Tag Tiny Tree Books

A Welly full of Christmas

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A Welly full of Christmas
Attie Lime, illustrated by Nadine Licence
Tiny Tree Books

I loved Attie’s Blue Jelly and Strawberries and so was eagerly anticipating her new seasonal offering, which is subtitled ‘Poems for Festive Fun’ and fun is what is contained herein.

There are forty poems, just over half of which actually contain the word Christmas; others focus on wintry weather, snow and there’s one, The Concert that took me way back to my very first reception class Christmas concert. This talks of a boy who wanted to ‘strum’, ‘hum’ and ‘drum pa-rum-pum-pum’ but was allocated a triangle to play. In my class two boys side by side were energetically playing maracas when one accidentally knocked the other’s instrument and the result is summed up in the delicious onomatopoeia of the final verse: ‘BASH CRASH THUMP and THWACK and SMASH … WALLOP, WHACK and CLASH … SMACK and BANG and THRASH’ that ensued as the boys started whacking one another with their maracas. Fortunately the audience thought it hilarious while I, thoroughly embarrassed, was endeavouring keep things going.

My two favourites don’t mention Christmas; both have a weather theme. There’s one describing a Sunday walk: I love the idea of sending ‘ pebbles skittering over ice clatter rattle, clatter rattle, clatter rattle’. I’ll try that at the next opportunity.

The other is Snowflakes, which describes these amazing forms as ‘sparkling icy glow-flakes / putting on a show-flakes’.

With a variety of poetic forms and moods, and an abundance of wit and warm-heartedness,.plus black and white illustrations by Nadine Licence, these offerings are a joy to read aloud to foundation stage/ KS1 children in the next few weeks.

The Family Tree

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The Family Tree
Yasmine Anane and Mark Beech
Tiny Tree

What makes a family? That question is at the heart of this story.

As autumn turns to winter Mole realises that living alone, he’s beset by loneliness and embarks on a journey to search for his family tree. Before long, he spies an owl flying overhead and calls to him in the hope that he will assist in finding his family tree. Owl doesn’t know what is meant by this, but after Mole has explained, he realises that he too is lonely. Could he find his own family by accompanying Mole perhaps: at least it means he’s no longer alone.

The two continue together, chatting and telling stories as they walk, when suddenly they notice a squirrel watching them. She’s heard them mention ‘a family tree, where all looked the same, for the whole world to see. … and you build a home where you truly belong.’ Squirrel joins the other searchers and off they go together merrily. Their laughter is heard by a rabbit and so the three become four.

With winter now upon the enchanted wood, they reach the final tree. Sadly Mole declares that there isn’t a family tree, but Owl has a different understanding of what this means. “We’re not all the same – but that’s the best part, / it’s not what you look like, but what’s in your heart.” Already the four seekers have formed a loving bond

and Mole has to agree, so, no more searching, journey over, they build a home together.

Told in rhyme that reads aloud well, Yasmine Anane’s narrative, with its themes of acceptance, kindness and understanding in tandem with Mark Beech’s illustrations that bring the characters to life on the page, have created a thought-provoking fable to share and discuss with children at home or in a KS1 cl

Linnet and the Periwinkle Flyer

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Linnet and the Periwinkle Flyer
Lindsay Littleson
Tiny Tree Books

Linnet, in her early teens, has grown up in Mount St.Marys, a convent with a cruel regime in Yorkshire. She longs to escape, so she’s both happy and fearful when the announcement is made: she’s to leave the convent’s confines and take up a position with Mrs Periwinkle in Periwinkle’s Bazaar. Her first thought is that she’ll now be able to search for her lost friend, Dove.

Mrs Periwinkle seems a rather harsh person but she has another skill aside from her shop business: she is an inventor. One night awakened by hammering sounds, Linnet creeps into the yard and comes upon a large book wherein she sees what she assumes is her boss’s latest invention. Weeks later she revisits the yard and there finds Mrs periwinkle working on what the woman tells her is The Periwinkle Flyer, a machine she hopes to get patented and to Linnet’s surprise Mrs P. agrees to allow her to have a go on the invention.

That night, wondering what she’s let herself in for, Linnet has a dream in which she and the machine crash. Soon after, it’s time for what she’s certain is the machine’s test flight and sure enough, the flying machine and Linnet become airborne. Linnet finds the experience exciting and doesn’t want it to end but then she begins to lose control …

Is this the end of Linnet’s flying hopes? Happily not; instead it’s the beginning of an exciting new partnership. But then comes news of an outbreak of smallpox. That there is a link between Linnet’s role with Mrs Periwinkle and the terrible illness is revealed near the end of the adventure; an adventure that has strong, determined characters, inventiveness and nail-biting flying sequences, and at the heart of which is the importance of feeling part of a family.

Grimogen Darkstar: Bat-Cat-Tastrophe / Marv and the Funfare Fright

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Grimogen Darkstar: Bat-Cat-Tastrophe
Emma Finlayson-Palmer
Tiny Tree Books

Young Grimogen Darkstar or Immi as she prefers to be called, desperately wants a pet, even more so when the team from Howler’s Rescue Centre bring animals into her school for a special day. “Maybe I’ll meet my future first pet,” she says. First though she has to prove to her parents that she is sufficiently responsible to care for one. So, when her class is called to the hall, she’s more than delighted to see all manner of magical creatures and she can hardly wait to feed some of them, declaring herself “ a bit of an expert at feeding animals.”

Pretty soon though things start to go wrong: Immi is certain she’s seen a bat-cat outside the window and refuses to accept the explanation that what she saw was just a bat. Almost immediately after, her classmates are running around as bats swoop in and get stuck in people’s hair. Fortunately for her though, things are quickly sorted out and an open day at Rescue Centre is announced, to be held the next day. Helping out offers another opportunity for Immi to prove she’s ready for her own pet. Can she do so without causing a catastrophe?

Impetuous, curious, brave and kind-hearted, Immi is a delight and young readers/listeners, especially animal-lovers, will enjoy meeting her. in this first story with its sprinkling of whimsical black and white illustrations.

Marv and the Funfare Fright
Alex Falase-Koya, illustrated by Paula Bowles
Oxford Children’s Books

Marv is excited when he hears that from the funfair has arrived at the local park for its annual visit and super-excited when he finds that he’s now tall enough to go on the Head Spinner roller coaster (rather him than me). Off he goes with his super-suit and sidekick, Pixel, in his backpack and Grandad at his side. It’s extremely crowded and noisy but it’s not long before while riding on the Spinning Teacups, Marv detects a supervillain – The Conjuror – with whom he’d had an unpleasant encounter before.

Time for Marv to don his super-suit and track down that Conjuror: assuredly she’ll be up to no good. And so she is. First a zombie is on the loose and then shortly after, there are seven cuddly toy pandas running riot in the Hall of Mirrors. Marv gives chase but his rocket boosters fail and the pandas escape causing chaos all around the funfair.

Can Marv put a stop to the panic and panda-monium and not only save his friends but all the other fair visitors. He’ll most certainly need to use every means at his disposal. Maybe he can change that Conjuror into an superhero instead of a supervillain too, or is that asking too much …

Dramatically illustrated by Paula Bowles, Marv’s ninth adventure – ideal for the upcoming spooky season – is every bit as exciting as his previous ones: established fans will love it and I’m sure he’ll gain plenty of new followers too.