My Tiger by Joy Cowley illustrated by David Barrow

Tiger loves to eat cake and only cake until he has a toothache. The dentist tells the boy his tiger must not eat any more cake. What will the tiger eat if he is banned from eating cakes? She suggests he should eat the same food as other tigers!

Just look at that cover - we can only see part of the huge tiger and a couple of discarded cupcakes. If you stretch out the cover you will see the rest of the tiger and his face as the boy is pulling him by his tail dragging him to the dentist.

Back cover

The illustrations in this book are fantastic - this tiger has an even better face than the famous tiger in The Tiger who Came to Tea.

The Tiger who came to Tea by Judith Kerr

Gecko Press blurb: My tiger loved cake, and I went with him to the cake shop. Then he got a bad tooth, so I went with him to the dentist. My tiger didn’t like sitting in the waiting room, climbing onto the dentist chair, being told by the dentist what to eat. Especially when she said no more cake! What’s a tiger supposed to eat? A bossy adult is made to look silly and a charming tiger wins the reader’s heart in this subversively funny story about a love of cake and the pull of natural tiger instincts.

The timing of reading this book is PERFECT because I just had a terrible experience with a dentist - and then I tried to book an appointment with a kinder lady in the same practice only to be told she couldn't see me for at least a week and that very same day I found this Joy Cowley book - I feel like asking the tiger from this story to help me! I know we want children to feel confident about visiting the dentist but reading this book where (spoiler alert) the way the dentist is eaten by the tiger felt so good just after my horror experience. 

A trip to the dentist is inevitable after one too many sweets causes a toothache. The encounter is unnerving for both parties, and the tiger is advised to avoid cakes for good, leading to an unexpectedly dark yet hilarious ending as the big cat opts for a diet more suited to his needs. New Zealand author Cowley has crafted a vivid story grounded in simplicity, while Barrow adeptly conveys the titular beast’s intimidatingly vast size and imminent danger. The feline playfully contorts his body to fit the page as those around him look on in consternation, and when the child peers into the big cat’s gaping maw, the perspective switches to inside the tiger’s mouth, his jagged teeth filling the page. But Barrow also gives the tiger an expressive, almost childlike face. His human friend’s matter-of-fact, almost deadpan narration will lull readers into a sense of calm before ending on a surprising yet satisfying last note. A deeply amusing, wonderfully subversive look at defying expectations and watching what you eat. Kirkus Star review

Companion books:

There's a tiger on the train

There's a lion in my cornflakes

We found a cat

Joy Cowley is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated authors. In 1992, she was awarded an OBE for services to children’s literature; and the following year she was granted an honorary doctorate from Massey University, as well as being awarded the Margaret Mahy Medal and a DCNZM (A Damehood in the old honour system). In 2002, the Joy Cowley Award was established in her honour. Most recently, Joy received the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Fiction for 2010. Joy Cowley was born in 1936 (89 years old). I wondered if My Tiger was perhaps a book she wrote in the past and that it perhaps has been published with different illustrations and reading a Facebook post from the publisher I have found the answer (which oddly was not included on the imprint page). My Tiger was first published in 1980 with illustrations by Robyn Belton; then again in an anthology by Gavin Bishop titled Just One More. 

David Barrow is UK illustrator. I previously talked about Have you seen Elephant and Budgie by Joseph Coelho. Gecko Press visit his studio.

Mouse and Spoon Book Series by Cynthia Rylant illustrated by Janna Mattia

When I saw this book cover on social media I was intrigued. I am a huge huge huge fan of Cynthia Rylant. She writes absolutely PERFECT little stories for children who are just beginning to develop reading confidence. Series such as Mr Putter and Tabby; Henry and Mudge; Annie and Snowball; The High-Rise Private Eye; The Lighthouse Family and now Mouse and Spoon.

I started exploring this series by reading book 2 - Owlets and Tarts - on my Kindle. Sadly, may be a little difficult to find here in Australia but they are fairly new so you can order them. I found them listed at Readings in Melbourne for just AUS$13.

Blurb: Mom and Dad Owl are exhausted—their three little owlets refuse to go to sleep. They need pillow tarts for their babies, and quickly! Will Ginger, Tom, and Piper at the Mouse and Spoon Bakery be able to help?

Here is the full review from the School Library Journal:

A long-reigning master of fiction for emerging readers, Rylant nails it again with this sweet new series about a bakery owned by a family of mice. In this installment, the mice are tasked with creating the perfect confection for owl parents who have been getting no sleep thanks to their three newly hatched owlets. The mice sift, roll, and knead until they have baked “three perfect Pillow Tarts” on which the owlets finally fall asleep. Rylant crafts a tale that is engaging without sacrificing decodability, and Mattia’s pastel-hued illustrations have a timeless quality that suits the story perfectly. The bedraggled owl parents add a touch of slapstick humor, and readers are sure to root for this trio of feisty mice. ­

The Elephants Birthday blurb: The baker mice are in for a surprise when an elephant places a large birthday order for over 100 pound cakes--plus some banana bread for her monkey friends! Can the little mice fill this very big order?  Read the review

Rabbit Tea blurb: A rabbit is having a tea party and needs lots of treats! Will Ginger, Piper, and Tom at the Mouse and Spoon Bakery be able to bake enough carrot cakes in time?

A Porcupine Wedding blurb: Ginger, Piper, and Tom of the Mouse and Spoon Bakery have a very important job: making lots of super sticky buns for a porcupine wedding!

Cynthia Rylant is an American librarian and author, who was born on 6th June 1954. She has written over 100 children’s books.

Bernie Thinks in Boxes by Jess Horn illustrated by Zoe Bennett

Bernie keeps a sense of control over her life by putting the things in her world into boxes in her mind. She has a school box filled with the classmates, the teacher and school routines and equipment. She has Nanna box filled with the enjoyment of shared times at Nanna's house, nighttime stories and the love of Nanna's dog. She even has boxes for meals - certain things belong in each meal box - breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Inevitably there comes a day when her boxes are disrupted. Bernie sees her teacher at the grocery store. 

"Bernie did not talk to Miss Williams that day."

Mum gives her eggs for dinner.

"Bernie had gone to bed hungry that night."

Then comes the biggest problem of all. Toby from school is having his birthday party at the park. 

"But the park was where Bernie played with Molly. Molly was in Bernie's Park Box. Her school friends were not. And nor were parties."

The whole situation is way too overwhelming for Bernie and she just runs away from the party. How can she make this up to her friend Toby? Is there a way to do something at school that is "just a little bit outside the box"?

At times I think I am a little like Bernie. I do like order and I do look for patterns and I do tend to group things into categories or compartments. I am also sometimes puzzled when friends do this to me - putting their own friends into groups. While I hear about these other people I am never 'allowed' to meet them - sorry I am not expressing this very well. I guess in some ways even as an adult I related to young Bernie. Is she shy or 'on the spectrum' or perhaps autistic? I don't think that matters. This is a book many younger children will relate to and for others it might give them a glimpse into the life of a classmate who reacts differently. 

I am really glad we have this book to share with groups of young children and also side by side with a young reader. I do hope it is a CBCA Early Childhood notable and perhaps even makes the shortlist. Jess Horn talks about her book with Paperbark Words. This is a debut picture book for Jess Horn. She also talks about her book here with JustKidLit. 

I previously talked about Ruby's Repair Cafe illustrated by Zoe Bennett. 

Bernie Thinks in Boxes is a beautifully told story and a valuable conversation starter that encourages and empowers children to embrace their individuality. In a picture book market where the topic of diversity is being widely recognised, Bernie Thinks in Boxes is a standout. Story Links

These companion books that show it is okay to sort things into categories but of course Bernie thinks in boxes also shows that being flexible and thinking about things in a different way does not have to be too scary. We all have to cope with change in our lives.

All Sorts

What's inside?

Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu

Elodee and Naomi are twin sisters, good friends and girls with so much in common but over the course of the next few weeks and months we watch them grow apart. The family have been living in Juniper but after a visit to Eventown they decide to move. There is a hint early on that the family need a new start, but you need to read the whole book to discover why.

Naomi is good at gymnastics and good at 'fitting in'. Elodee loves to experiment with cooking. She watches her sister and wonders why Naomi now copies the clothes and behaviours of her new friends. Why have they become so different?

Eventown is a very strange place - well as a reader you are sure to think it is strange - but it takes quite a while for Elodee to realise this. I think the turning point comes when the girls finally visit the town library. More about that in a minute. Before this scene we read that there are only three ice cream flavours which are on rotation; every garden in the town has an identical manicured yard with perfect rose bushes; there is no internet and no television; no cars; and it never rains and every day ends with a perfect sunset. In the music class at school the students only play one song - the same song - week after week and when Elodee questions this she seems to get into trouble with the teacher.

Now onto the library:

"Naomi likes books about animals and magic. I like books about people and food, so we go to the cooking section and the animal section and the fantasy section and choose titles that sound right. We have a mix of everything we love. ... We open one book each. 

I turn a page.

Then another.

Another.

Another.

They are blank.

I flip through the whole book. Every page is blank. It is a book of blank pages. A book of nothing. ... I pick up another book. Blank pages. Over a hundred of them."

Apart from all of this though, there is a deeply sinister layer to this story. Every member of the family has to go to the Welcome Centre. When Elodee has her turn, we discover this is all about telling stories - there are six stories. Your most scared moment; your most embarrassed moment; your most heartbreaking moment; your loneliest moment; your angriest moment and your most joyful moment.

BUT something goes wrong, and Elodee only tells three of her stories. AND even worse once the stories are told, the teller has no memory of them - the stories are lost forever. Why? 

Eventown is at times a heart breaking and difficult book to read. I did have to keep stopping to take a breath. I would recommend this book for mature readers aged 11+. I don't want to spoil the ending but the final reveal about why the family needed to move could worry or upset some readers. Having said that please do not skip to the end if you are reading this book - let Corey Ann Haydu take you on her compelling journey. 

Here are some text quotes to give you an idea about this story:

"I haven't thought to look around to see what else we aren't bringing, but do it now with Naomi, running from room to room to see what's left behind. Mom's not bringing her old-timey record player or all the records she's collected over the years ... She's leaving behind shelves of books and a bunch of framed photographs of the family ... She's leaving behind all our winter coats and hats and scarves, our silver sled and a painting of the sun that has been in our living room forever."

"When mum and Naomi get back from grocery shopping I get right to work, and the cooking comes easily. The instructions are clear, and following the recipe feels like a dance with the kitchen. The result is incredible. The chicken is golden brown, crispy on the outside and buttery on the inside. ... I've never made anything this delicious. ... The recipes I invented back in our old kitchen in Juniper were never like this."

"And we're hoping we can learn a little more about your life before today. Part of our welcoming you here to town is making sure you're able to start fresh here in Eventown. We want to help you say goodbye to everything that made life before hard ... "

Here are some quotes from the review by Betsy Bird for SLJ. Do click the link Besty's review is fabulous:

In Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu, you’ll find a marvelous defense of messiness, mistakes, and uncomfortable conversations. We all want to run away from our problems, but it’s like that old phrase says: Be careful what you wish for. ... Need a novel for 9-12 year olds that epitomizes the very definition of “foreshadowing”? Meet my little friend here. It knows that some of the most effective horror comes from the people we love the most. Elodee’s whole family has drunk the Eventown Kool-Aid without so much as a blink, but she doesn’t see that for a long time.

Betsy refers to this book:

Orphan Island

Publisher blurb: The world tilted for Elodee this year, and now it’s impossible for her to be the same as she was before. Not when her feelings have such a strong grip on her heart. Not when she and her twin sister, Naomi, seem to be drifting apart. So when Elodee’s mom gets a new job in Eventown, moving seems like it might just fix everything. Indeed, life in Eventown is comforting and exciting all at once. Their kitchen comes with a box of recipes for Elodee to try. Everyone takes the scenic way to school or work—past rows of rosebushes and unexpected waterfalls. On blueberry-picking field trips, every berry is perfectly ripe. Sure, there are a few odd rules, and the houses all look exactly alike, but it’s easy enough to explain—until Elodee realizes that there are only three ice cream flavors in Eventown. Ever. And they play only one song in music class. Everything may be “even” in Eventown, but is there a price to pay for perfection—and pretending?

Part mystery, part fabulism, with a dash of dystopia, this story is as layered and delicious as one of Elodee’s concoctions. At once enchanting, heart-rending, and bittersweet ... Kirkus Star review

Website for Corey Ann Haydu. I am keen to hunt out more of her books. 

Awards:

• A Kirkus Best of 2019 Selection
• A Junior Library Guild Selection
• An Amazon Best Books of the Month Selection
• A School Library Journal Best Book of 2021
• Edgar Award Nominee

Eventown reminded me of movies like The Truman Show; The Stepford wives and Pleasantville.

Companion books:

The probability of Everything

Right as Rain

To Stir with Love by Kate Mildenhall illustrated by Jess Racklyeff

I am not very good at cooking, but I can make cakes, and this is all due to my mother taking the time to show me how - letting me do some steps at first and later watching me make the whole cake myself. Even now decades later I still hear her voice in my head explaining simple steps used for all cake making about sifting the flour, the speed of the beaters, and incorporating ingredients slowly. 

The little girl in this book is our narrator and she explains how every Monday she visits her grandmother and together they make a cake. 

"It's my everything cake. ... My grandmother's grandmother gave it to her and my grandmother gave it to me."

I was so pleased to see the recipe is included at the back of this book.  I am sure this book will be a 2025 CBCA Notable title in the Early Childhood category. The publisher site has an activity pack to use with this book. 

The wonderful watercolour illustrations sweep across every page, showing a Grandma’s garden with fruit trees, vegetable garden, and lots of different colours. ... I had a lovely time looking at the various older pieces of equipment used in Grandma’s kitchen: a whisk, flour sifter, hand beater, aprons, oven mitts, milk jug, tea pot etc. Read Plus

Real life photographs of the author’s family sit alongside creative colours and montages that transport us straight into the kitchen, where it feels like we’re literally holding cups of sugar and whipping the butter. There are textures and photos and little bits of flour wafting around that actually make one’s nose tickly. Kids' Book Review

For a list of other books about the relationship between a child and grandparent take a look at this post. Companion books:

The Forgettery

Grandma's Story

A Year in Fleurville

Wolfie's Secret

Mr Mornington's Favourite things by Karen George

Mr Mornington lives next door. Our narrator, a young girl, visits him through a gap in their hedge fence. She knows Mr Mornington likes gardening, cherry cake, his woolly hat and playing his saxophone. The friends share a love of music and when he plays his sweet tunes the little girl thinks of all her own favourite things - her cat, her mum, her friends, special shoes and socks and cherry cupcakes. 

Over time, though, it is clear Mr Mornington is beginning to forget things. He offers to teach the little girl so she can become the second-best saxophone player in the world but then he forgets, and he doesn't even tell them he is leaving. Sadly Mr Mornington has now moved into an aged care home.

Our little girl is not deterred however. She is given a small saxophone and she works hard and practices and when she and her mum go to visit they take cherry cake and music. Mr Mornington is sometimes sad but sometimes, there are glorious days, when he does remember some of the things that make him happy - his wife, his dog, music, cups of tea, his garden and cherry cupcakes. You can see these things and more on the book cover. And the cherry cake recipe is in the back of the book.

Karen George uses colour and white space to express emotion: when everything is great fun there’s not much space on the pages and she uses bright primary colours; when Mr Mornington has left, rather like the use of white space in John Burningham’s ‘Granpa’, the page is almost blank, the plants have shrivelled from lack of care and an empty cup lies upturned on the floor. But when Mr Mornington does occasionally remember his favourite things, there is a riot of flowers, slippers, gardening tools, the dog, his woolly hat, cherry cakes, the radio, a car and, of course, his saxophone. And the colour remains as the girl grows older and remembers her friend when she plays their favourite song for others. Just Imagine

I would pair this with Grace and Mr Milligan. You might also think of Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. 

I also thought of sharing The Sound of Music song - My favourite things. 

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Bear and Bird: The stars and other stories

This is a perfect book for newly confident readers. It contains four very satisfying stories and full colour illustrations with just the right amount of text on each page.

The Spoon - Bear and Bird have had a falling out over a spoon so Bear writes a letter seeking a new best friend and he folds it into a lake and floats it out over the lake. Little does he know Bird finds the letter and so their correspondence begins. Eventually the letter writers decide to meet but what is going on? Bear sits at one table. Bird sits at a different table in the cafe. Both of them wait and wait for their new friend. The waiter brings over a delicious bowl of porridge and as you may have guessed the only way to eat this is with a spoon!

The Cake - Bear finds a yummy cake in a box hidden behind some bushes. Without thinking he gobbles up the whole thing but then he realises someone made this cake and now it is all gone. No problem Bear can make a new cake. Oh no - Bear has never made a cake in his life. Do carrots, nuts, honey, worms, flies, dung and bananas belong in a cake? Then along comes Bird. She made the cake and she has bought everything for a perfect picnic but oh no - there is no cake!  This story reminded me of Frog is Frog.

The other two stories are The Rock (it is really a rock?) and The Stars. 

These humorous, touching, imaginative stories are matched by illustrations with the same qualities. Naïve-looking, soft-colored flat backgrounds focus attention on the black-outlined animals, especially the textured, stuffy-like bear and simplified bluebird, both expressive and huggable. Friendship at its best. Kirkus star review

You could pair this book with:

I previously talked about the illustrator Jarvis and I mentioned the first book from this sweet beginner series. I think all three of these books (the next one is coming) should be added to all Primary school and preschool library collections. 

The third book featuring the friends Bird and Bear will be released late in 2024.

I have talked about Unlikely Friends in previous posts - click the label at the bottom of this post.

Teatime by Tiffany Stone illustrated by Jori van der Linde

 

New authors should not attempt to write in rhyme - so often this can be simply dreadful - but when it is done well it can make a story sing. In this book the rhyme feels like a perfect little poem. It also matches the lightness of the two little, slightly unconventional, fairy friends.

Here is part of the rhyme:

"Please join me in a cup of tea.

There's lots of room, as you can see.

It's not too hot and nice and deep.

So climb right in or take a leap - right off the diving board.

The milky depth lie unexplored."

I picked out this book in a library for three reasons: I like the cover; it is a Canadian picture book and the name of the illustrator intrigued me. I now discover Jori van der Linde is from Vancouver while the author Tiffany Stone is from Maple Ridge in British Columbia.

If you have young reading fans who like to read books about fairies this one is well worth finding because the fairies (as I ready said) are quite unconventional and one is a boy and one is a girl! The story feels a little reminiscent of The Borrowers.  If you want to find more books about tea and tea drinking take a look at this post from my friend at Kinderbookswitheverything.

Marvellous Margot by Lou Peacock illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius

Margot has made a marvellous cake. She has a plan to share it with her good friend Oscar. Margot knows Oscar loves cake! Margot puts the cake (you can see it on the cover of the book - doesn't it look delicious) in her small red cart and she sets off across the city. 

She has not gone far when she bumps into her friend Leonard. Leonard is sad because he thinks his new haircut looks horrible. Margot assures him it is fine. Then she offers Leonard a slice of cake to cheer him up. 

Off she goes again and just over the bridge she sees Sasha and Sami. Their bicycle has lost its chain. Margot is quite handy with tools so she offers to fix the bike and, yes you have guessed it, she offers them a slice of cake - well two slices - one each. 

The journey continues. Milly, Molly and May are so disappointed. The ice cream man has no ice cream left. That's okay - Margot can give them each a delicious slice of her cake. Her kindness restores peace all round. 

Turn the page and take a close look at the little red cart. Oh no it is empty! This is not surprising but Margot is about to arrive at Oscar's house and now she has no cake to share. As an adult reader you might anticipate the happy ending but I am certain it will be a delightful surprise for your young reading companion.

Very young children will love exploring the illustrations in this book and the pattern of friends and cake slices mean this book will be one to read over and over again but of course you will want to bake a cake before you begin - ready to share slices with your young reading companion. 

You can probably guess why I needed to buy this book! Yes you are right it is about cake! Huge thanks to Nosy Crow for publishing this book (it's about me too). 

Blurb Nosy Crow:  Have you met Margot? She is cheerful, helpful and kind – the very best kind of friend! It’s a marvellous day in the big city. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and Margot has made a delicious cake for her best friend, Oscar! Margot takes her little red wagon and off she goes with cake in tow. But by the time she reaches Oscar’s house after having helped all her friends along the way, will there be ANY cake left to share? A story about empathy which shows that kindness and cake is always the best recipe for friendship.

Companion reads:

The Case of the Missing Cake

Sometimes Cake

A Friend like Ed (one of my most favourite books)

The Biscuit Maker

A House for Christmas Mouse

I'm (almost) Always Kind

A perfect Pig

I found a Pinterest collection of books and art by Ingela P Arrhenius. Here are some board books illustrated by Swedish illustrator Ingela P Arrhenius:

Read more about this book - Boardscape Board Books

Here are some other books by Lou Peacock:

Nuts by Lou Peacock