She is a girl who loves the wild, the outdoors and Nature.

A tree is a friend, long grass a sanctuary for bugs and butterflies, and a pool a place to tangle her toes.

Eleanor loves to spend her days outside with creatures big and small and,

…things with fur and fin.

Going to bed one night, she dreams of all she loves, only to wake and find.

…the Wild had come in!

A story of imagination, wonder and the Wild – The Wildest Thing reminded me of a famous picture book with monsters, but with a little girl called Eleanor, instead of a cross boy named Max.

Each book overflows with imagination, strange playmates and their own fantastical world.

This beautifully illustrated hardback picture would make a gorgeous gift…

…for everyone who has ever known they are more than they seem. 

Author / Illustrator – Emily Winfield Martin

Picture Book

(2026, Penguin Random House, Imagination, Wild, Nature, Creatures, Play, Freedom, Animals)

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the red sunset being gently swept away.

A child gazes out of their bedroom window at one blinking star. Black cat sneaks in, smooching, purring, only to be shooed out into the night.

Time for sleep, but the the child has other ideas. The moon, scratchy branches and a ghostly handprint feed their imagination.

Creeping out the window, through the grass and into the dark, a Night Tiger meets a black cat…

A delicious story of imagination as a child slinks into the night and into the skin of a tiger. Night animals greet them as the moon shines down as the child’s night time adventure is portrayed in nightly shades, shadows and stalking through the dark.

Sherryl Clark’s text is poetry through the pages, and Hannah Sommerville’s illustrations share something daring and adventurous that young listeners will love.

Author – Sherryl Clark

Illustrator – Hannah Sommerville

Picture Book

(2026, Allen & Unwin, Animals, Adventure, Fantasy, Secret, Black Cat, Tiger, Night time, Darkness, Bed time, Poetry, Prose, Garden, Shining Moon, New Zealand Author, New Zealand Illustrator, Imagination)

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They rush right up to the bathroom door where Santa has also been getting ready for his most important night of the year – Christmas Eve. The elves cannot believe their eyes. They can SEE Santa’s chin!

Where his famous, thick, snowy-white beard used to be, is his bare face. He’s slipped while shaving and his chin is completely bald. What are they going to do?

The elves and Santa begin to look for solutions to this terrible accident. They must find a way to hide that bare chin.

But bubbles, candy floss, and even their white cat can’t solve the problem.

Will Christmas have to be cancelled?

In perfect rhythmic rhyme that will make you smile, the problem of Santa’s shaving mistake is a new take on Christmas Eve chaos.

The possible solutions are hilarious and are more bonkers by the second – but one elf is thinking outside the square and just might have the answer to save Christmas.

Tons of fun!

Author – Caroline Crowe

Illustrator – Jess Pauwels

Picture Book

(2025, Faber & Faber, Xmas, Christmas, Santa Claus, St Nick, Father Christmas, Elves, Problem, Solution, Shaving, Beard, Christmas Eve, Humour, Funny)

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Will he be an artist? If so, would his mum still scold him for painting on the walls?

What if he were to be a baker, making grand cakes around the world?

As the day passes, and mother and son mouse explore all the possibilities in his future, mother gently encourages every dream and snippet of wonder her child imagines.

By the end of the day, a fragment of doubt sweeps into his thoughts. What if he isn’t any of those things? Just a wee farm mouse?

This collaboration between Mark Sommerset (author of Baa Baa Smart Sheep and many other award winning picture books), and Dïne (illustrator of even more New Zealand treasures) is a soft, sweet day in the life of a mouse and his mum.

He is full of dreams of what he will be, and she is always close by, encouraging his imagination and creativity.

The rhyming text is uncluttered and simple, and perfect to read at any time of day, not just at bedtime as a wee mouse goes to sleep.

Because You Are You will also be great for emerging readers to read aloud, not only to encourage their reading skills, but to spark their own dreams.

Author – Mark Sommerset

Illustrator – Dïne

Publisher – Scholastic NZ

Picture Book

Ages – 3 – 8

(2025, Scholastic NZ, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Animals, Mother and Son, Mouse, Farm, Love, Creativity, Imagination, Unconditional love)

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A parrot or a chameleon? A rabbit, kitten or puppy. What about a rat or a lizard!

But no. They leave with a plastic bag full of water and a small orange FISH!

Everyone knows – “If it’s wet, it isn’t a pet!“

Unimpressed, this child imagines all the things she can do with other types of pets that she can’t do with a fish.

She could “Play with a puppy, cuddle a cat, snuggle a rabbit, and pat a pet rat.“

But a fish? None of that.

She stares and glares into the fish bowl, imagining all the things she is missing out on with any other kind of pet. But the more she watches her new pet, the more she sees. Maybe she has misjudged this tiny orange creature after all?

Ruth Paul is a masterful picture book writer and illustrator, and her many awards prove it. You Can’t Pat a Fish is yet another treat for young readers and listeners. A joy to read aloud with easy flowing rhyme and rhythm and all the animals children could ever wish to love, this is going to be a favourite in the classroom and at bedtime.

Many young readers will sympathise that a fish doesn’t compare to a kitten or puppy, but Paul proves us all wrong with a wee fish that inspires the imagination in a little girl’s world.

I’ll be looking for this one in awards line ups! 

Author / Illustrator – Ruth Paul

Picture Book

(2025, Walker Books Australia, Harper Collins NZ, NZ, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Fish, Pets, Animals, Funny, Humour, Rhyme, Award winning NZ author & Illustrator, Pet store, Imagination, Wonder)

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At home, while the adults catch up, the cousins play in the garden, but where is Lily’s dog Woof?

In their search, the cousins discover the special bridge at the end of Lily’s garden. They stare in wonder as she explains it’s a magical bridge. It takes her to Australia whenever she is missing family over there.

‘You could try closing your eyes and imagining a place you want to visit.’

Together they close their eyes…

“Now think of someone you really miss. Imagine if you could just walk straight over a bridge to them right now.”

The cousins see grandparents in England, and enjoy their favourite things to do there. They travel to wonderful places they’ve seen in movies or read about. Germany, Kenya and even further! Castles and cows and coloured chalk too. So many places to visit and experience together, and they find Woof enjoying himself.

A sequel to the popular Kiwis and Koalas, this time Lily takes her cousins with her on her trip to see loved ones. While they’re there they decide to travel even further and around the world.

With so many Kiwis with family in Australia and vice versa, Kiwis and Koalas gave children a way to imagine crossing a bridge and being with family whenever they miss them.

Bridge to Anywhere gives other Kiwi kids a chance to travel to where their loved ones are – even if only in their imaginations.

The joy of cousins reuniting and playing together is clear in the illustrations by Laura Bee, and their return to Lily’s garden is clearly indicated with a Tūī underneath a kowhai tree. Te reo goodbyes are woven into the story as they return home.

The production values are just as good as Kiwis and Koalas, with a softly toned full colour interior and lush hardback cover. Lily also wears a cochlear implant, which isn’t mentioned, but accepted as part of her. This allows children with implants to not only see themselves in a picture book, but as the key character.

Author – Sarah Milne

Illustrated by Laura Bee

Picture Book

Find a copy here

(2024, Beatnik Publishing, NZ, Aotearoa New Zealand, Family, Love, Cousins, Kiwis, Aussies, Coming Home, Missing Loved Ones, A Magical Bridge, Seeing the World, Reuniting, Sequel, Series, Cochlear Implant, Imagination, Journey, Joy, Grandparents)

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This particular town had something just on the edge of their buildings and streets, waiting for them all to put their heads down and close their eyes.

This ‘something’ was a Dream Factory.

When darkness fell each night, The Dream Factory came to life…

A mist full of unicorns, rainbow clothing and other fantastical and wondrous things floated through the town and it’s folk’s sleeping minds.

Life was good when The Dream Factory worked seamlessly every night. But then something happened. It was a tiny thing that stopped The Dream Factory. It was a marvel all on its own and it didn’t plan it, but suddenly the amazing things, dreams, ideas and imagination morsels stopped.

Life in the town became very… dull. How can they fix The Dream Factory?

The perfect way to show children that dreaming is good for you!

This is where dreams and imagination work hand in hand to make our lives brighter every day and also show us how to do things differently.

I loved seeing the culprit of the factory close-down trying to put things right in tiny ways.

The Dream Factory is a beautiful collaboration between a New Zealand author and illustrator team and will be a fantastic night-time read to bring amazing dreams to all young listeners.

Author – Steph Matuku

Illustrator – Zak Ātea

Age – 4+

Find more books by Steph Matuku here

(2024, Huia Publishers, Dreams, Dreaming, Ideas, Imaginations, Happiness, Sleep, Magical, Small town wonder, Feather, Accident, NZ Author, NZ Illustrator, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Bright, Night time)

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Chugga tugga tugboat
Chugging out to sea,
Can’t you, won’t you, play with me?

The tugboat must guide ships big and small through the port. It must rescue, fight fires, and race!!

Splish splosh,
Wish wash,
Toot toot toot!

A companion picture book to Crane Guy, Chugga Tugga Tugboat is for younger children.

The same illustration style flows through into this book – colourful, busy and informative, showing all the jobs that a tugboat performs on any day.

Meanwhile, between the boy’s pleas to play, he is occupying himself, looking, building, imagining being a tugboat. But his pleas are actually to his busy mum, who finally sits down with him having a bath with his own tugboat to play with.

The fun repeating rhyme is easy for a young child to pick up the words as it is read aloud.

Perfect for littlies who love boats, ships or action upon the water.

Author – Sally Sutton

Illustrator – Sarah Wilkins

Picture Book

(2024, Penguin NZ, New Zealand Author, New Zealand Illustrator, Aotearoa, Tugboat, Ships, Boats, Ports, Wharf, Wharves, Play, Playing, Rescue, Fire Fighting, Repetitive Rhyme, Imagination)

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Begin Again is a continuation of Jeffers study of the human condition. Who we are as human beings, and how we can be the best we can – to others and our planet. The first book that began to explore this was Here We Are – written for his first child, his son, Harland. As a first time parent, the world suddenly seemed a different place. Here We Are is introducing humankind and the world to his child who is in effect a blank slate.

Another step in the understanding of the world around us is Meanwhile, Back on Earth – putting our squabbles, and perceptions of own space into perspective.

Begin Again sweeps all of that up, taking us back in human history. Way, waaaaay back. To the discovery of fire. No wait. Even further back to when we emerged from the oceans. We discovered and used fire, found the energy to make tools, build shelter, find food. This becomes ideas, creativity, progress through the ages – all stemming from the simple things in life. Warmth, shelter, food and each other. The creativity became art and story, bringing us together and then being passed on.

Somehow these basic things have become overshadowed. The little things seem to have been superseded with bigger, better, more and how to get even more. Time seems to have sped up. Community, connection and kindness have increasingly become wealth, individuality, and growth at any cost.

Borders are now well established, between towns, counties and countries and ‘us and them‘ exist like never before. But it’s not until a group of astronauts shared what they learnt when looking back at our planet as an object sitting in space, that we could understand something. From space, countries, borders and fences don’t exist. There is land or water. There are no them and theirs. There is only our home – for all of us.

“With distance comes perspective.”

The illustration style we know and love shares these thoughts and questions for our future in a positive, hopeful way. Humans are the masters of adaptation, and we can adapt for our new future – to ensure our future, not only for ourselves or our children, but for their children’s, children’s children’s children and beyond.

This book’s message and reason is clear to all who read it, without any preaching, doom or negativity – in fact, I found it to celebrate humankind in its adaptability and creativity to find solutions. This is further explored in a personal essay by Oliver Jeffers in the rear of the book.

“This book is the culmination of that observation and optimism.”

Let this multi award winning author and artist take you on a journey, and shoot you into any number of possible futures we can all dream up – together.

Author / Illustrator – Oliver Jeffers

All ages

(2023, Harper Collins, Earth, Humankind, Our future, The simple things in life, Essay, Hope, Creativity, Warmth, Shelter, Food, Community, Story, Stories, Sharing, Connection, Us not them, People)

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We all can have this happen to us. A knot, or a problem appears, and the more we hope it will go away – the bigger it gets. Soon we can’t think about anything else…

This book from the talented and Multi Award winning Professor of English, Poet, and Author – Selina Tusitala Marsh, is for anyone (especially children) who might have a worry or a problem that just won’t go away.

Mophead’s Guide to Life is funny, thoughtful and a journal – giving you a place to write things down, draw and experiment with making your problem smaller and more manageable.

Children from all over Aotearoa New Zealand have sent her post it notes with their question or problem written down. These are the first things a reader sees when you open this book. This shows young readers that others might have the same problem, and straight away make their own worry not so isolating.

These Post It problems from young New Zealanders tore at my heart, and it’s wonderful that this book has been written for them and hopefully provides a solution or a place where worries, problems and knots can be unravelled, even if only a little at first.

There are 11 different knotty problems tackled in this book with creative ways of looking at the problem, with colour coded pages and humour. The text is large and clear and the illustrations and exercises fun and easy to understand.

Some of the knot untangling advice will also help young writers with their creative questions or conundrums.

This journal-styled book would be a great gift to any young person struggling with something, but unable to share their worries out loud. Writing or drawing problems down can be an essential first step in problem solving directions and parental, caregiver or teacher help.

Perfectly pitched at young people with a knot or problem.

Author / Illustrator – Selina Tusitala Marsh

Age – 8 – 80 years

(2023, Auckland University Press, Problems, Worries, Fears, Conundrums, Worry, Writing, Creativity, Solutions, Answers, Sharing problems, Writing, Drawing, Journal, Guide to Life, Self help)

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Two seagulls send you down deep into the ocean, then a shark points even deeper.

Down where no sunlight can reach, with only black all around, you will meet Fergus.

Fergus can’t be seen and refuses to show himself. There are other creatures down there with you, but Fergus shies away at anything else coming too close. There is the angler fish with its clever way of catching its dinner and another really strange fish that glows.

Those fish move on and Fergus is back, but still seems nervous at showing himself. But is he nervous or is he something else?

When he finally reveals himself – along with a shock, all your questions will be answered.

With a glow in the dark cover and an introduction to weird and wonderful creatures of the deep, Who’s Afraid of the Light will fright and delight in equal measure. You will meet the main character early down in the dark, but what exactly is he?

You can’t see him, but his voice is clear on the page in multiple colours, building the intrigue for the reader. It would be fun to play a game with little readers (or listeners.) Ask them to try and imagine Fergus. Is he big or small? Why does he seem frightened of the other fish? Where do they go?

I loved the reveal.

There is an interesting section at the back of the book showing more about the dark deep ocean and its strange and clever creatures at the rear of the book.

Author / Illustrator – Anna McGregor

Picture Book

(2023, Scribe Publications, Fish, Marine Life, The Deep, Ocean, Sea, Surprise, Bioluminescence, Glow in the dark, Fright, Delight, Angler Fish)

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It wasn’t because it didn’t fit anymore, but because she was mad at something else.

For a long time, there were those who said women were not as equal as men. They should stay home, cook, clean and look after babies.

The more she tells her grand daughter Maggie about this, the higher Maggie’s imagination flies. Suddenly the old fashioned-dinosaur attitudes became dinosaurs themselves , stomping through their backyard or swooping through the air above them.

All fired up, Grandma tells Maggie even more terrible truths about women’s jobs and unequal pay. Soon Maggie is flying even higher to become an aspiring astronaut far from dinosaurs and ancient attitudes.

A fun, feminist tale telling the story of women’s battle through the ages for equality with men. An important topic is deftly handled with humour and dinosaurs swooping into the mix via main character’ Maggie’s imagination.

Colour illustrations throughout clearly show Gran’s passion, Maggie’s shock at past beliefs, and life in dinosaur days.

Watch the progress of equality across the pages and wait for the surprise link between Gran and dinosaurs!

Loved it!

Author – Samantha Tidy

Illustrator – Aśka

Picture Book

(2023, EK Books, Exisle Publishing, Grandmother, Grandparent, Family, Equal Rights Women’s Rights, Humour, Funny, Feminism, Feminist, Equality, Imagination, Dinosaurs)

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But Tui, Hinewai and Maia taunt Tama with tales of a Taniwha! They lay flat on their inflatables as they laugh at Tama dipping his toes into the edge of the water.

Grandma dives in too, and calls to Tama to join her, but Tama still isn’t sure.

Finally he ventures in, deeper and deeper, keen to escape the heat of the day. His sisters call again from out on the water until one of them suddenly squeals. Something grabbed her foot! Another shrieks with terror and his last sister joins them. They splash back to the bank as fast as they can.

But Tama decides the water is too good to leave, and he dives deep, ignoring them once more…. to find their taniwha, shimmering underwater. Not scary. Not hungry. Just a whole lot of fun.

A summer story of New Zealand family fun at a lakeside. Tama and the Taniwha has a surprise in store for the reader, just like character Tama.

Older siblings teasing their younger ones is timeless in families worldwide, and splashing on a hot summer day also recognisable in many places. But only NZ has the mighty Taniwha lurking in its depths. Or does it?

Winner of the 2023 Storylines Joy Cowley Award, this is sure to become a Summer Kiwi Classic.

Author – Melanie Koster

Illustrator – Monica Koster

Picture Book

(2023, Scholastic NZ, New Zealand. Aotearoa, Family, Fun, Holiday, Grandparents, Siblings, Teasing, Surprise, Taniwha, Swimming, Award Winner, Joy Cowley Award, Imagination, Secret)

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He was also a curious boy, with his nose always stuck in a book, wanting to know how and why things were the way they were.

School was everything to Ern, as that was where he would find out everything he wanted to know. But school costs money which his family didn’t have. There was a way to achieve his dream however. He needed to win scholarships.

Despite being very smart, Ern had to study hard to win those scholarships, often applying more than once. But he wanted to learn about the world and never gave up.

High School, then University was where Ern needed to go. When he achieved those goals he set out some more for himself, going on to break world records, learn how old the Earth was and what he is most famous for – splitting the atom.

This took years of experiments, learning, sharing his knowledge with the world and learning some more.

Ernest Rutherford is known around the world as one of the most influential scientists.

Just an ordinary boy from a small town near Nelson, New Zealand.

Ernest Rutherford was born to a poor ordinary family in New Zealand, but his passion to learn from a young age was far from ordinary.

Known as one of the greatest scientists ever, this beautifully illustrated picture book takes the reader on a journey through Ernest’s life, from cradle through family life, school and his many accomplishments around the world.

He has been immortalised on stamps, NZ’s own 100 dollar note and more across the globe. This and many other interesting facts about Ern are included at the end of the book, not just as lists but also illustrated using real photos for reference.

Maria Gill has done it again, taking young readers back in time to meet another world renown person born in New Zealand. Her effortless style draws the reader in and emphasizes that even a great like Nobel winning prize winner Ernest Rutherford, was once just an ordinary boy.

Author – Maria Gill

Illustrator – Alistair Hughes

Picture Book

Non-Fiction

(2023, Upstart Press, New Zealand, NZ, School, Study, Imagination, Curiosity, Determination, Hard work, Experiments, Wireless, Radiation, Atoms, Split the atom, Science, Nobel Prize Winner, Multi Award winner, NZ Author, NZ Illustrator, History, Historical)

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Mum says it’s time for bed, but the moon smiling down at him from the night sky has another idea!

Felix is off, outside and into a wonderful adventure. His beloved white rabbit is along for the fun, never far from his side.

Oh oh, Felix has gone too far!

As he makes his way through Night, then Day, he asks along the way,

“Can you take me home?” 

He meets all manner of beasts and many kinds of Nature. They might not be able to answer his question, but each give him an amazing new experience, fill his tummy, or shelter him.

Every time without fail, he says,

“Thank you.”

He laughs, and plays and makes more friends, until finally finding his way home.

Simply gorgeous! This hardback picture book reminds me a little of “Are you my Mother?” with a sprinkle of “Where the Wild Things Are.“

The illustrations are exquisite, the art something I’d love on my wall. I can easily imagine a young child poring over the pictures while they follow Felix’s amazing adventure before bedtime.

A simple act of gratitude – saying Thank you, is shared with every animal or part of nature that helps Felix find his way home. 

The final page of the book shows the reader (or caregiver) all the ways they too can be thankful for Mother Nature. Daydream, collect treasures, make rainbows or wishes and try many more wonderful activities.

Loved it!

Author / Illustrator – Dana Winter

Picture Book

Find a copy here

(2021, Beatnik Publishing, Thank you, Manners, Imagination, Animals, Bedtime, Going to bed, Adventure, Nature, Gratitude, Environment, Thankful, Dream, Collect, Friendship, New Friends, Kindness)

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Sarah begins to explore and discovers something quite strange in the hall cupboard. She tells her mum there is something special inside, a king in fact!

“He’s been shut in there for years and years.”

Begging her mother for a rescue, Sarah consults with the king through the cupboard keyhole for some ideas. Mum and Sarah begin to put a plan together. What they need is a key! But they discover it is not to be just any key.

With some help from a beautiful bird and some very handy mice they insert the key in the cupboard lock…

They were right about the house and a surprise. There is much more in the cupboard than a king! The witch that put him there in the first place was locked up in there too! Sometimes spells don’t quite go to plan.

Winner of the 2021 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize, There’s a King in the Cupboard was originally published in 1973. Abridged in 2015, then published again in this new hardback picture book, Margaret Mahy’s magic flows again from the pages with pure delight, with award winning illustrator Minrui Yang bringing it back to life.

For me this story is an enchanting mix of A Lion in the Meadow and the tricky Witch from The Witch in the Cherry Tree or even the witch from my own personal favourite, The Boy Who was Followed Home.

This illustration competition is such a wonderful way to bring Margaret Mahy’s bewitching brilliance to a new generation of kiwi kids and children across the world.

Author – Margaret Mahy

Illustrator – Minrui Yang

Picture Book

See inside here along with other past Winners

(2022, Hachette NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Margaret Mahy, Award, Annual Illustration Prize, Winner, Competition, Magic, Family, Wonder, King, Keys, Cranky Witch, Abridged)

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“Be wild, little one.”

From sleeping among flowers, dancing with elephants and flying across skies on the backs of swans, this child is urged to live life, and experience nature in every way possible.

Trek, swim, climb, and dive. Face storms and run with wolves.

“Be wild, little one.”

A sumptuous celebration not only of all nature has to offer, but of a young child’s path and possibility.

If you loved Maybe by Kobi Yamada, you will instantly fall in love with this like I did.

Stunning artwork and a perfect gift for any new baby or young child!

Author – Olivia Hope

Illustrator – Daniel Egneus

Picture Book

(2022, Bloomsbury, Love, Family, Adventure, Animals, Courage, Growing up, Nature, Sea, Ocean, Possibility, Future hopes, Stretching your wings)

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When Mum asks who made the mess, her small daughter blames it all on messy monsters.

In another room, there is mud on the walls and even more mess down the hall.

“Did the Mess-o-Saurus do this?” asks Mum again and again.

But the wee girl has an answer and an explanation. Her imagination knows no bounds as she describes the messy monsters that have been visiting.

After many rooms that have had messy monsters drop by, the truth is finally revealed.

Great for building young imaginations, but watch out if your wee one begins blaming your own visiting messy monsters!

With fun, colourful illustrations and friendly smiling monsters on nearly every page, little ones will enjoy the wordplay and rhyme of this new story by this dynamic New Zealand duo, Rachel Weston and Scott Tulloch. 

Something to search and find too – Can you see the Messy-o-saurus, never far away?

Author – Rachel Weston

Illustrator – Scott Tulloch

Picture Book

Find a copy here

(2022, Weston Books, Imagination, Messy, Mud, Paint, Makeup, Blankets, Cushions, Crumbs, Clothes, Mum, Mother, Making it up, Telling the truth, NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Play, Fun)

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“Because that’s what Dragons do.”

But someone else arrives, stopping the dragon’s fire!

“Hey! What did you do that for!”

This character has her own fun things of showing who she really is. But…. along comes someone even more spectacular!

Glittery, flowery and Wow!

Again and again, another character arrives to steal the show, take the attention and show their stuff.

Far out Zippy, zap! Then all is revealed. Sisters are imagining together before bedtime, relishing in the noises of their characters and all the actions too.

Dad has the final say, calming them, tucking them in, and kissing goodnight.

Absolutely adorable! I love this picture book! The illustrations burst off the page, showing the explosions and energy of imagination the two girls have as they invent one character after another to over ride the one before.

Reading this before bedtime will be so much fun, even if a little time might be needed to calm littlies down again. Sounding out the noises and performing the actions of the characters will be easy and imaginations broadened along the way. Book design is spot on, with repetition and alliteration. 

The final words of the book are wonderful too.

Wish I’d found this sooner!

Author / Illustrator – Raymond McGrath

Picture Book

See more illustration work by Raymond McGrath here (Click on a Cover)

(2021, Scholastic, NZ, New Zealand, Imagination, Bedtime, Sisters, Siblings, Humour, Adorable, Adventures, One-up manship, Competition, Family, Laugh)

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As soon as he was able he began to draw, at first on the slate path with his bucket of chalk.

He still loved to sit on the swing with his family, feel the breeze and listen to stories read out loud. He decides the best thing in the whole world is to write stories. First step is to read stories, which proves much harder than at first thought. Aaron feels like giving up on his dream.

Soon he is old enough for school. He’s ready, he’s bright and keen to show the world who he is. Now is when he’ll learn to read! Alas, it isn’t to be, and he can’t understand it. His friends seem to have the knack, why not him?

The test comes when his new, fresh teacher gives her class an assignment.

‘Write me a story. Write something true.’

Aaron tries, and tries and…. tries, but as he’s already learnt, pictures are his thing, not words. But maybe, just maybe there is another way to tell a story.

The fourth picture book in the amazing series called The Questioneers – Aaron Slater, Illustrator is also told in rhyming verse.

Aaron is keen to learn to read and write like his friends, but for some reason it comes so much harder for him. As his confidence suffers so does his personality. He wants to hide his inability to read and does so by trying to blend into the background. His skills in drawing eventually bring him back out into the open and reveal his true self as he realises there are other ways to tell stories.

I liked the way he struggled on with his reading, making gradual progress. This shows a young reader that they too can achieve this with help and determination, and that although they may not be like their peers in one way, they will have their own way to shine.

Aaron’s confusion with reading and writing is aptly illustrated in jumbled letters and words often scattered at his feet, portraying the learning difficulty of dyslexia.

Aaron Slater, Illustrator is designed in a dyslexia-friendly font and other learning difficulties are discussed in the Author’s Note in the back of the book.

Author – Andrea Beaty

Illustrator – David Roberts

Picture Book

Take a peek inside here

Read a review of other books in this series (Click on a Cover)

(2021, Abrams Books, Thames & Hudson, Feelings, Dyslexic, Dyslexia, Reading, Writing, Story, Confidence, School, Art, Drawing, Imagination, Classroom)

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