Picture Book Joy

I really can't believe it has been so long since I last posted I actually thought it had only been a week or two so my sincere apologies, in all that time I have not stopped reading but once again I am posting this on a Friday evening after a more hectic than ever week so once again I am indulging in my favourite past time of picture books and what a delight they have been. 

If you ever need to bring a smile to your face these books can really help, they are quite honestly disarmingly wonderful, simple yet complicated, intricate in their images yet just stunning to admire and books that make you want to shout out loud from the rooftops just how wonderful they and their creators are.  I could not get through my week without some gorgeous picture books to read and share and I defy anyone not to love at least one of what is to follow.

In no particular order what follows is a few of my thoughts on my small(!) pile of reading!

Ace Dragon Ltd is a collaboration between Russell Hoban and Quentin Blake a classic story published by Walker Books and a dream team collaboration of words and pictures that will have you laughing out loud.  This is an adventure in the sky, a story of a little boy and quite a big dragon.  It is a story about learning to believe that if you want to do something you need to try it, nothing is impossible (in the imagination at least) and you just never know where you might go, who you might become and why a bale of hay may be just the thing you need!

Little Bell and the Moon by Giles Paley-Philips and Iris Deppe is a gentle, warm and delightful bedtime story.  From its front cover  - a big round smiley moon holding hands with a little girl, you just know that this is going to be a very special adventure that will produce the sweetest of dreams and demand regular nightly reads. Its soft and muted pallet is the perfect relaxant and its simple but evocative words will lull the reader into a place of warmth and security in time for sleep.  Its subject - growing old - is rare and it is dealt with in a very sensitive way, charming, unusual and a delight, thank you Fat Fox for publishing this one.

Now for a splash of colour and perhaps even a splosh in the ocean join Mouse in a glorious rhyming sea adventure.  The Mouse Who Sailed the Seas by Amy Sparkes and Nick East (Egmont) is funny and silly a great book for sharing and for using to delight children with the idea of rhyme and great adventure going hand in hand.  Remember to look closely at the artwork too and see what Mouse really gets up to and discovers on his adventures - hours of fun!

Out of this world adventures are always fun to read and Space Walkies is one such book with a difference, here we have a dog in space!  Suspend disbelief for who knows, this could really happen ... however when Bailey the dog finds himself in space he may meet alien life but what he really thinks he would like is to have a walkie with his very own Orson again.  This title, by Robert Dunn, along with Fins Fluff and other Stuff by Bruno Merz and Dreda Blow are both in the QED Storytime series and offer a wonderful rhyming introduction to stories and their sharing.

This next one came in a noisy box - a clever marketing tool that really did get me looking at the book to see what all the noise was about. What did I find?  Nina Goes Barking Mad by Anita Pouroulis and Agata Krawczyk (Digital Leaf) is the mystery picture book story investigating the reason that Nina just won't stop barking but will Jules get to the bottom of all the noise before everyone is driven completely mad?  A silly, funny and lively story about one of the joys of having a pet!

Perhaps what Jules needed was Dinosaur Police by Sarah McIntyre (Scholastic) maybe they could have solved the problem but of course they are busy trying to save the day and the town from a very greedy T-Rex, exuberant fun!

Finally three delightful books from Andersen Press.  Go to Sleep Monty! by Kim Geyer is another lovely bedtime story but not in the way that you might expect.  The naughty culprit who won't go to bed in this one is actually a new puppy and we soon learn that whilst they may look cute they are not always the easiest of pets so just wait and see who it is that ends up going to bed!

Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni is a simple and muted yet lively book about learning how important it is to accept and be just who you are.  This story follows a little tadpole who becomes a frog and finds a new world opening up before his eyes.  But can a frog become a fish and should he?  A clever and insightful story told with great sensitivity.

The Little Bookshop and the Origami Army by Michael Foreman is perhaps a little bit of a favourite, being about bookshops which are of course akin to libraries!  Will the closing down of a bookshop in favour of a supermarket really be allowed to go ahead?  Can Hoey and Origami Girl come to the rescue with their army of characters?  Find out in this exuberant and important story all about the power of reading...

A Light Hearted Selection

After the teen angst of last week I have continued to indulge in my favourite past time of reading but this time reading picture books, a guilty pleasure?  Great enjoyment!

I love the title of my first one Don't Think About Purple Elephants of course makes me want to think about them Susan Whelan and Gwynneth Jones (EK Books), in fact I want to see them too and know why I can't think about them!  This is of course the perfect title for a book, it generates  questions and when you open it to start reading some of those questions are answered!  This is a gentle and calm book about coping with troubles, troubles that come to mind at night, the worst possible time for them of course, and minor troubles they may be but they are enough to keep a young person awake at night - what if a favourite t-shirt is being washed and can't be worn?  What if its sprouts for supper?  A lighthearted and wonderfully illustrated look at the idea of easing worry that will resonate with children and grown ups alike.  And are there any purple elephants ... I will leave that to you to find out!

What the Jackdaw Saw by Julia Donaldson, Nick Sharratt and the children from Life & Death (Macmillan Children's Books) is a very special book written and illustrated by a super talented duo along with a very special group of children who were lucky enough to spend a day with Julia when she was Laureate.  In exploring stories for deaf children they worked on this new title whose characters are deaf and use sign language.  A book about signing, about acceptance and about friendship this is a delight to read and an education too.  It features some wonderful animals and a very funny story!

Ever wondered what life is like for children in Australia?  Wonder no more for with the help of An Aussie Year: Twelve Months in the Life of Australian Kids by Tania McCartney and Tina Snerling (EK Books) you are about to find out!  This is a packed and busy book but it does take you through 12 months, using 5 children and their pet dog to introduce you to all things Australian from Chinese New Year in January when it is summer to paddling with jellyfish in May there is an Aborigine celebration in July of course play dates and sleepovers and even Christmas.  Some fascinating insights into similarities and differences make this a fascinating book to return to time and again.
Another book from the same authors and publisher is the charming Tottie and Dot, two best freinds who do everything together until one day competition enters their lives, what will be the cot?  A thoughtful exploration of what friendship means.

Ever wondered what a slimy slug would feel like if you were to give it a hug?  Wonder no more for in Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross' Slug Needs a Hug (Andersen Press) you can find out just how the little slug feels when he doesn't get a hug from his mummy.  Why can this be he and his friends wonder and so efforts are made to make him more attractive but is this really what he needs?  A great book about accepting who you are and understanding just what it is you might really need.

Now a collection of titles from the glorious Phaidon Press.  The Beast of Monsieur Racine by Tomi Ungerer is the story of a prize winning pear tree missing all its fruit.  Monsieur Racine cannot be cross however for the stealer of his fruit is a very strange looking beast and they soon form an unlikely friendship.  There is a wonderful twist at the end too so do pay attention to the illustration.  A picture book for older readers this has a strong message, more detailed text and a generally more grown-up feel to it.

Snail Where Are You? by Tomi Ungerer again is a gloriously vibrant wordless picture book that encourages no end of storytelling ideas with its quirky pictures.  From a boat at sea to owls, a ballerina and even a violinist what story can you make and how many different ones can you tell?

Finally, but not least of all A World of Your Own by Laura Carlin is a tremendous picture book, a work of art that encourages readers to look at the pictures, read the sparse words and literally try to create a world of their own.  Laura Carlin provides the sparks, the reader must provide the imagination.  Intelligent and once again a picture book well deserving of an older readership.