Wednesday 9 October 2013

What do werewolves do when it's not Halloween?

I've never been a big fan of Halloween. It was never really a tradition observed in Australia until the marketing wheels got to work and realised there was a buck in it!

Halloween always brings with it a lot of confusion and fear, I find. Everywhere you go during October, more and more ghoulish souvenirs seem to be available for sale. Best avoided I think, especially with young children!


Nonetheless, Scholastic has published two books this month that will appeal to any young child looking for a trick or treat.

What do werewolves do when it's not Halloween? Good question! Perhaps they morph into giant trolls that sleep on piles of treasure, in Don't wake the Troll!

Heath McKenzie's book is a rollicking rhyming text with bright, grisly illustrations. What do werewolves do when it's not Halloween? Everyone else from Halloween seems to find themselves busy - but what do those werewolves get up to for the other 364 days of the year? You'll never guess!


Don't wake the Troll, written by Ben Kitchen and illustrated by Ben Redlich, is somewhat reminiscent of We're going on a bear hunt. Five brave dwarves want their treasure back, treasure stolen by the giant troll. Deep inside the mountain, through a cold and twisty tunnel, the five bold dwarves venture. Will they get their treasure - or will they wake the very, very big and very, very ugly troll?




What do werewolves do when it's not Halloween? 
$14.99 RRP paperback
Scholastic
Recommended 5 years +

Don't wake the Troll!
$14.99 RRP paperback
Scholastic
Recommended 5 years +

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Top fifty picture books for kids

Looking for that perfect book for a perfect gift? 
Looking for a great picture book to read with your little one? 
Looking for a terrific piece of literature that can be used in the classroom? 
Looking for a bucket list of top picture books to read to your child that has more of an Australian flavour?

Look no further...


Here, in no particular order (other than alphabetical by title), are my top 50 picture book titles for children. Published over a period of 110 years, you are guaranteed to find a book that will engage even the fussiest of readers! These books have been selected according to longevity in publishing, appeal, quality and diversity. 

Not what you're looking for? Add your top reads to the comments...


Top fifty picture books for kids



No.
Title
Author
Publishing date
1
Animalia
Graeme Base
1986
2
Are you my mother?
P.D. Eastman
1960
3
A sick day for Amos McGee
Phillip C Stead
2010
4
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?
Bill Martin
1967
5
Click, clack, moo: cows that type
Doreen Cronin
2000
6
Dear Zoo
Rod Campbell
1982
7
Diary of a wombat
Jackie French
2002
8
Each peach pear plum
Janet and Allan Ahlberg
1978
9
Edward the emu
Sheena Knowles
1988
10
Frog and toad are friends
Arnold Lobel
1970
11
Green eggs and ham
Dr Seuss
1960
12
Guess how much I love you
Sam McBratney
1994
13
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy
Lynley Dodd
1983
14
Harry the dirty dog
Gene Zion
1956
15
Imagine
Alison Lester
1993
16
Isabella’s garden
Glenda Millard
2009
17
It’s a book
Lane Smith
2010
18
John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat
Jenny Wagner
1977
19
Look, a book
Libby Gleeson
2011
20
Look see, look at me
Leonie Norrington
2010
21
Mirror
Jeannie Baker
2010
22
Mr Archimedes’ bath
Pamela Allen
1980
23
My place
Nadia Wheatley
1987
24
Peepo
Janet and Allan Ahlberg
1981
25
Possum Magic
Mem Fox
1983
26
Press here
Herve Tullet
2010
27
Rosie’s walk
Pat Hutchins
1968
28
Ten little fingers and ten little toes
Mem Fox
2008
29
The Arrival
Shaun Tan
2007
30
The black book of colours
Menena Cottin
2010
31
The lion and the mouse
Jerry Pinkney
2010
32
The mysteries of Harris Burdick
Chris Van Allsburg
1984
33
The rainbow fish
Marcus Pfister
1999
34
The rainbow serpent
Dick Roughsey
1975
35
There’s a hippopotamus on our roof eating cake
Hazel Edwards
1980
36
There’s a sea in my bedroom
Margaret Wild
1984
37
The tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter
1902
38
The three questions
Jon J Muth
2002
39
The treasure box
Margaret Wild
2013
40
The stinky cheese man and other fairly stupid tales
Jon Scieszka
1992
41
The velveteen rabbit
Margery Williams
1995
42
The very cranky bear
Nick Bland
2008
43
The very hungry caterpillar
Eric Carle
1969
44
We’re going on a bear hunt
Michael Rosen
1989
45
Where is the green sheep?
Mem Fox
2006
46
Where the forest meets the sea
Jeannie Baker
1990
47
Where the wild things are
Maurice Sendak
1963
48
Who sank the boat?
Pamela Allen
1982
49
Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge
Mem Fox
1984
50
Winnie the witch
Valerie Thomas
1987