A quick overview
I’ve been thinking a lot about children’s literature lately: what’s good, what’s interesting but bad for sensitive kids, what’s local and how it compares with the international stuff… And just in time I received two lovely new books:
– A Scarlet Tail (An Original African Tale) – Susan Long & Claire Norden
– Pig and Small – Alex Latimer
We’ve read both at bedtime and had requests for repeats, so that’s a good sign.
Want to know more?
A Scarlet Tail is about a handsome and athletic African Grey parrot named, of allstrange things, Nebuchadnezzar the Third. He and his fellow birds are practising their aerial acrobatics for the annual aero-display and later, he is joined by his best mate, Belinda the Bee, to play some hide and seek in the jungle. It’s a simple and unremarkable plot but, my goodness, what absolutely spectacular writing!
Kiddie book rhymes are usually a bit forced. Not these. The verse is inspired. Clever, ironic, fun for parents to read, and full of delicious words. It’s rare that I enjoy reading a book more than my little one enjoys hearing it (and that I marvel at every phrase and word choice). And the illustrations are glorious: bright, compelling, detailed.
Suggested age: Start reading this one to your littlies at 3 or 4, then leave for a while, and come back to it in Grades R, 1 and 2. You should then hang onto it for the later primary school years, because the vocabulary is totally amazing!
Pig and Small reminds me a lot of the writing of
This one doesn’t rhyme, but it’s still fun to read and lovely to discuss afterwards.
Suggested age: You could start reading this one to kiddies aged 2.5 onwards.
Both books are published by Random House & available at book stores/online.
This article was originally written for Jozikids by Tiffany Markman in 2014.
Note: If you enjoyed this article, read Good books are out here, and other stories by Tiffany Markman.