Simon is obsessed with picture books: reading them, writing them, buying them, smelling them. His own have been published in more than 20 languages. You Must Bring a Hat won the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book of the Year, and I Really Wany the Cake was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. He particularly enjoys funny, deadpan picture books. After gaining a 1st class degree in History, he put his skills to use as a barman at a local pub, grew tired of the owner calling him Andy, left to fail a teaching degree, then turned to writing. He lives in England, although occasionally leaves to buy milk.
The title and cover of this brilliant picture book called out to me as soon as I saw it, and I was pleased to discover that the rest of the book lived up to my high expectations.
The main character is wonderfully, comically expressive, and, despite the sparse text, experiences a range of emotions; guilt, remorse, frustration, desperation, despair.
Despite its abundance of humour, this book touches on several themes, including friendship and the notion of belonging, and the importance of impulse control. And, like all of my favourite picture books, it ends with a delicious twist.
SHORT-LISTED: CBCA Book of the Year, Crichton Award for New Illustrators, 2018
I just ate my friend. He was a good friend. But now he is gone. Would you be my friend?
A hilarious story about the search for friendship and belonging... and maybe a little bit about the importance of impulse control... from an amazing new creator.
I love so much about this picture book: the simple but humour-laden premise; Toto’s inventiveness, creativity, and perseverance in his quest to reach his goal (and the apple); the bold illustrations and striking design; and, of course, the twist at the end that will leave readers chuckling.
Creativity and perseverance lead to unexpected success for a little worm who goes after an apple high up in a tree
The apple is up high. Toto is down low. A bird flies by. Toto has an idea.
And so this hilariously expressive little worm gets busy creating plan after plan to reach his desired meal. His crafty strategies are successfully executed but miserably unproductive... until the opportunity presents itself and Toto seizes the moment without foresight. With just the perfect balance of predictability and surprise, this tale reads like an animated short that the reader will want to see…
In my opinion, there just aren’t enough picture books about ravenous badgers that are willing to eat almost anything. But this is one of them, and it’s a corker.
I love the escalating desperation of the hungry badger as it follows an increasingly revolting sandwich across a park as it's spurned by a range of animals, who all deem the sandwich too disgusting to eat. But, the badger’s persistence pays off, and it finally gets its paws on the slug-covered sandwich, and the tasty meal it’s been chasing – but not the one you expect!
A hilarious picture book about a very hungry, and rather unlucky, badger in search of a sandwich - with a wickedly funny twist in the tale
One day, a boy drops his sandwich in a sandpit, and the race is on! A very hungry badger wants it, but he's just not quick enough. The sandwich is dropped, squashed and slithered over by everyone from a squirrel, to a fox, to a band of slugs.
Will the badger ever get his paws on that sandwich? And will he even want it if he does, or will it just be too disgusting?…
Possibly one of the most bonkers picture books I’ve ever read – incorporating cake, cosmic vibrations, black holes, and cheese-salad sandwiches – it’s an absolute riot, and I loved the twist, which happens a bit before the end but is hilariously satisfying after all the madness leading up to it.
Meet Llama, a true hero for the ages, who has most definitely driven a bus and who loves cake way more than you.
On Monday, Llama discovers a pile of cake, which he promptly eats. On Tuesday, Llama squeezes into his dancing trousers, which he promptly rips. The force of the rip creates a black hole (naturally). By Friday, Llama will (indirectly) destroy the world.
In their debut picture book, author/illustrator team Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox introduce young readers to the hilarious, the oblivious, the apocalyptically adorable Llama. So grab some cake and prepare to dance . . .…
Emily Gravett is a picture book maestro. I’m a big fan of her work, and The Odd Egg is yet another brilliant picture book, with glorious artwork.
All the birds have laid an egg and are awaiting the arrival of their chicks. All except for Duck, that is. But Duck claims a big, spotted egg as their own – and whilst they have to wait a little bit longer than the others for their egg to hatch, when it finally does, the creature inside it is…unexpected...and…spectacular….
The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett is a beautifully illustrated tale with a surprise ending bound to ruffle some feathers!
All the birds have eggs to hatch. All except Duck. Then Duck is delighted to find an egg of his own to look after. It's the most beautiful egg in the whole world! But all the other birds think it's very odd indeed - and everyone's in for a big surprise when it finally hatches.
With split pages, this fun format will keep children in suspense as the story unfolds. And they'll love joining in - creak! crack! as each…
Come join the fun—but only if you have a hat. And you know the entry rules. Unfortunately, there seems to be a surprising number of those, as a young boy discovers. Will he—and the cool collection of animals he befriends along the way—ever get in? Gloriously illustrated, the art contains loads of details that serve as clues to the satisfying surprise ending. Kids will read this thoroughly hilarious cumulative picture book again and again!
Since losing his mom, thirteen-year-old Jack Wilson has spent most of his time seeing just how much trouble he can get away with so that he feels like a winner at something. But he takes his mischief too far and is faced with the possibility of unbearable consequences. He knows it’s time to make a big change.
After rediscovering the love of baking he once shared with his mother, Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay on the right path, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones—and…
After losing his mom, a struggling thirteen-year-old boy in northern Wisconsin rediscovers the love of baking he once shared with her and decides to audition for the world-famous, big-hearted Marvelous Midwest Kids Baking Championship television show in Chicago. Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay out of trouble, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones -- and hopefully even mending his broken relationship with his dad.
