Playhouse

Text: Robert Munsch

Illustrations: Michael Martchenko

Year: 2002

Publisher: Scholastic, Canada

Age:  5 - 10 years

No. of Pages: 30

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN: 978 0 43998 959 6

Rene, an ambitious little girl asks her dad to build her a playhouse. He builds her a wonderful two-storey playhouse with real windows and a slide.

After a week, though, Rene feels the playhouse would be complete if it had a play barn. Soon, chickens and a play cow are moved to the barn accompanied by her dad's tractor and the bulldozer.

After a month, Rene decides that her playhouse misses a play mommy and play daddy. And that’s when, her parents decide that Rene’s ambitions needs to be handled. :-)

This rib-tickling book is yet another gem from the Munsch-Martchenko duo. :-)

A big thumbs up!

Excerpt

One day, Rene went to her father and said, "Pleeeeeease make me a playhouse! Our farm is way out in the middle of the woods, and I have nobody to play with except my little brothers. I need a playhouse.”

You’re Too Small!

Text: Shen Roddie

Illustrations: Steve Lavis

Year: 2004

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN: 978 1 85430 965 5

Little Pip wakes up to a wonderful morning. He wants to help out his busy friends at the farm. The other animals, however, find that he’s too small – pig thinks he might get squashed under the marrows, Goat says he’ll get lost in the hay and Goose knows he’s too small to sit on her eggs.

Pip finds his niche though. When the animals are locked out of the barn, Pip squeezes in through a tiny hole and opens the door from within. The animals now realize that Pip is just the right size for himself.

Excerpt

Pip woke up all warm and tingly as a dot of sunshine touched his nose.

He peered out of the window.

Hungry Harry

By Joanne Partis

Year: 2000

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN: 978 1 85430 635 9

Little Harry, the frog, is hungry. When he asks his mum for dinner, she encourages him to find his own food.

He’s excited about it until he realizes his prey is quite clever. The dragonfly is too quick, the caterpillar too hairy and the snail lives in a hard shell.

However, his first day of finding his own food ends up to be fulfilling adventure when he finds a picnic! :-)

Excerpt

Harry Frog was feeling hungry.

“What’s for dinner?” he asked his mum.

Dream Animals – A Bedtime Journey

By Emily Winfield Martin

Year: 2013

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books, New York

Age: 5 - 9

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Bedtime, Picture Book

ISBN:  978 0 44981 080 4

This enchanting bedtime book about children’s journeys to Dreamland employs lyrical text to weave a web of dreams and twilight magic.

The illustrations are a combination of pencil sketches and elaborate finely detailed paintings that seem to be infused with life.  

Simply beautiful! :-)

Excerpt

There are animals from long ago

And twice as far away.

Their maps are made of starlight

And can’t be seen by day.

Pig’s curly wurly tail – A Goosefeather Farm Story

Text: Jillian Harker

Illustrations: Simon Abbott

Year: 2002

Publisher: Bright Sparks, UK

Age: 3 - 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84250 535 9

This Goosefeather Farm story is from Bright Sparks who donate one book to less fortunate children for every two sold.

This delightful tale is about self-acceptance, even if some of our attributes don’t seem to have any purpose. Like poor little Pig. He’s under the weather about his tail.

His tail doesn’t seem to be able to flick off flies like Cow’s or be of any use to him. Soon, he’s flooded with advice and help from Goose, Lamb and Horse. Eventually, they realize that Pig’s tail is unique and what's more, he has won the competition for the best tail on the farm. :-)

This friendly book, with its large print and bright, happy illustrations, belongs in your library if you have little ones. 

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

Pig stood up.

“Why?” he asked. “I can’t flick it. It doesn’t waggle. It won’t swing and it’s not sleek or straight. It’s a … useless tail! How could it possibly be the best tail on the farm?”

Other Goosefeather Farm titles are

• Cow's ding dong bell
• Frog's flicky licky tongue
• Duck's scoopy doopy beak

Daisy and the Beastie

By Jane Simmons

Year: 2000

Publisher: Orchard Books, London

Age: 4 - 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84362 274 1

Daisy has just heard her favorite story about a Beastie on a farm. She teams up with Pip to look for it on their farm. They look in the chicken coop, among the geese, in the barn, in the meadow, the pigsty and the orchard.

They, finally, hear strange noises from the shed and think they’ve found the Beastie …

Young children will find this book lively as they’ll get to make a whole lot of animal noises – coo, chirp, wee, buzz, beep and more! :-)

Excerpt

“The Beastie might be with the chickens,” said Daisy.

“Cheep, cheep,” chirped the chicks.

“Cheep,” said Pip.

“… or hiding with the geese.”

“Beep! Beep!” said the goslings. 

Happy Birthday Santa!

Author: Gillian Rogerson

Illustrator: Ingela Peterson

Year: 2005

Publisher: Gullane Children’s Books, Great Britain

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 26

ISBN: 978 1 86233 761 9

We’re all used to stories and movies about Santa bringing gifts for children. This book, though, is a rarity, in that somebody actually looks out for Santa and brings him gifts in the middle of the night.

Meet Sylvie, an elf and Rudolph , a reindeer who suddenly realize they don’t know when Santa’s birthday is. Strangely, neither do the Chief Elf nor Rudolph’s old Uncle Bert at The Reindeer Retirement Home. The duo has quite an adventure but their persistence finally pays off.

I liked this book because it's about giving gifts to Santa when it’s usually the other way around. The story ever so subtly hints at determination and persistence, qualities that our children are rarely exposed to in this 'instant' age. 

Excerpt

Sylvie and Rudolph found the Wise Old Owl getting ready for a night out.

“Excuse me, Owl,” said Sylvie. “Do you know when Santa’s birthday is?”

“No, my dear, I don’t,” said the owl.

Sylvie and Rudolph sighed. 

Who’s for dinner?

Author: Claire Freedman

Illustrator: Nick East

Year: 2012

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 84895 488 5

Simply hilarious. Must read. And see, I might add – the illustrations are uproarious too!

City Fox lands up at a friendly little farm where Hen, Duck, Lamb and Bull live ‘hap-hap-happy’ lives.  

Terrified at the prospect of ending up as the City Fox’s meal, the farm animals come together to outfox the predator. :-)

Excerpt

Fox trembled in terror.

“You? A ch-ch-chicken?” he whimpered.

“But I thought foxes were meant to EAT chickens!”

Bull snorted and pointed his huge horns right at Fox.

“If foxes EAT chickens,” he bellowed “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?”

Shaggy Dog and the Terrible Itch

Author: David Bedford

Illustrator: Gwyneth Williamson

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 30

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Year: 2001

ISBN: 978-1-84506-313-9

Meet adorable, hairy and itchy Shaggy Dog. He tries to get his friends to help scratch his back but unfortunately, their assistance comes with conditions attached. He rounds up the sheep for Farmer Gertie, washes Merv’s pots and pans. They scratch his back but the relief is temporary until Shaggy Dog walks into Mary Lou’s Poodle Parlour.  

I thought this book was quite clever, in that, the reason for the itch is never once mentioned but the illustrations give away the culprit.

Excerpt

Shaggy Dog washed towers and towers of pots and pans. Bubbles covered his legs and got into his mouth, and when he had finished, his paws were all wrinkly.

Merv used a long fork to scratch Shaggy Dog’s back.

“Ooh, ooh!” said Shaggy Dog. “That’s much better.” 

Said Mouse to Mole

Author: Clare Bevan

Illustrator: Sanja Rescek

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 22

Publisher: QED Publishing, London

Year: 2004

ISBN: 978-1-84538-015-1

If I were to make a list of some of the finer things of life, it would include poetry, paintings and innocence. I would not have thought it possible, but I found all the above packaged beautifully into this lyrical story about two friends, a mouse and a mole.

One fine day, they find themselves gloomy and wish to be somebody else until they realize they are perfect just as they are.

Each page is a painting and the book will brighten up your children’s bookshelf. The story will delight young readers especially those who have been introduced to the concept of rhymes.

It’s one of those rare books that make you want to frame each page up.

Excerpt

Said Mole, “I wish that I could be

Taller than the tallest tree.”

Said Mouse, “But if you grow so tall,

Your little house will be too small.”

Said Mouse, “I wish that I could change

To something beautiful and strange.”

Said Mole, “But if you’re strange and new,

Will you like me? Will I like you?”

Tell me a story, Mummy

Author: Carl Norac

Illustrator: Mei Matsuoka

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 30

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books, London

Year: 2007

ISBN: 978-1-40502-189-0

This bedtime tale is just about that – bedtime and child’s little quirks before going to sleep.

Salsa, a happy little goat, can’t quite go to sleep. She tries to wake the birds, ducks and cows but they are all fast asleep. Finally, she enlists the help of Cork, the sheep who fails to help her.

Finally, Salsa wakes up her mummy. Soon, she's off to sleep, exhausted but happy.    

This book had to have been written by a parent. :-)

Excerpt

Now Salsa’s mummy was really cross.

“I've had enough of this, Salsa. What kind of story do you want?”

“I want a sweet, gentle story to send me to sleep,” said Salsa.

“A story as sweet as grass … as sweet as flowers … and as sweet as the evening sun.”

Animal Neighbors - Duck

Author: Stephen Savage

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books, London

Year: 2005

ISBN: 978-1-43584-988-4

The Animal Neighbors series which includes books on bats, swallows and toads, is a good way to introduce children to the animals they see around them.

This book on ducks, specifically the prolific mallard duck, traces its journey from birth with brief snippets about food, habitat and threats.

The language is a bit grown-up so parents will need to be around for the reading when it’s for children younger than 8. The threats section has some disturbing (for very young kids) pictures that might need to be explained by parents to their younger children. (I skipped the page. I was not sure if my tiny tots (2 and 4 years old) were ready to see pictures of dead ducks.)

Excerpt

In towns and cities, mallards can be found on ponds and boating lakes. These ducks are quite happy to live close to humans, where there are fewer natural predators and more food is available, and they nest and rear their young there. 

This and That

Text: Julie Sykes

Illustrations: Tanya Linch

Year: 1996

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 85430 916 1

It’s a beautiful day at the farm and it's just right for Cat’s special surprise. 

She borrows Horse’s stable, straw from Pig, hay from Goat, wool from Sheep, a few feathers from Hen and a purple ribbon from Donkey’s hat. The animals are curious but Cat responds with a cryptic “This and that.” 

They decide to hide in the yard to find out what Cat is up to. They all get a very pleasant surprise.

Excerpt

“May I have a few of your feathers?”

Hen stopped scratching and cocked her head curiously. “You may,” she clucked.

“But whatever for?”

“This and that,” purred Cat.   

Hospital Farm: Daisy the Dizzy Calf (Bright Sparks)

Text: Jackie Andrews

Illustrations: Jacqueline East

Year: 2002

Publisher: Parragon, UK

Age: 3 – 7 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84250 407 9

This Bright Sparks book (which donates one book to less fortunate children for every two sold) is about the Haven Farm Animal Hospital run by Joe and Sally’s parents.

The children help with farm and caring for the animals.

When a little calf called Daisy comes to the farm, she feels left out as the newest occupant. A misunderstanding leads to a misadventure. But all ends well. :-)

Excerpt

The little calf watched all the other animals having lots of fun, playing together.

“Maybe if I practice,” she thought to herself, “I won’t be so wobbly.”

That afternoon, Daisy ran round and round the meadow, jumping over the little stream at the bottom. 

Dewdrop Babies – The Big Storm

Author and Illustrator: Patricia McCarthy

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 12

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books, London

Year: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-55255-652-1

This incredibly enchanting book with sparkly glitter on every page and cherubic dewdrop babies with names like Violet, Sweetpea and Poppy is one of those books your children will want to see and read, over and over again.

Despite its cuteness, the story addresses a critical issue that young ones struggle with – the fear of thunder and lightning. The story acknowledges the fear, (calling it a fire-breathing dragon) addresses it and moves on to the splendid after-effects of a thunder shower – shiny sun and a beautiful rainbow.

Excerpt

1       Sweetpea and Rose join in the game, and soon there are petals flying all over the Great Hall, like giant multi-coloured snowflakes.

Even Violet can’t help laughing when a shower of petals lands on her head.

The Rainbow Babies dance and whirl about until they fall into a tangled sticky heap.

Tom’s Tail

Author: Linda Jennings

Illustrator: Tim Warnes

For Ages: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 28

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Year: 1995

ISBN: 978-1-58925-383-4

Children of the television and Internet era have a huge problem – they are bombarded with messages that seem to indicate that they could be really happy if they changed a wee bit of this or that of themselves. I liked this book, because it addresses just that – accepting yourself for who you are.

Little Tom is a perfectly made piglet but he has a problem with his tail. His kind-hearted farm friends try several remedies until Tom realizes, through a series of mishaps, that his tail is just fine, the way it was meant to be.

This is definitely a book for your personal library.  

Excerpt

“Tell you what,” said Sam, picking himself up.

“Why don’t I take hold of your tail and you can lead me along. That should straighten it!”

So Tom took Sam for a walk, past the pigsties and over the buttercup meadows.

“That’s enough!” squealed Tom. “Let me go!”

PING!

Back sprang the tail to its usual curly-twirly self. 

The Big Pancake

Retold by Nicola Baxter

Illustrator: Tony Kenyon

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

ISBN: 978-0-72141-694-6

This delightful adaptation of a folktale will find echoes with children of most cultures. And, anyway, a rolling-moving pancake is bound to catch the imagination of little minds.

The delightful illustrations make the tale easy to relate to – a mom in tracks and sneakers, a little boy with glasses.

Of course, children’s tales are rarely complete without talking animals, of which there are plenty here.

Excerpt

So, two hungry little boys cracked the eggs and …

two hungry little boys measured the milk and …

two hungry little boys weighed the flour and …

one hungry little boy mixed it all together (and got quite a lot on the floor!).

Milly, Molly and What Was That?

Author: Gill Pittar

Illustrator: Cris Morrell

Year: 2001

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978-1-86972-031-5

Milly and Molly are inseparable friends who constantly learn new things about people, places and important values.

Milly and Molly decide to spend the night with Bunty the ewe in Farmer Hegarty’s barn. After a night of startling sounds – the cricket, the mouse, the owl and other animals – they are each rewarded with a very special gift.

The Milly, Molly series of books (over 30!) are designed to promote healthy character and develop strong foundational values among children. 

Excerpt

“Puk puk, puk puk,”

“What was that?”

“A hen gathering in her chicks,” yawned Bunty. “Snuggle down and close your eyes.”

Flap, flap, flap.

“What was that?”

“Just a bat coming in from the night,” whispered Bunty. “You are perfectly safe.”

Milly, Molly and Salt and Pepper

Author: Gill Pittar

Illustrator: Cris Morrell

Year: 2003

Publisher: Milly Molly Books, New Zealand

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-1-87729-758-8

Milly and Molly are inseparable friends who constantly learn new things together about people, places and important values.

Milly and Molly visit Farmer Hegarty who lets them ride Salt and Pepper, a couple of old but very trusty horses. The children enjoy their day ambling about on the horses with their friends.

The Milly, Molly series of books (over 30!) are designed to promote healthy character and develop strong foundational values among children. 

Excerpt

And then they met Tom and George.

“Can we please come too?” they asked.

Salt and Pepper didn’t mind.

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop.

The day was an amble and a rosy red apple until it was time to go home. 

The GOBBLE GOBBLE MOOOOOO Tractor Book

Author and Illustrator: Jez Alborough

Year: 2010

Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books, London

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-1-93527-966-2

Yes, the book does have an odd name but it really is a simple story of some farm animals who are out to have some silly fun with the farmer’s tractor.

Meet Sheep, the first to get the brilliant idea. Then Cat, Turkey and the rest of the gang use their vocal chords to make a ruckus loud enough to sound like a tractor at full throttle.

A sweet, nutty story guaranteed to keep your little ones engaged. Did I mention, the book has a spread-out that details all the animals up to their ludicrous antics? 

Excerpt

‘Can I come too?’ said Mouse.

‘I can do the wheels! The great big wheels which go round and round with a SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK…

‘Wait for me!’ said Goose. ‘I can do the horn, which shouts, “Get out of the way!”