Featured illustrators – Page 9 – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

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

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A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.

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

Please Mr Magic Fish by Jessica Souhami

The DolphinSeptember 27, 2018December 31, 2018

Please Mr Magic Fish - cover image and web link — Get your copy...

Jack and his wife can't believe their luck when the Magic Fish gives them a pretty little cottage, food to eat and a blue teapot on the table. But they never say thank you and they always want more.

Eventually the fish gets angry with their demands and the sea rages. Jack and his wife should have stopped asking for more because eventually it doesn't go well. Find out what happens, click on the image to buy the book.

Please Mr Magic Fish - image and web link — ...with free delivery

This is a beautifully written and illustrated tale with a fresh and lively re-imagining of this old folk story, by Jessica Souhami. She is an excellent storyteller and artist, using bold colours and characters that leap through the pages.

Published in August 2018, by Otter-Barry Books, this book will make an excellent buy for home and nursery, ages 3-5 years.

Sue Martin

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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

If All the World Were… by Joseph Coelho & Allison Colpoys

The DolphinAugust 30, 2018December 31, 2018

If All the World were... - cover image and web link — Buy this book here...

'If all the world were springtime

I would replant my Grandad's birthday's

so that he would never get old'.

A stunningly beautiful book about missing someone.

From springtime to winter the pages travel with a girl and her Grandad, laughing smiling, sharing stories, Indian sweets and home-made toys. A book full of happiness.

Then one day his chair is empty, with only his slippers and a new notebook, but no Grandad.

If All the World Were… by Joseph Coelho & Allison Colpoys - cover image and web link — Free delivery!

In the wonderful illustrations the girl takes the new notebook and writes her memories and draws her best pictures, all of them with her Grandad.

This is just a beautiful book from Joseph Coehlo and Allison Colpoys, published by Lincoln Children's Books. The words and illustrations match the essence of the story; that happiness can be found again even if you lose someone very close.

Couldn't resist adding a video...

I love it!

Recommend for ages 3 and upwards....

Sue Martin

Books for younger readers- free delivery

Turtles, Snakes and Other Reptiles

The DolphinAugust 23, 2018August 23, 2018

Budding naturalists will love this small encyclopedia, packed with pictures and info.

Turtles, Snakes and Other Reptiles is part of a series of large pocket size books on all manner of things. Bite size pieces of information include things like, the sea turtle is an ocean wanderer and travels 8000 kilometres in search of food.

On each page there is a section called Do You Know, with bullet points of info that are easily remembered and A Closer Look, which details facts about the creatures.There are pages for instance on sea turtles, giant tortoises, iguanas, chameleons, geckos, snakes and crocodiles.

After the introduction, which has a very clear description of animal and reptile names, you will come across the family and species sections with colourful pages inclduing photos and illustrations.

Turtles, Snakes and Other Reptiles is written by natural history expert Dr Amy Jane Beer with illustrations by Alice Pattullo. The series is published by Lincoln Children's Books in collaboration with The Natural History Museum, London.

Dr Amy-Jane Beer has a career in science,writing about ideas and results from her work in biology, knowing that the natural world will never cease to puzzle, amaze and entrance. Her website is brilliant, and excellent blog Wild Story.

A great, colourful read - packed with information!

Alice Pattullo is an illustrator based in East London. She explores British tradition, folklore and superstitions making limited edition screen prints for sale in galleries across the UK.

This book will take you both into the countryside in England and to further shores, such as Northern Australia, a great book to have. Recommended for ages 6-8 years, and of course for adults too!!

Now off to do some exploring...

Sue Martin

A Kid in My Class Poems by Rachel Rooney and illustrated by Chris Riddell

The DolphinAugust 14, 2018August 16, 2018

A Kid in My Class - cover image and web link — Buy this book here - free delivery!

Meet a class of school children, every one described in A Kid in My Class, the pushy one to the shy one, the tough kid and the not so tough!

A favourite is...

Cool… He thinks he’s a sub hero dude. A dude.
A geezer who’s too cool for school uniform.
Chews on mint gum. Calls me Swot, Loser, Dumb.
Tells me to chill. Thinks he is it.
Well, he’s not.

This is a great collection and will be much enjoyed by children around ages of 8 –11. It speaks about how you feel as an individual in a class of others. And how others feel the same, even though they don’t say anything.

Buy this book button - image and web link — Free delivery!

Rachel Rooney is an award winning and well renowned poet who has contributed to this year’s official National Poetry Day anthology, Poetry for a Change. Rachel lives in Brighton and is in demand for school events and performances at festivals, and as a previous special needs teacher, she has many skills on how best to interact with children and support their enjoyment and learning..

Chris Riddell has some brilliant sketches on every page which make the poems come alive. He was Children’s Laureate from 2015-17 and has many awards for his work. He is also president of The School Library Association. His vast number of books includes Goth Girl and A Great Big Cuddle (Michael Rosen)

Otter-Barry Books are publishers of some excellent books and have an excellent poetry range in their book list.

Sue Martin