It’s mid-month, and time for another children’s book review. Ashleigh, Mitchell and I have been back to the library and picked up a few new (to us) books.
And here’s what we think of them!
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Flotsam / David Wiesner
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Wow. Flotsam is a story in pictures that shows us what life under the sea might really be like. A boy finds an underwater camera that has been washed ashore, and is amazed by the photographs it has taken.
Ashleigh is too young to fully appreciate the brilliance of this book (if you’re new to the blog, she’s three going on twenty-three), but still enjoyed it. And I pored over it again and again, finding something new to marvel at each time. It is beautiful.
I’ll definitely be looking for Wiesner’s other titles on our next library visit.
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No more kisses for Bernard! / Niki Daly
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This cute story reminds me of my nephew, who might come and seek cuddles and kisses if you let him be, but doesn’t like to be forced into it. (And who also likes to wear the odd superhero costume!)
In No more kisses for Bernard!, Bernard is sick of being kissed from top to toe every time he sees his aunts. Before his birthday, he announces that there are to be no kisses, but one aunt sneaks one anyway.
The story has a great lesson about respecting children’s boundaries, and showing that there are different ways to express love and affection.
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Hansel and Gretel / (Retold by) Lucy M. George and Rachel Swirles
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Ashleigh loves the tale of Hansel and Gretel. So I wasn’t surprised when she went straight for this book when she saw it at the library.
On a positive note, the illustrations are quite cute. And George modifies the original tale, making the mother’s insistence on Hansel and Gretel’s abandonment the result of a spell instead of general cruelty.
But-with-a-capital-B. The grammar is quite bad.
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| I ‘COULD OF’ CRIED WHEN I GOT TO THIS PAGE! |
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Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero / Anne Cottringer and Alex T Smith
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Ashleigh seemed to be channelling her cousin on our most recent library visit, because this is another story I’m sure my nephew would like.
I have to admit that when I saw this cover, I groaned. I didn’t think I’d enjoy this book at all.
But I was (very) pleasantly surprised. Eliot doesn’t get up to much during the day, and everyone thinks he’s very quiet. Little do they know, he’s reserving his energy for his night-time planet-saving escapades!
Ashleigh loves this story, and I’ll admit I actually laughed out loud whenever Eliot ‘luckily’ happened to be an expert at, well, pretty much everything!
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What have you recently discovered at the library? Any suggestions for review next time?
This is the fourth in a series of children’s book review posts. Check out the others here:
Children’s book review – family favourites (November)
Children’s book review (October)
Once upon a book review (September)
We plan to go to the library this afternoon, so I’ll keep an eye out for these ones (apart from Hansel and Gretel). I love the Bernard one. It reminds me of my daughter 🙂
There are quite a few Bernards out there, I think! A good book for the smotherers as well as for the kids.
How funny about the grammar in H&G! Can you believe they even get published? Today is library day for us – love it. I find it so relaxing – until my little girl starts doing dive bombs off the couches, then the librarian’s stink eye tells me it’s time to leave. xx
I absolutely cannot believe it was published. It should of been fixed! AAARGH it hurt to type that.
I love the library. No dive bombs yet. We’ll see what happens as the little guy gets older.
I LOVE David Weisner – Tuesday was the first of his I ever saw, and it just blew me away (I was 24 or something, I might add!). He is so talented! Will seek out this one…
I saw Tuesday during this week’s visit when I was specifically looking for his books. BRILLIANT! (And I say that as being slightly *cough* older than 24!)
You’ve just reminded me I have a haul of library books to take back!!! On a different note have you seen the Hansel and Gretal older person’s movie – SO FREAKY but great!
Get them back before the fines multiply! No I haven’t seen it – thanks for the recommendation.
All these books look great but particularly No More Kisses for Bernard. The twinions would love that one!
Track it down! It’s super sweet.
It is a worry that book was even published! Our find on Tuesday was Who’s Poo.. very appropriate as we are attempting toilet training at the moment!
Who’s Poo. Interesting! Thanks for the recommendation. And good luck with the toilet training.
We recently discovered a book at the library called My Granny is a Pirate. Mr 4 loves it as his great grandmother is ‘Granny’
Loving these recommendation! Thanks Tegan. It’s on the list.