Review: Group Hug! A Collective Noun Safari

A flamboyance of flamingos. A troop of orangutans. A bloat of hippos.                    

This book is a joyful adventure into the very strange world of animal collective nouns. A playful homage to our (at times) ridiculous English language, Group Hug! is wonderfully quirky.      

Wilbur is a city kid who loves animals and shares with us those that have the strangest group-names and habits. He does this through asking questions in cheerful rhyme that is clever and unpretentious.                                          The glorious illustrations – a combination of pencil and photoshop watercolour, topped off with a sneaky, smudgy sense of pastel – are dynamic and oozing with fun. Here’s my favourite double spread:                                                                                                                  

Standing beneath a burning sun, swatting flies from around our bums, bellowing out the latest news, we’re an implausibility of gnus!                                                                                     

The illustration here is gold. Gnus in a whirl of dust so viscous that it catches in your throat, smiling cheesily toothy grins straight at you, to totally charm your little socks off.   

The endpapers are fabulous and contain world maps front and back – one listing types of animals and the other, their collective nouns. As with the rest of the book’s content, these contain loads of potential fun and discovery for engaged readers to match up and source further information.                                                                        

Younger readers will adore this book, and I can see that it will also be a wonderful coffee table accent or even dinner-party fodder (ie: the conversation, not the meal itself!), appealing to all ages and stages of life.                   

Feelgood factor: This book supports The Lion’s Share, a fund backed by the UN’s Development Program - mentored by David Attenborough - and its work protecting our most vulnerable wildlife groups.

Title: Group Hug – A Collective Noun Safari
Author/Illustrator: Andy Fackrell
Publisher: Ford St $24.95
Publication Date: April 1, 2022
Format: Paperback/Hardcover
ISBN: 9781925804997
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Meet The Illustrator: Connah Brecon

Name: Connah Brecon

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Hopefully it’s believable to the audience. Contains essence. 

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Can’t live without pencil & paper. Music or a good podcast for my ears. My Mac, which is where the magic happens after the pencil & paper bit.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Currently I work digitally on Final Art, but I love the initial exploration of a story in pencil; finding out who the characters are, how the scenery might look etc.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
I admire many illustrators but I tend not to scrutinise their work too much. As for past artists, I am a big fan of Turner especially, but also many other artists. I tend not to lean to other artists for inspiration, instead allowing the story text to drive much of that.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I love the period we are in right now. I feel if I went back in time, the many negatives would outweigh the artistic positives. Now is fine thanks. Also, I think my family would probably miss me… probably.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
A very nice lady introduced me to illustration when I was pretending to be an artist. I thank that lovely lady very much.

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

Welcome to my studio. Firstly, you’ll note the large size sketch pad front & centre, working on my next picture book, roughing characters & storyboarding the pages. Left of the Mac is my scanner, very important for transferring roughs to Photoshop, where all the colour work happens for the Final Art. Obviously hard not to notice the big 27inch Mac, which I love working on, the big screen is perfect for viewing complete spreads when producing a book. Wacom tablet from which I paint up the final art in combination with Adobe Photoshop. & it all sits on my table, which is perfect for sitting or standing, & given I spend so much time here it is really important to look after my body.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
This is a little tricky to answer, as each part of the process of putting a book together has it’s own challenges & pay-offs. I do really love the initial exploration of what the characters in a story might look like, how they feel they might be if they could walk off the page. Equally, that final moment when you have completed the finished art & look back into this world you have brought to life, that is pretty cool.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Don’t stop. You’ll feel like giving up many times, honestly, it’s something that never goes away, questioning if you are up to the job, but that is the challenge. Also, read a lot, read a lot of whatever tickles your fancy, reading is good imagination food.

Lastly, remember to have fun.

 

Connah Brecon, originally from the UK, is an author-illustrator based in

Victoria, Australia, where he lives with his wife and daughter and cat

and plants. Connah has written and illustrated six picture books, and illustrated

many more stories written by Australian authors. While it is true that

dogs like books, Connah illustrates books mostly for people, some of

whom happen to be temporarily short.

For more information, please visit Connah's website or follow him on instagram.

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Thunderstorm Dancing

Books with spark come around again and it’s Thunderstorm Dancing’s turn to return with a ‘crackling zap! sizzling snap!’ First published in 2015, this 2016 CBCA Book of the Year, Early Childhood, has now been released in paperback. Perhaps you remember Tania McCartney’s original review of the hardcover version?

Katrina Germeinweaves a story about a little girl and her family harnessing the hurly-burly of a thunderstorm. The little girl’s family feel energised by the storm and their bodies and voices move to the intensity and rhythm of it. The little girl, on the other hand, feels the storm’s enormity and stays small and still. Finally calm descends and it’s time for Granny and the girl to tap into the new mood. This story revels in the mayhem of a large family and reminds me of my own. My husband, four kids and I often break into spontaneous dancing and singing, especially as a way of cheering someone up.

Germein’s words roll around my mouth and pop and fizz, enticing me to read the book aloud with my kids, again and again. The poetic prose captures the verve of a storm, expertly employing rhythm, rhyme, and my favourite, onomatopoeia. Think, ‘ga-bang’, ‘ga-boom’.

I am captivated by Judy Watson’s expressive illustration style as I detailed in Searching for Cicadas. That superb scratchy line work. It flows and billows, undulating across the page, visualising the storm’s energy. Watson has used varied perspectives captured in mixed media, ink, watercolour, gouache, as well as, digital colour. Watson’s use of complementary colours, blue and orange, make each spread pop.

Thunderstorm Dancing is a wonderful read-aloud book for families and as a primary teacher, I highly recommend it as a resource for classrooms. Imagine writing a poem inspired by the use of onomatopoeia in the book. Also Germein is an early childhood teacher and so has lots of suggestions on her websiteand her Pinterest. There are also teaching notes here. What’s more, this story is a wonderful model for how to express big emotions as a means of catharsis, a real interest of mine at the moment.

Thunderstorm Dancing captures the vitality of life in words and pictures. A book of gusto, sparkle and spirit.

Title: Thunderstorm Dancing
Author: Katrina Germein
Illustrator: Judy Watson
Publisher: A&U Children's, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: 5 January 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760527150
For ages: 2 - 8
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Animal Migrations: Flying, Walking, Swimming

Many animals migrate, but why some and not others? 

What prompts them to move from one place to another?

You may have many questions about this particular animal behaviour and Animal Migrations by Diane Jackson Hill sets out to answer them.

Animal Migrations has ten chapters, the first being about animal migration in general, and then chapters about three different types of migration.

Walking migration includes animals like caribou, plains zebras, and bearded pigs.

Marine animals that take part in swimming migration include turtles, whales, and northern elephant seals.

Those that fly are perhaps best known and include about one-fifth of bird species, as well as some bats and insects like butterflies.

Lots of facts and figures and examples are given for each type of animal migration. From the longest migration (Greenland to Antarctica), to how whale migration is monitored (tags tracked by satellite), and more, there is plenty to learn about this aspect of animal life.

There are surprises (hummingbirds migrate alone), and examples of accidental migration (frogs that hide in bunches of bananas and end up in a different part of the country when the bananas are transported for sale).

The connection between animal migration and human culture is also explored. For example, the migration of particular animals like eels and caribou being linked to the timing of community gatherings and celebrations.

The importance of animal migration to our environment and future is highlighted, too. We need to be aware and active in making sure the survival of these animals isn't threatened.

Animal life cycles, behaviour, and biodiversity are all covered in Animal Migrations, with detailed information, many photographs, a glossary and recommended further reading in a well-designed package.

Animal Migrations offers a wealth of information, perfect for assignments, or for anyone wanting to learn more about the animal world.

Teachers' notes can be downloaded from the publisher's website.

Title: Review: Animal Migrations: Flying, Walking, Swimming
Author: Diane Jackson Hill
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing, $29.99
Publication Date: August 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781486315413
For ages: 8+
Type: Non-Fiction

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Review: Oceans of plastic: understanding and solving a pollution problem

Plastic often seems to be found everywhere, and it equals pollution, especially when it's in the ocean.

In Oceans of Plastic readers will uncover a wealth of information about the the importance of our oceans, the issue of plastics, and how to help solve plastic pollution problems.

All presented in ten chapters, with glossary and further information recommendations.

There are staggering statistics, such as the fact more pieces of plastic are estimated to be in the ocean than stars visible in the milky way!

Ocean ecosystems are explained and explored, with excellent diagrams. And animals are celebrated with creature feature spotlights (turtles, albatross, and others).

It shares information on 'science in action' including magnetic fields used for navigation, and 'communities in action' making efforts to change the future and deal with the plastic problem. One example being a student who developed a natural, degradable bioplastic material, and other examples of citizen scientist projects and plastic-free activity alternatives.

Oceans of Plastic is carefully designed to make it easy for students to identify and follow concepts, and is accompanied by photographs.

Highly recommended, especially as a fantastic resource for school assignments, and for inspiration about how we can make a difference in big and little ways.

Teachers' notes are available on the publisher's website

Title: Oceans of plastic: understanding and solving a pollution problem
Author: Tracey Gray
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing, $29.99
Publication Date: June 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781486312573
For ages: 8+
Type: Non-Fiction

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Winner: Finding Jupiter

Our lucky winner is...

Carmela Catalano, QLD

Congratulations!

You have won a copy of the new YA novel, Finding Jupiter by Kelis Rowe.

Thank you to ALL who entered. We admire your pluck as risk takers!

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Review: Shine, Star, Shine!

Stars can be captivating, but how much do you know about them? 

What could you tell kids about them?

Shine, Star, Shine! is a book that will help explain some of the mystery of stars, using our closest star, the sun, as its principal character.

Written in a narrative form, Shine, Star, Shine! takes readers on a journey, beginning with the birth of a star.

At sunrise, animals come out to play and people go about their day. The star (sun) turns as the day progresses, and ultimately as the seasons come and go.

The star (our sun) is important in many things we take for granted, such as growing and ripening plants, and heating and cooling the earth. And there are many more stars than just the one that is our sun. Trillions of them. Some of which form shapes we know as constellations.

Author Dom Conlon is a poet with a background in advertising, and he's used this experience well to select and write about starry facts in an unusual and expressive way. The lilting narrative is complemented with beautiful pictures by illustrator and graphic designer Anastasia Izlesou.

Shine, Star, Shine! is a great STEM-themed book to add to home libraries, and to use in classrooms.

Teachers' notes can be downloaded from the publisher's website.

Title: Shine, Star, Shine!
Author: Dom Conlon
Illustrator: Anastasia Izlesou
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing and Graffeg Books, $24.99
Publication Date: July 2022
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781486316823
For ages: 5 - 8
Type: Picture Book, Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: The New Dog

Review: Lion Poops

Lionel Poops is a funny board book with quirky humour that reads perfectly for a young audience who may be in need of some toilet training tips.

Lionel is bouncing on the trampoline when all the sudden, he feels the urge to poop.

But, Lionel does not know exactly where to do his business, so ends up traipsing all over the world from cows to Paris to the sun itself to do his ‘doo’. ‘No, Lionel No!’ Will

he ever make it to the toilet?

My toddler roared with laughter at this one. The repetition is effective by making each page readable and fun for its intended age group. I cracked up reading it for the first time myself. I loved the drawings of Lionel, which are also hilarious in their own right, from his big toothy smile, to his adorable belly button. You will find yourself shouting along to the repetitive line ‘No, Lionel No!’ as Lionel tramps about the world, finding different things to poop on.

The pastel colours of the illustrations with the sky blue background and the lemon

yellow lion are gentle and well suited for its age group. 

Lionel Poops teaches young ones about using the toilet properly in the best possible way, because it is so subtle they won’t realise they are being taught a lesson. A hilarious book absolutely perfect for any kid who needs to learn where to do their business!

Lionel has another story in which Lionel learns all about food, Lionel Learns to Eat,

and I bet it is as great as this (and hopefully doesn’t involve any poop!).

Title: Lionel Poops

Author/Illustrator: Eric Veille

Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $12.99

Publication Date: 1 June 2022

Format: Board book

ISBN: 9781776574636

For ages: 0 - 2

Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Comet

12 Curly Questions with author/illustrator Sandra Severgnini

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I used to be able to do a backbend kick-over from standing up.

2. What is your nickname? 
Sand

3. What is your greatest fear?
Getting sucked into a whirlpool.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Sensitive, quirky, gently humorous with an environmental and educational edge.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Curious, determined, eagre, sensitive, quirky.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Nathaniel Ward from The Amazing Case of Dr Ward. I relate to his curiosity and eagerness.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
End 2023 so I can have a better insight into where Covid is headed.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
You should have pursued your book journey earlier.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
It’s not a who, but a what. The magical natural world around me.

10. What/who made you start writing?
Inner voice. Drove me mad until I did something about it!

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Why?

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

After being the owner of a botanical art gallery and retail store, Sandra Severgnini decided it was well and truly time to nurture her passion and focus on children’s picture books. A fascination for the amazing natural world around her inspires her words and brings sensitivity and humour to her illustrations. For more information, see www.severgnini.com.au.

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Review: Naturopolis

Explorers, adventure seekers, curious questioners, have I got the picture book for you!

Explore the hidden wilderness of the city in Naturopolis. Get down low, seek out the cracks in the pavement and spot the green amongst the grey.

Here is a meadow in the footpath.

Bold bobbing heads in the sun,

Leaves like the teeth of a lion,

Seeds spun away with the wind.

Naturopolis is a stunning picture book, taking readers on a quest through a sprawling city to find the hidden natural landscapes waiting for discovery. Each page explores a new place — fern fronds growing in gutters, mushrooms glowing in the underpass — with a gorgeous melody like the one above, followed by some fascinating facts to feed the curiosity bound to be brewing in little (and big) minds.

I had no idea there was something called the ‘social huntsman spider’ which prefers to live in colonies. They live with up to 150 spiders, led by a female chief. I also didn’t know that ferns are found across every continent except Antarctica. I love that all creature and plant life is included with both a common name and its scientific name — a lovely addition that just adds to the fact power of this amazing book.

And to lead you on this joyful adventure through the city landscape (because who wants to go exploring by themselves!) you’ll find a lovely little gravel ant who appears on every page. He takes you all through the book, from the outskirts of the human city, into its depths and out the other side.

Sometimes he’s hiding on the pages, so you’ll need to look closely to find him. hidden quite cleverly so you may need to look hard to find him, but that’s okay, because every illustration in Naturopolis is a stunner and you’ll love taking your time to explore them. They are that perfect combination of life like (so you can see what things really look like) and funky picture book art that fuels your soul.

At the back of the book, you’ll also find a lovely list of all the creatures and plants featured, with even MORE cool facts about them.

If you love lyrical stories that create beauty with words and pictures, if you like non-fiction picture books, if you like learning about creatures and plant, Naturopolis is for you. Highly recommended for teachers and classroom too because not only is this picture book packed with facts, but its also really engaging.

Brought to us by Deborah Frenkel (the stunning words), Ingrid Bartkowiak (the beautiful illustrations) and Storytorch Press (bringing it all together), Naturopolis is a picture book winner.

Title: Naturopolis
Author: Deborah Frenkel
Illustrator: Ingrid Bartkowiak
Publisher: Storytorch Press, $26.95
Publication Date: September 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780 645191530
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Amanda Commander: The Pinky Promise

Book two in the Amanda Commander series by Coral Vass, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith, sees the Dolphin Squad faced with a new challenge. 

The cross country is coming up, and while Amanda quite enjoys running, one of her best friends, Mai, does not.

At Dolphin Squad headquarters (the small studio room in Amanda’s backyard), Amanda, Mai and Lucia hatch a plan to support Mai. 

They decide — they pinky promise — to run the cross country together so they can all finish at the same time. Except...

...that isn’t what happens, and somehow Amanda gets left behind.

Mai and Lucia have some serious friendship fixing to take care of, but how do you fix a broken pinky promise?

The Pinky Promise is the second instalment in the Amanda Commander series, a fresh and contemporary junior fiction series for kids who love real and relatable characters experiencing real and relatable life challenges. These books are fun, cheery and easy to read, but I love how they step into real-world kid life to look at some of the issues kids really do have to contend with, like friendships, school challenge and self-discovery.

I have a confession to make about this book. I actually read this one before I read book one, The Purple Invitation. But what I discovered is a really great benefit of this series — it really didn’t matter.

Each book stands alone, so you can read them in and out of order, jumping into different challenges facing the girls at different times. This makes the series really accessible for junior readers.

Heidi Cooper Smith’s beautiful illustrations also add to the magic. Scattered throughout, they support Amanda’s world and help with that jump into longer books.

This series is like a big hug for junior readers. It explores real life with humour and cheerfulness and helps readers tap into their inner strength to rise up and face their own life challenges.

Check out KBR’s review of The Purple Invitation to find out more about this great new series and look out for book 3 (The Yellow Dress) coming out in September 2022.

Title: Amanda Commander: The Pinky Promise
Author: Coral Vass
Illustrator: Heidi Cooper Smith
Publisher: Wombat Books, $12.99
Publication Date: June 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761110788
For ages: 6 - 9 
Type: Junior Fiction

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Giveaway: Finding Jupiter - YA New Release

What if Romeo & Juliet took place in Memphis in 2022?

Ray has no time for romance. She’s queen of the roller rink, she writes found poetry, and she’s got her eyes set on her own independent future. Besides, she’s seen what loving someone too much – and losing them.

Orion, on the other hand, would like to be smooth with the girls. Just once. He looks like the jock his father wants him to be, but really he’s a hopeless romantic. When he spots Ray at the rink, it feels like the stars have aligned.

But now it seems like something in their families’ past will stand in their way, and cross their stars forever…

For your chance to win a copy of this  honest, unpredictable, funny and heartbreaking dual-POV love story by Kelis Rowe, courtesy of  our good friends at Walker Books Australia, tell us in 25 words or less what’s the biggest risk you’ve taken?

Email your answer along with your name and postal address to dimity. The response we like best will win a copy of the book. Competition is open to anyone, worldwide, so long as they have an Australian postal address for delivery of the books. 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 on 8 August2022.

Competition runs from 5.00 am 30 July 2022 to 5 pm 6 August 2022. 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.

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Review: Subbie And His Mate

Meet The Illustrator: Annely So

Name: Annely So

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Whimsical illustrations made using an assortment of techniques.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Natural light, a nice table, and several types of seating (big ball, wobble stool, chair with wobble cushion…)as I constantly need to move and change positions.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I love so many, it would be hard to choose one favourite. A recent favourite is Procreate with an iPad and Apple Pencil. But I really love so many mediums including collage, acrylic, watercolour, gouache, photography, sewing, and fibre arts.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Isabelle Arsenault, Vanessa Brantley Newton, Julie Morstad

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
The era when Herge was creating TinTin.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I have always liked making things and writing. In a children’s story writing class, I made a dummy book and the instructor suggested I illustrate my own work. It was the first time I had ever considered illustrating. Thank you Carol-Ann Sokoloff for planting this seed.

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 live in a very small house (420sq feet) so space is precious. My creative work space has shifted and transformed over time. I have mostly worked at the dining table until I recently reclaimed that piece of furniture and created a work nook. This area is filled with books and art supplies. The floor is covered in movement tools! I try hard to not be too messy but I often fail at this and learn to live with a controlled mess!

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

When I work in collage, mixed media and in Procreate, I really like moving parts around to get the right fit and set up for the illustration. I also really like to work with scissors.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Find a way to develop a community of illustrators in person and on-line. You will learn so much and can find mentors and collaborators.

Annely describes herself as an Outdoorsy girl, dancer of sorts, music maker, writer, illustrator, photographer, educator, hacker of many things and general mischief seeker. Find her on Vancouver Island.

For more information, please follow Annely on instagram.

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Guest Post: Marc Finks on Reading With Our Kids

12 Curly Questions with author Sarah Ayoub

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I desperately want to be a green thumb, but alas I kill every plant – even the succulents – I acquire.

2. What is your nickname?
Lemon – as in 'dud' or 'be careful buying a second-hand car because you might get a lemon'. My sister gave it to me because for someone who looks smart on paper, I am not very bright in real life. I love it.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Seagulls and pigeons swooping and flapping around me. I've always been afraid of birds, but I'm traumatised by an episode of Round the Twist, and, more recently, a pigeon eating off my plate at an outdoor cafe.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Partial to fanciful, flawed characters, hungry and full of heart.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Passionate, frenzied, hard-working, simple, curious.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I loved Claudia Kishi in The BabySitters Club books. Claudia was incredibly close with her Japanese grandmother, had her own phone line, was a great artist, could put together amazing outfits (and was ahead of her time buying second-hand) and despite having so many different types of snacks stashed around her room, she had perfect skin.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
This is a really hard question because I've always felt like I was made for a different time. Maybe the 1920s because there was a post-war zest for life in the air. Women were embracing new clothes, new hairdos, the right to vote and they'd just proven they could work and raise their families while the men were at war.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
You should have stashed more packets of BBQ Ruffles. I keep hoping they'll make a comeback, like Toobs.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Jesus is a lot of things to many people and not much of anything to others, but I think his teachings are pretty timeless. I really appreciate philosophies that include loving other people as I would want to be loved, knowing my place in this big, wide world, and not being anxious about tomorrow, but instead living wholly in the moment (the last one's really tricky for me!)

10. What/who made you start writing?
There was a time in my late teens where I felt very lonely and misunderstood, which is totally normal for that period in life. It wasn't like today, where we had so many streaming services or ways to connect with friends. I started writing to escape my own world and found the characters I got to write about to be a pleasant distraction. Now I write if I need to get something off my chest, or if I need to understand something a bit more clearly.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Belligerent. It's just a very fun way to say hostile or aggressive. I love the way the syllables fall off the tongue. I am yet to put it in one of my stories.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys. I love the way that it reminds us that being clever can look different to so many people, and that using our talents and embracing our hobbies is the smartest thing we can do. I gift it to all my friends and their kids. 

Sarah Ayoub is a journalist, bestselling author and academic with a PhD in migrant Australian YA literature. Her work has been published in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Review of Books, Meanjin and more. Sarah is a Stella Schools Program ambassador, has mentored the youth curators of The Sydney Writers' Festival YA program, contributed to the anthology Arab, Australian, Other: Stories on Race and Identity and most recently been a judge for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards. Sarah was elected to the board of the Australian Society of Authors in 2021 and is currently working on her first novel for adults as the writer-in-residence of Sweatshop Literacy Movement. For more information, see www.sarahayoub.com.

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Review: Meowster Chef

Winners: Who Dunit Eddie Woo? Prize Packs

Our lucky winners are...

Joseph Spagnolo, NSW

Liz Dorrington, WA

Norah Colvin, QLD

Congratulations!

You have each won a set of this mind-bending mystery Maths series, Who Dunit Eddie Who? Including, Team Trouble! and Time Out? by the amazing, Eddie Woo.

Thank you to ALL who entered.

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Review: Amanda Commander: The Purple Invitation

Amanda is the unofficial leader of the Dolphin Squad. With her two best friends Lucia and Mai, the Dolphin Squad likes to hang in squad headquarters, where they paint, plan and support each other as only best friends can.

But sometimes supporting friends is more challenging than you expect it to be. 

In book one of this great new junior fiction series, The Purple Invitation, Amanda finds out she’s the only girl in her year that wasn’t invited to Eve’s birthday party.

Mai’s invited, Lucia’s invited, and Amanda has no idea why she isn’t.

The squad are baffled, so they hatch a plan to try and convince Eve that Amanda should get an invitation. 

They try everything they can think of, and Amanda does everything she can to be a good friend to Eve and prove she deserves to come to the party. But the end of the week is getting closer, and Eve hasn’t even mentioned her birthday party to Amanda. What is Amanda going to do?

This is a great new series for junior readers, grounded in the real and relatable world of a group of best friends. The books are fun and breezy to read, exploring the things kids experience the most: friendship challenges, school dramas and activities kids love. They provide comfort and insight into real kid problems, but the tone is light and fun, and author Coral Vass has added some very special elements to make the book super fresh and current (like text messages and special notes).

There’s also a fabulous amount of illustrations throughout these books by illustrator Heidi Cooper Smith. They are detailed and gorgeous, and they draw the reader into Amanda’s world.

If your kids love contemporary junior fiction filled with relatable characters, the Amanda Commander series is the perfect next read for them.

Title: Amanda Commander: The Purple Invitation
Author: Coral Vass
Illustrator: Heidi Cooper Smith
Publisher: Wombat Books, $12.99
Publication Date: 22 March 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761110771
For ages: 6 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Floof

Floof is floofy.
Floof is very floofy.

Floof is the cat we all know and love. Floof spends the day disappearing in boxes, playing with friends, picking on the dog and not caring about what others think (I love Floof!)

At the end of the day, it’s time for lights out (and secret shenanigans), and tomorrow Floof will get up and do it all again.

Heidi McKinnon brings humour and joy to this splendid cat story. It’s a feel-good read for cat friends everywhere and will have you smiling with every page turn. With seriously cute (and floofy) illustrations in famously fabulous McKinnon style, you are going to wish you owned your very own Floof by the time you close the cover.

A short and easy read, this book is a great one for younger ‘listening’ audiences and also works well for learning-to-read kids (my six-year-old adores reading it herself).

For cat lovers everywhere, have the floofiest day ever with Floof! And then check out McKinnon's other amazing titles: I Just Ate my Friend, Baz and Benz and It's a Long Way to the Shops.

Title: Floof
Author/Illustrator: Heidi McKinnon
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $19.99
Publication Date: July 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761180088
For ages: 3 - 8
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Willa and Woof: Mimi is Missing

Jacqueline Harvey, you’ve done it again!

Willa and Woof is a darling new series for junior readers from Australian children’s literature royalty, Jacqueline Harvey. It’s junior fiction for ages around 6 to 8, so aimed at a slightly younger audience than the Clementine Rose series I would estimate, and it is darling.

Willa is a young, daring and independent kid who lives across the street from her best same-age friend (Tae), and next door to her best old-age friend (Frank). She also has a best four-legged friend (Woof), who is her faithful all-round helper of everything Willa needs.

In Mimi is Missing (book 1 in the series), Willa discovers Frank’s beloved bird Mimi is missing, and she’s determined to find her. With help from Woof and Tae, Willa sets out on an adventure to find Mimi and return her to Frank.

With twists and turns throughout, this mystery ended in a way I did not see coming (which was delightful). It’s full of adventure, humour and sweetness, and it kept me guessing until the end.

Illustrated by A.Yi, glorious black and white pictures of Willa and her pals are peppered throughout the pages. The chapters end on fabulous cliff-hangers and the chapter headings are smile-inducing fun. Along with large and easy-to-read text, this is a book young readers will gobble up and then ask for seconds.

And seconds they can devour, because book two in the series (Birthday Business) is out in September.

If you’re junior reader is looking for a new series to jump into, and they love adventure, mystery and doggy pals, I highly recommend Willa and Woof by Jacqueline Harvey.

And once they are ready to move to the next level, there’ll be so much Jacqueline Harvey goodness waiting for them with the Clementine Rose series, Alice Miranda series and Kenzy and Max series, too.

Title: Willa and Woof: Mimi is Missing
Author: Jacqueline Harvey
Illustrator: A.Yi
Publisher: Puffin, $12.99
Publication Date: 5 July 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761043314
For ages: 6 - 8
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: A Shorebird Flying Adventure

What do you know about shorebirds?

Milly (Microlight Milly) tells readers all about them in A Shorebird Flying Adventure, by Jackie Kerin and Milly Formby (yep, Milly is the real life Microlight Milly). 

Shorebirds are migratory birds that spend some of their time in Australia and some in the Arctic.

Milly explains all about how they travel, the different species (more than 50), feeding and breeding facts, and where and how to find them (salt marsh, mangroves, mudflats, and other wetlands).

While Milly tells readers about the birds, and the varied facts and figures, they are illustrated with maps, diagrams, and labelled pictures. There's a touch of humour included, like the birds wearing sunglasses.

A Shorebird Flying Adventure is a fabulous introduction to migratory shorebirds and a reminder of the importance of wetlands for these birds and for the wider environment.

A great book to explore at home or school, and to take on a beach trip for some closer discovery.

Teacher's notes are available to download from the publisher's website, and you can find out more about Milly and the shorebirds at Wingthreads.com.

Title: A Shorebird Flying Adventure
Author: Jackie Kerin
Illustrator: Milly Formby
Publisher: CSIRO, $24.99
Publication Date: June 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781486314492
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Hey, Water

12 Curly Questions with author Trent Roberts

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I have the WORST sense of direction. I get lost daily! I can walk into a shop, have a quick look around then when I walk out I have absolutely no idea which direction I came from. It’s like a reverse superpower.

2. What is your nickname?
Wasi. Robson. Trentosaurus.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Cone snails.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
That’s a tricky one. Ahh, I just wasted my words!

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Hopefully I’m funny, silly, thoughtful, heartfelt and positive.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Mr Happy or Little Miss Sunshine from the Mr and Mrs Men series. They seem to have life sorted.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I would love to travel back 200 million years to when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. It would be scary but worth it to see those beautiful beasts in the flesh.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Cool shoes! (I dreamt for years about owning the sneakers I’m currently wearing)

9. Who is your greatest influence?
My family, my friends, my teachers and The Simpsons.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I’ve loved playing with words since I was little but I had two teachers in high school — Mr Carroll and Mrs Gitz1 — who really nurtured my passion for writing. Also, The Simpsons.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Aproximadamente. It’s Spanish for ‘approximately’ and such a fun word to say and write.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be something incredibly long and complex so I discovered new things every time I read it. Probably Mr Happy, by Roger Hargreaves.

Trent Roberts is a screenwriter and author who lives in the western suburbs of Melbourne with his partner, two kidlets and French bulldog, Ziggy. He loves the ocean, weird animals, indie pop and choc-tops. While he can't do any of the stunts described in his book, he can do a half-decent forward roll and, in perfect conditions, remain upright on his surfboard for a few seconds. For more information, see www.panmacmillan.com.au.

 

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Stardiving

Guest Post: Jacqui Halpin on It’s Time All Possums Went To Bed

Giveaway: Who Dunit Eddie Woo? Prize Packs

Eddie Woo Super Sleuth is ready for action and mystery. With a mind for maths and a nose for adventure, he is about to skateboard into ... danger. Join Eddie and his trusty sidekicks, Rusty and DT, in back-to-back adventures!

Filled with intrigue, puzzling clues, daring escapades, fun and friendship! Announcing an exciting new series for young readers from Australia’s favourite Maths teacher, popular host of ABC Me's Teenage Boss and bestselling author, Eddie Woo! And thanks to our brilliant buddies at Pan Macmillan, we have THREE awesome prize packs to giveaway. Each pack includes a copy of Team Trouble! by Eddie Woo and Dave Hartley and Time Out? by Eddie and Jess Black. Both are illustrated by the talented, Mitch Vane.

When Eddie receives a cryptic message from Mr Appleby, a Woo family friend and resident of Sunny Side Aged Care, he is soon on a mission to thwart the evil plans of smugglers.

It's up to Eddie to crack the clues and improve his skateboarding so that he can enter the annual school Triple Threat Quest with his best friends Rusty and DT.

For your chance to win one of these mind-buzzing prize packs, tell us in 25 words or less what super sleuth skills you'd bring on an adventure.

Email your answer along with your name and postal address to dimity. The response we like best will win one of these three prize packs. Competition is open to anyone, worldwide, so long as they have an Australian postal address for delivery of the books. 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 on 25 July 2022.

Competition runs from 5.00 am 16 July 2022 to 5 pm 23 July 2022. 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.

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Review: Lifel1k3

Meet The Illustrator: Briony Dixon

Name: Briony Dixon

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Quirky, shape driven, collage, textural, colourful, playful, unconventional

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I couldn’t do without my scissors or tweezers. I use Fiskars sewing scissors and the tweezers are from some diamond art my daughter was doing a while back. Paint and glue and I guess I should include my Wacom cintiq.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Collage definitely. Because my style is shape rather than line driven, it is a perfect medium for me. I also see collage more like making than drawing which suits me best. As a child I felt more comfortable making things rather than drawing. I think there has always been a fear around drawing for me, I can ‘draw’ much better with a pair of scissors than a pencil!

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
David Mckee is a huge influence on my work. I grew up watching King Rollo and Uncle Ben, and Two can Toucan, Not now Bernard and Two Monsters are some of my favourite books. I love the slightly awkward feel there is in the movement of his characters especially in the animation. His early artwork is incredible, in the book Hans in Luck for example. His work manages to be beautifully line and shape driven, he was so talented.

 
I love the work of Spanish illustrator Carmen Queralt. She’s a collage artist and creates such wonderfully quirky characters. There’ s such a magical quality to her work, it just makes me smile. And while we’re talking about quirky characters, my third artist is Abner Graboff. He really played around with the proportions of his characters and the exaggerations created such personality and humour in them. I also love his use of bold colour and shape, so visually arresting.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
You may have worked out from my previous answer (excepting Carmen Queralt) that I would absolutely love to go back to the mid-century era of illustration. There was so much charm, so much life in the art, and it was so progressive! So much of it looks modern now and it must have inspired sooo many artists. To be in the presence of people like Miroslav Sasek, Bill Charmatz, Alice and Martin Provensen and Bernice Myers, oh my, where’s the time machine!

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
My fascination for stories and picture books started when I became a mum, then was further indulged during my time as a primary school teacher, librarian and online children’s bookshop owner. It got to the point where it wasn’t enough to consume the books, I just had to be part of making them. So I guess the inspiration was all the amazing illustrators in all the books I feasted on! Being able to use my creativity to make beautiful books for children, what heaven!

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
This is a photo of a very messy work space but I wanted to show it in action. I work mainly at this table because it is in front of the window and when it’s not dark I can watch the birds in the garden. They tend to distract me a little too much sometimes though!

 
I’ve also included a photo of my children’s book collection. It’s too big to keep in my studio but I consider it to be part of my creative space. It’s so inspiring to be able to delve into these whenever I feel the need.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

I enjoy the final artwork part most. I find it the most relaxing because I’ve already worked everything out. I’ve thumbnailed, worked out composition and have my sketch. I’ve worked out the colour palette. Then it’s the fun bit, time to paint papers, start snipping and see my ideas come to life.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
I think of myself as an aspiring illustrator so I guess the advice I try to give myself is to enjoy the journey. In the past I’ve been in such a hurry to get to a creative destination that I haven’t enjoyed the process which results in BAD art. Enjoying where you are now means the joy and love in creating shines through and makes your art better. I often have to remind myself about this when I start getting a little impatient though!

 
Briony Dixon is an illustrator for children from the UK. She creates her art by collaging found and painted papers and uses influences from nature and magic to sprinkle it with joy, quirk and wonder.

For more information, please follow Briony on instagram .

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Review: Great and Small

Announcement: Imagine The Wonder Of Picture Books Exhibition - NSW State Library

NSW State Library celebrates the changing world of picture books.

 

Some of the most beautiful picture books and original artworks in the State Library of NSW's collection will go on public display - many for the first time - in the Library's major new exhibition, Imagine ... the Wonder of Picture Books, opening Saturday 9 July. Stories and characters from much-loved Australian picture books will come to life in this celebration of children’s literature.

According to State Librarian John Vallance: 'Some of the very best books published today are for children.'

Imagine … the Wonder of Picture Books celebrates the powerful and changing world of picture books through original illustrations by 44 illustrators, video and audio content featuring established and emerging authors and illustrators talking about their work, inspirations and creative processes, as well as hands-on activities.

Exhibition highlights include:

 

• Original illustrations by Junko Morimoto (The White Crane), Bronwyn Bancroft (Coming Home to Country) and Jeannie Baker (Circle);
• Newly acquired illustrations by Liz Anelli (Dry to Dry), Christina Huynh (Grandma’s Treasured Shoes) & Phil Lesnie (A Boy and a Ball) 
• Preliminary studies for Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan and unpublished character studies of Leigh Hobbs’ popular Mr Chicken
• Matt Cosgrove’s original pitch he sent to publishers for Macca the Alpaca.
• There's also a dedicated activity space, brimming with fun things to do. Learn how to draw popular book characters, make a zine, read books from the exhibition (including 10 produced with braille) and play with the giant textured tree and magnetic wall.

The free exhibition runs from 9 July 2022 to 9 July 2023. 

Family Sunday, 24 July, 10 am to 3 pm
To celebrate the launch of Imagine, we're hosting a special day for families. There’ll be author/illustrator workshops, exhibition tours, art-making activities, games, roaming characters and more. More information and bookings here.

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