Say Hello to the Snowy Animals

Text: Ian Whybrow, Wikipedia

Illustrations: Ed Eaves

Year: 2007

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books, London

Age: 1 and above

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Touch-and-feel book

ISBN:  978 0 23001 620 0

The little ones were simply delighted with this stunningly beautiful touch-and-feel book with illustrations that capture the pristine beauty of snowy lands.

And yes, the book is an introduction to all the animals that inhabit the icy part of our world including the orca.

Our guide through this tour is a cute little husky who seems to have a rapport with most animals. There are plenty of opportunities for little ones to make animal sounds too. The text rhymes too! 

This must've won quite a few awards. :-) It’s just perfect!

Excerpt

Who’s that fishing over there?

Say hello to the polar bear.

Hello, Polar Bear!

Grrrr, grrrr, grrrr! 

The Dog Who Cried Wolf

By Keiko Kasza

Year: 2005

Publisher: Puffin Books, New York

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978 0 14241 305 0 

We might never know if dogs have aspirations but Moka, the protagonist of this book certainly has developed a new ambition – to be a wolf. Soon, he tires of his little mistress’ attempts at dressing him up in silly clothes for her tea parties. One day, he finds the opportunity and runs away to freedom!

He, then, finds that the wild and free life of wolves is over-rated.

Hilarious. :-)

Excerpt

Soon, Moka got hungry. “No problem!” he cried.

“I’ll hunt for my food, just like the wolves do.”

And off he went.

But a rabbit outran him. A skunk sprayed him. 

Don’t Wake Mr. Bear

By Jill Newton

Year: 2011

Publisher: Egmont UK Ltd., London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-1-40524-966-9

Winter is about to arrive at the forest. Dormouse has the squirrels, rabbits and the wood pigs play a soft, soothing forest lullaby so the animals can sleep through the winter.

Just then, a band of loud wolves on holiday pass through and make a rumpus so loud that Mr. Bear is awakened.

And then it’s all boom, crash and bang but not quite the way you imagine it! :-)

I loved the humorous story-line that subtly attempts to teach children about how a forest prepares for winter.  

Excerpt

Out of the car came the wolves’ drums, and their lights, and their speakers.

“Go away!” begged the rabbits. “You’ll wake Mr. Bear!”

“We don’t care about a silly old bear!” sang the wolves.  

I am Reading: Small Bad Wolf

Author: Sean Taylor

Illustrator: Jan Lewis

Year: 2005

Publisher: Kingfisher Publications, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 50

ISBN: 978 0 75341 144 5

Now here’s a tale of the Big Bad Wolf and errr… the Small Bad Wolf, his son. Obviously, life isn't all hunky-dory for them. It sure is hard to be the bad one in a story. :-)

The Big Bad Wolf is under pressure from his son to take him on “nippy, zippy adventures like it is in the stories.” Mother Wolf wants “something decent for Sunday lunch.”

The poor wolf sets out with his old brown sack and his son to find adventure and food.

Things don’t go as planned. They get hit on the head with a frying pan, chased out and finally, the Big Bad Wolf is knocked out by little kids, no less.

This funny story from the I am Reading series, features neat illustrations and text that is neatly aggregated into five chapters to motivate young readers.

Excerpt

The Small Bad Wolf thought it looked great fun.

It was the nippiest, zippiest game he’d ever seen.

All that pouncing and chasing made him feel bubbly inside. He wasn't so happy when he’d got his disguise on, though.