Super Sloth: The Shar-Wolf of New York City

Super Sloth: The Shar-Wolf of New York City written by Aleesah Darlison, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781922896537

Reviewed by Sarah Tegerdine

Super Sloth: The Shar-Wolf of New York City is the latest publication from award-winning children’s author Aleesah Darlison. In this, the first episode, we are introduced to Romeo Fortez, a pygmy sloth from a remote tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean, called Escudo. Romeo is no ordinary sloth: his mother sensed it at his birth and again, the evening of his naming ceremony when dazzling mystical forces take place in the skies above.

Even though small in stature, Romeo stands out from all the other sloths on his island. He is speedier, craves exploration and adventure and is way cuter than other sloths. So much so, this cuteness has hypnotic superpowers and Romeo can cause entrancement from casting a simple smile.

His parents fear that Escudo and the island life just isn’t enough for Romeo: he is smarter, faster, and stronger and though he tries to play with the other sloths, he often plays with other animals. One day he over-hears a tourist speak about New York, the city that never sleeps and in that instant he knows destiny is calling.

New York is filled to the brim with humans and animals bustling shoulder to shoulder, pressing in around him and the noise is overwhelming. It pushes him to bound back away from the pavements and forces him to wonder what in the world he was thinking.

But then, Romeo finds himself by the famous Brooklyn Bridge and a gigantic half shark, half wolf creature appears with a girl in its paw, and he snaps into action to save her. Romeo isn’t the only one whose curiosity has been piqued by the beast. Romeo forms new friends and they team up to solve the mystery.

Super Sloth: The Shar-Wolf of New York City, is a super fun, super cute and a super charged junior fiction series for chapter book readers to revel and delight in. It’s a fast paced and highly entertaining read filled with plenty of laughs and gadgets to keep children hooked.

Cheri’s expressive black and white illustrations are the perfect accent to the story that feature throughout, so much so, watch out for Romeo’s hypnotic cute stare on page 9.

Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Super Sloth Episode 1: The Shar-Wolf of New York City

Super Sloth Episode 1: The Shar-Wolf of New York City by Aleesah Darlison, illustrated by Cheri Hughes. (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 9781922896537

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

Romeo Alexander Anton Silverio Fortez is a pygmy sloth. But not just any pygmy sloth. The night of his naming ceremony on the tiny island of Escudo where he was born, a fire rainbow erupted across the sky, lightning flashed, there was a shower of shooting stars and the rising moon looked magical.  Everyone knew they had just witnessed something incredible. As he grew, Romeo understood he was different to all the other sloths. He wasn’t slow like them. He was fast. Very fast. And he craved adventure and danger. He also developed hypnotic cuteness powers where all he had to do was look into someone’s eyes and they would forget what they had been doing and why they had been cross. He had become a Super Sloth!

The time came when Romeo knew he had to leave the island. He needed to be somewhere bigger, faster and with lots more happening than Escudo. New York City! It would be a bit scary and dangerous at first, but Romeo was up for it! This would be his destiny.

As soon as he arrived in New York, things began to happen. While he was admiring the famous Brooklyn Bridge, its pylons began to tilt, and the bridge began to sway. Everyone else ran the other way but Romeo ran towards the huge half shark, half wolf terrorising commuters. It held a young girl captive in one its enormous, clawed paws. A cheetah had also run towards the commotion. Together they freed the girl and the creature dived into the river below. Suddenly a pig appeared on a Vespa and yelled ‘Hop on!’ The pig, with the girl and Romeo in tow, sped away, with the Cheetah close behind. They quickly came to a cemetery and when the pig pressed a button on the Vespa, a huge panel of grass opened up beneath them revealing a ramp that led to the most amazing underground hideout.

The adventures of Romeo the Super Sloth, Tulip the Cheetah, Ham the Pig and Beth the young Crime Fighter had begun! Now all they had to do was find out where the mutant creature had come from, who had made it and how to stop them from creating more fearsome monsters. Look out evil Professor Weird Warp, your days are numbered!

This is a rollicking, fast-paced adventure story filled with incredible inventions, dangerous decisions, brave friends, superheroes, and very evil villains! Readers will be captivated from the opening page, with each chapter providing a thrilling ending to keep us wanting to find out more. Cheri Hughes’ superb black and white illustrations provide just the right amount of detail, leaving the reader with plenty of opportunities to use their own imaginations in the story. A highly recommended exciting new novel for ages 8 – 12. 

Teaching themes could include sloths, cheetahs, pigs, lemurs, superheroes, technology, inventions, villains, friendship, character traits, New York City and Brooklyn Bridge.

Chasing Rainbows

Chasing Rainbows written by Katrina McKelvey and illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978 1 922265708

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Katrina McKelvey captures that sense of childhood wonder with touches of magic, mystery, and mayhem in this charming picture book. Sam and Ruby are told stories by Dad about the special rainbow magic he views from his helicopter. Sam and Ruby want to find it too. In the backyard, playing and exploring, rainbows magically appear but where is the rainbow magic? I won’t share the ending but it ties in beautifully with the beginning of the book.

 

This is a picture book that ticks boxes. It has a captivating title to draw a reader in. The natural dialogue moves the story along smoothly as the children explore and play. There are touches of onomatopoeia and questioning to make a reader wonder too. We see children going into the backyard to play with a hose and to make their own discoveries.

 

Cheri Hughes has used a vivid colour palette that has an eighties vibe. She has captured the emotions of Sam and Ruby beautifully in their faces and body movements. She uses perspectives to showcase the vastness of the sky and the backyard as a wondrous place to play. Her imaginative play with rainbows and unicorns and a dog in the spreads adds extra layers of meaning and delight.

 

Chasing Rainbows is a picture book that’s perfect for 3-8 years. This book fits well into the STEM school curriculum. It is a book which will encourage children to explore, play and believe in magic.

No Baths Week

No Baths Week by Katrina McKelvey, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN: 9781925675429

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Can Ben and Bandit avoid having a bath for a whole week? Ben thinks so. Each time his mum tells him it’s time for a bath, Ben comes up with a crazy new way to get clean. He and Bandit sprint through a super-cold sprinkler, wade in a water feature and get primped by Pawla’s Pooch Pampering. But what happens when Ben runs out of ideas?

Katrina McKelvey’s story is overflowing with messy mischief. Children aged three to seven years will identify with mud pie-making, sandpit-shovelling Ben and adore his partner in grime, Bandit. Beyond the frothy fun of the story, Katrina dives deep into the themes of friendship and creativity with a unique blend of heart and humour.

Cheri Hughes’ dynamic illustrations dazzle readers with their magic and movement. Bright colours splash across the spreads, adding a layer of visual energy to the lively text, while onomatopoeic words pop from the pages like shiny soap bubbles.

This is an ideal book for children who fuss at bath time, as Ben’s increasingly silly suggestions will make them laugh. When Ben and Bandit eventually give in and take the plunge, the sheer joy on their faces reveals to reluctant bathers just how wonderful a warm bath can be.

No Baths Week

No Baths Week by Katrina McKelvey, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) RRP PB $14.99 HB $24.99
ISBN 9781925675429 (PB) 9781925675436 (HB)

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Ben and his shaggy dog Bandit love to spend time together painting, exploring, baking, digging and having a ball. What they don’t like doing is taking baths! So, young Ben comes up with the idea of ‘No Baths Week’ and does everything he can to avoid taking a bath. Unfortunately for Ben, his mum doesn’t share his enthusiasm, but at least she has a sense of humour.

Each day Ben and Bandit enjoy some messy fun together and each day his mum suggests they take a bath. Ben always insists it’s ‘No Baths Week’ and finds alternative ways to get themselves clean, without taking a bath. He comes up with an assortment of ideas, although he soon regrets each of his choices. Ben and Bandit manage to avoid a bath each day from Monday to Saturday, but can they make it through the entire week without taking a bath?

No Baths Week is a fun and playful picture story book aimed at kindergarten aged children. The action filled illustrations are bright and colourful and the use of onomatopoeia throughout makes it a fun read-a-loud.

The Forever Kid

The Forever Kid by Elizabeth Mary Cummings, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 781925 675382

Reviewed by Nikki M Heath

Grief is a challenging topic for children’s books, especially for the very young. This gentle, warm picture book features a family learning to move on after the loss of the eldest child to illness. The story follows the narrator – a young boy – his two sisters, parents and family dog as they celebrate the birthday of Johnny, their “forever kid”, the brother who is no longer with them. They remember what they shared with him, individually and together, and look at their cherished mementos. They allow themselves both sadness and joy as they grieve and celebrate.

Cummings, who has qualifications in psychology and education, weaves comforting imagery and sensory language with a poignant tone, gradually building towards a realisation of what has happened to Johnny and the family. The fact that his death is never explicitly referenced allows for adults to guide the discussion with younger readers in whatever way they feel is appropriate.

There is also an insightful moment of tension introduced when the narrator confesses his feelings of jealousy about the attention and latitude Johnny received while he was alive, and his guilt in hindsight. I imagine that the book’s acknowledgment of these feelings will give much-needed reassurance to children who have found themselves in a similar position.

The illustrations, by experienced artist Hughes, are perfect for this story. The images of the family are bright and lively, full of expression and colour. The background is rendered in a soft, pastel tie-dye effect, with suggestions of the “cloud stories” the family shared with Johnny, even once he was too ill to do anything else.

This book will be treasured by children who have lost siblings and valued by parents and educators looking for resources dealing with death, whether of a sibling or other loved one. While the publisher nominates an age range of 4 to 8 years, the sensitive yet layered approach should give it broader appeal.

The Forever Kid

The Forever Kid by Elizabeth Mary Cummings, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 781925 675382

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

For someone to become ‘forever’, they must remain in people’s memories. This is the case of Johnny, the subject of this picture book for readers aged 4 to 8 years. Johnny is a member of a loving family but sadly he is deceased. When this story starts, it’s Johnny’s birthday and of course he’s no longer around to enjoy it. However, his family celebrates him by continuing his favourite party traditions.

Mum, Dad, sister Pat, little Miley and Barker the dog join with the unnamed narrator to do all those things Johnny enjoyed. This includes playing with cheesy-puffs and playing ‘cloud stories’, lying in the backyard and making up stories about clouds as they once did with Johnny.

Assembled together on this sad and special day, the family recall their times with Johnny such as watching movies, building boat models, eating Mum’s chocolate-chip cookies, computer time and cuddling (especially little Miley).

The book is dedicated by the author to ‘John-Aloysius and all Forever Kids’, so it’s obvious that writing it was a labour of love. Cummings has qualifications in psychology and is a sought-after speaker about child well-being. This book is gently told and is sure to be embraced by families who have lost a loved one.

Barnaby and the lost Treasure of Bunnville

Barnaby and the lost Treasure of Bunnville by Robert Vescio, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing)

HB RRP $24.99 PB RRP $14.99

ISBN: HB 978-1-925275-64-3 PB 978-1-925275-61-2

Reviewed by Anita Howard

A story about an eco-friendly rabbit and his desire grow a garden from his collection of seeds. Barnaby is a rabbit which has collected many seeds from his travels. He wishes to create a garden where he lives, in Bunnyville. But the mayor is only interested in monetary wealth and says no to Barnaby's request. Barnaby takes advantage of the mayor’s greed and tricks him and citizens of Bunnyville, using a fake treasure map into digging holes all over the open spaces around the town.

Barnaby drops one of his seeds into each hole. Over time, the seeds turn into trees and plants, bearing fruit and vegetables which he takes to the market to sell. Barnaby tells the mayor and people of Bunnyville that here is the wealth from the ground. Through Barnaby’s achievement, infant children and older will gain an insight into the wealth and value of the earth.

The illustrations are clear, bold and playful. The additional inclusion of the ladybug and her different antics, bring anticipation as you wonder what she will do on the next page.