Elephant in the Classroom

Elephant in the Classroom by Amy Reimer (IP Kidz), RRP $25.99 Picture Book ISBN 9-781922-830111

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Sophie struggles to go to school. It’s a challenge for her to enter the classroom that can be too loud and too bright and full of kids that don’t understand her. She wiggles and taps, she doesn’t know the game rules and she eats lunch alone. She wishes the other kids were elephants – her favourite animal. Then they’d be able to whirl and twirl together and she’d fit in. 

 

This changes when her classmate, Oliver, invites Sophie to join in a game and she accepts his hand of friendship. Along with the help of her teacher, who allows Sophie to shine in the classroom by theming their activities on elephants, Sophie discovers she has a herd of new friends. 

 

The brightly coloured illustrations by Siobhan Skipworth, many of which have a backdrop of an African savannah, take us into Sophie’s mind to experience her rollercoaster of emotions. The story elements are brought together at the end by a striking image of different animals moulded together into the shape of an elephant and this delightful page made a deep impression on my daughter. 

 

Elephant in the Classroom is appropriate for K-2 children and is great for generating conversation with a child about how they themselves feel at school and/or the importance of being kind and inclusive to others. 

Mia’s Glamma

Mia’s Glamma by Josie Montano and Carla Hoffenberg (IP Kidz, Interactive Press) HB RRP $26.00 ISBN: 9781922830203

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

What if you took every stereotype of ‘grandma’ and turned them upside down, inside out and back to front? You’d have Mia’s glamorous grandma, ‘Glamma’.

Glamma shops online, runs a restaurant, wears glittery high heels and dyes her hair hot pink (and other colours as the mood takes her). But, deep down, underneath the glitz and glamour, is Mia’s Glamma just like everyone else’s grandma?

In this day and age, I’m not convinced children will understand or resonate with the grandma stereotype of a grey-haired, slipper-wearing elderly lady who spends her days knitting in her rocking chair. However, Mia’s Glamma encourages young readers to explore differences and similarities between grandmas (and people in general) – eventually coming to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what grandmas do or what they look like, their love and the relationship they have with their grandchildren trumps all else.

Illustrator Carla Hoffenberg has captured the love between Mia and Glamma beautifully, with the bright colours and bold pictures singing of joy and happiness as the pair delight in each other’s company. Make sure you check out Glamma’s fun earring collection too.

I feel it takes a special grandmas to show this relationship with such clarity, and author Josie Montano clearly meets the brief.

Mia’s Glamma is a wonderful read for children aged from 4 to 8, and is sure to become a favourite shared book.

Patience

Patience by Robert Vescio (IP Kidz), RRP $26.00 Picture Book ISBN 9-781922-332769

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Patience is a big, fluffy, enthusiastic dog who follows her owner everywhere. Told from the point of view of the owner who starts out as a young girl, she and Patience are best friends and have similar characters. Most of the time they are the complete opposite of patient. They find it difficult to wait for their turn, they can’t stand still, they knock others over or tie them up in knots with Patience’s leash. But they come as a package with other very positive characteristics and, as they grow together, they also learn from each other.

 

With few words and expressive illustrations by Krista Brennan, much is conveyed. We get a clear sense of the carefree yet busy nature of the girl and the dog, oblivious to how their behaviour is impacting others. We can also interpret the story from two points of view: is the narrator talking about the impatient traits of her dog or about herself?

 

I read this with my hyperactive son and the underlying message was clear to him: that good things can come with a conscious effort to slow down and be patient. This book is targeted for preschool, but may also be useful to read with slightly older kids who could benefit from a reminder that patience has its rewards.

More Wild and Wacky Adventurers

More Wild and Wacky Adventurers

This madcap book with two humorous and fast-paced stories is co-authored by husband-and-wife team, Bill Condon, and Dianne Bates. It is illustrated by Cherie Dignam and published by IP Kidz.

Here are the stories:

‘Hardnut Hannigan and the Jewel of the Jungle’ 

Harold Hannigan’s parents knew their baby was different when he fell out of his cot and landed head-first on the floor. He was unhurt, but the floor had a very large dent in it. From that day on, Harold was known as Hardnut Hannigan.

Hardnut amazed the world with his extraordinary deeds; he climbed Mount Everest, without an oxygen mask; won an Olympic marathon; swam the English Channel – underwater – and much, much more! But now, at the age of 12, he had run out of adventures to challenge him. Then he read about a long-lost, incredibly precious jewel in the remote and deeply dangerous jungles of Mongo-Wongo. Many a daredevil had tried to find this fabled treasure, and all had failed. That wasn’t going to stop Hardnut! With his faithful emu Thunderbang and his beloved pooch, Itchybutt, he set off on the greatest adventure of his young life! Would he ever find the Jewel of the Jungle? And even if he did, would he live to tell the tale?

‘Captain Offensnotty and the Giddi-Giddi Zombies.’

Get set for a rollicking adventure with Captain ‘Potty Dotty’ Offensnotty and the crew of the Concrete Slug!  Not far into the voyage the crew discover that their captain is sneaking off at night to her home sweet home, which she has secretly towed behind the mother ship. While the crew has to survive sleeping fifteen to a bunk, their crafty captain lives a life of luxury, nibbling chocolates and watching television! Enraged, the sailors stage a mutiny, but before they can reach their captain, they first must get past her cat – which is very big and mean.  They face a fierce feline battering, but it gets even worse for them, because next, the hapless crew are attacked by a sailor-swallowing sea serpent! Can they possibly survive? Perhaps, but even if they do, there is one more terror awaiting them - the ferocious flesh-eating Giddi-Giddi Zombies!

 

Jest the Funny Bits

Jest the Funny Bits by Bill Condon (IP Kidz), RRP $25.00 Middle Grade ISBN 9-781922-830333

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Jest the Funny Bits presents as an unassuming book with its clean white cover featuring a juggling jester, signalling that the reader will be in for some fun.  But – wow – this collection of poems, short stories and plays really packs a punch!

 

The book is divided into three sections. The first is a collection of short poems which are an assortment of unconventional ideas, such as a knight stuck in his armour being saved by a can opener. Beware the dad joke humour, such as paying a bargain price for a tree which is dead. (A Christmas tree – ha ha and so true!) My favourite poem was “Uncle Jack” which begins with a hint of C.J. Dennis’s A Bush Christmas with a visitor for Christmas, except that Uncle Jack creates a new calamity with every move he makes. Luckily the police turn up for a chat after his boomerang lodges in Grannie’s ear and before things get much worse.

 

The second section consists of short stories which immediately grip your attention and entertain the reader with their no holds barred plots (who would even think to buy an elephant’s foot?, could there be a librarian who eats children?), expressive similes (“lips curled like two strips of half-cooked bacon”) and the occasional tender moment. Even the most reluctant reader is guaranteed to chuckle and return for the next kooky story. For students and aspiring writers, reading these is like being treated to a master class in great short story writing.

 

The third section is made up of short plays that are fast-paced and packed with puns. Readers won’t be able to resist dressing up as Dracula or transforming into Captain Scurvy to put on their own performances. These plays would also be great material for class activities at school.

 

Witty names (used, for example, with the knights Sir Prised, Sir Rounded, Sir Loin and Sir Cumference, the jackass exploits of Bradley D. Mented where D stands for Dangerous and interviews by Professor Noah Lott) flow prolifically throughout the book. Traditional tales are twisted (find out how Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk fame actually made his fortune and what crime Kimberella committed at the Ball) and no plot unfolds as you would expect. Each poem, short story and play is independent, so reading the chapters out of order works perfectly well, especially if you want to get stuck straight into a short story or play. The variety of tales and techniques used by Bill Condon in creating Jest the Funny Bits had me thinking of him as a modern-day Henry Lawson. I highly recommend this book as a total surprise packet with its plethora of choice for short, wacky reads guaranteed to give a good laugh before bedtime.

Jest the Funny Bits

Warning: Open this book at your peril! You are about to enter the untamed wilds of Bill Condon’s imagination. Jokes, gags, twisted rhymes, outrageous puns, riotous characters and all the things you least expect lie in wait around every corner. Be prepared to smile, giggle, laugh, groan and guffaw. You might just need a new funny bone when you’re done.  Michael Gerard Bauer

Jest the Funny Bits (IP Kidz) is a collection of Bill’s comic poems, plays, and short stories. He had a lot of fun writing them and he really hopes you have fun reading them. However, spoiler alert: they’re not for everyone. 

If you’re a humourless sour grumpy-pants, whose face would split in two if you attempted to smile or laugh, then, whatever you do, don’t read this book! Also, since it is sure to induce giggles, it is best not to read it out loud. After all, humour is contagious, so if you start laughing, you could cause a charge of chuckles, even a gush of guffaws. We’re sure you wouldn’t want that on your conscience. By the end of the book, you may think the author must be a very silly person. You’d be right, too, but at least he’s not a humourless sour grumpy-pants. 

WILD & WACKY ADVENTURERS

WILD & WACKY ADVENTURERS, BOOK 1 by Dianne Bates & Bill Condon, illustrated by Cherie Dignam (IP Kidz)

This book written by a husband-and-wife team features two adventurous stories in one…

TAZZIE WALLAROO & THE PERFECT MATCH

The wildest and toughest adventurers in this world – and the next – have failed to find and capture the Abominable Snowman. Famed adventurer, Tasman Wallaroo (known as Tazzie) enters the scene, saying she will ‘crush that cruel creep to crumbs!’ Training hard until she is as trim and taut as Superwoman after a super make-over, she and her team of 28 shaggy-haired Siberian Cha-Wow-Wows depart the Point of No Return.

Will Tazzie and her doggies overcome blizzards and sub-zero weather? Will they survive falling into a crevasse? And thousands of ice mites? And frenzied ice mice? Will they overcome frostbite? And starvation? What happens when Tazzie uncovers an igloo? Is this the home of the Abominable Snowman? And how and why is love somehow on the cards?

KYLIE O’RILEY AND THE WATTA-WOPPING VOLCANO

The world’s most famous volcanologist Kylie O’Riley is asked by Hilda to recover her husband, Rudy, who has fallen into an active volcano, along with her precious ring and picnic basket. Kylie, who is fearless, brave, and extremely gifted, promises to recover Hilda’s treasures. Off she heads to where the mighty Watta-Wopping Volcano is located. There she finds a dragon. Luckily, she can speak Dragonese and is able to persuade it to fly her to Cracka-Cracka Boom-Boom, home of the Gidgee Guy tribe. However, the chief’s son, Tumby, fancies Kylie for dinner.

Will she escape his cooking pot? What about the dangerous exploding Boom-Boom HaHa volcano? Does she find and recover Hilda’s missing husband? What about the precious ring and picnic basket? What antique gift does she receive?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Bill Condon has written more than one hundred books for children and young adults, as well as numerous plays and poems. His titles have been shortlisted four times in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards, and in 2010 he won the Prime Minister’s Award for young adult literature. He lives on the south coast of NSW with his wife, Di.

Author of 130+ books, mostly for young people, Australian Dianne (Di) Bates is a full-time freelance writer. Di has worked as a newspaper and magazine editor and manuscript assessor. She is a recipient of The Lady Cutler Award for distinguished services to children’s Literature.

Bill and Di have written other stories in the Explorers’ series, including Captain Offensnotty and the Giddi Giddi Zombies, Major Hootensnooten and the Year 2500, Oscar Bubblesquirt and the Pharoah’s Curse, and several others.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR                                                                                                                                         Cherie Dignam has always loved drawing… and nature, and all animals, especially CATs. An aspiring picture book illustrator currently working on her own projects, she hopes to self-publish this soon. “When I am not working to keep my pet cat, Boris supplied with endless tins of tuna, I create from my home a short walk from the beach in sunny Perth, Western Australia.” I use a variety of mediums, including coloured pencils and watercolour, but I am at my happiest with a good old-fashioned dip pen and ink. I love wonky lines and I don’t really like drawing cars or anything too technical. My desk is usually covered in paper, ink splotches, water, empty teacups, pencil shavings and biscuit crumbs.

Wild & Wacky Adventurers

Wild & Wacky Adventurers by Dianne Bates and Bill Condon, illustrated by Cherie Dignam (IP Kidz) PB RRP $16.00 ISBN: 9781922332943

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

This first book of the Wild & Wacky Adventurers series contains two uproarious junior fiction stories broken up into fast-paced chapters. The start of each chapter features a small but side-splitting illustration by Cherie Dignam that perfectly reflects the entertaining essence of the section.

In ‘Tazzie Wallaroo & The Perfect Match’, Tazzie and her team of Cha-Wow-Wow dogs brave the ‘ravenous, repulsive’ Hairybeary, ‘chittering, chattering ice mice monsters’ and a ‘beastly blowhard blizzard’ on their way to capturing the Abominable Snowman – who’s not as mean and smelly as he’s been made out to be.

In ‘Kylie O’Riley & The Watta-Wopping Volcano’, volcanologist Kylie must find an old dude called Rudy who has fallen into a caldera. She hypnotises a gnarly dragon, avoids being a cannibal’s chow and speeds across no man’s land (‘it was a good thing she was a girl’) to the base of Watta-Wopping Volcano, but is she skilled enough to save the singed but still very much alive Rudy?

Dianne Bates and Bill Condon offer up two tasty servings of silliness in bite-size form. Kids aged six to nine will quickly eat up the eccentricity and exploits and be eager for the next chortle-worthy course. Each story has a rich filling – thanks to themes of courage, acceptance, tenacity, and resilience – but there are puns a-plenty to keep the text light and fluffy.

Ideal for reluctant readers, Wild & Wacky Adventurers makes reading scrumptiously fun. Youngsters will be so caught up in the action that they won’t realise they’ve gobbled up the whole book until they see the two saddest words in English literature: ‘The End’.

The Storytellers

The Storytellers by Robert Vescio, illustrated by Krista Brennan (IP Kidz)

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This picture book shows how stories shape lives. It begins with a small boy, Henry, who loves words and who grows up to be an author. It also encompasses numerous people from all over the world who are involved in telling stories, not only in words, but also in illustrations and film.

As an adult Henry posts off his manuscript: it is read by Alexia, a child reader who loves illustrations, and who, as an adult, ‘built a mighty publishing empire.’ Meanwhile, in a small remote village, Imani draws and colours. As an adult she catches the eye of a dark-skinned publisher. In an Asian kitchen, Seiko learns to read. This leads her to opening a shop ‘where stories ignite the imagination of young and old.’ Here Henry attends a book signing.

Another storyteller in this book is Jerome who likes the film things with his camera, which leads to him turning a children’s story into a movie masterpiece. One of these stories is The Dragon’s Lair, which was written by Henry. At the movie’s premier an illustration shows Henry, Imani, and Alexia. Meanwhile, in India, Ravi builds all sorts of things. He designs and creates an ‘extraordinary wonderland for guests, known as The Dragon’s Lair.

From a story written by Henry, other storytellers build worlds which connect with others. This book shows that whether it’s words on a page, a storyboard for a picture book or sketches on a screen, storytellers create, entertain and delight. The book ends with the words, ‘What’s your story?’, inviting the reader to also become a storyteller.

The final illustration is of a man with a sword on the back of a fire-breathing dragon. Throughout the book, starting with Henry, the writer, are illustrations – or suggestions of illustrations – of a green dragon. This is another link to each of the creatives who appear in the story.

The attractive illustrations appear to be computer-generated, though Brennan usually works in watercolour.

Vescio is an international award-winning author of children’s picture books with The Storytellers being his most recent. This book would mostly likely most appeal to readers aged 7+ years.

 

WILD & WACKY ADVENTURERS

WILD & WACKY ADVENTURERS, BOOK 1 by Dianne Bates & Bill Condon, illustrated by Cheryl Dignam (IP Kidz)

Now out, this book, written by a husband-and-wife team, features two adventurous stories in one…

TAZZIE WALLAROO & THE PERFECT MATCH                                                      The wildest and toughest adventurers in this world – and the next – have failed to find and capture the Abominable Snowman. Famed adventurer, Tasman Wallaroo (known as Tazzie) enters the scene, saying she will ‘crush that cruel creep to crumbs!’ Training hard until she is as trim and taut as Superwoman after a super make-over, she and her team of 28 shaggy-haired Siberian Cha-Wow-Wows depart the Point of No Return.

Will Tazzie and her doggies overcome blizzards and sub-zero weather? Will they survive falling into a crevasse? And thousands of ice mites? And frenzied ice mice? Will they overcome frostbite? And starvation? What happens when Tazzie uncovers an igloo? Is this the home of the Abominable Snowman? And how and why is love somehow on the cards?

KYLIE O’RILEY AND THE WATTA-WOPPING VOLCANO                                                                                                    The world’s most famous volcanologist Kylie O’Riley is asked by Hilda to recover her husband, Rudy, who has fallen into an active volcano, along with her precious ring and picnic basket. Kylie, who is fearless, brave, and extremely gifted, promises to recover Hilda’s treasures. Off she heads to where the mighty Watta-Wopping Volcano is located. There she finds a dragon. Luckily, she can speak Dragonese and is able to persuade it to fly her to Cracka-Cracka Boom-Boom, home of the Gidgee Guy tribe. However, the chief’s son, Tumby, fancies Kylie for dinner.

Will she escape his cooking pot? What about the dangerous exploding Boom-Boom HaHa volcano? Does she find and recover Hilda’s missing husband? What about the precious ring and picnic basket? What antique gift does she receive?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS                                                                Bill Condon has written more than one hundred books for children and young adults, as well as numerous plays and poems. His titles have been shortlisted four times in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards, and in 2010 he won the Prime Minister’s Award for young adult literature. He lives on the south coast of NSW with his wife, Di.

Author of 130+ books, mostly for young people, Australian Dianne (Di) Bates is a full-time freelance writer. Di has worked as a newspaper and magazine editor and manuscript assessor. She is a recipient of The Lady Cutler Award for distinguished services to children’s Literature.

Bill and Di have written other stories in the Explorers’ series, including Captain Offensnotty and the Giddi Giddi Zombies, Major Hootensnooten and the Year 2500, Oscar Bubblesquirt and the Pharaoh's Curse, and several others.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR                                                                                                                                                      Cherie Dignam has always loved drawing… and nature, and all animals, especially CATs. An aspiring picture book illustrator currently working on her own projects, she hopes to self-publish this soon. “When I am not working to keep my pet cat, Boris supplied with endless tins of tuna, I create from my home a short walk from the beach in sunny Perth, Western Australia.” I use a variety of mediums, including coloured pencils and watercolour, but I am at my happiest with a good old-fashioned dip pen and ink. I love wonky lines and I don’t really like drawing cars or anything too technical. My desk is usually covered in paper, ink splotches, water, empty teacups, pencil shavings and biscuit crumbs.

Feeling Blue

Feeling Blue by Trevor Todd (words) and Mark Eatwell (images) (IP Kidz) ISBN 978 1 922 33272 1 RRP $26.00 HB $13.00 ebook

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Feeling Blue is a picture book with stunning photographs of birds, in the style of a small coffee table book. 

The story gets straight to the point. Mr Wren is blue and not just in the way he looks, but the way he feels. He’s been looking at the other birds and feeling insecure. Mrs Wren tries to cheer him up (even though she’s the one who should be feeling bad, because she doesn’t get to be the beautiful blue colour her husband is). And once Mr Wren realises all the good things about himself, he feels much better.

The photography in this book is very appealing and includes close-ups of the Wren family and their beautiful rainforest surroundings. The babies’ feathers look so soft! Along with the wrens, are other birds: a kookaburra, magpie, owl, cockatoo, robin, and eagle. The words match the pictures in a lovely way, for example, when Mrs Wren cuddles up close to her husband and says she can help him.

The play on words, with the extremely blue coloured wren and the sadness he feels, is simple but effective. The message, encouraging kids to look at what they have, not what they don’t have, is also important. The naturalness of this book particularly stands out, highlighting the beauty of Australia’s wildlife and the environment they live in.

The author, Trevor Todd has a significant background in film, TV drama and has written fourteen books. Mark Eatwell’s photos and videos of wildlife have appeared in many places including the ABC and Australian Geographic. Feeling Blue is a successful collaboration of their work. It is suitable for 3-8-year-olds. 

The Ruby Bottle

 The Ruby Bottle by Janet Reid, illustrations by Michaela Blassnig (IP Kidz) 

PB RRP $17.00; E-book $8.00

ISBN 9 781921 8691402   

Reviewed by Margaret Warner     

The bright colours and bold style of the cover of The Ruby Bottle invite readers to open the book to start the story. When Amber finds a dusty red glass bottle in the shed of her elderly neighbour, Mrs Heggety she feels certain that the bottle is meant for her to keep. It doesn’t take long before she discovers a secret: a curious djinn named Jimell lives in the beautiful red bottle. As she gets to know his story, he tells her that she must perform an important task but cannot say what it is.

While the story of the djinn in the bottle unfolds and the history of the bottle is revealed through Roger Heggety’s diary, another story interweaves through the narrative. Amber is lonely since her best friend, Bethany moved house and she is being bullied at school by Marissa and her friend, Rachel.

The two stories merge in a tale of mystery and adventure that subtly explores the theme of friendships and relationships: new and old friends as well as young and old friends. Jimell encourages Amber to believe in herself and through his friendship and that of a new friend, Ricco she gains confidence to be independent and achieve by herself … not by magic.

Readers aged 9 to 12 will be drawn into the intriguing mystery of The Ruby Bottle from the first pages till the final pages.



Margaret Warner is a children's author whose books often have an environmental theme. Her latest book is Lone Pine published by Little Hare Books. Margaret's website is  www.margaretwarner.com.au 

A Penny in Time

A Penny in Time by Anna Bartlett, illustrated by Susy Boyer (IPKidz)

PB RRP $17.00, eBook $10.00

ISBN 9781921479489        

Reviewed by Margaret Warner 

     

Learning about history can be fun, as Yared unexpectedly discovers. He is unhappy when his parents leave him at his Nanna’s house while they take a holiday to sort out problems in their marriage. Although he tries to fit in with his Nanna’s brisk requests and strict routines he is unsettled and fearful of what might happen if his parents decide to separate.To make matters worse, he has a relief teacher who focuses unwanted attention on him when she asks about his ancestors as the class is studying family history. When he asserts that he is Australian although he was born in Ethiopia and adopted by Australian parents, she says that he isn’t.

That afternoon when Yared finds a box of old coins on his nanna’s dressing table, he thinks that he has found a treasure. It is a treasure, but not the kind that he expects. The 1911 penny that catches his eye becomes the focus of a nightly story told by his nanna. The stories surrounding the different owners of the penny span Australian history from Federation through to the 70s. The tales not only bring Yared and his grandmother closer but they also give Yared a feeling of belonging when his grandmother entrusts the penny to him. He knows that other children have held the same penny and ‘lost it, found it, dropped it, picked it up, spent it, saved it, thrown it and held it tightly’. Now it is his.

This book would suit students in upper primary and is a great way to make history more personal and engaging.