CULLITON, Lucy (illus.) Lisa Nicol (text) The Ballad of Dexi Lee JC Pub, 2013 unpaged $19.95 pbk ISBN 9781922190482 SCIS 1628679 This story of difference and acceptance of Dexi Lee and her outsized hands sometimes feels a little contrived. The rhymed text sits uneasily with the vibrant and imaginative visual story line. reviewed by Chris Dayman
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BECKER, Aaron Journey Candlewick, 2013 unpaged $27.95 ISBN 9780763660536 SCIS 1645729 For the child imagination is infinite and Becker has entered this world of wonder and delight. There appears to be an eye on Steam Punk genre as a little girl seemingly lost in an adult city world takes flight into her imagination. She uses her coloured pencils and enters a magical kingdom full of light and adventure. She sails through a medieval city and then launches off in her red balloon passing fantastic flying machines, escaping capture by the airsoldiers, and then moving through the night until she finds…
Jessica, WELSH (text) Timmy and Mazie Xlibris, 2013 unpaged US$25.00 pbk ISBN 9781483696003 Timmy and Mazie have many interests. Timmy likes climbing and playing outdoors. His sister Mazie likes the colours of the bright flowers she finds outside. Mazie likes to read about adventures but Timmy likes to participate in them. In spite of the differences they enjoy each other’s company. Told in large text, the story is brief and straightforward but will ring true for many children. It could lead to comfortable discussions about comparisons, contrasts and similarities. Also the illustrations have the accessibility that could be derived when an…
Stories for 6 Year Olds: 25 stories by great NZ authors 288pp ISBN 9781775536123 SCIS 1652872; Stories for 7 Year Olds: 25 Stories by great NZ authors 272pp ISBN 9781775536147 SCIS 1656489 Random House, 2014 NZ$19.99 pbk These two anthologies are a good start for modelling reading aloud a chapter book. The distinction between stories for the two different ages has to be very fluid indeed. For example, David Hill’s clever play with words in ‘Wool you join us?’ will no doubt appeal to some 10 year olds let alone the designated 6 year old (especially if the child comes…
STEWART, Briony Here in the Garden UQP, 2014 unpaged $24.95 ISBN 9780702250101 SCIS 1646765 Here is a lovely picture book about remembering someone who has gone and wishing they were still there. The nameless child, the narrator, wanders about their yard, throughout the seasons, and reminisces about things they shared: beautiful things like leaves, seedlings, mist on windows, puddles, flowers, bees, cold drinks and ice blocks. The person, whom the child misses, is not named or even described, so the reader can choose who the missed person reminds them of. The story reminded me of one of my grandfathers, who…
SAXBY, Claire (text) Janine Dawson (illus.) Christmas at Grandad’s Farm Five Mile Press, 2013 unpaged $16.99 pbk ISBN 9781743463789 SCIS 1638765 Printed in brackets on the cover are the words (Jingle all the way . . .) and that perfectly describes this happy rollicking book with its cover illustration of a genial Grandad and his three excited grandchildren wearing thongs, Christmas caps, carrying beach towels, and accompanied by their two puppies, obviously set for an exciting day’s outing. Over the page the text sets the scene more closely: the family has arrived at Grandad’s with hugs and smiles all round,…
ROBINSON, Nikki Slade Munkle Arvur and the Big Dry Scholastic (NZ), 2014 32pp NZ$19.50 pbk ISBN 9781775432135 SCIS 1647445 With the deft use of words and nonsense poetry reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, the author here has created a contemporary parable of the need for conservation of water. Water is essential for life and any misuse can have disastrous effects. That’s the serious message. But the joy of this book is in the visual and verbal telling. With a bold acknowledgement to all her fantabulicious family at the beginning, the author signals her passion for textual playfulness. Come along for the…
ROBAARD, Jedda Stanley the Sock Monster Goes to the Moon Five Mile Press, 2013 $16.99 ISBN 9781743467893 SCIS 1639751 Stanley the sock monster is obsessed. He is desperate to go to the moon. His favourite night-time story is To the moon and back and his Dad reads it to him every night. Dad tells him ‘You can go anywhere you imagine.’ Stanley begins to plan for his big adventure. He has books, notes, a pin-board covered in sketches and plenty of ideas. But none of them work and his friends are not much help, not even the cow who was…
GIANNONE, Rose (text) Bern Emmerichs (illus.) What’s Your Story? Berbay Pub, 2013 unpaged $24.95 ISBN 9780980671155 SCIS 1641843 It’s hard to know just what to make of this book, with its potted history of Australia since the arrival of Europeans, and its message that everyone has a story to tell. The illustrations sweeping across the pages are non-naturalistic and quite confusing; for example, a cutaway picture of the ship on which they arrive shows the deck and three levels packed with people – but those on level two are upside down (why?), and when a young immigrant is surprised at…
COTTON, Tilney Little Chef, Big Curse Scholastic, 2014 210pp $16.99 pbk ISBN 9781742832692 SCIS 1641853 Eleven-year-old Matty Swink is an orphan who lives with a wretched guardian who makes him work as a dish-washer and live under the sink. There is no time to go to school; instead Matty spends all day working in the diner. However Matty has big dreams of becoming a famous chef and leaving the disgusting diner he lives in far behind him. But in order to do this he must win the great cook-off to become the new palace chef. But what is he going…