Bedtime Blast-off! Written by Mark Sommerset Illustrated by Pradyut Chatterjee Dreamboat Books; RRP: $29.99 Hardback Having being tricked into eating ‘smarty tablets’ in the book, Baa Baa Smart Sheep and failing to get payback in the followup tale, I Love Lemonade, Quirky Turkey sees a chance to play a trick on Little Baa Baa in this series’ latest addition, Bedtime Blast-off!. This tale is full of slapstick toilet talk humour with the simple illustrations capturing the hilarity. This is a fun read aloud for both adults and young listeners offering opportunities for lots of anticipation and participation and will be enjoyed by children 3+. The Monkey and the Moonbeam By Jonathan Smith Little Love; RRP: $30.00 Hardback This book takes us through a night time adventure around the world as the monkey NicNic searches for the softest bed in the world until finally discovering that it is not the bed that helps him sleep and feel at peace but the love from his parents. The lyrical and descriptive text offers word-play and alliteration and works well with the stunning dreamlike illustrations which are perfect for snuggles and quiet time and will be enjoyed by young children 4+. Māui – Sun Catcher / Māui – Te Kaihao i te Rā Written by Tim Tipene Illustrated by Zak Waipara Māori translation by Rob Ruha Oratia Books; RRP: $22.99 Paperback This popular bilingual retelling of this beloved pūrākau has been given a new lease of life with a paperback version. In this contemporary version Māui is a schoolboy who lives in the city with his mother and four older brothers where the day is never long enough to get things done. Young children will enjoy this modern retelling – that offers a gentler communicative style as Māui negotiates with Te Rā, along with text that is fast paced, offering rhyming verse in the English text and modern graphic-style illustrations – all which will be appealing to young readers 4+. PS I just love Māui’s superhero outfit! Rona Moon / Ko Rona Māhina Written by Tim Tipene Illustrated by Theresa Reihana Māori translation by Stephanie Huriana Fong Oratia; RRP: $22.99 Paperback In this contemporary version of Rona and the Moon, young Rona Moon gets angry with everyone – her brother, her Nana and Papa – and then one night she calls the moon stupid! Taken to meet her ancestor Whaea Rona on the moon, Rona Moon learns a lesson in how to control her temper. This sensitive adaption supports children’s understanding of ways to control ones emotions, such as being mindful by looking at the bigger picture and what’s around us. The mixed media illustrations work well with this modern retelling and will be enjoyed by young readers 4+. December 2022 { 42 }
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