Nobody Likes Monday

Nobody Likes Monday by Kelly Lee, illustrated by Amy Calautti (EK Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781922539847

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Monday wants to stay in bed because nobody likes her – she even receives a load of complaint letters. Then she comes up with a great idea. Surely Tuesday will help her out by swapping days with her? But Tuesday will not budge. Neither will Wednesday, Thursday nor Friday. And there is no point asking Saturday and Sunday – ‘people wished it was the weekend EVERY day’. She checks her mailbox, and finds a colourful letter. A child has written to her, saying that Monday is the best day of the week because they made new friends that day. Monday decides to ‘only focus on the positive letters from now on’, and she soon realises that she is ‘full of possibilities’.

Kelly Lee’s quirky story brings to life the days of the week to gently impress upon readers aged four to eight that their sense of self should come from within, not from what others think of them. Monday tries to be something she’s not, which detracts from the wonderful things she is: a day of new beginnings, and a day of special moments. As kids giggle at the amusing scenarios, they will find the strength to turn away from negativity and embrace positivity.

Kudos to Amy Calautti for coming up with a clever and charming way to characterise the various weekdays. Monday’s sadness sees her transformed into a blueberry shape, daydreamy Wednesday is a green hippy, and Thursday resembles the Norse god Thor. Eye-catching colours explode from the pages, especially as Monday drives her car along a rainbow to visit the other days, and when she receives affirming letters from young fans.

Every day that children read Nobody Likes Monday is a good day – because they’ll appreciate the beauty of self-acceptance more and more. The bright hues and cute characters will draw even the most reluctant of readers to this unique picture book.

One Book Was All It Took

One Book Was All It Took by Wenda Shurety and Amy Calautti (EK Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781922539137

Reviewed by Kathleen Grace

One girl's actions lead to chaotic consequences in One Book Was All it Took, a book about the importance of libraries. On a rainy day, Violet has searched her bedroom high and low, but just can’t find a book she hasn’t already read. She wishes her town had a library; a magical place full of adventure where she would never run out of stories to discover. As any proactive child would do, she writes a letter to the mayor asking for a library ‘with heaps of children’s books.’ Meanwhile she searches her house for books but all she can find are Dad’s not-at-all exciting cookbooks. However, supporting the wonky dinner table she finds a book she hasn’t read…

As the illustrations show, one book is all it takes – to upset the table and cover Dad with food. At the bus stop, Sally asks Dad if he knows any unusual cake recipes. Unfortunately, the super smelly cheese in the cake forces Sally to dispose of it. From then on, matters escalate. Connor the clerk skids and drops letters over the balcony rail. One of the letters lands at the foot of the mayor who sees – and reads – Violet’s letter. As a result, the following summer Violet ‘skipped into a brand-new library’. There, one book caught her eye.

An illustration shows Violet holding a huge pile of books… with the final words, ‘one book caught her eye.’ The book on the top of the pile is the book Violet wants. Perhaps in taking it she will put into motion another series of mishaps. It is not entirely clear to this adult reviewer, so perhaps a child reader might not understand, either.

The illustrations in this brightly coloured book are cartoon-like and sure to be enjoyed by young readers aged 4 to 8 years.

Mr Ming and the Mooncake Dragon

 

Mr Ming and the Mooncake Dragon by Kathy Creamer, illustrated by Amy Calautti (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9780648652878    

Reviewed by Wendy Haynes

This picture book for children aged 4 to 10 explores the story of a shopkeeper Mr. Ming who has a tiny shop on the outskirts of Singapore and sells just about anything you could possibly need. But once a year and when the mooncake festival arrives, he sells mooncakes. These aren’t any old mooncakes; they are the most scrumptious mooncakes. Mr. Ming has a secret recipe for them. But his biggest secret of all is his magical dragon. 

There is a good versus evil story: when Madam Money Bags learns about Mr. Ming’s scrumptious mooncakes, she determined to steal the secret recipe for her own shop in the city. But she is in for a surprise when she seeks into the kitchen of Mr. Ming’s shop, and she ends up in the most unexcepted place.

The text is longer than the traditional picture book of 500 words and best to be read aloud to younger children. This story would also suit older children who enjoy graphic novels. The illustrations are quirky and fun bringing the characters alive with a palate of vibrant colours.

 

 

Turning Cartwheels

Turning Cartwheels by Amy Adeney, illustrated by Amy Calautti (EK Books) PB RRP $24.99 ISBN 978 1 925820775

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

At lunchtime, Emma wants to be in the cool kids Cartwheel Club. She shows determination and resilience by practising at home until she can perform cartwheels. Finally, Carly allows her into the Cartwheel Club but now the rules keep changing and there are all sorts of cartwheels to learn. Emma keeps on trying until she realises that being in the playground should be fun and not full of rules that please someone else. In the end she chooses to take back her power and not give it away.

 

At school, kids want to fit in and be a part of a group where they belong. Sometimes a child will push themselves to do just about anything to be included. Amy Adeney’s message of choosing to do what is right for you is powerful. She cleverly shows us each character’s personality and quirks with strong dialogue. There is a mix of short and long sentences in the story and there is vocabulary from gymnastics about doing cartwheels that builds knowledge. The text shows us what the characters are doing and how they are feeling inside. The blue page highlights Emma’s growth as a character without telling us what she is thinking. Adeny leaves space for the reader. This is an energetic story about choices and not staying in situations that don’t work for you.

Amy Calautti’s illustrations bring the text to life and add multiple layers of meaning to the story. The bright and colourful images of the school playground powerfully show the dynamics of friendship groups and power plays. In the playground there is a diverse mix of children depicted who are hoping to become a member of the Cartwheel Club. This silently and powerfully supports the text.  Emma’s Mum and baby sibling in the home scenes gives the reader more knowledge about Emma’s world. The many attempts by Emma to cartwheel in the images strongly reflect her character and personality. The front cover is eye-catching with its vivid green background and bright red text shaped like a wheel with Emma inside.

 Turning Cartwheels is a picture book for readers aged 3-8 years. Its message is an important one: being yourself and doing what you can do are the best things you can do. Parents and teachers alike will be drawn to this story and it is sure to be a winner on any bookshelf.  

Hector and his Highland Dancers

Hector and his Highland Dancers by Anthony Sevil, illustrated by Amy Calautti (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9780648652892

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Mr McFowler believes that his rooster, Hector, could be a champion show bird. Hector has magnificent feathers, and he is clever enough to teach the other chickens to use the play equipment that Mr McFowler has built. But he always pecks anyone who touches him – including the show judge. When Mr McFowler discovers that Hector and his chicken friends have a special talent for highland dancing, not only do they become champions but they also have the chance to perform at the prestigious Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland.

More an illustrated short story than a traditional picture book due to the number of words, Hector and his Highland Dancers is aimed at kids aged eight to ten. Anthony Sevil’s charming tale will captivate readers from the very first page, and children will giggle at each chicken-themed character name – from Mr McFowler and Mick McClucken to Miss McFeatherlee. The strong bond between the farmer and the rooster is appealing, while Mr McFowler’s romantic reward for having faith in his chickens will make young hearts happy.

Laden with entertaining elements, Amy Calautti’s quirky illustrations add a unique layer of liveliness to the spreads. The rich reds and balmy browns throughout most of the images imbue the pages with a wonderful warmth that radiates towards the reader. Special mention must be made of the marvellous endpapers, which kids will scour for hours in search of whimsical new details.

 A vibrant and vivacious book, Hector and his Highland Dancers is a delight from start to finish. It skips nimbly through the story like chickens flitting through a Scottish jig and leaves the audience breathless for more.