Tag Archives: Renee Treml

Jul26

A batch of board books

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My Best Friend is a Dragon – Rachael McLean

Penguin Australia

  • August 2020
  • ISBN: 9780593093993
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • RRP: $13.99

The first of this batch of books for the tiniest reads is this delightful and gloriously vibrant lift-the-flap story.

What could be better than having a magical dragon as your best friend? This little boy romps through the pages with his dragon helping out with stuff like getting the lid off the cookie jar and when snow makes play difficult. Little ones will love lifting the flaps to see the solution to each problem.

With simple text and joyful illustrations this would be a hit for tiny humans from around 12 months upwards.

Ten Sleep Sheep – Renee Treml

Penguin Australia

  • August 2020
  • ISBN: 9781760896768
  • Imprint: Puffin
  • RRP: $14.99

Renee’s books are always beautiful with their gentle and heart-warming illustrations and this lovely counting book is no exception. Little ones can count down from ten as they visit all the sleepy animals on the farm. From ten sheep through pups and foals, chicks and ducklings even koalas until no one is left awake except the owl. What a beautiful bedtime book this is and will no doubt be requested time and again.

A gorgeously sleepy-time book perfect for babies upwards.

That’s Not My Narwhal – Fiona Watt

Harper Collins Australia

July 2020

  • ISBN: 9781474972109
  • ISBN 10: 1474972101
  • Imprint: Usborne – GB
  • List Price: 14.99 AUD

Usborne continues the popular touchy-feely series with this new one which is just as cute as the previous but just a little more unusual in choosing an animal perhaps not so well known.

Little fingers will love the textures from the squishy tummy to the rough tail and the fuzzy spots. Their eyes will sparkle just as much as the narwhal’s horn as they explore each page with tactile delight.

Little ones from 12 months upwards will think this one a real treat.

Is there anything as much fun as introducing these little ones to the joy and wonder of books and reading? I think not.

Pick up these for a tiny one in your circle or for your early learning centre or kindergarten.

Sep27

MoonFish  [Poems to make you & Think] – Harry Laing. Various Illustrators

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moon-fish

Ford St Publishing

May 2019

9781925804256

RRP: $16.95

Sharing poetry with kiddos is one of my favourite things to do – and even the ones who kind of screw their noses up at first really get into it with the right selection. This will definitely be one of those and I know that many teachers will want to get their hands on it to add some pep to their poetry units.

Harry Laing has compiled a fabulous collection that is fun-filled with catchy rhythm and rhymes, chants, raps, word play, shape poems and more. The illustrators are a stellar cast of our best and brightest in the business, eighteen in all, making this a feast for the eye as well as the ear.

Whether it’s a yummy food poem about cheese or pizza or a city of chocolate or an introduction to some insect life like ants or termites or even a flea this has something to appeal to all children.

There will be many opportunities for kids to get up and use their hands or feet to clap to the beat and no doubt will quickly decide on their personal favourites.

If you are looking to give your poetry collection some updating or purely for the joy of it, this will make a valuable addition and is highly recommended for children from around 7 years upwards.

 

Shortlisted 2019 – Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year

Aug17

Sleep tight, Platypup – Renee Treml

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platypup

Penguin

February 2019

ISBN: 9780143789697

Imprint: Puffin

RRP: $19.99

I always find something entirely magical about Renee’s books. Both her text and her illustrations are equally charming and so beautifully suited to little readers.

As a child I knew what it was to be afraid of the dark. I did eventually grow out of it (well except for when my daughter tricked me into watching The Sixth Sense because of my Bruce Willis passion) but for many small people those mysterious sounds and shadows of the night can pose a real anxiety.

Little Platypup is one of those youngsters. The weird sounds of the bush outside the burrow are so worrisome and it’s easy to let the imagination run away. But Mother Platypus is both wise and patient and knows exactly how to reassure a little puggle.  Those sounds outside at night are merely the same ones heard through the daytime – it’s just that at night when all is quieter they seem so much more mysterious and queer.

For little humans who are still nervous of night time this is a perfect book to share – and talk about of course. We can’t always address our children’s worries through books but sometimes they are the perfect solution or entrée into assuaging the troubles they face.

Highly recommended for little people from toddlers upwards.

Jul2

The Puffin Book of Bedtime Stories

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Penguin

9780143796732

July 2, 2019

Puffin

RRP $29.99

bedtime

If you are looking for a special gift for a little reader – and it’s never too early to think about Christmas, let’s face it! – this would be the perfect fit. Eight of Australia’s best- loved picture books from some of our best and brightest authors and illustrators are beautifully presented in this hardcover omnibus.

Bed Tails by Meredith Costain and Mitch Vane

Sophie’s Big Bed by Tina Burke

Baby Tawnies by Judy Paulson

It’s Bedtime, William! by Deborah Niland

One Very Tired Wombat by Renee Treml

A Bear and a Tree by Stephen Michael King

Jesse by Tim Winton and Maureen Prichard

Come Down, Cat by Sonya Hartnett and Lucia Masciullo

Take a peek inside here.

Whether as a read-aloud for snuggling up on these wintery days and nights or for the newly independent reader this will be the ideal choice to inspire imagination and a love of stories.

The special touches of the pages framed in lilac tones and the glorious endpapers along with the beautiful textured binding all combine to make this a treasured addition to the bookshelf.

Be prepared for many cries of ‘read it again!’ from your chosen audience.

Highly recommended for little ones from toddler upwards.

Nov21

The Great Garden Mystery – Renée Treml

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greatgarden

ISBN: 9780857984166

Published: 01/09/2014

Imprint: Random House Australia Children’s

Extent: 32 pages

-RRP: $19.99

Just over a year ago I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing Renée’s second picture book, Colour for Curlews. I absolutely loved it – and I love this new one just as much.

There is great consternation in the garden. Someone is stealing the beetroots – who could it be? The two curious curlews reappear and assume the role of detectives and are enthusiastically ‘helped’ by the speculations of the other animals who either find incriminating clues such as square poos, a hole under the fence or tufts of fur or use their knowledge of character traits to fling around accusations so, as Fox is sneaky it could well be him.  Following this maze of clues leads to a final accusation against Roo – who bounds away rather than stay to face this bush court (should that be kangaroo court?). The garden is tidied up, new seeds planted and all seems calm. That is, until nightfall when Wombat (in a reappearance from the two earlier books) wakes up, and sets off for more free veggies – especially beetroot!

This is a very amusing detective story for young readers and certainly could lead to some interesting classroom discussions about taking care when leaping to conclusions.

Once again I am very struck with Renée’s illustrative techniques. In this new book, the characters themselves are quite monochromatic but the effect of them placed against coloured backgrounds in the double page spreads is really striking.  The lovely endpapers with a trail of munched beetroots against the white space are similarly attractive.

Another picture book which lends itself particularly well to read-aloud sessions and no doubt much debate and discussion about who the guilty party might be, as well as introducing some judicial new vocabulary.

Highly recommended for young readers aged 5 and up.

Visit Renée’s website here and find teaching notes here.