Tag Mike Byrne

The Unicorn Who Came to School

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The Unicorn Who Came to School
Lucy Rowland and Mike Byrne
Scholastic

Like many young children, the little girl narrator of this story has first day nerves when she starts school. On arriving at the gate though, what should she see but a unicorn who introduces himself as Sparkle and asks politely if he can come to school. The girl agrees and they go in together, talking of things they might do and they sit beside one another when the teacher tells everyone to “Find a friend.” The register is called and all goes well until the class has to line up for assembly. Guess who takes the lead.

During the art session paint flies every which way, music is very noisy and story an opportunity for Sparkle to do some chomping.

When it’s time for outside play Sparkle assists the narrator in making some new friends, but at lunch time his manners really let him down.

At hometime Sparkle waves goodbye to everyone but as he nears the gate, the teacher has a suggestion that might just make him change his mind …

Assuredly Sparkle has given the children their best possible first day at school and I’m sure young listeners, especially those moving from playgroup to a school setting, having heard Lucy Rowland’s rhyming narrative and giggled at Sparkle’s antics shown in Mike Byrne’s bright, zany scenes, will agree.

The Book is Full of Poop

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The Book is Full of Poop
Gareth Peter and Mike Byrne
Scholastic

Having given readers a book full of unicorns and a book full of elves, team Gareth and Nathan now offer a much more whiffy one. I suggest a clothes peg on the nose as you accompany the two child narrators on a poo hunt around town; it promises to be a ‘super-duper-poop-athon’ during which you will encounter creatures of all shapes and sizes, some imaginary, some extinct and others feathered, furry, thick and fibrous, or scaly. Of all shapes and sizes too, are the poos they deposit.

Did you know for instance that hippos poo while on the move

and sharks produce poo of a green colour?

Gareth’s rhyming narrative ends with a warning to beware of hidden poop piles and of course, whenever you conclude a walk around outside it’s wise to check the soles of your shoes.

Young humans will love the poo depositing shenanigans of the animals depicted in Mike’s amusing scenes; adult readers aloud might wish to have an air freshener close by as they share this offering with one or several children.

The Dinosaur Who Came to Dinner

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The Dinosaur Who Came to Dinner
Rachael Davis and Mike Byrne
Scholastic

One hot day, DING-A-LING! the intercom beeps and the little girl narrator opens the door to discover something extremely large, green and scaly asking to come in for a drink. Without waiting for a response, in marches a dinosaur promising not to overstay its welcome. Mum duly supplies a jug of lemonade and the dino. gulps down the lot, followed by tea, soup, honey and even ketchup. Then, complaining of the heat again the visitor decides to take a dip in the bathtub. Chaos ensues with bath toys flying every which way, the towel rail crashing down and bubble bath foam flying all over the bathroom.

Deciding to explore further afield, the dinosaur stomps through the block of flats right up to the top. He opens a door and there is a roof garden full of butterflies.

He then decides it’s dinner time and heads all the way back to the kitchen.

Having consumed everything, he departs with a thank you of sorts and a gigantic burp.

All this is told through Rachael Davis’s bouncy rhyming text and Mike Byrne’s zany scenes of an unexpected guest and a little girl’s ‘most amazing day’. With echoes of the classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea, this should be a satisfying story to share with young children: I envisage a second helping will be requested after the initial read.

Who Pooed in My Loo?

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Who Pooed in My Loo?
Emma Adams and Mike Byrne
Scholastic

I know from considerable experience that young children LOVE toilet humour so I have absolutely no doubt that Emma and Mike’s tongue in cheek offering will go down very well with listeners.

Herein one morning, the boy narrator is desperate to discover who has deposited a rather large and unsightly dump in the family’s loo and thoughtlessly left it for all to see. He contemplates various possible culprits – a stomping romping, plonking dinosaur,

a jaw snapping, tooth gnashing shark annoyed over the lack of floss of an appropriate thickness and strength, a fire-breathing dragon in need of a hasty early morning poop. Or, could it have been a giant with a belly-ache? He’s quickly ruled out on account of the deposit being insufficiently gigantic.

What about a clunking pachyderm who stopped for a bath too; possibly even a sore-bottomed lion suffering from an excess of breakfast. Surely it wasn’t a Christmas elf in festive garb who left that rather whiffy aroma along with his poo;

so maybe – on account of the rainbow – a unicorn stopped by … No magic though, so no unicorn visitor.

The determined lad runs through all the rejected candidates and then – lightbulb moment – there’s a possible of the human kind living right alongside our narrator … maybe somebody who needs a bit of guidance and encouragement when it comes to bathroom etiquette…

Silly? Decidedly so, but also great fun, a timely reminder of the importance of bathroom hygiene and dare I suggest, likely to become a much- requested book in foundation stage settings as well as families in a similar situation to the young narrator of this rhyming saga. Youngsters will relish both Mike Byrne’s hilarious scenes of potential bathroom visitors performing their morning rituals at a convenient place, and the opportunities to join in with some, stomping, sploshing, shaking and roaring.

Sproutzilla vs.Christmas / Santa Claude

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Sproutzilla vs. Christmas
Tom Jamieson and Mike Byrne
Macmillan Children’s Books
Young Jack’s abhorrence of Brussels sprouts is about to result in the ruination of Christmas and not just for the lad himself when his parents come back from a shopping expedition with the most enormous one of the green veggies he’s ever set eyes on. He’s called Sproutzilla and he’s the meanest, greenest Christmas ruining vegetable ever. What’s more, he (and his army of Sproutlings) have their sights set on Santa; and Sproutzilla is exceedingly hungry.

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Seemingly, if the mums and dads, the angry dinner ladies and the furious chefs can’t save Christmas, there’s only one person who can and there’s only one way he can do it. Jack will have to EAT SPROUTS!

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This is a totally ridiculous story over which you cannot help but have a good giggle, as will young children, especially at the final PAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRP-powered delivery, not to mention the tasty final twist.
Sprout lover or not, I suspect you’ll never look at your Christmas veggies in quite the same way again.
More bonkers fun in:

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Santa Claude

Alex T.Smith
Hodder Children’s Books
It’s Christmas Eve night and Mr and Mrs Shinyshoes have left Claude and best pal Sir Bobblysock alone in the house while they go out partying. A super-excited Claude has tucked himself up in bed and is just settling down to read his new Cops and Robbers book when he hears a loud THUD! followed by what sound like a series of heavy footsteps. Convinced whoever has whooshed down the chimney is a burglar, and already anticipating catching same red-handed, off he goes armed with his handcuffs to apprehend the intruder.
Having secured the ‘burglar’ to the arm of a chair in the pitch-dark living room, Claude switches on the light to find himself face to face with none other than Santa. Easy enough to release the handcuffs you might think but oh dear me, no! The key is nowhere to be found.
With Santa out of action there’s only one thing to be done; Claude and Sir Bobblysock will have to make the rest of the deliveries instead. But can they – even with Claude decked out in Santa’s seasonal costume –

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make it round all those hundreds of homes, delivering an absolutely enormous sack of presents and be safely back by midnight when the Shinyshoes return?
Needless to say, things won’t be plain sailing no matter what: let the festivities begin …
With Claude and Sir Bobblysock you’re guaranteed a whole load of gigglesome delight and this fast-paced festive romp is no different. It’s perfect to tuck into a Christmas stocking, or for an excited youngster to hide away with for a pre-Christmas chortle.