Great new read alouds

Try sharing these fabulous picture books with juniors.

Black? White! Day? Night! A book of opposites.

The pages of this delightfully different concept book are colourful, with cutout shapes so the reader can simply lift the flap and find the opposite. For example, a sunny day is transformed into a starry night; there is a surprise of finding a tiny beetle has become part of an elephant's eye and the opposite concept of tiny? is huge!

This imaginative book by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (published by New Milford, Conn. 2006) has 18 opposites presented as questions and answers and is sure to be a big success with junior students and also those interested in clever designs.

- Fiona, Palmerston North

Weaving Together

Jamie and her Nan use the many colours in the wool basket to make a piece of weaving. Each colour reminds them of some way in which their lives are woven together...both sad and happy memories of Nan and Grandad's farm, Jamie's childhood and her family.

Vivienne Lingard's beautiful illustrations help to make Weaving Together (published by Reed, 2007) one of Dawn McMillan's better books.

- Lynn, Palmerston North

Clarence the copy cat

This action-packed story by Patricia Lakin, is well complemented with John Mander's delightful cartoony illustrations about a peace loving cat who cannot bear to kill mice. It is hard for Clarence, the cat, to find a home, but he finally does, in a public library. A good plot provides a lively text that builds to an exciting climax and a satisfying conclusion. This book (published by Dragonfly Books, USA, 2007) is full of fun and will appeal to junior/primary students.

- Fiona, Palmerston North