Henry's map by David Elliot

In Henry's Map, Henry decides he needs a map as a way to get a little order into the farm.  He trots off with his pencil and a large sheet of paper and beginning with his own sty he draws the farm and its inhabitants. Even the youngest reader will pick up on the complication with this. Henry draws the sheep beside their wool shed then they follow him across the meadow to a shady oak tree where Henry adds Abigail the cow to his map. The journey continues and now Maisy, Daisy and Clementine - the sheep - along with Abigail all follow Henry over to the stable and Mr Brown the horse.

Finally the farm map is complete and all the animals stand on a nearby hillside to compare the map with the scene in front of them. "All the animals looked at the farm. Then they looked at the map. And then they looked at the farm again."

This book has echoes of the wonderful concept books by Pat Hutchins such as Shrinking Mouse.  Another book to explore in our library is As the crow flies by Gail Hartman which explores the idea of perspective.  Little Henry himself also reminded me of two favourite characters - Toot and Puddle. If you want to explore the topic of maps and map making even further make sure you look for My Map book by Sara Fanelli. We have five books in our school library illustrated by David Elliot including the wonderful anthology The Word Witch by Margaret Mahy.  We now need to add the sequel to Henry's Map - Henry's stars.

One more thing - do take a minute to compare the end papers.  Young readers will enjoy finding all the differences between the morning and afternoon scenes.

Henry, an adorable pig, maps his farm world and 

puts everything in its place.

The storm whale by Benji Davies

I have been away from my blog for about one month while I traveled to the Shetland and Orkney islands.  The storm whale has a lighthouse on the front cover.  I adore lighthouses and I saw some important and impressive examples in Scotland.  The setting for this book is an island and I have just visited some very remote island and even though I didn't see a whale on my trip we did keep a look out.

The best picture books leave room for the reader to 'join the dots.'  The storm whale certainly allows for this.  "Every day, Noi's dad left early for a long day's work on his fishing boat. He wouldn't be home again till dark."

What can we imply from this?  Noi has no mum, Noi is young but needs to be quite self sufficient and Noi might feel lonely since he spends so much time alone.

One day a tiny whale is washed up on the shore near Noi's home.  He rescues the whale pulling it home on his small cart and depositing this precious creature in their bath.  "Noi did everything to make the what feel at home.  He told stories about life on the island. The whale was an excellent listener."  The whale becomes his friend but a whale is a wild creature which needs to be returned to the sea.

It is the final illustration that is the most important in this book.  Make sure you take a look.  It is also worth spending time with the end papers which show our tiny whale falling behind the group at the beginning of the book and a happy reunion with all the large whales at the end.

Here is a terrific review.  You might also like to dip into Benji Davies web site where you will discover that this is his first picture book.  You can also see some preliminary sketches for this book here.  I was happy to discover The storm whale received a star from Kirkus. The storm whale was a winner of Oscar's First Book Prize which is aimed at books that a child under five can pick up on his or her own.  The perfect partner for this book would be Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers and with an older child I would pick up The Whales' Song by Dyan Sheldon.  If you want to read another picture book about rescuing a whale take a look at The Smallest Whale by Elisabeth Beresford.

Puffins

Ever since Puffling was short listed for the CBCA awards in 2009 and then was selected as the early Childhood picture book I have been fascinated by this little clown of the sea.  In a couple of weeks I will have the very special opportunity to see some puffins first hand.  This week we have been reading Puffling by Margaret Wild illustrated by Julie Vivas to our Kindergarten classes.  You can guess I have a huge smile on my face.  Picture above is from the National Geographic site.

Puffling is just such a perfect book. The illustrations are joyous, whimsical and at the same time seem very accurate.  The pattern of the story is just so satisfying.  Puffling asks Big Stripy Beak and Long Back Feather Am I strong enough, am I tall enough, am I brave enough?  Just like a young child - his development will take time and nurture.  Mum and dad diligently bring delicious fish and sand eels to their little baby and gradually he grows stronger, taller and braver until the day comes when he can leave the burrow to fend for himself.  I love the way mum and dad check his bravery by listening to his heart.  The Kindergarten children have all loved the idea of Puffling when "he popped his head out of the burrow.  He stuck one leg out of the burrow. He waggled his bottom at the scary gulls, watching and waiting.  But he remembered never to go right out of the burrow"

Here are a set of teaching notes for Puffling.

We have several books about puffins in our library.  You can see their covers below.  Nothing like a puffin is a gentle book that introduces very young children to some basic puffin facts - they can fly, they are black and white, they can swim and they are birds so they hatch from eggs.   Puffin Peter is for an even younger audience and has exquisite illustrations.  This book follows a similar pattern as Peter is lost at sea and enlists the help of a whale to help him find his friend Paul.  Together they work out puffins are funny and noisy and black and white with colourful beaks.  They are not parrots, or toucans or penguins - they are puffins!

Every day Puffling asks his caregivers to assess his progress, which will ring true with young readers eager themselves to finally be strong, tall and brave enough.

Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain by Steven Herrick

There are two main characters in Bleakboy and Hunter out in the rain.  One is Hunter.  Here is a little extract that might help you understand his emotional turmoil.

"Hunter remembers when he was five years old, being caught in a thunderstorm with his dad.  How his dad lifted a newspaper above their heads as they scurried for cover.  They were soaked before reaching the safety of a bus shelter. While he watched the rain gush down the gutters and turn potholes into puddles, his father read the wet newspaper, peeling each page away from the other.  Hunter marvelled at the sky, amazed that clouds could hold that much water.  With one of his father's discarded sheets of newspaper, Hunter fashioned a boat; a newsprint canoe.  He stepped from the shelter and launched it in the gutter.  It swept away, riding the stormwater waves.  Hunter knelt on the footpath and laughed.  His father told him to come out of the rain."

Some things to notice here.  Hunter is only five.  There is little or no interaction between father and son. Hunter is obviously highly intelligent.  He thinks about the sky and the rain and the clouds and he is able to make a newspaper canoe.  None of these things rate praise or even a comment from his father.

By age eleven and in Year 6 Hunter is still highly intelligent but his intelligence is now used for less than desirable behaviours. He has become the class 'smart alec'.  "Hunter is the class anarchist, lawbreaker and boy most likely to set the record for continuous lunchtime detentions." He loves to bait the teacher and taunt his school mates one of whom is a boy named Jesse James Jones.  "Don't call me triple j. I'm not a radio station, I'm an eleven-year-old boy."  Hunter names Jesse Badboy, Emo the Emu, Rainman, and Bleakboy - hence the title.

I do love Steven Herrick books and so I was really looking forward to Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain.  Herrick is a master of the tantalizing title - isn't he.  Remember Pookie Aleera is not my boyfriend.and Tom Jones saves the world.  I do love Steven Herrick but I prefer his verse novels. Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain did not go deeply enough into the emotions of these characters in the same way as these previous titles.

Hunter has serous life problems - his dad has deserted the family and moved to New Zealand - I did feel sad but I wanted a closer connection.  Jesse is trying to understand his place in the world and form his own beliefs while he navigates new friendships at his new school but one character I did really like was Les.  He is an old man of eighty who becomes a very wise friend to Hunter.  The scene where Les invites Hunter to test out his mobility scooter is fabulous.  It would also be interesting to discuss some of the practices of the alternate school that Hunter, Jesse and their friends attend.

Here is a review from Reading Time.  Here is a set of teaching notes.  You might also enjoy Problem child which has similar themes.

The Prince's breakfast by Joanne Oppenhein illustrated by Miriam Latimer

This might seem odd but the real reason I choose The Prince's breakfast out on a recent shopping expedition was the promise of Hugh Bonneville reading the story on the enclosed CD.  You will not be disappointed.  His voice is splendid.

Our Kindergarten classes are reading books this term about food so The Prince's Breakfast will be a welcome addition to our collection of books on this theme.

The little Prince has turned mealtimes in to a game of 'No!'.  His constant refrain, when offered delicious and exotic foods is 'No, not I."  Foods range from ideels and dahl in Agra, tortillas and salsa in Mexico and congee with pickles in China. Having tried everything on their journey around the world, the queen declares the family should now go home and perhaps admit defeat but just as they turn to climb into their royal carriage an old man pulls a bright red bottle from his case.  He sprinkles a few drops of this magical red substance straight onto the Prince's tongue.  Can you guess what this is?  From now on our boy will eat and eat.

"He poured it on pancakes; he spread it on bread."

Books told in rhyme are always such fun and I especially like the way this book does not talk down to the young reader.  Children who are curious about the exotic foods and lands mentioned in this book are free to explore for themselves.  Perhaps a visit to a restaurant or a little family cooking might be the order of the day not to mention taking time to look at an atlas.

Here is the web page from the publisher Barefoot Books.

Two wolves by Tristan Bancks

"Ben ran at his dad and tackled him to the sandy ground near the smoldering fire pit.  He wanted to stop but he couldn't.  He grabbed at the notebook like a wild animal, screaming as Dad tried to get away but Ben wouldn't let him. That notebook was the one place Ben could be himself."

In his notebook Ben has written:
police
holiday
Grey nylon bag, Black handles
The new old car
Haircuts

Ben and his sister are on the run with their parents April and Ray Silver.  Ben is full of questions most of which are unanswered and even unspoken as his father's short fuse and nasty bad temper leave him feeling deep fear, sadness and confusion.   Tristan Bancks, through his main character Ben, slowly reveals the full story of why the family have abandoned their home and fled to a remote bush cabin.

Two Wolves has been short listed for the 2015 CBCA Younger Readers Award.  This story is an action-packed thriller and with an interesting moral dilemma but I feel it is best suited to Grade Six students because at times the violence by Ben's father is quite distressing.

Review with the Trailer here.  It is amazing - so realistic!  I also recommend you dip into the Reading Time Review.   Here is the Author web site and a comprehensive set of Teacher notes.

You might also enjoy Chance of Safety, Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce or Toby Alone.  I also hope to re-read Toby's Millions by Morris Lurie first published in 1982 and by coincidence a CBCA honor book in 1983 and My side of the Mountain which was an inspiration for Two Wolves.

I especially loved little seven-year-old Olive.  "She was small, white, blonde, seven years old, one of the smartest kids Ben knew.  She had already read The Hobbit by herself.  For three weeks afterwards she refused to speak unless people called her Gandalf."

At the end of Two Wolves I am left with some unanswered questions especially about Ben's mum and I do wish the wisdom of the quote from the first page had actually informed Ben and his actions but overall this is a fast-paced book which will be popular with my senior students.

An old man tells his grandson

One evening that there is a

battle raging inside him, inside

all of us.  A terrible battle

between two wolves.

One wolf is bad - pride, envy, jealousy,

greed, guild, self-pity, the other wolf is

good - kindness, hope, love, service

truth, humility.

The child asks 'Who will win?'

The Grandfather answers simply,

'The one you feed.'

Publisher blurb: One afternoon, police officers show up at Ben Silver’s front door. Minutes after they leave, his parents arrive home. Ben and his little sister Olive are bundled into the car and told they’re going on a holiday. But are they? It doesn’t take long for Ben to realise that his parents are in trouble. Ben has always dreamt of becoming a detective – his dad even calls him ‘Cop’. Now Ben gathers evidence and tries to uncover what his parents have done. The problem is, if he figures it out, what does he do? Tell someone? Or keep the secret and live life on the run?

The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc

In our busy and noisy world a quiet and poignant picture book like The Lion and the Bird is a special joy.  The story begins in Autumn and as bear is raking leaves he hears a sound and discovers a small bird lying hurt beside a felled tree.  He gently bandages the little bird and carries his new friend home using the warmth of his mane.

Lion brings bird into his cosy living room and gradually they adopt a new daily routine of shared meals, bedtime stories, personal care and sleep. As time moves on winter begins and the world outside is covered with snow. Bird joins in with tobogganing, ice fishing and pleasant evenings by their warm fire.  "... winter doesn't feel all that cold with a friend."

Spring is heralded with a beautiful image of a small crocus flower popping up through the snow. With the coming of spring bird explains (using sign language) that it is time to rejoin his flock.  Bird flies away and  you can just feel Lion's heart breaking. Lion tries to follow his daily routine but nothing feels right now Bird has gone.  "Summer passes slowly, softly. Then one day, autumn returns."

Turn the final pages of this precious book slowly. There is even one completely blank page that perfectly conveys the mood.

You can see nearly every picture from this book here.  If you discuss this book with an older group of children you might like to use this set of review comments.  Here is the web site for Marianne Dubuc.  If you are looking for a very special book to share with one child or a group I highly recommend The Lion and the Bird.

White space—sometimes whole pages—speaks its own language of loss and hope.