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Susan Varley is an award-winning artist who has illustrated many books for Andersen Press. Her picture book Badger's Parting Gifts is one of the most enduring of all time, winning many prizes, including the Mother Goose Award in 1985.
Little squirrel friends Sorrel and Sage are delighted that they are just the same. But when Sorrel goes to stay with Sage for a sleepover, she realises that their houses are very different: Sage’s house has branches that go on forever, peppered with pine cones and the softest green needles. Sorrel worries that her house is small and slim and wobbles in the wind. Wanting Sage to think they are just the same, Sorrel makes excuses to stop her friend visiting. She needn’t worry, when Sage does come for a sleepover, they have the best time ever. Children will enjoy the story very much, and discussing what makes a best friend. Susan Varley’s delicate ink and watercolour illustrations are full of warmth and detail.
The tales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early 1800’s constitute the greatest amassed from oral tradition in the western world and no classroom study of traditional tales would be considered without them. Many are set in the animal kingdom, like the ones translated here by Carnegie medal winning author and poet Kevin Crossley Holland. Some like The Bremen Town Musicians are extremely well known but others are much less so. The authors reveal in the afterword that they have particularly tried to keep the flavour of the different voices telling the tales and they have succeeded brilliantly. They are short, pithy, often funny and perfect for reading aloud. The animals exhibit human traits such as arrogance, greed, cunning, and less often kindness and will provide plenty of food for thought and discussion. I was particularly taken with a tale new to me, The Fox and the Cat, where an arrogant fox boasts that he has 100 tricks. The cat modestly replies that he has but one: ‘When the hounds are after me, I can leap into a tree and save myself,’ which he then does. The fox is killed by the dogs! This beautiful hardback edition, with lively pen and ink drawings from the award-winning Susan Varley, will survive many years of classroom use.
Friendship is at the heart of this gentle, thoughtful picture book. Little squirrel friends Sorrel and Sage are delighted that they are just the same. But when Sorrel goes to stay with Sage for a sleepover, she realises that their houses are very different: Sage’s house has branches that go on forever, peppered with pine cones and the softest green needles. Sorrel worries that her house is small and slim and wobbles in the wind. Wanting Sage to think they are just the same, Sorrel makes excuses to stop her friend visiting. She needn’t worry, when Sage does come for a sleepover, they have the best time ever. Children will enjoy the story very much, and discussing what makes a best friend. Susan Varley’s delicate ink and watercolour illustrations are full of warmth and detail.
Lenny’s grandpa King Lion is getting forgetful and confused. He gets night and day mixed up and even forgets Lenny’s name. Grandma explains he’s not himself and Lenny works out ways to help his grandpa remember, games and activities that also make the old lion happy. Lots of children will recognise their own grandparents in King Lion and Julia Jarman and Susan Varley have created a lovely picture book that explains dementia in a very honest, yet gentle and reassuring way. Touching and poignant, the book also celebrates the special relationship between young and old. ~ Andrea Reece A note from the author, Julia Jarman "When librarian Karen Morris told me there was a very real need for a story about dementia I said I'd have a go. Karen said a lot of children were having to come to terms with the fact that their grannies and granddads were losing their memories. Beloved grandparents were acting oddly and they didn't know why or what to do. I sympathised; I have friends with Alzheimer's, bright friends who started acting out of character. Lovely Old Lion is the result of this collaboration. Susan Varley has illustrated my text with huge sensitivity, conveying every nuance of emotion - and it is an emotional story."
August 2015 Book of the Month Lenny’s grandpa King Lion is getting forgetful and confused. He gets night and day mixed up and even forgets Lenny’s name. Grandma explains he’s not himself and Lenny works out ways to help his grandpa remember, games and activities that also make the old lion happy. Lots of children will recognise their own grandparents in King Lion and Julia Jarman and Susan Varley have created a lovely picture book that explains dementia in a very honest, yet gentle and reassuring way. Touching and poignant, the book also celebrates the special relationship between young and old. ~ Andrea Reece A note from the author, Julia Jarman "When librarian Karen Morris told me there was a very real need for a story about dementia I said I'd have a go. Karen said a lot of children were having to come to terms with the fact that their grannies and granddads were losing their memories. Beloved grandparents were acting oddly and they didn't know why or what to do. I sympathised; I have friends with Alzheimer's, bright friends who started acting out of character. Lovely Old Lion is the result of this collaboration. Susan Varley has illustrated my text with huge sensitivity, conveying every nuance of emotion - and it is an emotional story."
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month February 2019 | | A classic title that is loved by all, Badger’s Parting Gift is still as special and as important as when it was first published 35 years ago. Badger is very old. While he misses some of the things he used to be able to do when he was young, he is not afraid of dying. He warns his friends that one day he will go down the Long Tunnel and he encourages them not to be too sad when it happens. But, when Badger doesn’t come out from his home one day, all the animals are very sad. To help them to get over their deep emotions they each think of the special things they did with Badger. Sharing their memories brings great comfort and helps them to come to terms with the absence of their very special friend. A wonderful book for the very young – and their parents.
This is our personal favourite in terms of Sally Grindley’s picture books here at Lovereading4kids. It tells the story of rabbit and donkey. Rabbit is very inquisitive and is always asking questions about everything! He wants to know why the sky is blue and his old friend, Donkey, knows a lot of things, and promises to teach him but doesn’t always quite get round to it. In fact, in the end their roles are reversed in this wonderfully uplifting tale of friendship.
From award-winning author and illustrator Jeanne Willis and Susan Varley comes this brave look at why being in love doesn't always mean choosing to be together. Mole, why won't you marry me? sang a lonely bird in the maple tree. Bird and Mole are in love. Mole lives underground and loves to be in the dark under his hill, but Bird lives in the trees and loves to be high up in the sky... so when Bird asks Mole to marry him, will they be able to make it work? Will love be enough?
Panda longs to play with Pandora next door, but he's too shy. Whenever he sees Pandora he runs away. Meanwhile Pandora longs to say Hello Panda! , but she's much too shy, too. Will these two shy pandas ever muster up the courage to speak to each other?
Panda longs to play with Pandora next door, but he's too shy. Whenever he sees Pandora he runs away. Meanwhile Pandora longs to say Hello Panda! , but she's much too shy, too. Will these two shy pandas ever muster up the courage to speak to each other?
I'm Captain Commander! Small Pig said. Aye-Aye, Captain Small Pig! yawned Old Goat. You are in charge of this boat! But Small Pig soon tires of rowing and falls asleep, and before they know it the boat is drifting across the lake, and grumpy Turkey is in for a soaking... Martin Waddell, award-winning author of Can't You Sleep, Little Bear?, perfectly captures the magic of a day out.
Little Dennis doesn't want to go to sleep because there might be something under his bed. Dennis isn't afraid of monsters - after all, he's a monster himself. He's afraid that humans will get him. His mother says that humans are only in made-up stories, but Dennis is not convinced. Rollicking rhyme and delightfully detailed illustrations make this story of a bedtime surprise the perfect book for little monsters.
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