Allen & Unwin, 2020 ISBN: 9781760877699.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Bullied and despised chook Clara,
retreats to the farmhouse where she sits all say watching
television. Her favourite shows are detective series, Death in
the city and Amelia X Girl detective. She develops
skills similar to the sleuths she admires, determining to become a
detective herself, and solves the egg stealing episode at the chook
house, although Rufus the rooster takes all the glory for himself.
She wants to share her abilities so when a police car comes to the
farm, investigating the latest round of sheep thefts, she tries in
vain to communicate with them, but when she inadvertently finds
herself in the police car, she works out a way to communicate with
the young girl in the back seat, Olive, the policeman's daughter.
Humour abounds in this merry tale, as the reader sees a slightly
worse for wear chook, the lowest in the pecking order in the
farmyard, using her television inspired skills to solve a crime. The
contrast between what the reader knows and what Clara thinks she
knows will have readers laughing out loud. Her attempts at using
morse code to talk to the girl for example, is seen by the girl as
just an annoying peck from the strange chook on the floor of the
car. Eventually Clara works out that she can peck out messages on
Olive's mobile phone, and they communicate. Olive is being bullied
by a new girl in the school, Jubilee, and her father Mr Simpson is
the talk of the town, Little Dismal, as he has saved the pub from
being closed and has offered to install CCTV cameras to catch the
thief.
But Clara suspects his girl of being a master criminal so her
surveillance of the family leads to the solving of the crime, but
not in the way Clara thinks. The witty text is wonderfully
supportive with equally funny illustrations by Cheryl Orsini.
This smart, clever and very funny story of standing up to bullies,
of friendship in the most unlikely of places, of coping with grief,
all wrapped up in a story about a girl and her pet chook is one of
the most endearing tales I have read for a long time.
Tanner quietly introduces the fact that Olive's mother has died, and
the grief that surrounds Olive and her father is pervasive. The
efforts of those around them makes the bullying by the 'Merrycan'
girl even more despicable, and it is with a loud cheer that she
becomes undone. Life in rural Australia with the problems of stock
theft, of towns closing down, of people moving away, of a lone
police officer trying to cope with angry farmers, saddled with
drought, dwindling prices and fewer staff to help work the
properties forms a most credible background to the story.
It is a book that begs to be read and enjoyed. Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight
Ten sleepy sheep by Renee Treml
Penguin Random House Australia, 2020. ISBN: 9781760896768.
(Age: 0-3) Highly recommended. In a gentle rhythmic narrative that
reads aloud beautifully, the young child is invited to count
backwards from ten, looking at the animals that could be found on a
farm. Ten sleepy sheep walk back to the shed. 9 sleepy pups settle in bed.
Right from the beginning when 5 sheep and 5 little lambs can be seen
walking back to the shed on an Australian farm, the young child will
enjoy counting sleepy puppies, foals, chicks, calves,
ducklings, parrots, lizards, foals, koalas and a joey.
The pastel backgrounds fit beautifully into each of the pictures - a
soft brown to show the background of the Australian farm with white
sheep walking across it, pale green grass for foals to lie on, a
gorgeous blue for baby ducklings and pretty lilac for parrots. Each
of the animals or birds is outlined in black and filled in with soft
whites and browns, with detailing bringing the fur of the kangaroo
and koalas alive.
This is a lovely, gentle board book that will be appreciated at
bedtime as the young child is soothed to sleep.
Pat Pledger
We're going on a treasure hunt by Martha Mumford
Illus. by Laura Hughes. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781408893395.
(Age: 1+) Recommended. Lots of fun can be had as four bunnies go off
on an exciting quest to find ten gold coins and a treasure chest.
Children will enjoy following the cute rabbits, all dressed as
pirates, as they prance along avoiding obstacles and uncovering gold
coins one by one.
The repetition of the refrain on every second double page spread
ensures that children will be able to join in as they hear it again
and again: We're going on a treasure hunt. Yo! Ho! Ho! Help us find the golden coins . . ARRRRR! Off we go!
Even very small children will enjoy the rhythm and repetition and
will love to see the cute little animals and birds on the way. Older
children will find the repetition of every second double page will
be a great help when they are just beginning to read and the story
is sure to be one that children who want to start to read aloud will
pick up. Sounds made as the cute little rabbits chase the coins add
to enjoyment of the narrative: Watch out for the Crabs . . .
Snip, snap, snip! and the parrots, squawk, squawk,
screech.
The lift the flaps are quite sturdy and reveal a gold coin with the
number written on it. This will enable older children to enjoy
counting from one to ten. Other lift the flaps reveal animals and
even a very hungry shark to delight all and bring smiles to faces.
Laura Hughes illustrations are very engaging. The rabbits are so
cute, dressed in pirate hats, bandanas and eye patches and the
bright colours of the beach, sea and vegetation are gorgeous.
This is perfect to read aloud for younger children and one that
older children can use to practise their reading as was the previous
book, We're
going on an elf chase, which followed a similar
format. It is sure to be a keeper.
Pat Pledger
Jacinda Adern: A new kind of leader by Madeline Chapman
Nero, 2020. ISBN: 9781760641818.
(Age: Senior secondary/adult) Highly recommended. There are few
women in powerful positions around the world, and this story of
Adern's rise makes for an amazing read, one which may excite other
young women to strive to follow their passion.
Adern came from an unusual background, a small farm in Muruparo the
daughter of Mormon parents. The book details her early foray into
human rights issues at school, then attending Waikato University and
volunteering at the New Plymouth by-election. From there she worked
for a grass roots MP in Wellington when she became attracted to the
Young Labour Movement, eventually becoming world president of the
International Union of Socialist Youth in 2008. A spectacular rise
for one so young, but as the book points out, she did not become
president through being naive. She was clearly cunning, astute and
clever, using her opportunities to perfection.
On leaving home her views of the world changed and she espoused
Maori rights and climate change action as well as championing gay
rights, bringing her into conflict with her family and her religion.
The Labour Party at this time was trying to bring more women into
leadership roles. She was in the right place at the right time. And
she is a worker. Through a series of quick leadership changes in
2017, she became leader of the party just a couple of months before
election day with Labour polling 23%. Tirelessly promoting a
positive position, using social media to perfection, her boundless
enthusiasm saw her party neck and neck with the National Party which
had ruled for the past nine years. The NZ First party backed Labour
and which led to Ardern becoming Prime Minister in a minority
government. Here she promoted climate change policy, gender equity
and Maori rights. She attended the UN world summit in 2018, the
first world leader to bring a baby into the proceedings. Her speech
promoted the need for gender equality around the world, trade and
climate change and was universally applauded. But, it was her
response to the terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch in
2018 that has defined her. She received the news at 1:50 pm about a
situation in Christchurch on her way to speak at New Plymouth. She
went to the police station, by 4.20 pm held a press conference, and
by 7 pm gave an address to the nation. This speech, quoted in the
book named the killer as a terrorist, and called not for revenge,
but love and kindness. She flagged the changes to gun laws and
within the week this was being formulated. She attended the Muslim
Centre wearing a headscarf as a sign of respect, calling for peace.
Radio stations broadcast the Muslim call for prayer, and Adern's
names was broadcast around the world, showing a compassionate leader
putting herself on the line. Her speech is well worth reading.
The book gives hints to what makes her such a fine leader, that
fearless determination to do what she sees as right for New Zealand
and all of its population. Sometimes she appears naive and sometimes
it is hard to separate that from a born politician, but people do
not call her the 'smiling assassin' for nothing. Details about
election wins, take up many pages, but then it is a biography of a
politician.
This is an eminently readable, sometimes frustrating, book which
gives a broad look at a woman who has made a difference.
Speeches are quoted at the end of the text, with pages of sources
and a useful index. Themes: Jacinda Adern, Biography, Christchurch
NZ, New Zealand, Politics, Terrorism.
Fran Knight
Hound the detective by Kimberley Andrews
Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9780143774655.
(Age: 5+) Highly recommended. Hound is known for always solving his
cases, hunting out clues to find the answer to the question, but
this time he is stumped and asks the readers to walk alongside him
as he follows the clues on each page. Readers are at once saddled
with a quest, to seek out the clues on each page, noting
things which may lead Hound to a conclusion, and along the way
search for the 17 hidden caterpillars.
Readers will love searching through the detective paraphernalia
illustrated, from magnifying glasses to the deerstalker hat, while
notes, scraps of paper, letters, postcards and signposts all muddy
the waters ready to sweep the avid sleuths onto the wrong trail.
Each page has a different clue, given in the rhyming stanza,
pointing the reader to look in a certain way and travel along the
path given, through several houses, and gardens, a village fair,
shop and cabin in the woods, a train station, and finally to a dark
part of the town with overhanging Elizabethan timbers to meet his
fate.
A fun time will be had as readers follow the sleuth, finding with
him the answers to the questions posed in the stanzas, marvelling at
the sumptuous illustrations, taking in the huge amount of detail
before their eyes, watching out for the array of animals on each
page, hunting for the caterpillar, and above all having fun.
Author of Puffin
the architect and Song of the river, Kimberley
Andrews lives and works in Wellington, after training as a biologist
in Canada and living and working in London, New Zealand and Borneo
before settling in New Zealand where she is able to pursue her
passion for the plants and animals of that country.
Theme: Detecting, Clues, Animals.
Fran Knight
The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde
Hodder & Stoughton, 2020. ISBN: 9781444763638.
(Age: Adult). Recommended. Jasper Fforde is back with a satirical,
absurd but surprisingly relevant novel, The Constant Rabbit.
Known for his Thursday Next series helmed by The Eyre
Affair, Fforde is no stranger to outlandish and humorous
stories. What he has managed to do with this book however is to
intertwine the ridiculous with the less savoury aspects of recent
times.
Set in an alternate England where rabbits have anthropomorphised
into six feet tall talking humanoids, The Constant Rabbit
centres on Peter Knox, a mild-mannered father living in a small
village who is forced to make a moral choice. Peter works for the
Rabbit Compliance Taskforce and his job is to ensure the largely
segregated rabbits are following human laws and living peaceably in
society. When Prime Minister Nigel Smethwick of the UKARP (United
Kingdom Against Rabbit Population) party announces a plan to
forcibly move all rabbits into a facility in Wales, Peter is torn
between his job and the concerns of his fellow villagers and his
increasingly complex relationships with rabbit neighbours and
friends.
The novel paints the picture of a society where xenophobia, paranoia
and "fake news" are the norm. The story is an irreverent but clear
dig at contemporary British society where racism, anti-muslim and
anti-immigration sentiments and Brexit concerns have dominated the
social and media landscape in recent years. It is a challenging
though excellent read and the reader will be constantly pulled
between the witty, dry jokes and the realisation that the plot is
hitting too close to home. This book is recommended for fans of
Fforde's previous work as well as those who enjoy cutting but
humorous observations of human life. Themes: Rabbits, Xenophobia,
Humour, Satire, United Kingdom.
Rose Tabeni
What Zola did on Tuesday by Melina Marchetta
Illus. by Deb Hudson. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760895167.
(Age: 6+) Highly recommended. The second in a series of books about
the irrepressible Zola, has the year two girl becoming interested in
knitting, partly because her Nonna is trying to knit a scarf, but
also because the new family next door is doing some knitting. When
her teacher encourages the class to do something for those less
fortunate than themselves, Zola suggests knitting a scarf. But once
she has suggested this she remembers that perhaps her Nonna is not
such a good knitter.
Full of humour and brimming with the close ties of family, alongside
new arrivals in the community, children will love reading of Zola
and her life. She helps Nonna in the community garden, tries hard to
make her dog obedient, plays with her friend Allesandro who lives in
the house behind her, and now makes new friends with Bianca and Omar
next door.
With gentle subtle humour, Marchetta parallels the arrival of
Italian migrants to these shores several generations ago with the
newer arrival from the Middle East.
Each family is strongly family oriented, with a grandma living with
the families. They come together over their animals and knitting,
while the two families share some of their culture with each other.
This is a charming story of Zola and her eagerness for make people
feel welcome. The book is one of a set of seven and has two pages of
knitting instructions at the end of the book for those so intrigued
that they want to try it themselves.
Theme: Family, Immigration, Knitting.
Fran Knight
The Verindon Alliance by Lynne Stringer
Rhiza Edge, 2020. ISBN: 9781925563993.
(Young Adult) Recommended. While The Verindon Alliance is a
prequel to Australian author Lynne Stringer's Verindon
trilogy, no prior knowledge of the original stories is needed to
read this standalone novel. Set in the same universe as the trilogy
but with a more immediate and explicit focus on the science fiction
genre, The Verindon Alliance is a fast-paced and enjoyable
story for young adults who enjoy their action with a dash of
romance.
The novel centres on Princess Vashta of the Vendel and Brandonin,
the prince of Verindal (the confusing proliferation of V-words
eventually begins to make sense). The Vendel and Verindal races have
been warring for centuries and this conflict influences every aspect
of the royals' lives. Vashta has just graduated from combat training
and is ready to actively join the fight when, unexpectedly,
Brandonin approaches the Vendel monarch seeking peace. The two find
themselves working together, despite the hostility of their
families, to face an external danger that threatens the future of
both their peoples.
Both main characters are well-developed, three-dimensional and
easy-to-like, particularly Vashta, a strong-willed and determined
young woman who refuses to conform to any stereotypes associated
with princesses. Stringer is also adept at blending the romantic
aspects of the plot with the action sequences and does not go
overboard with either. The Verindon Alliance is an easy and entertaining read from
this emerging Australian author. Readers of the Verindon
trilogy will especially enjoy the fleshing out of the story of
Vashta and Brandonin's love and alliance. Themes: War, Love, Family,
Aliens.
Rose Tabeni
Small town by Phillip Gwynne
Illus. by Tony Flowers. Puffin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760893484.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Irresistibly charming, this tale
applauds the work done by small communities which have welcomed
refugees into their midst, offering accommodation, work and support
in their new country. Small cities such as Toowoomba, Bendigo
and Newcastle and even smaller communities such as Nhill, have given
these new arrivals a place of safety.
Gwynne tells of a small community losing its population to the city,
putting their economy and school in peril of shutting down. This is
not a new occurrence, but how some communities respond is
wonderfully new. Milly is aware that some of her friends have left
and her class is smaller, but when the loss of girls imperils the
future of her basketball team, she decides to act. Her teacher has
told them of war, famine and privation overseas and the class has
discussed refugees, so Milly writes and asks that some come to her
town where there are jobs and housing to accommodate them.
The mayor questions what she is doing, but she has an answer for
every negative point he brings up. The children make a video of
their community and send it to the refugees.
They wait and wait and another family leaves, but then a convoy of
cars comes with refugees. The whole town pitches in and welcomes
them, repairing the empty houses, helping them unpack their
belongings, finding them work, happy to have a doctor in the town at
last.
The contrast between the town as it was and the town as it is now is
subtly shown with the naming of Millie's basketball team. Initially
it was made up with four girls called Chloe, and Millie. Now
it is two Chloes, Farhia, Hanan, Amina, Sharifa and Millie.
Wonderful in its seeming simplicity, Gwynne uses powerfully spare
prose to get his message across.
Flowers' watercolour illustrations reveal small town life in
Australia with dots of houses spread over vast areas, windmills, a
runway and tin roofs with a soft pallet of colours, reminiscent of
long sunny days in the country.
The town's unusual name is used as a refrain, 'my town is so nice,
they named it twice' repeated through the story encouraging children
to join in as it is read to them and forming a link between the old
and new generations.
Themes: Small towns, Refugees, Inclusivity.
Fran Knight
When she was good by Michael Robotham
Cyrus Haven Bk 2. Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780733644849
(Age: Adult - Senior secondary) Recommended. Following Good
girl,
bad girl, comes a thrilling instalment in the lives of
Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. At the end of Good girl, bad girl
readers were left pondering the mystery of just who Evie was and why
she had been hiding for so long. She has been safe in a secure home
when Cyrus is called in to investigate the murder of Detective
Superintendent Hamish Whitmore. As he follows the trail left by the
detective, he gradually grows closer to finding out the secrets of
Evie's past. However, Evie knows that it is very dangerous for Cyrus
to be uncovering what has happened in the past and both she and
Cyrus are in peril from some very powerful people in high places and
the evil hitmen hired by the leader.
Told in alternating chapters by Cyrus and Evie the story of Evie's
past gradually unfolds. The tension was so great that I devoured
this book in a few sittings as I followed Cyrus' investigation of
what has happened, heart in my mouth as I saw how dangerous it was
for Evie and appalled at the child abuse, manipulation and murder
that she had witnessed. It was horrifying but totally engrossing to
find out Evie's background, while also seeing Cyrus develop as a
person and to find out more about his broken childhood.
Evie's ability to tell when a person is lying is a strong thread in
the story, as is the question about whether the past should stay
buried and monsters left alone. The ability of powerful people to
manipulate the police and the justice system was also highlighted.
Robotham's clever plotting, character development and twists and
turns keep the suspense alive the whole way through to the
unexpected and exciting conclusion. Although the main mystery of
Evie's past is uncovered for the reader in When she was good, fans
will be happy that some options have been left open for Cyrus and
Evie to continue working together, using their unique skills and
backgrounds.
Pat Pledger
LEGO Batman : Batman vs. The Joker by Julia March
Dorling Kindersley, 2020. ISBN: 9780241409404.
If you are a fan of LEGO and Superheroes, then this book is for you!
In this brightly coloured comic-ish style book fans will see the
ultimate list of superheroes vs villains and be able to choose for
themselves who is the final winner!
In the never-ending saga, Batman wants to show The Joker that he is
the boss of Gotham City and brings his friends Robin, Nightwing, The
Flash, and Wonder Woman (to name just a few) to help him out. The
Joker also has a team behind him comprising of bad guys such as Lex
Luthor, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow (plus many more). They also bring
their trusty vehicles along which many kids will love.
As children move through the book, they will see a huge range of
LEGO Batman sets and minifigures which are used to create the
illustrations for this book. All of which are said to be the latest
toys - making it the perfect book for LEGO Batman fans!
This book is full of facts and information about the characters and
their nemeses, pitting them up against each other in 4 different
sections: vehicles, Gotham City, wider world, and loyal friends.
As a LEGO fan from my childhood, and now with LEGO loving children
this was a great read. Although it was limited on words, it meant
that both my 10 and 6 year old could enjoy it together and were able
to both get enjoyment out it. They loved the 'Did you know?' section
and often had to get up to tell Daddy (another LEGO fan) what they
had read about. When I asked what their favourite part was they both
loved the real LEGO sets and figures (especially their facials),
with the only criticism from Master 10 who would have loved a list
of the actual sets with item numbers so he could look them up to
purchase! The two added LEGO figures (Batman and The Joker) were
fought over for days, but a lovely tactile addition none the less.
Overall, this would be a great book/gift for a LEGO or Superhero
loving child.
Lauren Fountain
The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526620538.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. I am a great fan
of Meg Rosoff's books (particularly There
is no dog and Picture
me gone) which are complex, challenging and
unforgettable. The great Godden is no exception, a book that
highlights manipulation and loss of innocence. One large messy
family stay in a holiday house by the sea every summer, but this
year there is a difference, the Goddens, charming Kit and morose
Hugo, are staying with older cousins nearby. It is a summer when
unexpected consequences will unfold, told in the unforgettable voice
of the unnamed narrator. Everyone talks about falling in love like it's the most
miraculous, life-changing thing in the world. Something happens,
they say, and you know . . . That's what happened when I met Kit
Godden. I looked into his eyes and I knew. Only everyone else knew
too. Everyone else felt exactly the same way. pg. 1.
There are four teenagers in the family, beautiful Mattie who
immediately attaches herself to Kit, Tamsin who is obsessed with
horses, younger brother Alex, who loves bats and wildlife, and our
unknown narrator, who loves to draw and observes everything that is
going on. Initially life continues as normal with swimming and games
and then there is a wedding to plan for Mal and Hope (known
affectionately as Malanhope), but Kit is an unexpected storm on the
family's horizon. Mattie is not the only one who comes under Kit's
influence, even though the morose but ultimately surprising Hugo
tries to warn the narrator about his nature.
Rosoff's description of the way that Kit manipulates Mattie, playing
on her emotions, attentive one moment and cold the next, will be a
lesson for all about the manoeuvres of a master controller and the
devastating consequences of sex without feeling. There are some
shocking revelations about Kit's actions and how he sways the whole
family. The great Godden has been compared to Rumer Godden's The
Greengage Summer, a tale of loss of innocence. It is a coming
of age story that will linger in the memory, ideas to be brought out
again and again to examine and think about. The manipulation here
could also be compared to that in The
lost witch by Melvyn Burgess.
Rosoff is a skilful writer and it is easy to see this story becoming
a modern classic and it would also make an ideal TV series.
Pat Pledger
Time for adventure, Daddy by Dave Hackett
UQP, 2020. ISBN: 9780702262852.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Following Time
for bed, Daddy(2015) and Time for school, Daddy
(2018) Dave Hackett's funny look at family life with Dad as the main
character being sorted out by his single minded daughter, will
elicit gales of laughter from the audience as they sympathise with
the two characters and recognise themselves and situations they have
been in. Circumstances are reversed as the daughter gets ready for
an adventure, packing a picnic basket, making sure Dad has been to
the toilet before they leave home, returning all the things he wants
to take with them.
And they have a great time, skipping over stones in the creek bed,
stepping over a big log, finding a worm to take home, walking in the
sunshine, collecting leaves and twigs, and when Dad's feet become
too tired to walk any more, deciding where to place the picnic
rug for their picnic.
All the fun of outdoors is shown as the pair walk, skip, run and
jump, making use of the environment around them. An array of things
are shown which children will recognise and enjoy, recalling the
last time they did something similar or living in some expectation
of doing it in the future.
In these times of isolation, the book is most apt, revealing
something everyone can do, a picnic with the family, wandering
through the great outdoors, be it close by or some way away. All the
efforts at getting the outing ready are shown, as well as the things
to be expected when away from home on such an occasion. And all told
with a great sense of humour as the roles are reversed, and the
adventures are filled with fun.
The jaunty illustrations add to the sense of fun as the wide smiles
invite readers to see what fun can be had from a simple outing with
their Dad. Teacher's
notes are available.
Themes: Humour, Fun, Adventure, Role reversal, Picnics.
Fran Knight
Kitty is not a Cat: Teddy's Bear by Jess Black
Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419774.
(Age: 6+ years) Recommended. Kitty is not a Cat: Teddy's Bear
by Jess Black is one of four books being released this year by
Hachette. The book series is based on the Australian animation
television series which has been sold around the world. Orange is
the theme colour of this book and the other remaining books are
blue, purple and pink. The story begins with a brief introduction to
the characters and an explanation of the context of the story. Kitty
is a girl who is dressed in a bright orange costume with ears, a
tail and paws. She joins the clutter of cats that live in the
mansion on the hill. Each cat has its own name and special qualities
it brings to the group. In this particular story the cats decide to
find a teddy bear for Kitty. Each cat brings what they think a teddy
bear is to the others but one interpretation causes absolute mayhem.
Eventually a teddy bear is found for Kitty and peace reigns once
more.
This book is a very readable story that will entertain young
developing readers who are ready for short novels. The fact that it
is series will also appeal to those students who will benefit from
word repetition. The book contains very detailed illustrations and
highlighted text where emphasis on a specific word is important to
the flow of the story. Themes: Cats, Friendship, Bears.
Kathryn Beilby
Mr Brown by Thomasina Williams
Illus. by Naya and Kostya Lazareva. Little Steps, 2020. ISBN:
9781925839463.
Recommended. Mr Brown is a story about a bear trying to organise
himself for hibernation. Mr Brown has a long list of things he needs
to do before he can settle in for his big sleep, but it seems that
something always gets in the way! It may be his memory, a fire that
won't light, or fish that get scared away. Fortunately for Mr Brown
he has wonderful friends who are there to help him through each
stage and get him sorted.
This is a lovely rhyming book that tells listeners a story of
friendship. It shows how when we help our friends (or just others
around us) we are doing a good thing, but also making them smile. I
also loved how at the end Mr Brown cannot resist but share his
prepared meals with all his friends as a thank you gesture - it was
very sweet!
Each of Mr Brown's friends only want the best for him in his time of
hibernation and through the illustrations we see their genuine
faces.
We enjoyed both the story and the illustrations as together they
really contributed to a good reading experience. There were lots of
things to discuss in the pictures and Miss 6 and I had a great talk
about hibernation and friends. Her favourite animal was the cat,
however mine was the rabbit who can be seen stealing the last
sandwich off cat's plate as they toast their friend to a happy
hibernation!
Overall a nice story with interesting illustrations and a good
message, 4 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
