The reviews I'm doing for Claire here, until the end of April will be about the World of Happy books. These books will be published in April. Egmont very kindly set me the whole set (that was a huge surprise!). They are such wonderful books, full of messages that readers of all ages can relate to. It's aimed at children 3 years and older, but I think deceptively simple messages are ones that everyone should know about. I've decided to review these in parts because the messages in all of them are really important and valuable. I love the simple and uplifting illustrations with their funky colours. I didn't realise that these books were short animations on CBBC channel! How cool is that! For Part one which looks at The Little Penguin, Two Monkeys and The Elephant and the Spider click here.
Planet of the Bears
4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy
Children's
Summary from Egmont
The Bears had all the STUFF they needed. Yet they still wanted MORE.
But then one Clever Bear said, "Look! Our planet's DYING! I think the STUFF is killing it, my friends."
"But Bears NEED STUFF," the Bear's all cried.
"Then why are you not HAPPY?" the Clever Bear replied.
And so begins a story about KINDNESS and JOY - an uplifting little treasure for the whole family to share.
World of Happy... because life is FUN!
Materialism can be a huge downfall in our time. There's always a newer, better version to buy. I'm not saying that we shouldn't buy anything. That's not the aim of this book either. The point is to be aware of the world around us. Using electricity, buying things has an impact on the environment. As long as we give something back to the planet, there's no harm in buying whatever we want. Our planet is precious, and it deserves to be pampered. I loved the concept of the heart of the planet in this book.
A story about Looking After Our World. My name is............ and I think the world would be happier if..........
Cow Party
4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy
Children's
Summary from Egmont
A party was announced to find the King of Cows a QUEEN.
The lady cows all said, 'We MUST look GORGEOUS! Let's paint ourselves as BRIGHT as we can be!"
But there was ONE cow who remained... just BROWN. "I want the king," she said, "to KNOW me as I AM".
And so begins a story about LOVE (and DANCING!) – a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.
World of Happy... because life is FUN!
Cows have a special meaning to me. Besides from seeing them most days on my way to work, a dear friend of mine is cow mad. She's going to get this book! The message of this book is to be yourself. If you try to be like other people, you aren't being yourself and you usually don't feel comfortable. Finding out who you really are takes time, and a lot of courage, especially if what makes you you makes you stand out from the crowd. But that's why true friends will like you, and your future partner/husband/wife. Try not to be a sheep, following what everyone does without thinking whether you want to be that way.
A story about Love (And Dancing). My name is.......... and my favourite dancing songs are.....................
The Knitting Gorilla
4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy
Children's
Summary from Egmont
After six beautiful daughters, the Big Gorilla finally had a SON.
"You will grow up to be BIG and FIERCE, just like your daddy!" he said proudly.
But the Little Gorilla grew up to be... small... and gentle... and not like his daddy at all.
And what he liked doing most... was KNITTING.
And so begins a story about BEING YOURSELF - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.
World of Happy... because life is FUN!
I love this book for many reasons. It has a purple colour theme. It is about knitting, which is a hobby I enjoy. Unusually it is about a boy who knits. Males do knit, but it's not as common as females knitting. I think this is really important because it shows that not everyone matches up to people's expectations. That doesn't mean they aren't any good - they excel in the skills that they develop over time. Sometimes parents have an idea of what their children will be like, but the outcome can be quite different.
A story about Being True To Yourself. My name is.......... and things that make me who I am are.................
Come back in two weeks, when on 6th April I'll review The Ministry of Niceness, The Dog Machine, and The Dance of Wallowy Bigness!
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