#365PictureBooks 67. Purrs, Paws and Claws by Errol McLeary

McLeary, E. (2014). Purrs, Paws and Claws. Auckland, New Zealand: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9781775432272
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Book / NZ Fiction / Poetry
Rating: 4 stars

---------------

Erroll McLeary has presented us with a selection of nursery rhymes and limericks with a twist on the original.  They are all pussy-cat inspired! 

There's 'Pussycat Horner' (Little Jack Horner), 'The Cat and the Fiddle', 'Jittery-Tickery Tock' (Hickery Dickery Dock), and 'This little Kitty' (This Little Piggie) to name a few.

A hilarious collection that is a joy to read-aloud.  Children young and old will enjoy it, either for it's fun rhymes, or to see if they can match the original with the adaption.

McLeary's illustrations show the humour of the rhyme in the way they have been done.  Each image has it's own little quirks.  I didn't know whether I should look at the images first to see if I could figure out the rhyme, or read the ditty first and then see if the images matched.  Very cleverly done.

A fun rhyming book to add to your collection.  A nice change for bed-time read-alouds.  A book that cat-loving kids will really enjoy :-)

I got my copy of Purrs, Paws and Claws 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

---------------

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.