Works by Marg Gibbs

Museum of Mummies is written by Marg Gibbs and illustrated in black ink by Peter Roberts. The Egyptian mummy captures the historical mystery and wonder of another past.

From Tomorrow Land, a collection of poetry for children ages 5-11, co-authored by Marg Gibbs and Kim Roberts. Coming soon.

The Treehouse collage shows the art of using paint, cutting and gluing of textures, cardboard and paper to create a simple art work. A place for children to play and hide. Illustrated by Marg Gibbs.

Up, up it grows, wild branches to the sky. 

Not So Scary Bear

Not So Scary Bear by Ruth Waters HB RRP $25.99 ISBN 9781922081728 (Windy Hollows Books)                                               

Reviewed by Brook Tayla

The clues begin with the title on the cover – the bear in this book is really NOT that scary. He does try to be scary.  He has a traditional role to fill after all! – but he is lonely and wants to be friends with the other animals in the forest.  He cleverly solves this dilemma by using his own interests whilst staying true to his inner self.

Ruth Waters’ story is cleverly encoded – it is a meaningful story told with such delight and warmth.  Just a purely inspiring story that will be read over and over again.

Her completely handmade collages of paper, wool, ‘acrylic, glue and mess’ are warm,inviting and show mastery.  The use of collage creates tension between the individual parts as a comparative representation of a whole scene and fit perfectly into the concept of this book. They are also modern with clean-cut lines using a gorgeous palette of colours.

Brook Tayla writes a picture book review blog at telltalestome@wordpress.com and would love you to drop by, read some reviews, leave a comment and subscribe.  Brookis a CBCA BOTY judge who also offers editing services for beginning and emerging writers and is

What the Ladybird Heard Next

What the Ladybird Heard Next by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Lydia Monks (Pan Macmillan)

HC RRP $ 24.99

ISBN 9781447275954

Reviewed by Ramona Davey

The bright colours of the front cover will catch your eyes and on closer inspection the glitter, spread throughout the book, will make it hard not to touch, especially by little ones as they follow the ladybird’s journey throughout the book.

This is a fun rhyming sequel to ‘What the ladybird heard,’ where Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have been let out of jail and are up to no good again.

‘Each morning all the eggs had gone.

And the animals asked, “What’s going on?”

“I’ll find out,” said the ladybird.

So she flew and she flew, and she saw and she heard.

Children will love trying to spot the little ladybird on each page as she helps all the farm animals outwit Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len.

Jammed packed with rhyming words, adjectives and onomatopoeia, this is a great text that teachers will want to use in class.

As a mentor text for writers this is word-heavy and in rhyme but Julia Donaldson is a master at this craft. It reads with ease and is worth studying.

The story, with its lyrical text, speaks of teamwork and creative thinking. Lydia Monk’s skill in creating an eye-catching picture book with its fun illustrations in a mixture of collage and paint means there is so much to see and discuss on each page. It’s perfect for the 3-6 year age groups.

Gus & Me The story of my Grandad and my first Guitar

Gus & Me The story of my Grandad and my first Guitar by Keith Richards Illus. by Theodora Richards (Orion/Hachette) CD voiceover James Langton
HB with CD RRP $28.99
ISBN: 978 1 4440 1176 0
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

Theodore Augustus Dupree lived with seven daughters near the Seven Sisters Road, in a house that was filled with instruments and cake. Thus begins a charming and nostalgic picture book reflecting on the happy childhood of Rolling Stone and music legend, Keith Richards, who was greatly influenced by his granddad, Gus.

Gus was a talented musician of the piano, violin and saxophone, but more significantly, he could strum the guitar. Keith loved visiting his grandparents' home and Gus loved giving Keith his time. He took him on long walks and hummed all kinds of tunes as they went. He took Keith to the workshop of a London music store and Keith was fascinated, not only by the workers who plucked strings or tested drums as they fixed broken instruments or made new ones, but by the instruments themselves, particularly the guitars going slowly around on a conveyor belt. That's when he fell in love with musical instruments.

Gus kept a guitar on top of the piano but Keith was not tall enough to reach it. He kept trying and one day his granddad handed it to him, showed him the major chords and taught him to play the classic piece "Malagueňa". This was the stepping stone to his musical career.

Keith's artist daughter, Theodora Richards, has enhanced the simply worded story with lively dashes of colour, some in streams across the page, or e.g., capturing just the legs of Keith and Gus with the family dog, Mr Thompson Wooft. Stars and musical notes abound, and the pen, ink and collage illustrations on the crisp white background have an exhilarating effect. Hand-drawn letters of all sizes have been incorporated, and a couple of pages of these were drawn by Keith himself. Part of the musical score of Malagueňa is on the inside and back inside covers. Unusually, a loose cover accompanies the picture book giving it a classy touch.

Keith Richards wrote the text with Barnaby Harris and Bill Shapiro and a very warm and loving story has resulted. Many family photos are included, and as an extra bonus, a CD of a reading of the story by actor James Langton, along with a spoken introduction and additional guitar music from Keith.

Gus & Me is an impressive picture book and would make an equally stunning gift.

 

I Like Peas

I Like Peas by Lorena Siminovich, illustrated (collages) created by Lorena Siminovich (hardie grant EGMONT)

HB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-184877382-0

Reviewed by Lillian Rodrigues-Pang

www.thestoryline.com.au 

I Like Peas is a touch and feel board book for children aged one and above. This board book is one of a series based on nature called ‘petitcollage’ other titles in the series include I Like Bugs and I Like Fruit. The book has a natural feel with a wooden finish on every second page.

I Like Peas presents a simple depiction of opposites. Lorena Siminovich uses vegetables and the vegetable garden to demonstrate above and below (carrot), inside and out (peas), short and tall (corn) etc. She employs warm colours and includes a touch and feel section on every two-page spread. The textures are presented in a range of shapes for little fingers to discover and play with.

The illustrations are large enough for little eyes and hands and the colours whilst warm contain variety on every page. I’m fortunate to have a two year old who is enjoying this book very much. In particular she likes putting her fingers into the pea shaped holes to feel the fabric beneath. I am happy as it presents vegetables that she doesn’t always enjoy eating – maybe this will help?