Parakeets and Peach Pies by Kay Smith and Jose Arugego

Parakeets and Peach Pies by  Kay Smith is an appealing picture book with vibrant water colour illustrations by Jose Aruego which would appeal to young children. Matthew comes home one day to find the house in total disarray. His mother explains that the Ladies Literary League met there today and that things didn't exactly go as planned. It seems that Matthew's menagerie of pets have caused nothing short of chaos all day. This picture book would be excellent to use in the classroom with middle and  upper primary students as part of a study of alliteration as it contains many good examples which students would enjoy along with the colourful illustrations of Jose Aruego:

"The fishbowl fell over, and your fantails flopped into Mrs Franklin's fruit punch."
"Your rabbit ran right through the room and ruined Mrs Richard's report."
"Your chickens chased our charming Clean-Books-for-Children chairman around the chinaberry tree."

The ending is very satisfying as well. Sadly, the Filipino illustrator Jose passed away August this year. He  illustrated  some 82 books including Milton the Early Riser, which I have stored away somewhere safely.

The Rainbow Bear by Michael Morpugo

I am snow bear. I am sea bear. I am white bear. I wander far and wide, king in my wild white wilderness.

Thus begins The Rainbow Bear written from the point of view of the polar bear, with its crisp short sentence delivery, alliteration and poetic text. With its frisking foxes, slow seals, wallowing walruses and flashing fish, and the grinding and groaning ice, the story of the polar bear and the harshness or its existence gently unfolds. He follows rainbows and is desperate to become a rainbow bear, and one day his wish is fulfilled. Then come the hunters, looking for the unique things in nature and his life takes a turn for the worse...I collect polar bear picture books and this one is a welcome addition to my collection. Michael Foreman's delicate and evocative paintings do not disappoint. Be careful what you wish for!