Featured children’s book – Page 10 – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

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

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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

Jasper Space Dog by Hilary Robinson

The DolphinJune 30, 2019July 1, 2019

Jasper Space Dog - image and web link — Buy this book - free delivery

Jasper Space Dog is the first in series of stories about a lovable hound with big ideas. Jasper travels and crosses time boundaries as he explores time and place. A great first chapter book which will be a good read for eager readers and for those who just love to find out more.

This first book (Moon Landing 50th Anniversary Edition) is about space and about traveling to the moon, with many references to just what it was like on those first journeys to the moon and the moon landing. Jasper just needs to know how a dog would survive.

"Would the astronauts have eaten hot dogs and how did they cook the sausages", he asks a Rocket Scientist who has all the answers to his questions.

A great addition to the story is the last section of the book which is about Apollo 11 and the crew who made the first journey to the moon and celebrated this with the first moon walk.

Buy this great book here....

Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin were the crew. Great timing to write about this book as Toy Story 4 hits the cinemas and my favourite character Buzz Light Year works with Woody and others to solve problems.

The author is Hilary Robinson, author, radio producer, broadcaster and feature writer. She was born in Devon and brought up in Nigeria and England.Author of over forty books for children. The illustrator is Lewis James, with some really appealing images, just right for an adventurous dog! It is published by Strauss Production

Recommenced in homes and schools as a great book for children around 6- 7 who are keen to read more. Look forward to the next books in the series of Jasper Dog.

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

Grobblechops

The DolphinFebruary 8, 2019February 11, 2019

What kind of monster is lurking under your bed? Grobblechops is one of those monsters that just becomes more frightening by the minute.

An old tale by Rumi, a 13th century poet and Sufi mystic, which is given a new take by award-winning author, Elizabeth Laird.

Grobblechops looms large in each of the stunning illustrations from Jenny Lucander, it is spiky and brown, with teeth as large as you can imagine and eyes that keep on staring at you.

'But what....' asks Amir at every answer given by his parents to his worried and questions. ' But what if my monster's got a Dad too?'

Eventually, Amir is persuaded that his monster might just like to play. And so he does and so does the monster's mother and father and life can calm down once again.

Brilliantly told tale and Elizabeth Laird has an amazing way of making the words on each page just right for the images.

Or maybe it's the skill of illustrator Jenny Lucander to create the pictures that fit so amazingly well with the words? Either way publishers Tiny Owl have another excellent book to add to their collection.

Watch a video from publisher

A great book to have, recommended for ages 3-7 and older too!

Sue Martin

Silent Night

The DolphinDecember 10, 2018December 31, 2018

Silnet NIght - cover image and web link — Get your copy here

The world's best-loved carol celebrated in this wonderfully illustrated book by Lara Hawthorne.

UNESCO declared this iconic song an intangible cultural heritage in 2011 and this book brings you more than the carol as it winds its way through the verses, with illustrations that will bring joy to you this Christmas.

The story of the nativity is shown and you can follow the journey of Mary and Joseph to the stable where Jesus is born, and the arrival of the guests; the shepherds, the animals and the wise men.

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

Above all the book presents the spirituality of the nativity, as the world welcomes Jesus quietly into the world, Christ the Savior is born!

I remember Silent Night from my school days,as our music teacher was so in awe of the carol that we were never able to sing it, in case it brought tears to her eyes! I have tried to sing it quietly ever since!

There is a page at the back of the book about the carol and some of the history. It was written in 1818 in Salzburg, Austria by Joseph Mohr - a curate in the town especially for the Christmas Eve service.

It was later sung on December 25th 1914, during the truce period of the First World War by soldiers on both sides of the trenches.

Lara Hawthorne, the author and illustrator is based in Bristol and has many titles to her name, including The NIght Flower and Huberto. Lincoln Children's Books part of QuartoKnows includes this title in their portfolio and it has a special place as we approach Christmas.

HIghly recommended for children of all ages.

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.

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

Secret World of Butterflies

The DolphinSeptember 14, 2018December 31, 2018

Butterflies are beautiful but they have some very odd habits. In this splendid picture book you are welcomed into their secret world; a place of colour, patterns, wings and antennae.

Gaze at the pictures which show each species in all their beauty.

They exist all over the world and are adapted to the climate and vegetation, some butterflies even drink the tears of the crocodiles. Thankfully in England we don't have chance to see that trick! But did you know that butterflies taste with their feet.

This book, published by Allen and Unwin, from 1st Oct 2018 includes many international butterflies, including some of my favourites like the Red Admiral.

Courtney Sina Meredith, a poet from New Zealand wrote the magical text which along with the amazing illustrations ( I love the butterfly's eyes!) from Giselle Clarkson combines to make this a book to buy for young children, ages 3-6, but I guess you will keep opening the pages too.

Sue Martin