The Amazing A-Z Thing

May22

The Amazing A to Z Thing

Sally Morgan

Bronwyn Bancroft

Little Hare, 2014

hbk., RRP $A24.95

9781921894190

Anteater had something amazing to show her friends, so she invited Bilby to have a look. “It will make you gasp in astonishment”. She said. But Bilby was too busy resting. “Show Chuditch,” he said. So Anteater did, telling Chuditch that she has something that will make her squeal with happiness. But Chuditch was too busy smiling at herself in the water. “Show Dingo,” she said. And so it goes on with Anteater visiting all the animals of the alphabet, each time appealing to a different emotion but always getting the same response. Everyone was too busy until Anteater decided to look at it herself and began to gasp and giggle and hoot and laugh and shout and dance.

This book is a masterful merging of two extraordinary talents – the storytelling of Sally Morgan who takes the concept of an alphabet book to a whole new level and the artistry of Bronwyn Bancroft whose traditional indigenous illustrations add such colour and character.

The very best picture books are those that have many layers and which, even though they might have an apparent target audience, have the capacity to be used across the ages. This book is one of those. As well as reinforcing the letters and order of the alphabet, and exploring the gamut of emotions, not the least of which is perseverance, the reader is also introduced to a host of Australian creatures, familiar and not-so. Who knew that a chuditch was a quoll from Western Australia or that Velvet Worms existed when Australia was part of Gondwana and they’re not really worms at all? And there are another 24 creatures to investigate. And that’s just the text. Bancroft’s use of colour and pattern, shape and line provide a whole new tangent to explore.

Anteater may have an amazing thing – but this is an amazing book.

The Hairy -Nosed Wombats Find A New Home

May9

The Hairy -Nosed Wombats Find A New Home

The Hairy-Nosed Wombats Find A New Home

Jackie French

Sue deGennaro

HarperCollins Australia, 2014

hbk, 32pp., RRP $A24.99

9780732295486

Not so long ago, there were only 176 Northern Hairy-nosed Wombats left in the entire world! And because their home was at risk of flood and fire meaning they would be gone forever, they had to find a new home. But where would that home be? The one they had was just right (except for the threat of flood and fire) and it was going to be tricky to find one that had tasty grass and was safe and secure enough for them to have babies. So five brave wombats went on a wondrous wombat adventure to find that new home…

Rarer than the giant panda, the northern hairy-nosed wombat has been critically endangered for many years, with their numbers dropping to just 35 ten years ago when drought crippled much of Australia, even though they were in a protected, secluded and exclusive environment. When the rains did come, their numbers had increased to 176 by 2010 but fire and flood still threatened their special home and so a new one had to be found again. This is the story of their plight, their move and the joy of a baby being seen in March 2011 and it is Jackie French displaying two of her passions – storytelling based on detailed research and wombats. Even though the wombats’ plight is pared down to its basic thread, she has woven a wonderful account that introduces the very youngest reader to the predicament of these creatures and shows that species can be saved by providing a safe place to live with good food and water. (The full story underpinning the events is provided at the end.) It’s an introduction to how we all need to share our planet and that our lives are so much richer when we do.

Jackie’s words are powerful, but they are made even moreso by Sue deGennaro who has translated them into the most divine pictures using a whimsy which brings the characters to life – why wouldn’t a hairy-nosed wombat have a magnificent moustache and be delighted when the girls arrive? And why wouldn’t they arrive in a bus with all the modern accoutrements to setting up home? Or parachute in to a ready-made environment? Using watercolour to draw the wombats and collage to dress them (the story of that is told too) Ms deGennaro has created the perfect accompaniment that kept Miss 3 and Miss 7 totally engaged and wanting to know more. It went from a first-read to a favourite immediately and each time we shared this story, there was more to see and each time we understood a little bit more of what it all meant. And the freezing cold day gave us the perfect excuse to stay indoors and draw and dress our own wombats! Miss 7 even remembered that when she was just Miss 4, she got to snuggle a baby wombat because a close friend raises orphans for a wildlife foundation. and the week before she and I had been making pouches for the new orphans who sadly, continue to arrive.

Released in time for Hairy Nosed Wombat Day on May 11, Jackie is donating the proceeds of this book to enable further research. However, in alignment with the theme of the book that we can all make a difference, there are a range of resources for schools available (even a recipe for hairy-nose truffles).

A peek inside…

Uno’s Garden

Feb4

Uno’s Garden

Uno’s Garden

Graeme Base

Viking Penguin, 2006

9780670041916

Uno arrives in the forest on a beautiful day at the very beginning of spring and is greeted by a myriad of beautiful, lush plants and the most fantastic creatures he has ever seen. He likes it so much that he decides to stay there.But Uno’s decision spells doom for the plants and the creatures of the forest, including the only completely ordinary Snortlepig.

The animals go one by one

A hundred plants, then there were none

And all the while the buildings double…

This numbers game adds up to trouble.

But Uno is wise and sees the future of his children and their children if someone does not act to stem the consequences of civilisation. So he starts a special garden that does not have the vegetables and flowers of other gardens, but allows his children and grandchildren to have hope for their future.

But if you count with utmost care

(And trust me that they are all there)

You’ll go from ten to nothing, then

The whole way back to ten again!

Uno’s Garden is a rich story that delivers a powerful message through both its words and pictures. On a simple level, it is a counting book that shows how when one thing increases another decreases. However, the diversity and detail of the illustrations tells a more complex story that provides an excellent starting point for children to start considering their impact on their environment and how this can be positive.

There is a full unit of work with a sustainablity focus (written by me) available from Reading Enriches Learning and Graeme Base’s imagination and work is so rich that he deserves to be the focus of an auhtor/illustrator study.

A peek inside…

Pirate Gold

Jan30

Pirate Gold

Pirate Gold

Michael Salmon

Ford Street Publishing, 2013

pbk., 32pp., RRP $A12.95

9781921665691

hbk., 32pp., RRP$A19.91

9781921665684

The pirate ship Hogwash is home to the Piganeers, led by Captain Porker. After several successful raids on Spanish galleons, Captain Porker orders his crew to weigh anchor off a little tropical island, a regular stop on the voyage home because his treasure is buried there – but his treasure map is missing. How will he find his loot without it? Luckily for his crew, who were at risk of being turned into bacon burgers, he finds it … but not where he usually hides it. Could someone have found it and worked out its secret? Midnight sees him setting out alone, rowing to the island, but after a night of digging, daylight dawns and his fears are confirmed. His treasure is not there. But who is responsible for stealing it? Younger children will enjoy joining Captain Porker on his hunt to find the culprits with its quirky twists and turns.

Pirates are a perennial favourite with young students and this rollicking adventure adds to the plethora of stories with this theme that have lasting appeal. Michael Salmon’s style is eye-catching, engaging and easily recognisable as this is the latest in a long string of books and other child-centred ventures which began in 1967. His cartoon style with his bright colours captures the eye and the imagination, and this book, a re-release of one published in the USA in 1998, is sure to attract a new generation of fans.

My experience has been that whenever I lead young boys, particularly, to the Michael Salmon section, that they are hooked and the word spreads very quickly. Perfect for reading aloud or reading alone by those on the cusp of independence, and coupled with his interactive website Salmon has a formula that is a winner. So much so, that the ACT Government commissioned a statue of Alexander Bunyip (of The Bunyip that ate Canberra fame) to stand outside their new Gungahlin Library in 2011 This title deserves its place in your Salmon collection.

The Runaway Hug

Jan14

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…

Yoo-hoo Ladybird

Jan12

Yoo-hoo, Ladybird!

Yoo-hoo, Ladybird

Mem Fox

Laura Ljungkvist

Penguin Viking 2013

hbk, RRP $A19.99

9780670077304

“Ladybird loves to hide. Yoo-hoo, Ladybird! Where are you?” And so begins another Mem Fox classic, which she describes as a Where’s Wally for the very young. For Ladybird, one of those teeny-tiny red,-with-black-spots creatures that just fascinate little people, has a wonderful time with her friends and is not easy to spot unless you have very keen eyes! But, it’s OK if you don’t find her because there’s a close-up on the next page to help you.

What is there that’s new to say about Mem Fox and her ability to write deceptively simple books that just appeal to generation after generation? Possum Magic had its 30th anniversary in 2013 and now Miss Nearly 3 won’t sleep without hearing Where is the Green Sheep? first. And here is another winner!

In Mem’s words, it is “a typical Mem Fox book for the very young with simple language, predictably wrapped in rhyme and neatly tied with rhythm and repetition”. Even though it is only 133 words, it took two years to write because it took that long for “every one of those 133 words fell into place, the syllables sang the right tune, the commas settled into their correct position, and the page-turns worked like the puzzle they were meant to be.” (You can read more of what Mem says on her website.)

The illustrations which are absolutely integral to a book of this nature are utterly charming and Ljungkvist has done a perfect job of making the puzzle tricky – but not too tricky – hiding Ladybird in plain sight in familiar places amongst toys and objects that will appeal, but which will also create a lot of discussion! Would you really find an octopus in your bath? As well as hiding Ladybird, she has cleverly included lots of other repetitive elements in the pictures so this can become a hide-and-seek on a grand scale!

If you were to construct a Who’s Who in Children’s literature, Australian or otherwise, particularly of those who are the leaders of perfect picture books for under-8s, Mem Fox would be at the pinnacle. In my opinion, she is a national treasure and needs to be in every child’s life and library.

A peek inside…

Davy & the Duckling

Jan3

Davy & the Duckling

Davy & the Duckling

Margaret Wild

Julie Vivas

Penguin/Viking 2013

hbk, RRP $A24.99

9780670075614

When the baby duck first hatched, the first thing it saw was Davy, and a lifelong bond was created. No matter what Davy did or where he went, there was the duckling, his constant companion. And Davy was very happy to be its substitute mother, looking after it so well even when it was no longer a duckling. It was there when Davy did his homework, and when his best friend moved away and he needed company. And when the duck was very old and his quack was croaky, Davy still looked after it. And a whole new cycle began…

Margaret Wild and Julie Vivas have created the most beautiful picture book about love and caring and enduring friendship. Theirs is an inspired partnership and the book has a textual and graphic richness that only artists at the pinnacle of their professions can produce. From the front cover to the back there are opportunities to talk about a host of things as you share this book, and it would be worth including the teachers’ notes with it as a model of the sorts of things parents could do to extend the boundaries of the book and enrich this literature learning experience for their child. Or hold a parent participation evening and model its possibilities yourself.

After reading this book, Miss 7 wanted to know what else this inspired team have done and so began a new reading journey!

A peek inside…

Meg and Mog

Dec1

Meg and Mog

Meg and Mog

Helen Nicoll

Jan Pienkowski

Picture Puffin

9780141501505

“Once upon a time there was a witch called Meg. At midnight, the owl hooted 3 times and woke her up. She got out of bed to dress for ther spell party. She put on her black stockings, her big black shoes, her long black cloak and her tall black hat.”

And so begins a series that has delighted children for over 40 years.

Meg, with her trusty black cat Mog and Owl have had a number of adventures over time, although sadly there will be no more as Helen Nicoll died in 2012. Pienkowski, continues to illustrate even though he is well into his 80s.

It’s easy to see why these characters are favourites who have endured so long. Apart from the appeal of the stories which are straightforward, usually based on Meg messing up, and expressed in simple sentences, usually one to a page, the visual impact is enormous. The text is in a font that resembles a child’s printing and goes uphill and down to emphasise the meaning and is accompanied by speech bubbles and other techniques to make the words come alive. Pienkowski’s illustrations suit this perfectly because they are simple and clean, often just a combination of basic lines and shapes against a background of plain, vivid colour.

The series has been made into a television production (available on YouTube) which sticks close to the originals and bring them to life, but I believe the greatest value of these stories, apart from the sheer fun and colour, is their contribution to the development of early reading behaviours that are critical for later success. The sentence structure, font, and layout are so supportive that even the very young can join in and read along, recognise words and believe they are readers.. They can practise drawing the characters because of their simplicity and there is a host of teaching ideas that are available through an online search.

There are few early readers who have been in my care who have not met these wonderful characters.

A peek inside…

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Nov29

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle

Penguin 2002

9780140569322

“In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf”.

Who doesn’t know this classic story of the hatching of that little egg, and the caterpillar’s journey through a an orchard of fruits throughout the week, a un-caterpillar feast on Saturday and culminating in a massive stomach ache? So big, in fact, that the little caterpillar has to eat through a nice green leaf to ease it and then goes to sleep for another week, snug in a cocoon until he emerges as a beautiful butterfly.

First published in 1969, this story has endured for 45 years because it has all the things that young readers like – an engaging character, bright pictures created in Carle’s signature collage style, cut and cutout pages that promise new things when they are turned, counting and prediciting and reading along, and a most satisfying ending.

Over the years, Carle has written many stories for the very young and whether its The Very Busy Spider, The Tiny Seed or Does a Kangaroo have a mother, too? each has a place on the bottom shelf, your read-aloud basket and your teaching toolkit.

Now, at the age of 84, Carle has released Friends a new story inspired by an old snapshot and a long-ago memory.

A peek inside…

i Love You Book

Nov18

i Love You Book

i Love you Book

Libby Hathorn

Heath McKenzie

IP Kids 2011

hbk., RRP $A26.00

9781921479892

Ebook RRP $A8.00

9781921479908

This inspiration for this book could have been the sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning which begins “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…” because it is an ode to the pleasures and delights of the book – its sights, sounds, smells and the remarkable places it encourages our imagination to visit and the amazing creatures we meet when we get there.

“I love you book,

When they read you through and through

Onceuponatime

Undiesontheline

Or by myself I read out loud

If there’re only just we two!

From the “rustle-bustle” of the pages to the “dots and commas, question marks Performing every page” to the “happily-ever-afters, packed-to-the-rafters”, this is an enthusiastic, energetic romp that reaffirms the joy that reading provides and why books are here to stay because they are the perfect format. On each page, illustrator Heath McKenzie has created fantastic artworks (hand-drawn using a digital tablet) which match the energy of the text and help us recall some of the most magic moments in our reading lives. And even if we haven’t yet met the centipede being rude or visited those lands at the top of the tree, it inspires us to find those books so we can.

Ms Hathorn says the inspiration for the book comes from an item she saw at a school assembly when three mothers of the students performed a “book drama” called I Love You Book in honour of their children’s excitement about learning to read and she immediately jotted down some ideas for this book. I wonder if those mothers know how far their performance has reached, particularly if we ask our students to express why they love books, not just as an exploration of the senses but also as a way of having them recommend books to others. Which books make you “dreamy and sometimes quiet and slow”, and which books make you want to “go, get up and go!”? Similarly, how do those “short-long words” make the story move, and what role do those dots and commas have?

If you’re planning to start 2014 off with a focus on reading and books and the pleasures the children are going to be in for as the year with you progresses, this is a must-have.

A peek inside

The Bottom Shelf

Great books for little people

Archives

The Amazing A-Z Thing

The Hairy -Nosed Wombats Find A New Home

Uno’s Garden

Pirate Gold

The Runaway Hug

Yoo-hoo Ladybird

Davy & the Duckling

Meg and Mog

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

i Love You Book