The Art of Magic

The Art Of Magicby Ann Harth (Solstice Publishing)
RRP PB $9.99, eBook $3.99 (Amazon.com)
Smashwords $3.99
All Romance eBooks $3.99
Bookstrand $3.99
Barnes and Noble $3.99
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The Art of Magic is an intriguing story of a boy struggling to come to terms with the death of his father from illness. However, while there is a backdrop of grief and longing, the story is never overwhelmed by this. Rather, elements of history, timeslip, and friendship shine through.

Andrew lives in Momentary Point, a coastal town with  heritage that goes back to the earliest times of white settlement in Australia. He is a lonely boy. Following his father's death, Mum works many hours at her supermarket job to make ends meet.  He has withdrawn from his best friend Jack due to a perceived disloyalty; given up his painting; and is constantly threatened by the local bullies.

Andrew finds friendship and guidance assisting a local artist 'Mad' Max in his market stall. Max was once a local teacher who disappeared for thirteen years and has never revealed why. At the stall, he sells paintings, all of the same house though at different times of the year. There is a thread throughout of people asking why he only paints this house and Ann Harth does a good job of building the intrigue around this key aspect of the story.

All the characters are well drawn. Even absent Dad is a fully developed character and Dad's love of history woven through the story is integral to the resolution. Ann Harth pulls in all the threads beautifully for a very satisfying ending.  Andrew is able to help Max find his way back through time and this helps Andrew comes to term with the loss of his father. He is also able to reconnect with his friend Jack and to neutralise the bullies.

Ann Harth is the author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. She is a writing tutor, ghostwriter and manuscript assessor. For more information about Ann, her services and books go to www.annharth.com 

Kiss Kill

Kiss Kill by Jeni Mawter (Really Blue Books)
Epub, PDF RRP $4.40
ISBN 978-0-9872606-1-1
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Sixteen-year-old Mat can't believe his luck when he snags the hot new girl, Elle. She's stunning, witty and his. She's perfect. But then Elle's behaviour changes and she swings between adulation of Mat to humiliation and violence against him. Mat can't understand why things are different now, what he's done wrong, or how to fix things. He detaches from those around him thinking that this will help. He finally realises that he is not at fault. He also realises it is up to him to stop allowing Elle to rule how he behaves and to believe in his own self worth.

Fortunately for Mat, as he rides this roller-coaster of emotions, his best mate Jonno and Jonno's girlfriend Nadia stick by him. It is through their support that Mat comes to realise the toxic nature of his relationship with Elle. Jonno also intervenes by going to the school counsellor - something which Mat would never have considered especially following the talks at school where males are portrayed as abusers and females the abused. For Mat to confess to his abuse is tantamount in his mind to denying his masculinity. The thoughtful manner in which the counsellor deals with the situation allows Mat to begin the process of easing his way out of the relationship.

Kiss Kill presents Mat's story in a unique manner. It is not told as a traditional prose narrative but rather as fragments of prose, lyrics, scripts, social media, comics, texts (displaying the phone screen), drawings, photographs, poems and essays. The story flits from one to another at breakneck speed much like young adults can watch television, listen to music, do their homework and chat on facebook all at once making this format perfect for the intended audience

Author Jeni Mawter has also extended the book into an interactive forum. Mat blogs at http://www.whyidontgetgirls.wordpress.com (the entry with the dogs is hilarious!), there is ongoing utilisation of Youtube and reader feedback is encouraged.

Books such as Kiss Kill are a brave new world where the reader's involvement with the story and characters have been elevated to a whole new level not even imagined until recently. Rather than computers, Youtube and the entertainment of the digital world sounding the death knell for the book, they are the birth of a whole new way of seeing books and young adults will be leading the way. Kiss Kill's publisher Really Blue Books, Australia's first digital only publisher, and Jeni Mawter are to be congratulated for being at the forefront of this evolution of the book.

Kiss Kill can be bought through Really Blue Books, https://reallybluebooks.com/ebooks ($4.40) or through Amazon http://t.co/h3XUTe5t ($5.95).

A Bus Called Heaven

A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham (Walker Books)
HB RRP $27.95
ISBN9781406334197
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Bob Graham is a genius. His books sing to the soul and A Bus Called Heaven is no exception with both the text and illustrations combining to tell an inspiring and uplifting story.

An abandoned bus unites a community that had previously co-existed but not interacted. Young and old, people of all colours and denominations, join together to make the bus the central meeting point of the community. Even the local gang is encouraged to join in and rather than scrawling graffiti across the bus turn it into a work of art. Importantly, part of the settling in of the bus into the community involves the natural world: weeds, snails and birds nesting in the engine.

For me, Bob Graham's books are how the world should be. Importantly, he shows it is how the world could be if only we banded together as one. In A Bus Called Heaven it is Stella 'the colour of moonlight' who helped people believe that heaven was theirs and is something to not give up on easily.

A Bus Called Heaven is endorsed by Amnesty international UK. It is easy to see why.

Losing Turtle

Losing Turtle by Adrienne Frater, illustrated by Cat Chapman (Walker Books)

PB RRP $ 11.95

ISBN 9781921529108

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Losing Turtle is a collection of three delightful short stories for emerging readers: Losing Turtle, Top Secret, and Scrambled Eggs. Each of the stories star Sam, an inventive and thoughtful boy who solves his dilemmas in unique ways and with surprising results. Although the stories are simple with carefully selected words and straight forward sentence structure the stories are anything but bland. Sam’s personality shines through and the images of his family and school life that are built up will keep children reading and looking for more. What more could we want in this National Year of Reading!

Cat Chapman’s black-and-white illustrations jump off the page with joy and humour, adding to the reading experience and ensuring that children are never overwhelmed by a page of words.

Walker are to be congratulated for their Walker Stories series for younger readers. The Walker Stories target readership group of young and emerging readers are not generally catered for as well as they might be in the publishing world and titles such as Losing Turtle fills this important niche.

Amazing Grace: An Adventure at Sea

Amazing Grace: An Adventure at Sea by Stephanie Owen Reader (National Library of Australia)
HB RRP $29.95
ISBN 9780642277435
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

This book is absolutely outstanding from the story created around the factual evidence to the presentation and production quality.

In December 1876, sixteen-year-old Grace Bussell (and others) risked their own lives to save passengers and crew from the shipwrecked Georgette. A fictionalised account of the rescue is interspersed with paintings, newspaper clippings, photographs, eyewitness accounts and other historical documents from the National Library of Australia's own collection. A true sense of pioneer life at the time is built up.

The author is a master storyteller, able to draw the reader into the thoughts of feelings of passengers, crew and rescuers. Grace is shown as a capable and affable, but not extraordinary country girl, who nonetheless does not hesitate when action is needed. Other rescuers such as the Aboriginal stockman Sam Isaacs, and James and William Dempster are given due credit for their bravery.

A list of characters, glossary, short chapters and plentiful illustrations and further information ensures that the story can be followed by competent younger readers as well as being enjoyed and appreciated by older readers and even adults.

I highly recommend Amazing Grace and it should find a place on all bookshelves.

Note on the Door

Note on the Door and other poems about family life by Lorraine Marwood (Walker Books Australia)
PB RRP $15.95
ISBN 9781921720611
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Award-winning poet Lorraine Marwood's newest collection of poems is full of astute observations of the intricacies and eccentricities of family life. The poems are organised into sections titled: Family Notes, Holiday Notes, School Notes, Extended Family Notes, and Playtime Notes. All the ups and downs of growing up are represented by a poem - from being sick and stuck in bed to friendships to beach holidays and everything in between. There is something that everyone can relate to and the poems are accessible to all.

The title poem is a standout and one that will be read aloud in homes across Australia. The fate of the child's bedroom is one that many will relate to with the news that a "bedroom rotted away at 9.15 am this morning'. Another favourite of mine is Almost a Circus where the older sibling is so besotted by the baby brother that he is equated with a "crowd-stopping circus extravaganza".

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and highly recommend it.

Northwood

Northwood by Brian Falkner, illustrated by Donovan Bixley (Walker Books Australia)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781921529801
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Northwood is a thoroughly wonderful story. It is refreshing and quirky with wonderful characters, an unusual setting and a fast-paced plot. Cecilia Undergarment is our hero. She is likeable, though unremarkable except for one detail: the ability to talk to, and understand, animals. It is this ability which starts off the story's chain of events when she discovers that her neighbour Mr Proctor has been mistreating his dog Rocky. Cecilia rescues Rocky and in a fit of rage Mr Proctor bulldozes Cecilia's balloon house and she floats away, landing in the mysterious Northwood from which none who have ventured have returned.

The book begins with the narrator talking directly to the reader and its a device that works well. I was drawn into Cecilia's world immediately. Her balloon house seems entirely plausible and her rather unfortunate surname is never sniggered at. Northwood has a feel reminiscent of a fairy tale although Cecilia is not your fainting female character waiting to be saved by a prince in shining armour. Always polite and considerate, she is nevertheless strong and courageous. Humour is filtered throughout the story (the twins are marvelous). The black lions in the forest add an extra element of malevolence but they are not evil; they are lions acting as lions will.

Donovan Bixley's black-and-white illustrations add to the pleasure of reading this book and are in keeping with the nostalgic feel. The cover is a winner and will be sure to draw readers to pick up the book. It depicts Cecilia and Rocky running through the forest and the lurking black lions and hints at all the action, adventure and fantasy to be revealed.

Northwood is a book which shows that strength does not need to be brutal and respect needs to be earned. It is uplifting and never didactic. One of the books of 2011 for its originality, quirkiness and sense of wonder. I expect to see it shortlisted for many awards and highly recommend it for mid to upper primary school children.

Peter and the Whimper-Whineys

Peter and the Whimper-Whineys by Sherrill S. Cannon, illustrated by Kalpart (Strategic Book Publishing)
PB RRP $13.00
ISBN 9781609115173
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton




Peter is a whiner and he is driving his mother around the bend with his bad manners. One night, he finds himself transported into the woods with the Whimper-Whineys in Whimper Whineland and discovers that everything in their world is sour and ruined. It is with great relief that Peter wakes in his own bed.

Written in rhyme, the tale allows children to reflect on how their behaviour affects not only them but also the world around them. The illustrations cleverly show that Peter's world is one of life and colour whereas Whimper-Whineland is dark and foreboding.

Peter and the Whimper-Whineys has won a Bronze Readers Favorite Award - and is also now available as an App on iTunes, where it can be used as an audio book, regular eBook, and can also record parent and child reading the story. Australians can buy through any online store and the book is printed and shipped from Melbourne.

On Orchard Road

On Orchard Road by Elsbeth Edgar (Walker Books)

PB RRP $16.95

ISBN 9781922170291

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

On Orchard Road is a gentle story about change, friendship and understanding. Everything is changing in Jane’s life, for the worse. Her baby sister Sylvia is born prematurely and struggles for life in hospital. Dad has lost his job and the family must move from Melbourne to Castlemaine. A new town brings a new school, new kids and unwelcome dilemmas.

Jane’s first day at school is a disaster and she makes an enemy in the bully, Darren. However, she also finds friendship with Michael and when she falls off her bike and Michael must get help from Miss Harrison, a strange lady feared and tormented by the town’s children.

A friendship strikes up between Jane and Miss Harrison. Both are lonely, both are creative. Jane writes stories and the crotchety Miss Harrison paints. Miss Harrison’s house with its exotic plants, books filled with art and a lifetime’s worth of paintings is a highlight of the book and represents an almost magical escape from the realities of Jane’s world.

Edgar allows the story to unfold at a gentle pace and the reader sees the shy and uncertain Jane develop courage and confidence through her friendship with Miss Harrison. Michael is a steadfast friend and Jane discovers that all is not as it seems, not only in the life of Miss Harrison but also for the bully, Darren.

Jane’s acceptance of her baby sister comes as a result of her increasing self-confidence. She no longer sees Sylvia as a threat and there is a correlation with the two sisters both gaining strength throughout the story and by the end the family unit is a whole. This story will be particularly enjoyed by girls.

Neville No-Phone

    Neville No-Phone by Anna Branford and Kat Chadwick (Walker Books)
PB RRP $15.99
ISBN 9781921529962

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

It is no wonder that Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot was awarded Honour Book in the Younger Readers category for the 2011 CBCA for Anna Branford has a remarkable ability to tap into the heads of her target readership.

Neville No-Phone is a hilarious account of how Neville and his friend Enzo endeavour to obtain a mobile phone. Neville speaks from the page in this story written in first person, present tense. The boys firstly try to convince their parents that they need a mobile phone since, they claim, everyone else has one. Their efforts are to no avail. When they find a mobile phone left on a seat in a bus shelter it leads them into trouble with their parents, teacher and conscience.

Both Neville and Enzo are wonderful characters. They are fun and inventive and find that having a mobile phone is not all it’s cracked up to be. The story moves from them wanting a device to learning more about communicating with others. The secondary characters, particularly the boys’ parents and Dennis, are full of life and add much to the story.

Kat Chadwick’s numerous black-and-white illustrations capture the mood of the text perfectly. This is a book that younger readers are sure to enjoy.

How It Came About

How It Came About by Bryan Evans, illustrated by Kimberly Moon
ebook $2.99
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton


How It Came About is an original concept that will fascinate young children learning the three 'r's. In a place called Knowledge are little towns each inhabited by particular people. In the town of Alphabet live Letters. In another town live Numbers and among the Numbers lives Zero but 'nobody took any notice of the Number Zero because she didn't amount to anything.'


Disheartened Zero heads out into the world of Knowledge and meets Spot from the town of Punctuation who reminds her that '(e)verybody amounts to something. It's up to each one of us to find out what it is.' When Zero and Spot stumble upon Alphabet, they discover that everyone does indeed have a purpose. Letters can become words, sentences, books and then libraries and that numbers can amount to more than nine. But Spot is the most important of all.


The accompanying illustrations are bright and colourful and add to the quirkiness of the story with the personification of the letters, numbers and punctuation. This book could be a very useful teaching resource and one that will have everyone thinking about how words, numbers and language is formed.


View How It Came About at http://www.epubbud.com/books.php?u=bryanevans

Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt

Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt by Elizabeth Frankel, illustrated by Garry Duncan (Exisle Publishing)
PB RRP $19.95
ISBN 978 0 980812 92 3
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt is an entertaining story about a Hairy Nosed-Wombat who has an itch to scratch but nowhere to itch it! He finds his regular scratching post is gone and goes in search of a replacement. To his dismay, all his other options have been removed too.Finally, with some help from another wombat, he makes it to a conservation park where he can scratch his itch and finds a safe place to live away from the damaging activities of humans.

Children will enjoy the rhyme of this fast-paced text and giggle at poor wombat's dilemma. Garry Duncan's wombat is expressive and funny while the boldly coloured illustrations also depict the serious underlying environmental theme. As the factual information at the end of the book explains, habitat loss is threatening the survival of the Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat. Land use, whether it be for farms, recreation, housing, or roads, cuts into the wombat's environment destroying its food sources and warrens.

Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt would be perfect for class discussions on Australian animals and environment as it is a great way to introduce kids to serious issues without overwhelming them with dry facts and figures. An added benefit is that a portion of the proceeds of this book goes towards Conservation Ark wombat conservation.

The Great Expedition

The Great Expedition by Peter Carnavas (New Frontier Publishing)

HB RRP $24.95

ISBN 9781921042812

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The Great Expedition is inspired by the story of Burke and Wills who led a party of the first Europeans to traverse the Australian continent from south to the north. In The Great Expedition two young explorers led a group on a great mission to deliver a very important parcel. Like the original expedition, they encounter mishap and misadventure and achieve their ultimate goal. Fortunately, there is no tragic ending to this tale.

Carnavas’ text drew me in immediately and had me travelling the ups and downs of the expedition with the young explorers. There is plenty of humour and the gentle pastel illustrations extend the text contributing an alternative aspect to the story. The text is viewed completely through a child’s perspective. There is no ‘pretend play’ while the illustrations show reality.

This is the beauty of the story. It revels totally in the child’s world and has no adult ‘voiceover’. I loved this book and its reference to the historic Burke and Wills’ expedition and young readers are encouraged to further investigate Burke and Wills. In addition to its literary merit, The Great Expedition is perfect for introducing history to young children.

I Can Cook! French Food

I Can Cook! French Food by Wendy Blaxland (Macmillan Education Australia)
HB RRP $31.99
ISBN 9781420290059
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

I Can Cook! French Food is an outstanding cook book for younger children. Not only are there simple recipes for cooking French food which requires minimal assistance from adults, this book discusses French culture, food traditions and styles, regional produce and ingredients, French landscapes and climates as well as basic cooking equipment, measurements, safety and hygiene. I loved the page 'Try this!' which encourages readers, among other things, to grow vegetables, celebrate Bastille Day or search out a French patisserie to try petits fours (my personal favourite!).

Each recipe is introduced with a brief history of the food. Equipment and ingredients required are clearly stated. A fantastic initiative has been the inclusion of a section stating whether each particular food is suitable for special diets such as vegetarians, nut-free or kosher. The recipes are laid out in an easy to follow step-by-step format with clear pictures and simple instructions. Visually, the book is very attractive with the liberal use of text boxes, and bright and colourful photography.


I highly recommend I Can Cook! French Food. It is one title in a six book series on world food by Wendy Blaxland.

The Smartest Dog of All

The Smartest Dog of All by Ian Horrocks, illustrated by Sue deGennaro (Omnibus Books for Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $11.99
ISBN 9781862918108
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Another gem from the treasure box called the Mates series.The Smartest Dog of All is a humorous and enjoyable story of a boy and his dog Wit or Whitlam when he is in trouble. Wit is a very demanding dog. In fact, he could be considered jealous and trouble ensues if Wit feels like he has been forgotten.

Wit is very clever, so clever he should be allowed to attend school, and so clever that when his owner receives Dog Training for Beginners for his birthday that Wit rips the book to bits. The boy is devastated but during the night his parents tape and glue the book back together. Wit does the tricks from the books so easily that the boy reckons that Wit has learnt to read. 'He just hadn't learned to turn the pages.' I laughed out loud at that line!

Humorous references to the political differences of opinion between Dad and Grandpop regarding Gough Whitlam and, later in the book, to Robert Menzies provide an additional layer to the text. There is also a note from author Ian Horrocks regarding Australia's prime ministers, the national sport of running down politicians and the importance of having an opinion.

Sue deGennaro's full colour illustrations are a highlight of the book. The personality of Wit is vividly bought to life. A warning - every young reader is bound to want a dog just like Wit. He is adorable!

The presentation of the book is another strength of the Mates series. Illustrations adorn every page, contributing to and breaking up the text. Newly competent or reluctant readers will be drawn to this format which is the perfect step from picture books for younger children to chapter books.

I can't rate this book or the series highly enough.

Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop

Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop by Hazel Edwards, illustrated by Pat Reynolds (New Frontier Publishing)
PB RRP $14.95
ISBN 9781921042706
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop is the second title in New Frontier's Aussie Hero series. There is surely no other Australian who fits the title of Aussie Hero more than Weary Dunlop. Doctor, sportsman and war hero, he was renowned not only for his physical skills and medical expertise but as a man of great compassion, bravery and forgiveness.

Hazel Edwards has clearly detailed Weary's life from a child and through hard work gaining a university scholarship and then overseas to practise as a surgeon. With the outbreak of World War Two he joined the Medical Corps of the AIF resulting eventually in his capture by Japanese forces in 1942. His actions in the Japanese Prisoner of War camps and on the Burma Railway in saving men's lives from disease and brutality is indeed heroic. After the war he was active in veteran associations and building bridges between Australia and Asia, including Japan. After all that he had endured Weary Dunlop maintained his belief 'that all men are equal in the face of suffering and death'.

Pat Reynolds' colour illustrations complement the text throughout, and at times add a touch of humour. A timeline also provides an easy quick reference guide to key dates. Teachers' resources are available at http://www.hazeledwards.com/page/sir_edward_weary_dunlop.html

New Frontier is to be commended for introducing great Australians such as Weary Dunlop to primary school children. This series allows young children to access information about the people of whom we can all be proud. In this way, the achievements of those who have built our society and way of life will be recognised and remembered and will hopefully inspire us to continue their legacy.

Going Solo

Going Solo by Sue Lawson (black dog books)
PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 9781742031682
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Going Solo is the third title in the Diva series for younger readers by award-winning author Sue Lawson. The hero of the story Mickey Farrell is continuing on her quest to win the Dream Diva competition. Along the way she makes friends and encounters the best and the worst in people. I love how Mickey considers others and although Dream Diva is her ultimate goal she is not prepared to step on others to achieve it.


Going Solo has all the zip and fun of the previous two books in the series. In fact, with each book, I like the characters even more. It is wonderful that a book for newly competent readers or reluctant readers incorporates character development as well as fast action and snappy dialogue.

Going Solo is the perfect book for young fans of Australian Idol and similar shows and is great value at $7.99.  I expect that the shelves of many younger readers will include the whole series.

Rising Star

Rising Star by Sue Lawson (black dog books)
PB RRP $7.99
ISBN 9781742031682
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Rising Star is the second title in the popular Diva series, re-released for 2011. Mickey Farrell has reached round two of the Diva competition and things are heating up. Mickey is a very likeable protagonist who is keen to win and fulfil her dream of becoming a singing star but, unlike some of her co-contestants, is always aware of supporting the other girls. She has been reunited with her friend Erin and her nemesis Coco. Tricks abound, and friendships falter and are put right.

Lawson writes in a very easy style and telling the story first-person, present tense draws the reader into the fast-paced action immediately. Primary school girls are bound to love the Diva series and will recognise many of the characters and are sure to relate to Mickey.

Violence 101

Violence 101 by Denis Wright (black dog books)

PB RRP$16.99

ISBN 9781742031781

Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

I began reading Violence 101 with a little trepidation. I am glad to have taken the plunge. This is an extraordinary examination of the mind of a highly intelligent but non-empathetic boy, Hamish Graham, who at 14 has been committed to a juvenile detention centre.

The story is interspersed with large tracts of Hamish’s personal journal entries which reveal his most inner thoughts, interests and recollections. Hamish is a loved child from a middle class family. His idols are all military heroes: Alexander the Great, the New Zealand Victoria Cross recipient (twice) Charles Upham and the Maori warrior Te Rauparaha. Particularly unnerving for me was Hamish’s admiration for the theory of eugenics which espouses the need for mental or physical inferiority to be breed out of the population; a kind of survival of the fittest distorted to fit a particular version of human society.  

It was hard for me to see how Hamish could be rehabilitated. When Hamish’s delusions of military greatness result in a life threatening encounter with what would be an epiphany of sorts to most, he rejects such a revelation outright. Still, following this incident, he is to be released from the juvenile detention centre back into the care of his parents. This outcome made me uneasy and I wasn’t as convinced of his potential as the staff of the centre. With utter clarity, Hamish devised brutal experiments which maimed rats for school projects and killed and played taxidermist to the next-door-neighbours’ poodle. There was only one very brief flicker of emotion throughout the whole story. To me Violence 101’s ultimate underlying theme is can empathy be taught? One I am still pondering.

The book is compulsive reading and Wright’s style is economical and effective. This book is not for the squeamish, but nor does it venerate gratuitous violence. Violence 101 is a thought provoking read and one that will not be easily forgotten.

All Through the Night

All Through the Night by Dean Jones (black dog books)
HB RRP $24.99
ISBN 9781742031521
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

A young boy is tucked into bed at night after playing with his toy train. But nothing is ordinary in All Through the Night. He is transported on a magical night time journey as a passenger on a train, flying past boats and nets full of fish, a giant cloud Sandman lighting their way with their safety assured as they pass through a storm by travelling in a giant bubble until, on the first hint of light, they head for home.

The minimal text is rhythmic, like a lullaby, and perfect to read out loud as a reassuring bedtime story. Rather than being something to fear, the night is full of magic and wonder and no harm can come one's way. Jones' illustrations are vibrant with a hint of nostalgia. It was hard for me to decide on my favourite: was it the one when the boy is woken by a seagull landing on his head; or that of the snails nibbling on the moon; or the new day with its city of toasters, eggs, milk jugs and orange slices?

I was fortunate to have my have my four-year-old niece and two-year-old nephew's assistance in reviewing this book. My nephew was mad on the train and kept flicking back and forth through the pages to show me each drawing of the train, including those on the end pages. While I was delighted in his enjoyment of the book, I was even more so with my niece's. Normally one to favour stories of fairies and princesses, she asked me to read and re-read All Through the Night. 

This beautifully presented picture book with its padded cover and special ticket to ride in its own pocket is a quality production and one for all young children. It is sure to become a family favourite.