The Small Five ~Ralph Johnstone & Harriet Stanes. Africa lessons SCARCE in MELB

Description: You've probably heard of Africa's 'Big Five': the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant. But did you know there are five little animals who share their names, and can fit in the palm of your hand? See what happens when the 'Small Five' go up against their big cousins - in a battle of wit, wills, and some extraordinary skills! Poetic tale of Africa's little-known Small Five animals, as they challenge the fearsome Big Five to a series of thrilling 'bush contests'. Aimed at children aged 3-7.A little rhyme with a big heart. ABOUT THE AUTHORRalph Johnstone - In over 20 years working as an editor and corporate writer, Ralph Johnstone has always had a secret hankering to write a children’s book. Now, with the help of Africa’s “most fun and fearless characters”, he has done just that! Ralph first encountered the Small Five while helping a Kenyan safari company develop activities for its children’s club – and fell in love with them on the spot. He says that visitors to Africa always thrill to see the fearsome lions and majestic elephants, but the little guys always get a raw deal. “After all, they’re just as robust and wily – in fact, some of them, like the leopard tortoise and rhinoceros beetle, are even tougher than the Big Five!” Ralph was inspired to share his fascination for these small creatures with children, and wrote The Small Five to bring them into the big picture. Ralph grew up on a traditional Malaysian fishing boat in Singapore and, after spending his younger years in Asia, moved to Africa in the early 1990s. Since 2008, he and his family have called Australia home.Illustrator Harriet Stanes was born in 1973 in Dorset, England. She moved to the island of Guernsey during her teen years and went on to study Graphic Design and Illustration in Bath. Following numerous visits to East Africa she to relocated to Kenya in 1999 having been lured by adventure and safaris with friends some years earlier. Living on the outskirts of the cosmopolitan metropolis of Nairobi, with the edge of an entire animal kingdom close by, she was absorbed by the sights, colours and dramas of life in Kenya. Armed with a dip pen, little pots of ink and a fine tipped brush, Harriet developed her illustrative style by pulling ideas from the humour found in the detail of this extraordinarily colourful life. Very Informative read!REVIEWFIVE STARS ….. What a clever idea for a picture book, and carried out very well too! Any traveller to Africa has heard of the "Big Five", which are the main animal species to watch out for on safari. Here Ralph Johnstone introduces the Small Five, each of which shares part of its name with a Big Five animal (e.g. rhinoceros beetle and rhinoceros). In near-perfect rhyming quatrains, the story describes the Battle of the Bush - a head-to-head contest between each Big Five animal and its Small Five counterpart. It's a battle of key survival skills, including hunting, survival, parenting, patience and wisdom. No points for guessing which team wins, but this "little rhyme with a big heart" (to quote the blurb) and its wonderful message for young readers - namely, that being big and tough isn't everything; little guys are awesome too - makes this a great book for reading aloud, and leaving kids feeling good about themselves.LOVE THIS BOOK …We love Harriet Stanes’ artwork in our house, so when I discovered that she had illustrated a new children’s book by Ralph Johnstone, I couldn’t wait to add it to our library! The book is called THE SMALL FIVE . The kids and I have already fallen in love with the sweet story and beautiful illustrations. Harriet’s artwork is just lovely. Her illustrations are whimsical, playful, and fun, with beautiful imagery of life on the wild plains of Kenya. While Heidi loves the giraffe with is zig-zaggy mane, Claire loves the Leopard tortoise with his spotted shell. My favorite images are the ostrich with his beautiful feathers, and the tree full of weaver bird nests. I especially love the little details throughout the book – like the tiny dung beetle rolling dung in the corner of one page. ANNE HAMILTON REVIEW FROM BUZZ WORD BOOKS … The ‘Big Five’ of Africa are renowned and celebrated the world over—lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant. But the ‘Small Five’? The ones who share names with their famous five counterparts and can fit in the palm of your hand? Nope. The ant lion, leopard tortoise, buffalo weaver, rhinoceros beetle and elephant shrew are as unknown as their namesakes are well-known. This fun story is about a contest between the ‘Small Five’ and the ‘Big Five’. The ‘Small Five’ are fed up with all the attention given to the ‘Big Five’ and challenge them to tests of skill, will and wits. Doc Croc is the ref and the games are on! Kids aged 3–6 (and probably well beyond) will love this book with its lively illustrations—it’s the Davids vs Goliaths of the African savannah. The background inspiration is no better expressed than in the words of the author: ‘The little guys always get a raw deal. After all, they’re just as robust and wily—in fact, some of them, like the leopard tortoise and the rhinoceros beetle, are even tougher than the Big Five!’ Part of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go towards supporting children at the Kenya Children’s Home. Online review “glamadelaide” …. The Small Five is a delightful picture book written by Ralph Johnstone and illustrated by Harriet Stanes. This book will appeal to young children, with rhyming and illustrated sections of text further adding to its appeal.The choice of well-known large African animals and lesser known small ones enhances the understanding that smaller things are often overlooked whilst still being important. There is a strong and well-stated message in this story that is aimed at children’s self – concept and worth, the idea that nothing and no one should be judged on their size. In the conclusion of this narrative it is beautifully emphasised, “And it’s time we all realise, that being big and tough isn’t ever enough, to judge someone purely on size.”The rhyming format and use of language give the reader an opportunity to fall into the rhythm of the story and to enjoy the subtle humour embedded in it. The illustrations provide added detail and movement as the story progresses and are bright and varied, showing small portions of the African landscape.Part of the proceeds from the sales of this book support children living at the Kenya Children’s Home by buying produce from Nairobi’s Organic Farmer’s Market. It truly is ‘A little rhyme with a big heart’ as declared on the rear cover.If you have a child who is exploring books and listening to stories, I would recommend this book as a great birthday or Christmas gift if you need a reason to buy it, otherwise, should you see it and buy it. Your child will thank you and have it read to them over and over again. ONLINE review … …. The Small Five: 3 Reasons Why This Book Will Encourage Your Children to Appreciate Wildlife……. As a mother of a two-year old in a world filled with technological distractions, I find myself fighting the good – and sometimes challenging – fight to instill reading habits in my young one. I am an avid reader, and I hope to pass this same love of books down to my child. Together, we spend many a nights on the bed-reading page after page of books.Our other fascination, aside from books, is wildlife. I often find myself sharing stories of the African Savannah and the many fascinating animals that inhabit it to little Isaac. When he is old enough, I plan to take him on an adventure of a lifetime in an African Safari. But for now, stories will have to suffice.Imagine my excitement when I got my hands on The Small Five, a children’s book on the five little animals – the ant lion, leopard tortoise, buffalo weaver, rhinoceros beetle and elephant shrew - that share their names with Africa’s big five – the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant. The book tells a story of how Africa’s little five games goes up against their big counterparts in a battle of wits, will and skills. Written by Ralph Johnstone and illustrated by Harriet Stanes, The Small Five was conceived while the author was in Kenya at the Massai Mara National Park and Samburu. There, he observed how visiting children at a safari club were thrilled to see Africa’s little creatures. Part of the proceeds from the sales of the book will support the children living at Kenya Children’s Home through buying produces from Nairobi’s Organic Farmer’s Market.Told in clever rhymes, The Small Five indulges your child in an African setting, allowing the little ones to imagine life in the wild. It shares the qualities and quirks of the little animals but told in a way that engages and excites. Each page has a mixture of anticipation and suspense, humor and playful rhyme, leading the child to be immersed into the story as they consider whether big and strong will lead the race or small and quick will be the champion of all.There are many reasons why this book should be included in any parents with small children’s book list, but here’s my three favourite lessons from the book that will help to instil appreciation of wildlife and nature to your children:Big is Not Necessarily Strong and Small is Not Necessarily WeakHow often do we try to teach our little ones that big does not necessarily equate to strong and being small is not a sure sign of weakness?In a world where bullying is a dangerous part of our society, teaching our children to not equate their size and strength as a sign of power is an important lesson that many parents struggle to impart to their innocent young children. By pitting Africa’s biggest and baddest against the smallest and often overlooked creatures, The Small Five teaches this lesson beautifully and effectively. This is indeed, as the book says, a little rhyme with a big heart!Wit Comes in Small Packages TooCan the tiny elephant shrew outwit the elephant, the largest land animal on earth? The Small Five tells you that it just might be able to! While it is true that the giant elephant are smart creatures, it doesn’t discount the fact that the elephant shrew, a creature so many times smaller than its large cousin can be just as smart or perhaps even smarter. Nurturing your children to understand that intelligence comes in all shapes and sizes will help build their self-esteem and better prepare them for the big challenges ahead!Perseverance Above AllNever give up, even when the odds are stacked against you. The biggest lesson of the book is its lesson of perseverance – a lesson that our young minds will hopefully carry into adulthood. Admittedly, perseverance is a hard package to sell, as with it comes the necessity of hard work and grit.But when told in bite-sized form, with beautiful illustrations complementing the story, it is my hope that little Isaac will remember that with perseverance, the leopard tortoise need never lose out to its big cousin, the leopard. Want to take your children on a real life adventure in Africa? Go on a family safari holiday in Africa. Marvellous Reading! WHY do ebayers buy from US?Because you KNOW what you're getting. My close up photos are of the actual item & form part of my description!! POSTAGE IS $8.90 WITHIN AUSTRALIA*All items will be shipped within 3 business days of receipt of payment. Payment can be made by Direct Deposit Bank Transfer or Paypal. Check out my other items- *Buyer to make contact within 3 days of auction end and payment within 5 days. *Cash on pick up is fine. *Bank deposit & PAYPAL available. *Any questions? Just ask! Please look for my other items in our new Ebay Store 'Jingle Bells Books' ~ as there are lots & lots of old, RARE and COLLECTABLE BOOKS to be cleared from our bookshelves. We're new retirees downsizing from 30+ years teaching & clearing an 80 year, 3 generation private family collection of often valuable books ! *HAPPY TO COMBINE POSTAGE up to 3kilos of BOOKS can post WITHIN Australia for $14.90! THANKS FOR DROPPING BY

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End Time: 2025-01-06T00:21:55.000Z

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