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If I had an octopus by Gabby Dawnay & Alex Barrow

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 15 Apr 2021

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I really want a clever pet, a pet with many charms.
The sort of pet with talents, and a large amount of arms

Have you ever thought about what the best aquatic pet would be? It’s an octopus, of course! Playing different ball games simultaneously and staying camouflaged when it’s bedtime is eight times the fun – just watch out for the ink…

With vibrant illustrations and playful rhymes, If I Had an Octopus is a charming and imaginative tale about bedtime story that follows a little girl’s flight of fancy as she imagines the advantages and disadvantages of having an octopus for a pet.

More books in the series:
If I Had A Dinosaur
If I Had A Sleepy Sloth
If I Had A Unicorn

Follow Alex Barrow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexmaglalangbarrow/

Not That Pet by Smriti Halls ill. Rosalind Beardshaw

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“combines a rollicking quest for the ideal animal companion with a feast of visual and verbal jokes and a delightful mixed family” GUARDIAN

Mabel and her family are getting a pet! There’s no time to lose! But which kind of animal should they choose? Not the snake – it’s too scary. The elephant’s too big. The worms are too wriggly and the hyena too giggly. Then Mabel has the perfect idea. But will her family agree? A laugh-out-loud rhyming story about finding the perfect pet – with plenty of hilarious twists along the way.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosalindbeardshaw/
Follow the author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smriti_halls_author/

When Jelly Had a Wobble by Michelle Robinson ill. Tom Knight

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 30 Mar 2021

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A laugh-out-loud picture book that explores our emotions and reassures toddlers that having the wobbles is OK.

Wibble wobble, wibble wobble, Jelly on a plate

When Jelly is entered into the ‘Best Food Competition’, it makes him wobble with worry. Everyone loves chicken nuggets and pizza – but does everyone love jelly? Suddenly he’s filled with self-doubt. But soon Jelly learns that the things that make us different should be celebrated… and that it’s definitely OK to have a wobble every now and then.

From the creators of When Cucumber Lost His Cool and The Day the Banana Went Bad. Knight’s bright and bold illustrations are hugely engaging.

Check out this Meet An Illustrator feature with Tom Knight.

The Tale of the Whale by Karen Swann ill. Padmacandra

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A BfK Book of the Week

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Where land becomes sky and the sky becomes sea,
I first saw the whale, and the whale first saw me.
And high on the breeze came his sweet-sounding song
I’ve so much to show you, if you’ll come along.

Come on a magical journey of wonder and discovery from misty seaside shorelines to cold ice capped seas. This beautiful tale of friendship between a child and a whale invites us to consider our responsibilities towards the environment and makes a direct plea to end plastic pollution.

Follow the illustrator on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/padmacandrameek/

Alone! by Barry Falls

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“Falls fills the illustrations with comically posed creatures and a racially diverse set of supporting human characters…” KIRKUS

There once was a boy called Billy McGill
who lived by himself at the top of a hill.
He spent every day in his house all alone
for Billy McGill liked to be on his own.

But life doesn’t always turn out how you plan it…

One day Billy hears the squeak of a mouse – destroying his perfectly peaceful existence. So he gets a cat to catch the mouse. But the cat and the mouse make friends. So he gets a dog to chase the cat. But they all play together too. So then he gets a bear… then a tiger… and on it goes, until Billy’s house is so filled with characters that he has to move out. Will he find that he still craves peace and quiet, or is it actually quite lovely to have company and friends?

The brilliant second book—the first was It’s Your World Now—from Barry Falls is a laugh-out-loud tale of growing chaos, with a lovely message about how it’s good to have friends.

The Worrying Worries by Rachel Rooney ill. Zehra Hicks

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“The Worrying Worries is a great picture book for kids. Written in rhyme, the story is fun and upbeat. It’s full of entertaining and relatable shenanigans that engage and trigger giggles. Zehra Hicks’ vibrant illustrations sparkle with colour and the funky characters are joyful (even the Worry, which really is very cute). All this brilliantly disguises a story that deals with a challenging topic. Worry and stress is very real, for all ages, and if we don’t have strategies to deal with them, they can take over our lives and make things very hard for us. The Worrying Worries shows kids some simple tricks to help calm down and ignore worries when they start to shout too loudly in our heads. It also normalises worrying, which I love.”  KidsBookReview

What happens when you get a Worry? They can follow you around everywhere, and they are HUNGRY. They feed on your fears and put sad thoughts in your head until they’ve grown so big, it can be hard to get anything done! Luckily, the Worry Expert knows exactly what to do.

Follow poet Rachel Rooney on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rooneypoet/
Follow Zehra Hicks on Instagram:

 

 
 
 
 
 
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The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Book by Lucy Rowland ill. Ben Mantle

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A witty take on a much-loved fairy tale, The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Book celebrates the magic of reading and storytelling, and being kind to others.

A follow-up to Little Red Riding Hood by the same author-illustrator team:

When Ben’s mum gets distracted halfway through his bedtime story, he decides to finish the tale himself. There’s only one problem – he can’t quite read yet. To Ben’s surprise, the three little pigs come knocking on the door, and the big bad wolf isn’t far behind … But this time, will the story have a different ending?

The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez ill. Lauren Semmer

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 5 Jan 2021

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“Endnotes clarify terms and figures, and a resource list includes child-friendly books, websites, museums, and poems. A substantive and affirming addition to any collection.” KIRKUS

Brimming with passion, beauty, flow, and style, here is an ABC book like no other – a celebration of Black history and culture in lively verse, matched with illustrations that are each like a folk painting. Written by poet Rio Cortez and illustrated by Lauren Semmer, the book teaches the alphabet in a far more interesting and meaningful way than the usual “A is for apple, B is for ball.” Letters represent history – G is for the Great Migration. Culture – K for Kwanzaa. People and places – H is for Harlem and Zora Neale Hurston. And big ideas – like B for beautiful, bold, brave, brotherhood.

R is for rise, to reach for the top.
Relentlessly striving, refusing to stop.
Like ballplayers, boxers, and gymnasts who fly.
Like presidents and justices who dared to ask why?

Follow poet Rio Cortez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohreallyrio/
Follow Lauren Semmer on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bylaurensemmer/