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Early Reader Book Reviews
Ahab and the White Whale
Manuel Marsol, trans. Chloe Garcia Roberts, pub. New York Review Books Kids
Oh, how blessed I feel to have been given a copy of this exquisite book to review. A rare treasure of stunning artwork, perfectly tuned text and a huge helping of quiet, subtle humour, Manuel Marsol has worked Herman Melville’s classic, Moby Dick, into a thrilling picture book for children.
The story, told in first person, is of a rather shortsighted Captain Ahab, ‘the greatest whale hunter to ever sail the seas,’ who has long searched the sea for even a glimpse of the great white whale, yet cannot seem to spot him anywhere. Having climbed mountains, scaled shipwrecks and travelled to the ends of the earth, Ahab can find no trace of the whale ‘Where the blazes could he be hiding?’ Eventually, lost at sea, the obsessive Ahab can barely remember his own name and has forgotten what it is he is even searching for. How does he make it back home? Well, according to Ahab that’s part of ‘the mystery of the sea’, and an answer for only the reader to discover!
In every glorious illustration there is so much to note, and if you look a little harder than Marsol’s Captain Ahab you may find that you capture a glimpse of the great white whale yourself. You just need to look closely – very closely.
This book is pure genius and I absolutely adore it! My only recommendation, other than to purchase a copy, is that you take the time to sit with it and devour it wholeheartedly – look everywhere, read everything! Don’t be like Ahab - there is far too much to miss!
Tracey Corner
Big Red Dragon
Jane Newberry, illus. Carolina Rabei, pub. Otter Barry Books
Summers are here, and with a cool drink in my hand, I have embarked upon another bookish adventure. This time, with a colourful poetry book for playschool kids full of cute illustrations and interactive activities by Jane Newberry and Carolina Rabei.
A cute lion, a dancing crab, a big dinosaur and a big red dragon flying higher and higher, blowing fire everywhere! Kids are sure to have fun imbibing new words, sounds, nouns and meanings through little narrative poems. Dogs bark, the Easter Bunny goes Hoppity Hop, the owl atop the castle says “tu-whoo”, and a dinosaur turns into a digger! Along with such varied presentations are activities to do, under the ‘Let’s Play!’ sections, to list a few - “This is a knee-jogger for little babies, but you can make a “car” for toddlers with four cushions, (2 for front seat, 2 for rear), and an unbreakable plate, (steering wheel). Add three passengers, letting your child choose …”
“Start by bouncing up and down for hoppity. Flip the tip of your nose on twitch. Put both hands on head for ears, flip-flopping. Cup hands for an egg and point to yourself and then to a friend.”
Or “Line 1: draw a circle in the air using two fingers. Line 2: stretch arms above your head, like a tall hat. Line 3: flap your arms. Line 4: cover your eyes and open on peek-a-boo.”
The book draws attention to the seasons of the year, highlighting each by festivals like Diwali and Easter; or a collective social ritual like going for a picnic to the beach with one’s family or dressing up for trick-or-treat for Halloween! The book brings readers creative and whimsical poetry brought to life by the juxtaposed pages of art. It is a good book for little ones in kindergarten exploring the world in their inquisitive ways.
Ishika Tiwari
Detective Kitty is on the Case!
Laura Ellen Anderson, pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books
A new series from Laura Ellen Anderson is always something that gets me excited, no matter which age group she is writing for, what the genre the book is likely to fit in to and how long the series will be we are always guaranteed plenty of fun, playfulness and amazing illustrations. Detective Kitty has all this and much more – crimes to solve!
With its two-colour illustration style, short chapters and excitement that builds from the opening pages there is a lot to love about this book. We meet the Star Kitties too, the cutest cats ever, I promise. You’ll fall in love with their cuteness too. And we mustn’t forget they are magical too, that makes them extra special and means you need to keep a close eye on all they get up to. They are going to be introducing us to Whiskery Paw (with a map at the beginning of the book to help us orientate ourselves) and their best friend Tabitha Paw who happens to be celebrating her birthday. But Tabitha quickly learns that the Queen of the Whiskery Paw is missing and rather than a birthday party they have to form a search party…
Are you ready to be whisked away to another place where the cats are just super-cute, the magic is everywhere and adventures pop-up when they are least expected? I hope so for this is a book, hopefully a series, to adore.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Glam and Beardy : Volume 1
Ruby Clyde and Rachel WD, illus. Vincent Batignole, pub. Little Tiger Press
Glam is desperate to find her Familiar. All of her classmates have found theirs and her family is at risk of not hosting the Kindom Ceremony if hers doesn’t appear soon!
As the days tick by, Glam’s stress grows – a missing Familiar doesn't just spell embarrassment for her family, it could mean total catastrophe for the entire Kindom. So, when she is helping out with an archaeological dig at school, she is relieved when a Familiar appears to her. But instead of solving her problems, this new companion lands her in even bigger trouble. Her new Familiar doesn't carry the proper magical mark, meaning she isn't the Glamour Familiar she was supposed to get! Instead, a wild and exciting adventure begins as Glam and her unusual new buddy, Beardy, set off on a quest to perform a special ritual and find Glam's true Familiar. Will the relationship between Glam and Beardy strengthen during their adventures together, or will Glam finally find her true Familiar and save her family’s legacy?
This book is brilliantly creative. Firstly, the style that it is written in is unique with a diary-style structure but written in two voices together, Glam’s and Beardy’s. The font used for each character shows whose writing the reader is writing but the voices of the two characters are very distinct but combine well to tell a fun account of the story. Alongside that, the creation of a world with different Kindoms, each one having a different history, and creatures that partner humans through life and have special powers, makes for an exciting, creative adventure. The illustrations throughout the book bring the characters to life and capture the comedy of the storyline.
If you enjoy diary-style stories, then this could be a great choice for you. This has a lovely blend of humour, adventure and creativity in it.
Tom Joy
Jolly Monster Town: The Party Pickle
Rong Rong, pub. Nosy Crow
Twiggy the Log monster is very excited for her sleepover party! She wants everything to be PERFECT and doesn’t need anybody’s help. But when Ralph the Pufferfish Monster accidentally eats all the party food it sets off a MONSTERIFIC string of events. Can Twiggy put her pride aside and let her friends get her out of her party pickle, before it’s too late?
I loved this full-colour chapter story, stuffed with cute characters and so did the children I shared it with. Rong Rong’s illustrations of Jolly Monster Town are silly, funny and gloriously detailed, so they’re perfect for poring over and inspecting all the tiny details. The combination of speech bubbles and text on each spread make these books great for young graphic novel fans or newly confident readers. We particularly liked the intricate map, monster chapter headings, madcap plots, and the perfectly pitched message about not being embarrassed to ask or take offered help from others. I can’t wait to read the other books in this delightful series and add them to the school library.
Mariesa Dulak
Mariesa’s There’s A Tiger On the Train, and The Ice Cream Crocodile, both illustrated by Rebecca Cobb and published by Faber Children’s, are out now.
The Monster and Puppet Show
Kate Micucci and Mo Willems, pub. Union Square Kids
When Monster picks up a glove puppet to play with, he finds out that the Puppet has got very strong views on how Monster should behave. Puppet feels that Monster should tell a joke! Or sing! Or dance. But what if Monster doesn’t want to do any of those things?
I love Mo Willems’ books, so I was excited to pick this book up from the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading Range and it does not disappoint. This book is perfectly pitched for a grown up to read aloud with pre-schooler/s. Engaging illustrations with large speech bubbles, and just the right level of silly humour to make them giggle. This book is a great way to introduce the topic of friendship, peer-pressure, and boundaries with young children.
Mariesa Dulak
Mariesa’s There’s A Tiger On the Train, and The Ice Cream Crocodile, both illustrated by Rebecca Cobb and published by Faber Children’s, are out now.
Nora Nightsky: Double the Drama
Rebecca Lewis-Oakes, illus. Becka Moor, pub. Scholastic
Nora Nightsky is a star, youngest member of the illustrious Nightsky family. Everyone in the family has magic powers, and all the others have amazing success in granting human wishes.
So far Nora has helped only one human achieve theirs. Instead of granting it remotely, she went down to earth to boost the human’s confidence so they could achieve their desire themselves. Chaos ensued and her parents banned her from further visits. She doesn’t see wish-granting as appealing anyway. She would rather play. But her infuriating older sister shows her a letter addressed to her. She persuades her family that another trip would be worthwhile as she could conduct useful research into human behaviour. And surely it is better to inspire humans to help themselves than just use magic from afar?
Nora and Leap the Hare, an adventurous and fun-loving constellation, are off. Before long they are in Maya’s house, and Nora is all set to help Maya become a comic strip creator. But how is it that Maya seems intent on doing daring outdoor stuff and doesn’t want anything to do with writing and drawing? And how come her next door neighbour Mo seems to be exactly the other way round? Nora is in danger of using so much stardust to sort things out that she could end up without enough to get back home.
This is the second in a series but children will enjoy whether or not they have read its predecessor. It is imaginative and funny with an interesting cast of characters, both human and astronomical, and appealing greyscale illustrations. My seven and a half year-old fellow reviewer gave it 9.5 out of 10.
Anne Harding
Riley Wright is Always Wrong
Mel Taylor-Bessent, pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books
Riley Wright is about to start at Heverton Junior School but unlike other children who might be nervous about starting a new school Riley is actually facing a majorly awkward situation. Her dad is the new headteacher and he couldn’t be more embarrassing!
It should be a case of a new school, hopefully some new friends and a lot of new experiences with plenty of fun for good measure but how will it work when Riley’s dad is the headmaster? Riley has to find a way to fit in, to show that she is an independent person, work out what her talent might be so she can take part in the talent show whilst also keeping a look out for her for her unpredictable new BFF Emmie. Of course, there is also the super-mean girl Harper who wants to cause trouble for every moment Riley wants to do something good, or at least try to. Riley is known for getting a lot of things wrong, could this be her chance to get something right at long last?
The first thing that grabs the reader is the bright pink bubble gum colour of the cover, it is very bold it is also very playful and hints at what could be inside. And that is a highly illustrated journal chronicling Riley’s attempts to do things right, her failures, her ability to pick herself up and try again, her thoughts and feelings through it all. With this book being the first in a promised series hopefully there will be time for Riley to get a few things right and put the mean-girl in her place. Young readers who are engaging with longer books will love the playful nature of the speech bubbles, doodles and fun typographic additions to this book. They will very likely connect with Riley and her funny warm hearted story that will put a smile on their faces.
With a plot full of friendship, mishaps and laughter, readers will certainly be looking forward to book 2, I know I am!
Helen Byles
Rumpelstiltskin
Mac Barnett, illus. Carson Ellis, pub. Scholastic
A classic fairytale retold with superb and stylish flair, illustrations and a special origin story. As author Mac Barnett explains, he and his friend, the illustrator Carson Ellis had great fun creating their picturebook which, as you might realise and certainly notice, has been made ‘theirs.’ That itself is part of a tradition older than time. The original story may have been written down over 200 years ago by the Brothers Grimm but before that it has been shared by storytellers for centuries. This new adaptation is set to join the canon of classics.
In some versions of this story there is gold spun from straw and a very grumpy Rumpelstiltskin who makes unreasonable demands. In this version there was, once upon a time (of course) a young and clever girl whose father was most definitely not-so clever… It is the father of this young girl who makes the claim, the one that declares she can spin straw into gold and that is how she finds herself forced to complete this impossible task for the king. We all know it’s an impossible task and so when she accepts a deal from a strange little man little does he realise that this clever girl has more tricks up her sleeve. Prepare for some surprises and be sure to share this new version, spending time with the words and illustrations, all of which are equally entrancing.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
SuperQuesters Mission: Desert Danger
Paul Ian Cross, illus. Katarina Gasko, pub. QuestFriendz
The fearless SuperQuesters are back, another book, another mission and this time they need to find a way to stop a rogue archaeologist from destroying Questland's entire desert.
A fun day at the beach for Lilli, Leo and Bea definitely means they have their Questland game and special amulets with them, after all they never know when they might be needed. They decide on a sandcastle competition and it’s going well when they spot a message in a bottle. The writing is in hieroglyphs but there is one very clear word: Help! Just as they see that their amulets start to glow and they find themselves in Questland once more. Now they are the SuperQuesters - Lillicorn, Leo Zoom and Bea Bumble and they on the bank of a dried-up river in the desert. Arid the Sand Sprite appears and is very upset. Arid’s brother has been captured by sneaky archaeologist Professor Vortec and his beetle friends. The professor plans to destroy the desert in pursuit of ancient treasure… It’s time for the SuperQuesters to leap into action. Working with their new allies they learn that the professor intends to steal some cursed treasure using an ancient spell. It’s going to take STEM skills and courage but if the friends can use both there is a chance they’ll crack the secret codes in time to stop the professor’s plans.
I’ve been lucky enough to have read the entire series, and this is again another fabulous story and an excellent addition to the collection. The story, which is a mix of STEM, history and magic, has enough action and information to keep the reader engaged, and the author explains all the terminology so well he has managed to simplify all the technical parts. The facts are lots of fun too, there is something fascinating for all readers to discover! Illustrator Katarina Gasko has found a way to ensure the story jumps off the page and feels even more real, leaving the reader learning without realising it. Just brilliant.
And one of my absolute favourite parts is the experiments – I’ve even found myself trying one or two of them as I have been reading the series. There is so much to recommend about this adventure and the series that I suggest finding yourself copies for your own bookshelves!
Helen Byles
Wands Away! Spell class
Emma Fararons, pub. Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
Ramona is about to start her second term at Wands Away School of Magic. She can’t wait to meet up with her friends again and is full of excitement as she, her mother and her younger brother fly on broomsticks through heavy rain to get there.
A new boy, Cosmo, arrives late to class. His broomstick is amazing and he is full of self-confidence. Miss Sato, the teacher, puts him in a group with Ramona and her best friends Cleo and Enrique. She leads the class into the woods, where they forage for food and set up camp. Ramona and her friends start to find Cosmo’s boasting a bit much, though she is pleased that at least he is impressed with the tree library. You can stick your hand in and ask for any book you like. The groups have to work hard to solve clues in a scavenger hunt. When they all bring their finds to the outdoor classroom, Miss Sato puts everything in her cauldron. Lessons in casting spells have begun. As the days go on, the pupils discover that spell craft is far from easy. When one of Cosmo’s attempts goes very scarily wrong, he finally admits that he is out of his depth and just pretends otherwise to look cool. The rest of the group assure him that they struggle too. They all become friends and collaborate to earn their spell badges.
This appealing, amusing and affirming story is delightfully brought alive with the author’s own illustrations, which are quirky and imaginative. Children will thoroughly enjoy the witchy subject matter, the humour and the characters and their struggles and successes, whether or not they have not read its predecessor, Wands Away! Learning to Fly.
Anne Harding
Will Shakespeare Mysteries. The Stinky Stolen Toenails
Kaz Penny, illus. Sammy Elgie, pub. Andersen Press
Young Will Shakespeare has ambitions to be the greatest person-who-solves-crimes in the world. Unfortunately, Stratford-upon-Avon is (according to Will) possibly the most boring and uneventful town in England, and possibly the world. Nothing ever happens. That is, until two days before Twelfth night when Will discovers that the priceless Moundsofgoo treasure has been stolen.
Accompanied by his friend Tybalt, Will sets out to recover the treasure – which turns out to be a bag of Henry VIII’s stinky, fungus covered toenail clippings – so that Ronaldo Moundsofgoo can offer it to Master Catapult in exchange for his daughter, Judy’s hand in marriage. Thus begins a madcap adventure involving disgusting smells, terrible poetry (courtesy of Tybalt) an enormous pie and a turnip-load of trouble.
The story zips along at a cracking pace, aided by characterful drawings by illustrator Sammy Elgie and a multitude of different fonts which spill across the pages in a visual stream. Some historical facts about Tudor times anchor the book and give an insight into what life may really have been like in Shakespearian England. The helpful summary at the beginning of each chapter provides some structure and allows the reader to pause and catch a breath. Get set for a sequel as there are a lot more crimes for Will and Tybalt to solve together.
Janet Ling
