Tag: Catriona Hoy

Isla Lu, Where Are You? By Catriona Hoy ill Annie White

Isla Lu, where are you!

Isla Lu and Mum are playing a game of Hide’n’Seek. Mum makes her way around the house and even into the garden, finding many things, but not Isla Lu. Other family members appear and ‘help’ in the search. Thus they join with the reader in knowing something that Mum apparently doesn’t. The growing family cavalcade explore the indoors and the out-of-doors in their wish to be part of the finding of little Isla Lu. The sparse and rhymic text sits in pencil and water colour illustrations that are at once descriptive and gentle. Colours are pastel and range from pale backgrounds to more intense shades for the depictions of Isla Lu, Mum and other characters.

‘One, Two, Three,

Run away and hide!

‘Four, Five, Six,

Make sure I can’t hear you.

‘Seven, Eight, Nine,

Nearly there.

‘Nine and a half,

Nine and three quarters … Ten!

‘Here I come, ready or not.

Isla Lu, where are you!

Isla Lu and Mum are playing a game of Hide’n’Seek. Mum makes her way around the house and even into the garden, finding many things, but not Isla Lu. Other family members appear and ‘help’ in the search. Thus they join with the reader in knowing something that Mum apparently doesn’t. The growing family cavalcade explore the indoors and the out-of-doors in their wish to be part of the finding of little Isla Lu. The sparse and rhythmic text sits in pencil and water colour illustrations that are at once descriptive and gentle. Colours are pastel and range from pale backgrounds to more intense shades for the depictions of Isla Lu, Mum and other characters.

Hide’n’Seek is a perennial favourite of small children and is depicted here beautifully. With only a few well-chosen words, the text brings the reader/child right into the story, into the world of a young child, where the child is ‘tricking’ the parent. Mum finds many things, but not that which she seeks, as she loudly proclaims. Each spread increases the tension and the number of people who are in on the secret (even poor Jamie now out of the shower!) The Illustrations are full-spread but also use white space to allow the reader to bring their own interpretations. This is a delightful story for pre-schoolers which will be read as often as the game should be played.

 

IslaLu Cov medium paint

Isla Lu, Where are You? Catriona Hoy ill Annie White
Windy Hollow Books 2012
ISBN:9781922081063

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

The Little Dinosaur by Catriona Hoy illustrated by Andrew Plant

Millions of years ago, in a time before Australia existed, there was a land called Gondwana. It was very cold there, even in summer. In winter it was dark all day and all night.

Millions of years ago, in a time before Australia existed, there was a land called Gondwana. It was very cold there, even in summer. In winter it was dark all day and all night.

The Little Dinosaur begins many millions of years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the land we now call Australia. The reader is introduced to a specific dinosaur, now known as a Leoellynasaura amicagraphica, who lived – and died – so long ago. Skip forward to now, when a bone, buried for so long, is discovered by a palaeontologist. Slowly, carefully she works with the rock that holds the bone. Working with a team of experts, the palaeontologist recreates this little dinosaur, so she can be introduced to the world. The cover shows the little dinosaur sitting atop a rock, queen of her world. End papers spill with information about prehistoric Australia and about dinosaurs. Illustrations are a mix of full colour spreads and vignettes, in warm and cool colours that evoke the seasons. They are full of prehistoric details, down to the particular species of Thylacine portrayed.

The Little Dinosaur is firstly a picture book for sharing with dinosaur-lovers. The author is a senior science teacher and the illustrator well-known for his depictions of dinosaurs. Together they provide a reading experience that combines the imagined world of an individual and factual information about the environment in which she and others lived. It links the living dinosaur and her world with today and the way we learn about the past. It also introduces those who work to understand more about these fascinating animals. For the classroom, The Little Dinosaur provides the basis for introducing many science concepts to young students. Gondwana with its very different climate, landscape and animals. Food chains, palaeontology, and much more. There are multiple links to curriculum. Recommended for lower- to mid-primary readers and dinosaur fans of any age.

The Little Dinosaur

The Little Dinosaur, Catriona Hoy ill Andrew Plant
Working Title Press 2012
ISBN: 9781921504396

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

George and Ghost, by Catriona Hoy & Cassia Thomas

George and Ghost were friends,
but George wasn’t sure he
believed in Ghost any more.

George and Ghost have always been friends, but now George is having doubts about whether or not Ghost is real. And if he’s not real, he will have to go away. Ghost wants him to prove it. So George sets about thinking of ways to discover if his friend is real or not. And by every scientific measure he uses, Ghost is not real. Now it’s up to Ghost to find a way to convince his friend that he is real. Illustrations are full page and warm colour and include many textural elements. George is very expressive and Ghost has delightful rosy cheeks, a little like George’s.

On the surface, George and Ghost is a story about friendship and the important things in life. But there’s another layer, that explores scientific principles and philosophy in a practical child-comprehensible way. In science, hypotheses are tested by experimenting and recording the outcomes. In the same way George tries to prove his friend real by displacing water and capturing images. In philosophy, notions of existence are also tested, if differently. Young children may well not be able to name the principles explored here, but they’ll have fun trying out the experiments that suggest themselves. And the principles may well feed their curiosity about, and enrich their understanding of, their world and just what constitutes ‘real’ and ‘not real’. Recommended for pre-school and early primary children.

George and Ghost

George and Ghost, Catriona Hoy, ill Cassia Thomas
Hodder 2010
ISBN: 9780340988862

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

This book can be purchased in good bookstores, or online from Fishpond.

Puggle, by Catriona Hoy & Andrew Plant

In a tall house on a hill…there’s a box. Inside the box there’s a towel. And curled up in the towel is Puggle. Puggle is a baby echidna.

Once Puggle lived safe and warm in is mother’s pouch, but one day there was a loud bang and mother stopped swaying. Puggle was picked up and brought to the tall house, where he is cared for with other sick and injured animals. As he grows, other animals in the house recover and return to the wild. Then, finally, the day comes when it is time for Puggle to go back to the forest.

Puggle is the touching story of an orphaned baby echidna (a puggle), based on a true account. It is also the story of the role of wildlife carers in healing and rehabilitating native animals. With bright acrylic illustrations and fact filled endpapers, and enough factual information for classroom use and enough story to entertain, this hard cover picture book is a perfect blend of heart-warming story and educational offering.

Puggle

Puggle, by Catriona Hoy & Andrew Plant
Working Title Press, 2010

This title can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Mummies are Amazing, by Catriona Hoy & Annie White

Mummies are for amazing things.

Daddy thinks Mummy is for doing the shopping, and Grandad thinks Mummy is for finding glasses, but the young narrator of this story knows that mummies are for much more important things – mummies are for doing amazing things. From making snakes out of stockings and buses out of boxes, to kissing sore knees better and organising prefect parties, Mummies are amazing – but sometimes they need to FEEL amazing – and then it is up to the people around them to do amazing things for them.

Mummies are Amazing is a delightful book about the wonderful things that mummies do, filled with humour and the joy of families. The mummy in the story and illustrations is lively, lovely and filled with enthusiasm. It seems nothing is too hard for her – from making chicken costumes, to removing splinters and scaring away monsters. The illustrations have lots of cute touches that don’t just bring the text to life, but also provide plenty for children to find and explore.

This gorgeous book is perfect for reading aloud, and would make a lovely gift for Mothers Day.

Mummies are Amazing, by Catriona Hoy & Annie White
Lothian, 2009

Daddies, by Catriona Hoy

Mummy thinks that daddies are for washing dishes.
That’s NOT what daddies are for!

It seems that lots of people have the wrong idea about daddies. Mum has an idea, sister Charlotte has an idea. Even Grandma has an idea. But they are wrong, wrong, wrong! Daddies are for wild things. Daddies are for the fun things, the push-the-boundaries things, the exciting things. Catriona Hoy takes the reader on a wild journey through the wonderful things that make daddies so very special. Daddy sometimes looks like he’s on a roller coaster journey, destination unknown. This doesn’t for a minute diminish his energy or enthusiasm.

Children develop different relationships with all the people in their lives, and that includes family. Parents may stand together to present a united front on some matters, but still the father-child relationship will be a different one to the mother-child one. Catriona Hoy provides a joyous and loving look at the strengths of the wonderful relationship between father and child. Mal Webster’s humourous illustrations show a range of perspectives and angles as father and children romp through the pages. Text tips and tumbles around the action. Rooms distort to contain the characters and their exuberance. Daddies is a portrait-format, paper back with an informal text type that hints at the story tone within. Recommended for 3-7 year olds.

Daddies, Catriona Hoy and Mal Webster
Lothian Books 2008
ISBN: 9780734410849

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, by Catriona Hoy

I sit on Daddy’s shoulders.
It’s a very long wait, but my grandad will come.
My grandad marches on Anzac Day.

Anzac Day is an important remembrance of the men and women who have fought and died for our country throughout our history. Whilst few would refute the import of the day, it is not always an easy concept to share with young children.

In My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, talented new author Catriona Hoy, makes the story of Anzac Day accessible to children through a telling of one Anzac Day through the eyes of a granddaughter who goes to the Anzac Day parade to watch her grandfather march. She shares her observations of the day very realistically – from the observation of how cold it is at dawn, to the way Grandad smiles at her as he proudly marches past. She explains why her grandad marches – and what Anzac Day means – in very simple terms.

The illustrations, painted in acrylic and mixed media by Benjamin Johnson, are richly textured and present the scenes of the parade and of war in a way which does not gloss over the reality, but is still appropriate for young viewers.

This is an outstanding introduction to an important ceremony and will be invaluable as a classroom resource, but should also find a home in every family library.

First published in hardcover in 2006, My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day has been released in paperback in time for Anzac Day.

Brilliant.

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, by Catriona Hoy and Benjamin Johnson Lothian, 2006, 2008

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, by Catriona Hoy

I sit on Daddy’s shoulders.
It’s a very long wait, but my grandad will come.
My grandad marches on Anzac Day.

Anzac Day is an important remembrance of the men and women who have fought and died for our country throughout our history. Whilst few would refute the import of the day, it is not always an easy concept to share with young children.

In My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, talented new author Catriona Hoy, makes the story of Anzac Day accessible to children through a telling of one Anzac Day through the eyes of a granddaughter who goes to the Anzac Day parade to watch her grandfather march. She shares her observations of the day very realistically – from the observation of how cold it is at dawn, to the way Grandad smiles at her as he proudly marches past. She explains why her grandad marches – and what Anzac Day means – in very simple terms.

The illustrations, painted in acrylic and mixed media by Benjamin Johnson, are richly textured and present the scenes of the parade and of war in a way which does not gloss over the reality, but is still appropriate for young viewers.

This is an outstanding introduction to an important ceremony and will be invaluable as a classroom resource, but should also find a home in every family library.

Brilliant.

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day, by Catriona Hoy and Benjamin Johnson
Lothian, 2006