BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
Kidogo the baby elephant prefers to play rather than drink at the waterhole with the rest of the herd. In another part of the jungle, PolePole the monkey also ignores breakfast to play. When she drops her collection of mangoes into the river, they sail down to Kidogo, who gathers them up for the monkey. An affectionate story with excellent illustrations for age three and upwards.
Now You See Me by Tish Rabe and Christopher Moroney (Bantam; €7.50) features Dr Seuss’s familiar character, The Cat in the Hat, in a story. Sally is bored with hide-and-seek because Nick always finds her. Trust that Cat to take the youngsters to the jungle and introduce them to Gecko, who can blend in with any hiding place. With simple, bouncy rhyme, the familiar characters, this easy to hold book is an ideal, funny read for newly independent readers.
For summer boredom, long journeys or just chillin’, Kung Fu Panda — The Official Handbook (Bantam; €5.92) is full of variety to defuse tantrums. With facts about heroic Po and his Furious Five masters of Kung Fu, along with a variety of puzzles, activities, quizzes and much more, this well-presented, well illustrated, glossy little book is one to pack.
The Devil Walks by Anne Fine (Doubleday; €13.03 HB). Protected by his psychotic mother who convinced him that he’s ill, Daniel has spent all his life cocooned in his bedroom. Pride of place there is his mother’s old doll’s house. Daniel’s life changes drastically when he’s sent to the home of Dr Marlow. Here he finds the life he’s been denied and becomes part of the family. Daniel’s happiness is cut short when a step-uncle takes him to the old, isolated family mansion, Daniel is astonished to find that it is exactly like the doll’s house, even the staff and step-uncle resemble the dolls This is a tense, sinister and thrilling read. For age 11 and upwards.
