More Picture Books

Moonrabbit by Megan Kelliher, illustrated by Dominique Ford (Penguin)
RRP $30.00 (hardback) ISBN: 978-0-14-350335-4

In the stillness of night after moonrise
from hilltop to river and glen,
behind soft, sleepy eyes and baby-sweet sighs
live the dreams of a world full of children.

This book is a beautiful production with its glossy cover slip over hard cover, illustrations beginning on the end papers and large size. The text is easy to read, though not your usual style. Instead you'll find white text on night sky illustrations and the print meanders across the page.

This is a delightful bedtime story for young children about a magical moonrabbit that slips down to Earth on a moonbeam to grant a sleeping child a wish...

Article in Bay of Plenty Times:
A friendship between two Tauranga mums has resulted in a children's book being published by industry giant Penguin.
Moonrabbit was written by Megan Kelliher, and illustrated by her close friend Dominique Ford.
It's a tale about a mystical white rabbit who lives on the moon, and grants the wishes of sleeping children.
The idea was born from a painting by Dominique of a white rabbit in a moonlit forest clearing.

Read more

Reflections of a Solitary Hamster by Astrid Desbordes and Pauline Martin

RRP $24.99 56 pp Recommended age: ages 5 upwards (Gecko Press)

Remember the snoopy comic strips? Written in the same vein, you'll find the musings of a hamster and his relationship with his forest animal friends. It is said to be a humorous take on French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Reveries of a Solitary Walker. It is one of those humorous comics that you will enjoy dipping in from time to time. I can see senior school (8 years+) upwards getting the most value out of the tales.

Not surprisingly, Astrid Desbordes has written books for adults on philosophy and religion; this is her first book for children.

Mole: For me the most beautiful word in the world is 'friendship'. What's yours?

Hedgehog: Uh... loyalty.

Rabbit: Adventure.

Snail: Commonsense.

Hamster: Waffles.

Big Bouncer by Dawn McMillan, illustrated by Ross Kinnaird

RRP $18.95 (Penguin) ISBN: 978-0-14-350387-3

Remember me? I'm Big Bouncer!

In that 'sniff-bottom' story I was the announcer.

Back then I was gruff,

bossy and rough.

I was so COOL.

Nobody's fool.

Everyone called me THE MAN!

Have you ever wondered what happened to Big Bouncer? Well, he's back loud and proud and claiming HE'S THE MAN until... he meets the girl dog of his choice. He spruces up his act to win her over, then becomes the FAMILY MAN!

Another humorous tale by award winning team: Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird. 'Why Do Dogs Sniff Bottoms?' won the Children's Choice category of the NZ Post Book awards in 2003 and in 2005 it was awarded New Zealand Booksellers Gold.

When Dawn McMillan isn't teaching part-time at her local primary school, she's at home with her husband Derek and cat Josie writing children's books. She's written 18 picture books and over 130 educational readers for the international market.

Ross Kinnaird comes from an art directing and illustration in advertising background. Nowadays, he's happiest storytelling and illustrating in classrooms around New Zealand.

Fick & Friends: The Bushfire by Jamie Lawrence, illustrations by Mark Russell

RRP $14.95 ISBN: 978-0143503514 (Penguin Puffin)

It was a beautiful sunny day

in Maddsville so Mr Meena,

the local grocer, and his

family decided to go on a picnic.

As they made their way into the busy,

little did they know that some naughty

campers hadn't put out their campfire

properly. Some sparks had blown into

the dry grass and had started a fire.

It sounds like another job for Flick the Fire Engine. He's now a fully fledged fire-fighting engine and raring to go. When he sees smoke rising in the horizon; Flick and his friends race to save Mr Meena and his family and put the fire out.

This series has been written specifically to teach young Primary aged children (and kindergarten children) how to be safe around fire, in story format. On the last page, you'll find Flick's Top 10 Bush Safety Tips for Your Family. Young children will enjoy the use of onomatopoeia (formation and use of words to imitate sounds) throughout the book: 'Ree woo Ree woo Ree woo'.

Stories from our Night Sky by Melanie Drewery, illustrated by Jenny Cooper

RRP $25.00 61 pp ISBN: 978-0-14-350375-0

This is a treasure trove of Maori poems and legends; some are contemporary, others are traditional but all have in common the night sky. The poems are written in Maori and English. You'll recognise poems like 'Twinkle, twinkle little Star' and others you'll think - that sounds familiar: Out in the night time, In a hole in a tree. Lived an old mother morepork, And her little ruru three... The stories are also an eclectic mix such as tales of the forefathers, to Grandad telling a story to his grandson about tuatara, or little Hana overcoming her fear of the dark - something for everyone.

Teachers will find this a useful resource for their Myths and Legend Reading unit and also to inspire children to write modern day legends.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

ILLUSTRATORS competition

Female illustrators dominate the short-list for the inaugural Gavin Bishop Award for Children's Book Illustration

The judging for the inaugural Storylines Gavin Bishop Award for Children’s Book Illustration has finished and the judges were impressed by the high standard of entries received. The judges for the award are Gavin Bishop, Crissi Blair and Alan Gilderdale from Storylines, and Jenny Hellen, Deputy Publishing Director at Random House New Zealand.

The judges said: "The quality and standard of entries made judging a very difficult task and took a full working day to complete. However, in the end six entries stood out for their quality and diversity."

The list of finalists comprises five women and one man, with an equal geographical spread between the North and South Islands. The finalists are: Sara Acton from Christchurch; Heather Arnold from Auckland; Harriet Bailey from Wellington; Stephanie Junovich from Christchurch; Gary Venn from Hamilton; and Neroli Williams from Christchurch.

Click on the names below to download artwork from each finalist. Note: This artwork is copyright to each artist.

Sarah Acton
Heather Arnold
Harriet Bailey
Stephanie Junovich
Gary Venn
Neroli Williams

A new My Story title

No Survivors: the Diary of Jackie Simms, Hamilton, 1979
By Sharon Holt (Scholastic)

Twelve year old Jackie Simms is crazy about Abba and is constantly teased about it from her older brother Jeff. Jackie is at the age where she is discovering herself and the things she’s good at. Along with her best friend Maria, Jackie frequents the roller rink in Hamilton and finds she has a natural talent for it. Like any other pre-teen girl, Jackie struggles with the transition out of childhood and argues with 17 year old Jeff. And to make matters worse she’s in love with his best mate Davey, who only sees her as Jeff’s little sis.

Jeff and Davey are invited along by Jeff’s uncle on an Air NZ scenic flight over Antarctica. The two teenagers save hard throughout the book, much to Jackie’s dismay – she can’t understand why anyone would want to fly over an area devoid of colour.

As with all ‘My Story’ books, tragedy is about to strike. For those who were around in 1979 we can recall the events of Nov 28 and the impact it was to have on all New Zealanders.

This story is a great snapshot of New Zealand (and in particular Hamilton) that will bring to life the highs and lows of 1979. For some of us it’s a trip down memory lane - for the younger generation it will be a poignant history lesson about New Zealand’s worse air disaster. The use of ‘random thoughts’ throughout the journal injects some humour into what could easily have been a morose read.

Unlike many of the ‘My Story’ books, the incident in this story is well within the living memory of most New Zealanders. Skillfully written, Sharon Holt has created an entertaining read that recounts with respect the recent events of the Mt Erebus disaster.

Sharon Holt Sharon was born in Auckland, and has been a published writer since 2001. She has published 24 fiction and nonfiction stories, picture books, poems and plays. Her stories are
about daily family life, and many of her children’s stories have a ‘story behind the story’.
She now lives in the small Waikato town of Kihikihi. Sharon was short-listed for the 2007 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young People and also made the Storylines 2007 Notable Books list for her non-fiction book: It's True! You can make your own Jokes'.

Teachers download a free Teaching Resource

Reviewed by Christine Hurst

Slide The Corner by Fleur Beale: Scholastic NZ Limited (2009)

Fifteen year old Greg is sick of being told he’s ‘as thick as crude oil’ by his academic dad. Greg loves cars, not academic stuff. Cars; he’s crazy about them, but can he get his parents to understand? They want him to go to university; Greg wants to be a rally driver. It looks as if everything and everyone is against him, until he helps a pregnant woman change a wheel on her car. Greg gets to meet her husband (who is a mechanic), is offered an after school job, and his life begins to change in interesting and exciting ways.

Fleur Beale has written a great, fast-paced story, which deals equally well with the emotional turmoil of family conflict, as it does with the rudiments, and thrills, of rally driving.
I can’t imagine a young teen (or older reader) not enjoying this engaging book.

Slide the Corner was Fleur's first novel, and it has gone on to win the Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-loved Book - an award that recognises the ongoing success of this novel.
Reviewed by Vivienne Lingard

Three new books from Scholastic

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith and Illustrated by Katz Crowley.
Scholastic ISBN 978-1-86943-926-2 RRP $25.00 includes CD

The Wonky Donkey only has three legs, and he only has one eye, and that makes him a winky wonky donkey. By the time you get to the part where the wonky donky was quite good looking you have a serious amount of tongue twisting to cope with.

But fear not – there is a music CD to help you, and the children, have fun with this delightful book. The illustrations are great. They complement the story perfectly.

The song, by the way, was awarded the APRA Children’s Song of the Year 2008.

Great to buy for the grandchildren, and for the classroom.

Watch Craig Smith perform the song on You Tube (google Wonky Donkey).
Singer/songwriter Craig Smith performs at gigs around the South Island. He has lived in Australia for 4 years and Vietnam for 6 years, and says Spike Milligan and his Mum are his greatest influences. British-born Katz Cowley has a degree in Illustration from the
University of Northumbria. She spent a year and a half travelling around SE Asia and living in Australia before arriving in NZ in 2000, where she has been ever since.
Awards
Reviewed by Jenni Francis

The 12 Days of Holidays by Yvonne Morrison and Illustrated by Jenny Cooper.
Scholastic ISBN 978-1-86943-916-3

On the first days of holidays my mother said to me: Please will you turn off that TV!

So begins a twist on an old classic. The main character in the story gets more annoying by the day, Mother gets more and more exasperated, the family is in disarray, until on the thirteenth day, Mum hits on the perfect solution. For her that is.

A great Christmas book, with wonderful colourful illustrations that show an increasing frenetic household.

Yvonne Morrison has written a number of books in a similar vein, including Brian the Big Brained Romney; Kiwi Dads; and The Tuatara and the Skink.

Jenny Cooper has illustrated for Yvonne Morrison in the past, and for Sarah Johnson, Frances Adlam and many others.

Reviewed by Jenni Francis

A Right Royal Christmas by Lucy Davey and Illustrated by Donovan Bixley.
Scholastic ISBN 978-1-86943-844-9

One look at the cover and you are transported back to the days of nursery rhymes and fairy stories. However, Princess Claire is not the kind and loving sort of princess. In fact she likes that she has no brothers and sisters and relatives to share her feast with at Christmas. It’s just her and the King and Queen.

Until a rat-a-tat-tat at the door spoils all her plans. Eventually, the castle is filled to overflowing with people and still comes a rat-a-tat-tat. The last visitors bring a surprise even to Princess Claire.

Delightful story for little children, for Christmas of course.

Reviewed by Jenni Francis

Banquo's Son

Banquo’s Son by T. K. Roxborogh, Penguin NZ

Tania Roxborogh has excelled herself with this ambitious and absorbing tale. She extracted a brief reference from Shakespeare’s Macbeth – a reference to the murdered Banquo’s son, eleven-year-old Fleance – and has woven a fascinating story of love and honour set in 11th century Scotland. We meet Fleance as a young man, having been adopted by a traveller couple in northern England. Fleance is in love with Rosie – but something stops him from settling down with her. He is haunted by his father’s ghost, and understands he must go back to Scotland and play a part in his country’s troubled history. It’s not long before Fleance becomes a friend of Duncan, the young heir to the Scottish throne – and given his own noble heritage, Fleance finds himself also in line for the throne. The story ends with Fleance attaining the kingship – but at a terrible cost.
This crossover novel should be enjoyed by older teenagers and adults who like a gripping historical novel.
Click here to read an extract.Visit T. K. Roxborogh's blog at www.banquosson.blogspot.com/
Teacher Notes here
ISBN 978 0 14 320249 3 RRP $37.00
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Non-Fiction

Ben & Mark: Boys of the High Country by Christine Fernyhough and John Bougen, Random House NZ
This paperback book has a great deal of eye impact: the photographs are stunning. In fact it’s a top quality production all round, with its wrap-around cover and glossy paper. Ben and Mark Smith live on Mount White Station in Canterbury. The station covers 40,000 hectares, and it takes 45 minutes to drive from the front gate to the farm house. The boys attend primary school at Springfield, living there during the week and returning to the station in the weekends. The book looks at many aspects of their lives, while simultaneously giving a fascinating glimpse into life on a high country station – dog handling, mustering, horse riding, animal husbandry, recreation, schooling and local events. The prose is straightforward and easy to read, and there are fantastic photos on every page. I predict this will be a very popular Christmas present this year for boys aged about eight to ten.
ISBN 978 1 86979 068 4 RRP $37 Teacher Notes available

Young Adult
The Crossing by Mandy Hager, Random House NZ
Book One of the Blood of the Lamb series, this is a riveting fantasy set in a future world devastated by climate catastrophes and plague. Maryam lives on a remote Pacific island that survived the worldwide devastation. Her people are held in thrall to the members of a religious cult called the Apostles of the Lamb who live on an ocean liner stranded on the reef. When Maryam reaches menstruation she is sent to join the community in the ship. Rather than the paradise she expected, she discovers that the Apostles and their families are cruel sadistic despots who use the islanders for their own ends. Maryam herself is destined to save the life of an Apostle’s ailing son by having all her blood transferred to his veins. But Maryam is determined to fight back, and after several adventures she sets sail in a (forbidden) boat with three unlikely companions, heading for what she hopes will be a safer place to live. That’s where the story stops, and I simply can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
ISBN 978 1 86979 150 6 RRP $20 Teaching Notes available

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman