Books go Walkabout – Page 6 – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

Pink! by Lynne Rickards

The DolphinJuly 23, 2019July 23, 2019

What's a penguin to think when he wakes up pink? Patrick is not happy being a pink penguin and he runs away in search of other pink playmates. He travels far across the oceans until the seas are warm and he finds a whole flock of pink flamingos, boys and girls.

Patrick learns that not all friendships are black and white and when he discovers that he can't even stand on one leg to go to sleep, or fly high into the air, he decides to go home. He does find out that his black and white penguin friends are pleased to see him back and he understands the true meaning of friendship is not always related to colour.

Written by Lynne Rickards, who lives in Scotland and comes from Canada, and illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain, Pink is published by Wacky Bee an independent publishers with an inspirational book list, definitely a publisher to watch out for.

A beautifully produced book with a strong message and great to use for young children, we recommend for 3-5 year olds at home and nursery.

Sue Martin

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Dance, Dolphin, Dance – A Californian Ocean Adventure

The DolphinJuly 15, 2019July 23, 2019

Dance. Dolphin, Dance - cover image and web link — Buy this beautiful book here...

The adventure of a bottle-nose dolphin living in the underwater kelp forest of the coast of California. The dolphin dances in the swirling waters of the kelp forest, but the waters become rougher and stronger and dolphin finds herself among other sea creatures who are escaping the stormy seas.

Tuna, a Big Blue Whale, a Great White Shark and a Killer Whale all are hiding within the kelp. Our dolphin has to be quick and escapes to the deepest part of the dark kelp forest.

A beautiful picture book written and illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy and with fascinating images using photo shop techniques showing the dolphin swimming with other creatures in the kelp forest. Published by Otter-Barry, Dance.Dolphin, Dance is a unique edition to their list of excellently published picture books.

Buy this impressive book here...

I really enjoyed this book, and especially as we had just returned from the beach in North Norfolk and seen jellyfish on the sands at low tide. No dolphins though! And we are especially keen on dolphins!!

Sue Martin

A Cat Called Trim

The DolphinJuly 8, 2019July 13, 2019

Trim was born in 1799 aboard the sailing ship Reliance, a cat born for adventure and seaward journeys. This is the story of a famous cat, Trim, who sailed with his master Matthew Flinders across the Indian Ocean and circumnavigated Australia. Courageous, mischievous and full of ideas, Trim could be seen on the rigging, along the sails and more than once ended up swimming for his life.

A beautiful book full of wonderful illustrations and an amazing story of characters, events and a way of life that is not known to us today. Except that showing kindness, being brave and trusting remain good characteristics for anyone.

Flinders and Trim were sailing back to England when they were forced to stop at the Isle de France, a fateful trip as Flinders was put in prison and one day Trim disappeared.

But they are always remembered through statues to Flinders and Trim all over the world, including Sydney, Port Lincoln and Euston Station, London.

A Cat Called Trim is written by Corinne Fenton, illustrated by Craig Smith and published by Allen and Unwin of Australia, released on 5th September 2019.

Corinne Fenton is an award-winning Australian author,and a passionate creator of picture books for younger readers and a talented presenter of books to children. Craig Smith is a highly talented illustrator of many, many children's books and his amazing pictures have a real sense of story.

Buy this book securely on-line from The Dolphin here...

I love this book, it has enormous appeal and would recommend for children from ages 5 upwards... no limit really! Order the book for dispatch on publication date of 5th September 2019.

Sue Martin

Humperdink

The DolphinJune 14, 2019June 15, 2019

Humperdink arrives at the children's playgroup.

He is not quite the same as the others and he can't play all their games, although he is very friendly.

But dressing up is a problem and hide and seek is just a disaster, even if he keeps his eyes shut!

But one day he tries the children's slide, which is their favourite thing in the whole playgroup and he is so big that he breaks it. So sad!

He is good at other things though, like follow my leader, and carrying all the children on his back for a ride.

In the end all the children love Humperdink and know just what he can do best.

Buy this great book here!

A beautiful book, and it will help children to know that we are not all the same and our differences can be the best thing for us all. recommend for children from 1- 4 years at home and in the Nursery

Written by award-winning author Sean Taylor and illustrated by award-winning illustrator Claire Alexander, Humperdink is a great new title from publishers, Words and Pictures.

Sue Martin

The Perfect Sofa by Fifi Kuo

The DolphinMarch 22, 2019March 25, 2019

The Perfect Sofa cover image and web link — Buy this book here - free delivery

‘I think we need a new sofa, ‘said Panda. 'This one is too old’.

Penguin and Panda are the best of friends and share everything, including the sofa!

Their journey through the book is a wonderful way to make choices together. Penguin and Panda are engaging and delightful, the book encourages everyone to enjoy what we have.

In the end of course, they discover that their original sofa is the best one for them both, and the book finishes with two exhausted characters on the patched up sofa, with all their things around them.

Fifi Kuo is from Taiwan and has studied in the UK at Cambridge receiving an MA in Children’s Illustration at The Cambridge School of Art. She has already been shortlisted for awards and gained Bronze in the Macmillan Prize.

The Perfect Sofa is to be published in the UK on 11^th April by Boxer Books.

It follows Fifi’s amazing title of I Can’t/Can Fly.

Fifi has a brilliant way of using illustration to convey meaning and her use of characters like Panda and Penguin show enormous loveable characters.

A great book for young children and for parents too!

Recommend for ages 2- 22!!

Sue Martin

Digger by Mike Dumbleton

The DolphinMarch 4, 2019March 8, 2019

Digger - cover image and web link — Buy this book here - free delivery

Digger is the story of one toy kangaroo, one Australian soldier, Annie and Colette, set in two countries engaged in a world at war.

It is an amazingly poignant story and beautifully portrayed in text and illustration.

It is a tribute to the French school children who tended the graves of Australian soldiers and a quiet reminder of the casualties of the battle for Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918.

James goes off to war, leaving his homeland Australia behind and takes with him Digger, a toy kangaroo which Annie, his sister, has lovingly repaired and named just for him. The pages turn over to show images of a soldier who is keen to help and fight for his own country and for others. He faces everything with courage.

Digger is always with him and they both even survive a blast in the trenches.

Colette in France, helps to repair Digger and one day he is brought to Colette without James. He is sent back to Australia repaired and with a note for Annie...

Mike Dumbleton is the author and illustrated by Robin Cowcher another great book from publishers Allen and Unwin, Australia.

With tears in my eyes on the last page, I believe this book is truly amazing and will be a sad but good read for anyone, whether they are coping with loss, learning about the effects of war or just as a brilliant picture book.

Sue Martin

There’s Hope for Everyone

The DolphinNovember 9, 2018December 31, 2018

There's room for everyone - cover image and web link — Get your copy here...

'Hope in a Scary World' is a new series of books launched by Tiny Owl publishers as part of the International Day of Peace in September 2018.

'There's Room for Everyone' is the first in this new series, which aims to reassure children and bring positive messages in response to on-going world events.

These are difficult topics including anti-war messages, the global refugee crisis and social issues such as Brexit, Trump's Muslim ban and the separation of children from parents at the US border.

Buy this book here - image and web link — ...with free delivery

Picture books are a way of allowing children to explore and talk about difficult topics in a non threatening way.

" We cover children's eyes and their ears and hope they won't see and hear: but they do see and they do understand. So we need books for children, in their own playful way, to show them what's wrong with the world and how they can fix it! And that there's always hope!" Delarem Ghanimifard, Tiny Owl Publisher.

There's Room for Everyone, which is written and illustrated by Iranian Anahita Teymorian, looks at spaces from a child's point of view and how some spaces can be too small. It ends with an image of people looking out of windows and the words, " If we are kinder, and if we love each other then in this beautiful world, there's room for everyone".

A wonderful book with a message of amazement that our world sometimes just does not see that love overcomes everything.

Recommended for all ages and especially 3-6 years

Sue Martin

Starry Skies by Samantha Chagollan & Illustrated by Nila Aye

The DolphinMay 23, 2018May 29, 2018

Starry Skies - cover image and web link — Buy this book on-line here...

Starry Skies is a great introduction to space, astronomy and earth science.

There is a strong sense of darkness in the black pages with yellow and white dots for the constellations and writing, great for trying to spot the stars in our dark skies.

A double page holds a complete constellation and includes, Pegasus, Hercules and Leo. Every night, the sky is filled with stars that tell a thousand tales. Brave warriors, regal queens, fierce beasts.

The character on the pages are walking at night and stargazing making sense of the universe above us.

Samantha Chagollan is an award-winning author and editor of children’s books. She grew up in Southern California with a passion for telling and writing stories. After gaining a degree in literature she worked in publishing and is now a freelance author.

Nila Aye is a firm favourite of the London illustration scene and there is an influence of a retro design in her characters and style.

Walter Foster JR are the publishers and are part of the QuartoKids group.

Sue Martin

Illuminature by Rachel Williams and Carnovsky

The DolphinJanuary 13, 2017January 17, 2017

Happy New Year!

2017 is going to be a great year for children's books and for Dolphin Booksellers. Thank you for all the comments about the blog which reaches places across the world; schools, children, teachers, parents.... and people who just like good children's books.

Our blogs start this year with titles published in the last year and are simply amazing.

Illuminature by Rachel Williams and Carnovosky — View, review or purchase this title from Amazon.co.uk here...

Our first title is Illuminature!

You may already know that there are hidden secrets in different places. When you walk into a garden, you don't always see the spider in the hedgerow or the worm just inder the surface of the ground.

Illuminature is a remarkable book, it explores the hidden secrets of the world's most diverse environments. A three colour lens illuminates each page in a kaleidoscope of colour.

On each double page spread there are flora and fauna that co exist in each habitat. Use the species guide to identify and find out more.

As you travel through a jungle, a reef, a mountain, grasslands, woods and rivers you'll uncover a world that never sleeps - with the graphics of Carnovsky and Williams, the innovative Milan based design duo.

Rachel Williams is the award winning author of Atlas of Animal Adventures and she lives and works in London. Her titles can also be found through Good Reads.

Milan based duo, Carnovsky, was started by Silvia Quintanilla and Fransesco Rugi in 2007. They are published around the world in magazines and famous for their wallpaper designs.

Wide Eyed Editions is an imprint of Quarto Publishing and publishes beautiful and informative books.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers

There’s a Tiger in the Garden by Lizzie Stewart

The DolphinDecember 4, 2016December 5, 2016

there's a tiger in the garden cover image — Review or purchase this title from Amazon.co.uk here...

When Grandma says she has seen a tiger in the garden, Nora doesn't believe her. She's too old to play Grandma's games. Everyone knows that tigers live in jungles not gardens?

So even when Nora sees butterflies with wings as big as her arm, and plants that try and eat her toy giraffe, and a polar bear that likes fishing, she knows there's absolutely, DEFINITELY no way there could be a tiger in the garden... Could there?

Published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books this is the debut novel from Lizzie Stewart, an illustrator and author of great talent. The story and journey line stretch deep into the imagination and will be a wonderful story to read together or alone.

Lizzie has been a freelance illustrator since graduating from Edinburgh College of Art in 2009. In 2013 she completed an MA in Communication Design at Central St. Martin. She was selected as one of the It's Nice That Graduates 2009 and was nominated for a British Comic Book Award in 2013.

Her inspiration comes from folk culture, flora and fauna and life in far flung cities and a compulsive need to tell stories. Currently Lizzie lives in London and teaches on behalf of The National Portrait Gallery.

Sue Martin