Picture Book Treats

These are beatuiful words and must be seen.

Unforgotten Tohby Riddle (Allen&Unwin)
This is a lusciously created book told in three parts with minimal words and exquisitely created pictures telling the story of the impossible birds of the big sky. Nobody knows where they come from but they come to earth to watch over, to warm and to mend. But their work is hard and one falls to the ground unable to resume flight and seems as though it will be imprisoned here. Six human and non-human inhabitants rescue the now frozen statue and they in turn watch over, warm and mend the fallen impossible bird. Now healed it resumes flight.
As well as the creator’s exquisite characters the artwork contains archival photographic images as well as those from slides taken by the author’s father.
As Shaun Tan states 'Reading this book is like being quietly ushered into another dimension by winged strangers, a place beyond the tread of normal earth-bound language. Ephemeral as a feather, timeless as a rock, and as true as both, Unforgotten is a magical experience.'
This beautiful moving book Unforgotten in unforgettable.
See the book trailer:

Recipe for Perfect Planet Pie Kim Michelle Toft (silkimbooks)
This environmentally themed book has lavish illustrations which the illustrator first created on silk. The main text on each double page has the 13 short steps required to create the recipe that is the Perfect Planet Pie. Each double page spread also contains a panel of Helpful hints, facts and information about the environment on that page and the conservation methods required like keeping beaches free from litter.
The book concludes with a list of features of the environment eg: flowers, crabs and snow, pollution and greenhouse gasses, and also a list of actions that humans can take to conserve Planet Earth.
A beautiful visual work.

Today We Have No Plans Jane Godwin & Anna Walker (Viking)
This loving tale tells the story of a family’s busy week and their one unplanned weekend day.
The first six days are planned and well structured. There is a lot of rushing around and frenetic family activities that include, playing school sport on Friday, playing in the orchestra on Thursdays, and the after school swimming class on Tuesdays. But on Sunday it is family time and the clocks seem to slow their hands. Sunday is unplanned and quieter. The family might forget the time and do things like wear pjs all day, imagine, play, investigate, sleep in, and daydream.
The text for the first six days, Monday to Saturday, is written in two stanzas; a five line couplet and then two lines of rhyming verse while Sunday is less structured and rhyming. The unique ink, pencil and collage illustrations of the illustrator show the business of the days until Sunday arrives and is revealed with generous space and freedom.
Today We Have No Plans with padded cover is a beautiful celebration of families and precious family time.

Fiction

These fiction titles I could not put down. They just had to be read.

After Morris Gleitzman (Penguin)
After is the fourth title in the World War Two story of Felix, now 13 years and old and still in hiding. He attempts to rescue his friend Gabriek and learns that not only is he good at mending but he is also good a killing for he helps the Partisans and Felix has just witnessed him attack train and to be allowed to live Felix soon is entwined with the Partisans and attacking the local Nazis. Gabriek is injured and moved to another camp, Felix unsuccessfully attempts to escape the watchful eyes of the partisans and find him; he becomes friends with another partisan Yuli; assists the medical officers, and also attempts to find his parents in the camps as the war ends. There is war and death and healing.
This is another powerfully crafted book, wonderfully written, that draws out every emotion of the reader. Also look for the previous trhee titles - Once, Then, and Now.

Louis Beside Himself Anna Fienberg (Penguin)
Louis’ best friends are Singo and Hassan and they are into basketball and skateboarding but Louis is into words, like reverie, phenomenon, livid, sagaciously, bewildered and perilous (and that’s just in the first chapter). Louis’s widowed dad is into wrestling and wants to build him up and teach him some self defence moves as he imagines dangers that might befall Louis so Louis joins in reluctantly.
But when Louis’ dad breaks a mirror during a kitchen wrestling routine, things start to go bad – even though Louis doesn’t really believe in broken mirrors and curses. A burglar with problems of her own breaks into the house and ends up spending a few nights camped in a tent in the backyard – even though Louis knows he should have wrestled her to the ground as his father had taught him. Louis’ dad falls in love, the girl in the tent is a runaway, Louis dad is thrilled with his new fund ability at house maintenance (although it isn’t Louis’ handywork) and Louis finds his courange and attempts to unite the runaway and her mother and solves a few family problems along the way.
This book is delightful. The characters and the antics they are entwined in are amusing and the relationships between all of the characters, both children and adult, are warm and engaging.
Some words are explained in the text and others are in the word bank at the back of the book.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKeqCNwxFK0&feature=player_embedded

Malice Conspiracy 365, Gabrielle Lord (Scholastic)
First it was Conspiracy 365 that had Callum, Winter, Boges and Winter running for their lives and trying to survive 365 days to solve the Ormond Singularity. Now Winter has received a piece of old torn newspaper with the words The Drowner … 30 days and Winger has the feeling that someone is watching her and has been reading her diary. This time though Callum is completing flight school and mystery needs to be solved. An abandoned old house, a mysterious criminal from the past returns, sea caves and rising waters, an old chest from a shipwreck containing gold coins in mint condition, old photos revealing long ago secret and much more are in these pages.
A great read and amazing continuation of Conspiracy 365. More to come next year.

Picture Book Delights

These picture book are absolute delights.

Bush Bash Sally Morgan & Ambelin Kwaymullina (Little Hare)
One dashing dingo is off and looking very excited and along the way many of the Australian bush animals ask “where is he going?” Dingo won’t say but he does invite the nosy numbats, the flying frogs, the burrowing bilbies and the rest of the menagerie to follow him to his final destination. Here the animals discover that dingo has come, with the other animals in tow, to celebrate emu’s birthday. .
This is a lusciously beautiful counting book with bold colours that simply jump off the page. The text is clear and simple with appropriate alliteration, like slithering sea snake, and waddling wombats and the colours entrancing in this wonderful Australian animal counting book.
As well as the featured native animal on each double page spread there is also an animal that does not belong in the Australian bush and an aboriginal object all there for the reader to discovery. Look for the dingo prints too. Hints for finding these are on the final page. Just lovely!

My Dad's the Coolest Rosie Smith & Bruce Whatley (Scholastic)
It’s alwasy the right time to mention a book especially about wonderful dads and this is one of those delightful books. It has simple well spaced text and large single page illustrations of beautiful animals.
This is a joyful celebration about cool dads and their offspring … and all the cool things that they do together, whether it be teaching to dig, playing hide-and-seek, climbing together, feathery tickles, dancing or simply having fun, dads are cool! And the dad animals demonstrating this coolness are beautifully illustrated with delightful animals with perfect facial expressions.
This book is the companion book to My Mum's the Best.
Hooray for wonderful dads.

Alex and the Watermelon Boat Chris McKimmie (Allen&Unwin)
For slightly older readers, this book, inspired by the 2011 Brisbane floods, is the story of Alex who is told not to go outside because the river had burst its banks, the dam was overflowing and the water was rising. But rabbit, his most valuable stuffed toy, had hopped out the window so Alex too heads out the window, climbs aboard his watermelon boat and sets sail in search of rabbit. He floats through the town noticing the dramatic changes that have occurred including the cat stuck on the roof, the rooftop BBQ, the man in the boat filled with supplies, the floating pots and pans and amusing incidents like the shark causing a trafiic jam. Soon Alex is lost until he hears something familiar – a car radio that leads him to rabbit and their eventual escape, via a winding ladder, back home. The story nicely concludes with the return to normality and the planting of a tree.
This is another amazingly and intriguingly crafted picture book in McKimmie style with many font styles and with art a mix that varies from collage, child-like pencil line drawings, to splotches and patches of colour throughout and with beautiful endpapers. This book will be investigated many times with each revealing something new.

Treats for Younger Readers

Three delightful books for younger readers.

Rainbow Street Pets Wendy Orr (Allen&Unwin)

Rainbow Street Animal Shelter is not the usual animal rescue centre. It has a talking cockatoo in the reception area greeting visitors as they arrive.

The roll call of characters through the shelter include Bear the border collie, Buster the marmalade cat, a pony called Pebbles and Bessy the goat, as well as rabbits and guinea pigs and mice – and of course the children who interact with the animals. Even a lion cub is part of the Rainbow Street story. The stories include Mona, her grandparetns and a very old house, and the creation of the Animal Shelter is delightful; a dog who was lost by one and found by another; a cat that is lost and rescied and then needs a new home. 

This is a lovely book, perfect for younger readers who love animals. First released internationally as six individual stories, this compilation will be rapidly read. The stories are warm and show the loving relationship between humans and their pets – or the pets and their humans! Great lessons too about the responsibility of pet ownership and giving pets as presents.

Tournament Trouble (Sword Girl #3) Frances Watts & Gregory Rogers (Allen&Unwin)

She is back again … Thomasina, the scruffy maid, who became the Flamant Castle’s Keeper of the Blades (Sword Girl) who one days hope to become a squire. To do that she first must learn to ride and to joust but her task is to maintain the castle swords in perfect condition for the knights. She fears that the castle will never let a girl ride in a tournament but that soon changes when one of the squires is injured during jousting training. Sir Benedict offers Tommy a place in the tournament but first she has to learn to ride but how can she do that in just a few days. And to make things worse her horse Bess throws Tommy every time she sits on his back. Why doesn’t the calmest horse in the castle like Tommy? Or is there something more sinister involved?

 

The Sword Girl series for younger readers – especially girls who want a strong girl character - are just a delight. Tommy is a wonderful, strong-willed, determined and daring. She is also kind, thoughtful and a little vulnerable as well. There is a talking cat that gives advice, a crocodiddle who also talks and int his story provides the essential riding lessons that sword girl needs. There are the castle swords that talk – and of course a trouble-making boy!

The humorous illustrations by Gregory Rogers are a perfect part of the Sword Girl stories.

 

Also available The Siege Scare (Sword Girl # 4)

Beautiful Picture Books

These are deflightful picture books with simple text and gorgeous illustrations. .

The Magnificent Tree Nicholas Bland & Stephen Michael King (Scholastic)

A gorgeous title simply told and wonderfully illustrated about a girl, Bonny and her Pop, their loving relationship and the simplicity and complexity of the ideas of the young and the not-so-young.
Both Pop and the Bonny are creative and full of ideas. Bonny’s are simple clever and properly made. Pop’s are big brave and brilliant with bits sticking out. Together they make a wonderful team and have idea for just about everything. And when they decide that they need a tree to attract the birds they both set about creating a tree and when spring arrives Bonny, Pop and the birds are in for a big surprise when the trees are revealed.

The Terrible Suitcase Emma Allen & Freya Blackwood (Omnibus)
This is a delightful tale about first days of school, going-to-school presents, suitcases and the beauty of a child’s imagination.
A young girl receives a terrible suitcase as her going to school present, not the backpack with silver rockets she wanted that her friend Howard then received. The girl was M.A.D. and mad became grumpy because you should be happy on the first day of school. So on that first day she tells all her friends, who have backpacks, that he suitcase had a secret compartment holding space dust. And that is where the imagination really takes off for soon the terrible suitcase assist the space travelling crew to fly home and holds spacefood sticks, and becomes a toolkit for a rocket, a computer.

In the Lion James Foley (Walker Books)
This tale is funny, with humorous illustrations that the young reader will be searching many times. Lots of giggles are in store.
A young boy called Richard is visiting the zoo with his family and at the lion’s den he watches the dentist brush the lion’s teeth but then the dentist disappears. And when the hairdresser comes to comb the lion’s mane the same fate awaits her too. Soon, watched by the growing throng of zoo visitors, more and more staff attending the lion disappear until it is the nearby animals who soon disappear. Eventually it is up to Richard to save the day armed with a giant toothbrush.

Books for Reluctant and Emerging Readers

Recently I presented a talk at the MANTLE teacher librarian conference in Newcastle on books for reluctant readers. Here are some of the recently published books I mentioned, great for reluctant readers - and some for emerging readers too (those who are just moving from picture books).

Andy Roid and the Superhuman Secret (Andy Roid Series #1) Felice Arena (Penguin)

Andy’s parents seemed to be normal parents who ran a bakery and he was a normal human boy -- until the day of the accident. Then his parents (who were really scientists working from the store basement)  created Andy Roid – half boy, half machine with amazing robotic applications.
When a Silverback gorilla goes on the rampage at the zoo Andy starts to discover just how heroic a boy with robotic parts can be, much to his parents dismay, and nothing is ever the same again!

A great new series with lots of action and twists that will have readers wanting to grab the next book and find out Andy's next adventure.

See the trailer at: http://youtu.be/guYTVyMDqD8

Meet the Supersons (Freak Street #14) Knife & Packer (Scholastic)

On Freak Street live rather average families – the Aliensons, the Humansons, the Wizardsons, the Zombiesons, the Vampiresons and now also The Supersons.
The Supersons are a family of (wanting to retire) superheroes and they should make the whole neighbourhood safe and sound even if they have given up fulltime crime fighting – they now only come out in emergencies so when a super villain arrives it is time to put their powers into super use.

The Freak Street titles have full colour glossy illustrations on every page and a website for downloadable wallpapers and activities. http://freakstreet.com.au/

Code Crimson (Arkie Sparkle Treasure Hunter #1) Petra James (PanMacmillan)

Arkie’s parents are archaeologists and they have been kidnapped but the kidnappers have left clues and set Arkie seven tasks to find seven treasures located on seven continents that must be completed in seven days if her parents are to be found so with her genius cousin TJ and her basset hound Cleo, Arkie begins.

With links to history scattered within the story (this time it is ancient Egypt and a treasure located in the temple of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses 11), gadgetry, time travel, and codes and illustrations throughout the book this is an engaging read.

This is the first title in a seven part series.

Fun and exciting read.

Spilling Secrets (Star Girl #13) Louise Park (Scholastic)

Star Girl Adelaide Banks is back and now she is in her final year at the space agent boarding school, Space Education and Action School (SEAS). Starting her third year training as Space Agent-in-Training Star Girl and her team, complete with protective visors, space boots and all the space gadgetry needed, like Molecular Movers, set off to investigate strange happenings on planet Catlabrator and where the catralabs are drowning. When they arrive they discover sluice channels and rushing water and they also find a missing third year student who might be up to no good!

Especially for emerging readers:

Losing Turtle (Walker Stories) Adrienne Frater & Cat Chapman (Walker Books)

Three short stories about Sam, and his family. Sam and Gran and lots of jumpers; Sam and his dad’s special scary birthday present; and Sam making scrambled eggs for his injured Gran.

Sam’s Gran knits lots of jumper. She is an excellent knitter and she gives one to Sam every time she comes to stay. Sam has lots of Gran’s hand knitted jumpers. None of Sam’s friends have hand-knitted jumpers so when she gives him a turtle jumper Sam decides to accidentally loose his new turtle jumper.

When Sam’s dad’s birthday is approaching Sam unsuccessfully tries to come up with all sorts of ideas for a birthday present until he goes into his fathers shed.

Sam’s gran has injured her ankle so it is up to Sam to make the scrambled eggs for dinner. The only problem is that he doesn’t know how to scramble the eggs.

The Deep End Sally Rippin & Aki Fukuoka (HardieGrantEgmont)

Billie’s class used to swim in the lttle pool. This year they have moved to the bigger pool but Billie is scared of the deep end – and so is another of her classmates which is a real surprise for Billie! Find out how they battle their fears and conquer the deep end.

An earlier post about these titles:

Billie B Brown is a terrific new star for the younger readers - especially girls - who want to move to their first chapter books. The books are 44 pages in length and have a large font size. There are generous illustrations scattered throughout. BUT most importantly Billie B brown is a delightful character. She is strong, determined, brave, and clever ... and a bit sassy too! This girl will soon be in demand!

And what does the B in Billie B Brown stand for? So far it is something different in each title. She also has her best friend Jack appearing in the titles, so the boys are in there too.

There is also fun at the supporting website: http://www.billiebbrown.com/

The Worry Monster Sally Rippin & Stephaie Spartels (HardieGrantEgmont)

And Billie’s friend Jack has his own series too – Hey Jack!
In this new title Jack has a spelling test coming up but he hates spelling and doesn’t want to practise his words so it’s up to his dad to come up with an ingenious method to help Jack learn the words.

These are fun lovely titles.

Lovely Picture Books

Picture books for giggling and for sharing

The Very Hungry Bear Nick Bland (Scholastic)
First he was cranky. Then he was itchy. Now he is back in the latest installment and this time he is hungry, very hungry! Yes - the very cranky bear is back.
Bear is very hungry and grumpy. Since the break of day he had been unable to catch any fish but suddenly something huge had been hooked - a polar bear with an armful of fish. Polar Bear’s iceberg is shrinking and he is willing to give away his whole catch if the cranky (now hungry) bear will find him somewhere to stay. So Bear with an armful of fish, and Polar Bear with a block of ice set out to find a new home, with a visit to a few friends along the way.
This is another rollicking bear tale told in well constructed rhyming verse with delightful bear images. Bear is a wonderful loveable character that every child will want to know.

Fearless in Love Colin Thompson and Sarah Davis (HarperCollins)
First there was Fearless now Fearless returns and he is in love!
When Fearless goes to live with his new family he remembers his mother's special words “Life is much better if you love everyone”.
All around his new family there was love. There were people to love and there were things to love. Unfortunately the love from Fearless could be just a little destructive … and maybe covered in puppy drool too! Of course the new family was not too thrilled with all the Fearless love, they even locked Fearless outside in the rain. Fearless soon decides that not everything has to be loved - and then he discovers Primrose!
Lovely tale an beautiful illustrations once again. Bulldogs have never looked so cute!

Two Mates Melanie & Maggie Prewett (Magabala Books)
Two young boys, growing up in Broome (Western Australia) have a very special bond. They do just about everything together including hunting in the bush, visiting food stalls at the markets, searching for Hermit Crabs, swimming and going to school. They are mates, but it is not until the final page of the text that the specialness of their bond is revealed.
This true story is delightfully told and should be read as far and wide as possible.

A Bear and a Tree Stephen Michael King (Penguin)
This is a another beautiful title wonderfully crafted in text and illustrations. It is a book about caring and sharing and friendship between the most improbable companions is just gorgeous.
Bear is getting ready for his winter sleep collecting leaves and discovers Ren crying because her favourite tree has lost its leaves. She knows that it is time for Bear’s big sleep but together the two spend one more day - their first winter’s day - together. Ren asks Bear questions abut the snow and winter and the two are soon making patterns in the snow. They jump and bounce and share the day and then play with the night time stars before the next day rolls around. They share one more activity together and Bear leaves Ren with a special gift.

Wonderful books to share!

Board Books for the Young

Here are beautiful new board books that really should be in every young child's library. They are crafted from solid board and just perfect for baby and toddler hands starting to grasp book independence and for starting to learn to count, to say the alphabet, to recite the first words or for learning opposites.

I Love My ABC and I Love My 123 Anna Walker (Scholastic)
Starring the gorgeous Ollie from Anna Walker’s I Love Ollie series of books come these brand new board books I Love My ABC and I Love My 1,2,3.
In ABC the letters are clearly formed in both upper and lower case and the characters easily identifiable with the other Ollie titles. Also great for encouraging talk between parent and child identifying the letters and the objects or animal with which they are associated.
In 123 again Ollie stars along with butterflies, beetles and host of other animals as well as a pair of gum boots and a few plants. A lovely addition to the usual counting book appears on the final spread where all the characters or objects counted previously return in their appropriate numbers to be identified in the garden by the reader.

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie Present First Words May Gibbs (Scholastic)
Generations of children have grown up with the May Gibbs classic Australian bush characters from the Gumnut Babies and with these new board books a new generation can join in. 
In First Words each page features a Gumnut Babies character or plant and introduces appropriate words like hello, smile, food, walk, cuddle and goodnight. Each page features classic Gumnut Babies characters and plants with large sized lower case words and ample white space.
Royalties from the titles go to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and the Northcott Society.

Also available Colours, 1, 2, 3, and First Words

A number of absolutely gorgeous picture book titles have arrived on my desk. These are ones you will want to look for!

The Queen with the Wobbly Bottom Phillip Gwynne & Bruce Whatley (Little Hare)
This is way too funny and will have readers full of giggles with both the text and with the illustrations and of course the title will provide many giggles alone! A great tale about being too concerned about looking perfect!
A queen is loved by all her subjects but she is concerned that her wobbly bottom will stop her subjects loving her and she is concerned that the people make fun of her. She tries a number of ways of remedying the situation including a beautician’s wobbly bottom cream, an inventor’s dewobbiliser, and a fitness instructors exercise programme. Even a poet creates poems but alas nothing works and all the creators are thrown in palace dungeon. The poet though, continues to write a nightly poem for the queen and a solution is discovered.
As with other titles illustrated by Bruce Whatley close inspection of the pictures will provide many visual jokes as well.

What's the Matter, Aunty May? Peter Friend & Andrew Joyner (Little Hare)
A very proper looking young boy (shorts and jumper, black shoes white socks, bow ties and parted hair) visits his Aunty May and helps clean up her house. He sweeps, cleans, dusts, fixes sinks and does the washing up, the vacuuming and all other manner of helpful things around the house. The problem is that his helpfulness results in little catastrophes -- an antique vase being broken, pipes bursting and flooding rooms, red ink being spilt and a whole lot more. Of course the boy is rather proud of all his helpfulness. He recognises the catastrophes but they are just small mishaps along the way.
This title has lovely rhyming verse. The illustrations are terrific and require close examination - especially as the depth of the chaos increases. Lots of humour throughout these pages.

It's a Miroocool Christine Harris & Ann James (Little Hare)
We were introduced to Audrey in the wonderful Audrey of the Outback series that is just perfect for younger readers. Here she appears in a picture book which is a great introduction for future readers of the Audrey series.
Audrey has just lost her tooth and is very hopeful that the tooth fairy will visit her. But because she lives on an outback property she wants to make sure so she places a few helpful hints to lead the tooth fairy to her bedroom, a map on her cubby, an arrow from rocks, a trail of breadcrumbs, a bowl of water and just to make sure a drawing of the tooth on her back door. But will these clues survive the night?
This is a lovely story with simple precise text and the illustrations as well are wonderful showing the outback (the end papers are amazing), and young Audrey, perfectly. I loved the male tooth fairy!

Bog Frog Hop Kyle Mewburn & Rebecca Cool (Little Hare)
I love picture books that have a delightful time playing with words and that have whimsical and playful illustrations … this is one of them! Children are going to love chanting the words again and again.
In a soggy bog, with a mossy log there are ten slippery polliwogs plopping in the soggy bog….
And then there were nine and eight and ….
Yes this is a counting book filled with lots of rhyming and alliteration fun. There are grimpy-grumpy frogs, a scriffy-scruffy dog that becomes a splashy-splashy dog, flippy-floppy frogs, with plip plops, and flip flops, and splish splosh and plish plosh the repetitive fun goes on and on. The boldly coloured illustrations are really wonderful and will also enable lots of inquisition.

These are all perfect for sharing with young children and there will be many requests for them to be read again and again.

New Series Titles ... and a new series!

In the last few months a few wonderful new series titles for younger readers have popped onto the shelves. Here are some of the ones that I enjoyed.

This new series Animal Rescue, from the amazing Jackie French, is sure to be devoured by young readers. It is full of adventure and excitement and just a little amazingness thrown in (there is a boy who can talk to animals) which will have readers searching for more. Each title is devised around an animal being in danger and needing to be rescued. There are also factual end-notes that give facts and explain the present day danger faced by the animals.

Elephant Alert (Animal Rescue Series #1) Jackie French (Scholastic):
Leo can talk to animals and his best friend's a guinea pig! One moment he is in his backyard staring at his guinea pig and the next moment he is on a beach in Indonesia as part of a recue team, getting there in a rocket that is made from recycled plastic bottles and piloted by Mozz, a very clever girl who lives with her mad scientist grandmother.
Leo talks to the elephants on the island but they elephants won't move to higher ground. If they don't a fast approaching tsunami will wash them out to sea and soon the elephants and Leo are in deep trouble. The elephants are there for a special reason, but will they get away in time?
also available Gorilla Grab.

The kids love the titles that are in these and the librarians tell me they can’t keep enough of them.

Meet the Vampiresons (Freak Street #13) Knife & Packer (Scholastic)
This is the thirteenth title in this series about a very freaky group of families that live on Freak Street and this family flies around the neighbourhood on wings. It could be frightening having a blood sucking family on the street, although with aliens and zombies on the street it couldn’t be too more frightening, but these vampires have given up their blood sucking ways! This book continues the fun of Freak Street with well designed pages and lots of bright colour throughout.
Mrs Vampireson is a dentist specialising in the treatment of fangs and ‘monster dentistry’ so when the shark at the local aquarium needs a special set of razor sharp teeth it is this dentist who is charged with the job of supplying them. Crazy adventures happen - the gigantic teeth are stolen from the back of the car they are being delivered in; the star chef for Junior Superchef has fallen from grace; and there is a werewolf – with missing teeth.

Torlavasaur (Boy vs Beast Battle of the Mega-Mutants #13) Mac Park (Scholastic)
Beasts have escaped from the Outlands and are back in Beastium and fighting in the fire land. These beasts are new, not those encountered by Kai in earlier battles but there are similarities. They are Mega-mutants. And this time Kai must join forces with Jay and together they must defeat the new beasts.
These books are wonderful reads for young boys wanting to read their first chapter books. The print is large, and they are filled with illustrations and all the technical gadgetry they can imagine to help them defeat the creatures. Two new Boy vs Beast titles, Torlavasaur and also Chillteratan, are sure to be popular.


Enjoy the reads!

Fiction for Junior Readers

Its been a slow start to the year but we are now back on track with some delightful new fiction titles that appeared late last year and early this year. these are wonderul reads.

Selby Sprung Duncan Ball (HarperCollins)

A book about a dog that can talk? Well that can only mean one thing – there is a new Selby book and here it is. For quite a while kids all over the country have been enjoying the exploits of Selby the talking dog and this new book continues his wonderful adventures. He has had many close shaves keeping his talkative nature a secret from the world but with this new Selby adventure his number could be up. The world’s richest man, Evil Genius, who Selby has encountered before, is on a mission, at whatever it costs and his company already owes billions of dollars, to get that dog! With thousands of agents compbing Australia – wide in search of Selby maybe this will be it!

But in the meantime Selby is hurled out of the world’s only sky-writing embroidery aeroplane to what should be certain death, he encounters Vampires that invade his peaceful town, and he is captured by a Shark Man on Death Island.

The 13-Storey Treehouse Andy Griffiths &Terry Denton (PanMacmillan)

For young readers who are ready for laughter and giggles and the comic cleverness of these literary funsters then this is the title to grab.

Andy and Terry, two new characters who just happen to have the same name as the creators of this book (even the likeness of the characters in the illustrations is remarkable) live in a tree hours that is 13 storeys high. It comes bowling alley, see-through swimming pool, a tank full of sharks, a library full of comics, a secret underground laboratory, a games room, self-making beds, vines you can swing on, a vegetable vaporiser and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and automatically shoots your favourite flavoured marshmallows into your mouth whenever it discerns you're hungry. And in this treehouse is where they now create their books. The problem is that they have forgotten the looming deadline for their latest title and have till 5 o’clock the next day to get it to him. Things go a little crazy as they try and come up with ideas and write the book!

Read the story AND the illustrations for a time full of laughter and giggles and fun!

And two new series:

The Secret of the Swords (Sword Girl Book 1) Frances Watts & Gregory Rogers

This is a new series that is just perfect for younger readers requiring early chapter books.

Tommy, which is really short for Thomasina, is a feisty kitchen hand who longs to be a knight. She loves watching the knights learn how to fight and when she intervenes to stop a young boy from the armoury jabbing the tip of a wooden practice sword at one of the castle cats her life is changed when she is promoted to Keeper of the Blades, But then Sir Walter's most valuable sword goes missing from the sword room will Tommy be able to find it before her life be ruined and she is sent back to the kitchen in disgrace?

Also out now – the Poison Plot.

The New Kid (Ghost Club Series Book 1) Deborah Abela (Random House)

Ghosts, ghouls and poltergeists can be a real problem but the ancient Ghost Club, an agency dedicated to solving the countless ghostly problems, the solution is at hand.

Angeline and Edgar are the two youngest members of the agency and with Dylan now joining them as the newest recruit they have a pesky ghost to track down and sort out. The real problem though is that Dylan, even though he is the grandson of the leader of the ghost club and well known ghost catcher, isn’t sure that he wants to be part of the agency. He is a little wary of ghosts and all things paranormal. With special Ghost Club gadgets and tools and the assistance of some well established older members of the Ghost Club the three are out to find why a ghost is causing all the ghostly chaos at Castle Koszmar.

This series is funny and a little spooky but will keep readers turning the page right till the end … and waiting for the next Ghost Club instalment.

View the trailer here: http://deborahabela.com/site/Ghost_Club_1.html

More new titles soon.

Glorious Picture Books

After a little hiatus it is back to it with some of the lovely books that have come across my desk.

King Jack and the Dragon Helen Oxenbury & Peter Bently (Puffin)
How do toddlers construct a castle?
How do they fight dragons and ogres and beasts?
What happens when giants come and take two of the fighters home?
What happens to King Jack?
Will he be able to stay all night in his castle – alone, like a brave knight would?
This is a beautiful picture told in rhyming verse with lovely soft illustrations that makes this magical, make-believe adventure perfect for little boys and brave children everywhere!

Nana's Colours Pamela Allen (Viking)
Children are bringing presents to Nana for her birthday and each flowery present is a colour.
Pamela Allen creates some of the most luscious picture books for the very young and this continues that long tradition. This book is perfect for toddlers investigating colours with each new colour (in word and colour) introduced on individual black and white spreads. The paper is strong and the book is solid and suitable for small hands. And the characters – Nana and children are delighful.

Prudence Wants a Pet Cathleen Daly & Stephen Michael King (Scholastic)
Prudence desperately wants a pet. But when her parents refuse, she finds a pet of her own. First a branch that tripped dad over so he had to break it into bits. Then a twig that gets lost in a washing machine and then an old shoe … but Prudence soon got tired of walking the shoe. –and it doesn’t lick or jump into her lap either. Prudence attempts at getting a pet continue until eventually on her birthday she gets a big pink birthday present – the perfect pet!

For All Creatures Glenda Millard & Rebecca Cool (Walker Books)
This is the second creation from the team who also created Isabella’s Garden.
It is a celebration of life in all its many and varied forms. For the winged and the walking, the singing and the silent, the insects, the camels, the elephants, the frogs … for all creatures great and the small - we are thankful.
Bold colours with delightful rhyming text.

The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon Aaron Blabey (Penguin)
For the village of Twee, seven miles from the sea. Life was not very good. In fact they were cursed because all over the tow and any hour the ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon could appear – and she had a very, very unpleasant appearance that scared everyone in the town. That was until young Herbert kettle decided that they should ask the ghost why it was in there town. This doesn’t quite go as Herbert planned but friendships are made and the town is saved.

A Bus Called Heaven Bob Graham (Walker Books)
Another master of the picture books is Bob Graham and this one I just adored.
When a broken, old bus appears one morning, in a neighbourhood it really creates a kerfuffle causing traffic to slow and people to stop and talk and very soon it is transported to a house where it gets a community transformation and becomes a focus piece for the whole neighbourhood. But it doesn’t last and when the tow truck arrives to removes the obstruction the whole neighbourhood sets off in pursuit. Will it get scrapped or returned – its all up to a game of table soccer!
Beautiful text and illustrations.


These are just beautiful picture books - enjoy sharing them.