Grin and Bear it: The wit and wisdom of Corduroy

I spied this little book of wisdom at a recent charity book sale. I am a huge fan of Corduroy. I own the toy, the book and I used to share the brilliant Western Woods video with groups of younger students in my former school library every year. I had no idea Corduroy was first published in 1968! This little wisdom book was published in 2018 - I guess for the 50th anniversary.

Here are a few of the wise words:

• "You're never too grown-up for a teddy bear."
• "You're never too small to get where you need to go."
• "Love what you see in the mirror."
• "No matter how nervous you are, walk in like you own the place."
• "A true friend always has your back."
• "Friends come in all shapes, sizes and species."
• "Never forget who you are and never forget who loves you."

I am happy to see all the books about Corduroy including the original two titles at the top of this post are still available and in paperback for a really good price. Other Corduroy titles reference in Grin and Bear it:

Measuring me by Nicola Kent

This book is such a delight. It will help a child make sense of themselves through a series of easy to understand comparisons. This book should be added to all preschool and Kindergarten classrooms. Every child will also potentially see themselves in these pages too:

The children depicted are diverse: one uses a walking aid, for example, and the girl on the cover has a tracheostomy to aid her breathing. Kent has a tracheostomy herself, and knows how vital it is for children with physical differences to find themselves represented incidentally ‘as part of the rainbow of humanity’ in books and other media. It’s particularly welcome to see a book about the wonders of the human body quietly taking this approach. Books for Keeps

• I'm as tall as ten tin cans.
• My nose can detect 50,000 different scent and my tongue has thousands of taste buds.
• The biggest bone is my thigh bone. It's about the height of a cat.
• When I'm standing still my body gives off enough energy to power a light bulb.

Written from the perspective of a child and featuring bright, adorable illustrations of different children, the book captures the sense of curiosity and wonder that children have for the world around them. It introduces the concept of measuring in a personal and relatable way, making it easier for young learners to grasp – and to have fun with!  Book Trust

This book would make a wonderful gift for a young child aged 3-6. If you are reading this book to your class Kane Miller the US publisher have a set of discussion questions. 

A brilliant bonus at the back of the book is an equally ingenious, sturdy, height chart. This has the usual measuring tape along one side, but tins in the middle and animals beside them so you can compare them to your own height and to each other. Emperor penguins are much larger than I imagined! You are encouraged to find other things to measure yourself against too and I can see this provoking lots of excited activity. Love Reading 4Kids

You can see lots of other books by Nicola Kent here. They sure do look appealing.

Over and Over by MH Clark illustrated by Beya Rebai

"And all the while, we'll watch the clouds change, making rabbits and fish in the sky. 
They will never quite look this way again, and neither will you or I."

This is a beautifully illustrated book that falls into a category I previous discussed - Poetry with Pictures. There is no real plot just a series of slightly philosophical statements or homilies. The words are also a series of wisdoms shared by an adult to their child. I put one of my favourite lines under the cover above.

"Over and over, the sun will rise and touch the sky above. And over and over you'll open your eyes, good morning to you, my love."

"Over and over we'll put on our shoes and our coats and our warm wool hats. And I'll open the door to the world with you. And we'll greet the day like that."

From the publisher: In a world marked by uncertainty, this reassuring tale celebrates the gentle rituals that ground a child’s day. Over and Over follows a young girl and her father as they enjoy life’s simple everyday pleasures—from sitting down for breakfast to gazing at the clouds to counting the stars before lying down to sleep. With poetic storytelling and captivating imagery, each page honors the calming magic of togetherness and the comforts in routine. 

And we will leave angels and footprints and tracks in the field, all gone sparkling and white.

Near the end of the book the pages fold out to reveal all four seasons. 

Here is a very detailed interview with the author MH Clark and the illustrator Beya Rebai. Read more about MH Clark and see inside other books here. See more art by French illustrator Beta Rebai here. 

There are other books in this series by MH Clark:

And I found these too - I am keen to see more of her work:

Happy all Over by Emma Quay

Image source: Emma Quay

This book would be a perfect gift of a young child. It is a  book that explores happiness in all its forms in a such a joyous way. Notice the cups on the end papers. 

"Little things all day fill your cup. Happy all day, soak some up."

This is a lively book, and the rhyme reads so well out loud. I love surprises like this:

"A star. The floor. Shapes at the door. Finding there are five when you thought there were four."

On this page the children have found a nest of newly hatched baby birds sitting in their nest. The leaves on the tree match the tissue-like raindrop shaped pieces on the front cover. Take a look here to see inside this book. And in this wonderful video video Emma Quay shows how she made the illustrations for her book.

I do expect to see this book listed as a CBCA 2024 Early Childhood Notable. 

Each page encourages a conversation, each illustration an invitation to have a little chat: Why is that  boy curled up with to his sleeping dog smiling so much? What do you think that girl licking the spoon is eating? What is that girl looking at the moon thinking? The illustrations show Emma’s signature wit and verve. Each child is a compressed bundle of concentration and energy, totally focussed on the moment. This book deserves to be in every home and school library and possibly read every evening. Story Links

I am a huge fan of Emma Quay. IBBY Australia loved her contribution to our recent mini masterpiece art auction. Here are her two of her books that I loved sharing with children in my school library:

Bear and Chook by the SeaBear and Chook by the Sea

And I have previously gifted these to various children and grandchildren:

Yellow, Pink, Red, Green, Blue - popup board books by Aurore Petit

A rubber duckie . . . a raincoat . . . a ray of light! Infants and young readers will delight as these objects jump off the page in this unique “first colors” 

and “first words” pop-up board book.

There's a new little baby boy who has arrived to bring great happiness into the lives of the family of a friend of mine.  Yesterday I caught up with the new little man - he is now ten weeks old. I have of course given his and his mum and dad a selection of books and I was utterly thrilled to hear they are reading to him every day!!! I couldn't resist this pop-up book when I saw it in a city bookstore. The yellow raincoat page delighted the grandmother of this baby and she immediately burst into the raincoat jingle "wear a yellow raincoat when you're out in the wet" from her own childhood. 

Gecko Press bio: Aurore Petit was born in 1981 in France and currently lives in Nantes. She graduated from L’école des Arts Decoratifs in Strasbourg in 2006. She works with children’s books and illustrates for magazines and media, and has worked on books and stage design. She won the Millepages Prize in 2019 for A Mother Is a House. You can see some of her French titles here. 

Infants and young readers will delight as these objects jump off the page in this unique “first colors” and “first words” pop-up board book. These sturdy, small board books are absolutely perfect for little hands, but the clever and surprising images will appeal to all ages. Each spread is printed in black-and-white, but the six playful pop-up objects are filled in with a bold pop of color—a novel take on high-contrast books! Thames and Hudson

See Yellow and Pink in action on Instagram. I do hope we see all of this series in English Yellow and Pink arrived here in March, 2024. Pink - What is pink? A cat’s tongue . . . a sunrise . . . a lollipop!  

I see Red and Green are due here in Australia in September and they are a great price at less than AUS$15 thank goodness. [I saw a different and very appealing board book this morning on social media for over AUS$37]. Here are the French titles:

• Jaune POP
• Vert POP
• Rouge POP
• Rose POP
• Blanc POP
• Bleu POP
• Orange POP
• Noir POP

B is for Baby by Atinuke illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

A big brother is taking a basket of bananas to his Baba (grandfather), but he does not realise the baby has stowed away and is now riding on the back of his bike - no wonder the banana basket is so heavy. The baby peeks out from under the basket lid and sees a butterfly and a beautiful bird. A mischievous baboon takes her basket lid and as they ride past a heavily laden bus the baby passes a banana to one of the passengers. Meanwhile the boy, wearing headphones, has no idea that all of this is happening behind his back. 

When he arrives, Baba reaches into the basket for a banana, and he finds the happy baby with her big smile. Everyone sits down to enjoy a fresh biscuit and a cool drink. The baby has certainly had a terrific adventure. I do enjoy stories which feature tricksters like this sweet baby. Oh, and it is fun to see all the ways this simple story incorporates so many words beginning with the letter B and so much action happens in the illustrations. Your young reading companion is sure to enjoy this visual storytelling. 

This is a clever and unusual book, with beautiful illustrations and a fun story that little children will delight in following. Atinuke’s books are always a feast for senses, showcasing the beauty of the author’s home. Book Trust

Companion book:

Atinuke was born in Nigeria and spent her childhood in both Africa and the UK. As a traditional oral storyteller, drawing upon her recent Yoruba ancestry, she visits schools and theatres all over the world. Atinuke is the author of the bestselling Anna Hibiscus fiction series, as well as the No. 1 Car Spotter series, and the picture books Baby Goes to Market also illustrated by Angela Brooksbank and Hugo illustrated by Birgitta Sif.

Angela Brooksbank worked as a designer and art director in the children's book industry before undertaking an MA at the Cambridge School of Art and turning her hand to her own illustration. Angela says, "I am constantly inspired by children’s energy and unique response to life and hope that my work conveys some of their playful spirit." Baby Goes to Market, written by Atinuke, was her debut picture book.

You might also like to look for:

This week I visited a charity book sale and I found 57 fantastic books for less than AUS$110. Among them was this one - in mint condition - ready to gift to a new baby (she is coming next month). This book was published in 2019 and I found a copy on an online bookseller site for over AUS$40 for the hardcover edition. I think the paperback edition might be available [9781406390872]. 

The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

A little boy has a puppy and some chickens. He asks his mum 'Will the chicks grow? Will the puppy grow? Will I grow too?'

He watches the seasons change. The flowers grow, the trees grow, the corn grows in the field, the chicks become chickens and the puppy becomes an adult dog but what about the little boy? As Winter turns to Spring his mother packs his warm clothes into a box.

Spring, Summer, Autumn and then it is Winter again. 

"The little boy put on his warm trousers again and looked in the mirror. 'My trousers are too tight. The legs are too short.' .. 'My coat is too tight. The sleeves are too short."

I'm sure you know what has happened.

I picked this book up from our local charity bookfair today (it only cost $2). It has a dust cover! and under the cover there is a height chart to display for your child. The illustrations by the wonderful Helen Oxenbury are scrumptious. I will gift this book to the mum of a new baby. The new baby will arrive in early May. 

From the publisher: A classically beautiful picture book from Helen Oxenbury and Ruth Krauss. Share the universal experience of growing up and discover the rhythms of the seasons in this wonderfully timeless story. A little boy, some chicks and a puppy live on a farm. They see the first signs of spring growing in the fields and the little boy asks his mother if he and the puppy will grow too. Of course you will, she assures him, and as spring turns to summer he sees his dog growing taller and the chicks become chickens. But as the seasons change and everything grows around him, the little boy feels like he has stayed the same. Can he really be growing too?

The text of this book was written by Ruth Krauss in 1947. Later this book was published in 1975 and then in 2007 Helen Oxenbury added her illustrations. I think this book well deserves the label classic.

Companion book:

Big

You could also look for these:

When you're older

Milly and the Mulberry Tree

I read a review that also recommend this one too:

The Big Dreaming by Michael Rosen illustrated by Daniel Egneus

Following the pattern of the classic story 'Are you my mother?' Little Bear goes in search of dreams. 

"The cold was coming, and it was time to get ready for the Sleep - for bears sleep all winter long and wake in the spring. Little Bear was worried. 'Will I dream during the Sleep, Big Bear?'"

Yes, Litte Bear will dream - it is the Big Dreaming. But Little Bear is worried - what if he runs out of dreams. He decides to ask for help. 

"Do you have any spare dreams, for when we sleep, deep, deep?"

The squirrel shares a dream about happiness; the rabbit shares a dream about coming home safe; and the wolf shares a dream about always having hope.

Little Bear heads home and these dream ideas help him on his journey. The final words in this book, which is sure to become a classic, will melt your heart:

"Big Dreaming, Little Bear.' said Big Bear.

"Big Dreaming, Big Bear.' said Little Bear curling up next to him.

And so, they slept. And they dreamed ... and dreamed ... 

and dreamed  ... 

All the way to spring."

You already know the classic and very famous book by Michael Rosen We're going on a Bear Hunt. This new title (he is such a talent) is sure to be just a big a hit with your young reading companion or in your preschool. This book needs a huge sticker on the front cover with the word CLASSIC!!

This heart-warming picture book from renowned children’s writer Michael Rosen has all the elements of a modern bedtime classic. The familiar caregiver relationship between the two bears and the gentle, lyrical text make this a lovely one to snuggle up and enjoy with little ones before their own sleep. Themes of hope, perseverance and homecoming will be comforting to sleepy young listeners whilst the stunning illustrations capture the mood of the passing seasons.   Book Trust

In quiet harmony, the images and words of The Big Dreaming will console, comfort and give hope to any young bear from 3 years upwards. Just Imagine

I would pair this book with the Little Bear series by Martin Waddell beginning with this one:

You might also look for Little Cub by Olivier Dunrea.

Daniel Egneus is originally from Sweden now living in Athens. Look at his Instagram post about The Big Dreaming. And in this post he shares his preparatory sketches. 

I have previously talked about these books:

Raven Child and the Snow Witch

Lubna and Pebble

The Thing

Meet the illustrator Melissa Greenwood

This is Melissa's newest book due out in March, 2024

Melissa Greenwood is a Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung, Dunghutti women from the mid north coast of NSW, with a background community services, education, community development and events. Melissa has been living and working in the Victorian Aboriginal community for over 7 years.

Melissa works with her mother Lauren Jarrett to create colourful designs for a range of products from original artworks, to clothing, and homeware items. Some of their successful business adventures include a partnership with skincare brand Jurlique and a collection with retailer Adairs. In this interview Melissa talks about her inspiration. 

This week the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) announced the 2024 Notables or long list for our children's book awards.  It was good to see a number of indigenous titles (see below) but the two latest books by Melissa Greenwood missed the cut and my friend who works in a school library was surprised. 

Miimi Marrall Mother Earth

Miimi Marraal, she created us, you and me ...

From Gumbaynggirr artist Melissa Greenwood, of mother-daughter art and design label Miimi and Jiinda, comes a deeply felt and heart-stirring picture book about the connection between mothers, babies and Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth.

We were sent this book for the 2022 CBCA judging. Here are my comments:

The tactile cover of this book is so appealing as are the soft pastel colours. The author explains this text is deeply personal but the story does have a universal feel. It reads like an intimate lullaby sung to a new baby. It is filled with hope, wisdom and love. I especially like the art on the page “you will always have sunshine, and water and beautiful places to play, swim and dance.” It would be good to pair this book with Baby Business by Jasmine Seymour.

Reading this book is like being invited to share an intimate moment between mother and child. The book welcomes readers into a special conversation and leaves you feeling warm, protected and inspired to live your best life. It’s simply beautiful.  Kids' Book Review

Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean

Gaagal (ocean) is our special place, we love to swim in the waves. We'll catch some yamaarr (fish), eat, dance and play games.

"We see whales singing up their babies and dolphins splashing through the waves. They are our totems, you see, they make us feel safe."

The artwork complementing this story is spectacular, starting with the wavelike endpapers. Each page is a feast of colour, with bold black used for emphasis, inviting the young reader to explore, comment and maybe reflect on their own experience of a day at the beach. StoryLinks

My Little Barlaagany Sunshine

As the sun shines throughout the day, it warms your cheeks while we play. As the sun sets in the evening sky, say, 'Yaarri Yarraang, goodbye.'

This gentle bedtime story follows the journey a mother and child take across a day and into the Dreamtime - finding special places to visit, creatures to meet and new things to discover.

Read this review. Here is a quote: This picture book is exquisitely stunning, both visually and lyrically. Greenwood takes young readers by the hand into the Dreamtime, on a voyage that inspires yet lulls them to sleep. This moving story demonstrates the strong connection between parent and child, and also the power of storytelling. Greenwood uses abstract and dot paintings to vibrantly showcase Aboriginal Dreamtime art, complementing the prose beautifully. 

Greenwood’s art is stunning. Gorgeous colours, shapes and patterns fill every page, each with precise and special meaning that helps tell the story. This is art that speaks to your soul, and combined with Greenwood’s words, this story is a gift to all children of all cultures. Kids' Book Review

Miimi and Buwaarr, Mother and Baby

Being your miimi (mother) is the most precious gift life can give. When you were born you opened my heart as wide as the ocean.

Join Miimi (Mother) as she shares stories with her Buwaarr (baby) about the environment, language and totems; passing on the wisdom of Gumbaynggirr culture and a mother's hopes for baby's future.

Spending time with this book set today I have a renewed appreciation of these very special books. All four titles should be added to your school library. 

Here are the 2024 CBCA Indigenous Notable titles: