Look What I’ve Found

By Nick Sharratt, Wikipedia

Year: 2008

Publisher: Walker Books, London

Age: 2 - 4 years

No. of Pages: 20

Book Type: Novelty Lift-a-flap Book

ISBN:  978 1 40631 681 0

This colorful lift-a-flap book is ideal for tiny tots. The book introduces us to a little girl at the beach as she finds interesting things at the beach - shells, sand dollars and more.

The illustrations are neat and the flaps are cleverly placed.

A big thumbs up!

Excerpt

At the seaside Daddy and I went exploring.

I ran ahead and look what I’ve found!

Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime

Text: David Bedford

Illustrations: Russell Julian

Year: 2011

Publisher: Egmont UK, London

Age: 2 – 5 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book, Bedtime

ISBN:  978 1 40525 741 1

This is a truly fanciful bedtime tale that ought to have children asking for more. There are plenty of “noisy” words to engage little ones too. The kids loved chirruping, tweeting, roaring and trumpeting various animal sounds. :-)

The illustrations are enchanting as they transition from a gentle golden sunset to mild, soothing shades of blue and purple to complete the bedtime effect. 

Truly creative. :-)

Excerpt

Look who’s first!

Waddlers!

Sliding and gliding to the big, bouncy bed in the sky.

Those early birds don’t want to be late!

Slip, slap, flippety-flap!

Yummy Yummy Food for my Tummy

Text: Sam Lloyd

Illustrations: Jack Tickle

Year: 2003

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 28

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN: 978 1 85430 898 6

Two islands, two chimps and plenty of sharks – that’s what this colorful book is about.

And yes, the sharks seem to have bitten a chunk off of the book, too. :-)

George and Jess are two lonely chimps on their islands. They use their ingenuity to brave the threats of hungry sharks to, finally, meet up and have a great party with music, dancing, yummy banana milkshakes and coconut cake.

This book is bound to be a winner, both with kids who are fascinated by sharks and those who see them as villains.

Excerpt

But there was a problem.

In the deep blue sea between the two islands were sharks!

“Yummy, yummy, yummy, food for my tummy,” the sharks sang when they saw the little chimps. 

Noddy Goes to Sea

By Enid Blyton

Year: 1959

Publisher: BBC Books, London

Age: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 60

Book Type: Chapter book

ISBN: 978 0 56336 834 2

Website: Noddy.com

Noddy’s golden heart lands him on a ship! 

Tubby Bear has run off to sea and life away from home isn't as much fun as he thought it’d be. Noddy who’s followed him on to the ship, is promptly recruited by the captain as a cabin boy and is well-liked by the sailors. He also gets to meet some merfolk too.     

Excerpt

A sailor took Noddy down into the ship, and gave him a cabin-boy’s uniform.

“I want to wear my hat with the bell,” said Noddy. “This round cap-thing doesn't fit me. It will fall off every time I nod.”

Looking After Gran - Read at home - Level 4

Author: Roderick Hunt

Illustrator: Alex Brychta

Year: 2005

Publisher: Oxford University Press, UK

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 30

ISBN: 978 0 19838 417 5

Website: Read at Home series

The lovable Read at Home series features Floppy, an intelligent and industrious canine.

This story was supposed to be about Gran looking after Floppy while his family is away on a vacation but the tables are turned rather quickly!

The book offers an interesting challenge too – a game to spot the 10 even numbers hidden in the pictures. 

The illustrations are friendly and filled with colorful characters.

Other titles in the Read at Home series include:

• Funny Fish
• Silly Races
• Dad’s Birthday
• Poor Old Rabbit
• I Can Trick a Tiger
• Floppy and the Bone
• The Old Tree Stump, Review here
• The Real Floppy
• The Spaceship
• Hungry Floppy
• Husky Adventure

Excerpt

Gran was away for a long time. The tide started to come in. A wave splashed the front wheel.

Then a wave splashed the back wheel.

“Gran has parked too close to the sea!” thought Floppy.

“I must find Gran,” thought Floppy.

He ran into town as fast as he could.

Water World – Pop-up fun

By Christian Riese Lassen

For Ages: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 12

Publisher: The Book Company, Australia

Year: 2002

ISBN: 978-1-74047-180-0

This brilliantly illustrated and arranged book by the famed Christian Riese Lassen is a collectible. Nevertheless, it is a pop-up book for little ones, so how long the book lasts is anybody’s guess.

The words are lively and get the children excited. The book features a pod of dolphins and then a pod of killer whales and several brightly, colored coral fish.

This has to be classified as a ‘happy’ book for it is guaranteed to transform your emotions, no matter what your age.

Excerpt

A mighty whale bursts from the water shooting into the air with a KERPOW!

KERSPLASH!

What a show-off!

Two whale babies stay close to their mother, rolling and spinning in a BUBBLING FIZZ.

Teacup in a storm

Text: Lucy M George

Illustrations: Il Sung Na

Year: 2009

Publisher: Meadowside Children’s Books, London 

Age: 2 – 4 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture Book, Paperback

ISBN: 978 1 84539 363 2

Even if the intriguing title doesn’t tease your grey cells a bit, then the cheery teacup on the cover will certainly draw you into an unlikely and, sometimes, mysterious journey of adventure and discovery. The mystique is compelling but then you learn it is but a ‘teacup in a storm.’ :-)

The illustrations don’t give you a clue as to how the tale ends too… Hmmm…

Excerpt

They went on a very long voyage together.

Through the stormy seas they sailed.

On wild and foaming waves they rode.

They went practically around the world. 

Percy and the Pirates

Author: Russell Punter

Illustrator: Kate Sheppard

For Ages: 6 and above

No. of Pages: 48

Publisher: Usborne Publishing, London

ISBN: 978 0 74609 160 9

Here's another gem from the Usborne Young Reading series.    

Meet Percy, an enterprising and clever boy who courageously changes his family’s misfortune after an adventure with a band of pirates led by Captain Crook. Yes, that’s his name. His crew mates are Willy Weevil, Sam Scurvy and Ronnie Rum.

I liked this story because it portrays good old values of bravery, courage and honesty. But there are man-eating sharks that make their appearance more than once. Parents might want to cushion that bit of cruelty.

The watercolor illustrations weave right into the story, seamlessly.

By the way, the ships that the pirates plunder are called Crimson Cuttlefish, Pink Prawn, Blue Blowfish and Red Herring. Notice a cute pattern there? 

Excerpt

Percy didn’t want to be a pirate. But he didn’t want to be a shark’s dinner, either.

“Tell Percy the ship’s motto, lads,” bellowed Crook, and the pirates sang.

“We steal for Crook ‘cos he’s the best,

Then put the treasure in his chest.”

The ship sailed out to sea.

“Will I ever see my family again?” thought Percy.

The Bobbsey Twins: Freddie and Flossie at the Beach

Author: Laura Lee Hope

Illustrator: Chuck Pyle

Year: 2005

Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks, USA

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978-1-41690-268-6

Website: Ready to Read

This is a Ready-to-read series Pre-Level  1 book. It’s a fantastic book for new readers and encourages little ones to pursue reading thanks to the use of familiar words and phrases that are repeated several times through the book. The sentences are very simple too!

Freddie and Flossie are at the beach with Snap their energetic dog. They splash about in the waves, play tag, build sand castles until it’s time to go.

By the way, the illustrations explain what the text of the story skips out.

Excerpt

They build a sand castle.

Snap helps.

Oh no! 

They play tag.

Snap plays too.

Oh,no! 

In comes the tide

By Colin King and Valerie King

Publisher: Ladybird Books, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 28

ISBN: 978-0-721-41916-9

This book belongs to the Ladybird Picture Book series. It features a humorous story in rhyme bolstered by very clever illustrations that make you want to visit the pages over and over again.

There are a few big words that will need some explaining but it’s a cheery book for your children's bookshelf. 

Excerpt

In comes the tide, splashing pirates of old,

Out goes the tide, leaving cargoes of gold.

In comes the tide, with sea horses prancing.

Out goes the tide, crusty lobsters are dancing. 

The Adventures of Pinkie: A Nickname

By Maddy Rose

Year: 2007

Publisher: Red Fox, Great Britain

Age: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN: 978-1-862-30159-7

Meet happy and cheerful little Maddy whose “clothes and shoes were usually second-hand” and lives in a lighthouse.  And yes, her favorite color is pink. Almost everything she possesses is in different shades of pink.

One day she falls in love with a perfect pair of ‘hot pink boots.’ So she helps around the house with the chores so her pink piggy bank will have enough to pay for her shoes. But she’s in for a surprise.

This is a story that little girls will identify with especially because it deals with wearing second-hand clothes and the desire for fancy things. It’s also a great picture book – with every bit of the page splashed in bold color.   

Excerpt

As soon as she could, Maddy rushed home to check her piggy bank.

But Pink Pig was low on funds.

What was she going to do?

Maddy’s mum and dad offered her some extra pocket money if she helped a bit more round the lighthouse. 

Where Does Pepper Come From? And other fun facts

Author: Brigitte Raab

Illustrator: Manuela Olten

For Ages: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 40

Publisher: North-South Books Inc., USA

Year: 2005

ISBN: 978-0-7358-2218-4

Now here’s a fun book of facts.

Every parent is peppered with unusual questions from their little ones. This book answers some of those questions with a humorous twist. Check out the excerpt.

Where does pepper come from? Why do sheep have curly wool? Why is the sea salty? Why are flamingos pink? And some more questions.

I liked this book for the cute humor, the quirky illustrations and the choice of questions.

Excerpt

Why do snails carry houses on their backs?

Because they love to go camping!

NO!

The shell of a snail protects it from predators and from the hot sun.