Jane and the Magician

By Martin Baynton

Year: 2000

Publisher: Walker Books, London

Age: 6- 10 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 40630 528 9

Jane is as true-blue a knight as they come. She also has a dragon instead of a steed.

They are sent on a mission to find the royal magician who has gone away in a huff after a misunderstanding at the Royal Court.

Jane finds the magician but it takes some convincing to bring him back. Of course, her brave heart shines through as she goes above and beyond her call of duty.

Jane and her dragon also feature in a children's television series. 

Excerpt

“WHY?” roared the magician. “I’ve only just begun!”

Again he clapped his hands and blue lightning sprang from his fingertips. It crackled across the sky and smacked into the dragon.

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!

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?

Ten out of bed

By Penny Dale

Year: 1993

Publisher: Walker Books, London

Age: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 1 40632 884 4

This is an enchanting bedtime tale. It’s a fun book with humor and a hint of lyricism.

The book features a boy and his nine toys who play until they are exhausted and go to bed, one by one. No prizes, though, for guessing who's the last one to go to bed.

The story’s structure reminds me of the age-old advice of counting sheep to go to bed.

Excerpt

There were eight out of bed and the little one said, “Let’s play!”

And Rabbit said, “Let’s play THEATRES!”

So eight played theatres until Rabbit fell asleep.