Review: A Great Escape

A Great Escape is based on real life events that occurred during the erecting of the Berlin Wall in 1961. 

It was a harrowing time for families that were separated between East and West. Some never saw each other again as they were old and passed away before the Wall came down. 

The children, when reunited with their parents 28 years later, had families of their own.

Peter’s mother, father and sister leave for West Berlin. He is busy playing with friends Hubert and Max, so gets left behind with his grandparents. 

The rumours he hears of a barbed wire fence being put up immediately, are true. A permanent wall follows to stop people from crossing into the democratic part of Berlin. 

The Stasi are eager to kill anyone found trying to get to the other side. That doesn’t stop anyone from trying, even after Hubert’s brother is killed in his attempt.

Peter meets Otto, a boy who offers interest and friendship. When Peter shares his anguish over being separated from his family, Otto agrees to help him escape. He claims to have connections that will facilitate their plans. But the clever and secretive Otto uses the vulnerable Peter as camouflage for his own agenda.

Elke also comes into Peter’s life. Fiery and courageous as a warrior, she is determined to succeed.  Her bow and arrow are hidden away, and in her head, so are secret plans for escape.

Who can Peter trust? He has made mistakes before. What will happen to his elderly grandparents if they have no one to care for them?

This well-crafted story displays the ingenuity of children during desperate times. It is demonstrated in the detailed methods and escape plans they designed and executed. Their strength and courage is palpable on the page; their hope and self-belief armour against the odds.

Inspiring and full of action and suspense, Felice Arena, author of the The Boy and the Spy, has created another gripping tale with children as heroes and leaders.

Title: A Great Escape

Author: Felice Arena

Publisher: PenguinRandomHouse, $16.99

Publication Date: 5 March 2019

Format: Paperback

For ages: 10+

Type: Middle Grade Fiction

 



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Review: Baby Business

Guest Post Interview Lucinda Gifford

So Lucinda…I hear you are of royalty and a princess just like dear Princess Peony. Apparently, you also live among trolls and one dragon?
I'm so happy you want to know about my own princess background. As a little girl, certain teachers and neighbours often referred to me as 'a bit of a madam', so I take that to mean I am actually a princess deep down.

Also, our family visited my Great Uncle several times a year. He lived in a Scottish castle, which was perfect for exploring, bossing peacocks around and playing hide and seek. I pretended it was MY castle. Look at my castle!

Wouldn’t you be too busy with princess things to illustrate a children’s book? I heard it is a lot of work.

My current castle, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, is rather bijou. But organising the castle and its occupants – including an exceptionally greedy dragon – still takes up a lot of my time. So I'm glad that the 80+ illustrations for Princess Peony were two colour! Working in two colours is not much extra work compared to black and white, whereas full-colour is very time-consuming. And the bright purple makes 'The Second Adventures of Princess Peony' look deservedly royal.

How long all together did the illustrations take you?
The aristocratic illustrator requires many hours on the ottoman sipping tea and thinking deep thoughts. This is, or course, how creative compositions and characters emerge. However, my staff have added up the actual hours and tell me it's about six weeks (200 hours), including admin and phone calls. 

Is there anyone in your life who Princess Peony’s looks are inspired by?
There WAS a little girl with a messy ponytail I used to babysit years ago. Obviously I'm too discreet  to mention her name as she is now a grown-up actor. She was princess of her household and would command me to sing 'goodnight sweet Sarah' lullabies to each of her soft toys (all her toys were called Sarah!).

What do you prefer illustrating – a series or a single standing picture book?
Like Princess Peony, illustrators are SMART. And we know that if you illustrate more than one book in a series, you only have to develop the main characters once. This is preferable and leaves more time for royal pursuits. However, when the author adds a ton of frogs, toads, princes, lions, horses and unicorns we can become a little ruffled and will need to rest on the ottoman more often. 

Your first thoughts when you heard about this project?
At last, a book that solves the centuries-old problem of confusing toads for frogs. Who knows how many problems this has caused?

 'The greatest thing about being a princess is…?'
 Having a pet dragon of course!

What is your favourite medium for illustrating?
Now.... though I am not too posh to pick up pen and pencil, it is time to confess just how immensely useful my computer is. Right now I'm in the royal illustration suite working on hundreds of black and white illustrations – and so PhotoShop and Procreate are my favourite mediums. They're fast, flexible, responsive, no mess, reliable, compact, forgiving, paper-saving and fast (Princesses are allowed to say important words twice). Computers are a wonderful gift to illustrators. If I could knight my computer I would.

How much experience do you have in drawing trolls?
Aha! I'm so glad you asked! Like you, Dame Katrin, I have extensive experience in recreating fairy-tale trolls. 

Lucinda, last but not least can we please delight our readers with a heart to heart confession – in your teeny weeny tiny book of princess mistakes, what will we find??
While absorbed in my important work, I often forget that staff are not in attendance in the kitchen. Today I boiled a leek and zucchini soup down to a globules puddle. Last week I incinerated a stew. But, of course, an actual princess is never perfect.

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Review: The Chocolate War

Review: Small World

Oh, how I adore this picture book.

It’s like a giant hug. The perfect book for reading with little ones snuggled close by your side.

It’s all about the life of a little girl called Nanda.

When Nanda was born, the whole of the world was wrapped in the circle of her mother’s arms: safe, warm, still.

As Nanda grows, the world grows and changes around her. 

Her family expands, she meets friends, she goes to school, she learns and studies. The world continues to change around her, and she takes her knowledge and experience into space as she becomes an astronaut.

What I love about this story is that it isn’t only Nanda’s story. Nanda is me and you, everyone and anyone. We are all born and we all grow. The world changes around all of us as we learn. We all choose futures and achieve things big and small.

The language in this book will spread tendrils of warmth throughout your body. It flows in such lyrical, flowing beauty, with repeated sections throughout that tie the story together wonderfully.

Her ears heard a crackle of voices. She gazed out into ink-black space and saw...

The illustrations, too, are stunning. Bold and bright. Funky and colourful. 

We can all achieve great things, just like Nanda, and Small World is a book to prove to kids that they can too.

Title: Small World

Author: Ishta Mercurio

Illustrator: Jen Corace

Publisher: Abrams, $24.99

Publication Date: 2 July 2019

Format: Hard Cover with Dust Jacket

ISBN: 9781419734076

For ages: 3+

Type: Picture Book

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Review: Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show

12 Curly Questions with author Andrew Kelly

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I once went to visit the gorillas in Rwanda.

2. What is your nickname?
Ned. For obvious reasons but I like the association. It is very Australian.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Running out of air while scuba diving.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Getting the words down and then chipping away.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Curious, observant, rhythmic, crisp, playful.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
A young Gerald Durrell in My Family and Other Animals as his family were so endlessly entertaining.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
July 1835 to see the site of Melbourne when it was bush and before it became a place of pavements and tall buildings.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Why didn’t you become a vet – that’s what I wanted?

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Gerald Durrell, because of his love of life and nature.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I have always loved reading and I wanted to start telling my own stories. My mother stayed up late one night to type up my first story at my request. The story was about a dragon and was rather like the song Puff the Magic Dragon, which I had heard on the radio. It was such a thrill to see my words in print. I did my own illustrations.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Sesquipedalian, because it has lovely rhythmic ups and downs and it means what it says: it is about long words. Originally it meant something ‘a foot-and-a-half long’.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A history of philosophy because I could read a bit and then think a bit and then read a bit more, which would make it last a long time.

Andrew Kelly is the Yarra Riverkeeper; part of an international organisation of Riverkeepers. He has written numerous books for children and adults. For more information, see www.walkerbooks.com.au.

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Review: Kindness Makes Us Strong

Kindness Makes Us Strong is bright, bold and bounding with retro coloured happiness, it’s a gorgeous board book which explores and celebrates the value of kindness.

The story looks at some of the many ways to be kind, each double page spread shows a beautifully illustrated scene, and the repeated text kindness is… followed by an example relatable to children, such as saying hello at the park, cheering at a race, swapping snacks and sharing crayons.

The retro styled illustrations shine with diversity; showing community based scenes filled with kind interactions between people of differing race and ability. A scene featuring a child in a wheelchair happily playing clarinet alongside a howling puppy is one of the many images which made my heart beam.

Australian author/illustrator Sophie Beer the creator of Love Makes A Family, brings us this equally uplifting book with consistent design and format. It delivers an important message about being kind and how collaboratively, it makes us strong. It’s perfect for preschool-age children, great for reading in a group and  as a basis for discussion about community and kindness. With a thick board cover and card pages it’s strong and ready for repeated use by tiny hands.

For more of Sophie's creations, see Arthur the Tiger, Wren and Amazing Australian Women.

Title: Kindness Makes Us Strong
Author/Illustrator: Sophie Beer
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont, $16.99
Publication Date: 1 April 2019
Format: Board Book
ISBN: 9781760504144
For ages: 1+
Type: Picture Book




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Review: Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal'd

What do you know about Isaac Newton?

In this narrative non-fiction book, Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal'd, you'll learn a whole lot more about how he began his journey to becoming one of the world's greatest scientists.

In the mid-1600s, aged just twelve, as a boarder in the house (and workshop) of an apothecary, Isaac was full of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

He had an affinity for colours, and in his notebook he documented his recipes for creating them out of materials including egg yolk, chalk and berries.

He also loved stars, and observed and wrote about them in his notebook.

As Isaac's story, and secrets, are revealed through Isaac the Alchemist, you'll read about his schooling, ancient mathematics and mechanics and his hands-on experimentation (such as building a water clock).

However, it was Isaac's home at the apothecary's house that exposed him to the wonders of alchemy and chemistry (or chymistry as it was then known). And this eventually led to his exploring the idea of perpetual motion.

Kites and farming finally give way to university (Trinity College at Cambridge) and adulthood, as Isaac goes on to further his understanding and exploration of the world's mysteries.

The importance of Isaac Newton's discoveries and achievements is quite staggering, and this book is a small window into what it might have been like to be Isaac Newton at a time when much we take for granted was still unknown.

At the back of the book are lots of historical, scientific and source notes, as well as a bibliography and index. These will all help anyone who wants to do further research of their own, or simply explore the factual side of the story.

Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal'd is easy to read, informative and inspiring. There is a strong sense of time and place which makes you feel transported to Isaac Newton's world.

Author Mary Losure has resources for teachers available on her website.

Title: Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal'd
Author: Mary Losure 
Publisher: Candlewick, $16.99
Publication Date: November 2018
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781536203639
For ages: 10+
Type: Junior non-fiction



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Review: Pippa

Review: Annabel, Again

Annabel, Again is a humorous, fast-paced, middle grade novel with heart. The story encapsulates the intense bonds of friendships in the pre-teen and early-teen years and the heart-aching challenges that arise when a beloved friendship changes.

Livvy and Annabel share a friendship that fills them both with joy and laughter, until the day Annabel suddenly moves to another town. It is like the very ground beneath Livvy's feet is shaken. Livvy's mother attempts to help, with advice from her personal growth books, which involves eating pistachio nuts and doing anything else to stop Livvy thinking of the gaping hole where her friendship with Annabel used to be.

Over the next year, Livvy slowly comes to terms with her new life without Annabel, when, just as suddenly, Annabel returns! Only this time something is different.

Lots of things are different, actually, and Livvy has no idea how to handle any of them. Annabel makes friends with their previous nemesis and then tries out for the Netball position that always belonged to Livvy. It seems the thin threads of their friendship are destined to unravel even further. Yet, somehow, they discover that the bonds of friendship are never truly broken.

Title: Annabel, Again
Author: Meg McKinlay
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $16.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781925381542
For ages: 8+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction




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Review: Bitsy

Through the velvety night, 

In whispering flight,

Bats hurry homeward to hide from the light.

But Bitsy is not like the other bats. 

Bitsy is curious and adventurous. She wants to know what daytime is like, even if there are day-beasts lurking.

So despite grave warnings from the other bats, Bitsy ventures into the light. 

She discovers great beauty and wonderful sights, until the day-beasts emerge from the trees, and they seem…angry and... afraid.

Can a creature of the night and a day-beast ever be friends? Should the rumours about the night creatures and day-beasts be believed? 

Bitsy is a charming picture book about adventure, friendship and learning not to judge based on rumours. It’s about challenging what people say and having the courage to find out the truth for yourself, but the message is disguised within a fun and flawlessly rhyming story that’s pure joy to read aloud, particularly to a crowd. 

Nicki Greenberg’s beautiful illustrations bring Bitsy and all the other characters to life. Stunning colours capture star-filled nights, brilliantly bright mornings and the beauty of an Australian bush sunset. 

Bitsy will warm your heart and have you smiling. It’s a joyful story filled with a beautiful array of Australian wildlife, celebrating the power of unexpected friendships and the rewards that can be found when you push the boundaries of your comfort zone.

Nicki Greenberg is the author/illustrator of several books for kids, including Meerkat Choir and Monkey Red Monkey Blue. She also has a hidden talent for making really good sandwiches! You can find out more about Nicki here and here!

Title: Bitsy

Author/Illustrator: Nicki Greenberg

Publisher: Affirm, $24.99

Publication Date: 25 June 2019

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 9781925870381

For ages: 3 - 6

Type: Picture Book

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Review: Ziggy's Zoo

Review: Storm Boy Rescue

The story of Storm Boy by Colin Thiele is an Australian classic. In 2018 we celebrated the 55th anniversary of this treasured story and the remake of the 1976 movie. This movie tie in board book, Storm Boy Rescue, makes this iconic story now accessible to our youngest readers.

The story of Storm Boy is set in the Coorong region of South Australia. We meet a child called, Storm Boy, who lives with his father on the beach. One day Storm Boy rescues three baby pelicans and one, Mr Percival, develops a special bond with him.


In the board book are introduced to Mr Percival and Storm Boy on a stormy night. Inside the seaside shack they are warm and safe while outside the Southern Ocean rages. Calls for help are heard as a boat begins to sink in the rough waves. With Mr Percival's help, Storm Boy comes up with an idea how to help save the four sailors from drowning. How can Mr Percival assist in this rescue?

Using simplified language, this board book story reveals the mini story within the larger dramatic one of the novella and movie. It uses the classical story beginning of 'one stormy night.' Where appropriate it includes numbers and colours, developing language of younger readers.

The illustrations by Jenni Goodman are moody and dramatic, with large ocean waves and dark ominous skies.  Illustrating strong eye contact between Storm Boy and Mr Percival, she has shown their unique connection and friendship. I just love how Goodman has illustrated the luxuriant curly texture of Storm Boy's hair.

For more ways to explore the story of Storm Boy with your toddlers see the two other board books illustrated by Goodman; Storm Boy Colours and Storm Boy Numbers.

Title: Storm Boy Rescue
Illustrator: Jenni Goodman
Publisher: New Holland Publishers, $14.99
Publication Date: 6 December 2018
Format: Board Book
ISBN: 9781760790325
For ages: 2 – 4
Type: Board Book




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Cover Reveal: The Quest Diaries of Max Crack

Jules Faber is a cartoonist, caricature artist and illustrator.

In addition to his WeirDo books, Jules has illustrated The Kaboom Kid and The Leo Da Vinci series.

He is well-known for conducting regular workshops at schools and learning centres for those wanting to learn more about caricaturing, comic strips, comic book layout, scriptwriting, storyboarding, animation and general cartooning.

Jules has served three terms as President of the Australian Cartoonists Association, the world’s oldest cartoonist’s organisation. But most of all, he loves illustrating children’s books.

The Quest Diaries of Max Crack is the first book he has written and illustrated, and is just the beginning of Max’s adventures! And today we are delighted to reveal the cover of this exciting new series, due out the 27 August 2019.

The Quest Diaries of Max Crack is presented as Max's diary, and it's a visual feast: full of speech bubbles, doodles, asides, highlighted words, and crossed-out words. It's a stream of visual and verbal consciousness and captures the intriguingly chaotic mind of an 11-year-old perfectly.

Jules Faber is a multi-award-winning cartoonist and illustrator. He has published numerous comic strips, worked for various newspapers, taught cartooning, been in multiple art exhibitions and has worked as an animator on a Disney show.

Title: The Quest Diaries of Max Crack
Author: Jules Faber
Illustrator: Jules Faber
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia, $12.99
Publication Date: 27 August 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN:  9781760783907
For ages: 7 - 11
Type: Junior Fiction

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Junior Review: His Name Was Walter

Meet The Illustrator: Sofia Moore

Name: Sofia Moore

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
I tend to have textured, multilayered images that I would like to simplify but end up adding in more and more details.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My cats! They are the original models to all my animal characters and sometimes people, too.
They bring humour, silliness and untold jokes to my illustration world. Other than the cats, I need a lot of copy paper to sketch and a mechanical pencil.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Yes, my favourite illustration medium is matte acrylic paint and coloured pencils.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Olaf Hajek, Brecht Evens and Chris Hagen

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
The revolutionary 20’s in Eastern Europe when avant-garde artists like Mark Chagal, Kandinsky, Filonov were emerging. I am drawn to the emotional quality of the art of that period and how it connects to all the historical events that had changed the course of history.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
It comes from my early childhood, I remember looking at images in books when I couldn’t read yet and how they were a part of my reality. The influence that illustration has on imagination is huge and that inspires me to make art for children’s books.

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
I am very lucky to have a small room all for myself and that’s where I spend most of my time. I have a closet along one wall with all my art supplies, a big window across the room and a desk in the middle.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
Most of all I love early stages of creating an image - research, first sketches, collecting references, selecting colours. At this point everything is very fresh and unknown, and I like to keep these factors throughout the rest of the process.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Be patient, disciplined and draw every day!

Sofia Moore is a Ukrainian-American artist and illustrator based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
She grew up reading folk tale stories in her grandmother’s house and drawing princesses on the back of textbooks. Now she is on the mission to create her own picture books filled with colorful characters and imaginary situations. She loves painting traditionally and layers textures both on paper and digitally. Her ideas come from a lot of sketchbook drawings and making up stories every day.

Please visit Sofia's website for more information or follow her on instagram.






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Review: One Handed Cooks: Boosting Your Basics

Review: Be a Maker

Little people are the most amazing makers. Sure, they make noise and they make mess, but they also make telescopes from toys and entire worlds with their imaginations; they make fun and friends, and they make a difference in the world.

This is a truly delightful book about the myriad ways children can make things each day. It follows two children as they make everything from a snack to a trip into outer space, as well as making a big impact on their community.

A playful use of rhyme and repetition make this a beautiful book for a range of ages, while the vibrant mixed-media illustrations are jam-packed with colour and fun to inspire little imaginations.

Drawing on concepts of engineering, art, music, community and friendship, the book will inspire children to turn everyday items into incredible objects and ideas. It will spark activity and kindness, and is sure to leave them excited about the possibilities in each day. Highly recommended.

Title: Be a Maker
Author: Katey Howes
Illustrator: Elizabet Vukovic
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books , $27.99
Publication Date: July 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781512498028
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Jacket

The Jacket is a debut picture book for Australian author, Sue-Ellen Pashley, with pictures created by award-winning illustrator, Thea Baker.

The story is, as the title says, about a jacket. It's one of those ones that is much-loved and comfortable. The kind you don't want to give up, even when you grow out of it, or it gets a bit too worn and torn.

This jacket starts out with Amelia, who wears it everywhere. When it no longer fits, because Amelia is getting older, the jacket gets passed on to her sister Lily.

Lily loves the jacket just as much as Amelia, and wears it everywhere.

The jacket eventually goes on to become a dress up for toys. Later still, their cat Cornflake makes use of the jacket when she has her kittens. It's rather a useful jacket!

There's also another surprise and use for the jacket in store, as the story reaches its conclusion.

The illustrations for The Jacket are created using collage, including colourful patterned material for the jacket. This adds a wonderful and appropriate texture to the story.

The Jacket shows the progression of life and things that change as children grow up. Parents will be able to recognise their own experiences in the story, and use it as a subtle tool for explaining similar situations to their children.

Title: The Jacket
Author: Sue-Ellen Pashley
Illustrator: Thea Baker
Publisher: Black Dog Books, $24.99
Publication Date: May 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781925381788
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture book




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Review: Fox & Bird

We've all seen it happen in the school playground: children testing bonds as they navigate the world of new friendships.

Here, we meet the lonely Fox who is instantly drawn to the beautiful and confident Bird. So desperate for bird's friendship, Fox will do anything Bird asks — jump, run, swim. But nothing seems good enough for Bird.

When Fox can't take anymore, the tables are quickly turned and Bird tries anything to win Fox's affection. It's only when the pair agree to do things together that their friendship can blossom.

This striking and sensitively-told story is a wonderful way to broach topics of kindness, empathy and compromise in young children.

Edwina Wyatt's pared-back prose is poetic and poignant, while Alice Lindstrom's rich and sumptuous collage-style illustrations shine with colour and beauty. Lindstrom's fox and bird (and other animals), all made from layers of painted paper, sing on every page against washes of blues and greens.

Subtle and stunning, this story of new friendship is a modern-day fable that's sure to become a much-loved classic.


Title: Fox & Bird
Author: Edwina Wyaa
Illustrator: Alice Lindstrom
Publisher: Little Hare, $24.99
Publication Date: June 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781760501464
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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12 Curly Questions with author Katherine Battersby

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I was an artistic roller skater for most of my youth. I loved freestyle skating the most, which involves spins and jumps and routines to music. I don’t get to skate very often anymore, but I do get to ice skate on the frozen canal in Ottawa (Canada) where I live now.

2. What is your nickname?
I love nicknames, so I have many. My partner and I are always coming up with new ones for each other (and now for our daughter, too). My current favourites: girl-a-roo, katbat and mumma-bat.
 
3. What is your greatest fear?
Drowning. I grew up in a house on a cliff overlooking the ocean (in Mackay, Qld) and I could always hear the waves rolling in. As a wee thing I was terrified a tidal wave would sweep us off the cliff, and the sound of the ocean entered my sleep and gave me strange nightmares. It’s a fear that I’ve carried with me into adulthood (despite loving to swim and boat!).

4. Describe your writing style.
Sweet, quirky, genuine and full of heart.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Dedicated. Nerdy. Joyful. Considered. Sleepless.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Today I’ll say... Hermione. Who didn’t dream of getting their Hogwarts letter in the mail? There’s still hope, right? Plus she’s a favourite feminist icon from my younger years.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d go to the seventies so I could meet my partner as a boy. I love to imagine what he was like growing up. I think we would have been great friends.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
“Why don’t you read as many books as you used to?” And I would show her the huge reading pile by my bedside. I wish I had more time for reading...

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Absolutely my mum. She taught me about compassion and love and empathy. She was also incredibly creative — she hand-crafted papers, dabbled in watercolours and was a seamstress with a huge collection of fabrics. Considering, as an illustrator, I now use a collage of papers, fabrics and watercolour in my books, she has definitely been the biggest influence on my work.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I started writing in an attempt to process the world, to figure out how I felt and what I was thinking. I was an incredibly sensitive kid so often felt like I had big things bubbling up inside me. I had a lot of trouble expressing myself, so writing was my attempt to do so.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Persnickety. It’s so much fun to say (and is rather fitting for my personality).

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Just one? Really? What kind of fresh torture is this? Maybe The Girl Who Drank the Moon, my favourite book of the last few years. The writing and characterisation is so perfect and the world is so richly layered. I’ve become particularly choosy about my fantasy in the last few years and this book is just perfection – I haven’t come across anything quite like it. I’d happily digest it over many more reads.

Katherine Battersby is the critically acclaimed children’s author and illustrator of nine picture books, including Squish Rabbit, Brave Squish Rabbit and Little Wing, which have been published around the world. Her books have been shortlisted for the Crichton Award and named Notable Books in the Early Childhood category of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards. In another life, Katherine worked for many years as a paediatric occupational therapist, specialising as a children’s counsellor, and she has also studied graphic design. She grew up by the beach in North Queensland and currently lives in Canada with her poet husband and their rather ridiculous dog. See www.katherinebattersby.com. Her latest picture book, Squish Rabbit's Pet is reviewed here.

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Review: The Way To Treasure Island

A beautiful story of adventure, humour and love between a father and daughter from Lizzy Stewart, author of the award-winning There’s a Tiger in the Garden.

In The Way to Treasure Island, Matilda and her dad go on an imaginative journey following a map in search of treasure. Their adventure fills with beauty, surprises and discovery; along the way, they don’t always agree and their relationship is tested. Finding the treasure isn’t as easy as they’d imagined, but something spectacular prevails.

Relatable, cheeky and funny, I love how the story explores the father-daughter relationship with a little role reversal from the usual. Dad is messy and easily distracted while Matilda is tidy and focused, this made my 5-year-old and I laugh out loud as I’m sure it will for others.

The illustrations are stunning, featuring lots of greens, contrasting colours and textures in mixed media creating depth and beauty. From a beach to a far-away island, gorgeous plant life and flora convey a happy but calming vibe, setting the scene and working in seamless unity with the text.

With a gorgeous fabric cover, 40 thick pages of wholesome story and stunning mixed media illustrations, this is a book to be loved, treasured and read time and time again. And of course, like any great treasure story, it may inspire you to make a treasure map and go on your very own adventure!

Title: The Way To Treasure Island
Author/Illustrator: Lizzy Stewart
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:  9781786030245
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2IDcT0r

Review: A Cat Called Trim

Trim was a cat born for adventure.  

This sentence sets up the entire story which is about the relationship shared by Matthew Flinders and the cat he saved from drowning when on the HMS Reliance in 1799. 

A powerful friendship was formed that day. Trim became Flinders’ dedicated companion on all his expeditions until he was accused of spying, and imprisoned on Isle de France.There Trim left never to be seen again.

Corinne Fenton has a gift for reproducing real historical events. She uses her animal characters as centrepieces in her stories and builds exciting adventures around them. It’s a clever construction that aids retention of the historical facts. Her use of language is careful and considered with her repetition of sounds lifting and falling in rhythm when read.

 

The story logs Matthew Flinders’ explorations and travels, his challenges and how he overcame them while sharing his life and affection with Trim as they charted the unknown coasts of Australia. The fickle nature of cats shows in Trim as, unable to be cared for in the way he was accustomed, he escapes during Flinders’ imprisonment to find a new home and new adventures.

Craig Smith’s trademark expressions and emotions are once more reflected on the faces of his characters to add authenticity to the life of Trim and his fellow travellers. Stunning detail is found in the illustrations of the ships, on board and in the sea. The migrating birds above the masts, the dark, treacherous seas and stormy skies, all breathe reality into the story.

Smith has included bonus miniature images of the five ships mentioned throughout the story (and a stagecoach). These are positioned at various points on the illustrated pages, like surprises waiting to be discovered. There is a Postscript at the end of the book, along with a gathering of those illustrated miniature ships.

The magnificent cover shows Flinders and Trim leaning on the side of the ship looking out to sea. The back cover depicts the crew and Trim with Flinders, as a boat full of sailors, sails towards the coastline, their ship far back in the background.

Beautiful end pages filled with maps and the same floating ships complete this outstanding publication which is ideal as an introduction to Australian history for early learners.

Title: A Cat Called Trim

Author: Corrine Fenton

Illustrator: Craig Smith

Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $24.99

Publication Date: 1 April 2019

Format: Hardcover

For ages: 5 - 8

Type: Non Fiction Picture Book

from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2WZOqvl

Review: Joy

Living up to its name, Joy is a lovely, lively and rhythmic story of an energetic kitten who loves to play.

The story follows the kitten as it jumps and bounds around the house, chasing its toy and leaving a trail of care-free mess behind. The succinct, rhythmic text flows and intertwines with the illustrations wonderfully, it has such an uplifting feel that I almost found myself singing the words while my children carefully focused on the pages in anticipation.

Joy builds and rolls toward a beautiful message of love between the kitten and its parent, which adults and their children will relate to; and in our case, a second read request which I could not refuse.

The scene is set beautifully with watercolour textures in mixed media illustrations balancing with text, white space and movement. Happy faces on many pages, movement lines which my kids traced their fingers over and a spot varnish cover made it feel cheerful and interactive.

Wonderful to read to a group or more interactively with individuals, Joy is literally a joy to read!

Yasmeen Ismail is an award-winning author, illustrator and animator, some of her other books include Time for Bed, Fred!, Specs for Rex and Christmas for Greta and Gracie. Jenni Desmond is also an award-winning illustrator, she has illustrated many books including The First Slodge, The Blue Whale and Backstage Cat.

Title: Joy
Author: Yasmeen Ismail
Illustrator: Jenni Desmond
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:  9781406385205
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book




from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2xaxClQ

Review: I Went Walking

I Went Walking is a family favourite. In this story a child goes on an adventure walk around the farm yard.

On the walk he spies lots of familiar farm animals. He sees a cat, a horse, a cow and three more animals.

Each animal in the story is also given a colour description, 'I saw a pink pig...'

My son loved the repetition in this story and as a pre-reader he quickly learnt the text's pattern and read the story along with me.

Later, as a beginning reader, he revisited I Went Walking as he found many of the words used in this story were basic sight words taught at school.

Julia Vivas' watercolour illustrations are soft, whimsical and dynamic. When the text asks 'What did you see?' she reveals part of the animal, giving children the opportunity to predict the name and colour of the animal on the next page.

When you go walking what do you see?

Some of my other favourite books illustrated by Julie Vivas include; Puffling, Davey and the Duckling, Let the Celebrations Begin and Koala.

Title: I Went Walking
Author: Sue Machin
Illustrator: Julie Vivas
Publisher: Omnibus Books, $14.99
Publication Date: February 2007
Format: Board Book
ISBN: 9781862917064
For ages: 1 – 5
Type: Board Book, Picture Book




from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2IYB6xb

Review: Everyday Resilience

Being a kid is tough. Emotions are heightened and things adults understand are no big deal often feel like the end of the world.

Friendship drama is real and taxing for kids. There are pressures at school, and sometimes at home, and kids are still learning about their strengths and weaknesses (and coming to terms with them).

As a parent, it’s hard to see your kids struggle through hard times. But what can you do?

Well, Michelle Mitchell, award-winning author, speaker and educator, thinks there’s a lot you can do, and she sets it all out in Everyday Resilience. 

This is a brilliant book — a must-read for all parents and carers, no matter how old their kids are. 

The book sets out seven traits of resilience (courage, gratitude, empathy, self-awareness, responsibility, self-care and contribution), explaining what each is and why it is so important for building resilience in kids.

Each chapter includes short, sharp sections of information, real examples of kids who have struggled in each area and the strategies Mitchell recommended to their parents to support them. There are loads of different suggestions for parents to try out — allowing you to choose which ones might work best for your children — and each chapter ends with summary take-home tips.

I loved reading this book. It's insightful and relatable, and Mitchell sets everything out in an easy to read and easy to understand format. 

This book will give you confidence to guide your kids through the storms of their life. It provides the tools you need to help your kids help themselves, giving them strategies they can take into adulthood. It can give you tools for your own life, too. It taught me much about my own levels of resilience, and many ideas within the book I will now apply to my own actions and reactions.

If you have kids, or care for kids, I highly, HIGHLY recommend reading Everyday Resilience. 

Title: Everyday Resilience

Author: Michelle Mitchell

Publisher: Big Sky Publishing, $24.99

Publication Date: 1 May 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781922265029

For ages: Adults

Type: Non-Fiction

from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2xdCeaF

Review: The Tunnels Below

Sometimes I fear all the fantastical worlds that could ever be imagined have already been created in literature — that there’s nothing else, no other secret worlds left to discover between the covers of a book.

And then a novel like The Tunnels Below comes along and I can't get the smile off my face!

The Tunnels Below is a brilliant, fantastical adventure that takes readers into a new and exciting world below their feet — a unique, inventive and intriguing world filled with mystery and whimsy.

Set in London, Cecilia Hudson-Gray is heading out with her family for her twelfth birthday. But when she accidentally boards a train that takes her deep into the tunnels of the subway, she discovers a secret world like no other. 

There is a whole world hidden in the secret tunnels of the underground, filled with magnificent creatures who have no idea that another world exists above their heads.

Cecilia just wants to get home, but since no one in the tunnels below believes there is any other world but theirs, they are convinced she has simply gotten lost and confused and just needs to remember who she is (it sometimes happens to those that wander in the dark tunnels).

Cecilia finds some allies and tries to fit in until she can find a way to get home, but there is unrest in this strange new world, and Cecilia is soon dragged into a brewing revolution. 

Faced with decisions about what is wrong and what is right, Cecilia must decide if she will stand up for the good and battle the bad, even though the tunnels are not her world. Does she have the courage to uncover the truth, to fight for creatures she’s only just met and try to make life better in the tunnels?

This is a brilliant middle fiction novel for fantasy and adventure lovers. Highly addictive and filled with so many twists and turns, it’s thrilling from start to finish. This is a book for every child who has dreamed of finding the tiny door at the bottom of the garden and wished they could open it and walk through.

With relatable as well as fantastical characters and a rich and detailed world to explore, The Tunnels Below is a book I guarantee people will be talking about.

Title: The Tunnels Below

Author: Nadine Wild-Palmer

Publisher: Faber Factory, $16.99

Publication Date: June 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781782692232

For ages: 10+

Type: Middle Fiction

from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2x6B1Ck

Review: One Tree

Review: Ronan Boyle And The Bridge Of Riddles

Review: One Careless Night

Award-winning Australian author and illustrator, Christina Booth, has created a powerfully moving book about Australia's last thylacine (once known as Tasmanian tigers).

One Careless Night is a story about a thylacine mother and her pup, and provides readers with insight into how something unique and wonderful can be lost to the world, through careless decisions.

The essence of the story is hope for a different approach in the future. With haunting imagery, it reveals the tragedy of short-sighted thoughtless actions and the potential for a shared future for all living creatures.

These unique creatures became the subject of extermination policies in Australia in the 1800s and early 1900s. Sadly, the last known thylacine died in Hobart Zoo in 1936, after being left out in the cold, one careless night.

This story portrays the last thylacine and her pup, living and surviving in the wild forests of Australia, until a new predator emerges and the trap is laid. Booth's depiction of the mother, alone and captured, brought tears to my eyes as the enormous impact of careless policies becomes definitively apparent. This book belongs in every school as it will spark discussion and engender empathy. The careful discussions of a guiding teacher, parent or other caring adult will help children to negotiate the emotions they may feel reading this powerful story.

Title: One Careless Night
Author/Illustrator: Christina Booth
Publisher: Black Dog Books, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2019
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781925381856
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book




from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2WLyFD6

Review: DC Ultimate Character Guide and Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia

Think you know your superheroes? Well get ready for the ultimate test.

Dorling Kindersley (DK) has published the DC Ultimate Character Guide and the Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia.

Grab these two books and you'll be well on your way to becoming an expert on superheroes and villains of all kinds.

This isn't just about the big names, like Spiderman, Captain America, Batman and Robin, Superman and Lois Lane. You'll also find less well known characters like Captain Boomerang, Hawkgirl, and Ant-Thony. Not to mention Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred.

The DC Ultimate Character Guide is a new edition and is set out in alphabetical order by character (more than 200 of them). There is a short bio and summary for each outlining their vital statistics and powers, plus facts from situations they've encountered. And a picture, of course.

The Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia has the characters grouped by universe (the universes are as presented on the big screen). There are nine of them: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Captain Marvel.

Each character has a data file (their vital statistics equivalent), along with important background and story information. The pictures in this book are all taken from the relevant movies.

With the usual highly visual appeal of DK book design, the DC Ultimate Character Guide and the Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia can be easily read from cover to cover, or browsed on and off at leisure.

They are perfect gifts for young fans of comic books and superhero movies.

Some of the many characters you'll discover in these books include:

• Kid Flash, who is mentored by his hero, The Flash.
• Detective Chimp, a cruelly-treated chimpanzee who escapes the circus and gains his superpowers by drinking from the Fountain of Youth.
• Brainiac 5, who has superintelligence.
• Groot, a sentient plant who can regenerate from injuries.

Title: DC Ultimate Character Guide / Marvel Studios Character Encyclopedia
Author: Dorling Kindersley
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley, $24.99
Publication Date: March 2019 / April 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780241361375 / 9780241357538
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior non-fiction




from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2XW1myt

Review: Holes

12 Curly Questions with author Georgie Donaghey

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you. 
In my pre-author life, I was a chocolatier and made handmade chocolates under my business, Sinful Indulgence Chocolates. I was one of the pioneers when it came to offering chocolates for corporates and small businesses. I took the company logo and prepared a custom mould to fill with chocolate, where most companies were only printing the logo on the wrapper.

2. What is your nickname? 
I have been called many things. My oldest friend calls me George, which I like as I was named after my Grandfather. But Georgie is what I’m mostly called.

3. What is your greatest fear? 
That I can’t find the answers that I need to help a loved one.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Emotional, rhyming, honest, creative, always changing, fun, makes readers smile.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer. 
Persistent, researcher, evolving and always thinking.

6. What book character would you be, and why? 
Oh gosh, too hard to choose just one. I like Winnie the Pooh because he is so innocent and goes about life at a leisurely pace, plus he gets to hang out with Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Eeyore all the time. But as I dabbled in chocolate during my early life, stepping into Willy Wonka’s shoes for a day would be amazing too.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why? 
1977 and hug my grandparents one more time.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now? 
Slow down. Time to put yourself first for a change.

9. Who is your greatest influence? 
Another too-hard question. I think all the people I have had relationships or friendships with over the years have influenced me in some way. I like to think that I have taken a little piece of something from all of them that has helped me in my life’s journey. Whether that be something to strive for or something to be cautious of, every experience counts.

10. What/who made you start writing? 
I can’t remember the actual moment. I wrote a poem when I was eight, which I won a certificate for. It was for a weekend paper, in the kids lift-out section. I didn’t pick it up again until the birth of my first child. He was a non-sleeper and I sat at the foot of his bed writing a murder mystery. By the time he was ready and could understand what I was reading him, my murder manuscript wasn’t a good idea, so I made up stories for him. I’ve been making up stories for children ever since.

11. What is your favourite word and why? 
Children. I have them and love them to bits. I write for them and love it to bits. I get to share stories with them during school visits, which I also love to bits.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
I have so many I love, so I feel it would be a betrayal to choose just one. Instead, I’m going to say my picture book, In the Shadow of an Elephant? Why? Because this book came from several emotional places. Mainly, while dealing with the grief of losing my mother, so there will forever be that one last connection to her. Another is to remind myself of the magic you can create when you work hard and believe in yourself. Plus, who doesn’t love a picture book?

Georgie Donaghey, author of Lulu, Clover’s Big Ideas and In the Shadow of an Elephant, is the founder of Creative Kids Tales. She’s the publisher of The Creative Kids Tales Short Story Collections 1 & 2. Lulu appears on Kinderling Kids Radio and the Virgin and Qantas inflight channels. For more information, see www.georgiedonaghey.com.au.

from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2RmIZ3b

Review: What Shape is an Elephant?

A story from the 13th Century Persian poet and spiritual leader Rumi has been given new life in this exquisite picture book from Indian non-profit organisation Katha.

The fable tells of travellers from India who bought an elephant to a fair in the land of Iran. Night had fallen when they reached the fairground so the animal was locked in a shed.

The people of Iran, who had never seen an elephant before, were curious and crept into the dark shed. Unable to see the animal, they used their hands to feel different parts of the elephant, trying to make out the shape in their mind. For some it was smooth and flat, for some it was long and supple, and for others it was thick and sturdy.

This mystical story about a spiritual animal in many different religions seeks to explain why people have differing notions about life. It highlights the need to look beyond what we can touch in the palm of our hand, to see more than what is in front of us.

The poetic and spiritual nature of the story is open for interpretation and a wonderful way to open up discussions of deeper concepts.

The many layers of the story are captured stunningly in the illustrations of Iranian artist Feeroozeh Golmohammadi, who uses black and brown ancient-style backgrounds punctuated with rich, vibrant colours and patterns for the people and elephant.

It's a story that promotes reflection, inclusion, imagination and spiritual awareness.


Title: What Shape is an Elephant?
Author: Rumi
Illustrator: Feeroozeh Golmohammadi
Publisher: Katha , $19.99
Publication Date: 2005
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9788189020484
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

from Kids' Book Review http://bit.ly/2ILWZQq