News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

For the family that loves to laugh and dress up, these funny and entertaining books will provide plenty of enjoyment for everyone!

Three ladies beside the sea / Rhoda Levine ; drawings by Edward Gorey.
“Wickedly funny and delightfully sad, “Three Ladies Beside the Sea” is a tale of love found, love lost, and love never-ending. Gorey’s off-kilter Edwardian maidens are the perfect accompaniment to opera librettist Levine’s lilting text. .” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Keith the cat with the magic hat / by Sue Hendra.
“Keith is a cat with a magic hat, or at least that’s what the other cats think. But when Keith’s hat falls off one day, it seems that magic is still possible after all!” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Zelda the varigoose / Sebastian Loth ; [translated by David Henry Wilson].
“When is a goose not just a goose? When she’s crossed with another, unlikely animal. Or maybe Zelda’s just pretending. A clear overlay produces a fantastic new creature on each right-hand page, and a two-line verse on each left-hand page describes it: “GOOSEPHANT. If I caught a cold, then I suppose / I’d need an hour to blow my nose.” Opposite, the yellow goose’s body and wing are clearly visible, with elephant legs, ears, tail and trunk overlaid. Readers then get the extra fun of pulling back the clear layer to reveal Zelda the goose beneath…….Loth’s minimal illustrations are, as always, perfection, though invented animals (and their names) are hit-and-miss. Backgrounds nicely complement both verses and their matching creatures.” – (adapted from Kirkus summary)

Animal masquerade / Marianne Dubuc.
“…When a lion sees an invitation for a masquerade nailed to a tree, he wonders what animal he should dress up as: “As a cat? As a chicken? As a toad?” When the page turns, readers see him in a homemade elephant costume. An actual elephant on the opposite page gives him a sharp look before deciding to go as a parrot, and on it goes (”The parrot went disguised as…”), with each new disguise revealed by a page turn. Dubuc’s inventiveness grows ever wackier: “The cow, the hare and the chipmunk went disguised as… A scary three-headed monster. The scary three-headed monster went disguised as… A tiny marmoset.” An unassuming gem. ” – (adapted from Publisher Weekly summary)

Chloe / Peter McCarty.
“Chloe is the middle child in her large rabbit family. Of the Bunnies’ many shared activities, her favorite is after-dinner family fun time; however, when Dad brings home a television, she is sure that the fun has gone out of their shared time together. Her disappointment is short-lived. She and Baby Bridget soon find their own entertainment-the TV box and bubble wrap. Before long, the box becomes the best show with all the Bunny kids clamoring to get inside. After the youngsters are herded up to bed, even Dad can’t resist popping a few bubbles. Soft, natural colors highlight the family resemblance while bright pastels accent each rabbit’s individuality. Bunnies fill the pages, but an absence of background clutter keeps the illustrations simple and engaging. The gentle, child-friendly artwork complements the story told with minimal text. The result is a calming bedtime story for family sharing.” – (adapted from School Library Journal summary)