Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Ava adds by Ursula Dubosarsky illustrated by Annie White

I am always on the look out for little beginner novels with satisfying stories. We have a good collection of these in our school library and I have reviewed many on this blog but I am delighted to say here is one from Australia.  It is called Ava Adds.

Ava loves to play and she loves to shop so when her friend Billy comes over to play it is the perfect time to combine her passions.  Ava turns her bed into a shoe shop but first she needs to make some money!

"Of course, if you have a shop, you have to have money.  Ava didn't have any money, so she made her own.  She drew numbers on paper with coloured markers.  Then she cut the paper out into pretend bank notes."

Luckily for Ava, Billy is happy to join in the game.  He helps to set up the shop and then Ava gives him some money and he buys a pair of shoes for $100.  The price shocks him but Ava persuades him that this is a good purchase. He uses his $500 note and so Ava has to give him some change but Billy does not really understand commerce.  He receives his change and then asks for more.

"Oh all right," she said.  She gave him the five hundred dollar note as well.  'After all, you are my best customer,' she added."  Billy now has a taste for money and so he asks Ava for more.  She kindly takes out her paper and markers and makes a one thousand dollar note. Billy is really impressed!

This book will make you smile. The little colour pictures add to the appeal and as a bonus there are four books in this series each about a different character.

Here is the web site for the illustrator.  We have several of her books in our school library including Mbobo Tree by Glenda Millard and The Sorcerer's apprentice by Tom Skinner.

These books are perfect for children in Kindergarten and Year One.  We have a little girl in our school called Ava and I am looking forward to showing her this book next term. I think she will be quite excited to see her name on the cover of a book.

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