Book Fest 2006
Bookfest is an annual guide which reviews books for children.
I edit the 0 to 4 age group and this is the recommended list for
2006. I hope you find something to interest you.
Hard copies of the guide can be ordered from Children’s
Books Ireland or from your local library.
www.childrensbooksireland.com
The children’s book festival takes place in October every
year – look out for events in your local libraries and
bookshops.
Books for Babies and Toddlers – 0 to 2 1/2
To become future readers babies and toddlers need your
input. By reinforcing the idea that books are fun, you are
creating a happy reading background for them before they start
‘big’ school. Without you, they will associate books
only with school. So make books and reading part of your
child’s everyday life.
As Dorothy Butler once said in her ground breaking book
‘Babies Need Books’ (Penguin), babies are never too
little to look. And by introducing books at an early age you are
giving your child the best start and creating a reader for life.
What to look for in a book for a baby or toddler:
- Books that will withstand wear and tear - board books and
cloth books are ideal. Try Rod Campbell’s lovely
Buster series such as ‘Buster’s Zoo’.
- Clear, uncluttered pictures. Try the Usborne board book
series such as the new title ‘Sleepy Baby’ by
Fiona Watt or the colourful ‘Do Lions Live on Lily
Pads?’ by Melanie Walsh.
- Familiar subjects and pictures - animals, everyday life,
other babies and children - things your child will
recognise. Try Sarah Garland’s ‘Splash’,
reviewed below.
- And don’t forget nursery rhymes and lullabies that
have soothed generations of children. Try the new Irish
rhyme collection by Malachy Doyle, ‘One, Two, Three
O’Leary’; or ‘First Picture Action
Rhymes’ in the Usborne series, with tunes available
on the Internet.
Happy reading,
Sarah Webb
Babies and Toddlers: Editor’s Choice
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Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick Silly
Mummy, Silly Daddy
Frances Lincoln, £9.99 (HBK), ISBN 1845073509
‘Silly Mummy, Silly Daddy’ is a charming
picture book for readers of two plus from the multi Bisto
Award winner, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick. Beth is in a bad
mood and her whole family try to snap her out of it by
entertaining her with sock puppets, dressing up, and
rather dubious works of ‘art’. To which she
responds ‘Silly Mummy’,‘Silly Daddy’
or ‘Silly Uncle Ben’, depending on who is
annoying her. But Big Sister, Ann has a cunning plan and
manages to raise a smile and break Beth’s mood. The
text is delightfully simple and Marie-Louise is certainly
in tune with toddler tantrums.
The art work is bright and bold, with strong brush
strokes and lots of texture. The expressions on the
various characters are spot on, especially Beth’s
irritated scowl, complete with red angry spots on her
cheeks which fade as her mood lifts. The whole book is
carefully designed from the colourful end papers to the
clear, easy to read text. A highly successful book for
toddlers, especially those prone to moodiness. Don’t
miss it. (SW)
Read Also: Izzy and Skunk; I’m a Tiger Too
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Babies and Toddlers: A - Z by Author
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Doreen Cronin, Illustrated by Betsy Lewin Click,
Clack, 1, 2, 3
Simon and Schuster, £5.99 (Board), ISBN 1416916644
A counting book full of fun. The simple text rhymes,
plus there is a narrative thrust which builds as the
animals gather, in larger and larger numbers, page by
page. The surprise at the end is to be found by paying
attention to the illustrations and will delight young
audiences. (LJ)
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Colin Fancy, Illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max Crocodiles
Don’t Brush Their Teeth
Scholastic, £9.99 (HBK), ISBN 0439968305
This fun book talks about animals who don’t brush
their hair or teeth or wash their faces before getting
into bed, allowing the child reader to join in with the
refrain ‘But I do!’ as they read along. It will
provoke some vocal and boisterous fun at bedtime.
Striking and colourful illustrations. (LJ)
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Sarah Garland Splash
Frances Lincoln, £3.99 (Board), ISBN 1845073452
A simple board book featuring an expressive curly
haired toddler and his daily contact with different forms
of water. He splashes in the paddling pool, in puddles,
and finally in the bath. A gentle, happy little book to
share with babies and toddlers, with bright,
child-friendly illustrations. (SW)
Read Also: Zoom
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Nick Sharratt Ouch! I Need a
Plaster!
Scholastic, £3.99 (Board), ISBN 043995092 9
Sharratt uses every small child’s fascination
with plasters to make a counting book that is sure to
delight. Interestingly the rhyming text does not count
out the plasters, leaving the child to do so itself from
the illustrations in Sharratt’s signature style.
Much more subtle! Clever and a sure success.
Read Also: Pants; Ketchup on Your Cornflakes?
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Julie Stiegemeyer, Illustrated by Carol
Baicker-McKee Cheep! Cheep!
Bloomsbury, £5.99 (HBK), ISBN 0747582033
Using only eight different words, Stiegemeyer manages
to tell the charming tale of three little yellow chicks
who are woken one night by a strange cracking noise. The
illustrations are fantastic, photographs of chicks
created from towelling, modelling clay, material and
feathers, set against colourful backgrounds. Clever, fun
and joyous. (SW)
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Books for age 2 1/2 to 4
Toddlers and older children are ready for ‘real’
books. They still enjoy stories with familiar settings but are
also fascinated by the wider world around them. 2006 is a
cracking year for picture books and it was difficult to narrow it
down. But I went for the twenty books that are exceptional and
which can be heartily enjoyed by both children and adults.
I’d also like to mention several Irish published picture
books, namely ‘The Honey Machine’ by Mark Donaghy, a
charming story about where honey comes from (Red Sails Press,
Belfast); ‘Run Like the Wind’ by Heather Henning, a
funny tale featuring an ostrich; and ‘Napoleon the Lonely
Leopard’ by Lauren Graham, another delightful animal tale,
starring a winsome leopard (both by O’Donnell Press,
Antrim). It’s great to see Irish publishers producing
picture books and they should be supported.
What to look for in a book for age 2 to 4:
- Books which you enjoy as much as your child.
- Books about your child’s favourite subject.
- Funny books and interactive books
- Remember to include some of your child’s old
favourites. And do let your child choose his or her own
books from the bookshop or the library.
- Set aside time each to day to read to your child. Bedtime
is ideal.
Happy reading,
Sarah Webb, 0 to 4 Editor
Age 2 to 4: Editor’s Choice
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Niamh Sharkey I’m a Happy
Hugglewug
Walker Books, £9.99 (HBK), ISBN 1844280497
It’s impossible not to love I’m a Happy
Hugglewug, Niamh Sharkey’s joyful and
irresistible new book. This is a picture book with a
difference, an Irish Baby Catalogue (Ahlberg),
destined to be a younger children’s classic. Each
double page spread is treated as a new chapter in the
Hugglewug family saga, from the opening ‘Hugglewug
Song’, to my favourite spread, ‘My Hugglewug
Lullaby’ - ‘I see the moon, the moon sees me.
Hugglewug moon! Hugglewug me!’ - with its lush,
dreamy greens and blues, and huge, smiling
Hugglewug-faced moon.
Each page brings a new surprise, and Sharkey cleverly
introduces some useful concepts like numbers and colours
in a natural, fun way. I’d like to see the Hugglewug
children behaving badly once in a while, and the
Hugglewug parents losing their cool, making them more
like a ‘normal’ family that children can relate
to, but that’s a minor quibble. Sharkey has
brightened and expanded her palette for this book, using
vivid post box reds, baby pinks, and gentle buttercup
yellows, ideal for toddlers and younger children. I await
Niamh’s new book with baited breath. More Hugglewugs
please!
Read Also: The Ravenous Beast; Santasaurus
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Age 2 to 4: A - Z by Author
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Nicholas Allan More and More
Rabbits
Hutchinson, £9.99 (HBK), ISBN 0091893739
Mr and Mrs Tail have a problem: every morning they
wake up with three new bunnies. They love their bunnies
but don't want any more. So they try a new bed, kick out
the cat and shut out the moon, but it's only when they
sleep apart on the floor that the bunnies stop coming.
That is, until they suffer from "empty nest"
syndrome and it starts all over again. Nicholas Allan's
bunnies are delightful and will certainly provoke
questions about where babies come from. (MR)
Read Also: Cinderella's Bum; The Dove. See Also:
www.nicholasallan.com
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Giles Andreae, Illustrated by Clara Vulliamy Keep
Love in Your Heart, Little One
Orchard Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1843625423
A fox father, called Big, kisses his little cub goodnight
and sits beside the bed. Appreciating this calm time when
family life is less hectic, he reflects aloud on his love
for his young son, unaware that he is still awake. Told
in rhyme by the author of Purple Ronnie and Rumble in the
Jungle, this sensitively illustrated tale will evoke
heart felt emotions in some, but may be a touch too
saccharine for others. The delicate, charming
illustrations match the text perfectly. (HF)
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Ruth Brown Imagine
Andersen Press, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1842704532
"Imagine when you’re half asleep, those big
white clouds look just like sheep." So begins this
rhyming bedtime book of opposites with an almost hypnotic
quality. Sparse text and a steady trance-like rhythm lull
the reader into imagining a meadow and spring, hot and
cold, new and old. As ever with Brown the illustrations
are rich and evocative conjuring up contrasting images
with lush realism and an effusion of colour. The perfect
bedtime book to lull a child into the Land of Nod. (LB)
Read Also: A Dark, Dark Tale; Ten Seeds
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John Burningham Edwardo The
Horriblest Boy in the Whole Wide World
Jonathan Cape, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 022407041X
Edwardo is an ordinary boy but when everyone tells him
that he is cruel, noisy, messy, dirty and nasty he takes
on all these traits. This book is challenging and thought
provoking, without being didactic for the young reader.
It shows the importance of recognising someone’s
potential and highlights the dangers of being judgmental.
Burningham’s illustrations are drawn in rough
scratchy pens and are highlighted by smudged markers,
colour squiggles and watercolour washes. A book with
universal appeal. Highly recommended. (NS)
Read Also: Mr Gumpy’s Outing; Oi! Get Off Our
Train
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Nick Butterworth Tiger
Harper Collins, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 0007119747
Nick Butterworth has created a toddler friendly
character in Tiger. Tiger isn’t a real tiger,
he’s a little kitten. But he has lots of fun
pretending to be a real tiger, jumping and snarling,
creeping and running very fast. Full of toddler friendly
words, simple word play and gentle humour this book is
for the younger picture book set. Young readers will
revel in the simple and clear, yet charming watercolours
that are adjacent to chunky hand drawn text. Roar! (NS)
Read Also: One Snowy Night; Jasper’s Beanstalk
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Cressida Cowell, Illustrated by Neal Layton That
Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown
Orchard Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1843624516
Interesting characters and unusual design and make
this an engaging picture book. Emily Browne’s rabbit
is not for sale, not even to her most Royal Highness
Queen Gloriana the Third. Cowell’s text is modern,
jazzy and fun. She creates a very real character in Emily
Browne and her pet rabbit Stanley. Layton’s
illustration style perfectly accompanies the text. His
playful scribbly lines and pencil drawn characters are
superimposed on funky collage backgrounds. This picture
book is energetic and fun. Highly recommended. Age 4+
(NS)
Read Also: Daddy on the Moon
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Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Gary Blythe Ice
Bear
Walker Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1844287319
This is an informative and beautifully illustrated
non-fiction picture book. In Ice Bear, we follow
the polar bear through the frozen Arctic and watch as he
plays, swims and hunts. Nicola Davies is a zoologist and
she presents her information in a poetic and engaging
manner. The impressionistic illustrations are very
powerful and include one of the bear's blood-stained face
after killing a seal. This book could be shared with a
younger child and used by an older child for research in
the classroom. Age 4+ (MR)
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Alexis Deacon While You Are
Sleeping
Hutchinson, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 0091893313
Few books about bedtime achieve the beauty and
sympathy of this story of toys that keep watch over a
small girl during the night. Deacon’s soft lines and
mix of pencil, watercolour and gouache impart a
gentleness to the scenes, while avoiding sentimentality.
The toys are old-fashioned and comforting, heightening a
feeling of safety and timeless well-being in a book which
grandparents would enjoy sharing with young
grandchildren. Deacon is a rare talent and this book is a
joy to treasure. Highly recommended. (VC)
Read also: Beegu, Slow Loris
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Joyce Dunbar, Illustrated by Polly Dunbar Shoe
Baby
Walker Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1844280055
‘There once was a baby who hid in a shoe, And had
learnt to say "How do you do?"’. So begins
this charming, eccentric picture book written by a
talented mother and daughter team. The story in written
in simple yet witty and clever verse; a baby travels
around in a shoe having adventures until he finds his mum
and dad. The illustrations sing with colour and joie de
vivre; the baby’s squashy smiling face is adorable.
Highly recommended for toddlers and younger readers. (SW)
Read Also: The Very Small; Tell Me Something Happy
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Ian Falconer Olivia Forms a Band
Simon & Schuster, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1416917381
The Pig family is going to a fireworks picnic when
Olivia, an enterprising piglet, decides a band is needed
and collects makeshift instruments around the house. What
a cacophony she makes - but in the end she opts for
make-up, further delaying her long-suffering family.
Illustrated with striking drawings using few colours,
Olivia’s lipstick is the reddest of reds and the
black background for the fireworks is perfect. Using
simple language and wry humour, this book is an absolute
delight. (HF)
Read Also: Olivia and the Missing Toy, Olivia Saves
the Circus
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Caroline Glicksman Big Black Dog
Walker Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1844280187
Big Black Dog is the town’s chief
burglar-catcher, but he’s afraid of cats, loud
noises, spiders and strawberry jelly. Only his closest
friend, Emmeline, knows about his fears and she helps him
to be brave. One night, the whole town is burgled. When
he finds Emmeline tied up in a bag, Big Black Dog
suddenly finds the courage to catch Bad Cat Bling the
Burglar King. Bright colours, bold illustrations allied
to a simple story-line makes this an attractive book for
young children, especially those who are fearful. (VC)
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Bob Graham Dimity Dumpty: The
Story of Humpy’s Little Sister
Walker Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1844280675
This clever, original picture book is a joy from start
to finish. The tale of Humpty’s brave little egg
sister, Dimity, who is part of the Dumpty family
travelling circus, it shows how one small person can make
a big difference in the world. Graham’s gentle,
witty pen and ink and watercolour illustrations are
highly detailed and fun to pour over, from the marvellous
double spread circus tent interiors, to the more intimate
egg-box-house family scenes. An ideal book to share with
older children of four plus. (SW)
Read Also: Max; Brand New Baby
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Emily Gravett Orange Pear Apple
Bear
Macmillan, £6.99 (HBK), ISBN 1405050802
Using only various combinations of the same four
words: ‘Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear’ Gravett has
managed to produce a simple yet utterly charming picture
book for toddlers and younger children. It’s also a
fun punctuation lesson into the bargain. Her watercolour
and pencil illustrations on plain white backgrounds
bristle with energy and expression. The book is
beautifully designed with sun flower yellow cloth spine
and elegantly painted end papers. More books like this
for younger readers, please. Highly recommended. (SW)
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Sam Lloyd Mr Pusskins
Orchard Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 184362947X
Emily adores Mr Pusskins. He, however, is a bored and
unappreciative cat. Mr Pusskins craves fun and excitement
and not the pampering he gets from Emily. One night he
goes off in search of adventure, and ends up having all
sorts of naughty fun with the Pesky Cat Gang. But after a
while, the novelty wears off and he misses Emily and her
cuddles. In his artwork, Sam Lloyd cleverly captures the
transformation from bad-tempered to loving cat. This is a
humorous and touching story. (MR)
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Gillian Lobel, Illustrated by Adrienne Geoghegan Fancy
That!
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, £10.99 (HBK),
ISBN 1845073355
Mother Crane discovers a nest of beautiful white eggs
and decides to hatch them herself. But whose eggs are
they? The other animals think they know what kind of
babies are in the eggs. But they are in for a big
surprise! With its bold colour illustrations and simple
but descriptive dialogue, the animal characters leap from
page to page in a feast of glorious colour. The book will
appeal to both parents and toddlers alike. Shortlisted
for the CBI/Bisto Award in 2006. [CC]
Read Also: The Best Daddy in All the World; Ellie and
the Butterfly Kitten
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Mary Murphy Comet the Fairy Dog
Red Fox, £5.99 (PBK), ISBN 0099439328
"I am bigger than a bee, and smaller than a
mouse, and I can fly". So begins the story of Comet
the fairy dog, a fairy puppy who mummy fairy dog has
taught to walk and fly, to bake and share, and is now
ready to make his own way in the world. Interspersed with
information about the world of fairy dogs - "fairy
pups open their eyes at two weeks old" - this
delightful story, with the author’s trademark
vibrant illustrations, parallels baby’s own first
steps towards independence. (LB)
Read Also: I Like it When; Please be Quiet
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Jane Simmons Together
Orchard Books, £10.99 (HBK), 1843629720
Mousse and Nut are best friends who do everything
together. They have a fight but miss each other and
become friends again. Mousse and Nut show how two
‘people’ can be different but still be friends.
The use of imagery in the story is excellent. Simmons
uses strong, vibrant colours in striking double page
spreads. Children will want to pour over the lush,
detailed yet painterly illustrations. The universal
appeal of its friendship storyline makes this book one to
treasure. (BL)
Read Also: Come on Daisy
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Jessica Souhami Sausages
Frances Lincoln, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 18405073975
An elf stuck on a thorn grants John, a poor wood
cutter, three wishes in return for his rescue. Overcome
by hunger, John wishes for the eponymous sausages. Piqued
at this wasted wish, Martha, his wife wishes the sausages
would stick to the end of John’s nose. And yes, the
third wish has to be spent on freeing John from his
sausagey attachment. This retelling of a familiar
Brothers Grimm story is made fresh by Souhami’s
lively artwork, using collage and lots of bright colour.
(VC)
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Valerie Thomas, Illustrated by Korky Paul Winnie
at the Seaside
Oxford University Press, £5.99 (PBK), ISBN 0192792008
Winnie the kooky witch and her put upon cat, Wilbur,
take a trip to the seaside. Wilbur’s plans for a
relaxing day on the beach are turned upside down when
accident prone Winnie is about. Korky Paul’s
illustrations are as always full of detail and humour
while Valerie Thomas’s use of big descriptive words
brings the story to life. Winnie and Wilbur are one of
the best double acts in young children’s literature.
They would give Wallace and Gromit a run for their money.
[CC]
Read Also: Winnie the Witch; Winnie in Winter
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Charlotte Voake Hello Twins
Walker Books, £10.99 (HBK), ISBN 1844280462
Charlotte and Simon are twins, but they do not act
alike. The illustrations are cleverly used to show the
differences between the twins. Each twin plays, eats and
draws differently. This book celebrates the individuality
of children and the simplistic drawings and language
complement the simple storyline. The careful production
and heavy, high quality cream paper used add to the
book’s appeal. It’s lovely to see such thought
going into a young child’s book. Ideal for any twins
in your life. A joy to read. (BL)
Read Also: Ginger; Here Comes the Train
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