Max and the Rainbow Rain Hat. by Gus Clarke. (Andersen Press, 9.99)
I'm a bit of a fan of endpapers because they can offer a hint about the theme of a book, or even ring it out loud and clear. The front endpapers here show 28 sumptuously purple rain clouds and the back endpapers show 28 bright yellow suns. So what's the story about? Well, Max is a bunny, but not a happy bunny. He's a bunny who has no reason to smile. And neither have the animals that live roundabout, because they always get wet if they come too close to Max. This is a heart-warming story where Max gradually eases himself into happiness by way of a rainbow hat that he crafts from lost feathers. The illustrations show thrillingly how the vibrant hat grows bigger and bigger as Max's unhappiness shrinks.
Platypus and the Lucky Day. by Chris Riddell. (Puffin, 9.99)
Platypus is a plucky, likeable character brimming with enthusiasm for finding out things. When he's down on his luck, the feelings of sadness only last for a short time before he bounces back with a fresh idea. His sunny nature is irresistible, and in the three published books so far, the gentle humour and easy text work every time. After abandoning the idea of playing out, Platypus decides that in fact this is the perfect day to tidy up his cupboard. Now this may seem like a mundane task to most, but Platypus finds some of his forgotten things in the cupboard. These include an excellent disguise with tufts of orange hair at the sides plus eyeballs on springs. He looks a scream wearing it.
Oscar and Hoo. written by Theo and illustrated by Michael Dudok de Wit. (Collins, 9.99)
The illustrations in this book are stylish, stylised and distinct. The colour palette is thoughtful and subtle, and reminiscent of the 1950s. The illustrations capture, seemingly with ease, setting, atmosphere and action, and the layout of the pages is well-balanced and careful. Small pictures are balanced against huge sweeping desert landscapes in an unusual story about a boy whose chaotic parents lose him on a trip to the desert, where he is befriended by a sweet-faced cloud called Hoo, his secret mate.
Apples and Honey. written by Jonny Zucker and illustrated by Jan Barger Cohen. (Frances Lincoln, 9.99)
This first-person story from the point of view of a young Jewish boy provides a welcome insight into the Rosh Hashanah festival, the Jewish New Year. Celebrations begin with a snack of apple slices dipped in honey, followed by a walk to the synagogue crunching through leaves (giving a clue to the season when it takes place). I liked the description of the rabbi blowing on the ram's horn, the 'shofar', a hundred times to call in the New Year. There is some background detail on this at the end of the book, along with an explanation of the symbolism behind the eating of apples dipped in honey (this stands for the hope of good things happening in the future).
Later, when the boy's family eat the seeds of a pomegranate, the seeds symbolise the many good deeds they plan to carry out in the New Year.
All For One. by Jill Murphy. (Walker, 10.99)
Marlon is a boy dragon whose high-jinks tend to mess things up at home. He lives with his mum and a granny who is always complaining about untidiness.
Persuaded to go out, Marlon finds himself excluded from the game of Three Musketeers that his friends are playing. No matter how much effort Marlon's mum puts into creating the latest dressing-up craze, Marlon just can't keep up with the others. One chilly, uninviting day, Marlon asks his mum if she will fill his paddling pool with water. Granny offers a gloomy warning about the weather, but Marlon has a great time in the pool even when it starts to rain. When asked by the ex-Musketeers if they can join in with Marlon's game of Underwater Explorers, Marlon replies that he will think about it. If there are currently problems with social cliques at your nursery, this story might help you to explore some of the issues. And if there are no problems, I know one four-year-old who found the character of Marlon very appealing.
