nursery classic in the making this, methinks.

Rhinos Don’t Cry

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Rhinos Don’t Cry
Mark Grist and Chris Jevons
Bloomsbury Children’s Books


Milo is a lively life-loving little rhino but he has one small problem. This is on account of having watched his hero, movie star Spike-O Mcree on TV one evening announcing that despite upsetting things happening, ‘rhinos don’t cry!” As a consequence, Milo decides that crying is bad and that’s what he tells himself when something goes wrong. Until that is, he discovers that his beloved pet moggy Pickles has gone missing.

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With Spiko’s words ringing in his ears, Milo holds back his tears as he helps his mum create signs to post in the neighbourhood. Instead of tears Milo gets an unpleasant feeling all through his body and it stays with him even when he and Mum go out to put up their signs.
Milo has just one sign left to post when he pauses outside the cinema and who should approach him but his movie star hero . Hard as he tries, Milo simply cannot hold his tears any longer; he sobs. This causes Spike-O Mcree to start crying too and Milo now feels bewildered at what he sees.

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Having told his hero what he saw on TV just the previous night, the movie star explains that the film was made long back and he now feels completely differently about shedding tears. It can be a brave thing to do.


There they both stand crying together when there comes a familiar sound – not sobbing this time but something very welcome coming from not far away.


Great for opening up discussion, at home or in the classroom, this story has an important message: it’s fine to cry, whoever you are. Spike-O Mcree makes a great role model showing how being tough isn’t always tbe best response, as well as that you can shed tears when you’re sad or scared, but also when you’re happy. It certainly isn’t being weak.

Theodora Hendrix and the Curious Case of the Cursed Beetle

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Theodora Hendrix and the Curious Case of the Cursed Beetle
Jordan Kopy, illustrated by Chris Jevons
Walker Books

Ten year old Theodora Hendrix the only human resident of the Monstrous League of Monsters )MLM) mansion returns in a second funny adventure that is surely bound to lead her into deadly danger. At present Theodora loves her life with her fiendish family and is pretty certain she can cope with anything; but can she handle an Egyptian-themed adventure. She thinks so until that is, she encounters the nasty Inspector Shelley and her even nastier pet rat. 

(Mary) Shelley and Ratsputin have come to spy on the Monstrous League of Monsters, and are hell bent on shutting them down for an alleged breaching of the MLM charter – punishable by banishment to one of the darkest, dankest prisons in Transylvania or being sent to live with humans, perhaps.

Having demanded that the temperature of their room doesn’t go above four degrees Celsius, the foul pair prowl through the mansion, examining everything for evidence of rule-breaking. To have any hope of success, and prevent Inspector Shelley from becoming the new head of the London MLM, Theodora must enlist the help of her loyal friend and classmate Dexter Adebola (who has also had some difficulties with school). They have to stop her finding the Mummy’s true name and thus gaining control of her mind and that means tracking all her movements. Then Theodora makes a discovery of her own in The Ancient Curse Breaking Room: a cursed scarab beetle. 

This she must destroy urgently and without attracting the inspector’s attention.

Then comes news that the school has been chosen to host upcoming Halloween celebrations; can they get rid of the inspector by then? With the friendship between Dexter and Theodora strengthening in this story, they form an unlikely alliance with trouble-making, bullying Billy; this they do in what they term S.R.R.T. (Stop Rumple’s Reign of Terror) – Rumple being the ghastly, fun-hating headteacher of Appleton Primary who does her utmost to make the children’s lives a misery.

What do Theodora’s torat cards have to say about all this? Will good triumph over evil? That’s the question throughout.

With their superb characterisation and quirky amalgam of horror and humour, team Jordan Kopy and Chris Jevons have another winner here.

Board Books for Christmas

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Who Said Merry Christmas?
Becky Davies and Yi-Hsuan Wu
Little Tiger

Ho Ho Ho! comes the mystery voice, but who spoke the words? Was it Penguin? Feel the tactile soft tummy (it gives a clue), lift the flap and discover the owner of the jolly utterance. Do similar for the “Tweet!”, the “Roar!”, the “Merry Christmas!” greeting and lastly, respond to the final question above the mirror.
Hide-and-seek fun for the very youngest, engagingly illustrated in Yi-Hsuan Wu’s jolly scenes of Penguin, Mrs Claus, Snowman and Reindeer and the characters hidden beneath the four flaps.

Can’t See Santa!
Mandy Archer and Chris Jevons
Little Tiger

It’s Christmas Eve and all is ready but where oh where is Santa? That’s what the little mouse asks as he searches everywhere both inside the house, and outdoors in the snowy garden where at least there should be signs of Santa’s sled. Then back indoors again the tiny creature’s so downhearted he can’t even face a nibble of his carrot let alone the seasonal fare spread out on the table. Worse still is the complete lack of a single present beside the sparkling tree. Has Santa forgotten our little rodent friend? So miserable does he feel that Mouse heads off to his attic bed. But there’s something he doesn’t know and that’s not revealed until the final flap in Chris Jevons’ festively detailed sequence of story-telling pictures is opened. Mandy Archer’s rhyming couplets tell the tale from Mouse’s viewpoint on the bottom stair, in snow-filled garden, on the table, beneath the Christmas tree or in his bed. With several flaps to explore and assist mouse in his search on every spread, little ones will delight in the hunt and the secret that they might or might not, already know about.

Peas on Earth
Jonny Marx and Lindsey Sagar
Little Tiger

The five little peas in their pod can barely contain themselves so full of festive cheer are they feeling. Indeed, one by one the small spherical objects pop out io their case so great is their excitement once that Christmas wreath is attached to the door. So, we have four left to help decorate the tree one of which needs to get the star bringing their number to three enjoying the view outdoors. Santa’s grotto isn’t too far so off goes another and so on till atop the tree sits just one. It’s she that will delight in the appearance of a pair of booted feet before a special delivery is made and there’s something for them all. HURRAH!
A fun-filled yuletide countdown to share with the very young who will love poking their fingers into the die-cut circles, as well as following the frolics of the peas described in Jonny Marx’s rhyming text and shown in Lindsey Sagar’s jolly seasonal scenes.

My Magical Snowman
illustrated by Yujin Shin
Campbell Books

Oh dear! Santa’s sleigh – so the elves say – is in need of a quick repair before he can start on his delivery round. So who can they call upon to help? Snowman seems willing once his door has been opened (move the slider) and off they all go whooshing over the frozen lake and whizzing down the slippery slope (2 more sliders). Then with a touch of the snowman’s magic, it’s up and away for Santa “Ho, Ho Ho-ing” on his sleigh as he bids all his helpers a “Merry Christmas”.
Simple, satisfying and lots of fun – both in the manipulating of the sliders and the rhyming text that accompanies the chilly wintry scenes of elvish frolics and willing assistance.

Dear Santa
Rod Campbell
Macmillan Children’s Books

This is a board book version of Rod Campbell’s Christmas classic which, almost unbelievably, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Yes, it’s that enormously engaging sharing of a letter to Santa requesting something special for Christmas and what the old man does and thinks as he wraps up all manner of not quite right gifts before, on Christmas Eve, he decides upon the one that’s just right and much appreciated by the letter writer.
A Christmas must if you have a toddler.

Zombierella: Fairy Tales Gone Bad / Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters

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Zombierella: Fairy Tales Gone Bad
Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Freya Hartas
Walker Books

As a massive fan of fractured fairy tales, I couldn’t wait to read this and wow! do I love it. Told in the form of a verse novel by performance poet Joseph Coelho, it’s quite simply utterly brilliant, dark, funny and splendidly subversive to boot.

The Grimm version is the one Joseph has chosen as his starting point and right from the start he hooks readers in, holding them enthralled throughout as the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways.

We learn that our heroine has got her name because she carries her biological mother’s ashes with her in a locket. Now she is forced to live with her foul FAKE mother and her equally FAKE beautiful sisters who are living off the inheritance that’s rightfully Cinderella’s. Her one true trusted friend is her horse, Lumpkin but early in the story, he ceases to be and the poor girl has to bury him. But not before she comes upon a piece of drifting paper. It’s a flyer informing the reader of three balls on consecutive nights, on the final of which the prince will choose his bride. She assumes that said prince is moving into the old abandoned mansion atop the hill on the edge of Grimmsville.

Needless to say those FAKE sisters of hers are eager to go to the ball

but can’t abide the thought of Cinderella doing so and as well as leaving her with instructions to clean the house in their absence, they leave a trap for her at the top of the stairs. A trap that causes her demise. Enter The Fairy of Death and Cinderella becomes Zombierella, able to go to the ball, but for three nights only …

I’ll say no more on the tale but merely urge you to get hold of the book and relish every detail, gory and otherwise. Equally relishable are Freya Hartas’ illustrations that add to both the gloomy atmosphere and the humour; her use of space on the page is superb too

and make sure you look under the cover flaps.

I’m eagerly anticipating any further fairy tales Joseph chooses to turn bad with his magic pen.
More shivers and giggles in:

Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters
Jordan Kopy, illustrated by Chris Jevons
Walker Books

Here’s a terrific mix of monsters, mystery, horror and humour: it all begins ‘just shy of Halloween’ in an abandoned graveyard cemetery on the edge of Appleton. There in an unmarked grave, seemingly just waiting to be discovered lies a small squalling human. And discovered it is by one George Hendrix, a zombie (along with his vampire cat, Bandit). What do they do with said baby? They take it to a mansion – occupied by the Monstrous League of Monsters (MLM) where Georgie is assured the infant will be well cared for. The carers are a group comprising a mummy, ‘Mummy’ to the infant, a vampire, a werewolf and cubs, a witch, the skeleton butler, an operatic ghost, a crow and more – I wonder …

They name the babe Theodora and surprisingly, fall for her charms, but she must be kept secret.

Full speed forward a decade and there’s Theodora thriving and loving life along with her loyal arachnid associate, a dapper tarantula named Sherman.
But then mysterious anonymous threatening letters start to arrive. Seemingly somebody or something has found out about the group and is determined to expose them and their secret to HQ. Theodora is equally determined to discover the identity of the letter writer; so too are the others.

But Theodora decides to fly solo and hatches her own plan. Can she (along with her very first human friend), solve the mystery or are her monster family members doomed to rot imprisoned in Transylvania? And what of her own fate if she succeeds? …

Told by a mysterious narrator this is a smashing story, with some laugh-out loud moments, an abundance of family love and loyalty that shows how diverse family and friendships can be.

Great for reading aloud or solo reading and made all the more fun by Chris Jevons delicious black and white illustrations

Bonkers About Beetroot / Pony in the City

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Bonkers About Beetroot
Cath Jones and Chris Jevons
Maverick Arts Publishing

Sunset Safari Park is in danger of being closed down due to a distinct lack of visitors. Zebra calls a meeting of its inmates in the hope they might have suggestions as to how to save their home. Despite Penguin’s discouraging “Nobody comes because we’re boring” comment, Zebra remains determined to do something to attract the crowds. Beetroot is his plan: the biggest in the world and the animals are to grow it. “BONKERS!” is pessimistic Penguin’s response to this idea and to pretty much every stage in the growth of the vegetable from manure heap planting ground …

to the large beet that soon attracts the crowds.
So successful is the vegetable that it just goes on growing and growing until there’s no longer room for visitors.

Penguin’s solution is a pretty drastic one but will it have the effect he hopes? Can the safari park be saved after all?

Really, there’s no other way to describe this story that to borrow Penguin’s much used word, ‘BONKERS’.
The contrasting characters: optimistic Zebra and pessimist, Penguin complement one another well, making for a lively and quirky story time read aloud that invites audience participation.
Chris Jevons’ vivid illustrations of zoo residents, the zoo’s human visitors and of course, the beetroot itself, provide plenty to giggle over.

Pony in the City
Wendy Wahman
Sterling

Otis, a pony at the Pony Paddock gets on well with the children who visit his home; in fact he’s ‘saddled with questions’ about them. Do they gallop and kick? Do they ever walk on all fours? Do they graze on grass and daisies? The older ponies ignore his constant questioning so Otis sets out to find some answers for himself.
He visits the city park where hiding himself away, he observes and discovers their movements and sounds are not very different from his. Next stop is their homes; ‘such big barns’, he decides.
Otis discovers many more similarities …

but then suddenly comes the scary realisation that he’s far from home, alone in the big city and it’s way past time to sleep.

Next morning he hears a familiar clippity cloppity sound; could it be one of his fellow ponies coming to look for him?
No it isn’t; but his finders are equally surprised to see the little pony so far from his home and more than willing to take him back home where, inevitably, he has lots of questions to answer …
This gentle adventure with witty collage style illustrations of a children’s world interpreted through the limited experiences of a pony, offers food for thought about judgements and diversity.

Solo Reading Delights

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Lottie and Dottie Grow Pumpkins
Claire Burgess, illustrated by Marijke van Veldhoven
Orion Children’s Books
Green-fingered siblings, Lottie and little sis. Dottie, are once again inspired by their reading – it’s Cinderella this time – and off they go to the garden centre to buy pumpkin seeds. With just three in the packet that’s one for each of the sisters and one for their pal Basil (also a keen gardener). As the pumpkin seeds germinate and grow, Dottie muses over possibilities …

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and soon it’s time to replant the rapidly enlarging pumpkins outside where they continue growing and growing until …

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And with such a wonderful crop, come the autumn, there’s plenty for soup making, carving and more …

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and of course there are plenty of seeds for next year’s sowing.
A tasty treat for ‘just taking off’ readers and with those amusing illustrations, it also makes a great read aloud, especially for one to one sharing.

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Belinda and the Bears Go Shopping
Kaye Umansky, illustrated by Chris Jevons
Orion Children’s Books
Kaye Umansky puts a delicious new slant on the Three Bears story when young Belinda persuades Mummy and Daddy Bear to convert their attic into a bedroom for Baby Bear. It’s rather bare though

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and the trouble is, the Bear family are used to the woods: going furniture shopping in the village will take a whole lot of organising and once they get to the junk shop, Baby Bear needs a bit of persuading to concentrate on the job in hand …

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Luckily, Mr Musty has everything the Bears need and even offers to deliver their purchases free of charge; but when it comes to Baby Bear’s first bedtime in his new room, there’s a bit of a hiccup. Fortunately however, Belinda knows just what to do to make sure her small bear friend sleeps soundly.
With delightful illustrations by Chris Jevons on every page (and instructions to make a Robin Hood hat like Baby Bear’s at the end), what more can just independent readers ask. Some green paper and a feather perhaps …

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