Tag Karin Littlewood

The Emerald Forest

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The Emerald Forest
Catherine Ward and Karin Littlewood
Otter-Barry Books

A mother orangutan lives with her children in a green Sumatran forest that is teeming with wildlife. She teaches her little ones the vital life skills they need to survive but one day she hears a loud CRASH! that sends birds every which way and then she sees smoke starting to permeate the canopy. Orangutan moves her family away from the noise and smoke and for a time things are apparently back to normal.

Then again comes that terrible sound, raging like an enormous beast, accompanied by clouds of dark, dense smoke. Suddenly Orangutan and her tree are crashing earthwards.

At first it seems there’s no escaping the fires all around, but as the smoke starts to clear a smiling face and an outstretched hand appear. Help has come in the form of a woman who leads the orangutan mother and her family to a place of safety; a green, tree-filled place where they can live alongside other creatures.

The island of Sumatra has lost nearly half of its rainforest in the last thirty or so years but this poignant picture book is one of hope: the place where the fictional orangutan family found safety is based on the Bukit Tigapulu National Park on the island of Sumatra. (Notes inside the back cover give details of the Emerald Forest setting of the story as well as facts about the critically endangered orangutans.)

Author Catherine Ward’s passion for wildlife conservation is apparent in her compelling prose and Karin Littlewood’s pictures have a power and poignancy of their own that makes the book even more impactful.

A Visit to City Farm

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A Visit to City Farm
Verna Wilkins and Karin Littlewood
Firetree books
This is the first book from a new publisher whose aim is to produce ‘books with engaging, enjoyable and exciting stories that celebrate our interconnected and culturally-diverse world, putting all children in the picture’ and this story of a school visit certainly does just that.
From the list of children’s names in the front of the book, it seems that the role of Chalkhill Primary School (the book’s co-publishers) is similar to that of the schools I’d always taught in before moving out of London a few years ago. The lack of this rich diversity was one of the huge culture shocks I’ve had to cope with since, and that diversity is something I still miss enormously: this book is, in part a celebration of that richness.
The story tells of a class visit to a city farm. Now I know from experience that children absolutely delight in being featured in their own books – albeit school published ones (it’s an empowering part of seeing themselves as writers) – so I can imagine how thrilled those Chalkhill Primary children must have been to become characters (more accurately almost recognisable versions of themselves) in , and co-writers of, a real book.
We join Rainbow Class as they prepare for the off, with their teacher, Miss Jama checking they know the safety code, watch the group as they walk to the station, travel on the tube and finally, arrive at City Farm.
Of course, the highlight of the visit is seeing  all the different animals …

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maybe not all the animals for all the children though …

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Verna Wilkins’ prose (written in collaboration with Y5 pupils) and the children’s rhyming descriptions of the animals are seamlessly woven together into a single narrative that also gives voice to individual children’s thoughts as they move around the farm. And, there’s so much to look at, enjoy and talk about in Karin Littlewood’s lovely pen, crayon and watercolour illustrations.

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All in all this is a wonderful celebration of our interconnectedness and I look forward to seeing more from Firetree books.

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Dot and Gracie

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Dot.
Randi Zuckerberg and Joe Berger
Doubleday
Young Dot is a true technophile. She can tap, touch, tweet and tag, surf, swipe,

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share and search. And, she just loves to talk… and talk… and talk … until she’s completely talked out. ‘Time to reboot,” says her mum pushing her out of the house. There, with the help of her friends, Dot rediscovers her ability to tap, touch, tweet and tap, to surf, swipe, search and share as she plays for real in the great outdoors.

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This vital lesson is one all our children need to learn. Would that there were more parents like Dot’s mum who would give them that push to set aside all their technological devices and embrace the great outdoors. Joe Berger’s slightly retro illustrations convey much of the sense of the straightforward story and remind us that the good, some might think, old-fashioned, picture book still has a vital place in every child’s experience. Equally important they convey that exuberance and joie de vie which can take over when children play outdoors.
Great book, great message. Moreover, with its natural repetition it’s a lovely one to offer children just embarking on their reading journeys.
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Star Girl
Karin Littlewood
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Every night Gracie looks through her bedroom window at her special star shining brightly but she misses it during the daytime. So, one night she creeps out into the forest, climbs the tallest tree and catches hold of the beautiful star.
Having got it back into her bedroom though, the star seems to have lost its sparkle. Gracie tries her best to bring it back. She dances for it in her sparkly clothes, takes it to the top of a hill, to the place where fireflies and glowworms shine and to the rock pools where the starfish live, she even takes it out onto the moonlit sea. But nothing brings back that sparkle. Finally Gracie realises she must send the star back to its rightful place in the sky so, kissing her stellar friend goodbye, she sadly releases it once more into the night sky. When she gets back home and looks through her bedroom window, there it is shining more brightly than ever, just for her.

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This Gracie was thrilled to find ‘herself’ in the book.

There is gentleness about this whole book. Gracie is a thoughtful little girl and is beautifully portrayed in Karin Littlewood’s gorgeous watercolour illustrations; every turn of the page is a delight.
With its underlying ethical and possible environmental themes this is a lovely book to share and discuss with young children.
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