Today we have a bumper edition of reviews of gorgeous books, from imaginary dogs to neon chameleons; a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to a factual book bursting with fascinating information about sharks; a baby wolf who’s left with bunnies to a goat and a stoat in a boat. And finally, a polar bear who could use that boat to find his way back to his family. There are a lot of animals doing impressive things!
Get Real, Mallory! by Daisy Hirst, published by Walker Books
Nomi likes to draw but her brother says she’s only good at drawing fish. Nomi says this is because they have fish, which makes it easier. If they had a dog, she could draw one just as well. But they’re not allowed dogs in their flat, and Nomi becomes so despondent that she crumples up her drawing of Mallory the dog. But then magical things happen! This is a beautifully written and illustrated book, highlighting the power of imagination and celebrating creativity. Gentle humour drives the story forward, and the illustrations cleverly reflect what is happening, and adding further details for sharp eyes. A real treat to treasure; I will be getting more of Daisy Hirst’s books for the library.
Everything You Know About Sharks is WRONG! by Dr Nick Crumpton and Gavin Scott, published by Nosy Crow
Sharks have a bad reputation; you only have to watch Jaws to frighten yourself silly about ever swimming in the ocean again! However, according to Dr Nick Crumpton, and a little boy in Year 1 who wears a shark sun hat and comes up to tell me things at break time, sharks are not the vicious murderers we imagine them to be. Yes, they are predators, and they will snack on a human if one presents itself at mealtimes, but, in the grand scheme of things, people are hardly ever attacked by sharks (says Dr Crumpton). This is statistically speaking – when you weigh up how many people swim in the seas each year, and the number who are attacked by sharks, the number is surprisingly low. In fact, you are more likely to be murdered by a cow than a shark (22 deaths caused by cows in the USA in 2011 as opposed to 11 shark killings worldwide). I am still not convinced that I would like to swim in a known shark hangout, though. Other facts include the good that sharks do in the scheme of life – they keep their ecosystem in balance and help combat global warming (by scaring away seagrass-munching animals such as turtles – thereby allowing these grasses to remain and lock in carbon dioxide). As regular readers know, I am a big fan of factual books and I could happily read this book all day. So, goodbye…
Wolfie the Bunny, by Ame Dyckman and Zachariah OHora, published by Andersen Press
Dot and her family come home one day to find a basket with a curious baby in it. Mama and Papa are instantly in love but Dot is suspicious. This is not a baby bunny – it’s a baby wolf, but, no matter how many times she tries to tell her parents, their love goggles make it impossible to get through. As Wolfie gets bigger and bigger, Dot worries that the danger is also growing as exponentially as Wolfie’s appetite. Will Wolfie live up to her expectations? I love Ame’s stories, and Zachariah’s illustrations match them perfectly. They are full of zany humour that have our children rocking with laughter. They also manage to defy expectations in interesting ways. If you want to share a story that is infectiously funny, look no further.
Leaf, by Sandra Dieckmann, published by Flying Eye Books
A polar bear, perching on a tiny piece of ice, arrives on an island one day and the birds and animals regard it with curious mistrust. The bear makes its home in a remote cave and spends the days gathering leaves; this incomprehensible behaviour earns him the nickname ‘Leaf’. Soon, he is doing all sorts of strange and dangerous things such as jumping off of cliffs into the sea. The animals are torn – should they help him or should they keep well away? The illustrations in this story are stunning and Dieckmann conveys so much emotion in the expressions of the animals. I felt tearful reading this, with background knowledge of course as to why polar bears are becoming stranded more and more often. This book is a feast for the eyes, but you’ll need some tissues ready.
Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock, by Linda Bailey and Isabelle Follath, published by Andersen Press
This is a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of arguably the most famous detective of all time. We learn how Arthur grew up loving books and stories, a passion developed by his mother. His early life was characterized by lack of money – he only made it to boarding school because of the financial generosity of some richer uncles. Medical school followed on but in fits and starts – he had to often take on jobs, such as surgeon on a whaling ship, to afford his tuition. But books and stories always remained essential to his life and one day he sat down to write a story of his own , and we all know how that turned out! I’d bought and enjoyed Linda Bailey’s previous graphic biography of Mary Shelley and this was equally entertaining – full of fascinating details and wonderful illustrations bringing the characters and settings alive. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will appreciate this background information and the book will hopefully also generate future Sherlock admirers!
The Goat and the Stoat and the Boat, by Em Lynas and Matt Hunt, published by Nosy Crow
The Stoat is in his boat having a great time. The Goat sees him and wants to join in the fun. Chaos ensues as the Stoat tries to kick the Goat off the boat. Various ‘oat’ rhymes ensue! This is a hilarious book that is great to read aloud to children, who can’t wait to join in the rhyming. It’s also useful for teaching sounds and spelling!
Neon Leon, by Jane Clarke and Britta Teckentrup, published by Nosy Crow
Leon is a chameleon and we all know what chameleons do, right? They blend into their surroundings! Well, they all do except Leon, who stays neon pink all the time, much to everyone’s puzzlement. It’s not necessarily a problem … until it is. What will Leon do to find his place in the world? I am a fan of Britta Teckentrup’s gorgeous illustrations and they are true to form in this story. The colours leap from the page and suit Jane Clarke’s gentle storytelling beautifully. The story itself is enchanting for children – they can learn a little about chameleons while they practise their colours and numbers. A fun factual and fictional book.
