reviewed by Damyanti and Bryn (5)
This is an enchanting story about a little boy called Noi. Noi is very lonely until he discovers a small beached whale to care for. Hiding a whale (even a small one) however, proves to be tricky and when the whale is discovered he has a difficult decision to make. Bryn enjoyed reading this book to himself and then encouraging me to read it because he thought it was 'lovely'. He found it easy to read as it's a short story with little text, but the illustrations provided lots of detail to study. We both loved the illustrations which conveyed the warmth and tenderness of the story beautifully. We really enjoyed this story, leaving us with a warm glow, it's a true beauty Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Poppy and JJ (3)
I love the moral of this story. It promotes general positivity and optimism and encourages seeking out wonderful things even if you can’t see them from your starting point. The ever positive Piglet Squid wants to show his underwater neighbours that there are reasons to be happy, and he makes it his mission to find things to make them smile. I was worried the pictures of the grumpy fish may seem a little scary, but JJ liked them and enjoyed the story as a whole. It is fun and has a great message. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Philippa, Leo (6) and Ella (3)
Is it a love song for the Scottish islands, an updating of Hey Diddle Diddle or a paean to all things feline? It's beautifully illustrated, and there are some nice little touches (the otter as the 'star' attraction for example)...but there is something lacking in the story....it doesn't really go anywhere, seem to tell any lessons for kids, or make much coherent sense (if he's not a special cat, why then is he also the famous 'cat and the fiddle' from the nursery rhyme...?) Disappointing reading, then, for an adult, but our 3- and 6-year-olds seem to like it (even if they get a bit confused with my feeble attempts to do different Scottish accents for all the characters...) Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Philippa, Leo (5) and Ella (3)
It's a good story, proof that even the very basic work of learning the alphabet, done to death so many times, can be done in a fresh and fun way. The mythology of the Ministry of Letters and its bevy of characters (including also punctuation marks - we loved the Laurel & Hardy exclamation mark and question mark) works well, and of course there is a liberal sprinkling of James Bond in there too (M, anyone?). Plenty of jokes for the adults (the boy is called Charlie Foxtrot!), and the story of an ordinary little boy being helped out by the SAS (Special Alphabet Service) can't fail to entrance any young reader. In short, a fun, beautifully illustrated book with an exciting adventure and a great cast of characters. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Kirsten, Isaac and Hazel (3)
This is a gorgeous book, which packs a lot into its story - an idyllic sea shore playground for Cai, his friendship with the ponies, his driftwood art, being different, bullying, peril and a happy ending! I was a little concerned that my three year olds would be upset by the bullying, but they are swept along with the story and distracted by the wonderful illustrations. Each page is filled with pictures so soft and smudgy, yet filled with detail, that we love looking at them and spotting new things each time we read. This is a definite keeper, and I think Isaac and Hazel will love it even more as they get older. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Emma and CJ (4)
As a family who loves Claire Freedman's Underpants books, we were really excited about this one. The rhythm and rhyme of the book is really easy to follow and causes lots of laughter. Sue Hendra's illustrations are easy on the eye and really add to the fun of the book. A great buy in the lead up to Halloween, good for a bed time story or for a young reader to have a go at themselves. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Corinne and Millie (6)
This is a large attractive hardback book which gives a brief glimpse of the lives of children from around the world through the eyes of a child looking for a friend. "I would like to be friends with Sophie because she wants to be a doctor and so do I" said Millie. Although the book is aimed at very young children, there is enough interest in the pictures for slightly older ones and Millie certainly enjoyed it. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Mary and Olivia (1)
Loved this book in our house! There is a different material to feel on every page and the visuals are bright and playful. The hardback pages are thick and wear-proof. This book will definitely make it through its days with a rough and tumble toddler. On every page there is also a section for mums which advises us how to help our babies with their motor skills. The back page boasts a nice big mirror (plastic of course) and we found this to be Olivia's favourite page. Poser. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Nicki and Luke (4)
I have been a fan of Richard Scarry since I was small and was keen to introduce him to my son. The short chapters covering different topics are well suited to this style of reading. As Luke is reading now he can read some of the text on the pages and we have used the questions to start off conversations about our favourite things. The pen and ink drawings showing animal families doing everyday things are detailed and humorous. If you have not given Richard Scarry a try I would recommend it. Photograph: theguardian.com
reviewed by Kirsten, Isaac and Hazel (3)
This lovely book is a good way to help children learn about the sounds of different instruments by following the adventures of the sympathetically drawn Gustav. I think it is a little advanced for my 3 year olds. I took the book to my children's nursery, where comments were, "Some of the children loved parts of this book - especially the frog music and the water being tipped on Gustav. There was lots of enthusiasm about the music and they pretended to play the instruments as they listened. It was really too long for the group though....and the voice was a little monotonal to hold their attention. Enjoyed it - but would be more succesful if shorter!" Photograph: theguardian.com
