Jasper Juggles Jellyfish

Jasper Juggles Jellyfish by Ben Long illustrated by David Cornish, (Ford St. 2018), ISBN 9781925736021, HB $22.95    PB $14.95

Reviewed by Pauline Hosking

This is a cute, funny and short tale told in rhyme. It teaches counting from 1 to 12 and reminds us that we can learn anything if we start small and gradually build our knowledge.

Jasper is an octopus who goes to school. He finds counting jellyfish a struggle so says he’d ‘rather learn to juggle’. He begins by juggling 1, 2, 3 jellyfish with two of his arms. Of course, as he’s an octopus he has eight arms. If each pair of arms can juggle three jellyfish, four pairs of arms can juggle twelve! Jasper and the jellyfish have fun and learn about numbers.

The illustrations by David Cornish are delightfully quirky. The colours are bold and bright. Each jellyfish has its own shape and personality. I especially liked Curlywurly meeting the startled gull, and the first double page spread which showed Jasper, a crab and a starfish on their way to school. Highly recommended.

I don’t want to go to Bed

I don’t want to go to Bed by David Cornish (Harper Collins) HBK RRP $24.99   ISBN 978-1-46075-05-82

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

This book is the sequel to the very funny picture book, I Don’t Want to Eat my Dinner by author-illustrator David Cornish. Every night when dinner is done, Rollo cries, 'I don't want to go to bed!'…

Rollo has worked out the evening routine, and going to bed is no fun.  So the stalling routine begins with lots of tried and true tactics.  You know the usual ones -- water, food, story, toilet, and a monster which gets told to go far away.  Rollo is loud, lovable and annoying. 

This picture book targets preschoolers from 3 years old.  The simple text and illustrations tell the story beautifully to small children who know all about not wanting to go to bed and what excuses to make to avoid it.

The mood is captured so simply, with Rollo’s facial expressions, from his little cranky face to the large text that loudly tells the reader that Rollo is not going to go to bed without a fight.   Large speech bubbles, checklists and a big crying mouth add to the drama and loudness of the story.  Rollo’s demands and antics just make you burst with laughter.  We can hear Rollo’s loud voice in our heads as we turn the pages and see his hungry mouth with a few teeth, to his parched and as dry as a desert mouth.  Luckily, for Rollo and his parents, his demands are met and he finally gives into tiredness and falls asleep.

I am sure that the author has more plans for Rollo in the future. You never know what Rollo’s next adventure will be, but you can be sure it will be funny.

I don’t want to go to bed

I don’t want to go to bed written and illustrated by David Cornish (Harper Collins) HBK  RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781460750582

Reviewed by Sharon McGuinness

First introduced to Rollo in I don’t want to eat my dinner, Cornish has delivered the obvious sequel which will again be appreciated by the parents of young children. Just when Rollo’s parents think they have routines sorted, the bedtime issue raises its head.

Rollo uses the usual stalling tactics of needing a story, food, drink and sorting out the monsters. Only when these issues have been dealt with does sleep beckon and Rollo finally succumbs to tiredness.

Cornish captures the mood of Rollo perfectly in his illustrations – from heavy frown to wide mouthed hunger and timid fear. Children and adults will enjoy Cornish’s  illustrations – Rollo’s mouth ‘as dry as a desert’ or his desperate face when needing the toilet.

What will be next for Rollo? I don’t want to go to school, perhaps?

Suitable for children aged 3 years and up.

Emu’s Halloween

Emu’s Halloween written by Anne Mangan, illustrated by David Cornish (Harper Collins) HBK RRP $14.99   ISBN 9780732298906

                                                                                                           

Reviewed by Sharon McGuinness

Poor Emu was having a Halloween party but couldn’t seem to come up with some scary ideas. Luckily, Cockatoo overheard his dismay and rallied the other animals to help.

With Echidna dressed as Dracula, Koala as Frankenstein’s monster and Kangaroo as a zombie, the party was sure to be a success.

As a team, the animals set to work making a witches brew, dips with pretend flies, cutting out paper ghosts and bats to ensure a thoroughly scary party.

David Cornish’s brilliant illustrations are the perfect complement to this rhyming tale. 

It gives an Australian flavour to a usually American holiday and will be a hit in the lead up to Halloween. The party game and craft ideas enjoyed by the animals could also be replicated easily, should families or even a class decide to hold their own Halloween party.

I Don’t Want To Eat My Dinner

I Don’t Want To Eat My Dinner written and illustrated by David Cornish (Harper Collins)

HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 9780732298746

Reviewed by Sharon McGuinness

David (D M) Cornish is already known as the author of the ‘Monster Blood Tattoo’ series and I Don’t Want To Eat My Dinner is his first picture book. Also illustrated by the author, it is the story of Rollo who finds eating a bore. He would much rather be kicking a ball, playing with his dog or trucks.

The story and illustrations begin predictably, however, once Rollo starts to chew something changes in the illustrations and in Rollo. Tasting something hot, Rollo’s tongue bursts into flames and a tomato fire truck arrives to douse the raging fire. Although Rollo still proclaims he doesn’t want to eat his dinner, his imagination begins to take hold and he is transformed into a diplodocus, ready to eat a forest of trees which in reality are pieces of broccoli.As dinner and the book progess, we see Rollo’s shouting subside – the text becomes smaller as Rollo’s imagination continues to help him clean his plate until it’s time for dessert.

Simple text and brightly captivating illustrations will make this book a welcome addition in overcoming difficult mealtimes. It has the added advantage of inspiring the imagination of young children as they conjure alternatives for the food on their plates.