#365PictureBooks 43. Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci, illustrated by Sara Varon

Castellucci, C., & Varon, S. (2013). Odd Duck. New York, NY: First Second.

ISBN: 9781596435575
Pages: 96
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook / Graphic Novel
Rating: 4 stars

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Theodora is a perfectly normal duck.  She may swim with a teacup balanced on her head and stay north when the rest of the ducks fly south for the winter, but there's nothing so odd about that.

Chad, on the other hand, is one strange bird.  He looks at the stars at night.  He swims in crazy circles instead of straight lines.  His house is a mess.  It's a good thing Chad has a normal friend like 

Theodora to set a good example for him.

With only 6 chapters this is a great graphic novel for younger readers to get into.  It is sized slightly larger than a chapter book, and smaller than a picture book, making it easy to handle.

We follow Theodora as she goes about her day, starting with a healthy exercise routine before she heads off shopping and to the library.  She always gets the same things as all the other ducks, but we can see her individuality showing through as well as the fact that she likes to be alone.  She is happy with who she is and doesn't want anything to change. 

But then one day Chad moves into the empty house next door.  He's a bit of a messy duck, and boy, can he talk ... and talk ... and talk ... and talk.  There is no way they could be friends.  They were just too different, and Chad was just plain Odd!  Theodora was just going to ignore Chad and keep to herself ... just as she preferred!  But slowly Chad begins to grow on Theodora, and before she can help herself they are friends.

Varon's illustrations are gorgeous.  They show Theodora and Chad in all their individual uniqueness.  They are done in muted and paste tones, and although the ducks are pale yellow they stand out from the background images.  The graphic novel scenes are simply done, and the speech bubbles positioned in a way that those new to Graphics can follow along and learn the layout style.  I love how there are little 'extra' bits added to the storyline, kind-of factual information about parts of the scenes you should know about.

Technically this is not a picture book, but I just had to review it.  And really Graphic Novel's are full of illustrations so in a way it is a picture book.  Actually First Second the publishers call it a hybrid picture book-graphic novel format.

A lovely tale of friendship and being a bit different from everyone else.

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

Oops I couldn't find a copy at Napier Libraries.

Check out Goodreads for more reviews of Odd Duck.

#365PictureBooks 42. The First Hippo on the Moon by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross

Walliams, D., & Ross, T. (2014). The First Hippo on the Moon. London, UK: HarperCollins Children' Books.

ISBN: 9780007494002
Pages: 32
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars

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OK, I admit it ... I'm a David Walliams fan.  Not so keen on Little Britain 'cause it's just a bit to 'camp' for me, but man is he clever.  And his chapter books for kids are fantabulous.  Very popular as read-alouds with our year 5 & 6 teachers. 

The First Hippo on the Moon is Walliams' second picture book.  It tells the story of Sheila (yes she is a hippo named Sheila - get over it!) and her attempt to be the first hippo on the moon.  Her competition is Hercules Waldorf-Frankiln III (I dare you to say this aloud and not use a posh voice!).  Hercules Waldorf-Franklin III, who happens to be extremely rich, pays to have a space rocket built.  Sheila, who is just a regular hippo, talks her friends into helping her build one.  Does Sheila's rocket even get off the ground?  And if so, who gets to the moon first?

This is such a hilarious read and full of humorous one-liners.  It's particularly good as a read-aloud, especially if you use different voices - Hercules just asks for a pompous voice, and Sheila for some reason just came out all high-pitched and squeaky.  I used it for book week last year with our year 5 & 6 classes.  They just 'get' Walliams humour.

Tony Ross's illustrations are amazing too.  They tie in perfectly with the story.  Using his signature style, combined with lots of bright colour the bring Walliams tale of these two hippos to life.  The animals are quite realistic in appearance so younger children will have no trouble recognising them.

The illustrations are a combination of full page images and graphic novel style images and include lots of speech bubbles as well as the main story text.  Make sure you read all the extra bits 'cause they ARE part of the story.

This is such an awesome book and well worth adding to your collection, whether you are a David Walliams & Tony Ross fan or just for the fun of the story.  Definitely a book for Middle childhood and older (including adults).

I got my copy of The First Hippo on the Moon from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#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 40. Toys Galore by Peter Stein, illustrated by Bob Staake

Stein, P., & Staake, B. (2013). Toys Galore. London, UK: Walker Books.

ISBN: 9781406346213
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Book 
Rating: 5 stars

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Toys are silly.

Toys are fun

Who loves toys?

Everyone!

This book ticks all my 'fun factor' boxes.  It is bright.  It is rhymey (yes I know it's not a real word).  The illustrations are cute.  It is just plain fun!  I defy you to put it down before you have finished.  Not going to happen!!!

The rhyme is easy to pick up, and with lots of repetition little kids will be able to follow along with the humorous text.

The character illustrations are kind of alien'ish, but they are just so awesome.  They are bright and happy looking, and just make you want to smile along with them.  There are so many great toys to spot.  Each page has toys relating to the particular part of the rhyme.

This is such a cool book to add to your collection.  It is a fun book for reading aloud either at bedtime ... well maybe not if you are trying to settle your child down to sleep!  But certainly great for daytime read-alouds and class read-alouds.  Older kids will have fun reading it to their younger buddies.  Be careful you don't get your tongue twisted around the words :-) 

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

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#365PictureBooks 39. My Dad is a Superhero by Ruby Brown, illustrated by Lesley Vamos

Brown, R., & Vamos, L. (2013). My Dad is a Superhero. Richmond, Australia: Chirpy Bird.

ISBN: 9781742976396
Pages: 24
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: 4 stars

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He is SUPER STRONG.

He can FLY really high.

And he can turn INVISIBLE.

He's my amazing DAD,

THE SUPERHERO. 

This is a gorgeous book about everyone's superhero ... our DAD!

The text is very simple - only one line per page, with language appropriate for this age group.  Even though it is a simple story, it will work really well with year 3 & 4 students, just for the sheer fun of it!

Vamos's illustrations bring the story to life.  Each brightly colourful page visually depicts what the text is telling us.  My favourite (actually one of many) is the page showing dad's invisibility powers.  So super cool!

There is so much humour shown in the illustrations.  Some of the situations are just so realistic, and I'm sure we thought our parents had superpowers too.  Adults will probably get just as much (if not more) pleasure out of reading this book to their kids - especially if we can see ourselves as the parent!!

What a fantastic book to share at any time, and especially for Fathers Day.  It will make a great addition to our collection of superhero books - I've got one teacher that just loves doing this theme with her year 3 & 4 kids each year.

I got my copy of My Dad is a Superhero from the Taradale Primary School library where I work. 

You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.

#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.