The Famous Five: Five and a Half-Term Adventure

The Famous Five: Five and a Half-Term Adventure by Enid Blyton, illustrated by Jamie Littler (Hodder/Hachette)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 9781444916256
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

Several of Enid Blyton's ever-popular Famous Five stories have been re-vamped in a series of Colour Reads with up-to-date, zany illustrations while retaining the original texts. Five and a Half-Term Adventure heads the list of eight stories which, for the first time, appear in individual full colour volumes.

The four children, Julian, George, Dick and Anne plus Timmy the dog, are staying with Aunt Fanny at Kirrin Cottage for a short half-term holiday. It is glorious weather so they decide to take a picnic lunch and walk along the cliffs to a spot above the beach, hunting for berries and nuts on the way. Aunt Fanny warns them to take care of the time so they get back before dark.

The day unfolds slowly as the children and Timmy enjoy their outing, but eventually it is apparent that Julian's watch had slowly come to a stop and it is much later than they thought. There is a train station not far away so they decide to catch a train home and save time.

When they come into the town, Timmy suddenly runs into a hall which is holding a dog show. As it is for pedigree dogs only, Timmy is given short shrift and after George grabs him, they have to run for the train.

A couple in their carriage holding a baby wrapped in a very grubby shawl attracts Timmy's interest and he jumps up to sniff. The children find his behaviour odd as he never has shown much interest in babies before. At the next station the children take him into another carriage as the couple were not at all happy to have Timmy pawing at the shawl. The children suddenly notice the man and woman with the baby leaving the station.

Back at Kirren Cottage Aunt Fanny tells them a news snippet about a baby Pekingese being stolen from the dog show. The reason why Timmy was interested in the baby suddenly dawns on the Famous Five. But will the baby Pekingese be found?

This Colour Read is the perfect introduction to new readers of Enid Blyton's classic adventure tales. The text which sparkles with highlighted words to add further reading pleasure has been broken into short chapters and Jamie Littler's striking pictures are splashed on every spread. Altogether, these small novels are bound to attract new fans of the Famous Five.

A Snugglepot and Cuddlepie Christmas

A Snugglepot and Cuddlepie Christmas by May Gibbs (Scholastic Australia)
HB RRP $19.99
ISBN 978-1-74283-022-3
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Christmas is just around the corner for Snugglepot and Cuddlepie in this seasonal edition of a May Gibbs' classic. They each have a list, but while Cuddlepie’s includes cleaning, baking and generally getting ready for Christmas, Snugglepot plans to eat, hang his pillowcase and search for hidden presents.But when Mrs Snake slides in will she ruin all Cuddlepie’s hard work, or can Snugglepot put right the mess and save Christmas before Cuddlepie gets home?

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie have been entertaining young children since first being published in 1918. This new Christmas story is based on Gibbs’ cheeky and adventurous characters and the iconic illustrations depicting the Australian bush are timeless. This would make a nice Christmas story to introduce the classic to a new generation of readers.

Possum Magic

Possum Magic by Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas (Omnibus Books)
HB RRP $29.99
ISBN 978-1-74299-000-2
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Possum Magic is one of the best selling picture books in Australia. It is an enduring classic which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Possum Magic is the story of Hush and Grandma Poss who live happily together in the Australian bush. Grandma Poss makes bush magic and her best magic is the one which makes Hush invisible. This provides the little possum with not only amusement, but safety as well.

The problem begins when Hush wants to know what she looks like and Grandma Poss cannot find the magic which will make Hush visible again. So Hush and her grandma travel around Australia tasting classic Aussie foods. They eat ‘Minties in Melbourne’, ‘pumpkin scones in Brisbane’ and keep tasting through cities until the possum’s body begins to appear.

Possum Magic is a wonderful book. The text and illustrations weave seamlessly together and there is a magical quality to the story which endears it to children and adults everywhere, placing it firmly in their hearts.

This 30th anniversary edition is a stunning book - cloth bound with a slipcase - it would make a wonderful gift. The front cover is red with a beautiful small illustration of Grandma Poss reading at night to the invisible Hush, who is peering over her shoulder. It is a simple classy cover for a classic book.

This edition will only be available during 2013 and deserves to be on every child’s bookshelf.  

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Tom Skinner, illustrated by Annie White, Audio CD read by Antonio Kidman (New Frontier Publishing)
HB RRP $27.95
ISBN 9781921042096
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a colourful and lively contemporary adaptation of Goethe's famous poem and attests to the enduring popularity of this story. First written in 1797 (and titled Der Zauberlehrling), the poem was put to music by Paul Abraham Dukas in 1897, and has been the basis of two Disney movies; Fantasia (1940) and Fantasia 2000. 


Tom Skinner has brought The Sorcerer's Apprentice into the era of the car while still retaining the magic and wizardry. The sorcerer's apprentice Rizwan uses spells to help him with his tasks at the Wizard Car and Camel Wash. As in the original tale, everything goes wrong and the sorcerer must fix all on his return. However, that is not until after the mayor, his limousine and the whole Wizard and Camel Car Wash have nearly disappeared under a cloud of foamy bubbles.Annie White's illustrations are bright and colourful and full of movement. As with Skinner's text she manages to combine magic and modern.

The third title in New Frontier's Music Box series, the book is accompanied by an audio CD read by Antonia Kidman. At various times during the reading, Dukas' classical composition of The Sorcerer's Apprentice plays. There is further music after the reading ends and I must say it is delightful to be writing this review while it plays. The Sorcerer's Apprentice could stand as a picture book on its own but is also a perfect way to introduce young children to some of our literary and musical traditions. 

Winnie - The – Pooh Favourite Stories

Winnie - The – Pooh Favourite Stories by A. A. Milne, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard (Egmont)

HC RRP $9.99

ISBN 9780603562099

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Favourite Stories is a collection of eight delightful, frequently read stories from Winnie-the-Pooh’s life.  In each we visit a scene where every day is an opportunity for adventure and exploration. The endearing characters and their antics always bring laughter and thought into the life of the reader.  At the end there is a collection of all Pooh’s poems – nonsensical or otherwise - used in the book.

In A House is Built on Pooh Corner, Piglet and Pooh find a pile of wood in the forest and decide to build a house for Eeyore to shelter him through the chilly winter months, not realising that the pile of wood is his house, which brings hilarious outcomes from good intentions.

 Tigger Comes to the Forest, sees the bouncy one’s arrival at the forest.  He meets all the other characters and goes on a voyage of discovery to ascertain which foods he likes and dislikes with a lot of adventures in between.

 Pooh Invents a New Game shows Pooh on the banks of a river, throwing pine cones into the water and choosing which one the tide will bring first towards him. He sees something decidedly like Eeyore floating with his legs in the air. It’s a challenge to get him out of the river but more so, to understand how he got there in the first place.

Tiger is Unbounced brings focus on the stripy one for his constant bouncing is creating problems. The friends have decided on a way to humble the springy one and unbounce him. But their plan backfires in a strange and entertaining way.

These are only a brief overview of a few of the entertaining stories. It is the lessons learned that make them so endearing to young and older readers. The characters are always optimistic. They are able to solve most problems either alone or together, and their lack of education and general  knowledge doesn’t seem to hinder them at all through their problem-solving. They have a strong sense of loyalty towards one another and although they continue to get into difficult situations, they see each experience as an adventure and an opportunity for fun. Each friend has a close relationship to the natural world and they spend as much time as possible outdoors enjoying all kinds of weather.

The book is illustrated in the original coloured illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard with the jacket an identical copy of the book cover, both of which are a soft lime green. This is a compact and well-priced hardcover that will be treasured by any owner.