Tag Walker Books

Treats for Toddlers

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this rabbit, that rabbit
Jane Porter
Walker Books
This lovely board book is the latest addition to the Walker Baby series and is called a ‘shiny touch’ book. The shine is provided by two rabbit characters, male and female, one grey, one orangey coloured. The latter wears a blue bead necklace, also shiny. This engaging pair interact playfully with one another, their antics being documented with appropriate two word rhyming phrases such as fat rabbit/flat rabbit, bendy rabbit/trendy rabbit and a guest makes an appearance on the final spread.

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Great fun for small hands.
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Colour with Splosh!
David Melling
Hodder Children’s Books
Splosh is an endearing duck character created by the author of the popular Hugless Douglas series. He makes his second appearance in this board book as he plays a game of hide-and-seek with his ducky friends. Splosh searches high and low, encountering various colour items, as he waddles though a gate, beneath the trees, along a wall, across the grass, around some leaves, past butterflies, looking among the flowers before spotting five white bottoms protruding from the blue pond. When the owners of these rear ends emerge from the water, we see each one is sporting coloured arm-bands and matching hat – a veritable rainbow of fun.
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Dig Dig Digging
Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe
Orchard Books
In this board book version of the popular original we meet scooping diggers, lorries of all shapes and sizes, gobbling crunching rubbish trucks, tractors ploughing, rumbling tumbling dump trucks and busy bulldozers.
Each one has its own tabbed double spread and is boldly illustrated in a cut paper collage scene with accompanying engaging, rhythmic description – perfect for developing a love of language and sounds in the very youngest children.
Just the thing for young machine lovers.
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With the same format is:

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Giraffes Can’t Dance Number-Rumba
Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Orchard Books
Meet Gerald giraffe and his jungle friends, the leaping leopards, the high kicking hyenas, the rocking rhinos, the flamenco dancing flamingos, the tangoing lions, (straight from STRICTLY), the smooth, zippy zebras, the groovy baboons and the waltzing, jiving monkeys all practicing their moves for a place in the final dance spread of ten happy animals.
To facilitate page turning for small hands, there is a semi-circular tab for each spread with a face of the animal dancing on that particular page.
Although very young children do not actually learn to count from books, they will assuredly get a great deal of visual enjoyment,

some lovely playful language and opportunities to emulate the dancing animals in this counting board book which also serves as a great introduction to the original and deservedly popular Giraffes Can’t Dance, the progenitor of this rhyming board book.
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Snip & Snap Rain or Shine
Diane and Christyan Fox
Orchard Books
Not quite a board book but with thick sturdy pages, flaps and a final fold-out double-spread, this should certainly stand up to the heavy handling this Snip and Snap title is likely to receive. Here, the two crocodile friends have planned a sunny picnic but the changeable weather seems to be doing everything it can to hold up the proceedings as poor Snip is forced to go back and change his outfit five times before the friends finally get outside into the sunshine.
With rhyming text, door-shaped flaps that serve to move the story forward

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and funny, bold bright illustrations this is a book preschoolers choose for themselves and enjoy reading over and over with an adult.
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Fairy Tale Fun

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Jack and the Baked Beanstalk
Colin Stimpson
Templar Publishing pbk
This is a reworking of the traditional tale given a depression-era setting and some amusing twists. There’s a back-story too, telling how Jack and his mother have become down on their luck due to the building of a new flyover that results in people by-passing their burger van. So, to encourage more custom, Jack’s mother sends him with their last pennies to buy milk and coffee beans. En route for the shop Jack encounters a man who offers him magic baked beans and knowing plenty about fairy tales as well as having a penchant for such beans, Jack
finds this offer irresistible. Decidedly unimpressed, Jack’s mum tosses the can of beans through the window and next morning Jack discovers, as one would expect, a magic baked beanstalk has grown.

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Then begins a life-changing adventure for Jack, for the lonely, money-obsessed giant he finds at the top, his chicken companion and ultimately, for Jack’s mum and the business that eventually becomes the thriving `Baked Beanstalk Café’ thanks, in no small way, to the new resident cook and the unfailing supply of baked beans and eggs.
Drawing on his experience in film, Stimpson’s powerfully dramatic pictures have been digitally worked and several are framed like film clips, adding to the filmic effect. Indeed I can see this book could well become a film. But for now, if like me you are a fan of re-workings of traditional stories, then get hold of a copy of this book.
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Red Riding Hood
James Marshall
Walker Books pbk
It’s good to see this new enlarged edition of a Marshall fairy tale first published about 25 years ago. James Marshall created several hilarious renditions of traditional tales and this is one of my favourites. Delivered in a direct, colloquial style, “Granny isn’t feeling up to snuff today… I’ve baked her favourite custard as a little surprise.” it is witty, and charming with a plethora of chubby moggies thrown in.
Red Riding Hood is so utterly beguiled by the charming-mannered wolf she meets on the way to Granny’s that she complies with his requests, allowing him to get there first, gobble up Granny and later, her as well. Then comes the brave hunter who, alarmed at the racket coming from Granny’s house, leaps through the window, cuts open the now slumbering, bulging bellied wolf and releases the contents of his stomach with Granny uttering, “It was so dark in
there I couldn’t read a word.”
Every scene of Marshall’s story is wonderful. Take for instance the perfect escort carrying the basket for Red Riding Hood who balances precariously along the log, and Granny, stack of books beside her bed, admonishing the wolf for interrupting her reading, or even the wolf with tail resting on the book-stack.

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If fairytales are your thing, or trolls or witches perhaps, then you might like to try the interactive

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How to Find a Fairytale
Libby Hamilton and Tomislav Tomic
Templar Books
This one is packed with minibooks, maps, characters and objects to search for in the illustrations, flaps to open, a wheel to turn and a final ‘Happily Ever After’ stand out scene. There is a suitably old fashioned feel to the whole thing. Children will need to know some fairy tales already to get the most of out it so it’s not for the very young.
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Christmas is Coming part 2

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I Love You Father Christmas
Giles Andreae and Emma Dodd
Orchard Books
A small child’s delight in the festive season is lovingly portrayed through Giles Andreae’s bouncy rhyme, which is actually a letter to Father Christmas, and Emma Dodd’s characteristically bright, bold pictures.

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The latter have enormous child appeal and her jolly scenes of a totally endearing character should reassure any young child who is slightly nervous about Santa.
One to give to the youngest children.
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Are You Ready For Christmas?
Helen Lang
Templar Publishing
It’s Christmas Eve and Reindeer meets and greets friends Mouse, Squirrel and Dove. Each tells him of their special last minute preparations but then Reindeer seems to have forgotten what his special role is. The final fold-out reveals all.

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This is actually in board book format but I think this rhyming story could be enjoyed by children beyond that stage too. With its bold, coloured lines, patterns and touches of sparkle, Helen Lang’s artwork is quirky and charming. The scenes set against the dark night sky are particularly striking.
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Lollipop and Grandpa and the Christmas Baby
Penelope Harper and Cate James
Phoenix Yard Books pbk
When Lollipop receives the news that there’s to be a new addition to her family and that it will arrive just in time for Christmas, she is far from enthusiastic. Crying, stinky and attention grabbing is what she thinks of babies. “Christmas is ruined!” she feels as the infant’s arrival time draws ever closer. Fortunately for Lollipop, Grandpa is on hand to involve her in all the festive preparations and when on Christmas Eve, Dad and Mum have to leave her to go to the hospital, he helps her hang up the stockings. But on Christmas morning, although Santa has left presents, her Mum and Dad still haven’t come back. It’s over to Grandpa once again – to do the Christmas dinner this time. And even if it’s not quite the conventional festive meal her parents might have expected, it does have that Wow factor. So too does the tiny Christmas Baby that Dad is holding all wrapped up and definitely NOT crying.
This, the fifth of the series, is as enjoyable as the others and Lollipop should win some new friends with this seasonal goodie.
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Belle and Boo and the Merry Christmas
Mandy Sutcliffe
Orchard Books
The fourth in this series about a little girl and her rabbit friend (toy or real?) sees the inseparable pair getting ready for Christmas. First they decorate the tree and Belle has to explain to Boo what Christmas entails and then together they put up paper-chains, make cards and Christmas cookies, hang up their stocking and finally snuggle up for the night. Then, next morning after opening their respective presents, Boo decides they should share the joys of Christmas with their animal friends outside in the garden.
A gentle, slightly whimsical story with an old-fashioned charm, illustrated in appropriately soft colours. with just a touch of festive sparkle on the cover.
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Father Christmas Comes Up Trumps!
Nicholas Allan
Red Fox pbk
A few years back, Father Christmas was in need of a wee; now he needs something much more explosive. It’s the result of his over indulgence in – wait for it – Brussels sprouts – on his final supper before departing on his Christmas Eve delivery round. With his wind-filled tum, it’s a good thing that Santa is accompanied by his helpful elf who is on hand to push him down chimneys and utter ‘Sssshhh!“ warnings when those bubbling, rumbling, gurgling sounds start to emanate from his explosive belly. Santa does his level best to keep his wind in but his utterance of “Ooooo! my tum – it’s going to start. This time I’m really going to f . . . !” signals that the effort has become just too much. Out comes a ‘cheep’ and its time to run from the stirring child. But, horror of horrors! His reindeers are totally zonked in the sleigh. Perhaps it’s as well then that the elf’s final exhortation goes unheeded: time to make use of that WIND power to launch the sleigh skywards and homewards. PWHOOOAH!
As before, this slightly risqué humour will have young children wriggling on their bottoms in delight especially, in anticipation of the final grand
F F A A A R R T T !
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A Letter for Bear
David Lucas
Flying Eye Books
Bear is a postman, painstakingly ensuring he delivers every letter in his sack to the correct address each day and then trudging back to his cave to drink soup and wonder what it would be like to get a letter himself. The trouble is Bear never sends any letters. One windy day when out on his round, the wind takes the mailbag scattering the contents all over the snow. Bear collects all the letters but the addresses are smudged so he conscientiously knocks on each door to ensure correct delivery. The recipients are thankful but Bear feels even lonelier as he returns to his cave. Time for a change, he thinks as he gazes out at the snowy night. He sets to work writing Christmas party invitations and next morning he delivers a whole snowstorm of letters to his new acquaintances.

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That evening having waited for ages and ages, Bear is about to give up when he hears voices outside. It’s party time after all and even better, the following morning guess who gets a whole sackful of letters of his very own.
The real strength of this book is Lucas’ intricately patterned illustrations. Almost every double spread has a geometric border of patterned triangles, rectangles, diamonds or scallops and set into some of the scenes, we view Bear’s lonely world through circular peephole vignettes. His use of limited colours – shades of blue, orange, purple, russet, pink and orange and his use of geometric shapes for, or to pattern, trees, buildings, flowers and more, add to the impact. Then there are angled viewpoints, interrupted borders and beautiful snowscapes . This book is a small masterpiece of design.
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The Smallest Gift of Christmas
Peter H. Reynolds
Walker Books
Having eagerly anticipated the great day, Roland is less than impressed when he dashes downstairs on Christmas morning to discover a very small parcel awaiting him. So, he wishes for a larger one again and again and … Still not satisfied he storms off and eventually launches himself in a rocket to search the whole universe. It’s not until he glimpses Earth as a tiny dot growing ever smaller through his telescope, that Roland begins to realize that bigger isn’t always better, unless of course, it’s your home and you are heading back towards it.
A simple message amusingly rendered through Reynolds’ comic scenes. This author/artist has the unfailing knack of getting right to the nub of things every time and, he clearly demonstrates with all his books, that small things can often be among the very best.
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Alfie’s Christmas
Shirley Hughes
Bodley Head
Making cards and decorations, counting down the days with an advent calendar featuring a nativity scene, Christmas cooking, buying and decorating a Christmas tree, choosing and wrapping presents, writing to Santa, carol singing, hanging up Christmas stockings and a family Christmas dinner with visiting relatives:

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these are just some of the ingredients of four-year old Alfie’s Christmas so lovingly told and illustrated in Shirley Hughes incomparable style.
This is a traditional family Christmas full of warmth, friendship, love, bustle and excitement, and some secrets too. It’s Christmas as we would wish it to be for everyone, before Christmas started in October and consumerism took over.
A book to buy and cherish year after year.
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Don’t forget:
Snow Bunny’s Christmas Wish
Rebecca Harry Nosy Crow pbk
Lonely Snow Bunny’s Christmas wish is for a friend so she writes to Santa with her request.
For full review of this lovely story, now in paperback, see Seasonal Selection: Christmas Books 2012

Also reviewed there and now in paperback is :
When It Snows
Richard Collingridge
David Fickling Books pbk
A small boy’s favourite book transports him on a magical snowy Christmas adventure .

Creativity is THE Thing

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Here are four books that are a true testament to the power of creativity and
the imagination:

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Ike’s Incredible Ink
Brianne Farley
Walker Books
Would-be author Ike is a blobby looking being with straggly (spindly) limbs who, having read all manner of incredible stories, wants to write one himself. He sits himself down, very briefly, and then the displacement activities begin: finding that favourite pen, calling up a friend, vacuuming (he must be desperate) but still things aren’t right. Ink is the missing something Ike decides, his very own ink. Thus begins a search for the special ingredients – shifty, shady, mysterious shadows, soft, floaty feathers from the Booga-bird, and a round, velvety ‘something’ from the dark side of the moon (that one involved constructing and flying a rocket). These – and what magical sounding items they are – Ike stuffs into his big bag and then it’s back to reality for some very messy mashing and mixing and then at last the vital ink is ready.

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So too is the author who, with problem solved, finally finds his ideas begin to flow: his process has become the story.
Anyone who has ever tried writing will immediately recognize Ike’s procrastinating tactics and that important period when ideas and possibilities need to gestate, float around in your head or just ‘be’ for a while. Educators take note!
Farley’s spare, quirky illustrations executed in ink – of course – and digital collage using a limited colour palette are ideal for this off-beat adventure.
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The Nowhere Box
Sam Zuppardi
Walker Books
Sam’s younger brothers are a pesky nuisance, derailing his train set, demolishing his brick constructions and following him wherever he goes. Enough is enough, George decides and sets off in search of a place where they cannot follow: a place called Nowhere. And how does he get there? In the way that most young children can, if they have a very large cardboard box and various other assorted items of junk, plus scissors and pens – via his imagination. Before long George has ridden on a switchback,

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zoomed through space in a rocket and sailed the seven seas of Nowhere. But no matter how amazing, magnificent, and fantastic it might be, there’s a distinct lack of enemy pirates, dragons, anyone at all in fact. Perhaps not such an exciting place after all, thinks our would-be adventurer and maybe those little brothers might have some uses after all.
A great debut for Sam Zuppardi. Playful, and quirky; the mixed media illustrations beautifully capture the creativity of young children. I shall certainly be on the lookout for his next book.
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Journey
Aaron Becker
Walker Books
It’s virtually impossible to do justice to this amazing wordless book in a short review. Essentially, a little girl, lonely and ignored by her busy parents, takes up her red crayon and draws herself into a magical journey through a door she draws on her bedroom wall and out into a forest illuminated by strings of glowing lights and lanterns. With her crayon she draws a boat that takes her down river to a castle where further adventures begin;  adventures involving a flying balloon, a purple bird, a rescue and much more. It would spoil the wonderful tale if I continue but suffice it to say there’s a wonderful ending involving a surprise encounter.
There is a brief nod to Crockett Johnson’s Harold and the Purple Crayon and a wink to Anthony Browne’s Bear stories in that the crayon is used to draw the adventure but this Journey is much more complex and symbolic. Here the crayon unleashes the girl’s imagination as she makes a scooter, a door in the wall, a boat, a hot air balloon and a flying carpet. Once the adventure starts, the girl moves from a sepia toned world into one of colour and brightness: worlds wherein her feelings are palpable as she experiences loneliness, cruelty and danger and finally finds joy.
There is an element of steam punk too, which gives the book a wide age appeal.

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In fact there is so much for anyone and everyone here: adventure, danger, sadness, joy, beauty, wonder, and most important of all, creativity and the imagination. All these are so brilliantly encompassed within this amazing story. Truly it is the JOURNEY not the destination that is so important as Becker has so powerfully shown. Each double spread can be the starting point for a personal flight of fancy and where any one person’s journey will take them as s/he follows this story is, well, another story and another …
I think this has to be my FAVOURITE EVER wordless picture book.
It’s a must for anyone who believes in the importance of the power of the imagination.
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Mr Wuffles!
David Wiesner
Andersen Press
If ever there was a fussy moggy, it’s Mr Wuffles. This black and white cat rejects all the specially bought toys and then he comes upon a very interesting looking object. This is in fact a miniature spaceship containing not one but five little aliens resembling robed grasshoppers. But, after a rough play session courtesy of Mr W. their spacecraft is in need of repair so the aliens go off searching for suitable materials. The watchful Mr Wuffles spots their move and is all set to pounce when his attention is diverted by a flying ladybird. His prey make their escape under the radiator and there make a kind of alliance with the resident insects. Despite a language barrier, the two groups manage to communicate through pictorial representation

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and eventually, thanks to a co-operative effort, an escape is engineered. ‘Oh, Mr Wuffles!’
This near wordless masterpiece is completely absorbing. It needs careful attention to follow the action and to appreciate the wealth of detail Wiesner has so cleverly embedded within the comic strip sequences. Ingenious.
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Tinies and Monsters

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Very Little Red Riding Hood
Teresa Heapy and Sue Heap
David Fickling Books
With Red Teddy in hand and blanket, tea-set and a box of cakes safely stowed in her pull along bag, Very Little Red Riding Hood sets out to her Grandmama’s for a sleepover. Before long, what should she meet but a Wolf. “A Foxie!” she cries in delight giving him a big hug. More than a little put out at her lack of fear and her refusal to give him a cake, the Wolf suggests gathering a bouquet for Grandmama. Red – insists our feisty young heroine, inviting ‘Foxie’ to a game of chase all the way to Grandmama’s and a ‘cuppatea’ when they get there. But is this a step too far? Well, there’s a rib-tickling ending but if you want to find out what happens, then get your hands on this sweetly funny variation of the traditional story.
With her toddler talk and winning smile, Very Little Red Riding Hood is an absolute charmer.

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Rosa and Nina sharing Little Red’s exploits

The end papers show the route she took to her Grandmama’s house but also a number of other homes occupied by ‘Very Little’ fairy tale characters. Is this then the start of a series? I do hope so. Certainly this first time collaboration between Heapy and Heap is a whole heap of fun.
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The Tiny King
Taro Miura
Walker Books
In a castle far away lived a king. But the castle was very, very big and the king was a very, very Tiny King. The Tiny King had a big army and a big, big table for his meals but delicious food isn’t much fun if you’re all alone. It’s a good thing then, that the Tiny King fell head over heels in love with a princess, albeit a Big Princess and she agreed to be his wife. Before long, the Tiny King and the Big Queen had lots of children and what seemed like a very big castle for one Tiny King now felt just right with ten children playing and laughing the whole day.
Of course, big families mean lots of sharing: sharing meals, sharing the space on the big white horse’s back and sharing a riotous bath time; and what comes of sharing? Happiness; certainly that’s so in the case of the Tiny King.
Japanese artist and author, Taro Muira uses precision, patterned cut-outs in bold, bright colours and white, to construct simple shaped collage scenes, which stand out dramatically against flat black backgrounds. These scenes remind me of scenes from young children’s small world and construction play.

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Told in a straightforward manner, this simple neo fairy tale is a delight to share with under fives.
(Quite apart from the story, there is a wealth of learning opportunities here: talking about sharing, counting, identifying shapes, mathematical language and concepts relating to size, pattern making, block play, collage and small world castle play.)
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Upside Down Babies
Jeanne Willis and Adrian Reynolds
Andersen Press
There is a lovely twist at the end of this funny rhyming tale of a world turned upside down when ‘the earth went blue and the sky went brown.’ On this fateful topsy-turvy day, all the baby animals find themselves with the wrong mothers. What is Mummy Camel to do when confronted with a baby Polar Bear in the middle of the desert and baby Rooster’s dawn greeting of “Cock-a doodle-dee” definitely does not go down well with a sleepy Mummy Owl trying to get some shut eye in her tree.
With its bold, bright, wonderfully expressive pictures of the consternation all round, and a text that trips off the tongue, this is one to share  with the under sixes and will prompt many an encore to the huge enjoyment of readers and listeners alike.
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Enormouse
Angie Morgan
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Enormouse was big; much, much bigger than all the other mice in Mouse House. But being big had its advantages. Enormouse could lift REALLY heavy cheese, reach high up things and give lifts to tired-legged little mice. One day while out exploring he and his best friend Tinymouse find a large book with pictures of furry animals. That’s when Tinymouse concludes that his pal is actually A RAT. How the other mice laugh at poor Enormouse. Off he goes to find a new home with the rats but, what a shock he gets on arriving at ‘Rats’ House’; there’s mess everywhere. His offer to clean up is laughed at and once again Enormouse feels at odds with his housemates. In the meantime, his mouse friends have seen the error of their ways and set off in the hope of bringing their absent friend back home. But it’s now dark and they don’t know where to go…
From the mouse photo portrait endpapers, every turn of the page brings much to talk about and explore in the mixed media illustrations. The squalor of the rats’ house is truly disgusting with the grubby rodents lolling amongst half eaten fruit, discarded chips, over-turned cans, fish bones, filth and flies. You can almost smell the pong.

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Rosa couldn’t resist coming to see what we were so disgusted at.

The story too offers plenty of food for thought with its themes of not judging by appearances, self-belief, friendship and finding ones place in the world.
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Here Be Monsters
Jonathan Emmett and Poly Bernatene
Macmillan Children’s Books
With the fiercest pirate crew and the fastest pirate ship, fearless Captain Cut-Throat is the meanest pirate to sail the seas. So, when he hears of an island strewn with giant gemstones he is determined to set sail straight away. His crew members though are far from happy; monsters are hiding in the mist, so the legend tells. At first all goes well but then they reach the MIST from which emanates all manner of alarming sounds. “Sail on!” commands the Captain and they do – into the swirling white. ‘ “Here be monsters!” cried the lookout…
‘ “Nonsense!” growled the Captain. “Monsters simply don’t exist.” ‘

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And so he maintains, heading on, unaware of the diminishing crew numbers, until an island comes into view. Once ashore, the penny finally drops but undaunted, the greedy Captain has his mind only on those giant jewels littering the shore. Oh foolish one!
Emmett’s riotous rollicking rhyme rattles along apace and when read aloud, it will have delighted audiences joining in with the repeated refrain of the fearless captain, as they see what he does not – his crew disappearing one by one.
Poly Bernatene draws his inspiration for the dastardly crew from the less attractive members of the animal kingdom with crow, rat, crocodile and blue-bottomed baboon all featuring. The almost filmic quality of his arresting illustrations adds to the dramatic impact of the story.
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Brilliant Bear Books

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The Bear in the Book
Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben
Andersen Press
We start with a familiar scenario – small boy ready for bed, chooses favourite book for his mother to read to him and snuggles close to her. The book is about a large black bear and immediately, the boy is immersed in the world of the bear as it beds down for the long winter sleep. “Shh,” he says almost feeling the snowflakes falling around the sleeping form. Staying quiet, the young listener watches the children and other animals in the winter landscape;

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he sees too, the snowplough, somebody chopping firewood, crocuses starting to show through and finally as his own eyes close, the black bear emerging into the spring sunshine.
A gorgeous bedtime tale and one that highlights the power of a story and how children can become one with the world of a book. Young listeners and readers aloud will delight in the beautiful images both visual and verbal as they too become one with this story world.
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No Bears
Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge
Walker Books pbk.
Meet Ruby, this is her book and, rest assured, “There are absolutely No BEARS in it.” Ruby should know, she’s in charge of it. Now Ruby has a great imagination, moreover she knows exactly what should be in a good story; it’s pretty things like princesses and castles and some exciting and scary things like monsters perhaps, but definitely NO BEARS. So are you ready for the bearless story? It’s in a special spiral bound volume and yes, there’s a princess living in a castle with her parents the King and Queen and her fairy godmother. There’s a is a deep dark forest and you’ve guessed, it – A MONSTER,  an evil one who wants to steal away the princess so she can read him bedtime stories every night. (almost excusable I suppose). And steal her he does. Somebody rescues her of course – with the wave of a magic wand … hmm.
“Wow! Says Ruby close to the end. ‘This has turned out to be a pretty good book, don’t you think?’ Well Ruby, actually I think that’s a huge understatement: It’s an absolutely brilliant one with its oh so cleverly constructed text and wonderfully whimsical pictures working in perfect harmony. Moreover it’s just perfect for inspiring children to create their own storybooks too – ABSOLUTELY NO BEARS of course!

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In fact, whilst there are no bears in the story Ruby is telling, unbeknown to her but not to us, in the book we are reading, there is a bear who’s keeping a watchful eye on proceedings and acting as page-turner, props provider, scene changer and much more besides. And that’s not all; explore the illustrations further and all manner of other nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters make an appearance. That and the on-going visual joke are what make the book so irresistible and the ‘in the know’ audience squirm with delight.
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A Pair of Picture Book Gems

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That Is NOT a Good Idea!
Mo Willems
Walker Books
Mo Willems is just brilliant and this book definitely is A GOOD IDEA!
The members of cast in this high drama are Hungry Fox, a very dapper looking chap sporting brown suit and matching top hat, tie and waistcoat, black shoes and spats, Plump Goose with shopping basket and headscarf and half a dozen yellow baby geese. Of course, everyone knows that foxes like nothing better to eat than plump geese and true to form, this one invites Goose for a stroll leading her through town, into the dark wood, and on to his nearby kitchen and to boil some water for soup. As Goose agrees to each invitation, the yellow goslings warn, “That is NOT a good idea” adding more and more emphasis as the journey proceeds. When Hungry Fox asks his visitor, “Would you care to look at my soup? A key ingredient is missing. “ The goslings’ warning is a frantic,
“That is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY NOT a good idea!” And so it proves, but for which of the characters? Suffice it to say, this goose is anything but cooked and it’s she and the six goslings that sit down for supper.
The silent movie presentation is pure genius. At each stage Fox and Goose are shown hamming up their parts with their words displayed on the subsequent decorated blackboard-filled pages; the chorus of warnings from the goslings that follow the captions echoing the audiences reaction as the tension mounts.

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There will be encores aplenty for this one I have no doubt.
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Peck Peck Peck
Lucy Cousins
Walker Books
This book has more holes than The Very Hungry Caterpillar; in fact it is absolutely riddled with holes thanks to its young woodpecker narrator. Excited by his initial success on the tree trunk and eager to follow his father’s instructions, to “Practise hard and have some fun.” said little bird not only pecks at the gate and front door of a house but hones his skills on pretty much everything else inside – clothes, toys, furniture, furnishings, books, the soap and shampoo – even the loo and that’s before he starts on the food. Having pecked his way through everything in sight, the young learner is, unsurprisingly, more than a little tired, so it’s back to the nest to report to his waiting dad and then off to bed, full of the joys of pecking. Such a blissful finale too.

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This rhyming, ‘holesome’ tale of household havoc simply bounces along and has Lucy Cousins’ trademark bright coloured pages and images and a hand lettered text.
Definitely destined to be right at the top of the pecking order when it comes to story time sessions at home, in nurseries, schools and libraries, I shall enjoy sharing this one on many occasions.
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