Tippy and Jellybean by Sophie Cunningham. Illustrated by Anil Tortop

A koala and her joey survive a bushfire in this touching story.

Tippy and Jellybean live in the Forest. They love to eat gum leaves. But one morning they wake up to find their home is on fire. They climb up high in the trees and Tippy curls her arms around her young Jellybean. When the fire has passed, Tippy checks to see if Jellybean is burnt. Luckily, a firefighter finds them and they are taken for a plane trip to safety. A caring vet named Kami looks after Tippy and Jellybean. They are given smoothies full of gum leaves and added vitamins. Once Tippy and Jellybean are better, they are taken to an animal sanctuary where they can get back to their old ways of eating gum leaves and climbing trees. Eventually, six months later, they are taken to their home in the forest. The leaves are growing back and the animals are returning. It's a happy ending for Tippy and Jellybean.

Based on a true story of two koalas from Gelantipy, East Gippsland, $1 from every sale of this book will be donated to the Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund. Gorgeously illustrated by Anil Tortop, with text by Sophie Cunningham, this is a bitter-sweet story sure to touch many Australians.

3 + years old

Tippy and Jellybean by Sophie Cunningham. Illustrated by Anil Tortop.  Albert Street Books. 

First published at northmelbournebooks.com.au June 2020

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants, by Philip Bunting

An amazing book of facts and figures about ants.

Who would have thought that ants could be so much fun? In this new book from Philip Bunting (Koalas Eat Gumleaves, Kookaburras Love to Laugh) we learn all sorts of fascinating facts and figures about the humble ant. Did you know there are 10 quadrillion ants? Amazing! And that ants communicate by smell? That's right. Ants talk to each other through an “odorous alphabet of smells.” Ants organise themselves in complex colonies where everyone has a special job to do, either laying eggs, gathering food or doing housework. They are also eco-friendly, recycling nutrients from plants and trees to create richer soil. And after a busy spell of work, ants like to take a powernap before starting all over again.

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants presents all this information with bright, lively illustrations and easy-to-follow graphics. There are quite a few laughs in the text, too. One ant holds its new born and says “I larva you”. The book is tied up with a neat message about the importance of caring for the environment, family and community.

Entertaining and educational, The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants will leave you in a cheerful mood.

4+ years old

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants, by Philip Bunting. Omnibus Books. $17.99

First published at northmelbournebooks.com.au April 2020

Make a Wish, Henry Bear, by Liam Francis Walsh

A young bear learns to be careful of what you wish for...

Last birthday Henry Bear made a wish, one he regrets. He wished his parents were more fun. As a result Mama Bear and Papa Bear now encourage him to eat cake for dinner and stay up late watching TV. Mama Bear scoffs that school is boring. Why not take your toys along? Henry Bear is almost at his wits end. He's always late with school homework and is falling behind. When Henry Bear meets new girl Marjani at school, he tells her his troubles. She has an idea to solve his problems. With another birthday coming up, why not make a new wish? Henry Bear does so and his old life returns. His parents start acting like adults again, making sure he is in bed early and well rested for the next day at school.

Writer and illustrator Liam Francis Walsh's Make a Wish, Henry Bear is a delightfully told cautionary tale about the perils of getting what you want. His charming illustrations, with their soft colour palette, capture the cozy atmosphere of a close family. The introduction of an hijab wearing bear, Marjani, adds a nice touch of diversity. An ironic, often droll bear story that is sure to keep its young audience enthralled.

3 + years

Make a Wish, Henry Bear, by Liam Francis Walsh. Published by Roaring Brook Press. RRP: $26.99

Dumpster Dog, by Colas Gutman. Illustrated by Marc Boutavant

Can a dog that smells like sardines and looks like a doormat ever find an owner to look after and love him? Find out in this comic canine caper.

Dumpster Dog – a homeless canine without a family or owner – lives rough on the streets. He’s smelly and messy and completely unkempt, although we shouldn’t hold that against him as he’s a dog down on his luck. Dumpster Dog has a friend, Flat Cat, a luckless feline that was run over and flattened. He tells Flat Cat he’s going to try and find himself an owner. His friend doesn’t like his chances. 

Things don’t go according to plan. Dumpster Dog meets a potential owner, a well dressed man with a car, but the man turns out to be a rascal. Soon Dumpster Dog is on his own again, and in more trouble. He’s abducted by a group of bandits and put into a cage with a lot of other hapless animals. Their fate looks grim. Can Dumpster Dog be a hero to the other animals and escape? Can he ever find the company he craves, despite smelling like sardines and looking like an old doormat?

The first in a series of short chapter books by French writer Colas Gutman and illustrator Marc Boutavant, Dumpster Dog is an hilarious romp through the city streets of France. The story has a wonderfully comic cast of human villains and ill-fated animals. Who doesn’t like an adventure story with the requisite group of archetypal baddies, not to mention the young girl who works for them, administering tranquilizer drugs? Colas Gutman hits all the right notes with this goofy caper, balancing the cruelty of Dumpster Dog’s predicament against his sweet, innocent nature. This is a vibrantly told story full of invention and pleasant surprises. A real entertainment. Marc Boutavant’s illustrations are utterly gorgeous, little works of art in themselves, making this a very special book indeed. 

Dumpster Dog is sure to win you over.

Ages 7+

Dumpster Dog, by Colas Gutman. Illustrated by Marc Boutavant. Published by Enchanted Lion Books. RRP:  $16.99

The Adventures of Catvinkle, by Elliot Perlman

Meet Catvinkle, a pampered puss who dances in baby shoes and makes friends with a Dalmation named Ula.

Catvinkle the cat lives in a stylish house in Amsterdam with her owner, Mr Sabatini. One day the kindly Mr Sabatini meets a homeless Dalmation and decides to take her home. When Catvinkle sees the Dalmation enter her precious room with the deliciously warm fire, she takes umbrage. How could a dog be allowed in the house? 

The Dalmation’s name is Ula and soon enough the two take the first troubled steps to get to know each other. As a friendship starts to emerge, Catvinkle reveals some secrets, one of which is her skill as a dancer. She dances in a pair of baby shoes and regularly enters the National Kitten Baby-Shoe Dancing Competition. Her great rival in the competition is the vain and conceited Twinkiepaws. With the help of Ula, Cantvinkle finds the courage to challenge Twinkiepaws in this most celebrated contest. 

Elliot Perlman’s first novel for children is a charming and pitch-perfect story about learning to accept difference and meeting life’s challenges. The story has a broad roster of brilliant characters, from the frightening dog Grayston (it turns out he's not so scary in the end) to the somewhat aristocratic and eccentric Russian wolfhound, Lobbus. The hip New York cat Ketzington is a hoot: her parents met at a nightclub called Studio Fifty Paws. There is much energy, imagination and invention in Catvinkle. A favourite hangout for the dogs is a place called “Café Puppy Land”, where dogs had been “resting, drinking and snacking since 1642”; a club for cats called Kittens Anonymous meets on the western side of  Vondelpark.

Enter Catvinkle’s cosy, pampered world and prepare to be charmed.

The Adventures of Catvinkle, by Elliot Perlman. Published by Puffin. RRP: $19.99

The Mona Lisa Mystery, by Pat Hutchins

Staff review by Chris Saliba

When Class 3 of Hamstead Primary head to Paris, they get caught up in a plot to steal the Mona Lisa.

There is excitement all round. Class 3 of Hamstead Primary School are off on an excursion to Paris. Mr Coatsworth, the bus driver, has fixed a sign to the school bus that reads, “Paris, Here We Come!”. The children – Morgan, Avril, Sacha, Matthew, Jessica and Akbar – can’t wait for their trip to begin. There’s only one slightly sour note: the school principal, Miss Barker, who was supposed to be going on the trip, has been replaced by Miss Parker. The children are not keen on Miss Parker, with her dyed hair and funny hat.

Soon after the bus sets off, Morgan notices they are being followed by a bearded man in a black Citroen car.  When the class gets onto the ferry that takes them to Paris, they notice a second bearded man. Things get stranger and stranger when Class 3 get to the hotel and before they know it, the children are caught up in a plot to steal the Mona Lisa.

Fans of David Walliams are sure to enjoy this hilarious holiday adventure. Pat Hutchins fills her mystery with plenty of fun characters, all with their individual tics and peculiarities. There is Avril, the plucky cockney girl who always carries around with her a bottle of her favourite condiment, tomato sauce; Mr Coatsworth, with his dreadful fear of heights (the dizzying scenes at the Eiffel Tower are brilliantly done); the madcap hotel manager; the seemingly eccentric yet quite wicked Miss Parker; and lastly, the wonderfully nutty Miss Barker, school principal.

Pat Hutchins excells at setting up a joke and paying if off with a good delivery. The scenes where Jessica thinks she’s been poisoned, only to realise she’s misread the menu (poisson is French for fish) are especially funny. The book also has the feelgood quality of a bustling school trip, full of naive enthusiasm with the children whooping with cheerfulness at every opportunity.

Fun holiday reading for adults and children alike.

The Mona Lisa Mystery, by Pat Hutchins. Published by Puffin. ISBN: 9780141386218  RRP: $16.99

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Wait Till The Moon is Full, by Margaret Wise Brown. Illustrated by Garth Williams

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

This classic by Margaret Wise Brown is a beautiful and sensitive story about a protective mother and her inquisitive child. It is written in in a poetic language that features dancing animals, singing birds and the changing face of the moon. The delight of the storytelling is matched in equal measure by the illustrations of Garth Williams.

A little raccoon asks his mother if he can see the night. He had seen the day, and now wanted to see the night. The little racoon lives with his mother in a big, warm chestnut tree. His mother cautions him to wait. “Wait till the moon is full,” she says. The mother raccoon then goes on to sing her son some songs about the splendours of the night under the moon.

Soft in the night

In the bright moonlight

Rabbits run all through the night

And never bump into each other

In the Full of the Moon

When the Moon is Full

After many nights of waiting, his mother finally says that the moon is full and he can go out to play. Under the bright light of the moon he finds wonderful scenes of nighttime animals playing, talking and having fun.

This is a beautiful and sensitive story about a protective mother and her inquisitive child. Margaret Wise Brown (1910 - 1952) writes in a poetic language about dancing animals, singing birds and the changing face of the moon. The delight of the storytelling is matched in equal measure by the illustrations of Garth Williams. The drawings on each page, mostly done in black and brown ink, are like miniature works of art, with lots of wonderful detail that adds to the story. For example, he draws the little raccoon pulling along behind him a toy raccoon suspended on wheels. The mother is drawn performing all manner of domestic tasks - rolling out pastry, washing and bringing home the shopping in a straw basket.

The big payoff of the story is the last page of full colour illustrations, which contrasts nicely against the black and brown ink drawings of the rest of the book. A heart-warming story that will make you think all is right with the world.

Wait Till The Moon is Full, by Margaret Wise Brown. Illustrated by Garth Williams. Published by HarperCollins. ISBN: 978-0064432221  $14.95

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Winston Was Worried, by Pamela Duncan Edwards. Illustrated by Benji Davies

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

Winston is very worried about a sore paw, but his self-absorption stops him from seeing important events unfolding around him. An hilarious picture book that teaches kids not to worry too much over small things.

Winston is a bit of a precious pooch. He's feeling rather sorry for himself because he's afflicted with a sore paw - he has a splinter and needs to see the vet. As he makes his way to the vet he meets several of his dog pals. They ask him playfully if he'd like to participate in some typical dog adventures, but Winston always answers no, he can't because he's got a splinter in his paw. "I'm so unfortunate. Everything always happens to me," is his constant refrain.

So self absorbed is Winston in his misery he keeps missing the terrible (yet hilarious) misadventures that keep befalling his friends. If he was more attentive, rather than worrying about himself, Winston perhaps could have helped some of his friends out.

This is a terrifically funny picture book that teaches us not to 'sweat the small stuff'. Benji Davies' illustrations of urban, inner city life are wonderfully captivating and full of inventive details that pay out extra laughs with repeated readings. There's always something new you pick up (McSqueaky's mouse restaurant was my favourite touch.)

Pamela Duncan Edwards' text keeps the story chugging along at a nice pace. She gives Winston's tale of woe perfect comic timing and sets up a succession of hilarious scenarios that never lose their energy.

Winston Was Worried, by Pamela Duncan Edwards. Illustrated by Benji Davies. Published by Macmillan. ISBN: 9781405089821 RRP: 14.99

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Little Answer, by Tim Hopgood

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

Little Answer is a tiny blue character with only one answer to all questions: Sausages! Can he find the right question though?

Little Answer is a little blue character in Tim Hopgood’s latest picture book. He has the answer to something, but can’t quite figure out what. He’s also lost. When Little Answer meets a friendly snail, he offers to help Little Answer.  They journey along and meet other animals – an elephant, a lady bird, a butterfly, an owl and a rabbit. All the animals have questions to ask Little Answer, many of them very big questions, such as “What makes the world go round” and “What makes the wind blow”. Yet Little Answer knows only one answer to all these big questions: “Sausages!”

Poor Little Answer, he seems doomed to be forever at a loss. Then he meets a little girl named Daisy and she asks a question for which Little Answer indeed does have the right answer.  At last he had found his question and all is well.

Little Answer is a sweet and funny story about a youngster who is trying to find his way in the world. That’s presuming Little Answer is a ‘he’, as the story doesn’t specify the character’s gender. In fact he looks like a little wingless bird. The book is illustrated with all of Tim Hopgood’s typically bright and cheery drawings and comes with a back page of actual answers to some of the questions Little Answer is asked.  A picture book to make both adults and children laugh.

Little Answer, by Tim Hopgood. Published by Corgi Children. ISBN:  9780552567787 RRP: $16.99

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The Little House, by Virginia Lee Burton

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

“Once upon a time there was a Little House way out in the country” is how Virginia Lee Burton begins her story about a beautiful little house set in a perfect natural environment full of blossoming apple trees, white daisies and cows munching on grass. 

The Little House was built to last generations. But time brings with it change. First a road was built which introduced more people and cars and traffic. Then more houses were built, large apartment blocks and tenement housing. All this bustle and noise crowded around the Little House. Next came trolley cars rushing back and forth in front of the Little House and the air became horribly filled with pollution. There was even a subway train built underground that the Little House couldn’t see but could feel rumbling along underground.

The Little House became sad at all this noise and pollution. She had also been neglected and was in sore need of a painting and some minor repairs. Then one day the great-great-granddaughter of the man who built the Little House discovered her. She organised for the Little House to be jacked up, put on wheels, and moved back out to the country. At last the Little House was happy again.

A Story That is True to Life

I must admit, I could very much relate to this picture book. I have lived in a house in West Melbourne for the last 20 years that looks very similar to the Little House. My house has a door in the middle and two windows on either side, just like the Little House. Over the years I’ve seen much building go on around me, plus traffic increases out the front.  Virginia Lee Burton’s book, with its beautiful drawings and soft colours, has a pleasant sentimentality that makes us long for an idyllic time and place of quiet and tranquillity, away from noisy, bustling city life. It’s a bit of an unrealistic dream, but a pleasant one to indulge in nonetheless.

If there is a lesson The Little House is trying to teach us perhaps it is that in the mad rush for progress and industry, something important has been lost. The ability to enjoy life for its simple pleasures.

The Little House, by Virginia Lee Burton. Published by Sandpiper. ISBN: 978-0395259382  $12.95

Maybelle the Cable Car, by Virginia Lee Burton

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

In the city of San Francisco, Maybelle is a street car at risk of losing her job to more modern forms of transport. Writer and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton in this delightful story shows how people power can bring about positive change.

Maybelle is a San Francisco cable car who spends her day taking passengers about her hilly city. She has a Gripman and a Conductor who help her brake and collect fares. At night Maybelle sleeps in a great big green barn with her sister cable cars and they reminisce about the good old times in the city when everyone knew everyone else and life moved at a gentler pace. But progress has brought many changes, with faster forms of transport like buses. The city’s cable cars have been neglected and are in need of a coat of paint.

Soon word gets out that the City Fathers intend to get rid of the cable cars. This prompts a group of concerned citizens to come together and call a meeting at the Public Library to save the cable cars. They call themselves The Citizens Committee to Save Cable Cars. Eventually the issue goes to a vote, and after much petitioning, The Citizens Committee to Save Cable Cars is successful. Everyone celebrates and Maybelle is covered with flowers!

The Fun of Riding in a Cable Car

I must confess to finding myself especially fond of this book as I was once a tram conductor myself. Virginia Lee Burton’s story catches the fun and energy that comes from whizzing along the tracks in a tram (or cable car), the buzz of passengers and the bustle of city life. The pictures illustrating the story are delightful and the theme of democratic action has a cheerful ending that sends a positive message.

A True Story

Virginia Lee Burton, (1909 – 1968) was an American children’s writer and illustrator probably best known for her classic Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. She lived in San Francisco in her early days as a student and knew the city well. Maybelle the Cable Car can be considered a true story as it recounts the real life campaign to save San Francisco’s cable cars. Virginia Lee Burton dedicated her book to Mrs Hans Klussman who fought to save the cable cars from extinction

Interesting Facts

The first cable car appeared in San Francisco in 1873. It was Invented by Andrew S. Hallidie because he didn’t like seeing horses struggling up steep hills that were slippery when wet, frequently causing them to slip over.

Maybelle the Cable Car, by Virginia Lee Burton. Published by Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780395840030.  $12.95

The Dark, by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen's first collaboration together is this delightful picture book which tackles childhood fear of the dark.

Young Lazlo lives in a big, sparse house with lots of stairways and big rooms. There’s also a basement where the dark lives. At night, the dark spreads throughout the rest of the house, and in morning the dark retreats back into the basement. Lazlo is scared of the dark.

One night the dark starts speaking to Lazlo. He beckons him into the basement. Then leads him to a dresser and asks him to open the bottom drawer. When Lazlo does so he discovers something that will help him with his fear.

John Klassen’s moody and evocative drawings work perfectly with Lemony Snicket’s suspenseful yet ultimately comforting story about coping with the uneasy feeling that the night can bring on. This new picture book, perfect for 3 – 6 year olds, is the first time Jon Klassen and Lemony Snicket have collaborated together and the results are delightful and charming.  Klassen has already leapt to the top of the "favorite picture book" list with his now classic  I Want My Hat Back and of course Snicket was responsible for those much loved Series of Unfortunate Events.


The Dark, by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen. Published by Orchard. ISBN: 9781408330029  RRP: $24.99

Doctor De Soto, written and illustrated by William Steig

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

This is a funny story about how a mouse-dentist outsmarts a fox with a toothache.

Doctor De Soto is a mouse-dentist with a reputation for fine dental work. His very small hands give him the ability to work closely on his patients’ teeth and with considerable delicacy. His wife works with him as an assistant. The signage for Dr De Soto’s practice stipulates that he will not work on the teeth of dangerous animals, more specifically, cats’ teeth.

Due to the differing sizes of the animals he treats, Dr De Soto has an array of interesting instruments – various ladders and pulleys, which help him to access bigger mouths and their teeth. One day a fox stands under his window with a bandage around his head. He’s suffering an awful toothache. Dr De Soto consults his wife and asks her if he should treat the fox. It would be terribly risky, as you know how ruthless foxes are, but they do feel sorry for him. They agree to treat the fox.

All goes fairly well, until they discover that the fox intends to eat them once his toothache is fixed. You see, when they put him to sleep, he mumbled how he would like to eat Dr Soto! Armed with this intelligence, Dr De Soto and his wife figure out a way to outfox the fox.

This is a brilliant story with charming illustrations that mixes suspense and humour. You sit on the edge of your seat worrying about poor Dr De Soto, who is trying to do the right thing. But you also have a chuckle at the bad fox, who, after all, is only following his natural inclination. When Dr De Soto and his wife come up with a plan to put the fox’s ravenous jaws out of action, your mind reels in wonder at how they will do it.

Dr De Soto, by William Steig. Published by Particular Books. ISBN: 9781846145285  RRP: 19.95

Tabby McTat

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

What is the story about?

Tabby McTat works as a busker's cat. He is renowned for his miaow that is loud and strong. His colleague is Old Fred, who collects money in his checked hat. One day while taking a break and eating a sandwich, Old Fred is robbed. In pursuit of the thief, Old Fred falls and ends up in hospital.

Meanwhile, Tabby McTat has taken a walk and meets a beautiful green eyed cat named Sock. She is black and has one white 'sock'. The two have a 'cat-to-cat chat'. Having made this new friend, McTat decides he better get back to the square where he performs with Old Fred, but Old Fred is nowhere to be found. Distressed, McTat wonders what to do. Then Sock suggests he move in with her owners, Prunella and Pat.

All now goes well for McTat. His new 'wife', Sock, gives birth to three lovely kittens, Soames, Susan and Samuel Sprat, who looks just like his father. Not only does Samuel Sprat look like his father, but he also loves to sing, but some think his purr is too loud and his miaow 'deafening'. This causes a problem when Soames and Susan find new homes, but no one will take in Samuel Sprat.

Eventually McTat longs to meet up again with Old Fred the busker. After much searching they find each other. McTat starts singing again, but soon realises that he can't keep on with his old life: he ha a wife and a new home. Surprisingly, Samuel Sprat comes to the rescue. He starts singing in his cheerful way and Old Fred takes him on as his new busker's cat.

Who wrote and illustrated the story?

The story is written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. They also created the Gruffalo series of picture books.

Why I liked this book

Alex Scheffler's pictures are full of spunk and energy, while Julia Donaldson's story is made sweet  with her musical rhymes and clever plot inventions. This is a cheerful book with plenty of cute cat and kitten drawings.

Tabby McTat, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Published by Scholastic UK. ISBN: 9781407109275  RRP: $15.99

Kangaroo For Christmas

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

What is the story about?

The day before Christmas a young girl, Kathryn, receives a large box from her Uncle Dingo. Inside the box is a kangaroo. Kathryn is delighted with this gift and quickly announces that they will be best friends. Kathryn names her new marsupial friend Adelaide.

Kathryn decides to take Adelaide to visit her grandma. Once out in the street, Adelaide gets a fright when a dog barks and it causes her to start hopping. She hops first over people's heads, then over cars. Too scared to stop, Adelaide hops through a grocery store, a bakery and a toy store. Exasperated, Kathryn tells Adelaide she should act like a lady and stop hopping.

The request works, but then a truck comes along and scares Adelaide all over again. She starts hopping like mad until they reach Grandma's house. A new problem arises though: Adelaide accidently jumps into a pan of taffy that has been cooling out the front of Grandma's house. Adelaide then jumps on top of Grandma's electric car and her feet get stuck there.

Grandma decides that enough is enough, and that they should all drive back to Kathryn's house, with Adelaide still attached to the car roof. But Adelaide gets scared again and jumps all the way to Kathryn's house, dragging the car along with her and making for a very bumpy ride.

Once home the taffy is removed from Adelaide's feet and she relaxes. Kathryn hopes that Santa Claus will bring Adelaide some comfy books for her tired feet and some birch leaves to eat. Kathryn's wish comes true, and Santa even brings Kathryn a pogo stick!

Who wrote and illustrated the book?

American illustrator James Flora (1914-1918) wrote the story and illustrated the book. He was a famous commercial artist between the 1940s and 1980s. Born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, he got his first job in 1942 working for Columbia Records and made some really groovy album covers for them. Not surprisingly, he was a fan of jazz and classical music.

Why I liked this book

The best thing about Kangaroo for Christmas is the wild and wonderful drawings. James Flora's illustrations have a brilliant energy and humour about them. The very 'hoppiness' of the images and story reminds of Flora's love of  jazz music with its syncopated rhythms. Or as his biographer Irwin Chusid said, Flora 'crafted rhythmic design in unfathomable meters' How true!

Kangaroo for Christmas, by James Flora. Published by HP Egmont. ISBN: 9781742972770  RRP: $19.95

Click, Clack Moo, Cows That Type

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

What is the story about?

Farmer Brown has a potential rebellion on his hands. The cows have taken to typing and leaving their messages nailed to the barn door. They protest that the barn is too cold and that they would like some electric blankets. Farmer Brown would have none of this and declined their request. Flexing their political muscles, the cows go on strike. "No milk today," they nail a new message to the barn door.

Things only get worse for poor Farmer Brown. The hens are getting in on the act. The cows type a message for them, in which they also demand electric blankets. Further more, both cows and hens are now on strike. "Closed. No Milk. No Eggs," the latest message reads.

Fed up with the behaviour of the cows and hens, Farmer Brown types up a note and gets a neutral party, Duck, to deliver his ultimatum. The cows hold a meeting and decide a course of action. They offer their typewriter to Farmer Brown if he will then provide the electric blankets. At last a compromise is met. The only problem is, the ducks now learn how to type and demand a diving board for their pond! Will there ever be an end of troubles for Farmer Brown and his literate animals?

Who wrote and illustrated the book?

The story is by Doreen Cronin and the pictures are by Betsy Lewin.


Why I liked this book

The story is an absolute hoot. The whole idea of cows forming a protest group and nailing their demands to the barn door is hilarious. And all they want is electric blankets (the pictures of them at last slumbering in delicious warmth is very funny too.) One wonders, was the story perhaps inspired by George Orwell's Animal Farm? At least this political tale has a happy ending - for the animals at least.

Betsy Lewin's pictures add to comedy, which are simple yet wonderfully expressive.

Watch an animated film version 

If you click here, you can see an eight minute animated film version.

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. Published by Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 9780743461511  RRP: $14.99

Pushka

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

What is the story about?

A circus wagon is coming to town, full of clowns and laughter. In the last wagon Pushka sleeps rather precariously in his little bed. Accidently his whole bed tumbles out of the wagon. Pushka sleeps on but eventually wakes up in some enchanted woods. It's getting dark and Pushka is scared. Pushka runs until he runs into a beautiful girl that dances under the stars.

The beautiful girl's name is Lulu.  Unfortunately, she's in the power of a cruel giant who manipulates her like a puppet. Lulu unwittingly leads Pushka into an oven where he is helplessly trapped. But meeting Pushka has changed Lulu: she's no longer scared of the cruel giant, and gets some helpful mice to gnaw away her puppet strings.

Lulu manages to set Pushka free, but the cruel giant is furious. It's dinner time and he was planning on eating Pushka! The two run off into the woods and are eventually saved by the circus wagon. Lulu and Pushka join together as circus performers and enchant children with their dancing and singing.

Who wrote and illustrated the book?

Pushka is written and illustrated by Stephen Mackey. He was been working as a commercial artist since 1989. His other books for children include Miki and Miki and the Moon Blossom.

Why I liked this book

The pictures in this book are beautiful and haunting, somewhat like the style of film maker Tim Burton (especially his animated works). Every page you turn is a stunning visual treat, rich in colour and mood. The story is a sweet one, but with some very dark edges. Some parts, especially when the cruel giant appears, actually scared me - and I'm forty-four years old!

A short film of Pushka by Stephen Mackey

If you click here, you can see a short film by Stephen Mackey made from storyboards he prepared for his book Pushka. The film includes extra bits that were not included in the finished book. 

Pushka, by Stephen Mackey. Published by Hodder Childrens. ISBN: 9781444901351   RRP: $16.99

Wendy

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

What is the story about?

Wendy is not your normal sort of chicken. Amongst other unusual talents, Wendy rides bicycles on her head, produces square eggs and rides a pogo stick (“beats walking!” a caption reads). In search of more daring adventures, Wendy takes to walking a tightrope. Ill advisedly, she waves to her farm animal friends from on high a little too energetically. A fall looks imminent.

Turn the page and we find the plucky Wendy in hospital beside Bob the Motorcycle Stunt Bear. He’s sustained some injuries from his rather hazardous line of work. Happily he tells Wendy there’s a job going at Monty McFloos Mostly Spectacular Traveling Circus.

Pretty soon Wendy is the star attraction, jumping multiple buses on her motorbike. Wendy’s jumps get bigger and bigger, as does her audience and fan base. She knows she’s really famous when The Pecking Order Post declares on its front page “Nothing Poultry about Wendy’s Next Jump.”

It can’t go on forever, though. The jumps get too big and eventually Wendy makes a spectacular crash. Back in hospital, Bob the Stunt Bear is recovered and ready to leave. He offers a double billing stunt act to Wendy, but she has had enough of the fast life and yearns to go back to the small farm she calls home.

Who wrote and illustrated the book?

Gus Gordon wrote and illustrated the story. Before taking up writing and illustrating he worked on cattle stations all over Australia. Gus has illustrated over 60 children’s books.

Why I liked this book

This is a laugh out loud story. Gus Gordon sprinkles Wendy’s adventures with lots of fun gags. For example, when Wendy's laid up in hospital after her spectacular crash, we learn on her patient board that she’s suffering such ailments as ‘ruffled feathers’ and a ‘broken wishbone’. 

Gus’s drawings are fantastic too. He mixes his fun, energetic style with the chicken humour in such a way that they complement each other perfectly. (Wendy’s blackboard plan for her Most Spectacular Jump is a hoot.)

If you want a good laugh and some escapist fun, then Wendy is just the ticket.

Wendy, by Gus Gordon. Published by Puffin. ISBN: 9780143504658  RRP: $14.95 

This Moose Belongs to Me

Staff Review by Chris Saliba


What is the story about?

Young Wilfred comes into the possession of a friendly yet sometimes quite independent moose. He calls the moose Marcel, and goes about trying to rein in his footloose manner. Wilfred devises a whole list of rules for Marcel the moose to follow. For example, Rule 4 says not to make too much noise while Wilfred enjoys playing his records. We learn that Marcel is quite good at this rule, but not so good at some other rules.

Things go awry when an old lady claims that she owns Marcel, only she calls him Rodrigo. The moose proves to be quite friendly with the old woman and accepts an apple to eat. Angry and embarrassed, Wilfred runs off home but soon gets caught up in some string. Unable to move, he tries to think of what to do, but is luckily saved by the moose. It seemed that he remembered Rule 73: Rescuing your owner from perilous situations. Finally, Wilfred has to admit that perhaps he doesn't really own the moose at all and that their relationship in future will have to involve compromise.

Who wrote and illustrated the Story?

Oliver Jeffers who is probably best known for Lost and Found wrote and illustrated the story. Oliver also works as an artist. This Moose Belongs to Me is his tenth picture book.

Why I like this book

The book is beautifully illustrated with Oliver Jeffers' distinctive style. The pictures have a painterly and abstract style, with a hint of the surreal. Some of the illustrations could work as beautiful paintings on their own.

The story is fun and quirky, with a lesson to be learnt about not trying to be to possessive of others - as individuals tend to have a mind of their own!

This Moose Belongs to Me, by Oliver Jeffers.  Published by Harper Collins. ISBN: 9780007263875  RRP: $24.99

The Rabbits' Wedding

Staff Review by Chris Saliba

What's the story about?

Two rabbits, one white and one black, enjoy each others company enormously and love playing all day long. Amongst their favourite games are Jump the Daisies, Run Through the Clover and Find the Acorn.


Despite these happy times, something is making the little black rabbit very sad. He worries that he won't be able to always enjoy his friend's company. To this the white rabbit has a solution. Why not get married? And so the black rabbit and the white rabbit join paws and dance. All the animals of the forest look on and join in the marriage dance, celebrating right through the night. Happily for the black rabbit and the white rabbit, they will now never be separated.

Who wrote and illustrated the story? 

Garth Williams wrote and illustrated the story. He is famous for illustrating such classics as Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little and the Little House on the Prairie series of novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Why I like this book

This is a sweet story with a faintly melancholic air. It's about the importance of maintaining close relationships and the happiness they can bring. Garth Williams' illustrations are wonderfully gentle and endearing.

Interesting fact

Published in 1958, the book caused an uproar as it was seen in some quarters as promoting interracial love. It was removed from general circulation in Alabama's state library system. 

The Rabbits' Wedding, by Garth Williams. Published by Harper Collins. ISBN: 978-0060264956  $26.95