Picture Book Review – Mine! – Rachel Bright (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review – Mine! – Rachel Bright (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for: Toddlers/Younger Readers

 

Now here’s a story about sharing that should make you giggle.

Twins Fifi and Frankie are not very alike – Fifi likes ponies, princesses and pink; Frankie likes bears, bicycles and blue. What they both love however, is their rabbit toy Funny Bunny. They’d better learn to share him, otherwise disaster might happen…

I found this on a training day, given it to read and then try to recommend to someone – luckily, it wasn’t hard, as it’s a fun little tale about why children need to learn to share. The words are fun, but the real assets are the illustrations – everything is large, bright and very eye-catching, and the way that the text appears on the screen, almost flowing around the page, makes it great fun to actually read. Children will laugh at how naughty the twins are, and parents should be pleased with the way they learn to share at the end!

Well worth checking out next time you’re in the library!

8/10

Picture Book Review - I Am Invited To A Party (Elephant & Piggie) – Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review - I Am Invited To A Party (Elephant & Piggie) – Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for – Toddlers/Younger Readers

If you've read any of my previous reviews of Mo Willems’ work, you’ll know just how highly recommended he comes.  I’ve waxed lyrical about how much you need to check out books in both the Pigeon and Elephant & Piggie series’, and I’m afraid I’m about to wax lyrically a bit more.

Piggie is invited to a party, and wants to take Gerald as her guest. After all, he knows parties. Concerned that the party could have a particular theme, Piggie and Gerald change outfit several times, adding one on top of the other, because after all, they must be ready. Luckily, everyone else at the party has had the same idea.

I can’t quite put down into words just how brilliant this particular Elephant & Piggie book is. I mean, they’re all brilliant, but this one is brilliant. The declaration by Gerald that he ‘knows parties’ (and Piggie’s backup up of this fact to the reader), and the twist at the end where all the other guests have also dressed up for several different themes (which of course look ludicrous on top of each other) is hilarious. I’ve not quite made my way through all the Elephant & Piggie books yet, but at the moment this is the essential one.

Once again, the simple illustrations are marvellously done, adding to the humour found in the words, and I can’t imagine anything but adult and child giggling away to each other as they read. I’ve just finished a picture book of my own, and Mo Willems’ influence is clear.

The guy is a master.

10/10

Picture Book Review - The Duckling Gets A Cookie?! - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review – The Duckling Gets A Cookie?! – Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for – Toddlers/Younger Readers

I love Mo Willems. I really, really do. It doesn’t seem possible for him to write anything that isn’t, at the very least, superb. More often than not it’s brilliant, and he’s managed it once again with The Duckling Gets a Cookie?!.

When the Duckling asks for and receives a cookie, the Pigeon is outraged. Especially as he loves cookies. Especially ones with nuts. As he is quick to point out, he asks for things all the time but never receives them. It’s not fair at all, but in the middle of the ranting and raving, the Duckling tells him that he asked for it so that he could give it to the Pigeon. Finally happy, the Pigeon eats his cookie, as the Duckling asks for another (without nuts this time).

It’s difficult to think of many characters that are funnier when they’re ranting in a children’s picture book than the Pigeon. His reasoning for why he deserves a cookie as he’s always asking for things is pure gold, referencing previous books to great effect, even being brought to tears from the injustice of it all at one point. The Duckling, of course, is incredibly cute and gets his way because of it, but we know really that he’s a bit sneaky, playing on his cuteness at every turn. It’s good fun watching him emphasise the fact that he asked ‘politely’ several times though.

I've mentioned the Pigeon ranting already, but I feel I need to mention it again, so brilliant it is each time. I've always been a fan of comedians and characters that rant about mundane things, and it’s like watching a miniaturised version of Rhod Gilbert. Wonderful stuff.

If you’ve not read any Mo Willems yet, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee do something about it!

10/10

Picture Book Review - Watch Me Throw the Ball! (Elephant & Piggie) - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review - Watch Me Throw the Ball! (Elephant & Piggie) - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for - Toddlers/Younger Readers

I'm still in the middle of a Mo Willems-fest, so here's another review for you - you've read all the other's that I've reviewed by now, yes?

One day, Piggie finds a ball. It belongs to Gerald, who assures us that he is excellent at throwing a ball, having worked very hard at it. Piggie wants to play, and teaches Gerald a lesson that, even though he isn't very good at throwing, he still had fun, which is what games are all about.

I giggled a lot, which is not unusual for a Mo Willems book, but I thought Piggie was particularly brilliant in this one ('Who rocks? The Pig rocks!'). The effort on her face, and the joy when she thinks she's thrown it all around the world are brilliant, and Gerald's reactions of quiet disbelief/annoyance that Piggie isn't following what he thinks she should do are perfect too. It's also a great chance to hammer home the 'It's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts message' if you want to !

It's probably obvious if you've read any of my other reviews, but this is my favourite series (along with the Pigeon series) of children's picture books around. They're genuinely funny, wonderfully but simply illustrated, and they make grown ups smile as much as children. Please, please, PLEASE check one out if you haven't done so yet.

10/10

Picture Book Review - Today I Will Fly! (Elephant & Piggie) - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review - Today I Will Fly! (Elephant & Piggie) - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for - Toddlers/Younger Readers

If you've not read an Elephant & Piggie book, I suggest you rectify that straight away (at your local library, of course...). This one is good fun, although it isn't my favourite, but as I'd recommend getting as many as you can out in one go, then make sure you check this one out still.

Piggie decides one day that she will fly. Although Gerald tells her it won't work, and that she needs help, she keeps trying, until finally she manages it with the help of a pelican (I think it's a pelican...).

My favourite part of the Elephant & Piggie books is the dialogue between the two main characters, and although I think other titles are stronger in this respect, it's still a great example of how the two friends inspire each other (often remaining hilariously blind to sarcasm). By the end of the book, Gerald decides that he too would like to fly, and what better friendship than what which inspires your friend to try something fun?

If I didn't enjoy this quite as much as some of the other Elephant & Piggie books, it's not to say that I didn't think it was excellent - I think Mo Willems has just set such a high standard that, when there are other books in the series that I have laughed at more, I can't mark this quite as high.

Well worth checking out, and then making sure you check out more of the Elephant & Piggie series to see how it gets even better.

8/10

Picture Book Review - Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review - Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for - Toddlers/Younger Readers

Good good, more of the pigeon!

We're warned that the pigeon is sleepy, and that he shouldn't let him stay up late. He does his best to convince us otherwise, but little yawns and tired eyes begin to creep in, and eventually he drops off to sleep.

I'm pretty certain that most parents will recognise the pigeon in their child here. Although I'm not quite there with my son, it's only because he can't talk properly yet - I'm certain that when he can he'll be trying to convince me that he isn't tired either. It's hilarious watching the odd little yawn escape from the pigeon's mouth, just after he's assured us he isn't tired, as I know full well that I still do this myself even now, and I'm the grand old age of 27. The pigeon tries all sorts of methods to get us to let him stay awake, asking how our day is, and using his toy bunny to bribe us ('You can't say 'No' to a bunny, can you?'), but to no avail.

Once again, I can't praise Mo Willems' illustrations highly enough, for they really enhance the story and the humour. The lines under the pigeon's eyes become more pronounced as the story goes on and becomes more and more tired, and I still love how damn angry he looks, and how he tries to appear innocent and fails completely. It's also great how hot dogs are mentioned a couple of times, tying into one of the previous books, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!.

Please, if you haven't checked out Mo Willems work yet, make sure you do. You won't regret it.

10/10

Picture Book Review - The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Picture Book Review - The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! - Mo Willems (Author & Illustrator)

Recommended for - Toddlers/Younger Children

I'm on a bit of a Mo Willems run at the moment, trying to read as much as I can, because he's so damn good. This is the second Pigeon book I've reviewed in quick succession, and for Mo Willems fans, there's more to come yet.

Our favourite angry pigeon returns, delighting in telling us that he has found a hot dog. Just as he is about to eat it, we see a small duckling appear, asking questions about what the pigeon has found and what it tastes like. The (very clever) duckling slowly winds the pigeon up more and more, until he gives in and lets the duckling try the hot dog. In the end they share it all, although the duckling would have liked some mustard.

Oh, how I love watching the pigeon get more and more irate. He's so wonderfully grumpy and selfish, and only the brains of a very clever and cute little duckling could wear him down and make him part with his hot dog. There's a wonderful image where the pigeon is waxing lyrical about his love of hot dogs and their flavour, where the duckling makes notes on a pad with an oversized pencil that creased me up, and it's down to Mo Willems illustrations again that the humour of the story is so strong. They're such simple pencil images, but so effective in getting the characters' emotions across.

Whilst it's not quite as wacky a concept as a pigeon driving a bus, it's still a great little story. It's a nice little lesson on sharing, of course, but really it's very, very funny, and both grown ups and children will laugh.

More please!

9/10