Review of Hairy Maclary and Friends: Meet theGang! – Lynley Dodd

Meet Hairy Maclary and his rollicking gang i! Who is covered in spots? Who has a low tum? And who is the roughest and toughest of all?

A tabbed board book all about rascally Hairy Maclary and his canine friends!

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy meets a lot of his friends while he’s out and about on a walk – let’s see what they all get up to.

Little fingers will have so much fun turning the pages of this very special board book, with its sturdy pages and illustrated tabs featuring each of the characters our raggedy rapscallion runs with – or runs from!

Meet Hercules Morse as big as a horse, Bottomley Potts covered in spots, Muffin McLay like a bundle of hay, Scarface Claw the toughest Tom in town, and other favourite characters from the best-loved series by Lynley Dodd.

Hairy Maclary and Friends: Meet the
Gang!

Lynley Dodd

Picture Puffin

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

A sturdy board book with tabs featuring all of the Hairy Maclary gang with the familiar descriptions of their appearance – Hercules Morse as big as a horse, Bitzer Maloney all skinny and bony, Schnitzel von Krumm with the very low tum! Each brightly coloured tab has the drawing of a character on it, making it easy to turn straight to their page to read the question of who it is. The tabs aren’t really designed for left-handers though – sigh.

The illustrations are framed in the colour of that pages tab and feature the well-known characters we know and love. The text is black and easy to read, standing out against a white background. The words are rhythmic and awesome to read aloud, while the pages are made of a thickened cardboard that won’t crumple easily, perfect for little fingers.

A must-have for any toddler!

Review of Anzac Ted; 10th Anniversary Edition – Belinda Landsberry

These days, Anzac Ted doesn’t score any votes at classroom Show and Tell, with his worn patches and missing parts. But when he belonged to Grandpa Jack, he travelled across the world to be a mascot for Anzac soldiers, giving them comfort, courage and hope that they would return home. Told with heart and sensitivity, Anzac Ted is a celebration of the Anzac spirit.

This special edition includes additional content such as a page of information on the history of the ANZACS and the shared experience of ANZAC and Turkish soldiers, as well as a ‘How to draw Anzac Ted’ activity page.

Anzac Ted; 10th Anniversary Edition

\Belinda Landsberry

EK Books

Supplied by Fantail Communications

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

A young boy has a battered old teddy bear that is missing parts and looks scary. He tries to clean him up before taking him to the classroom show and tell, but the other kids don’t vote for him as all they see is a tatty teddy bear. But they don’t know his story…..

His name is Anzac Ted and he was the childhood teddy of the boy’s Grandpa Jack. When Jack went off to fight with the ANZAC in WWi, Ted went too. He became their mascot and comforted the diggers, knowing they’d get home if they stuck with Anzac Ted.

The story is told in a cute poem, with each verse consisting of four lines and some clever rhymes. It has a fun, catchy beat that makes it a joy to read out loud. The text is solid black letters and easy to read against a solid background, mainly white or a muted colour. The illustrations are charming, very lifelike with a lot of details without being too busy. The colours are soft and restful, making the book perfect for a bedtime story. It has a good lesson about not judging things by their surface appearance and looking deeper to find their full story.

The back of the book has a page of information about the Anzacs and remembers the Turkish forces. There’s also a QR Code to scan to get a drawing of Anzac Ted to colour in. a gorgeous book that explains the Anzac ledged just in time for Anzac day. Buy it.

Review of Nova’s Missing Masterpiece – Brooke Graham; illustrated by Robin Tatlow-Lord

When Nova realizes the artwork she created for Dad’s birthday present is missing, her tummy flip flops and her heart ker-thumps. She and her dog, Harley, turn the house upside down, searching absolutely everywhere, but the missing masterpiece is nowhere to be found. Nova loses her temper but Harley remains calm and content. Can Nova learn from her dog, calm herself down and find her Dad’s present in time for his birthday party?

Nova’s Missing Masterpiece

Brooke Graham

illustrated by Robin Tatlow-Lord

EK Books

Supplied by Fantail Communications

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

Nova is panicking. She created an artwork for her dad’s birthday – it was her BEST WORK EVER and took he all weekend to complete – now she’s misplaced it and his party is in a few hours. With her dog Harley in tow, she searches for it. Nova scours her bedroom, dismantles the living room, and upturns the bathroom. Finding nothing, she roars in frustration before noticing Harley flopped on the floor panting. He seemed calm and content so she decided to follow his lead and do some deep breathing.

Not feeling so hot and bothered now, Nova and Harley keep looking. She tears apart the the kitchen but still nothing. Nova’s head pounds as she’s so annoyed and angry, but then she sees Harley lapping water from his bowl. This seems a good idea so she has “a drink to help her think”. Calmer, Nova and Harley head outside to look high and low but find nothing. Upset she can’t find it and her dad’s party is soon, Nova bursts into tears while Harley howls in distress. His howls give her a idea and she puts on headphones to listen to soothing music.

Will Nova find the missing masterpiece in time?

A fun story that teaches children about problem-solving and trying another strategy if the first doesn’t work. It emphasises the need to keep trying and not give up, while giving some useful coping strategies to deal with anger and frustration. The illustrations are vibrant and colourful, perfectly bringing to life Nova’s frustrations. Harley is cute too,

This is an ideal story to show how emotions can affect thinking and shows simple techniques that can help control them.

Review of Chugga Tugga Tugboat – Sally Sutton; illustrated by Sarah Wilkins

Chugga tugga tugboat, chugging out to sea,

Can’t you, won’t you, play with me?

No, I’m too busy with this tanker.

Splish splosh, wish wash,

TOOT TOOT TOOT!

Chugga tugga tugboat, chugging out to sea,

Can’t you, won’t you, play with me?

No, I’m too busy with this cruise ship.

Splish splosh, wish wash,

TOOT TOOT TOOT!

From cruise ships and tankers to yachts and barges, readers will love exploring the gorgeously detailed port and water scenes over and over again.

Sally Sutton knows the subjects little children love to venture out and explore in the world around them, and she also always knows just how to bring them back home again, safe for a snuggly goodnight. Her bouncy rhymes are huge fun to read aloud, and are so catchy that kids will quickly learn the words by heart.

Teamed with Sarah Wilkins’ stunning illustrations depicting a little boy at play at home, along with a bustling busy and a variety of vessels and water activities visible through the windows, Chugga Tugga Tugboat is a gorgeous companion to Crane Guy.

Chugga Tugga Tugboat

Sally Sutton

illustrated by Sarah Wilkins

Picture Puffin

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

A little boy stands at a window in his home watching a tugboat hard at work. The boy keeps asking the tugboat to play but he has to say no every time as he’s busy. There is an incredible variety of tasks this tough tittle tugboat performs; everything from guiding huge ships in to port, to rescuing yachties in stormy weather, even fire-fighting blazes on boats! The little boy is shown playing by mimicking the each of the tugboats duties until the tugboat is finally free to play with him…..

A delightful book with a cute story and lots of fun to read aloud. The text has a rhythmic beat and repetitious while sharing different things a tugboat does. The font is clear and easy to read, and the illustrations are bright, vivid, and very detailed. Perfect for toddlers fascinated with boats, this book is filled with many sailing vessels and has numerous water scenes to explore. A great addition to any toddler’s library.

Review of Butterfly Girl – Ashling Kwok & Arielle Li

Butterfly Girl is a charming and sensitively illustrated book about friendship and making space for animals, even in an urban environment. Olivia, who loves butterflies, has to leave her home in the countryside and move into a city apartment. Feeling lonely without her fluttering friends, she realises she needs to transform her bare balcony if she wants her friends to visit — and that turns out to be a great way to meet her new neighbours!

Butterfly Girl
Ashling Kwok & Arielle Li

EK Books
Supplied by Fantail Communications
Reviewed by Jan Butterworth
Olivia has an idyllic life out in the countryside with unlimited space and her butterfly friends that come when she sang and danced and whirled and fluttered and twirled. Then her parents spilt up and Olivia and her mother move to an flat in the city. Leaving her butterfly friends behind makes Olivia sad but her mum is positive that she will make new friends in the city. So they move to the new place and Olivia waits for new friends to find her. She waits and waits and waits some more.

On her balcony, Olivia tries singing to her butterfly friends and she danced and whirled and fluttered and twirled but they stayed away. Realising her drab, colourless garden had none of butterflies favourite things, she created a little garden to attract them. She then sang and danced harder and waited and waited and waited. Still they stayed away as the city was too drab and colourless for them.
Then a neighbour asked Olivia for help in planing a garden. Soon, she was helping more and more of her neighbours to pant gardens. Their building became a sea of vibrant colour in the drab, colourless city. Olivia now had many friends – but would her butterfly friends come back?

This is a charming story about perseverance and how sitting back and waiting doesn’t work; you need to work to make things happen and magic happen anywhere with a bit of imagination. It also shows that the smallest person can make a huge difference to the environment and the lives of others. The artwork is amazing; soft and restful colours and the illustrations tell the story well. There is a handy guide to creating your own butterfly garden in the back of the book. It has tips and tricks on how to attract butterflies. A cute story that has valuable lessons without being preachy.

Review of The Cat who Taught Zen – James Norbury

This is the tale of a cat wise in the ways of zen who hears of a solitary ancient pine, deep in a maple forest, under which infinite wisdom may be found.

So begins a journey of discovery.

Along the way he meets a vivid cast of animals: from an anxious monkey and a tortoise tired of life, to a tiger struggling with anger, a confused wolf cub and a covetous crow.

Each has stories to tell and lessons to share.

But after a surprise encounter with a playful kitten, the cat questions everything…..

Review of The Cat who Taught Zen

James Norbury

Michael Joseph

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jacqui Smith

“We do like the book. It’s really quite lovely. A keeper,” I wrote to my friend and so it is. This work is what the librarians call an adult picture book, an illustrated storybook that anyone of any age can enjoy. And the illustrations in this book are really quite beautiful.

The story is quite simple, yet deep in meaning. It is about a cat on a mission to find understanding. The cat is told of an ancient tree where one may find truth, and he sets forth to find it. On the way he meets many creatures and there are many lessons. Finally, one very important lesson… it was never about a tree…

There is a great deal of wisdom in this book, wisdom for anyone, whatever their beliefs. One can read it over and over and still find something new to learn and be inspired by. A book to be kept. To be left on the coffee table for anyone to pick up and enjoy. To be treasured.

Recommended.

Review of Annie and Moon / Ko Annie raua ko Marama – Miriam Smith, illustrated by Lesley Moyes, translated by A. T. Mahuika

A new bilingual English and Māori edition of the classic and award-winning story about Annie and her black cat Moon and their long search for home, for 3 to 6-year-olds.

Annie, her mum Meg and her pet cat Moon are always shifting house. One day Grandma offers the perfect solution – but will Moon like their new home too?

He kōrero ātawhai mō tētahi kōtiro mō Annie, mō tana poti pango mō Marama, mō tana māmā mō Meg, a, mō tā rātau rapu whare hou hoki hei kaengā noho mō rātau.
He pukauka mā ngā tamariki ē toru – e ono ngā tau.

Annie and Moon / Ko Annie raua ko Marama

Miriam Smith

illustrated by Lesley Moyes

translated by A. T. Mahuika

Puffin

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

This a republishing of a classic picture book in time for Maori Language Week. Winner of the Picture Book of the Year Award 1989, this warm and hopeful story about a loving family working through a precarious situation which resolves well in the end resonates as much today as when it was first published.

Annie lived in the country with her mum and dad in a cute little house. When her dad left to move somewhere else, Annie and her mum packed up all their stuff and moved to town. Annie was lonely as she had no other kids to play with, so her mum brought home a little black kitten for her. Annie named him Moon. The rent on the flat was too much so they packed up all their stuff and moved in with Annie’s aunt. There were plenty of kids for Annie to play with but Moon had to sleep outside, which made Annie sad. So they packed up all their stuff and moved in with Annie’s mum’s friends.

Babies there were unintentionally too rough with Moon and Annie was lonely as her mum spent all her time with her friends and not her. Then her grandad passed and her gran asked if Annie, her mum, and Moon would move in with her. So they packed up all their stuff and moved in with gran and her dog Brutus. Annie was never lonely as she had her gran but Moon and Brutus did not get on at all. One day there was a horrible fight and Moon escaped out the window and ran away. That night Annie’s mum slept with her and they waited and waited.Finally Moon came back the next morning.

It took a while but Moon and Brutus learnt to get along.

The text is divided into two separate blocks with English at the top and the te reo translation underneath. The simple black lettering against a white background is clear and easy to read. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and have so much detail – the longer you look the more you see. The colours are restful and soothing, perfect for a pre-nap snuggle as you read aloud to a little one.

Highly recommended for any klwi kid’s personal library.

Review of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy – Lynley Dodd

A very special upsized hardback 40th birthday edition of Lynley Dodd’s iconic first Hairy Maclary book, which introduces the famous Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy and his canine gang.

Out of the gate
and off for a walk
went Hairy Maclary
from Donaldson’s Dairy

Hairy Maclary’s friends join him for a walk until, with a sudden yowl, a wail and a howl, they all run off.

What could have caused such a scatter of paws?

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy

Lynley Dodd

Picture Puffin

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

It’s the 40^th birthday of kiwi classic Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy!  The first story has been republished and it’s still a great book that is timeless.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy takes himself off for a walk while being joined by various friends, whose names are followed by catchy little descriptions that rhyme and roll off the tongue.  (Note to pub quizzers – the names of Hairy Maclary’s gang of friends will come up in a question, so be sure to memorize them.)  They exuberantly made their way to the far end of town, sniffing at smells and snooping at doors.  Then it happened.  They ran into Scarface Claw – the toughest Tom in town – who yowled at them so loudly they ran all the way home to bed.

The text is catchy, with a rhythmic beat and captivating flow.  The sentences rhyme and are so easy to remember – I bet every kiwi kid (and their parents) can recall “Hercules Morse as big as a horse”, “Bottomley Potts covered in spots” and “Muffin McLay like a bundle of hay ”.  The illustrations are wonderful; they capture the mischievous nature of Hairy Maclary so well and emotes a sense of fun and playfulness.

Every self-respecting NZ library needs a copy of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy.  The rest of the world needs a copy of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy so they can grasp the awesomeness of it.  Run, don’t walk, to your local bookstore and buy a copy or two.

Review of There Was an Odd Farmer Whom Swallowed A Fly – Peter Millet; illustrated by Paul Beavis

Peek through the holes in the pages to see what the odd farmer swallows in this favourite nursery rhyme with a pitch-perfect Kiwi twist!

Kiwi kids will love this favourite nursery rhyme with witty words by Peter Millett and hilarious illustrations by Paul Beavis — and a surprise twist at the end!

There was an odd farmer who swallowed a fly.

I dunno why she swallowed a fly —

it’s such weird kai.

Peek through the holes in the pages to see all the creatures inside the odd farmer! And what happens to them all at the end of the tale?

Expect a lot of belly laughs as you read this brilliant rhyming story aloud!

There Was an Odd Farmer Whom Swallowed A Fly

Peter Millet

illustrated by Paul Beavis

Picture Puffin

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

This is such cool book!

A goofy-looking sheep narrates this retelling of the old rhyme ‘There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly’ with a uniquely kiwi flavour.  The odd farmer first swallows a fly, which the sheep points out is weird kai, then a weta, then a ……

The sheep makes a droll observation about each creature the farmer swallows until the farmer is stuffed!

The illustrations are quirky and fun to look at, with bright cheerful colours and humorous expressions.  The odd farmer is shown siting on the sofa with a tribe of animals which quickly shrinks as each is swallowed. The text is witty, with short sentences from the sheep that rhyme and are funny, then the list of what’s been eaten so far, ending with a pithy quip from the sheep.  The repetitive list is easy to chant along to.

It’s cleverly laid out with each insect swallowed shown in the farmers belly and as more and more are added, the cut-outs let you see them.  It’s easy to keep track of what has been swallowed as the rhyme progresses because of this.  Truly ingenious!  I loved the scene at the end showing the sheep watching telly – such a crack up!

This is an awesome book any little one will enjoy.  Add it to their library now.

Review of Pearl in a Whirl – Catherine Robertson; illustrated by Fifi Colston

A tale of chaos and courage, ruin and rescue, as Pearl’s home – like so many others – was ravaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Pearl loved doing all her favourite things: swatting the dog, slurping tap water, hiding in bags, and curling up to sleep.

But one Monday night, with a whoosh and a whirl, her comfortable life was turned upside-down …

Pearl’s family home in Puketapu, in Hawke’s Bay, was destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle and it took a week for her to be reunited with her family, as the community came together in the aftermath of one of New Zealand’s worst weather events.

       Written by bestselling author Catherine Robertson, with illustrations by Fifi Colston, every copy sold will raise much-needed funds for the Hawke’s Bay Foundation to assist in the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery effort.

Pearl in a Whirl

Catherine Robertson

illustrated by Fifi Colston

Picture Puffin

Supplied by Penguin Random House New Zealand

Reviewed by Jan Butterworth

The book starts with a foreword explaining exactly what Cyclone Gabrielle was, the damage it did, and the damage it has caused.  It also explains how all profits will go the Hawke’s Bay Foundation and how Penguin Random House New Zealand is showing their support for the community by publishing so quickly and using local businesses. So please show your support and buy a copy or two of this adorable book.

A fluffy white cat with a chocolate face and big blue eyes, Pearl is a much loved member of a happy home in Puketapu, Hawke’s Bay.  Monday was just another normal day spent doing her favourite things: swatting the dog, slurping tap water, hiding in bags, and curling up to sleep. Then night came and the storm hit…….

Pearl was terrified and hid on a shelf that night.  The next morning her home was severely damaged and her family was forced to evacuate.  They couldn’t find her to take with them so dispatched their neighbours to find Pearl the next day when the rain stopped.  At their house she could do all her favourite things: swatting (no dog though), hiding in bags, and curling up to sleep.  Then the neighbours had to evacuate……..

A chopper came and plucked them to safety and after landing, Pearl became media star.  Her family had to find a new place o live and arranged for her to stay in a cattery where she could do her favourite things: swatting (they had a dog!), slurping, hiding, and curling up to sleep.  She very quickly became the boss of the cattery!

A month later, Pearl was reunited with her family and they took her to their new home in Napier.  He soon settled in and resumed all her favourite things:  swatting (her dog!), slurping, hiding, and curling up to sleep.

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, very lifelike and they convey the emotions of the story so well – you can feel Pearl’s terror at the storm, her happiness at being rescued, and when her family had to evacuate without her, their faces oh man.  The colours are light and restful, apart from the storm which is dark and angry.  The words are very descriptive, with the text arranged into short sentences that are rhythmic and flow well when read aloud.

This is a true story, there’s a timeline in the back detailing events but sadly, one of many devastating stories as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle.  The ending when Pearl is back with her family is so satisfying.  Please buy a copy and help others work towards a happy ending.