picture books

Picture Book Nook: Edge of the World by Ian Trevaskis

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Shaun Tan, Margaret Wild, and Chris Van Alsberg are some of the masters of sophisticated picture books.  Their stories are told through both words and pictures and they make us think and question.  Edge of the World is a stunning new sophisticated picture book by Ian Trevaskis and illustrated by Wayne Harris, about grief and the power of art to heal wounds.

Edge of the World is about a small fishing village near the edge of the world where ‘the wind shrieked and howled through the empty streets and women and children huddled closer to their hearths,’ and where nobody smiled.  While other fishermen talk about their adventures, Toby McPhee keeps to himself and tries to forget what has happened.  Everyone in the village gets on with their lives; the women pray for the boats’ safe return and the children trudge to school.  Everything changes one day when Toby McPhee hauls in his fishing net and discovers more than just fish.  Each time he returns home with tiny pots of paint, which he uses to bring colour back into his life and the lives of the villagers.

Edge of the World is a magical story full of colour and hope.  Ian Trevaskis’ writing style is very descriptive and paints a picture for the reader, even without Wayne Harris’ illustrations.  You can sense the sadness of the village and it’s inhabitants from the opening lines, but the tone lightens as more colour gets introduced to the village.  Wayne Harris‘ illustrations are absolutely beautiful and it’s hard to believe that they were created digitally.  Wayne’s use of colour is very important to the story and he has shown this in the change in colour palette throughout the story.  In the beginning the colours are very muted and dull, but they get progressively brighter as the mood of Toby and the villagers change.  I’ve read this book at least 5 times so far and have got something new from each reading and viewing of the story.  It is a perfect picture book to study as a class (especially Year 7/8) as there as so many different aspects of the story, from the use of descriptive language to symbolism of different colour, that you could explore.   Walker Books have even created Teacher’s Notes to use with the book.

4 out of 5 stars

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

Kiwi Corkers – traditional tales with a Kiwi twist

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Scholastic New Zealand Publishing Manager Diana Murray shares the story behind the stories.

The Kiwi Corkers series hatched from the idea of taking well-known tales and retelling them with a New Zealand flavour. The concept of reworking fairy tales is not revolutionary; however the idea of bringing them into our familiar, uniquely Kiwi environment has made them popular stories that our children can relate to.

Every aspect of the series has been carefully considered. We decided to publish them with bright, fun and durable hardcovers, but sell them at lower than paperback prices to make collecting the full series affordable. We identified the traditional tales children are still growing up with. Initially we asked New Zealand authors to write stories for us, but after a time the series took on a life of its own and we have received a high volume of manuscripts for it.

Sounds straightforward? Well – not always!

Take The Elves and the Cloakmaker, written by Chris Gurney and illustrated by John Bennett (October 2011). There were twists and turns in bringing this book to publication, as we had to consider things such as whether men can weave cloaks (yes, our research tells us, they can) and what patupaiarehe might look like (bright red hair, pale skin). At one stage, the title was going to be The Patupaiarehe and the Cloakmaker , but we were concerned that such a complicated looking word in the title might be off-putting to non-Maori speakers and changed it to The Elves and the Cloakmaker – which begged the question whether patupaiarehe are elves? After research and consultation, we decided yes, that would be fine.

And it took a long time to come up with the Kiwi wolf for Little Red and the Cunning Kuri, also written by Chris Gurney, with illustrations by Sarah N Anderson (October 2010). What nasty New Zealand creatures do we have that could fit this character? We thought of a katipo – but it wouldn’t have been the right size in relation to Little Red, and not the right shape either. A kahu (harrier hawk)? No, still not right. It was a light-bulb moment when the author came up with the kuri, a Maori dog.

Scholastic New Zealand has now published 12 books in the series, and have another two in the pipeline for 2012 – both of which promise to uphold the ‘high standards’ of ‘this series of poetic parodies’ (Trevor Agnew The Source, 6 July 2011).

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.

Celebrating 30 years of Alfie

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I grew up with lots of books.  My parents read to me right from the start and I have no doubt that’s part of the reason I love books so much now.  One of my parents’ favourite authors/illustrators was Shirley Hughes so I grew up with Alfie.  Her Alfie books have stood the test of time and are just as fun and entertaining to read now as they were when I was a kid.  This year sees the 3oth anniversary of the very first Alfie book, so Shirley Hughes has celebrated this milestone by publishing a brand new Alfie book and a mini Alfie collection.

All About Alfie is a brand new collection of Alfie stories, while at the same time, retaining everything that made the original stories so special.  All your favourite characters are here, including Alfie’s little sister Annie Rose, his best friend Bernard, and his toy elephant Flumbo.  You can join Alfie as he hides in his secret den, helps Bernard celebrate his birthday, and goes on a big adventure with his mum.  All About Alfie is a real celebration of Shirley Hughes’ classic character and her stunning artwork.

The My Alfie Collection brings together four of the best Alfie stories in a package of miniature hardback editions.  These miniature editions are a good size for sharing but also perfect for carrying around in your handbag or in the car, for those moments when you need a book. Alfie Gets in First is still my favourite Alfie book and makes me laugh every time.

I hope that, even though the world of books is changing, the Alfie books will still be popular in another 30 years.  I know that I’ll share the joy of Alfie with my own children, as my parents shared them with me.

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: 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.

Subscribe and win a New Zealand picture book pack

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If you’ve enjoyed reading my reviews you might like to get them emailed to you as soon as they’re posted.  If you subscribe to My Best Friends Are Books before 30 November you could win a New Zealand picture book pack just in time for Christmas.  The pack includes All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, There’s a Hole in my Bucket, and The Elves and the Cloakmaker.

The winner of the New Zealand picture book pack is Nicole Latham.  Thanks to all my new followers!