Books To Read » Picture Books

Busiest People Ever By Richard Scarry

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:38:21 +0000

I grew up with Richard Scarry. I love his illustrations and his humour. Some people do criticise the text and that Mother Cat does the dishes … I’ll admit it isn’t the best read aloud. I think these are great browsing books for kids and books that we read together a little and then talk about what is happening in the pictures.

Don’t you love having a race to see who can spot Lowly the worm first?

I think the fact they have been translated into 30 languages, made into movies and sold over 300 million copies speaks for itself.

The books can be found at the Auckland Libraries

and at the National Library

Click on the picture to be taken to the Book Depository.

George and Martha by James Marshall

admin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:57:01 +0000

These picture books are a little like Frog and Toad because they contain truths that are recognised by children and adults. For example in one of the stories in the series George pretends to like pea soup because it would be hard to tell Martha. His deceit is discovered ( Martha sees George pour the soup in his shoe!). Martha points out that true friends tell the truth.
A lovely read aloud and also a good reader for an older learner because it is not “babyish”.

There are 8 books in the series. They were made into a TV series

Here is the link for the books at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the book at the Auckland Libraries ( they currently hold only one title, last year all the stories were reprinted in one book and I have made a request for its purchase – Later – which they bought !

Linked here )

Click on the image to buy the complete collection from Fishpond.

You can also see a limited preview at Google Books including the pea soup story

Maurice Sendak in the forward writes “The picture book is a peculiar art form that thrives on genius, intuition, daring and a meticulous attention to its history and its various, complex components. The picture book is a picture puzzle, badly misunderstood by critics and condescended to by far too many as merely a trifle for “the kiddies.” Children are routinely patronized and thus so are we who spend our creative lives entertaining them and nourishing their spirit”

As a mother of children who has been reading aloud picture books for over 12 years, I could not agree more.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea

admin — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:29:28 +0000

I read this so many times to one of my children we had it memorised. The story is so delightful that I have not minded a bit reading it again and again to a younger sibling.
An opportunity to have a chat about table manners in a informal way, what would mother say if you ate all the cake and left none for anyone else!
We love that the tiger drank all the water in the taps and Sophie could avoid a bath. Daddy comes to the rescue and they go to a cafe for tea. It is lovely to read a book with the Dad as the hero.

Here is the link for the book at the NZ National Library

Here is the link for the books at the Auckland Libraries

Click on the image to buy it from Fishpond, it is also available as a board book