The Magic Hat

Author: Fox, Mem

Illustrator: Tusa, Tricia

Publisher: Scholastic Press 2006

Genre: Picture Book, Fiction

Age:3-8

Tone: Light and breezy

Description: A hat blows into town landing on numerous inhabitants and turning them into animals.

A fun little read with large watercolour illustrations. One of the reasons I like this book is that it is physically quite large making it easy to hold and show when doing a storytime. This combined with the big and lively illustrations make it a good choice for public storytime. The repetitious, lyrical verses also have a distinct rhythm. Sometimes, when I am using this book for a public storytime and feeling brave, I sing the book rather than read it. If you get the chance - try it!  Make up your own tune then burst out in song as soon as you hit the words - "Oh, the magic hat! The Magic Hat! It moves like this, it moves like that!".  For this to work you must abandon all sense of "coolness” and inject as much honest enthusiasm as possible into your delivery. Whilst kids don't care so much about singing ability, they feed off honest enthusiasm and abandon, so just enjoy yourself no matter what and the kids will love it.

Where is the green sheep?

Author: Fox, Mem

Illustrator: Horacek, Judy

Publisher: Penguin Books 2004

Genre: Picture Book, Fiction

Age: preschool
Tone : Whimsical

Description: Cute story with pithy rhymes about - you guessed it- the whereabouts of a green sheep.

Great introduction to picture books and rhyme for little ones. Horacek shows her skill as an artist by relying on primary colours and basic lines to embue a sense of character and vitality into the pictures. Fox matches the artwork's simple style with pithy rhymes and repition, so well before the end of the story children are joining in for a raucous "where is the green sheep?".  After reading this book at numerous public storytimes, I can honestly say that children just love this book.