Archive | January 2014

Baby Bilby’s Question

Jan21
Baby Bilby's Question

Baby Bilby’s Question

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Bilby’s Question

Sally Morgan

Adele Jaunn

Little Hare, 2012.

hbk., RRP $A24.95

9781921714856.

Remember when you asked your mum how much she loved you, she said, ‘I’ll love you to the moon and back?’ In this gorgeous book by Sally Morgan and Adele Jaunn, Baby Bilby asks his dad the same question and the response is a unique exploration of Australian fauna and the amazing feats they might perform. ‘I will love you until a crow catches a falling star’, is just an example. Whether it’s kangaroo kissing a koala or a platypus playing with a porpoise, the effect is the same – there is a feeling that this little baby bilby will be loved forever, and there’s a certain reassurance about that.

This book works on so many levels – the story, the message, the humour, the illustrations and the rhythm of the language make it a brilliant read-aloud while, at the same time it introduces the child to some of the amazing animals that are part of our landscape and culture. Slightly older readers might like to invent their own responses and draw these, while the alliteration could provide an introduction to this grammatical feature for those just a bit older again.

But, above all, there’s this warm, snuggly, secure feeling of being loved.

I will love this book until an echidna eats an eggplant!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

Jan20
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

William Joyce

William Joyce & Joe Bluhm

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012

9780857079442

 

“Morris Lessmore loved words. He loved stories.  He loved books. His life was a book of his own writing, one orderly page after another.  He would open it every morning and write of his joys and sorrows, of all that he knew and everything he hoped for.”  Dressed in a dapper brown suit, he would sit on the balcony of his hotel room, surrounded by books read, to-be-read and to-read-again, and write his beloved story.  Until, one day, in something reminiscent of the tornado in The Wizard of Oz, his world is turned upside down and everything he knows is scattered, even the words of his book.  Sadly, bemused and confused, he wanders through a dark and colourless world looking down in deep depressionm until “a happy bit of happenstance came his way” and he looks up, to see a lovely lady drifting above him pulled along by “a festive squadron of flying books”.  Knowing that all he needed was a good story, she sent him her favourite … leading him onto a whole new chapter of his life as he discovers the treasures of a library and how it helps him and those around him…

Reviewing a book that won an Oscar in 2011 for Best Animated Short Film and was an acclaimed animated app, both before it made its print debut is somewhat daunting for what can I say that hasn’t already been said?  But such is my conviction that this book must be on your shelves, I felt I had to bring it to your attention.  To quote Shanetia P. Clark’s review from the Nerdy Book Club (founded by Donalyn Miller of The Book Whisperer), “This carefully crafted tale needs to be on display in every classroom, every library, and every home. It illuminates the importance of sharing great stories with one another, the joy of being caught up in a story; and the transactional connection between the written word and reader. The illustrations, too, tell a beautiful story and work in concert with the written text.”

It would be the perfect title to start a new school year of reading – for the younger students as a read-aloud to introduce them to the magic of story. Morris likes to share books with others and the illustrations show them arriving as grey and colourless but, having been given a book, leaving in glorious colour.  So talk about what books they would share with each other if they were Morris (or you) and in charge.  Make lists and display them so no one is ever short of a recommendation.

For older students, as well as hsaring their recommended reads to brighten lives,  delve deeper than reading along the lines to reading between and beyond. To help you get started explore these questions and activities   or consider how colour has been used in the illustrations.

YouTube has a range of clips that bring the story to life; the app is available through iTunes and there is even one called the IMAG-N-O-THON which brings the pages of the book alive when they are viewed through an iPad 2/3 or an iPhone; and there is a ‘music techer’s companion’ so there is lots of scope to compare portrayals through different media.

If you are not yet familiar with this beautiful story and its equally rich and stunning illustrations, you need to be.  If you have it on your shelves but have forgotten about it, then bring it out and start this new school year with a winner. It’s a picture book for everyone.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Town Possum, Outback Possum

Jan19
Town Possum, Outback Possum

Town Possum, Outback Possum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Town Possum, Outback Possum

Yvonne Morrison

Heath McKenzie

Little Hare, 2011.

Hbk,

9781921541476

Jacko the Possum is very content curled up in the hollow of the eucalypt beside a cool pond, deep in the country. Watching the sunset is enough entertainment for him.  Even when his peace is disturbed by his cousin Jessica from the city, he is unperturbed.  But after three days, Jessica is bored and persuades Jacko to join her in the city, and, in the tradition of ‘Town Mouse, Country Mouse’, both find that there is no place like home.

However, there is much more to this story than an Australian version of an old tale, and its richness can be explored through themes like friendship, what makes a home, similarities and differences and subtle questions such as “Do we all enjoy the same sorts of things?  Is there something wrong with us if we like something our friends don’t?” or  “When was the last time a possum kept you awake all night until you took drastic action?  What would that be like from the possum’s perspective?”

The verse format will appeal to the younger readers because it gives the story a rhyme and a rhythm, and the humour of Jacko’s encounters in the city will delight everyone, while Heath McKenzie’s  illustrations are the perfect accompaniment.

And if I haven’t yet convinced you that this is a must-have on the library’s shelves, then there are teaching notes available.

Others in the series are

The Cocky who Cried Dingo

The Cocky who Cried Dingo

The Three Wallabies Gruff

The Three Wallabies Gruff

The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

 

The Cocky Who Cried Dingo

Jan19
The Cocky Who Cried Dingo

The Cocky Who Cried Dingo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cocky Who Cried Dingo

Yvonne Morrison

Heath McKenzie

Little  Hare

hbk; RRP $24.95

9781921541421

 

“In the back of beyond, underneath the hot sun,

lived a huge flock of parrots, who loved to have fun.

They would scratch in the dirt, and splash in the creek,

Sing raucous songs and then dance beak-to-beak.”

 

And among them was a handsome and arrogant young cockatoo who was not yet ready to go to sleep.  He liked to play tricks, and if you are familiar with the traditional tale of The Boy who cried Wolf, you can predict the storyline of this Australian version.  But what happens when the real dingo comes?  Are the other parrots sick of his tricks and do they ignore him?  Does Cocky escape with a valuable lesson learned?

The rhyme and rhythm of this story have it bouncing along and young listeners and readers will join in with the chorus in delight, shouting out for help.  They will be on edge as it reaches its climax and shiver when they see those fierce dingo teeth.  It can spark discussion about telling the truth and be the perfect forerunner to Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? a free unit of work based on the original tale available from the National Digital Learning Resources Network (ID# R11580).

The pairing of Morrison and McKenzie is perfect – the colourful, whimsical illustrations are just right to build the tension but not overwhelm with fear.  A must for any school library collection which supports a values curriculum.

Others in the series are

The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

The Three Wallabies Gruff

The Three Wallabies Gruff

Town Possum, Outback Possum

Town Possum, Outback Possum

The Emu that Laid the Golden Egg

Jan19
The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Emu that laid the Golden Egg

Yvonne Morrison

Heath McKenzie

Little Hare, 2012

hbk., RRP $A24.95

9781921894008

 

A long time ago, amid hills dry and brown

A flock of wild emus moved into town

They were hoping to find something wholesome to eat

So they set up their base at the end of Main Street …

Because of the drought, these emus weren’t fussy so they tried everything that looked like food, even cans of soft drink carelessly thrown away.  But Emma decided she wanted a big, fat juicy, black beetle and when it escaped her snapping beak she set off on its tail and trail.  The beetle escapes but Emma found something else instead … some kernels of corn in a creek. 

“It was strange-looking corn, oddly heavy and bright

And before long her stomach no longer felt right”.

The rest of this hilarious story is about what happens to Emma, creating a uniquely Australian version of Aesop’s classic The Goose that laid the Golden Egg. Poor Emma!  She falls victim to Nasty Ned and Pongo Pete who decide rather than stealing a golden egg from the nest every day, it would be much easier to kidnap the bird.  And to use that time-honoured cliché, you’ll have to read the story to find out what happens.  But it is a tale that has to be told.  Miss 6 and I loved it!!

Yvonne Morrison and Heath McKenzie have teamed up previously to write other Australian parodies of legendary tales such as The Cocky who Cried “Dingo”, and “Town Possum, Outback Possum” and their magic and chemistry just keep getting better.  This is my favourite so far.  I love the use of the word “flummoxed” and the other superb vocabulary that has been woven into the rhyme – just fabulous for extending young minds, and their own writing.  How much richer and engaging is “The pair hoisted Emma on top of their nag” than “They lifted Emma onto their horse”? Perfect picture books are those where the text and illustrations enhance each other into a seamless whole, and the Morrison-McKenzie combo achieves this brilliantly.

On the surface, it is just a rollicking good yarn but there are so many themes that could be explored such as the impact of drought on our native creatures; littering and unexpected consequences (and this could be compared with sea creatures swallowing plastic or the bears scavenging rubbish bins in Canada); greed and honesty- the list goes on.  Even though its primary audience is younger children, this is definitely a picture book for older students as well as they can compare the original to the parody and all the literary avenues that that opens up. But, better still, have the students put their Nasty Ned and Pongo Pete hats on to devise a plan to kidnap an emu!  Think of the creative and imaginative thinking such a task would produce. 

This books fits into the Australian National Curriculum on so many levels, it’s a must-have.

Others in the series are

The Cocky Who Cried Dingo

The Cocky Who Cried Dingo

The Three Wallabies Gruff

The Three Wallabies Gruff

Town Possum, Outback Possum

Town Possum, Outback Possum

 

Looking for Rex

Jan18
Looking for Rex

Looking for Rex

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for Rex

Jan Ormerod

Carol Thompson

Hbk.,  RRP $A24.95

9781921541483

Gramps now lives on his own, and mum thinks he should have a cat for company.  But cats make Gramps feel grumpy and itchy.  Dad thinks gramps should get out more – perhaps go ballroom dancing again – but Gramps knows that would make him miss Granny rose even more.  But the children have another solution – they think Gramps should have a dog although whether it is for him or them is questionable!

But Gramps agrees on so the hunt for Rex begins.  But it is one thing to agree to getting a dog; quite another to find one that suits. All week they look, even on the weekend but nothing is just right. Will there ever be just the right one for Gramps?  Will he still be as enthusiastic as he was at the beginning of the search?

The combination of Ormerod and Thompson have produced a heart-warming picture book that tells about anticipation and compromise, and shows us that there is much to be considered about getting a pet – that cute little puppy may grown up to be more than is expected!  Miss 6 loved it and now understands why she can’t have a puppy just now because it would be unfair to the puppy. Santa will pop something else into her sack this year, at least.

Warm, loving stories about families and pets are always popular with our younger clients, so this one is perfect for hooking them on reading early in the year.

 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

What is a Crocodile’s Favourite Thing?

Jan17
What is a Crocodiles Favourite Thing?

What is a Crocodiles Favourite Thing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is a crocodile’s favourite thing?

Ben Hawkes

Jonathan Cape, 2013

pbk., RRP $A14.95

9781780080222

 

One of the world’s greatest unanswered questions – until now.  What IS a crocodile’s favourite thing?  Is it a racing car that looks like a sausage or maybe riding a tricycle made of jelly on the moon?  No – it’s …!

Children will have a lot of fun with this book, not only making up crazy-daisy scenarios that might be the answer but also interpreting them in art!  But beware of the twist in the tale. 

This is another one of those quirky picture books that just looks like a lot of fun on the surface, but which, in the hands of a creative teacher, can lead to a lot of literacy and language learning. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

The Bouncing Ball

Jan16
The Bouncing Ball

The Bouncing Ball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bouncing Ball

Deborah Kelly

Georgia Perry

Random House, 2013

hbk, 32 pp, RRP $A19.95

9780857980045

A little boy finds a bouncing ball, and like all little boys he begins to bounce it – against a wall, along the street. But then he drops it and it bounces onto the road, between the cars, into a gutter and down the drain… Then a little girl finds it and she begins to bounce it, until she too drops it and its adventures continue.

This is Deborah Kelly’s debut picture book and while the premise seems simple, there is huge scope for lots of those comments and conversations that are so precious in a shared reading experience, either in the classroom or the bedroom.  Accompanied by engaging, bright illustrations which bring the words to life –is there anything better than a hot pink dog or a yellow and purple cow? – this charming story delighted the little ones I shared it with, particularly as it is perfect for them to make up the final adventure. Each one had a different idea and there were enough stories we could have written a new book. We also had fun playing around with position words, looking for where the ball might gone over, down, through, between, off, into around if we were inside or outside.  Teaching riches indeed.

Neil Gaiman said recently that we have “an obligation to imagine” and this is just perfect for doing just that.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

I’m a Dirty Dinosaur

Jan15
I'm a Dirty Dinosaur

I’m a Dirty Dinosaur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m A Dirty Dinosaur

Janeen Brian

Ann James

Puffin Books, March 2013

hbk., 22pp., RRP $A19.99

9780670076154

 

“I’m a dirty dinosaur with a dirty snout,

I never wipe it clean

I just sniff and snuff about.

Sniff, sniff, snuff, snuff,

Sniff and snuff about.”

 

This little dinosaur just loves mud and little children just love mud and dinosaurs. And, if they are anything like my Miss Nearly 2, they are going to love this story by a proven partnership of author and illustrator. Whenever I look for books for my little people, I look for titles which feature rhythmic, rhyming and repetitive text so they are encouraged to join in and experience the beauty of our language rolling around their tongue.  But how much better when there are also words like sniff and snuff and stamp and stomp that have to be acted out.  This is a delightful dinosaur with attitude and we had heaps of fun with it.

But best of all, Miss 6 who is nearly an independent reader, then read it again with great gusto to her little sister after a fun day outside while Grandma ran the bath … and when you read the ending you will know what happened next!

One of my tests for a great read-aloud is whether I can hear myself reading it before I actually do .. with this one I could even hear my friend reading it to her little one, another dinosaur fanatic.  Initially, I thought it was more for pre-school but now hearing and seeing Miss 6 have so much fun with it, I’d extend that to the end of Year 1, even early Year 2.  A good title for that perennial dinosaur unit so that everyone has a story they can read.

 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

 

The Runaway Hug

Jan14
The Runaway Hug

The Runaway Hug

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Runaway Hug

Nick Bland

Freya Blackwood

Scholastic Press, 2012

pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781741698909

 

As Lucy get ready for bed.going to the toilet, washing her hands, brushing her teeth and struggling into her onsie – all charmingly depicted in the title pages – she asks her mother for one of the essentials things before going to bed.  – a hug.  Her mother is more than willing to share but warns Lucy that it is the very last hug that she has left and she will need it back. 

It is a long and soft hug, and Lucy promises to bring it back as soon as she finishes with it.  And off she runs to share it with Daddy who makes it strong and as tight as a knot; then her twin brothers who make it big; then her baby sister Lily who made it peanut-buttery – each one different but just as nice as the one before.  But when she hugs Annie  her lovable spaniel, something terrible happens. Before Lucy can ask for it back, Annie races off taking Mummy’s very last hug with her… How will Lucy give her hug back to Mummy now?

The Runaway Hug won the Children’s Book Council of Australia’a Early Chilhood Book of the Year in 2012, and it’s easy to see why such a delightful story would take that honour. It is utterly engaging, focusing on such an everyday happening that every child can relate to.  Freya Blackwood’s fantastic illustrations add to that everydayness with scenes of mum rummaging through the laundry, dad watching TV, the house in disarray all depicting a strong loving family with fours kids and a dog. The final image is one of comfort and love, perfectly complementing the storyline.

Nick Bland has rapidly become a favourite author of the early childhood brigade and rightly so.  One of the talents behind We Are Wheelbarrow which make apps to support his growing portfolio of titles, he really has his finger on what it is that this age group love to hear and share – and read for themselves.

Because of being shortlisted, there is a host of teaching ideas available online for The Runaway Hug,as well as this Pinterest board  and this one to help make Nick’s work the focus of an author study.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…