Little Rabbit's Big Surprise by Swapna Haddow and Alison Friend

Little Rabbit is looking for something to do. Big Rabbit, her grandfather, invites Little Rabbit to tag along. He has work to do. First off they visit the Mole family. Mole is planning a big party for Little Mole but he is worried no one will want to come along because their new tunnel is so dark. The next stop is Granny Hedgehog. She is unwell with a bad cold and feeling a little miserable. Then Big Rabbit and Little Rabbit see a family of tiny dormice who are struggling to manage they little children and find food and make a new nest from twigs. Finally the pair of rabbits visit Squirrel. She has broken her leg and cannot collect food for her young family.

Big Rabbit is a problem solver. When Little Rabbit wakes up the next day she finds a list - shiny paper, twigs and flowers. Are they going to make a kite? No, each of these things can be used to help their friends in ways that are sure to amaze and surprise your young reading companion.

This is a book you could equally read aloud to a very young child (aged 3+) and later give this book to an older child (5+) who is learning to read.

Here is the web site for Swapna Haddow. Alison Friend has illustrated many books including the Sparks series about Maggie and her horse Bramble which are perfect for young horse lovers. 

I really love this series but I am a bit uncertain about what they are called. The publisher is Little Tiger so the library I visit each week use this as the series name but inside the book they are also called Stripes and some booksellers and the publisher call them Colour Fiction. 

I highly highly recommend this splendid series. If you used to have Aussie Nibbles, Young Colour Puffin books or the Banana book series in your school library these could replace your older books, which may be looking a little worn out.  I have read lots of books from this series and every story is so satisfying and the colour illustrations are just perfect. Here are some others:

Check out my posts about:

The Long way Home

Little Bird Lost

Two Sides

The books in the Colour Fiction range from Little Tiger Group are perfect for newly independent readers aged 5 and up, especially those still struggling to find their feet. Those in search of both a meaty story and the vivid illustrations you find in a picture book. The illustrator is credited alongside the author on the cover – pictures mean business, after all. The books celebrate collaboration, exploration and extraordinary acts of kindness, challenging stereotypes and empowering children.

A House for Christmas Mouse by Rebecca Harry

"Mouse knew that the perfect home needed to be warm and cosy, with plenty of food to eat, and more importantly, friends to share it with."

As an adult who reads tons and tons of picture books I think it important to remind yourself that for a child this book, any book, is a new experience.  The plot of this book will be very familiar to adults and it is very easy to anticipate the happy ending but your very young reading companion won't have that expectation and that is why this is a truly sweet Christmas story. Oh and this book is sprinkled with glitter pages and shiny illustrations which are sure to be enjoyed especially at Christmas. Here is the web site for Rebecca Harry. 

I picked this book up this morning at a charity book sale. It is a fairly new book (2020) but it was only $1 while the actual retail price is $23 [9781788006897]. One of the real treats for m, at this end of year book fair, is arriving through the door to the first table which is always filled with Christmas stories. I picked up about ten from the table this year.

It is Christmas Eve and little Mouse is in a hurry to find a new home before it gets dark. As she scurries along she meets some other forest animals. Each of them has a small problem. Our little hero Mouse does not hesitate. She steps right up and helps each of them in turn.

Bunny need help with setting up her warm fire in her cosy burrow.

Fox is keen to make a cake but time is running out. Mouse lends a hand and then leaves the den with the delicious smell of fresh cake wafting behind her. 

Bear want to decorate his cave but he needs another pair of hands. With the help of Mouse the cave soon looks so perfect and festive.

Finally Mouse finds a small hollow in a tree trunk. It is  desolate place but it is empty. She runs outside to gather some leaves to make her bed. Outside she sees each of her friends but when she tries to say hello they all rush past - too busy to pay her any attention. 

"Mouse sadly trudged back to her new house."

Have you guessed what all those busy friends were doing? 

Until quite recently I didn't pay very much attention to publishers. Of course I knew books from Walker Books UK and Candlewick USA are always splendid and that our New Zealand friends at Gecko Press can be relied on to publish wonderful books from around the world. My book today comes from Nose Crow. Add that name to your list of splendid publishers - you absolutely will never be disappointed if you find a book published by Nosy Crow - they are always terrific. 

One last thing - I find the title of this book quite intriguing. Mouse needs a house and it is Christmas time so this book is about a house for a mouse but it also about a house where everyone comes together to celebrate Christmas and of course Mouse herself looks like a Christmas mouse with her jaunty green scarf and red pack. The snow filled pages are soft and almost tactile and the gentle messages of kindness, time, generosity and true friendship resonate though this lovely story. 

Five Bears: A friendship tale by Catherine Rayner

"All the bears looked at each other.

All the bears thought for a while.

All the bears felt happier than they had in a long time.

Then they all spoke at once. 

Because actually, it was simple ...

'We all just like each other!'"

Here is another book that has just popped up and it utterly surprised and delighted me. This is one of those books you could share with very very young children and equally with much older readers where I am sure their discussion would touch on very deep themes such as:

• how are friendships formed?
• is there a 'right' way to react to offers of friendship?
• how can you diffuse anger if a greeting receives a hostile response?
• what does acceptance of others and acceptance of difference mean?
• can you link this book with human relationships, tolerance, race relations?
• what should you do if an offer of help is refused?
• are there tiny things you might do to alleviate the loneliness of others?
• has this book shown you anything about the way teamwork works?
• why is is significant that the "stuck" bear is a polar bear?

Here is the blurb: Bear is walking through the forest, minding his own business when he comes across another bear. The Other bear is different. The two bears wander along, thinking different thoughts, and looking in different directions. Soon the two bears come across another bear and then another bear and eventually find a bear stuck in a tree. The bears realise that perhaps they aren't that different after all and perhaps they could be friends?

This is a large format, hardcover book with an affordable price so I highly recommend you add it to your library shopping list. 

It is my dream that this book helps to make a difference to our future generations' attitude toward helping 'stuck bears' all over the world. Catherine Rayner

Picture books have a great deal to offer to young readers from exciting stories of derring do to direct instruction and, as here, reflective texts that through the perfect marriage of image and word allows the audience to make a connection from the imaginative to reality. Excellent. Books for Keeps

I do adore art by Catherine Rayner - take time to explore her wonderful web pages.

The sniffles for bear by Bonny Becker illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

This book is the fourth in a series  and I just love them all.   There are two characters - Bear and his persistent neighbour, Mouse.  In this installment Bear is very ill with a cold.  "His eyes were red. His snout was red.  His throat was sore and gruffly.  In fact,  Bear was quite sure no one had ever been as ill as he was."

As one reviewer comments  : Welcome the world's most lovable curmudgeon and his endearing, unstoppable sidekick

The cheerful little Mouse bursts into Bear's house and declares he will soon make him well but Bear is the ultimate hypochondriac and he does not want to be made better.  He is revelling in his illness and just wants peace and quiet and lots of sympathy but Mouse is having none of that.  He tries reading to Bear, singing a happy song, playing the banjo and making soup.  Bear is so ill he thinks he is going to die.  He declares that he needs to make a will so Mouse obliges and fetches a pen and paper so he can record Bear's wishes.

Bears leaves his roller skates, mop and wash bucket to Mouse.   Worn out and full of nourishing soup Bear eventually falls asleep and when he wakes up he discovers he has not died and in fact he feels much better.  Mouse on the other hand has watery eyes and he is making sniffling sounds so Bear thoughtfully helps Mouse into bed where he falls asleep.

You can read more about this book here.  We have all the books in this endearing series in our school library.