Duck's scoopy doopy beak

Author: Jillian Harker

Illustrator: Simon Abbott

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Bright Sparks, UK

Year: 2002

ISBN: 978-1-84250-533-5

Welcome to Goosefeather farm, a warm and happy place. With delightful, brightly illustrated pages, the book deserves a place in your library.

It is Duck’s first day at Goosefeather Farm and its other residents find it hard to accept the differences between themselves and their newest member especially her beak.

Soon, they realize that the duck not only has a heart of gold but her beak comes to the rescue of Hen’s eggs, Cat’s kittens and Horse’s oats.

The Goosefeather Farm series is a colorful and cheery means to introduce children to diversity and to help them appreciate the unique differences that make each of us special.  

Excerpt

Cat, Hen and Horse gathered in the farmyard.

“Duck really does look silly,” said Cat.

“We agree,” said Horse and Hen. “What is the point of having a beak that’s so big?”

The three friends nodded to each other, but they were all soon to find out!

A Pet for a Princess: Step into Reading - 2

Text: Melissa Lagonegro

Illustrations: Atelier Philippe Harchy

Year: 2005

Publisher: Random House Children's Books, New York

Website: Step into reading

Age: 4 - 5 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Educational 

ISBN:  978 0 73642 280 3

This delightful Disney Princess book inspired by the beloved blockbuster Aladdin features Princess Jasmine and her very first encounter with Rajah, the pet tiger given as a gift by the king.

This is a Step into Reading Level - 2 book. The small sentences and full-page illustrations encourage children to indulge in reading.

Excerpt

Jasmine and Rajah did many things together.

They sat in the sun.

They watched butterflies.

They played lots of games.

Jasmine took good care of Rajah. 

Milly, Molly and the Bike Ride

Author: Gill Pittar

Illustrator: Cris Morrell

For Ages: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 24

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Year: 2003

ISBN: 978-1-86972-046-9

Milly and Molly, good friends, are on their way to Milly’s grandparents’ house for lunch. On the way, they have fun – whispering with the ladybirds, fluttering with butterflies and more, until they are just in time for lunch.

Excerpt

They stopped to clamber with the goats and chew the cud with the cows.

“We can’t be late.”

“We mustn’t be late.”

Milly and Molly rode on. 

Sherman is a Slowpoke

Text: Mitchell Sharmat

Illustrations: David Neuhaus

Year: 1988

Publisher: Scholastic Inc., New York

Age: 6 - 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture book

ISBN:  978 0 59040 938 7

This is the first time, I've seen a sloth (that too the pre-historic kind!) as the central figure in a children’s book. Naturally, the slow pace of the animal is used to create some hilarious situations.

Meet Sherman the sloth who has spent all his life eating and sleeping around the family tree. When he meets Alice, another sloth who goes to Mr. Mammoth’s school, Sherman wants to join too. He wants to learn to think, too. :-)

Except that it takes more than a day to get there and his parents aren't too keen on his new idea, either.

Sherman makes it to school and despite jibes from his class-mates, he has a thought too. It’s what he wanted to learn!

Excerpt

“Sloths are always happy,” said his father, “as long as the leaves are green and the water is clean.”

“I want more,” said Sherman.

“I want to do things. I want to think. I want to go to school!”

The Magic Treacle Jug

Author: Enid Blyton

Illustrator: Pam Storey

For Ages: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 20

Publisher: Grandreams Books, UK

Year: 2002

ISBN: 978-0-75540-907-5

Meet sneaky Miggle doing what he ought not to – peering through somebody’s window. When the window belongs to Mother Tick-Tock’s home, it can only spell a lot of trouble. Poor Miggle, gets into one sticky mess after another until he admits his mistake to Mother Tick Tock who then sets things right but not without extracting a punishment.  

Excerpt

Mother Tick-Tock, coming back from visiting her friend, was astonished too. But she knew in a trice what had happened.

“Miggle’s borrowed my Treacle-Jug!” she said. “I saw him peeping through the window when I used it the other night. The mean, thieving little fellow!”

Noisy Neighbours (I am Reading)

Text: Nicola Moon

Illustrations: Liz Million

Year: 2003

Publisher: Kingfisher Publications, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 48

Book Type: Chapter book for new readers, Paperback

ISBN:  978 0 75341 143 1

The I am Reading series is the perfect stepping stone for young readers as they move on from picture books to chapter books. 

This book has two stories. Noisy Neighbors is about accommodating and adjusting with neighbors while Just in Time is about helping one another.

By the way, the neighbors in question are quite the odd combination – George the panda, Louis the rhinoceros who also plays the trumpet and Harriet, a dog, I think, who loves to go Vroom-Vroom-Whirr on her motorbike.

Excerpt from Just in Time

The next few days seemed very long. Louis couldn't concentrate on playing his trumpet.

Harriet couldn't concentrate on fixing her bike.

George couldn't concentrate on anything at all. He thought he would burst with waiting. 

Noah and the Ark

Illustrator: Chris Rothero

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 24

Publisher: Award Publications, London

Year: 1994

ISBN: 978-9-65483-007-2

This ‘see and say’ retelling of the biblical story engages even toddlers in the reading too, in a very creative way.  It simply replaces key words with images where parents can pause and allow the child say the name of the picture. Images within the text include Noah, ark, window, mountains and several animals.

Our 2-year-old was delighted to be able to ‘read’.

Excerpt

In seven days down came the rain. And how it rained! It rained and rained until all the land was covered with water. The (ark) rose higher and higher in the flood. Soon the tops of the (mountains) were covered.

The (ark) bobbed about like a cork and inside Noah and his family were perfectly dry.

The rains stopped at last and (Noah’s) wonderful (ark) came to rest on top of a mountain.

Brown Bear gets in Shape (I am Reading)

Text: Alan Durant

Illustrations: Annabel Hudson

Year: 2003

Publisher: Kingfisher Publications, London

Age: 4 to 8 years

No. of Pages: 48

Book Type: Chapter book for new readers

ISBN:  978 0 75341 138 5

One gets to see hundreds of bears when reading children’s books – it’s a favorite with most authors.

The adorable little Brown Bear here is no exception. This book from the I am Reading series is ideal for young readers who are ready to graduate from picture books to the next level.

Brown Bear in the Dark is about tackling imaginary fears. Brown is startled awake by a crash and a thump! He soon imagines the worst, from a bear-eating-monster to theorizing that the sun has fallen out of the sky.

Brown Bear gets in Shape chronicles Brown Bear's futile attempts to get his tubby tummy in shape. Soon, he gets talking to his friends and each one has a suggestion for him. He goes on different diets and sees no change. His kindly friends, then, help him realize that bears are meant to have tubby tummies.

Excerpt

“My tummy is still round and tubby. I’ll never be able to change my shape.”

Bunny looked at Brown Bear. “Brown Bear,” she said, “I like your shape. It’s, well, bear-shaped.”

Christmas at the Toy Museum

Author and Illustrator: David Lucas

For Ages: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 28

Publisher: Walker Books, London

Year: 2011

ISBN: 978-0-76365-868-7

This is, in every sense of the word, a picture book with painting-quality illustrations that stretch from corner to corner.

This story reinforces the glorious message of Christmas through a fairytale of toys in a museum on Christmas Eve. They rush in anticipation to the tree only to find no presents for any of them. That is, until Bunting, a woolly cat, has an idea that ensures every toy gets a present.

Excerpt

High above, the angel smiled.

She had known this would happen, of course.

She spread her shining wings and flew down from the top of the tree.

The toys gasped.

“Happy Christmas!” she said and handed Bunting a golden box tied with a golden ribbon.