121. Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy by Elena de Roo illustrated by Tracy Duncan

Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy by Elena de Roo illustrated by Tracy Duncan
Published April 2012 Walker Books


From the publisher:
Feisty Ophelia Wild decides to set up her own detective agency, with its headquarters in her tree house. Along with her assistant, Albert, she foils bullies, solves a meat-pie mystery, and cracks the case of the disappearing dentures.


This is the second book by New Zealand author, Elena de Roo.  It's a fun quick read about the exploits of feisty Ophelia Wild.  It's also a story told in verse.  Unlike many other verse novels this one is told in rhyming verse.  At first I wasn't sure about that, as a fan of verse novels, it was strange to read one that read (to me) like a picture book.  After I got into the swing of the rhythm and the rhyme of the story, I felt that this type of verse just added to the quirky charm of the story.

120. Hugless Douglas and the Big Sleep by David Melling

Hugless Douglas and the Big Sleep by David Melling
Published April 2012 Hachette Australia

From the publisher:

Douglas is very excited about Rabbit's sleepover, but he collects so many friends along the way that soon it's a big squash in Rabbit's small burrow! Can Douglas think of a way for them all to get some sleep.

This book made me laugh out loud from the beginning, when Douglas climbs a tree to see where he is, and it was very, very bendy.  This is where the laughs really start, as Douglas has fallen on a bush nearly squashing a sheep.  Little sheep knows the way to Rabbit’s, so Douglas invites him along too.  As he’s walking away Douglas comments that his bag feels much heavier now, and we can see that there are 9 sheep stuck to his back!

119. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
Published April 2012 Corgi (Random House)

From the publisher:
After being 'grounded for life', Jack is facing a summer of doing nothing. But who's got time to die of boredom when there are so many more interesting ways to die in this town? 

He might crash in his Dad's homemade plane, or catch the disease that makes you dance yourself to death, or fall foul of the motorcycle gang that wants to burn the town to the ground. Old people seem to be dying faster than Miss Walker can write their obituaries, and Jack is starting to worry that it might not just be the rats that are eating the rat poison . . .

Dead End is Jack Gantos's hilarious blend of the entirely true and the wildly fictional, from one of the most darkly amusing imaginations writing today.

I don't usually read reviews of books before I read them , but as this book won the Newbery Medal I already had.  What I found was a 50/50 spilt of people who loved it and hated it, often the way with award winners I think, so with an open mind,  I read it myself.

118. Where's the Meerkat? Illustrated by Paul Moran, Steve Wiltshire and Simon Ecob

Where's the Meerkat? Illustrated by Paul Moran, Steve Wiltshire and Simon Ecob
Published July 2012 Hardie Grant Egmont

From the publisher:
Join this fantastic, fun-loving family of meerkats as they go on an incredible round-the-world adventure. Whether they're visiting Paris or the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China or the Great Barrier Reef, there are ten cheeky critters to spot in every picture.

This week we have had penguins, now it's time for the meerkats.

Every body knows Where's Wally.  They have been around for years and are still as popular as ever.  Now there is a new title to take out the prize for favourite 'look and find' book...because everyone loves meerkats!

117. Penguin Pandemonium by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Nathan Reed

Penguin Pandemonium by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Nathan Reed
Published March 2012 


From the publisher:

Rory the rockhopper penguin loves showing off, but with few visitors to the zoo, life has become a little dull. If things don′t improve the zoo might have to close. So when the keepers install PENGUINCAM Rory grabs his chance with both flippers, organising a dazzling penguin talent show to pull in the crowds...

An unforgettably funny story about a little bird with big dreams.

Jeanne Willis is one of my favourite picture book authors.  In fact Tadpole's Promise would have to be one of my favourite picture books of all time, but I hadn't ever read any of her novels.

This is a young novel, that looks as though it's going to be a series.  Next to Meerkat's I think that everyone loves to see the penguins at the zoo, they are very funny to watch with their sliding around and splashing.  At the beginning of the book there is a Meet The Penguins section where each of the penguin characters are introduced.  There are four types of penguins in the book, Rockhopper, Fairy, Emperor and Chinstrap...oh and the famous flying penguin (except he is a goose!)  As well as the characters names there is information about each of the different types, giving their size, favourite food, favourite party trick and a 'flipper fact'.

116. Archie's Letter: An ANZAC Day Story by Martin Flanagan and illustrated by Ainsley Walters

Archie's Letter: An ANZAC Day Story by Martin Flanagan illustrated by Ainsley Walters
Published April 2012 One Day Hill


From the publisher:


On Anzac Day 2010, a 96-year-old man in Hobart, a returned soldier from World War II, wrote a letter to the local paper thanking the people who were going to that morning's dawn service. Who was this man? Why did he write this letter? Archie's Letter tells the story of an ordinary man who went off to fight in World War II. His experiences included surviving the Burma Railway, where he was under the command of Australian war hero, Weary Dunlop. Archie's Letter also tells how he dealt with his wartime experiences; how, at the age of 91, he agreed to meet a group of elderly Japanese women interested in world peace; how he could never forget the young men who were with him during the war and who didn't come back.


As my readers come from all over the world, I will begin by explaining what ANZAC Day (April 25th) is, the day that we remember all of those who have fought and died in war.  For more information, please click on the National War Memorial  link below.

This is a non fiction title, my first for the year.  

I saved this book for ANZAC day because I thought that today's post should be a special one.  There are a number of books published for children about ANZAC day, but I chose this one because of the story behind the story.

115. Splat the Cat and the Duck With No Quack (I Can Read) by Rob Scotton with interior illustrations by Robert Eberz

Splat the Cat and the Duck With No Quack (I Can Read) by Rob Scotton with interior illustrations by Robert Eberz
Published March 2012 Harper Collins


From the publisher:
A duck with no quack? Who has ever heard of that? Certainly not Splat—and he decides to investigate. Beginning readers will love the zany wordplay in this Splat book!


Splat is one of many characters that have made their way from picture book to easy readers.  Fans of the Splat picture books will love this early reader, and those few people that have never come across Splat in the picture book format will love him too.