Tag Mick Inkpen

Presents, Presents and More Presents

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The Best Christmas Present Ever!
Ben Mantle
Macmillan Children’s Books
Bear is back with another present enterprise: Christmas present creating this time, and he has to be quick because, as Squirrel informs him excitedly, “FOUR SLEEPS TILL CHRISTMAS!” But Bear has forgotten to get a present for his best pal. – some friend! He ponders, he puzzles … he knits … he sleeps. His knitting prowess leaves something to be desired though …

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With three sleeps left it’s back to the drawing board; Owl fortunately has a suggestion and soon Bear is busy again but …

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Maybe Fox can help. His suggestion, indirectly, provides Bear with inspiration and the result is terrific – or almost.

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One sleep to go Bear and that pile of ruined gifts is growing.
DING! Light-bulb moment … off goes our ursine friend again. Now I won’t be a story spoiler so let me end by saying both Bear and Squirrel are delighted with their Christmas presents: ‘the BEST Christmas presents ever.’
Great story, great illustrations and great end-papers too. But if I show you those, you’ll guess how the tale ends so, instead, get hold of a copy of this super seasonal story and share it widely or give one to a youngster who may well decide it’s exactly what the title says.

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Tickly Christmas Wibbly Pig!
Mick Inkpen
Hodder Children’s Books
Tickly Pig is the owner of some special garments – an outsized scarf, odd mittens, a babygro and matching accessories even; all these courtesy of Big Aunt Larlie. She’s sent them to him as Christmas presents for the past four years and when it’s especially cold and snowy, Wibbly is expected to sport his tickly woolly items of clothing – not the babygro of course; thankfully, he’s far outgrown that. So when Christmas is just ten days off and he’s busily helping with the putting up of decorations, and his Big Aunt Larlie has already been very busy with her knitting needles and a great many balls of wool, you can imagine how eagerly he’s anticipating this year’s gift.
On Christmas Eve when the doorbell rings and there stands his Aunt, he is slightly puzzled as to why she’s wearing HIS present – or is she?

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Bursting with warmth – despite the chilly weather – and gentle humour this is quite simply an adorable, timely re-issue.

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Amelie and Nanette: Snowflakes and Fairy Wishes
Sophie Tilley
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
This sugary sweet story wherein we share the run-up to Christmas with best friends Amelie and Nanette exudes Christmas nostalgia. The girls are bursting with excitement as they anticipate the day itself , but first is their school Christmas party to look forward to and prepare for.

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With its energetic characters, sometimes snowy setting …

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and a brief interlude of sadness …

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this story radiates seasonal warmth, brims over with friendship;and with those delectable, slightly whimsical watercolour scenes, is sure to enchant.

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I’m sure many will agree with the author’s final words: ‘ … sharing Christmas with your best friend is the best present EVER!’ especially if you sit down and make those paper chains provided inside the back cover of the book together.

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I Will Love You Anyway/How to Be a Dog

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I Will Love You Anyway
Mick and Chloë Inkpen
Hodder Children’s Books
We share a puggish pup’s thoughts directed at his small boy owner in this delicious book from the Inkpen father and daughter team.
Said pup is anything but your ideal dog; he’s a furniture wrecker, thief and inveterate chaser …

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he cannot follow instructions and worst of all, he keeps on running away – with disastrous consequences sometimes.

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But does this pup ever learn? Oh dear no and when he and his boy hear the terrible words, “We cannot cope! He cannot stay!” he takes off once again running and running into the inky black, wet night.
Being lost, out all night and wet

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and scared is no picnic even for our canine hero. It’s fortunate then that a certain small boy happens along at the crucial moment and back they go to share a blissful moment or two.
You might now be thinking that at last this runaway has finally come to his senses but the trouble is, as we hear, “I don’t do words. They make no sense. I jump for joy …”  

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and er …
The spare rhyming text takes the form of the pup’s reportage narrative recording of what he does and what he hears, cleverly conveying the animal’s lack of any real understanding of what is expected of him. An unusual manner of telling for sure but it’s really effective and affecting here.
Chloe Inkpen truly does capture the full gamut of the emotions of both pup and boy in her captivating illustrations. I’d love to show you every single one but you will just have to get your paws on a copy of the book for the whole experience.

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How To Be a Dog
Jo Williamson
Scholastic Children’s Books
A mischievious, tongue-in-cheek guide penned purportedly, by a dog for his fellow canines. It’s full of need to know tips and advice on such topics as choosing the right human, sleeping arrangements,

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how to meet and greet, toilet training …

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getting the best food by whatever means, “To get the best treats, pretend that you have not been fed. If that doesn’t work … you may need to learn some new tricks … “, games to play with your human,

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forging new friendships with neighbours’ dogs and more.
The narrator is a delightful character (even to non dog lovers like me), full of mischief and endearingly portrayed, as are all the other characters – canine and human – we meet. My only wish is that some recognition had been given to the multi-ethnic dog-owning society we live in.
With a restricted colour palette, Jo Williamson has created a highly entertaining and engaging debut book and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

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Seasonal Scenes

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One Year with Kipper
Mick Inkpen
Hodder Children’s Books pbk
It’s January. Kipper has a new camera and he uses it to document a whole year, month by month. January is time for a New Year’s resolution (no throwing snowballs at best pal, Tiger). That lasts till February when the snow falls and an 87 centimetre icicle grows on Tiger’s house.

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March brings strong winds, April sees the pair catching tadpoles and so on with a double spread and a new photo for each month.
Seasonal changes are noted: In June Kipper notices an abundance of ‘little things with legs and wings’; whereas ‘October is an orangey brown sort of month,’ Tiger declares.

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When dark, cold December comes Kipper busies himself making decorations and taking the final photograph for Tiger’s present – a photographic memoir of the past twelve months.
A sweet, gently educational story of friendship, fun and frolics from a well-loved pair who take it in turns to have the upper hand …

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Great for individual sharing or early years classes to enjoy together.

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Littleland All Year Round
Marion Billet
Nosy Crow
Those who prefer to play I-spy rather than listening to a story have plenty to search for in Littleland. Starting with a chilly wintry morning, the animal inhabitants set out for nursery where they find many activities to enjoy and readers are invited to find various items in the busy scene. We then follow ‘the little ones’ through the seasons as they visit the countryside in spring …

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Come autumn, it’s time to visit the park,

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and dress up for Hallowe’en.
Wintry activities include ice-skating, tobogganing and building a snowman, and at the end of the year as Christmas draws near, there are decorations to make and hang, cards to make and presents to wrap just in time for a trip to town to see the Christmas tree in all its splendour.
Bright, jolly scenes, with objects to find in every spread.

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