Ten meerkats playfully introduce a host of words and activities associated with Christmas. Number one comes ready to play, two and three jump out of Christmas boxes, cheeky elves, four pops out of a cracker, five has a red nose like Rudolph, six comes along with tricks while seven lights up the Christmas tree, eight needs a prod to wake him up, nine slides down the tinsel while ten brings along the star for the top of the tree. Each time another meerkat appears, they attempt to clamber on top of each other to make a tree, with limited and wobbly success. The appearance of number ten means they are ready for another attempt and while their meerkat tree holds for a while, someone scratches their tum, and another sneezes and yet another sucks their thumb, leading to them all collapsing on the floor in a meerkat heap.
Fun to be had by all as number one tickles them all. A cheery story about that perennial favourite, the meerkat, will delight young readers, especially involving Christmas themes. A lot of ideas about how we spend Christmas are given here, reinforcing the trappings of Christmas: tree, tinsel, Christmas presents, star on top of the tree, Christmas lights and so on. A funny introduction to discussions about Christmas in the classroom.
We're going on a present hunt by Goldie Hawk and Angie Rozelaar
Nosy Crow, 2022. ISBN: 9781839941559. (Age:2+)
Three children are off on a hunt for the perfect Christmas present! But first they've got to get through the spiky Christmas trees, a herd of hungry reindeer, some noisy carol singers and a very busy toyshop! But there are SO MANY toys . . . will they ever find the perfect present? (Publisher)
Set to the familiar rhyme of We're Going on a Bear Hunt young children will delight in reading along with this story and its quirky ending - there's definitely a bear! The colourful illustrations will attract their attention and then discovering that they can read it already will help them believe that they too, can be "real readers". Not to mention getting them to think about what if this were an Australian story - what would change and what would they substitute?
Themes Christmas presents.
Barbara Braxton
Bunny's first Christmas by Enid Blyton Becky Cameron
As Christmas approaches, most of the toys in the toyshop are excited to be going to new homes. But Bunny, the littlest one, is worried. He can't imagine life outside the shop or without his best friend, the sailor doll. When Bunny is selected as a present to be given away at a Boxing Day party, he hopes desperately to go to kind children. Luckily, a happy surprise is in store for him!
Despite it being nearly a century since Enid Blyton was at her writing peak, her stories like this one never date - they still delight little children who revel in the magic and charm of Christmas. That so many of her books remain in print, have been translated into 90 languages and have sold over 600 000 000 copies is testament to the quality of her stories and the pleasure they offer. This is just one of many that have endured taking the reader into a world where toys talk and come alive to have adventures and feelings, just as they do. Who hasn't worried about not knowing anyone, making new friends or being left out of the fun?
A classic that deserves to be.
Themes Christmas, Toys.
Barbara Braxton
A very Play School Christmas by Jan Stradling and Jedda Robaard
Fans of Play School will be thrilled at the publication of a book about their favourite characters spending Christmas together at Jemima’s caravan park. All the trappings of Christmas are shown as the group arrives at the park, looks for the boxes Jemima has hidden, then prepares the tree, decorations, presents and food for the big day.
Big Ted, Little Ted, Kiya, Humpty and Joey all arrive in Kiya’s car, ready to unpack. But the little tree looks bare and so Jemima sends them all off to find the boxes. Each box reveals things which they will need to make Christmas a success. Humpty unfortunately sits on the box of paper chains but Kiya finds the box of wrapping paper, Little Ted finds a box of crackers while Big Ted finds the box wth the Christmas pudding recipe and Joey finds a box of things for the lucky dip. Each makes a present for the lucky dip, using recycled or found material. Big Ted makes a picture, Kiya creates a mobile and Joey designs a bag made of recycled material. On the day they are all prepared and designate the day the best Christmas ever.
All children will love the story reflecting all the things that families do at Christmas time in Australia. The soft digital illustrations follow the progression of the holiday spent together, all the characters finding something to do with Christmas to show the readers. Australian animals can be seen in the background, and children will love spotting and identifying them while focussing on the excitement of preparing for Christmas and the sharing with family and friends. I particularly enjoyed the reinforcement of sharing, of being with friends and of present giving from recycled, found or home made items.
Themes Christmas, Australian animals, Play School, Humour, Holidays.
We're going on a sleigh ride, Ho, ho ho! Can you find the hidden gifts? Whoosh! OFF WE GO!
And the embossed details on the cover will entice them to open the book.
They are certain to be ready to lift the flaps and find the ten presents that are hidden on the pages while having fun learning to count. Like the other books in the series, the illustrations are bright and cheerful, and children are sure to love Santa whooshing through the sky in his sleigh which is packed full of presents to deliver all around the world. His little rabbit helpers with their cute faces and long ears are delightful. There are many fascinating details like snowflakes, a little mouse and teddy bears, to hold the interest of even the very young child while older children will love to read along or even read to younger siblings in the days leading up to Christmas.
The rhythm and rhyme in the story makes it a perfect read aloud and introduction to Christmas, and children could be enticed to bed on Christmas Eve just like the little rabbit helpers in the story to await the arrival of Santa to put their presents under the Christmas tree.
Themes Christmas, Santa Claus, Sleigh rides, Lift the flaps.
Pat Pledger
We disagree about this tree by Ross Collins
Nosy Crow, 2022. ISBN: 9781839944994.
Mouse is delighted when Bear brings home a Christmas tree - but that's when the trouble begins. They cannot agree on how to decorate it - mouse-scale or bear-scale. Baubles or tinsel? Fairies at the top or a manatee?
This is a LOL story-in-rhyme (which exploits all the ways to make the "ee' sound) that follows There's a Bear on My Chair and There's a Mouse in My House that young readers will love, particularly if they have helped decorate their own tree. They will hold their breath as the inevitable happens and the tree topples and delight at the ending when the two reach a compromise - or do they? Older readers can enjoy it too as an intro to the tradition of the Christmas tree if they are investigating the origins of some of the customs that persist today, despite the Australian Christmas being so different to that winter wonderland fantasy.
Clarice Bean always looks forward to Christmas Day, shared with a large group of friends and family but this year Clarice’s Mum and Dad think their family of 7 is enough as it takes 114 potatoes to feed 19 people - that’s a lot of potato peeling!
Channelling the Christmas spirit, by ‘thinking like an elf’, Clarice embarks on a series of Christmas activities with unending Christmas energy.
Clarice creates Christmas cards, cooks fudge as presents, buys something special for her best friend Betty Moody (a Ruby Redfort inspired gift) and helps the family by posting a parcel to her Granny in New York. In true Clarice fashion, not everything works out as planned and there are several catastrophes along the way.
Nearly every page has drawings and images that add to the delight of reading the novel. ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ is a theme that starts at the beginning of the book, with the musical score and lyrics and continues throughout the story. I must admit like Clarice, the song was very much going through my head as I was reading the story.
There are twelve days of Christmas and twelve chapters in the book and a clever reader will spot a number in each chapter’s opening illustrations.
This is such an enjoyable story and so much is happening with Clarice’s family and friends, Christmas preparation, the Christmas concert, the turkey and her brother’s obsession with foxes. The final chapter is delightful and celebrates the joy of family and friends and how things ‘just work out for the best in the end’.
Clarice Bean does ‘think like an elf’ and the reader will love her for it.
Highly recommended for readers aged 7-10 years old.
Watch book trailer #1 here. ‘We made 12 short films about Lauren Child’s new Clarice Bean book ’Think Like An Elf’. Each film covers a different aspect of Clarice’s Christmas, and also gives an insight to Lauren’s creative process when writing and illustrating the book. This is the first one.’ Harper Collins
Themes Christmas, Elves.
Jane Moore
Neverlanders by Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva
Penguin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761049071. (Age:Middle school, young adult) Highly recommended.
Young, girls, Bee and Luz, are seen begging in a subway station, the girls are confident and colourfully dressed while the commuters are grey and uninterested. When Luz is accidentally pushed onto the tracks and injured no one wants to help so Bee jumps down to rescue her and they are pulled to safety at the last minute by Paco, a homeless boy. Paco is invited to join the homeless gang if he agrees to the rules, share everything, no strangers and no lies. They have weapons but no guns since experiencing school shootings. But Paco is caught talking to someone that night. That person turns out to be Tinkerbell but this foul mouthed aggressive sprite is a far cry from the original Peter Pan fairy. They offer the group a better life and whisk them away to Neverland. Neverland is also different from the magical land of Peter Pan, but it is “a place where people from the world who have hurt us or let us down aren’t welcome”. The magical island is under attack from Otherland, the land of adults, "yesterday’s people”, a place of “something dirty and dark”. While Otherlanders cannot enter Neverland, they can send goblins and other evil creatures to attack the children and steal parts of the magical healing tree. Thrown into battle, the children wonder if they have made the right decision but then they are able to choose magical costumes which give them superpowers and all except their leader, Justin, embrace their new world. Jason is shot in the battle, then healed by the magical tree but he is feeling lost and angry and this turns to resentment and discontent which does not bode well for the future.
Tom Taylor and Jon Sommavara have taken the concept of the Peter Pan story and reimagined it for the modern world. The stylish, brilliantly coloured graphics and imaginative framing catapult the action from intensely detailed, full page images to a rush of inset, angled and creatively divided frames, maintaining the fast pace of this dense narrative. There are no wasted frames and the characters are engaging, consistent and develop. This very modern story reflects on some important themes like responsibility for the planet and each other. The selfish adults have refused to take responsibility for their actions and it is up to the next generation to turn that around. However, the children’s superpowers come from happy thoughts and this makes for a fun, quirky, not too serious tone throughout. The ending is rather complicated but sets the story up to be continued as is suggested in a great publisher’s interview with the author and illustrator. There are also comprehensive teachers notes.
Themes Fantasy, Comics, Graphic retelling, Pirates, Found family, Adventure, Friendship.
Sue Speck
The Christmas bum book by Kate Mayes and Andrew Joyner
A sense of fun and frivolity radiates from this Christmas offering from Mayes and Joyner. Every page celebrates one of the sights and sounds of Christmas, partnered with a bum. So we are offered tinsel bum and pudding bum, cracker bum and Noel bum, accompanied by Joyner’s witty illustrations. Some page offer an item associated with Christmas: carol, turkey, bauble while other pages offer a descriptive word: naughty and nice, jolly and jingle for example. All of these will stimulate discussion and reinforce those things associated with Christmas in Australia. I love the page depicting the three wise men, with the word wise used as well as camel bum, as the three are perched on top of the camel’s three humps! the trio as well as the camel looking to the star in the east. This page will give the opportunity to discuss the story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus, and the part played by the three wise men. The nice and naughty page introduces the idea of children having to earn a Christmas present by their behaviour, while several pages reprise lines from Christmas carols, encouraging their rendition.
Inclusivity reigns as children and grandparents are included, and after listing all the things associated with Christmas, towards the and of the book we see more of Santa than we wish to as he chomps through his cookies and milk, his clothing cut away to reveal the workings of his stomach, before trying to climb back up the chimney.
Lots of fun will be had with this book, reprising all the things associated with Christmas, looking at the array of bums displayed, laughing at the humour in Joyner’s illustrations, laughing again at the last pages which repeat the people and animals seen through the book.
Themes Christmas, Bums, Humour.
Fran Knight
The Twelve Days of Christmas Island by Teresa Lagrange
Allen & Unwin, 2022. ISBN: 9781761068041. (Age:3+)
Over 2600km north-west of Perth, Christmas Island is a tiny dot in the Indian Ocean, just 135 square km and most of that, national park. This geographical isolation and its dense rainforests mean it is a sanctuary for plants, animals and birds with hundreds of species calling the tiny island home. There is so much more than the red crabs we usually associate with the island.
In this unique book which draws on the format of the traditional Christmas song, young readers are introduced to just a handful of those birds species, so very different to those they usually see on mainland Australia. From the bright-red plumage of the Frigatebird to the iridescent green of the Emerald Dove, these rare and special birds are depicted with brief notes about each species, the lilly pilly tree in which they gather and the island itself complete the pages making the complete package.
If you're looking for a Christmas book that is not the cardinals and robin redbreasts of the northern hemisphere, or even those in the song, this one is special.
Themes Christmas, Birds.
Barbara Braxton
Little Bilby's Aussie Bush Christmas by Yvonne Mes. Illus. by Jody Pratt
Presented in repetitive rhyming verses, a cluster of little bilbies collects offerings from several other Australian animals to adorn their Christmas Tree.
One verse is repeated, encouraging younger children to recognise and join in when the page is turned, and more particularly join in with the actions described - jumping, tapping and dancing. A new word appears in the repeating verse which adds interest and the format is turned around part way through the book, to add complexity.
The fun of collecting the offerings from the lizard, emu and wombat comes together at the end when the whole group crowd around the decorated Christmas Tree, now adorned with Australian bush flora, and piled beneath with Christmas presents.
An introduction to the coming season, children will love the references to Australian plants and animals, recognise those animals depicted and create their own trees with the instructions given at the end of the book.
The colourful illustrations will keep readers amused as they spot touches of the Australian bush, and recognise the animals shown, and of course, be further intrigued with the tactile cover.
Themes Australian animals, Australian bush, Humour, Christmas.
Fran Knight
The very hungry caterpillar's very first encyclopedia
The popularity of The Very Hungry Caterpillar series of books will be further enhanced by this beautifully presented first encyclopedia. With familiar images and colours, younger readers will enjoy learning about a myriad of topics. The contents page lists the following key headings: Our World, Body and Health, Earth, Animals and Nature, History, Science, Maths and Technology, Space. Under the main headings are further topics which are discussed over a double page spread with accessible text, plenty of ‘white’ space, bold headings, highlighted key words, labelled images and clever photographs. In the final pages there is a glossary, detailed index and acknowledgements.
Curious children can discover simple and introductory facts about hundreds of new and interesting topics including symmetry, electricity, exploring the world, colours, farm animals, incredible inventions, shapes, phases of the moon, what is alive, rocks and minerals, space travel, looking after your body and so much more. For early readers, this is a book for sharing and reading together. For older more confident readers, one which they can go back to time and time again.
Themes Facts, STEM, Curiosity.
Kathryn Beilby
The robin and the reindeer by Rosa Bailey and Carmen Saldana
The wintery white landscape is a wonderland for Little Reindeer who is learning about snow and cold for the first time. So entranced is she by her surroundings that she doesn't notice that the herd has moved on on its journey to the caves in the warmer south. She is lost and the snow has already covered their tracks so she has no idea which way to go. But she remains calm, remembers her mother's words about digging a hole in the snow to keep warm and waits out the night.
Through the snowflakes that are still falling the next morning she catches a flash of red - curious because Leader told her all the birds had also travelled south - and a robin with his scarlet breast appears. Together, with the robin perched on Little Reindeer's nose like a beacon, they travel through the forest until...
This is a simple story beautifully told and illustrated in a muted palette that reflects the setting, making it a great choice for a calming read at the end of a boisterous session or day. A cross between a picture book and a novel, it is ideal for those making that transition as it has the supports needed such as just a sentence or two on each page to maintain interest even though it is somewhat longer than a regular picture book. Just as Little Reindeer realises she is becoming "a real reindeer" when she sees her budding antlers, so readers will understand that they are becoming 'real readers". Just charming.
Themes Reindeers, Robins, Snow.
Barbara Braxton
Twelve little festive frogs by Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley
Catch a star, 2022. ISBN: 9781922326355. (Age:2+) Recommended.
Based on the classic rhyme, The twelve days of Christmas, Twelve little festive frogs is a lovely counting books that will appeal to young children. The title page introduces the reader to the names of all the little frogs, who cavort in a circle around the title. All are drawn in cute poses and dressed in bright clothes, each holding a small branch from a Christmas tree. The text is simple, instead of a partridge in a pear tree, the frogs find a parcel and the words 'Pass the parcel!', in tiny font, tell the frog what to do with it. Then of course, the text accumulates until the parcel lands in a beautifully decorated fir tree. Young children will love the alliteration of word combinations like 'dancing deer', 'rockin’ robins', and 'frosty feathers' and will have fun trying to remember all the items.
They will also enjoy perusing the bright illustrations and identifying all the fun things associated with Christmas. Each little frog can also be identified by its unique clothing and coloured face, which are really cute and lots of fun. Details like a little rabbit watching what is going on, prancing deer and a sleigh that is used to pull the presents will also intrigue readers.
This is a very happy, feel-good book that is sure to be enjoyed during the festive season.
Themes Christmas, Frogs, Presents.
Pat Pledger
The Twelve Dinosaurs of Christmas by Evie Day and Liam Darcy
On the first day of Christmas, my grandpa gave to me . . . A Santasaurus and her dino baby!
Can there be anything better than a grandpa who understands your love of dinosaurs and instead of drummers drumming, lords a-leaping, golden rings and a partridge in a pear tree, gives you dinosaurs for the Christmas countdown?
Young dinosaur lovers will delight in this hilarious, colourful, action-packed twist on the traditional song as more and more dinosaurs - some familiar, some not-so, are added to the little girl's collection. And with this week's news that Queensland Museum Network palaeontologists have excavated Australia's first head and associated body of a 100-million-year-old long-necked marine reptile in what has been described as the Rosetta Stone of marine reptile palaeontology, the continuing fascination with these ancient creatures is going to peak again, making this book such a fun read for the enthusiasts - perhaps even offering them some new species to investigate or imagining the problems such gifts might cause... It's amazing what something that starts as just a bit of light entertainment can lead to.
