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


suggest a gentle, family tale. But in fact, in what the publicity describes as ‘ironic’ and ‘a wry look at mobile phone use’, Mum sits on a bench chatting on her phone whilst her toddler has all sorts of adventures. These escapades involve befriending a dog, eating the pigeons’ food, falling into a lake and out of a tree and a flight on the back of a swan. The illustrations are humorous and imaginative, vintage Judith Kerr, and follow the words of the conversation very cleverly, but parents be disconcerted


may


mishaps and the fact that Mum is completely unaware


by the toddler’s of them. The


language of the mobile conversation also seems oddly old-fashioned for a contemporary story. This picture book could be read as a witty observational tale with a sharp point to make about parental engagement, or it could be taken as being overly critical. Either way, adults would be best to exercise a little caution before deciding how to share this book with a child. The illustrations work very well as a fantasy adventure that parents and children could talk through together and the whole book is probably best taken as a tongue-in- cheek cautionary tale about living in the moment, as much a fantasy as a tiger in your kitchen would be. SR


My Bed is an Air Balloon HHHH


Julia Copus, ill. Alison Jay, Faber & Faber, 32pp, 9780571334841, £12.99 hbk


A whimsical picturebook imagining dream sequences in which a child’s bed becomes an air balloon and a sailing boat sailing through the sky over magical lands and seascapes below. The book is cleverly constructed to


be read forwards or backwards with a different protagonist leading the action each time, a white boy and a black girl meeting in the middle of the book. The text is a pleasing mirror poem,


repeating the rhyming and rhythmic text making it a soothing bedtime read. The descriptive language is appealing, I love the idea of ‘cool night-rustling air’ ‘slipping through finger gaps’. It is full of nonsense words ‘fluttertufts’ and ‘whifflepigs’ to describe the wondrous creatures living in the worlds below. Young readers would find it fun to spot these creatures in the delightful illustrations which evoke the imaginary world beautifully. SMc


The Lost Property Office HHHH


Emily Rand, Tate, 32pp, 9781849765954, £11.99 hbk


We are all going to visit Grandpa; me, Mummy and, of course, Teddy. We have to take the train - always a bit of an adventure. But what happens when we have to jump off? Teddy is left behind. Will I ever see him again? This charming picture book charts


what will be for almost every family with a young child a very familiar situation – the loss of a loved teddy bear or toy. Luckily the visit to the Lost Property Office (commendably prompt) provides a happy ending. Emily Rand captures


the everyday


world to perfection, filling her spreads with the bustle of the station, the diversity of the train carriage, the welcoming space of Grandpa’s living room and the extraordinary contents of the Lost Property Office. Her palette is as colourful and welcoming, encouraging her young audience to dwell on the images and get to know her characters, to talk about what is going on. It is pleasing to have such a proactive grandfather and there is real warmth in the relationship between the characters which is mirrored in the text and the illustrations. A very welcome addition to any collection. FH


The Pooka Party HHHH


Shona Shirley Macdonald, O’Brien Press, 978-1788490009, 32pp, £13.99 hbk


With Hallowe’en approaching here’s a thoroughly captivating story of monsters and


misbehaviour by


moonlight. In Irish folklore a pooka is a shapeshifter – as the narrator explains that means it can take the shape of a goat, a cat, a dog, an eagle, a hare, a snail, a horse or even a person. The text snakes across the page, curling around a trail of changing creatures; background and figures are all represented in smoky eau de Nil, and the reader is plunged immediately into a magical world, perfectly poised for the adventure that follows. The Pooka lives a fairly normal life it appears, making soup, singing, painting and gardening, until suddenly it realises it’s lonely. Turning itself into a snail it ponders the problem, and decides to have a party – that will end its loneliness. Invitations are sent out (Deer FelloW Beeings), decorations put up and cakes (lots) baked. As midnight approaches, it seems that no-one is coming, but just as the Pooka, back in snail form, curls up to go to sleep the guests arrive. Now the calm palette changes


to purples and blues as things get very lively indeed, with a cake fight breaking out between the mischievous goblins. The Moon has to intervene to restore order, leaning down from the sky to pluck up the participants from their cloud battleground. This is one of a number of beautifully composed and coloured scenes each of which deepen the reader’s sense of being in a fairy other-world, beautiful and strange but beguiling. There are echoes of Rackham in


the illustrations and they will tempt readers to lose themselves in the Pooka’s magical world. LS


Sing to the Moon Mini Rabbit: Not Lost


HHHH


John Bond, Harper Collins Children’s Books 32pp 978-0-00-826483-3 £12.99 hbk


Mini Rabbit is of indeterminate gender in the story, but referred to as ‘he’ in the blurb. Mini and Mother Rabbit are making a cake (‘Cake cake cake! Caaaake!’) but the berry jar is empty. Mother Rabbit is just saying ‘Hang on, there are some berries under the…’ as Mini rushes off to find some. Meeting various animals in various places: a forest, a lighthouse, a mountain, a cave, Mini Rabbit resolutely refuses all offers of help, and will not admit to being Lost, but finally has to accept the situation. It’s a bit scary in the cave, and Mini is getting worried, but then a familiar smell drifts on the air: cake! The smell leads Mini home, finding a berry on the way, and of course Mother has already made some lovely cake. But does Mini Rabbit still want cake? Children are notoriously fickle… The illustrations are fun, a little like Chris Haughton, and this will be fun to share. DB


Grumpy Duck HHHH


Joyce Dunbar, ill. Petr Horácek, Walker, 32pp, 978 1 4063 7824 5, £11.99 hbk


Because of a dry pond and no one to play with, Duck is very grumpy indeed. A small black cloud appears above his head, and when dog suggests that he might want to dig holes with him, Duck is dismissive: holes would


‘Digging make my feathers


dirty.’ So it goes with Pig, Cockerel, Rabbit, Tortoise, and Goat. Each time the animals try to be friendly and helpful, Duck is grumpy and refuses their suggestions – and each time the black cloud gets bigger! Now the animals are all grumpy, and when the black cloud starts producing rain with a ‘splatt plot plink plitter platt dribble, millions of


big shiny wet splashy


raindrops’, Duck is suddenly happy. In a reference to ‘Singing in the rain’, Duck begins ‘waddling in the rain’ and the others are soon joining in. Dog is ‘barking in the rain,’ Rabbit is ‘hopping in the rain’, and the others are equally joyful…’What a glorious feeling, we’re


happy again’. One


almost expects Gene Kelly to join the throng! The word play is fun here, and the illustrations cheery, particularly


at the end when the brightest of rainbows appears. This should make the grumpiest of little ones happy. ES


You’re Snug with Me HHHH


Chitra Soundar, ill. Poonam Mistry, Lantana, 978 1 911373 47 6, hbk, £11.99


It is the beginning of winter and in her den in a snow drift Mama Bear gives birth to two tiny cubs. Curious about their surroundings and a little nervous the two bears ask their mother questions about the wider world. She tells them about the landscape, the ice, sea and its creatures and what will happen when they leave their cosy den. The story reads like a lullaby with


the reassuring refrain to the nervous cubs preparing to leave their cosy den as the seasons pass ‘You’re snug with me.’ However it also has an important ecological theme, introducing the incredible array of animals living in the polar lands and suggesting their interdependency and the fragility of their habitat. It highlights our responsibility to look after these creatures and our precious world only taking from it what we need. This message is reiterated in the author’s letter to the reader at the end of the book. The illustrations


are stunning.


Intricately woven in silver, grey and gold they dazzle the reader revealing the beauty of the Polar Regions and its wildlife. Look closely to spot the two cubs curled inside their mother waiting to be born, peer under the ocean to discover the diversity of life there. Another


successful collaboration


from the creators of You’re Safe with Me. SMc


The Chilly Penguin HHHH


Constanze von Kitzing, Barefoot Books, 24pp, 9781782854067, £5.99 board book


How can this lonely, cold penguin get warm? He tries several ways, knitting a long scarf, building a fire, (thankfully the illustrations show the ice melting below the flames, Penguin tumbling into the water. Watch his ever present bowler hat come adrift in the water, but as always, it is retrieved and popped back on his head…) Penguin tries skating to warm himself but he is still chilly. He looks about


to give


up his efforts when a friend appears, and Mmmmmm. A warm and snuggly cuddle chases away those chills. The thick board pages with well-rounded corners are painted icy blues and are definitely chilly throughout. A careful picture studier will spot the friend appear on the skating page, wearing orange skates which are later discarded for the cuddle. The final page is wordless, and depicts three huddled penguins. Maybe children will interpret the three as “a crowd”, whilst others will decide the third is an addition to the family! There is repetition in the text to encourage participation, and the book will spark lots of discussion; ‘Why does he always wear a bowler hat?’ ‘Where did he get all those logs from, to make a fire?’ Worth seeking out. GB


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32