{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Sandra Boynton

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The brains behind award winning books like Barnyard Dance, Your Personal Penguin, Philadelphia Chickens, Blue Moo: 17 Jukebox Hits From Way Back Never, Sandra Boynton is more than just a children's author. She is a humourist, illustrator and songwriter too, and has illustratoed over four thousand greeting cards and written and produced four music albums. Sandra was born in 1953 in New Jersey, US, and is married to writer and Olympic athelete Jamie McEwan.

To share more about this multi-talented author is Yvonne. She is a proud mummy of one happy toddler who is juggling both work and family at the same time. Besides busy chronicling her life through instagram, she blogs at Beadsyy’s Diary whereby she shares her journey through Parenthood and anything under the sun. Yvonne enjoys spending quality time with her family and loves family kisses the most.

*****

There is this thing about funny children’s stories. You can never get enough of them. Not even when you are an adult.

Sandra Boynton is an American humorist, songwriter, children's author and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults. It was by chance that I came upon her books. I recalled a few months after Ally was born, I was looking around for some bedtime books that I could read to her. Then I came across her “The Going To Bed Book” while doing my research online. So off I went to the bookstore to get that book and as they always said, “The rest is history”. 

I fell in love with the story the moment I read through it. It was short and simple but packed with so much humour and silliness. I particularly like how each sentences rhyme at the end. It’s catchy and reading it is really fun. We read it almost every night when Ally was younger. I never get tired of it.

Ally at 5 months old

Our favourites

Besides this, the talented Sandra Boynton wrote many other books that were just as funny. Here are some of my favourites:

The Little Pookie’s Series

Little Pookie is this little piglet. There are a couple of stories that revolves around Little Pookie and his parents or just Little Pookie. I love this series because we can almost relate it in terms of our family. Besides this, I’m sure most children can relate to Little Pookie’s various experiences like in “Little Pookie”, “Happy Birthday, Little Pookie”, “Night Night, Little Pookie”, “Let’s Dance, Little Pookie”, “What’s Wrong, Little Pookie?”. These books are just perfect for family reading time.

Belly Button Book!

Seriously? A book on belly buttons? Oh yes and only Sandra Boynton can make belly buttons look so interesting and cute in this “Belly Button Book!”. And complete with her illustrations of those big chubby hippos and their teensy belly buttons just made the whole reading experience more intriguing.

But Not The Hippopotamus

This is a story about this hippopotamus that was to shy to join the other animals. All it did was to hide and watch the other animals play but this ended when the animals invited him to join them. I think this is a great story to share with children who are rather shy in nature or to a class at the beginning of the school year. This story also has an interesting twist at the end. Very fun!

The Going To Bed Book

I love this story so much that I even did a video recording of it about 2 years ago. I can even recite the story sans the book at a drop of the hat. No kidding. Sometimes when I read, Ally will end off with the last syllable of each rhyming phrase, which is really amazing. 

Recently, I have also found out that there’s an interactive app for this book that you can purchase. I got it for Ally and it’s really cute. 

I’m going to leave all this talk about Sandra Boynton’s right here. You can go check out more about her and her works via her website. 

Last but not least, have fun!

{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Oliver Jeffers

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Oliver Jeffers is an artist, designer, illustrator and writer from Northern Ireland. His work, which ranges from figurative painting and installation to illustration and picture-book writing, has been exhibited in New York, Dublin, London, Sydney, Washington DC and Belfast. He is also widely known for his picture books for children. His first book How to Catch a Star debuted in 2004 to critical acclaim and became instantly popular with children and parents alike.

Lost and Found, which was published in 2005 won the Nestles Smarties Book Prize Gold Medal 2006, the Blue Peter Book Award 2006 and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal the same year. He has since been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal three more times, for The Way Back Home, The Great Paper Caper and The Heart and the Bottle. He also the Roald Dahl Funny Prize twice in 2009 and 2012, for his books The Great Paper Caper and Stuck.

Debra will be sharing more about this talented author with us today. She is working mum to two sweet boys Sean (3 years) and Ryan (9 months). On her blog, http://olimomok.livejournal.com/, she writes mostly about fun family experiences, the kids' growing up moments and her own parenting journey. She enjoys reading, writing, making things and spending time with her kids and often wishes there were more hours in the day to do everything.

*****

Oliver Jeffers is relatively new to the world of book illustration and... to us! We only discovered his books very recently on the recommendation of friends. 'They are wonderful books for boys - your son will love them,' they said. And they were spot-on! Sean lapped up every last one of his beautiful picture books and we too fell in love with the rich, child-like illustrations, subtle humour and uplifting stories about courage, friendship and hope.

Jeffers is best known for his debut trio of Once there was a boy books: How to Catch a Star, Lost and Found and The Way Back Home. They chronicle the heartwarming adventures of a nameless young boy with some rather unusual companions. They are firm favourites in our household.

How to Catch a Star was inspired by a Brer Rabbit story Jeffers read as a child. It has our little hero set out on an ambitious quest to catch himself a star to play with and talk to. It doesn’t quite go as planned but the story ends with a unexpected twist that will no doubt make you smile. 

The Way Back Home sees the boy jet off into outer space before he encounters engine trouble and finds himself stranded on the moon. He meets an alien who is in the same predicament as he is and they worked hand-in-hand to get themselves off the moon. Great story about working together to overcome differences. 

Lost and Found has our plucky young hero befriend a lonely, mute penguin who shows up on his doorstep one day. Thinking the penguin may lost, he rows all the way to the South Pole braving hell and high waters (quite literally) to get his little friend home only to realise that home is, in fact, where the heart is. 

Stuck is a silly story about a boy who got his kite stuck in a tree one day and tries to dislodge it by hurling all sorts of preposterous things up the tree. The absurdity of some of the items (like the ladder and tiny saw) escapes Sean at his young age but it is still one of our top laugh-out-loud funny books to read at bedtime. Oh, and there is a lovely video of Oliver Jeffers himself reading this book with an animated version of the illustrations playing in the background. You can view it here.      

Up and Down is a touching sequel to Lost and Found. The boy and penguin get along famously and become the best of friends. One day, the penguin sets off on a personal quest to learn how to fly. Very sweet story about helping a friend out and reaching for your dreams no matter how crazy they may seem. This book also makes us want to learn how to play backgammon!

The Heart and the Bottle is about a girl who loses someone dear and seals her heart in a bottle just so she didn't have to hurt anymore. Beautiful story which struck a deep chord in me because of the delicate way it is able to convey the feelings of loss and bereavement. Probably more suited for older children. Oliver Jeffers books has piqued my inquisitive three-year-old's interest about many things about our world. We have had many interesting conversations about outer space, aliens, penguins, who lives in the South Pole, why animals can’t talk, why stars only appear at night and which birds can/cannot fly :) You can find out more about Oliver Jeffers on his website. Happy reading!

{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Hans Christian Andersen

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Some of my favourite fairy tales are penned by the legendary Hans Christian Andersen. From The Ugly Duckling to the Little Mermaid, these are tales that I grew up with and will never forget.

So I am very delighted that PC is sharing all about this wonderful author with us today. She is a mother of two girls, aged 7 and 2 respectively. She takes a part-time working scheme this year to learn better juggling between family and work (as well as her self). She blogs at Simply Us, a place where keeping her sane amidst the all the whining and messes.

*****

Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author and poet who wrote many poems, plays, stories and travelogues, but is best known for his fairy tales. He once said that ideas for his stories 'lie in my mind like seeds and only need the kiss of a sunbeam or a drop of malice to flower'. Andersen's fairy tales of fantasy that are filled with moral values are popular with children and adults all over the world. 

Andersen was born on April 2, 1805, in Odense, Denmark. His father was a shoemaker, and his mother earned money washing other people's clothes. His parents spoiled him and encouraged him to develop his imagination. Many say his life is a fairy tale itself, as he came from a poor background and yet became a remarkable storyteller for many decades. 

This was my first book of fairy tales.

I could not remember when exactly I got it, probably it was during my upper primary schooling years. The book consists of twelve long stories with only one picture to illustrate each story. Some even had no pictures. But those powerful words were enough to blow my mind as a child. Not all of the stories ended happily ever-after, but I was immersed in the rich, imaginary world of the author to learn about good life values through princes and princesses, the poor and the wealthy classes, sparrows, swallows, ducklings, swans, peas, shoemakers and what not. I read the book so many times that I wonder if the tales were true? Most of the tales begin by saying it was a tale told long ago and retold before it is forgotten, or it was a tale told by a swallow or sparrow, which made the tales so believable, that I hoped I could listen and understand the birds tweeting. And, some stories sounded so real to me that I wished I could visit the museum that displayed the pea!

Yes, I am talking about stories written by Hans Christian Andersen.  It was very much later I realised that Hans C. Andersen is one of the world's most beloved children's author in the world. Almost everyone would have heard of his famous tales such as The Ugly Duckling, Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Suit, and many more. Many of his stories are sophisticated and beautifully written, with tales that provoked my emotionss. I took a long time to accept that Little Mermaid didn't get to become a princess and instead transformed into the cold foam of sea. 

He wrote more than one hundred and fifty fairy tales. He set new ground in both style and content, and employed idioms and forms of spoken language in a way that was new in Danish writing, leading many critics to commend his informal, chatty style. While fairy tales in his time were didactic and meant to convey information, he brought wit, irony and often ambiguity to his tales. Many of these tales teach us moral values that would help in everyday life or warn against something.

To me, he is the greatest storyteller, with an ability to weave the imaginary with reality. Different individuals would perceive different messages from each and every story of Andersen. For example, The Little Match Girl spoke out for exploited children sent by their parents to beg in the streets. I was shock to learn that, and at the same time, it taught me a lesson that how blessed I was with what I had as a little girl (I thought I was poor, but neh). Whilst, in The Fir Tree, he told a very meaningful story of the life of a Fir Tree rejoice in its growth and presence. 

"He now felt glad at having suffered sorrow and trouble, because it enabled him to enjoy so much better all the pleasure and happiness around him; for the great swans swam round the new-comer, and stroked his neck with their beaks, as a welcome."(from 'The Ugly Duckling') 

Over the years, Andersen's tales have “evolved”. Reading his tales again after growing up with abridged and altered versions of his creations can be quite amusing, especially with a pre-schooler. Many of the stories are simpler and yet still contain amazing appeal to inspire a new generation. When my elder daughter was three (or four), I started to read Thumbelina and The Ugly Duckling to her. We even went to watch The Ugly Duckling.

However, my girl first learned about the Little Mermaid through Walt Disney, so much so she refused to accept the ending of the original version. I can't blame her, it is a happy ending compared to Andersen's original. Well, she will learn the real beauty and power of Andersen's literary wonders someday.

She has since continued with other stories like The Emperor's New Suit. I love this as Andersen used the character of a child to speak the truth and question the moral of deluding oneself. Not every criticism or opinion is worth to be uttered:

"But he has nothing on at all," said a little child at last. "Good heavens! listen to the voice of an innocent child," said the father, and one whispered to the other what the child had said. "But he has nothing on at all," cried at last the whole people. That made a deep impression upon the emperor, for it seemed to him that they were right; but he thought to himself, "Now I must bear up to the end." And the chamberlains walked with still greater dignity, as if they carried train which did not exist." (from 'The Emperor's New Suit,').

Recently my girl got to read The Nightingale in a simpler version via Usborne (part of the school reading program). It was a version without Death and very much easier for her to read on her own. I took the opportunity to get The Nightingale from library and go through the story with her. This version contained many more difficult words and more complicated scenes (compare to Usborne's).

"The king seemed on the verge of death until the nightingale who had been banished from the court upon hearing of his illness came to offer comfort and indeed she managed to chase death away. By doing so, she gained her freedom and a promise from the king that he would listen his little bird and be a just and compassionate ruler. In turn, the nightingale would come back and sing for him to fill his heart with joy." (extracted from here)

While I read, explained along the way, Death is introduced to her for the first time. So she asked, "Who is he?" The book happened to have the illustration of the Death staring at the ill emperor with his cold, hollow eyes and many faces surrounded the room, making the scene fearfully still.

Her other questions included: "Can Death take away the emperor's spirit by judging his good and bad deeds?", "Why do you want to take away the emperor's spirit?" and "Why are there so many faces?"

I pondered, knowing what a scaredy-cat she is. "He is someone very powerful who does his work like an emperor to decide whether you can live or die," I replied.

"How?"

I tried to answer it tactfully. In many story books, Death is more of a loss, intangible, rather than being portrayed as a character  that comes judges you at the last moment of your life. I told her that, it is the uniqueness of the story and is meant to remind us that there is nothing to be afraid of, even if it seems fearful in the story. Death is part of life, and in the case of The Nightingale, the emperor was ill and his body may just "stop working", hence the spirit has to leave the body and resulting in the death of the emperor.

I wasn't sure, but I reckon it was good to keep her contemplating and come back to me with other forms of question relating to death.

We'll see.

The story leads to a happy ending after all. The Nightingale showed her appreciation, revisited the ill emperor and chased the evil faces away. By doing that, she earned her freedom and a promise from the emperor.

L-R: The Ugly Duckling, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Princess and the Pea, The Nightingale, The Little Match Girl, The Emperor's New Clothes

There are far too many Andersen's tales to share here. The books illustrated above are just some I can find from the fairy tale corner of a local library. Perhaps you could find a suitable story for your child(ren) in the list here before you head to the library to borrow the book.

Andersen's tales has been published in numerous collections during his life and many are still in print today. Through this exercise of re-reading the tales and researching more about Andersen, I enjoyed my self once again in his fabulous stories in English vis-a-vis the Chinese version of mine. My first book of fairy tales was somewhat unabridged from the English version, not bad, in my opinion. 

[Some other tales in my book include The Red Shoes, The Pea Blossom, The Buckwheat, The Flying Trunk that I opine they are more suitable to older children in upper primary school level.]

{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Emily Lim

Emily Lim

This week, we discover more about a Singapore award-winning author Emily Lim. A graduate of the Nanyang Business School, Emily Lim's debut picture book Prince Bear and Pauper Bear is based on her personal experiences of coping with Spasmodic Dysphonia, a rare voice disorder. She went on to write more picture books, including Just Teddy and The Tale of Rusty Horse.

In 2008 and 2009, Prince Bear & Pauper Bear and Just Teddy won the bronze Medals at the IPPY Awards, the world's largest book awards competition. She became the first in Asia to win 2 IPPYs and also the first in Southeast Asia to win an IPPY in children's books since the inception of the awards. Her third book, The Tale of Rusty Horse also won the Gold Medal at the Moonbeam Awards, one of the fastest growing US-based children's book awards.

I am happy to introduce Ng Ling Siew, who will be sharing with us one of her favourite books by Emily Lim.

She is a mother to two boys – Nathan (almost 3 years old) and Noah (1 year old).  She recently quit her full time job, so that she could have more time for her boys. It took her a long time before she decided to stay home full time, and boy is she glad she did.  She’s started Mama Shoppe, which she operates out of home.  She blogs at The View from Mama’s Desk, where she writes about her boys’ adventures at school, at ‘work’ and at play.

*****

I chanced upon Emily Lim's books before I even had kids, and loved how she weaves important life lessons into her stories. Neal Sharp does a fantastic job with the illustrations, and really brings the book to life for young kids. We've read Bunny Finds The Right Stuff, The Tale of Rusty Horse and Prince Bear & Pauper Bear. Of these, my favourite is Bunny Finds the Right Stuff.

The story goes... bunny is a toy rabbit who isn't happy with the way he was - flat feet, floppy ears and droopy shoulders. He keeps thinking that he is missing out on some stuff, and was always feeling down. He went about looking for stuffing so he could stuff himself up, but was not able to find any. He went about filling himself up with soil and blueberries, and these things weighed him down further and caused him to feel rather blue. At the end of the story, we read about how his friends went about helping him to step out of his rut. In the end, bunny realised that he had been lovingly made and also was thankful for all the friends he has.

I liked that the story is simple, and spoke about truths that all of us should cling to - that we are all lovingly created, and special in our own way.

Emily Lim is from Singapore and her books are inspired by her own journey of seeking God after she was diagnosed with a rare voice disorder. She shared about how her own journey of seeking God took her down many "rabbit holes" just like bunny. Finally, she realised that her need for completeness could only be met through knowing God.

{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Julia Donaldson

Julia Donaldson

One of her most popular books is The Gruffalo. Others include Night Monkey Day Monkey and The Magic Paintbrush. She's Julia Donaldson. In 2011, she was chosen to be the Children's Laureate, and her term runs from June last year to June 2013. This role is awarded once every two years to an eminent writer or illustrator of children's books to celebrate outstanding achievement in their field. Find out more about it here. 

Sharing with us about Julia Donaldson today is Alicia Tan. A caffeine addict mum of 1 daughter who is journeying with my heart on the sleeve in this thing called Parenting. Alicia blogs about Arts and Crafts, Cooking, Parenting and her Homeschooling journey at http://www.beanienus.blogspot.com. 

*****

When I was younger, my favourite children's authors were like Enid Blyton and enjoyed titles from Aesop's Fables. When I became a mum, I suddenly became aware of so many other children's titles! Hence it was hard to decide on just one for this guest post. So I went on the perspective of the author which Dumpling and I enjoyed a lot together and she is none other than Julia Donaldson! :) 

When Dumpling and I first read some of her titles, they were really simple ones like One Ted falls out of Bed, Hippo has a Hat, etc.  

When Dumpling was older, we enjoyed longer stories with stronger plots. And of course, one of her personal favourites is the well-loved title: The Gruffalo. The Gruffalo is a story about brain versus brawn; between a mouse and a monster and how a small seemingly insignificant mouse manages to outsmart 3 predators and, even the Gruffalo himself. 

We had so much fun with this title. Intially, Dumpling was a tad frightened of this big monster with knobby knees and turned-out toes... so much so that while reading, she covered her face and refused to look at the page. She kept her face covered for such a long time that I could actually take a photo of her! LOL

The beauty of Julia Donaldson's books lies in the lovely rhyme and the humor - just take a look at the sample pages below! :p With the repetitive "verses" the child catches on quickly too. 

Source: http://clubs-kids.scholastic.co.uk/products/43189 

There is an official website where Dumpling and I also downloaded activities for some craft and dramatizing and had a ball of a time! 

And as 'luck' would have it, the plays were in town and we caught them too :)

Another of our favourite title from the same author is Room on the Broom. The story is about a witch and her cat flying on a broomstick when the witch loses her bow accidentally and three animals helped her along. In return, they got a ride on her broomstick where they were later able to save the witch from a hungry dragon. 

I do not really like seat work for young children (Dumpling was around 2 then) so, after reading this title, we ventured into more play learning. We learnt about shapes where I left her piece the various shapes together to form a witch (she did this without help). This was also a great way to introduce her to colours and spatial awareness. 

We then followed up with a baking activity the next day. For the little ones this is a great way to get them to hone their motor skills as well as introduce them to basic counting (via measurement of ingredients - 2 eggs, 1 cup of water, etc.) 

Tada: the witch's cats! 

I hope that you will try these out with your little one(s) and that you will enjoy these titles and the activities as much as we do! 

{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Richard Scarry

Richard Scarry

Don't be frightened off by his name. This children's author is loved by children all over the world. Richard McClure Scarry (5 June 1919 - 30 April 1994) was a popular American children's author and illustrator with a career that spanned four decades. He published over 300 books which have been translated into 30 languages.

He is best known for his series of books about Busytown, where characters are often common animal species such as cats, rabbits and pigs. He is also talented at personifying the animals and giving them human-like characteristics.

I'm happy to introduce Vera, who is mum to 4-year old Noey and 1.5 year old Nomi. She is nearly a year into her Stay-At-Home-Mum gig and frequently wonders what she got herself into when she signed up for the job. On her blog, Life is in the Small Things, she blogs about, yes, the small things (make that 2 naughty little small things), but also the big moments that life is about. Vera loves planning theme parties, hunting down new recipes to try, and just making her kids laugh.






*****

Richard Scarry is one of those writer-illustrators who just doesn't go out of style. 

I remember reading his books when I was a child, and also recall them being among my sister's favourites. I forgot about Richard Scarry and Huckle Cat and Busytown when I eventually outgrew these books. And then I had kids. 

When Noey was younger, one of the most important qualities which we looked for in books was that they had to be engaging enough to keep him seated so that he would eat his food. That boy was a tough one to feed! We found our answer in Richard Scarry's big books. Noey could spend ages pouring over them because there are just so many pictures and things to see on each page. 

Here are some of our favourite titles: 

Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever!

They weren't kidding when they called this the Best First Book. This is a great one for the little ones. There is a very simple and loose storyline following the Cat Family through the day, from the time they wake up, but what is really of interest here are the colourful pictures. Each two-page spread depicts a different setting -- a cut-away of the Cat Family's house showing each room, breakfast in the kitchen, a day at school, a shopping trip to the supermarket, etc. There are plenty of items on a page, which is useful for building vocabulary.

We've had a lot of fun with this book. Some simple activities the kids enjoy:

1. I Spy! -- We take turns to name items and be the fastest to point them out on the page. 

2. Matching Pictures to Real Objects -- I dig out items from home and lay them out in the room, and I get the kids to pick out the real item to match the picture. 

3. Actions -- We use the page on action words and as I call out the actions, the kids will point out the correct picture and perform it themselves. 

 As you can tell, these are really simple activities and my point in sharing them is to show that not every learning/fun activity needs to involve forward planning and craft work! I'm not good at craft work and honestly Noey doesn't seem too big on it, so I'm happy not having to do too much of it! I might have to change tack with Nomi, but we'll see. 

 

Cars and Trucks and Things That Go

This book is Noey's favourite, and I think, with most boys! As the title suggests, it's full of interesting vehicles - real ones, and funny ones, like the crocodile car on the cover. The story follows the Pig Family as they make their way to the beach and back home again. Along the way, they encounter all sorts of vehicles, from fire engines to tractors to locomotives, to other fantastic vehicles. Ever wondered what a broom-o-cycle looks like? You'll find one in this book. What I love best about this book is that there's just so much to see and talk about on each page. You can spot Mistress Mouse in her pink tow truck helping various hapless drivers who have vehicle trouble, and see Officer Flossy try to catch Dingo Dog for speeding. 

Another thing that Noey LOVED to do was hunt for Goldbug. He's hiding somewhere in each two page spread -- you just have to find him! We've spent many giggly moments trying to spot him and its an activity that both Noey and I enjoyed together. Can you spot him in the spread below?

 
(Answer: He's hiding in the ambulance!)

The Adventures of Lowly Worm

As compared to the other two, this is more of a regular book. It’s a collection of short stories with Lowly Worm playing a big part. In this book, you will follow Lowly Worm as he takes an unexpected ride up into the sky on a balloon, go with the Cat Family on a visit to the city, and wind-up at the hospital after an accident leaves him with a hurt foot. And end with a birthday surprise too! Altogether a fun read.

Lots of things to do and see,

It's so much fun to be

A part of Busytown.

I think this line from the theme song of the cartoon series "The Busy World of Richard Scarry" says it best! There's lots of fun to be had with these books. Books like these do a childhood make.

{Guest Post} My Favourite Children's Author: Lynley Dodd

Dame Lynley Stuart Dodd (born 1941) is a prominent author of children’s books from New Zealand.

Best known for her 'Hairy Maclary' series, all of which feature animals with rhyming names, she was the ninth recipient of the Margaret Mahy Award in 1999, and received a New Zealand Order of Merit, Dame Companion, in 2001. 

This week, Sarah of The Playful Parents to share with us why she likes books by Lynley Dodd.

Sarah runs a domestic circus where her loving and loyal audience of 3 keeps her hearts and hands full. She blogs at The Playful Parents when her hands are free of the kids, spatula, and laundry. Sarah enjoys encouraging families to be more intentionally playful.  The former public school educator now enjoys teaching, storytelling and writing whenever she can.  She also provides literacy and drama curriculum consultancy services to educational companies.

*****

If you’re a dog or cat or duck fan

Or just not into fuzz and feathers,

Whatever your critter affections,

Lynley Dodd’s books will still delight.

I’ve always found a particular charm about books written in rhyme. (Because as you see, I cannot write rhyme). A rhyming one that is humourous and has a stellar storyline deserves our pure love and adoration. From the land of lush natural beauties and the kiwi fruit, Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary books enthrall.

Ever since my boys and I chanced upon our first Lynley Dodd book, we have been hooked!  I found a board book copy at our neighbourhood library and decided to borrow it because it was new, and clean, and we needed some new authors to read.

And boy! Was it a treasure we found!

We kept that copy for 6 whole weeks at home, and read it practically every day. We must have read it almost a 100 times over before we returned. My then-3 yo would make me read it again, and again, each time.

Our tiny Lynley Dodd home collection

While we haven’t managed to procure (budget constraints) nor borrow (library selection limitations) many Lynley Dodd titles, we have loved every single Lynley Dodd story we’ve laid our hands and eyes upon.

If you’ve never ever read her, here’s an excerpt from her very first book, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy, written in 1981:

"Schnitzel von Krumm

with a very low tum,

Bitzer Maloney

all skinny and bony,

Muffin McClay

like a bundle of hay,

Bottomley Potts

covered in spots,

Hercules Morse

as big as a horse

and Hairy Maclary

from Donaldson's Dairy"

Dodd's doggy bunch

Why We Think Lynley’s Stories are Lovely

• Rhythmic verse that’s like music to the ears
• Vivid imagery painted through her use of rich vocabulary e.g. “Hairy Maclary felt bumptious and bouncy”
• Spectacular plots of mischief 
• Endearing characters
• Repetitive and cumulative structure
• Sunny pen and watercolour illustrations that are lively, detailed and interesting

Some of Our Favourite Titles 
Hairy Maclary’s Scattercat (1985)
If my memory serves me well, this may be our very first Lynley Dodd book. Lee loves animals and the realistic illustrations coupled with the delightful story about how Hairy get a taste of his naughty medicine when the ferocious Scarface Claw "bothered and bustled him, rustled and hustled him, raced him and chased him all the way home."

Slinky Malinki Open the Door (1993)
A cat and parrot make unlikely accomplices for mischief around the house. I think my boys were just  delighted to have one of their favourite acts of mischief validated by this book as Slinky Malinki and Sticky-Beak Sid. The duo gets into rooms all over the house, wreaking havoc by tumbling things, throwing stuff around and messing everything up. In one word -  Destruction! That’s what little boys are best at aren’t they?

Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack (1999)
The teeny duck, Zachary Quack, tries to get Hairy Maclary’s interest in playing with him. All Hairy really wants to do is to snooze. Little Zach is persistent and he keeps going “pittery pattery, skittery scattery, ZIP! A round the corner.” Lee didn’t like this too much at first. I’m not sure why but I’m guessing that this bothersome Zachary Quack reminded him too much of his little brother, Zee, who often liked to bother him into playing at the wrong times.

However, the storyline proved too relatable for Lee and he loved it so much he made me read it over and over and over again. Until I felt like I wanted to go ‘ZIP! Around the corner go away book!’

Anymore?
Yes there are a lot more I could go on writing about her books but shan’t. I wouldn’t want to deprive you the pleasure of discovering them with your child.

We have loved all the Hairy Malary, Slinky Malinky and Zachary Quack books we’ve read. And I don’t think you will be disappointed. You may perhaps get a little regretful once your child starts badgering you for multiple readings in a sitting, and wished you had never started him on it.

Some Lynley Literary-Inspired Post-Reading Activities 
I admit I’m not much of a crafty person. But I do still enjoy doing stuff with my children.
Lynley Dodd’s playful use of literary devices such as alliteration, assonance, simile, personification, onomatopoeia and cumulative structure allow for some nice language activities to be done. Aural discrimination, patterning, phonological awareness, attention and focus are just some of the skills you can develop through these games.

1. Gibberish Echo (Suitable for blabbering infants and older)
This is a game I’ve played with my children as soon as they show interest in repeating my words. It’s a simple and enjoyable game where you say nonsensical words, and the child echoes it back at you. I love playing this game because it can be used to build so many vital skills in the children. You can play with rhythm, consonant+vowel blends, patterning.  For example:
Vowel+ Consonant Blends: Ba - Ba -Ba  (sung to the tune of ‘do-re-me’)
Patterning: Di-Di-Da, Di-Di-Da

2. Finish It (Suitable for toddlers who’ve started speaking some words and up)
This game helps build the child’s ability to listen, and identify sound patterns. You provide the first string of gibberish, and they have to sound out the right ‘word’ to end the pattern sequence.
You: Bam – Bam – Boom, Bam - Bam –  ? (child fills in word)

3. Exploring Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeic words are words that sound very much like the thing they describe e.g. Woof! Bang! Plop, Fizz. Explore these words that describe objects, movement and animal sounds.

I hope you have the chance to fall in love with this New Zealander’s literary giftedness and rascally bunch yourself. And if you’re already a fan, I would love to hear about how you adore her books!