Tag Guilherme Karsten

Hen in the Bed / Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

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Hen in the Bed
Katrina Chapman and Guilherme Karsten
Nosy Crow

In this version of the popular nursery counting song it’s Hen who orchestrates the rolling over as in turn various animals roll, tumble and fall from bed to floor. Each one makes its characteristic sound : lion roars, cow moos, cat meows, sheep baas, dog woofs, bear growls and so on,

until the speckled hen realises that she misses cosying up with the other creatures and begs them to return, which they do. Once they’re all snuggled up together, it’s a “Cluck! Cluck” from Hen and some shut-eye time for everyone.

Its opening sequence of progressively cut down pages cleverly shows the entire animal entourage in bed. Each turn of the page tumbles one animal after another onto the mat or thereabouts.

Playful counting down practice made into an entertaining pre slumber time tale for young children, or alternatively a fun picture book to share with little ones in a nursery setting.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Lucy Rogers
Scholastic

It’s good to see this favourite nursery rhyme in an inclusive sign-along songbook version by Lucy Rogers, herself deaf, who grew up not seeing any deaf characters in the books she read.
The song is introduced with two double spreads whereon characters using British sign language (BSL) demonstrate how to do the sign for each phrase, thus enabling everyone to join in with signing the entire song.

Many children come to school or nursery knowing no other nursery rhymes so this vibrantly illustrated picture book is one I’d strongly recommend putting in all early years settings as it should enable any child to participate in a visual, gestural rendition. Twinkle, twinkle was always the first song my nursery classes sang accompanied by the appropriate Makaton signs and they loved so doing.

Are You A Sleepy Monster?

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Are You A Sleepy Monster?
Guilherme Karsten
Happy Yak


It’s time for bed and Karsten’s lovable monster is back, pyjama clad, inviting little ones to join a ‘Sleepover for Monsters’. In case you’re wondering where you’ll sleep, it will be under the bed along with your slumber host. Did I hear a protest – something about sleeping ON the bed? Surely not. Away from malodorous, noisy little humans is to be your place of slumber especially as Monster has even gone to the trouble to provide you with a pair of PJs for the occasion.


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Was that a case of naysaying to being under the bed and an insistence on your scary host climbing up and joining you for a lie down atop the bed? Well, it would appear that the bed is invitingly soft and there’s even a cuddly teddy provided: ZZZZZ …

Time to pull up the duvet and turn out the lights as you, the reader gets in and puts your head on the soft pillow next to your host. Sweet dreams.


With its chatty interactive text, monstrous twist and delectable illustrations, this is certain to be a winner of a bedtime tale. It certainly was with this reviewer.

Lola Saves the Show

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Lola Saves the Show
Katherine Halligan and Guilherme Karsten
Walker Books

Created in association with The National Theatre, this fun adventure set on opening night, has most of the action taking place behind the scenes.

With the play soon to begin, best friends Lola and Oliver wait backstage and with necessary business done, Lola is about to enter stage left. But disaster strikes when she notices that a vital prop is not among those assembled on the table.
The only way to save the show is for Lola to find the Very Important Handkerchief. Off she dashes with Big Ed (her minder) and Oliver in hot pursuit, stopping to create mild chaos in various departments.

Lola is unstoppable even scaling the heights of the theatre when suddenly she remembers something and knows she must retrace her steps at top speed.

Back where she began, Lola finally finds that which she seeks and with not a single moment to spare, she makes her entrance before the waiting crowd. What a shining star she proves to be, but after her performance, something is lacking which makes the show’s saviour very sad. Happily however, Oliver knows just what is needed and all ends happily.

Guilherme Karsten’s funny, vibrant artwork is suitably dramatic and the fact that Lola is not a human is shown, but never mentioned in Katherine Halligan’s text makes the book all the more amusing. I love the names of the places Lola visits in her search for that missing article. (Further information about theatrical terms is given after the story)

Are You A Monster?

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Are You A Monster?
Guilherme Karsten
Happy Yak

Essentially this is a fun interactive challenge wherein the ‘really bad’, bespectacled, reptilian monster protagonist speaks directly to readers informing us that this beastie wants a monster buddy to participate in doing scary things. Said monster however isn’t making things easy. It has a fair few characteristics on its necessities list for a companion and won’t tolerate anyone that doesn’t come up to the mark. End of story. What! Part way through the book? Or maybe beneath that rough skin, there lies a heart that might just be ready to change.

Little ones will love romping and stomping,

growling and galumphing to prove their worth in front of this demanding monster and they will certainly enjoy the final reveal too.

Guilherme Karsten’s illustrations are great fun as well. His monster practically leaps off the page at times and despite not trying to be, the monstrous character is highly endearing. Add to that the way the presentation of his monologue breaks into appropriately monstrous size print in places offering adult sharers a great opportunity to let rip along with their young audiences, you’re in for a lively story session when you read this one.

Little People, Big Dreams: Marcus Rashford / Little People, Big Dreams: Laverne Cox

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Little People, Big Dreams: Marcus Rashford
illustrated by Guilherme Karsten
Little People, Big Dreams: Laverne Cox
illustrated by Olivia Daisy Coles
both written by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

World famous soccer player and campaigner against child poverty, Marcus Rashford is a truly inspiring person. Coming from a loving family in Manchester he spent much of his childhood practising with his football. His mother did everything within her power to ensure her children had enough to eat, though the family still had to rely on free school meals supplemented by food charities. Supported by his mother he followed his soccer dreams, was scouted and joined the academy at Manchester United where he worked hard to become a great forward, eventually becoming at just eighteen years old, the youngest player to score for his country in his debut match.

However, every single time he played he believed he was doing it not just for himself but for everyone who had shared his dream; and he never forgot where he came from. During the 2020 school closures on account of the Coronavirus pandemic children no longer had free school meals and Marcus’s social conscience led him to start a nationwide campaign so that no child would go hungry.

With powerful illustrations a timeline and additional information, this is an inspiring addition to the series.

One of twins, Laverne Cox experienced considerable bullying as she came to terms with her gender identity. She received no support from her mother, turning to dance to find some joy in her life.
Eventually she gained a scholarship to Alabama Academy of Fine Arts where youngsters were encouraged to be true to themselves. At last Laverne was able to express herself as she was and to make real friends. While studying ballet in New York she was offered a role in a play, discovered a love for acting, went into film and supported by friends who had already made the journey, developed sufficient confidence to start her gender transition.

A very useful book for younger primary age children to learn about the importance of acceptance and respect for others as well as being true to oneself.

Aaahhh!

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Aaahhh!
Guilherme Karsten
Thames & Hudson

Aaahhh! Aaahhh! Aaahhh! Whatever is that noise?

The world’s highest mountain collapses; something weird is happening between the north and south poles; the biggest tiger in the world becomes stripeless.

Aaahhh! Aaahhh! Aaahhh! A terrible eardrum shattering noise is permeating the entire planet.

Nobody can think straight let alone hear other voices. Chaos and confusion reign as computers go crazy with buzzes and beeps.

Where can such a havoc wreaking sound possibly be coming from? Outer space perhaps? Or could it be a catastrophic hit on the trombone factory, or an enormous out of tune saxophone being played? Whatever it is, the sound seems to be drawing more and ever more people towards its source.

A plot spoiler I won’t be so I’ll leave you to decide what or who is the cause of the cacophonous din. The answer certainly came as a complete surprise to me; I was anticipating something completely different.

Enormous fun and full of witty artistic allusions, illustrator and graphic designer Guilherme Karsten’s mixed media illustrations of paint, crayon and collage have details aplenty to pore over. You might want to reach for your earplugs as you read his resoundingly zany tale aloud to a participatory child audience.