The Big Big Sea by Martin Waddell illustrated by Jennifer Eachus

"Mum said, 'Let's go!' So, we went

out of the house and into the dark and I saw THE MOON".

This book is filled with soft focus photo realistic art which perfectly matches the gentle story of a mother a child who take a night -time walk to see the ocean under the moonlight. The art style might remind you of the Australian illustrator Jane Tanner. 

The Big Big Sea is out of print but I picked up a mint condition copy at a local charity book fair for just AUS$2.

Companion book:

The Night Walk

Here are some other books illustrated by Jennifer Eachus and I have of course talked about many of the famous books by Martin Waddell on this blog - just click his name at the bottom of this post. 

About The Big Big Sea: Waddell again is paired with a crackerjack illustrator. Kirkus

Picture Book Month Day 13

 Featured author - Martin Waddell

I almost impossible to select my favourite Martin Waddell book. I have read Owl Babies to so many groups of Kindergarten children for twenty-five years and it is one of my "go to books" when I gift books to a new baby. Then there is The Tough Princess which was the book that inspired my Masters degree thesis topic - 'The Modern Fairy Tale'.  I also love the quiet stories of The Hidden House and The Big Big Sea. The Park in the Dark is always my suggestion when little children request a 'scary story' in the library and Farmer Duck is such a terrific book to read aloud, but I have decided to select Can't you sleep Little Bear illustrated by Barbara Firth. I love the patience of Big Bear and the beautiful wisdom he uses to help Little Bear overcome his fear of the dark. When I shared this book in my library I even had a lantern with a tiny tea light candle! And I own a sweet little 3D play book based on this text.

 

Waddell's charming narration has the grace and economy of old nursery tales. Using frames of mellow slate blue, Firth sets her pencil and watercolor illustrations beneath gentle arches that suggest the cave's interior, comfortably accommodating the text among vignettes and larger spreads. ...  there are delightful domestic details to explore, but the bears are best of all. Perfect for bedtime, or anytime.  Kirkus

Here are the other books in the series. Many are now out of print but I am sure you will find copies in a library and these books also often turn up at charity shops and charity book sales:

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell illustrated by Jason Cockroft

Tuesday Treasure

for 

Christmas

"It was a cold winter's night.
Kind Ox lay in his stable
close to the side of the inn."

A dog comes by - an Old Dog. Kind Ox invites him in.

"There's always room for a little one here."

A cat comes by. Stray Cat is welcomed by Kind Ox and assured she is safe by Old Dog. The next visitor is a mouse. Small Mouse is also welcomed and assured of safety. Finally Tired Donkey arrives with Mary and Joseph. Tired Donkey brings Mary into the stable. A baby is born that night with all the animals watching over the new family.

"There's always room for a little one here."

Eloquent, accessible and moving in its simplicity Publisher's Weekly

The language used is simple but poetic.  The phrase, 'There's always room for a little one here,' is repeated on every spread, inviting the listener to join in. I love how the animals, who would be enemies outside the barn, are here united by their common need for warmth and shelter. An Awfully Big Blog Adventure


Room for a Little One was first published in 2004. I am happy to see it is still available but oddly there have been some minor changes to the cover. The differences between the fonts used here would make a good discussion point for an older group of students. You could also talk about the use of subtitles. Does this cover need to say "A Christmas Tale"?

The illustrations in this book are so beautiful - you almost want to stroke them.  For art students they would be an excellent way to explore the use of light and shade. When you pick up this book take your time -  read slowly.  Then go back and look at the eyes of these animals. They are so expressive. Jason Cockcroft is famous but you may not know his name. He was the illustrator of the covers for these three Harry Potter books.

Here are some other books illustrated by Jason:

Martin Waddell is also very famous. I am sure you know his name and some of his most loved books such as Owl Babies, Farmer Duck, The Tough Princess, The Hidden House, the Little Bear series, and The Park in the Dark.

The Park in the Dark by Martin Waddell illustrated by Barbara Firth

Tuesday Treasure

This is another of my Tuesday Treasures. Kindergarten children often ask to borrow a "scary" story. There are a couple of titles I like to recommend. The Flat Man by Rose Impey and The Park in the Dark.  With both, the key to success is reading aloud with a 'spooky' voice creating atmosphere and tension.

There might be
moon witches
or man-eating trees
or withers that wobble
or old Scrawny Shins
or hairy hobgobblins,
or black boggarts knees
in the trees,
or things we can't see,
me and Loopy
and Little Gee
all three.

With their human friend safely tucked up in bed the three toys - an elephant called Loopy, a puppy called Little Gee and a monkey - set off to the park. Their goal is an evening of games on the park play equipment. There are scary noises on the way to the park but the fun they have makes it all worthwhile until the THING arrives.

RUN RUN RUN
shouts Little Gee
to Loopy and me
and we
flee,
me and Loopy
and Little Gee
scared three.

I love to think about the process of illustrating this book. The way Barbara Firth interprets the text by Martin Waddell is fabulous. If you can find this book I think "the THING" will amaze you.  The final scene might remind of that other classic adventure, and slightly scary story - We're going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen.  (My photo is from the Bear Hunt pop-up book).

The Park in the Dark was awarded the Kurt Maschler prize in 1989. This award is for books of imagination where the text and illustrations "are integrated so each enhances and balances the other." Other prestigious titles to receive this award include Gorilla by Anthony Browne, The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, The Little Boat by Kathy Henderson and So Much by Trish Cooke. The last award was made in 1999.

Here is a video of our own Libby Gleeson reading this book. You may know the gentle illustrations of Barbara Firth from her Little Bear books.

It would be interesting to compare The Park in the Dark with Waiting by Kevin Henkes. My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything has an excellent Pinterest of other stories which feature toys.

The Tough Princess by Martin Waddell illustrated by Patrick Benson

Tuesday Treasure

"Once upon a time ..."

A conventional fairy tale opening for a non conventional tale.

The king and queen no longer live in a castle. Fighting wars and losing badly means they are reduced to living in a caravan in the deep dark wood. When their baby daughter is born they decide she can rescue them. Of course they did expect the baby would be a boy!

Her mother explains: "She will grow up to be a beautiful princess. I will annoy a bad fairy and get the Princess into bother, and then a handsome prince will rescue her, and we'll all go off and live in his castle."

Naturally Princess Rosamund has a different plan and it involves a lot of biffing. She borrows a bike complete with decorative dice, stirrup pedals and a lantern and heads off to find a prince. "Rosamund had lots of adventures .... She did all the things a heroine ought to do, but she didn't catch her prince." Look closely to see these things on the cover illustration by Patrick Benson. You may know his work already from the famous book Owl Babies also by Martin Waddell.

Rosamund returns home. She looks around the forest and in a perfect twist she sees this sign

THIS WAY TO THE ENCHANTED PRINCE

and they "lived happily ever after, too."

I have loved this book for a long time and so I decided to purchase a used copy for myself because, yes you have already guessed, this book is sadly out of print. Tonight I made a startling discovery - my copy has been signed by Martin Waddell himself!

Another modern fairy tale about an assertive female, achiever, in this case leavened with the sort of ebullient good humor that sensibly whisks problems away as fast as they arise. Kirkus

In the late 1990s I completed some post graduate study in Children's Literature. For the final subject we were expected to complete a mini thesis (10,000-15,000 words) and this book - The Tough Princess was my inspiration. My topic - The Modern Princess Tale. I have surprised myself that I had not previously explored this book on my blog.

Some of the books referred to in my mini thesis:

• Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole
• The Worm and the Toffee Nosed Princess by Eva Ibbotson
• The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
• Sleeping Ugly by Jane Yolen
• The Karate Princess by Jeremy Strong
• The Princess who hated it by Robin Klein
• Snow White in New York by Fiona French

Owl babies by Martin Waddell illustrated by Patrick Benson

As January approaches my thoughts are turning to the early weeks when Kindergarten students visit our school library for the first time.  There is so much excitement attached to borrowing the first library book and taking it home for mum or dad to read.  

I have a small set of books that I like to read over these weeks - I call them participatory stories because each one allows the children to join in as storytellers. I also like to read books that are perhaps familiar either from pre-school or from home collections.  One of these books which is always popular is Owl Babies.  This is one of those books can boast the most special accolade of all because children always say "Read it again".

Every child and adult has experienced the feeling of loss conveyed in this beautiful book.  The mother owl has gone hunting leaving the three little owls at home alone.  The baby owls have feelings of anxiety and concern, but each little owl has a different coping mechanism.  

Sarah is the practical one, she takes charge and explains why the mother owl has gone.  She knows the younger owls need comfort, so she gathers them all together on one branch.  

Percy is a future thinker.  He knows the mother owl has to go away so they can all have delicious food. He is looking forward to a reward for his patience. Yes, he is worried, but he is also philosophical.  

Bill is the smallest of the baby owls, and his experience of this separation is almost too hard to witness. He just knows his mother is gone and he wants her back.  His anxiety builds and builds through the story until finally 

"Soft and silent, she swooped through the trees to Sarah and Percy and Bill....

WHAT'S ALL THIS FUSS?  ... 

You knew I'd come back."  

The baby owls are thinkers and yes, they knew she would come back.  Bill is especially pleased all the tension and anxiety are gone and he can happily say "I love my mummy!"

The joy of reading this book comes from the individual characters of the baby owls.  I love to use different voices for each one.  The illustrations are so luminous you can almost touch the owl feathers. Martin Waddell is a master storyteller.  I was once lucky to hear him read Owl babies.  He read with such affection and with a perfect languid pace. We have a DVD of this book in our library too but we only look at it after a careful reading of this classic heartwarming story. Here are some teaching notes. As a final touch I have three tiny baby owl puppets which come out of my library bag when we read this book.

Here is a comment that sums up the power of Owl Babies:

'Books have long been used to give children a way of looking at and understanding issues that are familiar to them by putting them in a different context'