This summer I was sent two lovely new picture books from New Frontier Publishing for review: Dear Badger by Xiao Mao and Xu Qingfeng, and Ash Invites her Friends to Tea by Fu Wenzheng
Dear Badger
Badger is always trying to help those around her. From tickling a sneezy elephant's nose, to cheering up an unhappy cow, Badger never ignores an animal in need. Even when she's on a very special journey, she still finds time to help her friends.
This is a really lovely story which celebrates helping those around you - and saying thank you when you're helped by someone else. Qingfeng's illustrations are really unique, from their bold black lines to photographic textures, and makes every page a delight to explore.
Ash Invites her Friends to Tea
Ash think the leaves in the tree around her are nothing special - until her grandpa shows her how to transform them into something magical. His delicious tea brings animals of all shapes and sizes over to their branch.
This is a fun story with a touch of unexpected magic. It's a perfect way to explain how tea is made, and is also a lovely story to cuddle up and share. My children really enjoyed guessing which animal was going to appear next to try the tea. The illustrations are engaging, and Wenzheng's limited use of colour makes Ash's red clothes and the green of the tea leaves, really pop on the page.