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Dragonboy and the 100 Hearts

Mar25
Dragonboy and the 100 Hearts

Dragonboy and the 100 Hearts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dragonboy and the 100 Hearts

Fabio Napoleoni

Little Brown, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A32.99

9780316462211

It’s raining outside and Dragonboy and his stuffed-animal friends are stuck at home, feeling as gloomy as the weather. For them, the only fun is to be exploring outside and they aren’t particularly interested when Dragonboy suggests exploring inside.  And even though Darwin the sloth was noticing something unusual, they paid him no attention. When they venture into the attic and discover a lot of old toys and games, their day brightens and as they play together, but Darwin’s feelings are hurt…

This is another in this series for very young readers who are learning about friendship and kindness and building relationships through everyday acts of kindness that have nothing to do with material things.  Each time one of the characters shows kindness, a tiny red heart appears and they are invited to count how many they find (there are 100) and think about what it was that triggered it. 

Something a little different that encourages young readers to understand that there are many ways to be a good friend. 

The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes

Mar21
The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes

The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes

Frané Lessac

Walker Books, 2024

96pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781760655099

Take a bunch of familiar nursery rhymes from time immemorial, give them a new, uniquely Australian twist, add the iconic illustrations of Frané Lessac and you have the perfect present for any book-based baby shower, or newborn’s welcoming present you could ever wish for.

We know it is not so much the words of rhymes like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Old MacDonald had a Farm that little ones respond to, so much as the melodic rise and fall of the voice as it moves over the rhyme, rhythm and repetition of these hand-me-down jingles, but to embed our native wildlife into them is pure genius.  So it is not little stars that we wonder about, but southern stars; it is not the cow jumping over the moon but a big kangaroo; and it’s not Peter picking a peck of pickled peppers but Pygmy Possum picking a peck of pickled pollen…

So while Jack and Jill will always climb the hill to fetch their pail of water, perhaps a new generation will see them as something other than two little children, or it will be four and twenty kookaburras emerging from that famous pie…

Brilliant.

Hatch and Match

Mar20
Hatch and Match

Hatch and Match

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hatch and Match

Ruth Paul

Walker Books, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A25.99

9781760656980

Early morning on the farm, and as the rooster crows to start the new day, an assortment of the most brightly coloured, highly patterned chickens jump down from the tree they have roosted in overnight and begin to search for their eggs.  And as they search the farmyard with all its hazards, the reader is invited to help them search by matching colours and patterns so that each hen finds its eggs.  

But when all are reconciled, that’s not the end of the story – there is a delightful twist as the eggs hatch into chicks that will make the reader think about things a little more deeply.

This has to be one of the most engaging books for our youngest readers that I’ve read for a while.  Not only do they interact with the text and illustrations, developing their visual acuity as they match patterns and colours (a precursor to distinguishing more  subtle changes like letter shapes), but the ending offers food for thought that will have a lasting impact on how they view the world.  If it weren’t for this being by a Kiwi author (go us) making it ineligible, it is one I would expect to see in the CBCA awards lists in the future.

Dinosaur Roar! (series)

Mar18
Dinosaur Roar!

Dinosaur Roar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinosaur Roar! (series)

Peter Curtis

Jeanne Willis

Orchard Books, 2024

16pp., board book, RRP $A16.99

Imagine a series of books about dinosaurs created especially for our youngest readers, in board book format just perfect for their little hands to hold by themselves.

Inspired by the classic picture book Dinosaur Roar! by Paul Stickland and Henrietta Stickland, this colourful collection of children’s books features dinosaurs with personalities even bigger than they are! Each book in the series introduces a different title character and uses his or her personality to teach children about dinosaurs and convey a simple moral lesson. The 26 dinosaur characters frequently pop up in other characters’ books in the collection, which together make up The World of Dinosaur Roar!

With wonderful, rhyming text written by series creator, Peter Curtis, and award-winning author, Jeanne Willis, these laugh-out-loud stories are sure to be a hit with young dinosaur fans! Each book includes a spread of simple dinosaur facts and a pronunciation guide, and is produced in association with the Natural History Museum in London. 

There are few children who don’t go through a “dinosaur phase” and so, not only does this series engage, entertain and educate them, but it also starts developing those early reading behaviours particularly those about print works being valuable for finding things out, and being something they can easily return to time and again. The website offers lots of activities and there is a YouTube channel with even more things to do.

An ideal series for the young readers in your life. 

 

Rainbowsaurus

Mar17
Rainbowsaurus

Rainbowsaurus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rainbowsaurus

Steve Antony

Hodder Children’s, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781444964516

We’re following a rainbow to find the Rainbowsaurus.
We’re following a rainbow. Would you like to join us?

Two dads and their three children  set off on an adventure to find the Rainbowsaurus. On their way, they meet animals that are all the colours of the rainbow who all want to find the Rainbowsaurus, too.

This is a fun read for little ones as they join the quest with its crazy collection of creatures, all different colours and lots of opportunities to join in with the noises and actions as they seek the Rainbowsaurus.  And if that isn’t enough there is always the song to sing as it has been set to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star …

Music, movement, colour and a dinosaur – what’s not to love?  Especially if the young reader is invited to be a creature and colour of their choosing and really join in! 

 

The Easter Bunny Hunt

Mar3
The Easter Bunny Hunt

The Easter Bunny Hunt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Easter Bunny Hunt

Stacy Gregg

Sarah Jennings

HarperCollins, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9780008623043

Easter is here and Cat and Dog find the bunny’s basket but there are no eggs in it.  

So Cat goes in search of the Easter Bunny, following Dog’s somewhat meagre and misleading clues,  meaning a lot of creatures with long ears and floppy tails come to celebrate Easter, but none of the is the Easter Bunny. Will Cat ever find who he is looking for?

Little ones will delight in this new story for the Easter season, and once they realise the pattern, will have fun predicting just which creature Cat might have brought to the party this time, as they apply their existing knowledge of creature features to match the illustrations, while learning the importance of trying to be as precise as they can.

 

Fast, Slow. Let’s Go!

Mar2
Fast, Slow. Let's Go!

Fast, Slow. Let’s Go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fast, Slow. Let’s Go!

Sally Sutton

Brian Lovelock

Walker Books, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781760653392

This is the way we walk along, walk along, walk along,

This is the way we walk along on a sunny funny morning.

SLIP SLAP TRIP TRAP 

FAST SLOW! LET’S GO!

All sorts of young children are making their way across town using any means they can – skateboarding, rising the train, on the zipline, even in a wheelchair.  But where are they going? Why are they making such an effort? What could be so important?

This is an engaging story for young readers who will have fun identifying all the ways the children are travelling as their tongues wrap themselves around the familiar rhythm, rhyme and patterns of the classic Here we go round the mulberry bush, and joining in, the anticipation building as they predict where the children are going and why.

But as well as being a fun read for little ones, it’s also an excellent kickstart for building vocabulary for those slightly older who are beginning to write their own stories and who need to expand their vocabularies beyond the common but boring I went… Using the examples in the book as a launch pad, there could be a fascinating word wall  built of alternatives beginning with modes of transport, but then venturing into creating mood and atmosphere with alternatives like I crept or I stomped.  Not only does it encourage them to be more adventurous with their words, it demonstrates the impact of using them to build a story.  

 

Who am I? (series)

Mar1
Who am I?

Who am I?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who am I?

I’m a Puppy

9781922326867 

I’m a Tiger

9781922326874

I’m a Duckling

9781922326850

I’m a Polar Bear

 9781922326881

Liv Wan

Catch-a-Star, 2024

12pp., board book, RRP $A14.99

One of the key strategies used in teaching our little ones to read is to have them immerse themselves in the context so they can predict what might happen, and to do this they need to have context-specific vocabulary at their fingerprints.  For example, if the story’s setting is the ocean they are more likely to be thinking fish, sharks, dolphins and mermaids than lions, giraffes, elephants and zebras. 

Thus series like these which introduce them to context-specific words play a vital role in developing those early reading behaviours, particularly when they invite the reader to actively engage with them through their format.  Grouped under titles of Pets, Jungle, Farm and Winter, each page offers a simple clue, a question and a lift-the-flap to see if the response is right.  The bright, bold illustrations provide the setting so the child can focus their thoughts on what the creature is likely to be and this, combined with gentle coaxing from the adult can lead to a successful guess that not only provides a positive interaction with the book but helps the little one understand that they, too, can be a reader.

Catch A Star continues to recognise the need for even our youngest readers to have engaging stories that are sturdy enough in their own hands so they can mimic the reading of those who read to them, a critical step in becoming a reader, and this series is no exception. Reading is a complex activity that requires a variety of strategies, not the least of which is the expectation that the little one can and will be a reader, and engaging stories that help build those early reading behaviours and concepts about print are an essential in any parent’s toolkit. 

 

 

 

 

Night Watch

Feb19
Night Watch

Night Watch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Night Watch

Jodi Todering

Tannya Harricks

Walker Books, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781760655310

As Sun’s final flames linger in the sky and Dusk whispers, Tawny Frogmouth wakens and with a drumming noise, calls Moon over the horizon because together they have a journey to make.  It is time for the Night Watch.

And so, over Australia’s vast and diverse landscapes they travel, bidding goodnight to her many creatures with their babies as they settle down…

Over the years I have read and reviewed many books focusing on Australia’s unique wildlife, each special in its own way, but this lyrical, lullaby-like tale is outstanding. With its bold, oil painting illustrations that echo not only the deepening and then lightening of the night but also the strength that is required to thrive in the landscape, the  reader is taken on the same journey as Moon and Tawny Frogmouth with the words calming and gentling as both reader and those in the book settle down to sleep. It reinforces the notion that even though it might be dark, nevertheless someone or something is looking over the sleeper and dawn will come to begin another day, and with all being well, Tawny Frogmouth’ work is done for the night..

Loved it and if ever there were a must-have book to share at a baby book shower to start the little one on their 1000 books before big school,  this is it.  Timeless and one to pass on and on and on… 

 

Two Rabbits

Feb15
Two Rabbits

Two Rabbits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Rabbits

Larissa Ferenchuk

Prue Pittock

EK Books, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781922539656

On a dark rainy night, in a cold wet field, Little Grey Rabbit and Little Brown Rabbit had an argument, their words carried away on the wind. And as you do when you have had an argument, each stormed off – Little Grey Rabbit into the street towards her home, and Little Brown Rabbit into the lane towards hers… Will they be able to come back together and find a way to save their friendship?

Using a clever textual technique where the actions and thoughts of each are mirrored in the text, this is a charming story for little ones who are still feeling their way with forming friendships beyond the family and learning that you can still be friends even if you disagree on some things.  Yes, there is anger and sadness and even loneliness, but these become reasons to mend the friendship rather than destroying it.  Apologising is being smart and grown up, not a weakness, and with the reason for the original argument not disclosed, the focus is on those feelings and the coming together again.  

The endpapers are interesting – see if the child can spot the difference – and they will have fun spotting places and tracing journeys of the map.  

One that is perfect to add to the collection exploring how to make and maintain friendships, particularly in those early months of school.