Today in the park Ned and I met a little girl called Henrietta. I have always loved that name and have also loved Melbourne author/illustrator Martine Murray’s quirky little character called Henrietta.

The Henrietta in the park was a ‘great go getter’ and gorgeous just like the fictional Henrietta. Martine Murray is an enchanting author/illustrator, her Henrietta character is strong, imaginative, curious and funny, so very funny. These little novels are perfect for ages 4 to 8 and not just for girls. These are a great inroduction to reading with plenty of pictures and creative use of text to delight and occupy children and adults!. Publisher Allen and Unwin have done a wonderful job in packaging these books, especially the hardcover editions with cloth binding and ribbon marker.  Look out for them because ‘there’s no one better’.

Inspired by Pip from Meet Me at Mikes, I thought I would start the week with five of my favourite things from the last week…

1) I found these absolutely beautiful illustrations by Tomoko Suzuki…

The one above with the balloons has been in my thoughts for days. What do you think?

Tomoko has a gorgeous website, with a gallery of his art, a blog and online shop attached.

2) Watched as the  little one fell asleep with Elmer - one of the best picture books about individuality and acceptance of difference’s. A classic that is often forgotten.

3) Caught a sneak peek on the Simply Read blog at the new book coming this year illustrated by Julie Morstad.

4) I have been reading some great particularly great blog posts this week…

Misrule and Lucinda Library both wrote wonderful, insightful posts about the announcement of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s shortlist.

Adored Media Macaroni’s post on being the Oldest Babysitter in the Club. Everyone who remembers the Babysitters Club books from childhood – you’ll love this.

I have admired and held in my heart this beautiful post by Jodi on her blog Che and Fidel. As a mother I felt such emotion reading her post and went a bit teary. Jodi’s blog is always beautifully thought out and inspiring.

And finally Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast has a wonderful interview with Tao Nyeu. She is a gorgeous girl with an incredible talent and Seven Impossible Things always ask such cool questions.  

  5) Loving the quirky art of Sandy Mastroni available on Etsy

Wow! Link via Maquette

No Vacancy Gallery Christmas Market starts tomorrow.

Publishers Weekly have announced their Best Books of 2009. The children’s list is fantastic and I think the children’s fiction section is the most outstanding group of novels. I have just finished reading When You Reach Me which is one of the loveliest and most imaginative intermediate novels I have read in a long time. 

Two of our favourite picture books are listed. Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld and All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Marla Frazee.

You may remember that we posted this gorgeous clip of Duck! Rabbit! from Chronicle Books…

Amy K Rosenthal is one of the most creative and inspirational picture book authors. Her books are fun, they are a joy to read aloud and they are always totally unique. Duck! Rabbit! is laugh out loud funny and it challenges both children and adults to think about the way they see things.

All the World is a stunning picture book that we fell in love with and have imported from the US. Is has been an Indie bookshop favourite in the US and there is no doubting why. The text is a gentle rhyme, like a lullaby that washes over the reader. It highlights the connections that exist in the world between all of us and nature, all the big and little things that relate. The warmth and the intimacy in the illustrations match the text perfectly making this one of the most beautiful books to share with a child. The illustrator Marla Frazee has this written on her home page …

‘There’s an inherent belief in children’s publishing that if the book comes from the heart of the creator, it will speak to the heart of the child’

… I think All the World definitely lives up to that quote.

Chronicle Books posted this lovely clip this week…

The Ivy and Bean series of books are about two spunky and smart seven year old girls. They have very different personalities…

 ’Ivy was always reading a big book. Bean never read big books. Reading made her jumpy’.

The author of the Ivy and Bean series is Annie Barrows who wrote the bestselling adult novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. What I love about her writing for children with Ivy and Bean is how natural the characters and  story lines are. There are no big challenging issues in these stories, they are fun and playful. She makes the stories funny and children really relate to them, the dialogue is just fantastic to read aloud.

Ivy and Bean are often and rightly compared to the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary.  

The illustrations are by Australian Sophie Blackall who lends a beautiful spirit to Ivy and Bean. She really makes the characters come alive.

I love how the boys in the clip enjoy the books too.

We have the first two Ivy and Bean books available in our store and will be receiveing the rest of the series soon, including the new book Ivy and Bean: Doomed to Dance.

We have a birthday party to attend on the weekend and I have bought this lovely book for the little fellow who is turning three. His parents have spent a bit of time in New York and adore it so I thought this picture book would be an apt choice for them to enjoy, as well as the birthday boy.

A Walk In New York is a gorgeous large format picture book that, as the title suggests, follows a boy and his father on a walk around Manhattan. Each page spread highlights a different part of the city and even the endpapers are a map so you can follow the journey the boy and his father take. Included, almost hidden, amongst the illustrations in a subtle font are little facts about the landmarks they visit; did you know? - ‘More hot dogs are eaten in New York  than anywhere else in the USA’ or that ‘The library lions (at the New York Public Library) are called Patience and Fortitude. They’re made of pink marble from Tennessee.’

I didn’t know either of those facts or many of the others that author Salvatore Rubbino includes in the book. His painting are gorgeous, colourful and funky – as illustrations of New York should be! He really gives the reader a sense of being on the ground with the boy aand his dad and conjurs up the smells and the sounds of the city. The scale he creates in his paintings is also wonderful with a fold out page of the Empire State Building a definite highlight.

Rubbino has created a book which captures the spirit, the history and the excitement of a beautiful city. I’m sure the little boy whom I have bought this book for will fall in love with the city and dream to visit it one day in the future.