Swings + Roundabouts Summer 2020

THE WHEELS ON THE TRUCK Sung by The Topp Twins Illustrated by Jenny Cooper Scholastic; RRP: $21.99 paperback (with CD) The Wheels on the Truck is the latest addition to The Topp Twins growing collection of picture book/CD sets for Scholastic NZ, following on from Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Dingle-Dangle Scarecrow, The Farmer in the Dell, She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, Do Your Ears Hang Low? There’s a Hole in My Bucket and Skip to the Loo, My Darlin’. If your tamariki enjoyed any of the above books, they will definitely delight in this hilarious and very New Zealand take on the classic song, The Wheels on the Bus. This time the characters are heading to the beach for some fishing alongside their mischievous and hungry dogs, which are depicted perfectly through the illustrations, and offering further humour to the book. This book will be enjoyed by tamariki 2+. WHERE IS IT? A WILDLIFE HUNT FOR KIWI KIDS By Ned Barraud Potton & Burton; RRP: $19.99 paperback I really loved the concept of this book. As an early childhood teacher, I know how much tamariki enjoy ‘seek and find’ books, and I love how this one celebrates Aotearoa’s unique wildlife. Each double page illustrated a different natural environment, including the forest, the mountains, the beach, rockpools, the ocean, an estuary and a wetland, a wildlife sanctuary and even an ancient forest. Within each of these habitats, there are many different creatures to be found. Some obvious and some more hidden. This book will support tamariki and teachers when exploring what to look for in a particular habitat, which may support place-based learning as tamariki learn about the area close to their homes and early learning centres. Barraud, is an award- winning author and illustrator, and like his other books; the illustrations are opulently detailed, with each habitat showcasing its own individual beauty. The pictures are supported by a comprehensive glossary at the end of the book, alongside information on some of the showcased creatures, such as their lifecycle, habitat and eating habits. My only gripe is that the book isn’t more bilingual. The creatures are mostly named by the English names (including many natives) or their Māori names if that is their common name, like the tūī and the kereru. In the glossary the Māori name is there alongside the English one, but as a resource it would have been really useful to have both alongside each other. This is possibly due to a limited amount of space, but I still think it is a shame, especially when many teachers are supporting tamariki to use a creature’s Māori name, especially if it is a native, such as the sacred kingfisher found here in Aotearoa. But don’t let this gripe put you off, it’s a book we will be buying for our early learning centre. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOA By Ned Barraud Potton & Burton; RRP: $29.99 hardback / $19.99 paperback What Happened to the Moa is a well- researched and beautifully illustrated book that will quench the thirst of curious tamariki who want to know what happened to New Zealand’s legendary prehistoric flightless bird. The book offers a range of facts about the moa, including descriptions of the nine different of species of moa and how moa could range in size from 3.6 metres tall, weighing 250 kilograms and laying rugby ball sized eggs; while others were no bigger than a turkey; as well as where and how moa lived and tragically how they became extinct. Although this non-fiction picture book has been designed and written for school children, it will appeal to curious older pre- schoolers. December 2020 { 37 }