Picture Books - Holiday Reading 2009
Toymaker and the Bird – Pamela Allen (NZ)
In a little house in a dark forest, a toymaker lives all alone. One day, a small brown bird bears the magic sounds of the toymaker’s violin, and flies down to him. Together they make music so enchanting that even the trees shiver and murmur in wonder. But as the seasons change, the little bird dreams of the wide open sky and a life beyond the tops of the trees …
Our Daft Dog Danny – Pamela Allen (NZ)
When visiting Uncle Peter, the children love to go to the beach with his dog Millie. But the day they took their dog Danny with them, everything went wrong, until Toby had a good idea!
Babies Love Books – Laurence Anholt
Discover all the places books can be read, from a plane to a coconut tree, and all the special people they can be shared with, in this delightful picture book from a renowned author-illustrator team. A perfect book for introducing a lifetime’s love of reading to the very young, and for encouraging parents to read to their children any time of the day, not just at bedtime.
There was a Crooked Man – Gavin Bishop (NZ)
Gavin Bishop beautifully illustrates the old English rhyme in a vertical board book for very young children.
Quentin Blake’s Ten Frogs – Quentin Blake
One crow, two goats, three dogs, and four cats! Featuring a fun die-cut cover, the quizzical animal friends in this early counting book help young readers get to 10.
The Wrong Book – Nick Bland
A young boy is trying to tell his story, but his book keeps being invaded by characters from other stories.
The Sparrow and The Feather - Benjamin Brown (NZ)
When sparrow finds a rather wonderful and exotic feather he feels sure it must be owned by a very lucky bird. He sets out to return the feather to its rightful owner but learns along the way that owning something so magnificent doesn’t necessarily make you lucky.
It’s a Secret! – John Burningham
One night Marie Elaine finds her cat Malcolm dressed to go to a party. On condition she keep his secret, Malcolm agrees to let her come with him, and they set off through the streets - a dangerous journey, for Marie Elaine is now as small as her cat! At the party there are cats and more cats, and they are all very excited…the Queen of the Cats is on her way!
Eric Carle’s 123 – Eric Carle
Readers count all the way up to ten as each page has a corresponding number of animals to point out. Has some great paper engineering at the end.
Sarah’s Heavy Heart – Peter Carnavas
"Sarah knew the heart would always be hers to carry. She just wished it wasn’t so heavy." A magical story about a little girl’s search for friendship and love.
Box of Tricks : A Magical Story – Kate Cleminson
For her birthday, Eva is given a very special present - a box of tricks! She soon discovers that she is a master magician and for her first trick conjures up a rather large pet from within …Monty the polar bear. With her new friend she produces rabbits from hats, and a magical party with delicious food, the best musicians and lots of dancing.
Princess Smartypants Breaks the Rules! – Babette Cole
When the Queen packs off Princess Smartypants to finishing school, it seems that our favourite royal might become a perfect princess after all …Huh, no chance! Instead, PS makes her own school rules and teaches those other do-goody princesses just exactly how to have fun.
Cowshed Christmas – Joy Cowley (NZ)
The classic Christmas story is given a New Zealand twist in this warm and evocative retelling, with gorgeous illustrations by Gavin Bishop. All the farmyard animals - the jersey cow, the collie, bantam hens, sheep and lambs, ducks, kune kune, and the ginger cat - come to the cowshed door. They all come mooing, baaing, clucking, barking, quacking and meowing and they all come bearing gifts, true kiwi gifts like a rugby ball, a pavlova, jandals, a kiwi toy. And who do you think they saw? Little Baby Jesus by the cowshed door.
Hairy Maclary, Shoo! – Lynley Dodd (NZ)
When Hairy Maclary decides to snoop inside a delivery van, he’s in for a chaotic adventure. Has Hairy ever created such havoc?
The Troll – Julia Donaldson
The Troll longs for a goat - but has to make do with fish for supper instead. Meanwhile, Hank Chief and his pirate crew are digging for treasure - but it seems they’ve sailed to the wrong island. Again. Watch the fun unfold as these two worlds collide in a richly inventive, gloriously comic tale.
Toddle Waddle – Julia Donaldson
A wobbly toddler takes a walk and is soon joined by a joyful troop of human and animal friends. They wander happily along with a clip clop, hurry scurry, flip flop, toddle waddle, but where will they go and who else will they meet along the way?
Tabby McTat – Julia Donaldson
Tabby McTat was a busker’s cat with a miaow that was loud and strong. The two of them sang of this and that, and people threw coins in the checked hat. Fred, the busker, and his cat, Tabby McTat, are purr-fectly happy, singing together all day long. But when Fred gives chase to a thief, the two are separated. Will they ever find each other again?
Girl with the Bird’s-Nest Hair – Sarah Dyer
No one really likes brushing their hair, but the girl in this delightfully anarchic tale finds out the hard way just what it means to ignore your mother’s pleading to ’brush your hair’! First there is one little bird making the hair hard to brush, then another and another, and soon the girl and her mother find their day becomes an avian nightmare.
Finn Throws a Fit – David Elliott
Finn likes peaches. Usually. But not today. Today Finn doesn’t like anything. Uh-oh. Is Finn going to throw a fit?
A Child’s Garden : (A Story of Hope) – Michael Foreman
A boy’s world is in ruin and rubble, with a wire fence and soldiers separating him from the cool hills where his father used to take him as a small child. Can a tiny, green plant shoot give him hope in a bleak landscape?
Hello Baby! – Mem Fox
A baby encounters a variety of young animals, including a clever monkey, a hairy warthog, and a dusty lion cub, before discovering the most precious creature of all.
When No-One's Looking at the Zoo – Zana Fraillon
The animals at the zoo can stretch, growl and roar. But when no-one is looking, they get up to lots more!
Crazy Hair – Neil Gaiman
In my hair gorillas leap, tigers stalk and ground sloths sleep. Prides of lions make their lair somewhere in my crazy hair.
Toot Toot Beep Beep – Emma Garcia
Toot Toot Beep Beep is a fun, bright book for young children. Colourful cars zoom across the page, each making their own special noise. Little ones will love joining in with the sounds, making this book perfect for reading aloud.
The Grump – Sarah Garson
Do you have a grump in your house? The Grump is very scary - he leaves a mess wherever he goes, gobbles up everything in the fridge, and growls very loudly. But despite all this, the Grump might turn out not to be so scary after all…
When Stella was Very, Very Small – Marie-Louise Gay
Ever-inquisitive, carrot-top Stella takes a peek at her early days when she couldn’t read but, now that she’s grown, she can read to her little brother.
Dogs – Emily Gravett
Gorgeous canines of every shape, size and colour are bounding through this irresistible book. Can you choose one dog to love best of all? With playful pencil and watercolour illustrations to delight children and adults alike, everyone will long to bark along with the Chihuahua and tickle the Dalmatian’s tummy. This is a wonderfully satisfying book with a twist in the tail.
The Rabbit Problem – Emily Gravett
A family of rabbits soon supplies the answer in this funny story! Hop along to Fibonacci’s Field and follow Lonely and Chalk Rabbit through a year as they try to cope with their fast expanding brood and handle a different seasonal challenge each month, from the cold of February to the wet of April and the heat of July. This extraordinary picture book is packed with gorgeous details and novelty elements including a baby rabbit record book, a carrot recipe book and a surprise pop-up ending. It can also be used as a calendar.
Birds – Kevin Henkes
Fascinated by the colours, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl is happy to discover that she and they have something in common.
Elephant – Petr Horáček
A young boy spends his day playing games with his imaginary friend, the Elephant. Real or not, when Grandma and Grandpa are busy, the Elephant proves to be the perfect playmate.
Olly and Me 123 – Shirley Hughes
Learning to count is fun and easy with Katie and her baby brother, Olly. At the seaside, on the bus, playing with friends or just home with Mum - anytime, anywhere, there’s always a chance to practice numbers.
This is My Book – Mick Inkpen
The Snapdragon is up to his tricks again -- eating the letters from the words in the book. It really is very naughty. How will Bookmouse stop Snapdragon? And is there anything the Woollywolves can do to help?
Don’t Lose Pigley, Wibbly Pig! – Mick Inkpen
Wibbly Pig has been to a party. He leaves with his party bag, his balloon, and his favourite toy, Pigley. But what is in the party bag. Can Wibbly Pig find out, or is he carrying too many things!
It’s Useful to have a Duck - Isol
A continuous folding story depicts a child’s relationship with his duck, and on the reverse side, the duck’s perspective on life with his boy.
Millie’s Marvellous Hat – Satoshi Kitamura
Millie loves hats, but she has no money and she can’t afford to buy any of the lovely hats in town. But the man in the hat shop has an idea. He produces a box containing a hat too fine and beautiful to behold, but with the most perfect shape and colour imaginable, if Millie dares to imagine it. Millie does dare, and soon she can not only see her own beautiful hat, but everyone else’s hats as well.
Ghosts in the House! – Kazuno Kohara
Tired of living in a haunted house, a young witch captures, washes, and turns her pesky ghosts into curtains and a tablecloth.
Jack Frost – Kazuno Kohara
If you lived in a house in the woods and all your friends were hibernating you’d probably hate winter, just like this little boy. But one day a strange spiky figure appears and transforms the boy’s world into a winter wonderland! How long will the magic spell last?
Who’s That Knocking? – Alison Lester
Visitors to Ted’s house cast mysterious shadows on the door. The reader opens a flap to discover the identity of the visitor. Re-release.
I’m Green and Grumpy – Alison Lester
Children are invited to guess what character is behind the dress-up cupboard door. Re-release.
Not Last Night but the Night Before – Colin McNaughton
Not last night but the night before, everyone knocked at the little boy’s door, they knocked him down when he let them in, but was there a big surprise for him?
Call Me Gorgeous – Giles Milton
What kind of animal has a porcupine’s spines and a crocodile’s teeth; a flamingo’s neck and a toucan’s beak; a chameleon’s tail and a rooster’s feet? Has such a strange thing ever been seen?
Piggity-Wiggity-Jiggity-Jig Goes to Dad’s Café – Diana Neild (NZ)
Piggity-Wiggity is on a very special visit with his Mum with a very special menu designed by his Dad.
Higher! Higher! – Leslie Patricelli
One child. One swing. An obliging dad. The inevitable plea to go "Higher! Higher!" How high can it go? Higher than a giraffe? Taller than a mountain? Is Earth the final frontier?
Small Mouse, Big City – Simon Prescott
Country Mouse is going on an adventure! He’s leaving his quiet countryside to stay with his friend in the Big City. The city is amazing! The city is magnificent! But when Country Mouse looks across the rooftops and sees the green hills of his home, he begins to feel sad.
On a Rabbit Hunt – Elizabeth Pulford (NZ)
There is a rogue rabbit on the loose, and young Sam, Mum and Sara are on its trail!
Harris Finds his Feet – Catherine Rayner
Harris was a very small hare with very big feet. ’Why do I have such enormous feet, Grandad?’ Harris sighed. So Grandad shows Harris how to hop high into the sky, to climb to the tops of the mountains, and to run very fast. Harris not only learns about the world around him but also the importance of finding his own feet.
Dog and Bird Follow a Butterfly – Tohby Riddle
One day Dog and Bird follow a butterfly in this board book. It goes up and down, and round and round … as it leads them to a magical moment!
I’m Number One – Michael Rosen
Little wind-up soldier A-One is in charge. At least that’s what he tells the other toys. When he tells them to turn his key, they do it. When he tells them they’re no good, they feel bad. He calls them all kinds of things: no good, hopeless, the worst. Or was that hope-use, good-no, and less-less? Somehow, stringing all those mean words together makes them start to sound, well, silly…
Bear Flies High – Michael Rosen
Bear is playing on the beach and, seeing the seagulls wheeling above him, decides that he would love to learn how to fly. An exhilarating story about friends helping each other to realise their dreams - and have great fun doing it!
Duck! Rabbit! – Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Two unseen characters argue about whether the creature they are looking at is a rabbit or a duck.
Waddle! – Rufus Seder
All animals move, but how they move - whether they waddle, stomp, or fly, is a source of endless fascination for children. This title uses ’scanimation’ technology to simulate movement by the simple turning of a page. Leaping green frogs, flapping red hummingbirds, slithering yellow snakes, these animals are truly amazing to see.
Red Sings from Treetops : A Year in Colours – Joyce Sidman
In spring, Red sings from tree-tops: cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry into my ear. The colours of the seasons come to life in a fresh light, combining the senses of sight, sound, smell and taste.
The Wonky Donkey – Craig Smith (NZ)
In this very funny, cumulative song, each page tells us something new about the donkey until we end up with a spunky, hanky-panky cranky stinky dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey, which will have children in fits of laughter! There is much fun to be had by listening to the song and trying to predict the new word for each clue given.
Vroom!/Toot!/Brum! – Leo Timmers
Different vehicles, with an endearing animal inside, cause quite a racket by making different noises. Children will learn to associate each sound with the appropriate vehicle and, at the same time, be highly amused by these eye-catching and engaging board books.
Simms Taback’s City Animals – Simms Taback
The reader is invited to guess which animal is hiding beneath fold-outs that reveal a succession of clues.
Piglet and Granny – Margaret Wild
Piglet is waiting for Granny. While she waits she plays all sorts of games - balancing, chasey and hide-and seek. And when Granny arrives she has a brand new game for Piglet to play.
Itsy-Bitsy Babies – Margaret Wild
This classic picture book for the very young, by two leading creative talents, is a must have for every baby’s bookshelf. The rhyming text is perfect for reading aloud, and the charming illustrations will inspire endless fun and imitations.
Naked Mole Rat gets Dressed – Mo Willems
Wilbur, a naked mole rat who likes to wear clothes, is forced to go before the wise community elder, who surprises the other naked mole rats with his pronouncement.
Big Bad Bun – Jeanne Willis
There never was a rabbit as bad as Big Bad Bun. Or so you’d think if you read the letter which he left on his bed after school one day…but it turns out Big Bad Bun (whose real name is actually Fluff) might not be as bad as he makes out. His school report aside, that is!
Flabby Cat and Slobby Dog – Jeanne Willis
Flabby Cat and Slobby Dog were very lazy. They ate and ate and ate. They drank and drank and drank. And they slept and slept and slept. But when they woke up, they were most uncomfortable. The sofa had shrunk! Or so they liked to think…