Review: Tigress

Tigress

Written by Nick Dowson

Illustrated by Jane Chapman

Publication date: 2004
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 978-1-4063-1294-2

Summary/Back cover:
Twigs with whiskers?
A tree with a tail?
Or is it a tigress, hiding?
Are you ready for some true tiger magic?

Review:
This book is beautifully written and illustrated. It is a non-fiction book but written as a story with extra facts on each page that you can choose to read or leave out. The story uses a lot of language features such as similes, metaphors and descriptive language which can confuse young children. My 4 year old asked for clarification during the story as he took some meanings literally.

4.5/5

Review written by Judith

Review: Wilbie & Harry

Wilbie & Harry

Written and Illustrated by Sally Chambers

Publication date: 2005
Publisher: Hinkler books Pty Ltd
ISBN: 978-1-7418-4181-7

Summary/Back cover:
Each week, best friends Wilbie and Harry put some of their pocket money into an old jar and when they have enough money, they buy themselves treats. One day they buy two raffle tickets and Wilbie’s ticket wins. Wilbie thinks the prize is his but Harry thinks it should be shared. A delightful story of friendship and sharing.

Review:
This is a lovely book about friendship written in simple language. It encouraged my 4 year old to ask questions about why Harry didn’t want to play with Wilbie anymore and this led to some interesting discussions about friendship. The illustrations are well done.

4/5

Review written by Judith

Review: Grumpy Bird

Grumpy Bird

Written and Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

Publication date: 2007
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0-439-85147-3

Summary/Back cover:
Here's a cure-all for a bad mood. After all, don't you ever feel grumpy?

Review:
A great book for explaining bad moods to young children, as they stat to sort out their emotions - my 3 year old is just starting to be able to describe his moods ("I feel angry, I feel scared, I feel happy") so this story helped build on that, as we followed a grumpy bird through his day.

I enjoyed reading this book aloud, as there's ample opportunity to read Bird's words in sarcastic, sneery tones - this made my 3 year old laugh and my 18 month old look alarmed!

The end of the story has a bit of nonsense injected, which is not quite in keeping with the rest of the book, but works well for it's intended audience.

My rating: 3.8 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Little Red Train - Great Big Train

Little Red Train: Great Big Train

Written and Illustrated by Benedict Blathwayt

Publication date: 2003
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-0-099-45597-4

Summary/Back cover:
Huffity-chuffity, huffity-chuffity, huffity-chuffity puff!
When a lorry driver sneers at the Little Red Train, Duffy Driver is quite put out. But with roadworks and breakdowns causing havoc on the roads, it is down to the Little Red Train to make the deliveries. And by the end of the day the Little Red Train is not quite so little after all!

Review:
Another book in the Little Red Train series (we've also read Little Red Train: Busy Day), this is a great book for boys - both my boys (3 years and 18 months) love trains, so this book instantly appeals to them.

The story itself is nothing overly spectacular from a reading-allowed point of view, but the train sounds added in help it to flow along. The illustrations have a lot of detail, which my 3 year old loves, as there's plenty to point out and discuss - the pages are perhaps a little too bit busy for my 18 month old yet, though.

Definitely a great book for your littlest blokey-boys, and we'll be looking out for more books in this series.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Who Sank the Boat?

Who Sank the Boat?

Written and Illustrated by Pamela Allen

Publication date: 1982
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 978-0-14-350199-2

Summary/Back cover:
Beside the sea, on Mr Peffer's place, there lived a cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig, and a tiny little mouse. One warm sunny morning for no particular reason, they decided to go for a row in the bay.

Review:
I remember this book from my own childhood - it's certainly not as exciting as an adult, but my 3 year old seems to love it as much as I remember loving it as a child, so it has great appeal to it's intended audience.

The general storyline is each animal stepping into the boat, followed by the question, "Do you know who sank the boat?" - my son, who loves to be contrary, decided it was the mouse that sank the boat ("Why do you think it's the mouse?" "Because he's so big! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"), so it came as no surprise when the boat did eventually capsize, but the picture of the soggy animals provided a great laughing point.

A cute wee book with some gentle rhyming after the first couple of pages. This is probably one of Pamela Allen's best known books, and one that many of us will remember from our own childhoods - it's definitely worth sourcing to read to the newer generation.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Bedtime Peekaboo!

Bedtime Peekaboo!

Written by Dawn Sirett

Photography by Dave King

Publication date: 2006
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
ISBN: 1-4053-1276-9

Summary/Back cover:
Where are all the sleepy toys? Peekaboo!
- Lift the big flaps with baby
- Help baby develop thinking and memory skills
- Enjoy hours of peekaboo fun!

Review:
We have two of these peekaboo books (the other one being Baby Loves Peekaboo), and both my boys thoroughly enjoy them - as do I! The lift-the-flaps are large and built from cardboard, so designed for rough little hands to flip back and forth. In addition to the flaps, each page has a textured part for touch - a fluffy pig tummy, shiny tiger eyes, and stringy doll's hair.

This book is so well read that the spine is in tatters, the pages have sellotape holding minor rips together (although the flaps are great, they do still tear down the the folded edge after a lot of use), and yet both boys still adore it - my almost 3.5-year old has had nearly 3 years use out of this book, and still loves it like it's the first time he's read it! My 18 month old laughs hysterically every time I call out 'peekaboo!' as he opens the flaps.

I was so pleased to find this book, as all kids love lift-the-flaps and touch-and-feels, and this book combines them both, and has much sturdier flaps than most other books I've found.

My rating: 4.8 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Book Review: The Cloud

Author/Illustrator: Hannah Cumming
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

A Note From the Publisher: Everyone has bad days, and children are no exception. When a black cloud descends on a little girl at school, support from a classmate with a great deal of imagination helps to brighten up everyone’s lives.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: What a creative book. A little black cloud hangs over a little girl's head on each page. What is it? What does it mean? Why is it there? What's going on with her? Why is it black? What can others do about this cloud? These were some of the questions I posed as we went through the the story. It's fabulous. I preach being a bucket filler at our school so this was such a great example of how to fill an empty bucket. And yes....kids are definitely walking around feeling down in the dumps at times. This is a neat community builder.

You will love the last page. Her cloud is gone and she's standing playing with the children and a new little boy enters with a little black cloud over his head. Hmmm.....wonder what's going to happen! I want to note this is a quick read. I slowed it down with lots of discussion and a prepared activity around community building. You might also add words to the story as you are reading...that's another little cheat thing I do to expand the message.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Review: I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean

I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean

Written and Illustrated by Kevin Sherry

Publication date: 2007
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 978-0-14-350227-2

Summary/Back cover:
I am a GIANT SQUID. And maybe you haven't noticed, but I'm pretty BIG. I'm bigger that his page! I'm bigger than this book! I dare you to find anything bigger than ME!

Review:
This book appealed to my 3 year old immediately, as the squid is quite boastful about all the things he's bigger than - we tried to think of something bigger than the squid, and didn't come up with anything, until we turned the page and discovered something bigger than the squid.

However, the squid is quite an optimistic chap, and still finds that he's the biggest thing, but changes the parameters slightly - much like our kids might do at times: I'm the oldest kid at kindy, I'm the tallest kid in my group, I'm the fastest kid at running (out of all of these crawling babies...) etc.

There's not many words in this book, which makes it a great one for pre-readers to "read" back to their parents. After only twice through this book, my 3 year old was reciting the story almost word-for-word back to me.

Definitely a winner with boys here - and would probably appeal to a number of girls as well.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: More of Milly-Molly-Mandy

More of Milly-Molly-Mandy

Written and illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley

Publication Date: First published 1929, publishes in Puffin Books 1972
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-03-0553X

Summary/Back cover:
All sorts of nice things happen to Milly-Molly-Mandy in this book, such as the day she went mushrooming with Billy Blunt, and the day she played in the tree house, but perhaps best of all was the day she went to fetch a pot of jam and found the storeroom had turned into her very own little bedroom.

Review:
Unlike many films and novels produced lately, this second instalment in the Milly-Molly-Mandy series is just as wonderful as the first. Just as with the original book there are 13 short stories of Milly-Molly-Mandy and her friends and family. The stories are just as lovely as those in the original book.

Read my review of the original Milly-Molly-Mandy stories, and if you think they sound like you/your child, read them. If you/your child does like them, then I would absolutely recommend reading More of Milly-Molly-Mandy.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories

Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories

Written and illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley

Publication Date: First published 1928, Published in Puffin Books 1972
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 0-14-030523-8

Summary/Back cover:
Children love to read about this enchanting little country girl!

Milly-Molly-Mandy and her friends Susan and Billy Blunt live in a little village in the heart of the English countryside. They do all the sorts of things that country children enjoy – like blackberrying, gardening and going to the village fête. These well-known and well-loved stories are delightful to read whether you live in the country or in a town.

A book particularly suitable for reading aloud to young children.

Review:
I’m not sure that I will get many opportunities to read these stories aloud to my children – both boys – but I love, love, love Milly-Molly-Mandy stories. I still remember thumbing through the pages of this book at my Nana’s house when I was about 8 years old. There is a map in the front of the book showing the village where Milly-Molly-Mandy lives, which I used to gaze at for ages imagining which way Milly-Molly-Mandy might walk on her adventures. I clearly loved the other illustrations, too, as half of them have been coloured in, presumably by me, although I don’t remember doing it! There are 13 stories in this book and each one is only a couple of pages long. Which makes it ideal for reading aloud or for young readers just beginning “proper” books.

Milly-Molly-Mandy is a very likeable young girl who works hard, and has fun and loves her family, which is just as well since there are no shortage of relatives living in the same “nice white cottage with the thatched roof”.

The stories have some degree of moral lesson to them, as was customary for the time, but I find them much less derisive than other books of the same era. Milly-Molly-Mandy sets a good example, for instance, when she refuses to pick blackberries from the field with the sign that warns against trespassing, and is rewarded by finding a rabbit (she has a soft spot for bunny rabbits).

I don’t suppose Milly-Molly-Mandy is for everyone, particularly in this day-and-age, but she was a character I absolutely adored when I was a young girl. The stories in this book capture the magic of adventures in a quiet village in time gone by.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Peter Pan

Peter Pan

Written by J. M. Barrie

Publication Date: First published 1911, this edition published 2006
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-19-272619-3

Summary/Back cover:
The night that Peter Pan flies into the Darling children’s nursery is the night that magic flies into their lives. It’s the night that Wendy and her brothers follow Peter out of the window and soar through the sky to Neverland. It’s the night that they discover a world of mermaids, fairies, and pirates, of lost boys, and of the terrible Captain Hook. It’s the night the adventure begins…

Peter Pan is one of the best-loved stories ever written for children. For more than one hundred years this unforgettable tale has enchanted readers of all ages.

Step into Neverland with this magical, timeless classic.

Review:
I’m still on the fence as to whether J. M. Barrie was a good guy or a bad guy when it came to his personal life, but boy could he tell a great story! Peter Pan is the eponymous play cum book, famously featuring the charming but arrogant boy who never grew up as the hero who tricks and fights the villainous Captain Hook. In the background the ticking clock swallowed by the crocodile serves as a constant reminder of the passing of time that will slowly see the children grow into adults.

Peter Pan is an absolute classic with enough adventure to keep children of many generations captivated.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Elephant Trouble

Elephant Trouble

Written by Karen Hinge

Illustrated by Roger Twiname

Publication Date: 2007
Publisher: Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd
ISBN 13: 978-1-86978-026-5

Summary/Back cover:
Rosie and David love to visit the zoo. Their favourite animals are the elephants, Kashin and Burma.
One day they visit and find that Burma has gone missing! David suggests she’s in disguise, sneakily tiptoeing around the zoo to stay out of sight!

David and Rosie ask one giraffe, two hippos, three lions, four goats, five meerkats, six seals, seven wallabies, eight parrots and nine monkeys if they can tell them Burma’s whereabouts.

Roger Twiname’s true-to-life illustrations are a wonderful way to introduce children to animals at the zoo, and Karen Hinge’s carefully crafted text will have readers counting the animals as well as trying to figure out the mystery of the missing elephant.

Review:
Having recently visited the Auckland Zoo I wondered why the zebra/giraffe enclosure looked so familiar, before realising this was a New Zealand-produced book. I would expect that in real life if an elephant escaped its enclosure the zoo would be evacuated, as opposed to children being left to wander around searching for the missing animal. Reality aside, it’s not a bad book, but I think the age ratings on the back (reading together: 3+, reading alone: 5+) are probably worth adhering to. I felt it was a bit too wordy to hold the interest of my two year old children.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: To Every Thing There is a Season

To Every Thing There is a Season

Illustrated by Jude Daly

Publication Date: 2006
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
ISBN: 1-84507-344-4

Summary/Back cover:
To every thing there is a season,
And a time to every purpose under the heaven…

The well-loved words of Ecclesiastes take on new life and meaning set against the sun-baked rural setting of a South African homestead, in a jewel-like portrayal by Jude Daly.

Review:
I don’t know if this puts me in the “bad mummy” category, but I thought this book might help me to explain death and killing to my small children. The good thing about these verses is that the bad is always laid aside the good.

I couldn’t help humming The Byrds “Turn, Turn, Turn” in my head as I was reading the story. It is generally well accepted that there is virtue and wisdom in the words. Although it is up to every parent as to when they think their children are ready to be introduced to some of these concepts.

There is an illustration for every notion. The illustrations are beautiful. I was relieved to see that the image for “a time to kill” depicted a fishing boat in a harbour. There is certainly a lot of scope for parents to discuss the ideas raised with their children by referencing the activities taking place in the pictures. Sometimes it took me a while to equate how the illustration related to the words, though.

For anyone wanting a children’s book version of these eponymous words, I think that you would struggle to find a more lovely version than this one.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy

Written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd

Publication Date: 2005
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 978-0-140-50531-3

Summary/Back cover:
Out of the gate and off for a walk went Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy…

Hairy Maclary’s friends join him for a walk until, with a sudden yowl, a wail and a howl, they all run off. What could have caused such a scatter of paws?

Review:
Camilla Parker Bowles recently listed this book as one of her favourite children’s books. She is not alone. It is a Kiwi classic, and it is on its way to becoming an international children’s classic.

The characters have personality-plus, they are likeable and loveable, except for Scarface Claw who appears to be the J. R. Ewing of the neighbourhood. The illustrations are wonderful, and the rhythmical tale is perfect. Hairy Maclary snuggles into his bed at the end, which I always found helpful when I would close the cover after reading the book before my children went to bed. “Hairy’s in bed, now, so it’s time for you to go to bed, too”.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy is a perfect children’s book. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to everyone.

My rating: 5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Slinky Malinki

Slinky Malinki

Written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd

Publication Date: 1990
Publisher: Mallinson Rendel Publishers Ltd.
ISBN: 0-908606-66-4

Summary/Back cover:
Slinky Malinki is blacker than black, a stalking and lurking cat. In fact, Slinky Malinki is a thief, and steals anything from a clothes peg or a slipper to a string of sausages. This story is told in verse.

Review:
I’m known to criticise stories on this site when the rhyming is clunky or has poor rhythm. I can lay no such criticism to this book from the author of Hairy Maclary (which I have just realised hasn’t been reviewed, yet – expect that review, shortly!) Lynley Dodd’s rhyming is spot on in this story introducing us to one of her recurring characters, a pet cat called Slinky Malinki.

Slinky Malinki is cute and fun-loving by day, but a sneaky thief come night. This story tells the tale of the night Slinky stole more than usual and the strife that ensued.

I recommend this book, and I especially recommend it to those who love cats. If you like this story check out the reviews of some of Lynley’s other books: Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack; The Nickle Nackle Tree; and, Slinky Malinki’s Christmas Crackers. Lynley also illustrated My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Mog and the Granny

Mog and the Granny

Written and illustrated by Judith Kerr

Publication Date: 2005
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
ISBN: 978-0-00-717127-9

Summary/Back cover:
The Thomas family have gone on holiday, so Mog is staying with a granny. It sounded safe enough, but no one warned Mog about Tibbles...

Review:
Judith Kerr is the world-famous writer of The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Mog and the Granny is one of the stories in Kerr’s “Mog” series. Mog the Forgetful Cat has also been reviewed on this site.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a must-read classic. It is a book my family initially issued from the library. It was such a hit we ended up buying a copy.

Mog and the Granny inspires less enthusiasm in our house. The book confuses my husband who can’t figure out if Mog is meant to be psychic since she seems to always know where her owner, Debbie, is and what she is doing. I think I would like the story better if Mog didn’t keep having flashes of what Debbie was doing, as I find it a bit of a distracting diversion from the events in Mog’s immediate surroundings, but the “Debbie flashes” are partly necessary for the plot.

The illustrations are lovely, and I love the depiction of Granny, especially when her and the cats engage in the high-speed mobility scooter ride at the end.

I think perhaps the problem is that our family don’t have pets, and if we did we’d lean towards the dog variety. To that end I would recommend the story to cat lovers, who I think would appreciate the story much more than we did.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: New Light Bible Stories

New Light Bible Stories

Edited by Jean Watson

Illustrated by Susan Wintringham

Publication Date: 2000
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
ISBN: 0-340-75665-9

Summary/Back cover:
A collection of favourite Bible stories especially selected for children.

Review:
First up, I mean absolutely no disrespect to any other religion or belief system by including this review. For those of us who are Christian, though, it is as tricky to find a book to introduce the Bible to our children as it is any other sort of book. I’ve read a couple of stories to my children straight from my Bible, but as we all know the Bible is big on words (all 1400 pages of them) but not so much with the illustrations.

This book is a collection of eight key Bible episodes: “In the beginning”; “The Garden of Eden”; “Noah and the ark”; “Angels and shepherds”; “Loaves and fishes”; “The good Samaritan”; “Good Friday”; and “The empty tomb”. It is not to be mistaken for a children’s Bible.

It commends itself on the back cover for being “The only children’s story book to use an actual Bible translation rather than a paraphrase or a re-telling”. It is obviously still heavily edited, though. The story of Noah and the ark, for example, refers to the raven, but not to the dove, so the story is missing the symbolism of the dove with the olive branch indicating to Noah that the earth was regrowing and it was safe to disembark.

As far as the illustrations go, the illustrator does well to depict nakedness and death by crucifixion in careful ways that most parents and children will find acceptable.

I think the editor did well in narrowing the whole Bible down to eight stories. I think I would prefer a book that gave more explanation, though, even if it meant resorting to paraphrasing. It took me years to realise that the significance of the Samaritan helping the man on the road was that they were from different cultures that did not interact at the time. I want those sort of explanations conveyed in versions of the stories for my children. To cover my own ignorance as much as to help my children understand the stories!

But, everyone will have a different idea of what they want their children to know. As far as this book goes, it gives an adequate introduction to the Bible that would be reasonably easy for young children to follow.

My rating: 3 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Kipper’s Tree House

Kipper’s Tree House

Based on the books by Mick Inkpen

Illustrated by Stuart Trotter

Publication Date: 2002
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
ISBN: 0-340-81811-5

Summary/Back cover:
What has Kipper made in the tree?
Lift the flaps to find out!

Review:
This book was selected off the library shelf because we have a Kipper episode on a DVD. The kids spied the book cover and declared “Kipper!” in cute little 2 year-old voices, and it was added to the library basket.

Kipper is a friendly, easy-going dog. In this story Kipper builds a tree-house and his friend, Tiger (another dog), comes to visit.

When I think of lift-the-flap books I automatically think of Spot the Dog, and Kipper’s Tree House is as good as any Spot book. In traditional lift-the-flap style it offers clues, but hides the full picture, providing opportunities for interaction with the reader and the children being read to. “What is Kipper doing? Kipper is building a … (lift-the-flap) … tree house.” The children can try and guess the answer before the flap is lifted.

This is a pleasant and easy read for parents and children, whether or not they are already familiar with the Kipper character.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Willow by the Sea

Willow by the Sea

Written and illustrated by Camilla Ashforth

Publication Date: 2002
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 0-7445-7565-6

Summary/Back cover:
In Willow by the Sea, Willow dreams about the sound of waves on the shore, and soon he has invited all of the farm animals to go with him. The delights of summer are beautifully evoked in Camilla Ashforth’s gentle watercolors.

Review
I like this book but some families will find it far too twee for their liking. The illustrations are delicate, hazy watercolours in calm, muted colours. The story quietly unfolds with a couple of songs sung along the way. The tune for the songs is given on the last page.

The story is about a bear called Willow who works at a farm but longs to return to his home by the sea. He sets off with all his farm animal friends to spend time at the beach.

I like that there are not too many words per page, except on the pages where the songs are sung.

It is a calm story that ends with Willow and his friends all going to sleep so it would be an ideal bed-time read. It may be well-suited to younger children or to those families who appreciate the old-world charm of the story and illustrations.

My rating: 3.8 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: When Daddy’s Truck Picks Me Up

When Daddy’s Truck Picks Me Up

Written by Jana Novothy Hunter

Illustrated by Carol Thompson

Publication Date: 2006
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN: 978-1-84780-092-3

Summary/Back cover:
It’s Daddy’s turn to pick me up.
I get up fast today!
Daddy drives a tanker truck,
And he comes a long, long way.


Today is a special day – Daddy’s coming to pick his son up from nursery school. All day the little boy imagines Daddy’s truck driving on motorways, over mountains and through tunnels to meet him. But a traffic jam makes Daddy late. The bouncy rhyme and exuberant illustrations are just right for truck-loving children and the parents who hurry home to them.

While this book has general appeal, I think it would be especially great for those children who don’t get to see their dad every day. It follows the young boy’s excitement from the time he wakes in the morning to when he rides in his dad’s truck at the end.

While the dad bears no likeness to my children’s father, I like that the dad doesn’t look like the cookie cutter father in most picture books – this one has a pony-tail, tattoos and an earring. I also like the illustrations. They look like a little kid created them using crayons and dye. I thought that could have added another dimension to the book, by the implication that the illustrations were drawn by the little boy in anticipation of seeing his dad, except the boy in the story is too young to have drawn them. I find it a little disappointing that the publishers seem to have overlooked this.

The rhythm of the rhyming story does not always flow the best, but it does support the excitement of the little boy. The writer has obviously worked hard at showing a range of emotions, too, such as excitement, disappointment, frustration and anticipation. I suspect that the topic of the book was close to the heart of the author.

My rating: 3 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Noisy Farm

Noisy Farm

Written and Illustrated by Rod Campbell

Publication date: 1994
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 9780140502930

Summary/Back cover:
Early in the morning the farm comes to life. Cockadoodle-doo , crows the rooster. Woof! woof! , barks Sam the dog. There are lots more noises to identify as we follow Sam around the farm. By the author of Dear Zoo.

Review:
My mum bought this book for my son when he was first born and it's still one of his favourites, and has been very loved. This book is a lift the flap book, where we follow Sam the farm dog around the farm as he finds out who is making the various noises as the day begins. As they get older your child will be excited to see their favourite animal and can join in with you to make the animal noises eg "who's making that mooing noise? it's the cow in the shed! mooooo..." etc.

I like that the book ends with "shh let's leave him to sleep". I usually whisper this part, and then settle my son into bed. It's a good to wind down at the end of a busy day.

Great book and I would recommend it for babies and toddlers. Be prepared for the flaps to get ripped off by enthusiastic children.

Review written by Carrie

Review: Christmas Cooking for Kids

Christmas Cooking for Kids

Written by Fiona Hammond

Publication date: 2011
Publisher: The Five Mile Press
ISBN: 978-1-74248-268-2

Summary/Back cover:
At Christmas time, kids will enjoy making these mouth-watering treats. From delicious Christmas tree ice-creams to Santa Strawberry hats, from traditional mince tarts to a giant gingerbread house. With simple illustrations and easy-to-follow steps, little chefs will have hours of fun in the kitchen.

Review:
A lovely range of recipes (20 in total), some are no bake, others are quite complex. Step by step illustrations and lovely photographs of the finished products as well as packaging ideas for gifts. Steps that require adult assistance have that clearly marked, usually ones that require cutting and heat. Both metric and imperial measurements. Full of helpful tips to make baking easier, there's even a template for the gingerbread house. Nice hard cover book with hidden spiral bound pages so the book stays open nicely on the page that you want. I can personally vouch for how tasty the Stained-Glass Biscuits are as we made these for Christmas Presents, they went down a treat! I think this is a book that we could use for years to come, and not just at Christmas.

5 out of 5

Review written by Laugan

Review: Happy Baby Colours

Happy Baby Colours

Written by Roger Priddy

Publication date: 2001
Publisher: Priddy Books
ISBN: 978-0312490034

Summary/Back cover:
'Soft-to-touch' with simple clear images labelled to increase a child's vocabulary - truly a first book for your baby.

Review:
The first thing I noticed about this book was the great size it is for it’s target age group, 0 – 18 months. The thin and light book is easy to hold for littlies, and even has a wee baby grip for them to hold onto while toddling around.

Each page of the book has been designated a colour. There are approximately 5-6 photographs on each page which are in that colour, including one of a baby wearing and/or using an item of the colour. This makes the pages fun and bright, and I found that my girls really enjoyed looking at the photos of the other babies.

Using photographs of mainly animals, clothing and healthy foods, I found that these were items the littlies would see in their environment and would be known to them.

My girls enjoyed pointing at the words and getting me to say what the item is, and now they enjoy me pointing at the word and them telling me what it is. We haven’t quite got the idea of colours yet so it will be in our bookshelf for a little while longer, and we are changing ‘goldfish’ to ‘orange goldfish’ and ‘strawberry’ to ‘red strawberry’.

Overall I think this book is fantastic, and I haven’t come across a better ‘colours’ book as yet. 5 out of 5.

Review written by Zaylah

Review: Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him!

Hooper Humperdink...? Not Him!

Written by Dr Seuss (writing as Theo.LeSieg)

Illustrated by Charles E. Martin

Publication date: 1976
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0-00-171273 X

Summary/Back cover:
From Alice and Abe to Zeke and Zipper, an alphabetic array of guests turns out for the biggest birthday party ever. But Hooper Humperdink isn't on the guest list! Young readers will enjoy finding out why in this extravaganza of names from A to Z.

Review:
This book is a typical Dr Seuss book, in that it rhymes and has nonsense names and words throughout it. However, this book seems to have aged much quicker than the likes of Green Eggs and Ham and Fox in Socks - I can't quite put my finger on exactly why that is, though! The only thing I can think of is because it's people, not animals.

However, this is not really a major issue at all, as my 3 year old still enjoyed this book, and laughed out loud as the party plans got wilder and wilder as the book progressed.

I collect Dr Seuss books, but borrowed this one from the library - if I can pick up a second-hand copy of this book, I'll add it to our collection, but I'm not so fond of it to spend much money on picking up a new copy.

My rating: 3 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: My Friend is Sad

My Friend is Sad

Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems

Publication date: 2008
Publisher: Walker Books
ISBN: 978-1-4063-1468-7

Summary/Back cover:
Meet Elephant Gerald and Piggie.
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In My Friend is Sad, Gerald is sad. How can Piggie be happy if Gerald is sad?

Review:
Another book in the Elephant and Piggie series, this book appealed to my 3 year old before it had even left the shelf. Written in the familiar speech mark style that we've come to know in these books, it lends itself very well to being read aloud by two people (one acting as Piggie, one as Gerald).

There are plenty of laughs in this book, with Piggie dressing up in different costumes to try and cheer Gerald up - but there's one thing that really does make Gerald happy...

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: The Bear and the Wildcat

The Bear and the Wildcat

Written by Kazumi Yumoto

Illustrated by Komako Sakai

Publication date: 2011 (original Japanese publication 2008)
Publisher: Gecko Press
ISBN: 978-1-877467-70-7

Summary/Back cover:
A beautiful picture book about loneliness, loss and grief, ending with a positive new beginning.

Review:
Along with Duck, Death and the Tulip, this is another story that delicately deals with the subject of death. This story starts with death, and follows Bear's grief journey and how other animals react to him in the wake of his best frend dying.

The story ends on a positive note, with Bear finding a way to let go of his friend, and realising that his life will carry on, and the memories of his friend will stay with him forever. He even recognises that others might have had friends that they have lost as well.

This is a beautiful book to help young people through their grieving process - I wouldn't let them read it by themselves, as there are many discussion points to bring up from reading it. I haven't read this book to my 3.5 and 1.5 year olds, and don't intend to until we have a reason to - but I think it's a great follow-on to Duck, Death and the Tulip.

The illustrations are simple and monotone, well suited to the tone of the text. Bear's grief is tenderly and quietly portrayed, and although the book is very sad, it's not a scary book at all.

If you have read this book with your children, please do either leave me a comment here, telling me your thoughts, or email me on 1001bookreviews@gmail.com so I can put your comments up anonymously.

My rating: 4.9 out of 5 - a lovely story to help children and teens through their grief.

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Duck, Death and the Tulip

Duck, Death and the Tulip

Written and Illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch

Publication date: 2008 (original German publication 2007)
Publisher: Gecko Press
ISBN: 978-1-877467-14-1

Summary/Back cover:
In a strangely heartwarming story, a duck strikes up an unlikely friendship with Death. "Who are you? Why are you creeping along behind me?" "Good. You've finally noticed me," said Death. "I am Death." Duck was startled. You couldn't blame her for that.

Death, Duck and the Tulip is the much anticipated translation of Wolf Erlbruch's latest masterpiece. Death, Duck and the Tulip will intrigue, haunt and enchant teenagers and adults. Simple, unusual, warm and witty - a picture book version of The Book Thief. This book deals with a difficult subject in away that is elegant, straightforward, and thought-provoking.

Review:
I had heard about this book, but not read it before - it's a sad yet tender tale about a duck and his journey with Death, who is presented wearing slippers and a checkered dressing gown, with a skull as his head, and carrying a black tulip. Duck perhaps doesn't realise he is near the end of his life as he walks and talks with Death, but the two strike up an acquaintanceship, if not quite a friendship.

The story is as much about life as it is about death, and the pair discuss the afterlife - what happens to us after we die. In the end, Duck stops breathing and dies very quietly. Death strokes her rumpled feathers and gently places her in the river with the black tulip. The final page of the book is "For a long time he watched her. When she was lost to sight, he was almost a little moved. But that's life, thought Death."

I will admit, I haven't read this to my 3.5 year old and 18 month old children, as I don't know that they're ready to deal with such a grown up concept - or maybe I'm not ready to teach them about it yet. In either case, we're lucky in that we haven't had to approach the topic of death with them yet, but I think this book will be a lovely one to read after, say, an elderly relative has passed on, and the children start to question what has happened.

The illustrations are under-stated and tender, suiting the story perfectly. It will be a great book to discuss with slightly older children who will grasp the concept of death - I'm not sure how well younger children will understand it, but I think quite possibly that our younger children understand more than we give them credit for, sometimes.

If you have read this book with your children, please do either leave me a comment here, telling me your thoughts, or email me on 1001bookreviews@gmail.com so I can put your comments up anonymously.

My rating: 5 out of 5 - a poignant tale of death, approached in an incredibly tender way.

Review written by Bronwyn

Book Review: Being Wendy

Author: Fran Drescher
Illustrated by Amy Blay
Interest Level: Ages 6 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Wendy was afraid to say that she felt different from everyone else. But all residents of Boxville must choose a box to wear - for life. These boxes are labeled with what each person does. The teacher wears a TEACHER box. The police officer wears a POLICE OFFICER box. Even the poodle wears a POODLE box!

Now it's time for Wendy to choose her box. Just pick one, everyone tells her. It's simple. But it's not simple, because Wendy loves LOTS of different things - from playing basketball to performing onstage. Wendy's big ideas make her feel lonely...will she ever fit in?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Now I know you are rolling your eyes and saying - Oh Splendid! Another celebrity thinks they can write a children's book!! But let me just be the first to say, WELL DONE, FRAN DRESCHER aka "The Nanny"!  Well done. Being Wendy is so creative with an AWESOME message of following your dreams and not letting yourself be influenced or limited by what others think you should be....you are special, unique, and different. Love! 

The kids were HOOKED and intrigued as to where this story was going. But the best part was getting to help the students figure out how the message applies to their own lives. Books are such magic. Get creative and use some paper bags as a fun visual. I drew a question mark on a paper bag, cut out arm holes, and had a student wear it. Each student then got a brown piece of paper with directions to list their interests and strengths.

Favorite part of book - when Wendy tries to hug her dad - but he wears a box too so it gets in the way. This sparked such great conversation about acceptance.....GET THIS ONE!
  
A Link To This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Review: Animal Baths

Animal Baths

Written and Illustrated by Bob Barner

Publication date: 2011
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 978-1-4521-0056-2

Summary/Back cover:
Discover how all kinds of animals bathe in this playful exploration of bath time in the animal kingdom! Learn how tiny shrimp aid eels in keeping their teeth squeaky clean, and how schools of fish help sharks stay spic and span. Young readers will recognize their own bath time habits, and will love splashing and playing along in their own imaginative way. Simple rhyming text and vibrant, colorful collages by award-winning author and artist Bob Barner make this book ideal for the youngest readers and bathers!

Review:
This book is a sweet wee book, but nothing overly special - it has gentle rhyming text, gorgeous illustrations rendered from cut paper, ribbon and pastel, and a great double-page summary at the end that gives reluctant bathers a way to include animal bathtime ways into their own bath.

However, despite all this, the story somehow just strikes me as a "Meh, it's OK" sort of book - there's nothing wrong with it at all, but it doesn't really 'pop' as a story that's a particular keeper. Maybe it's just me!

If nothing else, do get this book for the illustrations - they really have been beautifully created - simple and uncluttered, but obviously a lot of work has gone into getting them just right. Watch for the facial expression on the littlest bear as he scratches his mud and ticks off against a tree!

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: The Wonky Donkey

The Wonky Donkey

Words and Music by Craig Smith

Illustrations by Katz Cowley

Publication date: 2009
Publisher: Scholastic New Zealand
ISBN: 978-1-86943-926-2

Summary/Back cover:
Just look at that donkey over there... Ha! It's a wonky donkey!
Award-winning song with hilarious illustrations that will have you laughing out loud!

Review:
How have we got this many reviews without reviewing The Wonky Donkey?! This is a firm favourite in our house, and is not allowed to be read - it has to be sung!  Fortunately, the book comes with a CD, so parents can learn the tune - but don't try to sing along with the composer, Craig Smith - he has a fantastic speed that he can say the words with! This story was originally the song, and later became the book.

Every Kiwi child should have a copy of this book - it's going to become one of those Kiwi icons in a few years, along with jandals, pavlova and Buzzy Bee!




My rating: 5 out of 5 - one to own, not just borrow from the library!


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: I'm Coming to Get You!

I'm Coming to Get You!

Written and Illustrated by Tony Ross

Publication date: 1984
Publisher: Andresen Press
ISBN: 978-1-84270-743-2


Summary/Back cover:
After wreaking havoc on the planets of its own galaxy, a hungry monster sets off in its spaceship for a pretty blue planet called Earth.  A little boy called Tommy Brown, who is particularly scared of monsters, is singled out for a visit...


Review:
What little boy doesn't love monsters that yell out things like "I'm coming to get you!" - my 2.5 year old requests this book almost every night, immediately before bedtime (and we then often hear him calling out the same phrase from his bedroom, and giggling away!).  A funny wee twist at the end of this story makes the monster not nearly as scary as it had tried to be throughout the story, and even got a smirk out of my husband!

My rating: 4 out of 5 - a good boys' book.


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Who's Making That Noise?

Who's Making That Noise?

Written by Philip Hawthorn and Jenny Tyler

Illustrated by Stephen Cartwright

Publication date: 1994
Publisher: Usborne Publishing
ISBN: 0-7460-0850-3


Summary/Back cover:
Who is making that noise? Is it really those noisy boys?  You can find out by lifting the flaps in this charmingly illustrated book.

Simple rhyming text makes this book a pleasure to read aloud, and young children will enjoy joining in with the boys as they proclaim their innocence.

Children will also enjoy finding the little white mouse and Stephen Cartwright's yellow duck on every double page.


Review:
Lift-the-flap books are always a hit, but this one is a particular favourite with both my 2.5 year old and my 8 month old.  Different animals are hiding on each page, and each animal is making a different sound (banging with a pot lid, tooting on a trumpet, etc).  A very noisy book to read, but a lot of fun!  Keep the cellotape handy though, as I find that, with noise, comes boisterousness and accidentally ripped flaps!

My rating: 4 out of 5.


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Ducky Dives In!

Ducky Dives In!

Written by Richard Waring

Illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Publication date: 2003
Publisher: Orchard Books
ISBN: 1-84362-193-2

Summary/Back cover:
Mucky Ducky loves mud! He really adores the squelchiest, squishiest, squashiest kind of muddy puddle...
But Mummy Duck likes to keep her little duckling out of mud and mischief, so how will she stop Mucky Duck from diving into the squelchiest puddle of all?

Review:
This story, I reckon, has a moral for Mums in it, rather than the kids!  Mucky Duck loves to jump in muddy puddles, but his mother is always trying to keep him clean and tidy - what mother of young children can't relate to that?!  In the end, Mummy Duck embraces her messy side, and ends up having a ball of a time with her young duckling.

I was attracted to this book because of the illustrator, and wasn't let down by the beautiful, bright pictures.  The story itself contains lots of those onomatopoeic words that kids love (and I love to read out loud!), so this book had us giggling throughout.

Definitely worth a read.

My rating: 4.7 out of 5


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Stuck in the Mud

Stuck in the Mud

Written by Jane Clarke

Illustrated by Garry Parsons

Publication date: 2007
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 978-0-141-50007-2

Summary/Back cover:
Early in the morning, down on the farm,
a new day was dawning, peaceful and calm...
... until Hen discovers that one of her chicks is stuck in the mud!
How many animals will it take to pull Chick out of the mud?

Review:
This book reminds me of the old song, There Was an Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly, who ends up swallowing animal after animal, each getting bigger than the previous.  The same thing happens here, as different animals try to help pull Chick out of the mud - my 2.5 year old enjoyed guessing (or remembering, as the case became!) which animal was going to appear next.

Written in a rhyming style and with gorgeous illustrations of, frankly, quite distressed looking animals, this is a story that's been read many times in our household.

My rating: 4 out of 5.


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Franklin and the Thunderstorm

Franklin and the Thunderstorm

Written by Paulette Bourgeois

Illustrated by Brenda Clark

Publication date: 1998
Publisher: Scholastic Inc
ISBN: 0-590-02635-6

Summary/Back cover:
When his animal friends offer amusing explanations for thunder and lightning, Franklin overcomes his fear of such storms.

Review:
Franklin is a loveable turtle with a caring group of friends. Each book deals with a different childhood issue ranging from telling lies, playing fair to going to school and riding a bike.
In this story Franklin is afraid of thunderstorms and his friends try different ways to get him out of his shell (literally), which eventually does when one of them explains what thunder and lightning actually is. I bought this book for my son who is also afraid of thunderstorms and he really enjoys hearing the story.
The illustrations are beautiful and the stories are easy to understand. I like the fact that each book has a moral and are a natural way to discuss these with children.

3.5/5

Review written by Judith

Review: Waddle Giggle Gargle!

Waddle Giggle Gargle!

Written and Illustrated by Pamela Allen

Publication date: 1996
Publisher: Puffin Books
ISBN: 978-0-14-055991-0

Summary/Back cover:
Here is Pamela Allen's delightful story about a boisterous magpie who is determined to protect her nest, and the ingenious way Grandpa, Grandma and Jonathan protect themselves from the swooping, waddling, giggling, gargling bird!

Review:
The appeal in picking this book off the shelf at our library was two-fold: a New Zealand author, and the title struck my funny bone!

The story itself is very simple, but the real appeal to this book is the magpie's repeated speech - "Waddle giggle gargle paddle poodle" - if you've not heard the song of an Australian magpie, you can hear it on this video clip (not my clip - I've just borrowed it from YouTube):



(There's also a note in the front of this book about the difference between a European magpie and an Australian magpie)

My 3 year old went to bed singing "Waddle giggle gargle paddle poodle" - and my 18 month old went to bed singing "Waddle waddle waddle waddle OODLE!" after I'd read them this book - that's got to be the sign of a good book, when the kids start reciting it back to you, doesn't it?!

My rating: 4 out of 5. We're hoping to find some magpies around the neighbourhood at some point, so my boys can see them in real life!

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Planet of the Bears

Planet of the Bears

Written by Giles Andreae

Illustrated by Janet Cronin

Publication date: 2011
Publisher: Egmont
ISBN: 978-1-4052-5845-6

Summary/Back cover:
A story about looking after our world.

Review:
I was very excited to discover another Giles Andreae book at the library, and snaffled it up quickly. However, it's not typical Andreae style so disappointed me from the start. It's not a rhyming book (for which Andreae is very well known), nor is it funny (also a known Andreae attribute).

However, when I got over my preconceptions of what I expected this author to deliver, I found that this is a sweet wee book - it's about some bears who like 'stuff' and want more 'stuff', and Clever Bear who realises love is more important than 'stuff' and sets about bottling kindness to take to the heart of the earth.

I don't think my 3 year old fully grasps the concepts of this story, and there were a few words that were completely lost on him ("Assail your fellow bears with kindness"), but the pictures are lovely and the bears are happy at the end of the book, so that was enough for him!

This book is one of a collectable series - the rest can be found at www.worldofhappy.com

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

Young Reader’s Edition

Written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

Publication date: 2012
Publisher: Dial
ISBN: 978-0803735118

Summary/Back cover:
When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library . . . and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind.

Lyrically told and gloriously illustrated, this story will inspire many as it shows how - even in the worst of times - a great idea and a lot of hard work can still rock the world.

Review:
Themes/Discussion Topics: Self-empowerment, Ingenuity, Africa, English-Language Learning, Hunger, Famine, Education, Role of Libraries, Recycling

Inventor William Kamkwamba and journalist Bryan Mealer collaborate with illustrator Elizabeth Zunon to masterfully share with the young reader the story of William’s life in drought-ravaged Malawi and his ingenuity that inspired him to build a windmill that would illuminate his life and the lives of those around him.

William was forced to drop out of school after a severe drought and famine struck Malawi. Instead of abandoning his education entirely, William started going to the local library in an effort to continue his education. He used the library books to teach himself how to build a windmill and dictionaries to learn English one word at a time.

In order to build his windmill, William collected spare bicycle parts, a tractor fan, plastic pipes and other useful items that others had discarded as trash. Although the people in his village thought that he was crazy, he persisted and ultimately succeeded in building a windmill that provided enough electricity to power several light bulbs and two radios as well as provide water for his family.

Kamkwamba and Mealer tell the story in a compelling manner that captures and maintains the young readers attention throughout the book. Issues such as poverty, famine and starvation are contrasted with concepts such as imagination, self-empowerment and education in way that a child can understand and appreciate without feeling overwhelmed. Zunon’s intensely beautiful illustrations comprised of oil-painted backgrounds with carefully cut pieces of fabric, paper and old photographs create vibrant and textured collages that compliment the text and subtly mirror William’s story by assembling old pieces of various materials to create a new whole that at times seem to have a story of their own to tell.

Although the story told in the book culminates with the construction of the windmill, William’s story does not end with that amazing accomplishment. An update on the final pages about William’s life after building the windmill is provided so that the young reader can be inspired by how William’s hard work and determination paid off and continues to do so for William.

I enjoyed reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind with my children and more importantly they benefitted from hearing William’s story. The book provided us with an opportunity to discuss important issues like hunger, access to education and the transformative power of science and the imagination. As a parent, I remain appreciative of this heart-warming and thought-provoking book that inspired my children to ask “[c]ould we build a windmill?”

Review written by Black Kids Read

Review: Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo!

Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo!

Written by Rosetta Stone

Illustrated by Michael Frith

Publication date: 1975
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-0394831305

Summary/Back cover:
A little bug sneezes, causing a chain of calamities. Repetition helps beginning readers and cartoon-like characters add zest.

Review:
This book is great to read to your preschooler and equally great once they start reading on their own.

It has great pictures and a simple storyline that is just wacky enough to appeal to a kids sense of humour without boring the parents at the same time.

We have read this book so many time I can recite it by heart and I am still not sick of it.

It's not one I have seen around recently as it was given to me as a kid but my kids love it just as much as I did so it's well worth it if you can hunt one out.

Review written by Kelly

Review: Pirate Pete's 3D Adventure

Pirate Pete's 3D Adventure

Written and Illustrated by David Crossley

Publication date: 2010
Publisher: North Parade Publishing
ISBN: 0-7554-8260-3

Summary/Back cover:
Pete, the young pirate's shipmate, has uncovered an old hidden treasure map.

Join him on his swashbuckling adventure in search of the spot marked X. His mission is a daring one and of the pirates catch him he'll walk the plank for sure!

Pete's adventure is brought vividly to life with five amazing pop-up scenes, complete with layers and windows revealing the 3D world within!

Review:
My 3 year old loves this book purely because of the pop-up scenes on each page. The entire book is only 5 pages long, so doesn't take many minutes to read, but it's a great book to be able to talk about 'behind' and 'in front' with preschoolers.

The story itself is simple enough, about a pirate's shipmate stealing some gold and jewels while the pirates aren't looking - but I doubt my son's even listening to the story as I read it to him!

Keep this book away from your under-3's unless they're very gentle with books, as it can easily get ripped (oh yes, I speak from experience) - but bring it out many times for your 3+ year olds.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Elmo Goes to the Doctor

Elmo Goes to the Doctor

Written by Sarah Albee

Illustrated by Tom Brannon

Publication date: 2001
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-0375813030

Review:
This book is so well read in our house that it's dog-eared and tatty - but it's constantly pulled out as one to read over and over. The story is about Elmo going to the doctor for a check-up and to get an immunisation shit - of course, Elmo is worried about this, but soon realises that it's not that bad. It's a great book to read to children who are worried about getting injections themselves.

The annoying part of this book is Elmo himself, who always talks in third person. One sentence on the first page reads:

'But, Mummy,' Elmo said, 'Elmo doesn't need to go to the doctor. Elmo feels just fine.'

In fact, the first page has the word 'Elmo' on it ten times. From a reading-aloud parent point of view, this gets tiresome very quickly. From a preschooler point of view, it's perfectly fine!

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Monster Sleepover!

Monster Sleepover!

Written and illustrated by Scott Beck

Publication Date: 2009
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-0-8109-4059-8

Summary/Back cover:
Doris throws a slumber party for Ben and her other friends, complete with games, snacks, and an effort to stay up all night.

Review:
This book gets an automatic high rating because it made my kids crack up laughing the first time it was read to him. Granted, it was told by their dad who has a way of making stories funnier than they are… and one of the kids had eaten two pieces of chocolate… but still, it’s an amusing wee story.

There is the main story told along the bottom of the pages, but there is the second narrative told through the speech bubbles of the characters. The illustrations themselves are another story altogether. An example is the page where the skeleton monster picks up an apple. Along the bottom of the page it reads “Someone looks hungry”. We then watch the storyboard of illustrations as a worm crawls out of the apple, the monster removes the worm, looks between the apple and the worm, decides to eat the worm, rubs his tummy happily, then asks via speech bubble “Who wants an apple?” (Yes, that was one of the pages that had my husband and children in fits of giggles).

It’s an unusual book, and entertaining. So long as you don’t mind your children being exposed to books with skeleton monsters who like to eat worms, then I would recommend this story.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Digger and Skip!

Digger and Skip!

Written and illustrated by Sebastien Braun

Publication Date: 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
ISBN: 978-0-00-736275-2

Summary/Back cover:
Little Digger tries hard to help out at the building site but it’s not easy when the other machines keep taking over his work. Bang! Clank! Clank! Brrrrm! They may be big and noisy but can they really do a better job than Digger? Go, Digger, go!

A lively and engaging story, jam-packed with colourful vehicles!

Review:
I really like the illustrations in this book. I’m a sucker for images in bold, bright colours with thick black outlines.

The characters are Digger the digger (funny that), Skip the dump truck, Chuck the bulldozer, Basher the demolition vehicle, Roland the roadroller and Grabber the truck crane. Each character has an associated noise as indicated on the back cover summary: “dig”, “whirr”, “heave”, “bash”, “brrrm”, and “clank”, respectively. So, it’s primarily aimed at those children with a penchant for machinery vehicles.

The theme of the story is that we’re all important in our own ways and that when we each work together using our special skills that is when the teams we belong to will have the most success.

It’s a nice book but I feel like it’s missing a little something that would make it a great book. Maybe it reads a little too much like a moral lesson to me. If that doesn’t bother you, though, then you’ll probably really like this story.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: This is the Bear and the Picnic Lunch

This is the Bear and the Picnic Lunch

Written by Sarah Hayes

Illustrated by Helen Craig

Publication Date: 2003
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
ISBN: 0-7445-9811-7

Summary/Back cover:
This is the boy who packed a lunch of sandwiches, crisps and an apple to crunch. This is the bear who guarded the box while the boy went to find his shoes and socks.

While the boy and the bear prepare for a picnic, the dog runs off with the lunch!

Review:
This book was originally published in 1986 so it’s having a decent run to still be in publication 20-30 years later. The back cover summary is a good indicator of the rhyming-style content of the story.

In addition to the main story the characters engage in dialogue by way of speech bubbles. The teddy bear is rather cute with his proud declaration “I’m a guard bear!” and then later when he exclaims “I’m hungry!” and “This is boring!” while he waits for the boy to return.

Although it is never mentioned in the story you can see through the illustrations that it has begun raining outside which contributes to the ending whereby the boy, the dog and the bear decide to picnic inside. It is a good story for teaching children (and reminding parents) to make the most of situations rather than get overcome when things don’t work out as planned.

My rating: 3 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Fluffy Kitten

Fluffy Kitten

Pop Out and Play

Publication date: 2001
Publisher: Parragon Book Service
ISBN: 978-0752551500

Review:
The kitten on the front of the book pops out, still attached to the book, but easy to move around.

My daughter and I love this book - as I read it, she acts it out with the kitten, while the kitten gets annoyed with her sister that won't lie still and go to sleep, the kitten gets on the move searching for somewhere to sleep.

Another fun and active book that gets your child thinking about the words and where the kitten needs to be, I only showed my daughter once before she caught onto it.

Review written by Kiwigirl04

Review: Who is Hiding in the Jungle?

Who is Hiding in the Jungle?

Written and Illustrated by David Grossley

Publication date: 2001
Publisher: Grandreams Books
ISBN: 0755405676

Review:
This is a great book with sound as you go into each page - it asks who is hiding behind something. Upon opening the flap and saying what the animal is, the child is then able to find the matching button on the side to what sound that animal makes.

So much fun learning about animal sounds.

Review written by Kiwigirl04

Review: Cowshed Springtime

Cowshed Springtime

Written and Illustrated by Gavin Bishop

Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 9781869793661

Summary/Back cover:
The gorgeous animals from Cowshed Christmas gather again to celebrate the birth of their babies. There is one foal, two calves, three puppies...and so on. A delightful counting book from writer and artist Gavin Bishop - this will be a firm favourite for very small children everywhere.

Review:
This is a great Kiwi book and helps the little ones count from 1 to 10, then a party at the end.
Each page has a different animal with the sounds they make.

My son loves this book and is getting much better at animal sounds since this book - instead of everything being a cow!

Review written by Kiwigirl04

Review: Thomas' A B C

Thomas' A B C

Author not stated

Publication date: 2008
Publisher: Egmont UK Ltd
ISBN: 978-0-6035-6367-6

Summary/Back cover:
Learn all the letters of the alphabet with Thomas and his friends. This colourful board book is the perfect way to introduce the alphabet to young Thomas fans!

Review:
This is a bit of a boring book to read, I have to admit - written in the style of "Aa is for Annie, Bb is for Bertie" - there's no variety, rhyming, or storyline. I also think they missed some obvious letters - Ee is for Engine Shed (not Edward?) for example - however, my 3 year old son thinks this book is just the bees-knees and has spent many hours poring over it.

For hitting it's target audience, this book gets a rating of 3.8 out of 5. For a fun book for parents to read to their preschoolers, I'm only going to give it a 2 out of 5.

Review written by Bronwyn