Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/478858
XII maltatoday, Sunday, 15 March 2015 This Week The books that cried wolf Last year's highlight in Mal- tese children's books was the new series of picture books Id-dinja tiegħi (Lupu Lupettu, Rosetta Banana, Kukku l-Kukkudrill, Serafin il-prinċep denfil) – the books were a huge instant success. So much so, that Merlin Publishers have just published another four books in the series. Just like their predecessors, the new picture books are fully illus- trated in vibrant colour, with sim- ple accessible and fun stories that make them ideal both for reading to children when these are still very young, and eventually for reading by children themselves when they are slightly older and are starting to read their own simple books. These are lovely emotional stories, rich in imagination, perfect to nurture children towards a love of reading and creativity. The picture books in this series each approach, through story, one or more themes that can then be used for class or home discussion. Themes in these new titles include tolerance, different types of family units, independence, means of transport, months of the year. The first book is a se- quel to the much-loved Lupu Lupettu: Lupu Lupettu ma jridx jimxi aktar. We meet once again Lupu, who has now decided he's had enough of walking, and wants to try out differ- ent means of transport instead. But let's just say that something always goes wrong. The second book, Bertu l- bebbuxu supereroj, is the story of Bertu, a friendly snail who's got it into his head that he doesn't like be- ing so tiny. Curious Bertu wants to find out and see for himself what's high up above him, above the plants and flowers that he only gets to see from below. So he hatches a crafty plan to be able to rise as high as he wishes to. The third book is Ġakki l-pirata, where Ġakki is a giraffe who wants to brave the winter cold and not wear the cosy scarf that his mum gave him. He insists on going to school dressed up as a pirate. His mum lets him do so… until, that is, Ġakki meets up with his school mates, and sure enough realises that he's caught a cold. The final book in the series is a very innovative read: Kamilla tixtieq familja ġdida. Kamilla is a young hedgehog that has had enough of her family and decides to go looking for another family to live with. Through this story, the book offers a perfect way of approaching with children the sensitive subject of different family units: adop- tive families, inter-racial parents, same-sex parents, single-parent families and other family setups. It is a perfect way of exploring and discussing these family realities with our children. All these picture books have been adapted into Maltese by Clare Az- zopardi. The Id-dinja tiegħi picture books are available from all bookshops or online directly from www.merlin- publishers.com You Can Read series returns on DVD 'You Can Read!' If you grew up in the 90s, you can probably already hear the jingle playing in your head... The popular series which became every child's reading com- panion, is now back and available on DVD from all leading newsa- gents around Malta and Gozo. A new edition from the 12-part series will be released every fort- night, starting Friday March 6th, and will be sold as a magazine and DVD combo. Designed for children aged be- tween three and six, each edition explores a different theme that helps kids understand the world around them, combining reading, games and animations to keep young ones entertained. "Teaching your child to read is an essential and rewarding part of parenthood. You Can Read is the perfect companion, especially if you grew up in the 1990s and enjoyed the series yourself. The jin-gle alone is guaranteed to give you a happy f lashback of simpler times," said Emma Sullivan, Mar- keting Manager at Miller. "Literacy is a major issue in Malta and we think this type of series can go a long way in com- bating this problem and cultivat- ing a culture of reading among younger generations who are faced by so many other distrac- tions today," she added. The first You Can Read will explore the theme of 'Animals'. It is currently available from all lead-ing newsagents at €5.99. You Can Read will be on sale every fortnight. For more information contact Miller at 21 66 44 88 or visit their website www.millermalta.com. Alternatively, you could e-mail Madeleine Vella de Fremeaux (mvdf@millermalta.cm) or Tania Camilleri (tc@millermalta.com)