Tag Sam McBratney

The Found Things / Guess How Much I Love You: I See Me

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These are two Walker Books titles for very young children: thanks to the publishers for sending them for review.

The Found Things
Petr Horáċek

One morning Rabbit wakes to find the sun shining brightly and decides to go for a walk. First though she needs to dress, but one of her socks is missing. The hunt all over her abode for its whereabouts sees Rabbit discovering various other items of clothing, each of which she dons,

but of the missing sock there is no sign. Rabbit decides she’ll sally forth without it, albeit looking somewhat strange. So strange in fact that when she encounters Squirrel and Mouse, they mistake her for a monster. However the two have a special surprise for their lapine friend. What could it be?

Young children will love Petr’s vibrant, mixed media illustrations with their cutaway parts and enjoy participating in the sock search. Adult sharers especially will endorse Rabbit’s parting joyful comment on the final spread. The book also offers a simple, interactive fun text for children just gaining confidence to try reading it themselves, once an adult has shared it with them.

Guess How Much I Love You: I See Me
Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram

It’s a lovely spring day and Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare are out together enjoying themselves. As they explore they play a game of I-spy. Between them they spot a butterfly, a baby bird in a nest and a tadpole wriggling around in the pond. While they gaze into the water Big Nutbrown Hare asks, “What else can you see in the pond?” I wonder what Little Nutbrown Hare’s response is? (The cover is a giveaway!)

A sweet story featuring team McBratney and Jeram’s two wonderful characters that celebrate their thirtieth anniversary appearance in Guess How Much I Love You, this year. (The Nutbrown Hares have also appeared in a couple of animated TV series of the same name.) Many of the adults who share this board book delight with their little ones will likely remember meeting the characters in the now classic original tale.

Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See

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Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See
Sam McBratney and Linda Ólafsdóttir
Walker Books

Young Mindi has a night time problem; it appears in her bedroom, ‘quietly as a thought comes into your head,’ in the form of a large shadowy goose, staying as long as it wants. Neither of her parents can see it but do their best to dispel her fears.

“Well, you’ll just have to close your eyes and make it not real,” says her mother.

Concerned, her father goes off to consult a wise farmer, Austen, who lives up on the hill. He suggests that both Mindi and her dad come up to visit his farm, and when they do so, he introduces the girl to his animals, including two geese before taking her inside for a drink. Suddenly, into the kitchen strolls a young goat to which Mindi takes a great liking, naming her Black-and-Whitey. On the way home however, Mindi admits she likes the Shelling Hill geese but still insists that BIG goose isn’t nice.

About a week later, who should come to visit on a wet day but Austen, plus the goat Mindi liked.

Austen says he will give her the goat but must have something in exchange. Could that perhaps be Big Goose …
What a superbly understanding character is farmer Austen who shows such empathy towards Mindi, making her become part of the solution to dispelling her fears.

Sam McBratney’s story – a longer text than many of his other titles – is one that many young children will relate to and the ending is hugely satisfying. Linda Ólafsdóttir’s mixed media illustrations – both large and small are simply gorgeous. How well she captures the warmth of Mindi’s loving family and the rural setting of the book. Read aloud or read solo, this has much to offer young audiences.

Will You Be My Friend? / The Purple Puffy Coat

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Here are two enormously enjoyable but very different books, each of which has friendship at its heart. Thanks to Walker Books who sent them for review.

Will You Be My Friend?
Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram

This gorgeous sequel to Guess How Much I Love You (now celebrating its 25th anniversary) comes with a touch of sadness as author Sam McBratney died recently. The new story continues on from the first with Little Nutbrown Hare venturing out to look for a playmate. Initially he finds only replicas – a reflection and a shadow of himself.

But then up on Cloudy Mountain he comes face to face with the real thing. It’s Tipps, the Cloudy Mountain Hare and she too wants a friend and playmate.

They play chase and engage in other fun activities, followed by a game of hide and seek. Tipps goes off to hide but will Little Nutbrown Hare ever see her again?

Another timeless treasure and classic to be, to add to family bookshelves and to share with early years children.

The Purple Puffy Coat
Maribeth Boelts and Daniel Duncan

With Stick Insect’s birthday just a week away, his pal Beetle just can’t wait to give Stick Insect his present. It’s a purple puffy coat, wonderfully warm and ideal for wearing when the two go out for walks together. There’s a slight snag though for Stick Insect is rather an introvert and isn’t sure this rather ostentatious coat is quite his style. However, Beetle insists that he dons the new garment and off they both go to show off this ‘generous gift’ around town. And so they do: Beetle boasts and Stick Insect keeps well out of the way.

And even when the former notices what’s happening, he’s adamant that that a daily outing in the coat will get his friend used to being looked at.

On the eve of the birthday, Beetle decides that he’ll give his friend a second gift. And it’s while preparing it that he realises what Stick Insect’s recent glum expression signifies.

Time to reconsider the coat situation and to fix things once and for all …

This wry lesson about respecting and understanding one another’s differences is delivered through a text that’s largely dialogue between the two friends and Daniel Duncan’s delightfully droll illustrations of the rise and fall of the purple puffy coat and those that either wear it or encounter it being worn about town.

Board Book Friends: Guess How Much I Love You:Here I Am! A Finger Puppet Book / Maisy’s House

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Guess How Much I Love You:Here I Am! A Finger Puppet Book
Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram
Walker Books

Here’s a super-gorgeous finger puppet board book about everyone’s favourite Little Nutbrown hare and his adoring Big Nutbrown hare.
To delight all little ones and their adults the two engage in a game of hide-and-seek in the environs of their favourite tree.

Little Nutbrown hare likes to play over and over, hiding in different places and eagerly responding to Big Nutbrown hare’s “Where are you …? with a cry of “Here I am!”.

The game continues until Big Nutbrown hare is tired out and in need of a good rest: still though the little one has boundless energy as shown with the final … HERE I AM!”

What better company for a game of peek-a-boo with a baby or toddler, than the adorable plush finger puppet Little Nutbrown hare: total delight throughout.

Maisy’s House
Lucy Cousins
Walker Books

Maisy’s House is I think, a board book reworking of a much larger pop-up book published some years back.

Ever popular with tinies, Maisy Mouse invites them to visit her house and share her day. It’s a day she spends with Panda and Little Black Cat as they wake up, brush their teeth, dress and have breakfast.

Then Maisy gets creative,

plays and bakes some yummy cupcakes for the visitor due to arrive soon.

Before long, rat-a-tat; there’s Tallulah and it’s time for tea and more fun together.

With its fold-out play scene with pop-out pieces of Maisy and her pal, this simple, brightly coloured story is smashing fun for little ones. They may well need a little assistance manipulating the small removable parts and slotting them together.