Teacup in a storm

Text: Lucy M George

Illustrations: Il Sung Na

Year: 2009

Publisher: Meadowside Children’s Books, London 

Age: 2 – 4 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture Book, Paperback

ISBN: 978 1 84539 363 2

Even if the intriguing title doesn’t tease your grey cells a bit, then the cheery teacup on the cover will certainly draw you into an unlikely and, sometimes, mysterious journey of adventure and discovery. The mystique is compelling but then you learn it is but a ‘teacup in a storm.’ :-)

The illustrations don’t give you a clue as to how the tale ends too… Hmmm…

Excerpt

They went on a very long voyage together.

Through the stormy seas they sailed.

On wild and foaming waves they rode.

They went practically around the world. 

Topsy and Tim go to the zoo

By Jean and Gareth Adamson

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Year: 1960

ISBN: 978-1-40930-084-7

Television show: CBeebies

Topsy and Tim are a couple of lively children through whom children get to learn about school, going out, friends and a whole lot of new experiences.

Enjoy a trip to the zoo with Topsy and Tim as they get to meet several animals but are happy to come back hometo their loving pets.

Excerpt

‘Look!’ said Tim. ‘Horses in football jerseys.’ The zebras showed how they could kick. One kicked another with his back hooves.

‘We don’t want those zebras at home,’ said Dad. ‘They might kick us.’ 

Milly, Molly and Sock Heaven

Text: Gill Pittar

Illustrations: Cris Morrell

Year: 2002

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Age: 4 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture Book, Life Skills Education

ISBN:  942 1 00960 025 0

Milly and Molly are best friends. Their adventures are inspirational, educational and encouraging  for little ones. 

In “…Sock Heaven”, Milly and Molly investigate the case of a missing sock. As always, Gill Pittar injects gentle humor and zing.  

Excerpt

And Farmer Hegarty’s socks looked far too big and woolly.

Doctor’s Smiley’s socks were black.

Bush Bob’s socks were stripey. 

Topsy and Tim go to the park

By Jean and Gareth Adamson

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 30

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Year: 2003

ISBN: 978-1-90435-122-1

Television show: CBeebies

Topsy and Tim are a couple of lively children through whom children get to learn about school, going out, friends and a whole lot of new experiences.

This is just the right book to teach children on all that they’ll encounter and how to play safely in a park.  

Excerpt

‘Now let’s have a go on the seesaw', said Tim, when they were tired of swinging. Topsy and Kerry sat at one end of the seesaw and Tim sat at the other, but Tim got stuck up in the air.

The seesaw wouldn’t work with all three on it together, so they had to take turns. Then they all went down the slide together.

Papa Bear goes on Diet

By Maggie Wee-Ha

Year: 2003

Publisher: System Publishing, Malaysia

Age: 4 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture book

Papa Bear has been cautioned by his doctor about being overweight. So Mama Bear is enthusiastic in her efforts to help him lose weight. Papa Bear is cut-off from his honey drink, honey chicken and chocolate milk.

He’s a good sport though and perseveres with his goal to become healthy. 

Excerpt

Papa Bear ate his breakfast silently.

His family ate their breakfast happily.

“You always make a delicious breakfast on Sundays, Mama,” said Little Bessy

Papa Bear sighed. 

The Pink Party

Author: Maryann Macdonald

Illustrator: Judy Stead

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 36

Publisher: Scholastic, New York

Year: 2012

ISBN: 978-0-76145-814-2

Childhood is usually about strong bonds of friendship, and sometimes this magical journey gets confusing when the little green worm of envy strikes at inopportune moments like at your best friend’s birthday party or when she gets a new toy. Every parent has been acquainted with this dilemma as a child and probably relives it again through their children’s eyes. Most of us, unwisely, choose to simply brush this matter away as childishness. NOT a good idea. Which is why, I recommend this book.

Meet Rose and Valentina, best friends, lovers of pink and all it's vibrant hues. They secretly aspire to make the whole world pink, even their teeth! Throw in a pretty bag, a hand-made lunchbox, a rocking chair, a magic wand, a princess dress, a crown - all in pink building up to a theme party to honor their favorite color, you have a recipe for envy. The author deftly handles the issue without compromising on the friends’ individuality or airbrushing their emotions.  

Excerpt

She rocked in her pink rocker on her porch and tried to feel better, even though she could hear her friends having fun next door.

She rocked and rocked until all of their friends had said goodbye. Then she heard a voice from the other side of the hedge.

“The party’s over,” Valentina said.

Rose pretended she didn’t hear. 

The Teeny-Tiny Woman (Puffin Young Readers – Level 2)

Retold by Harriet Ziefert, Wikipedia

Illustrations: Laura Rader

Year: 1995

Publisher:  PuffinYoung Readers, New York

Age: 4 - 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Educational

ISBN:  978 0 44849 481 4

We picked up this book to help our kindergartner with her reading skills and then we weren't so sure.

It almost sounds like a ghost story. There are a few creepy bits. Do read it before you do so for your little one. 

Hint: There’s a graveyard and a bone…

Excerpt

The teeny-tiny woman said, “This teeny-tiny bone will make a teeny-tiny soup for my teeny-tiny supper.”

Brown Bread and Honey

By Pamela Allan

For Ages: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Puffin Books, Australia 

Year: 2001

ISBN: 978-0-14056-825-7

It’s rare to see a children’s book tackle gluttony and here’s one of those.  The story features a king who has a lot of time on his hands, and the means to live lazily. His over-riding passion is to get his chefs to cook delicacies and sample them. Until, one day, things take a turn for the worse.

In comes a stable boy, who shares his humble lunch of brown bread and honey and soon, all’s right with the king’s world.

In a world, where greed is promoted on a large scale, it might just help if parents introduce their children to this danger before they come face to face with it. This book certainly shows the way.

Excerpt

He groaned and he moaned.

‘OOOOOH! AAAAAH! OOOOOOH!’

Now that he was SO miserable and SO tired that he didn’t want to see another pie, pudding or pavlova, ever again.

He blamed the food. He blamed the cooks.

‘It’s all your fault,’ he shouted. ‘You’re sacked!’

So the sacked cooks packed their bags and went away.

Cat Show (Puffin Young Readers – Level 2)

Text: Jayne Harvey

Illustrations: Tamara Petrosino

Year: 2003

Publisher: Puffin Books, New York

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture book, educational

ISBN:  978 0 44846 295 0

Here’s another “cat” book for young ones with plenty of familiar “first words” like number names and colors, to encourage them to read.

The story features the attempts of a bunch of kids’ to host a ‘cat show.’ They try to group the cats in various ways – size, stripes, color of eyes and finally, fur color but nothing works. When a mouse joins the show, pandemonium breaks out!

Excerpt

There are five cats with green eyes.

There are five cats with blue eyes.

Oh no! Some of the cats with green eyes want to run around. 

Other titles in this series

• Level - 1: A new friend
• Level - 1: At the beach 
• Level - 1: Ice Cream Soup
• Level - 1: Max has a Fish, Review here
• Level - 1: Nicky Upstairs and Down 
• Level - 1: Play with Blue
• Level - 1: Tiny goes camping 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Birthday Dog 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Snow Dog 

• Level - 2: Cowboy Roy, Review here
• Level - 2: Madeline and her dog, Review here
• Level - 2: Princess Buttercup, Review here
• Level - 2: Red, White and Blue
• Level - 2: Shape Spotters, Review here 
• Level - 2: Snug Bug, Review here
• Level - 2: Spider's Lunch, Review here
• Level - 2: The Cow in the House, Review here
• Level - 2: The Garden that we grew  
• Level - 2: Who stole the cookies?, Review here

• Level - 3: Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses
• Level - 3: Amanda Pig on her own
• Level - 3: Why do birds sing?