books

• for kids (3)
• kids and reading (7)
• kids book reviews (3)

articles

• A Kite’s Flight by William Gumede – Quick Review
• Will Solvit Mysteries – a child’s review
• Recommended Xmas books and a CD
• Why do some children struggle with reading?
• Jock of the Bushveld on stage, family entertainment at its best!
• Jock of the Bushveld soon in 3D and as theatre
• Getting kids enthusiastic about reading
• Reviews of kids recipe and activity books
• Dandylion and Here comes Frankie: children’s books reviewed
• Finding time to share reading with your child
• The wonderful world of books – one child’s journey
• Lets make a list of great kids books
• Loving books with kids

Reflections and reviews by a Swedish woman of Ethiopian origin living in South Africa.  Find her on her blog entitled, In the Words of Katarina

Richly illustrated by Maya Sereda, the book tells the story of Andile, the proud young owner of a kite that he made together with his father. On its virgin tour the string breaks and the kite sets off on a breathtaking journey across the African continent.

Gumede, who grew up without a present father, has written a warm and educational tale about a boy and his close relationship with his father; a theme of great importance in a society where so many children grow up fatherless.

A Kite’s Flight has been published in 9 languages – ‘n Vlieër vlieg oor Afrika (Afrikaans); Ukubhabha kweKayiti (isiXhosa); iKhayithi Elindizayo (isiZulu); Ho fofa ha Khaete (Sesotho); Go Fofa ga Khaete (Setswana); Phofo ya Khaete (Sepedi); Kundiza kweKhayithi (Siswati); Riendzo ro haha ra khayiti (Sitsonga), R85

In May 2011 A Kite’s Flight won the (American) Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award, for best children’s book in Africa.

by Stefan Fouche, a 13 yr old boy who loves reading, has a strong imagination and dreams of being an electrical engineer one day.

The main characters in the series are Will Solvit, Zoe, Will’s Father and Mother, Grandpa Monty, Plato, and the mysterious letter writer.  The character I like most is Grandpa Monty.  He is a spy, and continually goes onadventures, and he makes the weirdest dinners.  I like the way the author uses Will’s character to demonstrate the traits of patience, love, peace, joy and courage in a practical way.

The descriptions of the series created a sense of being adventurous without fear within me.  I realise now that the new adventures are only experienced in unknown worlds or settings. I have also learned out of this series that life works out for every person according to decisions he makes, and that life trains our characters. A special feature of this series is the fact file in the middle of the book and decoder with every book.  This fact file needs the decoder to explain, and give interesting facts about the characters in the specific book.  I cannot wait for the next release to see if, and how Will Solvit finds his parents!

Age: 9-13yrs

Click here to find more information about  Will Solvit Mysteries ( retail price R49.95 each)
The series is available from all major book stores nationwide including Exclusive Books, PNA, Wordsworth etc.

by Corinne Lamoral,  freelance writer and media consultant, practicing part time corporate communications. She lives with her husband and three children on a koppie in Johannesburg where she pretends the distant hum of traffic is the ocean.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of plastic pushed at children over Christmas, head to the refuge of a bookshop and stock up on some of these favourites.

FANTASTICAL FLYING MACHINES

By Simon Wild and Timothy Knapman (Macmillan Children’s Books)
Wildly original and entertaining, this pop up book tells a rhyming tale of Sally and Jack’s great race and little fight against Baron Von Bang Bang’s dirty tricks.
Age: 2 – 6

THE  PIG’S  KNICKERS

By Jonathan Emmett (Walker Books)
When pig finds a pair of knickers he puts them on and feels special, making him sing and dance for all his friends. What happens when he loses them teaches about how the person, not the clothes make you special. The sight of a pig wearing polka dot panties had my 4 year old in fits of giggles and the punch line even more so.
Age: 2-6

THE TROLL -  book and CD

By Julia Donaldson and David Roberts (Macmillan Children’s books)
The latest book from the bestselling author of The Gruffalo was an instant hit in our house. Loosely based on the story of the troll who calls out “Who’s that trip trapping across my bridge?” this story features hungry pirates and clever creatures that manage to outwit the troll. The CD inspires you to read with great gusto and pirate pizzazz.
Age: 2 -10

MY FIRST BOOK OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN CREEPY CRAWLIES

By Charmaine Uys (Struik)
A new release from Struik’s excellent range of children’s nature books, this is a well-illustrated introduction to some of the 58 spiders, scorpions, snails, millipedes and other creepy crawlies (not insects) that your children are likely to encounter in their environment. All text is in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu.
Age: 2 – 10

BINK AND GOLLIE

By Kate Di Camillo and Alison McGhee (Walker Books)
Welcome to the adventures of Bink – who is tiny, impulsive and filled with enthusiasm and Gollie – who is tall, cool and uses big words. A charming friendship story with a really humorous storyline, the illustrations by Tony Fucile, who designed The Incredibles, add to the book’s originality.
Age: 6 -8

CHRISTMAS CAROLS

Macmillan Children’s Books
With words and music for 25 classic carols including Once in Royal David’s City,Little Drummer Boy and We Three Kings, this is a great buy for the whole family.
Age: 6 and up.

A FAMILY CHRISTMAS – music CD

Putumayo World Music CD
Give your festive season a bluesy folk and jazz inspired feel with Putumayo’s roundup of Christmas classics like Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Jolly Old St Nick. My kids were initially unsure of these less recognisable versions of Christmas songs but once we put it on in the background while making dinner, it gave a fun holiday vibe. Good for grown up parties too.

by Bernice Kidd, married to Rory and has two daughters, Ella (7) and Grace (5).  She is the owner of 2littlegirls.co.za , an online children’s bookshop and is passionate about encouraging a love of reading!

Learning to read is not a natural process like learning to speak. Human brains are hard-wired to speak however learning to read and write are acquired skills by a process that requires early systematic and direct instruction.

Three recent studies have pinpointed the reason why some children lag behind with reading.  Up until a decade ago, it was widely believed that those children who lagged behind with reading were just what was termed ‘late bloomers’ and would eventually catch up when  their brains matured.  This was termed a ‘developmental lag’.  The more recent studies have found this to be incorrect and that these children lacked a crucial skill required when learning to read; Phoneme awareness.  This has been termed a ‘skill deficit’.

In the last few decades researches and educators alike have come to similar conclusions, which can be best summed up as follows;

1. Phonemic Awareness is the BEST predictor of reading success (Adams, 1991) and

2. Phonemic Awareness must be explicitly taught. (Brady, Fowler, Stone, & Winbury, 1994).

So what is phoneme awareness?

Firstly, it is important to know what a phoneme is. A phoneme is a basic unit of sound used to build a language. All spoken words are made up of one or more individual phonemes. For example the word DOG is made up of 3 phonemes D. O and G. Separating the word DOG into these three distinct phonemes, requires phonemic awareness. So basically phonetic awareness is the understanding that a word consists of a series of discrete sounds.

It is therefore crucial to help your children develop phonemic awareness if you want them to excel at reading. Here are some games and activities to help your children develop phonemic awareness;

1.      Provide alphabet flash cards and pictures of objects that start with these sounds. If your child finds a picture of a cat say the word “cat” with her and then see if she can find the letter “c” to go with it.

2.      Play rhyming Games. For example rhyming Pairs: Do these sound the same? (hand-band) or different (shoe-car)? Odd Word Out: What word doesn’t belong? (bed, shed, flower, ted)

3.      Talk about what sound their name starts with to develop phonemic awareness in a very personalized way. For example “Your name starts with the letter E; E is for Ella!” Once she becomes familiar with her name start saying other people’s names and talk about what sounds these names begin or end with.

4.      Exaggerate the sounds by holding on to them sssssnake. Or use rapid repetitions such as t-t-t-toes.

And one last (and most important) thing – Don’t forget to make it Fun!

by Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

The mark of a great story is one that stands the test of time and South African classic Jock of the Bushveld is one of those stories. Entertainment for all ages, Jock’s adventures have found their home on stage. Jock of the Bushveld: The Musical is pure enchantment. From the moment the theatre lights dim and the audience hear the night-time sounds of the bushveld, the magic begins. This is family fun and enjoyment at its best.

The wonderful saga of Jock and his exploits takes us into a mesmerising world. Clever costuming creates the impression of the various animals Jock meets—from the stately giraffe to the frenetically trotting warthogs, to the gracious hippo, to the hip troop of ‘gangsta’ baboons. Jock’s lessons in life are all learned in his environment, and from his encounters with both his friends and his enemies. He learns about courage, fortitude, how to hunt, the meaning of true friendship, trust, love and loyalty, and the value of keeping one’s word.

The cast give a brilliant ensemble performance, weaving their way seamlessly from one animal character to another, and also playing the humans that Jock encounters. The animals are beautifully portrayed with actors’ subtle movements. Somehow the wiggle of a rear conveys the typical gait of the Mister and Missus Warthogs plus kids, while the ambling of Mama Hips the hippo lets us know exactly who she is. Interestingly, Leopard enjoys Tai Chi…

It’s impossible to pick out ‘best’ actors because they are all so good, and their voices are a joy to hear.   Jock (Vaughn Gardiner) very ably portrays the brave-hearted, feisty Jock. The lady who steals Jock’s heart is a simply splendid French Poodle called Fifi, played by Suzzi Swanepoel. Fifi sings a rip-roaring ‘Hot Dog’ in one of the most enjoyable songs in the entire show. But the scene stealers just have to be the three vultures: Chérie, Boet and Bob. Reminiscent of the Three Fates and the vultures from The Jungle Book, they have some of the funniest lines and for good reason. Their pièce de résistance is a memorable song and dance routine called ‘Culture Vulture.’  Jock’s friend Chicken is another scene stealer.  Chicken is the friend everyone wants in times of need. Brave, loyal and faithful, Chicken overcomes her (natural) fear of bigger animals with lots of huge teeth, and performs the most unheard of deed such as seeking out Leopard when Jock needs help.

The show is peppered with many typically local jokes and references. Some adults may find their kids pick up these before they do! Look out for Bob-E-Jahn and his bold and brassy gang of baboons. The African bushveld, specifically the Kruger National Park where Jock ultimately meets his end, is portrayed with amazing simplicity. A rotunda moves the actors from one setting to another, drawing the audience into various locations such as the campsite, the river, the leopard’s lair, the baobab tree.

As anyone who has read the book will know, Jock does meet a sad end, but in such a way that he simply exchanges one life for another, leaving the audience a little heartsore, but satisfied. For parents who are keen to encourage their children to read, this show is a delightful way to begin. Children will love the show and very likely will be keen to read more because of course, there’s always more to the story in a book.

Age recommendations: All ages from about 8yrs old.

Jock of the Bushveld – The Legend Lives On is currently being performed at The Mandela at Joburg Theatre until Oct 10, 2010  Click here for details

by Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

The theatre production of Jock of the Bushveld will open at  Joburg Theatre this week. There’s also an animated full-length  3D  feature movie in the making. For those of you who haven’t read this well loved book,  let me tell you something about this wonderful children’s book.

Jock’s History

Jock of the Bushveld is a true story by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, recounting his adventures in the Lowveld in the late 19th century, with his dog, Jock. The book tells of Fitzpatrick’s travels with his dog, Jock, during the 1880s, when he worked as a storeman, prospector’s assistant, journalist and ox-wagon transport-rider in the Bushveld region of the Transvaal (then the South African Republic). Fitzpatrick later recounted these adventures as bedtime stories to his four children. Rudyard Kipling, a good friend of Fitzpatrick, also took part in these storytelling evenings and eventually persuaded him to collect these tales in book form. Illustrations for the book were done by Edmund Caldwell, a brother of Mary Tourtel, creator of Rupert Bear.

The book was first published in 1907 and had an extremely warm reception, being reprinted four times in that year alone. Since then it has achieved the status of a classic South African book and has been also widely read abroad—more than one hundred editions have been printed and it has been translated into Afrikaans, Dutch, French, Xhosa and Zulu, amongst others. Jock was saved by Fitzpatrick from being drowned in a bucket for being the runt of the litter (he would ruin the litter if left with them). Jock was very loyal towards Percy, and brave.

Sir Percy’s History

Eventually after five years of transport riding, tsetse fly infected all Sir Percy’s oxen and he was ruined. He walked penniless into Barberton, all the way from Louw’s Creek, found a job and also a wife, Lilian Cubitt, whom he married. After that Sir Percy relocated to Johannesburg and was then employed by the Johannesburg mining group, the Corner House. He gave Jock to a friend of his, who in time gave the dog to a trader who had a store in Mozambique at a place known as Old Pessene. There Jock was killed one night when he rushed out to attack a stray dog that was raiding the fowl run. Jock killed the thief but was then shot when his master mistook him in the darkness for the other dog. Jock permanently lost his hearing when a kudu cow kicked him. Loss of hearing is attributed as one of the main reasons he died, as he could not hear Tom Barnett when he called him, and was mistakenly shot, because he was thought to be the dog killing chickens on the farm.

Jock was an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier. There is a statue of Jock in front of the City Hall in Barberton, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Jock at the Movies

The 3D animated feature film of  Jock of the Bushveld is in the initial stages of production, with 26 artists, animators and technicians busy in their Johannesburg studios. Some 59 scenes have already been completed using the latest computer-assisted animation, and soon the project will be marketed abroad. Another big scoop is the involvement of some big names in the entertainment industry such as musical writing superstar Tim Rice, and local singers Johnny Clegg and Nianell. A major coup for the filmmakers is Archbishop Tutu’s involvement. He’ll be lending his sonorous voice to a small but key part involving spirituality.

An important part of the movie marketing plan is to focus on education in the Mpumalanga Lowveld, which is the setting for Jock’s story. Corporate sponsorship will contribute to community upliftment and awareness.

Books vs Movies or Theatre

Kids love movies of books, and sometimes see the movie first. Although parents may worry that the movie is a substitute for the book, this is generally not the case. It’s a golden opportunity for parents to suggest that they add to the enjoyment by getting the book/s. Similiarly with the theatre production. Parents can encourage their children to get onto the computer and look up everything they can possibly find about the movie, the plot, the characters, the actors—it’s all reading, whether in book or electronic format. Once hooked on a great book, any child will return to that beloved adventure time and time again. I will be seeing the show next eweek and doing my review.  So watch this space for more

by Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Getting kids enthusiastic about reading may seem like a monumental task when you see all the techno-competition around—video games, movies, computer games etc. Actually, one can use all sort of elements to get kids as enthusiastic about books as they are about all their other gadgets.

Most of the time, children are either bored or switched off by the reading choices at school. Kids are riveted by what interests them, so find out what captures your child’s imagination, and direct their attention toward the books on that subject/s.

Kids love computers so turn the idea of reading around—let them create their own story, become an author. What could be more empowering! This will allow them ‘ownership’ of the story, and that’s an irresistible challenge for any child. The subject can be about them, an incident, or a fictitious character. They’ll not just create it but illustrate it (either their own drawings or using images available from the Internet), design it and print it out. You’ll be amazed at what happens once the child takes charge of their own project. You can help your child develop the story, getting them to write it out first by hand, and then going through it several times (maybe another family member can also give their input). They can then create the project on the computer. When it’s finished, suggest the child hand it in to their grade teacher for inclusion in the school magazine or newspaper. Or perhaps it’s a gift for a grandparent or family member. You could even have it properly bound at your local stationers.

Praise and success are incredibly motivating factors in any child’s development. They’ll automatically feel inspired to achieve more. Now you can introduce new activities that show books in a very novel light.

Find a book you both like and, besides reading together, ask your child to suggest alternative actions on the part of certain characters, asking if they agree on how the story is unfolding, and how they would have written the characters’ actions if they disagree. Encouraging a thought process will make your child feel their opinion counts. Once the book is finished, have your child write a ‘review’ and even send it to your local bookshop or library. Imagine their pride and delight if the review is published in a local newspaper, or put up on the library notice board.

A book series is a wonderful way to capture a child’s imagination. If they ‘bond’ with a character such as a young hero/ine, they’ll be eager to continue reading the series as each new book comes out. Two of the most popular that spring to mind immediately are Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter. You can cement this enthusiasm by buying hard cover books for your child as ‘collectibles’—something to be cherished and read again and again. If there’s a movie, even better, and merchandising such as T-shirts, mugs, badges etc, also keep the enthusiasm going.

Following on with the above, most successful books have websites with interesting aspects to explore. Is the series set in a real or fantasy place? Do the characters have important choices to make? Don’t be afraid to let your child get onto the computer and read all about the series, the author, the movie, the actors, the settings, and the characters. Ask your child questions about what they have learned and praise their research.

It doesn’t matter how your child comes to enjoy the written word, but that he or she does. Some imaginative ways of ‘packaging’ the reading process will reap wonderful results.

by Corinne Lamoral , a freelance writer and media consultant, practicing part time corporate communications. She lives with her husband and three children on a koppie in Johannesburg where she pretends the distant hum of traffic is the ocean.

With just over a week until the end of the holidays, I am loving books that keep my children busy and happy.  A few of my favourite include:

EAT:

The Silver Spoon for Children – Favourite Italian Recipes (Phaidon)

We have a small collection of kid’s recipe books but what I love about this beautifully illustrated children’s Italian cookbook is that the recipes are for real food.  No pink marshmallows squashed onto Marie biscuits (which have their time and place!). This is food you would like your children to eat and which they feel really proud of being able to make.

The editors have selected forty recipes from the famous recipe book The Silver Spoon, which is apparently found in almost every Italian family’s kitchen, and adapted them to suit children. We’ve tried the tomato bruschetta (easy and delicious – you can vary the toppings) and baked macaroni with parmesan (major comfort food) and are about to attempt the pizza dough – which has the kids very excited and me a bit nervous – I usually just buy the frozen pizza bases, so we’re stepping up here.

The background on Italian food and how to use everything from a grater to a blender are ideal for slightly older children age 8 up and will give them an appreciation for what they are making.  The step-by-step illustrations are well designed and perfect for all ages, making the recipes very accessible and fun. Considering that most children love pasta and pizza, an Italian cookbook is the perfect place to start cultivating a love of good food!

PLAY:

Humphrey’s Book of Fun – Fun – Fun

By Betty G Birney (faber and faber)

Humphrey’s book arrived with perfect timing – just as the cold spell returned to Joburg my nine year old has been sitting curled up on the couch with this book of puzzles, jokes, word searches, crosswords and games.  If you aren’t already a fan of the Humphrey series – all about the lovable hamster Humphrey and his life lessons – consider buying the first book The World According to Humphrey as well.  It will be a hit with all animal or hamster-loving kids and I’m grateful that it’s helped revive my daughter’s interest in her hamster, just when poor old Hammy was getting used to watching all the action pass by his cage.

DRAW:

African Seashores To Read, Colour and Keep

By Sally MacLarty (Random House Struik)

This range of colouring books focusing on the African seashore, birds and insects is lovely to pack on holiday or keep at home.  The books feature clear, well-drawn plants and creatures.  Full colour guides help when choosing the correct colours and the basic info about each animal or plant helps children learn while they play.  With a recommended retail price of R45 they also make well-priced gifts.

Corinne Lamoral is a freelance writer and media consultant and mother of three children 3-9yrs. She reviews books and movies for a living which has sharpened her eye to spot out the must see’s  and must reads out there.

1. DANDYLION
by Lizzie Findlay (Random House)

This is a gem of a book – beautifully written and illustrated and sharing a message that will make your soul sing.  It’s OK to be different! Dandylion is the new kid in class and right from the start he stands out. With his fun attitude to life and zany way of doing things, he spills paint in his eagerness, brings sweet sandwiches to school and finally gets the whole class in trouble by going wild with a Koki pen… Dandylion learns a big lesson but so do his classmates when they ask him to stop being so wild and he decides to stay at home. This is great for provoking discussion about how everyone does things differently and how we can all learn from each other.
Age: Good for children aged 3 up to around 8.  Older children will find it too simplistic.

2. HERE COMES FRANKIE
by Tim Hopgood (Macmillan Children’s Books)

With a burst of sound and colour Frankie finds his true calling in this gorgeous book by the award-winning author of books like Our Big Blue Sofa and A Dog Called Rod.  The cover illustration of a little boy playing the trumpet grabbed my attention as I fished it out from behind the other books on the Exclusives shelf.  What a find.  My nearly four-year old son Joseph loves trumpets and the delight on his face as he watched Frankie making colours with his sounds was wonderful.  The story follows Frankie and his very quiet librarian parents who read books and do the crossword everyday until Frankie announces LOUDLY that he wants to learn to play the trumpet.  The story introduces the concept of Synaesthesia –the mixing of the senses that allows some people, like jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, to perceive colours, shapes and smells in music.

Age:  3 to 10yrs. Older children will get the concept more, but Hopgood’s illustrations will talk to everyone.2

by Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Reading with your child is a wonderful pastime with so many benefits. Not only does this special ‘together time’ strengthen the bond between you and your child, there are other positive results. You’ll see the growth of your child’s vocabulary, awareness of the world, social behavior skills, listening skills, confidence, and many other developmental aspects. However, in a busy day filled with work, chores, ferrying to and from school, where does the frazzled parent find time to capture those few precious moments called ‘free time?’ Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate reading together for the family with not much time to spare.

Reading doesn’t always have to involve books. Our world is full of text. Use it! A busy parent can create a fun game in the car where the child reads road signs, billboards, helps with a road map, or spots registration number plates and creates words with the letters.

Shopping? The supermarket is a great place for looking for labels, reading labels, helping with the shopping list, and checking the listed ingredients on a tin or packet.

Have fun while you cook. If you’re busy, have your child read something to you while you’re preparing dinner. This time it can be a book they are currently enjoying, something from the newspaper or their choice of magazine. Encourage your child to express an opinion about what they are reading to you. This will draw your child closer to you because your interest will cement the bond between you. Children love being the focus of their parents’ attention, and especially when they are doing something special with the parent.

Kids love baking! Make cookies and candy even more fun by getting your child to read the recipe to you first while you collect all the ingredients required. Then they can continue reading the instructions while you perform the task. Later (while the family is eating the cookies) you can say how much help they were. Praise is vital to your child’s performance. It boosts their confidence and makes them want to do this again.

Dining out? Your child can have fun reading the menu and deciding what they want to eat. Having friends over for dinner? Ask your child to create a beautiful illustrated menu to show your guests. Most kids love the opportunity to get out those crayons and coloring pencils.

Audio books are a wonderful way of helping your child concentrate and develop listening skills while you’re driving. After a few minutes, stop the tape and ask your child questions about what they just heard. Make it interesting by asking what they think will happen next, or what they would do in a certain situation. This will help your child engage in the literary process in a fun way.

Find time in tiny bites. Don’t think that reading to or with your child involves 60-minute marathons. Just before bed is a special time between parent and child. Just 10-15 minutes every evening is possible, and will reap marvellous rewards.

Whatever you do and however much time you manage to squeeze out of your day for reading with your child will all be beneficial. It’s not the daily amount of time that is so important; it’s the quality of your word time together that counts. Don’t forget to have fun because that’s what it’s all about!