Otter Barry Books – Page 4 – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

A Kid in My Class Poems by Rachel Rooney and illustrated by Chris Riddell

The DolphinAugust 14, 2018August 16, 2018

A Kid in My Class - cover image and web link — Buy this book here - free delivery!

Meet a class of school children, every one described in A Kid in My Class, the pushy one to the shy one, the tough kid and the not so tough!

A favourite is...

Cool… He thinks he’s a sub hero dude. A dude.
A geezer who’s too cool for school uniform.
Chews on mint gum. Calls me Swot, Loser, Dumb.
Tells me to chill. Thinks he is it.
Well, he’s not.

This is a great collection and will be much enjoyed by children around ages of 8 –11. It speaks about how you feel as an individual in a class of others. And how others feel the same, even though they don’t say anything.

Buy this book button - image and web link — Free delivery!

Rachel Rooney is an award winning and well renowned poet who has contributed to this year’s official National Poetry Day anthology, Poetry for a Change. Rachel lives in Brighton and is in demand for school events and performances at festivals, and as a previous special needs teacher, she has many skills on how best to interact with children and support their enjoyment and learning..

Chris Riddell has some brilliant sketches on every page which make the poems come alive. He was Children’s Laureate from 2015-17 and has many awards for his work. He is also president of The School Library Association. His vast number of books includes Goth Girl and A Great Big Cuddle (Michael Rosen)

Otter-Barry Books are publishers of some excellent books and have an excellent poetry range in their book list.

Sue Martin

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Can You See a Little Bear?

The DolphinAugust 8, 2018August 9, 2018

This is a book that anyone (including me!) would happily take to bed to read and look at the pictures.

It will lead you into a land of dreams, far away, where bears live with crocodiles and giraffes spend time with guinea pigs.

The best picture for me is of the little bear in the bath with a large blue bath cap on his head in a tent!

A work of art? A book of sheer delight? The most beautiful illustrations from Jackie Morris and exquisite words from James Mayhew, travel with the characters on the page and follow the little bear to bed.

The creative duo of Jackie Morris and James Mayhew are with Otter-Barry Books, in the publication of this charming gift edition of Can You See a Little Bear. Other editions of this book are always in demand and it will be perfect for children and parents.

Educationally it is a joy to have, as it develops interest and curiosity,and questions are bound to follow. A wonderful set of activities and thoughts from Jackie Morris accompany the book, look out for the cinquain !

Watch the video from Jackie below, about making a deeper book for young children which would become a favourite and also give time for parents and children to have a conversation.

Jackie Morris is an author and illustrator, photographer and painter. She lives in a small house by the sea in St David’s, Wales. She has published many books; The Lost Words, Walking in Water, Tell Me a Dragon, The Snow Leopard and many others.

James Mayhew is an author, artist and storyteller, whose books reflect his passionate advocacy of the arts for young children. His books include…. He lives on the other side of the country to Jackie, in Bungay, Suffolk.

Otter-Barry Books are publishers who aim to make a difference to children’s lives through their books of quality, creativity and interest.

A book which we recommend for all ages.

Buy a copy from us, securely on-line, or visit your nearest bookshop!

Sue Martin

The Carnivorous Crocodile

The DolphinFebruary 22, 2018March 25, 2018

The jungle animals find that an extremely carnivorous crocodile has claimed their waterhole for himself! Not even the elephants, giraffes or monkeys dare to argue with the crocodile.

But the flamingos have a cunning plan! They tell the crocodile that if he eats them he will get hiccups. We all know that crocodiles can't stand hiccups.

And so eventually crocodile learns to share and the elephants, monkeys and giraffes learn that they too can frighten a fierce crocodile.

A great story about sharing, togetherness, being brave and the environment.

Jonnie Wild, the author has been involved with forest conservation for many years and works at the University of Leeds. This is his first children's book and a great start to a new venture.

Brita Granstorm, the illustrator has won many awards and has been shortlisted twice for the Astrid Lingren Memorial Award. Often working with her partner Mick Manning, they have recently completed Books! Books! Books.

Otter-Barry Books has an extensive range of children's books on their lists and is making a difference, pushing boundaries and publishing books which children love!

Sue Martin

Pirate Baby by Mary Hoffman & illustrated by Ros Asquith

The DolphinOctober 10, 2017March 25, 2018

Pirate Baby cover image — Buy this book from The Dolphin

How do pirates cope with babies?

"Shiver me timbers," said the captain. "It's a baby!"

When the crew of pirate ship Ramshackle find a tiny baby adrift on the high seas, they are a bit flummoxed. Even more so, when they discover it's a baby girl.

This is a book full of adventure, surprises, fun and imagination. Taken into a world of pirates on the high seas, it will immerse you into amazing characters, exciting adventures and just how the dare devil pirates cope with a baby girl. As she wins them over, they find ways to give her milk, but in a different way; condensed milk with water is not maybe the best, but she seems to like it!

The pirates won't give up their baby, not even to the women pirates and when a huge sea monster appears it is baby Isla who saves the whole company of pirates.

Mary Hoffman, the author is well-known for her many children's books including Amazing Grace, which has sold over a million copies. The narrative is full of her wonderful style fitting the scenes with pirate adventures.

Ros Asquith a world-famous illustrator and cartoonist, has created delightful characters in the big blue seas. Her books are translated into over 20 languages and she was a Guardian cartoonist for 25 years.

Publishers Otter-Barry are a new publisher and aim to make a difference, push boundaries and publish books that children love. Pirate Baby certainly does all of those.

Buy direct from Dolphin Booksellers and we give 10% of the book price to support children in Nepal.

Sue Martin

Mrs Noah’s Pockets by Jackie Morris and James Mayhew

The DolphinSeptember 12, 2017March 25, 2018

Mrs Noah's Pockets cover image — Buy this great book here...

When Mr Noah builds the ark, he makes two lists, one for all the animals who will come on board, and one for those troublesome creatures he will leave behind. Meanwhile, Mrs Noah gets out her sewing machine and makes a coat with very deep pockets.

The waters rise and rise and Mr Noah is very busy gathering in all the animals.

‘Mrs Noah went for one last walk, wading through water, into the heart of the Mythico Wood, on errands of her own.’

This is a beautiful book with a starlit combination of author, Jackie Morris and illustrator, James Mayhew. It is published by Otter-Barry Books, and is a delightful new book on their collection this year, published on 7^th September 2017.

Jackie Morris is an author and illustrator, photographer and painter. She lives in a small house by the sea in St David’s Wales, a place of wonderful views and possibly a little bit of magic too?

James Mayhew is also an author, artist and storyteller whose books reflects his passionate advocacy of the arts for young children. He lives in Baldock, Hertfordshire.

The text is magical with a sense of mischief and purpose around Mrs Noah, as she sets out on her journeys in the coat with very large pockets.

At the end when the dove returns with the olive tree twigs and the animals are released, the answer to the mystery of the pockets appears in the illustrations.

I loved it and would like to read and look at this book again and again.

Sue Martin

Surprise! Surprise! and Monster Baby

The DolphinMarch 22, 2017March 26, 2018

Surprise! Surprise! - cover image and web purchase link — Buy this book from The Dolphin...

It must be Spring! Two new books from Otter-Barry Books about baby arrivals, but they are completely different stories. Beautiful books with delightful illustrations and stories that will be wonderful for sharing.

Surprise! Surprise is by Niki Daly. Niki is an internationally acclaimed, award winning writer and illustrator who lives in South Africa.

The story is about a couple who dream of having a child, but end up looking after a little pig as a child. When he is not allowed into school because he is a pig, they start to rethink the whole thing and make changes, But not changes you would expect... they all end up with surprising noses! Be careful what you ask for...

Monster Baby - cover image and web purchase link — Buy this book from The Dolphin...

Monster Baby is by Sarah Dyer, who won the Smarties Bronze Award for Five Little Friends. A really good book to read if a baby is on the way, it is written from the older brother's point of view,he couldn't be held by his Mum and then had to share his toys and presents. Very appealing illustrations and the monsters as characters are fun and quirky.

Both books are newly published this month, March 2017 and form a great part of the book-list of Otter-Barry Books, an exciting new imprint for children's books.

Sue Martin - Dolphin Booksellers