Edward and the great discovery by Rebecca McRitchie and Celeste Hulme

Start with the end paper please when you pick up Edward and the great discovery.  At the front of this book you can see a pattern of spades or trowels.  At the back you can see the full range of Edwards archaeological kit - maps, rope, strong, brushes, a new, explorer hat and sandwich.

"Edward's mother is an archaeologist.
Edward's father is an archaeologist.
Edward's grandmother and grandfather are archaeologists.
And all of them have made very important DISCOVERIES."

The stage is set.  Edward needs a discovery of his own. After a long search Edward finds an egg. No it is not a dinosaur as you might expect.  It is a bird.  A very special bird.  A bird that cannot fly. Have you guessed - it is a dodo.

You might like to read this review.  Here is an activity you could try when you read this book.  You can see inside this book at the illustrator web site.

The King and the sea by Heinz Janisch and Wolf Erlbruch

Like a more elliptical version of “The Little Prince,” this book (which was originally published in Germany) assembles a series of very short tales about a king who has much to learn, mostly about power and its limits. His expectations — that others will obey him automatically, that the universe itself will acquiesce to his wishes — are thwarted again and again. Yet with each snub or disappointment, this king actually appears to be learning and gaining perspective, giving the book an unusually thoughtful, philosophical backbone.

The King and the sea has a subtitle :

21 Extremely Short Stories

Yes this is what you will find inside this amazing book.  Twenty-one stories ranging in length from 2 lines up to 12.  This is quite a philosophical book but one that I think will appeal to mature children who are prepared to think deeply about the ideas presented here.

I think this is my favourite story :

The King and the Sky
"I need a blanket', said the king. 'This minute!
And make it a good one.'
With that it began to snow.
Soft flakes fell around him.
'There's your blanket,' said the sky as it covered the
landscape in glittering white.
The king gazed in wonder.  'Thank you,' he said."

You might like to read this review.  With a class you could perhaps read one story each day and follow this with a discussion.  It might be good to compile a list of discussion questions taken from these daily readings and perhaps publish these for other classes to explore.  Here are a set of teaching notes.

The tooth mouse by Susan Hood illustrated by Janice Nadeau

Have you ever 

lost a baby tooth,

placed it under your 

pillow and found a coin

left by the tooth fairy?

In many countries around 

the world, there is no such

thing as the Tooth Fairy.

Instead there is ...

At some point during Grade One our library literature choices usually center on teeth and the tooth fairy.  I have a number of favourites which I love to share such as Andrew's Loose tooth by Robert Munsch, The Tooth Ball by Philippa Pearce, Wibble Wobble by Miriam Moss and The Tooth Fairy by Peter Collington.  One of the most interesting books in our school library is Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions Around the World by Selby Beeler & G.Brian Karas.  This is the book where I first discovered that there are so many variations on the tooth fairy.  I like the idea of throwing a tooth up - a bottom tooth - so the new one will grow straight and strong reaching up to the old one.  I also like the idea of burying a tooth at a university where you hope you child might study in the future.  

Not everyone believes in the tooth fairy.  In some cultures teeth are collected by mice.  This little tooth mouse lives in France.  She finds herself in a grand cathedral and hears the Tooth Mouse - La Petite Souris - ready to announce her successor.  To prove worthy of this honour there are three tasks or challenges to complete.  Sophie is so excited.  She is sure she can meet the challenge.

1. Bring me the whisker of a cat
2. Bring me a silver coin
3, Make a plan for the use of all the baby teeth you collect

Sophie's solution to problem number three is sure to make you smile.  Susan Hood has created a charming story for all young children to enjoy.  Here is review in the New York Times and one in Kirkus.  You can see all the book illustrations here.

You might also enjoy April Underhill, tooth fairy by Bob Graham, Oliver Sundew Tooth Fairy by Sam McBratney (one of my most favourite books in the whole world!) and Little Big Feet by Ingrid Schubert.

Trouble at home by Cate Whittle illustrated by Kim Gamble

I spied this little book, Trouble at home, in a charming little country bookshop while I was down south on holidays.  It caught my eye because I adore the work of our illustrator Kim Gamble.  He is most famous for the Tashi series by Anna Fienberg but he also illustrated Our School Fete and one of my most favourite picture books Pog.

As Georgia walks home with mum, and her Kindergarten aged brother Henry, she witnesses the theft of her house.  Yes her whole house is stolen by a dragon.  This dragon is a "giant green dragon with blue wings and red scaly bits around his ears."  The loss of their house is indeed a catastrophe but things are far worse.  Gran was home with Godfrey when the house is taken.  Luckily Gran was not inside the house at the exact moment the dragon grabbed the house. Unluckily Godfrey was inside the house.

How will they every find Godfrey?  Where will the family sleep?  All that is left in their back yard is their tool shed (dad sleeps in here), the garden shed (Georgia and Henry sleep with a smelly bag of Foggets Special Rose Food in here) and their outside dunny (luckily).  For reasons I won't go into right now the tent they once owned is no longer available.  Mum and Gran have to sleep in the car.  Naturally everyone is extremely upset - especially mum.

No one believes Georgia when she tries to explain to her parents, Gran and the police about the dragon so she sets off with her brother to solve this problem, find their house and rescue her baby brother.  The trouble comes when she sees the new location of her house.

Pick up a packet of potato chips and a bottle of fizzy sarsaparilla drink before you read this book - you will understand why when you begin this sweet tale of determination and true courage.  I especially like the way Georgia looks in her school library for information about dragons.

I knew this book would be a winner from the first three sentences :

"Ages and ages ago - about two weeks since next Thursday - a giant green dragon stole my baby brother, Godfrey. Well, okay, the giant green dragon actually stole the house.  Godfrey, who is only almost three, was inside watching TV."

Trouble at home is the first book in a planned series of four.  It is a perfect book for a newly confident reader. Scholastic have made a comprehensive set of teaching notes for this book.

One of the things that really works in this little book is the repetition of specific little phrases.  I think this will be reassuring for a new reader and also build confidence.

I would follow reading Trouble at home with Moving House from the Aussie Bites series.  You might also enjoy Yin's magic dragon and the classic dragon story The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch.

Monster Odyssey The eye of Neptune by Jon Mayhew

In many ways it reads like a classic children's adventure story - it clearly owes a debt to Jules Verne, and it's refreshing to 

read a modern take on underwater action like this.

This book makes a wild claim on the front cover - "if you like Percy Jackson you'll love this" and so this is why I picked this book up last week.

This book, The eye of Neptune, is the first in a series but I am so happy to report that, while the way is certainly paved for the next book, things are resolved at the end of this first installment.

In this first adventure we meet our hero Prince Dakkar.  His mentor, Oginski, has been making an amazing submersible and so when he is captured Dakkar must race across the world, under the oceans, avoiding perilous monsters to find and free his friend.  Along the way he meets another adventurous and courageous girl called Georgia who also has found herself commanding another submersible made by her uncle. Together these young protagonists must face and defeat the evil megalomaniac Cryptos and foil his plan of world domination.

This is a fast pace action adventure story which is fairly easy to read.  It is certainly a page turner and there are some powerful battle scenes.

"A bony click accompanied the appearance of a long stick-like leg from the water.  Then another leg, and another, followed by a blue, spiny boulder with two black beady eyes on stalks and mandibles that fanned the air.  It was a massive crab.  It rose up above Dakkar on its long spidery legs, clicking sharp pincers at him."

Here is a review.  You might also like to check out the author web site.  Here are the details of the second book in this series.

The very important idea by Emma Dodson

This is a story about problem solving.  It is also very funny.  Mr Fat Cat has a very important idea which he promptly forgets following a small catastrophe in the office kitchen caused the new employee Rat.

Rat, ever anxious to be helpful, scurries off to find a a new 'VERY IMPORTANT IDEA'.  Naturally his search begins at his favourite place - the local tip.  "It was a rat's paradise - everything you could ever want."  Rat finds a wonderful sock which he takes back to the office where he makes a formal presentation using a large flip board.  Mr Fat Cat is horrified.  He does not want a sticky old sock. Rat goes back to the tip where he finds an even better sock which has so many uses from fashion accessory to hammock.  This sock is of course rejected immediately by Mr Fat Cat but Rat has one more idea.  He swaps the latest sock for a magic sock which he uses like a snake charmer.  It is at this moment Mr Fat Cat remembers his very important idea.  Perhaps you have already guessed what it is! I am happy to say no rats were harmed in the making of this book.

I would link this book with Strat and Chatto.  It also made me think of Letters from A Mouse which is a tiny chapter book that I adore.  It is long out of print but we are lucky to have two copies in our school library.
 
I think socks are a wonderful mini theme idea for younger students.  Here are some titles you might find in your library and here are some amazing ways to use old and odd socks.

Why not add a poem when you read this book.  Here is one about lost socks.

The Missing Sock by Angela Wybrow

This afternoon, I had quite a big shock: 

I discovered that I have a missing sock! 

I put my socks inside the washing machine, 

But now one sock is nowhere to be seen.

I started my hunt earlier - had a scout around, 

But, as yet, the missing sock is still to be found.

It's not hung on the line or the clothes airer.

It needs to be reunited with me: its wearer.

The socks were one of my favourite pairs: 

Light blue with a snowy white polar bear.

They also had stars sewn with silvery thread.

I've looked on the floor and inside my bed.

With a missing sock, I've no peace of mind; 

That missing sock, I simply need to find.

It has to be somewhere within the house -

Or maybe it has been stolen by a mouse! 

That poor little sock is all lonely and lost; 

I'll do anything to retrieve it: whatever the cost.

I'm feeling quite upset, as I really do hate

The thought of it coping without its mate.

With the missing sock, I am quite obsessed, 

And, until I have found it, I will not rest.

That missing sock, I will keep looking for

Until it's safe and sound back in its drawer. 

Big by Tim Hopgood

Yesterday I talked about Little Answer by Tim Hopgood.  I think Big is even better.  Size is such an abstract concept.  When a new Kindergarten child enters our school library it looks so BIG.  When students call in to visit after they have left Primary and headed off to High School the first thing every student says is 'wow this library looks so small!'

I think my favourite page comes early in the book when the little boy explains he is growing bigger and the evidence for this is that he can now see his face in the bathroom mirror.  The illustration is just perfect.

If you need a way to explain the way size is relative think about these words :

"To an ant, I'm a ginormous giant. But next to a bear I'm really quite small."  The accompanying text on these pages moves from large to tiny which adds to the fun.

You could pair this book with I'm coming to get you illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura which has the most perfect surprise ending.  You might also enjoy Counting on Frank and How big is big which was written by some students at a Primary school here in Sydney.  I mention Counting on Frank because it jumped into my mind when I read the words "Next to a popcorn I'm massive.  I must be at least 500 popcorns tall."  Here is a maths lesson everyone would enjoy.

I would also link this book with a very old title - Leo the late bloomer which is the perfect book to explore the idea of growing and changing with young children.

Once you have read Big you will want to set up one of those height measuring charts or use a door frame in your home as you explore the idea of growing taller with a young child.

Here is an interview with Tim Hopgood.  I can see we will need to add many more of his special picture books to our library collection.