Time for Bed, Little One

Author:  Caroline Pitcher

Illustrator: Tina Macnaughton

Year: 2009

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 28

ISBN: 978-1-84506-834-9

Here’s yet another work of art (for lack of a better phrase) featuring a happy, little Fox who’s reluctant to go to bed. He wants to squeeze in a little more play time before he sleeps and scampers off into the woods to find a playmate. He wanders about meeting many busy animals who've just started their day and have no time for the little Fox. He's disappointed until he finds little Badger, who like the Fox, sleeps when the sun rises.

Fox now has a friend to play with when the rest of the world is asleep!

This could make a good bedtime story but is unusual in that the colors are bright and vibrant thanks to paintings on each page that boast of resplendent grasslands and woods, each scenario shimmering radiantly in the morning light. The paintings are truly splendid.

Excerpt

“Catch me if you can!” she cried and dashed down the tree, shaking her shimmering tail.

They raced into the woods, through the crackly bracken …

…scattering the leaves and leaping over logs.

The woods were rich with the smell of feathers and fur and peppery leaves. 

Taste - The senses

Author: Mandy Suhr

Illustrator: Mike Gordon

Year: 1993

Publisher: Wayland Publishers, London

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 0 75025 279 9

The kids enjoyed this book quite a bit even though it’s not a ‘storybook’.

The witty text and catchy illustrations elevate this book from a mere science book to a fun book that kids will enjoy.

I also liked the fact that the book is not just limited to humans but also touches on how some animals taste their foods.

This series ought to be a great find for little kindergarten libraries and of course, for parents who like to collect books for their little ones. :-)

Excerpt

Some things taste sweet.

Some things taste salty.

Some things taste sour or bitter.

Some foods taste really good when they are tasted together!

The Bobbsey Twins: Freddie and Flossie at the Beach

Author: Laura Lee Hope

Illustrator: Chuck Pyle

Year: 2005

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, USA

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978-1-41690-268-6

Website: Ready to Read

This is a Ready-to-read series Pre-Level  1 book. It’s a fantastic book for new readers and encourages little ones to pursue reading thanks to the use of familiar words and phrases that are repeated several times through the book. The sentences are very simple too!

Freddie and Flossie are at the beach with Snap their energetic dog. They splash about in the waves, play tag, build sand castles until it’s time to go.

By the way, the illustrations explain what the text of the story skips out.

Excerpt

They build a sand castle.

Snap helps.

Oh no! 

They play tag.

Snap plays too.

Oh,no! 

Tilly’s Holiday

Author: Nadine Walter

Illustrator: Marjolein Pottie, Wikipedia

Year: 2005

Publisher: Myriad Books Ltd., London

Age: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 84746 113 1

Tilly the fly is bored and decides to go on a holiday against the advice of her friends. She seems to have an answer for every obstacle on the way to the holiday.

After some misadventures, including landing in a cowpat and later into a dog’s soup bowl, Tilly finds friends and a place to be.

Excerpt

The ball of wool suddenly bounces up and spits at her.

“Hisss! Hisss!” It’s a cat!

A big ginger cat with twitching whiskers.

“Oh no!” Tilly says as she is knocked on to the sitting room carpet. 

Can’t you sleep, Dotty?

By Tim Warnes

Year: 2001

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978-1-85430-757-6

This is a bedtime story of a little puppy named Dotty. She can’t get to sleep because she’s in a new home. So she embarks on a little howling mission. Soon, the other animals in the house arrive to investigate and with their own well-intended pieces of advice.

Dotty faithfully follows their advice but she still can’t sleep. Then, Tommy the tortoise comes up with a great idea. Soon, the friends are fast asleep.

It is a sweet story with tender illustrations to match. And then, it’s a bedtime story too!

Excerpt

Tommy the tortoise poked his head from out of his shell.

“Can’t you sleep, Dotty?” he sighed. “I like to sleep where it’s bright and sunny.”

Dotty liked the idea and turned on her torch!

“Turn it off, Dotty!” shouted all her friends. “We can’t get to sleep now!”

Poor Dotty was too tired to try anything else. 

Touching: Super Senses

By Mary Mackill

Year: 2006

Publisher: Raintree Publishers, UK

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 40620 023 9

This is yet another ‘science-made-fun’ book from the Read and Learn series. The book employs easy-to-read text and brightly-colored photographs to introduce children to the sense of touch and its care.

Excerpt

Your skin can feel soft things like this pillow.

A slide is hard and smooth.

Would you like to go down a slide that is rough?

Other titles in this series:

• Hearing
• Seeing
• Smelling
• Special Animal Senses
• Tasting 

Milly and Molly’s Monday

Author: Gill Pittar

Illustrator: Cris Morrell

Year: 2001

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978-0-95822-088-3

Website: Milly Molly.com

It’s the first day of school for Milly and Molly. They are apprehensive about leaving their beloved cats behind but are assured by the grown-ups: “It’s surprising how a cat can fill its day.”

Sure enough, when they get back from school, their cats have not missed them at all. And there’s a surprise waiting for them, too!

Excerpt

Milli and Molly sit at the back of the school bus. Marmalade and Tom Cat can hardly bear to look.

“Don’t worry about Marmalade and Tom Cat,” says the kind bus driver.

“It’s surprising how a cat can fill its day.”

Life Cycles – From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Author: Sally Hewitt

Year: 2004

Publisher: QED Publishing, UK

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 84538 083 5

This book belongs to the QED Start Talking Series designed to “stimulate the imagination and encourage children to interact with the books while developing their own vocabulary.”*

This book on butterflies has incredibly detailed photographs that explain the life cycle in full-color and vivid imagery.

Excerpt

The hungry caterpillar grows and grows.

It looks too hairy for these baby birds to eat!

*Quoted from the book’s cover

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh - Lost in the wood

Based on the Pooh Stories by A A Milne

Year: 2003

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 28

ISBN: 978-0-7214-2432-5

This is a book for young readers from Ladybird Books' First Readers series featuring Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, based on the works of A. A. Milne.

Rabbit is annoyed with Tigger’s constant bouncing and decides on a plan to get him to stop bouncing.

Rabbit’s plan doesn't quite go well and he ends up lost in the woods. Kind-hearted Tigger comes to Rabbit’s rescue and brings him back home, bouncing, of course. 

I’m partial to adorable Winnie the Pooh. So, yes, I’m going to recommend it for your little one's library.

Excerpt

Tigger bounced back.

“Where are you?” he said.

Tigger didn’t see Rabbit, Piglet and Pooh.

He bounced off again.

“Let’s go home,” said Rabbit.