Children's Books for Pre-Readers

Willbee the Bumblebee

Craig Smith & Maureen Thomson (authors)

Katz Cowley (illustrator)

Scholastic, NZ: September 2011

ISBN: 9781869439439

Includes CD

Genres: picture book, humour

'Up in early in the morning till the evening hour, flying around from flower to flower...' That's Willbee Bumblebee, the busy little insect with the black and yellow jersey who gathers pollen and fertilises the flowers of the garden. But what will happen when Willbee's jumper comes unravelled? How can he gather pollen when he's cold?

Read more: Willbee the Bumblebee

Ben & Duck

Sara Acton (author/illustrator)

Scholastic Press, Australia: August 2011

ISBN: 9781741699142

Genre: animals, picture book

Ben goes to the park and meets Duck. Duck... isn't like other birds. Duck is persistent. And greedy. And determined. And he follows Ben home. What is Ben to do? Make a new friend, of course!

Read more: Ben & Duck

The Great Expedition

Peter Carnavas (author/illustrator)

New Frontier Publishing, Australia: 2011

ISBN: 9781921042812

Genres: adventure, humour, picture book

Issues: imagination

A group of young explorers have been given the task of delivering a valuable parcel. 'The journey would be punishing. It would test the resolve of the brave young explorers. Most of all it would provide us with a pair of unlikely heroes to admire and remember for many years to come. This is their story.'

Read more: The Great Expedition

All Set For the Big Wet

Mandy Foot (illustrator)

Lothian Children's Books, Australia: October 2011

ISBN: 9780734411969

Genres: animals, picture book

'The ants come scurrying one by one...' Watch out, because the Big Wet is due any day and ten different Australian animals are boarding the Ark in increasing numbers. But will it ever actually rain?

Read more: All Set For the Big Wet

Waiting for Later

Tina Matthews (author/illustrator)

Walker Books, Australia: May 2011

ISBN: 9781921720055

Genres: picture book, realistic fiction

Issues: family, identity

Shortlisted for the 2011 Qld Premier's Award

Later. That seems to be the only answer Nancy, the youngest, seems to get whenever she asks someone else to spend time with her. So she finds a place to wait for later. A place where she can watch her family. A place that always has time for a girl who's at that in-between age when some days she feels small and others she feels big.

Read more: Waiting for Later

Homer the Library Cat

Reeve Lindbergh (author)

Anne Wilsdorf (illustrator)

Walker Books, UK: Australian release October 2011

ISBN: 9781406336566

Genres: picture book

Homer is definitely a stay-at-home cat of quiet and peaceful habits. Mice play with his ball; he purrs when he hears or sees a bird. So when there is a loud CRASH, Homer is terrified – the more so when his frantic dash for safety leaves him stranded, desperate to find the quiet human who shares his house. How can Homer possibly find her amidst the noise and bustle of the city around him?

Read more: Homer the Library Cat

There are No Cats In This Book

Vivane Schwarz (author/illustrator)

Walker Books, UK: Australian release August 2011

ISBN: 9781406316896 

Genres: animals, humour, picture book

Tiny, Moonpie and Andre are not really in this book. Okay, you can see them on the opening page but that's only because you happened to catch them before they leave. They're off on a big adventure – if they can break free of the page, that is. Can you help?

Read more: There are No Cats In This Book

Mozzie and Midgie

Doug McLeod (author)

Sandy Okalyi (illustrator)

Working Title Press, Australia: March 2011

ISBN: 9781921504310

Genres: animals, picture books

Issues: identity, self-esteem

Mozzie and Midgie, two young spoonbills who live on a tropical island off the coast of Australia, suffer from a severe case of ordinariness. Or so they think when a colourful (and boastful) parrot mocks their austere white plumage and black features.

Read more: Mozzie and Midgie

Gilbert

Colin Thompson (author)

Chris Mould (illustrator)

Lothian Books, Hachette, Australia: 2003

ISBN: 0734405162

Genres: humour, picture book

Gilbert is a scaredy cat. 'Taken from his mother before his eyes opened, he had spent most of his early childhood inside a paper bag, and because of this he had grown up being frightened of anything that wasn't made of paper or didn't make a rustling noise when he touched it.'

Read more: Gilbert

The Bicycle

Save the Children, Colin Thompson et al,

HarperCollins, Australia: September 2011

ISBN: 9780733329876

Genres: picture book

Issues: education, hope, poverty

In many parts of Cambodia (and other countries), children are unable to go beyond primary school because the nearest high school is too far away. They cannot get there and back in time to attend school each day. Education is the road to a better future so Save the Children is giving such children a bicycle. As Thompson says in his introduction: 'that bicycle is the difference between a child spending their life unable to read or write and working hard just to survive, or becoming anything they want from a teacher to a doctor to the president of their country.'

Read more: The Bicycle