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What to read next...

31 May 2009

That has always been a great question. It implies unlimited time to lounge about and lose oneself in other worlds. Reading is so much more than taking in the words on the pages. 

One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is a love of reading, as that opens up the world for them. Do you still remember the excitement of opening a new book when you were little? Do you still feel the same? Sometimes, but just sometimes, the thrill is as big as that and, if you have not been disappointed too often, the promise of a new book can be very alluring. 

The disappointment comes when books don't deliver what we expect them to deliver. One way of avoiding that disappointment is choosing carefully and reading good books. 

So when is a book a Good Book?

How would you define a good book? Writing that comes alive? A story that touches the heart and changes one's way of looking at things? A beautiful cover or illustrations? Sometimes that is not even necessary, but often those books that are visually appealing deliver on their promise to be a good book.

An example of such a promising book, is Bravo, Mr Shakespeare! in which Marcia Williams presents seven Shakespeare plays in detailed comic strip format. In this particularly engaging book, Williams presents As You Like It, Richard III, Antony and Cleopatra, Twelfth Night, King Lear, The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing. This is her second volume along these lines. In September the first, Mr William Shakespeare's Plays, including the most well-known plays, will be reissued.   

Art Books 

A high proportion of books on art are also beautiful books. That only seems right. The I Spy series by Lucy Micklethwait is no exception and remains very popular. I Spy an Alphabet in Art, I Spy Numbers in Art, I Spy Shapes in Art, I Spy Colours in Art, I spy Animals in Art all introduce young readers to well-known works of art while engaging them in the most delightful way. Hours and hours of pleasure are to be had from these books. 

A similar concept of engaging the reader and focusing attention on individual masterpieces is used in James Mayhew's Katie series. There is a whole gallery of books in this series, including Katie's Picture Show, Katie meets the Impressionists, Katie and the Mona Lisa, Katie and the Sunflowers. The idea of being ‘lost’ in a painting is very beguiling, and so is the naughty Katie. Each painting that Katie climbs into is a beautiful reproduction of the original, with the rest of the drawings in pen and coloured ink. These books will enthral 4-8 year olds - and their parents. 

Added to our site in June 

Those of you who have not heard that it is the 40th anniversary of the release of Eric Carle's The Hungry Caterpillar, must have been living in a cave somewhere! In keeping with what the rest of the world is doing, we've added another edition to our Hungry Caterpillar stable: The Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book.  Just occasionally it is OK to follow the lead of others, and for this we'll make an exception!

Another lovely book for the little ones is A Squash and a Squeeze by the brilliant team, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Again, this is not a new book, but one that we only discovered recently. Delightful tale of how an old woman brings animals into her tiny house so that is seems bigger when they leave... very logical of course, as all good children's books have to be. 

We found another delightful book to share with you. It is the colourful and quirky Peka-Boo, the Smallest Bird in All the World, a first book by Australian author/illustrator Eliza Feely. Peka-Boo is a feisty, lovable bird with lots of attitude. This one is a big treat for 4-7 year olds and their parents! Let's hope we hear a lot more from Eliza Feely. 

For older readers, we've added an old favourite, The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks. When the figurine in a young boy's cupboard comes alive, it is a dream come true. Soon, however, reality hits home and things change. Big decisions have to be taken and Omri needs to deal with the unexpected. This is a lovely book about dreams and responsibilities, and where these two meet. The other books in the series are also available on request.

A book that really touches hearts is Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls. It deals with the last few weeks of Sam who wants to know the facts about dying as he has leukaemia. He needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
Sam narrates the story and explains how he decides to deal with the remaining time with his family. Each family member handles the situation very differently and Sam helps them through it as he is the one most at peace with what is about to happen. If you're uncertain about letting your child read about death, please read this yourself and decide then. A powerful yet gentle book that is funny and honest. Recommended for children aged 11+. 

Special Price

At the moment all four books in the Ramose series are marked down 20%, so this is your chance to get any titles you missed the first time around. Carole Wilkinson's series about an Egyptian boy prince is very popular among those interested in history and adventure. Ideal for 9-12 year olds. 

Don't forget to keep your receipts... 

Remember that you might be eligible to claim educational expenses for primary and secondary students, so keep those book receipts. Details here: www.educationtaxrefund.gov.au

Any ideas or thoughts? 

As always, we'd love to hear from you with book ideas or other book-related suggestions. Remember we're here to answer questions, so just send an email or phone. 

Happy reading!

Elsa, Peter, Seb & Lila