Ling Li’s Lantern

Ling Li’s Lantern – by Steve Heron and Benjamin Johnston (Midnight Sun Publishing) Picture Book  RRP $29.99 ISBN: 9781925227673

Reviewed by Jeffery E Doherty

Ling Li’s Lantern is a beautifully illustrated picture book about compassion and kindness. It is written in the style of a traditional Chinese folktale, where a father tries to show his children the true meaning of wisdom.

Ling Li and her two older brothers are set a challenge to test their wisdom. They have one day to go to the marketplace and return with something to fill their empty pagoda. Ling Li’s brothers are clever and practical and complete the task quickly. How can she prove herself to her father, when she returns from the marketplace with only a lantern to light her way?  

Ling Li’s Lantern is a heart-warming story that shows the reader that a kind and compassionate heart is more valuable than money or winning a challenge. Steve Heron’s story is wonderfully imagined and enhanced through the delightful illustrations of Benjamin Johnston. He has captured the cultural feel of the story perfectly. His generally muted colour palette makes Ling Li’s yellow outfit shine, like the bright lantern she returns home with.

This is a lovely and quiet picture book with a great message. It would make an excellent addition to any child’s library. Definitely recommended.

Ferret on the Loose

Ferret on the Loose by Heather Gallagher, illustrated by Benjamin Johnston (New Frontier Publishing)

PB RRP $12.95

ISBN – 9781921928420

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

Lucy hopes all the training she’s done with Flash will see him win the Annual Fastest Fearless Ferret Race. Elisha, Lucy’s nemesis, wants her ferret Bad Boy Blue to win. He stands a good chance. Sable, who Li owns, is fast but no real threat to either Lucy or Elisha’s entries. Due to falling asleep during races, Mr Olfart’s dopey Sadie will never win. He tells Lucy Flash might, with better training. He’s desperate to win a title he’s never won before.

While training, Flash is injured. Mr Goodo, the vet, prescribes pain killers, banning training for a week. Feeling sorry for him, Lucy lets Flash out of his cage at home. He bolts. After a chase around the house he launches himself into Lucy’s arms and she takes him to the next training session so he can watch. She arrives early. The only one there yet is Mr Olfart. He goads her into letting Flash have a practice race against Sadie with, “What are you: chicken?”

Not long before race day, Flash disappears. No matter how much Dad, Lucy and her friend Penny search, he’s nowhere to be found. On race day, Lucy goes to watch. When Mr Olfart arrives with a new ferret named Mr Incredible as his entry, her sad mood turns to suspicion. His ferret wins and, with help from her brother and Penny, Lucy exposes Mr Olfart as a ferret-napper.

Mr Olfart is banned from racing for two years. Lucy’s ferret is, fairly, disqualified due to having been trained by someone else. To everyone’s delight, Mr Olfart is also punished by being placed on duty for the job nobody likes. Yes, cleaning up the poo after each race. And Lucy says having Flash back is the best prize of all.

This straight-forward, easy to follow tale presents good lessons in fairness and inappropriate behaviour. Like all titles in the Little Rockets series its high quality paper contains well-spaced text and colourful illustrations that break up its ten chapters. Readers aged 7+ are likely to enjoy it very much.

Engibear’s Dream

Engibear’s Dream by Andrew King, illustrated by Benjamin Johnston (Little Steps Publishing)

HB RRP $24.95

ISBN 9781921928901

Reviewed by Emma Cameron

While crammed with excellent graphics that will instantly attract little boys, it isn’t only those young enough to be learning to count to ten who will find this delightfully humorous tale appealing. I think the older the reader the more they can appreciate the work and story, and therefore believe its greatest appeal will be to those of primary school age. (Oh, okay, any male who’s maintained the boy within will probably never outgrow it either!)

Engibear, like many boys, is a classic dreamer who loves to invent and then build things. Told in verse that scans well, his epic begins with his decision to invent a ‘Bearbot’ to help him with future creations and, in his meticulously organised workshop, he sets to work preparing plans for ‘Bearbot Type One’. Once built, however, it appears that Type One is ‘not without faults’ and, ‘KABOOM!’, Engibear must immediately begin work on ‘Bearbot Type Two’.

With disastrous yet funny failures along the way, the conclusion eventually sees Engibear’s tenacity win out. Bearbot Type Ten is a huge success. Hurray! And, just as any success deserves, the last four pages revisit the exciting journey to reflect on issues that occurred from prototype to final model via each type’s blueprints being provided, highlighted with numerous technical but easily understood notes and specifications.

Besides excellent characterisation of Engibear and each Bearbot, illustrations of the disasters also give readers much to laugh over. My favourite is that of a crinkled Type Seven lying ‘flat as a plate’ after inadvertently landing in the path of a bulldozer. My favourite non-disaster illustration is inside Engibear’s home where walls hold portraits of ‘Alexander Graham Bear’, ‘Thomas Beardison’, ‘Bear Brunel’, ‘Bearstav Eiffel’ etc. I thoroughly recommended this book for 3-10 year olds.

Angry Mangry

Angry Mangry by Barton Williams, illustrated by Benjamin Johnston (Little Steps Publishing)
PB RRP $24.95
ISBN 9780980723748
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Benjamin is having a tough day. He has been pushed, shushed and bumped. His pencils have been hogged. His anger rises and rises until  Relax Max turns up on his bike and the two go for a spin with Benjamin cooling down in the process.

Angry Mangry is an empowering book for younger children. The first title of the School Rox series, it demonstrates how people can take control of their own emotions. Simply written, with an infusion of humour, the text is complemented by illustration in coloured pencils. Bountiful white space focuses the attention on Benjamin and his emotions.

This book would be a wonderful asset particularly in an early educational setting and a useful tool to discuss emotions that are often viewed by our society as bad. Angry Mangry highlights that there are many small situations each day that can anger any one of us. However, it is how we deal with that emotion that is important and this book will help children do just that.