Amazing Australians and their flying machines by Prue Mason and Kerry Mason
Ill. by Tom Jellett. Walker Books Australia, 2017. ISBN
9781922244635
(Age: 8 - 80) Highly recommended. Prue and Kerry Mason show their
passion, insight and love of flying in this truly amazing
information book Amazing Australians and Their Flying Machines.
From the aeroplane printed endpapers, to the large archival photos,
the index presented as a colourful timeline, to the easy to read
informative text, this book delivers on every level. The history of
ten leading Australian designers and aviators is presented; from Dr
William Bland's Atmotic Ship designed in the 1850s, to Ross
McPherson Smith's Vickers Vimy plane and the adventures of Bert
Hinkler and Nancy Bird Walton. Each double-page spread includes an
imagined first-person account, amazing facts, photographs, diagrams
and a Did You Know section. The technical details are written in
easy to understand terms and there is an update on modern aviation
as well. Prue and Kerry Mason bought a vintage plane in 2000 and
their love of flying led them to research Australia's aviation
history. They even discovered that women were not allowed to fly
until 1927 and there were no women airline pilots until 1979.
Tom Jellett's fun illustrations bring the aviators their designs and
experiences to life, with their expressive faces showing the highs
and lows of flying. The Great Race shows the long journey undertaken
by Ross Smith and his crew across the world from London to Darwin.
Small humourous scenes show the crew's activities, this includes
their final stop sharing a cup of tea in Fanny Bay jail.
This is an extremely well researched, written, designed and
presented information book, a fabulous resource for Primary
Australian History, Geography and Design and Technology.
Rhyllis Bignell
South Australia on the eve of war by Melanie Oppenheimer, Margaret Anderson and Mandy Paul
Wakefield Press, 2017. ISBN 9781743054741
In August 2014, a symposium involving History SA, the Professional
Historians Association and the three South Australian Universities
was held to commemorate the beginning of the First World War.
Papers presented have been selected for inclusion in this work which
helps us to better understand the social conditions, political
climate, gender relations and multicultural interactions which
prevailed at the time. These all unavoidably influenced or were
influenced by South Australia's involvement in the Great War and
this book helps us appreciate what life was like in the years and
months prior to this momentous event.
The late John Bannon explains South Australia's position from a
political perspective, having recently evolved from a colony to
being a state within a Federation. Unfortunately, whilst supporting
National progress, South Australia had limited voice and power in
comparison with the more powerful Eastern States.
Another chapter considers conditions for women. It's noted that on
the eve of war, birth rates were declining as women accessed various
forms of contraception and sought education and increasing work
opportunities. Sadly the situation for many remained unchanged with
unmarried pregnant women seeking illegal abortion, travelling to
undergo anonymous birthing and even secretly disposing of babies.
More mundane but positive developments in the home such as the
connection of gas and electricity improved family life and eased the
burden for women somewhat.
The euphemistic 'Protection' of Aboriginal people which in reality
constituted a powerful means of state control is explained in terms
of the regulation of place of residence, employment, personal
relationships and custody of children. The laws and regulations
which prescribed how Indigenous lived were clearly racist and
ignorant but also incredibly divisive in terms of segregating
Indigenous people and consigning them to specific reserves such as
Point Pearce. It is pointed out that whilst Aboriginal people had
voting rights, their citizenship was compromised in practical terms
through administration. The trauma caused by the forced removal of
children is also well known and was practiced in South Australia at
this time.
Other chapters have an agricultural focus. The British Farm
Apprentice scheme was implemented with British boys migrating to
serve the needs of an industry which was labour intensive and crying
out for employees. Life on the Eyre Peninsula, community development
and the importance of the region to the State's economy is also
considered in some detail.
The final chapters in this work focus on the contribution by South
Australians from differing nationalities and the various tensions
present prior to the Great War. We learn of the Indian community's
objection to the Immigration Restriction Act (White Australia
Policy) which expressly excluded migrants from Asia and Africa.
Whilst officially restricting selected nationalities, successive
governments had allowed labourers from those same countries when the
demand for labour under harsh conditions was required, e.g. building
railways. Economic downturn however caused renewed focus on the
restrictions and increasing tension within the wider community.
Reference is also made to what is described as the 'myth' of South
Australian Germans' bid to escape religious persecution. The author
notes that economic factors were equally important in motivating
German people to seek better lives and also emphasises that the S.A.
German population was not in fact united by heredity and religious
belief. It would appear that whilst German cultural influence and
tradition was evident in many aspects of life, generally the
migrants had assimilated to the point that they felt little
allegiance to their former country by the outbreak of war. Being
associated with the enemy in the pending conflict and considered
potentially hostile in their own right clearly caused division
however, and South Australian Germans suffered during and after the
war accordingly.
South Australians of Irish Catholic descent could also have been
regarded with suspicion prior to war, given the agitation for
political independence in Ireland. Local Irish support for the
Empire in opposition to Germany appears to have been almost
universal and was accepted to the extent that their allegiance was
accepted. The author notes however that this and military service by
Irish South Australians was not enough to overcome decades of
prejudice by the majority of citizens of English descent.
This book presents well researched and considered points of view on
varied aspects of South Australian life by contributors who are
clearly knowledgeable in their field.
Rob Welsh
1, 2, pirate stew by Kylie Howarth
Five Mile Press, 2017. ISBN 9781760403201
(Ages: 2-5) Rhyme. Imagination. Play. Pirates. Counting. From the
Australian author and illustrator of the popular Fish
jam, comes this playful counting book following the same
metre as the nursery rhyme 'One, two, buckle my shoe'. As two
children engage in imaginary pirate play with only their pets and a
cardboard box as props, the book counts from 1-22 (e.g. '1, 2, round
up the crew. 3, 4, now grab an oar'). Vivid and detailed drawings
depict their adventures as they really are (rather than how it looks
in their imagination). Minimal background illustration allows block
colours to set the scene of the imaginative play (for example, a
carefully constructed blue frame gives the appearance of the
children wading in water). Tufts of outlined grass take on the
illusion of waves. The children are large, highlighting their facial
expressions. The pet dog and chook also play lead roles, with the
dog helping the pirate ship to come alive. When being pulled along
in the ship by the dog they uproot half the carrots in the vegetable
garden (much to their mother's dismay). The words of the story
depict what is happening in the play but the pictures also give
extra information (for example, '11, 12... we dig and delve' shows
the children digging up and collecting the scattered carrots and
'15, 16, scrub deck, quick clean' shows mum and dad helping them to
wash their hands). The illustrations also show them opening the
treasure chest to find their treasure gone. Oh well, dinnertime.
What's in the pirate stew? Carrots of course!
This book encourages imaginative play as well as discussion around
what the children have used to create props (cardboard box with cut
out fish swimming from the end for a boat, plastic bottles tied to
broom handles for oars, a newspaper hat). It also includes diverse
pirate language (crew, marooned, deck, fort) and other unusual words
(delve, bait, crate). Children will enjoy mimicking what they have
seen in the book and getting ideas for their own play. On the
surface this is a simple counting book, but on a deeper level it
depicts wholesome family life (playing outdoors without fancy toys,
productive gardening and playing together). It is especially
heartening to see Dad join in the play. A perfect story for reading
aloud to young ones.
Nicole Nelson
Sage Cookson's Singapore sensation by Sally Murphy
Ill. by Celeste Hulme. Sage Cookson bk 4. New Frontier
Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781925059960
(Age: Newly independent readers) Cooking. Travel. Mystery.
Family life. Friendship. Ten year-old Sage Cookson travels with her
famous TV chef parents Ginger and Basil all over Australia and the
world. In each new destination, the crew film her parents tasting
new foods, eating at popular restaurants, and learning new cooking
techniques and sharing this knowledge with their large TV audience.
On each trip, while Sage accompanies her parents she also becomes
involved in a mystery.
Sage's new adventure begins as they catch their flight to Singapore;
they are finally able to have a break after a busy year of
travelling and filming. Sage catches sight of a woman with a zany
haircut, short and long with a bright pink streak, and this lady
seems to follow them throughout their holiday in beautiful
Singapore. On board, Mum spends all her time finalising the last
changes to her new cookbook 'The spice of life', while Dad and
Sage relax. In the hustle and bustle of customs, sorting out bags
and passports, the pink-haired lady brushes past them.
On arrival at their hotel, Mum is devastated to find her manuscript
missing and their holiday plans are upset. Even with this mishap,
the family enjoy exploring Singapore, going on the river, to the
beautiful sculptures at Gardens by the Bay and of course enjoying
all the culinary delights on offer. Sage keeps in constant contact
with her best friend Lucy, texting her about all their holiday fun
and about the mysterious woman who keeps appearing.
Sally Murphy's junior novel is perfect for the newly independent
reader, someone who enjoys cooking, mysteries, adventure and family
fun. A delicious recipe for Easy Chicken Satay is included as well.
With the popularity of television cooking shows for juniors, this
series is a great fit with young cooks and those who enjoy mystery
and adventure.
Rhyllis Bignell
Wild animals of the south by Dieter Braun
Flying Eye Books, 2017. ISBN 9781909263970
(Ages: 5+) Australian animals. African animals. South American
animals. Antarctic animals. This is a translated edition of a German
publication, with a second book, Wild animals of the north, also
available. There are many of these artsy, illustration-based
non-fiction books around for children and lots of them are
extraordinary in terms of their visual appeal as well as their
ability to engage young readers, many of whom are becoming more
discerning about the aesthetic qualities of their reading material
as well as shying away from text-heavy books. This one is organised
into four regions: South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. In
keeping with the visual focus, the contents are graphical (using a
map) and the index, organised by region, is pictorial (confusingly
not ordered alphabetically).
The introduction sets a conservationist tone for the reader as it
draws attention to the many species of animal currently threatened
with extinction. It opines 'We are intruders in the animal kingdom
and with every animal that dies out, our life on this planet loses a
part of its power and colour and beauty'. This is a wonderfully
written statement with the power and clarity to resonate with adults
and children alike. The author, by providing breath-taking
illustrations that display their beauty and immenseness, emphasises
that wild animals need to be respected and protected. The
illustrations are not completely realistic, but they are
scientifically accurate and incredibly detailed. The colours are
bright and vibrant, but not always true to life. Many of the
animals, composed of layered geometrical shapes, appear to pop off
the page, piercing you with their intense eyes.
This is a book to appreciate visually but is in no way a reference
or research book. Despite the introduction telling us, 'this book...
tells us how and where they live, what they look like, what they
eat, how they find each other or hide from one another and all the
other things they get up to' the illustrations really are the main
event and they deserve to be. Scientific names are given alongside
common names but aside from this inclusion (which is probably done
to give an exotic feel rather than for educational purpose) minimal
and sometimes no information is given about the included animals.
What information is given is limited in scope and often pertains to
one aspect (e.g. the kookaburra's laugh). In addition, it is far
from comprehensive; it includes only eighteen Australian animals and
a mere eight from the Antarctic region. While clearly not intended
as a reference book, it seems odd that information is not given for
each animal. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful book of art sure to
be treasured by animal lovers and young artists.
Nicole Nelson
Into the white: Scott's Antarctic odyssey by Joanna Grochowicz
Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760293659
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Antarctica, Exploration, Heroism. This
extraordinary story of Captain Scott and his ill fated race to be
the first to make it to the South Pole, is given new resonance for
younger students in this highly readable book, Into the white.
Having heard of Scott and his fellow expeditioners at primary school
when Social Studies was filled with stories of well known people, I
knew about their heroism, their daring and some of the tales about
their trek. I read this thinking I knew at least the background of
the tale, but was pleasantly surprised: the story is compulsive and
the detail simply mind boggling. I can hardly imagine minus ten
celsius, let alone minus fifty, but these men trudged on. The
description of Wilson's hands bulging with frostbite and then saying
that they would keep going, paralleled the tale of another three
stuck on an ice flow being circled by killer whales, the poor horses
slipping into the water. Or having to kill the horses to feed the
dogs, or getting into sleeping bags that were wetter than they were.
All the stories in this book attest to their courage and bravery,
keeping on even though they knew that Amundsen from Norway would get
there first.
The comradeship of the crew is impressive, the leadership shown by
Scott amazing, and above all their reasons for being there a
salutary reminder of the values of those who have gone before us.
I would have loved a timeline but was able to access one quite
easily on the internet, which I kept referring to as I read. Written
for younger readers, it is still 256 pages long and supplemented
with a cache of photographs in the middle, several maps at the
beginning and appendixes at the end rounding off the story.
I hope more people will read of these brave adventurers.
Fran Knight
Where's Wally? The colouring collection by Martin Handford
Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406375701
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. With the interest in colouring in
going strong, both children and adults will find lots of pleasure in
this colouring book featuring Wally. Even those who are not so keen
on colouring in will still love the opportunity to find Wally in the
many black and white scenes that can be found in the book. Wally is
lurking near a pond, in a dinosaur park and in the middle of a
medieval festival as well as many other exciting and interesting
places. The pages present quite a challenge for the colourist to
complete, with their small and intricate drawings, and definitely
would be rather difficult for little hands to manipulate.
The paper is thick, the book sturdy and there are other challenges
to complete. I was taken with the Super Sneaky Villains who all look
like Wally with the exception of having mostaches and had fun trying
to find Wally in the pages of villains. At the back of the book is a
giant size poster featuring dinosaurs (and Wally is rather hard to
find here), which could be pinned up in a library, classroom or
bedroom and completed at leisure.
This book will give hours of relaxation and fun. It would also be a
fabulous gift for children who have to while away hours on a long
car or plane journey.
Pat Pledger
Giants, trolls, witches, beasts: Ten tales from the deep, dark woods by Craig Phillips
Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760113261
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts:
Ten Tales from the Deep, Dark Woods is a book of ten fairy
tales that readers would not have read before. The stories come from
across the globe, from countries such as Germany, Ireland and
Russia. Each story is told in comic form, making it appealing to all
reading levels. Once readers are familiar with how to read a comic,
they won't be able to put the book down. Being a collection of
stories means the book can be read anytime. Readers who struggle
with novels can read individual stores at different times and in any
order.
Read about ogres, witches, heroes, villains and an exploding dragon.
The detailed illustrations will keep readers busy as they tell the
story. Inside the book is a story for all interests. Vasilisa
the Brave is a female heroine with story elements very similar
to Cinderella. The King of the Polar Bears tells the
story of the polar bear king who receives a feather coat and must
defend himself against those who ridicule him. The Boy Who Was
Never Afraid has a male hero who shows kindness to even the
fiercest of creatures.
This book of tales is highly recommended for all readers aged 10+.
It would be a great book for students to use during the Daily Five
activity 'read to self' where the reading of pictures and text is
encouraged and modelled. The pictures tell the story, like all
comics, and the text is descriptive and easy to follow and read.
Kylie Kempster
Henrietta and the perfect night by Martine Murray
Allen and Unwin, 2017. ISBN 9781760290245
(Age: 4-8) Recommended. This fifth book continues the adventures of
'Henrietta the Great Go-Getter'. She is going to have a new sibling,
start school and discover a friend. Henrietta is trying novel things
such as sleepovers and performing in plays. Henrietta befriends a
crying Olive Higgie on the first day of school. Although Henrietta
herself is anxious, it is her kindness towards Olive that makes the
first day enjoyable for them both. Henrietta's mother is quietly
supportive, offering love and understanding whenever Henrietta needs
it. Growing up, Henrietta the Great Go-Getter, is 'go-getting' and
she believes she is very brave having a sleep over with Olive and
dealing with Olive's big brother.
Henrietta feels jealous at first when Olive is given the lead part
of Noah is the class play but she knows that to be a real friend she
needs to congratulate and support Olive in the role. The last
chapter is of course the arrival of the new baby and a surprising
gift.
These small sized books are beautifully illustrated by Martine
Murray and have a restricted palette of soft colours. My only
complaint is that the white text on the light backgrounds are
difficult to read. The simple drawings are appealing and have a
child-like quality about them. Martine's stories are gentle and
realistic. It is easy to submerge into Henrietta's wonderful world
and experiences, enjoying apple trees, bugs and the occasional
apricot slice.
Jane Moore
History mysteries series by Mark Greenwood
Lasseter's gold. ISBN 9780143309321 The last tiger. ISBN 9780143309253
(Age: Middle primary) Recommended. Two wonderfully enlightening
tales in the History mysteries series of books, giving a
fictional account of a real event in Australia's history, will be
well read as they offer excitement and adventure wrapped up in a
plethora of historical facts about our past.
The claim by Lasseter in 1900 that he had found a massive reef of
gold somewhere in Central Australia, still holds water today as
people search for it. He was able to convince people to back him in
1930 and an expedition set out from Alice Springs. But people soon
tired of his secrecy and seeming inability to understand the bush.
More of them began to question if he had ever been in the bush, and
so most went back to Alice Springs, leaving Lasseter and a gold
prospector to travel on. They split, and later Lasseter's body was
found buried in a shallow grave by Aboriginal people who had tried
to help him. But the story endures, especially after maps and
instructions were found in the bank after his death.
The story of the last thylacine in Australia is a poignant as it is
instructional, pointing to the fragility of our environment and
urging us to care for it.
Two other books have already appeared in this series, Diamond
Jack and The lost explorer, and the four together make
great reading for middle school people, introducing them to history
through a well told story with illustrations, maps and a glossary to
help the early learner.
Fran Knight
Harry Kruize, born to lose by Paul Collins
Hybrid Publishers, 2017. ISBN 9781925272628
(Age: 11+) This book draws heavily on one of the best-known poets
and fiction writers of Australia's colonial period - Henry Lawson
(1867-1922). One of Lawson's recurring themes in his yarns is dogs.
Many a boy wants to have the mateship and loyalty of a dog. The
stories Paul uses are pub yarns written for adults so many of the
underlying morals to the stories will leave kids shaking their heads
wandering what the connection is to the protagonist, 11 year old
Harry Kruze; this is where teachers will revel in helping readers to
dive into the finer details and discuss issues such as family
relationships, mental health and student bullying and examine
Harry's perception that life is 'all jumbled up and fragmented . . .
All messed up. And back to front'.
Harry Kruize describes himself as the Hobbit, feeling like 'a
walking disaster' and 'the class weirdo'. Not surprisingly he goes
through each school day keeping his head down to avoid his nemesis
Gavin Brickson, THE BRICK, while trying to make sense of his
mother's fluctuating moods. Although having a low opinion of himself
he dreams of becoming a writer and likes to think of himself as
represented by font that is 'bold face', 'clear' and 'straight to
the point'.
Paul Collins has cleverly interwoven Harry's voice into a class
assignment where students come up with a list of wishes and diarise
about them coming true or not. Without giving away any spoilers one
of Harry's seven wishes is for a dog, hoping that having a dog and
winning the Dog Day Race Cup might solve his lack of social skills
all the while helped along by some dubious advice from a 'friend'.
Personally I like the cover but I would have preferred to see it
representative of the main character's age. The pages are bordered
by Microsoft Word desktop which students will feel connected to. The
mix of font makes the appearance of the book attractive but a
reluctant reader would benefit from increasing the spaces between
lines. A warning also needs to be made regarding the graphic
goriness depicted in Collins' The dog that wasn't.
Overall, this is an interesting book for readers aged 11+ years. It provides many
opportunities for guided discussion about family relationships, mental
health, student bullying and empathy.
Paul Collins was born in England, raised in New Zealand and
immigrated to Australia in 1972. Paul is the founder of Ford Street
Publishing and runs the speaker's agency Creative Net. He strongly
believes in nurturing Australian talent and has selflessly dedicated
his time to ensuring children continue to be challenged and
entertained by their reading choices. Harry Kruize, born to lose
is one of Paul's 140+ books. For more information about Paul
Collins, stop by his website.
There you will find information about all Paul's books, helpful tips
for young writers and classroom tools for teachers.
Sharon Smith (Children's and Youth Services Librarian Riverina
Regional Library)
The secret science of magic by Melissa Keil
Hardie Grant Egmont, 2017. ISBN 9781760127763
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Coming of age. Mathematics. Magic
tricks. Sophia is very smart - she loves mathematics and finds it
easy to relate to logic. Joshua loves his magic tricks and is
obsessed with finding a way to get to know Sophia. He decides that
timing is everything and begins a campaign starting with leaving 2
of hearts card in her TARDIS wallet. As the end of school life
looms, both have to come to terms with change and work out what they
will do with their futures.
Melissa Keil is an award winning author (Life
in outer space and The
incredible adventures of Cinnamon Girl) and she
continues her winning approach in The secret science of magic.
Her two characters capture the reader's interest right from the
first chapter. Joshua, a tall lanky boy, loves all the illusions of
magic and although isolated at high school has a job and good
friends away from the angst of school politics. Sophia, despite
being exceptionally bright, is increasingly anxious because her best
and only friend, Elsie, is planning on moving to the US for college
and her relationship with her brother Toby is exceedingly tense. She
has never been interested in boys, but as Joshua gains her interest
with magic tricks and plays a giant illusion prank on her Drama
teacher, he begins to get under her skin. Sophia's anxiety escalates
during the narrative and this is handled sympathetically by Keil as
is the romance between the two protagonists. Joshua is caring and
understanding of Sophia's anxiety disorder and helpful when she has
problems with her friend Elsie.
Keil leavens her story with wonderful flashes of humour and
references to Dr Who, musicians and authors like Robin Hobb add a
dimension to the story. The insights into Mathematics and Grigori
Perelman, a reclusive Russian mathematician are also fascinating and
will have readers researching many of the things that are mentioned.
With its humour, diversity (Sophia is of Sri Lankan descent), its
sympathetic portrayal of anxiety and its gentle romance, The
secret science of magic would make a fascinating Literature
Circle or class text.
Pat Pledger
We're all wonders by R. J. Palacio
Penguin, 2017. ISBN 9780141386416
(Age: 4-7) Highly recommended. Paperback, 32 pages.
Imagination. Play. Emotions. Feelings. Acceptance. Tolerance. Special
needs. R. J. Palacio's best-selling novel Wonder introduced
readers to Auggie Pullman an ordinary boy with an extraordinary
face. This novel inspired the Choose Kind movement that encourages
everyone to choose kindness, be tolerant and accepting of other's
unique qualities. We're all wonders with its simple, bold statements and
colourful, graphic illustrations introduces Auggie and his dog Daisy
to younger readers. Palacio's desire is to help children understand
the need for tolerance, acceptance and kindness. Auggie does
ordinary things, riding a bike, eating an icecream and playing
ball, however he does not look ordinary. On the portrait wall, even
though there are students from different backgrounds, countries,
with different facial features, he stands out. His loving mother
says he is a wonder but he knows others see him as different.
Palacio's emotive, stylised illustrations beautifully portray
Auggie's emotions when his feelings are hurt: the little boy, his
dog, even the blue bird in the wagon all are drawn with their heads
down looking dejected. His helmet is drawn as a symbol of protection
and he blasts off across a starry galaxy to Pluto where all the
creatures who have the same unique faces welcome him. Auggie is
shown looking back to Earth wishing that there is room for everyone
to be loved and accepted.
This simple picture book is a fantastic starting point for families
to discuss tolerance, acceptance and physical differences. From the
front cover, to the last page where the world is reflected in
Auggie's one eye, this is a powerful picture book. We're all
wonders is a key book for teaching ethical understanding in
the Early Years: identifying and appreciating similarities and
differences in people; exploring how people feel when they are
included and excluded from groups and demonstrating appropriate
language when encouraging others.
Rhyllis Bignell
My amazing body machine by Robert Winston
Ill. by Owen Gildersleeve. DK Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9780241283806
Young children are always fascinated with their bodies and how they
work and this new publication from DK is the perfect starting point
for those who are ready to delve a little deeper.
Divided into nine sections, each dealing with a different but
related phenomenon of the body, with bite-sized chunks of
information in accessible text interspersed with colourful
informative diagrams and photos, this would be an ideal addition
to the family reference library, ready to consult when questions are
asked, as well as the school library collection. Having it out on
display so students can leaf through it as they wait will spark lots
of curiosity and a desire to find out more. The perfect introduction
to the role of the encyclopedia as a starting point to finding out a
little and sparking the desire to go to a more specialised book to
find out more.
DK have been at the forefront of introducing non fiction to young
readers for decades and this is no exception.
Barbara Braxton
Nat's naughty nits by Giles Andreae
Ill. by Jess Mikhail. Orchard Books, 2017. ISBN 9781408329375
(Age: 4-6) Hardcover, 29 pages. Lice. Rhyming stories. Humorous
fiction. Health. Daily living. 'There are nits in the treetops,
Nits in the town,
Nits on the toilet seat with their pants pulled down!'
Giles Andreae tackles a new but very familiar subject in this funny
rhyming story. Nat's naughty nits have come to play, they have
invaded his hair and his life, they are even playing football,
eating treats and sleeping safe and sound. There is an abundance of
little black creatures up to all sorts of mischief, until Mummy
appears with her shampoo and comb. Nate's nits are gone, and he is
looking very smart until we see them travelling along the tabletop
off to find a new head.
Jess Mikhail's lively nits wear a bold array of outfits perfect for
their insect bodies, as they engage in a humourous range of
activities. Their funny expressions, up close antics and settings
are delightful, an amusing accompaniment to Andreae's rhyming story,
which is presented with a range of font sizes from big and bold to
tiny. Nat's naughty nits is a fun story to share with a family or
class, especially as an introduction to healthy living and how to
cope with this very common school problem.
Rhyllis Bignell
