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| Recommended for 8+ |
Run, Pip, Run
J.C. Jones
March 2015 | Allen & Unwin | $12.99pb
Pip Sullivan’s tenth birthday is a complete disaster. Her beloved Sully – a delightfully grumpy elderly man, and the only family she has ever known - ends up in hospital and, with no one else to care for her, Pip takes matters into her own very capable hands. Determined to stay one step ahead of (the really very lovely) Senior Constable Molly Dunlop and social services, Pip finds a place to stay with the help of a seemingly psychic cat called Indigo/Bruce: staying out of foster homes so she can help Sully get better becomes her mission. Along the way she meets a sweet canine escape artist she names Houdini, becomes slightly famous, outwits plenty of adults, meddles in her school teacher’s love life and manages to help catch a dodgy criminal. I found myself rooting for Pip all the way along, loved her can-do attitude (and her dog Houdini is adorable). Run, Pip, Run is a gorgeous adventure tale about a small girl on her own in a big city, one who knows a thing or two about loyalty, bravery and friendship.
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| Recommended for 18 months to 3 year |
Hop Up! Wriggle Over!
Elizabeth Honey
April 2015 | Allen & Unwin | $19.99hb
Elizabeth Honey’s new picture book is a feast for the really young: with nine baby animals in the family she introduces us to, every minute of the day is full of wild, romping fun. From waking in the morning, gobbling breakfast, drumming with spoons, zooming to the park and playing till it's bathtime, life's just one big game until bedtime. A perfect book for toddlers who will love the simple, musical wordplay - Crunch crunch, Gobble gobble, Lick lick, More! – and be drawn to the action-packed illustrations.
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| Recommended for 5+ |
Vivian French & Angela Barrett
June 2015 | Walker Books | $27.95hb
When a king and a queen promise to marry their daughter Lucia to the man who can show them the most wonderful thing in the world, suitors descend on the palace bearing gifts. Roses, jewels and exotic birds; dancing girls, wind machines and mythical beasts - but nothing feels quite right. As the last suitor leaves, his weapons of mass destruction rejected, the king and queen are exhausted. But when a shy, young man, who isn't a suitor at all, steps forward, they finally understand what the most wonderful thing in the world really is. Vivian French's masterful retelling of a forgotten story is both funny and heart-warming, and Angela Barrett's breathtaking illustrations give life to an enchanting and romantic fairytale city.
