We can always depend on Peppa and her family to provide us with warm fuzzies, plus imagination combined with happy reality.
When George Pig doesn’t want to go to sleep, fearful of bad dreams, Daddy Pig tells a wonderful story about a dragon. Peppa and George enjoy the story so much, they want their own dragon! And when they see one the next day, they are certain that dragons are real – no matter what Daddy and Mummy Pig say.
Regardless of their opinions, the Pig parents gladly join the children in following a set of tracks that do, indeed, look very like those a dragon might make. To their great surprise, the trail leads to a castle and, in front of the castle, a huge dragon with their friend Miss Rabbit sitting on top of its head!
It’s a robot dragon which Miss Rabbit sometimes uses in her tours of the castle and she is very happy to offer Peppa and George a ride. How exciting to be on a huge dragon, way above the ground! For the children it is every bit as good as flying on one in their dreams.
This is another one I’ve shared recently with Prep children, all of whom loved it. We had quite the conversation about dragons and other imaginary creatures.
Recommended for happy reading with little ones from teeny to around Year 2.
I think it’s safe to say that Peppa’s popularity just does not diminish! I shared this one with a delightful class of Preppies and before reading, when I asked who likes Peppa, there was a forest of hands shooting up and much excited chatter.
The kiddos really enjoyed this story as well as our discussion about what they knew about the moon. If you are undertaking a unit around Night and Day with your littlies this would make an excellent addition to your reading list but it is equally as fun for simply sharing.
George and his friend, Edmond, are busily playing with their space toys and when Peppa expresses the opinion that ‘space stuff is just made up’, Daddy Pig decides it’s time for a visit to the museum and the special moon exhibit. It’s a pretty cool tour with elasticated harnesses for the visitors so that they can experience some sense of weightlessness (I do believe the Queensland Museum should emulate this!) and, despite Mr Rabbit’s admonishment to Daddy Pig that this is a serious tour so no jokes about the moon being made of cheese, the gift shop is selling delicious moon cheese (QM – again, take note!).
All in all a really cute way to introduce some learning about the moon and have some fun along the way.
Highly recommmended for your small humans from around 3 years upwards.
We all know two sure things – little ones love lift-the-flap books – and the thirst for Peppa Pig and family never diminishes!
George’s dinosaur is missing – where can it be? – so Mummy and Peppa help him look for the missing toy. Of they go, back-tracking their day… could Mr Dinosaur have been left at the zoo? There’s a tip of a tail that looks just like his – but no. Maybe when they went on the train?? Could he be at the castle?? They have had a busy day so they really need to look everywhere.
Your smalls will love the giggly surprises of lifting the flaps to see who is hiding and giggle even more when Mr Dinosaur is finally found.
With its foiled cover and the always bright colours of the Peppa Pig illustrations, this is a guaranteed hit and would make a lovely gift too.
Eric Carle’s Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Other Nursery Rhymes: a lift-the-flap book
Penguin Australia
January 2022
ISBN: 9780593224311
Imprint: Penguin
Format: Board Book
RRP: $19.99
Many years ago when I first started teaching Year 1 (the first year at school) we always kicked off with nursery rhymes as our topic/theme because it was something with which most little kids had some familiarity so could be engaged. Then it seemed that over the years the numbers of kids knowing nursery rhymes dropped markedly. So for me, books like this are a godsend really because the combination of Eric Carle, lift-the-flap and the rhymes makes for a win for little ones who benefit so very much from the rhythm and rhyme of traditional nursery offerings.
...revisit five classic nursery rhymes: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” “Hickory Dickory Dock,” “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider,” and “The Wheels on the Bus.”
I’m very much in love with this (as I am with anything Eric Carle – what a loss to us all *sad face*)……….and again, this would make a very beautiful and much-loved gift for a new baby or little person in your circle.
Unfortunately this one didn’t arrive in time for Christmas but that’s no reason to hesitate in getting a copy ready for later in the year. This is a really cute rhyming story taking its cue from Clement Moore’s famous poem. Peppa and George like all small children are very excited about Christmas but it looks like there’s more to do than decorate and wait. Santa has a problem – his sleigh lights are broken and that’s going to make it really difficult to navigate around the world. Luckily Peppa has a great idea – her toy unicorn with its magical light up horn will be just the thing! Whew!! Christmas is saved and of course there’s celebrations in store for everyone – though Daddy Pig is rather bemused to look out the window on Christmas morning to see Santa delivering back Peppa’s unicorn.
Peppa Pig: Peppa Loves Easter
16 February 2021
ISBN: 9780241476406
Imprint: Ladybird
RRP: $14.99
On the other hand, this one has arrived in plenty of time for Easter. I don’t know about you but we have decided that our selection of Easter themed picture books is pretty tired and at times downright dreary so this will be a very popular addition. For little people in your circle – or for a gift for a first Easter – it will be just perfect!
This is truly adorable and if I were still working with little ones would definitely be inspired by the wonderful Easter egg-stravaganza Miss Rabbit organises for Peppa’s playgroup. Following a trail of clues the children decorate their own Easter cupcakes, make a card, decorate their own egg cup, walk through a field of pretty flowers and finally arrive to find lots of fluffy little chicks running around just waiting to be petted. All throughout this fun game the children are wondering where Miss Rabbit can be – after all she is the one who has organised all this for them. Among all the little chicks is a giant Easter egg – what could possibly be in it? A lovely surprise for the playgroup of course!
Both these titles have the delightful sparkly covers that are so enticing for little readers and both just beg to be read aloud.
Highly recommended for your tinies from around toddler upwards.
We are preparing for a teen ‘Ween party here but I’ve been saving these titles for today so here we go!
Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Spooky Halloween
Penguin Australia
September 2020
ISBN: 9780241412268
Imprint: Ladybird
RRP: $14.99
Peppa and her Pig famiy continue to be firm favourites with little ones and this one will delight them as the Pigs prepare for a fun-filled Halloween.
Peppa and George are at Granny and Grandpa’s house and they are ready for some spookiness and luckily, their grandparents are fully in favour.
There is a flurry of baking yummy treats and decorations are dragged out of the attic – luckily Grandpa and Granny have collected quite a lot of Halloween accessories over the years. Soon both the house and yard are suitably creepy.
Next it’s time to raid the dressing-up box and all four costume themselves ready for a Spooky Show. When Mummy and Daddy Pig arrive they will be very surprised!
This is not only great fun for little ones at this time of year but a lovely warm story about the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.
Your Peppa fans will love it of course!
There’s Something Weird About Lena
Sigi Cohen. Illustrated by James Foley.
Walker Books Australia
October 2020
ISBN: 9781760651503 Imprint: Walker Books Australia Australian RRP: $25.99 New Zealand RRP: $28.99
For all who loved My Dead Bunny (that was everyone wasn’t it?) here’s another rollicking and hilarious creepy story.
With fabulous rhyming text that begs to be read aloud accompanied by the atmospheric illustrations, your kiddos will want this one over and over again.
Lena is the new kid at school and she’s really WEIRD. She cackles and howls, she shrieks and moans and she’s really not very nice. When her friends decide to prank her by dressing up spookily they are in for quite a shock – Lena is definitely not your average girl!
The fun use of onomatopoeia will simply delight – and your kiddos will be howling along with the reading – in fact, quite likely some adults will as well.
It’s a must – it really is! If your budget is all dried up by now, make sure you put it on your list for next year – you won’t be sorry!
Zombierella: Fairy Tales Gone Bad – Joseph Coelho. Illustrated by Freya Hartas.
Walker Books Australia
September 2020
ISBN: 9781406389661 Imprint: Walker Australia RRP: $18.99 New Zealand RRP: $21.99
One for your older readers and the first in a three-part series that twists classic stories into very entertaining verse, this is perfect for your kiddos from around 9 years upwards up into Year 7.
With enough of the original story to be familiar but the delightfully gruesome twists – I mean who wouldn’t be far more thrilled with a zombie Cinderella than the insipid Disney version? – kids will gobble this up with much laughter. Trust me, when they get to the climax and instead of losing a glass (or fur) slipper, Zombierella loses her entire foot – they will explode!
Huge fun for readers from Year 4 upwards and I await the next two instalments eagerly, as they will as well.
Planning on taking your little ones on a virtual trip around Australia? Then what better way than with one of their favourite characters! Peppa and her family are visiting Kylie Kangaroo and when Mrs Kangaroo offers to take them along to her work they are in for a really fantastic experience.
Into Mrs Kangaroo’s submarine and under the beautiful tropical waters of Queensland they go, to be amazed by the beautiful Great Barrier Reef. Naturally there is lots to see – of course, coral and clownfish but also sea stars (starfish) and other creatures in all the colours of the rainbow. George Pig had wondered if under-the-sea would look the same as Kylie’s fish tank with its bridge and treasure chest and even though Daddy Pig had gently told him that it would not be, the Pig family are quite surprised to see a bridge after – albeit one made of vibrant coral. Even more startling is George’s discovery of a real treasure chest filled with gold coins!
While it would indeed be a marvellous find to come across a treasure chest of gold in the Reef, we all know that it is, in fact, the Barrier Reef itself that is the real treasure and Mrs Kangaroo is mindful of teaching the young Pigs to care for this fragile environment.
For all your Peppa Pig fans as well as a wonderful addition to a classroom unit exploring our natural wonders. Recommended for any little readers from around five years upwards.
Whether you are celebrating a dad, step-dad, grandfather or the person who takes on the important role of a father figure – there are so many beautiful books which will add joy to your family’s or class’ marking of this special day. Here are some fabulous titles that will fit the bill perfectly!
I love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle
Penguin Australia
Published: 31 July 2017
ISBN: 9780141374376
Imprint: Picture Puffin
RRP: $12.99
It’s not just that I have an absolute passion for Eric Carle’s work but these little gift books are just so darling! Even though I am now in a secondary library these little sweeties make regular appearances on my special little ‘sacred space’ table for inspiration or reminders.
This little kaleidoscope of colour expresses all the wonderful feelings that little people have for their dads’ special attributes. My clear favourite is the beautiful seahorse pair with their stunning rainbow-like shimmers.
This little charmer makes a perfect gift particularly for the littlest people and their daddies.
Peppa Pig: My Daddy
Penguin Australia
Published: 1 August 2011
ISBN: 9781409309062
Imprint: Ladybird
RRP: $9.99
This favourite has a delightful new look as Daddy Pig takes on that all important role of being the barbecue chef (or if you’re like my family – Tong Master!).
Everyone knows just how important Daddy is in the Pig family and how much Peppa loves him. Just like all dads Daddy Pig is not really perfect. Along with his many wonderful attributes he’s also a tiny bit clumsy at times and not really very good as a handyman for home projects but this just makes him all the more loveable – and no doubt for many littlies, more relatable!
We all know for little people, you just can’t go wrong with Peppa Pig so this one is a must-have!
My Dad Snores – John Williamson. Illustrated by Peter Carnavas.
Penguin Australia
Published: 6 August 2019
ISBN: 9780143793793
Imprint: Puffin
RRP: $19.99
I got excited about this one when I got John’s latest Gumleaf newsletter a week or so ago and he had shared his video clip. I have to say – John is one of the very nicest people I’ve ever met and just saying, so is Peter Carnavas!
What an inspired pairing of creators this is and what an absolutely cracking gift for any family with a ‘snorer’ dad! This version of John’s song (which got many airings with my girls – we all loved John’s work) includes a new verse – increasing the hilarity even further.
If you are looking for a Father’s Day read to share with your minion troops this week – you can’t go wrong with this one. They will be falling about laughing and I am sure will be keen to share their own family ‘snorer’ stories!!
What do You Call Your Grandpa? Ashleigh Barton and Martina Heiduczek
Harper Collins Australia
ISBN: 9780733340864
ISBN 10: 0733340865
Imprint: ABC Books – AU
On Sale: 22/07/2020
List Price: 17.99 AUD
My final offering for your Father’s Day pleasure is this stunning new book that is not only a letter of love to all grandfathers but is inclusive and subtly informative. Little readers will be treated to an ‘around the world’ virtual visit to grandpas all over and learn their special titles in their own language. Given we have our own resident Nonno, this is one that appeals tremendously and in addition, in particular if your school like mine is a veritable melting pot of cultures and nationalities this will be a super exploration as well as lovely read-aloud.
Each beautiful double spread has a small rhyming verse to introduce the grandchild and grandparent and the book concludes with a list of the ‘grandfather’ names and a short explanation of their country of origin. Especially of note is the inclusion of one nomenclature in an Aboriginal language (Gurindji from the NT’s Victoria River region) and Maori as well as those from Europe, Africa, South America and languages such as Hebrew.
This is not only a superb inclusion for your Father’s Day collection but also for your HASS studies as it gives children an insight into cultural differences and similarities.
Highly recommended for readers from around 4 years upwards.
This is another gorgeous board book which will delight your littlest readers as they discover all kinds of surprises under the flaps on each page – some of them with more than one!
Peppa is worried about her goldfish. Poor Goldie seems sad but how does one cheer up a goldfish? Peppa, being an intuitive little piglet, thinks perhaps Goldie is lonely so the Pig family go to visit the aquarium to get some advice on finding a friend for their little pet.
Luckily Miss Rabbit is there to show them around and tell them about some marvellous aquatic creatures and best of all, they find a special friend for Goldie.
It’s simple but with wonderfully colourful illustrations and those flap-surprises will enchant little readers from as young as babies upwards to around 4 years old.
Baby Shark: Adventure Down Under
Penguin Random House
Published: 19 May 2020
ISBN: 9781760897970
Imprint: Puffin
RRP: $14.99
I defy anyone to tell me that they are unfamiliar with Baby Shark! Aside from all the hyped up little kids singing it there have been plenty of big kids and even some adults (I’m looking at you Lily!).
What a phenomenon it has been so there’s no doubt that young readers will love this colourful, entertaining and informative book that explores the variety of sharks found in Australian waters – doo doo doo doo doo doo!
Each double spread features another of our sharks and includes: tasselled wobbegong, Port Jackson, shortfin mako, great white, hammerhead, pygmy and more with salient details about each.
You won’t need to coax your readers to engage with this one as a read-aloud. They will be singing along from the first page!
Whether you are buying this for your collection or perhaps as a great gift for a child you know overseas, it’s a great way to share some simple information in a really fun way.
Highly recommended for all Baby Shark fans from around 2 years upwards.
It seems that everyone loves Peppa – whenever I share a new book about the popular pig and her family it is always so well received.
I love this one because not only is it a fun and informative book for little ones as simply that but it is a perfect addition to a classroom unit of work revolving around care for our world.
This topic is far and away one of the most popular in classrooms not only in Australia but globally as we strive to empower our little people to become environmentally aware world citizens. This book puts so many simple ideas into a context with which little ones can connect as Peppa and George engage in activities such as recycling, saving water, and reducing fuel consumption as they create scrapbooks for Love Our Planet Week at playgroup. A very natural follow-up to this is for your own kiddos to similarly create their own scrapbooks filled with their ‘earth aware’ initiatives.
It is indeed perfect to begin this topic from as early as ELCs or Prep classes and I recommend it heartily to you for your Foundation classes.
All Peppa Pig books are printed on paper from responsibly managed sources. This Peppa Pig book is printed with environmentally friendly vegetable inks and a water-based finish on the cover.
More for the Peppa Pig fans coming your way! The Pig family and their happy adventures are the stuff little people’s dreams are made of really so it’s just as well the books just keep on coming to complement the television show.
George and the Dinosaur
January 2020
ISBN: 9780241392478
Imprint: Ladybird
RRP: $14.99
If you put together the Pig family and dinosaurs you’re bound to be on a winner! George Pig and his little friends are all fossil mad so it’s a really exciting outing when Peppa, George and Mummy Pig plus George’s friends all get to go on a beach exploration with Miss Rabbit the Fossil Hunter.
Miss Rabbit (think Mary Anning!) really knows her stuff when it comes to fossils of all kinds, not to mention dinosaurs and she’s pretty impressed with George’s friend Edmond and his knowledge as well.
While Peppa gets a bit discouraged not finding anything and turns to building a sandcastle, George finds a huge rock with mysterious promise.
Imagine the wild delight when the rock is taken to the museum, split open to reveal a complete dinosaur skeleton!
Peppa Pig: Super Peppa!
March 2020
ISBN: 9780241411971
Imprint: Ladybird
RRP: $14.99
Dinosaurs on one cover and a glittery sparkly rainbow on another – way to get those little ones grabbing a book off the shelf!
Peppa and her classmates are most excited to be doing some school work solely focused on them but when Miss Gazelle asks them to come in costume as their dream occupation of the future, Peppa is at a loss to think what she could be. After all, she’s not really super at anything is she?
But when she gets down to things asking her adult friends and her parents, she takes Mummy Pig’s advice about believing in herself to heart and discovers that she’s super at all kinds of things.
And when George starts playing with his Super Tato toy (yes I have one too!) Peppa is struck with inspiration for her costume.
Peppa Pig: [the] Easter Bunny
March 2020
ISBN: 9780241411827
Imprint: Ladybird
Format: Board Book
RRP: $9.99
And not forgetting the littlest fans of all here’s a new board book to add to their collection.
Peppa and George decide they want to have a surprise Easter Egg Hunt for their friends and ask Daddy Pig for help. As always, Daddy is great at putting together costumes and soon the dress-up box has provided the wherewithal to transform Peppa into an Easter Bunny and George into an Easter Chick.
When the little friends come over the egg hunt they are mightily surprised when the Easter Bunny and Chick pop out of the garden!
Another really cute little book to share with the tiniest of your lap-sitters.
All three are bound to sure-fire hits with your young readers.
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