#365PictureBooks 49. Te Pakiwaitara O Cape Kidnappers: The story of Cape Kidnappers, story re-told by Patrick Sherratt, illustrations by Sophie Blokker

Sherratt, P., & Blokker, S. (2013). Te Pakiwaitara O Cape Kidnappers: The story of Cape Kidnappers. Napier, New Zealand: Te Mata Kidergarten.

ISBN: 9780473242343
Pages: 24
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction / Myths & Legends
Rating: 5 stars

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Te Pakiwaitara O Cape Kidnappers tells the story of  an historical event that happened when Captain James Cook was exploring New Zealand in 1769.  It takes place at Rangiika, on the southern side of Cape Kidnappers, which is also know as the tip of Matau-o-Maui (the fish hook of Maui) who in Maori legend fished up the North Island of New Zealand.  Many years later this significant landmark continues to be called Cape Kidnappers and is a popular tourist attraction (Back Page). 

Patrick Sherratt's retelling of this local legend has been done simply enough for younger children to follow, and yet in a way that is very much like many traditional Maori Myths & Legends.


Each double-page spread has the legend on the left page with the beautifully depicted illustration to go with it on the right.

Sophie Blokker's illustrations are just freaking amazing!  Her computer generated graphical images depict the characters in a manga style.  Her coastal scenes although slightly cartoonish appear as if you are looking out at the scene yourself.  With the use of bright bold colours this book is a visual feast for the eyes.


This is a fantastic addition to your collection, whether it is as a read-aloud, part of your Maori Myths & Legends collection or in among the picture books collection.  A great local history book for those of us in Hawkes Bay.

This is the second book that Te Mata Kindergarten have published with artist Sophie Blokker.  The first book tells the the legend of Te Mata O Rongokako the Sleeping Giant which is a prominent land mark and Maori legend in Havelock North (Back Page). 

I got my copy of Te Pakiwaitara O Cape Kidnappers: The story of Cape Kidnappers from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

Find out more about Sophie Blokker's illustrations.

#365PictureBooks 48. Phylys the Farm Truck by Christine Fernyhough & Susan Elijas, photography by John Bougen

Fernyhough, C., & Elijas, S. (2013). Phylys the Farm Truck. Auckland, New Zealand: Random House.

ISBN: 9781775535096
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction
Rating: 4 stars

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Meet Phylys.  She's the shiny new farm truck at Castle Hill Station.  Will she be tough enough to get the jobs of a high-country farm done, or will she be to pretty to try?  And how are the animals on the station going to treat her? 

Christine Fernyhough & Susan Elijas have presented us with a humorous rhyming read-aloud about the every-day happenings on a working farm.  The verse reminds me of The Man from Snowy River (Yes I know it's Australian and this is a New Zealand story) but it's rhythm and language just has a 'down home' feel.

Interspersed with the actual verse are rhyming one-liners from the farm animals which add beautifully to the story.

The illustrations remind me of one of those felt boards that we had as a kid.  You could create & re-create your own 'story' by adding felt characters, buildings, vehicles, trees etc to a felt back-board.  Hours and hours and hours of fun was had.

Susan & Sam Elijas have taken John Bougen's photos, and with the use of collage have designed each spread in a way that is eye-catching.  Their humorous depiction of an everyday occurrence in the farming community is brilliant.  

What a great read-aloud with so many fantastic things to spot on each page.  Keep your eyes open for the little pink mouse who can be seen on each page getting up to all sorts of mischief.

I got my copy of Phylys the Farm Truck from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

Find out more about Christine Fernyhough here.

Check out Graham Beattie's blog post about Phylys the Farm Truck.

#365PictureBooks 41. Old Blue: The Rarest Bird in the World by Mary Taylor

Taylor, M. (2014). Old Blue: The Rarest Bird in the World. Auckland, New Zealand: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781775432371
Pages: 32
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12 / YA 12-18
Genre: Non-fiction / NZ Non-fiction
Rating: 5 stars

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At one time, not so very long ago, there remained only five black robins in the whole world.

The story of Old Blue is a remarkable story of survival and conservation. 

This is the story about Old Blue, a Black Robin who lived for over thirteen years, and is one of the reasons that these birds are not extinct.  It is also the story of Dr Don Merton's conservation work on the Chatham Islands in New Zealand, and how he used cross-fostering to help save the world's rarest bird - the Chatham Islands Black Robin.

Originally published in 1993, this edition has been redesigned and updated.

Told in a narrative style, this non-fiction book leads us through the history of the black robin, the processes that Dr Don & his team went through, and Old Blue's efforts to re-populate the black robin species.  It is beautifully told (although it may require a tissue or three as it is quite an awe-inspiring and heartfelt read) and quite simply worded.

Mary Taylor is a professional artist and her work is just amazing.  The illustrations in Old Blue appear as if you are looking through a window and observing what is happening.  I love the framing of the other images with parts of the main illustration overlapping the frame.  

There is a lovely map of the Chatham Islands on the first page which leads into the story.  The very last page has a small copy of the two plates illustrating all the birds of the Chatham Islands (3rd page in & 3rd-to-last page).  It lists each bird and their degree of vulnerability.  It also provides information on a current conservation effort to save the Fairy Tern (tara-iti).  

The quote on the back cover is so thought-provoking, and yet so true:

"If the rarest bird in the world can be rescued, then given human determination and effort, no species need become extinct."

Dr Don Merton

Awards:
Winner Children's Book Awards: Non fiction 1994

A fantastic book to have in your non-fiction narrative collection.  The story is amazing but it is also a book that you can just loose yourself in with the illustrations.  Appropriate for middle primary school (as a read-aloud) all the way through to high school.

I got my copy of Old Blue: The Rarest Bird in the World from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

Check out the review on We Love Books: The Booksellers New Zealand Blog.

#365PictureBooks 38. Kakapo Dance by Helen Taylor

Taylor, H. (2014). Kakapo Dance. Auckland, New Zealand: Puffin.

ISBN: 9780143506010
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction
Rating: 5 stars

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I love Helen Taylor's illustrations!  They are so bright and realistic it is as if the birds will just step off the page into your lap.  Stunning! 


In Kakapo Dance Taylor tells the story of all the birds in the bush trying to get Kakapo to join in their singing and dancing.  But Kakapo CAN'T Dance!  And so it carries on through the book with each consecutive bird trying to entice poor Kakapo to dance.

The rhyme and story remind me of My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton & Lynley Dodd.  Or maybe The Twelve Days of Christmas.  As each bird tries to tempt Kakapo to sing and dance their line of rhyme is added to the previous so that you repeat each line as you get down to Kakapo's refrain ... 

But Kakapo DON'T sing or dance,

we're just not made that way!

With lots of repetition and a catchy rhyme this book is full of language that will teach children about the movement and sounds the birds of our New Zealand bush make.  The font has been coloured so that the motion and noise words are done in a way that links to the bird it is talking about - Teal for the Kereru, Navy Blue for the Pukeko, and bright Emerald Green for the Kakapo. 

As I mentioned before, Taylor's illustrations are just stunning.  They are bright.  They are bold.  They are so realistic.  A true and beautiful depiction of our native birds.

I just want to keep re-reading it!   It is a lovely addition to your collection of fun rhyming stories.  A great read aloud.  And fantastic for when classes are doing artwork and need an image or photo of one of our beautiful birds.

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

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 37. Te Reo Singalong Book 7 He aha tenei? [& CD] by Sharon Holt, illustrated by Deborah Hinde

Holt, S., & Hinde, D. (2014). He aha tenei? (What is this?) [& CD]. Hamilton, New Zealand: The Writing Bug.

ISBN: 9780473285906
Pages: 24
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Book / NZ Fiction / Te Reo Maori
Rating: 5 stars

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Titiro mai!

He aha tenei?

He mumutawa tena.

Titiro mai!

He aha tenei?

He mumutawa tena.

Me tiaki ...

He taonga!

Look! What is this?

That is a ladybug

Look! What is this?

That is a ladybug.

Be gentle.  It's special! 

Book 7 in Sharon Holt's Te Reo Singalong series is all about the sentence structure of asking the question "What is this?".  Her books are all in Te Reo Maori, with an English translation at the end, and include a CD.  There are also guitar chords if you wish to play the song for children to keep to the rhyme.  There is also a list of 10 activities at the end to try with children.

The rhyme is simple and catchy and a fantastic way for children to learn Te Reo Maori, whether in a school or home environment.  The accompanying CD makes it easy for whanau, family and teachers to learn the rhyme and pronunciation themselves if they are not Te Reo Maori speakers.

The illustrations make it easy to understand what the question is asking.  The are very realistic, almost photo-like, in their depiction.  The main focus of a child and the bug they are asking about are central to the image, with the background done in an out-of-focus fuzzy way.

It teaches Te Reo Maori to children (and adults) in an easy to remember rhyme.  Students around Year 6 may find it to simplistic - probably due to the illustrations, however if they have no knowledge of Te Reo Maori it is a great way to learn.

This is a fantastic series of books to have.  Our Te Reo teacher uses them regularly with all our classes.  I am really pleased that I purchased the original set at the 2013 SLANZA conference in Wellington, and I make a point of getting each new one when it comes out.

Te Reo Singalong Awards:

Winner Maori Language Awards 2013 

Finalist Maori Language Awards 2012 

Other titles in the series:

Maranga Mai!

Kei te Peke Ahau

Anei Ke!

Me Haere!

E hia nga moe?

Matariki

I got my copy of He aha tenei? from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 34. Snowy the Doganaut by Diego Albuquerque, illustrated by Felipe Vellozo, translated by Peter Dowling

Albuquerque, D. (2014). Snowy the Doganaut. Auckland, New Zealand: Libro International.

ISBN: 9781877514623
Pages: 32
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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Snowy is a dog with a difference - a doganaut who comes to Earth in a UFO!  He has ears where his eyes should be, eyes in the back of his head, and a tail on the side of his body. 

A young boy was out walking one night, when a UFO appeared and a white dog was left behind.  Well, he was kind of a dog!  When everyone kept pointing and asking why Snowy was different the boy decides to take him to the vet to me made 'normal'.  But what happens when the scientists and NASA get involved?  And what happens when the vet has to travel to Pluto to try and help out Snowy?

Originally published in 1982 with the title Branquinho, O Dognauta, the 2014 Libro International edition is the first time this Brazilian classic has been translated into English.  Diego Albuquerque made the Guinness Book of World Records as Brazil's youngest author.  He was just 7 years old when he wrote and published this book!  32 years later it has been republished in English for us to enjoy as well.

Vellozo's illustrations are done using blue and white tones and are very simplistic.  Using these tones makes the illustrations more 'spacey' and works perfectly with the story.




What an amazing story.  It is a great exemplar to share with students to promote story writing, and it just goes to show ... you don't have to be an adult to get a book published.

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

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 33. The Birthday Cake Mystery by The Tjong-Khing

Tjong-Khing, T. (2012). The Birthday Cake Mystery [Text free]. Wellington, New Zealand: Gecko Press.

ISBN: 9781877579103
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Book / Text Free
Rating: 4 stars

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Whose birthday is it?

Who steals the necklace?

What mischief are the mice up to?

Will poor dog ever finish making the cake?

The Birthday Cake Mystery is a text free detective story.  Told entirely in pictures, there are so many things to spot and a lot of red herrings to lead you astray!  Can you figure out the mystery before the end of the book?  

Created by The Tjong-Khing, it was originally published in 2010 with the title of Verjaardag met taart.  Tjong-Khing is an award winning children's book illustrator based in the Netherlands. 


Tjong-Khing's illustrations remind me a lot of the Berenstain Bears and Richard Scarry books.  They are so well done and they have a very 'old fashioned' feel to them.  

The first image sets the scene (actually if you want a clue, be sure to 'read' the title page!), and each consecutive page adds more detail to the mystery.

This is not a storybook that you can read from start to end.  You will find yourself flipping backwards and forwards between the pages as you try and decipher the mystery/mysteries.

This is such a great addition to your collection, be it at home or at school.  There are so many different stories to follow.  It is great for building children's imagination, and would work really well for story starter activities in literacy sessions.  It makes a great search-and-find activity, and young & old kids (and adults) can spend hours pouring over it and finding something different every time they read it.

This quote from The Children's Bookshop sums it up nicely:

This is a puzzle book that encourages lateral thinking, imagination and optical awareness, without losing its sense of fun or child appeal ...  you find fresh dramas with each reading.

The Children's Bookshop Newsletter, May 2012

I got my copy of The Birthday Cake Mystery 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 16. A Deal's a Deal by Stephanie Blake

Blake, S. (2013). A Deal's a Deal. Wellington, New Zealand: Gecko Press.

ISBN: 9781877579844
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction
Rating: 3 stars

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A deal's a deal,

to take back is to steal.

Meet Simon and his friend Ferdinand.  Today they are playing with their toy cars.  Simon really likes Ferdinand's amazing red car and eventually Ferdinand agrees to swap it for THREE of Simon's cars.  But when Simon gets it home it's not quite what he was made to believe.  How can Simon get back his three cars and pay Ferdinand back for the trick he played on him.


Stephanie Blake, originally from Minnesota, USA, lives in Paris where she writes and illustrates dozens of popular French children's books.  The series of 'Simon' books have been translated in New Zealand and published by Gecko Press.  The original title Donner c'est donner was published in 2007.

In this story Simon is back in his cute super-hero outfit and he has a little bit of car envy.  He's grown up a bit from his appearance in Stupid Baby which can be evidenced in his conversation with Ferdinand.  And like any good kids book, it's got to have a Yuck factor, which is all in the way he comes up with to pay Ferdinand back  The last page is just hilarious!  It might look like Simon is a bit of a sore looser, but I can see the way Ferdinand manipulates Simon into swapping three cars for one car.

The illustrations are vibrant, simple and funny.  They tie in beautifully with the story.  And the facial expressions although simple are quite easy to 'read', especially when Simon comes up with his terrible, horrible, brilliant idea.  Very sinister!

This is the third book in the adventures of Simon the Rabbit.  It's just as funny as the others - Poo Bum and Stupid Baby.  And keep your eye out for I Don't Want to Go to School.   

I got my copy of A Deal's a Deal from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 1. Kiwi Corkers: A Kiwi Christmas Carol by Chris Gurney, illustrated by Philip Webb

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

ISBN: 978775432555
Pages: 24
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook / NZ Fiction
Rating: 3 stars

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Kiwi Corkers: Great New Zealand Yarns are jazzed-up, Kiwi'ised versions of classic tales. 

Gurney's retelling of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is told in a cleverly worded humorous rhyme, although at times it is difficult to keep the rhythm up.  I would recommend reading it to yourself a couple of times before attempting to read aloud.

It is in keeping with Dickens original tale with Jerry D. Miser depicted as a complete scrooge, and being visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and future.  'Bah Humbug' has been exchanged for 'Codswallop', a saying very familiar to many kiwi parents I daresay.

Webb's illustrations, using scanned pencil line and Photoshop, add beautifully to the Gurney's retelling, and the use of bright bold artwork clearly matches the text on each page.  I love that his ghost of Christmas Past is a Maori warrior, and the expressions on Jerry's face are definitely that of a grumpy old man.  Each image has got many kiwi-isms to spot, from an opossum to the pohutokawa flower, the buzzy bee toy to the pavlova.

It is a great addition to your Christmas collection.  Kids will enjoy the humorous rhyme and illustrations, while parents will enjoy the trip down memory lane and spotting all the kiwi'isms they remember.  Even though it is a picture storybook I truly believe that older children will enjoy it more than the younger ones, hence I classified it as a Middle Childhood read.

I got my copy of Kiwi Corkers: A Kiwi Christmas Carol from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

Donovan Bixley: Illustrator / Author extraordinaire!

OMG! Donovan Bixley is the most awesome illustrator around.  

I recently read Monkey Boy (which I will be reviewing later!), written and illustrated by Bixley, and began to wonder just what he had illustrated previously. 

Low and behold, I have unintentionally read quite a few of the books he has illustrated - many of which are in the TPS library where I am the librarian.  (p.s. School librarian is the most awesome job around!!!) 

He has illustrated books by (to name a few):
Margaret Mahy
Kyle Mewburn
Brian Falkner
Yvonne Morrison (whom I worked with at Onekawa Primary - she is a great school teacher, a 'kool' author, and a fantastic dance instructor!)
Barry Crump
Marc Ellis & Charlie Haddrell
Lucy Davey

Some of the books he has worked on (also only to name a few) are:
Monkey Boy
The Three Bears: Sort Of
The Weather Machine
Dashing Dog
The Looky Book
Dinosaur Rescue series
Northwood
Mr. Tanglewood and the Pungapeople
... (like and EVEREADY battery, the list just keeps going on and on and on .... Yay!)

I will most certainly be re-reading our selection of his books when I get back to school and savoring his artistic talent.  I'm also going to try and get my hands on some of the books he wrote (I already have the wickedly amazing Monkey Boy).   

For more information check out Donovan Bixley's official website, or jump onto the Booknotes Unbound - Writers page and read his article.