The Teddy Bears Promise

The Teddy Bear’s Promise
By Diana Noonan
Craig Potton Publishing
ISBN: 9781877517792
Category: Childrens Book
RRP$19.99 (paperback)
Craig Potton Publishing Facebook

A long time ago,’ began Dad, ‘a bear met a little boy and, right away, it knew it loved him.’

When Dad discovers a mysterious, dusty box in Gran’s attic, and brings it home to Max, the scene is set for a poignant and intriguing family tale. What could be inside the box, and why is it so important that Max hear Dad’s story before he’s allowed to open it? As Max listens, it becomes apparent that the box contains a special treasure, one that only Max can breathe life into.

Once again, Craig Potton Publishing have bought to us a story that will touch our hearts while sharing pictures that illustrate that warm ‘fuzzy’ feeling we all get when we read such a sweet story to the little ones in our life.
I found the pictures to be lovely and soft which matched the story completely and I could see it being a bed time story for many many families out there.

If you would like the opportunity to have this as one of YOUR bedtime stories, then make sure you put your name forward to review this gorgeous book HERE

 

The Golden Door – Emily Rodda

Series – The Three Doors
Book 1 – The Golden Door
By Emily Rodda
Scholastic
ISBN: 9781862919129
Category: Fantasy Fiction
RRP$21.00 (paperback)
Scholastic Facebook

The walled city of Weld is under attack from ferocious flying creatures that raid in the night, bringing death and destruction. The Warden calls for Volunteers to find and destroy the Enemy sending the invaders, and the heroes of Weld answer the call one by one, never to return. Rye is officially too young to go, but his brothers are among the lost, and he must help them. What terrors await him beyond the wall?

 

 

Although yes I’m a ‘grown up’ I still love to read anything fantasy and Emily Rodda has long been an author that I will read by choice ANY time. Her books tend to be well written with GREAT story lines and characters, but not too indepth that it will go over the heads of  those younger readers who still want to read something that is going to hold their attention for more than 5 minutes.
This book for me ran along the lines of her previous Deltora Quest books (which I also own and love) with our hero being the one you would least expect in a story, but one who proves that it’s not always brute strength that will save the day, but  someone with HEART.
The story comes from Rye who is the youngest of 3 brothers and it shows his perception of his family change as he realises not only who he is as a person but who his older brothers are as well…..
Along the way he teams up with Sonya who for some reason I ‘feel’ is going to have a real impact in the future stories as we get further through the trilogy , but I have been wrong on other occasions so I can’t wait to find out what happens in Book 2 (The Silver Door) and Book 3 (The Third Door)

So on that note Emily Rodda receives a solid 9 out of 10 from me but now I need to embark on my own quest to find Book 2 and 3

 

Secret Kingdom – Christmas Ballerina

Secret Kingdom – Christmas Ballerina
By Rosie Banks
Hachette NZ
ISBN: 9781408323366
Category: Children’s Fiction
RRP$16.99 (paperback)
Available – 08/10/2013.
Hachette NZ Facebook

Ellie, Summer and Jasmine are getting ready for their Christmas celebrations when the Magic Box summons them to the Secret Kingdom. Their old friend King Merry is in trouble again – his wicked sister Queen Malice has cast another of her horrible spells on him! Can the girls work together to break the spell, or will Christmas be ruined for everyone in the Secret Kingdom A bumper Christmas instalment in the gorgeous new series that’s tailor-made for little girls.

 

 

The Weather Machine

The Weather Machine
By Donovan Bixley
Hachette NZ
ISBN: 9781869713027
Category: Children’s Book
RRP$19.99 (paperback)
Available – 24/09/2013.
Hachette NZ Facebook

Once upon a time, in a world not so different to ours, a little blue man decides to create a machine to control the weather. It all goes terribly wrong.
With humour, subtlety and a sense of adventure, Donovan Bixley Author/Illustrator engaging illustrations capture both the hopefulness and naivety of human industry in this wordless book

With amazing colourful fun illustrations, this is going to be a book for children and adults alike

 

Queen Alice’s Palaces

Queen Alice’s Palaces
By Juliette MacIver & Lucia Masciullo
ISBN:  9780733331022
Category: Picture Book/Child/Juvenile
Reading Age – 3+
Link to Harper Collins HERE

Queen Alice’s palace was guilded and grand…

Queen Alice has the best palace in the land.
But when cunning Sir Hugh plots to take one of Alice’s palaces (by means of a military coup!), will she be able to outwit him? A brilliantly funny rhyming text. Ages: 3+

The Wheels on the Bus – Board Book

The Wheels on the Bus
Board Book
Author: Donovan Bixley
Hachette
ISBN: 9781869712990
Category: Childrens Board Book
RRP$14.99, 
Available now.

‘The wheels on the bus go round and round’ – Everyone knows the song. But now the bus is going around beautiful New Zealand and its passengers you just might know: kiwi, penguin, tuatara, fantail and many more. Come along for the ride! The softcover edition was published to great success in 2010, now it’s available as a board book.

 

We all know the song The Wheels on the Bus, but Donovan Bixley puts his own beautiful Kiwi spin on it and the results are quite simply amazing.
With pictures that are going to delight children and adults alike, this is one of my favourite children’s books.
AND……now it’s in a board book form meaning the younger members of our family can hold the book themselves and see NZ come to life.
Although I wasn’t the reviewer of this book, I had to add what I thought of it because it’s just so great……exactly what we always expect from Donovan and he never fails to provide.

The New Zealand Art Activity Book

The New Zealand Art Activity Book
100+ Ideas for Creative Kids
Author: Helen Lloyd
TePapa Press
ISBN: 9780987668806
Category: Art Interest
RRP$29.99, 
Available now.

Much, much more than just colouring-in or joining-the-dots, this superb 200-page art activity book draws on the latest educational knowledge and results of testing by real kids and teachers at Te Papa and beyond. It encourages creativity, lateral thinking, and pure enjoyment in art.

The book is designed primarily for children aged 5–8 but will appeal to children of any age who are interested in drawing and being creative.

Written and developed by Helen Lloyd, Senior Education Programmer at Te Papa, in consultation with Senior Art Curator Sarah Farrar, the book includes a wonderful range of drawing activities. Many of them are inspired by paintings, photographs, and prints from the national art collection.

Colour reproductions of works by artists such as Colin McCahon, Rita Angus, and Michael Smither will engage and inspire children. Quotations from artists will stimulate children to think creatively, and 10 freshly commissioned drawings from contemporary New Zealand artists will let children’s imaginations run wild.

Activities include imaginative ideas for drawing and collage, fun ways to learn about using perspective, composition, and colour, guides for drawing portraits, landscapes, abstract art, and optical illusions … and much more.

The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas
By Clement C. Moore
Illustrated by Karen Erasmus

Hachette NZ
ISBN: 9780734411631
Category: Picture Book
RRP$18.99, 
Available now.

Clement Clarke Moore’s The Night Before Christmas, is featured here in its original form, beautifully illustrated with Australian-centric watercolour images. There’s a Hills Hoist, a possum or two, and everything else you d expect to find in an Australian backyard

MUMSreview is privileged to be able to offer a copy of this book to one lucky member thanks to Hachette NZ.  If you are interested, please place your name on our forum page HERE  by the 19th December 2012

Your review will need to be posted here on the Blog

Secret Kingdom – Christmas Castle

Secret Kingdom – Christmas Castle
By Rosie Banks
Hachette
ISBN: 9781408320389
Category: Non-Fiction / Cooking & Food
RRP$16.99, 
Available now.

Enter a magical world of friendship and fun! It’s Christmas in the Secret Kingdom, and all of the creatures in the realm are on their way to Christmas Castle for their special Christmas Eve sleepover, which will be followed by a Christmas Day visit by Santa Claus himself! Summer, Ellie and Jasmine are so excited to be able to celebrate with all of their friends in Secret Kingdom, but soon mean Queen Malice and her nasty Storm Sprites arrive to spoil their fun. Will the girls be able to break the queen’s horrible spells and save Christmas?

 

The Wreck of the Diddley

The Wreck of the Diddley
By Fatcat and Fishface
Craig Potton Publishing
ISBN: 9781877517402
Category: Picture Book & DVD
RRP$24.99, 

Fatcat and Fishface are New Zealand musicians who write and record witty, highly original and wonderfully catchy songs for children. Often naughty, always funny, they have built up a strong following among parents and children who appreciate their unique and high quality music.

The Wreck of the Diddley was originally a song, a devilishly dark pirate’s tale, that winds up badly off Island Bay. Inspired by the success of an animated version of this song, Fatcat and Fishface enlisted acclaimed illustrator Stephen Templer to turn this song into a book, which he has done in his exuberant and marvellously colourful way.

Accompanying the book is a DVD of the animated version of The Wreck of The Diddley, so that all readers, young and old, can enjoy this musical tale. This is a superb and original production, blending world-class illustration with the best in children’s music.

MUMSreview is privileged to be able to offer a copy of this book to one lucky member thanks to Craig Potton Publishers.  If you are interested, please place your name on our forum page HERE  by the 19th December 2012

Your review will need to be posted here on the Blog