The Witch’s Britches

The Witch’s Britches by P. Crumble, illustrated by Lucinda Gifford (Scholastic Australia)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-76015-153-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

What would happen if it started raining magical underwear? Ethel, a young witch, is about to find out. A gust of wind steals her britches from her washing line and blows them off towards the park. Can Ethel catch up to them before too much magical damage is done?

Crumble is very clever with humorous rhyme. Her stories always have great imagination and silly situations which children love. The Witch’s Britches is a funny story with a catchy rhythm.

Each week she washed her britches with care.

Her magic relied on clean underwear.

The vibrant illustrations add to the fun and it is through them that the personalities of Ethel and her cat emerge. Along with the colour and movement, there is plenty to see in the pictures when you look closely; the seasons changing outside the window, what people are doing before the magic undies hit, and many other subtle details.

This is a story which will engage preschool children, hit their funny bones and be read many times.

Snowy Night

Snowy Night by Tilde Michels, illustrated by Reinhard Michl (Starfish Bay Children’s Books)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 9780994100221

Reviewed by Leigh Roswen

Snowy Night written by Tilde Michels and illustrated by Reinhard Michl is a picture book told in verse.

Peter lives in a cottage near the forest. One stormy night a rabbit, then a fox and finally a bear come knocking on his door seeking shelter. Can all these natural enemies spend a peaceful night together? And who should they fear the most? This is a tale of kindness and cooperation with a thoughtful twist at the end.

This is not simply a rhyming picture book it is a verse story with over 20 stanzas of 2-10 lines each. It would be a joy to read aloud to 4 to 8 year olds. The text is not so suited to independent reading due to the long word count and the fluency required to keep the rhythm flowing. The story is clear and the concepts not difficult, so it is an ideal text to introduce a child to poetry.

Perhaps there are times the rhyme is a bit clunky but this can be forgiven because the verse never fails to move the clever plot along. In the hands of a good reader children will not notice this at all. There are also parts when the verse is beautiful and bouncy and would be a delight to read aloud:

Meanwhile the snowflakes keep on tumbling,

The wind keeps howling, roaring, rumbling,

The strongest trees are bending, breaking,

The little house is shivering, shaking.

The drawn illustrations in this book are a standout and complement the story on every page. The soft textures of fur and cloth and the facial expressions of each character are depicted beautifully. The middle spread of Peter and all the animals asleep in the house is just gorgeous.

This is a cosy bedtime book, like a lullaby, it is meant for settling and snuggling. It also has a message about cooperation in times of need, about honesty and human responsibility.

Reviewer website: www.leighroswen.com

Zoo Train

Zoo Train by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Daron Parton (Walker Books)

HC RRP $ 24.95

ISBN 9781922179876

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This is a humorous rhyming and rhythmic sing-song tale of a trip through the zoo on a train. The family has brought a picnic lunch with popcorn, juice, and cake. It’s a cold day but that doesn’t matter. Everyone is rugged up.

It’s all so exciting passing through the different areas, seeing all the big animals in their environment. The train goes past a monkey’s cage being cleaned out by the keepers. Have they shut the cage door properly?

Water falls on the boy’s head. His ears are cold. It seems to be snowing but only on him.  Why if he’s wearing a hat?  They have reached their destination and everyone gets out. His pants seem too big. They won’t stay up. What’s going on?

It’s time for a snack. The lunch bag is empty! The food is not the only thing missing. They go back the way they came in search of the missing items. The animals are enjoying the picnic lunch, wearing the boy’s hat, scarf and belt. Who and where is the culprit?

This simply has to be read aloud. The sounds and rhythm move to a musical beat. The illustrations in mixed media are striking and the characters’ expressions speak for themselves. Young readers will love listening to this, while following the pictures and guessing who the guilty animal is. There is so much to see on every page. It’s a visual feast ideal for readers 3+ years.