Pooh and the Storm that Sparkled

Text: Isabel Gaines

Illustrations: Studio Orlando

Year: 2000

Publisher: Random House, USA

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 38

Book Type: Picture Book, Reading for beginners

ISBN:  978 0 73641 147 X

This book belongs to the Winnie the Pooh First Reader series designed to encourage and engage young readers to learn to read through the adventures of beloved Pooh.

Pooh and Piglet are intrigued by a strange kind of storm brewing behind the Great Hill. They decide to warn the others. They are worried when they hear that Tigger, Kanga, Roo and Christopher Robin are on a picnic on the Great Hill. The kind-hearted friends rush to rescue them but are in for a spectacular surprise. :-)

Excerpt

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM - BOOM!

Pooh woke up with a start.

“What was that?”

Eeyore Finds Friends

Text: Isabel Gaines

Illustrations: Josie Yee

Year: 1999

Publisher: Disney Press, USA

Age: 3 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 38

Book Type: Picture Book, Reading for beginners

ISBN:  978 0 78684 259 5

This book belongs to Winnie the Pooh First Reader series designed to encourage and engage young readers to learn to read through the adventures of beloved Pooh.

Eeyore discovers that it is ‘Twos-day’ and wanders around the Hundred-Acre Wood to find a friend to share the day with. Eeyore is perplexed as Gopher has planned to spend his day with Rabbit, Owl is having tea with Kanga and Tigger is playing with Roo in the meadows.

As expected, he finds Piglet at Pooh’s house and they’re just about to tuck into a pot of honey. Kind-hearted Pooh has forgotten that it's Twos-day and decides to call it Fun-day, instead. 

Excerpt

One lovely spring morning, Gopher popped out of a hole right beside Eeyore.

“Say, sonny,” said Gopher, “why are you alone? Don’t you know today is Twos-day?”

Just One More!

Text: Tracey Corderoy

Illustrations:  Alison Edgson

Year: 2012

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Bedtime Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84895 313 0

Little Brown Bunny is ready for bed but he can’t seem to get enough stories for the night. After a few stories, his exhausted Mummy passes the books on to Daddy. Soon, Granny and then, Grandpa read to him.

Finally, after all the stories have been read, Little Brown Bunny is still not ready to sleep. However, he has a wonderful idea on how to get a new bedtime book.

Excerpt

Teatime was over. Bath time was over.

That meant just one thing …

“Story time!” cried Little Brown Bunny.

So Mummy read him a story. Then another.

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.”

More Pies!

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 896 4

Little Samuel is very, very hungry. After a shockingly big meal, he’s still hungry enough to eat “seven fried chickens”. His exasperated mother sends him out to play where his little brother suggests that he join the pie-eating contest at the park.

Samuel competes against a fireman, a lumberjack and a construction worker to take home the first prize – a pie…

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

A big thumbs up!

Excerpt

Samuel woke up really hungry.

He went downstairs and ate a bowl of cereal: Chuka – chuka – chuka – chuka – chuka – chuka – CHOMP!

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Illustrations: Caroline Jayne Church

Year: 2002

Publisher: The Chicken House and Scholastic Inc., USA

Age: 2 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 0 43951 840 7

This little book features the beloved, traditional children’s song “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” devoted to their best friends, dogs and now made famous by Barney and Friends.

While the song itself doesn't really seem to mean much, the illustrations in the book add a deeper meaning and an interesting narrative to the song. 

Excerpt

Do your ears hang low?

Do they wobble to and fro?

Can you tie them in a knot?

Can you tie them in a bow?
 

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. :-)

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.

Valentine Friends

Text: April Jones Prince

Illustrations: Elizabeth Schlossberg

Year: 2007

Publisher: Scholastic Inc., USA

Age: 3- 5 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 0 43979 999 7

It’s Valentine’s Day. All the little friends get together to make cards and bake yummy valentines to share with one another.  

They learn the meaning of love through their giving and sharing. 

This is an easy-to-read book for beginners with short two-word descriptions for each page as you can see from the excerpt below.

Excerpt

Dog draws.

Cat cuts.

Pig pastes.