louis shea – Aussie Reviews

We're Going on a Santa Hunt, by Laine Mitchell & Louis Shea

We’re going on a Santa hunt.
We’re going to find the jolly one!
I can’t wait. Presents for you and me!

Five animals – a polar bear, deer, mouse, penguin and dog – have written letters to Santa. Now they are off to deliver them – racing through a tunnel, swishing through trees, bouncing through Santa’s workshop. But, when they find Santa, they realise they need to get home quickly, so that they are in bed before he delivers the presents.

Using the rhythm of the much loved ‘Bear Hunt’ rhyme, We’re Going on a Santa Hunt is a rhyming Christmas offering which children will enjoy joining in with, made easier by the inclusion of a CD recording featuring Jay Laga-aia.

The illustrations are humorous and there is much here to entertain in the lead up to Christmas.

We’re Going on a Santa Hunt, by Laine Mitchell & Louis Shea
Scholastic Books, 2015
ISBN 9781743626429

Tortoise and the Hair by P. Crumble, ill Louis Shea

On the morning of his big day,

Tortoise leapt out of bed straight away

For today on stage with his guitar,

He would become a singing superstar!

On the morning of his big day,

Tortoise leapt out of bed straight away

For today on stage with his guitar,

He would become a singing superstar!

Tortoise has completed auditions and is to sing and play his guitar at a talent competition. He attributes at least part of his success to his wig, but as he prepares for his big day, he cannot find it anywhere. As he searches, trying not to panic, other animals discover his wig on the bus. The wig begins a journey of its own, being tested and rejected by several potential wearers before Tortoise’s friend Hare finds it. He knows just how much importance Tortoise attaches to the wig, so he speeds to the auditorium to return it. Tortoise, although nervous without his wig, is ‘wowing’ the judges and Hare realises that the wig he has retrieved is no longer needed. Tortoise shines without it! Tortoise and the Hairis told in rhyme with full colour illustrations which include many other animals.

Tortoise and the Hair is a very different take on a traditional tale, although elements of the original can still be found. Instead of the message being about ‘slow and steady’ winning the race, Tortoise is held up by his need for his ‘good luck’ wig. Hare’s speediness is employed, not in racing Tortoise, but by returning his wig to him. This is a colourful story with a gentle reminder that external decorations ‘make not the man’. There are also themes of friendship and nods to other stories. A fun story for pre- and early readers.

Tortoise and the Hair, P. Crumble ill Louis Shea Scholastic Australia 2014 ISBN: 9781743625286

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Double Trouble, various authors ill Louis Shea

Thomas and Cooper are twin brothers. They are seven years old and look exactly the same. Both boys have blond hair that sticks up in crazy tufts. And both have freckles on their nose and cheeks, but Thomas thinks he has more than Cooper.

The twins love playing sport. They have posters all over their bedroom of their favourite stars.

Most of Cooper’s posters are of soccer players. Thomas likes tennis best.

All their friends call them Tommy and Coop. The twins only hear their full names when they’re in trouble. This happens a lot because they love playing pranks!

Thomas and Cooper are twin brothers. They are seven years old and look exactly the same. Both boys have blond hair that sticks up in crazy tufts. And both have freckles on their nose and cheeks, but Thomas thinks he has more than Cooper.

The twins love playing sport. They have posters all over their bedroom of their favourite stars.

Most of Cooper’s posters are of soccer players. Thomas likes tennis best.

All their friends call them Tommy and Coop. The twins only hear their full names when they’re in trouble. This happens a lot because they love playing pranks!

‘Double Trouble: Prank Alert ’ introduces Tommy and Coop, a pair of prank-loving seven year-old twins. They love sport and skateboarding and school, but most of all they love playing pranks on their family and friends. This often gets them into trouble but this doesn’t seem to slow them down much at all. In Prank Alert the boys begin with an ‘alarming’ prank before school and bounce their way through their school day. In Midnight Mischief , the boys create mayhem at their first school camp. In Skateboard Stars the boys cook up a plan to win a skateboard competition and in Dinosaur Danger the pair find ways to play pranks while on excursion. Text is large and chapters are short with black and white illustrations throughout.

‘Double Trouble’ is a new series of short chapter books for newly independent readers, particularly boys. Tommy and Coop are young and exuberant and very keen on playing pranks. Think Dennis the Menace times two! Young readers will love the humour and the pranks and parents and teachers will be pleased that Joking Jo’s is a fictional toy shop and that readers will not be heading off to replicate the pranks in the stories. There are consequences for this rascally pair, but their spirits are seldom dampened and their imaginations are seldom inactive for long. ‘Double Trouble’ is sure to be a favourite with readers graduating to their first chapter books.

Double Trouble: Prank Alert t, Fiona Regan Scholastic Australia 2014 ISBN: 9781742838564

Midnight Mischief (Double Trouble) Double Trouble: Midnight Mischief , Fiona Regan Scholastic Australia 2014 ISBN: 9781743623770

Double Trouble: Skateboard Stars, Felicity Carter Scholastic Australia 2014 ISBN: 9781742838571

Double Trouble: Dinosaur Danger, Sarah Fraser Scholastic Australia 2014 ISBN: 9781743623763 Dinosaur Danger (Double Trouble)

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller www.clairesaxby.com

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Meerkat by P. Crumble ill Louis Shea

There was an old lady who swallowed a meerkat

I don’t know why she swallowed the meerkat

Fancy that!

There was an old lady who swallowed a meerkat

I don’t know why she swallowed the meerkat

Fancy that!

The old lady of the title has quite an appetite. Not content with swallowing a meerkat, she consumes an owl, a hyena, a lion and more. This take on the well-known traditional rhyme is set in the zoo, where she has access to animals from all around the world. Other zoo visitors look on in surprise as she continues her swallowing. Things get more and more out of hand until the old lady swallows a hippo. Full colour illustrations take on an escalating psychedelic feel with bright colours and wild internal scenes.

Many readers will be familiar with the original ‘There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly’, and this version continues the nonsense at the zoo. Young readers will giggle at the antics of the old lady, the victims and the observers. As with the original, the action is sufficiently absurd, as to be comical rather than believable. The text is rhythmic, rhyming and cumulative and young children will soon be able to join in the ‘reading’. The text for the animals is presented in different and larger fonts, ideal for young pre-readers to start identifying word shapes. Good fun, with plenty of extra story to be found in the illustrations. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Meerkat;, P. Crumble ill Louis Scholastic Australia 2013 ISBN: 9781742836461

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain, ill Louis Shea

The bear went over the mountain

To see what he could see.

What do you think he saw?

A forest of squirrels singing,

Setting ears a-ringing.

Golly gosh! Oh my! Oh me!

It was a sight to see.

The bear went over the mountain

To see what he could see.

What do you think he saw?

A forest of squirrels singing,

Setting ears a-ringing.

Golly gosh! Oh my! Oh me!

It was a sight to see.

The bear might start this story by going over the mountain but the action travels from mountain to the seaside and beyond before it finally returns to the beginning. The bear sees squirrels in the forest. Then a fox sets off to see what he can see and so on all the way around the world, through hills and flat lands, beach and undersea. Illustrations provide clues as to which animal will ‘take the baton’ and take the action into a new spread. Illustrations are full page colour and provide their own narrative separate to the words. The Bear Went Over the Mountain comes with a CD for singalong. The CD has the more traditional song structure where the book features an abridged version.

Young readers will enjoy the cadences of this story and with growing familiarity the song on which it is based. Illustrations are full of detail, and re-readings will reveal new secrets. There are opportunities to open discussions about animals and their differing environments or even to introduce actions to the song. Suited for pre- and early schoolers.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain ill Louis Shea Scholastic Australia 2013 ISBN: 9781742833712

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s author and bookseller

www.clairesaxby.com

Available from good bookstores or online.

Where's Santa? Around the World, by Louis Shea

With another busy Christmas over, Santa is taking Mrs Claus off on a holiday. As they travel around teh world, however, they are pursued by Naughty Nat, the naughtiest child in the world, who wants to steal Santa’s naughty-and-nice list so that she can get the pony she missed out on last Christmas.

Where’s Santa? Around the World is a look and find book perfect for the festive season. As Santa travels around the world to locations including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, China’s Great Wall and more, youngsters can find him hidden on every spread, as well as Mrs Claus, Naughty Nat, Fluffy (Santa’s pet yeti) and more.

Every spread is filled with detail to explore, and back of book lists challenge readers to find extra objects. great as a gift or stocking filler.

Where’s Santa? Around the World, by Louis Shea
Scholastic, 2013
ISBN 9781742836850

Available from good bookstores or online. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

There Was an Old Bloke who Swallowed a Bunny! By P. Crumble ill Louis Shea

There was an old bloke who swallowed a bunny.

I don’t know why he swallowed that bunny …

Crikey, that’s funny!

There was an old bloke who swallowed a bunny.

I don’t know why he swallowed that bunny …

Crikey, that’s funny!

Based on There Was an Old Bloke Who Swallowed a Bunny! and part of a series of similarly based stories, ‘There Was an Old Bloke …’ is a comically absurd romp through the countryside. He has an explanation for the consumption of all animals except for the bunny – that’s just funny. Illustrations are full page and full of detail. The refrain curves on the page, and each about-to-be-consumed animal word is in bold. All of the animals on the Old Bloke’s menu are farm animals except for the bunny, which would probably be most farmers’ first nibble.

The world needs some nonsense, some silliness, and this series of books modelled on an old folk rhyme is perfect in delivering it. And much learning can be slipped in underneath the silliness. The rhyme, rhythm and repetition in these titles are perfect for pre-reading skills. Children learning to read can predict what’s coming next and before long will be able to ‘read’ it themselves. Recommended for pre- and early-schoolers.

There Was an Old Bloke Who Swallowed a Bunny! P. Crumble ill Louis Shea Scholastic Australia 2013 ISBN: 9781742831602

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

We're Going on a Croc Hunt, by Laine Mitchell and Louis Shea

We’re going on a croc hunt.
We’re going to find a big one.
I’m not afraid.
We’re as brave as brave can be!

This fun read-aloud offering uses the rhythm and refrain of the popular ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, but gives it a distinctly Aussie feel. The animal characters search for the croc in Australian settings – a reedy waterhole, trickly desert sand, red rocks and so on – and each time youngsters will be keen to join in the refrain:

We can’t go over them.
We can’t go under them.
We’ll have to go through them.

The final line of the story gives a little twist which will leave readers giggling.

Illustrations, by Louis Shea, feature a range of uniquely Australian animals – the croc is joined by (or, at least pursued by) a Tassie devil, a koala, a cassowary and more. The only one that is perhaps not native is a very cute cattle dog. There are lots of other Aussie animals throughout including birds, lizards and marsupials and eagle eyed readers will love searching for the crocodile who is hidden on each spread.

Accompanying the book is a recording of the song performed by Jay Laga’aia and a group of chidlren, as well as an instrumental version of the track, suitable for classroom use.

Lots of fun.

We’re Going on a Croc Hunt, by Laine Mitchell and Louis Shea
Scholastic, 2012
ISBN 9781742832487

Available from good bookstores or online

Best Ever Aussie Jokes

With jokes on a range of topics – there are chapters on sport, travel, school, animals and more – and of different types, including knock knock jokes, limericks, and silly book titles, there is plenty here to keep the child in your life laughing for ages.

What do you get when you touch an electric parrot?
A shockatoo
(Mitchell Johnson, Australian Cricketer)

What do you call a sewer that’s jammed with Aussie plumbers?
A bloked drain.
(Kate Ritchie, actress)

Which tree has teeth?
A gum tree.
(Manu Feildel, My Kitchen Rules)

There’s an old, oft-quoted adage which says “Laughter is the best medicine’, but did you also know that if you laugh 100 times a day it is the same amount of exercise as 15 minutes of rowing or jogging? SO you odn’t have to be sick to really benefit from a good laugh. Camp Quality is an organisation devoted to making people laugh – especially kids who are sick with cancer. Best Ever Aussie Jokesis the latest in their series of joke books published to help support their important work.

Well worth buying both to support kids living with cancer and to give yourself, and your children, a laugh.

Best Ever Aussie Jokes! (Camp Quality), illustrated by Louis Shea
Scholastic Australia, 2011
ISBN

Available in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond.

Where's Santa? by Louis Shea

Mischievous elf, Elvy, couldn’t wait for Christmas Eve. So he took Santa’s sleigh and tried to deliver the presents early. But he’s lost, and now Santa – who went looking for Elvy – is lost too. Readers are asked to help Detective Inspector Scrooge to find Santa.

Where’s Santa? is a look and find book, in the tradition made popular by the ‘Where’s Wally’ series, is lots of Christmas fun. Readers are asked to find not just Santa, but also Elvy, Mrs Claus, Detective Inspector Scrooge and even Fluffy, Santa’s pet yeti, in settings including the beach, a shopping centre, a holiday parade and a school ground. There are lots of Santa look-alikes to make the job more challenging and, at the back of the book, a list of extra things to find on each spread.

Suitable for preschool and primary aged readers, this would make a great stocking stuffer.

Where’s Santa? by Louis Shea
Scholastic Australia, 2011
ISBN 9781741697650

This book can be purchased in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.