Let's Paint! by Gabriel Alborozo - book review

"Are you keen to paint pictures but afraid of making mistakes?"

Let's Paint! is a very sweet book that aims to help kids explore and embrace their creativity, however messy and imperfect.

It is ideal for kids, particularly boys, who don't do much craft because it pushes the idea that ANY idea is a good one and that in the end your painting might not be perfect but it doesn't matter because the important thing is to just have fun and give it your best.

Alborozo is a very gifted artist and you can really feel how passionate his is about helping kids use art to express themselves (he also worked in the props department on the Star Wars and Matrix movies).

This would be a fun book for a preschool or day care centre - it would be a great activity to read and discuss the book together and then send the kids off to create a painting (or two) of their own.

Who'll love it: kids aged 3-5.

Cost: $22.99

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

  

Yoo-Hoo, Ladybird by Mem Fox, illustrated by Laura Ljungkvist- book review

I love Mem Fox, I really, really do.

I love her books, her passion for children and reading, and the fact that she agonised for years about the placement of a comma in Possum Magic. So, I was reasonably excited to get her latest book, Yoo-Hoo, Ladybird.

As it turns out, the thing that I ended up liking best about the book wasn't that it was by Mem Fox, it was that someone had finally created and clever and age appropriate 'finding' book for very young readers.

My kids love 'finding' books.

You know the ones where they sit on your lap and together you scour the pages looking for the illusive little bus/doll/Wally or whatever. In that moment of togetherness, concentration and then triumph, parenthood is like what I pictured it would be before I had children. Bliss!

The illustrations in Yoo-Hoo, Ladybird are bright, colourful and clear, plus they are full of things that are familiar to young children. There isn't too much text (so you don't get distracted from finding the ladybird) but what there is rhymes, has lots of lovely repetition and engages little minds from the very first phrase; "Ladybird loves to hide."

The level of difficulty is perfect for small children, say 2-year-olds, to start looking with Mummy or Daddy helping and then progress to finding the ladybird by themselves. Its also really nice that the answer is revealed in such an encouraging way on the next page so you can find it next time.

To be honest, I didn't think that you could do a good finding book for such young children but here it is and it is awesome!

Who'll love this: 2 and 3 year olds
Cost: $19.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia



  

Seadog by Claire Saxbuy, illustrated by Tom Jellett - book review

Seadog is a lovely story about a crazy, joyous mutt who loves the beach.

The illustrations are scratchy but so full of life, colour and exuberance that you will find yourself smiling as you look at them.

If you children love the beach, they'll really enjoy watching Seadog jump in the waves and chase the seagulls - it really makes you realise that what dogs want to do at the beach and what kids want to do at the beach are really very similar.

I also really love the way the narrator (presumably Seadog's young owner) accepts all the things that Seadog isn't and relishes what his dog is!

The rhyming text has lots of repetition and it is definitely the kind of book that kids will love and want to be read over and over again until they can recite the story with you.

Who'll love it: Kids aged about 3 to 5, perhaps slightly more boys than girls.
Cost: $19.95
Publisher: Random House Australia

Bertie by Pamela Allen - book review

Not many Australian parents will get through the early years of reading to their kids without coming across at least one book by the incredible Pamela Allen. In fact, it seems that most of us can recite large chunks of our children's favourite Pamela Allen book with no trouble at all!

In Bertie, Pamela reintroduces Bertie, the little boy from Bertie and the Bear. If you read the book from one end Bertie is happy (and so is everyone else) but if you start from the other end Bertie is sad (and so is everyone else).

It's a great way to introduce a young child to feelings and emotions, and perhaps you can decide together whether you are feeling happy or sad, and read the appropriate part of the book.

As always Pamela Allen's artwork is incredible - clean and clear but absolutely full of life.

The repetitive text will really appeal to young children (and get stuck in their parent's heads!) and I'm sure that if you start at the 'sad' end by the time you are finished reading you'll be happy again.

Who'll love it: All two and three year olds
Cost: $19.99 (hardcover)
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 
 

The Saddle Club by Bonnie Bryant - book review

When I was at school The Saddle Club series was BIG!

I was a little bit old for them but my younger sister embraced them with all the enthusiasm that a 9-year-old, horse obsessed girl can muster (pardon the pun).

Years later, when I was a book publicist, I had the absolute delight of ringing my sister and telling her that I was looking after The Saddle Club author, Bonnie Bryant, at the Brisbane Writer's Festival. Brilliant.

So I think it is great that Random House have re-released The Saddle Club books with bright, modern new covers. After all, horse crazy little girls haven't changed that much in the last 15, oh fine, 20 years have they?

And I'm sure that a whole generation of young girls will fall in love with Stevie, Carole, Lisa and all the folk at Pine Hollow Stables!

The new editions have two of the original stories in each book and they only cost $12.95 so they are really good value.

Who'll love them: Horse crazy girls who are in primary school.
Cost: $12.95
Publisher: Random House Australia 

AFL range - book review

I am not at all that in to AFL. In fact, I'm so not in to it that when I started getting books from Penguin's new AFL series I had to ask my husband; "Is AFL the one with short sleeves...?"

Apparently it's the one with no sleeves!

But, if I was in to AFL (or had a child who was), I would love this new series...

Embracing the idea of 'get'm young' the series includes everything from AFL - My First Numbers Book (one stripey sock, two rugby boots, three whistles etc), to AFL - Game Day (a touch and feel book about going to a match) and then moves on to the AFL Sticker and Activity Book, Mascot Manor Colouring In Book and Doodlepedia (full of doodling fun and footy facts).

The finishes are classy and the books have obviously been created by someone who knows and loves AFL. So, although they aren't my idea of a good time, if you are in to AFL you are going to seriously love these books.

Who'll love them: Current and future AFL fans.
Cost: Range from $4.99 to $14.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Penguin Australia Children's Classics - book review

 I am an absolute sucker for a hard cover book so it stands to reason that these gorgeous little editions of classic Australian children's stories really float my boat!

If you add in their timeless and absolutely classy covers, how great they look lined up on a bookcase (books that look pretty together also make me really happy) AND the fact that they are new editions of some of Australia's best loved children's fiction you are definitely on to a winner.

I really love the Penguin Classics adult range but these are even better!

My only criticism is that, in amongst a bookshop full of bright book covers with with flashy photos these might get a little lost and only appeal to 'booky' type kids and adults. It's hard for me to say because I was a 'booky' kid and am now an adult.

The stories range from Hating Alison Ashley to A Fortunate Life and everything in between, and they are a great way to introduce your kids to some of your favourite books from your childhood!

In a nutshell, the stories are classics that have stood the test of time and the covers are gorgeous!

Who'll love it: Booky type kids, girls who love beautiful things and grown-ups.
Cost: $19.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia   

The Lost World Circus: The Last Elephant by Justin D’Ath – book review

The Last Elephantis the first book in a new series by long-time kid’s author Justin D’Ath.

In the series, The Lost Circus, earth has had a terrible pandemic of an illness called Rat Flu. Most of the animals we know today have either become sick and died or been killed to prevent the spread of the infection.

All except the animals in Captain Noah’s Lost World Circus.

It is a clever premise. It leaves masses of room for adventure, goodies and badies, and encounters with exciting animals but it also seems like it could potentially happen.

And if that doesn’t seem exciting enough the hero, Colt Lawless, seems to be developing super powers as a side effect of being infected with rat flu (but saved by his vet mother) when he was a child.

I really liked The Last Elephant. It has really appealing messages about protecting and respecting animals, as well as about government abusing people’s fear and becoming corrupt and powerful and the people’s ability to fight back.

But most of all it is just an exciting adventure story that has you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Who’ll love it: Kids aged 8 plus, and it will really appeal to boys who love an exciting adventure.

Cost: $14.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia  

Jandamarra by Mark Greenwood and Terry Denton – book review

I’m finding it really difficult to find a way to talking to my four year old about Aboriginal history because, no matter how you explain it, it is tragic and so unfair and that’s hard to explain to a little person who has only just learnt about sharing and being kind to other people.

The story of Jandamarra is another example of that tragedy.

A good person caught between two cultures Jandamarra becomes an outlaw and commits terrible crimes. 

The crimes committed again him and his people are equally horrible.

Interesting and really sad, this story highlights the impossible position of the Indigenous people once white settlers came but in a way that is accessible for children.

The book doesn’t make anyone into a hero or even take sides (although it is sympathetic to the Indigenous people), it just tells a story of Australia’s history.

The insights into Aboriginal culture and beliefs are amazing: “They rubbed him with a magic stone to make him fearless and invisible. They hid his spirit in the stone and placed it in the water.”

Terry Denton’s illustrations more than do the story justice, with what seems like just a few lines he manages to capture so much emotion, as well as the stunning landscape of the Kimberley.

This book is easy to read, but not easy to read (if you know what I mean) but I would recommend it very highly.

Who’ll love it: Teachers and primary school aged kids will find it fascinating.

Cost: $29.99

Publisher: Allen and Unwin   

Max & George by Cori Brooke and Sue deGennaro – book review

This book is beautiful – both to look at and its story.

It is sweet and tender and perfect for anyone who feels little anxious.

Max has a best friend George. George lives in windows, car windows, shop windows, the windows of Max’s house, anywhere there is a window.

George wears the same clothes as Max.

When Max feels happy so does George.

When Max feels anxious so does George.

Luckily they are VERY good at cheering each other up.

When Max starts school he is very worried but luckily George is in the school windows too. But what will happen when Max makes a friend?

The pictures of Max and George are perfect for Cori Brooke's story – you can see how much they love each other. 

They give a real sense of Max’s anxiety and you can see how reassuring he find’s George’s presence in every window.

Beautifully illustrated, this is a lovely story about friendship, being brave and growing up.

Who’ll love this: It will especially appeal to 3-5 years olds who get anxious, but everyone will love it.

Cost: $24.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Pip and Posy: The Little Puddle by Axel Scheffler – book review

Nosy Crow, the publisher of Pip and Posy, have done a brilliant thing. When you buy any of their picture books you can use a smart phone to scan the QR code in the front cover for a free audio reading of the book.

Remember those audio books we all had as kids - ‘when you hear this sound *ding ding ding* turn the page’ - well Nosy Crow have turned all their picture books in to one of them and it is free when you buy the book. Genius!

Pip and Posy is a new series written and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, the illustrator of The Gruffalo.

They are very simple stories for very young children. They have lovely bright pictures and they are about every day things.

In The Little PuddlePip goes to play at his friend Posy’s house, he is having such a good time that he forgets to go to the toilet and has an accident.

In The Super ScooterPosy snatches Pips scooter so she can ride it but then has a nasty crash because she has never ridden a scooter before.

These books aren’t complicated or tricky but I really like them because they are about events that happen to all kids.

I also love the audio book thing – brilliant idea.

Who’ll love this: Children aged 1 ½ to 4.

Cost: $12.99 (plus a free audio version to download... bargain!)

Publisher: Nosy Crow, distributed by Allen and Unwin

Juliet, Nearly a Vet: The Great Pet Plan by Rebecca Johnson – book review

“My best friend Chelsea and I ♥ animals. I have a dog Curly and two guinea pigs, but we need more pets if I'm going to learn to be a vet. 

Today, we had the best idea ever . . .” 

There are a lot of animal mad little girls out there and this is the first book in a brilliant series for them.

Juliet’s Mum is a vet and Juliet is determined to follow in her footsteps, preferably as soon as possible.

When her parents say she can’t have any more pets, Juliet and her next door neighbour and BFF, Chelsea, come up with a cunning plan to practise their vet and animal grooming skills.

Chaos ensues.

Juliet is a great character, full of life, enthusiasm and good intentions. Chelsea is her willing partner in crime and Juliet’s parents are incredibly understanding about the chaos they create!

The cover illustrations are very inviting, and the font size and spacing on the page makes this a very approachable series for newly independent readers.

The next book in the series, At the Show, has a horse on the cover so I can only imagine how that will go down.

I can easily imagine little girls collecting them all.

Who’ll love it: Animal mad girls aged 7 to 9.

Price: $9.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 

The Treasure Box by Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood – book review

This is a book about a boy and his family who are refugees of an unspecified war. Their whole life has been destroyed except for one book. A book that tells the story of their people and is their most treasured posession.

*****

Margaret Wild is an amazing picture book author because she has a way of telling a story that is very quiet and understated but profoundly moving.

I found myself thinking about this book so often after I finished it, but there are only a couple of sentences on each page. So much of the story is there but unspoken.

My favourite thing about this book are the stunning illustrations by Freya Blackwood. They are collages that use water colour paintings and text torn from books. They are incredibly beautiful, sad and hopeful all at once.

I also love the way Margaret Wild never specifies which war Peter and his family are fleeing, or who ‘our people’ are. It is the story of all displaced people in the world, of the importance of books and their role in preserving knowledge and she doesn’t let anything detract from that. 

In an age where so many things are digital this book seems very timely. It's hard to imagine anyone leaving their suitcase behind in order to save their kindle!

This book  is so poignant – sad but full of hope. It truly brought tears to my eyes.

Who’ll love this: Grown-ups, teachers, lovers of books, people who have been separated from their home, and kids aged about 5 to 8.

Cost: $24.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Open Very Carefully by Nicola O'Byrne, words by Nick Bromley - book review

This book is a sure fire way to create craziness before bed!

It starts off as the Hans Christian Andersen story of the Ugly Duckling.

But then the ugly duckling realises that a crocodile has snuck in to the book!

Chaos ensues as the crocodile tries to eat all the letters (he especially loves the Os and the Ss).

The duckling asks the reader to rock the book to put the crocodile to sleep. While he's sleeping the duck gets a crayon and draws a tutu on him.

That persuades the crocodile to find another book to live in but how can he get out of this one?

Getting the reader to shake the book doesn't work so the crocodile decides to eat a hole in the back cover (obviously).

This book is so clever and definitely designed to be read out loud.

I particularly love the way it directly addresses the kids reading it, and how it plays with the words and structure of books.

The amazing thing about Nosy Crow books is the unbelievably high production values - the paper is always lovely and thick, and any embellishments (such as a hole in the back cover so a crocodile can escape) are incredibly well done.

Who'll love this: Kids, particularly boys, age 3-5 who are looking for more than just a story.
Cost: $22.99
Publisher: Nosy Crow, distributed by Allen and Unwin. 

The Princess and the Peas by Caryl Hart and Sarah Warburton - book review

A funny tale for royally fussy eaters everywhere ...

This book is BEYOND cute.

It is divine.

The story is so clever and the pictures have so much character and life.

Honestly, it is brilliant and all four-year-old girls should have a copy.

"Lilly-Rose May was a sweet little girlie,
Her eyes were bright blue and her hair was so curly."

Everything is wonderful is Lily-Rose May's world until one day her Daddy tries to feed her peas. Lily-Rose May won't eat them so her Daddy calls the doctor who, using the story of The Princess and the Pea as evidence, announces that any girl who is pretty, polite and allergic to peas must be a princess.

So Lily-Rose May gets packed off to the castle to learn to be a princess. She loves the jewels and dresses but it turns out that there is something worse to eat than peas...

The book is hilarious and has a brilliant message about eating food you don't like.

And the best thing ... the rhyme actually rhymes and the rhythm is perfect for reading out loud.

Love it!!!

Who'll love it: Little girls aged 3-5, plus me and my husband!
Cost: $22.99
Publisher: Nosy Crow, distributed by Allen and Unwin. 

Stories for Five, Six, Seven and Eight Year Olds, edited by Linsay Knight - book review

Let me start by clarifying - this isn't a review of one book, it is a review of four books all called Stories for Five, Six, Seven or Eight Year Olds and all edited by long time children's book publisher Linsay Knight.

I personally don't really like short stories - I find them frustrating and want to know the rest. Except there isn't any 'rest'.

Books of short stories are however brilliant for kids because they are manageable, satisfying and if the child likes one story in the book it encourages them to sample the others.

And these books are particularly good examples of short stories for kids.

Carefully selected, the stories are written by some of Australians best-loved children's authors including Paul Jennings, Andy Griffith and Morris Gleitzman.

Some of the stories are funny and some are thoughtful, some are written in first person and some are written in third but the best thing about them is that, because each book is specifically written for a certain age group, they are age appropriate in content, font size and reading ability so they are an easy and safe choice for parents.

The illustrations are by Tom Jellett, and the number of them varies with the reading age group, for example Stories for Five Year Olds has lots of pictures but Stories for Eight Year Olds only has one or two per story.

Aiming a book at a single year in a child's life is a risk for publishers, by being so specific they limit the readership. BUT it does mean that the book can be tailored to the needs and interests of that age, rather than trying to be all things to all people.

Who'll love this: Kids struggle to get through a 'whole book', and parents who are trying to introduce new genres to their children.
Cost: $14.95
Publisher: Random House Australia

Run Like a Rabbit by Alison Lester - book review

Alison Lester is amazing. Her classic picture book The Magic Beach is my favourite kid's book EVER and so I always get a bit excited when she produces a new offering.

Run Like a Rabbit is a first board book. It is for very little people to read, play with and chew as they see fit.

The pictures are very cute and quite plain. They illustrate exactly what the text says without lots of background illustration to distract little eyes (eg. the run like a rabbit page has a picture of a rabbit running and that's all).

The text is full of rhymes and is great for reading out loud.

Each page describes an animal and an action, such as wriggle like an octopus, so as the babies get a little older you can encourage them to try out the actions themselves.

Who'll love it: This one is for ages 6 months to about 2 years.
Cost: $9.99
Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Eerie by S.Carey - book review

I don't like horror books.

And generally my policy is to only review kids books that I liked - there's only time for so many reviews and why waste them.

But rules were made to be broken, right?

So here is my review of Eerie, a new series published by Penguin Books Australia and written by S.Carey (so, given that when you read out the authors name it sounds like scary I'm guessing it is a pseudonym).

Eerie is a series of very short, reasonably scary novellas. I read Game Over and Hunter and Collector. They're not my kind of thing but they are a clever series and there are definitely kids out there who would love them.

The Eerie books (which have the tag line 'because Goosebumps are for chickens') are only 60ish pages long and are a super quick and easy read. They're definitely on the scary end of creepy, and kids who love things that are a bit dark will lap them up!

Thirteen books will be published this year (yep, somewhere out there a publisher has an amusing sense of humour) and more are on their way.

Who'll love them: kids aged 9-13 who like to be scared
Cost: $9.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
   

The Floods: Bewitched by Colin Thompson - book review

Colin Thompson is a very funny guy!

Bewitched is the 12th book in his series, The Floods, and it is no less hilarious than the first one.

Full of pop culture puns and jokes that would be worthy of any 'Dad', I honestly found myself giggling out loud.

The Floods are a family of witches and wizards who just happen to be the royal family of Transylvania Waters (and completely mental). They're a little bit reminiscent of the Adams Family but a bit more crazy if that is possible.

In Bewitched Nerlin Flood (the King) is getting older and his family is very concerned that he is slipping into Doolallyness ... he has even stopped eating broccoli in case it gives him global warming!

The family decide to take him to see the Old Crones in the hope that they can save Nerlin from spending the rest of his life in incompetence pants.

My favourite part of the book are the first person footnotes from Colin Thompson - they explain some of the back story to The Floods and increase the feeling that this is a story being told to you by a favourite, hilarious and crazy uncle!

Interspersed with the story are small black and white drawings by Colin Thompson which help break the text up for younger readers.

Frankly the Floods are all a bit mental but they are very, very fun.

Who'll love this: 9 - 13 year olds who love a good giggle.

Cost: $14.95

Publisher: Random House Australia

Our Australian Girl: Meet Lina by Sally Rippin and Meet Ruby by Penny Matthews - book reviews

 Our Australian Girl is a series of books published by Penguin Australia and written by a variety of well-known Australian authors.

The series is fantastic - each book looks at a different era of Australian history through the eyes of a young girl. It is fascinating to see what every day life was like for the girls, how their families worked, what they thought and what their school was like.

It is also nice to have different authors writing the books as it gives each girl a really unique voice and perspective.

Meet Lina: Lina is a young girl of Italian heritage living in 1956. Her family is different from the other girls at her new posh school and she is desperate to fit in.

Meet Ruby: Ruby lives in 1930s and has a blessed life until the Great Depression changes everything she knows. How will she cope?

Ruby and Lina are so normal, and so many of their experiences with their friends and families are the same as the issues young girls have now, that readers will have no trouble relating to them.

Eight Our Australian Girl books are published each year and there will be four books each about Ruby and Lina so these first books are just the start of their journey.

This is a great series; interesting, engaging and mildly educational.

And if you loved one of the books you are bound to love the rest of the series too making it a very safe birthday present!

Who'll love this: Girl aged 8-12.
Cost: $14.95
Publisher: Penguin Australia   

Troggle the Troll by Nick Falk and Tony Lowe - book review

What would you do if you were a small troll who wanted to eat vegetables, not people? Find a friend and come up with a cunning plan, of course.

Troggle the Troll is too, too cute!

From the opening page;
'Under a bridge
in a hole in the ground
lived a troll.
A small troll.
Called Troggle.'
(complete with pictures, a dotted path and arrows) to the lessons about being true to yourself, Troggle the Troll is a gorgeous little book.

Toddlers and preschools will love the alliteration (Policeman Porridge anyone?), the repetition (Yuck, yuck, uck!) and the incredibly bright and friendly colours. Parents will love the positive messages about eating vegetables. And everyone, kids and parents alike, will be entertained by the story.

There's pretty much nothing wrong with the book. The illustrations are bright and engaging, and the story is funny and has a good lesson. Win!

Who'll love it: Preschool aged boys (girls will like it too)
Cost: $12.95
Publisher: Random House Australia

A Very Unusual Pursuit: City of Orphans Book 1 by Catherine Jinks - Book Review

My favourite part of a really good series is the first half of the first book. That's when the author is drawing you in to the world they have created for their characters and at every turn you find something new and exciting that gives you a glimpse of what the story is going to be.

Think about the first book of Harry Potter when Hagrid comes and Harry learns he is a wizard (tempting to do a spoiler alert but frankly if you don't know Harry Potter is a wizard ... well, I'm without words) or the first book in Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom when Arthur nearly dies and then finds his way into a mysterious house that only he can see. Amazing.

The first half of A Very Unusual Pursuit, the first book in Catherine Jinks' City of Orphans series is the same. From the very first page the reader is drawn into the dark world of London c.1870. But it isn't London exactly as we know it, Jinks' London has monsters of indescribable evil called Bogles and it has brave people who fight them.

And bam! you're in to the story.

Part fantasy-esque monster story, part mystery, part historical novel A Very Unusual Pursuit is exciting and interesting and leaves you with that vague feeling of disquiet that makes you want to check under your bed at night.

It's not for nervous kids but anyone who loves the tingle of fear down their spine, or a really good, action-packed adventure story will love it.

Who'll love it: Brave boys or girls aged 9 to 14. The main character is a girl so that might put some fellows off but there are lots of male characters in the story.

Cost: $14.99

Publisher: Allen & Unwin