Review: Wilam — A Birrarung Story

The Yarra River, or Birrarung, holds a special place in many Australian hearts and we're pretty sure this book will too.

Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy and illustrator Lisa Kennedy, a Trawlwoolway descendant, collaborated on the cherished and highly lauded picture book Welcome to Country. Here they join forces with author and Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly.

The result is Wilam, which means 'home' in the Indigenous Woiwurrung language. Wilam takes us on a journey along the banks of the Birrarung, from the river's source in the mountains, all the way to the sea. It introduces us to the diverse wildlife that call the river home, and often live alongside people as the river winds through the suburbs and city of Melbourne.

This is a book to treasure, from the stunning cover that emanates the fresh river air and teeming flora and fauna, to the glossary of Woiwurrung words, which have been integrated into the English text.

The language is poetic and beautiful, while each double-page spread is a breathtaking work of art as Lisa Kennedy's rich and vibrant strokes breathe the life and colour of the river onto the pages.

Wilam will hopefully find a home in every classroom and family as a wonderful celebration that weaves together floral and fauna with people, water and land, and past and present.

Title: Wilam — A Birrarung Story
Authors: Aunty Joy Murphy and Andrew Kelly
Illustrator: Lisa Kennedy
Publisher: Black Dog Books, $24.00
Publication Date: April 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781925381764
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Missing of Clairdelune (The Mirror Visitor: Book 2)

The Missing of Clairdelune is the second book in The Mirror Visitor Quartet, an award-winning fantasy series written by French author, Christelle Dabos, and translated by Hildegarde Serle.

In the first book, A Winter's Promise, we met Ophelia, a young naive woman from the Ark of Anima, with two abilities: to travel through mirrors and to read an object, more specifically the momentary thoughts of people who had held the object.

When Ophelia finds herself far from home, betrothed to a distant man named Thorn, who seems only to want her reader's ability in order to please his ancestral family Spirit, Farouk, Ophelia seems destined to a life of misery.

Yet behind Ophelia's clumsy, childlike appearance lies a determined, compassionate, clever and strong woman.

As Ophelia is drawn deeper into the political machinations of her new home, on the Ark known as Pole, she realises that illusions are ubiquitous, Thorn may not be the cold and calculating man he appears to be, and she must find a way to not only survive, but to thrive, in her new home.

When Ophelia is assigned the role of vice story-teller, by Farouk himself, her safety seems assured, yet Ophelia soon discovers she has never been in greater peril. As the date of her impending marriage to Thorn looms, Ophelia receives threatening letters and loses her ability to travel through mirrors. Ophelia realises she has begun to lose sight of the truth within herself. As Ophelia faces these truths she learns just what it will take to survive.

This book delves into the mystery of why the Arks, fragments of a previously whole planet, underwent The Rupture. Whilst this is still unresolved at the end of Book 2, Ophelia, Thorn and Farouk seem to be coming closer to understanding this. The complex relationship between Ophelia and Thorn is further developed and we come to know and understand the motivations of these key characters.

This is a tightly woven tale with strong world-building, complex characters, deadly political intrigue and a fantasy world I would love to visit. Book 2 has left me eagerly anticipating Book 3!

Title: The Missing of Clairdelune (The Mirror Visitor: Book 2)
Author: Christelle Dabos (translated by Hildegarde Serle)
Publisher: Text Publishing, $22.99
Publication Date: 21 May 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781925773668
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction




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Review: In The Shadow of An Elephant

12 Curly Questions with author Vikki Conley

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
Once I was a swing dance teacher and a gymnast. The Charleston, backflips and somersaults were my daily thing.

2. What is your nickname?
Those that know me too well call me Vixen. The boys at school used to call me Lucky Legs (because I was lucky they didn’t snap off – I was a skinny thing) and Vikki Dickie Boys Clothes (apparently my pink and blue surf track-suit was only for boys). 

3. What is your greatest fear?
Of not being good enough. Of losing my joy. But both of these factors drive my work ethic, and my life’s purpose to ever improve and to be happy. I also fear baking. Cupcakes! Ahhh. My inner creative seems incapable of sticking to a recipe.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Gentle, evocative, lyrical, quirky and joyful. A celebration of wonder.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Collaborative, imaginative, prolific, diverse, brave.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Silky from Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree series. Because she has wings and gets to live in a tree! She was also my first memory of utter wonder.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Oh, I love this question! The 1920s for sure. I’d get to do the Charleston all the time, and dance wildly in those amazing shimmering beaded dresses, and wear a feather in my hair like in The Great Gatsby, by F Scott Fitzgerald.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Never stop dreaming. Oh, and sometimes it is important to follow the recipe.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
The voice in my head. It never stops.

10. What/who made you start writing?
My father. He inspired my sister and me to write poetry and stories about our adventures. Often, we’d venture to islands in Dad’s old wooden boat. On the way back into port, it was our job to write the adventures in The Ship’s Log Book. My obsession with words started at a young age. In primary school, I wrote and illustrated handmade books. When reading, I’d write down (in a special notebook) any words (and their definition) that I didn’t know. I still have all of these books.

11. What is your favourite word and why? 
 Squeal! Because I love onomatopoeia and this one screams out-of-control exuberance, fun and joy. It makes me smile every time.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Just one? Impossible! But one that jumps to mind is All The Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. This book completely captivated me on so many levels – of love, struggle and vulnerability of two young people.

Vikki has worked as a professional communicator for 20 years, across three continents. In search of extraordinary stories, she has climbed inside Icelandic glaciers, entered war-torn countries and interviewed African dignitaries in a paddock full of eeyoring donkeys! In her spare time, Vikki does cartwheels with her two children and searches for platypus in the rivers near her home in Eltham, Victoria. For more information, see www.vikkiconley.com.

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Review: Allergic Alpaca

Allergic Alpaca is a fun and unique story about an alpaca with an apple allergy and her chaotic journey through the alphabet.

Alpaca is allergic to apples which is terrible since they live together at the start of the alphabet, she never complains, just avoids the apples until a crazy incident causes them to collide. Beginning with spots and sneezing, chaos erupts, and an avalanche sends poor Alpaca to the other end of the of the alphabet.

When Alpaca considers moving away from A and the apples for good, her friends step in, a funny ending prevails along with a lovely message about sharing your problems with friends.

The illustrations are filled with expression and movement; they work in unity with the text and build Alpaca’s humble and lively character, the adorable endpapers feature characters from the alphabet and give readers a little extra information to leave them thinking and imagining.

I loved the unique concept of the alphabet being a physical place and the unexpected plot which reminded me of stories that my kids and I make up on the go with unrelated bounds and leaps, only in this one, it all comes together beautifully.

While the story is fast paced, it offers plenty of space and opportunity to discuss allergies and the alphabet and could lead on to related activities. This fabulous book is a debut for author Kiah Thomas. Connah Brecon has illustrated many books including Wolfie: An Unlikely Hero and The Book Chook.

Title: Allergic Alpaca
Author: Kiah Thomas
Illustrator: Connah Brecon
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont, $19.99
Publication Date: 1 August 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760503437
For ages: 3 - 99
Type: Picture Book




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Review: The Same But Different Too

The Same But Different Too is a wonderful book that celebrates what we have in common and what can make us different.

It features a cast of colourful, mostly animal characters: warthog, zebra, elephant, tiger, and many others.

Right at the beginning, though, it starts with a young girl and a dog, and a boy and a cat. They set the scene with their similar, but not quite the same, clothing and features.

Then we're off into the story proper, which visually tells us about everyday activities (eating breakfast, playing outdoors, going to the dentist, etc).

Repetition (especially of the words 'You are too') and rhyming sentences are used throughout the text. Opposites (hot and cold, quiet and loud) and comparisons (both sleepy, listening, hungry) are used to highlight the ways the characters are the same but different too.

They like to eat the same things for breakfast, but differ in how they drink. Only elephants drink through their trunks! Everyone gets wet when it rains. Some of us find certain tasks easier than others, and we each look different in different ways. A crocodile certainly has more teeth than a human!

The writing of Karl Newson and illustration by Kate Hindley are well matched in The Same But Different Too. Kate's depiction of the characters who are never named, or even really described in Karl's relatively sparse text, bring a level of humour and understanding that is crucial. 

Reading The Same But Different Too is also a fun experience. There is lots to look at, and the scenarios depicted incorporate plenty of cute and humourous elements.

One for the whole family to enjoy.

Title: The Same But Different Too
Author: Karl Newson
Illustrator: Kate Hindley
Publisher: Nosy Crow, $ 24.99
Publication Date: July 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781788003995
For ages:  3+
Type: Picture book




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Review: One Runaway Rabbit

Review: Once

This is a book about the stories that shape you, that grow with you, that are part of you. It is about the stories that you carry in your heart and the stories that bind families together.

In this deeply personal picture book, Kate Forsyth shares the experiences that have shaped her own family. From emigrating to Australia, to living through war and civil rights movements, this book also gives us a history of Australia and what has shaped us as a nation.

Kate shares with us the stories of her family. A great-great-grandmother, who grew up in the shadow of a cursed castle, travelled across seas with a head filled with stories, to a life in a new land. And a great-grandmother, who searched for gold and grew a family, still surrounded by stories.

And then there was a grandmother who lived in dark times and a mother who stood up for her rights and forged her place in the world. And finally a child who grew up in a fast-paced world, filled with stories passed down and carried on.

This is a beautiful book that speaks to the heart of storytelling. It is about how the stories of our family shape who we are and how we see the world. It reminds us all to never forget where we come from and to carry and treasure our personal stories through our life’s journey.

Krista Brennan’s realistic and moving illustrations carry us through history, showing us the relationships and experiences that forge our own stories and futures. The vibrant illustrations have a whimsical feel that connect us with Kate’s ancestors and rather than feeling their burdens, we rejoice in their stories and their contributions to our lives. The little moments, such as a child on a grandmother’s knee or a young woman staring out at the sea, bring us close to the characters so we can feel the power of the stories of their lives.

This gorgeous book reminds us all of our own family experiences. How they have shaped us and our families, and contributed to our collective stories. This is a story of few words but a multitude of emotions. It makes us consider our past, present and future, and how our small family moments contribute to the collective narrative of our generation. It is a reminder that each of our personal journeys are part of us all.


Title: Once
Author: Kate Forsyth
Illustrator: Krista Brennan
Publisher: Wombat Books, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 April 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781925563566
For ages: 4 - 8
Type: Picture Book




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Review: Cook's Cook

Review: The Naughtiest Pixie in Disguise

Jenifry Star is shorter than her cat. The pixie closest to her age is one hundred years old.

Her grandmother and seven great aunts insist pixies never mix with humans, and that humans are dangerous.

But what does a lonely young pixie do when she finds small humans who play with her? And that there are loads more of them at a place called school?

Despite knowing there's a pixie hunter who has pickled pixies in his basement, Jenifry can't resist the idea of having  friends her age.

So begins the biggest adventure of Jenifry Star's life.


The Naughtiest Pixie is the first of an action-packed news series for younger readers by Ailsa Wild, champion of fun-loving, curious, strong young females.

Title: The Naughtiest Pixie
Author: Ailsa Wild
Illustrator: Saoirse Lou
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont, $12.99
Publication Date: 1 July 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760502713
For ages: 6 +
Type: Junior Fiction




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Review: Born to Fly

Born to Fly is the story of a courageous young boy who dared to dream to fly.

Harry Butler was born in 1889. He was a farm boy with his head in the clouds. He tried to be what his family wanted him to be, but he couldn’t stop dreaming of the sky and the machines that could navigate them.

He studied hard, and he achieved his dream, flying for the Royal Flying Corps. But...


Harry wanted to bring the delights of flight to Australia. When he returned from the war, he decided to fly home to his farm. 

Word spread of his journey, and people gathered to watch and welcome Harry Butler home. He became a famous and familiar Australian icon, delivering mail by air and introducing many Australians to their first flight experience. 

This is a magnificent non-fiction picture book filled with action, adventure and the real-life story of an Australian hero. But it isn’t just a story laid out in facts. The story is beautiful, lyrical — filled with whimsy and spark. 

The distant murmur of an engine rippled across the paddock. A speck of red appeared through wisps of cloud.

This is writing that pulls at heart-strings and souls. It’s so lovely to read, especially out loud and to a crowd, going slowly and savouring the beautiful language.

And with a message to kids that anything is possible, no matter your starting point, it’s an important story for kids to hear. 

Teamed with stunning illustrations by Timothy Ide, the book is a visual delight. Detailed and engaging, the book calls for slow exploration so the details can be savoured and appreciated. 

The back of the book includes a detailed timeline of Harry’s life and there are photos and a detailed author’s note to accompany it, so kids can find out more and additional google searches can be guided — so brilliant for curious kids or classrooms studying the book.

I loved reading this book, and I think it will do exactly what author Beverley McWilliams says of Harry Butler in her Author’s Note:

…anything is possible if you believe in yourself and follow your dreams.

Title: Born to Fly
Author: Beverley McWilliams
Illustrator: Timothy Ide
Publisher: Midnight Sun, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 August 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781925227567
For ages: 3-8
Type: Picture Book, Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Barben's Magic Quest

Australians Kate and her brothers Mike and Aaron, are holidaying with their parents and two cousins Sarah and Jacob in Ireland. 

It is the first leg of an around the world trip. Aaron is a forest ranger in Australia, and is using the trip to discover and learn about the trees in the ancient forests of each place they visit.

Katie and her cousin Sarah, go back to an elevated area where they had been the previous day, to view a canopy of trees. Katie believes she saw what appeared to be a fairy. And it was. 

The girls meet Elly. She sprinkles fairy dust over them and they gain magic powers.

These magic powers set them on an adventure of a lifetime. They move into the world of magic, treemen, elves, leprechauns, witches, warlocks and trolls.

Meanwhile, the boys are being followed by a men with questionable intentions. Addition powers are needed to be able to protect them from harm as there are threats everywhere, it seems. There is a warring of good and evil when traitors in their midst pit their magic against the children’s.

Barben, the Keeper of the forests, offers the children powerful protection in the form of an amulet and a golden orb, to carry his special magic to his helpers in the countries they are travelling through. They agree to join the fight against the enemies of the ancient forests and help stop the desecration that is well under way.

Their greatest enemy is Erwin the Great, Keeper of fields and moors. Erwin sees his areas as threatened, for people have returned to planting trees and creating forests. What will become of his lands? Both Keepers are fighting to save what they believe in.

This is an adventure story with an environment theme sprinkled with magic, and with enough twists, turns and tension to hold the reader’s interest throughout the book. It is open-ended which allows more challenges, more magic and the opportunity to build up its characters, especially Aaron, in the next book.

Title: Barben’s Magic Quest

Author: Elaine Ouston

Publisher: Morris Publishing, $19.95

Publication Date: October 2018

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9780648164784

For ages: 9+

Type: Middle Grade Fiction 

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Review: Zoe's Rescue Zoo: The Messy Meerkat

Review: I Would Dangle the Moon

The bond between mother and child is a powerful and beautiful one. In I would Dangle the Moon, a mother and daughter ponder the moon and all the things it could be. 

If I was a farmer, I would plant the moon in the middle of my field so you could watch it crack the earth as it grew.

Set in a sparkling ring, placed in a nest to keep eggs warm, cooked into moon cake, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

This is a loving and lyrical picture book about love and possibilities. 

The words really do warm your heart as you read, and I love that it encourages kids to use their imagination — to really push it to its limits and not let anything stand in the way.

I Would Dangle the Moon is a story to inspire brilliant and creative thinkers.

Title: I Would Dangle the Moon

Author/Illustrator: Amber Moffat

Publisher: Midnight Sun, $29.99

Publication Date: June 2019

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 9781925227529

For ages: 3 - 6

Type: Picture Book

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Review: WOW! the visual encyclopedia of everything (New Edition)

Revised and updated for 2019, this encyclopedia really does have a 'WOW!' factor. There are over 300 visually stimulating pages, with detailed photography, realistic illustrations, charts, maps, sketches and other imagery from across the world, the solar system and beyond.

A vast range of topics are covered, with enough detail provided to give an introduction and preliminary understanding of each topic, whilst not becoming overly didactic. The information presented is succinct, relevant and will spark further interest and investigation.

The topics are divided into eight distinct sections: nature; the human body; science and technology; space; Earth; people and places; history; art and culture.

Each section has multiple subsections, including the branches of the animal kingdom, genetics, magnetism, space travel, gems, minerals, volcanoes, historical civilizations, cultures, language and dance.

There is a reference section at the back, which has a condensed collection of facts and figures, for those readers seeking more detail. There is also a comprehensive index, allowing readers to search for topics of interest, plus a list of acknowledgements and photography permissions for use, including many museums and galleries from across the world.

In a digital era, when seemingly everything is available at the end of a fingertip, one might question what role an encyclopedia such as this has to play? Whilst there is a plethora of information available in the online world, and much of it is reliable, young readers do not always have the skills to recognize fact from misleading fiction. A book with such a wide variety as this is large, and, yes, it is a little bit heavy, but there are no pop up advertisements, no online trolls, no live chats with unknown members, no links to online games and no false news.

Reliable fact-checked information, presented in a fun and engaging manner, which appeals to visual learners as well as theoretical learners, will always have a place.

Title: WOW! the visual encyclopedia of everything (New Edition)
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley, $39.99
Publication Date: 16 July 2019
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9780241364352
For ages: 5+
Type: Junior non-fiction




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Review: Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WW2

Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WW2 is the story of women in aviation. 

It is built around three girls with a dream of becoming female pilots. 

When Hazel, a Chinese-American first saw the Curtis Jenny, she told her father that she would fly one in the future.

Marlene, in Great Britain, took her first ride in a plane with her brother. At the start of WW2, she joined the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary).

Lilya saw her first plane when it crashed on the outskirts of a town in Russia. That night she told her parents she was going to be a pilot. They laughed, for she spent all her time drawing and dreaming. When war came, she was given the chance to fly by the most famous aviatrix in the Soviet Union, Marina Raskova.

As there weren’t enough male pilots to fly the shifts needed during WW2, a call-out came for females to join the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), a civilian group of the women’s aviation unit. They were inundated with volunteers.

The success of female pilots created a climate of sexism and antipathy against the women who were accused of stealing men’s jobs. In actual fact, their extreme bravery saw them take on the dangerous roles piloting planes through flight patterns men refused. This book reveals an era in aviation history that glows in the light of women’s heroic choices at a time of dire need.

Well-researched, beautifully designed and presented using the artistic style of the war years, we witness the stout-heartedness of women who answered the call. Through elegant and detailed illustrations, the contrasts in history, with reference to women and how they were measured, are exposed.

We are gifted with clear depictions of clothing styles of the early 1940s, the medical and physical demands made on candidates during training and preparation for their specific roles, and fantastic images of the various aircraft, tanks, machinery and equipment.

The focus of the book is directed at the important role women played in aviation. Their courage and passion during war time to contribute what they knew they could do equally as well as men, is reflected in every scene. The pages are filled with gorgeous coloured illustrations on the progress of women’s roles at that time. These are complemented by informative text that relays the hardships and ridicule they endured trying to get into a domain that was governed by and for men.

Skyward…comes highly recommended for readers with interest in aviation history, women’s fight for rights and equality, or the unknown facts about women and aviation.

Title: Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WW2

Author/Illustrator: Sally Deng

Publisher: Walker Books,  $27.99

Publication Date: September 2018

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 9781911171515

For ages:  7+

Type: Non Fiction

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12 Curly Questions with author Heather Neilly

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I was a high-school champion discus thrower

2. What is your nickname?
I don’t have one! Unfortunately, nothing has stuck.

3. What is your greatest fear?
That the damage we are doing to the planet is irreparable

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Irreverent and lyrical, finding inspiration in the wonder of nature.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Sweet, zesty, driven, funny and fun

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Pig the Pug, he makes no excuses

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I would love to see Australia before Europeans arrived in 1788. Since that time, 27 species of unique Australian mammals have gone extinct! Imagine glimpsing a Tasmanian tiger, a toolache wallaby or a pig-footed bandicoot in the wild. Unfortunately, once these species are extinct, they are gone forever.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Keep practising the guitar! You will be a much cooler adult if you can play an instrument.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
My kids’ author idols are Roald Dahl, Dr Seuss and Aaron Blabey.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I felt like I had something to say. I love seeing a story come to life. For me, it’s like fitting together the pieces of a puzzle.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Serendipity, because what could be better than a happy accident?

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The complete works of Kafka? It would probably take me a lifetime to ponder and explore the myriad interpretations.

Heather Neilly is a writer, scientist and lover of the wild. She is the author of Who’s Making That Noise?, with Anil Tortop. She works as an ecologist, studying the relationships between native plants and animals, and working to restore degraded ecosystems. She currently lives in the Riverland region of South Australia with her husband, two daughters and red dog Cliff. Her new book is Barefoot Bea. For more information, see neillywrites.com.

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Winners: Alex Rider

And our lucky winners are...

Julie Murphy, VIC
Kirsty Polujan NSW

Congratulations!

You have each won an Alex Rider prize pack each containing signed copies of the first three titles in the series plus a signed copy of the latest release Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz, Secret Weapon.

We hope you get a real thrill out of this prize!

Thank you to ALL who entered.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the next exciting installment of the Alex Rider series, coming soon.



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Review: Arthur and the What-Ifs

Arthur lives next to lots of noise: a train station and a noisy restaurant.

But Arthur doesn’t mind. He quite likes noise — particularly the noise of his violin. And he likes the fact the noise around him means no one notices his own music playing. 

Arthur is incredibly shy about his talent. He doesn’t want anyone to know he can play because what if no one liked it? What if he made a mistake? What if people laughed?

So Arthur doesn’t tell anyone he can play, and he keeps his violin a secret. Until…

Arthur hears about a community jam session. The sign says everyone is welcome, but Arthur is just not sure if he’s brave enough to put himself out there. 

Arthur and the What-Ifs is a story about courage and learning to take good risks. Kids will really connect with Arthur. They’ll ask questions and ask for repeat reads because they understand the struggles Arthur experiences and relate to his fears and reservations.

This is a brilliant picture book for children. It will show them that worrying what people will think about them — worrying about all the what-ifs — is completely normal, but, also, on most occasions it’s unfounded. 

We worry and worry that we might be judged, but when we hide from the world we are only robbing ourselves of opportunity, and in most cases the opportunity leads to good things.

It’s a powerful message, but it’s brilliantly disguised within a charming story about the power of music and a community coming together.

And then there’s McKenzie’s superb illustrations! Colourful, detailed and filled with emotions, the story reads like a movie as you turn each page.

A beautiful picture book about finding the courage to step out into the light, Arthur and the What-Ifs is a winner!

Title: Arthur and the What-Ifs

Author/Illustrator: Heath McKenzie

Publisher: Affirm Press, $24.99

Publication Date: 23 July 2019

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 9781925870398

For ages: 3 - 6

Type: Picture Book

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Review: Fashionista

Review: Detention

Sima lives in a detention centre with her family. All she wants is to have a normal life — to have a home, to go to school, to join a community.

Dan lives in a caravan park with his mum, who often isn’t there. Times are tough, food is scarce, and all he wants to do is to escape his life — his school, his home, his town.

When Sima’s family discover they are about to be deported back to danger, they try to escape, fearing for their lives. In the chaos, Sima loses her family and ends up hiding in the local school in town, where Dan finds her.

Dan’s heard all the stories about people from detention centres. He knows aiding an escapee means big, big trouble if he gets caught. But he also knows that Sima has done nothing wrong. She just wants to find her family and be safe.

Dan wants to listen to what his heart is telling him is right. Sima desperately wants to trust Dan, but doesn’t know if she can. Together, they work to evade the armed police hunting them and get Sima to safety, but it’s no easy task with patrol cars circling and officers scouring the town for escapees.

Detention is a heart-breaking, thought-provoking junior novel about courage, fear, friendship and empathy.

Bancks delivers real and raw drama and adventure that will get kids thinking about important issues. It’s a book that explores right and wrong, good and bad, and every grey area in between. It’s about learning to listen to that important voice inside you, when it tells you to do something when others might do nothing.

The novel is action packed and fast-paced, but teamed with brilliant and authentic characters, the story is deep and real. It’s a story that won’t be easily forgotten.

Title: Detention

Author: Tristan Bancks

Publisher: Penguin, $16.99

Publication Date: 2 July 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9780143791799

For ages: 12+

Type: Middle Grade

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Review: The Art of Taxidermy

Review: Goodbye House, Hello House

With previous collaborations on The Midnight Gang, Lucy Goosey, Little Humpty and Jenny Angel, it is wonderful to have Margaret Wild and Ann James create Goodbye House, Hello House.

From the start Emma embraces the changes that are upon her, moving house from the country to the city.

Once all the boxes are packed Emma spends her final moments in the country side saying goodbye to things she loved to do, like fishing in the river and swinging on the farm gate.  She then says farewell to the rooms in the house and changes the writing on the wall from Emma lives here to  Emma lived here.

Upon the arrival at the new house in the city, Emma celebrates her firsts, like climbing a specific tree for the first time or patting this cat.

Once inside her new home she says hello to the rooms and settles onto the comfy window seat and changes the writing on the wall left by the previous child, Kim.

Wild has written a story depicting the experience of parting with one's family home and all the things that you loved about living there. She shows Emma bravely accepting the changes that come with moving house. Showing that while the landscapes are vastly different one can still find many familiar experiences with a new outlook.

Wild's words are supported by James' illustrations. There are very subtle messages in the illustrations showing the emotions that Emma experiences during this change; sadness, resignation, uncertainty, excitement and acceptance. Many of these feeling are shown though Emma's body language; slumped shoulders, tilt of her head, to out stretched arms, uncertain eyes and smiles.

James' has explored a new style of illustration. I can see the influence of her playful exploration from I'm a Dirty Dinosaur combined with other abstracted techniques. There is a young, reminiscent and familiar feeling of a child's first painting though the use of broad brush strokes and lines of fingertips in paint. This abstract painting recedes into the background as the black and white line drawings pop forward, making it all about Emma, her emotions and experiences rather than the landscape or house. 

Goodbye House, Hello House is a wonderful story to add to the collection of moving house stories.

Title: Goodbye House, Hello House
Author: Margaret Wild
Illustrator: Ann James
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 July 2019
Format: Picture Book
ISBN: 9781743311103
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book




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Review: Special Forces Cadets: Missing

Review: Animals Up Close (Animals as you've never seen them before)

Tiny noses, bright eyes, snapping pincers and slippery tongues almost leap out of these colourful pages. Animals Up Close: Animals as you've never seen them before is a visual feast, filled with intriguing facts.

Containing a combination of amazing close-up photography, complemented by realistic illustrations, this hardback book is easy to dip in and out of, selecting any page at random, or can be read for hours, poring over every fascinating page.

Each double page spread features an extraordinary animal, with interesting facts, such as why geckos lick their eyes, which fish can walk on land, how toucans play games and why flamingos have bright pink feathers.

This book features animals who live underwater, such as crabs, clams and crayfish, animals who live on land, including mammals and reptiles, and animals in the air, such as bats, birds and butterflies.

Title: Animals Up Close: Animals as you've never seen them before
Editor: Sophie Parkes
Illustrator: Xiao Lin
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley, $19.99
Publication Date: 6 July 2019
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9780241327395
For ages: 4 - 8 years
Type: Junior non-fiction




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Review: The Astrid Notes

Taryn Bashford has a way of hooking you on the first page and drawing you in with each new chapter.

In this latest book, she focuses on Jacob, a character from her debut novel, The Harper Effect. Jacob, a trust-fund kid with ever-absent parents, has an immense talent as an Indie singer but feels unable to sing again. We also meet Astrid, a rising opera star and dutiful daughter with a serious case of stage fright.

At first, they seem like complete opposites, but both are going through similar life-changing experiences, struggling to overcome tragedy and parental expectations.

Set in the world of elite music, we follow their journey through grief and guilt as they try to establish themselves in the competitive music industry.

Astrid, desperate to please her father and live up to her dead mother's reputation as a classical singer, would rather be writing pop songs. The revelation of a shocking family secret throws her into further turmoil.

Meanwhile, Jacob, unable to deal with a tragic loss and his recent break-up with girlfriend Harper (yes, that's right!), is refusing to sing again and turns to self-destructive behaviour — until his father issues an ultimatum that brings the two teenagers together.

Bashford's characters are authentic and intriguing, and she builds the plot with finesse to a beautiful crescendo. Her portrayal of the elite music world and her balance between the teenagers' burgeoning romance, family struggles and internal conflict are finely tuned and make for a heartrending and gripping read.

Title: The Astrid Notes
Author: Taryn Bashford

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia, $18.99
Publication Date: July 23, 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760552213
For ages: 14+
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Meet The Illustrator: Sona Babajanyan

Name: Sona Babajanyan

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Poetic. Textured. Sometimes dreamy. Sometimes funny. Sometimes mysterious. Well, it’s still less than 10 words, even with all these 'sometimes'.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My bed, where I think and doodle. My graphite pencil and my Mac with the Wacom tablet.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
It changes over time. I love experimenting. And it depends on what I am working on. Pen and ink is my all time favourite, but for the illustration projects I mostly use Photoshop recently.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.

Ohhh… It’s so difficult to name only three. Well, if we are talking about illustrators, I’ll just name the first three names that come to my mind – Rebecca Dautremer, Shaun Tan, Gabriel Pacheco, but there are so many others…

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Can I please first be sent to some medieval Armenian monastery to learn the art of illuminating manuscripts? Then I’d love to visit Europe during the Renaissance to learn some secrets of the trade from the great masters. And then we can go to Paris of the beginning of the last century, to learn how to forget what I learned and how to break rules. Then it would be super cool to visit year 2052, to see what’s happening with art…. Ok, enough, I guess, I am getting overexcited.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
My Dad. He wasn’t a professional artist, but he was a great drawer and an incredibly creative person and was constantly involving me in various projects. And my Mom, who was reading to me a lot, making sure I pay attention to the illustrators. I was actually dreaming about becoming an illustrator since I was a kid, because I just fell in love with the books illustrated by an amazing Russian artist Viktor Pivovarov. 

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it. 
My work space consists of three parts. One is my bed, as I already mentioned, (that’s very important), the other might seem rather messy, (but actually is surprisingly ordered) – that’s where I paint and draw. And the other one is quite neat. That’s my desk with the computer and Wacom tablet.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
I enjoy every part of the process, but probably the most exciting stage for me is the the very beginning, when I have to think about my general approach to the style, composition, and characters. That’s basically when you try to see the finished book with your inner eye. You can end up with something quite different, so the very end is also quite exciting, when you look back at the whole journey and can see how the book comes together. 

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Learn about other artists and their processes, get inspired, but never try to do the same. Be free, experiment, try to find your own voice, but don’t stress about it too much, because if you do what you really want to do, it will show anyway.
Then it’s always helpful to find like minded people, fellow illustrators, who will support you, help with advice, share their own experience. I am really happy that I’ve found my own gang here in Brisbane. BIG people you are great! (BIG – Brisbane Illustrators Group)

Sona is an artist and illustrator from Armenia, living in Brisbane since 2008. She has been working as a translator, editor, and designer, and it was not until moving to Australia, when she finally decided to become a full time artist and illustrator. She works on her own personal projects and enjoys illustrating children’s picture books. 

Please visit Sona's website for more information or follow her on facebook or instagram.
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Review: Sick Bay

It’s easy to walk down a hallway and make assumptions about someone.

We have no idea what’s going on in other people's lives, if they’re having a bad day, if they’re struggling through hard times and challenges.

Meg and Riley are both keeping secrets about their lives from the people around them. 

Both are walking the hallway with classmates having no idea about the things they must deal with.

Two very different girls — the same age but with different friends — who probably never would have interacted much at all. 

And then they both end up in sick bay at the same time, and things change.

Sick bay is a very different place for each of them. Meg is going through things at home and needs somewhere to escape. Riley has diabetes and has to go there at times to manage her condition. 

At first they think they have nothing in common, but as they get to know each other, they learn that while their struggles are different, they have more in common then they thought. The learnt they are both trying to discover who they are and who they want to be.

Sick Bay is a story if friendship, courage and life. The plot is gritty, complex and so, so real. This is the kind of book kids can really see themselves in. They will connect with the struggles, understand the challenges and relate to the characters on a deep, deep level. 

This book is all about the characters — their feelings and thoughts, actions and reactions — and to say Nova Weetman brings Meg and Riley to life on the page is an understatement. 

Weetman doesn’t shy away from the real and raw emotions and situations kids experience. It’s all in here: crushes, friendship battles, family struggles, disability, sickness, school pressures.

This really is a story about life and everything it entails from a 12-year-old’s perspective. But at its heart, for me, the story is about discovering your identity and finding the courage to stand up for what you believe in. This isn’t an easy thing to do, and I love that the story shines a light on the benefits of following your heart/soul/gut instead of following the crowd. 

This is the perfect book for young girls on the verge of becoming young adults — a novel to reassure them that the chaos is normal and there are solutions to every problem.

Title: Sick Bay

Author: Nova Weetman

Publisher: UQP, $16.95

Publication Date: 4 June 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN:  978 0 7022 6032 2

For ages: 11+

Type: Middle Fiction, Young Adult Fiction

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Review: Around the World Craft & Design Book

The Around the World Craft & Design Book celebrates many cultures and traditions.

It brings together thirty different craft activities for children (and adults) to enjoy. Each is connected to a particular culture or tradition.

Around the World Craft & Design Book is bright and colourful, just like the crafts it promotes, and will appeal to a range of readers. 

The crafts are grouped into regions, each of which has an introduction featuring a map and summary of the activities to come.

You'll be able to explore: North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, East Asia, Australia and South East Asia.

All the crafts have photos and step by step instructions. Lists of materials you will need and craft and design notes are also provided.

There are some templates included in the book for you to draw your own designs (e.g. for a quilt, Peruvian-style beads, or Welsh love spoon).

You can also learn from a variety of facts scattered throughout. One piece of trivia is related to the horse hair woven crin dolls and jewellery made in Chile. The hair is cut from horses' tails where it will grow back, though local legend says the weaving originally used fine tree roots.

Cultural crafts are a fun way to experience the world without getting on a plane. From origami, painted eggs and mosaics, to fabric printing, kites, and up-cycled toys, there is something for everyone to try in Around the World Craft & Design Book.

Grab a copy of the book, and a box of materials, and get crafting!

Title: Around the World Craft & Design Book
Author: Kait Eaton and Laura Baker
Illustrator: Eva Byrne
Publisher: Lonely Planet, $14.99
Publication Date: June 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781788681131
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior non-fiction




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Review: Dave the Lonely Monster

A rhyming story about a big purple, lonely monster named Dave, friendship and being kind.

Dave was once a young, obnoxious monster, so unruly that the town he lived in banished him to Echo Rock where he lived for 60 years with only his guitar for company. These days, Dave takes bubble baths and strums his guitar rather than cause any chaos, alas local knights tease and poke Dave in attempt to make him fight. When Dave stands up to one of the young knights he gets an apologetic response and an unlikely friendship blossoms, the two have a lot in common.

Later, as a true friend would, six-year-old Percival defends Dave when mean town folk throw rotten vegetables at him because they are bored; they seem bully like, not thinking of Dave’s feelings or considering that he has any. Embarrassed after Percival’s defence, the town folk understand their mistakes and soon discover a much better way to have fun, of course, with Percival and Dave included.

I enjoyed getting to know Dave’s endearing, humble character through both text and illustrations of his pink guitar, music posters, knitting and other details. There is definitely more than meets the eye when it comes to Dave, adult readers may relate to him in someway just as kids may relate to or be inspired by Percival and his brave actions.

Fabulously bright coloured illustrations which firstly drew me to this book, work perfectly with the rhyming text and stand out on the high quality cover. The story delivers a great message about friendship, kindness, judgement and considering others' feelings.

Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie are also the author illustrator team behind The Worst Princess, and Sir Lilypad.

Title: Dave the Lonely Monster
Author: Anna Kemp
Illustrator: Sara Ogilvie
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, $25.00
Publication Date: 4 October 2018
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781471143670
For ages: 3 – 7
Type: Picture Book




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10 Quirky Questions with author Pip Harry

1. What's your hidden talent?
I can swim long distances in the ocean and I’m not even afraid of sharks.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Alison Ashley from Hating Alison Ashley by Robin Klein, though I think she turned out to be super nice!

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Stephen King, JK Rowling, Jane Austen, Haruki Murakami and Carrie Fisher.

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
A time machine.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Haphazard, occasionally inspired, immersive, slow.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
She never missed a deadline.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there? 
Chocolate, air conditioning, writing pals, coffee and my laptop.

8. Grab the nearest book, open it to page 22 and look for the second word in the first sentence. Now, write a line that starts with that word. (Please include the name of the book!)
Sophie was terrible at going to bed. (Roald Dahl’s The BFG. Incidentally, Sophie is the name of my own daughter, who incidentally is terrible at going to bed!)

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Hey, Shakespeare – do you really think teenagers should be studying your plays in 2019?

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Never read another book.

Pip Harry is a writer and editor. Her YA novels include I’ll Tell You Mine (2012), winner of the Australian Family Therapists Children’s Literature Award (2013). Head of the River, longlisted for the Gold Inky award (2015) and shortlisted for the Adelaide Festival Literary awards (2016) and Because of You, shortlisted for the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Awards, Victorian Premier's Literary Award and Queensland Literary Awards (2018). Pip lives in Singapore with her family and currently works as Editor for the Australian and New Zealand Association (ANZA). Her latest book, The Little Wave (2019), is a middle-grade verse novel. For more information, see www.pipharry.com. You can also read Pip's 12 Curly Questions interview here.

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Review: Enola Holmes Mystery: Book 4 - The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan

The story opens on Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes having a heated argument about their sister Enola and her ability to remain undiscovered. 

She continues to go out at night, serving the poorest people of London with life’s basic necessities, all funded by the money her mother has left her. This time she is disguised as a midden-picker.

Lady Cecily, who had gone missing in The Case of the Left-Handed Lady, and was tracked down by Enola, enters the picture again.  

Their strong friendship forged then due to their connecting free-spirit, independence and strong mindedness, reignites at a glance. 

Cecily is been dragged by her two aunts through the newly created Ladies’ Lavatory during a shopping spree for a trousseau. She is in danger and cannot speak. Her pink fan becomes her voice.  The clever Enola is familiar with fan language. But Cecily is whisked away before any detailed exchange can be made.

Enola sets out to find and save Cecily for the second time. As always, she meets up with dangers, obstacles, and experiences adventures that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. She discovers Sherlock is on the same trail as she is. Can they work together to discover the mystery surrounding Cecily?

We see a shadow of change in Sherlock. Admiration for his extremely bright sister is evident. Her success in cases where he has failed, has forced a shift in his view of, and attitude to, her and her intended life. There is also a change in Enola towards Sherlock whom she has always loved dearly but stayed distant toward. For to reveal weakness would put her freedom in jeopardy. Are they moving towards a meeting place somewhere in the middle?

We follow Enola through the intricate maze of her mind as she winds her way towards a solution to this new challenge.  

London life of the late 1800s is presented vividly through descriptions of the divide between the rich and poor. Through Nancy Springer’s excellent use of common language and Enola’s many disguises, the reader is treated to a journey through dress codes and styles of the classes, surroundings, food and daily routines, entertainment and modes of travel of the era.

The role of women, which is a strong theme in this series, is defined as being valid only if under the care of a man, and then, obedient, servile and silent. Enola is a heroine with a voice and mind of her own, which she is determined to keep.

I love this series for its intelligence, and the blending of mystery and adventure with spectacular themes that educate and inform while offering entertaining reading.

Title: Enola Holmes Mystery: Book 4 - The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan

Author: Nancy Springer

Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $14.99

Publication Date: 5 February 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781760637408

For ages: 12+

Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: The Boy Who Steals Houses