Picture Book Nook: Two DINO-tastic new picture books

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Scholastic have just released two great new dinosaur picture books for the young dinosaur fan in your life, Dino Bites! by Algy Craig Hall and Dinosaurs in the Supermarket by Timothy Knapman and Sarah Warburton.

Dino BitesDino Bites! by Algy Craig Hall is like a dinosaur version of There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.  It starts with ‘This is the dinosaur looking for lunch.  This is the lunch looking for a snack…’ and continues on with smaller dinosaurs each time, all looking for something to eat.  However, their food is still buzzing and wriggling inside their tummies and with one big BURP everything is back in order.  The story is simple enough for even the smallest dinosaur fan to enjoy and the illustrations are appealing because they’re bright and bold.  The front cover is sure to jump out at children, with the big T-Rex with its mouth open wide.

Dinosaurs in the Supermarket by Timothy Knapman and Sarah Warburton will appeal to dinosaur fans young and old.  I’m sure it’s almost every kid’s fantasy to meet an actual dinosaur, but what would happen if you went shopping with your mum and dinosaurs were everywhere? The boy in the story sees a ‘T-Rex gobbling sausages…Stegosaurus spilling beans…and Apatosaurs chucking frozen peas,’ but when he tries to show his mum, the dinosaurs hide.  It’s not long before the dinosaurs have created a huge mess, but the boy gets the dinosaurs to play a game of Supermarket Clean-up.  Dinosaur fans will recognise their favourite types of dinosaurs in the story and will have fun trying to find the dinosaurs in their hiding places.  The rhyming text is fun to read and the illustrations will have kids in stitches.  Sarah Warburton has obviously had a lot of fun creating havoc with her dinosaurs on the page and making a huge mess of the supermarket.

It’s always exciting to discover new dinosaur books because they’re always so popular with young readers.  I highly recommend both of these picture books and I know they will have children laughing (and roaring) along with the story.

 

Picture Book Nook: The Silly Goat Gruff by Scott Tulloch

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The Silly Goat Gruff by Scott Tulloch is the second fairytale retelling that Scholastic New Zealand have published this month and it’s absolutely brilliant.  Scott Tulloch presents a version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff that you’ve never heard before.

In The Silly Goat Gruff there are three goats called Willy, Billy and Silly Goat Gruff who want to get to the other side of the bridge, where there is lush, green grass.  They get sick of nibbling on pine cones and chewing on pebbles and so they each try to cross the bridge.  But we all know that there is a mean, smelly troll living under this bridge and he’s also hungry.  Just when you think you know how the story goes, Scott turns it on its head.

The Silly Goat Gruff is a hilarious retelling of the classic story, with a twist in the tale that you won’t see coming.  The rhyming text flows perfectly, making it a fun story to read aloud.  Scott uses some wonderful language throughout the story, words like leer, sneered and smithereens, that many children may not have heard before.  I love some of the phrases that Scott uses too, like ‘What the dickens are you doing?’ and ‘I’m scarcely a snack with salad and fries.’  The distinct characters in the story make it ideal for acting out in class, or for a librarian like me to do some great funny voices.  The twist in the story made me laugh out loud because it’s so funny and totally silly.  Needless to say, Silly Goat Gruff has some hidden talents that come in very handy when facing a hungry troll.

Scott’s illustrations add extra silliness and humour to the story.  Silly Goat Gruff doesn’t look the brightest or most handsome goat on the mountain, but I love the way Scott has drawn him, with his tongue hanging out, crooked teeth, and wonky eyes.  I’m sure if you were a troll you wouldn’t feel threatened by him in the slightest.  The moral of the story though is that looks can be deceiving and you shouldn’t judge anyone by how they look.  I also really like Scott’s troll, who looks both scary and cuddly.

4 out of 5 stars

The Silly Goat Gruff is another wonderful New Zealand book that you could borrow from your library or buy from a bookshop (using your NZ Book Month $5 voucher) to share during NZ Book Month. 

Fast Five with Tania Hutley

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  • Why did you want to be a writer?

I think most writers start by being enthusiastic readers, and I’m no different.  Through reading I discovered how much I loved the feeling of falling into another world, of living another life, becoming someone completely different to myself.  Writing is just another way of visiting different worlds – ones that I can control!

  • What’s the best thing about being a writer?

The best thing about being a writer is when someone reads your book and tells you how much they enjoyed it.

  • What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

That’s a hard one – there are so many great New Zealand books!  One that stands out for me is Salt by Maurice Gee. I love the characters and the way he has made the world they live in come to life.

  • What do you love most about New Zealand?

I love our beautiful beaches!

  • What do you love most about libraries?

All the great memories of when Mum used to take me and my brother to our local library once a week all through my school years.  Being allowed to check out five books a week gave me the freedom to try lots of different authors and types of books, so I read a lot of wonderful books I would never have discovered otherwise.  Come to think of it, that hasn’t changed!  I still love going to the library and checking out books I wouldn’t otherwise get the chance to read.

Tania Hutley has published short stories for adults and children, which have been published in Pick n’ Mix and Great Mates. Tania has also published two novels, Tough Enough and 99 Flavours of Suck.  She currently works full-time as the editor of an online newspaper.

Fast Five with Rachel Steadman

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  • Why did you want to be a writer?

Because I love reading so much. I could never find enough books that were exactly what I wanted to read. So that’s why I wrote my own.

  • What’s the best thing about being a writer?

You get to write :).  Most writers seem to really like finding out new things. I think most writers are little like ‘fact magpies’ we get to learn new stuff every day and we can call it ‘research.’ For example, through writing A Necklace of Souls, I learned a lot about knife fighting. I read a whole lot (and watched a lot of you-tube videos) about Kali knife fighting, which is from the Philippines. And I know how long an English longbow is – over seven foot. That is taller than most men. Do you know, if you use a long bow a lot, the bones in one arm grow heavier than the other? Skeletons of archers have bigger left arm-bones than the right.  That is why writing is so cool, you get to learn random stuff every day. (Makes you good in quizzes, too!)

  • What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

I have lots of favourite books. It’s pretty hard to pick just one. At the moment, my favourite NZ book is Tu, by Patricia Grace, because I like her descriptions of how war changes a family.

  • What do you love most about New Zealand?

I love the wide open skies and the white-topped mountains. And I like the way you can walk along a beach and see only your footprints. And I like the way you find strange things in unexpected places. Like last week we went to Hampden Beach, near Moeraki, and dolphins swam past.

What do you love most about libraries?

The books! And the friendly librarians…

Rachel Steadman is the author of the wonderful new YA fantasy, A Necklace of Souls.  When she’s not writing Rachel works for the Ministry of Health and she enjoys hiking, cycling, running and reading.

A Necklace of Souls by R.L. Steadman

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Thanks to the various book prizes that are awarded both here in New Zealand and overseas there have been some fantastic new authors for children and young adults discovered.  Some of my favourite authors have won the Text Prize in the last few years, including Richard Newsome and Leanne Hall, which has started them on their writing career.  The Tessa Duder Award is a relatively new award in New Zealand and it is given annually to the unpublished author of a work of fiction for young adults aged 13 and above.  Last year’s very deserving winner was Rachel Stedman.  I’m extremely glad she won because her book, A Necklace of Souls is a brilliant fantasy that left me awestruck.  It has just been published in New Zealand, just in time for NZ Book Month.

In the hidden Kingdom of the Rose a Guardian protects her people with the help of a magical necklace. But evil forces are also seeking the necklace, and as the Guardian grows weaker these forces threaten to destroy the Kingdom. Dana, the rightful heir, must claim the necklace and save her people. Her duty is clear: to protect her homeland she must submit to the power of the necklace. But all power comes at a price – a price that Dana may not be willing to pay.

A Necklace of Souls is gripping, dark fantasy that sweeps you up takes you on a wild ride.  It has reignited my love of fantasy stories.  R.L. Steadman transported me to a medieval world similar to ours, where illness and war has ripped through the world leaving death in its wake.  The one place that is safe, clean and peaceful is the Kingdom of the Rose, a magical, legendary place that is protected by a guardian.  We’re introduced to the two characters who are central to the story – Will and Dana.  Will lives outside the walls of the kingdom with a loving family, until the plague reaches his town and he is one of the only survivors.  Luckily for Will, his Auntie and Uncle provide safe passage for him into the Kingdom, where he becomes an apprentice.  It is inside the walls of the Kingdom that he meets Dana, the princess with a very important role to play.

I found the story absolutely fascinating.  Rachel draws you in with the mystery surrounding the Kingdom, the necklace and its Guardian, Dana’s strange gift of true dreaming, and the threat from an army from a far off land.  You know that all these pieces of the puzzle fit together somehow and you don’t want to stop reading until you find out how.  N’tombe was one of the characters that intrigued me the most because her past was so shadowy.  One of the things I liked most about the story was that, even when you got to the very last page, there is still a sense of mystery to the characters.

The story initially alternates between Will and Dana, but focuses more on Dana as the story progresses.  I found it interesting that Dana’s story was narrated by her, but Will’s story was told in the third person.  This seemed to fit the story though and I really enjoyed switching between the two.  Dana and Will are both wonderful characters but Dana stood out more for me.  She’s definitely not your average princess!  She’s not afraid to get dirty, she’s a skilled fighter, and she’s not interested in being the center of attention or attending to her royal duties.  She’s the complete opposite of her mother, who is incredibly vain and more interested in her face creams than the welfare of her people.  Dana’s journey through the course of the story and the burden she has to carry has a huge effect on her.

A Necklace of Souls is a story that will stay with me for a long time and I hope that there is more of Dana and Will’s story to come.  I think that A Necklace of Souls can stand proudly beside the likes of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, and Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina as a great fantasy story for teens and adults alike.  Everybody should go out and buy a copy for NZ Book Month and support this wonderful New Zealand author.

5 out of 5 stars

 

Fast Five with Roger Hall

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  • Why did you want to be a writer?

So girls would like me. (It didn’t work.)

  • What’s the best thing about being a writer?

You can get to work in less than a minute.

  • What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

The Three Little Pigs by…..me.

  • What do you love most about New Zealand?

Serious now: the small population.

  • What do you love most about libraries?

They are a mark of a civilised society.

Roger Hall is one of New Zealand’s most well-known playwrights.  He has written for the stage, as well as scripts for radio, television and for children.  Roger’s retelling of The Three Little Pigs has recently been published by Scholastic New Zealand, which includes a play for five characters.

Fast Five with Michael Oehley

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  • Why did you want to be a writer?

I wanted to write since I was a little boy. There has never been a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I think I was born to write.

  • What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Being able to make up a whole world in my imagination and put it to paper. It’s pretty cool.

  • What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

Probably the stories of Barry Crump – he wrote really good yarns.

  • What do you love most about New Zealand?

It’s the best country in the world to live in – and I’m not just making that up! Lots of international lists have New Zealand in the top five places to live. We’ve got some of the best schools and hospitals. We’re safe and clean, and Kiwis are rated the friendliest people in the world.

  • What do you love most about libraries?

Libraries are a great place to escape and find another world to read about.

Michael Oehley is the author of The 4 Powers of Daren Saner and The Vitality Code. When he’s not writing Michael works as a doctor in remote Australian hospitals and loves to travel.

Picture Book Nook: The Three Bears (Sort of) by Yvonne Morrison and Donovan Bixley

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If you think you know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears then you better think again.  I’m sure you’ve never had a child pointing out the loop holes in the story as you read it before.  This is exactly what happens in Yvonne Morrison and Donovan Bixley’s new take on the story, The Three Bears (Sort of).

A mother starts to read the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears to her son before bed, but he doesn’t just sit there quietly and listen to the story.  This boy is both switched-on and rather annoying.  His mother can only read a sentence or two before he points out an issue with the story.  First, he wants to know what sort of bears they were (Grizzly bears? Polar bears?). He also points out that daddy bears don’t live with mummy bears (mummy bears raise their cubs alone), that bears don’t have thumbs so they couldn’t pick up a pot for the porridge, and that bears would probably just eat fish instead of porridge.  Every time he questions a detail of the story you wonder why you hadn’t thought of that yourself.

The Three Bears (Sort of) is an entertaining and unique retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears that adults will enjoy as much as children.  Yvonne Morrison’s text will have you in stitches! It’s full of sarcasm that adults especially will love and she’s captured the voice of an inquisitive toddler and the mother (who’s making it up as she goes along) perfectly. Donovan Bixley’s illustrations are absolutely wonderful and really match the humour of the story and the way it’s being told.  The hands of the mother and son can be seen on some of the pages, as they draw or add pictures into the story.  Donovan’s Goldilocks looks both cute and bratty, and I love the facial expressions of the bears.  I think Donovan is New Zealand’s own Anthony Browne, because of the way he adds extra details into his illustrations that add another layer to the story.  On the very first page, above the publication details, there are some interesting objects on the mantelpiece, including soft toy bears, a card for a locksmith, and a postcard from Svalbard.  You’ll also notice the tree patterns on the wallpaper.  I also really love the way that Donovan has designed the book, with the son’s interruptions inside a box on the page and in a different, childish font.  This makes it clear to see when the son is talking and when the mother is talking.

It’s perfect for reading aloud one-on-one or with a large group, and it’s ideal for acting out, as one person could be the mother and one person could be the son.  This is how we’ll be performing it at our Three Bears Breakfast at Shirley Library in Christchurch next Saturday (16 March).

5 out of 5 stars

Fast Five with Craig Smith

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  • Why did you want to be a writer?

Watching kids laugh and have fun is my idea of a good time.

  • What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Watching kids enjoy the stories and songs.

  • What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

Baa Baa Smart Sheep.

  • What do you love most about New Zealand?

The lifestyle, the people and the beauty.

  • What do you love most about libraries?

How they’re slowly becoming more like community centres, where not only can you learn/have fun from reading books but do all the other things that modern libraries have to offer.

Craig Smith is a musician and the creator of The Wonky Donkey, Willbee the Bumblebee and Kaha the Kea.  Craig has also produced his own children’s album, Not Just for Kids.

Win the award-winning 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison

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I’m very excited to announce that Barry Hutchison’s hilarious fantasy, The 13th Horseman, has won the Older Reader’s category of the Scottish Children’s Book Awards.  I was really hoping that it would win as it’s such a fantastic book and Barry’s a great author.  When The 13th Horseman was released last year Barry made some very cool videos for the launch that we had in Christchurch. You can watch the videos and read my review of The 13th Horseman here on the blog.

To celebrate Barry’s award win I’m giving away 2 copies of The 13th Horseman.  All you have to do is enter your name and email address in the form below.  Competition closes Friday 15 March (International).

Thanks to everyone who entered.  The winners are Laraine and Amelia