Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143791836.
(Age: 4-7) Recommended. Visually exciting with bold colours, vistas
filled with light and shade, strong linear definitions and bright
patterns, Arthur and the Tiger explores overcoming fears and
prejudices, developing courage and creatively meeting challenges.
A happy little circus perches on the edge of a smog-filled city.
Inside the bright orange and yellow tent are fire-breathing
jugglers, a soaring acrobat and the Strongman capable of balancing a
car on one finger. On the side of the circus ring sits Arthur the
Ringmaster's son who's 'tried to learn all kinds of daring circus
tricks' to no avail. He's happiest picnicking with his little mice
friends.
When his father announces the arrival of a new circus animal a
fierce tiger, poor Arthur is told he'll be the tiger's trainer. All
of the other circus performers are afraid, 'the jugglers jittered'
and 'the strongman shivered.' Tensions build, as the townsfolk show
their anger and fear, with banners and shouts they protest. How does
Arthur face his fears, gather himself and bravely tame the huge,
growly beast? Will the townsfolk overcome their prejudices and
realise they need to accept differences in their world? Arthur and the Tiger is a wonderful story to share, filled
with gorgeous alliteration, some fun descriptions and phrases to
extend vocabulary combined with a tension-building storyline. Sophie
Beer's artworks and text create an energetic and visually appealing
story. Take time to investigate all the animals' activities, find
the little mice and discuss the ranges of emotions shown. Use as a
springboard into creative writing with a Junior Primary class.
Themes: Circuses, Tigers, Courage, Prejudice.
Rhyllis Bignell
The race for the red dragon by Rebecca Lim
Children of the Dragon book 2, Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN:
9781760297374.
(Ages 9-12) Highly recommended. Themes: Dragons, Magic, Adventure.
Rebecca Lim's Children of the Dragon series is an exciting
continuation of Harley's quest, another fast-paced adventure, filled
with dragons, magic and powerful sabotaging forces. In The
race for the red dragon thirteen-year-old Harley travels by
private jet with his father Ray Spark to Taipa Island Macau. On
board, Qing the blue dragon accompanies them preparing herself by
consuming tins of tuna for strength. Her special abilities to morph
into a Chinese girl, a glowing ghost, a glowing pearl and her
martial arts skills prove extremely advantageous in their quest to
find the second mysterious vase and save her sister the red dragon.
Harley's dad works closely with some shady characters, the criminal
underbelly of society, relying on these contacts to assist in their
travel arrangements to move them to Hong Kong and into the Wudang
Mountains in China. 'The entire criminal antiquities' world sees Ray
and Harley as walking bags of money'; there's a
twenty million dollar reward on offer.
Qing changes into a tiny glowing pearl to direct Harley's escape
through the dense crowd of people in Taipa airport and hide on the
Hong Kong ferry. Separated from his father and Schumacher their
German bodyguard, Ray and Qing bravely face obstacles, fight the bad
guys and seek direction. Harley's strength is equally tested as he
struggles to uncover the hidden dragons. With the assistance of an
old Chinese cook Ah Po and her getaway car, a beige 1970s hatchback,
Qing and Harley continue their dangerous journey. After an
interesting border crossing, they climb aboard the Jolly Bus and are
reunited with some heavily disguised but familiar characters. Harley
Sparks proves himself in the final struggle to unleash the dragon in
the lake. He draws on his inner strength and reasoning, listening to
his secret voice and works to ultimately save his dragon friend from
the villain's evil schemes. The Race for the red dragon is a wonderfully descriptive
narrative, filled with a sensory feast of Asian food, colourful
scenes, back alleys and buildings, volcanic landscapes and
mysterious lakes. Her gorgeous dragons are richly written,
colourful, energetic and magically powerful. Qing and Harley's
character growth and their developing reliance on each other's
abilities underpins this exciting story. Rebecca Lim's thrilling
infusion of her Chinese heritage and understanding of Ancient
Chinese history, culture and mythology adds to the excitement. What
an incredible junior novel, perfect for readers who enjoy modern
fantasy adventures! What's next for Harley and Qing?
Rhyllis Bignell
Star Wars: Meet the villains (series)
DK, 2019. Darth Vader by Ruth Amos. ISBN: 9780241392089. Stormtroopers by Emma Grange. ISBN: 9780241392096
(Age: 7-9) Dorling Kindersley presents Star Wars: Meet the
villains, two easy-to-read question and answer books filled
with colourful stills from across the original movies, prequels and
sequels.
Ruth Amos investigates the powerful Sith Lord Darth Vader, why he's
so powerful, his family members and why he makes that strange
rasping noise. Pitched at new fans and younger family members who've
been brought up with the franchise, Darth Vader is packed with
factual information including his wars with the rebel forces, his
castle on the planet Mustafar and his powerful forces. What are his
evil plans? Is there any good left in Darth Vader?
In Stormtroopers Emma George provides a wealth of
information, continuing the question and answer format with images
captured from across the franchise which started in 1977. The
Stormtroopers wear armour designed to help them on missions in
different environments, sand dunes, swamps and snowy landscapes.
They march in formation, travel on speeder bikes for spying, use All
Terrain Scout Transports and use tanks to trample everything in
their path. Stormtroopers' helmets are specially designed with
padding, communication links and breathing devices. Star Wars: Meet the villains is a thrilling series that
explores the popular characters, their roles, uniforms, powers in a
galaxy far, far away. Each book concludes with a glossary to help
understand key terms including empires, orders and forces. Written
with the younger audience in mind, these books are suitable for ages
seven years and up.
Subjects: Star Wars - Characters
Rhyllis Bignell
Star Wars: Meet the heroes: R2-D2 by Emma Grange
DK, 2019. ISBN: 9780241387740. 63p
(Age: 8+) Themes: Star Wars, Heroes, Cinema. Devoted to a single
character in the Star Wars franchise, R2-D2 is
illustrated with colourful movie stills from the original trilogy,
prequels and sequels. This hardback about a fictional character
takes the form of a Q and A or 'fast-fact' reference book, complete
with a glossary of regular concepts in addition to Star Wars jargon.
The arbitrary lesser known facts are intriguing: What language does
R2-D2 speak? Which worlds has R2-D2 visited? There are a few well
known plot questions such as: Does R2-D2 ever save a Queen? The
enthusiastic and detailed explanations reinforce the fame of this
pop culture icon.
With more Star Wars heroes planned, this series promises to
explain the strengths and foibles of the major characters to a
legion of new Star Wars fans.
Deborah Robins
The Catalpa rescue by Peter FitzSimons
Hachette, April 2019, ISBN: 9780733641244.
(Age: Senior Secondary - Adult) In this book, Peter FitzSimons tells
the true story of the Irish fight for independence from British
occupation, the life sentences for six of the captured Fenian
rebels, including transportation to a harsh prison in Fremantle,
Western Australia in the 1860s and a consequent daring
Irish-American rescue attempt using a disguised whaling ship, the
Catalpa.
Like all great escape stories this exciting tale includes portraits
of courageous and principled individuals, outstanding leadership,
adventure, a thrilling chase and a triumphant escape. The story is
told with excellent footnoted detail and offers a strong glimpse of
life in British occupied Ireland, the prideful weakness of the
British colonial gaol administration in Australia and the strength
of American Irish support for Irish independence. The author
includes useful maps and photographs showing the individuals and
settings featured in the gripping story.
Paul Pledger
Field notes on love by Jennifer E. Smith
Macmillan Children's Books, 2019. 311 pages, paperback. ISBN:
9781529014563.
(Age: Mid teens+) Recommended. Field Notes on Love is a
romantic novel about two strangers travelling across America by
train. Just like an old romance film, right? This story doesn't
start by them catching each other's eyes from across the platform
and falling helplessly in love though. No this starts with Hugo
Wilkinson, who just recently got dumped by his long-term girlfriend
Margaret Campbell. And her parting gift? The tickets for their
long-planned train trip before they went to university. If only they
had not booked it under her name, non-transferable and no
exceptions. Luckily when Mae finds an ad for a replacement for
Margaret Campbell for an adventure across America by train, she is
certain this is what she needs to get over her rejection from film
school. Now a train trip with a complete stranger might not sound
like the best idea, but both of them are looking for something more.
More of what? They don't know, but they might be able to help each
other out.
Both Hugo and Mae's journey throughout this story are personal and
moving and it was the perfect escape from my usual mystery driven
reads. The little romantic moments that Hugo and Mae share together
on this trip kept me reading late into the night and also into my
work breaks. Jennifer E. Smith has done a wonderful job of telling a
purely romantic story between two strangers. She has also managed to
give so much life to the other characters as well. Both Hugo and
Mae's family's feel grounded in the story, and it was refreshing to
read about families that are loving and supportive and accepting of
their children. And as for the travelers they met along the way,
they were all interesting and different and not one of them was
forgetful.
I think that this is a very refreshing young adult romance novel
that would be a great read if you need a step back from drama driven
stories. I would recommend it to mid-teens and up, and those who
just want to enjoy a nice light romance.
Kayla Raphael
Ron the royal guard by Deano Yipadee
Illus. by Paul Beavis. New Frontier Books, 2019. ISBN:
9781925594614.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Toilets, Buckingham Palace, Corgis,
Humour. When Ron is on duty at the palace, he never tires of people
taking selfies with him or the royal corgis scuttling around his
feet. He loves guarding the queen and the others inside the palace,
but really looks forward to his shift's end when he can relax, take
off his uniform and have a cup of tea.
Told in rhyming couplets, the story moves along breezily,
encouraging young readers to learn the lines and join in, predicting
the rhyming word and call out the words in bold.
But one day after having three cups of tea while relaxing, he finds
that back on his shift, he desperately needs the toilet. Readers
will laugh out loud at his predicament, mist of them having been in
the same situation themselves. They will laugh at the words used for
toilet as the lines proceed, and the increasingly funny looks on his
face as the situation becomes dire.
A solution seems near but the tourists do not want to dress up as
him while he makes a quick trip, and he must be more imaginative to
solve his problem. Even the queen does not see the trick he has
played as she walks past and says good morning to Ron.
A very funny look at a known situation, children will regale the
class with anecdotes of when they were in need, and this will lead
to discussions of what to do. The funny illustrations are enticing,
causing lots of laughter and sympathy with poor Ron, and the humour
behind the tale will not be lost on the audience. And what child can
resist the cover cut out.
Fran Knight
Aussie Nibbles series by various authors
Puffin, 2019. The mermaid's tail by Raewyn Caisley, illus. by Ann James.
ISBN: 9780141306155. Scruffy's day out by Rachel Flynn, illus. byJocelyn Bell.
ISBN: 9780141311692. Fairy bread by Ursula Dobosarsky, illus. by Mitch Vane. ISBN:
9780141311753. Bad Buster by Sofie Leguna, illus. by Leigh Hobbs. ISBN:
9780143300335. The littlest pirate by Sheryl Clark, illus. by Tom Jellett.
ISBN: 9780141313382. Blast off by Margaret Clark, illus. by Tom Jellett. ISBN:
9780143301851.
(Age: 6-8) Highly recommended. Themes: Chapter books, Humour. Puffin
is republishing some of the Aussie Nibbles books which first
appeared in the early 2000s. These were all highly popular and were
rarely on the shelves, tapping into a market that was, up until
then, ill served. With fabulous authors and illustrators, the series
proved a hit with younger readers and will now be available for a
new generation of readers. They are aimed at those kids who have
learnt to read and are looking for something with chapters. Each
book has six to eight chapters, each of 8 or so pages with half page
illustrations. They are full of humour.
In The mermaid's tail, Crystal is determined to be a
mermaid. She practises joining her legs together and collects
seaweed for her hair from the beach. Mum makes her a tail, covered
in sequins. She wears it everywhere, hoping that one day she will
turn into a mermaid, but is dismayed when the sequins begin to fall
off her costume. But when a dolphin comes into the room one night,
she must make a choice. Scruffy's day out is similarly based around a strong family
unit, and the children learn a lesson about a stray dog. He comes
into their lives when Dad rescues him from under the wheels of a
passing Land Rover. They take him around the neighbourhood looking
for a possible owner, and eventually ring RSPCA where they are given
a number to ring. The family would love to keep the dog, but in
giving it back find new friends.
In Fairy bread, When Becky's Mum asks what she wants as her
party food at her birthday party, she answers fairy bread. So Mum
makes plates of it for the guests, but when the great day comes,
they only eat the birthday cake. Becky and her family find lots of
things to do with leftover fairy bread but when the leftovers start
to stale, then Mum thinks of an idea to get rid of it all. A funny
look at solving a problem with Becky coming up with some very odd
ways of disposing of all the fairy bread. Bad Buster is a really bad boy, doing all sorts of things to
get himself into trouble. And his parents are not much better. Made
to work at a dog rescue home as punishment after a particularly
naughty series of bad behaviours, he becomes attached to the dogs
and the owner, Rhonda. His behaviour begins to change with these
friends, and when in class one day he feels there is something
wrong, he and the dogs foil a burglary at Rhonda's house. A funny
look at the difference friends can make to someone's life, with lots
of humour in pointing out the different dogs in the home.
In The littlest pirate, Nicholas Nash wants to prove
himself. He is left at home with his babysitter Gretta when his
parents and older siblings go off pirating in their ship, The
Pig's Breakfast. When his family is captured by Red Beard,
Nicholas springs into action, saving the day and the ship, and
finding a load of treasure along the way. Blast off! is similar to The littlest pirate, in that
it is about following your dream. Adam simply wants to be an
astronaut, and reads every thing he can lay his hands on to achieve
his dream. Going to visit Aunt Sue with Mum he meets the next door
neighbour, Marvin who needs help with his invention.
Fran Knight
Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN: 9781760631628.
(Age: 16+) Highly recommended. Themes: Crime, Thriller, Aboriginal
themes, Stolen generation. When detective Michael Teller is brought
to a small country town to investigate a fire at a local children's
home, he brings with him his daughter, Beth, killed in a car
accident several years before. Both have serious problems to deal
with and these are resolved as this wonderfully evocative crime
thriller unfolds. Beth cannot leave her father, knowing he has been
unable to contend with her death and unable to reach out to his dead
wife's family, one that had taken him in as their son. Beth knows
from her aunties that her mother is waiting for her on the other
side, but she cannot leave while her father is grieving.
When a witness is questioned at the local hospital, Beth is startled
that Isobel Catching can see her and as Beth narrates the journey of
the investigation, the two become friends. They share an Aboriginal
background that supports and nurtures their understanding of what
has transpired. The spirituality shared by the girls is wonderfully
evoked, giving them a deep inner strength inherited from their women
forebears and it is this understanding that permeates the story.
But things have happened in this town in the past which have been
covered up, Aboriginal people from the community were not listened
to as children were taken away. When Teller discovers the remains of
a young girl who disappeared more than twenty years ago, he solves a
problem for the constable in the town, a school friend of the girl
who disappeared. But this discovery leads to others. The grieving
detective questions Catching who gives elusive answers, outlining
some of the injustices doled out to her people from colonial times.
The conspiracy at the children's home involved people in the town,
police who didn't take the girl's disappearance seriously, or
because they were friends of the house owner, deliberately took
things slowly, leaving children even more vulnerable.
The almost poetic lines from Catching outline her suffering, but
readers will take pause at the strength of her character, her
resolve in a situation that although she cannot change, she can lead
the detective to the place where the mystery will be solved. At the
same time she is able to help him accept his daughter's death and
Beth is finally able to leave her father and join her mother.
This is a great read, full of women showing strength in the most
dire of circumstances: the aunties, mothers and daughters shining
through with courage and compassion, their words and stories telling
the reader about the injustices of the past, with the story ending
on a positive note offering hope for the future.
Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina are sibling authors who
are Palyku from the Pilbara region, North Western Australia. This
novel is their first joint effort writing a young adult fiction and
hopefully one of many. They have woven an absorbing and realistic
crime thriller around the storytelling, magic and poetry of the
women in their tale. Scroll for teacher's
notes.
Fran Knight
Touch the moon by Phil Cummings
Illus. by Coral Tulloch. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN 9781760523657.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Everyone has a story about where they
were the day Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, but the one told by
Phil Cummings in his stunning new picture book, published to
celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of that day, is second to none.
A young lad sitting in front of his television set in Peterborough
in South Australia, has to decide between going out into the snow or
watching the moon landing.
A remote town in the Mid North of South Australia, Peterborough
experiences very cold winter weather, but 1969 was the coldest day
for a long time. Sitting by his television, a newspaper left open on
the front page broadcasting the event of the century, he watches the
garden around his house become quiet and still as flakes of snow
drift down. The young boy rushes out, allowing the snow to fall on
his eyes, face and tongue. He has never seen snow before.
Mum aware of the momentous event about to unfold in their living
room, calls him back, and he watches as Armstrong places one foot on
the moon, saying his now iconic words. Friends call from the yard
and he joins them placing their own footsteps in the snow,
paralleling what is happening on the moon.
A beautifully circular story, Phil Cummings was that eleven year old
boy, seeing snow for the first time, drawn between an event in his
home town and an awe inspiring happening on the moon. What better
way to celebrate fifty years since the moon landing than to recall
an incident at home, making the almost impossible walk on the moon
comparable with steps taken by a young lad and his friends in their
back yard.
Cummings is always able to recreate the small events in people's
lives, giving them a universality which is memorable. His work links
the everyday to the momentous, connecting small events in a child's
life to something much bigger, effortlessly giving a sense of
authenticity to his stories.
And Coral Tulloch's illustrations underline the ordinariness of the
day; Mum working in the kitchen washing dishes at the sink, apron
around her waist, the breakfast things on the table, ironing table
ready to the side, calling out to him to make sure he doesn't miss
the event. The house and its environs are crammed full of images
from the sixties, allowing readers to view a snapshot of the past.
This image of a warm, close family, lovingly detailed with Tulloch's
soft illustrative technique, explodes when the images of the moon
take over the pages, bold and sharp, using few colours to recreate
the scene.
Themes: Space. Man on the moon, Snow, Peterborough (SA).
Fran Knight
Violet and nothing by Fiona Burrows
Fremantle Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781925591552.
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Themes: Philosophy, Questions. Violet has big
ideas and is always thinking about them. But when she starts
thinking about nothing, it creates an impossible range of more
questions to ponder and try to answer. She asks a range of people
for their idea about nothing, and tries out their responses for
herself, but still cannot come to any conclusion. She asks, what is
nothing? and where is nothing? She ponders about whether it is real
and if nothing is real, then is anything real?
A quizzical book for those who like to find an answer to the big
questions of life, or at least ponder the big questions of life,
this book encourages creativity and imagination as readers will
share Violet's questioning with their cohort, eager to find some
answers. Readers will follow Violet's pursuit of the answers to her
big questions, hoping that she does reach a conclusion, but equally
satisfied that one question leads to another. Children will use
their imaginations along with Violet in seeking out answers to the
big questions.
The imaginative illustrations showcase the ordinariness of Violet's
home life, contrasted with the jumble of colours and lines
representing her mind as she thinks about things. I love Mum putting
on her shoes or Gran painting, while Violet's mind is a kaleidoscope
of colour. Readers will love picking out all the things within that
mess of colour, showing what is going on in Violet's mind as she
thinks about all sorts of things at the same time. The wonderful
endpapers had me hooked for some little while trying to pursue some
of Violet's thinkings.
Fran Knight
Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9781444945256.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. This book was captivating and disturbing. A
confronting story of family relationships is told through the eyes
of Rachel. Rachel belongs to a family devoted to a fundamentalist
Christian religion.
The family church emphasises female submission and follows a rigid
interpretation of the Bible that sets all followers apart from the
rest of civilisation. Family members do not attend school or
associate with members of the wider community.
Rachel accesses the one computer in the house to manage her father's
business. This opens the door to knowledge - and Rachel begins to
realise that there might be more to life. This book sensitively and
intelligently explores the relationship Rachel has with her faith.
The reader considers the actions of her family when her access to
wider knowledge is discovered. As Rachel interrogates the differing
perspectives on offer the reader also interprets their perspectives
of the Bible, feminism, and vegetarian lifestyles.
There is a delicate touch to the writing that shows Rachel evolving
through the experience of leaving the community. The support she
receives nurtures her and is provided without judgement. 'Tell me,
what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?' is
the question that returns throughout the book. Devoted is an
essential read.
Linda Guthrie
Super cats by Gwyneth Rees and Becka Moir
Bloomsbury, 2019 ISBN: 9781408894194.
(Age: 5-8) Themes: Cats, Superpowers. Gwyneth Rees brings cats,
magic, superpowers and villains together in her new book Super
cats, just right for young readers.
Tagg the tabby kitten was born in spring to Melody and Chester.
Whilst his other brothers and sisters find new homes, he keeps
coming back after several attempts to find him a family. Of course,
there's a special reason for this, young Tagg has been born with a
superpower just like his mum and dad. His brother Rowdy from a
previous litter also has a super feline ability.
In the summer house, his great-uncle shares stories of previous
Feline Force adventures and Tagg tries to imagine what his talent
will be. When beautiful cat Glamour lands on the roof to report her
partner Flash, is missing after leaving home to purchase tickets for
an upcoming concert, the other cats become worried. Why is the
concert venue in an abandoned factory? What is the eccentric human
scientist and his feline offsider planning? With three other
supercats missing, all the adult Feline Force team gather to plan
and then infiltrate the concert to search for their missing friends.
Tagg sneaks off against his parents' instructions and teams up with
Sugarfoot the kitten. Together they become involved in dangerous
adventures, narrow escapes, scary bodyguards and foil evil plots. As
Tagg grows and helps save the missing cats, his surprising super
talent appears.
Gwyneth Rees' fast-paced story is just right for young animal fans
and Becca Moir's line drawings show all the feline action. What's
next for young Tagg and his new kitten friends - time for a team of
new super-agents?
Rhyllis Bignell
Things nobody knows but me by Amra Pajalic
Transit Lounge, 2019. ISBN: 9781925760200.
(Age: Adult) Memoir. Pajalic writes that as a young person she had
judged her mother and found her wanting, as a mother, as a wife, as
a human being. It was only when she was 16 that a school counsellor
helped her realise that her mother was most likely suffering from
manic depression, that there was a chemical imbalance in her brain
that caused her moods and behaviour to change in ways she could not
control. This was a revelation that changed Pajalic's perspective of
her mother, and led her to better understanding and forgiveness. Things nobody knows but me is a record of Pajalic's chaotic
childhood, the highs and lows of a life where parental guidance was
lacking, and where one unpredictable thing could happen after
another. The child Amra and her younger brother had to largely fend
for themselves, and try to work out the mysteries of the adult world
around them, often in situations that veered on dangerous.
When they travel to Bosnia, and stay with her mother's parents,
there is at least the security of rules and boundaries, but it comes
with harsh physical punishments for any wrongdoing. Amra comes to
realise that her mother and in fact all the women in her family have
had a very restricted life, where men have a free hand, and women
have to fearfully guard their moral reputations.
With the realisation of the things her mother had to bear, Pajalic
has a better appreciation of the opportunities now available to her,
and the freedoms that she in turn can offer her own daughter.
For the reader, it provides an intimate insight into mental health
issues, parenting styles and abuse, and women's rights.
Helen Eddy
We're stuck by Sue deGennaro
Scholastic, 2019. ISBN: 9781760663476.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Elevators, Friendship, City
life. With a tongue in cheek swipe at the unfriendly attitude of
people when getting into a lift in a city apartment, Sue deGennaro
highlights the isolation that many city dwellers create. Separated
from each other, rarely acknowledging another's existence, the
animals living in this apartment only needed a small prod to
communicate with each other.
A wonderful double page opens before the reader, making them turn
the book on its side so they can see the apartment house in its
entirety and the animals that live on each floor getting ready to
leave for work. Readers will have fun looking closely at the animals
to see what each wears and what work each does, so musing about
where they are going. DeGennaro's illustrations are enticing with
her pen and ink techniques, giving a humanity to the animals which
all readers will recognise; the large tuba player, the very busy
lion looking at his watch, the shy turtle sliding into the corner of
the lift, the very round hippo chef, the tall giraffe with a ladder!
and so on. Each is polite but stays guardedly aloof from the others
in the lift.
But something happens to bring them all together. The lift breaks
down and is stuck.
Turtle mentions that it is his birthday so without saying too many
words, the animals look into their various bags to find things to
help him celebrate his special day. Readers will be delighted and
amused seeing what each animal can design out of something very
simple - Crocodile inflates her rubber gloves, Hippo uses the
newspaper to make paper hats, Pelican finds a cake in his bag, and
they all sing out surprise to Turtle. Hippo helps Giraffe with her
allergies, Whale tells everyone she is a hairdresser and cuts lion's
mane, and they all settle down to chat and eat cake. When their
rescuers arrive, no rescuing is needed, and the firemen are invited
in for a cup of tea.
A delightful story well told will have children begging it to be
read again. Layers of understanding about life in a city, isolation
and lack of communication will not go unnoticed by the readers, as
they see that it only needs a small trigger for people to break down
the barriers. Readers will love to contemplate the next steps for
the residents of apartment block 24, now that their lives have
changed so completely.
Fran Knight
