Raymond Huber looks at the latest books for kids, from depressed cows to human parasites.
Marjorie lays an egg but the other cows demand proof.
Eventually there is a happy ending that seems to satisfy all the animals.
Russell Ayto's illustrations feature some great character drawings and many visual jokes.
There is a subtle message about accepting what life brings you, but mostly this works best as pure comedy.
Mouk is a tiny bear who goes on a world adventure to discover 11 different cultures.
In each country he meets new animal friends and learns about the local environment, foods and social activities.
Much of the information is in postcards and witty speech bubbles.
Boutavant is a French graphic artist who has created spectacular illustrations that are a cross between Richard Scarry and Hello Kitty.
The pages are glossy, the colours intense, and the characters ooze cuteness. Children will embrace this particular cartoon style quicker than their parents.
Removable stickers are a nice bonus.
This clever cat keeps the library free of rats in exchange for a warm home, but the rats are in on the game.
At night they read books and imagine themselves in adventures and fantasy worlds.
The slight plot is dominated by Gunson's vibrant pictures.
He makes outstanding use of visual techniques such as close-ups, changing view-points and bright colours.
Each letter has a large child-friendly picture of a range of New Zealand animals insects, shellfish and plants. There is a basic description of the creature and small print provides some extra facts.
It's a lovely introduction to wildlife and an alphabet search book.
Look out for the secret message.
During the New Zealand wars , British troops attack the pa and many are killed on both sides.
Despite the bloodshed there are acts of mercy and kindness shown towards the wounded.
The story focuses on the generosity of a young woman, Heni Te Kirikaramu, who is remembered to this day.
Bruce Potter's hyper-realistic illustrations highlight the drama in this book for ages eight to 10 years.
This amazing group of animals has evolved some inventive ways of surviving on and inside us.
We can be host to tapeworms, mites, lice, fleas, and numerous internal worms.
The energetic cartoons make this natural history easy to stomach while the skin crawls.
It's a kind of photographic essay about the life of a tui and the garden animals he meets.
With its crisp bird photos, Parry strings together snippets of information about native animals.
His storyline goes nowhere but an affection for the natural world shines through.
- Raymond Huber is a Dunedin teacher.
