reviewed by Mariana, Hafsa (5) and Fatema (2)
We loved this book, my 3 year old was enchanted all the way through; she just couldn't understand why they were so mean to lovely Lucy! She is totally enthralled by Ladybirds because of a certain Fairy and Elf cartoon so this book went down a treat and the beautiful fold out at the end ensured she could look at it by herself for a while after reading it to her. Photograph: PR
When I received No-Bot I was initially unsure, as it is safe to say it is not a book I myself would buy. The reason being, that I am not particularly keen on other titles in the series (Barry the Fish with Fingers, Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell). However, I thought, “the story is not for me, I will try it on JJ and see what he thinks”, and how glad I am that I did. It’s a lovely little story which, in parts, JJ found hilarious and it was well suited to his sense of humour. It’s pace was such as to maintain his interest, whilst giving him the chance to guess the next plot twist. I, too, enjoyed reading it to him and enjoyed the illustrations. I would certainly recommend this book, and will be more open to future titles by Sue Hendra. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Nicki and Luke (4).
We were immediately taken by this book when it arrived as it is so unusual: beautifully designed and produced with thick pages and quirky illustrations. The story is just as the title suggests, a race between a number of animals who face a series of challenges and cheat to get to the finish. The animal who doesn't cheat is eventually crowned the winner. There is an element of repetition which meant that Luke could join in. Luke couldn't decide if the "banana digger" or the "chocolate submarine" were his favourite vehicles. I would recommend this book and would be surprised if it doesn't get nominated for awards as it is so striking. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Shibani and Aarav (3)
My 4 year old has two books in the 64 Zoo Lane Series. He absolutely loves them and does not let me turn the page till he has absorbed every bit of it - it almost feels like he’s imagining himself being there! A lovely book with equally good illustrations about a proud zebra who thinks he is the fastest runner in all of Africa. This well-written story teaches the zebra that you can’t get by without a little help from your friends. The language is simple and good values are brought out very subtly. A very smart choice of animal by the author because usually children don’t think of zebras as being very fast runners. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Corinne and Millie (6)
This is a longer picture book, so suitable for children around five. It is beautifully illustrated and is a touching story set in Venice. Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey has a harsh life until a meeting with the Doge's daughter turns him into a hero. Millie enjoyed the story and commented that she preferred the light pictures (the daytime ones) to the dark pictures. Having visited Venice I think I enjoyed it more than she did, and I certainly found the story moving. A book to keep, I think. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Poppy and JJ (3)
On first glance I wasn’t keen on the general gist of this book. As I read it to JJ, I warmed to it. The illustrations are fun and help in the storytelling, as well as being as being useful prompts in JJ’s anticipation as to what may happen next. There were lots of funny little parts to the story, such as the postman having to post back a fish which had fallen out of the pirate house’ letter box, and JJ found the idea hilarious that if one were to look at the pirate’s washing line they would turn into a jellyfish. The small touches, such as these, make the book memorable and an enjoyable read. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Gina, Evie (4) and Isobel (1)
We really liked this book - it makes a lovely bed-time story. It's all about a mischievous dog who gets up to all sorts of antics to avoid having to go to bed...somewhat similar to a certain four-year-old I know... The illustrations are soft and gentle, but with lots of detail, following Fred as he hides in flowerbeds, puddles, watering cans and bookshelves, capturing the chaos that surrounds dogs and children. My children were particularly tickled by the idea of Fred hiding up a tree! In the end, after several false starts and an unexpected bath, Fred finally finds a bed to sleep in, and drops off to sleep peacefully. Now I just need to get my children to copy him! This will definitely be a family favourite for a while to come. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Poppy and JJ (3)
We loved this book. It is somewhat abstract, however JJ was fascinated. The muted colours and simplicity of the pictures worked well as a backdrop to the slightly bizarre story. JJ was transfixed and at one point commented “This is weird!”, which at the moment is his favourite term, and can be considered praise indeed! There is a running moral through the story which emphasized the importance of politeness, and finally, sharing, which was lovely. JJ did not laugh at this book, or even chuckle, it was as though he was hypnotized by the winning combination of weird and wonderful. He felt empathy for what he called “the poor pigeon” which shows that a child’s book does not have to be needlessly complicated or overplayed to work. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Damyanti and Bryn (5)
'The funniest thing about this book is it has no words,' declared Bryn. This wordless picture book tells the tale of a fox stealing a chicken with the chicken's friends in hot pursuit. Or does it? With no text for guidance there are numerous interpretations to discover - one of the many charms of this book. The real joy came from the pride Bryn took in 'reading' this book to us. He enjoyed being the storyteller and the lack of text helped him focus on the pictures & observe some of the clever tricks used to move the story on. The lack of text helped emphasise the mechanics of storytelling, something we take for granted in the stories we read. This is a very clever and liberating book; an unexpected treat. Photograph: PR
Reviewed by Poppy and JJ (3)
The premise of this book is somewhat self-explanatory: a cat that wants to be a dog. The moral is clear, a “the grass is not always greener…” story, and while most little ones will not see it as any more than a list of dog’s and cat’s activities, with a nudge in the right direction, the underlying moral is one they can grasp, and hopefully relate to things around them, or maybe even themselves. The pictures are fun, and JJ loved it. It was not made unnecessarily overcomplicated, and just is what it is, which was enough to make it a definite success with my boy. It comes with an accompanying CD, read by Jo Brand, which is lovely. Photograph: PR
