The Dashing White Cowboy - A Lucky Luke Adventure (14)

By Goscinny and Morris

Year: 2008 (English translation)

Publisher: Cinebook Ltd., Kent

Age: 8 – 10 years

No. of Pages: 46

Book Type: Comic Book

ISBN:  978 1 90546 066 3

Meet Lucky Luke, “the man who shoots faster than his own shadow.” Set in the Wild, Wild West, Lucky Luke, a cool-as-cucumber cowboy chances on a theater group rehearsing. Curious, he follows them into a town to see them perform. He’s puzzled when just before the last act, a robbery occurs. This happens, town after town. They perform and simultaneously, a crime is staged too.  Lucky Luke has to keep his wits about as he tackles a devious criminal.

There’s plenty of humor, wit and hilarious situations to keep young and old engaged. Remember the magic of Asterix comics? It’s all there except set in a different time and place. :-)

In the Shadow of the Derricks - A Lucky Luke Adventure (5)

By Goscinny and Morris

Year: 2007 (English translation)

Publisher: Cinebook Ltd., Kent

Age: 8 – 10 years

No. of Pages: 46

Book Type: Comic Book

ISBN:  978 1 90546 017 5

Meet Lucky Luke, “the man who shoots faster than his own shadow.” Set in the Wild, Wild West, Lucky Luke, the cool-as-cucumber cowboy is sworn in as sheriff of Titusville, a town that’s just discovered oil and plenty of it.

The town, naturally, attracts con artists and men with dubious intentions. It takes all of Lucky Luke’s wits to finish his mission and get rid of the bad people.  

There’s plenty of humor, wit and hilarious situations to keep young and old engaged. Remember the magic of Asterix comics? It’s all there except set in a different time and place. :-)

Ghost Town - A Lucky Luke Adventure (2)

By Goscinny and Morris

Year: 2006

Publisher: Cinebook Ltd., UK

Age: 7 - 10 years

No. of Pages: 46

Book Type: Comic Book

ISBN:  978 1 90546 012 0

Meet Lucky Luke, “the man who shoots faster than his own shadow.” Set in the Wild, Wild West, Lucky Luke, a cool-as-cucumber cowboy unravels the mystery of an isolated and inhospitable town out in the arid desert.

There’s plenty of humor, wit and hilarious situations to keep young and old engaged. Remember the magic of Asterix comics? It’s all there except set in a different time and place. :-)

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.

Madeline in London

Author and Illustrator: Ludwig Bemelmans

For Ages: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 52

Publisher: Scholastic, London

Year: 1996 (First published by Andre Deutsch Ltd. 1962)

ISBN: 978-0-14056-649-9

Television series: Madeline

This classic picture book with its rhyming tale of the wise Miss Clavel, Madeline and her friends almost doubles as a delightful tour guide. The book traces the children’s journey from Paris to London as they go to meet their good friend, Pepito.

And you do get a mini tour of London!

Excerpt

His papa called Paris. “Hello, Miss Clavel,

My little Pepito is not at all well.

He misses you; and he’s lonesome for

Madeline and the little girls next door.

May we request the pleasure of your company –

There’s plenty of room here at our embassy.”

Other Madeline titles

• Mad about Madeline: The Complete Tales
• Madeline's Christmas
• Madeline's Tea Party
• Madeline says Merci: The Always-Be-Polite Book
• A Madeline Treasury

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. 

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. 

Get Well, Good Knight (Puffin Young Readers – Level 3)

Text: Shelley Moore Thomas

Illustrations: Jennifer Plecas

Year: 2002

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, New York

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 48

ISBN:  978 0 44849 489 0

This is a tale of a Good Knight and three little dragons, quite unlike anything we’ve read before. The gallant knight is always on the lookout for poor souls to help.

One night, he finds three sick dragons and comes to their aid. After a couple of yucky concoctions from the Wizard, he turns to his mother (after all, mothers know best!) who makes chicken soup that is eagerly slurped down by the dragons.

Excerpt

He galloped through the forest.

He stirred the soup round and round and round again.

“Give this to your dragons,” said the wizard.

“It is scaly, snail-y soup. This will make them well.”

“Thank you. I will,” said the Good Knight. 

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?

Horse up a Tree

Author: Martin Waddell

Illustrator: Jonathan Allen

Year: 2006

Publisher: Big Cat Collins, London

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 0 00723 596 4

Now this was a great “sounds” book for our toddler from the Collins Big Cat Phonics Series (Yellow Band 3). The children got to say “Quack-quack! Cluck-cluck! Baa-baa!” with every turn of a page and they wanted to read it over and over again.

A horse has got stuck up a tree. The farmer and his animals try to help the stranded horse down. They use a ladder, then a rope and so on. When all attempts fail, gravity comes to the rescue.

Excerpt

Farmer got some hay.

“Jump on the hay!” Farmer said to Horse.

They all jumped on the hay to show Horse what to do.

Quack-quack! Cluck-cluck! Baa-baa!

Horse looked at the ground far below.

Horse shook his mane and said nay!

Other books in this series include:

• Cat and dog in a mess
• Frog or toad?
• Hansel and Gretel
• How to grow a beanstalk
• Muck it up!
• Puff the pup
• Sam and the nut

The Cow in the House – Puffin Young Readers – Level 2

Retold by Harriet Ziefert

Illustrator: Emily Bolam

Year: 1997

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, USA

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages:

ISBN: 978 0 44846 298 1

This is one of those books that make you laugh aloud. :-)

It starts with the ubiquitous ‘once upon a time’ and ends with the harried man finding peace and quiet but in an unexpected manner.

A man lives in a noisy house and seeks the help of a wise man. The wise man suggests a series of measures that begin with getting a cow and then some more animals into the house until it’s a menagerie. Or, perhaps a cacophony? :-)

Excerpt

The sheep said, Baa, baa!

The donkey said, Hee-haw!

The cow said, Moo, moo!

The bed creaked.

The chair squeaked.

The roof leaked.

“I can’t live in my house!” said the man.

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 Garden that we grew  
• Level - 2: The very lonely firefly, Review here
• 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?

Princess Polly and the Pony – Usborne First Reading

Author: Susanna Davidson

Illustrator: Dave Hill

Year: 2007

Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd., London

Age: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 48

ISBN: 978 0 74609 171 5

The kids always enjoy a humorous princess story and this book fit the bill, perfectly.

Princess Polly loves horse riding and of course, the King and Queen are aghast that she’s not interested in practicing her princess wave or trying on tiaras.

She’s annoyed with her parents’ restrictions until she sees a poster for Pony Games where the first prize is a Royal Wish. Naturally, Princess Polly gets what she wants.

Excerpt

“If I’m in costume, no one will know it’s me!”

Princess Polly spent the next hour looking at her father’s crowns. The King talked and talked and talked.

Polly didn’t hear him. She was thinking about her costume.