Maybelle breaks each of these rules with hilarious consequences. Yum - Turtle Soup. She didn't see any turtles but the broth and tomatoes smell SO good. Yes, she lands in the soup tureen. Everyone runs away from the dinner party which means Maybelle can feast on the tasty leftovers scattered all over the dining table including the special cream desert. Unfortunately, she is caught by the cat, but she is not eaten - Maybelle is given as a gift to the homeowner Mrs Peabody. Ramona the cat is sure Mrs Peabody will LOVE this gift. Mr Peabody fails to stomp on Maybelle, but the humans call in the pest exterminators. Luckily this means the Peabody's need to spend the night in a fancy hotel. Luckily Maybelle and her friend a flea named Henry are able to stow away and spend the night at the hotel too and of course there are sure to be more adventures there!
Blurb: Maybelle is a lovely, plump cockroach. She lives in her own cozy little home under the refrigerator of Mr. and Mrs. Peabody. Maybelle knows it's best to stay hidden away, but she simply adores food. Just once she would love to taste something yummy before it hits the floor!When the Peabodys invite a Very Important Guest for dinner, Maybelle can't resist. She takes a teeny taste--and splashes into the biggest adventure of her life!
This little book (the first in a series of four) was published in 2007. I wonder why I haven't seen it on the numerous read aloud lists I seem to see on social media - they often contain old titles - this book would be such a fun one to read aloud to a Grade 2 or 3 class or in a family. Yes, this book is out of print but the ebook version is still available.
Here is the Kirkus Star review: Myrtle and Herbert Peabody, the picture of upper-class gentility, have their lives turned upside down by a lovely, plump cockroach named Maybelle. Living in a house that is dust and bug free is a challenge for the cockroach, but she follows The Rules: “When it’s light, stay out of sight; if you’re spied, better hide; never meet with human feet.” Maybelle loves food but she is sick of crumbs and spills and longs for the tasty food she spies on the Peabody's plates. Despite the warning of her friend Henry the Flea, Maybelle visits the Very Special Dinner table. Delightful details will make adults giggle right along with new readers. References to Herbert’s comb-over, his wife’s false eyelashes and illustrations that show the drama of an airborne roach and the bottom of Herbert’s monstrous shoe add up to a lot of fun, especially for reading aloud. Maybelle is one cockroach who will be welcome back any day.
I am not in flavor of the prescriptive paid writing programs that are in use in many Australian classrooms but if you need to demonstrate one of the concepts that these programs 'teach' children - then this book is perfect one to show 'tightening tension' at work.
Here are the four books from the series:
In 2022 my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything penned a blog post about Cockroach appreciation. Here are some companion books that I thought of:
"Now take my hand and we'll go see the sea before the storm." "You pull on me, I pull on you, and we decide to go on."
The text in this book is a lyrical poem. Two children head outside but they know a storm is approaching. There is an urgency to their journey. When the storm arrives they race home to the comfort of towels, dry clothes, dinner, a warm bed and blankets. But like all storms this one will eventually be spent, and the morning gives everyone the promise of a new day.
"A powerful thunderstorm is brewing on the island. Leaves whisper and branches shake. Waves crash and the sky grows close and dark. Two brave siblings bear witness, pulling each other through the woods and along the shore. They'll shelter soon, but not yet. First they need to feel it all."
This book is an equal partnership of exquisite writing and exquisite illustrations.
Here are some examples from the text:
"We stand on stones that lie like great bones, weathered and worn by water and time - by storms like the one that's headed our way."
"We pass the lighthouse, standing guard- a tower with a blinking eye, a tower with a lonesome cry, a welcome and a warning."
"Our town is eerie and empty, a stage without its show."
Walker Books blurb: A gorgeously illustrated jacketed hardback picture book for children which explores the extraordinary strength and changeability of the natural world and shines a light on those thrilling new experiences shared with siblings. Join in the journey as two siblings go hand-in-hand to experience the true power of a thunderstorm in their seaside town. They want to witness it all - the rise, the thrill of it all, and then the slow return to calm once the storm has passed and a new day begins.
"They were so brave ... the bravest goats in the world! And I want to be just like them."
Now read the opening sentence of Kid:
"There once was a small goat who lived on a farm, not far from the rugged mountain."
Ask yourself some questions - will this small goat have an adventure? will he travel to the rugged mountain? what will he find there? does he have a good life on the farm? are there any other goats there? does 'not far' mean this story will involve a journey?
Life on the farm is good. There are cows, sheep, pigs and hens. Oh, and of course there is a small goat - a young goat - a kid named Kid.
"He was barely taller than the hens, and not just because he was young. He was a small breed of goat - a miniature - so even when fully grown he would hardly peek over a bale of straw. For now he was still a kid, with gangly legs, ears that stuck out and two bumps on the top of his head. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there, and he dreamt that one day they would grow into big curved horns, strong and majestic."
Kid has dreams - big dreams. And these dreams are linked with the story of his parents. This is the story Audrey, one of the hens, tells him night after night. His parents were Buck and Bess and they heroically saved the farm from a fox but by chasing the fox they jumped over all the fences and "no one ever saw those brave goats again." Bess and Buck left their baby behind in the care of Audrey. "And you've been stuck with me ever since."
Kid has the care and friendship of Audrey and also of Harriet, a whitish-pink pig. So, the story is set. Kid would like to be heroic like his parents. He is sure his parents are living in the nearby mountains. Audrey needs to protect her young charge just as she promised his mother all those years ago and Harriet is keen to experience new tastes in the wild. But of course, there is a problem - well there are lots of problem but the biggest one of all is Farm Law. Note the capital letters.
"Farm Law says that any animal who leaves the farm can never come back ... They'll bring danger to the farm - predators, or sickness from the wild."
"The adventures of Buck and Bess played in his mind. He had loved the stories, so wild and exciting, but he always dreamt that one day they would return to the farm. Now he knew he would never see them again, all because of a big white dog who didn't like goats."
Kid will not be stopped. Ma, the big white farm dog will not stop him. He jumps over the fence and ...
There are some sweet words of wisdom in Kid:
Audrey: "I was scared and I didn't want you to go. But then I asked myself what was more important: to follow the rules or follow your dreams?"
Audrey: "The world hasn't ended. You have a home and friends who love you - even when you're miserable. I didn't raise you to blob around like a snail without a shell. Get up and do something."
Cow: "Gavin (the great hawk) said you will find your family ... on the mountain."
I think I held my breath through the final chapters of this book - I know Peter Carnavas is a trustworthy author and he would give me that all important "happy ending", but I was so worried about little Kid - would Ma let him come back to the farm?
Publisher blurb: This is the story of a small goat called Kid. Ever since his parents chased away a fox and never returned, Kid has stayed with Audrey the hen in the chook yard. Audrey tells him stories of his mum and dad’s daring and bravery. She says they live on the nearby mountain, and Kid longs to leave the farm to find them. And then, one day, he discovers he is big enough to jump the fence … Will a wild adventure up the mountain help Kid find where he belongs?
Here is the trailer - this is sure to make you fall in love with this book:
This book will be published next week - do not wait - run to your independent bookstore or local library and order a copy of Kid by Peter Carnavas. I really wish I lived in Queensland so I could participate in some of the launch events for Kid. Huge thanks to UQP for sending me an advance copy of Kid. I devoured it in one sitting and then went back and read it all again today. There are extensive teachers notes for Kid BUT really my suggestion is just read this book - to your young reading companion, to your class or to your library group. Don't dissect it - just enjoy the writing, the friendships, and the very special voice of young Kid.
In the UK Kid from Pushkin Press has a slightly different cover. I love talking with students about covers - design, appeal, font choices and the way covers can influence our reading choices. The US edition will come from Groundwood Books in 2027! Kid is published in hardcover and the beautiful pastel colours reminded me of my old copy of Heidi (I have put this image at the bottom of this post).
The publisher and Peter Carnavas himself (quite rightly) links Kid with two very famous books:
Peter Carnavas says: After writing my last book, I promised myself I’d take a quiet break from writing,
but then a small goat trotted into my thoughts. I’m not sure where he came from but I remember what I was doing at the time – I was reading Edwina Wyatt’s book Cub and Brown. Edwina’s story has nothing to do with goats but for some reason, halfway through reading, I put down the book, opened my sketchbook and drew a goat. Up until now, my novels have centred around quiet children and relationships, so I wanted to try something different with my goat – I wanted an adventure! I started drafting ideas based on the structure of the hero’s journey: I gave him a call to action, a merry band of accomplices (each with their own strengths), a wise elder, a series of trials and an exciting climax.
I really appreciate having maps in books. The map at the beginning of Kid reminded me of this book:
Kid is published in hardcover and the soft pastel colours used on the cover reminded me of my old copy of Heidi. Just a small observation of mine - Kid doesn't have any actual links with Heidi!
World Read Aloud Day was founded on the belief that stories are the key to creating positive social change, ... studies have shown that reading aloud to children has been linked to the development of vocabulary and comprehension,
strengthening emotional bonds and enhancing focus.
I saw a question on a Facebook forum asking for books to share with teachers for National or World Read Aloud Day. The person who asked for book ideas set a couple of criteria but I am going to disregard these - Australian and published in the last five years.
For my scenario I am going to imagine a school with twenty teachers. I don't really believe in one size fits all so I am going to group my books into four sections - Kindergarten; Grades 1 and 2; Grades 3 and 4; and Grades 5 and 6 and I will put five books per group = 20 books. I will put some wonderful Australian titles here but also lots of international ones too. Because hopefully my scenario school has a well-stocked school library, I will put books that are not new - that is the joy of a library - you can find older books that are truly gems. In terms of gems the person asking for suggestions also used the dreaded word 'quality'. I won't go into that right now, but this is a word that makes me shudder. I am sure I could list several hundred books for this post - these are titles that I blogged recently. I previously talked about World Read Aloud day in 2018.
When was this event established: World Read Aloud Day was founded in 2010 by the nonprofit LitWorld. Following a trip to Kibera in Nairobi, LitWorld founder Pam Allyn realized how important the power of stories was to children around the globe. So, she started World Read Aloud Day to make a positive impact on the world.
How has it developed since then: Since its establishment, World Read Aloud Day has been celebrated by millions of people through 170 countries.
In answer to the question and using the very restrictive criteria from the original Facebook post here are the two sets of nine titles that I suggested (note one is older than five years but I snuck it in anyway). You can pop any of these titles into my search bar for more details.
Because there is a Runt-shaped hole in her world."
Recently Craig Silvey spoke at an event here in Sydney and a few days later I bought myself a copy of his new book (sequel to Runt). I started my reading that day but after just 31 pages I stopped. I first read Runt back in 2022 and since that time I have read hundreds of other books and so many small plot details from Runt have evaporated from my memory. Thank goodness the library where I work as a volunteer had a copy of Runt and so on Tuesday last week I revisited the first installment of Runt. With 342 pages, and a few detours into other books on my enormous to read pile, I finished Runt for the second time on Sunday morning. It is now Tuesday afternoon and I have just finished Runt the Diabolical Dognapping which has a whopping 406 pages. Readers do need knowledge of the first book about Runt to really appreciate all the twists and turns and motivations and drama of the second installment.
Craig Silvey has done it again. He kept me reading and reading desperate to discover how all his disparate story elements could possibly reach that all important happy ending. This is also one of those books where the clock is ticking - Annie only has one month to win another competition and hopefully be reunited with her precious friend.
This latest book is filled with heroes, tales of past deeds, deceptions, new friendships, puns, jokes, determination, and of course it culminates in another all-important dog competition. The story rips along because it stars Annie who we all adore from the first book but in this tale Runt is missing. As the title tells you - he has been dognapped. Of course, this new story does need a dog - we met this puppy at the end of the first book. She arrived with Bernadette Box - her name is Little Annie. Oh, and there is also a new competition - have you heard of this - it is called "dances with dogs" and yes, it is a real thing. Craig Silvey explained in his Sydney talk that he watched hundreds of hours of competitions so that he could include accurate details in his story.
BUT wait there is more to Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping. If you have read Runt you may have been left with a few questions - the answers to all of these and many more form the framework for the second book. I wonder if Craig Silvey is a plotter - did be map all his story threads out before writing his book?
Here are some of the questions that you might want answered (but there are lots more):
Where was Runt before he met Annie?
How did Runt learn to perform 'tricks'?
What makes Runt such a loyal friend?
Why does Runt adore Mush dog food?
And there is question (spoiler maybe) about the real fate of the terrible villain - Earl Robert- Baron?
I love the cast of characters from Upson Downs. The policeman Detective Bayleaf reminded me of the bumbling policeman in the television show Doc Martin: Joe Penhale the local police officer in the town of Portwenn. The Mayor Barry Casserole made me think of the local politician Bill Heslop from Muriel's Wedding and also one of the pompous judges from Strictly Ballroom - Barry Fyfe with (in the movie) his silly toupee. It is easy to see that this second book is very cinematic - I know there is a movie of Runt and a play will be presented in 2026. After reading this second installment I'm sure there will be a second movie.
In this book I also enjoyed all the puns, funny names with double meanings, foreshadowing, subplots, flashbacks and side stories, and the way Rupert Broadsheet sounds like he has swallowed a thesaurus.
Another thing that Craig Silvey includes in his book are heaps of wonderful descriptions of clothing - they are all so 'over the top' and yet it is funny that at every author event Craig himself always wears the same plain long-sleeved navy tee shirt. Here are a few examples:
"Camilla is resplendent in a cream satin dress and a silver necklace. Doreen is vividly tropical in a teal polyester pantsuit, neon mango lipstick and polished brass seashell earrings. She has a fresh perm, a teased fringe and a voice like a started macaw."
"Barry wears a yellow shirt tucked into high brown shorts. His head is host to a thick and conspicuous toupee. His large glasses slide slowly down his nose, causing him to periodically scrunch his face in a manner that reminds Annie Shearer of a nervous rabbit."
"He wears a peach short-sleeved shirt, a eucalyptus green tie, mustard coloured shorts, white knee-high socks, black leather sandals and his official chain of office."
"The man wears a powder blue seersucker jacket, plum corduroy pants, a crisp cream shirt and leather loafers. He is tall, with ivory skin and a sensible haircut."
If you are looking for a fantastic present for a young reader why not buy both books about Runt. I adore their cover illustrations by Sara Acton, and the publisher has added a dust jacket which is a rare thing here in Australia, and the end papers are perfect and if you pop these two books side by side on your bookshelf they will look very impressive. Here is the Instagram account for Sara Acton where you can see some illustrations from the second book about Runt. Note if you are in the US Runt has a different cover, title and a different illustrator.
There is a link to the very detailed teaching notes on the publisher web page and also an interview with Craig Silvey and the notes also have some video links to explore.
Publisher blurb: Six weeks have passed since Annie Shearer and Runt competed valiantly at the Krumpets Dog Show. The town of Upson Downs is rejuvenated. The grass is green. The rivers are flowing. And a Tournament of Champions has just been announced, with the world's best canine talent invited to showcase their skills in the Grand Ballroom of the abandoned Robert-Barren estate. But as preparations for the event get underway, Runt mysteriously goes missing, and a trail of suspicious clues surround his doghouse. Annie's worst fears are confirmed when she discovers a ransom note with a peculiar demand: she must win it all to see her friend again. It's up to Annie and her brother Max – now an intrepid investigative reporter with the Upson Downs Speculator – to rescue Runt before it's too late.
And are you expecting that friend to be an elephant? Or if you are quietly reading a book and a friend comes along did you expect a horse? And while you are somersaulting it is a whale who arrives to be your friend. The text and illustrations in this book are perfect. On each page watch out for a hint in the illustration - a toy elephant, toy whale, toy bear, toy horse and a toy dinosaur.
Wait until you see the page with the giraffe and the treehouse.
This book is one you will want to share with your preschool group. Unfortunately, here in Australia this book is probably way too expensive for your library budget.
Joyously explores and celebrates everyday moments, whether spent alone or in unexpected company. ... The brightly colored, textured illustrations, created by hand using printmaking techniques, are mischievous and detailed, perfectly extending the plucky text. The Horn Book
An earnest call-and-response-style— “But what if…”—forms the deceptively simple structure of this poignant picture book, asking viewers to reflect on how solitary activities change when friends join in. The narrative follows a nameless protagonist as she happily engages in a series of solitary pursuits, from turning somersaults to crunching leaves. But her simple pleasures transform into larger-than-life adventures upon the arrival of unexpected friends—her plush toys magnified to life-like proportions until they seem to defy the limits of the page. The poetic simplicity of Hest’s sparse text marries beautifully with the warmth of Stead’s exquisite prints, celebrating the quiet satisfaction of solitude and the shared joys of friendship, giving each its due. The reflective lenses of the protagonist’s glasses shrewdly obscure her reactions to both solitude and company, thus refusing to suggest that either circumstance is innately superior. Gently affirming text will aid caregivers in drawing shy children out of their shells while respecting their choices. Hest and Stead thus strike a rare and delicate balance, honoring the creativity of the solitary child while gently suggesting that shared play does not have to mean an end to crafting fantastic dreamscapes, but rather the beginning of building larger ones—together.
I first saw this book in one of our large city bookstores - last month I visited one of our large public libraries at Concord and I found this book again - I had time to sit and read it properly. I do hope our Australian bookstores are able to stock this book for a better price. The retail price right now is over AUS$50 which is SO crazy for a 32 page picture book. Here are set of activity sheets.
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