June 2000
THIS MONTH’S FAVE RAVE:
Benny the Breakdown Truck, written by Keren Ludlow and illustrated by Willy Smax
Benny is a likeable character who is illustrated in a more subtle way than many books
about vehicles that can talk and feel, featuring retro artwork colours rather than bright
primaries. The books are a good size to hold at storytime and, comfortingly, some of the
same characters appear in all four books. These include Mike McCannick and his handy bag
of tools, and Benny himself.
Set in Brummingham, the two stories with especially good punchlines are Benny and
the Bubble Car and Benny Goes to the Seaside. In the latter title, Benny is
frustrated with Mike McCannick, who insists on caryying out essential checks before they
can set off for a day at the seaside. This is a good device for fitting in technical
details like pumping the tyres, and adding water to the radiator to prevent it from
overheating. The destination Sea Cove is lovely, with text that tells us ‘Benny couldn’t
believe his headlamps’ when he first catches sight of it. You’ll enjoy Benny’s attempts at
fishing on the quayside (remember he’s a breakdown truck), and when he prevaricates about
going home, you can hear echoes of all the children who have visited the seaside for the
day and want it to carry on forever.
Published by Dolphin, £2.50
HONOURABLE MENTION:
10 Little Monsters, created by Jonathan Emmett and illustrated by Ant
Parker
This counting book from one to ten has a different pop-up each
time you turn a page, and features numbers as big as your hand.
The little monsters frolic in a tree, squeeze into the same coat, fly through the sky
trapeze-style, and then wave goodbye to you at the end.
There are some clever touches: on the first page, one monster is reading a book with
the bold number 1 on the front cover (the book pops out from the page). If we peep behind
and look at what the little monster is reading, there’s an exact repeat of the page we
have just seen: the little monster reading a book all about number 1.
My favourite image is that for number 6, where six little monsters are swimming in the
sea. Their bright eyes peep above the cut-out waves, and when the pages are opened and
closed gently, the monsters bob up and down on the water.
Dad of a two-year-old comments: "My daughter it just becoming interested in
numbers, and these monsters are great. They get up to the kinds of things she does, only
they’re more outrageous – at the moment anyway."
Published by Kingfisher, £7.99
For more books in this age range see our baby Click here for
books archive.
pregnancy and parenting books and videos.
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