Early Spring 2024
Picturebook Reviews
A Horse Called Now
Ruth Doyle, illus. Alexandra Finkeldey, pub. Nosy Crow
Ruth Doyle’s A Horse Called Now is a powerful story that helps readers understand their fears and find ways to breathe through these moments. It is not billed as being a mindfulness book, but it is easy to imagine that it could be a very useful one, giving children a new perspective on how to understand and manage stressful moments.
Now is a horse with wisdom which is used intelligently to reassure those animals who seek refuge with her. The rabbits, hen and her chicks, and the sheep all come quickly to Now who asks them to share their fears. As they do, she calmly tells them to stop and find some food while she stands guard. Now wants to share in the fears of the other animals, she wants to use her wisdom to advise them, she wants to look after them but also reassure them they can learn how to be brave too.
When a storm rumbles in all the animals head into the barn where a few fears are lying in wait for them. Now calmly helps them all to learn that even the scariest critters feel fear themselves. As they all huddle together to wait out the storm, it is Now and her calming presence that comforts all the creatures hiding with her.
A brilliantly explored look at fear, worries, and being present in the moment. Stunning illustrations bring the story to full colour life and there are plenty of details to search for as you turn the pages.
Erin Hamilton
Alberta: A Cautionary Tale
Margaret Sturton, pub. Andersen Press
Alberta: A Cautionary Tale presents a fantastic twist on the well-loved and well-known tale of Red Riding Hood. We all know that the big bad Wolf causes the upset in that story when he tries to trick Little Red by posing as grandma, so it comes as a fun twist to discover that Alberta, a young girl is the naughty one in this story, written and illustrated by Margaret Sturton.
Alberta has had a bad day, she has been disrupting people, crying, and chewing on books (please don’t try this at home or in a library!) Despite the amount of trouble she causes she always manages to avoid getting herself into trouble by smiling sweetly at everyone. She has been told not to go into the woods but when she spies an interesting character, she follows and befriends them.
You might wonder why she didn’t listen to the adults? Her reason is to steal the delicious birthday cake that Red Riding Wolf made for granny. And so it is that when Red Riding Wolf falls asleep, Alberta munches the cake. Her naughtiness is discovered by Red Riding Wolf when he wakes up and we, along with Alberta discover that he does indeed have a big nose, big eyes and … gulp … big teeth!
We later see Granny and Red Riding Wolf enjoying a large pie! Who knows what happened to Alberta… Funny and cautionary, this story will be a firm favourite at bedtimes!
Erin Hamilton
The Colour Monster: The Feelings Doctor and the Emotions Toolkit
Anna Llenas, pub. Templar Books
Have you met the colour monster yet? He is a wonderfully versatile character who has already helped children with going to school. Now he is back, and this time he is in the guise of a doctor, ready to help Nuna, the main character.
Nuna needs someone to talk to and the Colour Monster fits the bill perfectly. He is approachable, he listens, he advises but he does not judge. He really is the perfect someone to talk to, and not in the least a scary monster! It helps that Anna Llenas, as both author and illustrator has been able to show us just how approachable and child-friendly he is. The illustration is incredibly expressive, resonant of a children’s colouring book (or one of mine!) it truly does make full use of colour to express emotion yet also manages to demonstrate a sophistication of thought.
When Nuna wakes up feeling strange, dazed, and confused she knows a visit to the Colour Monster is going to be just what she needs, and today he is The Feelings Doctor who can help to heal her emotions. Why does she need help with this? Because there are some emotions that are so BIG they can be difficult to experience. With swirls of colour, disarmingly accurate in their simplicity, Anna Llenas shows us how our emotions could look if we were to draw them. When we learn that Nuna has a feeling in her tummy that she can’t describe that swirl of colour becomes black and grey – upsetting and grim. Not to worry though for the Colour Monster Doctor knows just how to help. He has an emotions toolkit and, along with Nuna, we can open it up to find out what he keeps inside.
So begins the next stage, the part that is going to help Nuna manage her feelings and emotions. From deep breathing and green balloons to squishing clay and colouring – from outside in or inside out, there is no right and wrong we learn as we also share in blowing bubbles and dancing. I felt calmer after sharing this story and I know I will be coming back to it, and sharing it, even following the instructions for making a Wellness Toolkit. A conversation starter and an inspiration.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Confetti: A colourful celebration of love and life
Dean Atta, illus. Alea Marley, pub. Orchard Books
Arianna (Ari) is a little black girl with curly hair which is tied up in two wayward bunches on top of her head, and a big smile.
When we meet her, she has just found a piece of pink confetti under the sofa, she remembers her third birthday party, and then she remembers the fun of going to a Pride march with her uncle, waving her rainbow flag. She remembers that on both occasions there was confetti. Now, as she is about to become a big sister, mum has a baby shower. At the shower there is yellow confetti. When baby Andia (Andi) is born, uncle takes both girls to the park, and throws leaves like confetti. Then uncle gets married, and Ari throws confetti in all the colours of the rainbow flag: in the evening, the fireworks are like confetti in the sky. Snow is like cold confetti, and when she throws a snowball at uncle it explodes into confetti.
Dean Atta is a British poet of Greek Cypriot and Caribbean descent, and an award-winning novelist. In 2012, his poem I Am Nobody's Nigger, written in response to the use of the racial slur by the murderers of Stephen Lawrence, achieved much social media coverage, and he has been listed by The Independent newspaper as one of the 100 most influential LGBT people in the United Kingdom. He dedicates this picture book to Ari and Andi, so it seems that the girls are his own family, and he is the uncle of the story. Alea Marley was born in the UK, but her family roots are in Barbados. She is an award-wining illustrator known for her use of colour and texture, and her style suits this delightful celebration of love and life well.
Diana Barnes
Flying High
Cao Wenxuan, trans. Jake Hope and Simone-Davina Monnelly, illus. Yu Rong, pub. UCLan Publishing
This is another picture book about accepting being different, but here the difference the author is addressing is that of a child, probably a boy (unnamed), who is smaller than the other children who don’t want to fly kites with him.
The little boy’s best friend is a little blue bird, possibly imaginary, called Wawa, who flies as high as his kite. When his kite tangles up those belonging to other children, they are cross and say he is too small to be with them. When someone stamps on his kite, he throws it into the river and sulks. Wawa comforts him and leads him through different sorts of reeds and trees to the beach where they find a lot of pebbles, all different, and Wawa wheels around with a flock of seagulls, who are different from her. The boy remembers the festival where people had dressed up in different ways, returns to the town, rubs out the mark on the wall that shows how small he is, and declares, “I am who I am! I’m as tall as I am, whether I’m tall or small.” He goes to visit his grandparents who help him make a new and splendid kite which flies so high that everyone cheers: they are all friends, and he is happy being himself.
Cao Wenxuan grew up in rural China and is now a professor of Chinese literature and children’s literature at Beijing University. A bestselling author of children’s literature, he has won many academic and literary awards. His own childhood was miserable, and he hopes, through his writing, to help children deal with any unhappiness, and appreciate the beauty of the world around them. This translation by Jake Hope and Simone-Davina Monnelly flows well and will be good to read aloud and share.
The illustrations are interesting: faces, hands, and bare feet are all drawn naturalistically in pencil, but clothing and scenery are partly colourful paintings and partly more angular collage. Yu Rong had previously trained as a primary school teacher, and her style usually involves paper-cutting: she has won her many awards both in China and in this country, where she now lives, and been shortlisted for many more.
Diana Barnes
Meet the Wildlings
Gwen Millward, pub. Templar books
Learning to share is a skill that most of us learn at an early age, especially when there are siblings. However, if children are just getting used to being with others there might be problems. The dynamics change as soon as any of us have to allow others into our circles no matter what our age.
In Gwen Millward’s delightful Meet the Wildings, the two children, Max and Poppy, are playing well together until Poppy takes Max’s lorry and won’t return it. Tempers flare and the two young children turn into ‘wildlings’, which look like large and furry monsters. Their parents just don’t know what to do and try all of distraction treats that they would normally use, and that normally works; from shopping, swimming, car rides to cinema visits, nothing works. Eventually the two children discover that they are able to return to their normal selves, they remember how to get along when they work together to solve a problem i.e. how to open a bag of crisps.
The author has combined an extremely funny story about sibling rivalry with a very serious topic, which most parents have had to deal with at some time. Very young children are still finding out what their boundaries are whilst realising that the world does not always revolve round only them. Poppy and Max discover that being angry or grumpy is not helpful and can often stop them doing what they enjoy. They also find that helping each other can have its rewards and that there is magic in saying ‘sorry’ at times. This is a bright and lively story for the very young and will work very well in nursery and KS1 classrooms as well as at home where it might be that some sibling rivalry needs to be resolved!
Margaret Pemberton
Misty Mole
Dr Yasmin El-Rouby, illus. Ishy Walters, pub. Neem Tree Press
There is a new mole on the block, and he has some important things to share with young picturebook readers. So excited is he about his stories, his experiences, sharing them, that he features in three stories that are publishing simultaneously. Meet Misty Mole. You can find him in Misty Mole and the Big Switch-Off; Misty Mole and the Eating Adventure; Misty Mole Gets New Glasses. All three have been written by Dr Yasmin El-Rouby and illustrated by Ishy Walters. When I tell you that the author is an eye doctor passionate about raising the profile of vision disorders the choice of a mole as her main character likely makes a lot of sense and Ishy Walters imagining of how Misty looks is perfectly adorable!
Do you have a mobile phone? Are there children in your life who have mobile phones or are there some who don’t? Misty doesn’t have a mobile phone or a tablet, but her friends do, and it is making her feel frustrated. But the more all her friends use their devices the more they find their eyes getting sore and blurry and they are struggling to sleep. It’s up to Misty to find ways to reduce screen time and restore some good old-fashioned fun in the woodlands. But that is not all, Misty is kept busy with Granny Mole too. Granny is eating so many treats that her eyesight is being affected. An adventure involving a balloon ride could be the key to showing Granny Mole the importance of good food as they hunt for a rainbow of foods! Finally, after all this focus on eyesight and the importance of looking after ourselves to ensure we have healthy eyes, Misty realises she too needs to have an eye test so that her painting becomes less blurry! It’s time for Misty to get her first pair of glasses…
In three relatable stories children can find a new character, a new setting, a new set of adventures and they can begin to understand not only the importance of looking after your eyes but more about how to balance the use of technology and remembering to eat healthily. A charming trio of books perfect for the classroom.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
One Goose, Two Moose
Kael Tudor, illus. Nicola Slater, pub. Scholastic
Welcome to the ice cream shop, where there’s lots of tasty treats on offer (check out those end papers, they are completely edible!) and TWO queues - a moose line and a goose line. There’s also a slightly bossy goose who wants everyone queueing IN THE RIGHT LINE! It sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?
Children will love joining in with the ‘One goose, two moose, three goose, FOUR,’ refrain throughout the book AND spotting which moose OR goose is in the WRONG place. While their grown-ups will have some tongue-twisting fun trying to read all the ‘goose’s and ‘moose’s in the RIGHT place. Be prepared to be corrected on more than occasion, possibly even having to start again! Counting and queuing are both given equal consideration in this wonderfully silly and slightly anarchic story which will quickly become a firm favourite.
This debut picturebook is a delight. Kael knows his stuff and the humour is pitched just right for the age range. Nicola Slater’s illustrations are the perfect companion to Kael’s text and have so much character. My particular favourites are the weightlifting moose in a leopard print leotard AND the moose with a book on her head, but of course… Simon the adorably bossy crowd controlling goose steals the show.
Mariesa Dulak
Once Upon A Storytime
Gareth Peter, illus. Natelle Quek, pub. Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Once Upon A Storytime is a beautiful reassuring picture book that highlights the mother-daughter relationship by drawing on the plots of fairy tale favourites. As you read and share the story see which ones you can identify and find out if you know the stories they tell.
Nia loves her bedtime stories such as Hansel and Gretel, Beauty and the Beast, Jack and the Beanstalk and The Little Mermaid but wonders what would happen to her if she was in a similar situation. What if Nia was in the fairytale, what if that was Nia’s story that was being told? Gareth Peter makes clever use of the ‘what if…’ scenario to capture children’s imagination as they progress through then book and share in the stories. It is there when defeating wicked witches, trying to calm bullying beasts and grouchy giants, and overcoming menacing sea-monsters. It is fun as well to wonder ‘What if…’ in each of these situations.
With a theme of family togetherness, young children everywhere will be comforted by the underlying message of: ‘we will always look out for each other no matter what.’ Nia proves herself to be just as brave at heart as the heroes and heroines in the stories she hears at bedtime. I particularly liked the ending for here we learn that Nia has to wait until ‘tomorrow’ for her next amazing adventure, reinforcing bedtime routines in a positive way.
The illustrations by Natelle Quek are magical and will draw young readers in. I look forward to seeing more picture books by this talented artist. Once Upon A Storytime is the ideal book for bedtimes.
Anita Loughery
Please!
Simon Philip, illus. Nathan Reed, pub. Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Do you know any magic words? I am sure we all know and love abracadabra and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious… But do you know of any other magic words? They crop up in stories all over the place, we need to remember they are not just make-believe; magic is not just make-believe. Don’t believe me? You could ask Simon Philip, author of Please! And Nathan Reed, the story illustrator. They will both tell you how real magic is and to prove it their story is all about a little boy called Bill. Prepare yourself for a wacky adventure as you explore this marvellous, explosive story…
Are you a grown-up who is constantly reminding children to use their manners, remember their manners? Are you a child who needs reminding, who forgets how important manners are? Then this is the book you need to read: right NOW!
It all began when Bill wanted some ice cream. The other children in line all said thankyou to the ice cream van man. Bill? He demanded loads, six scoops! And he “forgotfully” to say please… Do you know what happened next? Alien toads kidnapped Bill. I know. It sounds crazy and unbelievable doesn’t it, but I have seen it for myself, it is very real. The toads have come all the way from Mars and when they take Bill back to their spaceship (they want him to tour the stars with them) he is not happy. He doesn’t want to see only the stars. No Billy demands to see the planets. Of course, he didn’t say please causing the spaceship to crash in the jungle where they collected a few more passengers. All this adventure made Bill hungry, he wanted an afternoon snack. Did he say please this time? NO… This caused them to crash into a Yak who ran into a fairy-tale with witches, knights, wizards. When Bill finally remembers to use his manners, the madness ends until… Until he remembers the importance of ‘please’ but forgets the ‘thank you… Story to be continued? I for one certainly hope we get a Thank You story, we are never going to tire of this one!
May Jonas
Vile Virginia and The Curse That Got Worse
Issy Emeney, illus. Chris Mould, pub. Simon and Schuster
In the second title in the series Twisted tales for devilish darlings, (the first story was Billy Brute) Issy Emeney here delights in the cautionary tale of mean Virginia.
Virginia is a bully and a tyrant, forced to share her bedroom with the delightful curly-haired Julian. Her mother dotes on Julian, and Virginia tries, in many entertaining ways, to get rid of him, but he always somehow manages gets out of trouble. Her visit to the library might leave chaos in her wake, but she borrows a book of magic and concocts a spell, hiding the resulting potion in her sock drawer. When delightful Julian brings her tea in bed she drinks it before realising that he has discovered the potion… But it’s too late - and I won’t spoil the fun by telling what happens…
Issy Emeney has been writing for many years as a full-time folk musician and songwriter, had made up stories for her daughters when they were much younger, and only now is she turning her talents to picture books. Chris Mould is a very experienced illustrator, with over 20 books to his name, and his spiky style is ideal for the evil Virginia and her plotting – this book is fun to read and shares with its young readers some important reminders about being nice, to everyone…
Diana Barnes
Who Rules the Rockpool?
Matty Long, illus. Matty Long, pub. Oxford University Press
This book provides a funny and informative look at the life to be found in a rockpool.
The central characters are Crab and Prawn. The former has a great deal of self-confidence and thinks that he rules the pool, but as Prawn points out, they are the only creatures in the pool. When a giant wave moves them into a deeper pool, they can see that there are many other sea creatures that might be a threat. Crab still maintains his confidence and is willing to fight larger foes, but surprisingly they all say that they are not rulers of the pool. It is only when he comes across a giant octopus that Crab realizes that he has met the true ruler and he needs to make his escape.
What a delightful introduction to the hierarchy of animals found along our shoreline. This can be read both as an information book for children in Early Years, but it is also a wonderful tale about not being too overconfident and when it is best to use a bit of discretion and hide.
There are some brilliant puns to be found lurking in the story and they are bound to raise a chuckle from the adult readers, for example when saying something that “Prawn thought was crackers.” The illustrations themselves are bright, clear, and full of energy; I particularly enjoyed the emotions that the author has been able to portray in images of Crab and Prawn. This will make a great addition to the nursery or KS1 classroom and will work so well before, or after, a visit to the beach.
Margaret Pemberton
