Picture Book Nook

Picture Book Nook: The House That Jack Built by Gavin Bishop

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If I had to pick one picture book that is quintessentially New Zealand, I would choose Gavin Bishop’s The House That Jack Built.  Gavin’s multi-layered story, based on the traditional rhyme, contains our history within it’s pages, told from both a Maori and a Pakeha perspective.  It is a picture book in which you discover something new or get a slightly different meaning from each time you read it.  Now, thanks to the wonderful Gecko Press who have reprinted the book in a stunning new format, a new generation of New Zealanders can enjoy this important book.

On the surface, it’s the story of Jack Bull, who travels to New Zealand from London as a new settler in 1798.   This is one of those brilliant picture books where the words tell a completely different story from the illustrations.  The end papers show us the reality of Jack’s life in London in 1798 and we see him with his cart of possessions and the red door that comes to symbolise Pakeha society.  In the next few pages we follow Jack’s ocean voyage on a map and see the list of goods that he has brought to trade with the natives.  Throughout the rest of the story Gavin portrays the effect that Pakeha colonisation had on the local Maori, from trading land and food for clothes and weapons, to the loss of culture and the deaths in the New Zealand Wars.

The House That Jack Built is a book that should be in every home, school, and library around New Zealand.  It’s an important book to help us remember who we are and where we’ve come from.  For those readers not in New Zealand the story will also be relevant as it applies to any colonial history.  Gavin Bishop is our master of the picture book and this is the best example of how he gets his message across visually.  He weaves the Maori and Pakeha strands of the story together and shows us through the illustrations, how Maori were assimilated into the Pakeha world.  The publisher, Gecko Press, deserves a huge amount of praise for, not only bringing this book back into print, but also for producing a gorgeous edition in a larger format than the original and printed on high quality paper.  Buying a copy of The House That Jack Built and sharing it with your family is the perfect way to celebrate Waitangi Day on 6 February.

5 out of 5 stars

The House That Jack Built is being published to coincide with Waitangi Day (6 February) and will be launched at the Porirua Festival of the Elements on Waitangi Day 2012 with author/illustrator Gavin Bishop.

Picture Book Nook: Zoe and Beans by Chloe and Mick Inkpen

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Mick Ingpen’s Kipper and Wibbly Pig have been popular picture book characters for many years.  Mick’s bold illustrations and simple story are winners with children and parents alike.  However, it’s his latest creation, with daughter Chloe, that I fell in love with as soon as I set eyes on it.  Zoe and Beans are the loveable duo that Chloe and Mick Inkpen have recently introduced us to.

We’re introduced to the very cute Zoe and her loveable dog Beans in their first outing, Where is Binky Boo?  Zoe loves her dolly, Molly, but so does Beans, ever since he lost his toy, called Binky Boo.  Molly is the only toy he wants to play with, and when Zoe isn’t looking he takes it to show his doggy friends.  But when Zoe washes Molly, Beans refuses to play with it.  Beans is very unhappy, until they discover something ‘a little woolly something with a particular smell’ sticking out of the sandpit.

In The Magic Hoop, Zoe tries to get Beans to jump through her hoop, but Beans won’t have a bar of it.  Zoe tempts Beans to go through the hoop using all his favourite treats, but when she throws Binky Boo through the hoop, the toy disappears.  Beans jumps through to find his toy and magically turns into a rabbit.  Zoe decides she doesn’t want a rabbit so makes Beans jump through again.  Beans turns into a mouse, a crocodile and then an elephant!  But elephants are big and the hoop is small.  Will Zoe be able to get Beans back to normal or will he be stuck as an elephant forever?

Their most recent adventure was Christmas themed.  In Zoe’s Christmas List, Zoe and Beans travel to the North Pole to deliver her letter to Father Christmas, and meet a cute, fluffy friend along the way.  Their next adventure (due out in June 2012) is called Pants on the Moon and sounds fantastic!  The illustrations are gorgeous and the stories are that rare blend of both cute and funny.  Zoe is brimming with confidence and a love for adventure that children can relate to.  Children will beg for them to be read again and again, and I’m sure parents will be only too willing to.  Perfect for reading one-on-one or as a read-aloud for groups (a particular favourite at my library Story Time).

5 out of 5 stars for each book

Picture Book Nook: The Story of Bo and the Circus that Wasn’t

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It’s great to start off the year with a picture book by my favourite New Zealand author and illustrator, Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley.  Their junior fiction series, Dinosaur Rescue was among the best New Zealand books for children last year and I’m sure we’ll see more in the series in 2012.  Their first picture book together is called The Story of Bo and the Circus That Wasn’t and was written in collaboration with Telecom customers.

The Story of Bo and the Circus That Wasn’t is about a sheep called Bo who has always dreamed of being an acrobat.  He’s not going to let the fact that he’s a sheep or that he’s afraid of heights get in the way of his dream.  However, Bo lives in a country where circuses are forbidden, so he works in secret on his sparkly blue uniform and his ‘sheepachute’.  His friends are right behind him and want to help him live his dream, but can he overcome his fears?

This story about a brave wee sheep has all the excitement, thrills and colour of the circus.  For a story that has been pieced together from different people’s ideas it flows really well and it will enthrall children.  As I was reading I could still hear Kyle’s humour shining through.  I always love Donovan Bixley’s illustrations and this book is no exception.  Donovan’s colourful characters leap off the page and brighten up their dreary world. 

The Story of Bo and the Circus That Wasn’t is a wonderful story that children will love.  Everyone should go and grab a copy from their local bookshop as all the royalties from the book go towards “helping the Telecom Foundation make real, measurable improvements to the lives of children all around New Zealand.”  Available in stores in February.

4 out of 5 stars

Picture Book Nook: Two Little Bugs by Mark and Rowan Sommerset

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Last year Mark and Rowan Sommerset brought us the hilarious Baa Baa Smart Sheep, which went on to win the Children’s Choice Award at the 2011 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.  Their latest creation, Two Little Bugs, is sure to be another hit with children.

As the title suggests, the story is about two little bugs, Little Bug Red who lives underneath the leaf and Little Bug Blue who lives on top of the leaf.  They try to convince each other that life is better on their side of the leaf, but neither is willing to try something different.  Little Bug Red decides to start eating the leaf bit by bit, and so each page gets smaller and smaller, until there is no leaf left, just a stalk.  They discover that the end of their leafy home is just the beginning of a new adventure.

While Two Little Bugs doesn’t pack the same humorous punch as Baa Baa Smart Sheep, it’s a fun story with an interesting design that children will love.  I love the way that the pages mirror each other so that you can see both bugs in each double-page spread (the bugs can be seen poking through the holes in the leaves).  This design aspect will make it appealing to children, as they see the page (leaf) shrink every time they turn it.  The colour palette is simple (green and black of the leaf with the red and blue of the bugs) which draws your attention to the two bugs.  Mark and Rowan publish their books through their own independent publishing company, Dreamboat Books, and other self-publishers could learn alot from the quality of their beautiful picture books.

You can learn more about Mark and Rowan Sommerset and buy their books from their Dreamboat Books website.

Picture Book Nook: Moon Cow by Kyle Mewburn

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Kyle Mewburn deserves an award for being New Zealand’s hardest working children’s author this year.  He’s had so many books published in 2011, from picture books to junior fiction novels.  His Dinosaur Rescue series (with which he collaborates with the brilliant Donovan Bixley) is probably the best series for junior readers to come out of New Zealand in recent years.  Kyle’s latest book is a picture book about a cow that tries to make friends with the moon, called Moon Cow.

Milly the cow thinks that the moon must be lonely up there in the sky with no-one to talk to so she decides to try and make friends with it.  She stays up all night talking to the moon but “the moon didn’t say a word.”  All the other cows laugh at her, saying “Silly Milly Cow! Talking to the moon!”  Each night the moon gets brighter and closer as Milly talks, dances and juggles for the moon, but the moon stays silent. Will the moon ever talk to Milly and share its secrets with her?

Moon Cow is an absolutely stunning picture book.  It’s one of those picture books where the text and illustrations are perfectly matched.  Kyle’s story is gentle and touching, with just the right amount of humour.  As I was reading I thought that it had a similar feel to his award-winning Hill and Hole.  Deidre Copeland’s illustrations are what really make Moon Cow stand out for me.  The front cover really draws the reader in and makes you want to make friends with Milly.  I can just see children gushing over how cute Milly is, especially because of the way Deidre has drawn her eyes.  I love the way that Deidre’s illustrations glow on the page, especially the very last page with Milly and the moon by the lake.  The book’s designers should get some credit for the amazing job they have done on this book too.  My only negative is that a book of this quality should have been published in hardback.  Moon Cow will be a favourite with children and is sure to be a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards in 2012.

Picture Book Nook: People by Blexbolex

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Last year the wonderful people at Gecko Press brought us Seasons, a stunning book full of illustrations all relating to different seasons by the French illustrator, Blexbolex.  Now Gecko brings us People, another absolutely beautiful book full of all sorts of different people.

Even before you open the book you have to marvel at the production of the book which is like a piece of art itself.  When you remove the dust jacket you discover that it doubles as a poster that would look amazing and eye-catching on a wall.  When I first flicked through the book it seemed like a seemingly random selection of different people from a juggler to a hermit to an eccentric, but when I looked again the people on each double page spread are either connected in some way or are opposites of each other.  For example, one spread has an executioner and a lumberjack.  People would be a great book to share with children, whether one-on-one or with a group, as you could discuss the relationship between each person.  Teachers could use it with their class in creative writing time to help spark story ideas or you could leave it on the coffee table at home to spark discussion.  As I was reading through I couldn’t help but think up stories about these relationships between characters.

People is a book that will be loved by not just children, but parents, teachers and design students.  It’s the perfect Christmas present for the whole family to enjoy.

Picture Book Nook: Poo Bum by Stephanie Blake

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Children of any age love toilet humour, so what better book to appeal to them than Poo Bum by Stephanie Blake. Once there was a little rabbit who could only say one thing – Poo Bum.  Whenever his parents or his sister ask him to do something, this is what he says.  But what happens when he meets a wolf who wants to eat him?

Children are in fits of giggles even before you open the book and you know they’re going to be rolling around on the floor by the end of it.  The story and illustrations are so simple but they make a winning combination.  The danger (and fun) of this book is that children start to join in with you.  However, they don’t see the surprise ending coming, which sends them into fits of giggles.  Poo Bum is sure to be a favourite of children everywhere and the book that parents will have to read again and again.  Another brilliant book from Gecko Press, publisher of curiously good books from around the world.

Picture Book Nook: Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

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I love Oliver Jeffers’ books because they’re always so quirky and different.  His illustration style is quite simple and sparse but he uses different textures and materials within them.  His latest picture book, Stuck, is classic Oliver Jeffers and is weird and wacky, with a surprise ending.

It all began when Floyd got his kite stuck in a tree.  As any kid would do, Floyd tries throwing other things up into the tree to knock the kite down, including a ladder, a bucket of paint, a cat, the kitchen sink, and a rhinoceros.  Each thing he throws up there just ends up getting caught with the kite.  It’s not long before things really start to get out of control and Floyd starts to run out of ideas.  Will he get his kite, and everything else, out of the tree?

Stuck will have kids (and grown-ups) laughing out loud at all the crazy things Floyd throws into the tree.  You’re never quite sure what you’re going to find he’s thrown in the tree each time you turn the page, so you can have a guessing game about what it might be.  I didn’t see the ending coming so it had me cracking up, and left me thinking what might happen next.  I love the simplicity of Oliver’s illustrations and the text, which seem quite child-like.  Oliver has really channeled his inner child in this book and kids will love the craziness of it.  Stuck will beg to be read again and again.

Picture Book Nook: A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham

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Bob Graham is one of Australia’s most prolific illustrators and his books always make you laugh and tug at your heartstrings.  Bob’s latest book, A Bus Called Heaven is another classic Bob Graham story.

An abandoned bus turns up one day in Stella’s street and everybody stops and stares. There’s no explanation for it, it’s just there. They all follow Stella on board to have a look around and Stella suggests that it could belong to everyone in their street.  Together, they push the bus into Stella’s front garden and clean it, paint it and add their own touch.  Life returns to the bus where ‘babies crawled, people laughed, kids fought, grandads scratched dogs, meetings were planned, couples met and the Fingles showed their holiday pictures.’  Then the tow truck arrives and takes the bus away.  Will Stella and her neighbours be able to save their bus?

A Bus Called Heaven is a uplifting story about a community coming together and fighting for what they believe is right. Bob Graham makes you want to be a part of their community and you’re hoping and wishing that they’ll be able to keep their bus.  Bob’s vibrant, panel-style illustrations tell their own story, meaning that you could take away the text and you could still understand what’s going on.  There are so many characters that anyone can find someone in the story that they can relate to, whether it’s the children playing, the parents sharing a cup of tea, or the grandads scratching the dog’s tummy.   A Bus Called Heaven is a story that can be enjoyed again and again and a great book to teach children about community and working together.

Picture Book Nook: Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear

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Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam by Juliette MacIver and illustrated by Sarah Davis was one of the finalists in this year’s New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards and was one of my favourites.  The bouncy, rhyming text and stunning illustrations were a winning combination and made a fun, if tongue-twisting, read-aloud.  I was excited to see that they had written another Marmaduke Duck book, called Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear.

Marmaduke Duck has opened a marmalade shop and animals of all shapes and sizes are coming from all over to sample Marmaduke Duck’s marmalade jam.  But then one day, Bernadette Bear shows up and opens a honey shop right next door.  Will Marmaduke’s marmalade shop survive or will Bernadette put him out of business?

I absolutely love Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear!  Juliette’s rhyming text is a joy to read and makes the story bounce along.  I’m a huge fan of Sarah Davis‘ illustrations, whether it’s people or the myriad of different animals that populate the pages of Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear.  Sarah has the amazing gift of being able to portray animals that look life-like while at the same time having human expressions (just have a look at the front cover to see what I mean).  Every page glows with the brightly coloured animals and their crazy antics.  Any parent who chooses to read the Marmaduke Duck books to their children is sure to give them a love a words and beautiful illustrations.  This is definitely one of my top picture books of 2011.