Baby by Patricia MacLachlan

A searching, beautifully written story. Kirkus

Larkin lives with her artist mother, father and grandmother Byrd on an island (perhaps it is Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard). The island is overrun with visitors each summer so the residents really enjoy the quieter times when all the mainlanders have left.

We ate dinner as the sun set; candles on the table, the dinner a yearly celebration that tomorrow the island visitors would leave. The seasons on our island rose and fell in a rhythm like the rise and fall of the tides. Autumn was ours with quick colors, leaves flying until they were gone and we could see the shape of the island. The land rose and fell, too, from the north point where the lighthouse stood, curving down into valleys like hands holding pond water. Soon winter would come, the winds shaking the windows of the house, the sea black. Herring gulls would sit out of the wind on our porch, watching for spring that would come so fast and cold, we would hardly know it was there. Then summer, visitors would come off the ferry again, flooding us, the air heavy with their voices. And again, at summer’s end they would be gone like the tide, leaving behind small signs of themselves: a child’s pail with a broken handle, a tiny white sock by the water’s edge. Bits and pieces of them left like good-byes.

But have the summer visitors all left? At the end of chapter one Patricia MacLachlan hints that change is coming and it is coming tomorrow. The family and Larkin's special friend Lalo return from their tradition of farewelling the final ferry to find a baby on their doorstep.

“I cannot take care of her now, but I know she will be safe with you,” Papa read. “I have watched you. You will be a good family. I will lose her forever if you don’t do this, so please keep her. I will send money for her when I can. I will come back for her one day. I love her.”

Sophie's mother loves her baby but she has had to leave her behind. Papa warns Larkin the baby's mother will return.

“I like Sophie,” I said. “I don’t love her.” “Don’t,” said Papa. “Don’t love her.” He sighed. “I like her too,” he said after a moment. “Mama will love her soon,” I whispered. “If not already,” murmured Papa. “I’m scared,” I said after a while. “For Mama.” There was a silence.

There is a hint of sadness to come on the opening page of this book - it is a quote from a poem:

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. —from “Dirge Without Music” Edna St. Vincent Millay

This family are carrying a deep sadness. Mama and Papa won't talk to Larkin about her baby brother who only lived for one day. He never had a name and Larkin never saw his little face.

A tiny stone sat there, surrounded by big headstones with angels and flowers and names engraved on them. There was no name on the tiny stone, just the word BABY and a date that showed that the one buried there had only lived for one day.

A great topic for a PhD could be the portrayal of librarians, school librarians and Teacher-Librarians in middle grade books. I adore Ms Minifred she works at Larkin's school. She is a minor but also important character. She loves words, poetry (spoiler alert there is a love story in this book too) and Rebel (who) had come to the island with his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he was eighteen and had never left. That was fifteen years ago. We had seen pictures of him then, and he hadn’t changed. He was still thin, and his hair stood straight up. He had a mysterious tattoo on his arm that said “Wild Eunice.”

I often think about collecting the opening sentences of books - perhaps using them as a way to share books with readers or even as writing inspiration. Here is the opening sentence of Baby:

In the evenings my father danced.

Here is another beautiful sentence: Byrd lifted Sophie and whirled her around until Sophie laughed. A small island plane flew over our heads and away. And Byrd’s pearls broke, showering Sophie and falling over the meadow grasses like tears.

Publisher blurb: Larkin's family welcomes Sophie into their home, caring for her and teaching her games and new words. They come to love this baby as their own, all the while knowing that eventually Sophie's mother will return one day to take her from them.

The writing in this book is so far above nearly every book I have read over the last few months. I read a huge number of kids books and while many are okay and a few are good, none quite reach the heights of the exquisite writing in this book. It should not have taken me so long to read Baby which was published in 1995. My friend first mentioned it back in 2012 when she read my post about the most famous Patrician MacLachlan book Sarah, Plain and Tall. The label on this post will take you to lots of other Patrician MacLachlan titles. In this post from 2020 I talk about themes in her books such as music, poetry, questions, and family relationships. You might also notice many books include loss. 

Awards for Baby by Patricia MacLachlan:

• WINNER 1994 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
• WINNER 1996 South Carolina Children’s Book Award
• WINNER 1994 Texas Bluebonnet Award

There are only a handful of children's middle grade authors that I put into the category of superb - Patricia Maclachlan; Kate DiCamillo; Sara Pennypacker; Kevin Henkes; Patricia Reilly Giff; Katherine Paterson; Jason Reynolds and Katherine Applegate from the US. Katherine Rundell and Onjali Q Rauf from the UK. And Zana Fraillon, Judith Rossell, Deb Abela, Tristan Bancks and Shirley Marr from Australia.

Companion books:

The Naming of Tishkin Silk

The Summer we found the baby

Foxlight

Here is the full poem by Edna St Vincent Millay:

“I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. 

So it is and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: 

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned 

With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. 

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. 

Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. 

A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, 

A formula, a phrase remains, - but the best is lost. 

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, - 

They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled 

Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve. 

More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. 

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave 

Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; 

Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. 

But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.”

Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett illustrated by Carson Ellis

Employing a conversational style, Barnett offers a fresh and immensely entertaining take on an old story Kirkus Star review

Hopefully you do know the Grimm Brothers fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin but if you don't you could read this version. 

The best picture books are a partnership between author and illustrator. Carson Ellis has so carefully crafted amazing illustrations for this book and Mac Barnett adds a delicious layer of humour. 

"Her father, a poor miller, was a nice enough guy but he had a big mouth."

"My daughter ... She's really great' (It's true. She was.) ... And ... 'she can spin straw into gold.' (Of course, she couldn't.)

"And soon the queen had a child, a boy she named Tom. (A pretty nice thing to do all things considered.)

The list of names are sure to have your students or young reading companion in fits of laughter - Baxter, Thaxter, Cuthbert ... and Mac! to name just a few. 

Vocabulary: bragged, retinue, sauntered, and chalice. 

Publisher blurb: Once upon a time there was a clever girl with a not-so-clever father. When her father claims she can spin straw into gold, the king forces the girl to perform this impossible task. She has no other choice than to accept a strange deal from a mysterious little man. But when he arrives and attempts to collect the debt, the fiendish trickster Rumpelstiltskin discovers that he is the one who has been tricked! 

This is the second in the groundbreaking new collection of masterfully retold fairy tales crafted by one of today's most celebrated and esteemed authors, Mac Barnett, paired with the stunning illustrations of the acclaimed and award-winning creator, Carson Ellis. With Barnett's signature pacing and wit, his subversive storytelling style and narrative voice, and Ellis's stunning folk-art style, this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin will introduce this classic story to a new generation of readers!

Think about the language used on this page: The little man swept into the room. 'And if I do it once more,' said the man, 'what will you give me?' The girl shook her head. 'I have nothing left. I gave you my necklace. My ring. I am bereft.' And she paused to consider her fate. But the little man smiled. 'I'll make you a deal. If you become queen, give your first child to me.' Well, who knew if that would ever happen. So the girl said, 'Deal.' And the man spun the straw into gold."

After you read and re-read Rumpelstiltskin you should take a look at this interview with Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis and have the book beside you so you can see the images and decisions they are discussing. And then take this deep dive into the illustrations. In this video Mac and Carson talk about their book. Sadly our Australian copy of this book has no dust jacket but if you live in the US be sure to look for the case reveal. 

A great new Rumpelstiltskin version for every library. Waking Brain Cells

Carson Ellis’s painterly gouache illustrations, inspired by 18th century fairy tale art and portraiture of the Renaissance era are a great complement to the telling, while the black and white illustrations resemble wood-block prints. Red Reading Hub

It would be good to share this book with a high school group. For example you could talk about the way this image is reminiscent of well-known paintings of the Madonna and child. Take a look here.

I highly recommend you share this picture book by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis with the students in your library (ages 9+). Hopefully you will have time to read the book, then go back and look at each page and talk about the decisions made by Carson Ellis and also it would be fantastic to then read a couple of other illustrated versions of this fairy tale (see below). Here is a very useful set of teaching ideas from the publisher Scholastic. See lots more Mac Barnett books here. I especially recommend one of his older titles - Billy Twitters and his Blue whale problem. Here is my Meet Mac Barnett post. 

I was slightly shocked when Colby Sharp talked about reading Rumpelstiltskin to his Grade Five class only to discover many/most of the group were not familiar with this fairy tale - I do hope he has now shared other versions with his class and perhaps gone even further and delved into other 'important' fairy tales that readers need to know. There are so many references to fairy tales in literature, in advertising and in cartoons. We do kids a disservice if we don't build up their field knowledge of this important cannon. By coincidence I have just read Once Upon Tomorrow which is a book for readers aged 16+ and which interweaves the story of the miller's daughter and the character of Rumpelstiltskin. This brand-new dystopian verse novel is by Australian author Karen Comer. 

See inside this version here

Look for this fairy tale version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff also by Mac Barnett with his friend Jon Klassen:

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Here are two books illustrated by Carson Ellis:

The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe by Karen Foxlee illustrated by Martina Heiduczek

The curse: "We must find The Marigold's stolen treasure and return it before the dawn of the last day of the seventh year. If we don't we are doomed to be turned to sand."

"You are much more than your name, always remember that. All of us are a tale within a tale within a tale."

So, time is ticking. As this story begins it is the seventh year - April 4th 1719 and they only have until December 31st to complete their quest.

Every crew member (called the Worshipful Company of Uncommon Seamen) on the ship and every 'kidnapped' child is there because they possess a magical gift. With Lavender this gift is of hearing and naming the winds. You are right if you are thinking this is a very important skill on a sailing ship. 

I really wanted a character list for this book so I have created one:

• Lavender Wolfe - left at a wharf by her mother, snatched by the cook Big Agatha and taken onto a pirate ship named The Good Marchioness "the most magical and cursed pirate ship that ever sailed the seven seas". Lavender is renamed Hans Whitby (Whitby is the name of the town where she was 'found').
• Big Agatha the ogress and magical cook - she hugged "so hard that you were turned to flummery with being loved." "I can sense a teaspoonful of magic in an urchin quick as the whiskers grow on my chin. Yet I cannot say what that magic all be." 
• Colin one of the kitchen rats - he/she is especially kind to Lavender
• Poppet - another kitchen rat - he/she knows all the recipes cooked by Agatha
• Odine - a chicken 
• Samuel, Thomas, and Peter Portugal all ship's rats but none are able to complete the voyage with Lavender
• Michael - a boy who has been magically trapped in shell
• Captain Odyessia Pleasant - she is the captain of The Good Marchioness. One of her arms is a huge bird wing. "She was beautiful; a ragged scar across the left side of her face, from her lip to her missing ear, ... Captain Pleasant had a wing instead of a right arm. A large wing reached down almost to the floor, glowing coppery beneath the lanterns."
• Ginger - cat who can transform into a sailor
• Oliver de Basseterre - a baby
• The Princess with no name and her father the Wizard King
• Captain Barnabas Bloom - pirate and father to Michael. He is transformed into ... (sorry I can't tell you)
• Queniva - a sparrowhawk
• Crew - Sasha Blackhat; Jonas; Tiny Percival; Percy; Grimes and Savage
• Lyneham prisoner from the ship the pirates attacked and pillaged. (He is not to be trusted)
• The Little Duchess - Ghost-fetcher and her guardian The Dowager
• Princess Yasbel de la Esclera who has her named changed to Phillip - she has magical hair

Ships - Lady Eloise - a ghost ship which holds the spectral map; The Good Marchioness the ship carrying Lavender and others who need to break the curse; The Marigold which is the ship carrying the Princess to her betrothed and The Fair Fortune the ship of Captain Barnabas Bloom.

Recipes - all contain extra magic - I learned a new word or two in this book - ananas it's a pineapple and the word clapperdudgeon which means beggar.

Agatha calls the kitchen kids (all with boys names) rats but in fact she showers them with her love and enormous hugs. 

Text quotes:

"I never wanted to meet a ghost ship nor glimpse one from a distance. But I wanted to see the spell canister and its last spell resurrecting the princess and Michael out of the shell. I wanted Samuel and Peter and Octavius returned. I wanted everything restored, which meant me going home. I wanted more story. I wanted questions answered. I wanted to know how Captain Pleasant came to be cursed and how Ginger could turn into a cat."

"And I knew that I, Hans Whitby, previously of the pickling shelf, floor scrubber, potato peeler, spoon-shiner, still with the name of Lavender tucked safe inside me, magic porridge-stirrer, tender of wounds, meant for the sea, rescuer of prisoners and friend of a ghost-fetcher, with a tiny drop of blood from a cutlass upon my chest, climber of masts, was about to die."

This book is a huge saga - with nearly 400 pages and a myriad of characters and a complex plot. Young readers aged 10+ will need reading stamina and also plenty of time because I think you need to read this book over just two or three days so you can keep track of all the threads. I am speaking from experience because I read this book over five days in very small snatches and I kept having to turn back to previous scenes to follow all the twists and turns. There is the potential at the end of the story for a sequel but I actually hope Karen Foxlee does not continue her story and rather leaves the future adventures of young Lavender to our imaginations. 

You can find teachers notes on the publisher web page. Take a look at the labels I have assigned this post - these might give you further ideas about some of the themes (such as the importance of names and destinies) and these also hint at some major plot details.

A new book by Karen Foxlee is always something to celebrate and The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe is a wondrous and wonderful tale indeed, full of mystery and magic, inventive and memorable characters and a compelling protagonist. Story Links

This is a children’s book full of pirates and dangerous land and sea adventures. It is also a story of growing up and being there for others. It is about a growing awareness. Lavender was to learn that all of us are much more than what we first seem. We all have a tale within us. Even within the worst of us, goodness can be found. There are fair winds trapped within storms and even love hidden in bad spells. Queensland reviewer's collective

Blurb from author web page: Lavender Wolfe is a pickpurse, with a magical secret. She is all alone on a wharf when she is snatched by Big Agatha and thrown into the galley of the pirate ship, The Good Marchioness. Disguised as a boy (for only boys may live in the galley) and renamed Hans Whitby, Lavender has to make her home among the kitchen rats. However, The Good Marchioness is no ordinary no ordinary ship. Captained by Odyessia Pleasant, a fierce pirate with long blonde hair, violet eyes and a bird’s wing in place of an arm, the crew are on a desperate voyage – to find and return stolen treasure before all those who sail within the cursed pirate ship are turned to sand. Lavender included. Lavender is quick-witted and sharp as a tack, and as her magic starts to be revealed she finds herself coming under the arresting gaze of Captain Pleasant. Will Lavender help break the curse? Or will she be just another victim of this story within a story, her true identity lost to the sands of time? An adventure as big as the ocean and as warm as your heart. All aboard!

I do have to talk for a moment about pirate stories. Sadly, there are real pirates in our world we now call them people smugglers. A few of us have begun to re-think our picture books about pirates especially if members of your school community have come to Australia as refugees. Strangely I read another Australian middle grade novel with a pirate theme last month - Oceanforged my Amelia Mellior. The issue of pirates and of glorifying them in kids story books is one I need to ponder a little more deeply. This is not intended as a criticism of The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe it is just something to consider. 

Here is some further reading about this topic:

Sails and Souls: The Literary Evolution of Pirates from Simple Rogues to Morally Complex Heroes in Children’s Fiction

I am a huge fan of Karen Foxlee.  Take a look at these:

Lenny's Book of Everything

Dragon Skin (ages 11+)

A most magical girl

Ophelia and the marvelous boy

My name is a gift by Zeshan Akhter illustrated by Asa Gillano

When I met Daddy and fitted in his hands, I didn't have a name. 

So Daddy and Mommy whispered one in my ear. 

My name is the first present I ever got. 

It came wrapped in Daddy and Mommy's love.

Publisher blurb:  On the day Sitara is born, she receives a very special gift from her parents—her name. As Sitara grows, some people tumble up her name in their mouths until it's not her name anymore. So Sitara learns about the history, tradition, and culture that went into choosing her name, giving her the confidence to help others say it right. This heartwarming story not only teaches us the significance of our names, but it also highlights that trying to say names correctly, or asking if you're unsure, goes a long way.

"People I meet have never heard my name before." - this means they make up names or miss out letters. If you don't know how to say someone's name - just ask. The little girl in this story will also show you a world map as a way to explain where her name comes from. Her name means 'shine like a star'. Her name is Sitara. 

"When someone says my name carefully and kindly, it lights up my heart."

Names are so important. I have two sad stories to share about names. When my little mum moved into an aged care facility (it was a dreadful place) each of the resident names were displayed on the door of their room - I went to set up her room a few days before her arrival only to discover her name was spelt incorrectly - I really think there is absolutely no excuse for this. To my horror the registered nurse who had printed the sign was quite "put out" that I dared to ask for it to be corrected. The second example is from the same facility. My name has a silent letter. Many of the staff have English as a second or even third language but the nurse who needed to tell me when my mum needed help or had fallen could never ever get my name right in spite of repeated corrections. At first my friends thought this was very funny but over time it really upset me. Her way of mangling my name actually sounded quite rude. My name actually means "pearl". 

My name is a gift is an Empathy Lab title. It was published in 2024 and is available in paperback. I think this book should be an essential purchase for all Primary school libraries. Take a look at this post for other book titles that explore names. 

I am Nefertiti

I am Nefertiti by Annemarie Anang illustrated by Natelle Quek

This is a book that should be shared with new teachers. It is SO important to acknowledge any child in your class or care by using and pronouncing their name correctly. I am Nefertiti is a US book but these issues also apply here in our Multicultural community. I work as a volunteer in a Sydney children's hospital and I find the names of the children so interesting mainly because in all of my former schools we only had very small multicultural representation. I also well remember when I had a student at one of my schools with the Welsh name Myfanwy. 

Nefertiti is a beautiful name but I guess it is not one you hear often except in reference to that famous Egyptian queen from long ago but that does not excuse the ignorant teacher in this book. Nefertiti is a terrific drummer. She joins the class band but when the teacher shortens her name to Nef her confidence and sparkle shrink. 

"Every time (the teacher) chanted Nef, Nefertiti shrank. She shrank and shrank, until she was jus the size of your thumb."

Luckily one of the kids in the band understands what has happened and she tells Miss Potts to say Nefertiti's full name - and to say it loudly and confidently.

I am Nefertiti is a title from the Empathy Lab collection of 2024. You can see the author reading her book here. 

Here is an interview with the illustrator Natelle Quek.

I am Nefertiti is a heartwarming, joyful story for everyone about identity, being proud of who you are, whatever your ethnicity and culture, belonging within a diverse community and about recognising the importance each player has in the bigger team. It is an ideal story for classroom discussions in Early Years and KS1, book group settings and at home around the themes of identify, self-confidence and peer support. It’s an important reminder about the importance of people’s names and identity. Perfect for younger children aged 3-6 years with appealing illustrations by Natalie Quek, I Am Nefertiti is a charming story about celebrating our names and identities and having the confidence to speak out about feelings. Just Imagine

Companion books:

View from the 32nd Floor by Emma Cameron

Blurb: Something special has been gifted to you. Join your neighbours, Saturday, 6.00 pm, on the roof. Living on the thirty-second floor of an apartment block, William has a clear view of the building opposite. He sees his neighbours eating ice-cream, watering potted palms, painting pictures ... or as shadows behind closed curtains. Shadows worry William. With his new friend Rebecca, and helped by lots of cake, a dictionary of names, tai chi, and banana-shaped sticky notes, he plans to tempt his lonely neighbours back into the world. Can they succeed? Always always.

Today I had to wait around 3 hours at an appointment so I picked up View from the 32nd Floor before I left home this morning. Today is the THIRD time I have read this book and I still adore it - but I so desperately wish Walker Books Australia had given this book a better cover - apologies to Liz Anelli. I need to beg, shout, cajole this publisher to reprint this little book - it is such a GEM. 

I have talked about View from the 32nd Floor twice previously in 2013 and 2019 so please take a minute or two to read my comments and then IF you have any way of influencing the publisher please beg, plead, implore them to republish this book NOW. Perhaps we should all tell the author Emma Cameron too.

Teachers - you could use this book for so many things but most off all this book would be a splendid read aloud to a Grade 4 class. In my previous posts I talked about the music William's dad share each day and all the wonderful names William adopts to match his daily hopes and purpose.  Here are some character descriptions:

Mrs Stravros - "She had hair streaked with more silver threads than black, and her pale face was as wrinkled as crepe paper."

Paula - "Paula was as skinny as Jess but only came up to her armpits. Her boots were nothing like Jess's either. They were covered in sequins of every colour and a tiny bell jiggled at the end of each pointy toe when she walked."

Jess - "her skinny legs covered in stretchy black tights and her fine frame wrapped in a pale blue terry towelling bathrobe. Thick brown hair flopped over her eyes when she juggled a key in the lock."

What do you call your Grandpa? by Ashleigh Barton illustrated by Martina Heiduczek

"In every country around the world are grandpas short and tall.

Though they go by different names, we love them one and all.

A Poppy here, a Grampa there - or maybe he's a Pa?

Turn the page, let's meet a few of the finest near and far ... "

What do you call your grandpa?  I called mine Paa Paa.  I'm not sure why? His name was Charles Frederick but everyone called him Fred.  I only had one grandfather. My mum's dad died in 1924 - my mum barely knew him. In this book we meet grandfathers from around the world and discover their names. Each scene has been carefully designed to show different cultures, people and daily activities along with different times through the day.  I especially like the way the each grandchild has a name from their culture.

Israel - Saba is loved by Levi

Wales - Taid is loved by Seren

Brazil - Vo is loved by  Miguel

Belguim - Bompa is loved by Sandrin

The Philippines - Lolo is loved by Kaya

Grab your atlas and prepare to journey around the world. There is much to explore in this book.

This book is listed in the 2021 CBCA Notables - Book of the Year Early Childhood.

As you might expect the sequel - What do you call you Grandma - this is due for publication later this month. Both books would make perfect presents for new grandparents.

My name is Bear by Nicola Killen

"Once there was a bear called Bear, 

who had just moved to a new home."

Bear sets off to introduce himself to his new neighbours. Bear has no idea about the other animals that live in the world. He has an egocentric idea that his name is the best name in the whole world so when Bird and Fish say hello he declares their names are just silly. In the corner of the page a little worm adds an appropriate commentary - "how rude" he says.  The next neighbours are snail and tortoise. Bear comments that these names are silly. The little worm says "This bear has such bad manners!". Things get even worse when he meets an elephant.

"What? Smelly pants?' laughed Bear."

Bear is, however, not prepared for the next neighbour. It is another bear and her name is Bear. Our original bear screams and throws an enormous tantrum. How can someone else have his own beautiful name. The new bear suggests a compromise. The discuss a few ideas but finally decide they can share the name and "they celebrated with a big bear hug!"

The two bears now set off back through the neighborhood with Bear apologising for his initial rudeness. Everything seems be settled. All the animals of the forest are happy UNTIL, a few days later, a new neighbour arrives. He looks like a bear.  "Hello ... my name is ... "

This book is such fun. I am so glad I have discovered it. A perfect book to share with a preschool child aged 3-5.

Ideal for little ones who are going to preschool for the first time or learning to play with others, this funny story introduces children to key themes such as sharing, manners and learning to accept others as they are. Egmont

I am talking to a group of preschool parents about reading to children.You may recall I did this at the end of last year. This means I have begun to collect more titles to share with this group and with you.

A Porcupine named Fluffy by Helen Lester illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

Mr and Mrs Porcupine are delighted by the arrival of their first baby. They really want him to have exactly the 'right' name.  Spike - no. Lance - no. Needleroozer NO!

"Let's call him Fluffy. It's such a pretty name. Fluffy!"

Gradually Fluffy discovers he his actually not at all fluffy. He has spikes and prickles that punch holes in everything.  Fluffy looks for things that are fluffy hoping to get some ideas that might help him become fluffier. There are the clouds, pillows and a long soak in the bath. His efforts are useless but also hilarious (for the reader). One day, deep in thought, Fluffy meets a very large rhinoceros.

When Fluffy tells the rhino his name his reaction is exactly as you would expect:

"The rhinoceros smiled.
He giggled.
Then he laughed out loud.
He rolled on the ground.
He jiggled and slapped his knees.
He roared with laughter."

But wait a minute. What is the rhino's name?  Yes there is another laugh to come and perhaps a gentle lesson to learn and most importantly the beginning of a very special friendship.

Here are a set of teaching ideas and questions to use with this book. These are notes that support the audio version of this story along with ideas for using some other books by Helen Lester.

Here is a video of the whole book.  I love this book and would highly recommend it as a great addition for any primary school library.

This terrific tribute to self-acceptance comes complete with the cutest porcupine pictures on the planet!

I spied this book in a school library last week. I am a huge fan of the Tacky series also by this talented pair of Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger. This book was published in 1986 but I am so happy to report it is still available.  I would pair this book with Fearless by Colin Thompson and Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.

The name at the end of the ladder by Elena De Roo

I always enjoy books set in the future involving draconian controls imposed by a corrupt government. The name at the end of the ladder only hints at this but I did enjoy the premise that names are dangerous and so children have to wait until they turn twelve when they can 'choose' a name.  I say 'choose' because it seems there really is no choice.  The authorities or Investigators have created a safe name list and even though they give lip service to the idea of matching the name with the child this clearly is not really their practice.

"Here at the Name Bank we pride ourselves on our efficiency.  We'll have a name chosen for you in no time at all... He sounded friendly enough but September's gut told her otherwise. The words 'chosen for you' and 'assigned' didn't sound promising."

Until the age of twelve children are named by the month of their birth and so as this story opens September has just turned twelve and so she has an appointment with The Name Bank.  This appointment does not go well but as she is leaving, September, opens a lolly wrapper and reveals the words :

"Winner!

Play the game to choose your name!

Collect your prize from basement level 4, room 449."

September does indeed have to play the game. She plays the game using herself as a counter.  It is a game like snakes and ladders and after each turn the player is presented with a tuning fork and a new name.  Each of these names has severe consequences for September and then she realizes to reach the final square, where the perfect name awaits her,  the player must throw the exact number.  She hears the voices of other children and realizes they are trapped in the game.  Time is running out.  She has some help from a boy called August who is also playing this game but so much depends on that final roll of the dice.  Her father would be a brilliant ally after all he works for the Council of Knowledge but she is afraid to tell him the truth.

Here is a set of teaching notes from the publisher.  Here is the author web site.  You might also enjoy The Museum of Thieves, Finding Serendipity, Among the Hidden or Forbidden Memories.

If you enjoy fast paced action, board games, solving puzzles, the triumph of good over evil and strong-minded characters like September you will enjoy The Name at the end of the Ladder.

My name is Elizabeth by Annika Dunklee illustrated by Matthew Forsythe

This is such an obvious idea but I am almost certain this is the first picture book I have seen with this message.  My Name is Elizabeth is the title and the theme of this book.  Elizabeth simply wants to be called Elizabeth - not Lizzie, or Beth or Liz or even Betsy.  Elizabeth loves her name.  She is proud to be named after the queen and so using body language and facial expressions she works hard to convince everyone that her name is ELIZABETH.  In fact her name is Elizabeth Alfreda Roxanne Bluebell Jones "but you may call me Elizabeth."

The timing of this book is perfect for me as I ask our new Kindergarten children their names each week in the library.  Many are quite confused by all the names they have and will tell me the whole name, others can only whisper a tiny abbreviated name which I have to translate onto our formal barcode list.  Names for young children can be confusing.

This is a simply and perhaps slight book but it is nevertheless quite delightful. Here is a review.

As an extra coincidence I really wanted Elizabeth to be my middle name when I was a child.