Christmas Always Comes

Christmas Always Comes by Jackie French & Bruce Whatley (Harper Collins Children’s Books) PB HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 978 1 460757895

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

It’s Christmas Eve in 1932 when Joey, Ellie and their parents are droving their cattle in the drought. Yet, Joey knows that Christmas always comes no matter where you are. This story is a celebration of kindness and human spirit by an award-winning team.

 

Award winning author Jackie French has written a heart-warming Christmas tale about an earlier time in Australian history. She doesn’t shy away from realities and masterfully showcases strength, resilience, and Australian culture. The reader wonders how the family will find Christmas. ‘Christmas pudding tomorrow!’ said Joey, eating his cold meat and damper. ‘And presents!’ ‘Shhh! Don’t let Mum or Dad hear,’ whispered Ellie. ‘There’s no shops or money to buy presents or sultanas for a pudding.’

 

The magic of Christmas is captured simply and beautifully. The dialogue shows character and seamlessly moves the plot along. The reader is encouraged to think about another time and place. Santa had left two kites, and two penny whistles, and some macadamia nuts that looked just like the ones that had been growing along the road. French logically builds and supports the story. She shows that kindness can create miracles no matter where you are. ‘See,’ said Joey, his mouth full of pudding. ‘I told you there were always presents and pudding and a tree at Christmas.’ This is a story that can be read at any time of the year.

 

Illustrator Bruce Whatley has captured the essence of this time and place beautifully. The eye-catching cover looks like Christmas without a single Christmas icon. So much can be learned about the era from the fence, apricot tree, gladiolas, rosellas, kangaroos, children, and their clothing. The colour palette is perfect for an Australian Christmas. The bright orange endpapers move the reader into the story quickly. The two woolly socks on a barbed wire fence on the title page convey much meaning. Whatley’s illustrations take my breath away and at times seem like paintings. The dry brown land, the empty sky along with a horse and cart and cattle, along with the movement and facial expressions give the story so much heart and layered meaning. The illustrations bring to mind, Dorothea Mackellar’s poem, ‘My Country – I love a Sunburnt Country.’ The old farmer’s face on a single page tells a story.

 

Christmas Always Comes, is a picture book for children three years and up about Christmas, Australian history, family, strength, and resilience. It’s a book for home, school and library bookshelves that is filled with heart, hope and Australian culture. It is good to see our own stories being told.

Little Lion: A Long Way Home

Little Lion: A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Puffin) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN9780143795094

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This book is based on an inspiring true story that became an internationally best-selling book and award-winning film, Lion. It tells the story of its author, Saroo Brierley, who became lost on a train when he was only five, surviving on the streets before being taken into an orphanage and adopted by his Australian family. Despite being happy, Saroo always wondered where he was from. One day, after years of 25 years of searching, he miraculously found what he was looking for (by using Google Earth to identify the town from which he came.)

This book is more of an illustrated story than a conventional picture book. On the right-hand pages is the story, told in paragraphs, while the left-hand side pages feature full-size illustrations. The realistic artwork is stunning, though it is difficult to decipher if they were painted by the illustrator or if he used computer-generated images. Perhaps he used both. It would have been good for there to have been a note to indicate which. Under the story on the left-hand side on each page is a small and delicate black and white illustrative vignette – a child, a railway station, a bridge and so on.

The story has been told with Larry Buttrose by the man who became lost. When Saroo is finally reunited with his mother and family, he realises he has a different name. The brother who was with him in Calcutta when they were parted, he learns, was killed in a train accident at the same time which meant his mother had lost two sons that night.

This incredible true story celebrates the importance of hope and never giving up. It is a tribute to Saroo that he was so determined to reunite with his family. And, too, it is a tribute to his adoptive Australian family who raised him.

Dippy and the Dinosaurs

Dippy and the Dinosaurs by Jackie French, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (concept by Ben Smith Whatley) (HarperCollins) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781460754092

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

The second book featuring lovable diprotodon Dippy finds the character digging such a big hole that he ends up in the land of the dinosaurs. Unperturbed by the strange (and sometimes dangerous) creatures, Dippy sees a playground in his new surroundings - and lots of new friends.

Stunning illustrations grab the reader’s attention from the cover through to the final page. Dippy is expressive and adorable, while the dinosaurs and landscapes are vibrant and rich with detail. The text bubbles with enthusiasm and echoes the naive, playful tone so familiar from the Baby Wombat books. 

This book will be particularly enjoyed by dinosaur-loving Diary of a Wombat fans - which is to say, a whole lot of kids aged 2 to 5 years. Teachers’ notes do not yet appear to be available, but identification of the various dinosaurs and explanation of the relevant time periods and geographical locations would add considerable value.

One Tree

One Tree by Christopher Cheng, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Puffin Books) RRP $24.99 HB ISBN 9780143786733

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

It seems a long time since a book by Cheng has been published. Now comes his picture book which is set in China where Grandfather (probably Cheng’s) lives and works on a farm, a lifestyle he loves. Every week the old man walks with his family to the village market. But that was many years ago. Now, says the story, ‘Grandfather is old. He lives in my apartment’. Once the old man would tell stories to his family after dinner in their mountainside hut. Now ‘Grandfather is always silent’.

The narrator shops in a city market, sometimes taking Grandfather with him. But, unlike at his village market, no-one stops to talk. One day the child finds a plant growing between footpath cracks. He digs it up and plants it in a shallow bowl which he places on his balcony. The tree begins to grow and as it does Grandfather begins to talk – to the tree. Then he buys another tree for the child. And another. And more until the whole balcony is covered with trees.

The ‘forest’ on the balcony is the trigger for Grandfather to talk and for others to also start greening the city.

This story is not only uplifting but is about love and change and how important the natural environment is in our lives. Cheng tells it simply and effectively.

The coloured illustrations are a departure in technique for Whatley who is best known for his wombat books with Jackie French. In this book, each of his full-page illustrations are framed with a black border to enhance what looks like a linoprint with many intricate fine (and thicker) lines. This gives the appearance of much happening and one examines the multi-detailed illustrations which are filled with aspects of nature and of people.

This picture book should appeal to readers aged 7+ years and will surely used by teachers in promoting the idea of nature being important in our lives.

My First Day at School

My First Day at School by Rosie Smith & Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)

HB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-296-4

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Sparsely worded, My First Day at School by the popular team of Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley, is a colourful, bright and cheerful picture book. The illustrations offer a fun twist to the words, each page showing a different baby animal on their first day of school. ‘I dress myself’ has a picture of a centipede with socks on all his feet while ‘finger paint’ has a picture of an octopus.

Each double spread has a different coloured background - all soft pastels with adorable baby animals - showing the action of the text with no extra detail to confuse the sentiment of the words.

This is a gentle, sweet and cohesive story which will engage young children. It may also help with any anxieties about child care or pre-school by presenting a sense of the fun and friendship.

Wombat Wins

Wombat Wins written by Jackie French, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Harper Collins)

HBK $24.99

ISBN 9780732299576

Reviewed by Sharon McGuinness

Mothball, everyone’s favourite wombat returns in French’s latest adventure, again featuring the illustrations of Bruce Whatley and set against a sporting backdrop.

Mothball, in her never ending search for carrots, joins in a school athletics carnival, where her obvious lack of training is not a hindrance as she races the ‘small humans’ to the finish line. Using her wombat digging skills, she has only one thing on her mind. 

Next stop a swimming carnival, then a rugby game where Mothball dodges a horde of black boots in a scrum and tackles the ball, depositing it near the goal posts, winning again.

Finally she spies a shopping bag and the best prize is won – not carrots after all.

Suitable for pre-schoolers and up.

Fire

Fire by Jackie French, illustrations by Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)

HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 978-1-74283-817-5

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Jackie French and Bruce Whatley have once again produced a beautiful, evocative and powerful picture book where text and illustrations blend together creating a moving experience. Fire is a simple story, told in smooth rhyme, of a bushfire, hungry and intense, sweeping across the land. It speaks of the brave fire-fighters, the affected people and the cyclical nature of our earth.

The words used to tell the story are not only poetic and evocative, but they also create a build up in the intensity to match the flames. As the fire increases in power, short, sharp text controls the reading speed, increasing the urgency:

   Time to run, to try to flee

   Gulping smoke and singed debris.

Then, as the emergency lessens, so too, the text calms and softens:

    Riches are a loved one’s hand

    Safety from the flame-fed land.

The words themselves force you to slow down.

The illustrations are amazing. The way the fire has been captured, with flicks of paint adding to the swirling ash and dirtiness of the landscape, creates a tense atmosphere. Whatley’s illustrations capture emotions, the panic, the claustrophobia, choking fullness of the fire and the poignant grief and despair of the aftermath.

The ending, full of hope and regrowth, balances the story nicely. As does the cockatoo, through whose eyes we see the beginnings of the fire, and the beginnings of the recovery.

This story would be suitable for four year olds and older. The rhythm and the way it sounds when read out loud is very engaging and exciting. It is intense, but not scary and the language is easily accessible for them:

  Fire trucks, a barricade

  Arched hoses of the fire brigade

  Holding the red monster back

  Facing each high blazed attack.

For young and old, this picture book will encourage many important conversations - fire, living in the bush, and the cycles of nature, among others. I would encourage older children to read it too. Fire shows beautifully how poetry, words and images can create incredible emotion. And anyone who has been close to such an experience (and bushfires are not uncommon in Australia) will relate to this story.

My Merry Christmas

My Merry Christmas by Rosie Smith, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-801-4
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

As Christmas approaches, everyone prepares in their own way. And although we may all get ready differently, the end result is much the same. When Christmas comes we all gather to share the joy together.

My Merry Christmas is a deceptively simple story told with sparse, well chosen text. There are three to four words on every double spread, accompanied by beautifully illustrated animals – bold, yet gentle and soft. The text and illustrations go hand-in-hand, with as much of the story is told through the pictures as through the words – just as I’ve come to expect from this well known author/illustrator team.

My Merry Christmas is perfect for the very young. It expresses a wonderful message about the festive season. If you only buy one Christmas book this year, make it this one!

My Easter Egg Hunt

My Easter Egg Hunt by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283– 777-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

My Easter Egg Hunt is a new book by popular author-illustrators Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley. It has simple pictures, simple text, and perfectly captures the joy of hunting for Easter eggs.

Three sweet bunnies play hide and seek with their friends, looking for brightly decorated eggs. The text directs ‘look down’, or ‘look under’ and young readers will follow, finding eggs in unusual places.

The illustrations have no background to distract from the central focus - two or three animals and the egg they are searching for. The spare text on each page complements this. The story is told as much through the pictures as the words. Look at the last picture and see who has already eaten his chocolate egg.

Soft colours and playful expressions on the animals make this a gentle read. It will be engaging for an audience from three years and up but could be read to younger children, toddlers and babies even.

A perfect Easter gift.

Bruce Whatley has illustrated many well-loved and awarded children’s books. Among them, Flood (with Jackie French) won CBCA Honour Book, CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2012, The Littlest Refugee (written with Ahn and Suzanne Do) won CBCA Honour Book, CBCA Eve Pownall Book of the year 2012 and Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase (with Rosie Smith) won Honour Book, CBCA Picture book of the year 1998. His collaboration with Jackie French, include the popular Diary of a Wombat, Josephine Loves to Dance, Pete the Sheep and Queen Victoria’s Underpants. With Rosie Smith he has produced picture books such as My Dad’s the Coolest, My Mum’s the Best and Hunting for Dragons.

My Dad’s the Coolest

 My Dad's the Coolest by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-0742-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

With Father’s Day coming up it is the perfect time to be reminded about all the cool things dads can do.

In the latest picture book, written by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley, we see wonderful relationships between fathers and their children. From the rooster who tickles his chick to the mountain goat who climbs with his kid, these animal families are having fun together.

The illustrations are bold, bright and strong with much humour and warmth shining through. The text is simple, spare and direct. Preschoolers will understand and identify with the emotions beneath the words and pictures. “Dad is very brave, and clever too.”

The story is a simple message told in a lively and enjoyable way. This is a beautiful book and a delight to read.

Bruce Whatley is a much loved and awarded picture book author and illustrator. He has co-written several books with Rosie Smith including My Mum's the Best and Danny da Vinci: The Flying Machine of Lombardy.

The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Tale

The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Tale by Nette Hilton, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Working Title Press)
HP RRP $24.95
ISBN 978-1-921504-42-6
Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

A great new title in time for Easter, this is the third book in the very popular The Smallest Bilby series. (The Smallest Bilby and the Midnight Star and The Smallest Bilby and the Easter Games.)

Once again Billy Bilby and the little bilbies face adventure. It is the night before Easter and they are out hiding eggs. They place them high and low, here and there, up and down, in and out. But what happens when one of the bilbies falls over the edge? Will there be an Easter?

Nette Hilton has given us another charming story featuring Billy Bilby and the little bilbies. Her love of language is obvious...

‘One by one, two by two, three by three,
down the path, past the billabong trees,
around the bend, and out into the night.’

This story, while not only taking us on an exciting adventure with the bilbies, shows us what working together can accomplish.

Once again Bruce Whatley’s illustrations come to the fore. Using subtle washes of pen and ink on watercolour paper (especially created for this series) the illustrations are delicate and gentle, warm and inviting.

If you loved Billy Bilby in his previous adventures, from the tips of his ears to the tips of his toes, you’ll love this third instalment. This picture book is suitable for ages 5 and up.

Flood

Flood by Jackie French, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 9781742830728

Reviewed by Dawn Meredith

Flood is an unusual book indeed. The collaboration between two experienced children’s literary icons has produced a touching and thought provoking story which will, I am sure, be a catalyst for much discussion in schools and homes. Honourably, Scholastic is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of Flood to the Flood Disaster Relief Appeal. In addition, a complimentary copy of the book will be given to every primary school library, approximately 6000, across Australia.

The story is told from a lost cattle dog’s point of view. The nameless pooch appears as a bystander as the weather worsens, the disaster unfolds and the cleanup begins. At first the rain seems innocuous, gently falling onto parched land, but like a hungry monster, it soon turns savage, flooding the river and spilling out over the city. Our innocent and helpless little friend the cattle dog watches from a car roof, surrounded by brown water.

The river was the enemy… Trees and sofas sucked and swirled into the torrent… the cables of the boardwalk snapped. A kilometre of wood and metal became a weapon of the flood.

The hero of the story and a focal point of hope becomes the little tugboat, which hauls and strains to push the dislodged boardwalk out to sea. As the water level falls, the community swings into action:

The kindness of strangers bloomed like flowers after rain.

Brisbane resident Jackie’s own father was caught in the flood and many of the story elements were inspired by long phone calls between them. More than 60,000 volunteers helped to clean up.

Bruce Whatley’s illustrations in acrylic wash and pencil on paper are intelligently sparse, deliberately vague and washed over with a brown tinge which suits the subject matter perfectly. The spatters of paint make the scenes real as people of all ages grapple with removing rubbish, shovelling mud and sharing food. By contrast, when the city is returned to normal the sky is clear and blue and the cattle dog is reunited with its family. Bruce says, “This is a very emotional story and I needed to find an illustration style that would do it justice.” Having experimented with using his left hand, rather than his natural right, Bruce feels his self-expression is more vivid. I would have to agree.

Flood  is a wonderful book, not just for the magical execution of the story, but for the whole premise behind it – to reach out to flood disaster victims in a practical way, to show the generosity of the Australian spirit and to remind the rest of us how lucky we are.

Dawn Meredith writes from the Blue Mountains and is a May Gibbs Fellow 2011. Her new book, The Anything Shop will be launched October 15^th. See here for details: www.dawnmeredithauthor.blogspot.com  

Monster

Monster by Andrew Daddo, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (ABC Books)

HB RRP $24.99
ISBN 9780733322754
Reviewed by Tracey Slater

A little boy cannot go to sleep because of the monster in his bedroom. He calls out to his parents repeatedly and they answer with unsympathetic wisecracks and sarcasm. When the parents eventually order the boy into his bunk bed, both he and the monster drift off to sleep together.

Andrew Daddo has given us an unusual take on the ‘monster story’. The tone is humorous including some very light gross out humour, which is unlikely to offend the preschoolers out there.

Bruce Whatley has made the monster a sweet, timid, gummy creature with an under bite - not exactly a threat to children. The illustrations greatly enhance the text, adding a touch of ambiguity to the tale. The boy and the monster mirror each other throughout, so that in the end one is a little unsure whether the boy is actually the monster, or whether the boy is imagining that his sibling is a monster or whether the little boy is with a real monster- it’s somewhat open to interpretation.

There is a question of whether a preschool or early schoolchild would be comfortable with the ambiguous content, or whether they would ‘get’ the parental sarcasm. These aspects seem to tip the story towards a slightly older readership than probably intended. Overall, Monster is a sweet tale, setting out to prove that not all monsters are scary.

The Little Drummer Boy

The Little Drummer Boy by Bruce Whatley (Random House)

HB RRP $24.95

ISBN 978-1-8647-1990-1

Reviewed by Oliver Phommavanh

The Little Drummer Boy is a delightful Christmas tale by Bruce Whatley and a picture book for all ages. The story is about a wooden Christmas ornament, a little drummer boy who is given to a sweet girl named Annie. Annie’s affections for the drummer boy grow over the years and eventually through different generations. It’s a touching tale about Christmas traditions that stand the test of time.

Whatley’s illustrations are warm and inviting. There are some glorious illustrations that bring Christmas to life, with a dazzling Christmas tree being one of the highlights. I loved seeing Annie grow up, and I’m sure that readers will enjoy seeing the little drummer boy change too. Whatley’s humour is littered throughout the story, making it a great story to read aloud, especially leading up to Christmas.

The Little Drummer Boy is a warm tale that breathes new life into an old Christmas tradition. It’s recommended for ages 3 and up.