Seadog

Seadog by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Tom Jellett (Random House Australia)
HB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781742756509
Also available as an ebook
ISBN 9781742756523
Reviewed by Marian McGuinness

Fabulous and fun! I loved this picture book from the moment I saw Tom Jellett’s cheeky cover. There are many rascally dogs in children’s literature such as Harry the Dirty Dog and Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy, and Seadog has just as much charisma.

Just like we are all different, so too are dogs. Who wouldn’t love a sea dog? Who couldn’t love a sea dog? Seadog is not a work dog or a fetch dog or a trick dog or a clean dog, he’s a ‘find-and-roll-in-the-fish dog’. He’s a rapscallion and his day at the beach is described in lots of hyphenated phrases, until he is a ‘Pee-ee-euw, Seadog’. After the day is done when he’s all stinky with fish he becomes a ‘sit-still-till-it’s-done dog’ and succumbs to a bath.

With Saxby’s clever use of alliteration and assonance, children and adults will have fun twisting their tongues around the rhythm and rhyme as they go on Seadog’s adventures at the beach.

Tom Jellett has captured the enthusiasm and joy of such a scruffy, lovable dog. The endpapers give the book even more sea-appeal with a patchwork of international maritime signal flags. There are lots of close-up pictures of Seadog that make you feel as if you could give him a pat and hold your nose as you smell his fishy fur.

Claire Saxby is prolific in her writing and admits to being inspired by her own children, memories of childhood and by the children around her. It helps that she has a dog that often pretends to be a cat.

Tom Jellett is not only a bestselling illustrator of books for children; he also has been an editorial illustrator for umpteen print publications.

This is one picture book for 3 and up that will become dog-eared from love.

Drongoes

Mates: Drongoes by Christine Bongers, illustrated by Dan McGuiness (Omnibus Books)
PB RRP $11.99
ISBN 978-1-86291-982-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

The year five cross-country race is an important one for Jack and his mate Eric. It is really the race to end all races - the one where Jack is finally going to beat Rocket Robertson, his racing nemesis. And it is the race that Eric is finally going to make it to the finish line.

In order to achieve these goals, the boys will need plenty of training – and maybe a little help from the spangled drongoes, those cheeky birds who hang out at the creek.

Drongoes is a title in the Mates – Great Australian Yarns series and is perfect for young readers. It is an easy-read chapter book but with a storyline which will also satisfy older reluctant readers. The connotations of drongoes (one of which is a horse famous for not winning a race) adds an extra dimension to the story which older readers will appreciate without affecting younger reader’s enjoyment. The humour is appropriate for both readerships as well.

This is an appealing book to look at as well as to read. The layout is attractive, with full colour illustrations which add to the enjoyment of the reading experience. The pictures echo the humour of the text. The double spread illustration of Jack and Eric training, silhouetted in the setting sun, followed by a flock of drongoes, beautifully evokes the enormity of what the boys are trying to do.

This is a funny story highlighting the notions of winning not being everything, of loyalty, and of the great Aussie spirit of ‘giving it a go’. It will appeal to many young readers, especially those who relish a good sporting challenge. Jack and Eric are great characters to cheer for.

This will be enjoyed by children from seven and up.

My Band

My Band by Elizabeth Lea, illustrated by Chantal Stewart (National Library of Australia)
HB RRP $17.99
ISBN 9780642278364
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This is a musical book full of fun and movement that educates and informs. The focus is on the introduction of ten instruments that any child would learn if they were to join a band. Each instrument is introduced by the letter that it begins with set in large font on the outside of the lift-the-flap section. Underneath is the instrument with information on how to play it, what it is made of, how it is held, what the major pieces are called and the family it belongs to: woodwind, brass, percussion or string.

The pages are made of sturdy but light plasticised cardboard that will easily wipe clean. The illustrations are enchanting – light-hearted and joyful, surrounded by notes and filled with colour. After the ten instruments have been presented, it’s time for the whole band to play together.

At the back of the book there are eight craft activities to make: a guitar, French horn, castanets, tambourine, panpipes, violin, oboe, and a kazoo. The method is easy and most households would have the things that are needed for these projects. Below each activity is a picture of, and information on, each instrument in the project section.

All NLA books are specifically created with combined learning and entertainment in mind. They are produced with great insight and meticulous preparation and thought.

What is a Book App and Could YOU Create One? How 27 Writers Did!

What is a Book App and Could YOU Create One? How 27 Writers Did! by Karen Guinn Robertson

Ebook $2.99

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

At last I understand what book apps are, what they do and when book apps might be the way to publish. Karen Robertson could not have explained the process any more simply but arms readers with the necessary knowledge to determine whether this publishing avenue is for them and, if so, how to go about it. 

The step-by-step system (D-R-E-A-M) is easy to follow, even for the non-techies among us (like me!). Information on how to develop your project and where to find the most suitable book developer is included. There are leads to plenty of free resources and the author interviews are an invaluable insight into the pros and cons of publishing in this format.

Karen writes from experience, having first published her own picture books in print before venturing into the very new world of digital publishing. Her expertise has led her to help others realise their projects in ways that could have been barely imagined a decade ago. She reveals her journey and those of twenty-plus other writers who have utilised this new technology for many different reasons and in many different ways.  Importantly, their insights will hopefully help others sidestep some of the pitfalls.

At $2.99, this book is a steal for those even thinking about book apps.

(You don't have to have a Kindle reader to read this book. There is a free Kindle app that lets you read books from the Amazon Kindle store on your Android devices, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. It's super easy and the app is free. Learn more about it here:

How to use the Kindle app on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200298460

How to use the Kindle app on Android: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=165849822)

Don’t Let a Spoonbill in the Kitchen

Don’t Let a Spoonbill in the Kitchen by Narelle Oliver (Omnibus Books)
HB RRP $26.99
ISBN 978-1-86291-931-0
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Don’t Let a Spoonbill in the Kitchen is a gorgeous, cheeky and very fun picture book. It is a book about Australian waterbirds and is perfect for all lovers of rhyming verse, funny stories and birds.

The text and illustrations work well together – first setting up each bird in their natural habitat with a smooth easy rhyme – then placing the bird in our human environment and imagining what a mess they’d make of it.

There is a steady rhythm to this story. First a verse about the bird and its habits, then a verse suggesting similarities to our actions with an added caution:

I’ll give a simple warning that

You’d better not ignore...

Then the page turn and the imagined results of such an unwise action - ‘Don’t let a Spoonbill in the kitchen’. I’m sure this will produce many giggles and children will join in to chant this conclusion line.

Oliver’s illustrations are a mix of linocut, cut paper and photographs. The birds in their natural setting are linocuts, beautiful and natural, and then the addition of the collage elements effectively enhances the total silliness of the idea of letting spoonbills into the kitchen, or pelicans into the airport!

I’ll add my ‘simple warning’ - don’t let this fun and beautifully illustrated book pass you by.

Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems

Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems by Lorraine Marwood (Walker Books)
PB RRP $16.95
ISBN 9781922077424
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Lorraine Marwood, the winner of the 2010 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction for her novel Star Jumps, has lived most of her life on a dairy farm. Being close to nature has nurtured a strong bond with her surroundings and made her senses alert to every living, moving thing. This is visible in every word and its nuance in her new poetry book, Guinea Pig Town and Other Animal Poems.

Welcome to this ‘eat and drink garden’ of ‘so many flying objects’ that will ‘never collide’. It is a brand new collection of ninety poems on 141 pages, under seven headings. They are interesting, intelligent and insightful poems that entertain whilst presenting to the reader, an intimate view of animals and insects, their surroundings and unusual habits.

Poetry is a magical medium that demands skill from the writer for its message to be relayed to the reader. Marwood is a gifted wordsmith whose clever use of assonance and alliteration has added a musical rhythm to every piece in the book.

These poems are suitable for ages 8-108.

Big Red Tractor Saves the Day

Big Red Tractor Saves the Day by Melissa Firth, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 978-1-7428-125-1
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Big red tractor is busy at work on the farm, ploughing the fields, planting seeds and watering the plants when suddenly a nest with a baby bird appears in the field in front of him. Can the tractor save the day?

Big Red Tractor Saves the Day is a sweet tale about a hard day’s work and a valiant rescue. Filled with colour, movement and sound, young children will enjoy this story. The rhyme is smooth and anticipation is built up as the tractor gets closer to the nest:

 The tractor’s getting closer, wheels spinning round,
 Churning the earth with a crunching sound.
 Chugga chugga chugga brmm brmm brmm.

The illustrations are bright and cheerful. The farmer has a smile on his face as he steers his tractor around, pulling different attachments for the different jobs in the field.

This simple, happy story is great for children from 2 years. Boys especially, who love tractors and trucks, will enjoy having this read to them.

This is the third book that Melissa Firth and Cheryl Orsini have written and illustrated together. The first two are Fredrik goes Bananas and Red Plane to the Rescue.