Keen young bookworms from Kinder to Year 4 at Henty Public School tell it like it is in their reviews on these new picture books.

[Kinder and Year 1]

 Wombat Went A’ Racing

By Lachlan Creagh

 Kinder and Year 1 loved reading about all the bush animals at the sports carnival.

Popular highlights were when the wombat drops the egg and when he wins the race!

 The story is about all the animals that win the race at the sports carnival. The characters are a platypus, emu, kangaroo, kookaburra and crocodile. My favourite part is when the wombat wins the race. Review by Lucy Kilo; 5 stars.

 The story is about Australian animals at a sports carnival. Review by Ashtyn Quee; 5 stars.

 My favourite part is when the wombat wins the race. Review by Ryder Corrigan 5 stars.

 [Years 1 and 2]

 We Love School

by Lucie Billingsley

Overall all the students in Year 1 and 2 enjoyed this story about eight cute puppies that go to their first day of school. The most popular ‘favourite part’ was when one little pup didn’t make it to the toilet in time! 

There are six little puppies and two big dogs in this book. They love school they though it is going to be scary but it isn’t scary at all. It was cool. My favourite part is when the puppy was too slow with the yellow paw paint on the ground. Review by Lysandra Sherryl Buckley; 5 stars.

 This story was about eight cute dogs that need to learn how to go to school properly. The dogs are funny on their first day of school. My favourite part is when a little dog doesn’t make it to the toilet on time. Review by Angus White; 5 stars.

 This story is about eight adorable puppies that find out that school isn’t scary, it’s really cool and fantastic. My favourite part is when all the puppies are asleep but one is quietly running around. Review by Saige Fraser; 5 stars.

 [Years 3 and 4]

 Below Deck on the Sunken Wreck

By Mandy Foot

 In this story you will see all different kinds of sea creatures like an octopus, a dolphin, a seal, a shark, a turtle, a pelican, a jellyfish and a star fish. One thing I didn’t like about this book was that it wasn’t funny. BUT one thing I loved about it was the idea of the old rusty sunken wreck as a playground. The sunken wreck is a playground for the sea creatures it looks like a lot of fun!!! Review by Annelise Bedggood; 3 stars.

 The characters in this book are a boy, girl, a seahorse and a bunch of sea creatures. Some playful sea creatures decide to make a sunken wreck into a playground. It was good but there are no funny bits or scary bits. Review by Austin Denheyer; 2 stars.

 “Let’s follow the fish down, down below to find where all sea creatures go. Under the waves, behind the tides, is the secret playground the ocean hides.”This book is about sea creatures that turn a sunken shipwreck into a wonderful playground. The characters are a bunch of energetic sea creatures. I think that this book is good, although it hasn’t really got many funny bits. This book has wonderfully entertaining illustrations. I very highly recommend this book to three to six year olds. Review by Genevieve White; 3 stars.

In this story there was a seahorse, fish and an octopus. In the book sea creatures find a sunken wreck to make a playground. I think this book is a bit boring. Review by Zaid Al-musawy; 2 stars.

In this book are sea creatures and two kids. The sea creatures are playing on a sunken wreck. I like it because it has rhyming words in it and colourful pictures that suit the story. Review by Bridie Manning; 3 stars.

The characters in this book are fun sea creatures and a boy and a girl. The find sea creatures that are going to find the sunken wreck to play in and have a party, I like the book and I really like the part when they all have a party and get together in a group. It is a good rhyming book and it is funny. Review by Connor Murphy; 4 stars.

Some of the characters in this book are a pelican, turtle, shark, starfish, fish and octopus. It doesn’t really have a plot but it is sort of fun to read. The sea creatures use a shipwreck as a playground. I liked the part when the octopus is on the ship steering it but it doesn’t work, that’s funny. I sort of like it because the octopus part was good.  I recommend it for children under 12. Review by Drew Scholz.

 The characters in this book are a colourful variety of sea creatures. I liked all the sea creatures except for the shark. This story doesn’t really have a plot. The sea creatures use a sunken wreck as a playground. I liked this book because it rhymes but it wasn’t really funny. I recommend this book for all people who like rhymes. Review by Eliza Bahr; 3 stars.

 This book was fun to read but I did not really like it because it wasn’t funny. The sea creatures made me scared and happy. I recommend this book for all the students at Henty Public School. Georgia May Fifield; 5 stars.

 The characters are nice, cute fish and a bad shark. There is no plot, the sea creatures just have fun playing in a sunken pirate ship. I didn’t like the book because there were no funny or scary bits. I think this book should be for four year olds and under. Review by Hugh Edwards.

 The characters in this book are a bunch of playful sea creatures. This book is a story about sea creatures and where they play. They play in a sunken shipwreck and have fun. I like the book because I like the part where the sea lion tries to get into the wreck. I recommend this book for a child learning to read. Review by Jessica Toogood; 4 stars.

 I like this book because it has a lot of funny parts.  In this story playful sea creatures turn a boat into their playground. I recommend this book because I like the pictures. Review by Jinda-Lee Mitchell.

 The characters are sea creatures having fun on a shipwreck. I like the book because it has rhymes in it. I would tell the Year 1/2 class to read this book. Review by Keith; 5 stars.

 I thought this was a good book because it had rhyming but it was not funny. I liked how the illustrations gave me a lot of interesting things to look at. Review by Ky Lieschke; 2 stars. 

 In this amazing book you will read about colourful and playful sea creatures. They made me feel happy. This book is fun to read. The sea creatures use a sunken wreck as their playground. I did like this book. My favourite bit was when the sea lion tried to get into the sea playground. The pictures are really beautiful. I recommend this for children learning about rhyming. Review by Kyle Cocking; 3 stars.

 The friendly sea creatures play in a sunken shipwreck. I did not like the book because it did not have a proper plot but it did have good rhyming. Review by Michael.

In this book there are colourful and playful sea creatures. This story doesn’t really have a plot it just describes the sunken wreck as their playground. There is only one funny part and that was the octopus playing like a pirate. The illustrations were very good so that’s the good part. I didn’t like this book because it doesn’t have a plot. I highly recommend this book for ages 3 to 8. Review by Nicholas Newton; 1 star.

I think this book is wonderful but I didn’t like that it didn’t have many words. I think this book has spectacular pictures. Review by Paddy Malmo; 3 stars.

The sea creatures in this book made me think about life under the sea but I didn’t have a favourite part. I didn’t like it, but it’s a good book for children who are three to five years old. Review by Samuel Male; 2 stars.

 In this book the author talks about a wonderful variety of sea animals that are very playful. The animals are colourful and bright just like the book. They are fun and chirpy.This book is a fun, rhyming story. It talks about two kids who go on an adventure in the underwater land. They run into animals that really want to play.  They like to play on an old shipwreck, which is now their playground. I like this book because it is fun and it rhymes it would be good for kids learning to read and to learn how two rhyme. The illustrations are very good; the animals are colourful and bright. Review by Sarah Brennan.

This book is fun to read and it is a rhyming story about a shipwreck that becomes a playground. I loved this book because it rhymes and it’s relaxing and a good children’s book. Review by Tayla Roulston.

In this book there are sea creatures like sharks, jellyfish and fish. In the ocean the sea creatures use a ship for a playground. There were no funny bits at all. Review by Thomas Baldock; 3 stars.

[Years 3 and 4]

 Baloo

By Jesse Van Proctor

In this story there are four characters: Baloo (the dog), a little boy and his parents. The family is bored so they decide to adopt a dog. I didn’t like this book. There was only one funny part, when Baloo got into the flour! I do not recommend as I found it boring although it would be okay for children learning to read. Review by Joely Scott; 1 star.

Baloo is a mischievous dog that is adopted by a boy and his loving family. This book captures what Baloo does in his home. I liked this book; the drawings were great, especially the bits where Baloo does funny things. I learned never to leave a dog in the house by itself! I highly recommend this book to primary aged children. Read the book to find out more. Review by Preston Coe; 3 ½ stars.

 Baloo is a fantastic book about Baloo, a dog that is sold to a family who loves him. He is mischievous and he makes the family happy. The book is interesting and fun to read and it made me want to read it again. Baloo makes all sorts of messes and mischief around his new home. My favourite part is when the family come home to find a ghost in their house! The book has many funny parts but it isn’t at all scary. The illustrations are great for young children. I highly recommend this book to all children aged three to eight. Review by Charlie Doig; 4 ½ stars.

Every day a family comes home to an empty house until one day they adopt Baloo the dog. But what they don’t know is how much mischief he will get up to. Baloo is a cheeky dog barks at 4am every morning. Also, one day the family came home to a mess and found Baloo covered in flour. I liked this book because there are a lot of funny parts in it. Review by Lachlan Coe; 3 ½ stars.

 I loved reading Baloo because it made me laugh. Baloo is about a smart dog that gets up to a lot of mischief. One day Baloo’s owners come home to find what looks like a ghost in their house, but is it a real ghost? Another time they come home and find their vegies have been eaten…so who or what is doing this? It was fun to read Baloo because it attracted my attention and I learnt not to leave temptation around for pets. Review by Issaiah Thommers 5 stars

 The pictures are good in this book and the story is funny. I like Baloo, the dog, because he is funny and cheeky. He is not happy at his old house and is adopted by a new family, who want a dog. The family takes Baloo home and he is happy in his new home. My favourite part was when the family come home and found a white ghost. Baloo had got into the flour. I recommend this book to ages three to seven. Review by Alexandra Toogood; 2 stars.

 Baloo is a cheeky dog. He can bring life into any family. But this story made me a bit bored. The story is about a family who feels their house is a bit empty. They all decided they wanted a pet to brighten up there lifestyle. They decide they want a dog. When they got to Baloo’s owner’s place they find that Baloo is sad and unloved. But the young boy loved him so they took him home. Read the book to find out what mischief Baloo causes. I recommend this book to children age three to seven. Review by Hannah Zweck; 3 ½ stars.

One day a lonely, bored family come across a lonely dog named Baloo and they take him home. Now they aren’t lonely anymore but…… he isn’t the same lovely dog they thought. When they leave the house he eats their veggies! That’s why I think it’s a really funny book. Review by Mark Roberts; 5 stars.

 I liked the book Baloo because it was funny. The characters in the book are Baloo, a dog, and a child and his mum. The family in the book have an empty house so they decide to get a dog. Baloo sings to people, eats vegies off the table and does other funny things. This is a fun book. Review by Sam Harrison; 3 stars.

This book is fun to read because it’s really cool and kids will enjoy it so much. One day a boy takes a dog named Baloo home. Baloo is a mischievous dog who gets covered in flour, eats through a box of vegetables and wakes up its owners really early.My favourite part was when the child takes Baloo the dog home. I recommend this book to ages 4 and up. Review by Shaun Ripps; 5 stars.

Baloo is great because everyone in this book has a heart the size of an elephant. Baloo is a dog with a huge heart that is open to any loving person or family. Every afternoon the Mum in the book comes home to an empty house with nobody to greet her. Her and her son decide they need to get a pet, so they get a dog. When they find Baloo at his owner’s house he is sad because no one loves him. They decide to take him home. Read Baloo to find out what mischief Baloo gets up to! My favourite part would have to be the lessonsthat Baloo teaches his owners. I highly recommend this book to young children. Review by Tara Scholz; 3 stars.

The family in this book always went home with nothing to do and nothing to keep them company so they decided to get a dog. They find Baloo the dog and keep him, which makes Baloo happy. He gets up to all kinds of mischief in his new

home. He sings, he eats all the vegies and greets the mother with a bark. My favourite part of the book was when the family leave their vegies on the table and Baloo takes them and eats them. However, it was not fun to read for me because it has nothing I like in it. But I highly recommend this book from years two to six. Review by Toby Murray; 3 ½ star.

 The mum in this book always comes home to no greetings so when the family find Baloo the dog they keep him. Baloo is a funny, cheeky dog that sings at 4am! It was funny when they thought that Baloo was a ghost but he had just got into the flour. Review by William Mitchell; 3 stars.

Henty Public School is a K-6 school of 117 and is situated in the small, rural town of Henty in Southern NSW.  Henty is famous for the Henty Machinery Field Days held each September, attracting crowds of up to 60,000.  The students are provided with a range of opportunities outside of the usual curriculum including; debating, sport, excursions, public speaking and town library visits.The school library has an extensive collection and each week the students are exposed to new books.  Along with this, the school has a wonderful relationship with the town library and the students are enjoying borrowing ebooks from their growing collection.  If you would like to learn more about Henty Public School please email henty-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au.