February 06, 2015

DREADFUL DAVID :: just how much dreadfulness does it take to wipe the smile off Granny's face?

February 06, 2015/ Kim Fulcher

Age guide: 4 to 8
I bought a copy of this for my family and one for my nephew David – who was not at all dreadful, making it an especially funny book for our family.

Dreadful David is one busy little kid – he wreaks havoc at Granny’s house. She is stalwart in the face of all the trouble but slowly her smile begins to fade. The last straw comes when David hoses Granny – he’s already hosed the letter box, the kitten and more.

Granny, being of the old school variety, changes David, smacks his bottom and puts him to bed. David yells for a while but finally goes to sleep and Granny comes in and kissed him on the cheek.

January 29, 2015

The Terrible Wild Grey Hairy Thing: an amusing warning about being too easily alarmed

January 29, 2015/ Kim Fulcher

ages 2 to 8 years
This is a rollicking book—so much fun to read and so much fun to look at. The story is an adapted Danish folktale and the fabulous illustrations reflect that. It’s the story of Goodie, a plump and obviously happy woman, who is making sausages to store up for her family—she makes hundreds of them and has to hang them from every nook and cranny. Inevitably, funny happens!

January 21, 2015

There's A Sea In My Bedroom: a lovely book full of subtle messages

January 21, 2015/ Kim Fulcher

Like most of Margaret Wild's books, this one is overflowing with subtle messages, in this case about conquering fear and overcoming inbuilt prejudice, told in a gentle, peaceful, homey sort of way.

ages baby to 8 years

January 12, 2015

Mile High Apple Pie: a child's love and a tender look at Alzheimer's

January 12, 2015/ Kim Fulcher

I don’t normally like books that overtly teach. I prefer the teaching part to settle gently in the recesses of small minds ready for them to catch and adapt as life throws circumstances to them that don’t quite match the books they’ve read. Mile-High Apple Pie is an exception - there's the obvious, plus much more.

ages 4 to 12 years

December 19, 2014

The Empty Stocking: naughty and nice definitely can go together!

December 19, 2014/ Kim Fulcher

Sam and Charlie are twins; one is 'naughty' and the other is 'nice'. Which is cause for some considerable consternation in the family. It turns out to be a problem for Santa too!

ages 2 to 12 years - a really fun book for Christmas!

December 15, 2014

Every Man Heart Lay Down: a haunting, lilting and memorable Nativity story

December 15, 2014/ Kim Fulcher

This is a truly gorgeous Nativity book. We love it because it tells the nativity in a way that makes new listeners stop and think and ponder to understand. The story is in idioms from Liberia and it’s beautiful to read. It’s so well told that the rhythm of the words is easy to catch and then it just flows.

ages baby to grown-up - and everyone in between.

December 12, 2014

Silent Night, Holy Night: ever wondered how this beautiful carol came to be?

December 12, 2014/ Kim Fulcher

Truly, this is a lovely book. In a time of poverty and despair, two young men - a priest and a teacher - recognised the gift that comforting words could be and created a carol that would drift and echo through the ages.