The Last King of Angkor Wat by Graeme Base – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

This is a fable in the classic Aesop style.

Four animals sit among the ruins of Angkor Wat, talking about which of them would have made the best King in ancient times. A mysterious stranger sets them a challenge: they must test themselves by racing to a temple on a distant hilltop. Along the way each proves they have real qualities, but also reveals some failings.

While the story is quite simply told, the animals’ journey is genuinely exciting. They travel through intricate, complicated jungle and swamp settings and there is a real sense of challenge and peril, especially when they each encounter a fearsome snake!

It’s all rather satisfying and I can see younger kids being happy to read the story over and over again.

And all kids could spend ages poring over Graeme Base’s incredibly lush illustrations. He gives each of the animals—Tiger, Gibbon, Water Buffalo and Gecko—distinct personalities and body language. His scenes overflow from intricate frames styled as stone friezes of events in an elephant king’s life. There are intriguing, almost-hidden details of foliage and insects—including a ravishing butterfly which appears in each spread, making the journey with the other animals.

Just finding Base’s signature in each piece of art is a wonderful treasure hunt!

I like that the virtues expounded in this story are contemporary yardsticks. They’re the qualities we want to teach kids now: strength, compassion/kindness, resilience, courage and wisdom. I like that the book offers a chance to talk to kids about what these concepts mean, andI can imagine classroom teachers using it as a tool to do that, too. And it’s important that each character has both strengths and weaknesses.

The Angkor Wat setting gives the book an added dimension. Of course, the temples of Angkor are beautiful – and Base has made wonderful use of their stonework in his illustrations. But it’s also quite an iconic place for many Australians and part of ‘our’ neighbourhood. There’s a brief explanation of Angkor Wat’s location and history on the last page of the book.

Who’ll love this: Kids of around 4 to 7 who enjoy sitting down to share a longer story, especially kids with a sense of adventure.

Teachers will love it too and could use it with older kids.

And because it looks luscious with its detailed illustrations, dust-jacketed cover and classic themes, the hardcover would be a great choice for grandparents and others wanting to buy a special gift.

Price: $26.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

How Big is Too Small? By Jane Godwin and Andrew Joyner – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

Pretty much every kid with an older sibling has felt the pain of being excluded from the the big kids’ games because they’re ‘too small’.  

This totally charming exploration of the idea of ‘too small’ made me smile, and not just  because the nostalgic palette and thick lines of Andrew Joyner’s illustrations reminded me of Harry the Dirty Dog - a HUGE favourite of mine as a kid.

Sam is constantly left out of his big brother’s games. He thinks there is no one his size, no friend for him, anywhere in the neighbourhood (sharp-eyed readers might spot the removalists’ van in one of the illustrations early in the book—things are about to change!).

We follow Sam as he thinks his way through the concept of ‘too small’, ‘small’ and ‘big’ via ants, mice, fleas, the leaves on trees and the cells in those leaves, and even rain clouds which ‘stop’ when they get too big.

All this thinking is interrupted when big brother’s ball gets caught in the roof gutter and he and his friends ‘need someone small’ to climb up a vine and retrieve it. In the act of rescuing the ball, Sam discovers something wonderful (*spoiler alert*): a new friend who shares many of his passions.

If you’re buying a special picture book in hardcover, you want to know it will stand up to repeated readings, and this one definitely does.

It has a bouncy, almost-musical rhyming text, reminiscent of classic stories of wonder like ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. It’s a lot of fun to share and read aloud, and I wanted to go back and read it again as soon as I’d finished!

There are also dozens of extra details in the illustrations, so on each new reading you’ll notice more of Sam’s toys and treasures and learn about his street and backyard.

To me this book isn’t so much about size as about how we all need a friend, someone we ‘click with’. And it’s a great celebration of daydreamers and thinkers – kids like Sam – making their way in a world of boisterous shouting and play.

While it’s a picture book, it has quite a bit of text, and to really appreciate it you’d need to be familiar with some early science concepts. So it’s for kids 6+.

Who’ll love this: 6- and 7-year-old quirky kids, scientific kids and daydreamers. Especially if they have an older sibling.

Price : $24.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Frozen - The Essential Collection - Book Review

The Frozen mania that exists in my house is SO profound that even I let out a shriek of joy when I opened Frozen: The Essential Collection. Embarrassing? Yes but also true.

There is just something about Frozen that little (and some big) girls love!

My own 3 year old has proudly worn her 'Elsa dress' for 2 months straight (in the interests of hygiene we now own 2 exactly the same) and, to be honest, I'm just relieved that it isn't pink.

Anyway, you can understand my excitement when I opened my Frozen package.

The Essential Collection contains 2 Frozen books, lyrics to all the songs (in case you hadn't realised that it is called "Let It Go"), lots of stickers and generally far more information about Frozen than anyone but a small girl could possibly want to know.

 It also has a "Let It Go" sing-a-long clip... for any little girls out there not already singing it continuously on their own.

Is this book MORE about the movie?

Well, yes.

Are we all a bit sick of Frozen?

Quite possibly but our daughters really aren't and there are worse things in life than a movie where the true love is between sisters, and the handsome prince turns out to be WAY less desirable than the nice guy who works for a living!

In all seriousness, if you know a Frozen-loving little girl (and if you know any girls under the age of 10 you probably do), this is the perfect Christmas present for them. Truly!

Who'll love this: All those Frozen-mad little girls out there
Cost: $29.99
Publisher: Penguin Australia