Jacaranda Magic, a book review

Title: Jacaranda Magic
Author: Dannika Patterson
Illustrator: Megan Forward
Publisher: Ford St Publishing

Five friends are feeling bored on a hot sticky day.
Just when they think they’ll never find anything fun to play,
A simple gust of wind changes everything …

Things I love: reading, picture books, children engaging in imaginative play, and the magnificent blooms of Jacaranda trees.

Ford St Publishing’s author, Dannika Patterson, has captured my heart’s delight. Jacaranda Magic is magic by title, and magic by words, with Dannika’s wordsmithing weaving a tale of rhyme and rhythm that will have you diving into the pages of imagination, making you long for the days of fresh purple snow.

Illustrator, Megan Forward, has gifted the words with illustrations that bring the children’s imaginations to life, filling the pages with potions of purple, with action bouncing off each of the pages, except when the children are bored—and everyone knows what bored looks like.
I highly recommend Jacaranda Magic. It is filled with rhyme that is blissfully satisfying to read aloud, with a rhythm and meter that allows the reader to fall into a dream state as the story weaves and uplifts, painting happy, sunshiny days of adventure under magical Jacaranda trees. This story is certain to delight girls and boys as it is read again and again, inspiring them to appreciate nature, live in the moment, and imagine their own adventures, as well as acting out the ones in the book. And when you thought you couldn’t love the book anymore, there is the theme of friendship – children enjoying life together, creating precious childhood memories to be cherished forever.

I know what I’m reading under the Jacaranda tree when it blooms every year, with a  wishy-wishy-wish. Do you?

Purchase a copy: buy Jacaranda Magic

Title: Jacaranda Magic
Written by: Dannika Patterson
Illustrated by: Megan Forward
Publisher: http://www.fordstreetpublishing.com/ford/
ISBN: 9781925804003
Target Audience: 5 – 9 year-olds
Pages: 32 pages

Reviewed by Julieann Wallace
(Dip T, B. Ed, Author, Illustrator, Tea Ninja, Cadbury Chocolate Annihilator)
https://www.facebook.com/julieannwallace.author/
https://www.julieannwallaceauthor.com/

Julieann is a published author and illustrator who is continually inspired by the gift of imagination and the power of words. When she is not disappearing into her imaginary worlds as Julieann Wallace – children’s author, or as Amelia Grace – fiction novelist, she is working as a book designer, editor and book magician for other authors. Julieann is a self-confessed tea ninja and Cadbury Chocoholic, has a passion for music and art, and tries not to scare off her cat, Claude Monet, with her terrible cello playing.

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Pugs Don’t Wear Pyjamas, a book review

Title: Pugs Don’t Wear Pyjamas
by: Michelle Worthington
illustrated by: Cecilia Johansson
Publisher: New Frontier

When Tom visits his aunt he meets her pug Ellie.
Ellie is no ordinary pug. Wherever Tom’s aunt goes, her pug must go too. His aunt dresses Ellie up for every outing.
Tom finds Ellie strange but she makes friends wherever she goes. Tom makes no friends. He realises something has to change.

Pugs in books are popular, and Ellie the pug is no exception in Pugs Don’t’ Wear Pyjamas. Young readers will giggle at Ellie’s human antics as she wears pyjamas to bed, drinks out of a straw and rides a skateboard, amongst other crazy activities.

Ellie the pug isn’t the only star of the story. There’s another character who is very likeable—a boy named Tom who meets Ellie at his Aunt Roz’s house when he goes to stay there. Tom marvels at Ellie the pug – the wondrous dog. But jealousy surfaces while Tom watches as Ellie makes a million friends with ease, but Tom doesn’t. And then one day, disaster strikes. Supposedly under Tom’s watchful eye, Ellie goes missing, and Tom is devastated, filled with guilt.

Illustrator, Cecilia Johansson has captured the differing moods of the story with beautiful, colourful, eye-catching pictures that will have eyes looking with excitement as children listen to the story unfold. And while they listen, multi-published author, Michelle Worthington, has cleverly lured her readers into the story with the adorable pug, Ellie, and then in a whisper, Ellie disappears, making hearts beat a little faster with worry. Thankfully, Michelle adds an extra surprise at the end of the story that will have readers buzzing with excitement. Perhaps there could be an Ellie the pug picture book number two?

Purchase a copy: www.newfrontier.com.au/books/pugs-dont-wear-pyjamas

Title: Pugs Don’t Wear Pyjamas
by: Michelle Worthington
Illustrated by: Cecilia Johansson
Publisher: New Frontier
ISBN: 978-1-925594-03-4
Age: 3-6 years
Pages: 24

Reviewed by Julieann Wallace
(Dip T, B. Ed, Author, Illustrator, Tea Ninja, Cadbury Chocolate Annihilator)
www.facebook.com/julieannwallaceonethousandwords
www.julieannwallaceauthor.com

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