Mostly Mary and All Mary

Title: Mostly Mary and All Mary
Author: Gwynedd Rae
Illustrator: Clara Vulliamy
Publisher: Egmont
Published: February 2017
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copies

I have always been a huge fan of the “Mary Plain” books and therefore I am very excited about the re-released editions with new illustrations by Clara Vulliamy. “Mostly Mary” and “All Mary” have been released so far with more books to come, and the tale of the unusual first-class bear from the bear pits of Berne is sure to be just as popular with children today.

 The first book of the series, “Mostly Mary”, focuses on Mary's time in the bear pits with her cousins and older relatives. We are introduced to Mary’s family and the people who visit her at the bear pits.  Mary always means well, but her best efforts are not always appreciated by those around her and often get her into trouble. In “All Mary” she travels with the Owl Man, first to stay with the Fancy Coat Lady and then to England where she wins a white rosette in a show. Unsurprisingly she causes chaos wherever she goes which adds to the fun. At the end of “All Mary” she is given a hero’s welcome back to Berne and is presented with a gold medal by the Mayor. These two books act as a perfect introduction to Mary and her best friend, the Owl Man. Future books focus mainly on the two of them and the adventures they have together. Everywhere she goes Mary makes new friends and leaves a lasting impression.

When Knight published their editions of “Mary Plain” back in the 1960s, there was a split between fans who embraced the new illustrations by Janina Ede and fans who preferred the old illustrations. However, the new illustrations have managed to effectively combine the best of both illustrators whilst being in Clara’s own distinctive style. Mary is still an adorable and endearing character but I think the new illustrations of her family really demonstrate their individual personalities. Additionally, there is a timeless feel to the art, making it appeal to both older and younger audiences alike. Not only is Mary a character that the modern audience will fall in love with, but her friends and family will stand out to them as well.

To see these books back in print is a dream come true, considering that they were such an important part of my childhood. These editions are beautifully produced with hard covers and gold highlights on the dust jackets. If you remove the dust jacket you find a secret message from Mary in her unique writing style. Clara Vulliamy is a brilliant choice for the new illustrations and they really are books to treasure. I cannot wait for the next books to come with Mary's further adventures. "Mary in America" and "Mary in London" will be published in October.

I would like to note that these are my own copies, but they were sent to me by Clare because we both love Mary. There was no request for a review at any time.

 

Mr. Bunny's Chocolate Factory

Title: Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

Author: Elys Dolan
Publisher:  Oxford University Press
Published: 2017
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

 I've had a great Easter so far, going on Easter egg hunts (you are never too old) and eating the chocolate that I find. This celebration has now passed and the chocolate is almost gone. However, unlike any chocolate Easter egg, this treat of a book will last the whole year round and can be consumed again and again.

At the centre of the story is the chocolate factory owned by Mr Bunny, who runs his business with an iron fist. The hens that are employed by him and Edgar, the unicorn that works on quality control, are ordered to overwork in order to produce the Easter treats on time, with work conditions worsening and getting more hectic throughout the book, until finally, the chickens have had enough and Mr Bunny is forced to change his ways and become a better employer. This is a humorous and energetic tale and the brightly-coloured and expressive illustrations by its writer and illustrator Elys Dolan, along with the speech bubbles used to tell the story, are sure to entertain the reader over and over again.  As a bonus, there is a side-tale about the plight of Debbie, a newcomer hen, who goes missing on her first day at work, and the hens who are desperate to find her whilst they fight for better conditions in the workplace.

This story made me laugh out loud when I read it and still puts a smile on my face every time I revisit it. Fans of Elys’s previous books, including her debut masterpiece Weasels, will be delighted that she has produced yet another brilliant book. This is a lively and hilarious tale that will appeal to both children and their parents alike and the ideal book to read not only at Easter time, but throughout the whole year.

New Christmas Picture Books

The twelve days of Christmas are over so I thought that I would recommend some books for next year! I was lucky enough to receive some brilliant new Christmas-themed picture books and I would like to review three that particularly stood out to me.

 

Title: The Mouse That Cancelled Christmas

Author: Madeleine Cook

Illustrator: Samara Hardy

Publisher:  Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Format: Paperback

Source: My own copy

 

In this lively tale, the forest animals are getting ready to celebrate Christmas and get into the spirit of it. However, the mouse is so obsessed with safety that he worries that the festivities will be too dangerous for them all and tries to cancel them. Eventually however, the animals work together to find a way to help the mouse loosen up and the Christmas festivities to continue. This is a very funny story with endearing pictures that helps to teach the message about the importance of the Christmas spirit and celebrating with your loved ones. The cast of animals, including the eponymous mouse himself, are memorable and funny like the story itself.

 

 

Title: Ollie’s Christmas Reindeer

Author: Nicola Killen

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Published: 2016

Format: Paperback

Source: My own copy

 

This heart-warming picture book tells the story of a little girl named Ollie who hears the jingle of bells one night and sets off into the snow in order to investigate. Upon finding a belt with silver bells on it and the reindeer that it belongs to, both a magical journey and a long-lasting friendship begin. I found this to be a very sweet story with endearing pictures to match, and the cut-outs that lead to the next page serve as an excellent bonus. The red and silver highlights add just the right level of festivity to the lovely monochrome illustrations. In the same way that Ollie will always remember her newfound friend once the tale has ended, this story will also remain with the audience with its charm and lovable cast.

 

Title: A Dot in the Snow

Author: Corinne Averiss

Illustrator: Fiona Woodcock

Publisher:  Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Format: Hardback

Source: My own copy

 

This story is about a polar bear named Miki that heads out on its own one day and notices a small red dot in the distance. As they get closer to each other, the dot is revealed to be a friendly young girl and she and Miki become friends with each other. They play together in the snow and eventually, in helping the Dot, Miki is able to find the courage to dive into the chilly waters when beforehand he did not want to. It is a very sweet tale with lovely illustrations inside, complete with the red of the girl's coat and the sparkly glitter on the front cover. The characters are extremely likeable and the friendship between Miki and the Dot is something special indeed.

 

Christmas books from Mick Inkpen

In order to celebrate the Christmas holidays, I have chosen to write some reviews on three books by one of my favourite authors and illustrators Mick Inkpen. They are all ideal for the Christmas season and will appeal to both children and adults alike.

 Title: Kipper’s Christmas Eve

Author: Mick Inkpen
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 1999
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy
Paperback printed October 2014

This is one of the instalments in the much-loved “Kipper” series, which I adored as a child and still love. As Kipper goes off to find the perfect Christmas tree and invites his friends Tiger, Pig and Arnold round to his house, the book aims to answer the important question – which is best, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? This is a very funny and warm-hearted story with timeless illustrations to match, with the added bonus of a cute little mouse that follows Kipper around after he finds the perfect Christmas tree. The last page of the original hardback is particularly delightful, with a flashing red light located on the reindeer hat that Arnold wears as he looks out of the window in anticipation for Father Christmas.

Title: Kipper’s Snowy Day

Author: Mick Inkpen
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 2015 (reissue)
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

Another brilliant instalment in the “Kipper” series, this book involves everyone's favourite dog building a snowman with the help of his friend Tiger, who has chosen to wear some funny looking accessories for keeping warm in the cold. Many funny antics occur whilst he wears these garments, which are eventually used to decorate the snowman. This all culminates in a wonderful picture of the snowman at night time as the snow continues to fall down near the end of the story. Like the other “Kipper” book, this is also a humorous text with the same liveliness in its illustrations, with the friends taking part in snowball fights and building the snowman to look just like Kipper.

 

Title: Threadbear

Author: Mick Inkpen
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 2007
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

This book is themed around toys and mainly focuses on Threadbear, a teddy bear whose squeaker does not work because his toymaker filled him up with too much stuffing. In order to solve this problem, the other toys recommend that he visits Father Christmas and what follows is a magical journey. The amusing narrative and the timeless pictures pair perfectly together to create a brilliant picture book with a satisfying ending for both the audience and the characters. It is not hard to see why, like the “Kipper” series, this story has also gone on to be a picture book classic.

 

Christmas Classics

As Christmas Day approaches, we all love to read books to get ourselves into the spirit of the holidays. These three books are well-loved classics and I always like to read them during this time of year.

 

 

Title: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Publisher: Pavilion Children's Books
Published: 2008
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy

This book is already a Christmas classic, but this beautiful edition with Quentin Blake's illustrations is a definite favourite of mine. A lot of people find Dickens hard to read but this story is shorter than most of his other novels. Additionally, the lively pictures make the tale easy to follow and help to introduce children to his novels. In this story, the cynical miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve and learns the true meaning of Christmas: embracing the spirit of it and giving to the less fortunate. There is a wide variety of memorable characters including Scrooge himself and the innocent Tiny Tim to whom he gradually becomes closer, eventually becoming like a second father.

 

 

Title: Eloise at Christmastime

Author: Kay Thompson
Illustrator: Hilary Knight
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 1999
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy

This lively and vibrant book tells the story of Eloise, a lively young girl who lives in a hotel with her nanny and how she is getting into the spirit of the Christmas holidays. The story is told in rhyme with a recurring musical theme throughout and the pictures are full of energy, with the simplistic colour palette of red, black and white making them stand out. The cast itself is also memorable and endearing, with other characters such as the Nanny, Eloise's pets and the friends who live inside and outside the hotel celebrating with the protagonist. This has to be my favourite instalment in the classic Eloise series.

Title: The Night Before Christmas

Author: Clement C Moore
Illustrator: Arthur Rackham
Publisher: Chancellor Press
Published: 1985
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy

Originally called “A Visit From Saint Nicholas”, this classic narrative poem tells the story of a father who witnesses Father Christmas visit his family home on Christmas Eve. The event is described in full detail, with vibrant descriptions of Father Christmas himself and what he does upon arriving at the house. The rhyming makes the poem fun to read and its fast pace perfectly matches the lively mood of Christmas. I especially recommend the edition with illustrations by Arthur Rackham or the pop-up retelling by Robert Sabuda.

Title: The Night Before Christmas

Author: Clement C Moore
Illustrator: Robert Sabuda
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2002
Format: Hardback
Source: My own copy

Hello Mr Dodo

Title: Hello Mr Dodo
Author: Nicholas John Frith
Publisher:  Alison Green Books (Scholastic)
Published: 2016
Format: Paperback
Source: My own copy

Recently, Nicholas John Frith was the winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize for his first picture book “Hector And The Hummingbird”. “Hello, Mr Dodo!” is the second picture book that he has released.

The protagonist of the story is a young girl named Martha, who is fascinated by birds and knows about every single one of them that lives behind her house in the woods. That is until she discovers a dodo behind her house, a species of bird that was originally thought to be extinct. Martha decides to protect the bird and soon makes friends with it, discovering new facts about dodos, such as the fact that they apparently like doughnuts. Everything seems to be going well for a while…until one day when the postman arrives.

This story is really funny and will delight many readers of any age. The pictures are especially endearing and have a timeless feel to them, with both Martha and the dodo looking absolutely adorable. Different types of birds are introduced throughout the story, with the last page featuring a checklist of birds that Martha has seen along with drawings of them. There is an especially interesting scene in which Martha looks up dodos in her books at home and the audience is treated to passages from these books on the history of dodos, introducing them to these once-existing birds.

Overall, this is a very charming picture book that children and their parents will enjoy reading over and over again. The timeless quality to it makes it appealing to all ages alike and the audience is able to learn about dodos and their history as a result, as well as enjoy the sweet story. Once again, Frith has managed to write an entertaining and heartwarming book that explores the theme of friendship like Hector and The Hummingbird.

 

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam The Diamond Chase

Title: Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam The Diamond Chase
Author: Tracey Corderoy
Illustrator: Steve Lenton
Publisher:  Nosy Crow
Published: 2016
Format: Hardback/Paperback
Source: My own copy

This is the third book in the “Shifty McGifty And Slippery Sam” series by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton, following the adventures of our two protagonists after they have given up their life of crime and gone into the cake-making business. In this instalment, they must take up the roles of not only bakers, but also detectives.

The bakers have been asked to provide the treats for Lady Kate's birthday party, which her energetic nephew Barnaby is also attending. They are successful in preparing the treats for the party guests despite Barnaby getting in the way at times and everything seems to be going well…until Lady Kate appears and reveals that someone has stolen her diamond tiara! Shifty and Sam instantly volunteer to help, but the thief will prove to be a hard one to catch. Like the other two books beforehand, this story is told in rhyme which will appeal and entertain a wide audience, especially one consisting of young children. It also has the same level of excitement as the other stories, which definitely got me reading further and wanting to find out whether the tiara is retrieved in the end. Additionally, the illustrations provided by Lenton continue to be expressive and delightful, capturing the mood of the characters perfectly.

This is another fantastic instalment in the series with brand new characters that children will love as well as familiar ones such as the lovable Scottie dog. This will definitely appeal to fans of the first two books as well as new readers, especially ones that love a good detective story and adventure.