Huxley and Flapjack: Race to the Rescue by Alan MacDonald illustrated by Francesca Gambatesa

Huxley is a koala. Flapjack is a penguin. They live together in a rambling house in the woods. Huxley lives high in the treetops (I hope this is a gum tree) but Flapjack is afraid of heights, so his bedroom is on the ground. 

Image source: Francesca Gambatesa

Huxley is a bit of a dare devil while Flapjack tends to be more cautious. It is clear there will be several disasters when the friends head into the city to explore a brand new, six-storey department store. Adding the mayhem, a robber is a at work. The store manager is sure Huxley is the thief but our friends have seen the real thief and so they set up a trap to catch him and hopefully recover all the stolen items. 

Oddly this is book contains information that might surprise Australian children. Huxley and Flapjack: Race to the Rescue comes from the UK and it contains a serious factual error - Koalas are not bears! But if you can look past this issue, this book and the next one in the series would be a good addition to your easy chapter collection. There are colour illustrations; and easy to read text; and a fast moving story with touches of humour. Here is an interview with the author. Here is the webpage for Alan MacDonald.

A fast-moving fun story, ideal for new solo readers with zany, dynamic full colour illustrations by Francesca Gambatesa on every spread. I suspect this duo will gain lots of young followers who will eagerly anticipate their further adventures. Red Reading Hub

This charming young chapter book is full of energy, and the fabulous colour illustrations on every page perfectly reflect the vim and vigour of the adventure. Huxley is perhaps a little too quick to act before thinking, and this can provide a talking point. Meanwhile, the very sweet and sensible Flapjack is always there to counter-balance the impetuous koala. This would appeal to young readers who enjoy animal stories that aren’t too cutesy. Book Trust

From its zingy yellow cover to its wonderful colour illustrations, this gorgeous early chapter book is bursting with energy and adventure, sure to capture the imagination- and hearts- of its readers. Huxley and Flapjack prove that opposites attract and that true friends can be quite different to you in both tastes and backgrounds. Through the Bookshelf

The second book from this series will arrive mid year.

Koala Ark by Stephen Michael King

"It came fast and without warning. The smouldering embers drifted into a smoky mist. There was great concern for the billabong friend."

The bushfire has arrived. Koala has a boat - an ark - and he sets off to collect all of his friends so they can be taken to a safe place. 

An ark! The original ark was filled with animals gathered by Noah - but in this book the disaster is not a flood it is a huge bushfire and the hero is not a man, it is a small, but heroic koala.

I love the spare text in this book and the hand drawn, fine line illustrations which on every page beautifully extend the text. Every face in this book conveys enormous emotion. Readers from other countries will be introduced to words such as billabong and Australian animals such as the Hopping Mouse, galah, bowerbird, tawny frogmouth, lorikeets, black cockatoos, and the bandicoot. 

The opening end paper of Koala Ark is presented as an aerial or bird's eye view of small islands near the coast of the Southern Ocean. Each area is inhabited by a different  group of animals. The landscape is lush and green. Then on the next page there is a huge orange and yellow image. You may immediately think, as I did, of fire.  On the title page we can see koala island and koalas enjoying their daily life but something is coming - a bushfire. On the final end paper the viewer zooms in even closer and it is clear the danger has passed and the koalas are once again able to enjoy their small patch of precious habitat.  The end paper images in Koala Ark reminded me of the images by Stephen Michael King for the story Up the Creek from Beetle Soup by Robin Morrow illustrated by Stephen Michael King (1997). 

Read the true life events that inspired Stephen Michael King to write this book. Sales of this book will be used to support: Koalas in Care  and Aussie Ark/ Koala Ark Project.

Companion reads:

You could also compare the bushfire images in Koala Ark with an earlier book by Stephen Michael King - Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle:

Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle

Take a look at my Pinterest collection of picture books about Bushfires here in Australia.

Television commercial using We're going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the Australian version of this car advertisement on television a couple of weeks ago. It uses (I wonder if they asked for permission) the famous children's book We're going on a Bear hunt as the sound track.

About the ad: A couple notices something moving in the bushes and wonder if it's Bear. The couple and their friends take off in their Grand Cherokee SUVs to go find Bear. As "We're Going On a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen plays in the background, the vehicles traverse rivers and rocky trails. Finally, they spot Bear. Bear, it turns out, is their chocolate-coloured Newfoundland dog. (in the US version) 

The end of the Australian advertisement is different and it infuriated me - the bear at the end is not a furry dog -  is a koala!  Koalas are not bears. 

The voice over from the young child says: "Look at Bear!" and we see the image in their rear view mirror.

• Did they ask permission?
• Will Michael Rosen receive a royalty fee?
• Did they ask Michael Rosen if they could change the text? "We're going to see a big one" the real text says "We're going to catch a big one". 
• Children do not buy cars - why did they choose this song/text?
• This car commerical comes from the US and yet this is an iconic British book - confusing? And it has been "tweaked" for an Australian audience - again confusing?
• This book was first published in 1989 I wonder how it came to the attention of the advertising agency - perhaps someone has been reading this book to their young child - I do hope so.
• If you want to share some books about koalas with your students take a look at this post by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything. 

We're going on a Bear Hunt won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in 1989.  In 1989 it was an Honour Book in the Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards. The book also won the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and it was highly commended for the 1989 Kate Greenaway Medal.

Here is my popup version of this famous book. Sadly it is out of print. 

Here are the song lyrics:

We're goin' on a bear hunt 

(We're goin' on a bear hunt) 

We're going to catch a big one, 

(We're going to catch a big one,)I'm not scared

(I'm not scared)

What a beautiful day!

(What a beautiful day!)

 

Uh-uh! 

Grass! 

Long wavy grass. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy!

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A river! 

A deep cold river. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

Mud! 

Thick oozy mud. 

We can't go over it, 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A forest! 

A big dark forest. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Stumble trip! Stumble trip! Stumble trip! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A snowstorm! 

A swirling whirling snowstorm. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Hooo wooo! Hooo wooo! Hooo wooo! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A cave! 

A narrow gloomy cave. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

We've got to go through it! 

Tiptoe! Tiptoe! Tiptoe! 

WHAT’S THAT! 

One shiny wet nose! 

Two big furry ears! 

Two big goggly eyes! 

IT’S A BEAR! 

Quick! 

Back through the cave! 

Tiptoe! Tiptoe! Tiptoe! 

Back through the snowstorm! 

Hoooo woooo! Hoooo woooo! Hoooo woooo! 

Back through the forest! 

Stumble trip! Stumble trip! Stumble trip! 

Back through the mud! 

Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! 

Back through the river! 

Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh! 

Back through the grass! 

Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! 

Get to our front door. 

Open the door. 

Up the stairs 

Oh no! 

Smooch and Rose by Samantha Wheeler

I have said this many times before but I really do not like covers like this one we see here for Smooch and Rose.  The little strawberries are important as is the koala but I there is no reason to have a photo of little girl lying on the grass. I wonder if a cover like this will appeal to the target audience.

Rose has lost both her parents and now lives with her elderly gran on a strawberry farm.  Times are becoming tough and suburbia is encroaching on her rural environment.  One evening they find a koala that has been attacked by a pack of dogs.  Sadly the koala dies after they take her to the vet but he tells Rose that there must be a baby.  "There was milk in the pouch.  I think she might have had a baby riding on her back when the dogs attacked her.  ... A baby won't stand a chance out there on its own,' said Craig. 'If you do find it, wrap it up warmly and bring it straight back in."

They do find the baby koala and Rose learns about the work of wildlife carers.  Meanwhile Gran has been forced to sell the farm.  The koala habitat and unique gum trees are threatened.  Rose must find her political voice.  She learns about activism, petitions and overcomes enormous shyness to present a moving a persuasive speech to the council which ultimately changes the development plans and the koala colony is saved.

Here is a review with some good web links.  Here is the author site with a sample chapter.  This is a fairly simple book but it has a good heart as does Rose who you are sure to be cheering for right to the end.