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WORK TITLE: I Did See a Mammoth!
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.alexwillmore.co.uk
CITY: Northampton, England
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: two sons.
EDUCATION:Attended North Wales School of Art and Design.
ADDRESS
CAREER AWARDS:
Shrewsbury Book Fest award and The FCBG award, both 2020 for his illustrations in The Runaway Pea; Nottingham Children’s Book Award, 2022, for Donut Touch!
WRITINGS
Author’s works have been translated into multiple languages.
SIDELIGHTS
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Alex Willmore is a children’s book illustrator and author. He grew up in Northampton, England, where he now resides with his wife and two sons. Willmore was drawing characters from a young age, and he studied illustration for children’s publishing at the North Wales School of Art and Design. He specializes in drawing animals with expressive faces, perfect for the board books and picture books that he has been illustrating since 2018. His art for The Runaway Pea won both the Shrewsbury Book Fest award and the FBGB Award in 2020. He won the 2022 Nottingham Children’s Book Award for Donut Touch! He has been writing his own children’s books, which he also illustrates, since 2020.
One of Willmore’s first projects was Alison Donald’s The New LiBEARian, a book about a group of children who meet a bear in the library. The children have come for story time, but the librarian who is supposed to read for them is missing. When they go look for her, strange paw prints lead them to a bear sitting at a desk, who begins to read a book, by growling. The idea of story time as a place where magic happens is conveyed through Willmore’s digital collage-like illustrations.
A “light amusing debut” is how the reviewer for Publishers Weekly described The New LiBEARian. They praised the story’s message about “the magic that awaits in books” and said that Willmore’s “bright” and “busy” artwork reveal the library “as a place where anything can happen.” Writing for School Library Journal, Joy Fleishhacker called the book a “fun read-aloud,” and she appreciated how the book celebrates the joy and magic of enjoying stories together and how they spur our imagination. She especially liked Willmore’s “buoyant illustrations” that “depict a delightfully anything-can-happen atmosphere.”
Another early Willmore work with a groaner of a pun in the title was AdoraBULL, also written by Alison Donald. Alfred the Bull and Tom the boy do everything together, but then one day Alfred overhears that Tom wants a new, adorable, pet. Hoping to put an end to that, Alfred tries to change his style to show he can be adorable, too. His crazy schemes involve getting a new hairstyle and taking up a new hobby. The story’s twist at the end embraces the theme of friendship and caring for others. Willmore’s illustrations are simpler this time and go out of their way to make the characters, especially the bull, nonthreatening.
Barbara Spin, in School Library Journal, called AdoraBULL a “sweet story about a great friendship” that is “amusing” and “silly but very entertaining.” She praised Willmore’s illustrations as “perfect for a young child,” with enough detail but not so much that they are “overstimulating.” In Kirkus Reviews, the reviewer wrote that, “like its protagonist, this book tries hard to be endearing.” They argued that this could be a good transition book for children looking to move into independent reading and that the illustrations fit well with the story.
After illustrating a series of “Let’s Find the . . .” board books (Let’s Find the Dinosaur, Let’s Find the Mermaid, etc.), Willmore illustrated The Runaway Pea and Donut Touch!, both of which won him regional awards. Then he illustrated Molly Webster’s Little Black Hole. In what might initially surprise the adults reading along, the little black hole is the story’s protagonist. She loves her universe and the friends she has made, which include the stars, planets, and a space fox, but they all eventually disappear. Fortunately, a big black hole shows her she can find her friends wherever she goes. “A sweet friendship story with a science twist” is how the reviewer for Kirkus Reviews described the book. They called it a “fanciful story of friendship and loss,” and they praised Willmore’s “expressive illustrations” and especially for the way he uses color to convey emotion.
Willmore started writing his own stories with The Big Trip, It’s MY Sausage, and The Great Paint. I Did See a Mammoth is about a young child who wanders away from three researchers in the Antarctic because he wants to see a mammoth instead of penguins. The researchers try to convince the child that mammoths are extinct and did not live in the Antarctic even when they were alive, but the child is not discouraged. Soon the child is seeing a mammoth wearing a tutu and riding a skateboard and other such silliness. Of course, the researchers cannot see the mammoth . . . until they do, leading to a nice twist at the story’s conclusion (“I DID see a human!”).
John Peters, in Booklist, called the book “an easy add to storytimes” and wrote that children will resonate with the protagonist. The reviewer for Kirkus Reviews called the book “a funny tale and one that storytellers will have a lot of fun telling” and wrote that the story is “supported by colorful and zany illustrations.”
Writing about how he came up with the artwork for I Did See a Mammoth, Willmore said in an interview with Armadillo Magazine that he particularly enjoyed thinking of how to create the facial expressions for all of the different characters: “It’s fun to illustrate one character and then think about how the character interacting with them would look. It’s always so enjoyable to see how two characters who are identical can have such different personalities based on just their expressions.”
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BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, John Peters, review of I Did See a Mammoth!, p. 129.
Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2018, review of The Wheels on the … Uh-Oh!; July 15, 2019, review of AdoraBULL; October 15, 2019, review of Let’s Find the Tiger; November 15, 2019, review of It’s My Sausage; April 15, 2020, review of Let’s Find the Dinosaur; July 15, 2020, review of Superhero Baby!; September 15, 2020, review of Let’s Find the Puppy; December 1, 2021, review of The Runaway Pea Washed Away; November 1, 2022, I Did See a Mammoth!; March 15, 2023, review of Little Black Hole.
Publishers Weekly, November 13, 2017, review of The New LiBEARian, pp. 61+.
School Library Journal, December, 2017, Joy Fleishhacker, review of The New LiBEARian, p. 83; September, 2019, Barbara Spin, review of AdoraBULL, p. 95; August, 2021, Emily Brush, review of The Runaway Pea, p. 71.
ONLINE
Alex Willmore website, http://www.alexwillmore.co.uk (May 25, 2023), author website.
Armadillo, https://www.armadillomagazine.co.uk (May 25, 2023), author interview.
Alex is an author and best selling children’s book illustrator.
Since he could first hold a pencil, Alex has been drawing characters, bringing each to life with a sense of mischief and fun. After studying Illustration for Children’s Publishing at the North Wales School of Art and Design, he went on to illustrate The Runaway Pea, which was selected for the BookTrust’s 2020 Time to Read Campaign. Alex has won the 2020 Shrewsbury Book Fest award and The FCBG 2020 award for his illustrations in The Runaway Pea, as well as being nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and was a finalist in the 2020 Oscar’s Book Prize. His books have been translated into multiple languages.
A love of fun storytelling and growing up on 80s cartoons lead Alex to write his own books, which combine captivating characters and quirky exploits, along with a positive moral message.
Alex currently lives in his hometown of Northampton with his wife, two sons, and their cats.
Alex is proudly represented by The Bright Agency.
For all project enquires, please contact The Bight Agency
For all other general enquires please see the contact page.
Alex is an author and best-selling children’s book illustrator.
Since he could first hold a pencil, Alex has been drawing characters, bringing each to life with a sense of mischief and fun. After studying Illustration for Children’s Publishing at the North Wales School of Art and Design, he went on to illustrate The Runaway Pea, which was selected for the BookTrust’s 2020 Time to Read Campaign.
Alex has won the 2020 Shrewsbury Book Fest award and The FCBG 2020 award for his illustrations in ‘The Runaway Pea’, as well as being nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and was a finalist in the 2020 Oscar’s Book Prize. His books have been translated into multiple languages.
A love of fun storytelling and growing up on 80’s cartoons lead Alex to write his own books, which combine captivating characters and quirky exploits, along with a positive moral message. Alex currently lives in his hometown of Northampton with his wife, two sons, and their cats.
Alex Willmore is an illustrator/designer whose passion lies in character design. Born in Northampton, England, Alex has been drawing characters since the moment he first picked up a pencil. A love of animals and picture books have inspired him and led to a career in illustration. Alex has been twice nominated for the Sheffield Children’s Book Award, was long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2020, and is currently nominated for The Federation of Children’s Book Groups Children’s Book Award 2020.
About the Author
Alex is an author and best selling children’s book illustrator.
Since he could first hold a pencil, Alex has been drawing characters, bringing each to life with a sense of mischief and fun. After studying Illustration for Children’s Publishing at the North Wales School of Art and Design, he went on to illustrate The Runaway Pea, which was selected for the BookTrust’s 2020 Time to Read Campaign. Alex has won the 2020 Shrewsbury Book Fest award and The FCBG 2020 award for his illustrations in The Runaway Pea, as well as being nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and was a finalist in the 2020 Oscar’s Book Prize. His books have been translated into multiple languages.
A love of fun storytelling and growing up on 80s cartoons lead Alex to write his own books, which combine captivating characters and quirky exploits, along with a positive moral message.
Alex currently lives in his hometown of Northampton with his wife, two sons, and their cats.
Alex Willmore
5 stars across 36 books
Alex Willmore Biography
Alex Willmore is an illustrator/ designer who’s passion lies in character design/ development. Born in Northampton, England 1985, Alex has been drawing characters since the moment he first picked up a pencil. A love of animals and picture books have inspired Alex and led to a career in illustration. After studying for a degree in Illustration for children’s publishing at the North Wales School of Art and Design, Alex has gone on to produce illustrations for a number of publishers , creating puzzles, picture books, packaging design, surface pattern for kidswear, stationery and greeting cards. Alex likes to work both digitally and traditionally in a number of different styles but always likes the final outcome to have a real sense of fun!
Unusual fact about Alex Willmore
Nothing unusual here... Although I do have a couple of Moomins tattooed on my arm...
I Did See a Mammoth!: A Q&A With Alex Willmore
What made you choose to write a book about mammoths?
I really enjoy drawing big fluffy, squishy characters and I just loved the idea of this huge ‘cool’ mammoth on a skateboard. I think the concept of this massive mammoth managing to hide and not been seen by the adults in the book, much to the child’s frustration, is really funny.
I can only begin to imagine how much fun it was to draw ALL those penguins AND hide the mammoth - did the story make you laugh from the outset?
Absolutely. I couldn’t help but laugh my way through drawing each and every penguin. It was drawing the expressions for the grumpy penguins and the frustrated child that really made me chuckle. I don’t know if this is true for other illustrators but I find when I’m drawing a funny expression, I’m subconsciously making the same expression on my own face.
A picture book tells most of its story through illustrations. How did you choose the colours to use for this story and what makes you decide if you should fill a page or leave space for the imagination to roam.
The colours for this book were one of the aspects I was most excited about. I’d always wanted to set a story in the arctic and create an exciting colourful world in an environment that is traditionally thought to be without much colour. Adding a hint of Northern lights (while not geographically correct) made for some nice scenes. It’s always nice to mix things up with very full scenes and some calmer ones too. Actually in this book, the Mammoth really filled the pages!
The more closely you look at the pictures the more obvious it is that you’ve given the penguins, the human character and the mammoth fantastic facial expressions, how difficult is it to achieve that and keep the variety?
This is always my favourite part of illustrating any character. It’s fun to illustrate one character and then think about how the character interacting with them would look. It’s always so enjoyable to see how two characters who are identical can have such different personalities based on just their expressions.
I am always curious. What comes first the story or the pictures or is it a seamless process?
Oh, for me, it’s almost always the pictures that come first! I’ll start with a character and then create a story around them. Where do they live? What is their personality? What do they want, etc? After that I usually like to think of fun scenarios I’d like to draw and then see how that fits into a story.
When you have an idea for a picture book how long is it from idea to creation of story?
This varies a lot for me. I Did See A Mammoth came together really quickly. The quickest I’ve ever written a completed story was about three hours. It was between the hours of 3am and 6am. Sometimes I find those quiet hours, when you’re still very tired is best to let your imagination run wild.
With this particular story being about an extinct animal how much research did you have to do on mammoths and did you do any on penguins too?
I usually like to create the story and not worry too much about being factual. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about writing fun, silly stories. That’s actually what I Did See A Mammoth is about. No Mammoths have ever been found in the Antarctic but that didn’t stop the child in the story believing. I like that idea. It’s sometimes nice to escape from reality.
When you are creating a picture book who do you have in mind - do you think of child and adult reading together Or of child reading alone? This one is very much a book for sharing and reading aloud but is it possible to imagine that when creating?
Do you have a favourite scene from this story and if so what is it?
I do. I absolutely LOVED drawing the avalanche scene. Drawing complete chaos is always just the best!
As author-illustrator of picture books do you find yourself reading others and if so do you have a favourite?
I read so many picture books. There are just so many wonderful contemporary books with fantastic stories and gorgeous artworks but my all time favourites are the Moomins books. They have been a massive inspiration for me.
What person or animal can we expect to appear in the next Alex Willmore picture book and will it be coming soon?
Ooohhh…. It’s top secret… but I can tell you it might just feature DINOSAURS!
Poskitt, Kjartan THE RUNAWAY PEA WASHED AWAY Aladdin (Children's None) $17.99 12, 28 ISBN: 978-1-5344-9016-1
In his second outing, the Runaway Pea gets swept away on an aqueous adventure.
British funnyman and children's TV show presenter Poskitt returns with another rollicking escapade for the lively and likable legume. Mealtime is over, the dishes have been washed, and now a lonely pea floats in sudsy water in the kitchen sink. When the plug is pulled, he finds himself sucked down the drain, yet he's anything but scared. This pea is up for a thrill. Drifting along in the water, he meets a vexed little spider in need of dry land, so he offers himself as a flotation device. They whoosh through underground pipes and shoot out into a small river, where they meet a duck and a fish. The happy-go-lucky pea is eager to befriend them, but the spider is wary, and a good thing too, since he saves the pea from the river creatures' sinister designs. Finally, with the help of a frog, they hit dry land. The spider hurries away forthwith, and for the first time the pea feels "helpless and lost and alone." Thankfully, Boris the dog comes by for a drink, and the pea manages to get back home by hitching a ride on the dog's tail...but the adventure isn't over yet. The rhyming text is fun to read aloud, and the action is snappy. Willmore's spirited illustrations just add to the fun. Even pea haters will enjoy this amusing caper. Hopefully, adventure No. 3 (already out in the U.K.) will arrive on our shores soon. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
More peas, please. (Picture book. 2-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Poskitt, Kjartan: THE RUNAWAY PEA WASHED AWAY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A684108281/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2c6a579a. Accessed 14 May 2023.
I Did See a Mammoth! By Alex Willmore. Illus. by the author. Dec. 2022.32p. Kane Miller, $14.99 (9781684645114). K-Gr. 2.
For some reason, the scientists studying penguins on an Antarctic ice shelf smile at the diminutive tagalong dressed in a not-un-Santa-like snowsuit who loudly claims to have spotted a mammoth ... on a skateboard ... in a tutu ... wearing sunglasses! ("You can't have seen a mammoth. Mammoths are extinct. And I'm pretty sure they're not even from around here.") Young readers who have likewise seen something interesting and been disbelieved will understand the claimants frustration--particularly as the pirouetting pachyderm is plainly visible in the snowy, penguin-strewn pictures. But eventual satisfaction comes when an avalanche brings the grownups nose-to-trunk with the bemused behemoth and sends them fleeing in terror. Closing with a sly twist, Willmore has the mammoth confront its own hirsute, skeptical clan with a similarly wild claim: "I DID see a human!" Suuure you did. An easy add to storytimes on cold-climate themes, scary monsters, or small, noisy creatures in general.--John Peters
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 American Library Association
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Peters, John. "I Did See a Mammoth!" Booklist, vol. 119, no. 7-8, 1 Dec. 2022, p. 129. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A731042760/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=aff31447. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Willmore, Alex I DID SEE A MAMMOTH! Kane Miller (Children's None) $14.99 12, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68464-511-4
Penguins aren't mammoths!
When a diverse threesome of researchers and a small, tan-skinned child set out to see penguins in the Antarctic, the child has other ideas: "But I'm going to see a MAMMOTH." Venturing out alone, the protagonist stumbles across a mammoth skateboarding! But mammoths are extinct, says one of the researchers. And when they were alive, they weren't found in the Antarctic. Perhaps the child really saw a penguin? But this only makes the protagonist more determined to prove themself right. Again and again it happens, only this time the child sees the mammoth skateboarding while wearing a frilly pink tutu; later the mammoth adds a scuba mask to the ensemble (while submerged underwater). Will no one believe the child? A tantrum leads to an avalanche of a result--and finally the protagonist's claims are proven true. The mammoth departs, returning home to their cave to boldly state, "I DID see a human!" to a trio of adults. A final note reminds readers that mammoths were traditionally found in the Northern Hemisphere while penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, but just because there's never been any evidence of Antarctic mammoths, that doesn't mean we shouldn't keep looking. It's a funny tale and one that storytellers will have a lot of fun telling--the child's wild declarations and outraged indignation are supported by colorful and zany illustrations. Savvy educators and caregivers might see this as a humorous introduction to heavier themes of extinction, conservation, and climate change. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Delightful and fun! (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Willmore, Alex: I DID SEE A MAMMOTH!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A724445603/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9723cebf. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Webster, Molly LITTLE BLACK HOLE Philomel (Children's None) $18.99 5, 9 ISBN: 9780593464755
In science journalist Webster's debut picture book, a lonely little black hole gets some comforting advice.
Worried that whenever she makes a friend, they disappear, a personified black hole is reassured by a larger one that she carries her friends with her--literally and metaphorically. Indeed, when she thinks about her friends, they reappear in the glow of her memories. Working from Stephen Hawking's theories about black hole radiation and scientific speculation that the emitted particles could reveal something about what's inside, Webster has concocted a fanciful story of friendship and loss, though the actual scientific hypothesis ("a black hole might be burping out teeny tiny bits of matter," and together these particles "give off a very faint light. A glow!"), described in the backmatter, will require more background to understand. The appearance of a space fox among the stars, planets, space rocks, and suited astronauts reminds young readers that this is fantasy. The straightforward text is set in white on the black background of the universe. But Willmore's expressive illustrations show a universe that also has lively color--brightly hued planets, the iridescent streak of a visiting star and a comet, and clouds of color trailing from the little black hole herself, showing her excitement at meeting another like her. Her final "glow," in shades of purple, blue, turquoise, and orange, is splendid. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet friendship story with a science twist. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Webster, Molly: LITTLE BLACK HOLE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A740905309/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=02050faa. Accessed 14 May 2023.
DONALD, Alison. The New LiBEARian. illus. by Alex Willmore. 32p. Clarion. Jan. 2018. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780544973657. POP
PreS-Gr 2-Dee and the other children are sitting in a cozy library nook waiting for storytime to begin, but the librarian, Ms. Merryweather, is nowhere to be found. After searching a bit, the kids come across giant-size paw prints, a sticky-with-honey desk, some torn-to-pieces pages, and a scruffy-looking critter they assume is a new librarian. With a wordless nod, the ursine individual agrees to read them a story, not about pirates or princesses, but about bears, of course, enthusiastically roaring, growling, and stomping his way through the tale. "EEEEE," the delighted children scream, and ask their storyteller to "Read it again!" When Ms. Merryweather finally appears (she was cleaning up hot lava from a volcano eruption in the Ancient History section), she begins to read "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," only to discover that Baby Bear is missing from the pages. Everything is set to rights and the book ends with the revelation that another literary personage has gone AWOL. The tale is crisply told and the buoyant illustrations, showing library stacks teeming with spinning planets, pirate ships, and imaginary creatures, depict a delightfully anything-can-happen atmosphere. VERDICT This fun read-aloud celebrates the camaraderie and wonder of sharing stories in a group setting and the power of imagination.--Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Fleishhacker, Joy. "DONALD, Alison. The New LiBEARian." School Library Journal, vol. 63, no. 12, Dec. 2017, p. 83. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A516634015/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b0924a45. Accessed 14 May 2023.
DONALD, Alison. AdoraBULL. illus. by Alex Willmore. 32p. MaverickArts. Sept. 2019. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781848864122.
PreS-Gr 1--Alfred the bull has a good life on a spacious farm with his best friend, a bo) named Tom. The two have always beer close, playing together, sharing toys, and enjoying the outdoors. Tilings begin to changt when Tom starts school. Alfred has to wait all day for his friend to come home. One day, Tom announces that he wants an adorable pet. Alfred does what any bull would do. He borrows the farmer's cell phone and does a search for adorable pets. The picture; gave Alfred an idea. He could become so charming Tom wouldn't need or want cute pet. He takes up painting and tries to act cute. He even goes to great lengths to look adorable but everyone laughs at him Alfred knows he is beaten when Tom comes home with a kitten. But who is the pet really for? Young children will love this silly but very entertaining book. Watching Alfred do whatever it takes to be adorable makes for an amusing tale. The illustrations are perfect for a young child. The pictures are clean, large, and incorporate just enough detail without making them overstimulating. The animals have unique personalities and expressions, especially Alfred. VERDICT This is a sweet story about a great friendship. The two pals show how far each will go to make the other happy. A worthwhile purchase.--Barbara Spin, Southborough Library, MA
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Spin, Barbara. "DONALD, Alison. AdoraBULL." School Library Journal, vol. 65, no. 8, Sept. 2019, p. 95. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A597858961/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5ccaf484. Accessed 14 May 2023.
POSKITT, Kjartan. The Runaway Pea. illus. by Alex Willmore. 32p. Aladdin. Jun. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781534490147.
K-Gr 3--Fresh, frozen or canned, we've all experienced the flee of a runaway pea! Determined to stir up some excitement, an adventurous pea launches from a plate of personified veggies into a sequence of unexpected and unfortunate circumstances. After bouncing into a puddle of sauce, plunging into the dog bowl, sailing into the fish tank, and triggering a mousetrap, the pea wrongly assumes "Surely there's nothing else left to go wrong?" Rolling to a halt beneath the refrigerator, the pea encounters a word of warning from a long forgotten banana and two moldy grapes nestled among crumbs and dust bunnies. Will it be too late for the pea to heed their advice before being swept further away from a predictable plate? A surprise ending depicts the unforeseen opportunity that can be found in straying from the bushel. Poskitt's lively, rhyming story coupled with Willmore's colorful, action-packed illustrations create a romping recommended purchase. Pair with the evil pea in Hendra's Supertato and readers will find two animated peas in a pod. VERDICT Recommended for classrooms and story times, this delightful read-aloud is sure to be gobbled up by delighted young readers.--Emily Brush, Novi P.L., MI
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Brush, Emily. "POSKITT, Kjartan. The Runaway Pea." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 8, Aug. 2021, p. 71. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A670397914/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=63a6b03a. Accessed 14 May 2023.
The New Libearian
Alison Donald, illus. by Alex Willmore. Clarion, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-544-97365-7
An unexpected guest shows up for story time in this light, amusing debut by U.K. author Donald. When the librarian fails to appear for story hour, a trail of clues leads the children "through a galaxy, into an ocean, and down a runway" until they find a new librarian--a friendly, if wild looking, bear. "Could you read us a scary story?" they ask, and the bear happily obliges with a book about--what else?--bears. He roars and stomps through the tale (in the book's funniest detail, he isn't able to talk, only growl), leaving the children begging for more until their usual librarian appears. "Sorry I'm late," she explains. "A volcano erupted in the Ancient History section, and there was hot lava everywhere." She begins to read from "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," but Baby Bear is missing from the tale--and the identity of the "new librarian" becomes clear. In bright, busy digital collages, newcomer Willmore depicts the library as a place where anything can happen, bolstering the story's unspoken message about the magic that awaits in books. Ages 4-7. (Jan.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
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"The New Libearian." Publishers Weekly, vol. 264, no. 46, 13 Nov. 2017, pp. 61+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A515326066/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5b9766fb. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Tarsky, Sue THE WHEELS ON THE...UH-OH! Whitman (Children's Fiction) $16.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-0-8075-8869-7
The wheel on the bus goes bust.
A red bus filled with all sorts of anthropomorphic animals is chugging along when suddenly: "BANG! Uh-oh!" One of the tires has been punctured, stopping the bus in its tracks. "The driver on the bus says, 'Off, off, off,' " and "the handywoman's wrench goes click, clack, click" as the text continues in tune with the famous song and the animals figure out what to do with a broken bus. Little readers familiar with the "Wheels on the Bus" will love this new spin on the standard, and caregivers will certainly appreciate a variation on a song they've sung more times than they can count. The illustrations are drawn and colored with simplicity, presenting the series of events as plainly as possible in double-page spreads that pull back wide for full view of vehicles and some of the bus's larger patrons. The animals are a diverse lot, and Willmore has fun with the license granted by the decision to clothe them, painting purple bears and bunnies, a pink hippo, and a blue elephant. The handywoman with her wrench is an extra nice touch, but it's too bad she doesn't actually fix that flat.
An amusing riff on an old favorite that'll please many little ones. (Picture book. 3-5)
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"Tarsky, Sue: THE WHEELS ON THE...UH-OH!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A543008880/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1a35273b. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Donald, Alison ADORABULL Maverick Publishing (Children's Fiction) $17.99 9, 3 ISBN: 978-1-84886-412-2
A perplexed bull ponders the secret of being cute.
Human Tom and bull Alfred have grown up together on a farm, forming a tight friendship. When Tom starts school, Alfred is bored. Then, betrayal: Tom announces he needs a pet that is "absolutely, totally… / …adorable!" Alfred, with his shaggy brown fur and boulder of a body, immediately takes offense. He looks up "adorable" on the farmer's borrowed phone and finds pictures of fluffy animals in aww-inspiring escapades. Alfred tries to imitate them, with destructive success. Sill stumped, Alfred takes a trip to the hair salon (where readers can see some racial diversity beyond Tom's white family) for "a new look" that involves lots of curls and bows, but he receives laughter for his troubles. Then Tom offers the discouraged bull a gift: a white kitten! It turns out that Tom's intention was to give Alfred a friend so he wouldn't be lonely. As a pair, the animals are "adorable." The unaffected text never overwhelms the pictures and could offer a transition into independent reading with mostly easily decoded vocabulary. Intentionally juvenile-looking pictures are as rough as Alfred's temper and as unrefined as his perception of the situation. The characters' small hands and hooves as well as simplified facial features (small black dots and lines) make them all nonthreatening, matching the book's sentiment.
Like its protagonist, this book tries hard to be endearing. (Picture book. 3-7)
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"Donald, Alison: ADORABULL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A593064522/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=289afba0. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Willmore, Alex LET'S FIND THE TIGER Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $9.99 10, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68010-583-4
Search the jungle for the missing tiger.
Tiger is missing! Where can he be? Addressing readers directly, this book takes them through a series of false leads throughout a vibrant jungle filled with life. A striped tail, for example, turns out to be a snake, tiger-sharp teeth are revealed to belong to a crocodile, and it seems the curly whiskers are actually the feathers of a tropical parrot. Finally, readers find the tiger asleep in his cave--and when he wakes up, he's ready to play! Each page of this lift-the-flap board book features clever comparisons between tigers and other animals in the jungle. Companion title Let's Find the Penguin is a similarly entertaining if not so coherent tour of polar regions, introducing young readers to animals and terrain typical of a frozen ecosystem. It, however, commits the too-common sin of conflating Antarctica with the Arctic, placing a melange of elements in the same implied environment: penguins, puffins, and polar bears; trees, icebergs, and, cringe-inducingly, igloos. In both, interactions are well designed, ranging from soft felt flaps sure to delight little fingers to precisely cut peepholes on the intricately illustrated pages. Likewise, the pictures, rendered in cool, soothing colors, are beautifully thought out, including just the right amount of detail to allow readers to discover something new with each return visit.
Charmingly fun. (Board book. 1-4)
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"Willmore, Alex: LET'S FIND THE TIGER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A602487602/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=450dd8c3. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Willmore, Alex IT'S MY SAUSAGE Maverick Publishing (Children's Fiction) $17.99 3, 3 ISBN: 978-1-84886-473-3
Five hungry cats vie for one "yummy, scrummy sausage."
With a limited autumnal color palette, the cats and the owner's home are realized in rough but expressive fashion. The text is short, with many onomatopoeic sounds and easy words enabling children to read much of it themselves. The five cats are distinct in color and variously accessorized, allowing readers to distinguish them and assign gender as they choose. The plot essentially consists of the golden-haired cat's titular assertion of ownership and defense of the meat product as each of the other four attempts to steal it in various slapstick schemes. Astute viewers will notice a spotted, brown shape in the corner of a scene showing a living-room floor littered with mouse traps and Lego blocks with yarn tangled all about. These are all booby traps for the four cats trying to steal the sausage, wrapped with a small string, from under its protective dome. The black cat springs into action, makes it through the minefield, and almost gets the sausage only to have it yanked away by the gold cat once again. The greedy kitty prepares to gobble the treat down but is stormed by the others, causing the sausage to bounce out of the cat's mouth and go right in the open mouth of--a large brown, spotted dog.
Humorous, action-packed pictures combine with terse text to create an engaging cautionary tale about greed. (Picture book. 4-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Willmore, Alex: IT'S MY SAUSAGE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A605549593/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8ead10dd. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Tiger Tales LET'S FIND THE DINOSAUR Tiger Tales (Children's None) $9.99 3, 17 ISBN: 978-1-68010-599-5
It’s a hunt to find the T. rex among the other prehistoric reptiles in this book, which combines descriptive clues, peekaboo cutouts, and felt flaps.
As readers search for the fearsome theropod, this colorful board book also introduces a pterodactyl, a diplodocus, a triceratops, and a stegosaurus. Readers lift flaps and take hints until at last they discover their quarry beneath a yellow, egg-shaped piece of felt. The felt flaps are well suited to eager little hands; while a determined-enough toddler may be able to tear a flap from the book as, say, a T. rex tears into its prey, they are certainly sturdier than paper flaps. Each cutout incorporates glimpses of the felt flap on the next page. A flash of pale-green felt viewed through a tail-shaped die cut accompanies the question “Could this be T-rex in the trees?” A page turn reveals the full, bush-shaped flap, behind which sits a smiling triceratops. Each dinosaur’s full image appears with its name and a phonetic spelling—with, oddly, the exception of “Tyrannosaurus rex.” Willmore’s illustrations are bright and inviting with pops of lime green, deep orange, fuchsia, and turquoise. Though the T. rex features described may be fanciful rather than scientific (“spiky back,” “scaly head”) in this playful context, it seems fair game. Companion title Let’s Find the Mermaid follows the same format, though the clues are clearer, making for more successful guesses.
Not much to sink one’s teeth into but toddler dino lovers won’t mind. (Board book. 1-3)
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"Tiger Tales: LET'S FIND THE DINOSAUR." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A620267990/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=aaf58a4a. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Hegarty, Patricia SUPERHERO BABY! Kane Miller (Children's None) $14.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68464-058-4
This bright pop of a children’s book has a plot twist in store for young readers.
While her “perfect little brother” appears quiet and well behaved, Superhero Baby (really more a toddler than a baby, but OK) rescues kittens from trees with a cleverly pinned diaper, plugs dangerous water-main ruptures with a spare teddy bear, and even rescues her father and the family dog from domestic dangers. She manages to fit it all into a busy baby day, with time for wailing over unwanted diaper changes and naps. But after she is called upon to rescue a stranded dinghy, readers may begin to wonder what could account for quite so much need for superhero rescues? Is there a villain to blame? Young readers will enjoy watching Superhero Baby solve the mystery—and then going back time and time again to find all the clues planted in the illustrations. This glossy book shines with cheery, colorful artwork highlighted by clever juxtapositions of everyday baby life with episodes of derring-do. Quatrains rhyme in an abcb pattern: “It’s time for Baby’s nap now, / but heroes never sleep! / (Unlike her perfect brother / who doesn’t make a peep.)” They combine with a catchy refrain of “GO-GO BABY POWER” for an effortless read-aloud. The brown-skinned protagonist’s family is portrayed as an interracial one, with Black-appearing mom and White-appearing dad.
Little listeners will be chanting right along with the book: “Go-go baby power!” (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Hegarty, Patricia: SUPERHERO BABY!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A629261358/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=722c024a. Accessed 14 May 2023.
Tiger Tales LET'S FIND THE PUPPY Tiger Tales (Children's None) $9.99 9, 15 ISBN: 978-1-68010-629-9
A lift-the-flap, seek-and-find adventure to locate Puppy.
“Puppy is hiding. Let’s find him!” the text declares on the first page. From there, felt flaps and cutouts in the pages along with clues help readers find the playful Puppy. Felt flaps, the 2.0 version of more common paper flaps, make a more durable reading experience for toddlers. They don’t integrate with illustrations as well as paper flaps, but that can be helpful for younger readers developing fine motor skills. The game of searching for Puppy is a familiar one, easy for toddlers to dive into. Disappointingly, though, the flaps and illustrations aren’t always proportionate, sending the clues a bit off. A cat is improbably hiding behind a single blooming flower, and though it’s in the foreground, it’s still significantly larger than those around it. A grasshopper is the same size as a bird. A couple pages later, there’s something described as hiding “behind the log,” but it’s actually a tree stump. On the next page, two rigid, erect cutouts are somehow possibly Puppy’s floppy ears. For little readers new to language, vocabulary and accurate descriptions matter. The illustrations themselves are cute enough, the pigeon particularly well realized, but there’s nothing extraordinary or of substance. The simultaneously publishing Let’s Find the Kitten handles proportions, cutouts, and descriptions with fewer head-scratchers.
Let’s find…a different book. (Board book. 6 mos.-2)
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"Tiger Tales: LET'S FIND THE PUPPY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A635239900/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f145d51c. Accessed 14 May 2023.