Lollipop Lil

Lollipop Lil written and illustrated by Audra de la Torre (Ace Press Australia)

PB RRP $17.95

ISBN – 9780987174338

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

The opening page of this book holds an illustration of Lil with the line ‘This is Lollipop Lil.’  The following page goes on to introduce friends, Benie and Dedie, who call her Lollipop Lil ‘because she loves collecting lollipops.’  Thereafter, text with illustrations to match tells readers what Lilli does with lollipops. This includes making a lollipop garden, decorating her bedroom, wearing lollipops instead of hair ribbons and tying them in her shoelaces.

Once readers are introduced to her activities they go on to learn that Lil also places all sorts of lollipops into a jar for a guessing game used at her preschool fete. As pages are turned each spread reveals a new sort of lollipop that Lil used. Young readers learning to count to five may well be engaged as first one ‘spirally lollipop’, is revealed followed by ’2 heart-shaped lollipops’, ‘3 apple lollipops’ ‘4 smiley-faced lolli pops’ and 5 ‘that are gone in a couple of licks’.

Lil’s friends reappear after this and they sell all-day-suckers in a stall in Lil’s front yard because these are a ’favourite with all the children in her street.’ Besides looking at numbers one to five the change of colour as each number appears in large font on the page will prove useful for children who are learning their colours, as will the shapes used. Vivid colour on mostly white background draws the eye of viewers and leaves things uncomplicated.

As the book nears its end readers are told that the thing Lil likes most about lollipops, besides collecting them, is sharing them with friends and that when Lil grows up she is going to work in her own shop and it will be ‘called Lollipop Lane for all the lollipop lovers in her town.’ The final accompanying full page spread is in complete colour, allowing readers to again spot much of what they first saw as they made their way through Lil’s world.

Stripes and His Night Alone at Preschool

Stripes and His Night Alone at Preschool written and illustrated by Audra de la Torre (Ace Press Australia)

HB/PB RRP $17.95

ISBN – 9780987174307

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

The opening page of this illustrated book begins ‘This is Stripes. Stripes is Charlie’s favourite knitted cat.’  It then goes on to tell that he is all alone, at preschool, because Charlie has forgotten him. Rather than fret, however, Stripes heads straight to ‘home corner’ where he has lots of fun, cooking up a make-believe party.

Once bored with that, Stripes moves on to raid the dress-up box and parades about in shiny black gumboots he finds. Standing before the mirror he thinks the reflection he sees is another cat. It is only on receiving no response when speaking to it that he twigs to something being wrong. Illustration and text combine to help readers see his reaction … 'His whiskers droop. His body sags and … His knitted face looks sad.’

The simplicity of telling readers what Stripes is doing, and then following that with illustrations to match what each piece of text has stated, may well appeal to the very young. The illustrations, some with bold colours and others black outlines on white, show readers a variety of expressions. First he seems shocked when left alone. Then he is happy and smiling while he amuses himself.

Missing Charlie, Stripes goes on to draw a picture of himself and his owner playing at the park together. This makes him feel better and he snuggles into the ‘rest sheets’ for a nap. Before he can doze off he hears a sound. It’s Charlie who has come to collect him, calling him a ‘silly cat’ before taking him home.

Children who worry about leaving things or have left things behind will easily relate to this element of the story, as might those who themselves fear being left behind. The ending makes room for discussion about how anything that is left behind is always found and the lighthearted delivery of such a potentially frightening situation will ensure young readers are left comforted.