George & Lenny Are Always Together

George & Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee (Scallywag Press 2025) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN 9781836300311

Reviewed by Sylvia Forbes

George and Lenny are always together. And it's terrific. They are never alone. 

So, what happens when one of them decides it's time to try some alone time? 

Is there a way for them to be alone together?

I knew I was in for a treat the moment I saw the cover for George and Lenny Are Always Together - and I was not disappointed. These two characters are instantly endearing and once you open this book you cannot resist - you are on the journey to the end with them.

Best friends George, a big, soft, childlike bear - and Lenny - a questioning, analytical, little Rabbit, are having fun in a playground together. As they swing, Lenny asks George - I wonder what it feels like to be alone. 

To which George responds - Lonely I bet. And sad!

At first, George doesn't take Lenny's question too seriously and dismisses the idea, but Lenny seems determined to pursue it. And the more Lenny pursues it, the more resistant George becomes. To the point where Lenny says - Well George, I am going to find out. I am going to find a quiet place and be alone. To which George then replies - That's a crazy idea! I'd better come with you.  (I love George's innocent understanding of the concept of 'being alone' and how for him it's like 'alone' is just another place in which he and Lenny can be together.)

When Lenny finds his perfect alone spot, a little treehouse - with an entrance conveniently big enough for him to get inside - he embraces his newfound solitude with relish. I can draw! I can build! I can blow bubbles! Play music! Kick a ball! Read a book! I can even just sit and think. But then he thinks about George, and he seems suddenly unsure about being alone. He misses George and goes looking for him. The ending is a pure delight. 

The juxtaposition between these two characters is part of what makes this picture book so irresistible. Dialogue driven with minimal text and perfect illustrations, this story is so simple, so clever and so utterly beguiling.

The illustrations - each element boldly outlined in black ink - and in a gorgeous colour palette made up of opposites - cool and warm - work hand in hand with the text. The images of the brown bear against an ice-blue monkey bar and the grey rabbit against a tangerine-coloured swing are striking and the impact of them are amped up further still because of the specific tones used.  

With every page turn, you find George and Lenny playing on various items of playground equipment - the backgrounds are completely blank with no horizons (apart from when you see Lenny in the treehouse), and are of a single colour (moving from ivory, to caramel to charcoal - perhaps suggesting the deepening light during the span of a day).

I love that the playground has no actual setting - it's a universal playground that readers can imagine to be anywhere in the world. 

Despite the overall minimalistic nature of this book, it is not at all stark. Or void of feeling and emotion. Quite the opposite. The expressions on George and Lenny's faces, and in their body language - so eloquently captured - so vibrantly alive - say it all. The joyful, the cheeky, the happy, the sad, the huffy - and that poignant goodbye.

 

I found myself smiling a lot reading this. Smiles of appreciation and admiration. Smiles for the sweetness, and the adorableness of it all. Smiles for the way that it feels so relatable and smiles for the pure smartness of the story. 

 

George & Lenny Are Always Together highlights the importance of together time and alone time. Of finding and maintaining that delicate and necessary balance between the two. It's that sweet spot in relationships - of having (and allowing) just enough me-time in a place that's not too far away. 

 

Sweetly absurd and delightfully silly - this picture book has been skilfully crafted into a  richly satisfying - full of heart - story that will appeal to all ages. (3 – 99 years).

Highly recommended.

Taking the Long Way Home

Taking the Long Way Home by Jake Hope (Scallywag Press), RRP $29.99 Picture Book ISBN 9-781915-252845

Reviewed by Susan Hancy

Taking the Long Way Home is a picture book about a little girl, Zarah, who doesn’t like walking. Even when her daddy takes shortcuts, she still feels that the walk home from school is far too long. Then, one day, when her Uncle Jerome comes to pick her and her brother up from school, Zarah isn’t happy because Uncle Jerome is taking the long way home on purpose. 

Zarah groans and complains, but Uncle Jerome encourages them to use their five senses to imagine the exotic creatures they could encounter along the way. From pterodactyls to yetis to vampire bats, by the time they reach home, Zarah has had such a terrific adventure that she actually enjoyed the walk. 

The action, expressions and surprises portrayed in the illustrations by Brian Fitzgerald bring the sensory experiences of the walk to life and carry the book. Throughout, the language switches between third person and first person, making the reading a tad confusing. The story itself is rather predictable and best suited to 3 to 5-year-olds. 

Wolf in the City

Wolf in the City written and illustrated by Rachel Tilda Wolf (Scallywag Press) HB RRP $29.99 ISBN9781915252838

The first thing one notices about this book is that ‘Wolf’ in the title is the same surname as the author-illustrator. So, of course, this leads one to wonder what – if anything – is in connection. The story proceeds…

In the middle of a square in a ‘vast and magnificent city’ – think Italy -- is a plinth on which is a wolf statue observing life around it. (And is occasionally pooped on by pigeons.) ‘So, one morning, Wolf decided to go and live with the statues in the city centre.’ The illustration shows the animal in a yellow bus filled with children.

In the city, the wolf looks at statues in a grand fountain and a museum. In the latter, she is shooed away by a statue being captured by artists. Thus, Wolf goes to statues on top of a hill. He poses next to them, but once again, he’s told to move on. Yearning for her old home, she returns to her plinth in the town square. Finally, she is home, where she is welcomed and truly belongs.

By the book’s end, it’s apparent that there’s no relationship between the book title and the author-illustrator’s name.

This warm and amusing story about learning to appreciate what you already have is by a debut picture book artist who was shortlisted for the World Illustration Award. It is a simple story that might be enjoyed by readers aged 5+.

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch written by Derek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Brol (Scallywag Press Ltd London - NewSouth Books) PB, Chapter Book RRP $18.99 ISBN 9781915252180

Reviewed by Sarah Tegerdine.

Ivy Newt and The Storm Witch is the first book of the brand-new chapter book series, by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol. It is a delightful journey into a whimsical world that will enchant young readers imaginations.

Ivy Newt, a determined young witch, embarks on an extraordinary adventure on her birthday to save her parents, the King and Queen of the Sand Witches, from the sinister Storm Witch. Accompanied by her loyal shape shifting friend Tom, Ivy navigates the magical yet perilous land of Miracula, where danger and wonder lurk.

Keilty’s narrative is a rollercoaster of excitement, filled with clever twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats. The dialogue sparkles with wit, while the plot’s pace ensures that there’s never a dull moment. Brol's lively black and white illustrations add depth and charm to the narrative, making the world of Miracula come to life.

Ivy's journey is more than just a rescue mission; it's a voyage of self-discovery and growth, teaching young readers the importance of perseverance, friendship, courage, resilience, and the power of believing in oneself.

Recommended for readers aged between 5 years and upwards, reluctant readers and/or newly independent readers. Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch is a must-read for any child with a love for magic and adventure, and a lovely addition to any young reader’s bookshelf.

Ivy Newt and the Time Thief

Ivy Newt and the Time Thief by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol (Scallywag Press) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978915252333

This is a fast-paced adventure for emerging readers, in which Ivy and Tom solve the mystery of a spooky house that appears only at Halloween. Second in a highly illustrated chapter book series for ages 5-7 featuring Ivy, an unstoppable and lovable young witch, and her friend and familiar Tom. Every Halloween at sunrise, a spooky haunted house appears near Newt Castle, only to disappear again at the stroke of midnight. Ivy and Tom set out to solve the mystery, stumbling upon an imprisoned witch, a powerful sorcerer, and a curse they must break before time runs out... 

Ivy Newt and the Time Thief

Ivy Newt and the Time Thief by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol (Scallywag Press) PB ISBN 9781915252333

On the island of Miracula, Ivy Newt lives in Newt Castle with her Sand Witch parents King Lucius and Queen Fenella. The book starts on Halloween morning when Ivy excitedly tells her familiar, Tom Wolf (which can morph into many shapes), to stop sleeping. Ivy has a new mystery to solve: why does the spooky house over the bay only appear at Halloween? In a race against time, Ivy, and Tom (who’s now morphed into a boy), must break a powerful spell and outwit a crazy sorcerer, all before the last stroke of midnight.

This is the second book about Ivy Newt: the first was Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch. It was highly praised by Lancashire Evening Post which said, ‘The perfect book to launch youngsters into a lifetime of reading.’ Book for Keeps wrote, ‘A satisfying mix of jeopardy and laughter.’

Like the first book, this latest book is frequently illustrated with black and white line and wash pictures, starting with a labelled map of Miracula, and going on to display portraits of characters which appear in the book, such as Thaddeus Creep, Magpie Meg, Felicity Ticks, and four animals. Some illustrations are full-page, and there’s an illustration at the top of each chapter.

This book is suitable for readers aged 8+ years.

I Want a Dog

I Want a Dog by Jon Agee (Scallywag Press) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN978195252104

This picture book should raise mirth in its readers who are likely to be aged 3+ years. A little girl in a yellow dress goes with her wagon to Happydale Animal Shelter with the intention of buying a dog. However, her request is constantly thwarted by the shelter’s owner, a tall man in a suit and tie who offers her a wide variety of unusual pets, from an adorable armadillo to an awesome anteater.

Despite the wide range of pets available, the girl always has the same answer to what she's offered: ‘No!’ She’s after a dog or nothing else. Still the man persists. ‘How about this frog?’ he asks, ‘It can hide a bone, and it barks at passing cars, just like a dog.’ Once again, the girl rejects it. 

Eventually the man comes out of the doorway and exclaims, ‘Here is the dog!’ to which the girl replies, ‘Mister, this is not a dog. This is lizard dressed up as a dog.’ More animals are offered – an albatross, a kangaroo, a wombat.

Finally, the girl asks if the man even has a dog. No, he says, then he asks what’s so special about a dog? ‘A dog is loyal, loving, smart, cuddly, goofy, courageous, and is the best friend you could have in the world,' the girl replies. She is about to leave the shelter when the man proclaims he has something which it sounds exactly like what the girl has described. When he brings out a twenty-pound seal, the girl must take it. Or leave empty-handed.

Young readers will surely laugh at the ludicrous answers the man gives to the child, as well as the animals he offers in lieu of a dog. When the story ends, the girl is seen dragging her wagon behind her with her chosen pet.

The illustrations in this picture book are cartoonish with large images using deadpan colours. All in all the book is entertaining and engaging.