children’s picture book | Lost in a Good Book

King & King by Linda de Haan

26 Oct 2018 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, linda de haan, stern nijland, three stars

Published: 1st March 2003
Publisher: Tricycle Press
Illustrator: Stern Nijland
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover Picture Book
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Once there lived a lovelorn prince whose mother decreed that he must marry by the end of the summer. So began the search to find the prince’s perfect match and lo and behold……his name was Lee. You are cordially invited to join the merriest, most unexpected wedding of the year. KING & KING is a contemporary tale about finding true love and living happily ever after, sure to woo readers of any age.

The story is simple and to the point. I enjoyed how de Haan didn’t need to explain further about why the prince didn’t want a princess, he just didn’t. This was also something the queen accepted, she just needed the prince married so she count retire as planned. The prince meets with a variety of princesses from around the world which he has no interest in until one princess brings along her brother.

The illustrations aren’t the most pleasing to look at but they do the job. They are creative I will give credit for that and look like they have been compiled from cut out pictures, one page cleverly using what appears to be magazine snippets of a variety of words.

This isn’t a complex book explaining homosexuality to children, there is no long explanation about any of it. What it is though is a story which normalises it and explains that some princes like other princes and as long as he’s happy, everyone is happy.

You can purchase King & King via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Amazon | Amazon Aust | Wordery

Angus & Robertson | Dymocks

Fishpond | QBD

Worm Loves Worm by J. J. Austrian

19 Oct 2018 3 Comments

by Amy in 5 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, five stars, j. j. austin, mike curato

Published: 5th January 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Illustrator: Mike Curato
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of a worm . . . and a worm.

When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know—who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux?

The answer is: It doesn’t matter. Because Worm loves Worm.

This story is beyond adorable and is the perfect book to show kids that love is love no matter what. There are no pronouns, so worm is worm and worm is worm and you don’t know how they identify. The worms are in love and just want to be married but with each new suggestion it becomes more and more complicated. Beetle says they need a best beetle, the bees want to be bride bees, and all of these come with the phrase “That’s how it’s always been done”.

As all the pieces come together and solutions are found for lack of feet for dancing, and no desire to eat cake, the worms can finally be married. This is where Austrian’s story shines and the worms start to change the things that have ‘always been done’. I love this because the innocence of the worms who just want to get married are happy to go along with all their friend’s suggestions, and will do whatever ‘has always been done’ as long as they can get married in the end.

Curato’s illustrations are adorable and simplistic. The animals are on plain white backgrounds which brings the focus back on them with no distractions like an environment around them. The text is simple but to the point, mainly consisting of dialogue between the animals. It is a great way to include information without explaining it as narrative and exploring ideas new and old though the conversations of the animals.

This is a beautifully sweet book about changing how things have always been done and getting to do what you want and how you want it. The amazement of the worms’ friends at their decisions demonstrated beautiful acceptance and the worms’ unfaltering desire to do what they like also shows admirable qualities.

You can purchase Worm Loves Worm via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Amazon | Amazon Aust | Wordery

Angus & Robertson | Dymocks

Fishpond | QBD

Charlotte and the Rock by Stephen W. Martin

12 Oct 2018 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, samantha cotterill, stephen w. martin, three stars

Published: 14th March 2017
Publisher: Dial Books
Illustrator: Samantha Cotterill
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover Picture Book
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Charlotte has always really wanted a pet, so when her parents present her with one for her birthday she expects a cat, dog, or maybe a bird. Instead, she receives a rock. Rocks can’t cuddle, fetch, or even help her eat her vegetables, but that doesn’t stop Charlotte from loving her rock as if he were real. If only he could love her back…or can he?

This is a fun story that is enjoyable to read and even has a few surprises. It is delightfully silly without going over the top and I loved Charlotte’s sincerity over the whole situation as she treated her rock like any other pet. The writing is simple with one sentence or so covering each issue or moment but Martin tells the story simply but effectively and interestingly.

I actually thought this was going to be a sadder story about poor Charlotte who only had a rock for a pet but I was pleasantly surprised. She treats it like any other pet and while it can cause a few hassles, what pet doesn’t? Her optimism is enchanting and I love that the rock isn’t any normal sized rock but still she carries on.

Cotterill’s illustrations are simple and the colours basic, but I liked the design of Charlotte. She looks like the perfect six year old who wouldn’t mind having a rock as a pet and making the best out of the situation. She is adaptable and will enjoy her pet even if it is a little unconventional. The colour scheme is made of up of washed out red, green, and brown which works remarkably well. It gives an old feel to the book and doesn’t take anything away from the illustrations themselves.

This is a fun book that kids will enjoy reading for the humour and the silly nature is easy to exploit when reading it aloud. It may also give hope to those kids who can’t have the pet that they wished for and instead lets them realise how much fun having a pet rock can be.

You can purchase Charlotte and the Rock via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Amazon | Amazon Aust | Wordery

Angus & Robertson | Fishpond

Dymocks | QBD

I Don’t Believe in Dragons by Anna Walker

05 Oct 2018 Leave a comment

by Amy in 2 Stars, Australian Women Writers, The Picture Book Corner Tags: #aww2018, anna walker, aussie books, australian women writers challenge, aww 2018, children's picture book, two stars

Published: 18th October 2010
Publisher: Scholastic
Illustrator: Anna Walker
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover Picture Book
★ ★ – 2 Stars

When kindergarten teacher Miss May tells her children she sees a dragon, the children react if different ways. Some are intrigued, some surprised, some scared. But Jack says he doesn’t believe in dragons. When Emma wonders where the dragon is, Jack reminds her there isn’t any such thing. When Ned finds a feather and asks if dragons can fly, Jack assures him it’s a bird’s feather – nothing to do with a dragon. And what about that snoring sound? Not a dragon, insists Jack. So do dragons really exist?

I picked this one up because the cover was adorable, and while the story didn’t quite hold up to the same standard, it was a nice story all the same.

In a reverse Pete’s Dragon situation, everyone believes in the dragon that teacher Miss May can see, everyone except Jack. It is a sweet story as the children theorise about what the dragon likes to do and eat, accompanied by Walker’s illustrations. The illustrations are quite cute and are the part I liked the most. The dragon is drawn simply, as are all the illustrations, in a colourful, rough design. I’m not sure what appeals to me about the dragon but I really enjoyed the design, it does remind me of the Pokémon Dragonite just more beige.

I liked Walker’s creativity with the illustrations, she manages to create pictures that allude to a child’s imagination but also have the possibility of being real. The colours are soft and the lines are rough but that only adds to the gentle nature and the magic of having a dragon hanging out at your school.

I ended up admiring the drawings because while the story starts with promise, it falls flat after a while. The story isn’t too engaging, but it’s cute so I’m sure kids can enjoy it all the same. With a few more pages there could have been a conclusion or any kind of recognition about what seeing the dragon actually meant and how Jack who’s been a buzzkill to everyone else about their belief, has a change of heart and finally learns to believe.

You can purchase I Don’t Believe in Dragons via the following

Fishpond | Amazon Aust

Boy by Phil Cummings

28 Sep 2018 2 Comments

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: cbca 2018, children's picture book, deafness, disability, four stars, phil cummings

Published: 1st May 2017
Publisher: Scholastic
Illustrator: Shane Devries
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

The kings battles with the dragon were always mighty and loud… CLING CLANG CLONG! ROAR!

Boy lived in a silent world and couldn’t hear the fighting. But Boy could see the fear around him… and how everyone would be much happier.

Boy is deaf and he communicates through sign language Cummings calls “dancing hands”. Some of the villagers think he is strange but his parents love him and he tells stories by writing on the ground.

Cummings has written a very good book. This is not a book about Boy being deaf, his deafness does not help the problem, instead it acts as a means to get him in the situation where he can help the battle between the dragon and the king in his own way. I half expected the dragon to understand sign language to be honest and have Boy be the one to save the day by calming the dragon, but no. What Cummings has done is made a story where not only can anybody defeat a dragon regardless of who they are, but they can defeat it by being kind and understanding, and still be classed a hero.

This book was shortlisted for the 2018 CBCA awards and it didn’t win, but it could easily have come close. It’s a wonderfully sweet story with beautiful illustrations that bring out the heart and compassion to the story and mixes it with the fairy tale style of knights who battle dragons.

You can purchase Boy via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Angus & Robertson | Fishpond

QBD | Amazon Aust | Amazon

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