Okay, so I was in two minds whether to post this book since I had already mentioned the second book of ”Magical Tales by Kiwi Kids.” This is the very first time that NZ Post gave Kiwi kids the chance to share their writing talents. They were surprised and delighted that the future of NZ Literature looks very encouraging based on the creative minds of our young. I felt this book was even more special and deserved to be on the Perfect Picture Book-Friday list, read on and see if you agree……
“Leprechaun Icecream” – Magical Tales by Kiwi Kids
Author: children aged from 5 to 12 years.
Designer: Liz Tui Morris
Published by: Learning Media Limited
Ages: 5 – 12 years
Theme: Magic and wonder of New Zealand through children’s eyes.
Leprechaun Ice Cream
by 9 year old Kiara-Jade West
Ingredients
2 pots of gold
1 pound of rainbow
40 medium-sized four-leaf clovers
10 green colouring pencils
4 cups of Irish hailstones
Rainbow sprinkles
Method
Take two posts of gold and melt in microwave for ten minutes.
Crush four leaf clovers, drain out the luck and place in fridge
Add crushed clovers and rainbow.
Heat green colouring pencils in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius until soft.
Add to mixture.
This recipe finishes with a note:
Do not serve to anybody but Leprechauns.
If you serve this to humans, they will shrink and start talking with Irish voices.
Synopsis: It take as few magical ingredients and a whole lot of imagination to make Leprechaun Ice Cream. It’s a recipe you’ll quickly learn when you read this collection of fifty stories and poems written by Kiwi kids for Kiwi kids. The stories – sometimes imaginary, sometimes true, but always inspired – are written by storytellers from primary and intermediate schools from across New Zealand. Take a spoonful and enjoy….
What do I like about this: What’s not to like…. With over seven thousand applicants only fifty were chosen, with such titles as “Chinese Whispers” a poem by 9 year old Juliet McLachlan, “If you give a Chick Chocolate” by 10 year old Chelsea Gibson and “Magic Spray Can” by 11 year old Louise Christina Davis and the incredible “8pm Question” by 12 year old Kate Warburton.
A quote on the back of the book reads “ The stories and poems do what young people’s writing so often does: make you see the world again, in a anew way.” … Kate De Goldi- Children’s author.
Resources/Finds: http://the-hub.tv/content/view/2566/106/ a great meet and chat to the kids who wrote the stories.
http://the-hub.tv/content/view/2566/106/ a Booksellers website of upcoming NZ Book Month and other NZ Writer’s blogs and Competitions and Award news.
http://the-hub.tv/content/view/2566/106/ article on a local 10 year old boy with Asperger’s whose story won entry into the second Book for Magical Tales by Kiwi Kids
http://www.learningmedia.co.nz/our-work/portfolio/leprechaun-ice-cream Learning Media gives full description of this book and if you click on “Write Tools” at bottom right-hand corner under Related Topics there is information on this resource for Teachers.
For more books with resources please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog and find the tab for Picture Perfect Book.
Writer and Dreamer at work 
I love you selection. It is perfect and I am in awe. I am so glad you shared the extraordinary writing talent of so many Kiwi kids. We certainly could take some lessons from children. I looked at the activity area, and saw a sample of the stories. They were amazing. The I loved the video of the Prime Minister reading the book and interacting with the kids. What an inspiring thing to do for children. Couldn’t believe there were 7,000 entires. I hope this becomes an annual event sponsored by the paper.
Thankyou so much Pat. I loved the video to, and the interview with the girl who came up with the ice cream recipe. This is an annual event Pat, held every year now by NZ Post. As I was researching about this book, I came across another very young talented NZ’er which I think I may bring up for next PPBF next week.
How adorable, great choice!
Thankyou Jennifer, so glad you like it.
A book written for kids by kids? Amazing! And I smiled just when I saw the title.
Yes I loved the title to, glad you like it and thanks for dropping by Julie.
I love the idea of seeing through children’s eyes! And I like having books to add to our list that are by kids for kids. Bonus, we get to learn more about NZ! Like you said, what’s not to like 🙂 Thanks, Diane, for another great addition!
So pleased you like this one Susanna. It certainly gives a different perspective on things when looking through their eyes and to be able to share a little of New Zealand with you all, I could not miss this opportunity. Your very welcome!
Why do people from New Zealand call themselves “Kiwi(s)”? Is it because of kiwibirds (if they live there)?
Great post! I think it’s great that kids wrote it! I like the idea of “Leprechaun Ice Cream” – it seems funny!
Erik 🙂
Hi Erik, Yes, for New Zealand the Kiwi is our National Bird. The same as the Golden Eagle is the American. There is a myth story told many years ago by the Maoris how the bird came about and why it is now a national icon loved by all New Zealanders. I will be introducing Peter H Reynolds interpredation of the story next Friday for PPBF, so stay tuned.
I LOVE ice cream no matter how it comes, but what a beautiful imaginative one this is. Hope you liked the video that I posted with it.
Leprechaun Ice Cream looks delicious and I think my kids would have a blast reading this! I love the way childrens imaginations can really come out in their own writing of such a story. Fabulous!
Hi Tracy, the book is sold in my store and I always smile whenever I glance at it…. childrens imaginations seem to run “amuck”…. deliciously in this book. Let’s hope it never fades!
This book sounds like so much fun! I love the titles of some of the stories. Liz Tui Morris did a great job with the cover illustration.
Glad you like it Loni, the links are very good, enjoy!
Wonderful to bring in a book written by a child to PPBF, Diane! What a fantastic event to inspire budding young artists. The NZ Post rocks!
Thankyou so much Joanna…..lol I have never heard of NZ Post rocks…but in this case I have to agree with you…lol.
That sounds delightful. You know I’m a big believer that all that fresh air and beautiful scenery is great for the imagination. Clever kids!
Oh yes Catherine, it is all that clean fresh sea air that does it….lol. Builds great imaginations! Thankyou.
Great idea for a book. Sounds like a fun collection of children’s stories by the very people who read them too. When I worked in newspapers, we often did “How to Cook a Turkey” and other holiday specials where children would submit their stories. So much fun.
Thankyou Stacy it is wonderful and children do have such fun and seem open to anything.
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have got to have this book. Kids wrote it. You rock for showing me this. Those kids are genius!
Great choice. *waving*
LOL, Thankyou Robyn I am so delighted you love this concept. There are two books now and they will no doubt be doing another this year. I will keep you posted when that one is due out, usually about September – December. *waves back*
I love that this book is written by young people! This is a great choice for PPBF, Thank you.
Thankyou so Much Heather, so glad you like this choice. It is indeed a wonderful book.
Diane…what a stroke of genius to bring us a book written by children! I will have to see if I can grab a copy…seeing the world through the eyes of a child is why I am so passionate about working with little ones. 🙂 And getting to learn more about NZ, which is a place about which I know almost nothing…perfect!
Your very welcome Vivian, I hope you can pick one up. I am always happy to talk about New Zealand. Our weather and time zone is very different from England, Canada and the USA. I hope to bring more about New Zealand in the coming months by continuing …”Wander through Aotearoa” a post I was doing late last year.
While reading your review my heart started to swell as you said “and the incredible “8pm Question” by 12 year old Kate Warburton.” I am Kate Warburton, and to see that someone thought my story was incredible makes me so happy and so proud. The story was written when I was only 12 years old and now I’m nearly 18 and looking back on it now I can remember exactly how I was feeling as the events around my writing of this story unfolded. The full thing is actually a 7 day diary of an ANZAC solider, however there was a 100 word limit so I could only submit the first entry. This book means so much to me and to see that people liked it and thought it was “incredible” has made me so happy. Thank you so much for your review and of course well done to all the other kids, who were a lot younger than me and wrote some absolutely amazing pieces.