Agnes and Clarabelle by Adele Griffin and Courtney Sheinmel illustrated by Sara Palacios

There are four short seasonal stories in this colourful beginner chapter book. Agnes is a little pig and Clarabelle is a chicken and they are the best of friends. I especially liked the way each story had an unexpected ending. Yes the stories do meet the criteria of "happily every after" but things don't always feel perfect and this is okay.

1. Spring: Surprise Party

It's Clarabelle's birthday. She'd love a "surprise" party. The pair work out the plan for the venue, food, decorations, games and guests. BUT Clarabelle has one big worry. What if her friend Willa forgets to come? The party is a huge success but indeed Willa does not arrive. "That's okay ... even if my birthday's not perfect, it's still perfect."

2. Summer: Beach Day

Agnes does not like new experiences, she does not want to go to the beach. Clarabelle is such a great friend and she works so hard to make the day wonderful. When they arrive Clarabelle just cannot go onto the sand or into the water. Agnes decides to set up their towels and umbrella in the carpark. It's not quite perfect but it's close enough.

3. Fall: New Sneakers

Clarabelle needs new sneakers. Her toes are peeking through the old ones so the pair of friends head off to the big department store. Clarabelle is scared but Agnes promises to stay close. In all the crowds the pair are separated. Clarabelle is frantic. She cannot find her friend. Agnes is a resourceful friend. She uses the store announcement system to guide Clarabelle back to the main floor and the information desk. Clarabelle finds her way but she is so upset she cannot focus on sneakers. No problem Agnes has a spare pair which will be just fine.

4. Winter: Perfect Pizza

Making pizza is a great idea with chestnuts, popcorn, cheese and white chocolate chips. It looks too good to eat!

Read the Kirkus review. And one in the School Library Journal. You can see some work by the illustrator Sara Palacios on her web site. Here is the second book about this pair of unlikely (but very special) friends.

The Girl, The Cat and the Navigator by Matilda Woods

Fortune teller Freydis Spits arrives in the village of Nordlor on the night Captain Britt's wife is due to give birth to their seventh child. Captain Britt has six daughters. He is desperate for a son. Fredyis listens to the sounds inside shells to tell fortunes and having extracted an appropriate and large payment from the Captain she declares:

"After the birth of six disappointing daughters, Captain Britt of the Plucky Leopard will finally become the proud father of a bold and brave son."

Later that night a baby is born but this baby is another girl. The baby is named Oona and over the coming years we read that she is utterly rejected not just by her father but also by her mother and her six sisters. Oona is left to her own devices. Luckily she is a resourceful girl. The women in her family cannot read but Oona hides in the rafters of the school house and listens in to the lessons given to the village boys. She has two books where she reads about legendary sea voyages and sea monsters. Oona longs to join her father on his ship. She is especially curious about one special creature - the nardoo. This amazing creature is purported to fly, to control the weather of the north and to orchestrate the spectacular Northern Lights.

"The nardoos were bigger than whales, brighter than the summer sun and kinder than the kindest man. They were gentle beasts that swam through the waters during the day and flew through the stars at night. It is said that when they cried, the nardoo's tears floated up into the sky and became clouds that came back as fain. It is said that wherever they flew they left tails of brilliant light behind."

Oona's mother decides her daughters need husbands so she packs everyone into a carriage and heads down south. Oona does not want to go south. She feels the pull of the north so late at night she stows away on her father's ship, The Plucky Leopard, observed only by an ancient cat called Barnacles. 

We have all the story elements ready for a brilliant tale - a girl on a mission, an angry father, the gentle navigator, a fortune teller who makes dangerous mistakes and a very resentful cat desperate to preserve his last life. 

I am a little confused about this book. Can I claim it as Australian? Matilda Woods is Australian but her publisher is in the UK (scholastic.co.uk) and her agent is also in UK. I guess all of this explains why I didn't know about this book (published in 2018) and also why it did not appear on our CBCA Notable list in 2019.

Things I enjoyed about The Girl, The Cat and the Navigator:

• The cover - it is perfect
• The illustrations are superbly done by Anuska Allepuz - I think her name should appear on the cover. The illustrations remind me the images in Varjak Paw.
• The wisdom, bravery and heroism of Oona - she is a mighty girl!
• The kindness of the navigator Haroyld
• The village buildings in Nordlor which are made from the timbers of shipwrecks
• The wild battle scene when the ship is attacked by a huge sea monster with eight tentacles
• The fairy tale elements especially through the story thread of the ugly sisters and their marriage to Prince Manfred of Turnip Town!

I highly recommend The Girl, The Cat and the Navigator for all readers aged 10+. I think this book would also be excellent as a family or class read aloud. Click here for more details about each character. Listen to an audio sample from the first chapter by Bolinda Audio.

This is definitely a book to be enjoyed curled up under a warm blanket, by flickering candlelight, with a warm drink. Magical! Library Girl and Book Boy

Lyrical storytelling, a bold, brave, independent girl and mythical creatures, both monstrous & magical, are spun together to create a breathtaking story that reads like the very best fairytales. Miss Cleveland is Reading

With a determined female main character who won’t take no for an answer, the story is complemented with illustrations on every page,enabling you to join Oona on her adventure of a lifetime. Book Trust

I am very keen to read another book by Matilda Woods:

If you read The Girl, The Cat and the Navigator (yes you should read this book!) then you might also enjoy The Pearl in the Ice.

The Sea Saw by Tom Percival

Sofia's Bear is old. He has been passed down from her grandfather to her mother and then onto Sofia. 

"He was less like a toy and more like a friend."

This loved Teddy Bear joins in with every activity - picnics, forest walks and even a day at the beach but it is at the beach that disaster strikes. As Sofia and her dad rush to catch their bus, after a storm suddenly interrupts their day, the old bear is accidentally dropped and left on the beach. 

"And nobody saw, but the Sea."

Now the long journey begins. Over days, and weeks and months and years Teddy travels. All Sofia has is her memory and his little blue scarf. Finally one day the Sea takes the bear along a river and down a stream. He is found by a young girl who takes the old bear home to show her grandmother. 

"You see, nothing is ever truly lost if you keep it in your heart."

There are a couple of interesting things to notice about this book.  Firstly Sofia is given the bear "and from the day Sofia was born, the bear had kept her company too."  There is no mother in the story only a photo on the wall of a pregnant mum holding the bear. Sofia is seen playing alone with her bear and on the trip to the zoo her father is her only companion.  When Sofia returns home without her bear she takes a small piece of his blue scarf and places it inside a locket where we can see there is also a photo of her mum. In the final scenes when Sofia has become a grandmother we can see she is still wearing her locket. The second thing to notice are the little touches of humour. Dad reads a newspaper on the train with headlines "Lots of things are happening in the world today" "Giant squirrels attack!" and "Mount Fuji falls over (but gets picked up again after)". 

I do enjoy stories about lost toys that are eventually reunited with their owner - I'm thinking of Ducky's Nest and Finding Monkey Moon. I also like stories where toys have connections across generations such as Humprehy's Bear and, even though it is not a toy, I also thought of The Dress and the Girl by Camille Andros and The Little Boat.

Ducky's Nest

Finding Monkey Moon

Humphrey's Bear

The Little Boat

Other classic books on this topic are Dogger; Where are you, Blue Kangaroo?; and Nothing.

Here is a photo of my treasured teddy. He was not lost but he did go for a swim in an ocean pool!

I loved two previous books by Tom Percival:

Found You by Devon Holzwarth

Sami has moved to a new country. In his old home town he had lots of friends and his mind is full of happy memories. In this new place it is hard to make friends so Sami mostly plays by himself. People in the shops and on the bus don't want to talk to Sami or help him and a girl in his Kindergarten class laughs at his name. In the afternoon Sami and his mother head over to the park. Sami is playing alone again when a small bird swoops down. She crashes straight into Sami. "I'm lost. Can you help me find my friends?" Sami carries the little bird around the park. He sees the lady from the bus. She is not scowling she is feeding the birds. This feels like a Mary Poppins moment and perhaps you will want to launch into the famous song - "Feed the birds". Also at the park that day Sami sees the baker. He shares a roll with Sami. Sami continues walking around the park looking for the flock. The girl who laughed at him in his Kindergarten class is in the park too. She kicks a ball over to Sami and a new friendship begins. The little bird flies away but then she spies another child - a little girl playing all alone. "I'm lost. Can you help me find my friends?"

Found You is a book you could use with very young children to open up a discussion about new children in the school - perhaps migrant children or refugee children. Yes this is a book about shyness but it is also about the confusion with communicating when English is not your language. Here is an interview with Devon at Kids Book Review. Found you is her debut picture book and it was published in July this year. I was interested to read her favourite illustrators are Roger Duvoisin; Adrienne Adams (The Fairy Doll Rumer Godden); Beatrice Alemagna; and Gyo Fujikawa.  Here is the website for Devon. 

With its gorgeous colour palette and superbly expressive scenes which show much more than is said in her text, Devon Holzwarth’s debut picture book is one that’s certain to foster empathy and understanding, showing how important it is to offer a welcoming environment to newcomers. It can all begin with holding out a hand (or wing) in friendship. Red Reading Hub

I would pair Found You with another book I truly treasure - Mustafa.

You could also look at My Two Blankets.

You're finally here! Melanie Watt

Do you know how long I've been waiting in here? Long enough to watch paint dry ... long enough to find a needle in a haystack ... long enough to learn an accordion solo ... long enough to gather dust bunnies.

Our narrator bunny is annoyed with waiting for YOU. He is also bored, impatient, and accuses you of extreme rudeness but if you agree to stay he has written a contract:

"This document states that YOU, the reader, hereby agree to stay with ME, the bunny (book character of YOU'RE FINALLY HERE!), forever and ever. YOU, the reader promise to devote all your attention exclusively to ME, the bunny. YOU, the reader, therefore agree never to keep ME, the bunny waiting again! And, oh yes, YOU, the reader, will provide ME, the bunny, with carrot treats every day."

If you are not laughing yet the final pages where our Bunny is interrupted by a series of mobile phone calls are sure give you (and your reading companion) a bucket load of giggles. Now who is left waiting? This book is perfect for young readers aged 6+ but I would also read it to older students and it would be a terrific present for a newly graduated law student too!

Mélanie Watt has taken the classic concept of a fictional character speaking to his audience and found some very interesting ways to make that concept fresh again. Watt’s little bunny is exuberant, pushy,passive-aggressive, charming, and very, very human and, I think, kids will adore how the bunny behaves less like a character in a book and more like a motor-mouthed friend or family member. Building a Library

Watt touches on all manner of manners issues here: the rudeness of pointing out rudeness, of being late, of being selfish, of being aloof and inconsiderate. She strikes a balance between the allure of the bunny’s hyper-­enthusiastic joy at receiving the reader’s attention, and the offensiveness of its egocentric – if not psychotic – neediness. Quill and Quire

Sorry to say this very, very funny book is now out of print. The hardcover edition was published in 2011 and the paperback in 2014. Hopefully you will find a copy in a well stocked library. In the meantime I did find a well made video of the whole book. For teachers and teacher-librarians this is a perfect book for the start of the year with a Grade Two class. I do love books that break the "fourth wall" such as Little Mouse, the ripe red Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear; and Bear Hunt by Anthony Browne. 

Canadian author illustrator Melanie Watt is famous for her Scaredy Squirrel series.

The Moon Keeper by Zosienka

Here is the blurb:

"Emile (a polar bear) has a new job as moon keeper. He spends his evenings making sure the moon has everything it needs to shine its light over the night creatures. Night after night he keeps watch over the moon - clearing away the clouds and telling the fruit bats to move along, when they play too close. Emile finds the moon nice to talk to in the stillness of the night. But what happens when the moon starts to change and slowly disappears?"

Emile packs his rucksack with all the things he might need for his important new job - matches, a candle, large net, pliers, a slingshot, a spool of red thread, water bottle, jar of fireflies, feather duster, crayons, a torch and a blank book. 

Image source: Debbie Bibo agency

The note book and crayons become very important when Emile notices the moon is changing. He draws a picture of the moon each night and compares it with the one from the night before. Why is this happening? Is the moon hungry? Is the moon sad? Perhaps the moon looks different on the other side of the world. No, Emile phones his cousin in the jungle and it seems the moon looks the same from the night time jungle. 

"The moon grows thinner and thinner until it's no thicker than a thread."

A green bird arrives. I think this might be a night parrot. This bird is so wise. He advises Emile to wait. Things come and go. Wait and you will see the moon again.

The Moon Keeper is an exquisite book that explores the mystery of the phases of the moon. This is story telling at its best. The end papers use a beautiful palette of navy blue, red and cream. The pattern reminds me of wallpaper. There are fireflies on the title page emerging from a jar and their journey takes them to the back cover where they appear to be fluttering off into the night sky.

Fall in love with this moving and magical picture book about a sweet, conscientious polar bear, the moon, and the special connection they share. Barnes and Noble

This lyrical picture book introduces children to the concept the lunar cycle, helping them to understand the different phases of the moon.Stunning illustrations create a meditative atmosphere, making this magical tale of kindness, hope and faith ideal for bedtime reading. Book Trust

Zosienka is from South Africa. I highly recommend you add The Moon Keeper to your shopping list both for a school library and as a gift for a young child. This is Zosienka's first picture book as author and illustrator. You can see also her work in the book Baby Bird by Andrew Gibbs.

There are many excellent book that explore the phases of the moon. The Moon Keeper is certainly one of the best I have seen. Make sure you also read Papa, please get the moon for me.

I Always Wanted One by Olivier Tallec

Here is the perfect book about point of view. I Always Wanted One has a dog and a boy on the front cover so you might assume it's the boy who has always wanted a dog but now that I have mentioned  point of view I guess you have worked out this book is about a dog and his boy!

The story opens on Christmas morning. 

"I always wanted one. So that morning, when I saw him there, I could not believe my eyes! I got a little bit closer and my heart beat a little bit faster. I could see straight away how cute he was with his big beautiful eyes."

Oddly this new friend does not want to eat off the floor; he doesn't fit in the (dog) house; and he needs walking every day. "But I like showing him off. All my friends have one too, but I think mine is the best one."

I especially like this way is read "sideways" or as I read Italian XXL format.  I have mentioned this in previous posts but I long to find a book I adored as a child about a puppy that is given as a Christmas present. I Always Wanted One made me think about that book, from the 1960s, all over again. I Always Wanted one was originally published in French under the title J'en rêvais depuis longtemps. You can see and hear the French text here.

Here are some review comments from French bloggers:

His sense of dialogue and repartee hits the mark every time!

Little by little, our two protagonists will tame each other,a strong bond will be created between them.

I have talked about other books by the talented Olivier Tallec here:

Louis I King of the Sheep

My tooth is lost

Olivier Tallec has two new books:

Here are some other books where the story is told by a dog talking about his human: