'Snail and Turtle are friends' celebrates friendship, diversity and companionship.
Snail and Turtle are great friends and like to do things together, at their own pace, in their own way.
Stephen Michael King brings a wonderful sense of humour to this story as seen in both the words and pictures. The irony depicted between the two brings another layer to this otherwise simple yet endearing story. Subtle messages in the drawings are ideal discussion starters particularly when looking at the literal meaning versus the inferential meaning.
The high gloss snail trails on various pages add to the overall sensory experience. Beautiful illustrations experiment with layout and colour throughout including vignettes and double page spreads.
Another winner from Stephen Michael King!
Hardcover
RRP $24.99
Scholastic
Recommended for ages 4+ years
On the back of the success of Penguin's 'Our Australian Girl' series, the 'Do you dare?' series promises to wrap you further into Australia's great history.
Pitched at boys aged between 8 and 12 years, this series fills a much needed hole in the market for historical fiction with an all Australian boy-hero flavour.
Written by prominent Australian authors, the 'Do you dare?' series takes us from 1836 through to 1931. These stories promise to be face paced and driven by adventure and I certainly think they have delivered.
The title read for review purposes was 1844 - The last horse race, written by James Moloney. Gripping narrative, memorable characters and steeped in historical references, this book brought history to life and is sure to engage girls and boys alike.
Based in Brisbane in the days of very early settlement, 'The last horse race' is an adventure packed novel with young Toby as the main protagonist. Join Toby and his mates as they take on villains and crooks, all in the name of freedom.
This was a great read - looking forward to reading the other titles in the series, namely: 1836 - 'Fighting bones'; 1841 - 'The bushranger's boys'; and 1931 - 'Tough times'.
Puffin (Penguin Group Australia)
RRP $14.99
Paperback novel 179 pages
In a word - entrancing!
Elise Hurst's book is delightful from the very first page turn.
The simple, lyrical text is beautifully supported by the black ink line drawings.
The illustrations, deceptively simple, reveal great depth and complexity the longer you linger upon them.
Join a mother and her two children as they imagine a city that they've never imagined before - where buses are fish and fish fly the sky. Anything is possible with imagination.
A book to truly treasure - particularly in the collectable hardcover edition.
Highly recommended for 4+ years
Written and illustrated by Elise Hurst
RRP $24.99 hardcover
Omnibus Books
Who doesn't love fish and chips by the sea? The gentle breeze, the salty spray, the rolling waves... and the squawking seagulls trying to pinch that last little chip!
That squawking seagull might just have been Max - the cheeky seagull by the sea. Award winning Marc Martin has written and illustrated a beautiful story about friendship, perseverance and loyalty with the odd chip thrown in. Max's best mate Bob just happens to own a fish and chip shop down by the pier. The perfect match! Each evening they would go fishing together until one summer when Max went to visit and Bob was gone. Max is determined to find his best friend.
Beautiful, bright illustrations with a vintage feel gently take the reader on a journey through change, all in the name of progress. But it's reassuring to know that somethings will always remain the same.
Recommended for 4+ years
Viking Publications
Hardcover
$24.99 RRP
Many a book has been written about dinosaurs for young budding palaeontologists - but this one is a little different!
Kel Richards has explored the prehistoric world of the dinosaurs - but only in our neck of the woods! Aussie dinosaurs are quite unique - with even more unique names. Come and meet George and Cooper, Clancy and Matilda.
'The big book of Aussie dinosaurs' is full of interesting facts and amusing pictures. Learn about which dinosaurs were the biggest and the smallest; the slowest and the fastest; the oldest and the youngest.
The Aussie dinosaur gallery at the end comes complete with a pronunciation guide and the meanings of all the different dinosaur names.
Bright and engaging illustrations by Glen Singleton will enthral the youngest dinosaur fan as they learn about the world that was our own backyard!
Recommended for 4+ years
Hardcover
RRP $15.99
Scholastic
What would you buy a snake for his birthday?
Boa is having a miserable birthday! One after another his jungle friends excitedly give him a birthday present only to find out that Boa is harder to buy for than first thought!
Orang-utan thought a piano would be perfect; Monkey thought some sunglasses would be ideal; and Jaguar thought mittens would fit the bill!
Written with the message that we all experience disappointment in life - but don't despair! When you least expect it, something perfect will come along. Learning to be grateful and gracious, Boa ends up with the perfect present!
Written and illustrated by award winning team, Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross, Boa's Bad Birthday is sure to become a favourite with children and adults alike.
Recommended 4+ years
$14.99 RRP
Paperback
Koala Books
Poppy Cat is a copy cat and she is hot off the press!
Poppy is a mischievous kitten who follows her owner wherever she goes, usually ending up in that inevitable mischief! All cat owners will appreciate the tangled ties, the pouncing paws and cuddly purrs.
Sara Acton, award winning author/illustrator of 'Hold on tight' and 'Ben and Duck', returns with a gentle story about friendship and companionship. Delight in the simple water colour illustrations that beautifully accompany this warm story.
One of our favourite author/illustrators has returned with another winner!
Recommended for 3+ years
$24.99 RRP
Hardcover
Scholastic
