Tag Lucy Fleming

Sharing & Caring – Stop That Squirrel! / A Dinosaur Lives In Our Shed

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Stop That Squirrel!
Smriti Halls and Lucy Fleming
Scholastic

Scout the squirrel is an obsessive nut hunter and with autumn in the air she decides it’s time to prepare for winter. Off she goes, sack on her back, to collect as many nuts as possible.

Having filled her larder with her first haul, she sets out again, beating all the other creatures to each and every nut.

They decide to try and halt her greed so they put up a sign ‘STOP THAT SQUIRREL!’
When snow starts to fall, badger and the rest of the animals search desperately for nuts but to no avail.
Meanwhile Scout is busy baking and being delighted with her delicious-looking cake, she calls out, offering some to her friends. Suddenly she sees the sign and a horrible realisation dawns. Time to show the others what being a friend really means …

Lucy’s illustrations and Smriti’s rhyming tale show and the final line says, ‘… nuts taste the best when you share them around.’ That applies to so many other things too, something one hopes that young listeners will take from the book.

A Dinosaur Lives In Our Shed
Kaye Umansky and Pippa Curnick
Alison Green Books

Supposing a little dinosaur unexpectedly followed you home from the park, what would you do? The children in this story fed him and put him in the shed overnight. Thereafter they gave him cuddles, read him stories

and took him on excursions to the seaside and into the woods.

Then one day the dinosaur gave an almighty ROOOOAAAAR!!! and became so sad he didn’t want to go out with the children. What could be wrong. they wondered and then light bulb moment: he was missing his mum. But where was she? The concerned humans put up posters around the locality – not lost ones but found. After waiting a day and a night the children heard noises outside, so they thought. Could it possibly be …
The following morning when they look in the shed, what do they discover …

Kaye Umansky’s rhyming text in combination with Pippa Curnick’s uproarious illustrations full of fun details make this a book that will amuse young children and adult sharers alike.

So Devin Wore a Skirt

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So Devin Wore a Skirt
Shireen Lalji and Lucy Fleming
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Devin’s family are getting ready for Nanabapa’s Big Birthday party. Everybody in the household has already found their perfect outfit for the celebration: Jay’s new tie makes him look super stylish, Amaia’s wings give her a magical look, Mummy looks like ‘a soft, pink cloud’ as she wafts around in her lengha but Devin still can’t make up his mind what to wear. He tries all kinds of things such as his red trousers, his favourite jumper and several hats. He keeps the blue beret on and eventually decides to put on his sister’s blue and purple sparkly skirt. He likes what he sees in the mirror but then in bursts Amaia protesting “You can’t wear my SKIRT! What will Nanabapa say?”

Rather than taking off the skirt, Devin decides a disguise is needed so he selects a ninja suit and a wizard cape. Then with a feather in his hat as a finishing touch, he’s good to go. By this time the party is under way and he joins his mum in the dancing.

Having bopped and boogied for some time Devin is very hot and decides it’s time to shed a layer or two but he gets even hotter as he continues dancing. Eventually he removes the ninja suit revealing the sparkly skirt. As Devin stands nervously in front of his Nanabapa he’s worried about what his family will say especially Nanabapa. Not for long though as the response is unexpectedly positive. Soon everyone is dancing joyfully including Devin who feels as magical as the others but most importantly, he feels like himself.

Lucy Fleming’s textured illustrations capture so well Devin’s changing feelings as layer by layer he takes off his disguise and finally reveals his skirt to everyone in Shireen Lalji’s warm-hearted family story about being true to yourself.

Oak: The Littlest Leaf Girl

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Oak: The Littlest Leaf Girl
Lucy Fleming
Walker Books

Oak, the tiniest leaf girl of all lives with her parents in a large oak tree in the middle of the woods. She’s full of fun, has soft wings and bunches in her hair and spends her time playing with her family and her friend, Squirrel. One day though, there’s a chill feeling in the air: “Times are changing” Mama Oak says. “Soon, it will be time to leave the tree behind,” Papa Oak announces.

Oak is worried when she goes to bed that night, fearful of what might be waiting in the unknown wild.

Further changes in the weather take place and eventually with the branches of the oak tree almost stripped of leaves, despite Oak’s reluctance, it’s time for the family to leave. “All leaves must nestle into their winter acorn homes,” says her mother reassuring her daughter that they can return in the spring: even Squirrel says that it’s time for a long winter sleep, so what will Oak do. “ I trust you to go at your own pace and find the right moment to leap,” Papa Oak tells her.

Her parents both leave and go to an acorn home on the forest floor nearby; not Oak though. But then she starts to feel lonely and realises what it is that brings her real happiness, not the tree but her family.

So she closes her eyes, takes a slow deep breath and …

I’m sure the way Oak resists change and the unknown will resonate with young children – maybe they’re just starting school – and Lucy’s story with its fairytale woodland setting provides a warm, non-threatening way to demonstrate the importance of courage, accepting the need for change and taking it in your stride. The illustrations with the difference in colour palette for autumn and winter scenes enhance the telling.

Betsy Buglove and the Brave Butterfly / Watch Them Grow!

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Betsy Buglove and the Brave Butterfly
Catherine Jacob and Lucy Fleming
Scholastic

Nature lover Betsy Buglove, she who saved the bees, returns for a new adventure. It begins as she and her best friend Stan are in the garden and a bee buzzes along with an urgent message about a butterfly that needs their help. They follow the bee next door and there discover the juice cups they left on the grass earlier and inside one a butterfly is trapped in the sticky dregs.

Having successfully extricated the butterfly, its wings soon dry and off it flies.

Shortly after a cry comes from Betsy’s dad. The leaves of his vegetables and flowers have been badly nibbled. Off goes Dad to get his bug spray leaving Betsy examining a thistle plant in the grass. Thereon, with the aid of her magnifying glass, she sees lots of caterpillars munching away its leaves. Caterpillars she and Stan soon find out, belong to the butterfly they’d rescued earlier on.

Can they persuade Betsy’s dad to leave a patch of thistle and other weeds for the caterpillars? Fortunately they can; but what happens thereafter?

Will it be another case of mission accomplished for team Betsy and Stan?

With Catherine’s jaunty rhythmic text where the rhyme doesn’t falter and Lucy’s scenes containing an abundance of flora and minibeasts, this is a book that’s just right for sharing with young nature enthusiasts, as well as to encourage those less keen (happily I’ve only ever encountered a few,) to find out what they’re missing. Everyone can do their bit to help insects.
At both ends of the book are fact pages about butterflies.

Watch Them Grow!
James Carter and James Munro
Graffeg

Author James Carter and artist James Munro have joined forces to present the life cycles of nine different animals starting with the Emperor Dragonfly and concluding with a human. Before these is an introductory poem inviting readers to ‘Watch them grow!’. Following the featured animals are a spread about baby animals names – young children will be amused to learn that it’s not only cows whose babies are called calves: so too are those of six other animals. And, the term hatchling can be applied to baby crocodiles, turtles, tadpoles and newts in addition to baby birds.
Then comes some straightforward information about axolotls; (these, unlike other amphibians never become adult; instead they retain their gills and remain in the water); and a paragraph explaining that male seahorses give birth to babies (fries, hundreds of them)

as well as some facts about parenting in emperor penguins, Australian marsupials and others.
All this James Munro has captured in his playful illustrations, each of which is a combination of reality and fun.

Lily the Pond Mermaid / I Really Want To Be A Cat

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These are two new titles from Walker Books – thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Lily the Pond Mermaid
Lucy Fleming

Ponds are lush and green and teaming with life, the occasional one even holds a secret. One such is that which Lily the mermaid calls home. She takes care of all the flora and fauna around that make up her world – the damselflies and dragonflies, butterflies, water snails, fish and frogs, the aquatic plants too. Lily’s very best friend is Bobble, one of the tadpole family and she takes great pains to keep the pond safe for all those living in and around it. However, aware that ponds can all too easily be spoiled, Lily lies awake worrying about what might happen. She keeps herself busy by day in attempts to keep her worries at bay but they keep on growing bigger.

When a storm hits the pond, the result the following morning is debris everywhere she looks. Lily’s worries grow even larger – supposing further devastation happens?

Feeling almost totally overwhelmed, the little mermaid senses a tiny flicker of courage within herself. Can she finally reach out to her friends, tell them of her fears and ask for their help?

It’s amazing what teamwork can do in times of need, and so it is with Lily and her pond community.
So it can be too with young human listeners and readers, for Lucy Fleming’s story shows the power of camaraderie and of finding your inner strength to reveal how you feel to your friends.

I Really Want To Be A Cat
Helen Hancocks

Have you ever wondered what it would like to be a cat? The little girl narrator does just that as she addresses her own moggy, focusing on all the positive aspects of life as a feline such as her grey companion. Time is never an issue, you can play with your body shape, steal around ninja style, hide away so no-one can find you, and your eyes give you great nocturnal vision. Moreover you are free to go here, there and anywhere without being asked about your movements. You are fearless, adventurous and almost independent.

There is however, one downside to a cat’s life, from a young human’s viewpoint, that is: do you know how cats get themselves clean.? Err, no thank you.

Playful, gently humorous and sure to appeal to cat lovers, young and not so young.

Home Bird Hoot

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Home Bird Hoot
Smriti Halls and Lucy Fleming
Scholastic

Hoot is a home loving bird, never venturing beyond her perch in her snuggly treetop abode. The only drawback is she’s always alone. Until that is, Momo, a little mouse, calls one night and invites Hoot to hang out with him. Hoot invites him in and as they sit chatting a friendship begins to develop. One night Momo suggests the two of them explore further afield but Hoot is too scared of what might be lurking outside.

Then one night Momo doesn’t appear for their usual get together. A troubled Hoot summons up all her courage and little by little ventures out into the night. Hearing a squeak, she looks around and what she sees makes her tummy turn over. Can she now leave her perch, find her wings and come to the aid of her friend?

Smriti’s rhyming tale demonstrates how an important friendship can fuel empowerment and inner strength, making someone braver than they’d every thought possible when danger strikes.

Don’t be afraid to embrace the unknown, be a risk taker is the message: new experiences such as those of Hoot broaden a person’s horizons. There are some delightful details in Lucy Fleming’s illustrations: I particularly love the ‘Peckado’ home delivery service and all the minibeasts but young children will doubtless find other things that especially appeal to them.

A good story time tale to share and talk about.

Ella’s Night Lights

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Ella’s Night Lights
Lucy Fleming
Walker Books

Ella is a tiny, moth-like girl who longs above all else to see the sunrise; but she has to avoid the sun, so delicate are her feathery wings. Consequently, Ella leads a nocturnal existence collecting light from all that glows and glimmers by moonlight and sleeping by day. 

This light she would share with anyone who needed some help in the dark, while repeating her heart-warming chant “Here’s some bright light, here’s a night light. / A little ray to calm your fright.”
One night she bestows this light upon a little fox named Sable 

and the two become friends, searching together nightly for ‘shimmering light’.

Another night – a snowy one – she shines a calming light on a lonely little owl in a tree; then Luna joins forces with the light-givers, and the animals always ensured that little Ella was safely back before sunrise.

One night her animal friends decide that it’s time that Ella’s kindness is returned: together they create a very special gift to show their appreciation of her thoughtfulness and altruism, a gift to make her dreams come true.

Through both words and pictures, this story positively exudes charm, and sweetness – of the magical not the cloying kind. It’s a lovely warm-hearted book to share with youngsters especially now when we all need some light and kindness to help us through these difficult times.

Things New and Things Old for Christmas

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The Most Wonderful Gift in the World
Mark Sperring and Lucy Fleming
Little Tiger

Friends, Esme and Bear, discover one last present under their tree on Christmas morning but it isn’t for either of them. Its tag reads ‘For Little Bunny Boo-Boo, Love Santa.’ They decide to find its intended recipient and donning their warmest clothes, off they go into the snow. Guided by signs that give specific instructions ‘FOLLOW THE TREACHEROUS PATH’, ‘WALK THROUGH THE HOWLING GALE’ and carry on beyond ‘DEEP, DEEP’ snow drifts, the two slip, slide, bump and are blasted towards a little wooden cabin.

There they receive a wonderfully warm welcome from Little Bunny Boo Boo but notice that thus far, she hasn’t received a single Christmas present. Imagine Bear and Esme’s surprise then when the rabbit opens the package only to find there’s absolutely nothing inside other than a small note.

The explanation that follows from Little Bunny Boo-Boo reveals that’s she’s actually received exactly what she was hoping for.

Mark Sperring’s festive tale about kindness, friendship and going the extra mile shows readers and listeners that the very best presents aren’t really wrappable at all. Imbued with the warmth and spirit of the season too are Lucy Fleming’s bright, expressive illustrations making this a book to read with little ones in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The Christmas Unicorn
Anna Currey
Oxford University Press

Here’s a tale of the enduring magic that Christmas holds for young children.

Young Milly isn’t too happy at the prospect of spending Christmas at her Grandpa’s, but Mum explains as she tucks her into bed that he’ll be lonely otherwise and that Dad will join them as soon as he can.

During the night Milly is woken by a noise coming from beneath her bedroom window and discovers a unicorn standing there, attracted by the twinkling of all the Christmas lights of the town. Florian is his name. Milly lets him inside and from then on the unicorn participates in breakfast and all the Christmas preparations. They unpack decorations and adorn the tree but when the newcomer gets a bit over-enthusiastic about tasting the decorations, Grandpa suggests a trip to the Christmas market where Florian temporarily goes missing.

Milly’s search yields not only the unicorn, but also an invitation from a little girl who lives nearby, for Milly to join her in tobogganing the following day.

Then it’s time for Florian to depart but back in Grandpa’s house something very special awaits their return.

This wonderfully warm story of wishes, magic and love has all the warmth of the season but without the glitz and glitter. Anna Currey’s gentle watercolour illustrations add much to her telling; they’re enchantingly expressive and really bring the characters to life.

First published fifteen years ago the book has lost none of its original charm.

Fum / Beauty and the Very Bad Beast

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Fum
Karl Newson and Lucy Fleming
Maverick Arts Publishing
Despite their name, the Crumbs are a very large family: there’s Pa, Ma, Grandpa Plum, Fee, Fi, Fo and Fum. Or rather there should be; Fum, the smallest Crumb was gone missing. The search is on: first stop, the houses of the three little pigs …

No sign of him there. “He could be hiding … / In the woods with Little Red Riding.” That’s the suggestion from one of the pigs. Off they go again with everyone joining the hunt, but Grandma and her crew cannot help. Or rather, the Big Bad Wolf gets a whiff of his socks and thinks it’s worth locating Golidlocks. Guess whose bridge they cross to get to the house of the bears. The three are eager to assist and take to the air . Further locations are visited, all to no avail, until suddenly a small voice is heard. Now who might that be up the tree – or rather beanstalk? (I just wanted to be in line with the story’s rhyme.)

Lo and behold, the little chap wasn’t lost after all – just small! And in true fairy tale style, ‘The woods filled up with songs and laughter, / and all lived happily ever after.’
Satisfying stuff, delivered through Newson’s exuberant rhyming text, full of repeat refrains, KNOCK! KNOCK!’s and “No” s to join in with; and Lucy Flemming’s funny pictorial rendition of the search with its unusual perspectives and spilt page scenes.

Beauty and the Very Bad Beast
Mark Sperring and Barbara Bongini
Scholastic
I love a story that mucks around with fairy tales, or as here, a fairy tale.
Let’s meet Beauty’s sisters, Grace,a golf-loving lass, and May, who likes to tong her hair. Both ask their doting father to bring them appropriate gifts on his return from a shopping trip in town. Beauty – well we know what her request is; her Popsey however decides to steal it from someone’s garden …

and that’s when the trouble begins. The Beastly Beast appears, makes an accusation and demands his price. Inevitably, it’s Beauty who greets him on his return and thus she duly departs to reside with the Beast.
Beauty asks him to let her go, the creature agrees to consider it and he does – over a long period that stretches into seasons during which time he falls head over heels with his captive; he even proposes.

What happens thereafter includes further considerations, a return, a whole lot of forgetting, the death of a rose, a frantic dash and a kiss …

l’ll leave you to imagine the final event: assuredly it’s rather splendid and made all the more so by Barbara Bongini’s hilarious, action packed scene of same.

I’ve signed the charter