Tag: scholastic

Captain Cat and the Umbrella Kid – Fruit of Fury, by Paul Shaw

When Billy Gubbins is orphaned, he has the fortune to become an apprentice to the world famous Captain Cat. Billy becomes the Umbrella Kid, with a different secret-weapon umbrella for every occasion.

In this adventure, Super Villain Dr Daffodil is trheatening the city of Maxburd with his mutant plant-forms: flesh-eating fungi, kamikaze fruit and deadly carrot spears.

Captain Cat and the Umbrella Kid must find out the location of Dr Daffodil’s secret base and put a stop to his dastardly doings before the city is pulped by Dr Daffodil’s Bellicose Banana Beast.

Captain Cat and the Umbrella Kid – Fruit of Fury, by Paul Shaw, illustrated by Peter Sheehan
Scholastic, 2003

Cycle with Brett Aitken and Scott McGrory

What does it take to be an Olympic gold medallist?

Brett Aitken’s first memory of riding is at the age of four, and it’s lucky he’s here to tell us about it. Scott McGrory remembers getting his first bike when he was six years old and winning his first race at age nine.

Brett and Scott share stories of the journey that lead to their Olympic gold medal. Both describe their win in the madison event at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as the highlight of their careers.

This A4, magazine-style book is more than a biography of two outstanding sportsmen. It includes tips on choosing the right size and style bicycle, and how to maintain it. There are explanations of different clubs, races and events.

Cycle with Brett Aitken and Scott McGrory by Scott Aitken and Scott McGrory (Scholastic 2003) is the second title in Scholastic’s Living Legends series. It is pitched at younger readers wanting to know more about their sporting heroes and learn something of their sport. It would be ideal for the reader making the transition from graded readers to novels.

Cycle with Brett Aitken and Scott McGrory, by Scott Aitken and Scott McGrory
Scholastic 2003

Making Picture Books, by Libby Gleeson

For anyone with an interest in picture books – be it as reader, writer, reviewer or artist – Making Picture Booksmakes for highly enlightening and entertaining reading.

Libby Gleeson, herself the author of such outstanding titles as Shutting the Chooks In, The Great Bear and Big Dog, explores the process of making a picture book from initial idea to final production. Using examples from her own work and that of such talents as Armin Greder, Margaret Wild, Allan Baillie and Tohby Riddle she offers advice and insight invaluable for those who aspire to write or illustrate picture books, as well as to those already involved in their production. For those who simply love the picture book form, there is also lots to absorb.

Packed full of anecdotes, illustrations and examples, Making Picture Books is simply brilliant.

Making Picture Books, by Libby Gleeson
Scholastic, 2003

Lulubelle and her Bones, by Vashti Farrer

Lulubelle is the pampered lapdog of the Duchess of Daftby Dingleby. She has been with the Duchess for so long and been so protected that she believes she is human. But one day, as the Duchess naps, Lulubelle chances upon Bones, a working dog, whose job it is to turn the spit for the Duchess’s roast dinners.

The pair feel an instant attraction and next day Lulubelle frees Bones and together they flee into the countryside.

Life on the road is not easy. Lulubelle is not used to being outdoors and the duo must keep moving to avoid recapture. Along the road, though, help comes from unexpected quarters. Together, Lulubelle and Bones, seem destined for a change in fortunes.

A cute junior novel, Lulubelle and her Bones will appeal to young dog lovers aged 8 to 10.

Lulubelle and her Bones, by Vashti Farrer, illustrated by David Cox
Scholastic, 2003

Lester and Clyde's Catastrophic Adventure, by James Reece

Two frog friends, Lester and Clyde, live together in a beautiful pond. Although they are very different – with Lester being mischievous, and Clyde wise – what ties them together is their friendship. They look out for each other.

When summer comes, the pair are faced with new perils – as their pond dries up in the summer heat, they have to avoid predators – birds and lizards, looking for a feed and, most frightening, a feral cat which stalks them.

The pair decide to take turns keeping watch, but one morning Lester wakes to find Clyde gone and footprints nearby. He worries that he’ll never see his old friend again.

This is the third picture book sharing the adventures of the loveable Lester and Clyde and the talents of their creator, James Reece. Reece’s rhyming verse is cute and the story has a delightful message, but it is the illustrations which make these books particularly special. The froggy features of the stars and the detials of their environment are delightful.

A tresure.

Lester and Clyde’s Catastrophic Adventure, by James Reece
Scholastic, 2003

Junkyard Dogs, by Margaret Balderson

In an uptown mansion, four pampered pooches – Billy, Bolly, Bella and Blue – live in luxury. They have a great view and a lovely lawn, and are bathed weekly in ‘la Poochette’ shampoo, but they have absolutely nothing to do. Across town, two mutts called Molly and Moo live in a junkyard and spend their days frolicking and clowning around.

One day Molly and Moo cross town and visit their pampered friends. They decide to liberate them and take them out for an excursion – to the tip. The six dogs have a wonderful time, but the four from the hill are in trouble when they get home dirty and smelly.

Times change, however, when the pampered pooches’ owner goes bankrupt and is forced to sell his big house and move across town. Guess who his new next door neighbour is?

Junkyard Dogs is a fun rhyming picture book by Margaret Balderson. Her quirky rhyme style is well complemented by the watercolour illustrations of Janine Dawson, whose dogs are adorable.

A fun text that preschoolers will love.

Junkyard Dogs by Margaret Balderson, illustrated by Janine Dawson
Scholastic, 2003

Mardi Mak Meets the South Pole (nearly), by Courtney Lynch

Mardi Mak wakes up to find Australia transformed into a winter wonderland. Swimming pools are frozen, snow is piled high in the streets – and it’s February, supposedly the hottest month of the year! If that weren’t strange enough, furniture is sliding everywhere and people are violently seasick. Australia, it seems, is floating south. If it isn’t stopped it will hit Antarctica in a few days.

When Mardi watches her Grandpa lassoing the furniture to stop it escaping, she has an idea. She knows how to stop Australia from floating and to get it back where it belongs. The trouble is, no one will listen to her. She is, after all, only eleven. How would a kid know the solution to the biggest problem Australia has ever faced?

Mardi Mak Meets the South Pole (Nearly) is a humorous tale for primary aged children. Full of silly impossiblities and stereotypically funny characters, it will tickle the funny bones of 9 to 12 year old readers.

Good fun.

Mardi Mak Meets the South Pole (Nearly), by Courtney Lynch
Scholastic, 2003

Dragon Quest, by Allan Baillie

Hey, you! Yes, you with the book
Come on! You’ll be a hero, a great warrior, an epic knight…

Through forests inhabited by dark witches, where Dragon Fighters are trapped in trees, along the whispering abyss and over the hills where lurks a double-headed troll, the reader joins the narrator on a quest to find the Last Dragon.

With text by Allan Baillie and illustrations by Wayne Harris, DragonQuest is filled with intrigue, excitement and humour, as the narrator, a slightly bumbling Knight, guides the reader towards Glass Mountain, where he will fight the last dragon. But there is a final surprise for both reader and Knight at journey’s end.

This is a picture book which will appeal to children aged 4 and over, able to intrigue much older readers as they seek out the mythical creatures on each page. An excellent introduction to the fantasy genre.

DragonQuest, by Allan Baillie, illustrated by Wayne Harris
Scholastic, 1996

The Very Blue Thingamajig, by Narelle Oliver

Creak…crunch…crack! From an egg covered in more spots than you could possibly count, came a very blue thingamajog. The other thingamajigs gathered around to see the new arrival, but didn’t stay long. This thingamajig was just too plain and boring, so he was left alone.

But, one Sunday morning, the thingamajig woke up to find he had a very curly tail. On Tuesday, he found he had a new pair of yellow wings. For the rest of the week, there was some new and interesting addition every day, until the next Sunday he was ready to show the other thingamajigs. Their reaction was not quite what the thingamajig expected.

The Very Blue Thinggamajig is a fun lift-the-flap book, which teaches the concepts of days of the week and counting, at the same time as providing a gentle lesson on differences. Author/illustrator Narelle Oliver uses simple language and rich pastel colours to create a gentle but fun story.

Oliver is the author and illustrator of many award-winning picture books, including The Hunt and Baby Bilby, Where Do You Sleep?

The Very Blue Thingamajig,by Narelle Oliver
Omnibus, an imprint of Scholastic, 2003

Dancing Night, Tonight, by Ian Bone

Every Tuesday night Millie’s Mama goes out dancing. Millie stays home with Dad, but that’s okay because Millie has dancing night at home.

Mama and Millie put on their matching dresses, their shiny red dancing shoes and put ribbons in their hair. Then Mama goes out while Millie dances with Papa in the loungeroom.

Soon, though, doubts creep in. What if Mama can’t get home, or forgets to come home, or – worst of all – doesn’t want to come home? Gently her father reminds her of the links she shares with her mother, sending the fears dancing on their way, until Millie’s mother comes home with the final reassurance.

Dancing Night, Tonight is a gentle picture book from writer Ian Bone and illustrator Anna Pignataro. Pignataro’s illustrations, using a combination of pencil, water colour, ink and gouache, create an almost dream-like quality to the story and echo the gentleness of the text.

A perfect bed-time story.

Dancing Night, Tonight, by Ian Bone, illustrated by Anna Pignataro
Scholastic, 2003