Come on, Daisy

By Jane Simmons

Year: 2004

Publisher: Orchard Books, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84362 272 6

Here’s another book for stragglers. Every family has one and this might serve as a cautionary tale.

Daisy and her mum are on their way back home. Mama Duck constantly cautions Daisy to stay close but she seems distracted by the frogs, the dragonflies and is soon engrossed in bouncing across lily pads. In all that splosh and splash, Daisy doesn’t realize that her mum’s far away and she’s all by herself. The frogs and the dragonflies have vanished too...

Of course, the story ends well, but, a lesson's learned as well.   

Excerpt

“You must stay close, Daisy,” said Mamma Duck.

“I’ll try,” said Daisy.

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.

Patrick Paints a Picture

Text: Saviour Pirotta, Wikipedia

Illustrations: Linzi West

Year: 2007

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, London

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Educational, Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84507 719 8

Little Patrick and his aunt are painting a golden yellow cornfield when a red squirrel brightens the landscape. The squirrel is soon accompanied by a bluebird, a butterfly, a green frog, a lamb and more.

This exciting book on colors engages the imagination of little children to make for a wholesome reading and learning experience.

A big thumbs up! :-)

Excerpt

Patrick and Aunt Emily were sitting in the shade of a tree.

“Let’s paint a picture of that cornfield,” said Aunt Emily.

Hoppy Ever After!

Text: Alan Durant

Illustrations: Sue Mason

Year: 2007

Publisher: Zero to Ten Ltd., London

Age: 2 to 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Books, Paperback

ISBN:  978 1 84089 579 7

This happy tale of a happy frog was first published as Froggy went a Hopping.

Meet Froggy, a deliriously happy frog who wants to share his happiness with someone. He gets shooed away by the busy bees, funny bunnies and the beautiful birds. He comes back home and finds a surprise companion to be “Hoppy ever after” with.

The little ones loved this book because of all the “tweet, tweet” and “croak, ribbit” that they got to do while reading this book.

Excerpt

The sky darkened and the stars came out.

Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle.

Froggy’s fingers itched and his webby toes twitched.

He wanted to twinkle too. 

Very Special Friends: Down by the River

By Jane Chapman 

Year: 2012

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 84895 305 5

Here’s another magical book from Jane Chapman on friendship, happiness and the sheer joy of contentment.

Mouse awaits her Special Friends by the riverside. As she waits, Rabbit decides to wait with her. They are joined by Frog and eventually, Turtle. The four of them have a lovely day by the riverside and realize at the end that Mouse’s Special Friends never did come by.

But they did, didn't they? :-)

The book captures the passing of a beautiful day with elegant prose. And, the paintings make this book a collector’s item. Simply beautiful!

Excerpt

“Just the weather for waiting,” smiled Frog. “Can I join you?”

Sunshine speckled the trees.

Caterpillars munched lazily in the leaves.

A single cloud drifted in the blue, blue sky. 

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. 

Clever Little Fairy

Author: Nicola Baxter

Illustrator: David Pace

For Ages: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 28

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Year: 1998

ISBN: 978-0-72141-991-6

We have all been astonished, at times, when we find answers to problems in unexpected ways and places. 

Bella Mirella, is almost ready for fairy school but she needs to learn a few spells before she joins. A doubling spell is supposed to be simple, at least, according to her mother but Bella has a tough time with it.

After a series of misadventures, including turning her little sister, Tina Marina, into a frog, she realizes that it’s easy when you are just yourself. In her case, she just had to be a fairy to do all that a fairy ought to be able to do.

Excerpt

Bella Mirella was so shocked that she had to sit down. What had she done? And how?

“Oh no, this will mean double trouble,” thought Bella Mirella.

And just as the words slipped through her mind…

PING!

There were two frogs!

Little by Little

Author: Amber Stewart

Illustrator: Layn Marlow

For Ages: 3 to 7

No. of Pages: 28

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Year: 2008

ISBN: 978-0-54506-163-6

Meet Scramble, an otter, that errr… cannot swim! He can do forward roly-polys, slippery rock hopping, mud sliding and everything else that an otter ought to do but swim.

That is, until his sister has a brainwave.

‘You have got to start small,’ she says. Soon Scramble can swim and even tumble under-water.

The story did make me wonder if this story can be used to motivate children to learn swimming. Just a thought.

It’s inspiring in its own way especially for little children as they now begin to cope with the rigors and challenges of school. ‘Starting small’ can be an incredible learning for children as they learn to overcome obstacles in academics and relationships.   

Excerpt

So, on that Monday, Scramble started small. He hopped along the river bed, keeping his toes off the bottom just that bit longer every time.

On Tuesday, he did higher hops and floating (with holding on) in between.

On Wednesday, Scramble did floating with no holding on.

And, on Thursday, he did a little kicking and then a lot of kicking to the Halfway Stone. 

Dawdle Duckling

Author: Toni Buzzeo

Illustrator: Margaret Spengler

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 32

Publisher: Puffin Books, USA

Year: 2005

ISBN: 978-014240-277-1

It’s an idyllic life – Mama Duck paddling away (sporting a smart hat tied down with a purple sash!) and three little ducklings swimming behind. But wait, there’s a fourth little duckling that “dawdles and dreams, preens and plays, splashes and spins.”

Almost, every family has a dawdle duckling. It seemed a little extreme that I used this colorful, rhyming book to alert our family's dawdler but then there are worse things than crocodiles out there in the real world.  

Excerpt

Past the marsh with the cattails waving, one Mama Duck paddles and quacks.

One, two, three ducklings swim behind, but the fourth little duckling dawdles and dreams, preens and plays, splashes and spins, dunks and dips.

“Quack! Catch up!” says Mama Duck.

Dawdle Duckling nibbles a tasty fly.

“NO! Quack! Quack! I won’t catch up!”

The Frog Prince (Usborne Young Reading)

Retold by Susanna Davidson       

Illustrator: Mike Gordon

For Ages: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 48

Publisher: Usborne Publishing, England

Year: 2005

ISBN: 978 0 74607 023 9

Meet Princess Poppy who, while playing with her golden ball, meets a cheeky, talking frog. Of course, we all know how that ends.

This book from the Usborne Young Reading series makes a delightful read for young children.

According to the publishers, this timeless fairy tale has been around since the thirteenth century. The Grimm Brothers retold the tale we know so well.

Excerpt

“Are you all right?” she whispered.

“Yes,” croaked the frog, carefully feeling his head.

“I didn't mean to hurt you,” said Poppy. “I’m so sorry.” And she bent down and kissed him.

There was a loud crash of thunder, followed by a shower of sparks. The frog had vanished. In his place stood a handsome young prince.

“At last!” shouted the Prince. “I’m human again. No more slimy skin, no more webbed feet, no more flies…” 

Frog’s flicky licky tongue

Author: Jillian Harker

Illustrator: Simon Abbott

Year: 2002

Publisher: Bright Sparks, UK

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 84250 534 3

Here’s another happy story from Goosefeather Farm.

Meet Frog, apparently a novice at catching flies. Instead of flies, his tongue hits Duck on the head, gets tangled in Horse’s mane, scares little Kitten and, generally, is a bother to the animals of the farm.

Finally, all the animals get together to help teach Frog how to catch flies but the task is easier said than done. 

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

“Well,” said Cow, “have any of you ever caught a fly?”

There was silence.

“Exactly!” said Cow.

“But you don’t eat flies!” said Duck.

“No,” giggled Cow. “But they bother me all the time.”

Flying Feet – A mud flat story

By James Stevenson

Year: 2004

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Age: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 48

ISBN: 978-0-06051-976-2

It’s a tough world out there but you don’t give up, ever. That has to be the most poignant message to come from this story. 

The residents of Mud Flats are bowled over when the dazzling team of Ted and Tonya arrive to put on a dance show. There are auditions and rehearsals with money pouring into the dancing team’s pockets.

Sadly, the animals of Mud Flat discover that Ted and Tonya were just out for their money when they sneak off into the night before the show.

The story, happily, doesn’t end there. And that, makes this a story of hope, kindness and neighborliness.

Excerpt

There was a big crowd in front of the post office.

Stan climbed on top of Neddy to get a better view.

“Oh wow!” said Stan.

Two dancers in fancy clothes were tap-dancing on the back of a van. Their feet moved so fast that Stan could hardly see them.

The crowd clapped.