The Places You Will Go

Picture Book of the Month: John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat

John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat
By Jenny Wagner
Illustrated by Ron Brooks
Publisher: Puffin Books, 32 pages

John Brown is an old English sheep dog. He belongs to Rose, an old widow, and is a deeply devoted companion. Says Rose, "We are all right, John Brown. Just the two of us. You and me." But one night, Rose notices a cat in the garden. A midnight cat. She is fascinated by the cat. John Brown doesn't approve. He tells the cat to leave. But Rose wants the cat. She longs for it. She leaves it milk in a bowl, which John Brown tips over. Finally, Rose takes to her bed and declares that she might stay there forever. John Brown is sad and decides that, because he loves Rose so much, he will put up with the midnight cat. This is a strange picture book - quite gloomy and sombre. The midnight cat is slightly sinister - could it be a symbol of death? When John Brown finally allows the cat into the cottage, is he really accepting Rose's death? Perhaps being a true friend includes being able to let go.

Picture Book of the Month: Kate, the Cat and the Moon

May 2008

Kate, the Cat and the Moon
By David Almond
Illustrated by Stepehn Lambert
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books, 32 pages

Kate wakes one moonlit night and is invited, by a white-furred, blue-eyed cat, to join him on an adventure in dreamland. The best part of this escapade is that Kate experiences it as a pretty grey-striped cat! Even the moon morphs into a beautiful feline and joins Kate and her new friend on their journey, through the dream-filled skies. This book is very like Lane Smith's "The Big Pets" in its magical, dreamy feel, and the glowing illustrations that look like they've been dipped in milk!

Picture Book of the Month: The Way Back Home

April 2008

The Way Back Home Author

By Oliver Jeffers

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, 32 pages

OLIVER Jeffers' books tend to feature little boys with big dreams, big hearts and big appetites. Here, we have another boy who, finding an aeroplane in his cupboard, flies off in it. The sky's not the limit for this young adventurer: he flies past clouds, stars and planets and, finally, lands on the moon when he runs out of petrol. Luckily, he's befriended by an alien who's suffered the same fate. Hopefully, the pair can figure out how to get out of the predicament they're in. And if they don't, at least they'll have company on the moon.

Picture Book of the Month: Zen Ties

March 2008
ZEN TIES
Written & Illustrated by Jon Muth
Publisher: Scholastic, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0439634250
Addy and Michael meet Stillwater, a wise and gentle giant panda who tells them stories based on zen parables. In Zen Ties, Stillwater's nephew comes to visit. The young panda is called Hi and speaks in verse: zen-influenced haiku ("Hi, Koo!" say the children, pun intended on Muth's part). Stillwater introduces the siblings and Hi to an old woman who seems surly but is simply lonely. Miss Whitaker helps Michael learn to spell and he wins a red ribbon at a spelling bee. The friends all celebrate by wearing red ties - zentai is Japanese for "whole" or "togetherness" and Zen Ties celebrates the joy of friendship and being part of a circle of friends.

Picture Book of the Month: Come On, Rain!

January 2008

COME ON, RAIN!
By Karen Hesse
Illustrated by Jon Muth
Publisher: Scholastic Press, ,40 pages
(ISBN:978-0590331258)

You can imagine this story being performed at a spoken-word gig. Karen Hesse's words dance like sunspots on your skin, trickle like cold water down the back on your neck, ripple across your consciousness - rumbling like thunder, sizzling like an egg frying in a pan full of butter. When the rain comes, you feel like you could stick out your tongue and catch a few raindrops. Jon Muth's watercolours shimmer with heat and then dissolve in silvery wet streaks as the heavens open and the rain finally comes ...

Picture Book of the Month: The End

November 2007

THE END
By David LaRochelle
Illustrated by Richard Eqielski
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine, 40 pages

For a change, this picture book starts with happily ever after. The princess and brave knight fall madly in love but how did that happen? Turn the pages and find out by going back in time and over the series of unfortunate events that led to The End.

David LaRochelle has created a zany story that kids (who relish absurd, slapstick humour) will love. Eqielski's illustrations are larger-than-life and remind me of Tenniel's renderings of the Duchess and her baby in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

This is a great book to use during storytime, providing much scope for interaction as everyone tries to guess ... not what happens next, but what happened before! The possibilities, of course, are endless.

Picture Book of the Month: I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean

September 2007

I'M THE BIGGEST THING IN THE OCEAN
Written and illustrated by Kevin Sherry
Publisher:Dial Books, 32 pages
A giant squid is delighted at being the biggest thing in the ocean. Even when he is swallowed by a whale he is only momentarily taken aback before he declares, proudly, that he is "the biggest thing in this whale!"

What an example of positivity. This is one squid who will always see the doughnut and not the hole.

Kevin Sherry's flat, brightly-coloured illustrations are eye-catching and cheerful. And his sea creatures have such a friendly look about them: Babies will be charmed!

This book comes with bathroom clings so your kids can decorate the bathtub or bathroom wall with sea creatures. (Try not to steal them, they're that adorable!)

Picture Book of the Month: Can't Sleep

August 2007

Can't Sleep
Written and illustrated by Chris Raschka
Publisher: Orchard Books, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0531094792
A puppy can't sleep and listens out, wide-awake and anxious in his bedroom, to the sounds of his brother and his parents getting ready for bed. Meanwhile, the full moon, gentle and kind, watches over him, offering comfort, love and, finally, a goodnight kiss. "When morning comes, the moon will go to bed. Now you may stay awake and keep her safe ... you'll keep her safe." This book is simply magical. Our copy is covered in kisses as my little girl finds the moon's big, round, beautiful yellow face irresistible.

Picture Book of the Month: The Dancing Tiger

July 2007

The Dancing Tiger
By Malachy Doyle
Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Francher
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Books, 32 pages

One moonlit night, a little girl sees, from her bedroom window, a tiger dancing in the woods. She goes to investigate and is asked by the big, graceful cat not to tell anyone his secret. In exchange, he will let her dance with him on moonlit nights. And so, the little girl and the tiger dance together, every moonlit night, through the seasons and the years, until she is an old lady. Her great-granddaughter then takes her place and the dancing continues.

The illustrations are by Steve Johnson and Lou Francher, who, with their paintbrushes, magically bathe each picture spread with the milky glow of moonlight. The painting of the girl and the tiger skipping through fields of bluebells is especially enchanting. Malachy Doyle tells the story in rhyme that is simple and gentle in tone, making The Dancing Tiger perfect for bedtime.

Picture Book of the Month: No, David!

June 2007

NO, DAVID!
By David Shannon
Publisher: Scholastic, 32 pages
David is a little boy who behaves like a little monster, and David Shannon's vibrantly hued illustrations make him look like one too! Actually, David is just a regular kid. Like all children (most anyway) he gets into a whole lot of mischief.

I can relate to this book (or, rather, the mother in this book) because goodness knows I'm always crying, "No!" and "Stop it this instant!" and "Be silent! Now!" to my children.

David's sins include trying to empty the gold fish out of its bowl ("It was an accident! Honest!"), running naked out of the house (this is acceptable in some cultures and countries), picking his nose (this is acceptable in some households) and playing baseball in the living room (is this better or worse than trying to turn the bathroom into a swimming pool?).

But at the end of the day, no matter what he's done, his mum loves David all the same. And that's the way it should be!