The bee’s sneeze
By Lucy Davey
Illustrated by Katz Cowley
ISBN 9781775432982
Scholastic NZ
That teasy sneeze came breezing …
like ants in the pants of a kangaroo,
it grew till it blew with a loud
AH-CHOO!
I would suggest anyone wanting to read this delightful picture book out loud, pre-read it first to get a taste of the lovely tongue twistery language.
One sneeze by little Buzzy McBee leads to another and then another and then in to danger. This is sure to delight young children and no doubt the many parents who will read this funny picture book out loud.
Warm illustrations by Katz Cowley add to the humour. Lots of greens and browns help create a natural setting. I love the looks of surprise on bee and bear’s faces when they are blown all over the place. Sneezing takes on a whole new meaning in Lucy Davey’s latest picture book.
The other brother
By Stephanie Thatcher
Illustrated by Stephanie Thatcher
ISBN 9781775433828
Scholastic NZ
Bertie McQuerty is the other brother, the one who struggles just a bit. He has no special arty skills, or sporty skills, in fact he feels quite lacking in skills and talents altogether. Not to be put off though, Berty does attempt things but somehow, no matter how hard he tries, he ends up being a little distracted.
The gorgeous illustrations show just how adorable he is with his big friendly smile. He does have a little yellow chick as his special friend and young readers will love looking for this chick hidden on each page of the book. This is a feel-good picture book all about trying things out, giving it a go and accepting that we are not all the same. We all have that something which makes us special, that something we are good at. Do look out for this gorgeous picture book especially if you want to know what makes Berty McQuerty special.
I think this would be ideal in both pre-school and primary schools, not just for its moral message but because it is simply a lovely book to share.
Line up, please!
By Tomoko Ohmura
ISBN 9781877579998
Gecko Press
What a lovely wee gem of a story. All the animals are standing around in a queue. Some are waiting patiently just talking to each other while some are annoying each other. Their host is bird a gorgeously intuitive creature, trying to keep the peace as they wait in line. When the animals finally get to the front of the line they are in for a wonderful surprise and so is the reader especially when the pages open up wide and double the length of the view. This is a book to read again and again. It is perfect for pre-school but also great at primary school for having fun with maths. The animals are named and numbered counting down from 50 to 1. The illustrations are bold, birght and curious, without distractions, so that each character is the centre of attention. Do look out for it – perhaps one to get for Christmas!
