Friday, June 26, 2009




GECKO PRESS IMPRESSES

It is always a joy to receive review copies from this tiny Wellington publishing outfit who specialise in buying English language rights to notable foreign children's book titles or as they so nicely put it, curiously good books from around the world.
To start with they arrive wrapped in brightly coloured paper sealed with gorgeous stickers featuring the covers of the books enclosed. And then of course there are the books! Never a dud among them, always outstanding.

Here are their three latest titles :

ECOLOGY & THE ENVIRONMENT
STEP-BY-STEP
François Michel
Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Ages 7+
80 pages
Paperback with flaps $19.99

What is ecology—and how can you help save the planet?
Do you know how many litres of water are wasted if a tap drips for one day?
Which gases make up the earth’s atmosphere?
Is nuclear power good or bad?
Ecology looks at the relationship between living things and the environment. This book shows why we should take care of our environment—and how understanding ecology can help save the earth.
THE AUTHOR
François Michel is a geologist, mountain guide and author. He has written many books about earth sciences, the environment and geography.
THE ILLUSTRATOR
Marc Boutavant is a graphic artist, illustrator and comic strip author. He wrote and illustrated the popular Gecko Press book, Around the World with Mouk. He lives in Paris, France.
THE TRANSLATOR
Jean Anderson is Director of the New Zealand Centre for Literary Translation at Victoria University of Wellington.
THE EDITOR
Raymond Huber has written many science books for children. He’s a Primary School teacher, has a science degree and loves his compost heap. He lives in New Zealand.

RUBBISH AND RECYCLING
STEP-BY-STEP
Gerard Bertolini & Claire Delalande
Illustrated by Nicolas Hubesch
Ages 7+
80 pages
Paperback with flaps $19.99

Do you know how long a piece of chewing gum takes to break down? Or a soft-drink can?
And what happens to milk cartons, tissues or plastic bags once you’ve used them?
Rubbish and Recycling Step-by-Step tells you everything about rubbish that you didn’t know you wanted to know!
THE AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATOR
Gérard Bertolini is an economist and sociologist. He specialises in garbology (the science of rubbish) and has published several books on the subject.
Claire Delalande studied geography before specialising in waste management. She works as a policy officer at the French Environment and Energy Management Agency.
Nicolas Hubesch was born in 1969 and studied at the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg.
THE TRANSLATOR
Jen Craddock is a journalist and is currently completing her Masters degree in French translation at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand.
THE EDITOR
Raymond Huber -see detail on previous title.

These two enormously atttractive and appealing books will be a hit with kids who have a curiosity about the world around them. The Step-by-Step series teaches them about the world — one step at a time.
Teachers and parents will love them too. I am certainly most impressed.
And thirdly something quiet different, utterly enchanting story, beautiful pictire book:

WHEN FINDUS WAS LITTLE AND DISAPPEARED
Sven Nordqvist
Ages 5+ 32 pp
Paperback RRP $18.99 Hardback RRP $29.99

Old man Pettson sat in the kitchen with his cat Findus, doing the crossword.
‘Tell me the story about how I disappeared,’ said Findus.
‘You haven’t disappeared; you’re right here,’ said Pettson.
‘I mean when I was little.’
‘That story! You know that one already. I’ve told it hundreds of times.’
‘Tell me again,’ said Findus.
‘I suppose I could,’ Pettson said. ‘It was like this…’
This is the third story from Gecko Press about one of Sweden’s most popular characters, the quirky and forgetful Farmer Pettson and his curious talking cat, Findus.
Farmer Pettson tells the story of when Findus was little and came to live with him, and how he lost him and found him again. It is a charming, warm and funny story with typical Sven Nordqvist detail in the story and in the pictures.
THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
Sven Nordqvist’s ‘Pettson and Findus’ books have been adapted for television, film and theatre. One of Sweden’s most popular illustrators, Sven Nordqvist has won the Swedish Literature Award, the German Youth Literature Prize and the Elsa Beskow Medal.
Also from Gecko Press: The Fox Hunt and Pancakes for Findus.

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