10 Quirky Questions with author Katrina Nannestad

1. What's your hidden talent?
Tickling dogs’ tummies. I’m so good at it, I have two settings – one that puts them to sleep, the other that makes them do that funny thing where they kick their back leg in the air.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Miss Kaminski from Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy (by Karen Foxlee). She’s beautiful, polite and helpful, but she keeps getting Ophelia’s name wrong and you just know that something about her is not quite right and… Well, I can’t say too much or I’ll give the story away.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Dr Seuss because I like to think he would talk in rhyme all evening and would be totally honest about the food – for instance, if I served Brussels sprouts, he’d roar: ‘I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere. I do not like those Brussels sprouts. Scoop them up and toss them out!’
Louisa May Alcott, because Little Women is one of my all-time favourite books. Beatrix Potter, because, surely, she’d be a fellow animal lover and maybe even bring a pet rabbit or hedgehog along to dine. Rachel Spratt, because I think anyone who can create a character like Nanny Piggins would be hilarious company. And AA Milne, because who wouldn’t want to have dinner with the creator of Pooh and Piglet?

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real? 
The wardrobe from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Imagine stepping through to a whole new world! Of course, I wouldn’t step through until after the White Witch had been conquered. I fancy myself picnicking in the woods rather than fighting battles.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Daydreaming, daydreaming, writing, daydreaming, writing.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
She wrote my favourite book!

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
My laptop, a cup of coffee, Olive my whippet, a pencil and a piece of paper with strange notes scrawled across it, like, 'Do Brussels sprouts come from Brussels?', 'surfing goat', 'ring Mum', 'flowery swimming caps are funny'.

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!)
Before taking a breath mid-laughter, remind yourself that gulping for air too hard will result in a snort – which is fine if you want to sound like a pig, but not so great if you’re having dinner with the Queen. (The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Baffling Bully – it’s on my desk because I’m currently writing Book 4 in the series).

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Did you laugh a lot while writing? I’d ask PG Wodehouse, a man who wrote fabulously funny novels.

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
This question freaks me out! The idea of a future without one or the other is horrid. But if I have to choose: Never write another story. Now I’m crying at the thought. And, oddly enough, I’m snorting every time I take a breath. So the advice given in question 8 doesn’t only apply to laughter.

 Katrina Nannestad is an award-winning Australian author. The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Woeful Wedding is out now. See www.katrinanannestad.com for more information.

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Review: Sadie Starr's Guide To Starting Over

Winner: Where Seagulls Dare: A Diamond Brothers Case by Anthony Horowitz

Our lucky winner is...

Norah Colvin, QLD

Congratulations!

You have won a copy of this side-splitting new middle grade fiction by Anthony Horowitz, Where Seagulls Dare: A Diamond Brothers Case.

Thank you to ALL who entered.

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Review: Mars Awakens

Dee was born on Mars, raised in the Davinci settlement. Food is scarce and doesn’t grow easily. There hasn’t been a boy born in many, many years. But Davinci and its inhabitants hold hope that phase 2 of the Mars mission will soon begin and supplies are on their way.

Dee is not so sure. It’s been so many years, and many generations have been born on Mars, their genes and abilities to cope with the harsh environment evolving with each child born. 

Dee just wants to focus on her work — gardening the craters to provide food for the settlement. She likes her work and her friends. She’s happy to get on with it. 

But when a strange object crashes into Mars not far from where Dee is working, everything changes.

Over at the Newton settlement, Holt sees the object crash land too. The Newtons’ don’t leave their settlement often, and when they do, they always wear protective gear for fear of the Mars environment. But the object must be investigated, and Holt is chosen to head out and find it.

So Dee from Davinci and Holt from Newton head towards the crash site, unaware of the intentions of the other. Dee isn’t even aware the Newton settlement exists, and Holt has been brought up to believe Davinci is filled with savages.

When they meet, there is fear on both sides, but when a new enemy reveals itself, Dee and Holt must learn to work together or everything and everyone they know will be destroyed.

Mars Awakens is a brilliant middle-grade sci-fi from H M Waugh. Thrilling and addictive, it explores themes like prejudice and adversity, all on the super cool setting of Mars. There are mysteries to solve, challenges to overcome and sacrifices to be made. It’s a book that makes you think about what you would do if you discovered a hard truth. What sacrifices would you make to save a friend (or maybe an enemy)?

Written in first person present tense, the book pulls you right up next to the characters. You also get to experience both sides of the fence, with some chapters written from Dee’s perspective and some from Holt’s.

If you love mystery, sci-fi, action and adventure, Mars Awakens is one for you. It’s also book one in a duology, so there’s one more instalment to look forward to.

Title: Mars Awakens
Author: H M Waugh
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $16.99
Publication Date: May 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760526979
For ages: 10 - 14
Type: Middle-Grade Fiction

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Review: Writes of Passage: Words to Read Before You Turn 13

Nicolette Jones is a writer, literary critic and broadcaster, and has spent many years as the children's book critic for the UK's Sunday Times. In Writes of Passage: Words to Read Before You Turn 13 she shares 100 pieces of writing she's found inspiring.

Writes of Passage is an anthology of writing, set out in chapters by themes. They include: On Childhood and Your Past, On Equality and Justice, and On Reading.

There's poetry and prose, fiction and non-fiction, with each chapter providing a number of extracts from books, speeches, essays, films, interviews, songs, and so on. 

They range in length from a sentence or paragraph, to a couple of pages, making them easy to read, and to dip in and out of the book.

Nicolette Jones has selected pieces of writing to reflect what she's 'learned in more than a couple of decades of reviewing books for the young -- that they encompass all the big themes ... they tell us what the world is like before we have seen much of it, and they equip us for the good and the bad in it.'

The passages include those written by people like Anne Frank, Michelle Obama, Tim Minchin, Oliver Jeffers, and Michael Rosen. Each passage is followed by a short contextual statement, providing some context related to the author and the passage, or their writing more broadly.

Writes of Passage: Words to Read Before You Turn 13 would make an excellent gift, and also a great discussion resource. As suggested by Nicolette Jones, it might also be an inspiration for readers to create their own 'commonplace book' or collection of favourite quotes.

Title: Writes of Passage: Words to Read Before You Turn 13
Author: Nicolette Jones
Publisher: Nosy Crow, $24.99
Publication Date: 30 August 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781788005029
For ages: 10+
Type: Non-Fiction

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Review: Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? Team Trouble! (Book #2)

Eddie Woo and his best mates Rusty and DT are prepping for the Triple Threat competition at school. 

It’s got academics, performing arts and sports, and they all need to excel at ALL of them to win. 

But there’s something else going on in Eddie’s life and it’s distracting him from focusing on the competition.

Mr Appleby is a close family friend to Eddie and his parents — he helped Eddie’s parents when they first came to Australia. 

Eddie and his dad regularly visit Mr Appleby at the Sunnyside Aged Care Home, but when they go to visit one day before school, they discover that the home is closing down. In only a week!

Something doesn’t seem right, and Eddie is determined to uncover the truth.

With full support from his parents (who really don’t want the home to be closed), Eddie starts investigating the Sunnyside closure with his friends. But there are some seriously sinister bad guys doing everything they can to stop Eddie from finding out what’s really going on.

Luckily for Eddie, Mr Appleby knows some secrets, and he leaves clues to help Eddie along the way. Readers will delight in solving the puzzles along with Eddie and his mates to find out the real reason why Sunnyside is closing and stop the bad guys in their tracks — all while training and competing in the Triple Threat competition at school!

Team Trouble! is book 2 in a brilliant new junior fiction series from Australia’s favourite maths teacher Eddie Woo, this one with Dave Hartley. With superb illustrations from Mitch Vane splashed throughout, it’s super engaging and perfect for junior readers.

You can definitely read book 2 without having read book 1 (Time Out!), but this series is soooo good, I recommend starting at the beginning so you don’t miss any of the fun.

Title: Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? Team Trouble! (Book #2)
Author: Eddie Woo and Dave Hartley
Illustrator: Mitch Vane
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, $14.99
Publication Date: 28 June 2022
Format: Soft Cover
ISBN: 9781760983000
For ages: 7 - 13
Type: Junior Fiction

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Meet The Illustrator: Olana Janfa

Name: Olana Janfa

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Expressive, colourful, joyful, humorous, innocent, free, simple.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I mostly paint, so I use acrylic paint, brushes, timber boards, hair dryer. And music, always music.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I generally work with acrylic paint on recycled timber board. 

Working with old, discarded timber gives my work interesting character and means that every piece is slightly different. 

I prefer things that aren’t perfect.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
I have been most inspired by the Ethiopian Orthodox artwork that I saw in the church growing up. This style of art has really influenced the way that I approach colour. I also get a lot of inspiration from African and Jamaican street art.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I would love to visit New York City in the 1970s and 1980s during the era of Basquiat. The creative energy of that time for music, art and fashion seems cool to me.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I started painting in 2018. I met an artist on holidays, and it motivated me to start drawing and painting. I had never learned any kind of art before, not even in primary school, so I was starting from zero. I taught myself and gradually developed my own style over time. I was very obsessed with painting and did it every day, which meant I learned a lot in a short time. I recently illustrated a children’s book for Pan Macmillan called ’29 Things You Didn’t Know About Me’ by Solli Raphael. This was my first time illustrating professionally and was a really fun process. I hope I can do more in the future.

 Can you share a photo of your creative workspace or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
This is a photo of me working in my studio. Not long after I first started to paint, I cleared out some space in an old shed in the garden at my home and created my own space to paint. I love having a space at home to work. It’s quiet and peaceful and inspires me to work more, any time of the day.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

I really enjoy working collaboratively to understand the writer’s vision and communicate a story. My work is usually very solitary, so this is a nice change for me. Working like this allows me to approach the work differently, create new ideas and push myself into new areas.

 
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
To achieve a good outcome, the process requires open communication and a good relationship with the publisher, and I was lucky to have this in my process with Pan MacMillan. It’s important to be flexible and make changes quickly but you shouldn’t feel like you have to change your style. I feel lucky that I have been encouraged to do things my way and stay true to my art.

 

Olana Janfa is a self-taught artist based in Melbourne. Born in Ethiopia, he began painting to connect with his culture and create a sense of home. Taking stylistic cues from traditional Ethiopian Orthodox art and African street art, Janfa presents his often-humorous take on the world through themes of family, sport, popular culture and the migrant experience.

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

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Guest Post: Hina Nauman on Connecting With Nature

Review: The Very Hard Book

Are you up for a challenge?

Do you love to laugh?

The Very Hard Book is the picture book for you.

Sit in an empty room.

Be somewhere else for a minute.

Stop thinking about purple turtles.

With impossible challenges to get you thinking and give you the giggles, The Very Hard Book is joyful, quirky and bucket loads of fun.

This is a book for inquisitive and curious minds. It’s a great one for classrooms and groups, with minimal text (in the form of instructions) to read and then assess — can it be done? Why can’t it be done?

Throughout the book a bunch of colourful, quirky creatures are there to accompany readers, giving each task a go to hilarious effect.

Bright, bold and joyful, Idan Ben-Barak and Philip Bunting deliver the goods in The Very Hard Book.

Title: The Very Hard Book
Author: Idan Ben-Barak
Illustrator: Phillip Bunting
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $24.99
Publication Date: 30 August 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760526221
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Where Do Butterflies Go At Night?

Bookish Places: Paddington Bear at Paddington Station

Statue of Paddington Bear, Paddington Station, London (Photo: Sarah Steed)

The Kids' Book Review Bookish Places posts are a chance to celebrate museums, galleries and other places with a connection to children's literature and reading. The posts are compiled by KBR's Consultant Librarian, Sarah Steed, our intrepid traveller and hunter-gatherer of amazing places!

Paddington Bear is the much loved star of the children's books written by Michael Bond, which were first published in 1958. In the story A Bear Called Paddington, he is given his name by the Brown family who met him on the platform at Paddington Station soon after his arrival from deepest, darkest Peru.

London's Paddington Station celebrates its famous namesake with a bronze statue of Paddington Bear on Platform 1, where he has a fine view of the trains. The statue was designed by British sculptor, Marcus Cornish, based on the original Paddington illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.

And best of all, you don't need a ticket if you just want to visit the Paddington statue.

Statue of Paddington Bear, Paddington Station, London (Photo: Sarah Steed)

Also at the station is the Paddington Bear Shop (the only one in the world). There you can browse and purchase all kinds of Paddington items including books, bears, toys, gifts and exclusive Paddington items. There’s also an online store for those who can’t make it in person. 

Photo of some of the items at the Paddington Shop, London (Photo: Sarah Steed)

If you're visiting London, you can follow the Pawprint Trail to see the Paddington Bear Book Bench, a statue of writer Michael Bond, places that feature in the Paddington stories and more.

Paddington Railway Station is located on Praed Street, Paddington, in London, England. It's a major station with trains serving many regions as well as Heathrow Airport. Trains on several of the London Underground lines also stop at Paddington.

Paddington Bear can be enjoyed in many ways, and whether or not you visit Paddington Station, you can join him on his adventures by reading a copy of a Paddington book. 

In-store display of a framed photo of Michael Bond with Paddington Bear, London (Photo: Sarah Steed)

Interested in taking a Bookish Places trip around the world with Sarah? Enjoy this sensational map, also created by Sarah, and check out our other Bookish Places posts here.

Paddington Station sign, London (Photo: Sarah Steed)

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Giveaway: Where Seagulls Dare: A Diamond Brothers Case by Anthony Horowitz

If you're after a hilarious new story about the world’s worst detectives, by the bestselling author of the Alex Rider series, Anthony Horowitz then this is the Giveaway for you!

Private investigators Tim and Nick Diamond haven’t had a case for three months and are down to their last cornflake. So when a glamorous woman comes into their office offering them a pile of cash to find her missing father, they think Christmas has come – only it turns out they are the turkeys! 

Before they know it, they are caught up in a case involving bike-riding hitmen, superhackers and a sinister far right organisation, the White Crusaders. The Diamond Brothers are in the soup and in it over their heads. 

With thrills and spills, and jokes on every page, this new Diamond Brothers novel will have young readers howling with laughter.

For your chance to win this side-splitting new middle grade fiction from Walker Books Australia, tell us in 25 words or less why or why not you would like to be a detective. 

Email your answer along with your name and postal address to dimity. The response we like best will win a copy of this new release. 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 12 September 2022.

Competition runs from 5.00 am 3 September 2022 to 5 pm to the 10 September 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: Swoop

Have the ever felt the woosh of air by your ear as you take a stroll in springtime?

Have you ever ducked your as a snapping sound clicks in your ears?

Have you ever avoided ‘that’ street because you know what’s waiting in the last tree on the left?

You know what I’m talking about...

Magpies!

Those beautiful but sometimes intimidating birds who stop at nothing to protect their babies. Those birds that rule the parks and sidewalks for several months of the year.

But have you ever thought about their side of the story? Have you ever wondered what it’s like for them?

Swoop is a fabulous new picture book by two AMAZING creators (Nicole Godwin and Susannah Crisp) that explores the world of magpies from the magpie’s perspective.

Magpie stands guard.
He has one job. One desire. One purpose.
Keep the eggs safe.

As intruders stroll by, Magpie does his job with style and determination. No one can fool Magpie, and he gets them every time, even when they try wearing disguises. He’s good at his job, but there are still threats he doesn’t see coming, and sometimes he has to work extra hard to protect the babies.

I adored this picture book. Absolutely loved it. It explores a topic that is soooo relatable to soooo many of us, and I just love how Crisp injects the hilarious truth of magpie avoidance into her illustrations. I mean, who hasn’t tried the old ice cream tub hat or bike helmet with cable ties trick?

Crisp’s illustrations are simply stunning. With beautiful soft colours and details galore, in only one setting (Magpie’s tree at the park), Crisp creates an entire world, with multiple characters that have stories of their own lovingly weaved into their expressions, clothing and accessories. It’s truly a delight to turn each page, meet a new character and imagine who they are and what has brought them to the park.

I adored the simplicity of this story. The text is minimal, but each word is carefully chosen and wonderfully delivered. Readers will love joining in on the big swoops that curl and loop across several pages.

I also love how Godwin lets us see things from the other side. Reading this book shows you just how important it is for Magpies to swoop, and even though most of us feel targeted for doing nothing to hurt them, there are dangers for Magpies too. They are just trying to be the best parents they can be.

But this book is not a lecture. It’s fun, joyful, funny and relatable. It’s a perfect picture book that kids will love, love, love. And after reading the fun tale, when you are ready to learn more, there are four pages packed with information at the back of the book. You’ll learn about magpie features, their cheeky and hilarious antics, magpies in First Nations culture and their status as an Aussie icon.

This book ticks all the picture book boxes, and it’s one I predict will be treasured by schools, homes and libraries alike. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy of Swoop.

Teachers notes also available on the publisher’s website.

Title: Swoop
Author: Nicole Godwin
Illustrator: Susannah Crisp
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing, $24.99
Publication Date: September 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781486315697
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Milly And The Mulberry Tree

Review: Eyes on Flies

For most people a fly is a pesky little, or not so little, creature.

For Dr Bryan Lessard, aka Dr Bry the Fly Guy, they're fascinating.

So much so, his job is all about flies, and he's written this book to share his love for them. You might just be surprised at how much you enjoy it yourself.

Eyes on Flies is packed with fly facts. Learn about fly anatomy and life cycles, and move on to diverse trivia (biggest, smallest, oldest, most colourful, weirdest, and so on). You'll also discover how flies are scientifically classified, the importance of flies and just what they do, and what the future could hold.

Did you know that without flies we might not have chocolate? That's because some flies pollinate certain plants including cocoa beans (similar to what bees do for other plants). From flies that help make cheese, to flies that scuba dive or are great snorkellers, and flies that dance or disguise themselves, this book explores a lot.

Flies even have cool names and Dr Bry has named at least fifty of them. There are flies named after singers, Greek gods, and comic superheroes. Flies (or rather their larva, the maggot) are also used in medicine, composting, and solving crime. And did you know that glow worms are actually 'fancy fly maggots'?!

Kids will love Eyes on Flies. It's full of trivia they can memorise and share, and information to gross out themselves and others. Dr Bry is a great science communicator, writing in a way that will appeal and be understood by young children (look out for the jokes, too).

Being a large format hardcover book with chapters and lots of subheadings makes this easy to dip in and out of. There are also heaps of photos, including microscopic ones, to help illustrate and bring the flies zooming to life off the page.

Wild and wacky, weird and wonderful, Eyes on Flies will amaze, inform and entertain readers of all ages. Great for a personal library collection or for school projects.

Title: Eyes on Flies
Author: Dr Bryan Lessard
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, $26.99
Publication Date:  30 August 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760986629
For ages:  4+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: The House on Pleasant Street

Alby and his family have just moved to Pleasant Street, and there’s lots to like — great house, a giant tree and even a pool. But Alby is having trouble fitting in.

The other kids seem shocked and nervous about Alby’s family, and Alby doesn’t understand why — I mean his grandparents only do their experiments in their workshop, and Alby makes sure to keep his pet dragon Delia in his yard.

But none of that matters on the night of Halloween. It’s Alby’s favourite night of the year, and nothing is going to get in the way of having fun.

So Alby heads out into the street, ready to share his love of Halloween with his neighbours. And even though his dad and his giant tree are kind of embarrassing, Alby finds the best way ever to connect with the kids on Pleasant Street.

The House on Pleasant Street is a fun and quirky picture book from award-winning creative duo Sofie Laguna and Marc McBride. It’s about friendship and family and learning to love what makes you unique.

But it’s also just fun. With lightning-making dragons and a tree that’s alive, it’s a feast for the imagination that kids will adore. Funky, colourful illustrations in famous Marc McBride style, bring Pleasant Street alive. Make sure to take time with the details, because there are heaps of hidden gems to uncover.

Halloween is right around the corner, so get into those spooky vibes with The House on Pleasant Street.

Title: The House on Pleasant Street
Author: Sofie Laguna
Illustrator: Marc McBride
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $19.99
Publication Date: 30 August 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760526450
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Books

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12 Curly Questions with author Paula Stevenson

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
When I was in primary school, maybe year 1, we had exercise books ruled up with lines to keep our printed letters in order. I quickly mastered these exercises, so I thought it was time to move on. I skipped a few pages and began to fill up the fresh pages with my newly acquired skill of cursive writing. It was all fine until the teacher asked us to hand in our books to her! I felt very sick and shuffled off to the sick bay. Think my teacher must have had a quiet giggle at my transgression. But it was the origin of my brilliant writing career.

2. What is your nickname?
Don’t really have a nickname though an uncle used to call me ‘Pauby’. My grandchildren in one family call me Nana P to differentiate me from the other Nana.

3. What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is to drop off the perch before I have more of my books published!

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
My style is lyrical, connected to nature and influenced by my environment.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Determined, dogged, persistent, resolute, optimistic.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I would be Sybylla in My Brilliant Career. She is feisty, a girl from the bush and determined to write and get published.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I would return to the year when I started at Sydney University and have greater wisdom about the opportunities that were offered. I was too young at 16 and naïve.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
My 10-year-old self would say to hurry up and start writing sooner. Don’t leave it till you think you have heaps of spare time.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
My deepest, maybe subconscious, influence was my father who was a frustrated creative but sent off stories to various magazines when we were young.

10. What/who made you start writing?
After being a high school English teacher for many years, I started writing seriously when I enrolled in a Continuing Education Course at Sydney University with Kate Llewellyn. She encouraged us to post off our writing and send it to journals, competitions or newspapers. So I did and wrote for adults until I diverged to kid-lit when my grandchildren began to appear.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
My favourite word is ‘serendipitous’ because I love it when things happen that connect with an idea you have or a piece of writing you have started. Suddenly there are stories on the radio or TV or Instagram about powerful owls or echidnas!

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I think it would be To Kill a Mockingbird, though lately I am entranced by Cloud Cuckoo Land and have re-read it many times. 

Paula loves to write stories that entertain, surprise and inspire children. Her picture book Buster Follows His Nose was recently published. Three of her poems have been published in The School Magazine and a number of children’s stories published in three different anthologies. One of her stories is included in the CBCA anthology, which was launched in May 2021. She has been shortlisted in a number of awards, including the Scribbles Creative Writing Awards in 2018 and 2019. Paula belongs to the ASA, CBCA and SCWBI and a number of groups including The Duck Pond, Just Write for Kids and Creative Kids Tales. She is a farmer in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW, as well as a writer, and she is passionate about her environment, drawing inspiration from it for many of her stories. Although she lives in a regional area, she regularly attends conferences and workshops and runs children’s sessions in the local Scone Library during the Scone Literary Festival and during Book Week. She is a Role Model for Books in Homes and visits regional primary schools in that role. She posts regularly on her website www.paulastevensonwriter.com.au, blogging about books, writing, newborn calves, old kelpies, crazy chooks and cute echidnas.

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Guest Post: Ashleigh Barton on Cultivating Creative Writing Through Childhood

Review: Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? Time Out! (Book #1)

Eddie Woo loves maths, loves adventure and loves his two best friends Rusty and DT.

Together they hang out, have fun and have each other’s backs. They are also curious and keen to find answers to problems that come their way… like when Eddie discovers the founder of their school may have hidden a scavenger hunt leading to a secret fortune.

The kids decide to follow the clues and try to solve the mystery (and find the hidden treasure). And it turns out there a heaps of puzzles to work through in this epic scavenger hunt, so Eddie and the gang get a good brain workout to move forward in the hunt.

But it turns out they aren’t the only ones looking for the treasure, and with every step, it feels like someone is there, watching and waiting.

Who’s out there? And what do they want?

The Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? series is a fabulous new offering on the junior fiction shelf. These books are seriously addictive, the adventures Eddie and his friends go on make me want to head in search of mysterious to solve. Time Out! is book one in the series, and it brings a splash.

Throughout the book there are puzzles and maths challenges, and the mysteries are layered with twists and turns you won’t see coming.

Large text and illustrations throughout make this a great book for junior readers ready to step up to something more challenging. And the book is a fast and action-packed read.

Australia’s favourite maths teacher, Eddie Woo, plus Dave Hartley plus Mitch Vane deliver in this awesome new junior fiction series for maths and mystery lovers everywhere.

Title: Whodunnit, Eddie Woo? Time Out! (Book #1)
Author: Eddie Woo and Dave Hartley
Illustrator: Mitch vane
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, $14.99
Publication Date: 28 June 2022
Format:  Soft Cover
ISBN: 9781760982997
For ages: 7 - 13
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Koala Ark

Koala Ark tells the story of a community of animals who experience their homes being threatened by a bushfire.

The fire appears suddenly and Koala is worried for all his animal friends, so he sets out in a small boat to find and help them.

Echidna is alone and grateful for rescue. Mr Wombat and his son are injured, and Joey is separated from his mum. Donkey and Chicken travel a long way and are thankful for a place on the boat.

As Koala travels around the billabong, many animals, each with different experiences, join him on the boat (the ark). Some have lost everything, while others are fortunate to still have their homes, but choose to join their animal friends in a safer place for now.

When the animals arrive at the shore, friends are waiting for them (including Joey's mum). And soon the rain arrives too, cooling the land.

Author and illustrator Stephen Michael King explains that he was inspired to create Koala Ark by his own experience and the observation of people's 'bravery and humanity' during the 2019 and 2020 bushfires in Australia. He made a koala the hero as a way to acknowledge the loss of so many koalas during the fires.

Stephen Michael King has such a gorgeous illustration style, and his characters are appealing and relatable. This story is one that can be used to introduce or discuss the subject of bushfires with young children, showing some of the reality of bushfires, with a hopeful message of renewal.

The endpapers in Koala Ark are a beautiful map of the land featured in the story. The homes of each of the creatures who live there are labelled, and readers will be able to track the animals' journey, and perhaps be inspired to try drawing a map of their own.

Koala Ark is highly recommended.

Title: Koala Ark
Author/Illustrator: Stephen Michael King
Publisher: Scholastic, $24.99
Publication Date: June 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761128257
For ages: 3 - 6 
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Four Bad Unicorns

Inspired by her own childhood, Roald Dahl prizewinning author and illustrator Rebecca Patterson has created a quirky fun story that tackles the theme of disability and inclusion with warmth and humour that will resonate with both children and parents.

Unicorn mad sisters Frankie and Connie love playing everything with unicorns - unicorn cereal for breakfast, unicorn speed, unicorn yawning and dreaming of unicorns when they finally go to sleep at night.

Narrated by Connie, it showcases the relationship of sisters and the protectiveness of family – they will go to great lengths to protect each other.

The story centres on Connie and Frankie and their love for each other and their current obsession – unicorns. They are playing unicorns farmers, their favourite game, when their next door neighbours Ada and Colin Beswick turn up and invite themselves in to play with the sisters.

The only problem is Ada takes over and Queen Ada is born. Ada dismisses their game of unicorn farmers as being silly and instead creates the unicorn palace of wonder. Ada then proceeds to banish Connie, Frankie and Colin into a prison of chairs and cushions. Ada even takes over Frankie’s wheelchair, and turns it into the throne of rolling power. 

But enough is enough and they rebel – Connie takes umbrage at Frankie being made part of the prison wall and being turfed out of her wheelchair. So a new plan is born and the three decide to turn into bad unicorns and escape on the bad unicorn train.

Will they make up or has Ada ruined a great friendship?

This picture book celebrates and encourages children’s imagination and innovation and is

the perfect book for sharing.

Title: Four Bad Unicorns

Author/Illustrator: Rebecca Patterson

Publisher: Anderson Press, $29.99

Publication Date: 3 May 2022

Format: Hardback

ISBN: 9781839131035

For Ages: 4 +

Type: Picture Books

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Meet The Illustrator: Sandra Severgnini

Name: Sandra Severgnini

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Heartfelt, sensitive, realistic with character, a bit humorous, bit quirky

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Pencil, paper, eraser, computer, oh and my new Wacom!

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Traditionally pencil & watercolours but have been won over with Photoshop on my new Wacom

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Charles Fuge
Robert Halpern
PJ Lynch

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I’m living in it, it’s such an innovative and exciting time for anyone creative.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
Inner voice. Drove me mad until I did something about it!

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

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
The moment I first read the story, the moment I press the send to the publisher and every step in between!

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

Listen to your inner self. By all means learn from others but each illustrators work is so unique, let yourself shine through.

 

After being the owner of a botanical art gallery and retail store, Sandra 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 Sandra's words and brings sensitivity and humour to her illustrations.

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

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Review: Answers In The Pages

Answers in the Pages is many things, but the core of it is pure reading joy. From start to finish,

it’s fresh, fun and intelligent. 

Yes it’s a hard-hitting, issues-based novel which interrogates book-banning and homophobia; and yes it’s a sophisticated, nuanced and layered action-story that would give many of today’s online worlds a run for their money. 

And it’s certainly an insight into

being brave and fighting for your own story. But alongside and despite all of these things, it’s really just pure joy on the page.

Donovan’s grade 5 class are stoked to be reading ‘The Adventurers’ for school. This book’s main characters Oliver and Rick, along with their friend Melody, are on a mission to save planet earth from an evil genius. But Donovan’s mum has decided that the book’s main characters are gay - which doesn’t please her. So she complains, ‘The Adventurers’ is embargoed and soon the whole school is embroiled in a debate.

Meanwhile, Gideon and Roberto work on a book project together, and find they are drawn

closer through their shared love of turtles, among other things.

One of the standouts in this book are the believable and engaging characters, who really care about each other.

In Answers In The Pages, three story threads are deftly intertwined into a sometimes bewildering – but always compelling – action-packed story. I particularly love that the fast-paced and layered mish-mash of information is squeezed into this one, elegantly crafted narrative. An exploration of friendship, self-acceptance and finding your authentic voice, this book dives into the hard stuff and comes out the other side with just a head toss and a little bit of a dusting down.

At less than 200 pages, it’s definitely not an ‘easy read.’ The actual structure leaves you a little

breathless, but there’s enough forward momentum and high-stakes-action (alligator pits and burning houses feature!) to hold reluctant and/or confused readers. We are firmly invested to keep turning pages in order to find the answers to the millions of questions that arise! The book’s title is clever and very apt.

There are unexpected backflips and genuine surprises that will keep everyone on their toes.

Some might even re-start the book as soon as it’s finished – I was certainly tempted. This book explores love, acceptance, friendship, bravery, speaking your truth and caring. Such important themes. And such a clever, compelling rendering of these.

Title: Answers In The Pages

Author: David Levithan

Publisher: Text, $16.99

Publication Date: 2 August, 2022

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781922458872

For ages: 8+

Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Legendarium

Enter the world of fast paced gaming in this adventurous sequel to Wonderscape. We meet back up with friends Arthur, Ren, Cecily and their robo dog Cloud as they navigate this magical world at breakneck speed.

This story is a mashup of video games and history in this time travel action adventure.

As they try to return home and to their own time, the friends are pulled even further into the

future. What they find is the video game they have entered is actually real life – where they must enter a tournament to regain, the key to get home.

Once they enter the ISports tournament they find themselves in a series of mini quests that enable them to pass each level in order to win. 

On their travels they encounter outlaws, pirates, Vikings and hidden temples each with their own dangers, clues and riddles.

Each mini quest transports them to a different historical setting, together they explore the lost city of Atlantis, Viking battlefields, subterranean Incan tunnels, Great Library of

Alexandria and the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

But there is a new villain whose sole aim is to thwart them at every turn – the evil raider

Deadlock. Deadlock has discovered time travel technology and he is determined to change

the course of history as we know it.

Can Arthur, Ren and Cecily save the universe and find their way home? Or will Deadlock

succeed and change history and forever trap the friends in this video game?

Strap yourself in for this action-packed adventure that will leave you trying to guess the end.

Title: Legendarium

Author: Jennifer Bell

Publisher: Walker Books, $16.99

Publication Date: 3 May 2022

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781406391732

For Ages: 9 – 12 years

Type: Middle Fiction

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12 Curly Questions with author Sigi Cohen

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I worked as a fashion and advertising photographer in the era of ‘big hair’, when men had perms and wore pastel-coloured shirts. Back then, I was passionate about producing exciting images, although I did hope to someday work as an advertising copywriter.

2. What is your nickname?
I don’t have a nickname but I am often called Ziggy – so often that I don’t notice anymore.

3. What is your greatest fear?
The fear I experienced when teaching my children parallel parking.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Consistency of rhythm and rhyme, traditional in form, unconventional in content.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Irreverent, humorous, non-mainstream, fussy/fastidious (in a positive way, I hope!)

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Jack Reacher, or some similar kickass hero-who-doesn’t-play-by-the-rules (ie the opposite of me), at least for a while. It would be cathartic (especially for a lawyer)!

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I missed out on being a peacenik hippy in the late 60s, the counter-culture, music, Woodstock, bellbottom jeans. Also, I would so love to see the original Broadway musical Hair, so I guess 1968.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
My 10-year old self would probably say to me: “What happened? How did you get so old?” I would then give 10-year-old-me some advice about not eating too much sugar or letting shyness and a lack of confidence hold him back.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Two Leonard Cohens: first, my father – his unrestrained humour, integrity and kindness inspire me; and, that other Leonard Cohen – the singer and poet, for his creative talent and powerful, economical use of words. Poetry-wise – Ogden Nash, with his madly original poetic style, has influenced me to maybe be adventurous and break some rhythm rules in the future.

10. What made you start writing?
I did a course in creative writing at uni. One assignment was to write a ballad, and so I wrote my first humorous poem: The Phantom Orthodontist, about an orthodontist who strangles his bride with dental floss on their wedding night (she had poor dental hygiene). It was not exactly kid-friendly, but fun to write, and it led to me write some PG-rated kid-friendly stuff like My Dead Bunny and other morbid
attempts at humour.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
The word ‘koeksister’ (as in ‘would you like a koeksister?’) Ask any South African. For some reason when I hear that word I start drooling like Pavlov’s dog.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Collected Works of George Bernard Shaw. There’s a lot in it (4643 pages) and it would help me while away the years and work upon becoming an articulate man of words (one of my ambitions).

Sigi Cohen writes rhyming picture book stories for kids who don't mind grime, slime, brain-eating schoolteachers (the zombie kind), and school bullies with scary secrets. His book titles include My Dead Bunny, Filthy Fergal, There's Something Weird About Lena, Zombie Schoolteachers, The Vampires Next Door and Imogen Baddley.

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Winner: My Dad Thinks He's a Pirate Prize Pack

Our lucky winner is...

Joseph Spagnolo, NSW

Congratulations!

You have won a My Dad Thinks He's ...  Prize Pack by Katrina Gemein and Tom Jellett including, My Dad Thinks He's A Pirate and the side-splitting original, My Dad Thinks He's Funny.

Thank you to ALL who entered.

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Review: A Way with Words

Sam spoke no words.
Not once.
Not ever.

But even though Sam doesn’t speak out loud, she still has lots to say. 

She watches the world closely. She listens and thinks deeply. She stores her words in things around her and finds other ways to communicate — through music, art, dance and fabric.

People in her community think she’s strange, but Sam shows them that speaking with words isn't the only way to get your message across.

A Way with Words is a gorgeous picture book that explores being different, being quiet and being unique. The other kids don’t understand Sam at first, and neither do her teachers. But Sam doesn’t stop being who she is to please them.

I think this is the thing I like most about this story. Sam knows who she is. She knows what is right for her and she fights for it. Without words, she finds a way to reach out to the people around her and tell them — in her own way — what she can offer the world.

The language in this picture book is dreamy and whimsical (aka stunning!). Teamed with playful illustrations in gorgeous earthy tones, it weaves its way into your head and lingers there after you close the covers.

We aren’t all the same. We all do things differently. A Way with Words celebrates difference and diversity, and I love that about it.

Title: A Way with Words
Author: Stacy Burch
Illustrator: Lucy McLoughlin
Publisher: Ethicool, $22.00
Publication Date: 14 June 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780648872375
For ages:  3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: My EXTRAordinary Mum

Review: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

Like every other kid on the mainland, Skandar dreams of acing the hatchling exam and being chosen to move to the Island to train a unicorn. 

He doesn’t care that unicorns are bloodthirsty and dangerously powerful animals. From the time he was born, it’s all he’s ever wanted.

But things take an interesting turn when a dangerous enemy, the Weaver, threatens the Island and the Mainland, and Skandar is ordered not to take the hatchery exam. 

His hopes and dreams are smashed, until a mystery unicorn rider arrives and takes him to the Island after all...

Skandar's arrival is surrounded in mystery, and he knows he must keep it a secret. But as he joins the other recruits and hatches his unicorn, Scoundrel’s Luck, he discovers he isn’t the only one with secrets. Scoundrel’s Luck is…different, and Skandar needs to hide these differences from his teachers.

But no matter the secrets he’s tied up in, Skandar is on the Island. And alongside a few trusted friends, he works to train his sometimes-uncontrollable unicorn and control the magic that comes with that responsibility. There are many challenges to overcome, and hiding secrets isn’t easy, but Skandar works to find his place— for both himself and Scoundrel’s Luck — on the Island.

Enemies, however, don’t tend to care about boys and their desire to fit in. When unicorn riders are attacked and Islanders start disappearing, it’s apparent the Weaver has big plans, and Skandar won’t stay away from the danger if there’s something he can do to help.

But what does the Weaver really want? And is this threat bigger than anyone on the Island is willing to admit? Can Skandar and his friends be part of the battle when they haven’t even finished the first year of unicorn training?

Skandar and the Unciorn Thief is a brilliant new fantasy series for middle grade readers. I love that it turns the unicorn trope on it’s head and offers something completely different. In Skandar’s world unicorns are not friendly, magical creatures. They are dangerous, powerful beasts that pose a threat to everyone if they cannot be controlled.

The book has a Harry Potter vibe in that you’ve got a bunch a kids thrown into a school environment to learn the magic they’ve been destined to wield. But through the year as they learn their crafts, they also uncover important secrets. And when enemies come knocking, they rise up to battle them head on.

That said, this is not Harry Potter, and it brings a fresh new story for fantasy lovers. There are loads of mysteries to unravel and so many twists and turns I didn't see coming.

Character development is spot on and connecting with them is fluid and effortless due to the care author AF Steadman has taken to build them and the world around them.

This book is a winner for all fans of fantasy adventure. It’s got that familiar comforting vibe of stories you’ve loved, with a super fresh, and unpredictable, storyline.

Title: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief 
Author: AF Steadman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster , $19.99
Publication Date: 28 April 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781398512429
For ages: 9 - 99 
Type: Middle Grade

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Guest Post: Ellie Royce on The Fantastic Journeys of Storytelling