#365PictureBooks 31. I am not a Worm! by Scott Tulloch

Tulloch, S. (2014). I am not a worm! Auckland, New Zealand: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781775432517
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction
Rating: 5 stars

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"Hello, little worm."

"I am not a worm."

"Are you sure?"

"YES!"

This is a humorous conversation, or should I say argument, between a caterpillar and a chameleon as the poor caterpillar tries to explain that He. Is. Not. A. Worm!

Watch as the caterpillar gets more and more and more worked up, until he manages to zip himself into his chrysalis.  And watch as the crafty chameleon just keeps winding him up!  I'm sure you know some people that are like this.  Soooooo annoying!!!!

Tulloch's illustrations are awesome!  Done in pale hues and in a graphic novel style format they work perfectly with the conversation that is occurring.  You can see the worms', woops! I meant caterpillars' annoyance building, while the chameleon's expressions are just so sly!




Such a wickedly awesome book.  Just watch out for the ending!  Ya know ... chameleons ... butterflies ... food!!!  It's a book that younger children will enjoy, for the humour of it and the illustrations.  But older kids will love it, because they will just 'get' what the chameleon is trying to do and what they think is going to happen.

I got my copy of I am not a worm! from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 30. Tortoise and the Hair by P. Crumble, illustrated by Louis Shea

Crumble, P. (2014). Tortoise and the Hair. Gosford, Australia: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781743625286
Pages: 24
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Tortoise's big day has arrived.  He's going to be a singing superstar,up on stage with his guitar.  But oh oh!  Tortoise has lost his favourite wig!  Can Hare help him get his hair back in time for the big gig?  

Crumble has given new life to the classic Tortoise and the Hare tale in this rocking and rhyming story with an Elvis twist.  The tale is told in an easy to follow hilarious rhyme.

Tortoises' self-doubt is clearly evident with the constant refrain "I'll never win now, it's just not fair!", while he hunts for his missing hair piece and slowly gives up hope of ever finding it.

Then we follow his wig's escapades as it travels from animal to animal after Bear's foot is tickled by something on the floor of the bus and is eventually found by Hare. 

Shea's bright and bold illustrations are fantastic.  They add beautifully to Crumbles' rhyme, while giving more depth to the story.  You can see Tortoises' absolute sense of impending doom as he slowly makes his way to the concert.  There are all sorts of awesome things in the images to spot, and the looks on the animals faces are gorgeous.  I quite like the business mouse talking on his bug phone, and Miss Hippo strutting her stuff in a lime green dress, shoes & painted toenails ... with Tortoises' wig!

This is a fantastic book to add to your collection.  Great for pre-school and early primary children.

I got my copy of Tortoise and the Hair from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 29. Catch That Plane! by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Sylvie Currin Korankova

Sutton, S. (2014). Catch That Plane! Newton, Australia: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781921720680
Pages: 24
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction / Non-fiction Read-Aloud
Rating: 4 stars

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Rushing to the

airport.

What do I see?

Plane at the gate,

a-ready and a-steady.

I hope it's going to wait.

We're late as late can be! 

Kiwi author, Sally Sutton, has presented us with a fantastic book about going on a plane trip for the first time and the hustle and bustle that you find in an airport.  It goes through all the aspects of departure, from arriving at the airport through to take-off.

Told in repetitive and simple text, it is aimed at young children - 3-6yrs.  There is a kind-of rhyme to it but I find it a bit disjointed.  Better to try not to rhyme it.  The first and last line rhyme, and the two lines in the middle rhyme.

Krankova's illustrations tell the story really well.  Done in muted colours with a bluey-grey background, they make the main point of each page stand out.  Many of the illustrations are very 'busy', however that is in keeping with the chaos that is often part and parcel of an airport.  You could tell the story by the illustrations alone which makes it a great book for children to read alone.

At the rear, there is a 'Facts' page with a glossary of terms asking children to see if they can spot each item in the book.  The information in this has also been worded at the same level making this a really good non-fiction narrative for young children, either to just enjoy because they like planes, and for those that are about to go on, or have just be on, and airplane.

This is a really good book to read to your child if they have never been on a plane before and you are about to head off overseas (or even within the country).  

This would also be a good book for using in class as a non-fiction narrative for a variety of reasons including sequencing, procedures, transportation, and story-starters - each page is a great place for children to start their own story, especially if they have been on a plane trip and they need a reminder to help them visualise their own trip.

I'm looking forward to sharing this book with our junior students and teachers this year. 

I got my copy of Catch That Plane! from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 28. How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish

Reagan, J., & Wildish, L. (2014). How to Babysit a Grandma. London, UK: Hodder Children's Books.

ISBN: 9781444918120
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 5 stars

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Oops, sorry ... this is going to be a speedy review, as I have a 19th wedding anniversary dinner to attend - mine!  Like ... NOW!

"When you babysit a grandma, if you're lucky it's a sleepover at her house!  With the help of this funny and heartwarming book, you're guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter in no time.  Be sure to check:

How to play with a grandma

Things to do at the park

What to do at bedtime.

Grab your pillow and get ready for some special grandma time!"

This is a follow up to How to Babysit a Grandad.  These books are a twist on the traditional babysitting routine where the kids are babysitting the Grandies.  They are bright.  They are funny.  And they take a topic that many young children don't like, are scared of, or just think is plain dumb to a new level.  This may make kids more keen to be babysat by their grandparents.  It gives kids an impression that they have ownership of the babysitting.  Full of lists on how to help babysit your Grandma, kids will be able to relate to many of these situations.

Wildish's illustrations are lovely.  They are bright and almost three-dimensional.  If you look closely at the faces they look like one of those raised stickers you can get.  With a mix of full page illustrations and illustrations fitting around the text, this is an interesting book to read.  There are so many things to see (and learn!).  The end-papers are great too.  They are a photo montage of the young girl and her Grandmother and some of the activities they get up to.

There are so many cool things to read and see in this book that I could go on for ages.  However I really truly have to dash or my hubby will tell me off :-)

This is a great book to have in you collection for when you have 'Grandparents day' at school.  The Grandies will enjoy reading it just as much as the young kids.  I know our junior students get a whole lot of enjoyment out of How to Babysit a Grandad.

A great book to celebrate grandparents.

I got my copy of How to Babysit a Grandma from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 27. What If ... ? by Anthony Browne

Gurney, P., & Webb, P. (2010). Kiwi Corkers: A Kiwi Christmas Carol. Auckland, New Zealand: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9780552565196
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: 4 stars

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Joe has been invited to his first big party.  Unfortunately he has lost the invite.  He knows which street he lives on but he can't remember the house number.  As he and his mum set of in search of Tom's house Joe's imagination starts to get the better of him and he spends the whole journey worrying.  Each house they pass brings another set of worries as they pause to peer inside and find some surprising sights.  Will they find Tom's house?  And will all of Joe's worries be real? 

Full of the repeated refrain "What If ...? and the worries of many children of dealing with a new situation (and adults if I am to be honest), Anthony Browne (former Children's Laureate) leads us on a journey of self discovery and how our imagination can make us blow things out of proportion.  

In typical Browne fashion his illustrations are extremely thought provoking, and yet entirely appropriate for the story.  There are two types of illustrations.  There is Joe and his mother done in a combination of blue-tones that depict the worry and self-doubt they feel and their continuing discussion which moves seamlessly between images.  These images are predominantly in sequential graphic-novel style boxes.  Then there are the full colour pages that display the house from the outside and what they can see.  Followed by an amazing two-page spread of what is happening on the inside of each room they look into as they pass.

The concept behind the story is fine for younger children and they will enjoy the full-page colour illustrations.  However I think that older children will get more out of this book.  Not just because the illustrations are so sophisticated.  I believe that older children will 'get' the issue of self-doubt more-so than younger children and be able to relate their own experiences to it (and maybe build some confidence of their own in their understanding!).  Hence I have classified it as more of a Middle Childhood 7-12yrs read.

What a fantastic way to discuss with children how their worries can often make things seem so much worse than they really are.  And if you didn't want to read it for the story-line, then Anthony Browne's artwork is a-may-zing to look at and spend hours pouring over.  A fantastic book to add to your collection.

I got my copy of What If ... ? from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 26. The Dinosaur that Pooped the Past! by Tom Fletcher & Dougie Poynter, illustrated by Garry Parsons

Fletcher, T., & Poynter, D. (2014). The Dinosaur that Pooped the Past! London, UK: Red Fox.

ISBN: 9781782951780
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 5 stars

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Warning!  This book is not for the faint of heart!  If you are not a fan of Poo, or time travel, I beg you, do not read on!

Danny and his Dinosaur friend are back in a third poo-filled adventure.  After eating Grannies green sludge they head off to play on an old swing.  This is not a normal swing though.  It has time-travel powers and the duo find themselves flung back in time where they meet some new dino-friends ... in VOLCANO SEASON!  With a broken swing!!!  Oh oh!  How are they ever going to get back home?  Will Dinosaur be able to save them by pooping them back to the future??

Fletcher & Poynter have presented us with another rhyming and humorous story that is just as good as the first two (The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet! and The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas!).  I dare you to read it and not laugh.  It's got all the things that boys like; dinosaurs, time travel, adventure, oh ... and poo.  Lots and lots and lots of poo!  An three really really cute dinosaurs - Dino Dudes A, B and C. 

Young children will love the fun of a pooping dinosaur, though a lot of the humour may be over their heads.  There is a lot of quite complicated language and odd phrases that older students will be more confident with.  Also the older kids will just love the grossness of the story and it will make a great read-aloud for them to share with their younger buddies, as the rhyme is easy to pick up.

Parson's illustrations are a perfect match to the hilarious time-travelling historical story.  Most of the backgrounds use very muted colours, and some of his illustrations are predominantly monotone - like the scene with Granny serving her green sludge - with only Danny & the Dinosaurs being the main point of colour. 


This series of books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter are soooooo popular at our school.  Yes it's boy humour, but you'd be surprised just how many girls love toilet humour too.  Yep!  I'm one of them!!

A great read-aloud, though maybe not at bedtime when you are trying to settle your children down!   Perfect for young children and old alike.

I got my copy of The Dinosaur that Pooped the Past! from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 25. Aaaarrgghh, Spider! by Lydia Monks

Monks, L. (2013). Aaaarrgghh, Spider! London, UK: Egmont.

ISBN: 9781405210447
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Poor Spider just wants to belong to a family.  The only problem is that she scares everyone so much that they just want to get rid of her.  What can she do to get a family of her own and be their pet?

Lydia Monks is the illustrator of Julia Donaldson's What the Ladybird Heard. 

Monk's has written and illustrated a most gorgeous story about belonging and finding a home of your own.  The story is told in short simple sentences that younger children will be able to understand.  There are two different fonts and sizes to differentiate between the spider talking and the people talking, and their tone of voice.  It is quite an effective way for children to start understanding how to follow a story and that different people can have a 'voice' in it.  

The illustrations are really bright.  They are a mix of full page images and pages with sequential  images (almost like a graphic novel).  This is a great way of getting the point across about time lapse and that things happen in a particular order.  Ohhh, and there are sparkles!!!  The front cover and a double-page spread towards the back have glitter to depict the spider webs.  Lovely!

The characters are very simply drawn but they are appropriate for the age group this book is aimed at.  The expressions on their faces are so true to life (especially if you are not a fan of spiders!), and even the spider's facial expressions are very easy to determine. 

I particularly like the first page where the room and everyone in it are upside down.  Or are they???  After all this IS a story about a spider, and where you usually find them?

What a lovely book to add to your collection.  Yes, it's about spiders, but at it's heart it is about belonging and being a part of a family.

I got my copy of Aaaarrgghh, Spider! from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 24. My dad STILL thinks he's funny by Katrina Germein, illustrated by Tom Jellett

Germein, K. (2013). My dad STILL thinks he's funny. Newton, Australia: Black Dog Books.

ISBN: 9781742032320
Pages: 32
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: 4 stars

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My dad says, "I've told you fifty million times, don't exaggerate." 

This is the sequel to the really humorous My dad thinks he's funny.  It's full of wit & humour - or at least the kind that dads think are funny :-)  I don't know about you but I have a husband who could be this dad.  Sooooo annoying!!!  I'm sure you'll know someone in your family who thinks they're a real joker like this.

Germein has come up with another collection of sayings, some that are well known and some that I'm sure will be revived after reading this ... Quick, make sure you hide it from your dad!


Jellett's illustrations are simply awesome.  He uses colour sparingly or boldly.  Sometimes there is just the outline of the image with a pale wash of colour behind, and the main colour being the background.  Other times the whole image is saturated in bright bold colours.  It is really effective.  A lot of the backgrounds look as if they have been drawn on school books (lined paper or graph paper), and the end papers give you the impression you are looking at a school book.  I'm really loving Jellett's illustrations.  Kids will be able to understand the saying by how the illustrations depict each one.

This is a really funny book to read.  It is a good one to add to your collection for teaching language, sayings and wit & humour.

I got my copy of My dad STILL thinks he's funny from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 23. All I Said Was by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Ross Collins

Morpurgo, M., & Collins, R. (2014). All I Said Was. Edinburgh, UK: Red Squirrel Books.

ISBN: 9781781123485
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 5 stars

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All I can say is ... Wow!  I wasn't expecting that ending!!! 

This is the story of a young boy who looked up from his book one day and saw a bird.  And you know what he said?  

"Hi there, bird.  You know what I'd like?

I'd like to be you.  I'd like to be able to fly off to any place I liked.  That would be so good."

And guess what?!?!  He did!



Morpurgo has presented us with a well written and imaginative story about a boy who dreams of flying and a bird who dreams of reading a book.  Told in short sentences with double spacing and easy to read font, this is a good book for beginning readers, and for those parents who do not read as confidently as they would like.  It's also a good story to use for prediction.  The young boy repeatedly asks the question "And what happened?" before you turn the page.

Collins' illustrations are bright and colourful and perfectly capture the humour in the story.  You can see the young boys joy in the birds face when he first flies off and his terror on the return flight.  And he depicts all the other creatures anger towards the bird so clearly.

Picture Squirrels are the Barrington Stoke's picture book range, designed with a selection of 'dyslexia-friendly features to support parents and carers who do not read confidently so that they too can enjoy the books with their children' (Picture Squirrels, n.d. para. 1).

This is a great read-aloud book that celebrates the power of books and the ability of stories that can take us anywhere we can imagine.  It's a great resource to have in your collection for working with imagination and prediction.  Just watch out for the ending!!!!!!!


I got my copy of All I Said Was from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.


References:
Picture Squirrels. (n.d.). About Picture Squirrels. Retrieved January 23, 2015 from http://www.picturesquirrels.co.uk/about-picture-squirrels.html

#365PictureBooks 22. Nightbear by Rebecca Patterson

Patterson, R. (2014). Nightbear. London, UK: Jonathan Cape.

ISBN: 9781780080086
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Nightbear is an old bear.  He has been around for a very long time.  His first owners didn't love him so they gave him away and then he sat for years on the shelf in a charity shop.  One day a little girl bought him and took him home to meet all her other bears.  They all had important jobs but there was nothing for Nightbear to do.  How knows he can be special ... but how? 

This is a gorgeous story, told in the first person by Nightbear himself, about his life as a bear.  It's kind of like a diary.  It is quite a humorous story and leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling at the end.  Beware though ... there are sad bits - like when he gets put in a bag and given away! :-(  With themes of individuality, rejection, Love and acceptance, readers will be able to emphasise with the bears feelings.

The illustrations are colourful and messy.  The backgrounds are all in white or muted shades, which makes the main illustrations show up really clearly.  The images all have an ink outline, but the colouring is painted 'over the lines' - just like kids would do.  They really work with the story ... it's as if Nightbear has illustrated his own book.  Oooh, and it's got a sparkly cover!

Rebecca Patterson was the 2012 winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

A lovely book for a bedtime read or to read to younger children when they are feeling left out with no friends to play with.

I got my copy of Nightbear from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 21. Pete the Cat and the New Guy by Kimberly & James Dean

Dean, K., & Dean, J. (2014). Pete the Cat and the New Guy. London, UK: HarperCollins Children's Books.

ISBN: 9780007590803
Pages: 40
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Join Pete the Cat on his latest groovy adventure.  There's a new guy in the street and Pete thinks he might be 'his kind of guy'.  But when Pete meets him he finds that he is not the same at all!  Gus is different.  Gus is a Platypus.  But Pete knows that being different is really cool and that makes his special in his own way.  And when Gus can't find what he is good at Pete sais ...

Don't be sad,

don't be blue.

There is something

everyone can do!   

And guess what?!?!  There is something that Gus can do!


I really love the Pete the Cat series of books.  Not just because you can go online and listen to Eric Litwin sing the songs(book?) - He's soooooooo groovy man!!  Dean instills a message into each of these books that teaches children a number of things.  In Pete the Cat and the New Guy the message is all about acceptance, individual differences and friendship.  Just because you can't do what everyone else does, doesn't mean you should stop trying to find your own talent.  And when you do, then groove to it man!

The text is simple and rhythmic with lots of repetition.  It gets the message of acceptance, individual differences and friendship across in a way that younger children can understand.  This is a good book to read aloud and for sharing as there is really too much text for young children to read on their own, however kids will be able to pick up on the rhyming repetition quickly and join in with the story.  

The illustrations are very bright and colourful.  The characters are colourful, and the backgrounds are colourful.  The characters are quite simply drawn, and there is not much facial expression to determine their moods.  Actually with their eyeballs all being in the upper part of their eyes they all have a very 'chilled' look to them - very hippy'ish :-)  

Pete the Cat and the New Guy has a video of the story being read by children, rather than the Eric Litwin songs of his other books.  It is a great way for children to learn the rhythm of the story, while also a chance for them to have the story read to them if an adult or older student isn't available to read.  Good idea for a learning station during class literacy sessions.

This will be another great book to add to our collection.  Both for the message it is trying to get across and for the bright colourful illustrations.  A couple of our year 3 classes last year did lots of drawing activities with the Pete the Cat books.  The illustrations in the book are simple enough for children to reproduce themselves, and they can come up with their own stories to go along with their cat.  They are great to use for book week activities as an alternative to the Mr Men series.  

My one disappointment is that Eric Litwin is not the author of this book, rather it is James' wife Kimberley, and so there is no song to go with it.  Of all the books this one may be a little didactic - and not so happy-go-lucky as the previous books.  Still a great addition to your collection.

I got my copy of Pete the Cat and the New Guy from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 20. Line Up, Please! by Tomoko Ohmura

Ohmura, T.. (2014). Line Up, Please! Wellington, New Zealand: Gecko Press.

ISBN: 9781877579998
Pages: 40 (incl 2 fold out pages)
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: 4 stars

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Standing in line can be really dull and booooring!  Count down with these 50 different animals and find out why they are waiting in line.  Will it be worth the wait? 

Line Up, Please!  has been translated to English and published by Gecko Press.  It was originally published in Japan, in 2009, by POPLAR Publishing under the title Nanno Gyoretsu.

This is a fun picture book for young children.  There are 50 animals with their names so you can learn to identify them.  There is a number under each animal teaching children how to count down from 50.  As the animals wait (patiently) in line you can follow their comments ...  which are really quite 'human' and very humorous.  As an adult there are a number of comments we have heard, or even made, while waiting in line ourselves!!!  

The illustrations are bold and bright.  Each animal is drawn simply and is easy for children to recognise.  They have been given the cutest facial expressions, which are in keeping with their comments.  Each page has the tail of the animal on the following page, and makes for a good guessing game.

There is a great surprise towards the end when it is revealed just why the animals are all waiting in line.  There is a two page fold out spread so you can see all the animals.  Then there is the fun of the ride.  You can see the sheer joy on the animals faces!  See if you can recall all the animals names!

This is a great book to share with younger readers.  It will also make a great addition for maths sessions and learning what different animals look like, and are called.

I got my copy of Line Up, Please from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 19. Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet

Tullet, H. (2014). Mix It Up!. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

ISBN: 9781760110956
Pages: 68
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: 5 stars

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First off, let me just say ... I LOVE HERVE TULLET!  His books are just freaking AWESOME! 

Mix It Up! was originally published in France, by Bayard Editions, with the title Couleurs.  It was published in the same year in English by Allen & Unwin.  It has a board-book cover, and stitched and glued pages, which makes it robust and able to handle the use it will undoubtedly get.

At its heart this is an instruction manual on how to mix colours.  But it is so much more than that.  It is interactive.  It is fun.   It gets kids thinking "What if?"  What if you mix this colour with that colour?  What if you smash two pages together with wet paint on them?  It starts children on the track of creativity and exploration. 

The text is simple and instructional.  The illustrations are paint strokes and splotches - nothing more.  But they are exactly what is needed.  This is what children would see on their own sheets of paper as they investigate what mixing different colours together will achieve.  As you look at each paint splotch you can see the paint brush bristles or the finger prints, and you can see the flicks and smudges (the mistakes) that are not part of the main image.  It shows children that they don't have to be clean and tidy when they are trying things out.  Painting, and creativity in general, is a messy business.  Have Fun.  Embrace the crazy.  Let loose and be creative!

You have to check out Tullet's website.  It is so much fun.  There are simply oodles of things for you to look at and interact with.  I spent ages on The game of eyes page.  It wasn't till my second time through it that I realised the eyes move.  Freaky!  And so much fun trying to trick the eyes into not knowing where the mouse is ;-) 

This is a seriously awesome book to add to your collection.  It is a fun & interactive read, AND it teaches children about colours.  I can guarantee that the adults reading it will HAVE TO do all the actions it sais, AND they will have sooooooo much fun.  I dare you to read this and NOT do what it tells you!!!  Our year 5's & 6's are the ones that have been getting the most fun out of his book Press Here.  You don't have to be a little kid to enjoy Tullet.  

See you.  I'm off to play the game of eyes again. #Hooked

I got my copy of Mix It Up! from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

You can check out more reviews of Mix It Up! on Goodreads.

#365PictureBooks 18. Big and Small by Elizabeth Bennett, illustrated by Jane Chapman

Bennett, E. (2014). Big and Small. Gosford, Australia: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781742761053
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 3 stars

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Big and Small are best of friends.  One day they decide to go out to play and take a picnic lunch with them.  But Small is so small he keeps getting into trouble and he is constantly asking for "A little help, please!"  At the end of the day, when they are tucked up in be, is Big really so big and brave, or does he need a little help too? 

This is just the cutest story about Big and Small's adventures.  The rhyming text is simple with short sentences, and lots of repetition.  The font used is nice and big and 'moves' across the pages fitting itself to the actions of the characters, making this a visually pleasing book to read.


Chapman's illustrations are fantastic.  They are bright and colourful.  Big is a great big bluey grey bear, and Small is a tiny little white mouse.  You can see from their facial expressions just how much fun they have together, and although Small is constantly asking for help, Big never gets frustrated with his friend.

The illustrations start off as full page layouts and then alternate with a split layout, where you can see Small in trouble and Big saving him.  I particularly like the page where they are about to roll down the hill.

What a gorgeous book to add to your collection.  With a theme of friendship and having someone who's always there for you, this book will make for a lovely bed-time read.

I got my copy of Big andSmall from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 17. The Very Noisy House by Julie Rhodes, illustrated by Korky Paul

Rhodes, J., & Paul, K. (2013). The Very Noisy House. London, UK: Frances Lincoln Children's Books.

ISBN: 9781847805348
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Clomp! Clomp! Clomp! Clomp!

goes the old lady's stick, which makes the dog upstairs go

WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

which causes the cat to go

MEOW! MEOW! MEOW!

which wakes the baby -

WHAAA! WHAAA! WHAAA!

What a VERY NOISY HOUSE!

Can anything make it quiet again? 

First time published author, Julie Rhodes, was inspired to write this story about her very own very noisy house by her dog, Archie, who is always barking and running about.

As you read through this book, each noise leads onto the next one, slowly escalating in level until the old lady gets so sick of it all she decides to sit down and knit.  As her clomping stops, slowly, so do all the other noises, until there is a nice peaceful house at last.  But how long will it last?

There is a lot a repetition in this story, and you can have great fun with the sound effects as you read it aloud.  Actually it would be a really great (& noisy) idea to assign different children to make the sounds as you read through.  It would make for a great group read.  Its simplicity would also make it a great book for students to read aloud to the rest of the class.

The illustrations work so well replicating the text that younger children could actually tell this story by the illustrations alone.  Personally I find the illustrations too 'noisy' myself - I think it's all the text noise.  Each page is just so busy!  

I do like Paul's attention to detail.  Each time you turn the page, the rooms change.  You can spend simply ages just looking at the rooms to see where each character is, especially the little old lady (who I'm sure is a witch!) as she walks around her floor.  And keep your eye on the illustrations on her desk (desks?).  Very clever!

The illustrations initially reminded me a bit of Winnie the Witch which is quite popular at school.  They should.  Korky Paul illustrated that awesome series as well!

Oh! One other thing about this noisy book.  You have to read the whole thing on it's side and flip the pages UP not to the left.  It's really quite cool!!  But honestly, how else would you be able to fit such a tall house on the pages of a book.  Think about it!  It just makes so much sense :-)

The front and end papers have been illustrated by primary school children and add a nice touch to the book.

This is a delightfully noisy read for young children and provides lots of opportunities for them to join in as you read.  It would make a great read-aloud for library or class time.

I got my copy of The Very Noisy House from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.