PICTURE BOOKS The Wonky Donkey Illus Katz Cowley
Scholastic 2009 9781869439262 Pb & CD $26
The Wonky Donkey box set
Scholastic 2010 9781869439811 Mini Pb, CD & toy $31 A funny, cumulative song. Each page tells us something new about the donkey until we end up with a spunky,hanky-panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky-tonky winky, wonky donkey. APRA Silver Scroll Best Children’s song of the Year Award 2008. NZ Post 2010 Children’s Choice Award. 4-10.
Stroud, Patricia
The House that Went to Sea
Illus Bruce Potter HarperCollins 2003 9781869504595 Pb $18.99 When the NZ Rifle Brigade marched down Queen Street to board their transport ship to Egypt and the Western Front in WWI, they were led by their official mascot, a bulldog called Caesar. Trained as a Red Cross dog, Caesar rescued wounded soldiers at the Battle of the Somme.
The Were-Nana
Caesar the Anzac Dog
21
Illus Gabriella Klepatski Duck Creek Press 2011 9781877378515 Hardback $29.99 Granny Gale lives with her grandson beside the sea in a house made of timber from old boats. Michael won’t enjoy any of Gran’s activities until she takes the house to sea and he starts to appreciate his new life. 4-8.
Illus Katz Cowley Willbee the Bumblebee
Illus Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson Scholastic 2008 9781869438692 Pb $19.50 Simon tells Stella Rosa that Nana Lupin is a were-nana so Stella Rosa is terrified when her grandmother comes to visit. Illustrations in digital painting and mixed media. 6-8. NZ Post Children’s Choice Award 2009.
Willbee the Bumblebee box set
Illus Robyn Kahukiwa
Smith, Craig & Maureen Thompson Scholastic 2010 9781869439439 Pb with flaps & CD $26
Scholastic 2010 9781775430599 Mini Pb, CD & toy $31 Willbee is a bumble bee out collecting pollen as he should when his stripy jumper starts to unravel until he’s left naked. Luckily his butterfly friend takes the wool to the spider who weaves Willbee a new jumper so he can fly back home to mum. Told in rhyme but lines don’t scan very well. Illustrations created with ‘watercolours and essence of rose petals’ . CD has song version of the text. 3-7.
Sobanja, Dreydon Ed Climbs a Big Hill
Illus Jennifer Smith Inspired Kids 2013 9780473227838 Pb $20 First in the Inspirational Kiwis series designed to inspire children and adults. A fictional telling of the life of Sir Edmund Hillary from life as a normal Kiwi boy to conquering the biggest mountain in the world - Mt Everest. 4--8.
Jean Dreams of Flying
Illus Terry Fitzgibbon Inspired Kids 2013 9780473227845 Pb $20 Inspirational Kiwis series. The fictional telling of the life of Jean Batten who dreamed she would one day fly, and eventually flew from England to Australia and back again. 4-8.
Sommerset, Mark & Rowan Baa Baa Smart Sheep
Dreamboat Books 2010 9780986466816 Hb $29.99 Dreamboat Books 2012 9780986466847 Pb $29.99 Sheep plays a trick on gullible Turkey by telling him that the poo is smary tablets. NZ Post Children’s Choice Award 2011. 3-8.
Cork and the Bottle
Random House (2008), 2009 9781869790370 Pb $19.99 Random House 2008 9781869790448 Hb $29.99 The second adventure for the cork, told in rhythmic rhyme. Explores love, loss, friendship, loyalty and the joy off togetherness.
Cork on the Ocean
Dreamboat Books (2005), 2010 9780986466809 Hb $29.99 A little cork has a big adventure crossing the ocean with lots of help from friends along the way and some scary times too, but the cork is cheerful throughout. Great illustrations using a limited palette of colours.
Taniwha Toys n Tails Tutu Taniwha Fun
Summers, Justine Pipimoomoo
Craig Potton Publishing 2012 9781877517853 Hb $29.99 Craig Potton Publishing 2012 9781877517860 Pb $19.99 Pipimoomoo always wears jeans until one day her friend lends her a skirt which she loves and asks her mum to make on for her. Goes through the process of selecting fabric, cutting out and sewing. 3-8.
Sutton, Eve
My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes
Illus Lynley Dodd Puffin (1982), 2010 9780143504467 Bd $21 Puffin 1982 9780140502428 Pb $17.99 Cummulative story of multi-cultural cats. Great read-aloud.
Sutton, Sally
A is for All Black
Illus Scott Pearson Picture Puffin (2006), 2008 9780143503200 Pb $17.99 An alphabet book with classic New Zealand icons, idea for preschoolers learning their letters.
Crazy Kiwi Tops and Tails
Illus Dave Gunson Puffin 2006 9780143520153 Pb $18.99 Picture book with rhyming text featuring native animals and birds, with split pages so you can create your own new animals.
Farmer John’s Tractor
Illus Robyn Belton Walker Books Australia 2012 9781921150944 Hb $29.95 The tractor is ‘rusty yet trusty and orangey red’ but it’s locked in the shed when a car, then a jeep, then a truck and a fire engine all get stuck in the flood until Farmer John comes to the rescue. Rhyming text and watercolour illustrations. 3-8. Storylines Notable Book 2013.
Roadworks
Illus Brian Lovelock Walker Books Australia (2008), 2010 9781921529535 Pb $19.99 Walker Books Australia 2008 9781921150166 Hb $31.99 Two Little Bugs Walker Books Australia 2011 9781921529580 Bd $17.99 Dreamboat Books 2011 9780986466830 Hb $29.99 A boisterous and noisy picture book which describes the Two little bugs sitting on a leaf, one on the top, one underneath.’ road-building process from beginning to end with great sound A rhyming story with cut-outs and flaps to lift about one bug who effects and bright textured illustrations. Fantastic read-aloud. NZ wants to be on top of the leaf instead of underneath, and the oth- Post Picture Book Award 2009. 2+. er who just wants to eat! 3-8. PANZ Book Design Best Children’s Demolition Book & Book of the Year 2012. Illus Brian Lovelock Stevenson, Alma Walker Books Australia 2012 9781921529269 Hb $31.99 Illus PG Rob Busy workers and noisy machines demolish an old building and Old Blue and the Halls of Hollyvale Farm build a new playground. 3+. Storylines Notable Book 2013. Trinity Publishing 2004 9780476010765 Pb $16.99 Szekely, Chris The adventures of Farmer Noel’s farm truck, Old Blue, when he is Rāhui passed on to Farmer Hall and his family. Based on a true story. Illus Malcolm Ross Old Red - the Adventures of the Little Red Huia Publishers 2011 9781869694708 Hb $20 Austin Truck Cousins holiday in a rural Māori community. They have lots of adTrinity Publishing 2003 9780476000612 Pb $16.99 ventures and fun at the beach, riding horses, catching fish and eels. Old Red starts life working for greengrocer Mr Yung in Dunedin, But then one of the cousins, Thomas, drowns. They have a tangi for moves to a farm in Arrowtown, then becomes a band truck with a him and a rāhui is put on the beach. Story told simply, with painted band and dancers on deck. illustrations, adding depth of feeling. Also in te reo Māori. 6+.
Zac Mac the All Black
A Stevenson 2011 9780473189624 Pb $19.99 Zachariah McRodden is a cheeky 7-year-old bully who dreams of being an All Black, but doesn’t understand that you need commitment, dedication and courage to make it, but with a little bit of help... 3-8. www.silvertone.co.nz
Szmanik, Melinda Made With Love
Illus Gabriella Klepatski Duck Creek Press 2012 9781877378539 Hb $29.99 The mother and children make a gingerbread woman who falls in love with the snowman outside. Includes recipe. 3-8.
Taniwha Toys and Tales 2010 9780473170479 Pb $19.95 Tutu Taniwha is joined by his friends Waiwaia Weta, Koa Kiwi, Pumau Pekapeka and Tangiweto Pupu. 2-5.
Taylor, Helen
The Indigo Bird
Picture Puffin 2010 9780143504719 Pb $19.99 The fantail flits through the bush looking for his friend the takehe, asking other native birds along the way. The illustrations capture the colours of the bush, its birds and insects. 4-8.
Thatcher, Stephanie
Great Galloping Galoot
Scholastic 2012 9781775431060 Pb $19.5 Galoot is a giraffe who is so clumsy his friends call him a ‘great galoot’. But his parents have always told him ‘when walking walk tall, when running run fast and always be your best’ so he doesn’t see himself as a failure and proves it when a disaster happens. 3-8.
The Quiet Pirate
Duck Creek Press 2013 9781877378812 Hb $29.95 Barnaby would love to sing and shout and roar like the other pirates, but he’s just plain quiet. But he watches and thinks and when disaster strikes he gets to be top pirate after all. Classic tale with a tatty old boat and roguish pirates with the appropriate pirate lingo. Smashing painted illustrations give extra spark to the characters and the endpapers are a special extra touch. 2-8.
Thompson, Colin* Illus Sarah Davis††
Fearless
ABC Books 2009 9780733320255 Hb $27.99 When the Claybourne-Willments get Fearless as a little puppy they think they’ve chosen a great name for him, except that Fearless wasn’t.
Fearless in Love
ABC Books 2013 9780733329517 Hb $29.99 The only thing Fearless remembered his mother telling him was ‘Life is much nicer if you love everyone’, but it turns out to be far more complicated than he’d imagined. 3-8.
Thorp, James
The Weasel Puffin Unicorn Baboon Pig Lobster Race
Illus Angus Mackinnon Beatnik 2013 9780992249311 Hb $29.99 Set in a land of custard trampolines and chocolate submarines. An eccentric and exciting children’s story that tells the tale of an unforgettable race.
Tipene, Tim
Hinemoa Te Toa
Illus John Bennett Scholastic 2008 9781869438180 Pb $19.50 Hinemoa always declares that she is a warrior but when she leaps in the deep end of the pool she finds herself in trouble and learns that sometimes you should be cautious not brave. Maori phrases. Gouache and watercolour illustrations. Also in te reo Maori. 3-7. Copyright © 2013 Silvertone