Authors: Jackie Randel and Diane Allen

Illustrations by Jackie Randel

ISBN: 159879018-8

The following review was contributed by:  Carolyn Batt

Calendar Friends aims to help children, aged four to seven, understand the concept of time. Each double-page spread is devoted to a different month, featuring a calendar, a rhyme about what to expect from the month (weather, number of days, any special celebrations, and so on) along with a vibrant illustration.

It is the illustrations that are likely to appeal most to children, featuring simplistic but charming giraffe sketches, full of color. The animals are holding objects or engaged in activities to reinforce what the month will hold. The verses are also simple, dealing with activities and concepts to which children will relate, but sound a little forced at times.

The calendar for each page matches a 2006 calendar, so the book will unavoidably date quickly for the observant parent. However, all children will enjoy using the stickers, available separately, to highlight important occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Overall, an interesting approach to explaining why next birthday is still a long way away, but unlikely to be read and reread in the same way as a traditional storybook.