compiled by Lynndy Bennett

PICTURE BOOKS

Harper's Bookshelf

A Mammoth in the Fridge by Michael Escoffier

(ill) Matthieu Maudet ($16, PB)

It’s the silliness of finding a woolly mammoth in the fridge one morning that Harper finds so amusing about this French picture book. A very simple text, with colourful, dynamic illustrations, this is a wonderful example of the ‘misplaced animal in domestic setting’ genre, that so captivates the reading audience, especially in children’s books. The child reader does need to know why it’s unlikely that there is a mammoth in the fridge, and to understand the family’s response to the situation. This book has a wonderfully funny ending—again, the humour is mainly visual. Louise Pfanner

Animal Numbers; Animal Colours by Nicola Killen ($12.95, BD)

These beautifully illustrated, nicely designed board books are perfect for very small children. While the pictures of animals are simple and bright, there is absolutely nothing babyish about them, and each flap folds out into an interesting shape. For example, four drooping tails with colourful feathers fold out to reveal four bright peacocks trailing their tails; a page of yellow things (cheese, egg yolk, the sun and a bee) opens out onto a beautiful giraffe stretching her neck into a tree. With a little red robin placed somewhere on each page, there are plenty of things to find—colours, shapes, numbers and animals are all well covered in these really pretty books. Louise

Louise Builds a House by Louise Pfanner ($16.95, PB)

Long before Louise Pfanner joined us as a Gleestaffer this memorable favourite was one of our most-requested books. Ground breaking at the time in its first person narrative and depiction of a female designing and building (!) a house, it defied picture book convention by allowing this winsome character free creative reign, providing a resourceful role model and igniting similar aspirations in many young readers. Sparse text and plenty of white space on the page give way to the secondary star—the house —as it emerges from imagination to finessed reality through the art in watercolour and inks. Rather than being overdrawn and decorated, the Louise of this book is a template of female capability, making it easy for readers to identify with her. Now, twenty-five years after its original release, it has lost none of its charm or relevance, and it’s difficult to reign in vicarious pride as we rejoice in welcoming back our tooled-up heroine. New adventures await her with the imminent reprint of the sequel, Louise Builds a Boat. Lynndy

INTERACTIVE

The Onion’s Great Escape by Sara Fanelli

A young onion, atremble at the prospect of an agonising end —manages nonetheless to maintain remarkable presence of mind by enlisting our help to avoid the BIG FRY. ‘... ONIONS that learn to THINK and to DOUBT grow clever and wise—they find a way out.’ As the reader navigates a sequence of questions, each page offers a plane of a die-cut onion to be carefully prised from the pages of the book. The book itself invites readers to think, to write and to draw & provides space for all of these things to happen. But if you have a horror of drawing on such a book or are reading with more than one person, this could readily be supplemented or replaced with sheets of paper—preferably not a bright white, for mine. By the end of the book the onion is released, to display in three-dimensional form, & the book itself remains with a very sizeable space where the onion once was! Unsure when I first heard of this book—would it be glib or gimmicky?—I am really intrigued & find myself returning to it regularly. Fanelli’s wish in creating this was to respond to the natural curiosity of children, & the thought-provoking questions she poses are testament to her own sense of curiosity and fun. Is something less real because you cannot touch it? Do cherries taste the same to everyone? If you help somebody by accident does it count as a good deed? Fanelli’s illustrations have been much imitated, not to say directly ‘quoted’, but to me they remain as fresh & vital as ever. Collaged photographs & cut paper, mixed media drawings & an eccentric array of lettering style create a sort of scribbly exuberance—always underpinned by a deep discipline. Fanelli clearly brings to her material the sort of profound engagement that only comes from time and commitment. From this comes a book that’s not only terrifically entertaining but of sustaining interest. P.S. Our excellent sales representative was once a school teacher and not only did he allow me to take my time in reading this but was clearly enthused at the prospect of the many activities school teachers could generate to use alongside reading this book. Many opportunities for creating onion-based artworks and for telling stories and posing philosophical questions in conversation and/or written form. For primary and high schools alike, in fact for all ages. Highly recommended. ($29.95, PB)

See Sara Fanelli discussing her new activity book The Onion’s Great Escape on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yc9OANJwVs. Liesel

Draw Me a House: Architectural Ideas, Inspiration & Colouring In by Thibaud Herem ($25.95, PB)

Venturing way beyond the scope of other colouring or doodling books, this is fun for practising and incipient architects alike, or for anyone with an interest in architecture and urban design. Herem guides us through a gamut of architectural styles from the early history of the built environment, through contemporary eco-based structures, then on to invite the reader to create future dwellings. You have the chance to re-imagine iconic international buildings: modify, redesign, even Gaudi-fy if you wish, or lop off the top third of the Art Deco Empire State Building to create your ideal structure with gardens, a waterslide and a zoo… (oh wait, that’s my vision of a more playful New York). There are 240 pages begging you to engage as you colour, create and learn. Bring in the engineers and call Kevin McCloud, I’m ready to take this project further! Lynndy

POETRY

The Owl and the Pussycat and Other Nonsense Rhymes by Edward Lear (ill) Robert Ingpen ($29.95, HB)

What a splendid gift for anyone beguiled by Lear’s classic rhymes and absurdities. This is the latest book in a series of centenary editions with Australian artist Ingpen’s gorgeously detailed paintings. The Wind in the Willows, Peter Pan and Wendy, and other classics in this series honoured with his art are in perpetual demand, and I anticipate this unabridged volume will join them as a prized standard edition. For a new baby, as a special present, or as a treat for yourself, this is a covetable purchase. Lynndy

Sister Madge’s Book of Nuns by Doug MacLeod, (ill) Craig Smith

Hurrah! Another oft-sought Australian treasure re-emerges twenty-five years after its debut. Even those of secular inclination will be entertained, clutching at loved ones to read excerpts and join in contagious shrieks of laughter. This reissue has additional poems, a new design, and all the irreverence of the first edition. We’ve waited too long for those souls of Our Lady of Immense Proportions to be available again, so grab a copy lest they retreat to a closed silent order. ‘Wicked, warped and fiendishly funny.’ ($24.95, HB) Lynndy

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier ($17, PB)

It’s exciting to read a book that has you resenting any interruption such as work or sleep, and for me this was just such a story. Enthralling fantasy with a strong flavour of history and ancient beliefs, Shadowfell is the first book in a new series. It focuses on 15-year-old Neryn, who has the ability to perceive, and enlist the talents of, the Good Folk—the hidden fairies and spirits of the old world. Constantly on the move to avoid capture by the king’s forces and being killed or recruited for her magical powers, Neryn witnesses the murder of the last of her family, an event coinciding with her rescue by the enigmatic stranger Flint. Her journey to discover the truth of a remote region and band of rebels intent on wresting power from the savage, corrupt king and restoring peace to the land is fraught with dangers Neryn hadn’t even considered, despite her three years of privations and living ‘invisibly’. Intermittently aided by Flint, she queries his true identity and motives as well as her own response—a softening into trust—especially when he repeatedly saves her life. Offset against a gradual reliance on him are warnings from the Good Folk about Flint’s betrayal, and glimpses of his surprising magical skills. Shadowfell is compelling reading, with pagan folklore, heroic characters, intrigue, and sufficient narrative twists to keep readers questioning. This is Scotland in a new light—roll on volume two! Lynndy

GUEST

In a guest spot Michael Campbell, erstwhile events manager at Gleebooks, lists some of the preferred reading of:

Alice (age 5)

How to Be a Baby…By Me, the Big Sister by Sally Lloyd-Jones, (ill.) Sue Heap – given to her when Eleanor born (it’s very funny)

The High Street by Alice Melvin (gorgeous)

The Tooth Fairy by Bob Graham

The Jolly Postman, or Other People’s Letters by Janet & Allan Ahlberg (favourites since Peepo)

And, of course: the CDs of The House at Pooh Corner read by Stephen Fry, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Jane Horrocks & Michael Williams (on permanent, nightly rotation)

For Eleanor (aged 9 months)

Anything Alice is reading (because Alice has insisted on Eleanor joining in for stories from night one!)

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, (ill.) Clement Hurd (a classic from 1947 – still captivating children)

And anything with cats (miaow!) and cows (moo!) in it.

Catch more book talk with Michael Campbell on Monday nights when he co-hosts For the Love of Books, on Studio - Australia’s dedicated arts and entertainment channel, channel 132.