Pete the Sheep - reviewed by Ben

Pete the Sheep by Jackie French

Illustrated by Bruce Whatley

Reviewed by Ben (age 7)

The book is about a Shearer who has a sheep-sheep instead of a sheep dog. The Shearer was shearing sheep but the other shearers didn't like how he had a sheep-sheep. So he left and made a sheep salon. The sheep liked going there and soon the other shearers had no sheep left to shear. All the sheep dogs wanted new haircuts and went to the salon too. The other shearers then came to work at the salon and everyone was happy.

I like the book. I like the pictures because they are colourful drawings.

Mum's comments

I love this book which is a good thing because I have been asked to read it to one of my other boys every night for 3 months straight. I love the Australian humour in the book and the Aussie slang, not many books use words like 'strewth' or 'jumping jumbucks', which is a shame really. This is a great book to read at bedtime to finish the day with a smile.

Simpson and his Donkey - Reviewed by Tom

Simpson and his Donkey by Mark Greenwood and Frane Lessac

Reviewed by Tom (age 9)

The book is about a man named Jack Simpson, who went to war. He was hoping to return to England but instead he goes to Egypt to train with the army. They then get sent to Gallipoli where he was stretcher bearer helping the people in the war who got injured. He finds a donkey to help him with carrying the injured. He named the donkey, Duffy. They did lots of trips up and down the hills. Jack was very brave to help the people when there were so many bullets. They would take water up the hill and bring back injured soldiers. Jack gets shot and he dies. He was buried and everyone was sad. He rescued over 300 men including his old friend from home.
The pictures made it look like the past because it showed horses and carts. I think it would be scary to go to war. The book showed what it was like to go to war.
I rate it 7.5/10

Mum's comments
I always struggle to read this book out loud without getting a lump in my throat. It is a lovely picture book to help children understand events such as ANZAC Day. It isn't gruesome but gives enough details of the hardships, for children to understand that war is not pleasant. I remember hearing of the story of Jack Simpson and his donkey when I was at primary school but have not heard anyone speak of it since. This picture book is a lovely way to teach the next generation about it.

Christmas Wombat - Reviewed by Ben

Christmas Wombat by Jackie French 

Illustrated by Bruce Whatley

Reviewed by Ben (aged 7)

The wombat was trying to get all the carrots. The wombat hopped on the back of Santa's sleigh every time he went somewhere and challenged the animals for the carrots. The carrots had been left for the reindeer but the wombat ate them. The wombat got back home and fell asleep and Santa brought him more carrots. I like the book. It was easy to read.

Mum's comments

Another lovely Australian book from author (Jackie French) and illustrator (Bruce Whatley) of the Diary of a Wombat book that has been very popular in this household. My boys had a chuckle reading about the Christmas Wombat who goes around eating the carrots left out for the reindeer. I love books that feature Australian animals and this cheeky but adorable wombat is very easy to fall in love with. The writing is easy for early readers to attempt by themselves.  It is a hard cover book with lovely simple and bright drawings. 

Perfect for ages 3-6

Give Me A Home Among The Gum Trees - Reviewed by Tom

Give Me a Home Among the Gum Trees by Bob Brown & Wally Johnson

Illustrated  By Ben Wood

Reviewed by Tom (age 9)

This book is about a song about Australia. In the pictures there are a lot of Australian animals that make a house among the gum trees and have a lot of plum trees.  I really like the pictures and the funny thing the animals are doing. I really like how they are making vegemite toast.

I would read it again.

I rate it 7.5/10

Mum's comments

This is a picture book featuring part of the Australian song 'Give Me a Home among the Gum Trees'.  I feel like a bad Aussie parent as my children didn't know the song or even the tune. I am surprised that they have never heard it at school. I am now going to try find a CD version of the song for them to listen too. After reading and singing the song we came back and discussed the pictures. Tom identified most of the Australian animals but thought the possum was a squirrel. This reinforces for me the need to find more Australian books to educate them about our unique Australian culture, flora and fauna. They are too exposed to American content on television and as a proud Aussie I need to be more pro-active in exposing them to Australian content.

The pictures in the book are lovely and have a very Australian feel.

Hairy Nose Itchy Butt - Reviewed by Tom

Hairy Nose Itchy Butt by Elizabeth Frankel & Garry Duncan

Reviewed by Tom aged 9

The Story is about a Hairy Nose Wombat who woke up with an itchy butt. So he went looking for his favourite scratch tree but it had disappeared. The tree had been cut down for wood. Then he went looking for his favourite salt bush to scratch on but it had also disappeared. It had been cleared for farming. Everything he goes looking for had disappeared because people had cleared the land to build stuff. He then goes home and finds his home had disappeared. He starts to cry. Another hairy nosed wombat came and invited him to stay with her. They had to cross a very dangerous busy road but then get to a Conservation Park. He finally gets to scratch his butt on a tree and lives with the kind wombat.

I liked the story and I liked how it rhymes. The story teaches us that people hurt the animals' habitat. 

I rate the book 7/10

Mum's comments

Firstly this book is Australian so it already gets bonus points from me for that. Secondly it has won awards including an award from the Speech Pathology Australia giving it 'Book of the Year'. I can certainly see why Speech Pathologists would love it as there is a frequently occurring passage that takes a bit of concentration to pronounce correctly:

With an:

Itchity, scratchity, grumble and groan.

A shudder and shake, a snort and a moan.

A grunt and a huff, and a spitterly splut.

He said:

"I really need to scratch my butt"

The book is an interesting way to explain the impact of human settlement on native flora and fauna. The plight of the poor wombat is quite sad but the need to scratch his butt lightens the story enough so that children will not be traumatized at bedtime. It is a good way to launch a discussion of conservation.

At the end of the book the authors have a written a message calling for people to work together to find solutions to help one of our native species. Part proceeds of the book go towards wombat conservation.

Santa's Aussie Holiday - Reviewed by Tom

Santa's Aussie Holiday by Maria Farrer & Anna Walker

Reviewed by Tom aged 9

This story is about Santa taking a holiday in Australia. He travels to lots of different places in Australia such as Tasmania, Sydney and Uluru. On his travels he went diving, surfing, learns about dingo rules and lots of other tourist activities. At the end of his holidays, Santa went back to the North Pole so he could get ready for December 24th.

The story was interesting and unique. I liked how the story rhymed and this made the story stand out more. The pictures looked unique and funny.

I think this is a good story to read before Christmas. I liked this book and would read it again. 

I rate it 8/10.

Mum's comments

This is a great silly book to read in the lead up to Christmas. It is a hard cover book so it will last for many Christmas seasons. I love the Australian flavour within the book. We enjoyed looking at the Australian map on the back to see where Santa had been.

The Three Little Bush Pigs reviewed by Tom

The Three Little Bush Pigs by Paul Dallimore

Reviewed by Tom aged 9

This story is like the normal three little bears but it is based in Australia. There are lots of Australian words like Mate, Dingrel, and Woop Woop. The story is about three bush pigs who set off to make new homes and have to avoid being eaten by the dingrel. The dingrel is driving around in a ute. 

I like this story as it is funny. I like the funny houses they build, the funny disguises the dingrel wears and the ending which is very funny. 

The pictures are interesting and funny. They are colourful cartoons.

It was easy to read except for the Australian words. I had to ask Mum what they meant. 

I liked the ending as it was funny.

I would read it again. 

I rate it 7.5/10

Mum's Comments

I enjoyed this book. It was funny and had a very Australian feel. There were many Australian terms throughout the story which was a great way to introduce Australian lingo. I think it is sad that our Aussie lingo is slowly disappearing from use. I try to seek out books like this that embrace our unique culture. It would have better though if the book had a glossary of terms at the back to explain the lingo. That way if Tom was reading by himself he could look up the meanings.