Sticker books and the kids who love them...

When Wildman was small I never understood the attraction of sticker books, after all what kind of preschooler wants to sit and stick stickers for hours?

Despite my scepticism, other parents raved about them:

 "Oh little Tommy just loves them"
or
"They're so fantastic for fine motor skills"
or
"He sat there sticking for 45 minutes!" (clearly very appealing to a Mum).

I did try to get Wildman to play with them but he would just stick the stickers on the wall for about 2.3 seconds (yay - not) and then lose interest leaving me to spend the next half an hour trying to pick them off without damaging the paint.

Fast forward a few years and I now find myself the Mum of a 3 year old girl who LOVES sticker books. She spends ages carefully sticking them in exactly the right places then telling me stories about the scene she has created.

Its all been a bit of a shock really.

Most recently we have been trying out the Peppa's Halloween Sticker Activity Book (which Penguin very kindly sent in a box of books for review). We aren't a family that embraces Halloween but this book is spooky, cute and very age appropriate.

Princess particularly loved the page where you need to stick jigsaw puzzle shaped pieces on to complete the scene.

I think Peppa's Halloween could do with a few more pages that were just scenes that kids could stick Peppa and her friends on to, rather than all the stickers being needed for the activities, and Princess definitely wished it had a few more stickers in the middle for her to play with, but the overall activities were fun and achievable for a 3-year-old.  

And I got to drink a whole cup of tea in peace while Princess was busy with Peppa!

Who'll love this: Peppa fans.
Cost: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

 

Hello from Nowhere by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair - book review

It is incredible that a picture book can give you such a sense of the isolation, stunning beauty and mateship of the Australian outback, but that is exactly what Hello from Nowhere does.

It starts with the lines; "Eve thought that living in the middle of nowhere was better than living anywhere else in the whole world." and by the end of the book I was convinced that she might just be right!

In fact Eve lives at a truck stop called Nowhere with a population of 5, somewhere on one of the great empty stretches of road in the middle of Australia.

Eve is never bored - she plays with animals, chats to tourists, runs and feels the magic of the outback. The only thing Eve feels like she is missing is her Grandma who thinks that Nowhere is "the back of beyond".

When Eve finally persuades Grandma to come and visit she gets to show her just how wonderful Nowhere is.

I really liked this book - it feels like a tribute to the Australian outback and the people who live there. The pictures are stunning and the story is told so simply but has such a wealth of feeling, you can really tell how much Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair love Australia.

This is a great book for learning about kids who live different lives from ours, for remembering that kids can make their own fun, and for appreciating the beauty of Australia.

Who'll love this: Its a great present for children who overseas and for grandparents to give their grandchildren, plus its just a wonderful story with lots to talk about.
Cost: $24.99hc
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 

The Very Hungry Catepillar (cloth book) by Eric Carle - book review

Everyone loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar, right?

There is something about the story and, in particular, the illustrations that just grabs you and draws you in. 

Kids love the repetition of the food and the idea of just eating and eating, grow-ups love the lesson about life evolving and nature, and everyone loves the stunning butterfly picture at the end.

Well now there is a The Very Hungry Caterpillar book for babies and it is divine. Seriously, if you are looking for a gift for a new baby this is it!

The story isn't the same because the book it is just a few pages long, but the cloth version is absolutely true to the feel and emotion of the original. Soft, colourful and incredibly tasteful, this is the most lovely present for the newest little someone in your life.

Plus it comes in a gorgeous gift box with dots. So much love!

Who'll love this: People (especially grandmas) looking for a classy present for a new baby.
Price: $19.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 

Dummie the Mummy and the Golden Scarab by Tosca Menten - book review

I really liked Dummie the Mummy, which is why I was so annoyed that it has swearing in it.

Believe me I'm not holier than thou about swearing, and despite my best intentions I do occasionally swear in front of my kids but I believe that there is a big difference between saying a 'naughty' word when a car pulls out unexpectedly in front of me and writing swear words in publications for kids.

It's just so unnecessary - after all there are lots of other words you can use.

I struggled with this recently when K-Zone used the words 'cr*p' in a comic (in fact I channelled my inner old lady and wrote angry letters to the editor) and I wasn't any happier that Dummie the Mummy has words like 'sh*t', as well as 'damn' and 'hell's teeth' in a book for 9 year olds.

And it is even more ironic because the Dad in Dummie the Mummy doesn't like swearing and invents weird and hilarious phrases like 'Whumpy Dumpman' to use instead!

Anyway, excepting the swearing issue, I really liked Dummie the Mummy. Its a funny, light-hearted, totally unbelievable story about a boy mummy who is hit by lightning, comes back to life and ends up living with with Angus and his father, Nick.

Instead of calling the authorities Angus and Nick decide to pretend that Dummie the Mummy is a distant relative who has lots of bandages because he was burnt in a fire, and keep him. When he starts going to school with Angus pandemonium ensues!

My favourite thing about this story is the way Angus and Nick approach the fact that Dummie is decomposing, ugly and smells... they sit and stare at him until they get used to what he looks like and don't even see it any more, all they see is their friend.

Its a nice thought to leave with kids.

For the most part this the kind of comic novel that 8-11 years olds love, especially boys, Its silly and funny and very light-hearted... if only it didn't have those swear words!
  
Who'll love it: 8-11 year old boys (with parents who are more relaxed about swearing then me!)
Price: $14.99
Publisher: Penguin Australia

Vanguard Prime: Goldrush by Steven Lochran - book review

I LOVED this book!

I literally couldn't put Goldrush down, which is pretty impressive because I am hardly the target audience.

It is fast paced and exciting and I stayed up until 11.30pm to find out what happened in the end (a pretty big thing when your kids sleep as badly as mine do).

So let me fill you in ... Sam Lee is a normal teenager until he discovers he has superpowers and is asked to join Vanguard Prime, a group of superheroes who keep the world safe. Perfect right? Well it turns out that being a superhero isn't always a great as you think it will be.

The best thing about this book is definitely the writing which creates such a clear image in your mind and keeps you on the edge of your seat, but I also really liked the way that Sam's life is far from perfect now he is a superhero - he's lonely, frightened and has to learn a whole PR spiel about his new identity.

The author, Steven Lochran, says he always wanted to be a superhero and he has really been able to imagine what would happen to a kid whose dream suddenly came true.

The action is pure superhero fantasy but the personality of the characters and Sam's struggles with his new life give the book an added depth.

Apparently 'superheroes are the new vampires' when it comes to books and I can only imagine that the Vanguard Prime series will be leading the charge.

Who'll love this: Boys aged 8-14 (and me)
Price: $14.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia    

The Rumpelgeist by Fiona McIntosh - book review

The Rumpelgiest is an adventure story about a Princess and a young nobleman who must protect the kingdom of Floris and all who live in it, especially a group of children who have been captured by an evil witch.

Although definitely fantasy The Rumpelgeist it isn't the Harry Potter style of fantasy where the characters use magic to fight (although there is a little of that). 

This is fantasy where magic is part of the world the characters inhabit but not absolutely central to it. There are magical characters like centaurs, and some of the characters can do magic, but it isn't the over-riding theme of the book.

The central theme is definitely adventure.  

For that reason I think this book will appeal to kids who don't normally love fantasy.

The central characters are imperfect but lovable and, like all great kids adventure stories, the adults are left behind while the kids go off to save the kingdom.

Fiona McIntosh has written a number of adult books and I think you can tell when you read The Rumpelgeist. The story and prose are appropriate for children but there is no lack of sophistication or depth in the story. If you are a fan of her adult books there is every chance you will really enjoy this one too!

  

Although The Rumpelgeist is the sequel to The Whisperer it definitely stands alone as a novel. I haven't read the first book, although having read The Rumpelgeist I really want to.

Who'll love this: Girls and boys aged about 10 plus, particularly those who love fantasy.

Price: $17.99

Publisher: Penguin