Christmas Books for Christmas

My computer tells me that there are 30 days left till the jolly red fat man plops down the chimney so here are some of the Christmas books for this year.

An Aussie Night Before Christmas Pops Up! Kilmeny Niland & Yvonne Morrison (Scholastic)
This classic aussie picture book is now a wonderful pop-up book that kids and collectors too will love! The pop-ups, sliding tabs and fold-outs are sturdy. There are surprises on every festive spread - even Santa's boxer shorts!
This story of course is the wonderful aussie verison of Clement Moores tradional verse written in 1822.

Fair Dinkum Aussie Christmas (Book & CD) Colin Buchanan, Greg Chapman & Kilmeny Niland (Scholastic)
Want to sing some rolicking Aussie carols this Christmas?
Then this is the book & CD for you where you can singalong to the songs by Bucko and Champs, the creators of the hugely popular 'Aussie Christmas' albums. And if by chance you don't know the words to Deck the Shed with Bits of Wattle or the other songs then you can follow along with the picture book. This book and CD will have everyone joining in for a corker of an aussie Christmas singalong. As the swagman at the gate said on the first day of Christmas - Have a ripper Christmas mate!

Aussie Jingle Bells Activity & Sticker Book Colin Buchanan & Nick Bland (Scholastic)
Here's the book to entertain the kids (both big and little) after all the present unwrapping and festing has been done. There are mazes, word finds, join the dots, puzzles galore, stickers to create a barkyard Christmas gathering and even Christmas Day recipes to make ... Far out! Educational activities even on Christmas Day!

Santa's Aussie Holiday Maria Farrer & Anna Walker (Scholastic)
So what does Santa do when he isn't getting ready for Christmas? He travels around Australia of course enjoying our down-under activites as he visits a few our of iconic places!!

Billabong Bill's Bushfire Christmas Kelly Gardiner & Jobi Murphy (Random House)
Recent Aussie Christmas times have had the bushfire or two so this Christmas picture book surely fits here as the drama of a fiery outback Christmas is brought to life!

Series Finals

These two books are the final titles in each series. They are wonderful reads and are books that both boys and girls enjoy.

Cairo Jim and the Astragals of Angkor Geoffrey McSkimming (Hachette)

Is this really Cairo Jim's final escapade? Since 1991 when the first adventure appeared kids young and older have been fascinated by the over-the-top adventures that this archaelogist adventurer have related to the chronicler (McSkimming).

In this the 18th title Cairo Jim has to unlock the meaning of ancient carvings from Cambodia, that have been found deep below the Old Relics Society in Cairo.

With great locations all around the world, memorable characters and a wonderful way with words these books have been constantly read and reread. And this book continue that great tradition. Classic Cairo Jim!

The Butterfly in Amber Kate Forsyth (Pan)

The final title in the 6 book fantasy series Chain of Charms is beautifully presented and written. These hardcover books with ragged pages set in mid-17th century England tell the adventures of two daring children, a monkey, a dog and a dancing bear. The children have been entrusted to find and unite the charms and return fortune once more to the gysies and save their family from the gallows.

This time the charm is a butterfly caught in amber. The children arrive in London, face the perils there, have to escape the vengeful Coldham and still have to rescue their families from the gallows. There's also a website: www.chainofcharms.com.au. I know a library where these books are in high demand!

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Posts coming very soon ...

the Christmas books that have been published for 2008 and

my favourite books that I have seen this year.

Fiction Fun

Here are some new fiction titles - fun and funny reads!

Just Shocking! Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Pan)
Okay it is true. This book is just shocking! But then what would you expect with the latest title from the crazy duo who also created the other Just books including Just Tricking! and Just Disgusting!
This latest addition will also be a hit with the kids ... especially the boys! And just make sure your reader also reads Terry's whacky illustrations scattered all over the pages!

Eric & Einstein John Heffernan (Pan)
Great for reading aloud or kids who have started reading 'chapter' books this book is fun. Younger kids will love reading about Einstein, a super intelligent mouse (created by the mad scientist Dr von Burpinburger) and Eric, a rather shy boy who doesn't do too well at school ... at least not until Einstein comes along. Suddenly Eric becomes quite the genius! Of course the mad scientist wants his mouse back.

Two New Board Books

Recently I wrote about a few board books but these two have just arrived and can't be left out. They are beautiful!


The Waterhole Graeme Base (Puffin)
This counting book will be a favourite for years to come with its beautifully illustrated pages of animals at a waterhole. It even has a 'hole' cut into the pages that reduces until the arrival of the 10 kangaroos when the water has disappeared. Will the water come back? Kids will love learning to count finding the specified animals - but don't miss the other less obvious and often amusing creatures on the pages.


It's Christmas Tina Burke (Puffin)
The excitement of Christams for young kids is alive with this board book. There is so much to do before the special guest arrives, like making cakes, visiting people, singing carols, preparing snacks and hanging stockings all in preparation for Santa's arrival - things that parents might also do with their children.Of course the hardest thing to do is wait ... and wait ...
Beautiful illustrations and simple text.

Easy Read Fiction

Here are some books published earlier this year that are just perfect to read aloud to children, or for the beginning independant reader who wants to read a real book on their own.

Pirates Drive Buses Christopher Morgan and Neil Curtis (A&U)

I love pirates, nearly as much as dragons, so this book instantly grabbed my attention.

This is a fantastic real aloud book, a great piratical tale about a pirate whose ship is stolen by monkey-crabs. He also runs a tour bus for sea creatures which is soon abandoned when he has to steal back the pirate ship. As well as human helpers the pirate's pig, which thinks it is a parrot also assists.

The reader will have nearly as much fun creating the voices as the child who is
being read to. Strong line drawings are also entertaining!

Oom Pah Pah! Cecily Matthews and Mitch Vane (ABC Books)

Maybe it was because I taught recorder in my classes at school. Maybe it was the references to practising every day of the week ... I loved this book too.

So how does a primary school student transport an E-flat tuba to school twice a week without the assistance of anyone else? Rosie finds the answer and plays a brilliant tuba!

Fiction

These books have been published in the past few months. They are great books and titles that I think many kids will really be able to sink their teeth into and even want to read more from these authors.

Give Peas a Chance and other funny stories Morris Gleitzman (Puffin)
Here is a collection of fiftenn funny stories that Gleitzman fans will love. Some of the characters from previous stories also appear. Boys will especially like the story called Greenhouse Gas. And in Give Peas a Chance we find out how not eating a plate of vegetables can really save the world and bring on world peace!


Lily Quench's Companion Natalie Jane Prior (ABC Books)
Back in print are the very popular Lily Quench books. This title, with two new short stories, is the book that every budding dragon-slayer needs to have so that they know about dragons and the art of quenching. The companion has articles, information about the nature of dragons and Quench family history and even exam questions (and answers) for Ashby Central School. Lily Quench is fun!

The Undys - Let's Get Physical Michael Wagner and Gus Gordon (Puffin)
There is a laugh or three on every page of this book as you read the slighly whacky and very funny tales of a boy and his dad. Each has a very competitive streak and they are constantly trying to outdo each other at just about anything like toe-wrestling or even dancing. This is the second book in the Undy's series.

Ranger's Apprentice - the Siege of Macindaw John Flanagan (Random House)
Just in case you have missed it, the titles in this series are hugely popular here and overseas. Boys especially love these books. They are riveting reads. I have only just seen this title (book 6 in the series) but was thoroughly grabbed.
In this title Will is on his first top secret mission as a Ranger. There is a castle to be saved, battles with bows and arrows, swords, traitors, criminals and there is treachery. Find out how Will fares!
Now to read the earlier titles because I want to find out how it all began. There's also a website: http://www.rangersapprentice.com/

Rondo

The Key to Rondo, Emily Rodda, (Scholastic)

Emily Rodda, the creator of the terrific Deltora Quest books that kids have adored reading has begun a wonderful new fantasty series. This is the first title.

An old music box has been handed down through the generations. It has rules that must never be broken. Leo, the new owner knows this but his least favourite cousin Mimi breaks the sacred rules. Soon they become immersed in the world of Rondo when the Blue Queen appears and kidnaps Mimi's dog Mutt. Now Leo and Mimi begin a thrilling quest as they too enter the world of Rondo. There are trolls, a very important talking pig, mice that run messages, and amazing hidey-holes ... oh and a whole lot more.

This is an exciting read but parents be warned ... like the Deltora books the kids will be asking for more and more!

More fiction titles soon.