Review: Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery

Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery, the second book in the Winterborne Home series by Ally Carter, is another intricate plot to unravel. Another wonderful mystery with complex questions and mazes to find your way through.

Uncle Evert is in jail for killing Gabriel Winterborne’s family and trying to take over his fortune. The five children, Colin, Sadie, Tim, Violet and April, living in the Mansion with Gabriel as their guardian, discover Gabriel is also the Sentinel, a vigilante that protects the city with skill, swords and knives.

Isabella, head of the Winterborne Foundation, can’t be found. This is not the only disturbing mystery. Who is the fake vigilante dressed in identical clothing to Gabriel, that breaks into the Mansion looking for something or someone? The scariest part is the level of destruction they leave behind.

Someone from Child Protective Services arrives with accusation that Gabriel is an unsuitable guardian, especially with Isabella’s absence. She is determined to remove the children from the Mansion.

But these extraordinary children haven’t been chosen at random to become part of the Winterborne family. They are intelligent, sharp, courageous and proactive. Can they solve the surge of mysteries that envelope them?

Through chases and near misses, explosions and escapes, April and the other children search for Gabriel. Their home and safety depend on their finding him soon, as their absolute belief is he would never willingly abandon them. April believes he is either dead or seriously wounded.

Who is the strange woman that shows up after ten years claiming to be April’s mother? Then there is Reggie Dupree who claims to be her father!

No one is who they claim to be. What other secrets lay hidden in and beneath the Winterborne Mansion? No one is to be trusted, for Gabriel’s billions are a magnet for every con artist.

What connection, if any, does April have to the Winterbornes? Does the key worn for years around her neck hold the answer? What about the woman who claims to be her mother? What role does she play amidst all the mystery and mayhem?

Title: Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hachette, $ 14.99
Publication Date: 23 February 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780734419187
For ages: 10+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction



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10 Quirky Questions with author/illustrator Anna Walker

1. What's your hidden talent?
Zoning out. Some may say I am not responding! But I like to see it as concentrating on thoughts.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Count Olaf in A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Count Olaf is so sneaky! There is something about him that reminds me of pantomimes as a child when you feel like calling out, ‘look out behind you'!

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
I am bending the rules, and inviting characters rather than authors. The five would be: the Grasshopper from James and the Giant Peach, Mrs Tiggy Winkle, the Velveteen Rabbit, the gentle Dragon from a book I read as a child that lived in a cave and enjoyed apple buns and Mole from Wind in the Willows. They are all quiet but so interesting and delightful. I would love to hear their thoughts!

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
The Necklace of Raindrops — in the story written by Joan Aiken

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Watching, thinking, gathering, daydreaming, sewing, exploring.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Thoughtful... Being an illustrator I think in pictures, so I would like to be remembered by Peggy, Mr Huff, a child finding joy, a duck and a smudgy frog in the rain.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
A jumping spider, a tiny seal made of wood, a lamp, the cat and my visual diary.

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!)
The End of The World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell. On a quiet night I listen to the sky.

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
I have many questions for the poet Emily Dickinson. I recently wondered what experience inspired her to write:

“I stepped from plank to plank
So slow and cautiously;
The stars about my head I felt,
About my feet the sea

I knew not but the next
Would be my final inch —
This gave that precarious gait
Some call experience.”

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Ah, that is a TOUGH question. At this stage, I would rather be able to keep creating stories if I had to choose!

Anna Walker writes and illustrates children's books and is based in Melbourne. Crafted with pencil, ink and collage, Anna's illustrations are inspired by the everyday details of life and the amusing antics of her menagerie. Anna's picture book, Mr Huff, which she wrote and illustrated, won the 2016 CBCA Book of the Year for Early Childhood and was shortlisted in the 2016 Prime Minister's Literary Awards. Together with Jane Godwin, Anna has also created many beautiful picture books, most recently Go Go and the Silver Shoes. Anna's most recent picture books as author/illustrator are the highly acclaimed Florette, the delightful Lottie and Walter and the tender and touching Hello Jimmy! For more information, see www.annawalker.com.au.

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Review: Hawk

Review: Don't Forget

Life is full of busy and chaos and challenge. For all ages. There’s lots to do and lots to remember.

Don’t forget to make your bed, and wear socks that fit your feet.

Don’t forget to brush your teeth, and don’t forget your homework!

There is so much swirling and whirling in our heads of every minute of every day, it’s easy to forget the real things we should be careful not to forget.

Don’t forget to wonder, to be brave, to share.

Don’t forget to imagine, and to feel the touch of each season.

Don’t Forget by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker is a beautiful peek inside kid life. It’s a reminder of the emphasis we place on everyday things — sometimes too much emphasis — which results in us forgetting the stuff that really does matter.

Connection, friendship, hope. Running, laughing, playing. It’s important we all remember (kids and adults alike) the things that have true meaning, the things that spark joy.

Jane Godwin’s words penetrate deep. She has chosen the best examples, the best reminders, the most wonderful stories of family, friendship and love. Every turn of the page is one more stunning reminder we are part of something larger than ourselves and the whole world is waiting as long as we don’t forget.

But the stunning words are only one half of the story. Anna Walker creates love, life and community on the pages. She brings a whole neighbourhood alive and gives each character hopes and dreams and history. The story of their lives plays out on the pages as the kids and their families navigate their worlds, connect and share, and remember not to forget the things that matter.

This book means so much to the world right now. In a challenging time, when it’s easy to forget we are part of a bigger whole, a larger community, we need books like this. We need to be reminded that magic still exists, and love can be found in the people around us.

This is the book that does it.

For more stunning picture books by the Godwin/Walker super duo, check out Go Go and the Silver Shoes. And for a behind the scenes look at the creation of Don’t Forget, make sure you check out this video.

Title: Don't Forget
Author: Jane Godwin
Illustrator: Anna Walker
Publisher: Puffin, $19.99
Publication Date: 30 March 2021
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781761040955
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Golden Tower

Belinda Murrell draws on her extensive travel, research, and rich life experiences to create a magical, mythological and mysterious landscape. This multi-layered adventure calls attention to the hidden and untapped strength in all of us.

Sophie believes she is not brave, and has few skills compared to the shining light that is her brother Archie. Nanna believes she is artistic, curious and imaginative. While staying with Nanna in England, they trek through some Roman ruins of a villa overlooking the river. Sophie learns about its history and the magical place where the ley lines cross to become a gateway to another world.

Sophie returns alone the next day hoping to find something valuable. All she finds is a ginger cat. Rain forces the girl and cat to shelter in the cleft of a rock, into which the cat disappears.

Following it, Sophie finds herself in Tuscia, an ancient, magical fairytale city of flying golden horses, centaurs and mazzamurelli. Four children appear; two sisters – Bia and Isabella, and their cousins, Leo and Nicco.

When Sophie saves Bia from a wild boar, she is taken by the children to their castle where they live with Nonna.

No sooner has Sophie settled in, that Ginevre, the stepmother the four children have never met, arrives to take them back to their father and the Palazzo de Fiori. Nonna insists that Sophie accompany the children, for she believes that Sophie’s purpose for arriving in Tuscia is to keep the girls safe. But from whom?

Sophie accompanies the children on their journey, along with Baccio the Talking ginger cat who has reappeared, and Lupo, Bia’s dog.

The timid and fearsome Sophie enters a world of challenges, secrets, magic and revelations. She is tested many times, but perseveres, wrestling with countless decisions she must make. Slowly, she uncovers the true identity of Ginevre, and the reason for her lust for power and misuse of magic.

But can she find the opening in the rock that will return her to Nanna or will she remain in Tuscia forever with her new friends?

Fast-paced, with glorious descriptions, exciting adventures through a time slip, and new friendships, The Golden Tower creates a powerful reading experience while proving to children they are more than they know, and capable of achieving great things.

Title: The Golden Tower
Author: Belinda Murrell
Publisher: Penguin, $ 16.99
Publication Date: 2 March 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 97817608970093
For ages: 8+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: North & South: A Tale of Two Hemispheres

Weather can be really different depending on where in the world you are.

The seasons, be they wet or dry, or spring, summer, autumn or winter, differ in their timing and extremes, from the tip of the southern hemisphere to far reaches of the northern hemisphere, and everywhere in between. 

Animals make the most of this, and often have special characteristics that help them survive and thrive in different weather.

Our wildlife are dependent on the environment, and climate change puts many of them at risk.

In North & South: A Tale of Two Hemispheres, author and illustrator, Sandra Morris takes us on a trip around the world, starting in January and ending in December.

 It's a calendar of a special kind.

As you move through the months, you'll uncover animals with talents such as camouflage (the Scottish Ptarmigan) and hibernation (Hazel Dormouse), animals who migrate (Monarch butterflies), and animals who mate during specific seasons (Caribou). Parenting, food, and more are also covered.

Each month is given a double page spread, with one of the pages featuring the northern hemisphere and the other the southern hemisphere. The conservation status and location of the animals is depicted using a labelled map. And there are beautiful large illustrations of each animal, along with explanatory text describing life cycles, lifestyles, and how they adapt to their environments.

North & South is supported by an excellent glossary, index, key references for further information, and tips on how you can help wildlife and the climate.

Lovely end papers feature a world map labelled with icons of the featured animals and their homes.

Both younger and older readers can travel and explore the world with North & South, a beautifully designed and illustrated book, showcasing the importance of wildlife and how the environment is critical to them.

Title: North & South
Author/Illustrator: Sandra Morris
Publisher: Walker Books , $ 27.99
Publication Date: February 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781925381801
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Stories Magazine

Review: A Brief History of Underpants

Have you ever wondered when and from where our wonderful undies originated? If so, and even if you haven’t, you will have the best laugh ever reading this book!

A Brief History of Underpants is an hilarious, historical journey around the world, on the how and what underpants were made of, who wore them first, and the stories of their origins and re-formation.

This seems to be a subject that interests many people as there are thirteen titles on the subject listed at the back of this book.

The entertainment begins on the cover where a rotating wheel changes the view of the undies worn by the character. Four chapters, Crusty Old Buns, Underpants Around the World, Cheeky Inventions, and Tushes Today, complete the contents.

This initial play on words carries through the entire book. It is filled with clever word use designed to make you laugh out loud, as you learn about the modest word that wasn’t uttered, until later when language caught up with progress.

Natural materials were used to make the first lower covering. This knowledge is uncovered in the same way as for fossils.

What did people wear in the freezing temperatures 20,000 years BCE to keep their lower regions warm? Animal skins of course! But which kind, and how were they worn?

Different countries wore their own type of covering. Each had a different name for undies. The ancient Egyptians wore loincloths, and many extra pairs were packed with one pharaoh to go with him to the afterlife. How did they dye them red? Why did King Tut wear silk ones? (These deep and meaningful facts come with each entry).

Sumo wrestlers – rikishi, competed in unwashed mawashi. Don’t try to imagine how long the cloth was! As an added surprise, instructions on how to wear one are included further on.

Mongol soldiers wore woven silk under their armour. Knights wore padded underpants. Why?

To discover what damsels in distress, and people in Medieval Europe, the Aztecs, North America, Australia and other countries used, surprise yourself with this historical and wonderfully funny but true information, on the evolution of man and their underpants! It will be borrowed, bought as presents, suggested for reading, and enjoyed by all ages.

Fabulous illustrations accompany the text to add to the hilarity already presented in words.

Title: A Brief History of Underpants
Author: Christine Van Zandt
Illustrator: Harry Briggs
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $14.99
Publication Date: 13 April 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978060370605
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Guest Post: Maddy Tyers on When Anna Came To Stay - Helping Others

Review: The Treehouse Joke Book 2

How do you talk about a joke book except to say it’s full of fun and entertainment? A chapter book that it is composed of a series of questions, answers, and humorous anecdotes so clever and imaginative, that simply considering how words can be used to create laughter, inspires awe.

Having collaborated on more than 33 best sellers, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton fit together in perfect harmony. In this second book of jokes, they delve into deep thinking, (results can be scary) doctors, ghosts, waiters, birthdays and pirates, amongst the inexhaustible amount of material they have produced and packed into one volume.

Q. Did you hear about the person who fell into an upholstery machine?
A. It’s OK. They’re fully recovered. (I took a break here to contain my laughter!)

Pages filled with red writing and illustrations initiate uncontrollable amounts of belly laughs. Frequent longer tales, like short, short stories, are built on skilled and perfected humour stretched out to extract maximum laughs.

The Treehouse Joke Book 2 is filled with content that will be shared in the schoolroom, schoolyard, backyard, bedroom, at the kitchen table, and anywhere else where more than one gather together.

Q. Did you hear about the claustrophobic astronaut?
A. They just needed a little space. This one is presented in one of the many fabulous double spreads, with the usual, unusual and intricate illustrations that get their own laughs independent of the text.

I loved this collection, although I am far from being a child. The book lifted my spirits, fixed my face in a smile and kept me laughing and amazed, at how imaginative these two impressive creators continue to be.

This book is for your own pleasure or to give to someone of any age. But don’t pass up the opportunity of obtaining the endless spontaneous happiness and joy found within the covers.

Title: The Treehouse Joke Book 2
Author: Andy Griffiths
Illustrator: Terry Denton
Publisher: Macmillan, $ 14.99
Publication Date: 30 March 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760980511
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior Fiction

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Junior Review: The Companion

The Companion by Katie Alender is a spooky and thrilling mystery, where each page brings you more chills and excitement. 

In the story, Margot has survived the unspeakable, the rest of her family has died in a car crash and she’s the only survivor. 

After the terrible accident, Margot is placed in a group home. She thinks it’s great that she’s left the group home to go live with the Suttons, a rich family who live in the countryside. 

Margot soon learns that they have a job for her in the secluded country estate. 

They want her to be a companion to their daughter Agatha, who recently lost her ability to speak and needs help doing everyday tasks. 

She starts to have suspicions about family members and starts exploring the house. This sends Margot on a whirl winding path of scary secrets about the Sutton family. 

Author Katie Alender has made The Companionthe most chilling book I’ve ever read and builds it up with a lot of suspense. The novel has so many twists and turns, with nightmares and a sprinkle of romance. The Companion is an addictive YA mystery novel that will be glued to your hand. 

Title: The Companion
Author: Katie Alender
Publisher: Putnam , $36.10
Publication Date: November 25, 2020
Format: Hardcover with jacket
ISBN: 9780399545917
For ages: 12 -17
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Review: The Perfectly Proper Grand Pet Parade

Coral Vass’ rhyme and rhythm presents a story full of activity, with its mixture of surprises, mischief, children, pets and bedlam. Illustrator Karen Sagovac, author of The Whimsical Wisdom of Phoebe, brings the story to life with her brilliant translation.

Lavender Gray is entering her miniature pup in the Grand Pet Parade at school. Everyone is taking part longing to be the winner of the Best Pet cup.

But while the children are lining up to show off their pets, mischief is brewing between Harry and Hugh. What are they planning? What secret plan is making them convulse with laughter.

Fabulous images of half legs, shoes, and feet running tell their own story as rats are unleashed!

Sounds fill the air: screech, yowl, flap and squawk, bark. Animals take off in a frenzy. What an opportunity! Chaos reigns!

The teacher, tangled in turmoil, with a frog on her head, calls for help.

Lavender’s whistle comes to the rescue. It rallies her friends to race and to chase.

With order restored, hens and birds caught, and pets under control, the Parade begins.

But where are Harry and Hugh? Why are the two mischievous boys having their own celebrations?

This picture book is a delight to read, and better to be read aloud with its wonderful alliteration and sound. It is funny and entertaining, with a surprise ending.

The illustrations are a celebration of fun-loving childhood with its expressive emotions, reflected both children and pets. A wonderful collaboration between author and illustrator. I loved it!

Title: The Perfectly Proper Grand Pet Parade
Author: Coral Vass
Illustrator: Karen Sagovac
Publisher: Larrikin House, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 1 March 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780648894551
For ages: 3 – 9
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Burn

Review: Ultimate Predator

Australia is home to many fascinating and beautiful animals. It’s also home to many dangerous predators.

Mammals, sea mammals, reptiles, fish, birds and minibeasts — there are deadly hunters lurking amongst all of them. Some more dangerous than others.

So, which is the most dangerous? Which is the ultimate predator?

Ultimate Predator pits the most lethal Australian animals against each other in the ultimate showdown of animal strength and cunning.

There are six tournament rounds where mammals verse mammals and minibeasts verse minibeasts. A predator champion is chosen in each round, and then comes the final round, where the champions compete for the title of “Ultimate Predator”.

Along the way, you’ll learn about each of the contenders, including their size, prey, attack style and killer tools. Like did you know a perentie can run up to 40 km/hr for long distances? Or did you know the Tasmanian Devil has the most powerful bite relative to body size of any living mammalian carnivore?

This is a brilliant read for curious kids who love beasts with teeth and claws. With easy-to-read information, bite-sized facts and stunning photography throughout, it’s super kid-friendly and a book kids can read and explore themselves (and then impress their friends with cool predator facts).

Perfect for classrooms and kids who love to learn about animals, Ultimate Predator is a fantastic non-fiction read.

Title: Ultimate Predator
Publisher: Australian Geographic, $19.95
Publication Date: 1 April 2021
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781922388117
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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12 Curly Questions with author Katrina Nannestad

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
As a kid, I didn’t like reading books. I preferred comics because they were funny and full of action. All the books I was offered were dull and serious, and not nearly as exciting as the wild and naughty things that happened every single day in my own back yard.

2. What is your nickname?
My friends call me Kate. My sons call me Wahm – said like ‘Muuuum’ but with a ‘w’ at the start and a long, whining sound in the middle.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Getting stuck on a sheer rockface, hundreds of meters above the ground. I have nightmares about it.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Adventure, history and humour wrapped in warm, wonderful words. (Maybe that’s only nine words, but I’m a writer not a mathematician!)

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Happy, daydreamy, thoughtful, motivated, disciplined.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Nanny Piggins, because she lives her life with such purpose and joy. She’s creative, energetic, adventurous and assertive. She’s a wonderful role model for girls, women, childcare workers and pigs.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
1796. I’d like to sit beside Jane Austen as she wrote her first draft of Pride and Prejudice. I’d like to see how she worked. Did she plan? Did she daydream? Did she write the same sentence 20 times until she got it just right? Did she stop for lots of cups of tea?

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Huh! I thought you were going to be a vet.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
My husband and my sons. They’re all smart and funny and really good at playing with words. They’ve sparked many great story ideas.

10. What/who made you start writing?
A fascination with stories. I love the way a good story becomes real. We disappear into the imaginary world and live alongside the characters, or even become one of the characters. I longed to create some of that story magic myself.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Flabbergasted. It’s old fashioned so not overused, and the sound of it is a great match for the meaning. You cannot say, ‘I’m flabbergasted!’ without truly sounding flabbergasted.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pride and Prejudice. It’s beautifully written, funny and full of fabulous characters. And it has a happy ending. I love a happy ending.

Katrina Nannestad is an award-winning Australian author. Her books include The Girl Who Brought Mischief, The Girl, the Dog and the Writer series, the Olive of Groves series, the Red Dirt Diaries series and the Lottie Perkins series, and most recently, We Are Wolves. Visit her at www.katrinanannestad.com.

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Winner: Paws Giveaway

Our lucky winner is...

Naomi Wang, VIC

Congratulations! 

You have won a copy of the beautiful new novel by Kate Foster, Paws.

Enjoy!

Thank you to ALL who entered. 

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Review: Huda and Me

Huda is one of seven children of a Lebanese-Australian family. When her parents learn that her grandmother in Lebanon is very ill, they depart unexpectedly so Mum can nurse her mother.

Aunt Amel, not actually an aunt but Mum’s friend, agrees to babysit the children in their home during Mum’s absence.

But Amel is one person to Mum, and another to the children. When the parents leave, the children’s lives are turned upside -down. They are now totally controlled by Amel, who takes baby Raheed hostage, to ensure their obedience.

Each is allocated a list of excessive daily tasks, with the twins unable to go to school due to Amel’s demands for baking and cooking. They have no communication with their parents as Amel has hidden the one phone in the house.

The mischievous but resourceful and headstrong Huda, hatches an incredible plan into which she drags her brother Akeal. Steal Amel’s credit card and book tickets online and go to their parents to let them know what is going on.

With the help of the amazing but partially deaf Mr Kostiki next door who is spellbound by the adorable Huda, they pull off the most impossible plan ever hatched. The siblings also come away with stronger family ties than ever.

The story is narrated by Huda’s brother Akeal, who is the total opposite of his younger sister. His point of view of each happening is pessimistic and exaggerated, whilst Huda’s is positive and absolute. This causes some impressive exchanges that are highly entertaining.

How do two children get away with travelling across the world as unaccompanied minors without getting caught?

Non-stop adventures ensue. This brilliant debut novel is plaited into the best read possible using family unity, love and humour from the beginning to end. Amazing characters keep the pages turning. So clever, so funny, you will not stop until it’s finished.

Title: Huda and Me
Author: H. Hyeck
Publisher: Allen & Unwin , $ 14.99
Publication Date: 30 March 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760526023
For ages: 9 – 13
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Video: Don't Forget

Don't Forget is a special book from two friends and creators, Jane Godwin and Anna Walker. It's about everyday things, and special things, and the things we sometimes need a reminder about. Don't Forget reminds us about the importance of family and friends, happiness, hope, dreams and imagination.

In this short video, Jane and Anna tell us about Don't Forget and about meeting, becoming friends and working together.

Title: Don't Forget
Author: Jane Godwin
Illustrator: Anna Walker
Publisher: Puffin , $ 19.99
Publication Date: March 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761040955
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Joe and the Stars

Joe lives under a wide sky filled with stars. He loves to climb trees and listen to kangaroos, and he loves gazing at the night sky.

Joe loves the stars. But then things change.

Joe and his family move to a city filled with soaring towers and lonely rooms.

He misses his old life and the wide-open spaces. He doesn’t like the new courtyard with one lonely tree. 

And he misses the stars, which he can no longer see when he looks out his window.

Will Joe ever get used to his new world away from the stars with his new house and new friends? Is there a way he can make the stars come back?

Joe and the Stars is a charming picture book about new friendships, imagination and wonder. It’s about pushing through challenges and finding creative ways to create the things you love, even if it’s in ways that are a little different.

It’s about being open to the new, even while you’re holding onto the old, and discovering that change brings good things too.

Author Phil Cummings writes with whimsical, lyrical language. With his words, he paints the landscape and evokes emotions. Then add in Connah Brecon’s stunning illustrations and you have a picture book you want to run your hands over as you read and hug tight when you close the cover at the end.

The colours are deep and vibrant, the characters are funky and detailed, and Brecon’s way with layout and design choices sucks you in and makes you pause as you read so you can explore each page in detail.

There is so much emotion in this picture book, delivered through both story and illustrations. Together they create an immersive experience.

For all kids who have experienced change they may not have been fans of, Joe and the Stars will inspire them to find creative solutions to their problems.

For more books by Phil Cummings, check out Boy, Anzac Biscuits and Ride, Ricardo, Ride!. For more books by Connah Brecon, check out The Book Chook, Allergic Alpaca, Foothand Elbownose.

Title: Joe and the Stars
Author: Phil Cummings
Illustrator: Connah brecon
Publisher: Scholastic, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 February 2021
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781742995045
For ages:  3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Heroes of the Secret Underground

This is a fast-paced time-slip adventure. Louie lives with her brothers, Ted and Bert, in the Majestic hotel run by their elegant, elderly grandparents in Sydney in the year 2000.

Louie meets a ghostly girl, Naomi who guides her to an old rose gold locket, seemingly abandoned on the street. 

It's a beautiful piece, decorated with mysterious symbols, and Louie recognises it as precious, but she is accused of stealing it by the anti-Semitic Mrs Tulip.

The locket draws her and the boys to Budapest, 1944, during winter in World War 2.

The children meet Naomi in person, as well as other people whose stories they know from photographs in their grandparents' collection. 

They also meet their own grandparents as children, living in fear of the Nazis who are consolidating their hold on the hapless Jewish population.

The locket links the two time streams.

The children witness the locket getting snatched from their child-grandmother's neck by a Nazi lieutenant who has taken a fancy to it. Louie decides to risk her life by tracking the locket down and reclaiming this valuable family heirloom. 

Louie, Bert and Teddy, with the help of Naomi, face dangers and become separated in the war-torn city. But they also meet brave people who risk their lives to save those of others.

The children need to dig deep into their resourcefulness and courage in order to right one wrong, and learn about the courage and resourcefulness of those who came before them.

A child of refugees herself, the author Suzanne Gervay, was inspired by family history in wartime Budapest to bring this story to life. A poignant and vibrant story.

Title: Heroes of the Secret Underground
Author: Suzanne Gervay
Publisher: Harper Collins, $16.99
Publication Date: 7th April, 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781460758335
For ages: 9+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: The Flying Angel

Tull Suwannakit is quickly becoming one of Australia’s best illustrators of children’s books. In his latest, The Flying Angel by the talented Vicki Bennett. Stylish illustrations support the emotive text. Detailed and in neutral colours, the artwork is almost photographic in its precision.

With Anzac Day approaching, many beautiful books will be circulating. This is one of them.

Inspired by the life of one courageous nurse, Sister Marie Eileen Craig, this stunning picture book reflects on the role sacrifice, bravery and courage play, and how they are transferred from soldier to nurse and vice-versa. 

Marie's call to nursing was evident when as a child, she practiced on her dolls. She idolised her father who had returned from the Great War. When she grew up, his life in active service was her example.

When another war broke out, Marie, at twenty-five, became part of the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service. The nurses rescuing the wounded at the front line in Papua New Guinea, became known as the Flying Angels.

Told in a first person narrative with Marie’s voice,views of the bombing, aid, comfort and compassion exhibited through war zones and aeroplanes full of wounded by Marie, are delicately and realistically depicted.

The dangers and threats from bombs do not deter Marie from her calling at any stage.

I loved the design of this book. On some pages, the text is the focal point, at times starring against a wisp of background colour. Others have full page images or double spreads as the main attraction which the text accommodates by hugging the bottom of the page. 

Amongst other books by Vicki Bennett are The Little Stowaway and Oliver's First Big Spy Adventure.

Tull Suwannakit is a Fine Arts Graduate from RMIT who uses different techniques in his art work. He teaches children art, creative drawing, picture book illustration and sculpture at his Malvern School of Art.

Title: The Flying Angel
Author: Vicki Bennett
Illustrator: Tull Suwannakit
Publisher: Scholastic, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 2 March 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781743835517
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The True Colour of a Little White Lie

Nelson has a problem that most fourteen-year-old boys would dream about: two attractive girls who don't know each other are interested in him. 

This is a sudden change from his reality as a small-town loser where his crush firmly turned down his advances. 

Thanks to Nelson's parents scoring a job running a ski lodge every weekend over the winter, Nelson's second life in a mountain resort where nobody knows him gives him the opportunity to reinvent himself.

This is a sharp contrast to his lonely life during weekdays at school. Nelson's best friend has recently moved away and the bullies consider him a soft target. 

On the mountain, he is free to ski all day and mingle with guests in the evenings.

 Two families regularly stay at the lodge. As it happens, each visit alternate weekends, and each has an attractive daughter about Nelson's age. 

Nelson doesn't set out to have a relationship with either girl. 

In fact, he's surprised that either of them seem interested in him.

 

Why should he put a stop to that and choose one girl? It's not as if he's doing any harm, and besides - the girls won't ever meet.

But the most insidious lies are the lies we tell ourselves. Nelson avoids any responsibility for his actions and decisions, but he can't escape the eventual consequences.

Overall, this is a sweet-level love-triangle romance told from the point of view of the boy. Bergomser makes Nelson a sympathetic character, without shirking the issue that even nice people make poor decisions. 

And if they happen to be adolescents, the quality of these decisions plummets even further!

Title: The True Colour of a Little White Lie
Author: Gabriel Bergmoser
Publisher: Harper Collins, $19.99
Publication Date: 7 April 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781460759097
For ages: 14+
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Meet The Illustrator: Ramona Davey

Name: Ramona Davey

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Quite eclectic. Bright, bold, dark, decorative, cute, simple. Hopefully fun.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
IPad pro and pen, sketchbooks, thousands of pens and pencils.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Digital – because I love the undo button.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.

Each month it changes but right now it is Chris Haughton, Christian Robinson and Jane Massey.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
The Neolithic, so I can see if the art was representing stories of the time or it was just teenagers spreading graffiti all over their neighbourhood. 

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?

Teaching primary students visual art made me realise that I was their role model and it was imperative that I shared my artwork with them including mistakes and artistic accomplishments. Reading picture books with an arty theme inspired me to have a go at illustrating picture books for myself.

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.

I like to stand at the high desk when I draw in the day but I often draw at night while in bed as that is when my brain wakes up.

 What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
The finished product as the agony of what to draw, how to draw it and in what style is over.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Start today, not tomorrow.

Ramona is an experienced Visual Arts primary teacher. She also writes and illustrates for children.

For more information, please visit Ramona's website or follow her on instagram 

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Review: Walking Your Human

Can you guess what your dog is thinking?

If you're a dog owner or simply a dog lover, you will love this book and recognise the situations shared.

Walking Your Human is a dog's eye view of the relationship between dogs and their owners.

If read alone, without seeing the pictures, the text by Liz Ledden is a collection of rather innocent observations.

Dogs love walking, so their humans must love walking, too. 

It's important to drink, so why wouldn't you want to stop for some water?

And if there's a chance of a free snack, you'd best grab it quickly.

Add illustrations by Gabriella Petruso and the story takes on a whole new meaning.

The dogs in Walking Your Human disturb their owners when they are relaxing, and drag them all over the place, including after small, wild creatures, and into the middle of a pond.

It's the expressions on the faces of the humans, and the seemingly innocent, joyful attitude of the dogs, that makes this so fun.

Some of the owners are content walking with their dogs. However, the dogs have some interesting thoughts on their clothing, and the need for protecting owners from birds and romantic liaisons.

Dogs of many kinds, big and small, are featured (see if you can spot the Jack Russell, Daschund, Spaniel, Greyhound and others).

Settle down and enjoy this entertaining and uplifting story with the human and dog members of your family. Reading Walking Your Human is sure to make you laugh, and re-think your experience of canines.

Teachers' notes are available to download from the publisher's website.

Title: Walking Your Human
Author: Liz Ledden
Illustrator: Gabriella Petruso
Publisher: Larrikin House, $ 24.99
Publication Date: February 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780648894513
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Guest Post: Liz Ledden on Walking Your Human

We are beyond excited to invite picture book author, Liz Ledden to a special Q & A today to get behind the scenes of her latest publication, Walking Your Human released in February. After discovering more about that incredible connection many of us develop with our canine chums, pop back this afternoon for Sarah's review of this hilarious hound-inspired tail, er tale!Can you tell us about your new picture book, Walking Your Human?
Walking Your Human is essentially a dogs’ own guide to all the best things to do on a walk. The dogs in the story are sure they have humans all figured out, from how to tell if they want to be taken out in the first place, to the best places to cool down, take in amazing views and even score some snacks. It features super fun illustrations by Gabriella Petruso that add a whole lot of extra humour to the text (and some added insight into these pooches delusional thought processes!).

What is it about the human/dog relationship that’s so special?
Dogs have so much personality, and they definitely have emotions! I think in this way they’re a lot like humans, so we have a special bond. Dogs are loyal and like companionship, they’re always by your side, and have a lot of love to give. I think this might be why we put up with any faults – dogs are pretty forgiveable!

What do you think kids will enjoy about your story?
I think they’ll enjoy the comical dogs and human characters in the story (which is all thanks to the illustrations!) plus the nonsensical, contradictory nature of the dogs’ instructions. The way the canine narrator sounds so sure of themselves about what humans like to do on walks (and how dogs should behave) would be funny to savvy kids. And the way it’s a pretty accurate portrayal of the dog/human relationship has that appeal of – oh, my dog does that!

Can you tell us about choosing to write from a different point of view?
We already have a bit of insight into the way humans think, whereas getting inside a pet’s head is a bit more unique and lends itself better to humour! If we heard from a human about walking their dog, it would be a little mundane or even a bit negative (I can’t believe we had to stop 68 times!). The dog’s point of view is sassy and overly cocky in that they totally think they know it all, which makes for a funnier reading experience. There’s a kind of optimism there that makes their behaviour so forgivable too. By doing things like dragging their human into the pond to cool down, they think they’re actually helping them out.

Besides all the crazy fun of walking (and its perils) are there are any other themes in the book?
Beyond the surface layer of dog shenanigans, there is an undercurrent of the mutual love affair dogs and their humans have. There’s a lot of putting up with each other’s habits and compromise, and even a few tender moments, like a bit of a ‘pause’ spread where the human and dog stop to appreciate a few finds in nature, amidst the chaos. I think the final spread with the dalmatian and human sharing a bed also highlights the love between dogs and humans, even if they can drive each other crazy at times. It reflects the parent/child dynamic too, as the dogs could just as easily be rambunctious toddlers or pre-schoolers.

Can you give us any insight into the illustrations? Like, are any of the dogs based on real canine companions?
There are a few real-life dogs dotted throughout! Gabriella Petruso has done a brilliant job of depicting a whole canine crew of different sizes and temperaments. Observant young readers might discover that some look a lot like their owners. Or is it the other way around?! I love that the humans and dogs’ lives are so entwined despite their wildly different ways of seeing the world. One of the spreads features a cocker spaniel and owner reflecting one of the illustrator’s close friends Shaun and his dog. The bearded collie on page 10 is the illustrator’s childhood dog Jasper, which is another nice touch. Then there’s also a scene with an older lady and a corgi (and a pigeon scenario that’s one of my favourites) - you can probably guess which famous corgi owner she had in mind! And Gabriella herself is the mum with the baby sling. I just love this, especially as she had a newborn baby while illustrating our book – no mean feat!

Does your own dog get up to similar shenanigans while walking you?
She does indeed. My little dog Frankie (a silky terrier crossed with who knows what – she looks a bit like a baby dingo) definitely walks me, not vice versa. She kind of decides which of our local parks we walk to and of course, has to stop at every opportunity. As you can imagine, this inspired a lot of the scenarios in the story! My dog has a wonderful habit of kicking dirt all over me, and weirdly does it a lot at the local street library. I think it’s some kind of protest that I’ve initiated the stop, this time!

Walking Your Human is written by Liz Ledden, illustrated by Gabriella Petruso and published by Larrikin House.

To find out more about Liz, visit: www.lizledden.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/liz_ledden

Twitter: www.twitter.com/liz_ledden

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LizLeddenAuthor

Podcast: www.onemorepagepodcast.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Review: The Werewolves Who Weren't

1. What's your hidden talent?
I used to be a masterful nautical navigator, maneuvering sailboats up and down the rivers of the English Channel and once across the Atlantic and through the BVIs. Exacting, thrilling, challenging stuff but that was long ago. Now I find it hard just navigating my way through interviews like these. I can’t believe we give these questions to authors; they are so hard!

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Severus Snape from Harry Potter; he’s portrayed as a villain when really he’s the penultimate guardian angel, victim of unrequited love, master of subterfuge and pretty good at mixing potions. I love a good conflicted, slightly sinister underdog.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Yann Martel, Amor Towles, W Bruce Cameron, Garth Stein. I think this combo would stimulate a lot of intelligent, emotive and dog-orientated conversation, which might be interesting (especially as Laura is dead) and divert attention from any incidental culinary cockups. What does one cook for a ghost anyway?

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
Hermione Granger's time turner necklace. I find myself wanting a device like this nearly every second of the day so I could be in two places at once and never miss out on events! This supposedly ages the user though and there’s enough of that happening to me as it is so perhaps Willy Wonker’s Chocolate Factory is a better option! Can you imagine? I’d settle for a working wand though. Nothing fancy just your average model would do nicely, you know, for illuminating dark places when my mobile battery is flat.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Spasmodic, heartfelt, unfettered, organic, imprecise

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
I’d love to actually just be remembered although if there was a speech or something involved, I’d be happy to hear these adjectives: generous, committed, zealous, genuine, gracious.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
Books! Stuffies; toy characters like Pippa and Uni from my books plus a zoo-full of others. A window with a view; my current writing space is a windowless nook, cosy but hot and cold by degrees and far from nature. A mug of sweet milky coffee to stymie the urge to eat (chocolate) constantly. Picture book posters on the wall. A framed illustration of Stillwater from Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth inspires and protects my soul.

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!)
‘They’re’ swimming upside down in a soup of wild hopes and missed opportunities. Bubbles hated her new tank and everyone in it, especially now she was blind.

Taken from Penguin Bloom the young readers’ film adaptation.

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
If you could re-live your childhood, would you and why or why not? Which I think would lead to some pretty revealing discussions about what they loved or hated most about it and what they might change. At least I hope it would! It’s the type of question I want to ask everyone including myself but I’d love to natter about this with Bob Graham.

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Never write another story. Although I think that would be difficult to suppress and tales might eventually subvert diary entries and shopping lists. But to never ever read another book? Inconceivable. Reading is without question my favourite thing to do, almost better than breathing. Period. 

Dimity’s latest picture book, Oswald Messweather (March 2021) addresses the debilitating condition of OCD. Mess and disorder upset Oswald. Even the complexity of his own name is enough to set Oswald’s legs jiggling and his palms itching with anxiety. To combat his unease, Oswald obsessively counts his crayons. It is a compulsion he finds comforting but also extremely exhausting. Oswald’s story is about recognising the small things, letting go and forging forward.

For those lucky enough to live in SE QLD or are visiting over Easter, Dimity will be launching Oswald Messweather at The Mad Hatter’s Bookshop, Saturday 10 April 2021 at 10.30 am. Book online to join in the fun.

Dimity Powell loves filling every spare moment with words. She’s the Managing Editor for Kids' Book Review and writes and reviews exclusively for children with over 30 published stories, including Oswald Messweather (2021), Pippa (2019), the SCBWI Crystal Kite 2019 Award winner, At The End of Holyrood Lane (2018) and the critically acclaimed, The Fix-It Man (2017). She is also a Books in Homes Role Model, an accredited Write Like an Author facilitator and an online and in-school presenter for G.A.T.E.WAYS Education. Dimity lives on the Gold Coast where dreams sparkle and superheroes surf. Discover more at www.dimitypowell.com.

 

 

 

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Review: Kid Reporter: The Secret to Breaking News

Ever wondered what it would be like to be a reporter? Are you interested in finding the hot scoop and sharing the news with your friends or school?

If you’ve ever thought about starting a magazine, newspaper, podcast or radio station, Kid Reporter: The Secret to Breaking News is the book that’s going to help you get it done.

Everything you need to know to be a kid reporter is in this book. Seriously, everything! It’s filled to the brim with advice, examples, exercises and the know-how to become an awesome reporter.

Learn about what a reporter does, how to go out on assignment, how to be a detective and sleuth for the truth, and how to publish your stories.

You’re provided with all the information you will need, from what tools and equipment to take with you, to what questions you should  ask when you’re interviewing someone.

Splashed throughout the book are exercises to help you practice, and also real-life examples of kids and classrooms that have become reporters and started their own newspapers or magazines.

There’s even brilliant sections in the book on fake news and how to spot it, the ethics of journalism and the difference between perspective and opinion.

Authors Saffron Howden and Dhana Quinn are both mums and journalists, so they not only know their stuff when it comes to reporting, but they also know how to speak ‘kid’. They have brilliantly translated complex stuff into easy-to-understand content for kids, that is both fun and interesting to read.

If you know a kid who is interested in writing, journalism or reporting, or you’re a classroom looking for a cool project, you really need to check out this book. It’s a fantastic read and really, truly, absolutely gives you everything you need to be the best kid reporter there ever was.

Title: Kid Reporter: The Secret to Breaking News
Author: Saffron Howden and Dhana Quinn
Publisher: NewSouth Publishing, $27.99
Publication Date: February 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781742237145
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Untwisted: The Story of My Life

If you thought you learnt all about Paul Jennings, children’s book writer, through his children’s writing, you will be surprised by the truthful insight into who he really is, with his extraordinary and revealing autobiography, Untwisted: The Story of My Life.

This book will stay with me forever. It is the epitome of resilience, renewal, reinvention and strength of character.

Jennings unashamedly speaks of his life, respecting certain people by not mentioning their names, but being faithful to the episodes his life contains that brought him to who he now is; the situations, personal and professional, he fought hard to overcome or correct.

It is an inspiring book. His struggle with personal relationships and depression, is authentically approached.

His honesty concerning things he actively addressed to change gives hope to hopeless situations. In reading this book, empathy and understanding for each human struggle surfaces.

Everyone has a story to tell. A beautiful and or ugly story of their life’s journey that is unique. It is always special, regardless who the person is, famous, infamous, or an ordinary person that carved an extraordinary life for themselves. And the others that didn’t but lived as best they could with what they had. This message lies between the lines.

This review does not reveal even a small part of the life of Paul Jennings contained in his book – the role of son, father, husband, teacher, writer. This is because the reviewer wishes each reader to experience the glows of beauty appearing throughout the memoir; its writing, the person who wrote it and the way the story is presented. Perhaps, it too, will stay with each reader, for their own special reason.

Title: Untwisted: The Story of My Life
Author: Paul Jennings
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $34.99
Publication Date: 29 September 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760525828
For ages: 15 – 99
Type: Memoir

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Review: The Odds

Review: The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain

The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain is all about possibilities and hope for the future. 

That's what Katherine Rundell wanted to focus on right now, when the world is in upheaval.

Rundell is a bestselling author (Rooftoppers and others), and she contacted her writing and illustrating colleagues and invited them to participate in this compilation.

More than 100 people have contributed, and the book amounts to almost 400 pages of uplifting short stories, poems and illustrations. 

One of my favourites is The One-Hundred-Year-Old Gardener who plants strawberry seedlings, looking forward to turning them into jam by her next birthday.

There's also Lockdown Cat Haircut, where a young child amuses herself with the neighbour's cat, and The Hope-o-potamus, who learns that although the journey may be tough, you should keep going because persistance can pay off.

Most of the written pieces are less than 500 words in length, and some even shorter, so you can read one or more in a short space of time.

There are also gorgeous stand-alone illustrations like one of children chalk drawing, and some featuring famous quotes, such as Martin Luther King Junior's 'Only in the darkness can you see the stars'. And there's one from Emily Gravett called New Classmates, which is a picture of a child in pyjamas teaching maths to a pet dog, cat, rabbit, and fish.

The creative pieces are presented in categories with titles like The Stars, Things That Grow, Kindnesses, Playtime, and Do It Yourself. 

You may recognise many of the creators, or at least you might know their books. People like Axel Scheffler (who illustrated The Gruffalo), Anthony Horowitz (creator of the Alex Rider series), and Lauren Child (the Charlie and Lola books).

The Book of Hopes is a great book to dip in and out of. Keep it nearby and pick it up when you need a boost, or simply want to smile. It's highly recommended.

The UK's National Literacy Trust has a host of downloadable resources to support The Book of Hopes, including curriculum resources, and wellbeing and literacy resources.

Title: The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain
Author: Edited by Katherine Rundell
Publisher: Bloomsbury, $ 24.99
Publication Date: January 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:  9781526629883
For ages: 8+
Type: Anthology

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Giveaway: Paws by Kate Foster

Review: Mo and Crow

Mo is a loner. The huge wall he has built to keep others out is testimony to his preference for privacy and his chosen way of life.

Strange sounds are heard from behind the wall. Mo ignores them. In fact, he is irritated by the invasion on his silence. The persistent tapping removes a stone and reveals a beak. The stone is replaced, but again it is pushed out to reveal Crow.

Full of anger, Mo tries in every way he can to get rid of this invader. Slowly the hole gets bigger. He throws a stone in his last attempt. Crow won’t be moved. 

Crow sits and watches as Mo sits and watches him. Then Crow isn’t there. But the rock pile grows as Mo, determined to rebuild, mixes the cement.

But there is space, and light, and hills and things that weren’t there before. But now, no Crow.

This is an emotive reflection on solitude, the human need for company, and acceptance. Also, the breaking down of walls erected in any form that separate us, and the value these bring to life.

Beautifully translated by multi-award winning illustrator Jonathan Bentley, in bold colours and lines. The book carries messages of diversity and inclusion; differences and similarities.

The multi-talented Jo Kasch has a history of creating children’s entertainment. An award-winning television writer, her debut as a writer in Mo and Crow reflects the things she believes in.

Title: Mo and Crow
Author: Jo Kasch
Illustrator: Jonathan Bentley
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 2 March 2021
Format: Hardcover 
ISBN: 9781760631758
For ages: 5 – 8
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Anemone is Not the Enemy

Clever and quirky, this is a picture book to delight and inform children of all ages. 

From the witty play on words in the title and the fluorescent-pink endpapers, to the minimal text and quirky sub-plot of a crab looking for a shell to call home, Anna McGregor is proving herself a picture-book creator to watch.

Anemone lives a lonely existence in his little rockpool. He's desperate to make a friend and whenever the tide comes in, he's hopeful it will bring a special buddy. But each time anyone tries to get close to him in the rockpool, he stings them.

This is a simple but fascinating look at life inside a rockpool. Through Anemone's story, we learn some of the different species that live in a rockpool, those that visit when the tide comes in and the beautiful symbiotic relationship between certain species that allows them to work together to survive. A fact page at the back describes the symbiosis that helps Anemone finally find his special friend, along with the hermit crab's search for a discarded sea-snail shell for protection.

What's truly impressive is that the story is set entirely in the little rockpool and yet Mcgregor maintains interest through her vibrant digital illustrations, which capture the expressions of the sea creatures with such humour and detail.

Shortlisted for the 2021 CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year, this is an unusual and dazzling celebration of the natural world.

Title: Anemone is Not the Enemy
Author/Illustrator: Anna McGregor
Publisher: Scribble, $24.99
Publication Date:
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781922310118
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Guest Post: Martine Murray on Trusting Your Creative Self: Writing The Wanting Monster