Today’s picture book round up is a collection of wild and wacky stories for those who look forward to the unexpected. Lassos at the ready to rope in a fun new read!
I Will Love You Forever (Tatsuya Miyanishi)
*We received a copy of I Will Love You Forever from the publisher via Netgalley*
Two Sentence Synopsis: 
While foraging in the prehistoric forest one day, a mother Maiasaura discovers an egg, which she takes back to her nest and protects alongside her own. When the egg hatches and a tyrannosaurus rex emerges, the Maiasaura mama overlooks the danger and teaches the little T-Rex to be like a Maiasaura.
Muster up the motivation because…
…if you haven’t read any of Miyanishi’s picture books from the Tyrannosaurus series, you are missing out. I’ve reviewed two of them on the blog previously and they are the most bizarre and beguiling picture books you could ever hope to come across. I Will Love you Forever is no exception, presenting a heart-wrenching and tear-jerking story of adoptive maternal love, the nature vs nurture debate and the ways in which family influences identity. The story begins with the heart-warming birth of two very different dinosaurs and their childhood raised as brothers. When a passing ankylosaurus tips off one of the brothers that one of them might not be as harmless as everyone thinks, it sets off a chain of events that have the little adopted maiasuara-tyrannosaurus questioning his intrinsic nature. Things come to a head late in the story and the tyrannosaurus is faced with a choice about his future and who he wants to become. The illustrations are colourful and quirky (and Mad Martha still wants to make a plushie out of the tyrannosaurus!) and the text is set in blocks, allowing for good spacing between the pictures and words. I highly recommend this series and I think this story is probably most accessible of the three I’ve read for those who aren’t looking for a totally out-there picture book reading experience.
Brand it with:
adoptive parents; nature vs nurture; it’s what’s inside that counts
Grumpy Frog (Ed Vere)
*We received a copy of Grumpy Frog from the publisher via Netgalley *
Two Sentence Synopsis: 
A frog will do anything to prove he’s not grumpy but has trouble tempering his temper when things don’t go his way. When he meets a friend, he must decide whether his preferences are more important than having fun.
Muster up the motivation because…
…this is a chaotic, colourful jaunt into the world of likes, dislikes and how to behave when things aren’t as you would like them to be. Ed Vere’s illustrative style can be loud and somewhat abrasive if you aren’t primed and ready for it but for those who enjoy expressive fonts, thick line drawings and characters with unmistakable facial expressions, there is a lot to enjoy in this book. Frog is generally a happy guy, though he can sometimes lose it when things aren’t how he likes them. Thankfully though, other people share this fault and with a bit of calm negotiation everyone can agree on an activity that will make everyone happy. The arc of this story was a little disjointed for my liking. I felt that the story switched from a fun “look! the frog says he’s happy but keeps getting angry!’ sort of light comedy, to a friendship/compromise tale which didn’t quite have the same giggle factor. I think, overall, mini-fleshlings will enjoy this tale if only for the manic mood swings of frog from one page to the next.
Brand it with:
Pet peeves; losing it; win-win situations
The Cave (Rob Hodgson)
*We received a copy of The Cave from Allen & Unwin for review*
The Cave by Rob Hodgson. Published by Allen & Unwin (Murdoch Books), 26th April, 2017. RRP:$24.99
A wolf is determined to coax a cave-dwelling mammal from its hiding spot…for perfectly innocent purposes, of course! When the animal emerges, Wolf is in for a surprise and can suddenly appreciate the properties of a deep, dark cave for a hiding place.
Muster up the motivation because…
…there is a twist at the end of this story that turns the plot on its head and will have little ones considering the importance of perspective. The Cave is a vibrantly illustrated tale of getting what you wish for and then wishing that you hadn’t. The main protagonist is the stereotypically shifty Wolf, whose only goal is to eat the creature that dwells in the titular cave, and said wolf uses every trick he knows to make this happen. Throughout the double page illustrations, young readers will have fun spotting the snail and the bowler-hatted worm appear in different, funny positions and the changing seasons, as well as the wonderfully expressive eyes of the cave-dweller, provide plenty of variety for the eye throughout. I also love that this hardcover edition features a different image on the book cover to the dust jacket. The twist at the end of the story didn’t quite eke out the laugh that I was expecting from the mini-fleshlings in the dwelling, but I suspect this is a book that will inspire repeat readings.
Brand it with:
If wishes were cave-dwelling mammals; powers of persuasion; every trick in the book
Do any of these take your fancy? Let me know which books you’ve been rounding up to read lately!
Until next time,
Bruce
The Bookshelf Gargoyle 
I love kids picture books. These all look fun!
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