Tag Lou Carter

Wowzers!

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Wowzers!
Lou Carter and Magda Brol
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Rabbit has been saving up to buy a new car. When he finally has the money, off he goes to the garage and there purchases a snazzy blue sports car. Away he zooms to show it to his pals, the first being Bear. But within minutes our lapine character is suffering from digger jealousy, fire-engine envy,

sailing boat begrudgement and more. Each time he sets eyes on a means of transport he considers superior to his own, back home he goes and adds something extra before setting out again to show off his ‘perfect’ car . Seemingly though he’s thwarted at every turn of the steering wheel.

Eventually considering himself the proud owner of the BEST vehicle around, Rabbit zips through the countryside

eventually reaching a bridge where his friends call to him to stop and assist with a rescue. What will Rabbit do, whizz past completely ignoring the pleas of his pals or will friendship prevail?

Young children will love joining in with the ‘WOWZERS’ and ‘VROOMs of Lou Carter’s rhyming narrative as they follow the zany modifications Rabbit makes in his endeavours to impress, which Magda Brol depicts in her zany scenes. With important messages about learning to be content with what you have and friendship being way more important and satisfying than belongings, this is a story to share and talk about with foundation stage/KS1 children.

The Great Hamster Getaway

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The Great Hamster Getaway
Lou Carter and Magda Brol
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Bored by his life confined in a cage all the time seeing nobody and going nowhere, hamster Raffleton Grey decides to break free. He dreams of life in the great outdoors, splashing in the sea and feasting on people’s leftovers. “Tomorrow’s the day” he tells himself as he stargazes one night, a plan forming in his mind.

Next day having free fallen a fair way he lands beside a fellow hamster, all be it a rather scruffy specimen.

But freedom is much better shared with a like-minded friend so Raffleton and Puckerford spend time together running, splashing, snoozing beside the harbour, gobbling goodies and generally having a fantastic fun time. However as night falls things look rather different; pairs of eyes belonging to cats, foxes, gulls and worst of all, rats, follow their every movement however fast they try to run.

Come morning the two friends are exhausted and ponder upon their future; then Raffleton speaks up and another plan is conceived and carried out. After all, a comfy cage with company seems like the ideal solution and so it proves to be, at least when we leave the two.

Lou’s rhyming narrative bounces along beautifully when read aloud and is complemented by Magda Brol’s imaginative illustrations of Raffleton’s daring escape plan and what follows when he meets Puckerford. Her lively scenes really do capture the delights of being beside the seaside. Hamster holiday or human one, this tale is a perfect start to the summer break.

There Is No Big Bad Wolf in this Story

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There Is No Big Bad Wolf in this Story
Lou Carter and Deborah Allwright
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Hot footing it on the heels of Lou and Deborah’s There Is No Dragon in This Story comes another take on classic fairytales, this time with Wolf as star of the show.

The problem is that he’s running late and feeling mightily stressed about it as he rushes through the forest to Grandma’s house to get there before Little Red Riding Hood. En route Wolf manages to upset the The Little Pigs making them ‘seriously grumpy’ but what with Grandma’s grumbles too, the poor creature decides enough is definitely enough. No more being taken for granted and definitely no more huffing and puffing from our vulpine friend.

Instead the other characters will have to go it alone but this Big Bad Wolfing is way harder than it looks. A realisation dawns and then along comes a winged fire-breather: maybe he could save the stories? Errrm … No1

So, can Little Red Riding Hood et al twist Wolf’s front paw and persuade him to help after all?

Young listeners and adult sharers will delight in this book. With hilariously conveyed messages about the importance of team work and not taking others for granted, it’s a tongue-in-cheek, hugely engaging tale that features their favourite characters like they’ve never before seen them. I really love the variety of page layouts Deborah uses: they hot up the story brilliantly.

Oh, Christmas Tree! / The Twelve Unicorns of Christmas / Oscar the Hungry Unicorn Eats Christmas

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Oh, Christmas Tree!
Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
Macmillan Children’s Books

There’s seasonal silliness in abundance in team Sue and Paul’s rhyming tale of a Christmas tree that doesn’t want to be. Said Tree is determined not to be dressed in baubles, tinsel and other festive fripperies so it decides to take a stand; or rather it decides to do anything but. Instead it’s dashing madly away from its decorative pursuers.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not Christmas the tree hates, rather it’s the idea of being instead of doing that’s really needling its branches.

“I truly love Christmas” asserts the tree and the idea of presents is appealing and that’s what gives Belle an idea. A new outfit might just suit the occasion especially if it equips the recipient to participate in winter sports. But perhaps there’s more to Belle’s clever gift than meets the eye …

The Twelve Unicorns of Christmas
Timothy Knapman and Ada Grey
Egmont

With the seemingly never waning enthusiasm a certain section of the population has with unicorns, I have a feeling there’s an inevitability about this book.

Narrated by a character who is pretty close to those I refer to, clad in her unicorn onesie a bright eyed miss starts the countdown informing readers that on the first day of Christmas she receives, courtesy of mum and dad, along with 1 sparkling tree, ‘a real-life unicorn’.

From then on, said unicorn is included in the festive giving both as giver and receiver of surprise presents. Unsurprisingly with a high-spirited unicorn on the scene there are a few mishaps as the days go by

and the creature begins to lose some if its sparkle. Come Christmas morning though a big surprise awaits him …

With her zesty illustrations that offer plenty of things to count, Ada Grey captures the inherent humour in Timothy’s telling ensuring a giggle at every page turn of this festive romp.

Oscar the Hungry Unicorn Eats Christmas
Lou Carter and Nikki Dyson
Orchard Books

It’s Christmas Eve and as usual Oscar the Unicorn is hungry, exceedingly so. He’s already started scoffing the stockings belonging to the royals, not to mention a large part of the Christmas tree and to Santa’s horror he’s had a go at the presents too. Then shock horror Santa discovers that the magic reindeer food has disappeared

and without food the creatures won’t be able to fly, which means Santa can’t complete his delivery round. I love Nikki’s exuberant scenes of Oscar’s chaos creating frolics and especially the sight of the far from happy reindeer on the final spread.

But we know where that food has gone; so perhaps little Princess Oola’s suggestion for a substitute sleigh puller might just save the special day.

Delightfully daft but Oscar’s fans will relish it for sure.

Oscar the Hungry Unicorn

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Oscar the Hungry Unicorn
Lou Carter and Nikki Dyson
Orchard Books

Unicorns are very much THE favourite among young children at the moment but I’ve never come across one with quite such a winning expression as Oscar.

Having eaten himself out of house and home – literally – the chubby creature is on the hunt for a new place to live.
The trouble is, his habit of sinking his teeth into pretty much everything he sets eyes on, means he’s far from popular with the witch, the pirates, the fairies and the dragons he encounters.

The giant is willing to accommodate Oscar but not quite in the way Oscar hopes, so his home certainly won’t do.

That leaves just one option: he has to try his luck on the other side of the bridge.

This doesn’t look too promising however …

Fortunately though, a certain young princess Oola just happens along and she’s been on the lookout for a unicorn FOR EVER. So maybe …

With its sparkly cover and Oscar’s irresistible allure thereon, Lou and Nikki’s character and his all-consuming escapades will satisfy lots of unicorn-hungry little ones; my review copy has already been appropriated by one such.