FOCUS ON PICTURE BOOKS

Below are some links to help you and your students get to know the ten picture books for 2016. Download the poster here.

Green Tree Frogs by Sandra Kendell (Windy Hollow Books)

Each year monsoonal rains sweep across the Top End and the green tree frogs clamber from their hiding places to feed, breed and sing! 'Green Tree Frogs' is an affectionate celebration of these cheeky characters and of life in the wet season. It also provides an entertaining insight into the amphibious life cycle. Teaching Notes ~ CBCA 2016 Notable

Max by Marc Martin (Penguin)

Max and Bob are old friends. Max helps out in Bob's shop, and in the evenings they go fishing together. Until one summer, when everything changes . . . 
From the winner of the 2013 Crichton Award for Australia's best new illustrator comes this heart-warming story of enduring friendship.
And chips. Author Video ~ Review

Mr Huff by Anna Walker (Penguin)

Mr. Huff is a story about the clouds and the sunshine in each of our lives. Bill is having a bad day. Mr Huff is following him around and making everything seem difficult. Bill tries to get rid of him, but Mr Huff just gets bigger and bigger! Then they both stop, and a surprising thing happens . . .    

Mr Huff Teaching Notes ~ More Teaching Notes ~ Trailer ~ Story Box Library Meet Anna ~ CBCA 2016 Shortlist: Early Childhood ~ PRC 3-4 Booklist #9806

Pig the Fibber by Aaron Blabey (Scholastic)

Pig the Pug is back, and this time, he’s telling big porky pies! He ruins a wedding dress and makes a mess of the house, and each time, he blames poor Trevor for his naughty deeds. And now it’s time for his most naughty plan! Will he ever learn? Teaching Notes ~ Story Box Library Meet Aaron Blabey ~ Aaron draws Pig the Pug ~ PRC K-2 Booklist #23879

Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan (Hachette)

RULES OF SUMMER, is a deceptively simple story about two boys, one older and one younger, and the kind of ‘rules’ that might govern any relationship between close friends or siblings. Rules that are often so strange or arbitrary, they seem impossible to understand from the outside. Yet through each exquisite illustration of this nearly wordless narrative, we can enjoy wandering around an emotional landscape that is oddly familiar to us all. Videos and Teachers’ Guide ~ Story Box Library Reading ~ The App ~ PRC 5-6 Booklist #1883

The Fearsome Frightening Ferocious Box by Frances Watts and David Legge (Harper Collins)

Open the box, if you dare, But danger lies within: Beware! So taunts the mysterious and frightening voice from within a large wooden box, which we see tumble off the back of a truck, but don’t know what creature it contains. The box presents a curious mystery and challenge to both the reader and to a variety of animals that approach it, tempted to find out what is inside. Teaching Notes ~ PRC K-2 Booklist #46564

The Stone Lion by Margaret Wild and Rita Voutila (Little Hare)

Sometimes statues are granted a chance to become warm, breathing creatures. The stone lion has only one dream—to run, pounce, and leap in the park across from where he sits. But one snowy night, when a baby is abandoned at his paws, he is compelled to think differently. Teaching Notes ~ Story Box Library Reading ~ PRC 3-4 Booklist #14887

The Very Noisy Bear by Nick Bland (Scholastic)

The Very Cranky Bear and his friends are back! There’s music in the air in the Jingle Jangle Jungle! Can Bear’s friends help him find the perfect instrument to play? Teaching Notes ~ Patch Theatre Teaching Notes ~ CBCA 2016 Notable ~ PRC K-2 Booklist #6291

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey (Scholastic)
Thelma is an ordinary pony who longs to be more. One day, she spots a carrot on the ground and comes up with a brilliant idea! She ties it to her head, just before a skidding truck spills pink paint and glitter all over her! 
Presto! Thelma is a unicorn!
Thelma quickly rises to fame, but does she really want all the attention? Or would she be happier as her old self again? Teaching Notes ~ Aaron reads Thelma ~ HOT Comprehension Resource ~ PRC K-2 Booklist #1697

Too Many Cheeky Dogs by Johanna Bell and Dion Beasley (Allen and Unwin)

A heart-warming story about a bunch of naughty camp dogs and their mischievous adventures. Join them in a romp through numbers, colours and days of the week but be careful… the dogcatcher might get you!

Too Many Cheeky Dogs for Educators (video and notebook file)