My First Day at School

My First Day at School by Rosie Smith & Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)

HB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-296-4

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Sparsely worded, My First Day at School by the popular team of Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley, is a colourful, bright and cheerful picture book. The illustrations offer a fun twist to the words, each page showing a different baby animal on their first day of school. ‘I dress myself’ has a picture of a centipede with socks on all his feet while ‘finger paint’ has a picture of an octopus.

Each double spread has a different coloured background - all soft pastels with adorable baby animals - showing the action of the text with no extra detail to confuse the sentiment of the words.

This is a gentle, sweet and cohesive story which will engage young children. It may also help with any anxieties about child care or pre-school by presenting a sense of the fun and friendship.

My Merry Christmas

My Merry Christmas by Rosie Smith, illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-801-4
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

As Christmas approaches, everyone prepares in their own way. And although we may all get ready differently, the end result is much the same. When Christmas comes we all gather to share the joy together.

My Merry Christmas is a deceptively simple story told with sparse, well chosen text. There are three to four words on every double spread, accompanied by beautifully illustrated animals – bold, yet gentle and soft. The text and illustrations go hand-in-hand, with as much of the story is told through the pictures as through the words – just as I’ve come to expect from this well known author/illustrator team.

My Merry Christmas is perfect for the very young. It expresses a wonderful message about the festive season. If you only buy one Christmas book this year, make it this one!

My Easter Egg Hunt

My Easter Egg Hunt by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283– 777-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

My Easter Egg Hunt is a new book by popular author-illustrators Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley. It has simple pictures, simple text, and perfectly captures the joy of hunting for Easter eggs.

Three sweet bunnies play hide and seek with their friends, looking for brightly decorated eggs. The text directs ‘look down’, or ‘look under’ and young readers will follow, finding eggs in unusual places.

The illustrations have no background to distract from the central focus - two or three animals and the egg they are searching for. The spare text on each page complements this. The story is told as much through the pictures as the words. Look at the last picture and see who has already eaten his chocolate egg.

Soft colours and playful expressions on the animals make this a gentle read. It will be engaging for an audience from three years and up but could be read to younger children, toddlers and babies even.

A perfect Easter gift.

Bruce Whatley has illustrated many well-loved and awarded children’s books. Among them, Flood (with Jackie French) won CBCA Honour Book, CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2012, The Littlest Refugee (written with Ahn and Suzanne Do) won CBCA Honour Book, CBCA Eve Pownall Book of the year 2012 and Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase (with Rosie Smith) won Honour Book, CBCA Picture book of the year 1998. His collaboration with Jackie French, include the popular Diary of a Wombat, Josephine Loves to Dance, Pete the Sheep and Queen Victoria’s Underpants. With Rosie Smith he has produced picture books such as My Dad’s the Coolest, My Mum’s the Best and Hunting for Dragons.

My Dad’s the Coolest

 My Dad's the Coolest by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press)
HB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-0742-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

With Father’s Day coming up it is the perfect time to be reminded about all the cool things dads can do.

In the latest picture book, written by Rosie Smith and Bruce Whatley, we see wonderful relationships between fathers and their children. From the rooster who tickles his chick to the mountain goat who climbs with his kid, these animal families are having fun together.

The illustrations are bold, bright and strong with much humour and warmth shining through. The text is simple, spare and direct. Preschoolers will understand and identify with the emotions beneath the words and pictures. “Dad is very brave, and clever too.”

The story is a simple message told in a lively and enjoyable way. This is a beautiful book and a delight to read.

Bruce Whatley is a much loved and awarded picture book author and illustrator. He has co-written several books with Rosie Smith including My Mum's the Best and Danny da Vinci: The Flying Machine of Lombardy.