The Oak Tree

The Oak Tree by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Victoria Sandoy (Alison Green Books/Scholastic) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN 9781761294242

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Young readers of this book are introduced to the wonders of the mighty oak tree as it grows through different periods in British history. As it endures time and weather, the tree provides a home for a myriad of wildlife, climbing equipment for children, and a shaded space for families to enjoy time together. Its leaves are made into children’s garlands and beautifully decorate the ground in autumn. Its acorns are gifts for squirrels, piglets, and birds, and deliver hours of entertainment for young children. Eventually, it lies at rest providing nourishment for insects and fungi, and a hollow for animals to reside.

The Oak Tree is the latest picture book by children’s book writing royalty, Julia Donaldson. It is written in rhyming couplets and tells the tale of the life of an oak tree spanning over 1,000 years. The full colour illustrations, by Norwegian artist Victoria Sandoy, are created using a warm colour palette and have a fairytale vibe. Images appear in single and double-page spreads, as well as vignettes and spot illustrations. The book finishes with a range of interesting facts about the Oak Tree on the closing pages.

The Oak Tree is an informative story that can introduce young children to the life cycle of a tree and would be a great addition to any kindergarten or primary school library collection.

Colours, Colours Everywhere

Colours, Colours Everywhere by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sharon King-Chai (Two Hoots, Pan Macmillan) HB $29.99 ISBN 9781529078527

Reviewed by Kathleen Grace

Here is an outstanding book which is sure to be read repeatedly and treasured for years. It features a rich and beautiful exploration of colours and painting full of gorgeous landscapes and fascinating animals, with shaped pages, flaps, and foldouts.

Follow a little girl as she paints her own adventure with her bright blue tree frog companion. With luscious green trees to climb and ret hot air balloons to sail away in, children will delight in the rhyming text and vibrant artwork while learning about different colours.

A truly gorgeous gift, this is an absolute must for the family bookshelf.

Julia Donaldson is the author of some of the world’s best-loved children’s books, including modern classics such as The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, which together have sold over 17 million copies worldwide.

The Woolly Bear Caterpillar

The Woolly Bear Caterpillar by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Yuval Zommer (Macmillan) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN 978152912187

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

This beautifully illustrated picture book is by the author of the immensely popular book for young readers, The Gruffalo. In a lush garden, full of plants and insects, lives a woolly bear caterpillar which loves eating dandelion plants. However, when the dandelions are pulled up by a gardener, the caterpillar must crawl off in search of new ones. On its way, it meets ‘the queen of the sycamore tree’, another caterpillar, but this one has long yellow and orange hair. Further along the woolly bear caterpillar meets another colourful caterpillar, then another and then several more. All expect to become beautiful moths but tell the traveller they don’t expect it will be exceptional.

Eventually each of the caterpillars spin a silky coat (a cocoon) in various places. Weeks go by and then moths are hatched. Each of them looks ‘rather dull’ and ‘quite plain’. As moths, they search for the woolly bear moth. They find it – ‘a lovely orange, black and white moth’ with ‘splendid blue spots’, and a body ‘striped like a tiger.’ No longer a caterpillar, it is now a garden tiger moth, ‘the colourful queen of the air.’

Brilliantly written and stunningly illustrated, this engaging picture book comes complete with a non-fiction book written by a nature specialist. The booklet tells of real-life caterpillars and moths which were the inspiration for the characters in this picture book for young readers aged 6+ years. We learn, for example, of the moth’s life cycle from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult. Some moth, it tells us, do not need to eat but survive on the energy they stored as caterpillars. As for the garden tiger moth, it can squirt a stinky yellow fluid at its enemies from behind its head!

There are a lot of interesting facts and even a glossary to read in this lovely, value-for- money book.

The Everywhere Bear

The Everywhere Bear by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb (Pan Macmillan) HC RRP $ 24.99  ISBN 9781447280736

Reviewed by Ramona Davey

As an aspiring writer, Julia Donaldson’s new book The Everywhere Bear is my new favourite picture book.  As a trained primary teacher the subject is obvious and I can only wonder how this hadn’t been done before. Every preschool or kindy class has a bear that gets shared around week by week by each child and this is the tale in Everywhere Bear.

As the cleverly written rhyming text explains:

          The Everywhere Bear has a home on a shelf

          But he doesn’t spend very much time by himself.

          For each boy and girl in the class is a friend

          And he goes home with one of them every weekend.

Despite this, Everywhere Bear gets lost and goes to more places than he expected. The reader will follow his journey wondering if the bear will ever make it back to class.

Rebecca Cobb’s child-like watercolour and pencil crayon style illustrations make the perfect match for Julia Donaldson’s text. Rebecca and Julia have teamed up before with their book Paper Dolls if you wish to see more of their collaborations.

As a mentor text for rhyming writers, this picture book reads with ease and is worth studying.

The Everywhere Bear is perfect for the 3-6 year old that has looked forward to taking home the class bear. It covers the themes of loss, sharing and caring for a much loved toy.

The Detective Dog

The Detective Dog by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie (Pan Macmillan)

HC RRP $ 24.99

ISBN 9781509801596

Reviewed by Ramona Davey

What can I say? Julia Donaldson does it again. The Detective Dog is a fun read aloud rhyming picture book about a dog that always has his nose on the job, even if it is wondering, “Who did the poo on the new gravel path?” or “How did the spider get into the bath?”

Detective dog Nell also likes to listen to children read stories to him at his owner 6-year-old Pete’s school. Until all the books go missing one day. Detective dog could smell something was up.

All is solved in the end when they discover the book thief just loved reading books and only meant to borrow them and it seems he had no idea about libraries. This part of the story felt a bit odd for me as an adult but kids may think this is strange.

Children will love following the dog that is following his nose throughout the book in the colourful watercolour and pencil crayon illustrations by Sara Ogilvie. The classroom scene and the double page library scene are my favourites as is the chase through the town. There is so much to see on each page.

As a mentor text for rhyming writers this reads with ease and is worth studying.

Detective Dog is perfect for the 3-6 year old detectives.

It’s a little baby

It’s a little baby by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Rebecca Cob (Pan Macmillan)

HC RRP $ 14.99

ISBN 9781447251811

Reviewed by Ramona Davey

A while back I reviewed What The Ladybird Heard Next by Julia Donaldson and loved it. So I jumped at the chance to review another book by this super author.

Julia Donaldson is a master at rhyme and It’s a little baby is another example of her talent. Each page of this board book starts with the words, “Somebody’s hiding. I wonder who.” The repeated phrase will fill the reader with anticipation and encourage them to make their own predictions.

They will have great fun lifting the flap to find a baby behind a pile of washing or hidden in the grass and see what they are doing. They may be waving, peeping or dancing for you. The rhyming text longs to be acted out.

Rebecca Cobb has illustrated the book in a wonderful child-like fashion with a soft and gentle colour palette using watercolour paints and pencil crayons. Apart from trying to find the baby, there are also lots of animals to spot and other little details typical of a toddler’s life.

This is the perfect book for toddlers who love to sing and dance.

If you want to find out how the tune goes for the song you can follow the directions on the back of the book.

What the Ladybird Heard Next

What the Ladybird Heard Next by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Lydia Monks (Pan Macmillan)

HC RRP $ 24.99

ISBN 9781447275954

Reviewed by Ramona Davey

The bright colours of the front cover will catch your eyes and on closer inspection the glitter, spread throughout the book, will make it hard not to touch, especially by little ones as they follow the ladybird’s journey throughout the book.

This is a fun rhyming sequel to ‘What the ladybird heard,’ where Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have been let out of jail and are up to no good again.

‘Each morning all the eggs had gone.

And the animals asked, “What’s going on?”

“I’ll find out,” said the ladybird.

So she flew and she flew, and she saw and she heard.

Children will love trying to spot the little ladybird on each page as she helps all the farm animals outwit Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len.

Jammed packed with rhyming words, adjectives and onomatopoeia, this is a great text that teachers will want to use in class.

As a mentor text for writers this is word-heavy and in rhyme but Julia Donaldson is a master at this craft. It reads with ease and is worth studying.

The story, with its lyrical text, speaks of teamwork and creative thinking. Lydia Monk’s skill in creating an eye-catching picture book with its fun illustrations in a mixture of collage and paint means there is so much to see and discuss on each page. It’s perfect for the 3-6 year age groups.

Mr Birdsnest and the House Next Door

Mr Birdsnest and the House Next Door by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Hannah Shaw (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-710-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Granny is moving in with Elmo and his family and they need to find a bigger home. Mr Crocodile shows them many houses and Elmo and his sister fall in love with a rundown house surrounded by a large, scruffy jungle garden. But Mum and Dad fall for the house next door, neater, tidier and much more practical. Still, Elmo and his sister can play in the jungle garden and empty house next door. Until one day, a moving van arrives and mean old Mr Birdsnest moves in. The jungle garden becomes out of bounds. However, when granny goes missing and the children spy her through a window next door, they must risk everything to get her back.

Mr Birdsnest and the House Next Door is full of lovely characters. Elmo’s nicknames for people are wonderfully descriptive and the children have fabulous curiosity, imagination and a love for exploration. Donaldson writes really well, with an intriguing plot and fun characters, including two cats, Tiger and Panther, which keeps a reader hooked.

The great black and white illustrations throughout the story break up the pages of words, easing the reading and populate the pages with birds, insects and animals creating the jungle atmosphere. There are instructions for drawing jungle birds inside the back cover and masses of birds and butterflies crowd the endpapers.

This is an entertaining story to read aloud to children of five plus and would also be perfect as a read alone for confident early readers.

The Snake Who Came to Stay

The Snake Who Came to Stay by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Hannah Shaw (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $9.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-709-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Polly doesn’t have any pets of her own but she does run a holiday home for pets. These holidays she has guinea pigs, a bird, and a snake. Mum is unhappy about the last pet but when Doris the snake arrives all is okay.

Then Doris goes missing. How will Polly tell the snakes owner Jack when he gets home? How will she tell Mum there’s a snake missing somewhere in the house?

The Snake Who Came To Stay is a fun story. It is written simply and well, with seven short chapters and not too many complicated words. The plot is complex enough to hold attention; it is realistic and relatable.

The black and white illustrations break up the text on each page making the chapters less daunting. These pictures add to the humour of the story. I especially love the guinea pigs who pop up throughout.

The Snake Who Came To Stay is a fabulous book for stretching beginner readers. It is a step towards longer chapter books and is an amusing, entertaining read.

PS Don’t overlook the snake jokes on the inside front cover.

Stick Man

Stick Man by Julia Donaldson, illustration by Axel Scheffler (Scholastic UK)
PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 978-1-407132– 32-7
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Stick Man lives happily at home with his family in his family tree. One day he strays too far on his morning jog and is reluctantly taken on a long journey. He is retrieved by a dog, used as a Pooh-stick by a child, taken as a hook for a bag, and all the while Stick Man gets further and further away from his family tree and his Stick Lady Love. How is he ever going to get home again? Will someone rescue him?

I have to confess to being a huge fan of Julia Donaldson’s rhyming stories. They are just so quirky, amusing, and lovely to read aloud. This one is no exception.

They do tend, however, to have many more words than are traditionally present in picture books. This makes them perfect for the early reader form, of which this edition of Stick Man is. And even as an early reader the illustrations are a huge part of the story. Scheffler’s style is instantly recognisable with his bold bright colours, detailed scenes and wonderfully expressive characters – people, animals and stick men. There is always something peeping around a corner or hiding behind a tree.

This is a very entertaining story with wonderful rhythm and will suit six and seven year-olds learning to read. It will also be enjoyed by much younger children as a fabulous read aloud.

Superworm

Superworm by Julia Donaldson, illustration by Axel Scheffler (Scholastic UK)
HB RRP $24.99
ISBN 978-1-407132– 04-4
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

“Superworm is super-long.
Superworm is super-strong.
Watch him wiggle! Watch him squirm!
Hip, hip, hooray for SUPERWORM!”

I adore the combination of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and look forward to each new book with set high expectations. Superworm does not disappoint. Once again Donaldson has perfect rhyme and metre making it a pleasure to read out loud. Scheffler’s familiar illustrations are delightful, full of humour colour and life.

Superworm is a friend to all in the garden. He helps out anyone who is in trouble in the most inventive ways:

Help! Disaster! Baby Toad
Has hopped on to a major road.
“Quick! Whatever can we do?”
Look – a Superworm lasso!

But who will help him when he is in trouble? Well, everyone of course.

The simple message of the importance of helping out your friends no matter how small and powerless you feel is entertainingly brought across through the text and illustrations. Superworm is carried off by Wizard Lizard and his servant crow. His friends from the garden rally together to rescue their superhero and the plan is ingenious and unusual.

Young children will relish the small amount of danger, knowing a happy ending is coming. And they will love to explore the garden’s tiny world of insects, bugs and small creatures. There is a page dedicated to illustrations of the Superworm in various contortions: - a swing, a hoola-hoop, a hat, a crane – and children with patience and good eyes may even spot the Gruffalo. The language is lively and repetitive, just as young children love it.

Toddlers from a young age will love this story and its complexity will keep children up to early primary age amused as well.