children’s book illustrations – Page 10 – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

The New Baby and Me by Christine Kidney, illustrator Hoda Haddadi

The DolphinMarch 23, 2018April 4, 2018

A new baby is on the way! What will it be like? A book which is wonderfully illustrated with text which mirrors children's thoughts, about a new arrival into the family.

The author is Christine Kidney and it is illustrated by award-winning Hoda Haddadi. It celebrates the importance of individuality and imagination, especially when welcoming a new sibling.

Will the baby be an explorer and together with his brother will find new lands or maybe he will be an artist and together they will paint the world. But there is a surprise ahead!

A perfect book for a family waiting for their new baby, and a great book to read and share with siblings. Much to talk about and the illustrations give wonderful starting points to explore and plan.

Christine Kidney graduated from Cambridge University and also has her own editorial consultancy, this is a great start for her own books.

Hoda Haddadi is an Iranian illustrator and has won many awards including gold prize winner for Best Illustrator at 2017 Moonbeam Children's book contest.

Tiny Owl Children's Book Publisher are committed to producing beautiful original books and have many which are from Iranian authors and illustrators.

Sue Martin

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The Alphabet of Alphabets

The DolphinMarch 1, 2018March 25, 2018

Search and Find, the Aphabet of Alphabets — Get your copy from The Dolphin here...

This is a myriad of alphabets! 1 book, 26 alphabets and 676 incredible things to find. Take and exhilarating ride through 26 fully illustrated alphabets,each one with an A to Z of things to spot and search for.

A great book for observations, a great book for facts and knowledge seekers, and a great book for just spending time looking at thousands of amazing illustrations.

The book is written and created by Mike Jolley and Amanda Wood with illustrations from Allan Sanders. A great team in the production of this alphabet extravaganza. One of my favourite pages is F for Forest, where we have jackdaws, logs and bears and also dragons and knights.

It is another beautifully presented book from the Wide Eyed Editions, part of the Quarto group.

A great book for a present, or for schools and libraries and for sharing at home.

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

The Snowbear by Sean Taylor and Claire Alexander

The DolphinDecember 8, 2017March 25, 2018

The Snowbear cover image and weblink — Buy this book on-line here...

The Snowbear is a spellbinding story about the magic of snow and the power of a child's imagination. With a simple text and beautiful illustrations, it will be read and enjoyed again and again.

Written by Sean Taylor and illustrated by Claire Alexander, The Snowbear is published by Words and Pictures.

The snow came in the night and in the morning Iggy and Martine went out to make a snowman.

"Make a snowman if you want. But be careful because the hill is very slippery." warns their Mum.

A snow bear is made and the children have fun in the snow. But then they decide to slide down and down the hill in their sledge, so fast and so far that they can't stop! Alone with only the eyes of a wolf in the trees they are scared.

lolloping down the hill the Snowbear scares the wolf away. He picks up the children and the sledge and carries them home, safe and sound!

Beautifully written and enchantingly illustrated, a perfect gift for Christmas and winter months.

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

Toad Has Talent by Richard Smythe

The DolphinOctober 3, 2017March 25, 2018

Toad has Talent cover image and web link — Buy this book here...

A beautifully illustrated book in hardback, teaching children that they don't know what they can do until they try! Full of animal characters who all perform, until the little snail realises that toad has not given it a go!

Every year when Moonlight Pond freezes over, a talent contest takes place deep in the woods. Ducks dance, mice perform... But guess which little animal doesn't compete.

Toad watches the talent show from behind his rock, careful to keep hidden, because Toad doesn't have a special talent... or so he thinks!

In the days of TV talent shows this is a great book to show that all children can have try to take part. The illustrations are full of atmosphere and humour and mix well with the story, making you wonder which came first, the story or the pictures?

Richard Smythe graduated from an illustration Master's degree in 2010 and has since worked with a number of publishers including Frances Lincoln.

'He's amazing' shouted the Moose, when Toad danced and twirled. Guess who was the winner of the competition?

Sue Martin

Dragons father and son by Alexandre Lacroix

The DolphinSeptember 26, 2017March 25, 2018

Dragons Father and Son cover image and web link — Buy this great book here...

Admiration or Fear? Which is the best thing for a dragon? This is a heart warming tale about a dragon trying to be fierce, his father wants him to burn down the whole village!

But the young dragon finds another way to make his father proud of him. And it doesn't involve any kind of burning!

A debut book, published Sept 21st 2017, from an exciting new author based in Paris. A tale about fathers and sons and also about dragons. Drake, the young dragon sets off to the village in search of a house to burn, but it just doesn't work out. No one is afraid of him and he does some good along the way.

It is a hardback book, beautifully presented with engaging illustrations and a story that is just right to read aloud in a class, or to share at home. The last place Drake visits is an old wooden shack, just right for breathing fire upon. But instead the fisherman comes along and Drake lights a fire to cook the fish.

And the rest of the story is for reading...

Alexandre Lacroix is the author, he has written several books for adults and is the editor of Philosophie Magazine.

Ronan Badel lives and works in Brittany where he writes and illustrates childrens books for most of the time.

A great book from Words and Pictures.

Sue Martin

Tug of War by Naomi Howarth

The DolphinJuly 31, 2017March 25, 2018

Tug of War cover image and web link — Buy this book here...

When Elephant and Hippo are nasty to Tortoise, he shows them that while he may not be big, he certainly is brainy!

A funny and heart warming story from a well-known myth from West Africa with beautiful illustrations and meaningful text.

Tortoise is out to find a friend in the jungle but is called names by the two biggest creatures around, the elephant and the hippopotamus. With the help of bird, tortoise decides to let them know that he is worth having as a friend,even if he is not extra-large and grey.

A tug of war follows and elephant and hippo fall over backwards in a very inelegant position, as the rope eventually snaps. They discover that it would be good to have tortoise as a friend.

A second book from Naomi Howarth, whose debut novel, The Crow's Tale was shortlisted for the 2015 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize. Naomi has huge talent in illustration and a background of working in art in costume and film, leading to a stunning career in children's illustrations and writing.

Published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books, we know that you will love this hard back book at home, in the library and at nursery and school.

Sue Martin

Elliot’s Arctic Surprise by Catherine Barr and Francesca Chessa

The DolphinJuly 31, 2017March 25, 2018

Elliot's Arctic Surprise -cover image and web link — Buy this book here...

Elliot was on holiday by the sea. He went for a paddle and built a sand whale. It was fun but what he really wanted was an adventure...

He finds a message in a bottle from Father Christmas, asking for urgent help to save his home. Elliot sails to the Arctic with children from all over the world. to stop the oil drillers and to rescue the Arctic.

A great picture book with a plenty of meaning. Through the story and illustrations we follow Elliot in his quest and discover icebergs falling into the sea, oil rigs creating heat and undermining the stability of the Arctic.

Written by Catherine Barr and illustrated by Francesca Chesa and published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books.

The book has been developed in conversation with Greenpeace and the blurb on the back cover from Booktrust states, 'If the people of the world unite to protect the planet, there is hope for a better future.'

A good reason why children's books are so important in creating an understanding of truths and reasons for making a difference.

Sue Martin

Once Upon a Jungle by Laura Knowles and James Boast

The DolphinJuly 31, 2017March 25, 2018

Once upon a Jungle - cover image and web link — Buy this book here...

Once upon a time there was a jungle... but that was just the beginning. Delve into the undergrowth to discover the story of a food chain.

A brilliantly, beautiful book published by Words and Pictures and Quarto Knows, whose concept of delivering visual storytelling is wonderfully portrayed in Once Upon a Jungle.

The black background of the jungle undergrowth gives the brightly coloured images huge impact. I love the preying mantis in bright green, who of course was about to eat the ants, who was then gobbled by the lizard and... well it would spoil it to tell you more.

Laura Knowles has previously written It Starts with a Seed. Her interest in environment and nature has a huge impact on her books. The illustrator James Boast, has a unique style which children will love.

The opportunity both for learning and pure enjoyment is huge in this hard backed book. It is a book to keep at home, to have on the shelves at the library and to deliver a project on in the nursery and school.

Sue Martin