Fizz and the Handbag Dognapper: Fizz 4

Fizz and the Handbag Dognapper: Fizz 4 by Lesley Gibbes, illustrated by Stephen Michael King (Allen & Unwin) PB RRP $12.99 ISBN

In Book Four of this hilarious and action-packed series for newly confident readers, can Fizz find a way to save himself and his sister from the clutches of the Handbag Kidnapper in his most dangerous case yet?

Meet Fizz - the daring dog detective!

Fizz has solved his first real case as an undercover police dog, but his next assignment is about to get personal. Two handbag dogs have been kidnapped at red-carpet events in Sunnyvale City, and now there's another victim: Fizz's sister Crystal! Sergeant Stern sends Fizz, Remi and Amadeus undercover as dog models at the spectacular Shrill Alarm Collar launch. And to catch the culprit in the act, Fizz will be the bait!

Dinosaur Dads

Dinosaur Dads by Lesley Gibbes & Marjorie Crosby-Fairall is a Scholastic Press Book from Scholastic Australia, released on 1 August 2021

The dinosaur kids whinge and grumble until,

An earth-shaking STOMP echoes over the hill.

Get ready, get set for daddies galore.

Here they come! Here they come! Here they come…

ROAR!

A rollicking, rhyming, romping, stomping dinosaur adventure for Father’s Day 2021

Craft Activity

https://www.crosby-fairall.com/activities

Author Lesley Gibbes

www.lesleygibbes.com

https://www.thechildrensbookshopspeakersagency.com.au

Illustrator Marjorie Crosby-Fairall

https://www.crosby-fairall.com

 

 

 

Dinosaur Dads

Dinosaur Dads by Lesley Gibbes, illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall (Scholastic Australia) HB RRP $17.99 ISBN 9781760663506

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Kids love dinosaurs and they are sure to love this action-packed picture book which starts with kid dinosaurs being bored. However, that doesn’t last long because, while mums and grandmas are out hunting, their dads appear, with ‘an earth-shaking stomp’ ready for some fun. The three kids squeal and laugh as they pursue their dads in ‘the biggest ever dinosaur race.’ Over fallen logs, past volcanoes and through forest fogs the racers continue to the dinosaur swamp where they all get very muddy, especially when they have a giant mud fight. Then it’s off to a stream where ‘the water is tingly and tickly and swirly, it’s splishy and splashy and gushy and whirly.’ When the hijinks are finished, and the dads fall asleep, the kids are once again bored. But that’s when their mums return from hunting, and more fun and adventure beckons.

This is a text which is just made for reading aloud for it is full of rhythm and rhyme and lots of action verbs which are shown in bold typeface. The illustrations are right on target -- full of fun, bright colour, and lots of movement. On the fly pages are bright coloured dinosaur pawprints, big ones for the adults, small ones for the children. One can see this book being read repeatedly. It’s highly recommended for readers aged 4+ years.

Lesley Gibbes' Achievement

Congratulations to Lesley Gibbes on her publication of a new picture book called Three Little Mermaids, illustrated by Lisa Stewart and published by Scholastic Australia.

          Under the rock shelf, through ribbons             of weed,

          Across the sandbar, where the                        stingrays feed,

          Over the coral, lit bright by the sun,

          Three Little Mermaids begin to have               fun.

 Follow the three little mermaids as they dart and twirl under the sea and find out what happens when they come across a SHARK!

Told in beautiful rhyme by award-winning children’s author Lesley Gibbes and illustrated by Lisa Stewart, this delightful picture book will introduce young children to the magical underwater world of mermaids.

Three Little Mermaids

PB  RRP $15.99

Age Range-0-6 years

Release date-Jan 2020

ISBN-9781742769103

Searching for Cicadas

Searching for Cicadas –

A delightful story about spending time with family and developing a respect for nature

By Lesley Gibbes, illustrated by Judy Watson

Pub date: August 2019
AUS Price: $26.99
ISBN: 9781922244420

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

This lovely story about a child and their grandfather searching for cicadas is part of the award-winning narrative nonfiction Nature Storybooks series.

In the summertime, Grandpa and I go cicada-watching. We put our camping gear into my wagon and walk down to the local reserve. Last year we saw five Green Grocers, three Yellow Mondays and one Floury Baker. Can we find the rare Black Prince this year? 

This heart-warming narrative is interspersed with facts about cicadas, encouraging children to learn more about the insects that help create the soundtrack to summer. With an underlying theme of respecting nature, Searching for Cicadas shows children that there is beauty and wonder everywhere, if they take the time to look for it. 

About the Author
Lesley Gibbes grew up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and Wagga Wagga in country NSW. After completing a Bachelor of Education at the University of Sydney she embarked on a successful sixteen-year teaching career in Primary Education specialising in dance, drama, debating and public speaking. She is now a multiple-award-winning, internationally published author of books for children. Nature Storybooks: Searching For Cicadas (illustrated by Judy Watson) is her first book with Walker.

About the Illustrator

Judy Watson grew up in a house behind her father’s veterinary clinic, and spent all her holidays on a farm near the beach. When she was not reading or drawing, she could be found lying in the long grass watching bugs and birds. Judy’s first picture book won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction. She has illustrated over 20 books for children. She particularly enjoyed drawing Australian plants for Searching For Cicadas (written by Lesley Gibbes).

Achievement

There’s wonderful news for Buzz Worder, Lesley Gibbes. Her picture book Fluke, illustrated by Michelle Dawson (Working Title Press/Harper Collins), was awarded a Certificate of Commendation at the Whitley Awards by the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales.

Fluke was judged by the society to be the Best Book in the category Young Children’s Book. Dingo by Claire Saxby & Tannya Harricks (Walker Books) was judged Best Book in the category Children’s Book.

The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales’s Whitley Awards are a tribute to Gilbert Whitley, an eminent Australian ichthyologist. The awards are presented annually for outstanding publications (in printed or electronic form) that contain a significant amount of information relating to the fauna of the Australasian region. These publications may be highly technical works, or they may be for wider and more general readership. On the recommendations of the Whitley Review Committee, some publications are selected for presentation of a Certificate of Commendation at the Whitley Awards ceremony on Wednesday 3 October 2018.

Quick as a Wink Fairy Pink

Quick as a Wink Fairy Pink by Lesley Gibbes and Sara Acton

(Working Title Press) HB RRP $24.99 

ISBN 978 1 921504 86 0

Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

This is a gorgeous bedtime story featuring five little flutter fairies, Fairy Blue, Fairy Green, Fairy Gold, Fairy Red and the mischievous Fairy Pink. As the fairies do their nightly rituals, of taking a bath, cleaning their teeth, getting in pyjamas and reading a story, one little fairy is hiding.

Told in rhyming text, and with the repetitive verse

‘But someone’s playing hide and seek.

Can you see her? Take a peek.

Quick as a wink, find Fairy Pink.

it invites the reader to help find this elusive fairy pink.

With simple soft pastel coloured illustrations this book will be a favourite bedside read for your little one. Not only does it reinstate all that’s involved in getting ready for bed, it also gives the chance for the reader to discover Fairy Pink in her hiding places.

A great read for younger children, five and under, although older children will also enjoy the rhyme and illustrations.

Scary Night

Scary Night by Lesley Gibbes, illustrated by Stephen Michael King (Working Title Press)

HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781921504631

Reviewed by Vicki Thornton

Once upon a scary night,

three friends set out on a journey.

Hare with a hat, Cat with a cake, Pig with a parcel.

But where were they going in the dead of the night,

tip-toe creeping in the pale moonlight?

It was a mystery!

This cute story tells the tale of three friends, Hare, Cat and Pig journeying out one scary night. They encounter snapping crocodiles and roaring grizzly bears on their way. 

Were they scared?

Did they shake?

Did they hide? You bet they did.

Did they give up?

Of course they didn’t!

This book not only has charming rhyme and repetition, it gently tells children that it is okay at times to be scared. To shake and even scream (love the double page spread when all three ‘let it rip’).  As long as you don’t give up.