5 books to read this school holiday

MONKEY AND ELEPHANT
By Carole Lexa Schaefer, Candlewick Press, $7.90, from www.closetfulofbooks.com
It’s a super hot day in the jungle, and best friends Monkey and Elephant are in search of some shade. But Monkey complains that Elephant is too fast, too bumpy and too grumbly. Elephant says Monkey is too bossy, too sassy and too slow. Oh dear, hopefully they will be able to reach their destination before the two good friends become enemies instead. Recommended for kids aged five to seven.

THERE’S A LION IN MY CORNFLAKES
By Michelle Robinson and Jim Field, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, $17.90, from www.closetfulofbooks.com
A hundred cereal box coupons in exchange for a free lion. That’s what Dan and his brother were expecting. Instead, they received a grizzly bear, a bathroom-hogging crocodile and a wild gorilla. Mum is not happy, and Dad just about goes bonkers. If there’s one lesson they’ve learnt from this, it’s: if you ever see this on a cornflakes packet, ignore it! Recommended for kids aged five to seven.

THE ADVENTURES OF SQUIRKY THE ALIEN #1: WHY AM I BLUE?
By Melanie Lee and David Liew, MPH Publishing, $10.70, from major bookstores
Squirky loves his family. But, one day, he notices something strange: why does he look different from his parents and sister? He’s not a boy and he’s blue, he wails! But there’s nothing wrong with him, Daddy assures. He may be blue, and he may be from another planet, but he’s still part of the family. Pick up this first of a six-part series to teach your young one about adoption. Recommended for kids aged five to seven.

STACEY GOES TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
By Lianne Ong and James Tan, Little Knights, $16, from www.closetfulofbooks.com
Stacey is at the National Museum today, and when Mummy says she needs to put di di down for a nap in the pram, Stacey knows that what it really means is a lot of walking. But her exploration becomes much more interesting when a gibbon pops up to give her a special guided tour of the museum. Recommended for kids aged five to seven.

THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA!
By Mo Willems, Walker Books, $16.35, from major bookstores
What’s happening here? It seems the wily fox has charmed the mother goose into a lovely evening walk, complete with an invitation to dinner. And, oh, mother goose sure does like a good soup for dinner. “That is not a good idea!” chirps her gaggle of little geese. But is it really the goose that has caught the eye of the fox? Or could it be the other way around? Recommended for kids aged two to four.

This article first appeared in the March 2015 of Young Parents magazine. Young Parents, published by SPH Magazines, is available in both digital and print formats. To subscribe and for more parenting stories, go to www.youngparents.com.sg/subscription.