New from Lucy Davey and Cat Chapman

NZ Writer & Illustrator

Lucy Davey, illustrated by Cat Chapman

The Mystery Box & Finnigan Flynn

Scholastic 2016 $17.00pb  32pp

ISBN: 978 1 7754 3299 9

Themes: Crocodiles/ Funny stories/ Stories in rhyme/

When Finnigan Flynn finds a curious box tied up with string on his doorstep with a label that clearly states ‘Do NOT OPEN’ he naturally opens it at once and is disappointed to find nothing but a ‘shimmery sparkle of air’. But then rumble-a-jumble BAM BOOMED in the box and out came  - two crocodiles, a fox, an ox, two frocks and an assortment of blocks. They all spent a happy time together dancing and using their imaginations. Then in the way of all childhood games Finnigan tires of it all, packs everything away in the box and sends it off to another child, by post to the furthermost coast. An exuberant story full of mouth-watering words with interestingly ‘everyday’ illustrations as if to tell us magic is everywhere – we just need to look for it. I can’t wait for the beginning of term to share this with the little group of 3 and 4 year olds I talk to on Tuesday mornings. They will, I hope, love the pictures as well as the words especially UH-OH! whenever anything rather scary is about to happen.

Preschool to Year 2/ Age 3 to 6