Pavlovas and Friendship

NZ writer & Indonesian Illustrator  Chris Gurney, Illustrated by Stevie Mahardhika The Little Blue Duck   Series: Kiwi Corkers  Scholastic NZ  2016  $12.00pb  24pp

(First published 2009 – new edition rejacketed 2016)

ISBN 978 1 7754 3393 4

Themes: Friends/ Pavlovas/ Retaliation/ Stories in rhyme

Master Chef, Little Blue Duck decides to make a glorious pavlova and tries to involve the help of her friends to collect the ingredients and help in putting them together (the cream from the cow, the eggs from the chook house, the sugar from the pantry).  Sadly they are all far too busy so the Little Blue Duck labours on alone until the moment the pav is there ready to eat. But, this little duck is no walkover and this time she doesn’t actually call for volunteers.  When it comes to the eating she also does it herself. A great story for small listeners and readers to become involved in and to discuss the basics of friendship (and the delights of the sugary pavlova). The illustrations JUST manage to avoid being cute and there is a definite feel of Indonesia to the outdoor scenes which gives the whole book a rather exotic air.

Preschool up – Age 3 up