The Brothers Quibble

I do enjoy Aaron Blabey's work and try to keep up, but somehow I missed The Brothers Quibble when it was released last year. It was only when I read the very fun Pig the Pug also last year (see my review) that I saw The Brothers Quibble was chosen to be the book for National Simultaneous Storytime 2015 (11am May 27) that I sought it out.

The Brothers Quibble is a very clever book about sibling rivalry. From the dedication onwards it is fabulous.

For those who had sharing thrust upon them. 

Spalding Quibble is an only child. Living the life of an only child.

Until the inevitable, awful thing happens.

Spalding reacts in a rather typical first child way. 

The Brothers Quibble is a great journey into sibling rivalry, and what families must do to get along. It is particularly clever, and you notice it is even more clever every time you pick it up.

Kingston Library have uploaded a Virtual Storytime version of The Brothers Quibble.

And SBS have made a French translation available!

Check out the NSS website and The Book Chook for a great range of resources for activities.

National Simultaneous Storytime

Each year since 2001 Australia has hosted a National Simultaneous Storytime. A great idea highlighting the importance of reading to our children, and the importance of reading Australian stories to our Australian children.

Recently I came across the list of books used over the years. It makes a great starting list for recent Australian picture books.

National Simultaneous Storytime 2015 is coming up soon on Wednesday May 27 at 11am.

2016    I Got This Hat - Jol and Kate Temple, Jon Foye
2015    The Brothers Quibble - Aaron Blabey (see my review)
2014    Too Many Elephants in this House - Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner (see my review)
2013    The Wrong Book - Nick Bland
2012    The Very Cranky Bear - Nick Bland
2011     Feathers for Phoebe - Rod Clement
2010     Little White Dogs Can't Jump - Bruce Whatley and Rosie Smith
2009     Pete the Sheep - Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (see my review)
2008     Arthur - Amanda Graham and Donna Gynell
2007     The Magic Hat - Mem Fox and Tricia Tusa
2006     Good Night, Me - Andrew Daddo and Emma Quay
2005     Wombat Stew - Marcia K Vaughan and Pamela Lofts
2004     Muddled-up Farm - Mike Gumbleton and Jobi Murphy
2003     I Don't Want to Go to School - Christine Harris and Craig Smith
2002     Mrs Wilkinson's Chooks - Leone Peguero and Mike Spoor
2001     Edward the Emu - Sheena Knowles and Rod Clement

Pete the Sheep

A few days ago I was lucky enough to go to a local performance of Pete the Sheep. Based on Jackie French's Pete the Sheep- one of her most popular picture books. It was a fabulous show. Monkey Baa are touring it nationally this year. It was very fitting to see it on Tuesday as Jackie French was announced as NSW Finalist for Senior Australian of the Year 2015 that very day. Current Australian Children's Laureate, still publishing an impressive number of books every year, is there nothing this woman can't do?

Monkey Baa is a fabulous theatre company based in Sydney, that adapts great Australian books into amazing theatre productions. Turns out Jackie French is a patron of Monkey Baa, along with Morris Gleitzman and Susanne Gervay. I've seen their production of Sonya Hartnett's Thursday's Child before, which was an incredibly intense theatre experience.

Pete the Sheep is a puntastic Aussie romp through the shearing sheds. It was great fun, and very funny- for both kids and adults. The packed theatre loved it, the kids were literally bouncing in their seats. A clever set, and very clever costume design allowed the four male actors to be shearers, dogs and sheep. Sean the Shearer comes to the traditional Shaggy Gully shearing sheds with his sheep-sheep Pete, and some fancy new ideas.

Some sheeping around before the show

At the end of the show the cast did a question and answer session for the kids, where they explained the set, the costumes, and how the show was created. The writers initially spent a week at Jackie French's property researching shearing.  You can see a short video about adapting Pete the Sheep here, and a promo for the show here.

After the show I popped next door to the library to pick up a copy of Pete the Sheep for a reread. And the library gods shone down on me that day...

Too Many Elephants in this House

I recently read my first Ursula Dubosarsky book, The Red Shoe, so naturally I was interested when I saw that one of her picture books had been picked for National Simultaneous Storytime this year I figured I should read it too.

Too Many Elephants in this House was an Honour Book in the 2013 CBCA Awards. Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrator Andrew Joyner teamed up once before for the very successful The Terrible Plop.

A great story for the toddler set about why having a house full of elephants can be a problem.

Even if Eric doesn't necessarily think so

Mainly because your Mum says so. Mums do spoil many things….

Although the elephants themselves can be helpful, and fun.

How will Eric solve the elephant problem? Kids all over Australia will find out at 11am today.


To increase the fun NIDA are staging a theatre version of Too Many Elephants In This House this week, and SBS are making audiobook versions in 13 community languages.