Where’s Spot?

Where’s Spot? written & illustrated by Eric Hill (Puffin) HB RRP $16.99 ISBN 978024144685

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Said to be ‘the world’s favourite (and original) lift-the-flap book’, Where’s Spot is celebrating its 40^th birthday with a special edition. Highlighting the ruby anniversary, this editing of the classic hide-and-seek tale is now available with a ruby foil cover and in a new large format.

Ideal for toddlers, the playful text starts with naughty Spot missing at dinner time. From then on, each page asks a question, for instance ‘Is he behind the door?’ Spot has his nose behind the door and when the door flap is opened, there is a huge brown bear with a honeypot saying ‘no!’ Spot then investigates various other places -- a grandfather clock, a (pink) piano, an under-the-stairs door, a wardrobe and more. Each time there’s a hidden animal saying ‘no’.

Finally, a turtle under a rug gives a clue (‘Try the basket’) and that’s when mother dog Sally finds naughty Spot.

This clever book enables reader and child to re-visit the book many times, interacting with the text and illustrations. The illustrations are ideal for the small reader with simple pictures and lots of white space with few words.

Since publication, the Spot books (yes, there are more!) have been translated into over 60 languages with over 65 million books sold worldwide. 

This book is highly recommended for readers aged from one and older.

Rocket into Space

Rocket into Space by Ragbir Bhathal and Johanna Davids (National Library of Australia Publishing)
HB RRP 19.95
ISBN 9780642277510
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

Pre-school children and early readers can set out on a wonderful space adventure with Maddy and Jack in another superlative book from the NLA (National Library of Australia).  In this pull-the-flap and fold out interactive book, children discover the amazing world of space and the solar system while Maddy and Jack travel across the pages in their red rocket.

The information is relayed through brief, clear facts that accompany the pictures. Bold colours, large fonts and outstanding images grace every page. The reinforced pages cater to easy handling by young hands.

There is so much to see. The journey begins with the Sun, its distance from Earth in kilometres, its diameter, and the average surface temperature. The last is included with every planet picture. There are eight stops after that – one for each planet with significant facts hidden under flaps and pull outs. Three more references cover Asteroids, Comets and The Milky Way.

Children can undertake the projects that are at the end. One entails making a crater. There is a list of what you will need and instructions on how to do it. The second shows how the Sun shines on the Earth to create night and day. There is Name a Comet or an E.T.

The author of this superb production Dr Ragbir Bhathal is an award-winning author and astrophysicist. His latest books are Australian Backyard Astronomy and Aboriginal Astronomy. This book has been created in collaboration with his wife, Johanna Davids. It has been published by NLA Publishing ‘as a contribution to the 2012 National Year of Reading’.

Astronomy is an area well represented in the NLA by their outstanding and ‘diverse collections of beautifully illustrated charts, posters, maps, drawings and photographs of celestial objects that go back to the seventeenth century’. The images in this book and more can be seen online at the National Library of Australia’s website.