Billy is a Dragon: First Bite by Nick Falk, illustrated by Tony Flowers - book review

Billy is a Dragon has seriously rocked our world!

The obsession started when Wild Man (aged 5) saw an extract of it in Mania magazine. We read the extract over and over and over again until I finally admitted that, even though we have more books in our house than we can manage, anyone who can get that excited about a single chapter of a book deserves to own the whole thing.

So Wild Man and I bought Billy is a Dragon (the children's marketing strategist in me was thrilled to see how well an extract can work as a marketing tool!) and settled down to read the first chapter.

We ended up reading the whole book in a single day. Pretty impressive because it is 16 chapters long.

A week later my aunt minded Wild Man and she read him the whole book in a SINGLE SITTING.

Even for grown-ups Billy is a Dragon is cool and really funny.

The premise behind the book is simple... Billy's Mum takes him to a mysterious pet shop (always a mistake) to choose something for his birthday and Billy gets bitten by a strange looking lizard. You can guess what happens next...

The most hilarious chapter by far (and the one featured in the infamous extract) features Billy, in the toilets at school, trying to hide the fact that he is morphing in to a dragon and desperately worried that he is going to end up naked in from of his class mates. It is brilliant.

The story is great - exciting, funny, fast paced, and totally crazy. The end of the book makes it very clear that this is just the first book in a series and all I can say is thank goodness for that.

This is definitely going to be our 'go to' birthday present this year.

I love the way the illustrations are part of the text and it is clear that Nick Falk and Tony Flower worked closely to get the mix right. That, plus the whole page illustrations throughout the book, makes the text much less visually intimidating than books with pages full of words and I'm sure that it would work well for reluctant readers.

Its also really great for motivating a 5-year-old who are learning to read...

Who'll love it: Boys aged 5 to 9 years
Cost: $12.99
Publisher: Random House 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

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   

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