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The Pigeon Wants A Puppy by Mo Willems Analysis
The Pigeon Wants A Puppy by Mo Willems is one of my kid’s favourite books. The Pigeon books are similar to the Elephant and Piggie books in graphic design and in humour. STORY STRUCTURE OF THE PIGEON WANTS A PUPPY SHORTCOMING When I read this quote from the author/illustrator I knew that Willems thinks of […]
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Pig the Winner by Aaron Blabey Analysis
Pig The Winner, written and illustrated by Aaron Blabey, is another picture book in the widely-loved Pig The Pug series. I suspect these will become Australian classics in the same way the Hairy Maclary books became New Zealand classics. I pick and choose when it comes to Aaron Blabey books. Pig The Fibber, which felt […]
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Good Morning Mr Pancakes by Chris McKimmie Analysis
I first heard of Australian author illustrator Chris McKimmie on Children’s Books with Kate De Goldi. One of the secrets to success as an illustrator is having an instantly recognisable, one-of-a-kind style. McKimmie’s various book covers will give you a glimpse of his style. The naive style of art also works really well to encourage […]
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The Trip by Ezra Jack Keats Analysis
The Trip by Ezra Jack Keats was first published 1978, which makes it 40 years old. This picture book is an excellent example of photography as motif, but using a peep show box instead.
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A Lion In The Meadow by Margaret Mahy and Jenny Williams Analysis
Child characters ignored by adults — even in the midst of clear and present danger — are stock fodder and perennial favourites in children’s stories. A Lion In The Meadow by Margaret Mahy is a standout example.
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The Nightfish by Helen McCosker Analysis
The Nightfish is an Australian picture book written and illustrated by Helen McCosker. Published in 2006, this children’s story makes a good counterpoint to There’s A Sea In My Bedroom (1984).
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There’s A Sea In My Bedroom by Margaret Wild Analysis
There’s A Sea In My Bedroom (1984) is a classic Australian picture book, written by Margaret Wild and illustrated in realistic fantasy style by Jane Tanner.
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Dinner Time In Art and Storytelling
What does dinner time look like in your house? Do you see your own family tradition reflected in children’s books? I remember hearing once — perhaps on the yak track of Downton Abbey — that, for film makers, table scenes are the most difficult to shoot and edit. Unlike in any other scene, the characters […]
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Theodore Mouse Goes To Sea by Michaela Muntean Analysis
Theodore Mouse Goes To Sea is a Little Golden Book first published 1983. The illustrations are by Lucinda McQueen. There is a series of stories about Theodore the Mouse.
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President Squid by Aaron Reynolds and Sara Varon Analysis
The most hilarious thing about President Squid is that it is not about President Trump. Well, of course it’s about Trump and all of his kind, but as the author told Betsy Bird in an interview, it was already written and in the publishing pipeline before Trump even began his campaign. Reynolds wrote it around […]
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The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter Analysis
and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. Squirrel Nutkin is an example of a story from the First Age of Children’s Literature, though Beatrix Potter herself did much to usher in the more modern style of children’s story.
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Mister Dog by Margaret Wise Brown and Garth Williams Analysis
Mister Dog, written by Margaret Wise Brown, was first published by Little Golden Books in 1952. This was the last book published in Wise Brown’s lifetime before she died age 42. Garth Brown illustrated the text in his distinctive Garth Brown style. The story is about a dog with the stand-out gag that he ‘belongs […]
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Scuffy The Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton Analysis
The Little Golden Books series was launched in 1942, just as the second world war ended. Children needed to hunker down with cosy stories (along with their parents). Scuff The Tugboat was one of the earlier publications of this highly successful franchise, first printed in 1946, and the epitome of ‘cosy’. Now you can buy […]
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Up and Up by Shirley Hughes Analysis
This month I wrote a post on Teaching Kids How To Structure A Story. Today I continue with a selection of mentor texts to help kids see how it works. Let’s look closely at another wordless picture book, this time by Shirley Hughes: Up and Up, from 1979. STORY STRUCTURE OF UP AND UP Up and Up […]
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Bye Bye Baby by Janet and Allan Ahlberg Analysis
This month I wrote a post on Teaching Kids How To Structure A Story. Today I continue with a selection of mentor texts to help kids see how it works. Let’s look closely at a picture book called Bye Bye Baby by husband and wife team Janet and Allan Ahlberg. I’ve chosen Bye Bye Baby to contrast […]