Penguin by Polly Dunbar

If you've been visiting my blog for a little while, you'll probably know already how much I LOVE Polly Dunbar. She makes me so happy. I don't know how many times I've enjoyed her books over and over and over. And it dawned on me I hadn't blogged about 'Penguin'. Appalling! So, presently, I am amending that.

"Ben ripped open his present. Inside was a Penguin."

ahhh, from simple beginnings... A new present, and such a promising one too! A penguin! who wouldn't want a penguin? Ben sure thought it was the best thing ever. That is, until he realises that it isn't saying anything, no matter what he tries.

He even tires standing on his head and making fun of Penguin, but still gets no response.

What he shouldn't have done is get a passing Lion involved. Because when he begins shouting, the Lion eats him for being too loud.

Luckily, Penguin comes to his rescue because they have actually become friends through all they have done together.

Polly Dunbar's tone is perfect, both the pictures and the text have just enough character and punch, but then plenty of space for you to enjoy what she achieves in her illustrations.

She captures the beautiful absurdity for which picture books are perfect. I Love her work and can happily re-read them time and time again, which is a good thing if a child takes a shine to a particular story, as any parent will know.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Down The Back Of The Chair by Margaret Mahy and Polly Dunbar

Did you read my review of Bubble Trouble? You should have. Then you would know that these two together are “mastermind brilliance” and while Bubble Trouble is an adventure in the skies, Down The Back of The Chair is an excavation affair.

We all know how lounge chairs just love to devour odds and ends that fall from your pockets while you’re sitting on them, often lost for eons, or at least until you remember that you should probably vacuum under the cushions. Then, lo and behold: coins, keys, toys and buttons, adrift in a sea of crumbs and food scraps.

So Margaret Mahy asks, if all these things, then what else?

“A crumb, a comb, a clown, a cap,
a pirate with a treasure map,
a dragon trying to take a nap –
down the back of the chair.”

 Oh the joys that can be found!

“But what is this? Oh, bliss! Oh, bliss!
Down the back of the chair.
The long lost will of Uncle Bill,
down the back of the chair.”

So with their new found fortune:

“Forget the keys! We’re poor no more.
Just call a taxi to the door.”
A taxi shot out with a roar
from down the back of the chair.”

(This part always makes me laugh)

I do apologise for quoting so much from the book for this review, but really? Can you not see the skill with which Margaret Mahy crafts her work? In her hands you know what rhyme was meant to do. 

I love picture books so much!

Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy and Polly Dunbar

Readers of this blog might have heard me wax lyrical about Polly Dunbar’s illustrations and how much I simply love them!

What could possibly make me enjoy one of her books more, you may ask? The answer is: by pairing her with the pure genius that is Margaret Mahy.

The opening stanza should be enough to prove my point:

“Little Mabel blew and bubble and it cased a lot of trouble,
Such a lot of bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way.
For it broke away from Mabel as it bobbed across the table,
Where it bobbled over Baby, and it wafted him away.”

That, my friends, is just a taste!

“The baby didn’t quibble. He began to smile and dribble,
For he like the wibble-wobble of the bubble in the air.
But Mabel ran for cover and the bubble bobbed above her,
And she shouted out for Mother who was putting up her hair.”

Oh my goodness! If you were here, I’d read you the whole thing just to make sure you’d heard it all! TOO MUCH FUN! This is the type of mastermind brilliance that transcends the picture book genre. I, as an adult (albeit, an immature one) get so much pleasure out of reading this book. You can only imagine the pure joy a child would find in these pages. As I write this review I have to contain my laughter with each turn of the page.

Give yourself over to the delights of such a book. Find it, read it, read it again, then read it to whoever will listen to you, no matter what their age is. You (and they) will not be disappointed by Bubble Trouble!

Tilly and Friends by Polly Dunbar

“Tilly and her friends all live together in a little yellow house…”

I don’t know about you but knowing I’m reading a book by Polly Dunbar, that preface already has me excited!

For those of you that haven’t yet met Tilly and her friends, I thought I’d take the time to introduce you to the brilliance that Polly Dunbar has created.

In ‘Hello Tilly’, Tilly is sitting quietly, reading her favourite story. Then one by one her five friends join her as they play, dance and eat together. I cannot wipe the smile off my face as I read this. It is a simple, joyous celebration of being with friends, where each one brings something different to the mix; the perfect way to meet the residents of the little yellow house.

“Doodle woke up feeling Bitey!” Oh no! As adults we can see where this will most likely end up… and you would be right. Sometimes when playing with friends it’s easy to get carried away and occasionally someone gets bitten. Then there’s usually some retaliation! Luckily Tilly and Pru are around to bandage everyone up and Pru kisses everyone better. It’s good to know that apologising to each other is part of the healing process too. 

I’ve been giggling like a child and I’m only two books down!

Tiptoe (possibly the cutest rabbit you’ve ever seen) isn’t sleepy. Any parent will probably know how it feels when a child just doesn’t want to go to sleep! When Tilly is singing a lovely lullaby, Tiptoe joins in on his drum. Tilly gets him settled again until he appears demanding a story a short while later. Then, just as Tilly gets herself ready for bed, she wonders aloud “Who’s going to tuck me in? Who’s going to kiss me goodnight?” Can you guess? I laughed so hard when I turned the page.

Hector is very happy sitting on Tilly’s lap. He doesn’t want to share Tilly with Tiptoe when he wants to play with her. So Tiptoe joins Hector on Tilly’s lap… and then so does everyone else! He is now the unhappiest he has ever been, and no, he doesn’t want the others to play with him, especially not Tumpty to sit in his lap! But then a kind gesture from Tilly clears the air and Hector is the happiest happiest he has ever been. He even lets Tiptoe paint his nose blue.

Are you beginning to see how amazingly brilliant these books are? Not only are they just too much fun, there’s a little message about friendship in each one.

Tumpty, the elephant, tries many different ways to hide. But in a little yellow house, it’s a little more difficult than he might think; closing his eyes just isn’t quite enough. And when his friends laugh and laugh at his efforts to hide, he wanders off with a “Humph.” His friends then look for him everywhere and think they upset him so much he ran away! Tiptoe looked for him in the biscuit tin with no success and so they all drown their sorrows in biscuits, wondering if Tumpty has gone forever. But, whose trunk is that reaching for the biscuit tin?

And finally, I think Pretty Pru is my favourite of the 6 books. Mainly for one particular image that had me literally rolling on the floor with laughter when I first saw it. But we’ll get to that soon.

When Pru won’t share her make-up, Tumpty takes it without permission to share with his other friends. Meanwhile, Pru asks Tilly to help her look for her lost handbag. So they ask Hector:

My goodness that page never fails to make me laugh! But by the time the handbag is found (on top of Tumpty’s head!) Pru is not laughing. It’s not nice to take people things without asking. But then Pru decides to share her lipstick and they all have great fun!

I wanted to keep this short, but when talking about six books in one review, I wanted you to know that they are all fantastic stories on their own, but make the most perfect set ever!

As the back of each of the books says: “Everyone wants to be Tilly’s Friend” and it’s true! I know I do, and you should too!

Got kids? Get these books! (For yourself, if not for them). Everyone should know the work of Polly Dunbar!