Miller, T., & Stanton, M. (2013). The Pirate who had to Pee. Sydney, Australia: ABC Books.
ISBN: 978775432555
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Book
Rating: 4 stars
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Pirate Pete had a need. A really urgent need. He had to Pee! But there was a problem. The toilet was out of order! Oh No! What is he going to do?
Told in a very simple rhyme with one line of text per page, this is a humorous read-aloud for young children. There is quite a bit of repetition making it an easy story for children to follow along and join in.
The computer generated illustrations are really bright. The ocean in the background (and the puddles on the ship) have text within with all sorts of 'water' noises. I'm sure you know what it's like when you really have to go, and your friends make 'encouraging' water noises to make you really really really need to go - so helpful!!!
I like this book. It's simple, colourful and has two topics that young children like - Pirates, Peeing - and a nice easy rhyming text ... who could ask for more :-) A cute and fun addition to your collection.
I got my copy of The Pirate who had to Pee from the Taradale Primary School library where I work.
You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.
Woollard, E., & Ellis, E. (2013). The Pet Itch. West Sussex, UK: Maverick Arts.
ISBN: 9781848861077
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars
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What Mossy the Monster most wanted to get in the whole wide world was a small PESTY pet.
Mossy reeeeeaaaaalllllyyyyy wants a pet Itch. But his family think he is too young, and that pets are nasty, smelly and noisy. They try to talk him into soft toys, imaginary pets and just looking at books with Itchs in them. Mossy is having none of it! He wants a real pet Itch! He and his sister finally come up with a plan to trick his family into letting them keep a pet Itch. But does it work???
Woollard's story of a young monster wanting a pet has been told in a humorous rhyme. Children will be able to relate to the 'need' for a pet, whilst parents will be able to laugh at the antics the aunt, uncle & grandma get up to trying to talk Mossy out of his idea. I know for sure that we've been down this 'road of denial' before we finally gave in to our 14 year old and allowed him to get a dog! Kids .... they'll wear you down and twist you around in the end!
The fonts have been done with a mix of bold and capitalization to show emphasis in the rhyme. And I love how his sister keeps butting in!
Ellis's illustrations add perfectly to the rhyming story. The monsters are horribly cute, even the pet Itch ... well I don't know about the tutu! The mixture of full page images and smaller images are done in bold bright colours. This makes the monsters, done in a purply-brown hue, really stand out as the main focus.
A great read-aloud monster and pet book to add to your collection. I can see some really creative class activities coming out of this book that I will get to display in the library :-)
I got my copy of The Pet Itch from the Taradale Primary School library where I work.
You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.
Dreis, S., & Hahn, D. (2013). Happiness is a Watermelon on Your Head. London, UK: Phoenix Yard Books.
ISBN: 9781907912054
Pages: 40
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6 / Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 5 stars
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This is the story of three bitter, unhappy and miserable women - Miss Whimper, Miss Grouch & Miss Stern. Their neighbour, Miss Jolly and her pet Melvin the boar, is always happy. These three grumps try to find out her secret, and in the process learn that happiness can be a big sticky pink mess. With the help of a teeny tiny watermelon food fight!
Originally published in 2011 in Portuguese with the title A Felicidade e uma Melancia na Cebeca by Callis Editora.
Wow! I just love love love this book. Stella Dreis' illustrations are fan-freaking-amazing!!! I saw some artwork many years ago that this reminds me of, but I'm blowed if I can remember the artist ... aaaarrrrrggghhhh!!!!. I would love to have some on my walls!
The illustrations are extremely bright and colourful and done in a surrealist style. They have been depicted in an overly exaggerated way from their facial and body features, their expressions, through to the way they move. I love their snobbish expressions as they strut around with the most hideously fantastic hats on their heads.
Hahn's rhyming text is a perfect match to Dreis's illustrations. It has a catchy rhythm and mostly uses language that younger children can understand.
What a fantastically imaginative and fun book to add to your collection. The artwork is worth spending hours pouring over, and the rhyming story makes for a great read-aloud. Even though it is supposedly for Early Childhood 0-6 year old children I personally think that Middle Childhood 7-12 year olds will appreciate this book more, both for the illustrations and the humorous rhyme.
I got my copy of Happiness is a Watermelon on Your Head from the Taradale Primary School library where I work.
Woops, I couldn't find a copy at Napier Libraries.
Check out Goodreads for more reviews of Happiness is a Watermelon on Your Head.
Heinz, B.J., & Murdocca, S. (1996). The Monsters' Test. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press.
ISBN: 9780761300953
Pages: 24
Age Level: Middle Childhood 7-12
Genre: Picture Storybook / Poetry
Rating: 3 stars
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The Monsters' Test is a bit of an oldie, but I have only just purchased it, and it's about monsters so I'm definitely going to review it.
Kid's are always having friendly competitions - who is the tallest, the smartest, the prettiest, the fastest - and monsters are no different. So when a group of the worst of them get together for an evening out, it's not surprising that they decide to have a contest to see which of them is the scariest looking.
Told in verse the Monsters' Test is more appropriate for upper primary and intermediate children. The rhyme is catchy although not always easy to keep the rhythm up. Each monster gets a chance to try and outdo everyone else with lots of heckling from the audience.
In keeping with the monster theme the background images are dark and full of suspense. However the foreground images of the monsters have quite a lot of colour, and the creatures facial expressions and antics make this a book to laugh at and enjoy rather than be scared of. It shows kids that, just like them, other 'creatures' have fun, make fun of each other, love competition and can be scared of the silliest things!!!
What a great book about Halloween. I like it although I have to say the sometimes un-rhythmic verse has let it down ... hence only 3 stars. It would be a great poem for senior students poetry competitions. I must admit that it is currently catalogued in our system as 821:Poetry, but I'm thinking it will get more use in our Sophisticated Picture Book section so I'll be changing it before the spine label goes on this week.
I got my copy of The Monsters' Test from the Taradale Primary School library where I work.
You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.
Webb, C., & Blassnig, M. (2014). Adorable Alice. Frenchs Forest, Australia: New Frontier.
ISBN: 9781921928017
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars
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Alice loves to keep herself entertained in all sorts of creative ways, and everyday she likes to do something different. With the help of her Teddy Bear, this week she is using her senses and wonders what it would be like to not speak, hear or smell. And on Friday she covers her eyes and tries to recognise the people and places around her home using all her other senses.
Webb uses language appropriate for younger children, and she has lots of descriptive language which is especially good for literacy in the junior primary school and with pre-school children.
Each of the senses that Alice uses is easily recognised or able to be explained to young children and can be made into an activity for them to try for themselves.
Blassnig's illustrations are beautifully done. Done in soft watercolour, each page clearly shows Alice and her daily 'sense' adventure. Her Teddy Bear has been depicted as a living bear and is always there giving Alice support and love. The facial expressions on Alice and her family are realistic. Young children will be able to relate to what is being read by using the visual clues in each image.
This is just an adorable book. What a simple and clever way of explaining to children about their senses, or helping them understand other people with disabilities. A great addition to your home or school collection.
I got my copy of Adorable Alice from the Taradale Primary School library where I work.
You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.
White, A. (2013). Clementine's Walk. Frenchs Forest, Australia: New Frontier.
ISBN: 9781921928475
Pages: 32
Age Level: Early Childhood 0-6
Genre: Picture Storybook
Rating: 4 stars
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Clementine is bored and decides she wants to go outside in the sunshine for a walk. She makes messes everywhere as she bumbles her way around the whole family trying to find someone to take her. But they are all too busy to take her for a walk. Poor Clementine. When everyone is finally ready to go they can't find Clementine anywhere! Where can she be hiding?
What a gorgeous story. It has a simple rhyming text and uses language that is aimed at it's younger audience.
The illustrations tie in perfectly with the text and are just beautifully done. They have quite an 'old-fashioned' look to them. Done on a pale cream background your eye is drawn to the main focus - Clementine and her antics in trying to get the family to take her for a walk. Clementine has been shown as a scruffy looking happy dog ... well until she gives up because everyone is too busy. The illustrations are quite realistic looking, while being done nice and simply and not too complicated for younger children to relate to. They show the energy and chaos that is part of having a pet dog.
The end papers are just lovely. The front shows a trail of Clementines mess, while the back has a map of Clementine's walk when the family eventually takes her out.
The rhyme and the story make this is a beautiful book for reading aloud whether you have a pet or not. It is also a good title to have in your classroom or library for Year 1 students.
Teacher notes are available for this Clementine's Walk.
I got my copy of Clementine's Walk from the Taradale Primary School library where I work.
You can find a copy at Napier Libraries.
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.
