Review: Where's Your Smile, Crocodile?

Where's Your Smile, Crocodile?

Written by Claire Freedman

Illustrated by Sean Julian

Publication date: 2010
Publisher: Orchard Books Australia
ISBN: 978-1-40830-809-7

Summary/Back cover:
The author of Aliens Love Underpants brings you a story guaranteed to make you smile!

One morning, Kyle wakes up feeling very grumpy and nothing his jungle friends do can cheer him up. So, Kyle goes in search of his smile, but perhaps it's closer than he thinks...

Sean Julian's bright and vibrant illustrations help to make this book perfect for sharing.

Review:
The star of this gorgeous book is Kyle, the sad crocodile. On his journey to find his smile he comes across some of his jungle friends who make the effort to cheer him up. It doesn't work for Kyle, but it will work for the listener as there are many silly noises and faces which makes this as enjoyable to read aloud as it does to listen to.

The illustrations are vibrant and bright but my one complaint is that the monkey is a little frightening and odd looking. A small complaint, particularly as the positives for this story far outweigh this tiny negative.

There is a great lesson here about feelings and emotions, particularly for out older kids who need to be shown that sometimes you are down and that's ok.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review written by QTCass

Review: Alphabeasts

Alphabeasts

Written and Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller

with help from Kathleen Grimmett

Publication date: 1985
Publisher: Waterloo Press
ISBN: 0-7257-0334-2

Summary/back cover:
The beasts in this book
Aren't in places you know,
Not in jungles or deserts
Nor where there is snow.
They're not in the country
nor even the zoo,
But I hope that you like them -
I drew them for you

Review:
This was given to me and my sister from the author - a family friend.

I would recommend this book for primary age children, it has lots of alliteration. Hubby thinks some of the beasts might be a bit scary for our 3 3/4yr old.

Example:
Gg
The great big Ginormous growls "Grr!" and looks scary,
Hh
but the huge Hunx are just harmless and hairy.

The illustrations are very colourful and bring to life all the made up beasts.

My rating: 3.5 out 5

Review written by Pineapple

Review: Kingfisher First Dictionary

Kingfisher First Dictionary

Publication Date: 2011 (first published 1996)
Publisher: Kingfisher
ISBN: 978-0-7534-3182-5

Back cover:
The perfect dictionary for inquisitive children
Over 1,000 photographs and illustrations aid understanding
Concise definitions and example sentences
Wordplay boxes build confidence and make learning fun
1,500 entry words that have been carefully chosen

Review:
A wonderful first dictionary suitable until around 10 years old. British spelling as opposed to American so good for Kiwi Kids!

It has word activities on a number of the pages (answers in the very back), also larger images with parts named, such as a aircraft. Good concise definitions as well as variants of the word. Difficult words have pronunciation with them eg Cough *say koff.

The alphabet runs the side of the page and the letter of the page is coloured. There is a frequent word list in the back as well as months, days, numbers (in written form), measurement conversions (1 centimetre = 10 millimetres) and the start of analogue clock reading. In the front there is an explanation of how to use a dictionary which is very helpful for beginners.

I would definitely recommend this book for a child starting school, my 5 year old is already using it and he hasn't been at school 6 months yet! It is also well priced retailing around $NZ30. A good starter dictionary that will last more than the first couple of years of school.

Review written by Laugan

Review: Tick-Tock Ted

Tick-Tock Ted

Written by Ruth Martin

Illustrated by Steve Whitlow

Publication date: 2011

Publisher: Pippbrook Books

ISBN: 978-1-84877-480-3

Summary/Back cover:

Learn to tell the time with Ted.  From breakfast through to bedtime, little ones will love to interact with the moveable clock hands as they follow the story of Ted's day.

Review:

My 3 year old received this book for Christmas, and it has already become a well-read book.  The story itself is irrelevant, to be honest - the part that he enjoys the most (and that, as a parent, I find the most useful part) is the picture of the clock on each page, that he can look at and then match the hands on the moveable clock to match.  The book has a blue hour hand and yellow minute hand, so it is user-friendly to teach children how to tell the time on an analogue clock.  

The clock seems fairly robust, so I think it will live up to many, many uses but I suspect that the pages may not last quite as long (they have a big hole through them, so the clock can be used).

I thoroughly recommend this as a book for teaching beginner clock-readers how to understand a clock face - I don't know what other books are out there that teach the same thing, but this one does the trick quite nicely.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 - the story is a bit blah, but the clock part is fantastic.

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

by P.L. Travers

Publication date: 1934 (original)
Publisher:
ISBN:

Review:
I'll need to go back to the library and borrow this book again to get the publisher and back cover details, as I was lucky enough to discover an original copy of Mary Poppins in our local library - it's not out on the shelf, but is available from a locked-up cupboard in the children's section for those that are keen enough to ask for it.

I wasn't even aware that Mary Poppins was a book before it was a movie (how backwards am I?!), but am very pleased I read the book.  It is a much darker book than the Disney movie has portrayed (fortunately - it wouldn't have been nearly as successful a movie had it been kept as it is), and there are many chapters (scenes, if you like) that have been left out of the movie.

Mary Poppins is a lot stricter, harsher, and unpleasant in the book than in the movie, which made it hard to like her as much - but then again, I'm a big Julie Andrews fan, so maybe I'm biased towards the movie Mary Poppins a bit!

If you ever get the chance to read an original copy of Mary Poppins, I thoroughly recommend it - it's only 222 pages long (including the occasional picture), so won't take the average adult reader long to finish.  I haven't read this to my one and three year old sons, but rather read it as part of a bookclub (October's theme is "Childhood Favourites" and this was one that came up - stay posted later on in the month for The Secret Garden).

Oh, and interesting trivia - did you know P.L. Travers is a woman?  I had always assumed the author to be a man, but nope!

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 - one of those classics that everyone should read.

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Incy Wincy Spider and Friends

Incy Wincy Spider and Friends

Illustrated by the Miles Kelly Artwork Bank

Publication date: 2011
Publisher: Miles Kelly Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-84810-413-6

Summary/Back cover:
This collection of best-loved nursery rhymes also includes fairytales and first poems.  Children will love reading about Incy Wincy Spider, Old Mother Hubbard and Simple Simon as they enjoy the beautiful illustrations.

Review:
This is a lovely collection of traditional nursery rhymes and fairy tales - it has been illustrated by a number of different people, so the style of pictures changes from page to page.  This is not off-putting though, as the pictures are all very bright and appealing.

The biggest gripe I have about this book is that the longer stories (The Ugly Duckling, and Little Red Riding Hood) are interspersed with the shorter rhymes - I would have preferred to have them at the end of the book, separately, as it broke the rhythm of reading through the rhymes, to suddenly have a few pages of longer story.

However, the stories are well known, and the rhymes are mostly well known - there's a couple there that I hadn't heard of before - and both my 1 and 3 year olds enjoy reading this book.  Incy Wincy is the most requested rhyme, probably because of the beautiful picture of the spider on the front cover!

My rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Go, Dog. Go!

Go, Dog. Go!

Written and illustrated by P. D. Eastman

Publication Date: 1961
Publisher: Beginner Books
ISBN: 0-394-80020-6

P. D. Eastman was a protégé of Dr. Seuss, and as such, several of his books are classics of the same generation as those of Dr. Seuss. You may recognise some of Eastman’s books from your own childhood, most notably Go, Dog. Go! and, Are You My Mother?.

Go, Dog. Go! begins with the simple word “Dog” then moves on to different sized dogs, different coloured dogs, and different amounts of dogs. As the story progresses, so too do the activities of the dogs and the concepts of up and down, in and out, and under and over are introduced.
My two year old boys really love this book – especially the bits where the dogs are driving. I like this book for its ability to introduce actions and concepts in a fun way.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Publication Date: 1960
Publisher: Beginner Books
ISBN-13: 978-0394800134

This is less a narrative and more a collection of rhymes about random nonsensical things. Have you ever sung in the shower with a Ying? Or given a Zed a haircut? Or ridden on the hump of a Wump? Do you have no idea what I’m talking about? You’ll have to read this book to find out.

Like the other Dr. Seuss books this one is a lot of fun to read and a lot of fun to listen to.

In spite of the crazy rhymes and wild images, the book ends with a sleeping Zeep, making it a not completely inappropriate book for reading to the kids at bed-time.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: The Cat in the Hat

The Cat in the Hat

Written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss

Publication Date: 1957
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0-394-90001-4

According to the quick search I did on Wikipedia, this story was written in response to a challenge to write a book for children using a limited number of words considered important for children starting school to be familiar with.
Obviously, this is a classic that we remember from our own childhoods, and with good reason. The rhyming is engaging, the story is fantastical (a weird-looking cat wearing an oversized hat who just shows up on the doorstep and wrecks havoc!), and there’s enough suspense to keep us all interested to the last word.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Morris the Mankiest Moster

Morris the Mankiest Monster

Written by Giles Andreae

Illustrated by Sarah McIntyre

Publication date: 2009
Publisher: David Fickling Books
ISBN: 978-0-385-61511-2

Summary/Back cover:

It’s years since he changed his t-shirt

It’s crusty and crawling with ants  

His shoes are all slurpy and squelchy inside

and potatoes grow out of his pants.

Morris is sweet, charming and… completely disgusting! Kids will love him. Are you brave enough to open the most revolting children’s book of the year?

Review:

The back cover says it all, really - this is a completely disgusting book, that we all absolutely adored!!  It's a definite boys' book, and it captured my 2.5 year old's imagination, and had my husband laughing out loud!

With Giles Andreae's familiar rhyming storyline and beautiful illustrations by Sarah McIntyre (I haven't met any of her drawings before - will have to hunt out more now), this book is a guaranteed winner with boys.  I can imagine this one being popular with kindy and early-school aged boys - you know, those ones that take a slug to show-and-tell, and come home covered in mud.  

My rating: 4.3 out of 5 - it's everything the back cover promised it to be!

Review written by Bronwyn

Review: Cars and Trucks and Things That Go

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go
Written and Illustrated by Richard Scarry

Publication date: 2010 (originally published 1974)
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0-00-735738-3

Blurb:
This children's classic is bursting with all kinds of fun vehicles from the magical world of Richard Scarry.
From tractors to trucks, sports cars to unicycles, and fire engines to mouse beach buggies, there's lots to see and talk about on every page.

Review:
Both my husband and I have fond memories of Richard Scarry books as kids and he bought this one for our son. It has been a huge hit. The story line is basic, it's not great literature but the illustrations make it one of the most read and most discussed book in our house. The first time we read it, we read the story and looked at the pictures. The next twenty times we read the book it was to find Goldbug who hides on each page. Now we are onto discussing which cars we like or want. They get assigned to family members and he loves reading the book when he wakes up in the morning as it is so visual. 

I would recommend it for 2 years and up as it may be too busy for younger children. I can see this book being a favourite for a good few years yet.


Review written by LatteJunkie

Review: The Magic Faraway Tree

The Magic Faraway Tree

Written and Illustrated by Enid Blyton

Publication date: 2002 (first published 1943)
Publisher: Egmont Books
ISBN: 978-0-7497-4801-2


Summary/Back cover:
Jo, Bessie and Fanny take their cousin Rick on an adventure he'll never forget to the magic Faraway Tree, where he meets Moon-Face, Silky the fairy and Saucepan Man, and visits all the different lands at the top of the Faraway Tree. Like the Land of Spells, the crazy Land of Topsy-Turvy, and the land of Do-As-You-Please, where the children ride a runaway train!


Review:
This is a great book, was mine when I was a child so a bit of an old one but still a good one. There are friends who have a magic tree in the woods by their house, there are strange people living in the tree but even more amazing is the lands above the cloud at the top of the tree. Who knows how long they will stay or what the next one will be?

I try and read this one to the kids, Dylan loves it as he gets to make up his own lands and people ... tiggers bouncing on pink marshmallow clouds was a favourite! and use his imagination to see what else he can think of next.


Review written by Michelle

Review: The Great Big Mystery Book

The Great Big Mystery Book

Written and Illustrated by Richard Scarry

Publication date: 2008 (original stories from 1973)
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-0072-7427-7


Summary/Back cover:
Follow two of Richard Scarry's most loved creations, Sam and Dudley on a fun mystery! Sam Cat and Dudley Pig are on the trail of a thief! The perfect gift for any child or Scarry collector, The Great Big Mystery book is a collection of Richard Scarry's mystery stories starring the loveable Sam and Duddley. Packed full with all the original artwork, this beautiful book will be treasured for years to come.


Review:
This book actually has two stories in it, "The Supermarket Mystery" and "The Great Pie Robbery". It is aimed at slightly older children, I would say 4+, the illustrations are very 70's but that doesn't detract from the book. Both stories follow a pair of bumbling police officers who always seem to stumble upon the solution to the crime they're investigating. An enjoyable book to read, we get asked to read it reasonably often.


Review written by Laugan

Review: Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs

Written by Giles Andreae

Illustrated by Russell Ayto

Publication Date: 2005

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

ISBN-13: 978-0-140-56921-6

Summary/back cover:

When Flinn discovers a pirate hiding in a cupboard, it’s all aboard, me hearties, for a real live pirate adventure! But there are some mean baddies on the loose…

Will fearless Flinn be able to captain the ship and defeat the Pirate Dinosaurs?

This is a great tale of a boy and his friends who stumble across a pirate in the school stationary room and begin the adventure of a lifetime fighting dinosaur pirates.

If you are familiar with Giles Andreae’s other books this story isn’t told in rhyme but it does flow beautifully with lots of opportunities to “ROAR!” and “Yo ho ho!”

Although I’m not usually one for limiting a book’s audience I would say this one would suit a slightly older audience than my 23 month-old boys, who didn’t have the patience for all the words I had to read before the next page got turned. The illustrations are also more edgy and less cute and cuddly than some other children’s books.

All up a swash-buckling adventure probably best read to the 5+ age group, with obvious appeal for children who love pirates and/or dinosaurs.

My rating:  4 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: Market Day

Market Day

Written by Heather Amery

Illustrated by Stephen Cartwright

Publication Date: 2002

Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd

ISBN: 0-7460-48971

Summary/back cover:

This series of delightful short stories has been especially written, with the help of a language expert, for young children who are just beginning to read. With the help and encouragement of an adult, beginner readers will be able to achieve the pleasure and satisfaction of reading a whole book for themselves.

Market Day is one of the stories in the Usborne Farmyard Tales series. There are 20 stories, in total. They are short and easy to read and as the back cover summary suggests, they’d be ideal for children first learning to read. My children aren’t at that stage, yet, but I find this story (and the two others we own from the series) good for helping them learn new words. The pictures and the writing complement each other so it’s easy for children to make the connection between what I’m reading them and what they’re seeing in the pictures.

With the farming theme running through the stories they would be particularly good for children who have family that run a farm or lifestyle block with animals.

Another attractive feature of these books is the little yellow duck to search for on every page. Oh, and they’re as cheap as chips – you might even be able to find them in the supermarket!

My rating:  3.5 out of 5

Review written by team_s

Review: The Bad Good Manners Book

The Bad Good Manners Book

Written and Illustrated by Babette Cole

Publication date: 1997

Publisher: Puffin Books (NZ) Ltd

ISBN: 0-14-055480-7

Summary:

Good manners, bad manners, no manners at all!  Babette Cole's hilarious tips on being an angel - or a little devil...

"Good behaviour does not begin with Babette Cole, a good read does" - Observer

Review:

Anyone who has had anything to do with childrens books over the past 30 years will instantly recognise Cole's work.  Her distinctive illustrations and humourous writing has seen over 70 of her children's picture books be published and has received numerous awards.

The Bad Good Manners Book is, as the title states, all about what not to do.  I love to place special emphasis on "Don't mess around in the kitchen", which usually falls on deaf ears, and "Don't tell your mother she's fat" which generally receives a giggle or two from those within earshot.

A fun read, every child's bookshelf deserves at least one Babette Cole, and you couldn't go wrong if this was it.

4/5.

Review written by QTCass

Review: I Like Myself

I Like Myself

Written by Karen Beaumont

Illustrated by David Catrow

Publication date: 2005

Publisher: Koala Books

ISBN: 0-86461-611-2

Summary:

I like myself--inside and out! Why? Just because I'm ME! At once silly and serious, this exuberant ode to self-esteem is sassy, soulful--and straight from the heart.

Review:

As the title says, this book is about liking yourself.  The opening page states "I like myself! I'm glad I'm me" and the book closes with "I like myself because I'm ME!"

It is full of imaginative eye-catching illustrations and while the text may be a bit repetitive (it finds a number of different ways of saying the same thing; I like myself!) it is a positive affirmation that any parent would want their child to pick up on and start believing for themselves.  The rhyming will hold younger listeners attention and is simple enough for early readers.

4/5

Review written by QTCass

Review: Back to Bed, Ed!

 

Back to Bed, Ed!

Written and Illustrated by Sebastien Braun

Publication date: 2009
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

ISBN: 978-0-00-722560-6

Summary/Back cover:

Ed loves going to bed, but STAYING in bed is another matter!  How will Mum and Dad help him overcome his night fears so that everyone can have a good night's sleep?

Review:

Having trouble getting your little one to stay in bed each night?  So do Ed's Mum and Dad and this lovely book will at the very least be something you can relate to and at it's most, might help with your childs bedtime issues.

The bold and bright illustrations are instantly attractive to little childrens eyes and the injection of onomatopoeia helps hold their attention. There is the opportunity to ham it up as well, with crying, snoring, raised and then quiet voices, all adding interest to the story.  And the story itself will appeal to older children, whether they have trouble staying in bed or not.

4/5

Review written by QTCass

Review: My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day

Written by Catriona Hoy

Illustrated by Benjamin Johnson

Publication date: 2005

Publisher: Hachette Australia

ISBN: 978-0-7344-1036-8

Summary/Back cover:
"I sit on Daddy's shoulders. It's a very long wait. But my grandad will come. My grandad marches on Anzac Day."  

This is a simple, moving look at Anzac Day through the eyes of a little girl. It explains what happens on the day and its significance in terms that a young child can understand. 
A gentle story about families and the importance of sharing memories and remembering.


"One double-page spread encapsulates the entire Anzac story with stunning simplicity" - Magpies

I was sent a review copy of this book by Sarah at Kiwi Mummy Blogs, and was quite keen to read it, given it's uniquely NZ/Australia topic.  It very simply tells children the reason we go to Anzac Day parades, and why people are marching in them. 

The illustrations are a bit darker than I would usually expect to see in a children's book, but they match the seriousness of the topic beautifully, and my 2.5 year old was very interested in them and kept pointing out specific parts and asking what it was. 

If you're after a book to explain Anzac Day to your children, especially if they have family members that have been to war, I thoroughly recommend this book to you - the subject matter is a bit heavy for this book to just be considered a bedtime story, but it is perfect for a simple lesson in Anzacs and history for young children.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5


Want to buy it?  Look here.


Review written by Bronwyn

Review: The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln

The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln

Written by Mike Reiss

Illustrated by David Catrow

Publication date: 2003

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

ISBN: 0-8431-0271-3

Summary/Back cover:

Eight-year-old Benjy, who resembles Abraham Lincoln, is tired of being teased and always being Lincoln in the school play, but a special camp helps him to appreciate his appearance.

Benjy looks like Abe Lincoln, has done so since birth, His plans for the summer are to stay in his room in the dark, but his parents send him to Camp What-Cha-Ma-Call-It, a camp for kids who like like things.  Here Benjy meets other kids like him, ones who look like random things such as a bowling ball, a box of tissues, a toaster - even one who looks like the back of a horse! (who by the end of the summer, becomes friends with a girl who looks like the head of a horse : ) )  It is here that Benjy learns to appreciate who he is and when he returns to school, gives him the courage to stand up to the bullies.

Another humorous book, reviews have seen it be criticised for the humour being too adult related.  I have no issues with this as a lot of my favourite books for my kids are the ones that have that underlying humour in there for the parents; think Shrek.  The illustrations are great and the uplifting message of the story is a good one for older children.  This is an American book though, with American subject matter.  It alludes to historical facts about Lincoln and in the end we learn of Benjy's brother Dickie who looks like Richard Nixon, complete with a tape recorder and holding up the peace sign.  This will be of no concern to the littlies as the story and pictures are funny enough for them to pick up.

4/5

Review written by QTCass