Archive | December 2020

The Angel of Waterloo

Dec18
The Angel of Waterloo

The Angel of Waterloo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Angel of Waterloo

Jackie French

HarperCollins, 2020

422pp., pbk., RRP $A29.99

9781460757918

Henrietta Bartlett, known to everyone as Hen, is working alongside her surgeon father amongst the hellfire and brimstone that is the battlefield of Waterloo.  Circumstances lead to an unexpected and untimely marriage to one of her patients, an event that not only changes her life forever but leads to changing many lives of generations not yet even born.  For on that battlefield a dream of living where it is acceptable to be a female working in medicine is born, and from there to the newly-established colony of New South Wales where anything seems possible, we have the prequel to the fabulous, meticulously-researched, partly-autobiographical Matilda saga 

And this is my Christmas gift to you- hours and hours of put-your-feet-up reading into the world of Australia’s past through the stories of the generations of a family of strong women to acknowledge all the work you, as teachers, have done to keep our kids moving forward during such a difficult year. Hen herself kept me engrossed  with no room for mundane stuff like feeding the family and cleaning the house (the joys of retirement) and re-reading the series itself took care of many confined-to-home Covid hours.  It truly is Jackie French at her best.  

Merry Christmas and happy reading!!!

 

 

Peppa’s Night Before Christmas

Dec17
Peppa's Night Before Christmas

Peppa’s Night Before Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peppa’s Night Before Christmas

Ladybird, 2020

32pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9780241448625

To round out Peppa’s busy year of celebrations and holidays, this new adventure in which she and George help Santa out of a sticky situation will be welcomed by her young fans.  Written to the rhythm of the Clement C. Moore poem , it will capture their imagination as they anticipate the big night. 

Peppa has had many exciting adventures throughout the year,  but this is the crowning glory.  Imagine helping Santa out!!! It will send little ones off to sleep with wonderful ideas whizzing!!! Even the littlest, most stubborn person falls asleep eventually!

 

A Christmas Wish

Dec16

 

A Christmas Wish

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Christmas Wish

Beatrix Potter

Eleanor Taylor

Puffin, 2017

18pp., board book, RRP $A12.99

9780241291757

It’s Christmas Eve and Peter Rabbit and his sisters are excited, but Peter is worried too. They have all wished for a special present but Peter can’t sleep, and he knows Father Christmas won’t visit if he’s still awake. As the hours drag by anxious Peter hears a little creak here, and a little bump there, so now he’s even less likely to fall asleep, especially as he is convinced each noise must be Santa and he gets up to investigate. Then he decides to sit and gaze at the lights on the Christmas tree…will Santa come while he’s there?

The charm and delight of Beatrix Potter’s tales about Peter Rabbit have endured over decades and this adaptation is no exception.  Perfect for that final sleep on the BIG night, little ones will empathise with Peter as they share his excitement and find it just as tricky to get to sleep it will become a classic part of the annual Christmas Countdown.

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Down Under The Twelve Days of Christmas

Dec15
Down Under The Twelve Days of Christmas

Down Under The Twelve Days of Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Down Under The Twelve Days of Christmas

Michael Salmon

Ford Street Publishing, 2012

Pbk., RRP $A12.95

9781921665592 

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … no, not a partridge in a pear tree. But a kookaburra in a gum tree! In this quirky re-release of Michael Salmon’s version of the traditional Christmas song, Santa has landed in Australia’s outback and is checking his list.  Although the kangaroos are in charge of the presents, their koala helpers are not helping very much at all.  Are six sharks a-surfing and seven emus laying really what someone wants to find under their tree – or anywhere?

Most of us are familiar with the bright, colourful illustrations that are a signature of Michael Salmon’s work and from the cover to the final page which is a blackline master to be photocopied and coloured in, they just delight the readers and put a smile on their faces.  Not only is the original song one of timeless tradition, but this book is one of timeless quality which will bring joy to yet another generation of little ones.  With ski-ing snakes and dancing dingoes, they are introduced to some of Australia’s most iconic creatures in situations beyond their normal bush habitats and daily habits.  And of course, the whole just begs to be the basis of an improvisation that lets the students demonstrate their knowledge of our fauna and alliteration.  Imagine eleven echidnas eating…

Christmas Day in Australia IS very different from all those snow-covered Christmas card scenes we seem to still hang on to, and this classic proves it!

If your library copy from way back when is tired and over-loved, this is the opportunity to renew it with a sparkling new version.  And don’t forget to introduce the children to the fun and games available in the cave!

Slinky Malinki’s Christmas 123

Dec14
Slinky Malinki's Christmas 123

Slinky Malinki’s Christmas 123

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slinky Malinki’s Christmas 123

Lynley Dodd

Puffin, 2020

20pp., board book., RRP $A16.99

9780143775355

What happens when one creeping cat gets amongst the decorations on the Christmas tree?

Young readers will delight in the chaos that is caused when Slinky Malinki, like so many pet cats, finds the baubles and bows on the Christmas tree too great a temptation.  But can you really get cross with him? 

Another addition to the collection of Hairy Maclary and his friends that have been giving joy for generations now – team it with Slinky Malinki’s Christmas Crackers for the ultimate Christmas gift!

Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle

Dec11
Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle

Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle

Glenda Millard

Stephen Michael King

ABC Books 2008

hbk., 32pp., RRP $A24.95

9780733322495

 

 

This book arrived for review just before Christmas 2008 (just before the tragic Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria) and things being what they are, Christmas snuck by and it sat looking at me, begging for a review and being ignored.  Now it seems the delay was almost prophetic for the first few lines are …

“One orange evening, tiger-striped with blackened trees, a pig sat reminiscing. With eyes shut tight, she saw her valley as it had been: a breeze blew and the swing swayed, gently, from a willow bough.  But then the raging bushfire had come and licked the earth bare. Applesauce sighed, dawdled up the hill and settled in the dust by the shed, where Joe and Marigold had lived since the fire …

Applesauce is convinced that there can be no Christmas this year – her heart, where Christmas comes from, is as small as a gumnut and there was no Christmas in it at all.  But then something special happens and Applesauce discovers that Christmas does not need to be all about glitzy decorations, fancy foods and expensive presents.  It does indeed come from the heart.

This is a fabulous story that will give those affected by any disaster, hope.  Even though Christmas may be some time away and they can’t see past this day or, at most, this week, there is a strong message of life continuing, albeit it differently.  Stephen Michael King’s watercolour illustrations are delicate and haunting, some showing sights that have become too real for too many. But they are a perfect accompaniment to this story.

In the hands of a sensitive adult, this is a book to be shared with a littlie needing to know that things will not always be as bleak and black as they are now.

It was shortlisted for the Early Childhood category of the Australian Children’s Book of the Year Award and five years since its publication it is still one of the most highly recommended Christmas titles amongst the teacher librarian community. Teaching notes are available.

Tinsel – The Girls Who Invented Christmas

Dec10
Tinsel - The Girls Who Invented Christmas

Tinsel – The Girls Who Invented Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tinsel – The Girls Who Invented Christmas

Sibéal Pounder

Bloomsbury, 2020

320pp., hbk., RRP $A17.99

9781526619273

Homeless because her parents died before her memories were made and having vowed to never spend another night in an orphanage of 19th century England,  Blanche Claus hates Christmas.  From her shelter under the bridge she called home, she’d spend the day loudly counting down the seconds until it was over – or she fell asleep in the snow.

This Christmas Day started out as many before it but it was disturbed by the appearance of an old woman with a fancy bauble dangling rom her finger. Giving the bauble to Blanche who protests she doesn’t have a tree to hang it on, the old woman assures her she doesn’t need a tree for this one and as mysteriously as she came, she disappears. Looking at the bauble Blanche sees a snowy landscape decorated with tiny houses and technicolor icicles but it is the giant dancing Christmas tree that catches her eye.  This is the first gift she has ever been given and it changes her attitude and her life forever leading her to first Rudy, an old horse ready for the knackery and then a friendship (also a first) with Rinki.

You get an inkling of where the story is going from the tagline of the title, the byline of the blurb – “”What if somewhere along the way we’ve all got the Santa story a bit wrong…”” and Blanche’s declaration that if she could have or do anything in the world it would be to give every child a gift on Christmas morning so they would also know the joy she felt when that old woman offered her the bauble. 

This is a charming story that draws you in until suddenly an afternoon is gone and you’ve done nothing but be captivated by the magic of the Christmas of your childhood days.  It would make the perfect Christmas Countdown read-aloud or evening read-together as we approach this special time together, and this is another that is going to Miss 9 and Miss 14 who, even at their age, still love that special family time sharing a story.  

 

 

This Little Piggy Went Singing

Dec9
This Little Piggy Went Singing
This Little Piggy Went Singing

This Little Piggy Went Singing

Margaret Wild

Deborah Niland

Allen & Unwin, 2014

hbk., 24pp., RRP $A19.99

9781743319123

This little piggy went singing

This little piggy stayed home

This little piggy had noodles

This little piggy had none

And this little piggy went toot, toot, toot all the way home.

 

In a whimsical twist on the traditional rhyme Margaret Wild and Deborah Niland have combined to bring us this charming book to herald in the festive season for 2014.  Whether it is out singing Christmas carols, posting a letter to Santa, and partying it up or staying home reading a Christmas story, making decorations and putting them up, each little piggy has a wonderful time in the days before the BIG day, even the one who has none because it’s been made into a necklace by a mouse or shared with a feathered friend.  And they all come together for something special on the very last page.

But this is more than just a take on a tale – each piggy has a different role on each page and so young readers can pick a favourite and follow their adventures all the way through the story.  There is also a trend of activity throughout – the first little piggy is always out of the house doing something Christmasy; the second stays at home doing something special; the third piggy has something to eat and the fourth does not – but it doesn’t matter because there’s a delightful explanation as to why not.  And the fifth little piggy makes a cacophony of noises all the way home that young ones will love to join in with.  Picking the pattern is as much fun as picking the piggy! Can you work out how Deborah Niland might have mapped out her illustrations so each piggy did something different each day?

It’s also an opportunity to talk with the children about the traditions they recognise and which have endured over time as well as what happens in their house in those busy days and compare and contrast the various activities.  While the original rhyme has been in English folklore since 1760, Margaret and Deborah have brought it right into the 21st century, giving it a richness that will ensure it continues to endure.

This is a delightful way to herald in the Christmas Countdown – 24 books, one a day till THE day – and I can’t wait to share it with my little ones.  It’s sparkly, glittery cover already caught their eye as it waited its turn in the pile so I know it will be the first in our countdown calendar.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

This entry was posted on December 9, 2020, in Picture Book.

Bluey: Verandah Santa

Dec8
Bluey: Verandah Santa

Bluey: Verandah Santa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluey: Verandah Santa

Puffin, 2020

32pp., hbk., RRP $A16.99

9781761040610

Bluey is a six-year-old blue heeler pup who loves to play. Along with her friends and family, Bluey enjoys exploring the world and using her imagination to turn everyday life into an amazing adventure which resonates with the young readers and viewers.  In this story, it’s Christmas Eve and Bluey, Bingo and Muffin decide to play a game called Verandah Santa! Just because their house doesn’t have a chimney, doesn’t mean Santa won’t come. What will Santa bring them? As well as having lots of fun, Bluey also learns a valuable lesson about what being good means and why it is not just about getting presents. 

Bluey has been a phenomenal success since airing on ABC KIDS in October 2018 and is the winner of an International Emmy for Most Outstanding Children’s Programme.  As well as helping our youngest readers learn some of life’s lasting lessons, the link between screen and media is a critical one as they learn about the value of being able to take their time with print, examine the illustrations and read it again and again whenever they want – all critical concepts about print.

 To accompany the storybook, there is also a sticker activity book which encourages little ones to actively engage with the story rather than just being passive listeners.

Perfect for Christmas stockings.

Santa Jaws

Dec7
Santa Jaws

Santa Jaws

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa Jaws

Mark Sperring

Sophie Corrigan

Bloomsbury, 2020

32pp., pbk., RRP $A13.99

9781408897812

When Shelly the shark buys herself a Christmas hat and puts a sign on her door welcoming all the other marine creatures to Santa’s grotto, they all leave quickly surmising it is a trick for Shelly to have an easy Christmas dinner.  But Sid the squid is curious and very excited because he has never met Santa Claus or even had Christmas and so he ventures in.

What happens next is an hilarious adventure told in rhyme by the creators of Mince Spies  that will delight young readers and show them that Christmas is a time for everyone. The rhyme and rhythm carry the story along so even though Shelly might look a little scary on the cover, young listeners will be drawn in and delight in the illustrations that offer so much.  One to be shared again and again.