Judi Barret and Ron Barret. Published by Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN0689707495. Age 4+. 30 pages. 237mm X 214mm (9.3in X 8.4in). 1978. Board book.

In the tiny town of Chewandswallow, there were no food stores simply because the sky supplied all the food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whatever the weather served, that was what the people ate. Rain was in the form of juices and soup and the wind sometimes brought huge hamburgers. The people carry their plates and cups when they went outside.

The Sanitation Department had to clean up the street everyday. Then one day, the weather took a turn for the worse....

The first thing that strikes you when you open the book is its illustration. Beautifully drawn in pen and ink, every detail is done up in fine lines. Even the shadows are illustrated by criss-crossing fine lines close together.

The story is even better. Where else have you read about a weather of food? A shower of juice, low clouds of sunny-side up eggs and sprinkle of butter and jelly! It is both outrageously funny and captivating. You will need at least two readings, one to enjoy the story and another to scrutinise the illustrations, which contain many subtle humour. Take note too, of the street names.

This book will remain a favourite for many years to come, both for the adult and the child.

Cynthia Rylant and Stephen Gammell. Published by Aladdin Paperbacks. ISBN0689717385.  Age 3-7. 30 pages. 238mm X 263mm (9.4in X 10.4in). 1993. Paperback.

It was four in the morning. In an old station wagon that smelled like a real car, full of pop soda, crackers and sandwiches, the relatives came. They drove day and night and by the time they pulled into our yard, they have finished up all their snacks.

We hugged and hugged, from the kitchen to the front room. We had supper two or three rounds and then we talked and talked. As there were many of them, everyone slept on the floor. All summer, they helped us mend stuff in the garden, ate up our strawberries and melon. Finally, after a long time, they packed and left for home.

On all the pages, pictures occupy double spread.

Our review
We can certainly relate to this 'balik kampung' story. Here in Malaysia, most people travel back to their hometown during festivals that entails long public holidays. We too travel at unearthly hours, not because the journey is far (as is the case here) but more to avoid traffic jams! The similarity in antics, from loading the car with snacks to sleeping crowded on the floor, is amusing.

The relatives come in all ages, shapes and sizes, rendering the scenes more realistic. The generous spread of pictures with numerous details, succeeded in exuding a merry atmosphere and eliciting laughter. Familiar scenes are aplenty like the children who tilt the stools when sitting, pyjamas that is buttoned at the wrong hole, a child who is laughed at with his new haircut (by a relative) and a broken toy truck outside the house.

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Published by Puffin Books. ISBN0142501123. Age 4-8. 27 pages. 278mm X 245mm (10.9in X 9.6in). 2001. Paperback.

The witch had a cat
and a hat that was black,
And long ginger hair
in a braid down her back...
The witch and the cat sat on their broom stick and flew through the wind. Then the wind blew off the hat and was found by a dog. The dog asked,"Is there room on the broom?"

The witch said,"Yes!" and so the dog got onto the broom. The wind was still blowing and soon the bow flew off, followed by the wand. The bird and the frog that found them were offered room on the broom. Suddenly, the broom snapped in two! A roar that was scary and loud could be heard...

The story reinforces the theme 'small but useful', conveying the message that no matter how tiny you may be, you can still help a person usually known to be big and strong. It also encourages teamwork, which yields more effective result here.

The witch is amiable and her little friends have fun and adventures with her. She lets them ride on her broom and when she came face to face with a roaring dragon, they showed up just in time to scare it away. A step towards raising your child's self-esteem.

Told in contagious rhyme, the fun in the book is accompanied by witty illustration of Scheffler.