There’s such a tremendous range of books available for children that we’re spoilt for choice. However, finding the best and most suitable books on our own isn’t always easy. We’ve asked our reviewers – professionals in the genre of children’s books – to give us some good leads. We hope you enjoy some of their suggested top reads. Happy reading!
By Ewa Solarz Illustrated by Alleksandra & Daniel Mizielinski Gecko Press 2011 Hardback $39.99 Sixty-nine well-designed household items from the last 150 years, each given the star treatment with its own spread featuring the designer and where it come from, where the product is made, what it’s made of and what it does, all boldly [...]
By Richard Dawkins Illustrated by Dave McKean Bantam Press, 2011 Hardback $54.99 If you are inquisitive about the world around you and how it works, this book will be a treasure trove. Open at any page and you’ll find factual information told in an easy style which makes complex ideas easier to understand, and illustrations [...]
By Kim McCosker & Rachael Bermingham Simon & Schuster, 2011 ISBN 978098062415 Paperback $24.99 The 4 Ingredients range has been popular with busy household cooks since the outset, now here’s one especially for the kids. Food that they (hopefully) will want to eat and be able to cook (with a little help at first) themselves. [...]
By Johanna Knox Illustrated by Sabrina Malcolm Hinterlands, 2011 Paperback $22 Kids are often fascinated with carnivorous plants and will enjoy this first volume in The Fly Papers mystery-adventure series. Spencer buys a Venus flytrap plant called Dion, but discovers it’s no ordinary plant; soon Dion is talking and planning his career as a horror [...]
By James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts Young Arrow, 2011 Paperback $24 Rafe Katchadorian has a plan for his first year at Hills Village Middle School – he wants to break every rule in the school code of conduct, along with dealing with teachers like Dragon Lady, Miller the school thug, and the rather cute Jeanne [...]
By Katherine & John Paterson Illustrated by John Rocco Candlewick Press, 2011 ISBN 9780763647124 Hardback $27.99 This is transformed from Eden Phillpott’s 1910 fantasy into a modern, but still classic, fairy tale. The flint heart is a powerful talisman that makes the wearer power-hungry, cruel and demanding. The father of Charles (12) and Unity (five) [...]
Edited by Barbara Else Illustrated by Phillip Webb Random House, 2011 Hardback $29.99 This is a collection of stories about something important to everyone – friends. Not just school friends, or best friends, but people who start as definitely not being your friend (Cowardly Cushla by Feana Tu’akoi), or a squishy space creature as big [...]
By Peter Millett Illustrated by Steve May Faber and Faber, 2011 Paperback, $15.99 Charlie Applejack is Junior Superhero of the Year, but during the award ceremony it’s announced that General Pandemonium, Charlie’s arch enemy, has escaped from jail. The General plans to use special cupcakes to gain world domination – cakes that will make whoever [...]
By Aleesah Darlison Illustrated by Jill Brailsford Walker Books 2011 Paperback $7.50 This is the first in a series sure to lure girls beginning to read on their own. The four riders, Quinn, Willow, Krystal and Ellabeth, each have special talents, as do their unicorns. They are trained as trick riders by their leader, Jala, [...]
By Peter Schössow Translated from German by Sally-Ann Spencer Gecko Press 2011 Paperback with flaps $19.99 Hardback $32.99 A small boy is given a pedal car by his grandfather. It’s rusty, but after they clean it up Granddad gives a few driving lessons then it’s time for a test drive, with dummy-sucking little brother in [...]
