KBR Recommends Summer Reads: Picture Books Part I

Martha may think her cat Lionel sleeps the day away while she is at school, but she is quite mistaken. Lionel is a worldly-wise cat with a jam-packed schedule. He busies himself during the day by catching up on his current affairs, weightlifting, cooking and enjoying some letter-writing.

Furthermore, Lionel seems to be the 'cat's meow' to the feline ladies in the neighbourhood, squeezing in time to paint their portraits, impress with his pianoforte AND play doctors and nurses!

Title: When Martha's Away
Author/Illustrator: Bruce Ingman

Publisher: Walker Books, A$16.95 RRP

Publication Date: November 2010

Format: Soft cover

ISBN: 9781406329605

For ages: 2+

Type: Picture Book

This book is available online

The dinosaurs are having a parade and everyone is invited. This colorful, pull-out book unfolds to reveal a bustling four-foot-long parade of prehistoric favorites on die-cut pages!

With simple text that introduces dinosaur names and oversized art, young readers will love to read and march along with the Dino Parade!

Title: Dino Parade
Author: Thom Wiley
Illustrator: Benji Davies
Publisher: Scholastic, $8.99 RRP
Publication Date: 2010
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780545208819
For ages: 4 - 8
Type: Picture book

This book is available online

'Twas only a niggle, the teensiest titch-but that fidgety feeling grew to an ITCH! When Timpkin gets an itch, Feather McDoo offers to scratch it for him, then Feather gets an itch, so along comes Possum Pie to help...But what happens when you're the last animal in the line? Who's going to scratch your itch? A bit of teamwork is required to solve the problem!

Title: The Fidgety Itch
Author: Lucy Davey
Illustrator: Katz Cowley
Publisher: Scholastic, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: 2010
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781869439675
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture book

This book is available online

In the warm waters of the coral reef, one hundred and one baby seahorses learn the ways of the world. They curl around coral and flutter their fins – except Leo, the littlest seahorse, who is always a bit behind. But when a hungry groper approaches, Leo proves that he, too, is capable of big things.

Title: Leo the Littlest Seahorse
Author: Margaret Wild
Illustrator: Terry Denton
Publisher: Penguin, $24.95 RRP
Publication Date: August 2010
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780670073559
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture book

This book is available online

Roaaaar! Roaar! Nothing can stop me! Nothing can stop little dinosaur - not talking grown-ups, spaghetti, or even bath time. But what happens when he faces the biggest challenge of all... bedtime? With spare text and irresistible dinosaur roaaars, little dinosaurs will be begging for this book to be read again and again.

Title: Dinosaur vs Bedtime
Author/Illustrator: Bob Shea
Publisher: Hyperion, $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: 2010
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781423113355
For ages: 3 - 5
Type: Picture book

This book is available online

From pizza shop to bora ground, here is a joyous celebration of food, dance and cultural understanding.

When three young boys go to a pizza parlour and meet an Aboriginal chef who can speak Italian and make a deadly pizza, they're in for a surprise!

All you fellas watching, come up, join in, warrima.
Clap your hands, little ones.
Stamp your feet, nannas.
Get down and dance, you smart young things, mummas and daddas.
Let's get the whole town dancing!

Title: Shake a Leg
Author: Boori Monty Pryor
Illustrator: Jan Ormerod
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: October 2010
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781741758900
For ages: 6 - 10
Type: Picture book

This book is available online