Archives

Tap! Tap! Tap!

May10
Tap! Tap! Tap!

Tap! Tap! Tap!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Hervé Tullet

A & U Children, 2023

64pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781761180231

When you see Hervé Tullet’s name on a book cover, you know the littlest readers in your life are about to have an interactive, imaginary treat!  The author of Press Here,  Mix it Up ,  Let’s Play,  and Play This Book   is back with another invitation for little hands to follow the instructions and delight in the movements they can make as it weaves in and out and around and over coloured dots, circles and lines..

“Ready? Place your hand here. Close your eyes. Concentrate. Hit it! Three times: Tap! Tap! Tap!”

As with the others, Tullet speaks directly to the reader encouraging them to  follow instructions and talk about what happens when they do  They are in charge of their fingers so they are empowered to follow (or not) consolidating that vital message that reading is fun and can be done by anyone, while developing those essential fine motor skills and instilling the left-to-right nature of reading as a natural direction.  

Full of whimsy and fun, this is one that should be in any preschooler’s realm.  They will be reading it for themselves in no time at all, strengthening their belief that they, too, can be readers. 

Can You Get Rainbows in Space?

Apr2
Can You Get Rainbows in Space?

Can You Get Rainbows in Space?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can You Get Rainbows in Space?

Dr Sheila Kumani

Liz Kay

Puffin, 2023

128pp., hbk., RRP $A32.99

9780241519721

Can you get rainbows in space? If you have seen the images coming from Tasmania of the Aurora Australis in the last week , then the answer would seem to be yes.

But what causes these spectacular light shows?  Indeed, what causes all the colours that we see in our world?

This book is a comprehensive introduction to and investigation of the phenomenon of colour and how each of the visible colours of the rainbow is created by light (the most important thing) and waves (not the kind you see at the beach – though you will learn why the sea looks blue!).  Readers find out how some animals are able to glow in the dark and how others change their colours to hide from predators, why leaves change colour in the autumn, why our veins look blue but our blood is red, and how the language we use shapes the colours we see . . .

Using lots of illustrations, the information is presented in easily accessible language so young readers can understand this thing that has such an impact on our lives, not just physically but also emotionally.  Taking each colour in turn, each chapter explores fascinating facts about that colour and then we go beyond the rainbow to explore black and white, infrared and ultraviolet, fluorescence, seeing in the dark and whether there really are rainbows in space.

A fascinating, easy-to-read investigation that will answer so many questions our young scientists have. 

Hello, Emma Memma

Mar10
Hello, Emma Memma

Hello, Emma Memma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, Emma Memma

Emma Memma

Kerrie Hess

Puffin, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761341045

On a gum tree, amidst a cloud of orange and pink blossoms and butterflies hangs an orange and pink cocoon which gradually grows and changes to reveal its secret – the emergence of Emma Memma, a new character in children’s books for our youngest readers in what is the first of “an expansive publishing program encompassing story, novelty and activity formats.”.

Welcome to a place
With a gum blossom tree
And pink painted leaves
What else can you see?

A friend, a buddy
A pal to play games
She is ready to join in
Emma Memma is her name.

But to many, she is not so new because before the curly red hair, pink shirt and orange dress, Emma Memma was dressed in a familiar yellow skivvy performing with The Wiggles from 2013 to 2018. And behind the entertainer’s face is Emma Watkins, a woman passionate about raising awareness  of Australia’s deaf community, who already has formal qualifications in Auslan and who is currently undertaking her PhD in “the affective, artistic integration of sign language, dance and film editing.”  So, through a range of projects, young readers can expect to be entertained through “movement, creativity, inclusiveness and friendship” that embrace those with special needs because as well as the storybooks, there will be simultaneous releases of an ebook, audiobook and an Auslan video translation, accessed through her website where there is already much to entertain.

This not the first picture book released by a media personality whose name is already familiar but it would among but a handful that reaches out beyond the pages of print so that a much broader audience can enjoy what their peers are reading. 

 

The Last Crayon

Jan18
The Last Crayon

The Last Crayon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Last Crayon

Fifi Colston

Little Steps, 2022

24pp., pbk., RRP $A16.95

9781922678522

When the squirrels find a box of crayons, each takes one and knows exactly what they are going to draw based on its colour.  Except for grey squirrel who gets the grey crayon.  If yellow is for the sunrise, blue is the sky and green is the grass, what is grey for?

This is another story evolving from The Book Hungry Bears television show in which the main characters share picture books, hungry to learn all they can from those they settle down to share together. With so much screen-based interaction for our littlies, taking the time to share a story and discuss it with them is critical if they are to learn about the constancy of print and the potential that the stories offer, and particularly that they can return to them time and time again and even build their own stories. What else could they draw with the red crayon? What might happen if the squirrels mixed the colours together?  Can they use pictures from magazines to make a collage of purple things?  Is one colour more common than the others? What might the world look like if it was monochromatic? And so on…

Wizelda

Oct30
Wizelda

Wizelda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wizelda

Maggie May Gordon

Natasha Hagarty

Little Steps, 2022

32pp., pbk., RRP $A16.95

9781922358608

Everyone knows what a witch looks like – always dressed in black with a funny old black hat.  And what they do – stirring strange brews in big pots with large spoons. And what they have – broomsticks that they fly around on at night, with cats perched on the back and accompanied by owls and bats. 

But what if that’s not what you want?  If you’re left out of the other children’s games because of your black dress but you can’t afford to buy the coloured fabric they are all wearing? And your black pointy hat crushes your curls? Then one day you spot a beautiful  rainbow, full of colour and your mother tells you about the pot of gold at the end of it? Of course you climb it – but is this a case of be careful what you wish for or is there a more magical ending?

An interesting book to share at this time of the year with Halloween and all things witches in the spotlight, or any time you want to introduce children to the concepts of colours and rainbows and they are as curious as Wizelda. 

Purple

Sep23
Purple

Purple

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purple

Terri Rose Baynton

Little Steps, 2022

32pp., pbk., RRP $A16.95

9781922678591

Monster One likes red; Monster Two likes blue.  And the two quite happily paint side-by-side with their favourite colours until a dollop of red paint ends up in the tin of blue.  But instead of squabbling about it, the two monsters decide to mix them together to see what happens – and are delighted with the result. 

As well as being useful for teaching our youngest readers the names of the colours, and perhaps even experimenting with new combinations such as using blue and yellow or yellow and red, then perhaps going further and playing with tints and hues, this is also about being willing to step out of our comfort zone to try something new, such as a new food or activity.

Written in rhyme which provides the rhythm young listeners like, it also offers opportunities for them to share their own knowledge – if they were painting with only red, what objects would be their focus? It could even focus on conflict resolution strategies. Early childhood teachers will find much teaching scope in this.  

 

The Zebra’s Great Escape

Sep15
The Zebra's Great Escape

The Zebra’s Great Escape

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Zebra’s Great Escape

Katherine Rundell

Sara Ogilvie

Bloomsbury, 2022

60pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781408885758

Mink doesn’t believe in rules. She loves running wild and free. While she is swinging in her yard she meets a baby zebra named Gabriel who is very distressed because he has lost his parents, Mink senses this and they touch heads upon which colours stream out that tell a story and start a communication between the two that leads to great adventure. The little zebra tells her  that his parents have been captured by the evil Mr Spit -who looks just like the villain of every child’s imagination –  she knows that it’s up to her to help rescue them

So begins a grand adventure to rescue a whole menagerie of imprisoned animals – from aardvarks to zebras –  with the help of a a dog called Rainbow and  a squirrel called Rodentia who can all communicate with and connected by the same colour scheme, .– an adventure that will take all of Mink’s courage and determination…

This is more than your standard 32 page picture book as it straddles the borders of that format with the length of a stepping-stone novel, thus helping the young reader transition to reading longer stories but still offering all the pictorial support needed to augment the text. It is a tale of friendship, courage and resolve that moves along at a fast pace, and the reader can put themselves in Mink’s place as she is determined to outwit the evil Mr Spit. 

Reminiscent of Dr Dolittle and his ability to talk to the animals, this is a story to capture the imagination and lead the reader on an adventure to remember.   

Tiny Wonders

Feb1
Tiny Wonders

Tiny Wonders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Wonders

Sally Soweol Han

UQP, 2022

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

9780702263477

When we were kids, if you held a dandelion under your chin and the yellow was reflected it meant you liked butter, and if you blew on the fluffy seeds, the number of breaths it took to clear it represented the time in Fairyland.  But for April, they represent something much more…

She thinks if her town was a colour, it would be grey. Everyone is too busy to stop and look around. How can she help them slow down?

When she remembers the happiness that dandelions brought her grandmother, April comes up with a plan … what if she were able to plant dandelions so their bright yellow flowers brought joy and colour back to the town. But it’s not as easy as she thinks, but then she has the determination and tenacity to persist…

Even though recent global events have meant that many have slowed down and are appreciating the natural world more, the easing of restrictions has shown that it won’t take much for towns and cities to become grey and blind again so this is a build-on book that could inspire all sorts of plans and preparations to make our homes and schools more cheerful and friendly, and, in doing so, give Mother Nature a helping hand.  As well as allowing young children to investigate how they could beautify their neighbourhood and the life cycle of plants, there is scope to discover what grows where and when and why as well as having to take on the long-term responsibility of nurturing a garden.  There are all sorts of biology investigations about the colour of flowers and the insects they attract and their value to the bigger picture as well as the language of flowers that both April and the author focus on.  

While there are many picture books focusing on the environment, this one that brings it right back to the child and their own back yard is a charmer and offers much scope for change – perhaps there will be many pockets of colour amongst the grey in the months ahead. 

 

Green is For Christmas

Dec14

 

 

 

 

Green is For Christmas

Green is For Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green is For Christmas

Drew Daywalt

Oliver Jeffers

HarperCollins, 2021

32pp., hbk., RRP $A17.99

 9780008496203

When Green Crayon claims that green is the only colour for Christmas, other crayons let him know that there would be no Christmas without them either. No candy canes or Santa without Red, no snow without White, no bells or stars without Silver and no cookies or reindeer without Brown!  Can they come to some agreement or will their Christmas be ruined because of their squabbling?

The mark of a great storyteller is one who can not only take a simple concept and turn it into an entertaining story, but who then opens up all sorts of questions that the reader can muse about, perhaps even investigate.  For example, crayons’ opinions aside, why are red and green the colours that are traditionally associated with Christmas, and having discovered the answer to that, ask if this holds true for Australia.  Are red and green the predominant colours of our Christmas period or would it be better to use the blue of the sky and the gold of the beaches, or maybe even the sage green of the bush?

Daywalt and Jeffers are developing a growing body of work featuring the iconic Crayons, seemingly simple in concept and appearance but each offering much to inspire our youngest readers to think deeply and investigate just how and why their world works.  Green is For Christmas is a worthy addition. 

 

Tashi Picture Books

Jun18
Tashi Picture Books

Tashi Picture Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alphabetical Tashi

80pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781760525293

My First Tashi Colours 

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

9781760877323

My First Tashi 123

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

9781760525286

Anna & Barbara Fienberg

Kim, Arielle & Greer Gamble

Allen & Unwin, 2020

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the publication of the original Tashi story, are three early childhood books which introduce the very youngest readers to the characters and settings while also helping with those basic concepts of  number, colours and the alphabet.

Because the original stories are perfect family read-alouds at bedtime, this collection will be ideal for introducing younger readers to that magical world that carries the stories along, or to assist those who are learning English as an additional language to learn the basic words using titles that are not as babyish as more traditional concept board books.  The original stories were illustrated by Kim Gamble, but since his passing his daughters have assumed the mantle and there is a seamless transition between the old and the new bringing the traditional monochromatic drawings to life in vivid colour.

With his own website and television series, Tashi is a perennial favourite who deserves his place in the legends of Australian children’s literature.

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