Lily the Elf: The Wishing Seed

Lily the Elf: The Wishing Seed by Anna Branford, illustrated by Lisa Coutts (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 7.95

ISBN 9781925081060

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The Wishing Seed is the fourth book in the Lily the Elf series of books for 5 year olds or beginners. Lily is reading her favourite book. It is about an elf princess. She loves the princess’ crown and longs to have one of her own. Her crown is from her dress-up collection and one of the points is broken. She catches a lucky floating Dandelion seed. As she does so, her dress-up crown falls off and another point breaks away.

She makes a wish on the seed for a real elf princess crown and believes it will come true.  Lily tells Granny but as usual, Granny reminds her that fixing things is better than wishing for things.

Lily draws herself wearing her new crown. She waits for the mail bee, looks at sparrows and dragonflies hoping they are carrying her crown in their beaks. But at night she’s disappointed. Her seed wish hasn’t come true. Dad and Granny tell her they sometimes don’t.

In the morning, the only thing Lily finds is the broken point of her dress-up crown. But Dad has a box of useful things and Granny is a genius when it comes to making old things new again.

As Lily waits for the mail bee, she listens to the noises coming from Granny’s flat. What could be going on in there?

This story is a wonderful example to children about the joy and satisfaction that can be found in restoring an old item instead of discarding it and replacing it with something new, which isn’t always possible.

Lily the Elf: The Elf Flute

Lily the Elf: The Elf Flute by Anna Branford, illustrated by Lisa Coutts (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 7.95

ISBN 9781925081077

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

The third book from the Lily the Elf series finds Lily with a new dilemma. Lily is practicing her poem that she plans to read the following day at the Grand Elf Concert.

The mail bee arrives with a surprise for Lily from Aunt Daisy. It is a beautiful silver flute. The idea of the poem at the concert disappears and the flute is what Lily wants to play instead. How hard can it be?

She tries it standing up, sitting down, lying on her bed, dangling from the bed, but whiffling is all she gets. She goes outside in the open air. She practises in the breeze, standing on a toadstool, but it is harder than she imagined. But Granny can play it and so can Dad.

Lily comes up with a brilliant idea. Can she pull it off?

Lily is a clever and adaptable elf. She finds alternate ways of doing things. She is rarely defeated although she becomes despondent when she fails but is able to quickly pick herself up by problem-solving. Children can relate to Lily. There is always something to learn in each book, and the emotions and moods displayed by the little elf are things young children experience frequently. The series is ideal for 5 year olds or beginners, with its large writing, short sentences, brief chapters and delightful illustrations which accompany the moods and emotions being experienced by Lily.

Lily the Elf: The Midnight Owl

Lily the Elf: The Midnight Owl by Anna Branford, illustrated by Lisa Coutts (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 7.95

ISBN 9781925081053

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Children’s fears and insecurities are the themes that Anna Branford has chosen to address in this first book of her new series for emerging readers. It introduces Lily the Elf and themes of imagining, overcoming fears, and learning to be brave.

Lily lives with her dad in a tiny house under a bridge. Her granny lives in a flat at the back of their house.

Lily can’t sleep. All she hears is the spooky questioning hoot of the owl. To both her granny and dad, the sound is a welcome one. But their encouraging words don’t help the tiny Lily. Granny suggests an adventure. Perhaps seeing the owl face-to-face would change things for Lily.

Lily prepares herself by practising at being brave. Will reading a scary book, going into a dark cellar or jumping off a high toadstool make her braver? She dresses brave. In the mirror she looks brave. Will these things help?

It’s the feather that granny shows her and the story connected to it that opens up other possibilities for Lily. The themes weave through the simple text accompanied by black and white illustrations that depict the loving family and the close relationship they share. A happy, embracing story with a message that things imagined, are not always what they first seem.

Delightfully delicate like the tiny elf, this story promises readers, mainly girls of the 5+ age, a new and interesting character that becomes involved in challenging adventures with a positive outcome. This will surely create as strong an interest in younger readers as the highly successful Violet Mackerel books did for an older age.

Lily the Elf: The Precious Ring

Lily the Elf: The Precious Ring by Anna Branford, illustrated by Lisa Coutts (Walker Books)

PB RRP $7.95

ISBN 9781925081046

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Lily the elf lives with her dad in a house below the bridge. Her granny lives in her granny flat behind their house. They are a loving and caring family. Today Lily is faced with a new dilemma. She awakes to find what appears to be a paddling pool in her yard. Granny tells her it’s a human ring. Lily has been taught that elves must return lost precious things to humans. But she wants to keep it.

After playing in her pool, Lily discovers a glass gem is missing from the ring when she tries to polish it. While Granny suggests they fill the space with coloured foil, they hear voices. A mother and her anxious child have come to the bridge in search of the lost ring. Lily hears that it is the girl’s favourite possession, although not of much value.

Lily knows the feeling of losing something special. Will she return the ring as she should, even though she really wants to keep it?

Anna Branford’s warm and engaging tone is ever present. Her work carries subtle ethical dilemmas, a temptation, and a positive resolution. There is a strong sense of fairness, and of right and wrong in her stories. They always present opposing views of the same story which encourages a choice or decision. Lisa Coutts’ illustrations are carefully considered and complement the text perfectly in watercolour and pen and ink.

I am a fan Branford’s work, and believe this series will initiate discussion about important themes; in class and at home with adults. For young readers of the 5+ age group who enjoy Lily’s adventures, her other titles, The Wishing Seed and The Elf Flute are also listed as being available.

Violet Mackerel’s Formal Occasion

Violet Mackerel’s Formal Occasion by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis (Walker Books)

HC RRP $ 19.95

ISBN 9781925081091

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

My favourite girl character Violet Mackerel is back again. I adore the delightful interpretation of Anna Branford’s work by Sarah Davis. She is so familiar with every aspect of each character’s personality that there’s not an emotion that she can’t portray perfectly. I know these character’s intimately, the illustrations boast.

Best friends Violet and Rose are at the park twig-digging. Rose finds something and brushes the dirt away like archaeologists do. It’s a locket. Nicola, Violet’s sister, experienced at jewellery making, gives her expert opinion on how to clean it. The girls decide to share the locket, but are preoccupied with the original owner and their loss.

Rose’s grandparents are visiting from overseas and plan to take the girls out for morning tea somewhere special. It is a formal occasion so they must dress up in their best clothes and comb their hair in a special braid to look elegant.

Violet still worries about the owner of the locket and their feelings of loss. Rose’s grandparents relate a story about a ring they lost years ago while young. They all discuss theories on things lost and found. They imagine who could have found the ring. Perhaps it had been someone who couldn’t afford one and needed it for their loved one? Possibilities are suggested. The girls decide to prepare a letter and bury it where the locket was found in case someone returns to search for it.

When mum’s basket of knitted things gets lost after she rests it on a seat for a moment, the theory of losing small things comes into play again. Violet and Rose find lots of ways to cheer mum up with their thoughtful and creative gifts, stories and theories on who may have found the knitted things, and what they could have been used for. They prepare a delightful formal occasion for mum as well, which proves to be the icing on the cake.

This perfectly crafted story has thought-provoking themes. Apart from the priceless value of family and friends, it has amazing alternate and almost profound ways of looking at things that get lost by reversing them to think about the finders of lost things. Ideal for the 5+ age group but also enjoyed by many adult fans as well.

I love the way new and unusual words are highlighted in bold and varying text to accentuate their individuality and newness. This encourages young readers to use their dictionaries or question the meaning of the words.

Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion

Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis (Walker Books)

HC RRP $ 19.95

ISBN 9781922244369

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

I’m always thrilled at the appearance of another Violet Mackerel book. She’s one of my favourite characters and I love the warm narrative voice that carries the story.

Rose has news. Her dad is going to Japan on a business trip and is taking the family with him. She has made a series of flash cards to help her learn Japanese words that will come in handy. For Violet, this means no more notes through the secret hole in the fence, and lonely days without her best friend.

Vincent has news too. He’s finally found a job - selling nuts and beans. It’s very hard trying to learn all the names and prices before his try-out period begins. As usual, Violet comes up with a wonderful and helpful suggestion that calms her mind about Rose’s pending absence, and helps Vincent with his dilemma.

The gorgeous black and white illustrations by Sarah Davis make everything so real. The reader is made to feel that they are an extension of Violet’s family. It is a warm, loving circle; a bit different at times, but always ready to adapt to their changing circumstances.  Violet’s optimism is infectious, and her problem-solving skills say to children, never let things get you down, as there is always a solution to every problem.

How to Make Small Things with Violet Mackerel

How to Make Small Things with Violet Mackerel by Anna Branford (Walker Books)
PB Fold over Flap RRP $ 19.95
ISBN 9781922179401
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

In this interesting craft book Violet Mackerel shows readers how to make her favourite small things to use, wear, and to give. Young girls will love the creative ideas that will stimulate the use of imagination and lateral thinking. In an era of electronic over-indulgence, books like this will induce children to actually make things for themselves and get personal satisfaction from the results.

It’s a how-to hand-make collection of terrific projects which focus on reconstructing old things and making them into new ones, or using what you have to make something pretty or useful.  The items include hair slides, note books, matchbox drawers, wrist warmers from ‘socks without partners’ and a list of other great stuff.

Each project lists what you will need, with an easy to follow, step by step instructions in pictures. You can’t go wrong. With Christmas coming on these fantastic and inexpensive ideas can be made as gifts for friends and family.

Violet Mackerel’s Possible Friend

Violet Mackerel’s Possible Friend by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis (Walker Books)
HB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781921977565
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Violet has moved into a new home. She goes on a discovery tour of the garden. She finds ants and rings of mushrooms. But it’s the knot in the fence that is the best find. She pushes it with her finger and through the hole it creates, she can see into the neighbour’s garden. It is a perfect garden, unlike theirs which is overrun with grasses.

Rose, a girl Violet’s age, lives there - a possible friend. Violet considers employing her Theory of Swapping Small Things as a stepping stone towards a friendly relationship.  But as the acquaintance progresses, Violet begins to feel bad about her preloved clothes, hand-made presents, and odd socks - seemingly imperfect things when measured against Rose’s beautiful and perfect new home and belongings.

Violet learns that comparing yourself and what you have, with what others are and have, can be painful. For what seems ordinary to the person that owns it, can appear a novelty to the other and that in true friendships, nobody notices these things anyway.

I’m a big fan of the Violet Mackerel books. They address concerns, fears and problems that children, and adults, frequently have, and approach them with an understanding of the problem and its resolution in a helpful manner. The tone of the narrative sounds just like the voice of a loving relative trying to relieve a child’s deep concern about something that is worrying them.

This is Book 5 in the delightful and insightful string of stories that also have some environmental flavour flowing within the major theme. The meaningful and well considered text is accentuated by Sarah Davis’ wonderful illustrations.

Violet Mackerel's Personal Space

 Violet Mackerel's Personal Space by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis (Walker Books Australia)
HB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781921529207
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

What a joy Violet Mackerel is! This series of books is written straight from the heart of a young girl who in her own unique way makes sense of the world around her. In this title, the fourth in the series, Violet and her family are undergoing some big changes. Mum and Vincent are getting married (good) and the Mackerels must move house (not-so-good). Violet's older brother, Dylan, finds the changes particularly difficult and the tender way that Anna Branford shows the great emotional turmoil in Dylan touched me.

Sarah Davis's black and white illustrations fill the pages, expanding and interweaving with the text to further bring Violet's world to life.

Gentleness and tolerance triumphs in Violet's world and brings to mind those other great books of a beautiful family, The Kingdom of Silk series by Glenda Millard.

I cannot recommend this book and series highly enough and if, like me, you want more Violet she has her own website of activities. You can read the Buzz Words Books review of Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat here.

Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat

Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis (Walker Books Australia)
HB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781921529191
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The delightful Violet Mackerel is back with her newest theory: the Theory of Helping Small Things. However, Violet finds that helping small things is not so easy when the ladybird Small Gloria dies in the home Violet has made her. Violet discovers all about natural habitats and Small Gloria provides the key to repairing Violet's relationship with her sister Nicola who is 'going through a stage'.

Beautifully written and pitched perfectly for younger readers, this third Violet book is a heart-warming exploration of family dynamics and of a child working out the world around her and how she and others fit into it. Branford also provides advice on how best to keep a ladybird in a jar including that it is best not to keep them for long.

Sarah Davis' ink and pencil illustrations grace every page bringing Violet and her family to life. Davis has managed to capture the very essence of Violet's personality. In particular, I loved the illustration of Violet searching for Small Gloria in the rain.

Violet Mackerel's Natural Habitat is the most gorgeous book and a must-have for all book shelves.

Neville No-Phone

    Neville No-Phone by Anna Branford and Kat Chadwick (Walker Books)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 9781921529962

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

It is no wonder that Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot was awarded Honour Book in the Younger Readers category for the 2011 CBCA for Anna Branford has a remarkable ability to tap into the heads of her target readership.

Neville No-Phone is a hilarious account of how Neville and his friend Enzo endeavour to obtain a mobile phone. Neville speaks from the page in this story written in first person, present tense. The boys firstly try to convince their parents that they need a mobile phone since, they claim, everyone else has one. Their efforts are to no avail. When they find a mobile phone left on a seat in a bus shelter it leads them into trouble with their parents, teacher and conscience.

Both Neville and Enzo are wonderful characters. They are fun and inventive and find that having a mobile phone is not all it’s cracked up to be. The story moves from them wanting a device to learning more about communicating with others. The secondary characters, particularly the boys’ parents and Dennis, are full of life and add much to the story.

Kat Chadwick’s numerous black-and-white illustrations capture the mood of the text perfectly. This is a book that younger readers are sure to enjoy.