Oi Dog! By Claire Gray and Kes Gray

Oi Dog is the sequel to the hilarious Oi Frog!, and it is surely another winner. A rhyming book that is a little different with plenty of humour for both young ones and adults.

The first book left us with Dog sitting on Frog. Well in Oi Dog, the frog has had enough and is rewriting the rule book. Every other animal has a new thing to sit on and everyone will well like it.

So what will frog get to sit on this time? Certainly not a log! And dog, certainly not on Frog!

A seriously must get book and if you also haven't check out Quick Quack Quentin please do so. Another funny as book that will make kids wonder why the adults are laughing at all the wrong spots!

Rent a Bridesmaid by Jacqueline Wilson

This story starts with a dress...

So first Tilly's (the main character / bridesmaid) best friend gets a bridesmaid dress that she hates so she gives it to her best friend Matty, but Tilly gets scared that she won't get to ever be a bridesmaid so puts out a flyer to Rent a bridesmaid…(herself)

The first couple to want her, were old and had a small wedding and now are like grand parents to Tilly.

The second couple were gay and had big wedding that went in the newspaper because their friend works for it.

The last wedding was HUGE it was even on tv! But she doesn't like it as much because the lady who was getting married was mean, full of herself and all princess perfect.  

Rent a bridesmaid is a great story for girls (and boys) 7 and older.

One of my favourite parts of this book is its got 2 characters from another book called worst thing about my sister....

Out of ten I would give 'Rent a Bridesmaid' a 9 (9/10). Because sometimes it went out of topic. 

Apart from that it was AMAZING! Compared to other books by Jacqueline this is the best so far. 

If you want to read other books by Jacqueline here are some:

Review by Imogen aged almost 9.

What Noise Comes from a Giraffe? by Craig MacLean

The title caught my eye. It reminded me of the song 'What does the fox say' and in my head I was already thinking of the ridiculous things this Giraffe would say.

We go through the usual animals that make sounds that kids know and love. Meow. Moo.

The pictures are great. Simple. Bold. Vivid.

I'm sure your wee one will enjoy mooing and neighing along while you read it. The ending will be a surprise. You might even do what the giraffe does.

Hare & Tortoise by Alison Murray

We all know this classic, but as more and more great books come along, those classics get pushed aside and books like The Gruffalo take more of a centre stage.

Hare and Tortoise has a great moral that everyone can manage. I have frequent seen the quote 'Hard work beats Talent, when Talent doesn't work hard' and that's exactly what this Aesop's Fable is about.

So what's different about this one and why should you get it for your kids?

The pictures are cute, the diagrams are funny as and it has an extra value that all kids should learn. Sportsmanship.

Hare and Tortoise would make an excellent addition to any bookshelf.

The Adventures of Hutu and Kawa by Avis Acres

The Adventures of Hutu and Kawa is a classic New Zealand children's book from the 1950s. It isn't your usual picture book, but more of a story book.

Hutu and Kawa are two babies of the forest who want to go on an adventure. With the help of Old Grandpa Kiwi, they build a canoe. The birds and the forest folk also pitch in and give them gifts for their adventure. However, being on their first adventure, everything is scary. They find many willing animals that help Hutu and Kawa survive and get back to their Pohutukawa tree.

This is definitely a delightful story that has a lot about New Zealand flora and fauna. The pictures do have that old school feel about it, but at the same time, stunningly beautiful.

The hardcover edition of this book is also something special too. It is hardcover but it also has a soft outer exterior and holding it while reading was very pleasant.

Another great book that have happened to stumble upon.

The Great White Man-Eating Shark by Margaret Mahy

Margaret Mahy has written many great books over the years. We all have a favourite of hers and we probably haven't read many of her works either (there are so many).

The Great White Man-Eating Shark is a very clever twist/parody of The Boy who cried wolf.

In this version, the boy actually has a purpose when crying wolf, he wants the beach, all to himself.

This book is called an early reader, which means it is a stepping stone from picture books to reading (chapter) books. But don't let this book fool you, as there are many words that are good for discussion with your wee one. Words like resentful, wicked and dorsal are just some words that will help children gain a bigger vocabulary.

There are also many other Early Reader series books, but only The Great White Man-Eating Shark is a Margaret Mahy book.

Little Kiwi, Whose Nest is Best? by Bob Darroch

Little Kiwi is one of those iconic books that many have seen everywhere. There are many books in the series, and sometimes you have to wonder if the quality is still there after all the years.

For me, it is an emphatic yes! I love books that have great pictures, lots of learning and sometimes in between, a bit of humour. Whose Nest is Best is definitely right up there. It has many (all) native birds that children can learn about. Keas, Moreporks, Blue Duck (Whio) and many more are in here, and something that every kiwi should know about!

The book is a bit of Goldilocks, finding something that is just right, but the overall message is more Wizard of Oz, there is no place like home. Go give this little treasure a go!