A frog story that will delight. Bibbit is a frog that loves to jump. He has a sister, no longer a tadpole, whom he calls Little Frog. The two go on a picnic and find a banana tree. They pick the juiciest banana and share it with their other frog friends. Bibbit and Little Frog don’t only have friends in the frog world, they are also friendly with rabbits, squirrels, birds – even cats and dogs. They get involved in many adventures in the wild, but soon Little Frog wants to go to the city. Bibbit is not so sure – the city makes him nervous – but eventually he follows her lead. Together they navigate the city’s busy streets, find a lift in a big building, and go to the top floor for a big surprise. Illustrator and writer Bei Lynn’s quirky story of frogs, tadpoles and other forest creatures is an utter delight from start to finish. Full of surprises and funny incidents (the scene with the balancing tadpoles is a hoot), and featuring beautiful line and watercolour illustrations, Bibbit Jumps will charm emerging readers – and adults too. For ages 7 – 8 years old Bibbit Jumps, by Bei Lynn. Gecko Press $16.99 Review by Chris Saliba A koala and her joey survive a bushfire in this touching story. Tippy and Jellybean live in the Forest. They love to eat gum leaves. But one morning they wake up to find their home is on fire. They climb up high in the trees and Tippy curls her arms around her young Jellybean. When the fire has passed, Tippy checks to see if Jellybean is burnt. Luckily, a firefighter finds them and they are taken for a plane trip to safety. A caring vet named Kami looks after Tippy and Jellybean. They are given smoothies full of gum leaves and added vitamins. Once Tippy and Jellybean are better, they are taken to an animal sanctuary where they can get back to their old ways of eating gum leaves and climbing trees. Eventually, six months later, they are taken to their home in the forest. The leaves are growing back and the animals are returning. It's a happy ending for Tippy and Jellybean. Based on a true story of two koalas from Gelantipy, East Gippsland, $1 from every sale of this book will be donated to the Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund. Gorgeously illustrated by Anil Tortop, with text by Sophie Cunningham, this is a bitter-sweet story sure to touch many Australians. 3 + years old Tippy and Jellybean by Sophie Cunningham. Illustrated by Anil Tortop. Albert Street Books. Review by Chris Saliba An amazing book of facts and figures about ants. Who would have thought that ants could be so much fun? In this new book from Philip Bunting (Koalas Eat Gumleaves, Kookaburras Love to Laugh) we learn all sorts of fascinating facts and figures about the humble ant. Did you know there are 10 quadrillion ants? Amazing! And that ants communicate by smell? That's right. Ants talk to each other through an “odorous alphabet of smells.” Ants organise themselves in complex colonies where everyone has a special job to do, either laying eggs, gathering food or doing housework. They are also eco-friendly, recycling nutrients from plants and trees to create richer soil. And after a busy spell of work, ants like to take a powernap before starting all over again. The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants presents all this information with bright, lively illustrations and easy-to-follow graphics. There are quite a few laughs in the text, too. One ant holds its new born and says “I larva you”. The book is tied up with a neat message about the importance of caring for the environment, family and community. Entertaining and educational, The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants will leave you in a cheerful mood. 4+ years old The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants, by Philip Bunting. Omnibus Books. $17.99 Review by Chris Saliba |
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