Duck says Don’t!

Text: Alison Ritchie

Illustrations: Hannah George

Year:  2012

Publisher:  Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 3 – 7 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture book

ISBN:  978 1 84895 316 1

Here’s a gem from the Little Tiger Press.

Goose’s Pond is a haven of fun, frolicking and friendship. However, Goose has to go away on a holiday and leaves the duck in charge, who errrmm…takes his charge a bit too seriously.

Soon, the Pond is smothered by several “Don’t” signs put up by an overly-conscientious duck. He soon sees the error of his ways.

The illustrations are simply delightful and the story, hilarious. Though there is an important message hidden in there ... 

Excerpt

Duck was having a little nap when the frogs dived into the water, SPLASH!

“Frogs!”Duck yelled. “What do you think you’re doing? Diving is forbidden!”

“Forbidden?” said the frogs angrily. “Says who?”

Wild Things! Penguin in the post

Author: Lisa Regan

Illustrator: Kelly Caswell

Year: 2013

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 24

ISBN:  978-1-40817-942-0

I loved this wildlife book for little children. Friendly illustrations, uncluttered text in an engaging font, neat little chapters each with a whacky “You will need” section are some of the reasons why you might want this book for your little one.

And besides, this book is a fund-raising initiative from the Zoological Society of London, a charity that provides help for animals while also running the ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.

Other books in this series include

• Tiger at the door
•  Elephant in the attic
• Giraffe on a sleepover
• Hippo in the house
• Lion who came to lunch
• Monkey in the garden
•  Emu on the loose

Excerpt

Penguins spend most of their time in the ocean.

They eat and play in the water. They come to land to lay their eggs.

You will need

·         To move to the seaside

·         To love the water – as much as your pet!

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.

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. 

Clem always could …

By Sarah Watt

Year: 2009

Publisher: Lothian Children’s Books, Sydney

Age: 5 and above

No. of Pages:  32

ISBN: 978 0 73441 115 0

Meet Clem, the friendly neighborhood kid who can do anything that a kid his age ought to except swim. 

So, when his mom decides it’s time he learnt swimming, Clem imagines a lot of reasons - from sharks to sucking holes at the bottom, to avoid getting into the pool. 

I liked this book for the way it realistically captures the fears of child and portrays the frustration of a mother who has to resort to begging and bribery among other tactics to get Clem into the pool. 

It is also the story of a child overcoming his fears and taking the plunge. :-)

Excerpt

They went back to the pool next week.

Clem still wasn't keen.

‘There’s nothing to be scared of,’ said Clem’s mum.

Clem thought about it.