Story Time : Australian Children's Literature Exhibition

by KBR Founder, Tania McCartney

On 21 August, I was fortunate to attend the Story Time: Australian Children's Literature Exhibition opening was held at the National Library of Australia. What a breathtaking event. The exhibition is so exquisite and so comprehensive, it's hard to give a full outline, so here is a peek at the event and the treasures held in the exhibit.

Needless to say, from the very first children's book printed in Australia (A Mother's Offering to Her Children) to  Chinese versions of the 13-Storey Treehouse, this is pure children's literature heaven.

Created in partnership by the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature (NCACL) and the National Library of Australia, and curated by Grace Blakeley-Carroll, this is truly something you cannot miss.

Let's open the front cover!

The Hon Dr Brett Mason, Chair of Council, NLA, opens proceedings
Dr Marie-Louise Ayres, NLA Director-General, also spoke beautifully

local Canberra book people Genevieve Hopkins, Sarah Wallace, Leanne Barrett, Sarah Steed, Tania McCartney

a glorious (and funny!) Welcome to Country by Ngunnawal Elder, Aunty Violet Sheridan

Emily Rodda's Opening speech was superb - how I wish I had a copy

Tania McCartney, NCACL Director Dr Belle Alderman, Nicole Brownlee from Story Box Library

Nicole Brownlee and Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder, author of the exhibition companion book

The exquisite, bookish food displays ...

That's me there, below, barely able to contain myself. I'm about to walk into Wonderland. And I'm about to fall in love all over again with children's books, if that's at all possible. I'm not even sure it is, but perhaps it's true that love can ceaselessly expand.

The moment you walk through the Story Time Exhibition doors, this beautiful creation greets you. It's A Mother's Offering to Her Children by Charlotte Waring Atkinson. Charlotte is the great-great-great-great grandmother of authors Belinda Murrell and Kate Forsyth, and Kate has written about the book right here - a fascinating piece.

In the very first room, this exquisite - there is no other word - wall of ORIGINAL artwork from The Rainbow Serpent by Dick Roughsey (1975). I cannot express how moving this display is. It's utterly, completely beautiful, and I am going back to stare at it for hours. The colours. The skill. Just incredible.

The line-up of retro covers - to die for!

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner was one of my very favourite books as a child. I read an illustrated version from 1975 relentlessly and I still have it. It's barely able to hold itself together. Here is a peek at this version of the book (a stock photo) illustrated by Mary Brooks, adapted from the TV series (poster of the series below).

And just look at this exquisite early copy. The handwritten note is Ethel's - she was taking notes for an article about the book.

And early character study from Shaun Tan's The Arrival...

Nicole Brownlee and Sarah Wallace discuss Bob

Bob Graham! Always a joy.

Here is some May Gibbs heaven (just some of it).

This exquisite artwork by May, above, was a character study for Gum-Blossom Babies. It's something you'll examine with your nose two centimetres from the glass. The colours! Oh my.

Here is local author/illustrator Genevieve Hopkins, adoring this superb fairy art by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite. And just look at the Fairyland book!! And the candles--this was some early branding. Those candles--these are the type of candles that pock-marked the cakes of my childhood.

This is Australian history, right here...

Major childhood flashback with Bottersnikes and Gumbles. Those pudgy little creamy tummies and that gnarled bubbly skin still have a visceral effect on me.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Jeannie Baker

Jeannie Baker

Another devastating blow from my childhood. Why did I not have this game? And can you believe Freya Blackwood's stunning work from The Man From Snowy River picture book (Scholastic).

Freya Blackwood

I have a more recent incarnation of this fabulous book

Dorothy Wall

Ruth Park

 

This glorious Playtime section is specifically designed for kids, and features an audio visual display of stories from the divine Story Box Library.

The companion book, Story Time Stars, was for sale on the night. Penned by my friend and book creation partner Stephanie Owen Reeder, it's just the most sensational peek at Australian children's book characters from the last 100 years. I smiled the entire way through this book--it brings such joy. Don't miss it. You can purchase here. And read KBR's review right here.

The Canberra Times produced a fabulous feature article on the Exhibition and the companion book. Read it here.

Be sure to check out our guest post with Dr Belle Alderman, Director of NCACL, on 10 reasons why you simply must visit this astonishing exhibition. Read it here.

And lastly, you simply cannot miss this exquisite exhibition experience. It will rocket you back to childhood. It will inspire and uplift. It will delight. Be prepared to ooh and ahh.

Huge congrats to Dr Belle Alderman of the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature and her team, to the National Library and to the partners involved in this incredible achievement.

Learn more about the exhibition by clicking the poster above.




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The Winner! Ivy Bird and Crocheted Owl Competition

Our lucky winner for the Ivy Bird and crocheted owl competition is...

Catherine Little, NSW

Congratulations! Your parcel is winging its way to you.

Thank you to ALL who entered this competition. Be sure to visit again for more exciting giveaway opportunities plus the chance to read our KBR review of Ivy Bird. And learn more about the book right here.



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Review: Winnie-the-Pooh and the day of Important Letters

Novelty books that contain envelope flaps with letters inside them, are as exciting as receiving a letter in your own mail box.

Inside Winnie-the-Pooh and the day of Important Letters you will discover six letters, a map and a special event hat. It is a tale of mystery and intrigue. Who has sent these letters to our friends, from the Hundred Acre Wood, and why?


The first of these important letters are addressed to Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet. It asks that they '...please visit Christopher Robin at once...' What will happen when they get to Christopher Robin's house? The mystery grows.

Unsure what the letter means, Pooh and Piglet take their letter and map to ask Kanga and Roo. The kangaroos have received a similar letter that also asks them bring Tigger along to Christopher Robin's place.

The mystery deepens as we discover that Rabbit and Owl have received very important letters too. Mmmm, Owl's letter mentions something about a special event. I wonder what the special event might celebrate?

Even, gloomy Eeyore finds a letter from the mysterious friend. This letter tells Eeyore 'no ambling, no wandering, no strolling...come at once!' to Christopher Robin's.

Once they have all arrived at Christopher Robin's, they discover who wrote the letters and that there is one more envelope to open. Its contents will reveal the very special event. Ooooh it will be such a delightful surprise, that even Eeyore will smile.

This is a lovely little adventure based on the Winnie-the-Pooh stories by AA Milne and EH Shepard. It accurately shows the characteristics of our favourite forest friends. The misspelled words on the envelopes and letters gives readers a clue whom the friend might really be.

It is pleasing to see that the illustrations are of Shepard's style, they are simple line drawings with soft watercolour tones, rather than a more modern style of drawing.

If you are interested in finding out more about where the Winnie-the-Pooh story was born, then read KBR's Sarah Steed's article,  Bookish Places: Winnie-the-Pooh Country.

Or read more Winnie-the-Pooh stories reviewed by Kids' Book Review; Winnie-the-Pooh buggy books, Winnie-the-Pooh (and friends) Hide and Peek and Finding Winnie.

Title: Winnie-the-Pooh and the day of Important Letters
Publisher: Hardy Grant Egmont, $19.99
Publication Date:  1 January 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781760503178
For ages: 2+
Type: Picture Book




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Review: The Secret Dragon

Eleven-year-old Mari Jones is a fossil hunter. She loves everything about fossils and happily spends all her free time hunting and studying them. 

But when she discovers something that is not quite a fossil, her usual study methods are just not going to cut it, because what she discovers is alive!

What she discovers is a dragon! 

The Secret Dragon is a fantastic junior novel about friendship, empathy and finding your place in the world.

Mari thinks she knows who she is. She’s a bit of a loner, she doesn’t get along with her mum, she deeply misses her father and she cares more for animals of the past than flying, breathing creatures in the now.

Everything she thinks she knows about herself and her family is challenged when the secret dragon appears in her life. 

She learns big lessons, like what’s truly important, and in doing so grows into the young girl she’s meant to be. 

This is an enchanting coming of age story entwined with a fantastical tale of the re-emergence of dragons. It’s the first book in a series that’s sure to be a hit with young dragon fans. 

Title: The Secret Dragon 

Author: Ed Clarke

Publisher: Penguin, $16.99

Publication Date: 6 August 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9780241360514

For ages: 7 - 11

Type: Junior Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: You Might Find Yourself

Review: Leonard the Lyrebird

The dramatic scenery of Australia's iconic Blue Mountains provides a stunning backdrop for this beautiful tale of Leonard the lyrebird.

Leonard is a truly impressive creature who loves to perform, singing the sounds of all the animals in the bush. He has plenty of friends among the other animals, but longs for a lyrebird friend.

Hoping to befriend the lyrebird Lilah, Leonard goes searching for the most impressive song of all.

This is a sweet and lively story about friendship, bravery and being yourself.

Author Jodie McLeod weaves a magical tale with her vivid use of language. Onomatopoeia, alliteration, rhyme and rhythm make it a glorious story to read out loud.

The rich and vibrant illustrations, in a luscious palette, capture the magnificent beauty of the setting, along with the playfulness of Leonard's colourful performances and his journey to true friendship.

The book is stunningly produced with sumptuous endpapers, thick matte pages and a striking design that incorporates stylistic typography to further enhance the joy and drama of the story. This is a book to treasure.


Title: Leonard the Lyrebird
Author: Jodie McLeod
Illustrator: Eloise Short
Publisher: King St Press, $24.95
Publication Date: August 2018
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9780994450753
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Rivers: A Visual History from River to Sea

Review: Story Time Stars

Reading Story Time Stars was like a trip back to my childhood, and to my early career as a children's librarian.

If you love children's books (and if you're reading this you almost certainly do), then you're going to love Story Time Stars.

It's a gorgeous collection of some of the memorable characters who have become part of the Australian children's literary landscape.

The kind who you will recognise at first glance, or with just a little extra prompting. Characters like the Muddle-Headed Wombat and Mothball the wombat.

The iconic Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, and Grandma Poss are there, as are Noni the pony, Koala Lou, Grug, and the Hippopotamus who loves eating cake.

There are also characters who share stories of Aboriginal culture, and the experiences of migrants and refugees.

All these characters and their stories play an important role in the lives of Australian children and the adults they become. 

Story Time Stars is presented in a timeline order, with the first two groupings being characters from the 1910s to 1930s, and 1940s to 1960s. After that they are decade by decade.

Each character comes with a profile telling us who their creators are, when they made their public debut, and a variety of facts about them. Did you know that Blinky Bill has featured on Australian stamps and coins? Albert, the Magic Pudding has as well, and a statue of him can be found in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. 

The end of the book includes a short exploration of the children's literature collections at the National Library of Australia, and the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature, both of which are dedicated to collecting and preserving our history.  

Story Time Stars deserves a place in every home, as a reminder of the brilliant talent that Australia has produced, and a celebration of all the wonderful stories we're fortunate to be able to re-visit, simply by picking up a book.

Story Time Stars complements the exhibition Story Time: Australian Children's Literature, at the National Library of Australia. You can visit the exhibition, which will appeal to both children and adults, until February 2020.

Title: Story Time Stars
Author: Stephanie Owen Reeder
Publisher: National Library of Australia, $24.99
Publication Date: September 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780642279408
For ages: 6+
Type: Non-fiction




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12 Curly Questions with author/illustrator Gabriel Evans

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
Aged 12 I collected antique editions of boys' books of hobbies. Some of these ‘hobbies’ were incredibly dangerous – looking at the sun through a telescope or painting phosphorous on your face to glow in the dark. I was sensible enough to not attempt them!

2. What is your nickname?
I don’t have a nickname, although some people struggle saying my name and I hear some weird pronunciations.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Not having a dog. They’re a bundle of joy and love you to pieces – although, I should add, my dog is extremely annoying and chases birds in trees when she’s bored. Nothing’s perfect.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Simple and direct words in close relationship with my illustrations.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Quiet, curious, amusing, thoughtful, questioning.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Can I say a character from my own book? Is that allowed? I relate with Augustus, the very big dog. He’s a character that’s content in his own company.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I would travel to 1996 when I was four and holidaying in England. It was a memorable trip. Plus, I’d try and find the aeroplane I lost on my grandfather’s roof.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Why aren’t you living in England in a castle? We discussed this.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
My parents. They encouraged me to follow my passion in book illustration. They’ve been very supportive.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I started out illustrating books. But the combination of words and art fascinates me. The relationship between the two can be fragile, fractious and harmonious.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Contrafibularities – a sarcastic congratulation. It’s a word I discovered while watching Blackadder the Third. I sadly can’t see any opportunity to include it in a future book.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?  
Winne-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne, a book that makes me both laugh and reflect.

Gabriel is a children’s book author/illustrator from Western Australia. His latest picture book, Ollie and Augustus (Walker Books) started as a drawing and a question in his sketchbook and grew into a story about little Ollie and his best friend (and dog) Augustus. Gabriel writes, paints and drinks coffee near a river. For more information, see www.gabrielevansartist.com.

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Review: Otto Goes North

Otto Goes North is a comforting tale about Otto, an adventurous lemur, who has cycled for a very long time to visit his friends, Lisa (a lynx) and Nils (a little bear), who live in a blueberry-blue house with a grass roof, far up in the north.

The three friends are thrilled to see each other. Otto cannot wait to share stories with his friends and to paint the Northern Lights as a memento to hang on his walls back in the south.  However, Otto does not realise how freezing it is in the north.

The friends discover that, even though they all have fur, Otto's fur is meant for warmer weather, and Otto becomes sick. His friends are worried. They take him into the sauna, and bring warm blueberry soup. Then, Lisa and Nils use their intiative, empathy and creativity to find a way to help Otto stay warm.

They create yarn, in a clever and surprising way, colouring it with vegetables. Then, they learn how to knit and soon make a perfect gift for Otto.

Swedish author/illustrator, Ulrika Kestere, (text translated by Julia Marshall) has created a heartwarming story of three compassionate friends, each with their own unique characteristics, who value each other's journeys and differences. The illustrations have clear and simple lines and bold colours, yet convey the warmth of friendship, contrasting the day-to-day lives of the characters against the majestic backdrop of the northern sky.

Title: Otto Goes North
Author/Illustrator: Ulrika Kestere (Translated by Julia Marshall)
Publisher: Gecko Press, $16.99
Publication Date: 1 August 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781776572427
For ages: 5 - 8
Type: Picture Book




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Review: Baby's First Jailbreak

Baby Frank is back in a new entertaining adventure, this time featuring two zoos and baby nemesis named Bruce.

Following on from Baby’s First Bank Heist, Frank’s zoo is going wonderfully until, suddenly its  daily queues diminish. Frank and his parents soon discover that there’s an idea thief in town. A prestigious and rather entitled baby named Bruce has opened his own zoo, on his parents private polo pitch. Bruce’s zoo is filled with enticing extras like free ice cream and instrument playing animals.

When a concerned penguin informs Frank that Bruce’s animals aren’t happy or treated well, Frank makes a plan to help them out. A highly satisfying ending prevails along with a hint about what may be involved in Frank’s next adventure and I for one, am excited!

Fun and witty with a rhythmic rhyming flow, Baby’s First Jailbreak is fun to read aloud, the comic style illustrations are fabulous with expressive animal characters adding humor and lots to point at and discuss.

Title: Baby's First Jailbreak
Author: Jim Whalley
Illustrator: Stephen Collins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, $14.99
Publication Date: 5 August 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781408891810
For ages: 3+
Type: Paperback




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Review: My Dad is a Dragon

An exploration of dads and all the different things they do and love, My Dad is a Dragon is all about how special and unique every dad is. 

Some dads have pointy pencils for designing busy bridges. Some dads have tough trolleys for hauling heavy fridges.

Our young protagonist explores all the different things dads do, say, think and enjoy, but always, and most importantly, her dad is a dragon! 

He’s special and unique and just the dad she needs him to be.

This is the 6th book in Damon Young’s series of books about family, following My Sister is a Superhero, My Brother is a Beast, My Pop is a Pirate, My Nanna is a Ninja and My Mum is a Magician. 

Again accompanied by Peter Carnavas’s brilliant illustrations, the book is filled with colourful joy and loads of details to explore.

It’s a story about love, family and all the wonderful ways our dads are our dads. Kids will delight in discovering their own dads between the covers and exploring all the ways in which other dads can be different.

Dads are the best, and this book reinforces just how great they are. 

Happy Fathers Day to all the amazing dads out there!

Title: My Dad is a Dragon

Author: Damon Young

Illustrator: Peter Carnavas

Publisher: UQP, $24.95 

Publication Date: 6 August 2019

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 978 0 7022 6049 0

For ages: 3 -6 

Type: Picture Book

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Who is Ivy Bird? Interview with Tania McCartney and Jess Racklyeft

Ivy Bird from Two Points of View

To celebrate the release of Ivy Bird, we've come up with something a little something different. We thought we’d offer our perspectives on Ivy Bird—from an author POV and an illustrator POV. These responses are imagined by each of us, and there was no collaboration in the creation of this interview!

Tania McCartney and Jess Racklyeft

What kind of kid is Ivy?
T: She’s creative, mercurial (was going to say ‘flighty’!), curious and huge-hearted.
J: A free spirited, nature-loving whirlwind.

Why does she love birds?
T: Because they represent what attracts Ivy, and what life should be for all kids … beauty, curiosity and freedom.
J: Birds represent beauty, freedom and flight—what isn't to love?!

What do you think her favourite bird is?
T: I think it’s the duck. Because it’s playful, resourceful—and can migrate! I think Ivy will travel the world when she’s older. Also, ducks in flight represent spiritual freedom. That’s so Ivy.
J: Oh, a tough one! I feel like it would be her own bird, her sweet little canary.

What about her favourite breakfast?
T: I imagine she loves almond pancakes with coconut yoghurt and fresh berries.
J: Because she is so hard to pin down for breakfast, something she can grab while she is running is best—like a muesli bar or piece of fruit.

What other interests does Ivy have?
T: She loves to draw, paint, read and explore. She also loves gardening and putting on plays.
J: Art, collecting things, nature adventures.

What’s her favourite colour?
T: Aqua blue. Like the cover of the book.
J: Sky blue.

What does she love to do with her twin baby brothers?
T: Her favourite thing in the WORLD to do with them is read picture books. She sounds out all the words and puts on funny voices.
J: Swim, read, bath, play...

What’s her dog’s name?
T: Feathers.
J: Winston.

What’s her pet canary’s name?
T: Sunshine. (You know how kids tend to name animals after their colour!)
J: George.

Does she go to kinder? What’s her favourite thing to do there?
T: She does. Her favourite thing is to do in the class room is draw. Her favourite thing in the playground is tag.
J: Yes, she loves to dress up, draw, cook and play in their treehouse.

What do you think she’ll be when she grows up?
T: A traveller and conservationist. I think she’ll do some teaching in her lifetime, too.
J: A vet or zookeeper.

What do her parents do for a living?
T: Her dad works for a film production company as a producer, and her mum is a high school English teacher. She also makes kombucha and sauerkraut to sell at the local gourmet market.
J: Her mum is a magazine writer. Her dad is a teacher.

Where does she live?
T: She lives between the mountains and the beach.
J: Country New South Wales.

What is your favourite bird in the book? Why?
T: I’ve always been drawn to the flamingo—lifelong. I’m not sure why. I think because its colours are insanely beautiful and it’s the epitome of retro design elegance? Think 1920s Deco and 1960s beachside kitsch. I love how Ivy play acts a flamingo in the book.
J: I like the bowerbird. The little pause there and moment with Ivy is so lovely!

Do you have a favourite bird that’s not included in the book?
T: I adore the hoopoe. Also the Canadian goose. And the loon. It may walk like it’s drunk, but its feather patterning is exquisite. The gang gang cockatoo is also exceptionally beautiful.
J: I do have a soft spot for owls, like the tawny frogmouth.

Why is that bird special?
T: The hoopoe is perfection in terms of its shape, colouring, patterning. Even the curve of its beak is magnificent. They have a detailed and fascinating mythological and symbolic relationship with humans. They were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt.
J: Just so grumpy looking, but so regal. Incredibly, you can find them tucked in trees in my neighbourhood in Melbourne!

What’s so glorious about birds?
T: Firstly, that they are related to dinosaurs! Secondly, they are pollinators and seed-spreaders, like honey bees with feathers. Lastly, they’re not only beautiful, they can fly. And what could be more glorious than the ability to fly?
J: Birds are magic. For the same reason Ivy loves them, I do too!

Why do kids need to know more about them?
T: Because the more kids know about anything, the more they will care. And we need people to care. Not only about birds—about our entire ecosystem. Also, birds are arguably one of the most fascinating and variant animals in existence.
J: The more books that celebrate animals and plants the better. We are in such a critical time for our environment and our kids’ futures—and the more care and respect kids can teach us adults, the better.

What can kids do to help protect birds?
T: They can learn more about them. And share what they know.
J: Many things! Use recycled paper and toilet paper is a big one. Do fundraisers for great groups like Bird Life Australia. Join the National Bird Count. Tread lightly on our earth.

More about the book...

Ivy Bird

Ivy wakes with the birds. She flutters, she flits... then takes flight into the endless blue of imaginative play — foraging for nectar, pecking in the sunshine, splashing the day away. Introducing an aviary of beautiful birds to little ones, Ivy Bird is a celebration of nature, friendship, and the love and comfort found in feathering the nest.

Ivy Bird, September 2019, Windy Hollow Books, AU$25.99/NZ$29.99, hard cover, 9781922081797) BUY





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Giveaway: I Love My Dad Because

Review: Broken Sky

Picture World War II style fighter planes, but in the future. Now imagine teenagers flying those planes.

Then send them into the sky to fight to the death if necessary in order to maintain peace on earth.

Welcome to Amity's broken world where there have been no wars for decades, but at a terrible price.

Amity lost her father in a plane accident when she was eleven years old and has learned not to get too close to her fellow fighters, because they could be the next ones to die.

Even though that seems more than enough to cope with, there's more to this strange world. Secrets are about to rend the tenuous world peace asunder.

When Amity discovers a network of lies and deception, she is determined to expose the culprits, but this means discovering far more than she ever expected and risking more than her life.


With death around every corner, this is not time to fall in love, but it's exactly what Amity does. But will her newfound joy sustain or destroy her? I had to keep reading to find out.

Broken Sky is cliff-edge suspense at its best. I could not put it down and now that it's finished, I cannot read anything else until I find out what happens in book two.

Pick it up.

I bet you won't be able to put it down.

Title: Broken Sky
Author: L. A. Weatherly
Publisher: Usborne Publishing, $17.99
Publication Date: 22 February 2016
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781409572022
For ages: 14 +
Type: Young Adult




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Review: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

When I think of the rhyme Row, Row, Row Your Boat I remember a toddler balanced on my lap, while moving their hands in a rowing motion as we sang. I remember signing it as a round, at school or on a bus.

But what would an Australiana version sound and look like? Wonder no more, as Matt Shanks has illustrated a delightful Australian version of Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

In this version we meet a boy in a small row boat, who collects a group of Australian animals as he gently rows down the stream.

Which Australian animals will you see in this river adventure rhyme? A sleepy koala, an adorable bandicoot wearing a life saver's cap, a platypus on a raft flying his version of the jolly roger and a dive bombing kookaburra. But which Australian animal will make you scream?

Shanks illustrations are soft and have a dreamy like quality to them. He is an illustrator that gives characters great personalities and often includes characters that are not mentioned in the text. In Row, Row, Row Your Boat Shanks has included a mischievous frog that follows the adventure down the stream.

For more glorious stories illustrated by Matt Shanks read Eric the Postie and Koala Bare.

Title: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Illustrator: Matt Shanks
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $6.99
Publication Date: 1 May 2017
Format: Board Book
ISBN: 9781760159917
For ages: 0 – 4
Type: Board Book




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Review: When Billy Was A Dog

Review: The Quiet At The End Of The World

Review: Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts

This is a fantastic idea from Lonely Planet Kids. What kid wouldn’t love to read about the best ghosts and monsters in the world?

The book is narrated by monster hunter Van Helsing, and he takes the reader on a journey around the world to explore the famous and not so famous ghosts and monsters of history.

Starting in Europe, we read about Dracula and the Loch Ness Monster, trolls, goblins and ogres, and some lesser known ghosts such as the Undead of Poveglia and the White Lady of Dragsholm Castle.

We are also introduced to some key creatures in Greek mythology and their stories. Harry Potter fans will recognise the phoenix and the basilisk, but they may not know the chimera, hydra or harpy.

Van Helsing tells us the location and key characteristics of each creature and, importantly, provides information on how to beat the scariest of monsters so that you can be prepared. Each section also contains a double page map, showing you where to find these spooky creatures as you trek around the world.

On our journey, we find a three headed dragon in the Caspian Sea, an immortal demon from India and an unsightly floating head spirit from Thailand. I particularly like the mischievous imp from Japan who sneaks around at night cutting people’s hair!

The quirky illustrations by Laura Brenlla suit the book perfectly. The dark colour palette gives a subtle spooky feel, and the splashes of brighter colours are cleverly used to bring the unnerving creatures to life.

This book is definitely a hit in my house. It is one of the few books that has appealed to the full range of kids, with the 5, 9 and 12 year olds all enjoying it for different reasons.

This is a large format, hard cover book and would be great for a reluctant upper primary reader. The fun illustrations dominate the pages so the text does not seem dense, and the engaging writing style will draw kids into the monster hunt to learn more about these weird and spooky beings from around the world.

I love mythology and the insights it gives you to the culture and history of a country, so I’m a fan of presenting mythology in a quirky way that will get kids interested. This book is different and fun, yet informative and well targeted to curious primary school kids.


Title: Atlas of Monsters and Ghosts
Author: Federica Magrin
Illustrator: Laura Brenlla
Publisher: Lonely Planet Kids, $26.99
Publication Date: 1 July 2019
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781788683463
For ages: 7 - 12
Type: Non-Fiction




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GIVEAWAY! Ivy Bird and Crocheted Owl

Thanks to the lovely people at Windy Hollow Books and to author Tania McCartney, we not only have a copy of Ivy Bird to give away, we also have a hand-crocheted (by Tania!) version of an owl featured in the book. She measures 32cm from head to claws. She is fully washable and has no removable parts, so is safe for children under 3, but please remember she is handmade.

To enter to win the owl and the book, simply tell us, in 25 words or less, your favourite bird and why.

Email your answer along with your name and postal address, directly to Tania with IVY BIRD COMP in the subject line. The response she likes best will win! If you would like the book signed to someone in particular, please make note in your email.

Competition is open to anyone, worldwide, so long as they have an Australian postal address for delivery. Please note, we cannot deliver to PO Boxes. Entries without a name and street address will be ineligible. Winners will be announced right here on our website.

Competition closes Wednesday 4 September 2019 at 5pm, Sydney, Australia time. Adults can enter for those aged 17 and under. This is a game of skill, not chance. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

To learn more about the book, click here. 

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Review: My Dad Snores

Sing it or read it, My Dad Snores, is a timeless Australian song by John Williamson brought to life in pages with colour, humor and fabulous illustrations.

Relatable to all I’m sure, this fun song made story explores the experience of a family with a dad who snores. My dad snores, Does yours? What does he sound like? A bus, a train, maybe even a snake? And what can this family do to escape his slumbering sounds which leave them sleepless but wide eyed? He gets a kick from mum and a peg on his nose, but nothing seems to work.

A fabulous new verse and illustrations combine to show the family’s clever solution. I love how the illustrations give the original song life and expand the story; they are filled with movement, emotion and give a great feel for the Australian environment through colour and features such as flapping galahs, dangling gum leaves and cheeky characters including an echidna in a washing basket.

With rhythm, rhyme and repetition, this book will encourage engagement and a good-humoured laugh at those who snore.

John Williamson is an iconic Austraian country and folk singer-songwriter, Christmas in Australia is another of his classic songs brought to live in a picture book. Peter Carnavas is an award winning author illustrator with many books including A Quiet Girl, The Children Who Loved Books and Jessica’s Box.

Title: My Dad Snores
Author: John Williamson
Illustrator: Peter Carnavas
Publisher: Penguin Random House, $19.99
Publication Date: 6 August 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780143793793
For ages: 6 – 8
Type: Picture Book




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Review: The Travel Activity Book

Travel the world, right from your living room!

In The Travel Activity Book, a new title from Lonely Planet, you'll find facts and figures, and a stack of stickers.

This is a simple activity book. The stickers (more than 250 of them!) fill the gaps in the pictures that illustrate the book. Some fit in blank shapes, while others allow for more free-form artistic expression.

There are colourful gems from El Dorado in Colombia, a roller coaster from Denmark's Tivoli Gardens theme park, and the stickers for New Zealand are football players doing the Haka!

Stickers will certainly be of great appeal to kids, but there's more than that in The Travel Activity Book.

Colour in the Russian Matryoshka dolls, join the dots to reveal a lion from Mozambique, and find your way through the maze to escape the Greek Minotaur.

There is also at least one unusual piece of trivia listed for each country included in the book.

Learn about China's 8,000 year old Terracotta Warriors, Kazakhstan's space launch site, and Brazil's Amazon rainforest with more than 16,000 species of tree. Not forgetting cultural delicacies like Japan's pufferfish and Ghana's snails.

Whether your family is planning a trip, you want to share world culture, or your children simply need some entertainment, The Travel Activity Book will definitely sprinkle their day with geographical facts and keep them occupied.

Title: The Travel Activity Book
Author: Lonely Planet Kids  
Publisher: Lonely Planet Kids, $12.99
Publication Date: June 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781788684743
For ages: 6+
Type:  Junior non-fiction




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12 Curly Questions with author Kate Gordon

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I still know all the dance moves to every Spice Girls song. Even the ones that weren’t released as singles.

2. What is your nickname?
My family and friends call me Katie, but that’s not all that interesting. In high school, though, my friends called me Flameboy. It was a Friends thing. Because '90s.

3. What is your greatest fear? 
The serious answer is, anything happening to my daughter. The still deadly serious answer is, slugs. I hate those creeps. They can all die in a big mountain of salt.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
A quirky little creature, made of heart, magic and peculiarity.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Gah. Writing positive stuff about myself is so hard! Persistent, dedicated, passionate, hard-working … nice?

6. What book character would you be, and why? 
Oh, that’s easy – I would definitely be Mildred Hubble, from The Worst Witch. I try really hard but almost always crash into the school gates on my broomstick.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
1963. Because The Beatles.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Write more books about witches, darnit!

9. Who is your greatest influence?
I have two big heroes in my life – my dad and my daughter. My dad, for his kindness, his humour and for his unwavering support of me and my brother throughout our lives, no matter what we do or pursue in life. And my daughter because of her quick wit and her innate magic, as well as her enormous, generous heart.

10. What/who made you start writing?
The author Steven Herrick came to talk at my small, rural Tasmanian school, when I was a teenager. He was so funny and engaging and talented and just so … human. He read us some of his work and it felt like magic, to me. He wrote beautiful, poetic stuff that still, somehow, sounded like the way kids actually talked. After his visit, I decided then and there that I was going to be a writer when I grew up. Which is probably a good thing because, up until that point, my only other idea was being a milliner and I had no idea how to sew.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Discombobulated. Mostly because I usually am.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?  
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Partly because it is completely perfect and partly because Sirius Black.
 

Kate Gordon grew up in North-West Tasmania. Kate has received the IBBY Ena Noel Award, was shortlisted in the Dorothy Hewett Awards, and was commended in the Vogel’s Awards. Her most recent book, Girl Running, Boy Falling (Rhiza Edge) is longlisted in the 2019 CBCA Awards. Juno Jones is her first work of junior fiction. For more information, see www.kategordon.com.au

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Winners: Noodle Bear

And our lucky winners are...

Hayley Spark, NSW
Sharon Hammad, NSW
Mel Sajeva, VIC

Congratulations!

You have each won a copy of the delightful, Noodle Bear.

We hope you enjoy this prize as much as Bear enjoys noodles and have oodles of fun reading it!

Thank you to ALL who entered. We can say we agree with at least one of these answers as to the one food we could eat for the rest of our lives...!

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Review: Changing History

Review: Welcome To Your Period (Your easy, no-dumb-questions guide to handling it like a boss)

Welcome To Your Period  (Your easy, no-dumb-questions guide to handling it like a boss) is an indispensable modern guide to menstruation, filled with honesty, humour and reassurance that everything is going to be alright.  This book is  definitely not stuffy or embarrassing - it is funny, fresh and vibrant, with something for every reader!

This book is for pre-teens and teens, but there is information that many parents, teachers and others will appreciate, as times, attitudes, and equipment for managing a period, have changed!

It contains relevant, easy-to-read sections, with case studies, stories and questions from a diverse range of young people. This book is for anyone who will get a period, or has just started, and everyone who cares about them.

The book is co-authored by Yumi Stynes (a second-gen Japanese-Australian TV and radio presenter, who also hosts the award-winning podcast, Ladies We Need To Talk) and Dr Melissa Kang (a medical doctor, university academic, and fifth-generation Malaysian-Chinese Anglo-Australian, who answered lots of questions as the longest-serving expert behind the Dolly Doctor column for Dolly Magazine). The colourful artwork by Jenny Latham, adds visual information in a fun and engaging way.

There is a useful section towards the back of the book about being an  ally - introducing ways to support someone who menstruates.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who has not quite started their periods, anyone who is still not sure how to manage their period like a boss, and anyone who cares about these young people.

Title: Welcome To Your Period  (Your easy, no-dumb-questions guide to handling it like a boss)
Authors: Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang
Illustrator: Jenny Latham
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont, $19.99
Publication Date: 1 August 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760503512
For ages: 8+
Type: Non-fiction




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Review: Kids Who Did

Guest Post: Learning to Fly with Jason K Foster

Review: The Gruesome General: Costa Banana

Rosa Fernando is the President’s daughter.

Her father is the much-loved (or so he believes) President Pablo Fernando of Costa Banana.

President Fernando has some strange laws — all children in Costa Banana must be called Pablo, everyone must call him ‘Great Leader Genius’ or ‘Big Strong Man’ and on Fridays everyone must eat banana soup — but the president truly believes everyone loves him, and he believes everyone will love his son Fico when he becomes president, because girls are absolutely not smart enough to become presidents, so Rosa absolutely never will.

Rosa, of course, disagrees. Actually, she disagrees with a lot her father says and does. She knows she would make a great president one day, but she also believes the people should get to choose their leader. 

Rosa takes every opportunity to persuade her father he has it all wrong, but he never listens. 

Until the family discovers there’s a spy in their mansion, and Rosa decides she’ll uncover the spy’s identity and prove to her father once and for all that girls can do anything!

Competing with her brother (who’s also determined to uncover the spy’s identity), Rosa must use her wits to outsmart the spy and reveal who they are and what they are planning. It isn’t easy, particularly when no one in your family believes she can do it, but Rosa won’t give up. 

The Gruesome General: Costa Banana is a funny and fast paced mystery-adventure. Filled with huge doses of fun and even more ridiculousness, it’s a book junior readers are going to adore.

Funky black and white illustrations by Elly Hees are scattered throughout and there are loads of spy tricks to learn along the way. Heaps of fun and an easy read for younger readers, The Gruesome General: Costa Banana is a fabulous mystery adventure for kids, and I dare say the start of a very cool new series.

Title: The Gruesome General: Costa Banana

Author: Jozua Douglas (translated by Michele Hutchison)

Illustrator: Elly Hees

Publisher: Affirm Press, $14.99

Publication Date: 26 March 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781925870091

For ages: 9 - 12

Type: Middle Fiction

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Review: Trees

'Trees are marvellous beings.'

Come and discover the life of trees and their role in nature.

Appreciate their beauty in all the seasons. See deciduous trees bare of foliage in winter and their fruit bearing branches in summer.

Discover how trees communicate with one another.

Reflect on where trees grow.

Contemplate a tree's function in the environment, 'Trees clean the air we breathe.'

Trees by Lemniscates pairs mixed media illustrations with words that create a gentle and eye-opening story. It takes readers on a conscious journey showing that trees are a constant in our lives.

Lemniscates' illustrations cleverly show a bird's life intertwined with trees. It depicts a bird feeding on fruit, raising a family amongst the branches and sheltering from tree to tree as it travels across the landscape.

Trees, prompts me to be mindful about trees in my environment. Just like the child in the illustrations, I need to stop and give a humongous hug to the next tree I see and to say, thank you.

Title: Trees
Author/Illustrator: Lemniscates
Publisher: Walker Studio, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 April 2017
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781406376746
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Meet The Illustrator: Debbie Coombes

Name: Debbie Coombes

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Modern and contemporary colours with Tiwi designs.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
The main space for me before I became employed on a full time basis was at the art centre,in the open space and sitting with fellow
artists while telling,listening to each other stories and listening to music playing in the background. You have a big, long table with plenty of room for other artists. All I need is my paints, canvas and paint brush.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Painting has always been my favourite artistic medium. I use various sized paint brushes to paint on canvas.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
My grandfather Justin Puruntatameri
My mum Florence Coombes
My sister Jennifer Coombes

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I wish I could visit the past when the old traditional styles of designs were being used by my elders before me. I see pictures in books and online from a very long time ago and it amazes me every time.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?I had dreamed about being a children’s book illustrator for a long time, but I never thought it would actually happen! Munupi Arts manager, Michael Stitfold, approached me and informed me that Magabala Books were interested in working with me. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this experience, but it turned out to be a very exciting one which I am delighted and excited to share with my family and friends.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?I’m not sure as this is all new to me. I believe the whole process with Magabala Books was great

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?The advice I would give is, don’t be scared of doing something you are passionate about, don’t be afraid of doing something new. Give yourself the opportunity to do something awesome for yourself. Only you can make it happen.

Debbie is the daughter of Florence Puruntatameri-Coombes, and Graeme Coombes. Her mother is a Tiwi woman from Pirlangimpi Community on Melville Island. Her father originated from Queenstown, New Zealand but married Florence as a young man and called Pirlangimpi home for over 30 years. He raised Debbie and her siblings (including sister and fellow artist Karina Coombes) on the islands, visiting New Zealand only a handful of times with his wife and children. Graeme passed away in 2010.Debbie lived and worked in Darwin for over 4 years, returning to live back home in the Tiwi Islands in 2011. From this point Debbie painted under the direction of her grandfather, Justin Puruntatameri and Florence (Justin’s eldest daughter). Justin in particualr was able to give Debbie invaluable advice on what she could correctly portray as defined by her Tiwi family ties. Debbie is now well known in artistic circles for her joyful depictions of Tiwi Life in figurative forms. People travelling by cars and canoes of all shapes and sizes to the football. A huge part of contemporary Tiwi Lifestyle.

Please find more of  Debbie's art on this website.

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Review: Captain Cat and the Treasure Map

Look What I'm Reading! Zoe Bechara Publicity Manager

Zoe Bechara is a Publicity Manager for Young Readers at Penguin Random House, based in Sydney. She has worked in publishing for a decade. As a publicist for some of Australia’s most celebrated and emerging authors she is frequently on the road: rattling about in radio or TV studios, wrangling pull-up banners and filing young children into signing queues at events. She loves big newspapers and small coffees and thinks that small humans are usually the best kind of humans.

Which children’s book are you currently reading?

A book by debut children’s author Nat Amoore called Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire (out June.)

Can you tell us in two sentences what the book is about?

It follows two best friends who find a million dollars in the backyard, and all the trouble they get themselves into. 

How much did you enjoy/are enjoying this title?

It’s hilarious and I’m loving the harebrained schemes, entrepreneurial tips and emphasis on treats from the funny, flawed characters.

What made you choose this title? Was it a review, advertising, the cover, the blurb, the author/illustrator, or the subject/genre?

Often I’ll pick up a new book while in a bookstore in a Publicist capacity: I’ll nip to the counter as the author is signing books for a child and grab something new for myself. Last week that was Schadenfreude which I’m rather enjoying (the book that is, not other people’s horrid misfortunes.) Naturally book reviews will influence me, however I still haven’t read 2018’s Lenny’s Book of Everything – I’ll get to it soon!

What other titles are on your bedside table /To Read Pile?

I’m really looking forward to rereading Vincent and the Grandest Hotel on Earth, a middle-grade book out in July. I read an early version and I just adore Lisa’s writing: witty, whimsical and irreverent. I’m also looking forward to Melina Marchetta’s The Place on Dalhousie.

How did you come by these titles: personal choice/request, publisher’s review copy, or other?

I usually have a minimum of two books on the go, often three. One will be a Young Readers book I’m reading for work; presently that is the aforementioned Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire. Often there will be another book, for grown-ups, in my handbag for reading on the ferry, on flights, and at the hairdressers and various other public places where I don’t want to talk to anyone. Then by my beside are a smattering of comforting reads that don’t challenge me too much before sleep; presently stacked there are How to Eat by Nigella Lawson (simply brilliant writing) and a couple of books about tidy houses in Sweden.

Do you have a favourite genre? If so, what is it, and why do you prefer it?

Publicists tend to be a broad church by necessity, and like most voracious readers I’ll consume all matter of the written word from newspapers to design magazines to ALDI catalogues. I can’t say I have a favourite genre but I am passionate about middle grade writing; it’s a rich area of storytelling for readers who are at a time of their lives when the world seems at once both enormous and suddenly (and thrillingly) accessible. I like the hope that represents. There’s an art in telling big stories in succinct prose that excites, moves, motivates. I particularly love children’s books that acknowledge a child’s capacity for complex thought, big ideas and clever humour, like RA Spratt’s Friday Barnes series and my beloved childhood favourite Hating Alison Ashley.

Do you read from printed books or some other medium? Please expand a little on the why of your choice.

Printed, for preference, as my husband (handy bookshelf-installer and book-packing-house-mover that he is) can attest. I do also find audio books particularly companionable when pottering around the house cooking or doing housework, and they’re terrific for car trips. Interestingly audio books also allow for a heightened appreciation for good writing; being read to highlights a beautiful sentence or a clever bit of dialogue in a way similar to hearing poetry or theatre performed. Rereading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone read by the inimitable Stephen Fry certainly affirmed this for me: an excellent bit of writing read by an excellent storyteller.

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Review: Stepsister

12 Curly Questions with author Stef Gemmill

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I used to be a Montessori teacher by day and a music journalist by night at heavy rock and metal gigs for music magazines. Both experiences bring a lot to my writing for children now and I had a lot of fun in both jobs.

2. What is your nickname?
Everyone calls me Stef, except I am Stephanie to my Mum (particularly when I’m in trouble).

3. What is your greatest fear?
That all the school libraries will close and children will lose that opportunity to pick whatever book they want to read. I grew up in a house where money for books was scarce. Freedom to choose books from my school library opened my imagination. It encouraged an ability to read up for my age and made writing my passion.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Untold tales mixed with light, dark and strange events.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
I write from the heart

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Atreyu, Bastian’s alter ego from The Neverending Story, by Michael Ende who flew the powerful Luck Dragon through the sky to save the Childlike Empress from her impending death. Who wouldn’t want to fly a dragon? A child flying on a dragon features in my next picture book ‘In My Dreams’ and is influenced by this story.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d like to travel back to visit 10-year-old me. I’d tell myself that all the jumbled characters and fantasy worlds in my mind will one day turn into published books.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Kids do want to read powerful stories and don’t worry what everyone else is doing.

8. Who is your greatest influence?
Definitely Neil Gaiman. His stories move boldly into dark territory without terrifying children (not too much!).

10. What/who made you start writing?
It’s wired in me – it’s like electricity coursing through my veins. My mind is filled with so many story ideas it’s so satisfying to get them down on paper.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Phantasmagorical which means having a fantasy-like appearance like it's in a dream sequence. I think this is what the inside of my brain looks like.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Just one? Oh that is tough but my most read book is Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak. No one captures a child’s wild emotions like he does. When I read this on my own as an older child I realised no matter how angry you get and how much despair there is in your world, someone still loves you. And your Mum will leave you a hot supper, no matter what. Such a satisfying ending.

Stef likes to draw on her past experiences as a Montessori teacher when writing picture books that are both imaginative and challenge young minds. She also has 15 years’ experience working as a technical writer by day and a freelance music journalist by night. More recently, Stef swapped the sweaty mosh pit for toys and tantrums turning her pen to writing children’s books. Her focus has been on picture books for 3-6 year olds and short stories for 7-12 year olds. A Home For Luna is Stef's debut picture book, with more picture books due for release in 2020 and 2021. For more information, see www.stefgemmill.com.

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