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 Masayuki Sebe Gecko Press, 2010 ISBN 9781877467592 Hardback $32.99 ISBN 9781877467561 Paperback $19.99 This bright, graphic picture book provides heaps of puzzles and games to keep children happily occupied with some crazy looking dinosaurs. There are matching games, coded messages, hidden animals and mazes, and fortunately the answers are found at the back of …
By Jez Alborough Walker Books, 2010 ISBN 9781406319927 Hardback $29.99 Leon is a chameleon who needs to learn how to blend into the jungle before he can go exploring. His dad is teaching him about how he can avoid danger by changing colour and the reader helps by pulling the tabs on each page to …
Kyle Mewburn Illustrated by Vasanti Unka Puffin Books, 2010 ISBN 9780143504535 Paperback $20 Two unusual characters star in this thoughtful tale. Hill and Hole are best mates who love being themselves, but also long to experience the world from each other’s point of view. The illustrations are full of texture and colour and the story …
By Janene Cooper Illustrated by Evie Kemp Duck Creek Press (David Ling), 2010 ISBN 9781877378416 Hardback $29.99 Evie has a cute little dog. Everybody tells her how a dog should behave but even though her dog doesn’t behave like that she thinks that her rather unruly pet is just perfect. Illustrated in beautiful cut paper …
J E Fison Ford Street, 2010 ISBN 9781921665110 Paperback $18.50 Jack (12), his little brother Ben, and friend Lachlan are all on holiday at Hazard River and keen for an adventure. When they find a dead shark in the river, with its fins hacked off, they decide to find out what’s going on. They get …
By Victoria M Azaro Puffin Books 2010 ISBN 9780143305521 Paperback $20.99 Saffron (nearly 10) and her sister Sage (five) live an exciting life; their father travels and their mother does yoga and aromatherapy, and now there’s a new baby on the way. The tias (aunties) come from Argentina to help, causing much embarrassment. The family …
By Anna Branford Illustrated by Sarah Davis Walker Books, 2010 ISBN 9781921529177 Hardback $22.99 Violet lives with her big brother and sister and mum. They go to the market each week to make a bit of money and Violet longs for the blue china bird on a neighbouring stall. She tries to come up with …
By Michele Cox, Illustrated by Scott Tulloch HarperCollins, 2010 ISBN 9781869506791 – Paperback $18.99 The recent World Cup has resulted in renewed enthusiasm for soccer and Sammy’s latest story involves a competition for a child to go to the World Cup as a team escort. Sammy plays soccer with the Shooting Stars. She practices hard …
By Kyle Mewburn, Illustrated by Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson Scholastic, 2010 ISBN 9781869439347 Paperback $17.99 Things are a bit tough for Conor and his mum, so when their sofa breaks and Conor spots one floating up the harbour it seems too good to be true. It’s no ordinary sofa though; Conor goes to sleep on it …
By Roger Sutton & Martha V Parravano Candlewick Press, 2010 ISBN 9780763632809 Hardback $34.99 This is a fine guide to books for children and teens and includes contributions by famous authors and illustrators such as Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are). Entertaining and informative with book lists for all ages. A good read in …
