Book reviews - The Southland Times

Picture books

The Kiwi Kid's ABC

By Rebekah Holguin (HarperCollins, RRP $19.99)

REVIEWED BY NAIDA MULLIGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

This is a lovely ABC book for Kiwi kids and would be a great gift for family or friends overseas, whether Kiwi originals or not.

A Bigger Digger

By Brett Avison; illustrated by Craig Smith (Five Mile Press, RRP $24.99)

REVIEWED BY MAREE FIELD - © Fairfax NZ News

Bryn and Oscar are digging in the backyard when they make a big discovery. There may or may not be a dinosaur skeleton to be unearthed on the farm.

Heads

By Matthew Van Fleet (Simon and Schuster, RRP $29)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON, BETHANY AND ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

Heads is the type of book that has adults swooning and reluctant to pass on to the child for which it is intended.

Peepo!

By Janet and Allan Ahlberg (Puffin Books, RRP $26)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON, BETHANY AND ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

"Here's a little baby

The Great Rescue Race

By Raymond McGrath (Picture Puffin, RRP $19.99)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON, BETHANY AND ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

The Great Rescue Race is an explosion of busy-ness. From page one the reader is thrust into a tram scene where the action is loud, bright and urgent. When the conductor is calling for tickets he tells the patrons there is: "Time to get where we're going like an easy sea breeze." But the shouting faces, the rubber arms and the simple aliveness of Raymond McGrath's clever illustrations are anything but easy to absorb.

Heads

By Matthew Van Fleet (Simon and Schuster, RRP $29)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON, BETHANY AND ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

Heads is the type of book that has adults swooning and reluctant to pass on to the child for which it is intended.

The Very Important Godwit

By Jenny Pattrick, music by Laughton Pattrick, illustrations by Jez Tuya (Random House, RRP $36.99)

REVIEWED BY NAIDA MULLIGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

This is a beautiful hardback about the life of godwits, specifically their migratory habits.

Three Cheers for No-Ears

By Kyle Mewburn; illustrated by Deborah Hinde (Scholastic; RRP $19.50)

REVIEWED BY MAREE FIELD - © Fairfax NZ News

Poor No-Ears the Elephant is a bit different. Instead of having lovely big elephant-ears, he's stuck with tiny little things on the side of his head. The other elephants make fun of No-Ears, but his other friends in the jungle try to help out.

Farmer Beetroot's Birthday

By Dorothy Butler, Illustrated by Lyn Kriegler (Duck Creek Press)

REVIEWED BY PAULA MCKEOWN - © Fairfax NZ News

Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book follows Molly Muffin and other party goers on their journey through the farm to Farmer Beetroot's birthday.

Hill and Hole

By Kyle Mewburn & Vasanti Unka (Penguin, RRP $18.99)

REVIEWED BY NAIDA MULLIGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Kyle Mewburn is a multi-award-winning children's writer, most notably of Old Hu-Hu (which won this year's New Zealand Post Children's Book of the Year).

A Dog Like That

By Janene Cooper, illustrated by Evie Kemp (Duck Creek Press, RRP $29.99)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON & BETHANY AND ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

Dogs should be clever and do what they're told. They should be watchful and keep guard at night and their coats should be smooth and shiny.

The Mountain Who Wanted to Live in a House

By Maurice Shadbolt, illustrated by Renee Haggo (Duck Creek Press, RRP $29.99)

REVIEWED BY MAREE FIELD - © Fairfax NZ News

Maurice Shadbolt is probably better known to adults, but he's written a charming wee tale here for his grandchildren.

The Moon and Farmer McPhee

By Margaret Mahy and David Elliot (Random House, RRP $36.99)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON, BETHANY AND ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

It's night time at Farmer McPhee's. The exhausted farmer trudges to his bed but for his animals the fun is just beginning.

Cowshed Springtime, a Kiwi Counting Book

By Gavin Bishop (Random House RRP $24.99)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON AND BETHANY & ANNA ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

Writing books about animals is an easy sell to preschoolers, which many authors have picked up on.

Crazy Hair

By Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean (Allen and Unwin, RRP $18.99)

REVIEWED BY BETHANY ARGYLE AND DEBBIE JAMIESON - © Fairfax NZ News

"Crazy hair?

Isabella's Garden

By Glenda Millard and Rebecca Cool (Walker Books)

REVIEWED BY MICHELLE LEE - © Fairfax NZ News

Welcome to Isabella's garden where you're in for a wonderful treat – from page one you will be witness to an explosion of colour and fun.

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Good for You, Good for Me

By Lorenz Pauli, illustrated by Kathrin Scharer (Gecko Press, RRP $16.99)

REVIEWED BY NAIDA MULLIGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Gecko Press continues to translate and publish curiously good books from around the world.

Goodnight Tiptoe

By Polly Dunbar (Walker Books, RRP $27.99)

REVIEWED BY MICHELLE LEE - © Fairfax NZ News

Tilly and her friends are back. It's bedtime in the little yellow house and Tiptoe is not tired.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of the WotWots

By Martin Baynton (HarperCollins)

REVIEWED BY DEBBIE JAMIESON AND BETHANY ARGYLE - © Fairfax NZ News

It's hard not to be suspicious about marketing merchandise aimed at toddlers including the book of the television show, even if reading does seem so much more wholesome as a pastime than watching the box.

Young MacDonald Had a Farm

By Anna Crosbie, illustrated by Scott Tulloch (HarperCollins, RRP $19.99)

REVIEWED BY NAIDA MULLIGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

This is a very cheery children's book, which follows the old format with new words.

Maisy's Street

By Lucy Cousins (Walker Books, RRP $18.99)

REVIEWED BY MICHELLE CHILTON - © Fairfax NZ News

We've seen Maisy on the farm and Maisy camping with friends but now it's time to see where Maisy lives.

Mudpuddle Farm: Six Animal Adventures

By Michael Morpurgo (HarperCollins, RRP $22.99)

REVIEWED BY NAIDA MULLIGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

The six animal adventures in Mudpuddle Farm were enjoyed immensely by our 2 year old and 5 year old.

When We Were Alone in the World

By Nicole Mones (HarperCollins, RRP $32.99)

REVIEWED BY MICHELLE CHILTON - © Fairfax NZ News

Telling the time can be a fun experience ... but what if you get it wrong?

Cowshed Christmas

By Gavin Bishop and Joy Cowley (Random House, RRP $24.99)

BY JILLIAN ALLISON-AITKEN - © Fairfax NZ News

This is a fantastic Kiwi Christmas picture book for your favourite littlie. Gavin Bishop and Joy Cowley will be familiar names to lots of our future readers, and to their mums, dads and teachers, too.

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Piggy Poggett

Written and illustrated by Scott Tulloch (HarperCollins, RRP $18.99)

Scott Tulloch is a professional artist and illustrator who lives and works in Martinborough.

Dog and Bear: Two's Company

By Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Walker Books)

Dog and bear of Dog and Bear are toddler magnets. They are after all, a dog (a cheeky and slightly simple dachshund) and a bear (stuffed of the teddy bear variety) – known and loved by all.

Bookmarks: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Click, Clack Moo (picture books)

Books in brief:

When Findus was Little and Disappeared

By Sven Nordqvist (Gecko Press, RRP $18.99)

This is the third book in the Findus and Pettson series, translated from Swedish and the first and best move that Gecko Press ever made.

My Brown Bear Barney & Maisy Goes to Preschool

Two-year-olds are fickle reviewers. I told this one she had an important job to do, that children everywhere were awaiting her thoughts and recommendations, but knowing that she has the concentration span of, well, a two-year-old, I was not completely confident she was up to the task.

There Was a Crooked Man

By Gavin Bishop, Gecko Press, RRP $19.99

If you have a two-year-old who will not sit still for the entirety of a book making bedtime reading impossible then There Was a Crooked Man is the perfect for you.