Picture Books: Plato the Platypus Plumber (Part-Time)

Title:"Plato the Platypus Plumber (Part-Time)" ISBN (Hardback):9781921479373 ISBN (E-Pub):9781921479502  Author: Hazel Edwards   Illustrator: John Petropoulos e-book: Amazon.com (Kindle Edition) E and Print Publisher: Interactive Publications Translations in German & Spanish in e-book & print formats Print Translations: Check sample pages German Translation at Amazon Germany Spanish Translation at Amazon. Youtube reading by Larrikin Puppeteers

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Plato, an eco-warrior, and part-time plumber fixes watery problems like leaking taps, but he also fixes grumpy people with jokes or a smile spray. His tool kit is legendary. Despite ferals along the creek bank, Plato is on call to help Zanzibar and his family who are renovating their old creekside house.

Lively and colourful illustrations are interspersed throughout the story.

Aimed at those interested in imaginative problem solving, this book will appeal to boys and girls, keen on animals, nature or wildlife. And it also asks watery questions about climate issues, such as drought.

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Buy your own copy of Plato the Platypus Plumber (Part-Time)

These online retailers have copies available - just click through on the direct link and you can purchase online:

Booktopia Interactive Publications Amazon.com Amazon.com (Kindle Edition) Boomerang Books

Read   samples pages from  the German translation  or the Spanish translation available from Amazon

For students studying LOTE, comparing the English and Spanish or German versions of the picture book can be productive.

In the same way, comparing print and e-book formats.

Youtube reading of 'Plato' by Larrikin Puppeteers' storyteller Elissa.

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Channel 31's Writers' Notebook interview about the process of how a writer gets ideas and works with an illustrator.

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Book Trailer: Plato the Platypus Plumber (Part-Time)

Reading 'Plato the Platypus Plumber (part-time) ' on Read to My Child 

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Educational Resources for Teachers

International Book Launch - Pasir Ridge International School

Plato the Platypus Plumber was launched at the Pasir Ridge International School , Balikpapan, in Indonesia. Hazel has shared her experiences about the launch on Boomerang Books Kids' Book Capers. Details are reprinted below:

How did the school prepare for the launch?

Meg Baxter, the Early Childhood teacher and her enthusiastic staff  had organised a special ‘mud’ cake iced with a replica of the cover as well as ‘muddy’ chocolate milk. SFX of water noises. Charts of platypus facts, and even a story house, surrounded by recycled branches (in the spirit of the story) with an author  chair for the ‘first’ reading. To the side was a ‘creek’ with platypus shapes.

The children had all created their own plumber tool kits in mini cases.

What else was unique about the preparations?

Platypus prints leading into the room and up to the pile of Plato the Platypus Plumber (part-time) books.

Can you tell us about the author signing?

International school children have names from many cultures. And that can be a challenge when you are autographing.

So Indonesian teachers helped with typed slips of children’s names for autographing. Many are KTC s  Kids of the Third Culture, where parents may be nationals of different countries and the child born or schooled in a third.  But stories cross all cultures.

Sounds like the teachers were very resourceful, Hazel. And in your book, Plato helps Zanzibar to develop these same kind of problem-solving abilities. Why do you think it’s important for children to have these skills?

Being willing to try new ways of solving problems, even if you get it wrong occasionally, is the only way we learn. It’s okay to do things differently.

What was your favourite part of the launch?

Once I’d talked about how a book was also created by the reader from the clues given by the illustrator and the author,  the children sprawled on the rug and all read the book for themselves.

‘Mine is the first Plato book signed in the whole world,’ said one little boy as he sat down to read.

You can find more resources and classroom ideas for all of Hazel's Books by clicking through to the Teachers Resources Page.

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Reviews

Book Reviews

• Review of 'Plato the Platypus Plumber' on The Book Chook
• Chris Cheng's 'Plato'  review on newkidsbooksinoz blogspot
• Kids Book Review : Interview about author workstyle and recent titles including Plato.
• Bugnews 'His business card states “Pipes, taps and grumpy people fixed”.

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