The Little White Owl

Author:  Tracey Corderoy

Illustrator: Jane Chapman

Year: 2010

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978 1 84895 085 6

We’re all familiar with that one person in our circle who’s content with life and himself. And often, we find that even though we find this person a little out-of-place initially, eventually, we secretly aspire to be like him.

The Little White Owl is the story of a contented, happy bird who’s all alone in the world and his only possessions are a teddy bear and a clock. His favorite food is toast with strawberry jam. He has a favorite branch, too.

One day he decides to explore the world a bit and finds “owls – lovely owls!” Brilliantly colored but prim and proper birds who always sit still for they do not want their feathers ruffled.

They initially attempt to chase the little white owl away because he has no colors. But the owl wins the others over with his fantastical tales of ‘castles, and knights and dragons.’

Soon, the colorful owls can’t seem to get enough of the little white owl. They even follow him to his home and discover that life can be fun if they only allow themselves to have a good time.    

I love the transition in the expressions of the colorful owls. In the first few pages, they are shown morose and burdened. Gradually, the veneer cracks in one, then two and by the last page all the owls are laughing and frolicking in the snow.

This book is just perfect in every way - a charming story and paintings that make you go back to the book, over and over again. 

Excerpt

So the little white owl closed his eyes and magical stories came pouring from his heart!

Colourful tales of castles and knights and dragons with fiery breath and blasting through moonbeams and counting bright stars and tumbling down like a snowflake!

Wild Things! Penguin in the post

Author: Lisa Regan

Illustrator: Kelly Caswell

Year: 2013

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN:  978-1-40817-942-0

I loved this wildlife book for little children. Friendly illustrations, uncluttered text in an engaging font, neat little chapters each with a whacky “You will need” section are some of the reasons why you might want this book for your little one.

And besides, this book is a fund-raising initiative from the Zoological Society of London, a charity that provides help for animals while also running the ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.

Other books in this series include

• Tiger at the door
•  Elephant in the attic
• Giraffe on a sleepover
• Hippo in the house
• Lion who came to lunch
• Monkey in the garden
•  Emu on the loose

Excerpt

Penguins spend most of their time in the ocean.

They eat and play in the water. They come to land to lay their eggs.

You will need

·         To move to the seaside

·         To love the water – as much as your pet!

The very lonely firefly – Puffin Young Readers – Level 2

By Eric Carle

Year: 1995

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, USA

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-0-448-46132-8

Any story about fireflies is guaranteed to catch the attention of any child.

This is the story of a firefly that’s just been born and is looking for other fireflies. In the course of its search, he bumps into several lights – a candle, a torch and even fireworks! He does eventually find a group of fireflies and he’s now got friends.

This book belongs to the Puffin Young Readers series for little ones.

Excerpt

But it was not another firefly.

It was a car’s headlights flooding the night.

The firefly saw many lights and flew toward them. But they were not other fireflies.

They were fireworks sparkling and glittering and shimmering in the night. 

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?

Snuffle and the egg

Author: A. J. Wood

Illustrator: Jonathan Lambert

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 28

Publisher: Templar Publishing, UK

Year: 2008

ISBN: 978-1-74178-713-9

Say hello to Snuffle – as the book begins – a baby elephant as cute as a button, who chances upon an egg. Like every little one who knows that an egg must be handled carefully, if not at all, Snuffle tries his best but ends up, inadvertently, dropping the egg. That’s okay because the egg was ready to hatch anyway. The story ends delightfully.

The illustrator has captured the antics of little ones perfectly especially the part where Snuffle starts to run away when he drops the egg.

I would love to see Snuffle as a television series.

Excerpt

Snuffle picks up the egg very carefully.

He tries moving it around.

He balances it on the end of his trunk …

He blows it gently up in the air.