Words, A First Board Book

There are no bells or whistles with this little board book offering. Instead there are clear, bright pictures and words making the book appealing for toddlers.

Arraged in categories including colours, numbers, shapes, body parts, animals and more, each double paged spread has several photographs of objects in the particular category with an accompanying label.

Younger children will like to point and discuss the pictures, while older children will enjoy being able to ‘read’ the words (with the help of the picture clues. And, of course, the sturdy board book format means the book can be carried around and explored without being easily damaged.

Words: A First Board Book, from Scholastic Australia, 2004

The Song of the Casskins, by John Fitzpatrick

While his parents are off having an adventure in Patagonia, Kaz is sent from his home in Japan to stay with his grandparents in Far, Far North Queensland. He doesn’t realise he is about to have an adventure of his own.

When Kaz is on his way to the Dairy Day Parade in Milaa Milaa, he is kidnapped by a group of Casskins. The Casskins are large birds, related to the Cassowaries, but much bigger and far more intelligent. Not only are they more intelligent than cassowaries – Casskins are more intelligent than any other creature – especially mankind.

The Casskins need Kaz to help them prevent a dam being built and a uranium mine opening – two events which could have disastrous consequences for the local animals. At first scared and reluctant, Kaz finds himself becoming increasingly willing to help the Casskins and the other creatures he meets on his adventures.

Although this is a work of fantasy, The Song of the Casskins is both a humorous and exciting adventure story and an educational tool – with a message about conservation and appreciating our environment and our wildlife. A useful aid is the addition of facts about the cassowary in the early part of the story.

The Song of the Casskins will appeal to 8 to 10 year old readers, although may be less appealing to those still adapting to the language of the novel.

The Song of the Casskins, by John Fitzpatrick
Scholastic, 2002.

The Magic Hat, by Mem Fox

One fine day, from out of town, and without any warning at all, there appeared a magic hat.

As the magic hat moves through the town, spinning through the air from person to person, its magic causes chaos – and hilarity. Young readers will join in the guessing, with the hat changing each person it lands on into something surprising. Where and how will this magic end?

The Magic Hat is the latest magical offering from renowned Australian children’s author, Mem Fox. Beautifully illustrated by Tricia Tusa, the book continues the fine tradition of outstanding offerings from Ms Fox.

As with earlier books, the charm of this book is in its rhythm and its simplicity. Children will love the repeated refrain which will help them guess what is going to happen next as the magic hat weaves its way through the town.

Mem Fox is one of Australia’s best known and most celebrated children’s authors, with 25 best selling titles to her credit. Her very first picture book, Possum Magic, first published in 1983, remains the best selling ever picture book in Australia, with over 1.5 million copies sold in Australia. Other popular titles include Boo to a Goose, Koala Lou, and Wilfred Gordon Mcdonald Partridge. Outside Australia Mem has also achieved great popularity, having reached Oprah’s list of twenty all-time best children’s books, with her title Time for Bed. For adults, Fox has written Reading Magic, recommended reading for parents and teachers, and Mem’s the Word, her autobiography.

The Magic Hat is wondeful bedtime reading for 3 to 6 year olds.

The Magic Hat, by Mem Fox
Scholastic Australia, 2002. rrp AUD $24.95 (hardback)