BfK Under 5s Pre – School/Nursery/Infant continued


of The Railway Children when Bobbie cries out “Daddy! Oh my Daddy!” may find a similar lump in the throat here. The doll Megan had indeed gone to find Daddy, and Daddy has brought her home.


The illustrations by Andrew


Whitson are excellent, and match the elemental nature of the story. The women praying on the harbour wall could be from any period in time, with their cloaks, or shawls, or coats blowing in the wind. Malachy Doyle comes from Northern Ireland, has lived in Wales and returned to Ireland, and in this story he brings out the necessity of our relationship with the sea in all its variation and danger, not only for those whose livelihood depends on it,


but also published for the


families at home awaiting their return each day. This picturebook has been simultaneously


in Irish


and in Welsh, and will certainly find readers to enjoy it, although, sadly, not all attempts at bargaining with the sea will be successful. DB


The Best Sound in the World HHHHH


Cindy Wume, Lincoln Children’s Books, 32pp, 978 1 7860 3169 3, £11.99 hbk


What’s your favourite sound? Could it be birdsong, a gentle waterfall, some soft sibilance in a poem, or waves gently breaking on the shore? Perhaps like Roy, the little lion in this lovely debut picture book, music would get your vote. Roy lives in the big city and is


surrounded by constant sound: his neighbour Jemmy lemur is also a music lover but his accompanying ‘noise’ dancing, clapping and vocals are a terrible distraction for a great musician in the


making. To that end Roy decides to collect beautiful


sounds; those that take his fancy, he puts into small bottles and takes home. The problem comes when he tries to copy them with his violin. Like his neighbour, Jemmy starts collecting sounds to help Roy but this only serves to annoy him. The lion sets off next day to look


farther afield for the most beautiful sound in the entire world. His search takes him deep into the forest where he collects the rain’s plip-plops and high into mountains where he bottles the twitter-tweets of birds. On he goes adding to his collection, sounds from the desert, by the sea and in the market. All this only serves to confuse him: which one is THE most beautiful of all? Starting to feel lonely, Roy decides to


head home, sad and without that which he sought. Could it be that what he’s been looking for so far afield is, after all, to be found rather closer to home? That’s not quite the end of this


heart-warming saga but suffice it to say that friendship is the key. The superbly spirited scenes, both urban and further off in wild parts, are an absolute delight, littered as they often are with musical notes emanating from


Roy’s violin, his friend’s


accompaniments and those distant places, not to mention all those enchanting bit-part players. JB


Supertato, Veggies in the Valley of Doom


HHH


Sue Hendra, ill. Paul Linnet, Simon and Schuster, 978 1 4711 7170 3, £6.99 pbk


Jumping on the super hero


bandwagon comes this new zany veggie book in the series, this one set in a supermarket at night time. Bored, the vegetables decide to play hide and seek. “I’m great at hide and seek!”


shouts Broccoli. Supertato


reviews


starts counting… “499, 500! Ready or not, here I come!” With his red cape flowing and his black mask in place, Supertato quickly finds his friends, but Carrot finds a treasure map, so of course, off they set to follow the trail. [No-one notices The Evil Pea.] Through all sorts of hazards, Supertato comes out on top. But, disaster, finally, spotting the treasure chest, they all sink fast into quicksand. Who would hear their cries for help? Against his better nature, it is Evil Pea to the rescue. Then, SURPRISE! What (or who?) is in the chest? Whacky drawings throughout


characterise


the veggies in bright, bold colours; these should appeal to a youngster, especially a superhero fan, or one who likes broccoli! GB


Once Upon a Wild Wood HHHH


Chris Riddell, Macmillan, 32pp, 978-1-5098-1706-1, £12.99 hbk


“Once upon a time....” and a door opens through which the reader – or listener, steps into a world that will often be both familiar and strange. This is what happens in this new picture book from the pen of Chris Riddell – literally. The clever cover design with its cut-out through which we can see Little Green Cape book in hand, standing in a doorway stepping out to adventure inviting us to join her; we cannot resist. We know we are entering a fairy tale – the title alerts us and we see surrounding our path into the wood familiar faces; three pigs, perhaps a wolf...seven dwarves. Young readers will be delighted in making the connections and will feel a pleasant sense of familiarity. Little Green Cape is off to a party – Rapunzel’s party. Like all fairytale questers she takes some useful items – a stick, a bag of breadcrumbs, a book among others. She will meet a variety of characters on the way. Will she come to harm? This is not a story of great jeopardy and danger, though


The Girls HHHHH


Lauren Ace, ill. Jenny Løvlie, Caterpillar Books, 30pp, 978 1 84857 719 0, £11.99, hbk


Sasha, Lottie, Alice and Leela share a special place, an apple tree where they like


to meet. Despite


together. As time passes their lives take


dreams and their them in different


their


different personalities and interests they are the best of friends, sharing their


directions


both in terms of their relationships and careers. Childhood traits and interests become adult careers; Sacha, always practical and caring, becomes a doctor and adventurous Lottie an explorer. Although they were ‘as different as they were the same’


worries


they remained the best of friends sharing each other’s successes and helping each other when they had difficulties. This is a delightful and beautifully story which celebrates


illustrated


female friendship. It does not idealise however, recognising there are ups and downs and that friends do fall out sometimes


too. The story is


aspirational suggesting a range of possibilities in terms of the girls’ life paths and quietly promotes diversity through


and their relationships are depicted. A


books which would


the ways the characters make


a


wonderful present for young girls and a great addition to library or school collections of books on relationships or girls and women. SMc


20 Books for Keeps No.232 September 2018


5 – 8 Infant/Junior The Visitor


HHHHH


Antje Damm, Gecko Press, 32pp. 978 1 7765 7188 8, £10.99


Over the years Elise, who is frightened of everything and lives all alone in a drab little house, has become a complete recluse. Elise is fanatical about having a


clean, tidy home and on occasion leaves a window open to let fresh air in. Imagine her surprise then when one day in through the open window sails a paper aeroplane. Her response is to throw it into the fire. Next morning she gets an even bigger surprise: there’s a persistent knocking on her door. Her visitor is a little boy, who’s come in search of his plane (and needs to visit the loo).


there is a moment of crisis. Rather it is a story full of humour and fun. Little Green Cape is not only sensible and polite, she is resourceful and helpful – and the conclusion of her journey is a riotous dance. Riddell is not just a master of line


and colour, here very much on display, but also We


are


of the layered narrative. introduced


to characters


and events in neat vignettes adding movement and incident while the full page illustrations are framed as pictures subtly reminding the reader that we are in a picture book world. There are details to enjoy – the trees with faces (a homage to Rackham perhaps?), Little


Green book has no title – not, Cape’s I suspect


an omission but deliberate; Riddell suggest this in his verse prologue which also acts as the envoi. Who knows where a story will take you? “I wonder” thought Green...”what will happen next...” This is a joyful book designed to


give pleasure not only through the humour of the text and illustrations but


through the underlying visual


satisfaction provided by a true artist of the picture book. Pick it up, walk through the gap between the trees – and have fun. FH


Having done the latter, it turns


out that her visitor is an outgoing, inquisitive lad who asks Elise about the pictures on her wall, and the books on her


shelves. When he


requests a story, she’s more than happy to oblige, and having read the entire book, the two play together and have a snack after which, Elise reluctantly suggests the boy should go home. Before he leaves, he tells her his name is Emil and thanks her for the fun time they’ve shared. As it grows dark, Elise, alone once starts some paper folding.


more,


Now all she need do is wait. A new world of wonderful possibilities has just opened up for her. The diorama/ cut-out style illustrations are superb. Elise’s expressions really draw the reader right in to this wonderful story,


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