Seriously, I’m always so in awe of creators who can do both the text and the illustrations – for someone who yearns to have even a smidgin of creativity it seems a little unfair -haha!
This is another title I shared with numerous classes over the closing weeks of Term 4 – again from Prep upwards to Year 3 and once again it was received with tumultous applause – even the older children loved the rollicking rhymes and the oh-so-cute illustrations.
We all had lots fun talking who had or had not seen meerkats yet (many in my neighbourhood have gone to Australia Zoo), where meerkats live, why does EVERYONE love them so much and imagining other funny antics they might get up to. They totally loved the reveal of the pups pyramid-ing their way to form a Christmas Tree and there was much laughter all round.
And what do I love? I absolutely adore the endpapers (as everyone knows, they are a passion of mine) and I love that the rhyming text flows naturally with rhythmic grace and ease and never sounds forced or discordant (which frankly, annoys me often in books by ‘award winning’ authors whose scansion leaves much to be desired) – this is just fabulous and the top reason for it being such a joy to read aloud!
This is truly an adorable addition to your Christmas bookshelf and for a little person in your circle particularly would make for a beautiful gift under the tree or in their wee stocking.
Highly recommended for small pups from around 4 years to 8 years old.
This series of bedtime books has been outrageously popular with little people everywhere – not to mention their adults who are the ones doing those repeated nightly readings! If you’re going to be on a perpetual looping playlist you want to be reading something you enjoy as much as the child, I say!
Now in board book format, even the tiniest reader can enjoy the fun as Little Unicorn helps out Santa Claus one busy Christmas Eve. When one of your team is home in bed – especially, your lead reindeer – the annual gift delivery run is looking to be at risk. But there is only ten minutes left before Little Unicorn has to be in bed. Can Santa’s magic and her effort to lead the team possibly get the job done in time?
With the usual rollicking rhyming text and the deliciously cute illustrations, this will be a super gift for a little human in your circle. Of course, it’s perfectly timed for that always most-difficult night to go to sleep so get your copy ready now. It’s roughly forty days until Xmas will be on our doorsteps so best to be prepared now!
Highly recommended for your smallest readers – I have one in my circle who is just toddling so this is perfect for him! I just love them !!
If you are looking for a really great rhyming book for your littlies that will also engage them in a guessing game, this is going to be a real hit!!
In the faraway town of Figgy-tra-ling, you may hear the faint ring of a thing that goes ping!
What could be the mysterious thing that goes ping? Well, take your kiddos on a super quest of discovery with a bunch of wacky animals until the mystery is revealed. I’m sure the children will be super excited when they find out!
Mark Carthew’s lively text is superbly accompanied by Shane McGowan’s quirky illustrations and I would certainly be capitalising on both to create some shared illustrated writing, as I’m sure the kids would have loads of ideas of their own. And to top off all this fun, Ford St has a wonderful stash of activities as a bonus including song lyrics, card games and teaching notes.
I’m giving this a high recommendation for your small peeps from around Prep upwards and think you will all greatly enjoy a sustained mileage from the reading.
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.
Following the huge success of Koala Bare this favourite furry friend returns with enough self-confidence to power the whole country!
I am top of every tree!
Top is always best to be.
With the terrible outcome of bushfires and the dire predicament of our native animals, particularly koalas there could be no better time to use a delightful picture book to focus attention on these amazing and threatened creatures.
Once again Jackie’s lively rhyming text is accompanied by the truly beautiful watercolour illustrations of Matt Shanks as readers follow Koala to the top of everything – whether its Uluru or Parliament House or the Big Pineapple. Children will once again be treated to exposure to some of our quirky Australian animals including that favourite – the quokka with loads of laughs along the way.
Whether you have a classroom topic of animals or Australia or simply to remind your kiddos of the need to protect our fauna, this is superb way to introduce both and your audience will definitely be clamouring for re-reads!
Highly recommended for little readers from around 3 years upwards.
We wear ourselves out getting ready for it – with planning over months and are thoroughly but satisfyingly over it by the time it’s done and yet we wait impatiently for the next year’s theme so we can do it all over again!
Our preparations have been underway for weeks and our library looks super, our costumes are ready, the activities, quizzes and competitions sorted and we are ready to rock and roll.
So it’s seems fitting as I try to catch up with so many reviews that I present some of this year’s picture books that feature stories, reading, writing and books – here we go!
It’s a Story, Rory! – Frances Watts & David Legge
Harper Collins
July 2018
ISBN: 9780733335938
ISBN 10: 0733335934
Imprint: ABC Books – AU
List Price: 24.99 AUD
Like so many of my colleagues Parsley Rabbit’s Book about Books remains a staple in the first few weeks of the year as we introduce our littlest library users to the wonders that lay in front of them. Now we have a further addition to our program that will delight and inform young readers. In my opinion this is perfect to use as we introduce our Year 1s to narrative writing. It presents all the necessary structure of a story in a manner that is both entertaining and humorous.
Our clever narrator takes Rory and Millie on an adventure through – well, an adventure! Readers discover the purpose and role of characters, plot, setting, description and genres whilst being thoroughly engaged in the developing storyline. With humour, witty dialogue and fabulous illustrations beginning writers will be well equipped to undertake their own narrative journeys.
Highly recommended for readers from six years upwards.
The Magic Bookshop – Natalie Jane Prior/Cheryl Orsini
Harper Collins
September 2018
‘The Fairy Dancers is simply stunning … making it the perfect keepsake gift book’ – Children’s Books Daily
ISBN: 9780733338328
ISBN 10: 0733338321
Imprint: ABC Books – AU
List Price: 19.99 AUD
When Ben spends a rainy afternoon at his grandfather’s bookshop he expects to enjoy some biscuits and reading but certainly has no idea that he will be whisked away on adventures that are both wildly exciting and seemingly unknown to Granddad. Discovering a tiger, spending time in a lighthouse, becoming part of a magician’s act this collection of short stories illustrate perfectly the worlds inside books which only require the reader’s imagination.
If you are looking to enthuse younger readers and light up their own imaginative writing this is a perfect choice for a read-aloud. For children who are ready to move beyond easier picture books and ready to tackle something a little more challenging it will be an engaging read with lots of fun moments.
Recommended for readers from around 7 years upwards.
Sebastian and the Special Stack of Stories – Kelly Hibbert/Sue deGennaro
Harper Collins
June 2018
ISBN: 9781460753460
ISBN 10: 1460753461
Imprint: HarperCollins – AU
List Price: 24.99 AUD
When you are the smallest of all in a house full of kids and it’s time for some stories, the best place to be is cuddled up close to Mum. This rollicking rhyming book which is chockfull of some terrific onomatopoeia will have little ones bouncing along as its read.
Sebastian is the tiniest with several big brothers with whom to contend but he can carry the stack of books all the way to the sofa while the bigger boys all jostle and scramble for their favoured spot. There’s not much room left when Sebastian finally gets there except for that one tiny spot right next to Mum’s lap and what better place to be?
A fabulous read-aloud for little ones from as young as 2 years old.
It’s Not Scribble to Me – Kate Ritche/Jedda Robard
A great companion book to the one above as it’s also rhyming and full of wonderful language that will delight the little listener. As parents we’ve probably all experienced those random scribbles that seem to appear on furniture, floors and walls – if we’ve been lucky they’ve been done with something washable! – as grown-ups it’s sometimes easy to feel a little frustrated with the resulting artistic efforts.
But this book reminds us that these early efforts from our little people truly are the beginnings of their imaginative expression and while it’s unlikely any of us are going to advocate such decorative house-styling or even endorse it we can all probably find some ways to allow these early creative moments free rein which will satisfy both sides of the equation.
A delightful picture book which will no doubt lead to many hours of ‘not scribble’ I highly recommend it for readers from 2 or 3 years upwards.
My Storee – Paul Russell and Aska
EK Books
November 2018
9781925335774
RRP $24.99
This is for all the children out there who have wonderful stories to tell but are constantly reminded in one way or another of their ‘inadequacies’ to write them down. My girl Miss K is not dyslexic (well she could be but it’s not part of her official verification) but has struggled with language difficulties all her life. At 14 she is now beginning to read and write more confidently albeit still at about a Year 1 or 2 level. As a Year 1 teacher my children ‘wrote’ every day from day one (before the days of official Prep you understand) – their stories consisted of drawings usually at first but soon with attempted text approximations and moved on through invented spelling and so on as their confidence grew. They were never ever made to be feel inadequate but their efforts always recognised as worthy of sharing.
This is a book that should be shared over and over again with children and parents both. We need to start rejecting the negative restrictions and pressures put upon our children to be perfect and never ever make a mistake. Some of us spend half of each day encouraging our students to take risks and just express themselves in a way that will be positively received.
Highly recommended for children, parents and teachers from around six years upwards.
Just because you can’t spell doesn’t mean you can’t write
ISBN: 9781406376210 Imprint: Walker
March 1, 2017 Australian RRP: $16.99 New Zealand RRP: $18.99
Anyone who has been in a primary school library will have noticed just how often Mo Willem’s books are borrowed. Always a delight in both text and illustrations, this is no exception. And if you are looking for a kickstart for a rhyming activity or an innovation writing exercise, this would be perfect.
When Nanette gets to get the baguette there is an abundance of ‘et/ette’ rhyming words along the way with lots of hilarity to go with them.
Gorgeous illustrations constructed from paper and card as well as photographic images will enchant the reader as they empathise with Nanette’s struggle to get that warm, fresh crunchy baguette home safely.
I have mentioned before my penchant for books with mouse characters and this is no exception. A delightful and sweet story in rhyme about a family of little mice sisters who love to bake and love to shop at the Sunday market. It’s no fun being the ‘baby’ of the family sometimes as Cecile finds out when she is always left at home because she is too young to keep up. Determined to prove to her parents and older sisters that being little is no bar to being talented, Cecile concocts a plan and bakes batch after batch of beautiful pies.
And indeed when her delicious delicacies win over the heart of the Queen herself there is such rejoicing in her family that there is no doubt she will never be left behind again. “Great things can come from the smallest of us.”
This book is a charmer in every aspect: from its lovely textured hardcover to the winsome illustrations in pastel palettes surrounded by effective use of white space to the easy and flowing rhyme.
It would not only make a wonderful read for those emerging readers with a little more ability and confidence but a super read-aloud particularly for girls.
Highly recommended for young readers from around 6 and up.
Push! Dig! Scoop! ; a construction counting rhyme – Rhonda Gowler Greene/Daniel Kirk
Allen & Unwin
November 2016
Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s
ISBN: 9781408881668
RRP $9.99
What a darling book! I’m fascinated to learn that the author has been an elementary teacher for learning disabled children. She knows her stuff for sure. This is full of terrific rhyming, an engaging story and loads and loads of onomatopoeic language which will provide so much fun for young listeners/readers. It simply begs to be read aloud!
Mamas and Papas are down at the construction site with their little ones – who are learning to do all the things their parents do. Busily digging, scooping, making from the morning until it’s time for snuggles in the evening.
Count along with these busy vehicles and enjoy the ride!
I will definitely look out for others by this author – who has some twenty books to her credit.
Highly recommended for the little guys from 0-5 J.
November 2016
Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s
ISBN: 9781408881668
RRP $9.99
What a darling book! I’m fascinated to learn that the author has been an elementary teacher for learning disabled children. She knows her stuff for sure. This is full of terrific rhyming, an engaging story and loads and loads of onomatopoeic language which will provide so much fun for young listeners/readers. It simply begs to be read aloud!
Mamas and Papas are down at the construction site with their little ones – who are learning to do all the things their parents do. Busily digging, scooping, making from the morning until it’s time for snuggles in the evening.
Count along with these busy vehicles and enjoy the ride!
I will definitely look out for others by this author – who has some twenty books to her credit.
Highly recommended for the little guys from 0-5 J.
Renee Treml has presented another beautiful book for little ones with this re-working of an old nursery rhyme, Once I Saw a Little Bird; and given children a wonderful opportunity to hop, jump, flop and more as the rhythmic text unfolds.
Baby Australian animals romp throughout this board book and Renee’s illustrations are as always just delightful.
Simple but bound to be a favourite with tiny tots, we know a little babe who will love this one!
Highly recommended for little humans of your acquaintance – with Christmas coming up this would be perfect to pop into a Santa sack for someone small and special.
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