Welcome to Children's Corner book reviews from 4MBS Classic Radio FM in Brisbane. Here you will find short annotations of the children's books reviewed by Kerry Neary in Children's Corner on 4MBS, together with the details you need to find them at your favourite bookstore. Any prices shown are the publisher's Australian recommended price and may vary depending on where you shop. You are welcome to use these reviews for newsletters and the like with appropriate acknowledgement.

Oct 17, 2014

Mike I don’t like

Jol and Kate Temple, illustrated by Jon Foye
ABC Books [HarperCollins]
ISBN: 9780733333255           RRP: $19.99

Two classic children’s stories intertwine in this about Young Mike, a thoroughly unlikeable chap. When offered a share of a sandwich Mike snaps back that he doesn’t like it. What follows is a rattling rhyming rant of all the things Mike doesn’t like; he even acknowledges that he is known as Mike I don’t like. His friend is quite convinced and when he has a sprinkle ice-cream he doesn’t bother to offer a share. Mike changes his tune – but it is all too late. It’s The boy who cried wolf rolled in with The little Red Hen in this hilarious tale of egoism. Children will enjoy the expressive cartooning, the changing, bouncing page layout and the emphatic lettering style that matches Mike’s categorical contrariness.