Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

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If you have read Annabel Pitcher’s debut novel My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece you’ll know what an amazing writer she is.  My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece was one of my favourite books of 2011 and I’ve been dying to read Ketchup Clouds ever since Annabel first started talking about it. Ketchup Clouds, is every bit as extraordinary as her first book and it will stay with you long after you reach the end.

Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret – a dark and terrible secret that she can’t confess to anyone she knows. But then one day she hears of a criminal, Stuart Harris, locked up on death row in Texas. Like Zoe, Stuart is no stranger to secrets. Or lies. Or murder. Full of heartache yet humour, Zoe tells her story in the only way she can – in letters to the man in prison in America. Armed with a pen, Zoe takes a deep breath, eats a jam sandwich and begins her tale of love and betrayal.

Ketchup Clouds is an utterly beautiful, heart-breaking story, told in an original and very clever way.  The whole book is a confession of what Zoe has done, to someone who she knows will understand, but won’t be able to do anything.  I don’t want to say too much about the story for fear that I’ll let some important detail slip. Annabel gives you enough detail that you know vaguely what has happened, but you just have to keep reading to find out exactly what happened and to who.  She leaves you hanging on every word and dreading what is inevitably going to happen.

There are several things that I really like about Annabel’s writing.  I really like the way that she ties up the story at the end, bringing everything together and showing you how the characters have turned out.  Like her first book, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, you feel completely satisfied at the end and you’re left amazed at how her characters have developed over the course of the story.  I also like the way that Annabel portrays the parents in the story.  The parents have their own problems that they are dealing with in their own way, and they’re not always the best parents, but deep down they love and care for their children.  They are important parts of the story and Annabel portrays them as real people, not just characters in a book.

The main reason I loved Ketchup Clouds was the relationships between the characters.  The relationship between Zoe and Stuart was really interesting, because even though we never hear from Stuart, Zoe’s tone changes the more she writes to him.  At the beginning she calls him Mr Harris, and by the end she’s calling him Stu.  She seems to get more comfortable with Stuart as time goes by and becomes less formal with him.  Zoe and her sister Sophie have quite a close relationship and they talk quite openly with each other, especially when it comes to talking about their parents.  Zoe’s relationships with Max and Aaron are quite different and Annabel does an excellent job of portraying Zoe’s conflicting emotions and the tough decisions she has to make in their relationships.

Annabel Pitcher is one of those authors whose books I’ll read no matter what they’re about, and I certainly can’t wait to see what she will write next!  I’m sure I’m not the only person who wonders if we’ll ever get to read Bizzle the Bazzlebog.  Grab a copy of Ketchup Clouds from your library or bookshop now.

5 out of 5 stars

Win Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

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Ketchup Clouds is the second novel from the incredibly talented Annabel Pitcher.  If you haven’t read her debut novel, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece you need to remedy this immediately! Ketchup Clouds is an utterly beautiful, heart-breaking story and definitely one of my favourite books of 2012.

Thanks to Hachette New Zealand I have a copy of Ketchup Clouds to give away to one lucky person.  To get in the draw all you need to do is enter your name and email address in the form below.  Competition closes Friday 15 November (NZ only).

Thanks to everyone who entered.  This competition is now closed.

T-Rex Trying…by Hugh Murphy

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If you’re looking for a great stocking stuffer this Christmas that will appeal to both children and adults, look no further than Hugh Murphy’s fantastic wee book, T-Rex Trying: The Unfortunate Trials of the Tyrant Lizard King.  The idea started as an inside joke with his family and friends, then became a hugely popular Tumblr blog, and he’s now collected each of his sketches in a book.

He might be top predator in the Jurassic kingdom, but in modern life, T-Rex’s comically short arms doom him to hilarious failure.

T-Rex has teeth the size of bananas and eats Triceratops for breakfast, but when it’s time to brush his teeth…

T-Rex is 12 metres long and 4 metres tall, but somehow he just can’t change that lightbulb…

And you can just forget about the vending machine.

Hugh has taken activities that humans can do easily and imagined what would happen if a T-Rex, with his huge body and short little arms, tried to do the same thing.  Ordinary, everyday things like trying to adjust an office chair, putting on a cardigan, climbing a tree, or even singing ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ are hilarious when a T-Rex tries to do the same thing.  My favourites are T-Rex trying to pick flowers, pull the ripcord on his parachute, trying to recline his La-z-Boy, and trying to play Peek-a-Boo.  Check out a couple of the sketches and a video below:

T-Rex Trying is perfect for young and old and will have everyone laughing out loud.  Whether you’re after a stocking stuffer or a Secret Santa gift that everyone will love, grab a copy of T-Rex Trying…by Hugh Murphy

T-Rex Trying: The Unfortunate Trials of the Tyrant Lizard King is published by Michael Joseph, Penguin on 8th November (21st November in NZ).

The Amazing Trace n’ Race Little Yellow Digger

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Scholastic New Zealand have released this very special (and totally awesome) Little Yellow Digger box set, which includes a mini edition of the book and a toy digger.  This is no ordinary digger though.  Check out the video to see this cool Little Yellow Digger in action.

The Little Yellow Digger by Betty & Alan Gilderdale is celebrating 20 years in print this year, so what better way to celebrate than grabbing a copy of this wonderful book.

Sir Mouse to the Rescue by Dirk Nielandt, illustrated by Marjolein Pottie

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Mouse has a sword. She wears a suit of armour. She is a knight. She is bold Sir Mouse.

Dragon does not have a sword. She does not wear a suit of armour. She is just Dragon.

Knights fight dragons. But Mouse and Dragon never fight each other. Mouse and Dragon are best friends.

Join Mouse and Dragon as they rescue Prince, outwit Cat, have a fancy dress party and find out all about friendship, knighthood and the true meaning of happy every after.

Sir Mouse to the Rescue is my favourite of new local publisher Book Island’s launch titles.  It’s a collection of five funny tales about an unusual friendship between a mouse (who is also a knight) and a dragon.  The wit and humour of Dirk Nielandt’s stories will appeal just as much (if not more) to adults as children.  The conversations between these two wonderful characters will have you and your children laughing out loud.

“Maybe I can rescue Prince,” says Dragon.
Mouse bursts out laughing.  “Don’t be so silly,” she says.
“You are Dragon, not a knight.  You you ever read books?”
“No,” Dragon admits.
“Exactly,” says Mouse.  “Who rescues the prince in books?”
“Um…” Dragon says.
“It’s always the knight, never the dragon,” says Mouse.

Apart from the conversations between Mouse and Dragon, the thing I like the most about this book is that roles are reversed.  Sir Mouse is a girl, it’s the prince stuck in the tower not the princess, and a knight and a dragon are friends not enemies.  I especially like the last story in which Prince asks Sir Mouse to marry him.  Sir Mouse puts on a dress and considers living happily ever after, but she decides,

“I want to live happily ever after.
But I don’t want to be a Princess.
I wear a suit of armour. I have a sword.
I am a knight. I am bold Sir Mouse.”

Marjolein Pottie’s illustrations, which were created by a combination of collage and paper-cutting technique, are absolutely stunning.  I love the different patterns that Marjolein has used for Dragon’s scales and the paper-cut illustrations are a very effective way of telling the story.  This beautifully produced book is finished off nicely with the patterned end-papers.

Sir Mouse to the Rescue is perfect for reading aloud or for newly independent readers to read by themselves.  The stories are short and funny, and the text is broken up into blocks to make it easier for children to read.  This is the first of a series of stories about Mouse and Dragon so I hope we’ll get to read more soon.  Get a copy of Sir Mouse to the Rescue from www.bookisland.co.nz from 11 November.

Picture Book Nook: Bernie and Flora by Annemie Berebrouckx

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Bernie the bear and Flora the duck have been best friends for a long, long time. They enjoy the same things and love to work together in Bernie’s garden, where he grows the most beautiful flowers.

But one day, Flora arrives at Bernie’s house to find that his flowers have all disappeared! And there’s no sign of Bernie either.

Who has taken the flowers? And why? Flora turns detective and questions Bernie’s friends. What she eventually discovers is even more beautiful than Bernie’s garden …

Bernie and Flora, always and forever.

Bernie and Flora is a sweet story about love and friendship.  It’s a story that makes you smile from ear to ear, not only because it’s a very happy story, but because of the feelings that Annemie captures so perfectly.  Her text is wonderful and she uses some beautiful language, like when Bear breathes in the scent of the flowers and ‘feels the joys of spring tickling inside his tummy.’  I love the way that Annemie describes their relationship,

‘They share their little secrets, and their big ones, too.
They love to talk, but being quiet together can be fun as well.’

Annemie’s illustrations are quite simple but she makes good use of the white space and the flowers in Bearnie and Flora’s gardens add splashes of colour.  I like the way that she has given each of the animals a personality, no matter how small a part they may have in the story.  I love Annabel the sheep in her colourful dressing gown and Mo the crow in his paper hat.

There are some quirky wee details at the end of the story too, that make the book extra special.  There is an explanation of Bernie and Flora’s names and a list of different flowers explaining what each of them means.  The book also comes with a colouring page so you can create your own Bernie and Flora masterpiece.

Bernie and Flora is one of those picture books (similar to the wonderful Donkeys from Gecko Press) that I can see adults buying as presents for loved ones.  Although children will enjoy the story, adults will appreciate the message of the story more.

You can get your copy from www.bookisland.co.nz from 11 November.

4 out of 5 stars

Picture Book Nook: Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich by Lorraine Francis

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Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich is one of the first three titles from new local publisher, Book Island.  The books will be launched on Sunday 11 November at Raumati South Memorial Hall on the Kapiti Coast.

Sammy is a little boy with a huge appetite. The enterprising toddler feels like eating the biggest, tallest sandwich in the world, so he pulls out all the stops. The sandwich soon grows taller than he is, but fortunately there’s a ladder. Sammy saws holes through the ceilings and carries on stacking his sandwich. He can make it even higher by going through the skylight, and with the help of a crane he’s able to top off this creation with an olive and a sprig of parsley. And then … Sammy feels like having a banana.

Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich is a picture book bursting with imagination (and sandwich ingredients).  Lorraine Francis’ story is simple and one that kids can relate to, but it also fires their imagination.  It gets you thinking about what ingredients you would use if you were making the world’s biggest sandwich and how tall you would be able to make it without it falling down. You could have a great discussion about whether or not the different ingredients in Sammy’s sandwich would go together well.

Pieter Gaudesaboos’ illustrations are a visual delight.  There is so much to look at on each page, from different types of food to the weird and wonderful objects in Sammy’s attic. The page where Sammy lays out all the ingredients for his sandwich makes my mouth water so you probably shouldn’t read this book when you’re hungry.  I really like all the contraptions that Pieter has created for Sammy to help him build his monstrous sandwich, like his remote control aeroplane for spreading the bread, the fishing line for adding sprinkles to the top, and his crane to help him finish it all off.  My favourite illustration is right at the end when we see the sandwich from bottom to top, and I’m sure children will gaze at it in wonder.  I love the design of the book too, because it’s big and has sturdy cardboard pages.  It isn’t really a board book though (in the traditional sense) because the story is aimed at preschoolers.

Both parents and children will love the ending and will want to go and help Sammy build another skyscraper sandwich.  Grab a copy of Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich from your library or bookshop.

 

Christmas 2012: New Christmas books from Scholastic NZ

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Scholastic New Zealand have released some wonderful new Christmas books this year, for children young and old.  Grab a copy of these books to share with your children this Christmas.

Grandma McGarvey’s Christmas by Jenny Hessell, illustrated by Trevor Pye

It’s Christmas Eve, and Grandma McGarvey is excited to get her favourite spot in the camping ground, where she sets about putting up Christmas lights and making her festive preparations.  But – oh no! Santa is sick! Will Grandma McGarvey save the day?

Grandma McGarvey’s Christmas is a wonderfully Kiwi Christmas story.  Instead of an open fire there’s a camp fire, the kids are eating ice blocks, it’s warm and sunny, the pohutukawa tree is in bloom, and there’s a flying fox.  Jenny Hessell’s rhyming text flows nicely and Trevor Pye’s wonderful illustrations portray a classic Kiwi Christmas.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Star by P. Crumble, illustrated by Louis Shea

It is time for Christmas and the old lady’s festive appetite is enormous! Hold on to your chimneys as even Santa isn’t safe from the old lady’s chompers this year! Surely she’ll POP!

This festive take on There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Spider is full of silliness. This gummy, wrinkly old lady is quite scary and you would definitely want to run if she looked your way.  Kids who know the traditional rhyme will think they know what is coming but it’s a surprise each time you turn the page to find out what she eats next.  Kids will be laughing with each new thing she eats and the ending is especially fun.  Look out for the cool holographic cover too.

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas and The Twelve Cats of Christmas by Kevin Whitlark

Whether you’re a dog or a cat person you’ll love these two different version of The Twelve Days of Christmas.  In these two books you’ll find 3 Fluffy Persians, 6 Pooches Playing, 9 Pussycats Playing and 12 Dogs a’ Digging.  They’re sure to appeal to kids, more than the original song, and everyone can join in the singing.  The illustrations are hilarious and the pages get more and more crowded the more you go through the song.

The Gift by Penny Matthews, illustrated by Martin McKenna

A rather plain bear sits next to a gorgeous plush crocodile in the toy shop among the special Christmas toys.  As each waits to be chosen, Brown Bear makes his own gift to his friend.

This is my favourite Christmas book so far this year.  It’s a lovely story with gorgeous, soft illustrations, and it has the cutest teddy bear on the front cover.  It’s a story about friendship and hope, and it’s one of those stories that are perfect for snuggling up and reading at bedtime.  You’ll want to Brown Bear home and give him a big cuddle.  I love the illustrations, especially the one right near the end where Brown Bear sitting on the counter, gazing up with hope in his eyes.

The Mysterious Magical Shop by Elizabeth Pulford, illustrated by Rachel Driscoll

Even on ordinary days Hannah thought Mr McPherson’s second hand shop was somehow mysterious. But today, being Christmas Eve, it seemed even more so. And as she grasped the wooden doorknob and pushed open the door, she thought she heard the faint jingling of sleigh bells …What is the mystery behind the wee dancer trapped in the crystal ball? Could it be connected to her hunt for a Christmas tree fairy?

This is a Christmas story for older children, especially 7-9 year old girls who love stories about princesses, fairies and magic. It’s a short wee story told wonderfully by Elizabeth Pulford, with magical illustrations by Rachel Driscoll.  I really like the mysterious character of Mr McPherson and his wonderful shop full of all sorts of curious objects.

The Mysterious Magical Shop is the perfect book to get you feeling all Christmasy.

Picture Book Nook: One Gorilla – A Counting Book by Anthony Browne

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As a kid I loved Anthony Browne’s Willy the Wimp books and The Piggy Book is one of my Mum’s favourites (and probably mother’s everywhere).  It wasn’t until I was older that I really appreciated his books for the illustrations, but once I did I was blown away by the magic that he could create in his pictures.  Anthony Browne has just released a new picture book that’s quite different from anything else he’s done before – a counting book.  But One Gorilla is a counting book like no other.

In One Gorilla children count from one to ten, while exploring the family of primates.  They’ll meet Chimpanzees, Baboons, Gibbons and Colobus Monkeys.  As well as teaching children about numbers, Anthony conveys the message that we’re all alike and members of the same big family, so we have to protect these wonderful animals.

One Gorilla is an eye-catching book, with a big gorilla face smiling at you on the front cover.  The most wonderful thing about this book is that Anthony has given each of the primates a different personality.  Even on the page with 10 Lemurs, no one Lemur is alike.  Each Lemur has a different expression, slightly different colouring, and different shaped heads.  So even though, like humans, they’re the same species, every one is different.  I love the page with the Chimpanzees because you can see every wrinkle of their skin and every hair on their chin, and the adult is looking right at you.  The very last page is fascinating, because you can stare at all the human faces and match them up with a primate from the previous pages.  I can imagine that children will have great fun doing this too.  I also love Anthony Browne’s self-portrait because it’s incredibly life-like.

One Gorilla is a counting book that children young and old can enjoy, and it’s a book that fans of Anthony Browne should absolutely have in their collection.

5 out of 5 stars

Books to Treasure: Around the World in Eighty Days, illustrated by Robert Ingpen

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Robert Ingpen has been one of my favourite illustrators since I first set eyes on his illustrated edition of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and Wendy.  Each year, since this first illustrated classic back in 2004, Walker Books Australia have published a classic children’s book illustrated by Robert Ingpen.  My favourite one of these is Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, because I love the way that he illustrates animals.  Robert Ingpen and Walker Books Australia have just released his latest illustrated classic, Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days.

Set out on a thrilling voyage with the quintessential English gentleman, Phileas Fogg. To fulfil a wager made at the Reform Club in London, Fogg and his newly appointed manservant, Passepartout, embark on the race of a lifetime to circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days! Travelling by steamboat, train, and even elephant, and with adventure around every bend, the intrepid duo find themselves rescuing a young Indian woman from sacrifice, escaping kidnap, and battling hurricane winds and all the while, tenacious Detective Fix of Scotland Yard is in hot pursuit, believing Fogg to be the criminal mastermind behind a Bank of England robbery. Rich in humour and excitement, Around the World in Eighty Days deservedly remains one of Jules Verne’s most popular books.

Robert Ingpen’s Around the World in Eighty Days is an absolutely gorgeous book, and this edition is the perfect way to enjoy this classic adventure tale.  It’s a book that you want to share with a child, sitting in a comfy chair, so that everyone can enjoy Robert Ingpen’s beautiful, atmospheric illustrations.  This edition is a book to treasure because you feel like you’re holding something special in your hands.  Not only has Robert produced illustrations both big and small throughout the book, he has also included sketches of the characters in the front and back, and the end papers are the map of Phileas Fogg’s journey around the world.  The book is also beautifully produced, with lovely thick pages with an aged look, that make you feel like each page is a work of art.

Robert Ingpen has a real skill for illustrating vehicles and there are lots in this story.  Robert also perfectly captures the different countries and cultures in his illustrations.  You can look at the illustrations and tell that he is in India, Japan or America.

Robert Ingpen’s illustrated classics are a wonderful Christmas present for children and adults alike.  Get Around the World in Eighty Days and start your Robert Ingpen collection.