A mix of new picture books, including an ANZAC story, Cyclops, and lots of sneezing. Violet’s scarf, Ah-choo! Eye spyclops.

Violet’s scarf

By Colleen Brown

Illustrated by Emma Lay

ISBN 9780473672515

Colleen Brown Books

Eight year old Violet, lives in Riverton at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand. It is 1915, her brother, George is serving overseas while the world is at war. Children all over the country are asked to help the soldiers by donating socks, razor blades, soap and the like. Violet decides to knit a scarf for the soldiers and spends all her spare time knitting. Eventually, her brown scarf with its special rows of blue, is sent, along with numerous other parcels, to the soldiers. Where it ends up, is quite extraordinary, especially as this is a true story.

There is a timeline and further information at the back of the book. This includes photos of the real Violet and George. An ideal book for ANZAC studies for younger children and a nice, safe story to read.

Eye Spyclops

By Libby Whittaker

Illustrated by Lili Uivel

ISBN 9781991179821

Little Love

Alfred needs glasses but there is a problem. Alfred is a cyclops, so he has only one eye. It sits right in the middle of his face above his nose and between his forehead. There are no eye glasses for a cyclops. Alfred and his mother search everywhere, going through different stores hoping they will find something that will fit him. Alfred begins to feel very sad. Being a cyclops makes him feel different to other children.

There is of course, a good outcome and Alfred comes to realise that being different is okay. This is a gentle story about fitting in and believing in yourself.

There is a fun page at the back of different creatures to find on the pages within. There is a centaur, elf, even a witch and many more.

Ah-choo!

By Angela Walker

Illustrated by Ross Hamilton

ISBN 9781776890699

Bateman Books

You will have to wait for this picture book but not too long. Max sneezes, and like many of us, it comes out as a big ‘ah-choo’! But not everyone, in fact as Max discovers, there are many more ways to voice out a sneeze. As he meets children from different countries and hears their sneezes, all he wants is someone like himself. What he discovers along the way, is that friends are different, and not everyone has to be the same.

We learn that Anja from Germany sneezes out ‘Hatschi!’ and Misha from Russia goes ‘Apchkhi’. There are many more sneezes in the book, many more friends, too.

Run Rabbit, E Oma, Rāpeti is a series of sweet new bilingual picture books written by Norah Wilson and illustrated by Kimberly Andrews @KimberlyTethera @scholasticnz

This wee series about a playful rabbit is just the cutest. Each book introduces te reo Maori alongside English words for support. They are written by Norah Wilson and delightfully illustrated by Kimberly Andrews, and published by Scholastic NZ. In fact, the books were selected from over 200 submissions in Scholastic’s annual Valentines Day “Share the love” submission opportunity.

The books are ideal for pre-schools and early primary school. They highlight familiar concepts that children will recognise and relate to. Good use of repetition to help readers retain new words. The series is also perfect for families wanting to raise bilingual children.

Pō Mārie, Goodnight

ISBN 978-1-77543-770-3

I do love how these books capture the essence of early childhood. Rabbit is taking so long to say goodnight to everyone that he may well indeed, be very late for bed. The illustrations are just super cute with a soft gentleness to them. You can see the love rabbit has for his friends and of course, his mummy.

Te Wa Takaro, Playtime,

978-1-77543-771-0

Again, this is another relatable story. We all know children who are too busy playing to go to the toilet. They will do anything rather than stopping but eventually, you just have to go! Both the author and illustrator, know how to make readers smile.

Te Rehi, The Race,

978-1-77543-772-7

Poor rabbit is trying his best to win a race but he keeps injuring himself. His friends keep cheering him on, encouraging him to be brave, and keep going. forward. We have a tired, but very proud rabbit at the end.

The picture books are gentle, fun, relatable, and every parent will smile knowing exactly how rabbit feels.

Just delightful. Great for whanau to share and enjoy.

African Town by Irene Latham and Charles Waters. Powerful verse novel about the last Africans brought illegally to America in 1860 and sold as slaves.

African Town

By Irene Latham and Charles Waters

ISBN 9780593322888

I have been quiet with my reviews for awhile but I am currently on holiday and finally getting a chance to catch up on some reading. Africa Town was well worth the wait. I listened to the audio version first and it had such an impact that I also read the print book. Listening to the different voices, accents and the like, was powerful. Reading the book is a more visual experience. I highly recommend both formats.

African Town is an epic story beginning in 1860, where 110 men, women and children were caught and dragged from their homes in Benin and Nigeria, and shipped to America as slaves. It ends just after the year 1900, although the reality is that through the generations, this story continues even today.

The book is told in verse, with 14 different voices; men, women, the traders and even the ship that carried them, the Clotilda, has her say.

Clotilda talks about surging over the waves, knowing she was carrying slaves, knowing how wrong and tragic this was to those imprisoned below deck.

With each urge across the waves, I fight to keep us safe and strong.

If I’d been built with a heart, it would be broken.

The stories told here are those of people who were captured and taken from their homes and families and they certainly feel authentic. The writers have clearly done their research. Amongst the stories, even the ones doing the capturing, selling and beatings, they too have a voice, something to say. The horrors endured by those captured, tell some of the worst times in the history of America, Africa, and the world, and it is confronting. The choice of writing this as a verse novel is perfect. It allows a more personal experience in a way that history books might not otherwise.

I particularly, love the way each of the characters/voices/people tell their story through different poetic forms.

Kupollee tells his story in nonets which are nine-line poems beginning with nine syllables ending with the last line as a one syllable word. Abile tells hers in free-verse.

The love between the characters of Kossola and Abile is particularly moving, especially when Kossola finally tells her,

“Abile. I only want to love you.”

There has been discussions on the fact that one of the writers is a white woman and questions asked about her right to tell the stories in this book. I don’t have an answer, but what I will say, is that after reading this book, I felt more connected to the people behind the voices. The homesickness, bravery, pride, determination to hold on to their own culture, and their hope of one day returning home, is palpable.

There is a timeline at the back and facts about the people on the actual ship Clotilda, because this is after all based on historical records. There is a glossary and author notes as well. It is worth reading these last pages to gain a more effective experience of reading this YA book. Definitely a crossover book for adults to also read. I will not stop at just one reading of this novel.