Little Ash Chapter Book Series

Little Ash Perfect Match #1 by Jasmin McGaughey & Jane Goodwin with Ash Barty (HarperCollins Children’s Books) PB RRP $9.99 ISBN 9781460769

Little Ash Friendship Fix-It #2 ISBN 9781460762776

Little Ash Tennis Rush #3 ISBN 9781460762783

Little Ash Goal Getter #4 ISBN 9781460762790

Reviewed by Kathleen Grace

Australian tennis superstar Ash Barty teams up with Jasmin McGaughey and Jane Goodwin to bring young readers this illustrated chapter book series about school, sport, friendship, and family. In Perfect Match, the first book, Ash has a problem: what sport should she choose to play in the year ahead? She’s tried karate, softball, netball, and gymnastics. But none of those sports give her that tingly feeling, the one where you know it’s something you’ll absolutely love to do. Ash tries numerous sports until she decides on tennis.

In Friendship Fix-It, Ash can’t wait to play tennis with the big kids at school. But when her best friend James’ big school project breaks, Ash must decide whether to help him fix his project at lunchtime or play the game she loves. A real dilemma, but friendship wins.

In Tennis Rush, it’s the day of the tennis tournament and Ash is so excited to compete. However, there’s trouble with Ash forgets her favourite hat, there’s a flat tyre, and it seems she will ever get there. Will Ash arrive in time for the big match?

Goal Getter shows Ash loving her sport, but when she loses the lunchtime touch footy math, it sends her into a spin. What if she can’t win anything ever again? Will she quit sport for good?

These are slim books with short chapters, illustrated with black and white pictures. They would suit a tennis-mad child aged 7+ years.

Aussie Baby Animals

Aussie Baby Animals by Julia Murray (Harper Collins Children’s Books) Board Book RRP $9.99 ISBN 978 1 460761205

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

This adorable board book is black and white and explores seven Australian animals and their babies on each page turn.

Julia Murray has created a board book that is simply stunning, and it is perfect for engaging babies developing eyesight because new bubs see the world differently. It strengthens a baby’s cognitive abilities and encourages the development of motor skills. This is a wonderful book to bond with a baby and to start a lifelong love of books. The text adorably uses repetitive word patterns and a question on each spread. In you hop, little baby. Can I kiss your soft, wee feet? Kiss, kiss, kiss. The gentle text reads aloud beautifully and creates a warm, cosy togetherness for a parent and baby. It encourages interaction and I can see many parents kissing, pecking, nuzzling, rubbing, tickling, stroking, brushing and finally cuddling, snuggling, and hugging their babies. 

The soft round drawings of the animals and babies are not only endearing but engaging. The striking backgrounds on each spread are either white or black and really make the characters stand out. The text compliments the illustrations as it contrasts with the background on each spread. The detail on the animals with patterning is striking and a celebration of each animal and its uniqueness. Each spread is friendly and uniquely Australian. The layout of each spread is well balanced.

Aussie Baby Animals, a board book, is perfect for 0-2years. I can see this book on many nursery bookshelves or in a baby bag or beside a car seat. Easy to read and use this book is not only fun but educational. Its release date of 1 December will make it a great Christmas gift or for all year round for any new bubs.

Julie Murray is an illustrator and designer living in Tamaki Makaurau, Acearoa (Auckland, New Zealand). Her illustrations have been applied to books, packaging, clothing, and advertising for Harper Collins and other clients.

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.

Rosie the Rhinoceros

Rosie the Rhinoceros by Jimmy Barnes & Matt Shanks (Harper Collins Children’s Books) PB RRP $19.99 ISBN 978 1 460758854

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Rosie is a fun-loving rhinoceros who starts each day with joy and wonder. She creates smiles wherever she goes and spreads her happy magic. Perhaps, she really is a magical unicorn and not a rhinoceros.

 

Jimmy Barnes has created such a joyful story that it really does make you smile. You can’t not help but not fall in love with Rosie. Her happy, vibrant personality and strong sense of self is sure to inspire any child to want to stay true to themselves. I love the strong message of this book. It really doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks about you, it’s what you think that counts.

 

Barnes has created this story with a charming mix of short and long sentences. His voice is delightful, and the dialogue shows us so much about Rosie as she goes on her morning walks. ‘Isn’t this morning exquisite?’  I do like the wisdom of the other animals who concede that Rosie really is a unicorn. How could she possibly not be? This story has multiple layers, appeals both to a younger child who will believe Rosie really is a unicorn and to an older child who will understand that Rosie is one because she believes she is. The title of this book is perfect and will attract traffic to a bookshelf. Rosie the Rhinoceros has much heart and is told well.

 

Matt Shanks’ illustrations are perfect; the main colour choice could not be anything but pink. It captures not only the essence of the story about Rosie, but also the eye of the reader. The endpapers are pink with an adorable little Rosie dancing across the bottom of the pages. Inside the book the bright yellow, title page sings that the story is about to begin. The colour palette of purples, pinks, white and soft earthy yellows, and greens match the text. Shanks conveys so much about Rosie with just a few strokes that is it is masterful. The other animals are soft, cuddly, and adorable too. A little bird journeys through the story with Rosie and adds not only another character but shows that Rosie is never alone on her quest to being herself.

 

Rosie the Rhinoceros is a picture book for 3 years and up. This is a book that would make a perfect gift for a child to learn about staying true to yourself. When we feel we are being our authentic selves that’s when we are the happiest in this world. I can see parents, teachers and libraries loving this book.

The Unwilling Twin

The Unwilling Twin by Freya Blackwood (Harper Collins Children’s Books) PB HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 978 1 460 820393

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Freya Blackwood is an award-winning illustrator and author who creates charming picture books with endearing characters. The cover with the title The Unwilling Twin, along with the gorgeous rockpool illustration already establishes a cheeky sense of fun and grabs attention. The endpapers have colourful beach umbrellas that encourage the reader to find Jules and George. This is a picture book that cleverly uses the imprint and title pages to add more layers of meaning to the story with cute photos -- in frames -- of the twins. Before the story begins we already know the characters and are ready to dive into the story. The twins, Jules and George do everything together but eventually there’s a disagreement. I love the fact that George is a pig: this will surely appeal to child readers.

 

In the opening sentences we are introduced to Jules and George who do everything together. We are given a window into their activities where the text and watercolour illustrations simply and beautifully complement each other.  The simple sentences give the illustrations plenty of room for movement and play. The climax in the story is the visit to the beach. That’s when we learn George isn’t always the willing twin. The text in this book is so subtle that it allows the illustrations to really play and tell the story. The characters are delightful and lovable, each in their own way.

 

Freya Blackwood’s watercolour illustrations give a strong sense of character with both the facial expressions and the characters’ movements. She captures the roundness of a child’s and pig’s body, and the movements of their play perfectly. Perspective is used cleverly in all the right places. There is so much to do at the beach, and the illustrations depict this very well. The illustrations are such eye candy for the reader in this story.

 

The Unwilling Twin is a picture book for 3-8 years that captures the joys and challenges of sibling love and a beach outing delightfully. It is gently and joyfully told and captured. This picture book can be used both in a home or school setting and it will capture hearts.