10 Baking with Dad


Aurora Cacciapuoti, Child’s Play,


978-1-8464-3754-0, £5.99 pbk


A simple and humorous story of a girl making a celebration cake with her dad as a dubious cat looks on. They choose the ingredients and make a mess while having fun being creative together. I particularly like the fact that the person the cake is for is another male, and it is left to the reader to decide whether or not his gender is significant or incidental in this instance. Lovely artwork too from this first time author.


Made by Raffi


Craig Pomranz, illus Margaret Chamberlain, Frances Lincoln, 978-1-8478-0596-6, £7.99 pbk


Raffi’s preference for quieter pursuits, brightly coloured clothes and longer hair sets him apart and makes him question why he is different from other boys particularly after he is teased for learning how to knit. Reassured at home an undeterred Raffi then finds a degree of respect and acceptance from his peers when he creates a stunning purple cloak for the school play. This lovely book celebrates the importance of being who you are, the need for unconditional love and reflects diversity on every page courtesy of Margaret Chamberlain’s vibrant illustrations.


Rosie Revere, Engineer


Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts, 978-1-4197-0845-9, Abrams, £9.99 hbk


Young inventor, Rosie, is first


discouraged and then empowered to carry on creating, and follow her dream of being an engineer. The empowerment comes from her great great aunt Rose (links here to the classic film/female icon Rosie the Riveter) who helped build airplanes during WW2. It is through her recognition and encouragement that young Rosie is able to persevere and understand that, ‘the only true failure can come if you quit’.


Heather has Two Mummies


Lesléa Newman, illus Laura Cornell, Walker Books, 978-1-4063-6555-9, £6.99pbk


Having two of everything is perfectly normal for Heather and it’s her favourite number too, but having two mummies


takes on


a particular connotation when she starts school and realises that unlike some of the other children she does not have a daddy. This is


when all children


sensitively addressed by her teacher the


are tasked with


drawing their families and the full range of familial experiences is soon displayed and normalised. The simple and clear message is the primacy of love within any family grouping.


The Paper Bag Princess


Robert Munsch, Annick Press,


978-1-5545-1211-9, £5.99 pbk


Can it really be 36 years since Robert Munsch introduced us to a princess who, through necessity, dresses in a paper bag then risks everything to save her fiancé Prince Ronald from a huge fire-breathing dragon only to reject him after he criticises her appearance? Still as relevant and funny and true as it ever was and thankfully it is still in print!


John Newman is children’s book buyer at the Newham Bookshop


Books for Keeps No.219 July 2016 15


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