Beaky Malone: World’s Greatest Liar

Beaky Malone: World’s Greatest Liar written by Barry Hutchison, illustrated by Katie Abey (Little Tiger Press) PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 9781847156730

Reviewed by Liz Ledden

Beaky Malone is a self-confessed Olympic-level liar. He tells so many crazy lies he drives his family completely mad, particularly his sister, Jodie.

On a road trip with extended family and ever-present dog Destructo, Beaky’s lies are bigger and more elaborate than ever. Just when Jodie reaches breaking point, she and Beaky are sent out in search of fish and chips. Instead, they come across the mysterious Madame Shirley’s Marvellous Emporium of Peculiarities, home to the world’s only truth-telling machine. After Beaky’s shoved inside, it and *gasp* it actually works, Beaky can tell nothing but the truth. At this point, the story really ramps up the fun factor, with Beaky revealing everything from gross personal habits to his canteen lady crush.

This is a super fun read for mid to older primary school aged readers who appreciate a bit of sarcasm, and will understand references to Instagram and the like. The outrageous truth-telling capers don’t stop at the end of the book though – a second title in the middle grade series is due out in January.

Wilderness: An interactive atlas of animals

Wilderness: An interactive atlas of animals written by Hannah Pang, illustrated by Jenny Wren (Little Tiger Press) HB RRP $29.99

ISBN 9781848575066

Reviewed by Liz Ledden

A beautifully presented, hardcover non-fiction book, Wilderness provides a fact-filled overview of the world’s animals, perfect for readers aged five to eight.

The book is divided by habitat, from ‘On Safari’ and ‘Sea Search’ to ‘High Mountains’ and more. The book is illustration-heavy and interactive, with pop-ups and lots of flaps to lift, revealing fascinating facts about quirky animals and diverse eco-systems. A particularly fun spread is ‘Trek to the Poles’, with animals from the Arctic at the top, and those from the Antarctic upside down at the bottom, encouraging readers to flip the book around.

While the book is broad in its overview, a unique aspect is its focus on lesser-known creatures. From the pale-throated sloth to the red-lipped batfish, kids will delight in discovering the world’s animals beyond the usual suspects. The book would make a great gift, and would also be a handy resource for school projects.

Little Why

Little Why written and illustrated by Jonny Lambert (Little Tiger Press) PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 9781848691834

Reviewed by Liz Ledden

Cute baby elephant Little Why struggles to stay in line as he marches along to the watering hole with his elders. He diverts from the path each time he spots a creature he aspires to be like, from the leggy giraffe, to crocodile with its ‘snippy-snappy snazzy snout’. When his request for their features is constantly denied by the older elephant, Little Why asks ‘Why?’ to the reply of ‘Keep in line!’

The images are striking, with the use of white space accentuating the animal characters, which are reminiscent of Eric Carle’s illustrations. Some fun features on each spread include the busy little orange and purple insects, and Little Why’s ever-faithful bird companion – extra layers to examine during repeat reads.

Repetition, alliteration and rhythm result in some lovely language, culminating in a message of self-acceptance. Although, it takes one of the elephant elders to point out Little Why’s unique attributes – it would have perhaps been more powerful if Little Why came to this conclusion himself. Nevertheless, Little Why is a charming and beautifully designed book with a strong, evergreen theme.

Sylvia and Bird

Sylvia and Bird by Catherine Rayner (Little Tiger Press — Hardie Grant Egmont)
ISBN 978-1-84506-857-8
PB $14.95 RRP
Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

This delightful picture book, written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner, is about a friendship between a dragon and a bird. Sylvia, a shimmer-shiny dragon who lives on a high mountain-top, is terribly lonely until she meets an unlikely playmate, a small yellow bird known as 'Bird'. Despite their obvious differences, the two have fun together and keep each another company. But while Bird is able to go off and play with other birds, Sylvia has no one else, as she is the last of her kind on earth. This makes Sylvia quite sad.

For anyone who knows about dragons (and there are a few out there) Syliva is not a hot, fire-breathing variety, but a cool, mountain one with beautiful ice crystals decorating her large body. The diminutive Bird is a complete contrast to her oversized friend. But the crux of the story is that none of this matters. When Sylvia tries to go to the moon to find other dragons, and she realises Bird can't go with her, she decides to stay on earth. There's no way she wants to leave her friend Bird behind. 

As in her book about a tiger, Augustus and his Smile, Catherine Rayner has presented a large scary creature in an non-threatening, affectionate way for small children. Sylvia's face shows a vulnerable, friendly expression and her actions through the story show her gentleness, particularly when she saves Bird from falling, when she flies too high.

 The concept of the story, that difference is no obstacle to true friendship, is certainly admirable and worth conveying to children as early as possible. Sylvia and Bird, which won the 2014 Greenway Medal in the UK,  is a lovely book for adults to read aloud and everyone can enjoy the superbly drawn illustrations. This book is suitable for preschool children and up into early primary. 

 

Augustus and his Smile

Augustus and his Smile by Catherine Rayner (Little Tiger Press — Hardie Grant Egmont)
ISBN 978-1-84506-283-5
PB $14.95 RRP
Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Augustus and his Smile is an endearing story about a tiger which goes looking for his smile. Writer and illustrator Catherine Rayner captures the essence of the main character from the very first picture on the cover: the friendly face of a tiger (Augustus) with a blue butterfly on his nose. Open the book and paw prints on an orange background lead you, the reader, to the first page.

The story is a simple but important one. Augustus is sad and travels to different places to cheer himself up. He goes under some bushes, to the top of the trees, to the crests of the mountains, the bottom of the oceans and through the desert. All the while, to the observant reader, his smile is growing. It isn't until he is caught in a shower of rain and sees himself in a puddle, that Augustus notices this, too.

At the back of the book are some tiger facts, including information about the endangered Siberian tigers (the kind of tiger Augustus is). Contact details are included for the World Wildlife Fund, for those interested in helping. This is a lovely book to enjoy reading aloud and has a good message about finding happiness in the world around you.

 UK children's author Catherine Rayner has shown a great talent for drawing animals in her previous books, for example Harris Finds his Feet (about a hare) and Sylvia and Bird (about a dragon). With his wistful face and ready smile, her newest character Augustus is impossible not to become attached to. Preschool children will want to read this book over and over, just to see the tiger's happy face.