There’s A Gorilla At The Door!
Written by Clare Helen Welsh and illustrated by Sam Caldwell, this picture book in Hardcover was published on 1st February 2024, and is just as much fun as the cover indicates! We join a young girl called Daphne who isn’t at all happy about moving in to her stepdad’s house along with her mum and baby brother, but things quickly take a turn when mum suggests they throw a party, and lots of relatives arrive to join in the festivities. Despite having been made to wear a dress, which she evidently does not like, Daphne’s mood immediately improves when each knock on the door brings more and more animals to the party!
These animals are all relations, and boy is there a huge variety of them making an appearance, but things descend into chaos when nobody is getting along, and it is Daphne’s stepdad who suggests music is needed, and it definitely unites everyone in a magical way. Everyone joins in dancing, even Daphne’s baby brother is enjoying the rhythm of the music, and this is a turning point for the young girl as she realises she has something in common with her brother, and decides she will start making more effort with him too.
This joyous tale explores themes of belonging in a blended-family environment with a subtle nod to the interconnected animal family we all, as humans, share. In this light, funny read-aloud, children will love the accumulative animal action and will enjoy picking their favourite animal party guest! There’s a Gorilla at the Door! will delight readers of The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright and Jim Field, You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus by Patricia Cleveland-Peck and David Tazzyman, and There’s Nothing Faster Than a Cheetah by Tom Nicoll and Ross Collins
The concept of this book is such brilliance, reflecting family dynamics perfectly, and shows the joy that can be found in blended families, particularly when they collectively come together and unite over something, which we are all familiar with whether in a blended family or not.
The Armadillo Who Came For Dinner
This is the sixth title in the The Lamb who came for Came for Dinner series, written by Steve Smallman and illustrated by Joelle Dreidemy, and was published by Little Tiger on 1st February 2024.
One day, Dizzy the armadillo lands in Hotpot’s picnic with a THUMP! “Do you need a hug?” wonders Hotpot. But Dizzy is a tough armadillo, and he definitely does not need a comforting hug. Yet, when disaster strikes at the Fun Fair, the embrace of a friend could be just what this tough armadillo needs.
This beautiful book makes readers reconsider their perceptions of others as a result of Dizzy the Armadillo showing a tough and frankly quite destructive side, which ultimately sees Wolf, Hotpot and Omelette having mixed feelings about the Armadillo addition to their household. Hotpot sees Dizzy as a friend, and offers a hug to Dizzy on many an occasion only to be refused because Dizzy has hard outer shell and explains he doesn’t need one. Wolf and Omelette are actually glad when Dizzy runs away after destroying the fair they were off to enjoy, but when Hotpot is in danger and Dizzy comes to the rescue, putting his own life in danger, everyone agrees that Dizzy is a much welcomed and valuable addition to their friendship circle, and this time when Hotpot asks Dizzy if he would like a hug it is accepted. It turns out even those that look tough, and have hard outer shells (literally!) they can still be soft at times, and subsequently show warmth, bravery, kindness and compassion.
I love picture books with a moral to the story design to them, and this is my latest favourite which I plan to share with as many people as I can, including older children and adults. It is such a beautiful story, with plenty of funny and action packed unfolding scenes, but it is the turn around of characters and their relationships that I love the most, with the first signs of danger leading to Dizzy showing his true self. I highly recommend this book as a class read and for those who want to show or remind little ones that it is ok not to be the tough type, and embrace kindness, caring, concern and hugs along the way.
Your BRAIN is a LUMP of GOO
Written by Idan Ben-Barak and illustrated by Christopher Nielsen, this book is published by Allen and Unwin, and is jammed packed with facts and information about your brain, and will enthral little ones as they learn plenty of useful details. I love that having been told your brain is about the size of a pineapple it becomes something that follows through the entire book, whether being referenced or featuring in the illustrations. You can tell that this book has been written by someone who knows what they are talking about, and Idan is a scientist and qualified to talk about this vital organ we all have inside our heads, and the fact this book explains something so complex in a way that children aged 5+ can comprehend what is being talked about is testament to the brilliance of the author.
There is so much discussed in this book, and it does give you a huge appreciation for the organ inside your skull, which is fundamental in everything we do, from breathing through to dreaming, and everything in-between. I loved the different styles of illustration used to portray the information in the text, and you will be left with a massive appreciation for your brain, and all that it can do as a result from learning as well as trying things out. I can see how much value this book has within primary schools and also with children who are eager to learn more about the human body. It is brilliant!
Beach Song
Written by Ros Moriarty and illustrated by Samantha Campbell, this book was published in Hardcover by Allen and Unwin in January 2024, and is SO perfect for this time of year as the weather becomes more summery, the temperatures warm, and we venture to the seaside on family outings.
A day at the seashore can be full of surprise, wonder and excitement.Leap through the waves like a dolphin.
Glide through the water like a fish.
Soar along the sand with the seagulls.
What will you do when you go to the beach?
This book truly celebrates the beauty of the beach, and all that inhabit the surroundings including within the ocean. There is a lyrical feel to the sentences, which explains the song part of the title, and there is definitely and ebbing and flowing of the content too. There are so many actions referenced within the words, from both the child who is seeing and joining in with things and also the ocean, land and air animals that are referenced. This makes for additional fun when sharing this book as you can do the actions as you go along. I love the structure design of the text within this book, and its content really does showcase everything beautiful about the coast, and I especially love how you get both perspectives too, that of nature and human. I can see this being a popular title in the car enroute to the seaside, and within beach bags to share whilst there, and it certainly does inspire you to search out similar experiences for yourself.
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