Posted on: 18/04/2017
We’ve selected three very different books for our April Literature Review: the first is about a triangle; the second – a rabbit; and the third is a non-fiction work of art about animals. We hope reading these you feel inspired to go and seek out these lovely, new books…
'Square peg' and 'round hole' is the expression that springs to mind when reading this new picture book by acclaimed duo Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen (Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Candlewick, 2014)
Triangle is a bit of a trickster and sets out to play a trick on his friend Square. Passing many shapes on his way, including 'shapes with no names', he reaches Square's house. When he arrives at Square’s place, Triangle hisses like a snake. Poor Square is filled with terror which then becomes rage! Triangle scurries homewards and Square makes chase. But then, forgetting all about those pesky angles involved in the geometry of a triangle, square becomes wedged in Triangle’s triangular door-way. He is stuck fast, blocking the light. And triangle’s Achilles? Fear of the dark. “You see, Triangle,” Square crows, “this was my plan all along.” “But do you really believe him?” ends the story, with Triangle stuck, in the dark, in his own home. We can only wonder how the next book planned for in this trilogy will begin…
A quirky read that younger children are sure to delight in.
This third children's novel by Evans is poignant and hilarious in equal measures. You could be forgiven for thinking that a book which includes a Wabbit character might be a werry (sorry – we can’t help ourselves) silly book indeed but by the end of chapter 2, our stomachs were knotted with tension.
Following a terrible accident, the two main protagonists - Fidge and her anxiety-ridden cousin Graham - are thrown together. They really clash, both in the metaphorical and physical sense and find themselves in a parallel universe that happens to have been taken over by Wed Wabbit.
The children - together with transitional objects Ella Elephant and Dr Carrot- are forced to cooperate to rescue the Wimbly Woos from the dictatorship they've become trapped in. Will the Graham overcome his fears? Will the cousins become friends? And will they manage to over-power Wed Wabbit?
A clever novel, full of the unexpected that will amuse and intrigue 9-11 year olds.
This beautifully illustrated book is the clever sequel to 'Wild Animals of the North' and it is utterly spellbinding. Sectioned into 5 colour-coded regions: Africa, South America, Asia, Australia and Antarctica, the region-colours provide the main palettes for each section. This clever way of helping the reader navigate the text acts both as a contents page and a referencing device. The index is arranged by page-order rather than alphabetical order of animal and because this, too, is beautifully illustrated, even very young children would be able to use this to find a page they were looking for.
The text to accompany the illustrations of the animals doesn’t disappoint either. Take p89: The Lar Gibbon…gibbons generally don’t have a tail. They rarely step onto the forest foor, and why should they? They can find everything that their refined taste desires… just gorgeous.
Get a copy for your classroom! Gift it to a child! Pop one on your coffee table. We cannot put our copy down! Suitable for all ages.
Posted in: Literature Review
