Review: Once Upon Our Planet

Once upon a time there was a planet. Our planet. A place of mysterious beauty, filled with heat and ice, forests and deserts, creatures of all shapes and sizes.

If you love whimsy and wonder in your short stories, Once Upon Our Planet is a perfect pick.

The book has twelve gorgeous stories about life, nature and the world — fiction intertwined with splashes of mythology and legends by internationally best-selling author Vita Murrow.

Read the story of the North Wind, where Bo the giant must venture across the lands to blow the first breaths of winter in the south. Read the tale of two suns and find out how two became one. 

Each story is based around nature, seasons, the environment and our planet. Each takes you on a fantastical adventure, but each has elements of the real, making you wonder… could this be true?

This is a lovely book for bedtime shares. It will spark imagination and wonder. Its beautiful and warming.

The stunning illustrations by Aitch will have you running your hands over the pages. Deep colours and whimsical creatures add to the vibrancy of the stories. And they’re there with every page turn, bringing a special magic to this storytelling experience.

With a lovely thick hard cover, the book is one to last the test of time. It’s textured and speckled with gold — hard to walk by without reaching for it.

Once Upon Our Planet will bring special moments into your life. If you’re looking for something unique to share with your kids, this one is for you.

Title: Once Upon Our Planet
Author: Vita Murrow
Illustrator: Aitch
Publisher: Magic Cat, $34.99
Publication Date: 2 June 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781913520083
For ages: 4+
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: The Story of Australia: For the Young and the Curious

The Story of Australia was first published in 1984. This superb edition, has been produced for a younger audience and is an experience in reading pleasure.

Evidence of human occupation goes back 50,000 years and its from what is found in the ground such as bones and seeds, that reveals to us, what food and animals the early people lived on.

Prehistorians have documented fascinating statistics about the groups that existed in those early times; their individual lands, languages and dialects, and how our first Australians adapted and survived all the climactic and natural changes.

Beginning at Ancient Australia, The Story of Australia for the Young and the Curious, is beautifully presented and referenced. Each section is introduced by a page of stunning coloured illustrations and a listing of the time-line being covered.

The descriptions of situations that led to the decimation of the Aboriginal population are tragic and confronting, with settlers taking possession of the land from which all life, knowledge and spirituality depended.

The entries move through history in a smooth narrative that takes its time to succinctly relay the historical evolution of our country.

Its well-considered design is paramount. Spreads share the page equally between the full colour and black and white archived images, and the detailed text.

I found this a priceless reference book whose vivid descriptions breathe life into the narrative.

This compilation of Australian history is perfect for any age, but specifically valuable to younger readers for study and enjoyment. Its vibrant cover reflects the quality of the content. These 218 pages will be dipped into, referred to repeatedly, and treasured by book lovers and history buffs.

Title: The Story of Australia: For the Young and the Curious
Author: Don Watson
Publisher: Black Inc., $32.99
Publication Date: 2 July 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760641139
For ages: 10+
Type: Non Fiction

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Guest Post: Ruth de Vos on Celebrating Ordinary

Today we welcome, Ruth de Vos, illustrator of Shine, written by Danny Parker and how she embraced the ordinary, everyday moments when creating this divine work.

Shineis a love song between a parent and a child. It combines fun rhymes by Danny Parker with my entertaining illustrations of real-life home and family experiences. 

As a mother of six children, these illustrations needed no artistic licence at all, but are an accurate portrayal of our reality.

The moment I read Danny’s manuscript, I knew that I didn’t want to illustrate this in a sweet and sappy way. I’ll be the first to tell you that parenthood is an incredible privilege, but also to acknowledge that it is far less ‘sweet and sappy’ and far more ‘messy, noisy and stinky’ than some might lead you to believe. I’ll also be the first to insist that the beauty of family and parenthood and childhood is found in those ordinary, less glamorous moments and events.

I truly believe that it’s the ordinary, everyday moments that make a beautiful life. The few minutes of teasing while washing the family car together, siblings all wanting to read the same book at the same time (even though there are several hundred alternatives on the bookshelf), a glass of juice together while discussing (arguing?!) the finer details of the rules for a modified game of hide and seek (agreeing on the rules always takes far longer than the game itself!), refolding the washing that your toddler is ‘helping’ with, pulling together a somewhat healthy dinner with a toddler clinging to one leg and another  precariously perched on a stool nearby …

I’d love us all to celebrate those moments a little more. If the family photo albums or camera rolls are filled with first-day-of-school and birthday photos, maybe flesh them out with captured moments of family members engaging with each other. Let’s notice the ways in which we turn towards each other as parents and children and siblings, and maybe become more mindful about doing so more often.

A few years ago I took a photo of home life every single day for a year. While this obviously resulted in a fantastic collection of family memories, it also helped me to really notice and treasure the ordinary things we do at home, and the ways in which we connect with each other. Try it for yourself! It creates an intimate visual story that can be shared with one another and with future generations.

As we become more aware of the value of mindfulness in various areas of life, let’s also be mindful of the richness that our loved ones bring to our lives – whether through the mundane or the profound.

Ruth de Vos’s illustration work has grown out of a career as an internationally recognised textile artist. Ruth combines traditional (pencil, gouache, collage, screen-printing) and digital techniques to create fun scenes and worlds, and her passion lies in illustrating children’s books. As a mother of six young children, she is an avid and critical consumer of children’s literature, and she also has a ready source of drawing inspiration right in her home. Shine, her book with Danny Parker, is available in all good bookstores and online from Fremantle Press.

Please visit Ruth's website for more information or follow her on instagram .

Read our KBR review of Shine by Shaye Wardrop.

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Review: The Incredibly Busy Mind of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp

The Incredibly Busy Mind of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp is a tribute to the minds of those who examine the world around them, and see things others miss.

 Paul Russell’s perfectly structured prose opens up for examination, the definition of ‘normal’, in connection to the contrasting views of the world as seen by children, whose brains are wired in a singular way.

When Bowen started school, the questions he was asked to answer, needed more time than he was given to reply.

As he grew older his expanding mind had reached a higher degree of thought and logic, exceeding that of others who weren’t allowed the time to examine. 

I could see so much, but everyone else had already finished looking.

His mum understood him perfectly. They played their question and answer games, challenging each other, allowing time for curiosity to burst through the silence before answering.

Created from the personal experience of both writer and illustrator, this magical book is designed to encourage a deeper understanding and awareness in educators and families, about the different neurological pathways in the brains of children. A difference which can easily be translated as something abnormal, but which in fact, is the brilliance of a unique mind, which simply sees things in another way.

Nicky Johnston’s always delicate illustrations offer up the countless details that make up Bowen’s life. He doesn’t know it yet, but what he sees as not fitting in, is a mind in constant thought, examining a world waiting to be discovered, as he works his way to his full potential.

Stunning in every way, another superb collaboration from two highly talented creators, filled with wisdom and beauty, also waiting to be discovered.

Title: The Incredibly Busy Mind of Bartholomew Crisp
Author: Paul Russell
Illustrator: Nicky Johnston
Publisher: EK Books, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 1 July 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 978192820881
For ages: 5 – 10
Type: Picture Book

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Junior Review: The Boy Who Stepped Through Time

Announcement: Unsolicited Review Submissions Month OPEN!

At KBR, we realise how tough it can be—in a flooded kids’ book market, not to mention the current global climate—to get noticed. 

We are a small team, there are only a set amount of days in the year, and we are already chronically flooded with review copies from major and independent publishers.

However, to give emerging creators and self-publishers a chance, we will be opening our review policy for ONE MONTH—to accept unsolicited review submissions from new, self-published or very small (Indie) publishers.

If you fall into this category and would like to have your book considered for review on the #1 kids’ book review site on the web, please read the following guidelines carefully. Email the following to dimity.

A short EMAIL introducing yourself, with a link to your website or other online presence. Please only provide ONE main link. There is no need to give background on you or your books, or any explanations.

A single attachment—one PRESS RELEASE (either PDF of Word doc—no other format accepted) for your book. If you are unfamiliar with press releases, you can google their format and content, but for our purposes, they should include the following:

• A book cover image
• Up to two internal pages/spreads
• A short book synopsis
• Book title
• Book genre
• Publisher
• Publication date
• ISBN
• Retail price (in your country’s currency)
• A short creator biography
• Contact details

Ensure your attachment is no larger than 2MB. Zipped files cannot be accepted.

Please don’t send any other attachments or links to anything else, nor provide any extra, unrequested information.

All of the above must be contained in one single Word document or PDF, as an email attachment, not embedded in the body of the email. Remember, guidelines are an important part of this industry, and should be followed to the letter. Submissions that do not follow these guidelines cannot be considered.

What happens after submission?

If we are interested in your book, your press release will be emailed to the entire KBR review team. If someone on the team wishes to view the book, they will contact you directly for a review copy, and will provide their postal address. All reviewers currently reside in Australia.

Please note that we cannot accept anything but fully finished, published books. Galleys, proofs, mock-ups or electronic book versions are not eligible.

While over 99% of our requested books go to review, we reserve the right not to review any book, even those requested.

We regret we cannot acknowledge receipt of books and we cannot return books. 

We cannot advise if and when reviews will be posted. Reviews can take a week or three months or more to appear on the site. Do keep an eye on the site, and there is a search bar on KBR that allows you to search for titles.

Important

As we are expecting a large volume of submissions, we are unable to respond to emails. There will be no acknowledgment of receipt, and no follow-up. If you do not hear from us by the end of the first week of THE MONTH AFTER, you can assume your submission has not been successful this time. We regret we cannot respond to follow-up emails.

Unsolicited review submissions will be accepted from 5.00 am Wednesday 28 July 2021 to 5.00 pm Wednesday 18 August 2021 . Please note that this is Sydney Australia time (GMT +10). Emails dated past 5.01pm on 18 August 2021 (Sydney time), no matter where you live in the world, cannot be accepted.

We are looking forward to seeing your submissions!

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Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Ok, colour me impressed. This is one heck of a novel. And it's the author's debut, too. Maryam Master tackles the most controversial and sensitive topic there is - death - and does it very well too.Straight from page one, we know that twelve-and-a-half-year-old girl Ana has non Hodgkins lymphoma, which means that she is dying.

Although not a graphic novel, it is heavily illustrated, probably to underscore the humour that runs through and lighten the heavier parts. 

We join Ana some time after she has received the diagnosis - Master avoids the melodrama of the big reveal. We meet Ana when she has digested this news and is dealing with the reality of her illness.

Told in first person, Ana, doesn't sugar coat it.  And please don't imagine Ana is a Beth from Little Women type either. There's no hint of self pity, Ana has so much life, so much vitality. She certainly isn't dead yet and intends to live on her terms. 

Ana's voice bursts from the page and the reader has no choice but to be pulled into her world. She is moving forward, juggling the demands of school, friendship and puberty alongside her chemotherapy and symptoms.

Enter the antagonist. Alyssa Anderson (a nod to Alison Ashley perhaps?) is all blonde perfection. Her mean-girl vibe takes a turn for the bizarre and the reader is left wondering what her motivations really are. Mid-way through, Ana learns what a truly toxic person Alyssa is. 

Ana has a difficult choice to make - to waste her previous time hating Alyssa for her unconscionable actions, or to forgive and let it go. 

And if you think you can predict where this goes, think again. Master throws in another twist around Alyssa's motivations. Ana learns that the world is not neat and that loose ends remain untied.

Overall, there are some tear-jerking moments here, as well as lots of humour. And because the story is told in first person, I think that a younger reader needs to be warned (spoiler alert) to not expect an eleventh hour reprieve. 

Title: Exit Through the Gift Shop 
Author: Maryam Master
Illustrator: Astred Hicks
Publisher: PanMacMillan, $16.99
Publication Date: 27 July 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760983512
For ages: 8 -12 years
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: Bee Detectives

Olivia and Hamish are Bee Detectives. Along with their pet Ignatius, they are guides through a wonderful visual and factual tour, highlighting the lives of Australian bees.

It begins with the noise of a chainsaw. The children and their parents hurry out to see a fallen tree with a black mist rising from it. It isn’t smoke but a hive of bees that have made their home in the trunk.

The Bee Team arrive to carry the nest to a new home. The questions pour from Olivia and Hamish. They want to know everything about what the Bee Team is doing.

It is through the course of exchanging the bees’ home from the trunk to a box, that they learn about what goes on in the hive.

Fantastic illustrations and labels on each area of the comb, allow us an inside view on the workings of a hive.

The team waits for night and moves the hive to Olivia and Hamish’s back yard. They are so excited that they have now officially become Bee Detectives.

Along with the children, we learn about social bees and solitary bees. What their roles are, how they live, what they contribute and how much honey they collect each year.

There are 17,000 species of native bees in Australia. A view through a magnifying glass allows a close-up of the various species shown in the book, offering all the personal information on each bee.

The first focus is on the Blue Banded Bee, its scientific name (Amegilla), and how she lives. The Carpenter Bees don’t use hammers or nails. They leave small holes like a Hansel and Gretel trail behind them, so they are easy to follow. The growth of the Carpenter Bee is depicted in cells, from the larvae stage to when they hatch.

Leaf-cutter bee, Resin Bee, and The Australian Native Stingless Bee are amongst those analysed.

How to attract bees to your garden and the benefits attached to it, plus lots of facts about bees are included in this intricately illustrated and highly educational book.

A comprehensive Glossary adds a wealth of information about the highlighted words found between the covers and the vocabulary associated with bees.

Stunning end pages, depict the bees working under circular magnifying glasses which allows you to view their bodies close up.

Title: Bee Detectives
Author: Vanessa Ryan-Rendall
Illustrator: Brenna Quinlan
Publisher: CSIRO, $ 24.99
Publication Date:1 April 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781486313396
For ages: 6 – 9
Type: Non Fiction

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Review: Leilong the Library Bus

Who doesn't love a good story?

We all want to be intrigued and captivated by a fun and engaging tale, and Leilong the Brontosaurus is no exception.

Lelong's friends, Mo, Maggie and Max are excited to introduce Lielong to the wonders of story time at the local library.

He enthusiastically carries his friends to the library, leaving chaos in his wake. 

But to everybody's disappointment, he can't join in.

Being bigger than the building itself presents a few problems.

However, the enterprising bunch soon find a solution that allows Leilong to participate with all of his friends...but maybe the title gives the solution away.

The illustrations are hilarious, and have a crazy, cartoonish vibe to them that matches the story perfectly.

Originally published in Taiwan, the story beautifully captures the essence of the wonder that we all experience with a good book, and the joy of sharing this. 

Title: Leilong the Library Bus
Author: Julia Liu
Illustrator: Bei Lynn
Publisher: Gecko Press, $16.99
Publication Date: 7 July, 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781776573325
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Wonderful Shoes

Shoes are wonderful, and Wonderful Shoes is a celebration of all things shoes!

Wonderful Shoes explores the fun of shoes. From gumboots to slippers, different shoes give you the power to do lots of different things. AND… make lots of  sounds.

In gumboots you can STAMP and STOMP. In flippers you can FLIP AND FLOP. In tap shoes you can TIP and TAP. 

ALL the shoe sounds feature throughout the book, making this a highly interactive read that is sure to get kids on their feet. Kids will have loads of fun reading along, making all the fun shoe sounds and pretending their stomping along in all the different shoes. The book is destined for story times and classrooms as well as homes.

Debut children's author Emma Bowd delivers delicious rhyming fun in this timeless picture book tale, but, of course, like all good picture books, the text is only half the story. Award-winning illustrator Tania McCartney creates a whole world on the page in this book. She features kids from across the globe in settings far and wide, from cities to the farm, sunshine to snow. The illustrations also feature traditional shoes from around the world, giving a nod to the fact that shoes have history and important cultural significance.

There’s something really special about kids seeing their parents’ shoes and trying them on, and in Wonderful Shoes we're invited into the beautiful connection between kids and our shoes. In oversized heels and mammoth comfy boots, all the kid characters discover not only the different experiences shoes can deliver, but also the gorgeous silly fun that can be seized when clomping around in giant shoes.

It’s reflective of reality (my daughter is often caught in my heels) but also a brilliant way to spark imagination and play. Put on those gumboots and be a farmer. Pull on those boots and play cities with your pals.

And McCartney’s details are just divine. She captures kid life AND parent life perfectly, infusing little family details that all add up to create an authentic world in paper form. Cups of steaming tea for Mum back from shopping, sandcastle flags made of sticks and drawing on the floor as only kids seem to want to do. I adore this special level of detail in a picture book.

A beautiful and fun rhyming read-aloud, Wonderful Shoes will inspire you to pull on a pair of shoes and play.

Title: Wonderful Shoes
Author: Emma Bowd
Illustrator: Tania McCartney
Publisher: Windy Hollow Books, $25.99
Publication Date: May 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922081988
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Australian Backyard Birdies

Australian Backyard Birdies is a non-fiction book with a bit of a difference.

It's a 'somewhat factual' field guide to some of the birds you might find near where you live.

Birds like the White Ibis (also known as a bin chicken), Willie Wagtail, and Seagulls (which the book also calls beach chickens).

Each bird has a double-page spread which includes a picture of the starring bird and a map of Australia showing where the bird can be found.

There's also a colour palette highlighting the bird's features, and pictures that explain the bird's size in comparison to a bucket.

The bird's scientific name is included, along with a couple of facts. Some facts are a little different to what you might expect in an information book. 

The illustrations are soft and a little bit quirky, and the birds' eyes peer out from the pages at the reader looking at them.

As you read Australian Backyard Birdies, it's like author and illustrator, Andy Geppert is chatting with you, and adding a dash of humour, too. The humour is a good example of the dad jokes referred to on the page about the kookaburra. Watch out for the giant inflatable swan that's included!

Readers will find many of the facts quite memorable. Especially those like a bush turkey's nest mound being able to be bigger than your mum's car!

Australian Backyard Birdies is a good introduction to birds for young children, and could be used as a nature activity at school or at home in the backyard. It can also be a prompt for discovering the truth about each of the birds.

Title: Australian Backyard Birdies
Author/Illustrator: Andy Geppert
Publisher: Lothian Children's Books, $ 19.99
Publication Date: July 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780734420695
For ages: 4-8 year olds
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Giveaway: Echo In The Memory

Announcement: The Environment Award for Children's Literature 2021 by Wilderness Society: Shortlist!

Guest Review by Ria Banerjee: Thursday's Child

There is something comforting and calming about reading children's books. This feeling makes me want to go back to them again and again. Noel Streatfeild's books have always been my favourites in this genre. They are inspirational, full of diverse characters and adventures, and Thursday's Child is no exception.

Margaret Thursday is a foundling discovered at the doorstep of a church with three of everything of the best quality. She was named after the day she was found. She receives money every year from an anonymous person for her expenses and happily lives with Hannah, the caretaker of two old ladies of the Cameron family at Saltmarsh House.

When all of sudden the money stops coming for Margaret, her life takes a new turn. The Cameron ladies and Hannah are not financially well enough to raise her. Therefore, Margaret is sent to an orphanage which has a good reputation.

Margaret soon discovers that the cruel and cunning Matron of the orphanage bullies the children, subjects them to hard labour and does not properly feed and clothe them. Nobody outside the orphanage is allowed to know about these activities. Margaret faces all kinds of punishments for her outspoken nature, but never gives up the hope of escaping from the place.

One day Margaret discovers something that may put her friends into trouble, and decides to run away, along with her friend Lavinia's brother Peter and his little brother Horatio. They embark on an adventurous journey from the orphanage through the canals of England on a boat and they even travel around with an acting company. Their escapade is full of moments of tension and fun.

In contrast to the Matron at the orphanage, there are many kind-hearted grown-ups who help the children all along. The relationships portrayed in the book are heart-warming.

All of the children have their unique characteristics. Lavinia is the oldest of them, and therefore she is a wise and mature girl. Margaret is kind, brave, ambitious and clever but she likes to tell exaggerated stories about her background. Peter loves to read books and usually stays quiet. Horatio is a very small child who tends to speak the truth. Interestingly, each one of them have qualities that play significant parts in the story.

This is a beautiful story about friendship, courage and believing in oneself. I recommend this book not only to children, but to all grown-ups who want to find the joy of their childhood in reading.

Title: Thursday's Child
Author: Noel Streatfeild

Publisher: William Collins, Sons, Harper Collins, $14.99
Publication Date:  First published1970. April 2020

ISBN: 9780008244057
For Ages: 9 - 12

Type: Middle Grade Fiction

You'll find Ria at her website, Booklovers' Guide.

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Review: Enough Love?

Enough Love? is a picture book to celebrate. It’s a picture book to share, and a picture book to make you think.

In Enough Love? we’re introduced to Willa. Willa has one mum, one dad, one home and one bird. And that’s enough.

But when Willa’s parents get divorced, things change. One home becomes two. And when Willa’s dad meets Kevin, one dad becomes two. A little sister arrives, and that’s enough.

Until things change again.

At the end, things are very different from where they started. There are more pets and more siblings. There are stepsiblings too. 

Willa’s family grows bigger and connections expand. Things change but there is always love. And even though change brings challenge and frustrations, in the end Willa finds space in her heart to love everyone… with maybe even some space for more.

Enough Love? is a beautiful exploration of family, love and change. It shines a light on a different family that maybe isn’t so different after all. Family is about love, right? And whether your family is two people or ten, if there is love, does it really matter how many mums, dads, pets and siblings are part of it?

What I adore most about this book is that all the meaning I’ve just pulled from it is my own. The book tells the story of a young girl and her changing family — the emotions that come with change. But it in no way hits you over the head with morals or messages.

Author Maggie Hutchings delivers this in all her picture books. The story is the hero, and the meaning is there for the reader to find. If they want to. Hutchings creates little worlds on paper, and you, the reader, get to step into these worlds when you open the covers.

Evie Barrow brings colourful joy to this book with her stunning illustrations. In beautiful hand drawn style, Barrow’s illustrations are filled with details and emotion. They perfectly capture family life, with brooms in the corner of the room, kid art on the fridge and bobby pins on the bathroom sink. All the characters have strong visual personalities, bringing them to life. Simply gorgeous!

If you’re looking for a book to show kids that families come in all shapes and sizes, this is the one. If you’re looking for a book that helps kids navigate change, this is the one. If you’re looking for a book that celebrates love and family, this is the one.

It’s a book for so many occasions, and at the end of the day it’s just really good storytelling.

For more great picture books by Maggie Hutchings, make sure you check out I saw Pete and Pete Saw Me and Your Birthday was the Best. For more delicious illustrations by Evie Barrow, make sure you check out Howl and Horatio Squeak.

Title: Enough Love?
Author: Maggie Hutchings
Illustrator: Evie Barrow
Publisher: Affirm Press, $24.99
Publication Date: 29 June 2021
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781922400833
For ages: 3 - 6 
Type: Picture Book

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Meet The Illustrator: Katrin Dreiling

Name: Katrin Dreiling

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Quirky, European, friendly, whimsical and hopefully with an out-of-the-box focus on things.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I would say gouaches and coloured pencils, Photoshop and Procreate but a lot of coffee and my fluffy dog Loki are definitely essential, too.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I can never decide which medium I like best and it seems to vary according to my mood or how much time I have in that moment. However, the first thing I usually grab just to put rough ideas down are either an ink pen or my beloved Palomino Blackwing pencil.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
They change a lot, too, but three of my all-time favourites are Russell Ayto and his quirky perspectives. 

Then Felicita Sala’s and Beatrice Alemagna’s playfulness and childlike visions and techniques. I can never get enough of their work. Tim Burton’s work has been an influence as well but that’s already four…..

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?

I recently have formed a deeper interest for the Victorian Age mainly because of the detailed and restricting clothing. Living in that time would be a different matter. I don’t think I could fit in without inadvertently causing scandals…! I do stretch my pinkie out when I drink tea, though.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?

The joy in creativity, watching the world through a different lens and reading cartoons was always there but I think my three children brought my wish to be an illustrator for children’s book alive. When they were small, I could see how much picture books had an influence on them and it deeply fascinated me. That’s how it all started and it has certainly not been an easy journey but I feel that it was a privilege to be able to show my children how you pursue a dream and never give up.

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

My studio at home could be mistaken for a cupboard in regards to its size or a storage in regards to its chaos. I know exactly where everything is and declutter regularly, though. I love my desk with its inbuilt lightbox and that it is situated right in the middle of the house…and close to the coffee shelf.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

I love when all sketches and storyboard are done and I can start on the coloured illustrations. I usually wrap up the process by digitally enhancing or texturizing my work and this always fulfills me completely as I see everything coming together. When I have finished a project I often go and reward myself with new art supplies…I like that part very much, too 😊

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

Find someone whose opinion and experience you trust to ask questions and then try not to look left or right and just do your own thing.

Katrin Dreiling is a teacher-trained illustrator based in Brisbane who loves to come up with quirky creations that inspire children to get creative themselves. She has illustrated several picture books, and her first author/illustrator work, A Perfect Pig, has just been released. She contributes the Meet the Illustrator posts for Kids' Book Review and just recently took the role of SCBWI QLD Illustrators Coordinator. Katrin is represented by US literary agent Essie White at Storm Literary.

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

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Junior Review: Dress Coded

Review: A Perfect Pig

Anton likes everything to be just right, from the part in his hair to the placement of food on his plate. So when it comes to planning his best friend Lola’s surprise birthday party, he has a picture of perfection in his vision. 

When Anton’s mission figuratively and literally tumbles in another direction, he’s perplexed but powers on without complaint. He pedals through the rain, even when mud splatters and his tired piggy legs feel like jelly.

After a busy, bewildering morning, it’s time for Lola’s party, will everything turn out as Anton had hoped? A joyous message about friendship, carrying on and finding perfection in imperfection prevails. 

Anton’s character is lovely, he’s a quaint, caring perfectionist with a heart-warming smile. I adore all the illustrated details and characters. A gorgeous scene showing animals lined up outside a bakery left me dreamily wondering about each and every one of them.  

A Perfect Pig is illustrated in a marvellous mix of media with a crafty cut and paste feel. A mix of textures, wobbly lines and pops of pink create motion and movement in unity with the text. It would be fun to share with groups or individuals and could inspire further discussion about friendship, personalities and getting through tricky situations.

Katrin Drieling is our very own Kids Book Review Meet the Illustrator Editor. A Perfect Pig is her first author illustrated book, some of her earlier illustrated books include Bedtime Daddy, The World’s Worst Pirate and Johnny’s Beard.

Title: A Perfect Pig
Author/Illustrator: Katrin Dreiling
Publisher: Scholastic, $17.99
Publication Date: 1 July 2021
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781760974374
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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12 Curly Questions with author Cameron Nunn

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I used to play drums in a variety of bands. I was never very good, and the bands never got very far.

2. What is your nickname?
As a school principal, I probably get called lots of things but the one that gets thrown around a bit is The Nunster.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Not being able to sleep. I know that sounds crazy, but I went through a period of insomnia and it was the worst time of my life. The fear that I might go through that again still sits there.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Character-driven, historical, young-adult fiction, with an unresolved twist.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Passionate, detail-driven, sound-obsessed and image-focused. I know that’s only four but I’ve cheated with hyphens.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Boxer, from Animal Farm. I have been blessed with a tireless ability to work. I’m loyal, optimistic and always believe the best in people, even when common sense says otherwise.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d love to go 50 years into the future and hope that people have recognised what we have been doing to the planet and fixed it before it was too late.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
I was such an insecure 10-year-old that I think any advice would be full of worry about what other people thought of me. If I could give my 10-year-old self some advice it would be, ‘relax, it all turns out okay in the end’.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
I’m a Christian, so I’d have to say Jesus. But I’m also married to the most wonderful, faithful and intelligent woman who sets me straight when I need it and gives me more inspiration than I deserve.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I’d been teaching English for nearly 20 years, telling students how wonderful creative writing is. A friend challenged me that I needed to do more than talk about it.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
I’m constantly learning new words, so it changes continuously but the word ‘ubiquitous’ seems to stick around. I love the way it sounds as it rolls off the tongue. The sound of words is really important to me as I write.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
At the risk of being overly religious, my Bible is the book I read every day. It is such a story of promise, love and hope. 

 

Cameron Nunn is well qualified to write for teenagers. An English teacher for 18years, at the time of writing Shadows in the Mirror (his debut novel) he was head of English at a major school in the outer Sydney suburb of Penrith. You can read our review of his latest book, Echo in the Memory here. For more information, see www.walkerbooks.com.au.

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Review: Toby the Rainforest Warrior

Toby and Charlie, two young tree kangaroos that live in the Daintree tropical rainforest, are the narrators of this story.

Men have come with loud chainsaws and have attacked their trees. Toby and Charlie raise the alarm. Destruction of the forest means the loss of habitat and food source of thousands of animals, birds and insects.

Toby spreads the word of a meeting at Smooth Pond. The cassowaries of the area are proud and strong. They will stand and fight!

All the animals continue spreading the word, from area to area. The quiet owls that only speak when they have something important to say, are now fluent and loud.

Some animals feel that they are too far away to be affected by the tree cutting.

But Toby quickly points out that a mass migration will take place if the men succeed in cutting down that area of trees. 

All the animals will then have to move into other areas to find food to survive. There won’t be enough for all then.

The meeting takes place. So does the attack!

All the animals follow the plan. First the noise. Then the physical attack.

The forest is saved!

Ideal for reluctant readers, this beautiful story tells of the power of unity, even in the animal world. Through the descriptive narrative, a view of the forest and the trees, and the way animals support and look out for each other, is made visible.

It also awakens awareness, and the motivation and interest in children to protect our wildlife, their surroundings and the beauty of the natural world.

Title: Toby the Rainforest Warrior
Author: Ron Day
Illustrator: Muza Ulasowski
Publisher: Morris Publishing, $ 17.95
Publication Date: 1 May 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN:9780648878254
For ages: 6 – 10
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: A Weekend with Oscar

Looking after a younger brother with additional needs for a weekend doesn't sound like an easy gig for a sixteen year old kid. 

Nor is it.

Jamie is a smart kid, in the accelerated class at school, who tries to live as straightforward a life as possible while grieving the loss of his dad and coping with the demands of Oscar, his gorgeous brother with Downs Syndrome.

When his mother needs to make a sudden interstate trip to support her own sister’s crisis, Jamie steps up and offers to look after Oscar for a few days.

The weekend passes with a few hiccups along the way, but Jamie rises to the challenges and manages to get Oscar to his various appointments and activities despite relying on the bus. 

He looks forward to life returning to normal.

But his mother never returns. 

At first, he assumes that a wild storm in Perth which has grounded all flights is the reason. 

But as the storm passes and he hears nothing from either his mother or aunt about a revised ETA, his disquiet steadily grows.

And he can’t call on help from the authorities, as this would risk Oscar being removed from the family home, something that Jamie promised his parents would never happen.

He needs to dig deep to solve this mystery with no adult help.

I liked that Bavati portrayed the affection between the brothers, and that Oscar was depicted as being more than just his disability. 

Bavarti gave Oscar the agency to come up with a strategy that Jamie hadn’t thought about. I also liked how she showed the reader the isolation that families with children with additional needs face daily as their social options quietly dry up. 

However, the school bully was never given a motivation to be so rude about Oscar to Jamie’s face and I felt this was a left as a loose end. Plus, having worked for social welfare agencies myself, I wanted to yell at Jamie that his fears would be unlikely to be realised as siblings are only separated as a last resort.

Otherwise, it was well written and left me guessing. Jamie and Oscar were both relateable, and Jamie's budding relationship with Zoe was also done well. 

This is author Robyn Bavati’s fourth book for young adults, and I’m sure it’s not going to be her last.

Title: A Weekend with Oscar
Author: Robyn Bavarti
Publisher: Walker, $19.99
Publication Date: 7 July, 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760653002
For ages: 12 years +
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Winner: Wombat Nature Storybook

Our lucky winner is...

Liz Dorrington, WA

Congratulations!

You have won a copy of the beautiful picture book by Christopher Cheng and Liz Duthie, Wombat.

Enjoy!

Thank you to ALL who entered.

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Review: A Flair for Fun

A Flair for Fun is a new book from the team who created A Flair for Hair, Bilyana Di Costanzo and Mauro Di Costanzo.

Like A Flair for Hair (read our review), it takes animals and puts them in situations where you would usually expect to see humans.

The cover is a great example of this, showcasing a gorilla enjoying go karting.

In A Flair for Fun the anthropomorphic animals are all fit and active, taking part in a wide variety of sporting activities. 

The animals are full of expression and personality. However, they are never named, so readers can set out to see how many they can recognise.

Some are easy: a rodent who is proficient at karate, a surfing lion, a tennis-playing pig, and sheep playing rugby.

Those which might be less obvious include: an Afghan dog who is indoor rock climbing, a water-skiing hippo, and a cricketing rabbit (whose ears are a little hidden).

Rather than being a narrative story, this is a succession of colourful, bright, and bold illustrations accompanied by sentences that feature rhyme.

For a horse, the sentence is, 'I don't like wearing shoes at all, so I play beach volleyball.' 

In each of the sentences, the rhyming words are highlighted by use of a different colour.

A Flair for Fun is a fun book for young children, which encourages them to explore rhyming words, and will introduce them to many different sports.

Title: A Flair for Fun
Author: Bilyana Di Costanzo
Illustrator: Mauro Di Costanzo
Publisher: New Holland Publishers, $ 24.99
Publication Date: June 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760792862
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Prank Lab

This book will blow your mind (perhaps quite literally!).

Exploding with prank potential, this is THE book to get your little loves if they are into whacky science fun. Prank Lab ticks all the boxes.

Let’s start with design.

A beautiful curved edge cover and curved edge paper. Glossy pages with a colour explosion on each. 

Colour coded sections that help divide up each part of the book. Picture based instructions for all the experiments and pranks, helping kids to do it themselves.

All this makes Prank Lab a book to treasure. It’s beautiful to hold, and extremely engaging for kids and adults alike.

Now content.

Oh, wow, there is some cool stuff in this book. There are pranks that are a little on the messy side (so much fun!), classic pranks from way back, pranks that mess with your mind and pranks perfect to place a wager on.

Some of my family’s favourites included ‘edible poop’, where you make fake poop and leave it on the bathroom floor, and ‘your coin my coin’, where you use your mind reading skills to figure out which coin your victim has picked up.

Before each prank starts there's a shopping list to help you prep and a fantastic prank assessment, which tells you who the victim could be, how much mess the prank will make, the danger level, the funny factor and also how much science is involved.

There’s also a ‘warnings to future me’ section that gives you advice for making the prank the best it can be or dealing with potential prank fallout. There are hot tips, pro tips and science facts throughout. And a glossary at the end provides extra help if you need it. Every page is packed full of fun and information.

25 epic pranks, laughs and learning along the way, Prank Lab is brilliance in book form!

Title: Prank Lab
Author: Wade David Fairclough, Chris Ferrie and Byrne Laginestra
Publisher: Source Books, $24.99
Publication Date: June 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781728223742
For ages: 4+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Fearless Friends #1 Graffiti Fighters

It is the first day of the first year at High School for Evie, her cousin Willem, and friend Bella. As she leaves home, Evie can’t imagine what the day has in store for her.

She discovers her old neighbour, Mrs White, has had graffiti sprayed all over her fence. An old witch lives here, it says. (Strangely enough, lots of people in the town believe that’s what she is). The culprit has signed it, Leonardo.

Evie is determined to find out who this is.

The morning classes bring further disappointment for Evie. Her teachers are not what she hoped they’d be. Then there is the art teacher, Mrs Flowers. She is in a mess; acting strangely, and talking about a ghost.

For distraction, Mrs Flowers suggests that the class check out the art exhibition. Evie hopes to find a clue or similarity to the graffiti art, but is unsuccessful.

On the way home, they find Mrs White’s fence spotless. The old lady explains it away saying she found a cleaning product that removed spray paint.

Evie’s house is the next target. Then it’s the back of the public library. But the most shocking, is the desecration with spray paint, of her great, grandfather’s statue.

Enough is enough! Evie drags Willem into her plan to discover who culprit is. And they do.

But why is Jack, a talented artist, using graffiti as a tool for revenge against what he claims, is an injustice done to his father?

Who is the mystery ghost roaming the mansion that Mrs Flowers now owns, but which belonged to Evie’s grandfather? Is the story about grandma seeing the ghost true? If so, why did no one believe her?

What role does Mrs White’s magic pen play in this mystery, and can the children teach Jack the graffiti artist, to treat people the way he wants them to treat him?

Lots of threads are left hanging, with many questions waiting to be answered in the second book of a three-book mystery series.

Book 2 will be available in September. Ideal for reluctant and early readers. Its short chapters and fast pace add a sense of excitement and anticipation.

Title: Fearless Friends #1 Graffiti Fighters
Author: Elaine Ouston
Publisher: Morris Publishing, $ 17.95
Publication Date: 1 May 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780648878247
For ages: 6 – 10
Type: Junior Fiction

 

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Review: Have You Seen My Friend?

Rabbit has a friend. But she keeps disappearing. Like magic.

They’re playing cards, they’re playing table tennis, they’re playing chess, and then poof! Rabbit’s friend is just gone.

But Rabbit has a trick up her sleeve to stop her friend from magically disappearing, and it’s kind of genius.

Have You Seen My Friend? By author/illustrator Jo Dabrowski is a gorgeous lift-the-flap board book with both humour and heart.

With simple text, story reveals hidden behind flaps and lovely paper-art style illustrations, this is a great book for little ones. But it’s not like most lift-the-flap books written for young kids because the funny parts (which you’ll find when you lift the flaps) will seriously give the giggles.

It's a lovely choice for the whole family. It’s hardy physical design will withstand curious young hands and it’s a book new readers can also tackle independently.

Have You Seen My Friend? Is fun and quirky, and it brings lift-the-flap books to a whole new level.

Title: Have You Seen My Friend?
Author/Illustrator: Jo Dabrowski
Publisher: Affirm Press, $17.99
Publication Date: 29 June 2021
Format: Hard Cover, Board Book
ISBN: 9781922400819
For ages: 0 - 6
Type:  Board Book, Picture Book

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Review: Bots and Bods: How Robots and Humans Work

Review: Earth's Aquarium.

This over-sized book is a joy to look at. 

With richly detailed illustrations of the various aquatic environments, children will be fascinated and want to linger over each double-page spread.

 
This book explores a number of different wetland, river and ocean ecosystems found across the globe. 

From the arctic to the tropical oceans, from the Amazon to the Wadden sea, each is described and illustrated in rich detail.

As each single page is A3 sized, interacting with an open page would feel like an immersive experience for a smaller child.

Rodrigues illustrates the fifteen various water ecosystems found on the planet in full colour.

The author, Kaufnam, is an award winning journalist and a regular contributor to the HuffPost and writes on environmental policy and climate change. 

His passion is clearly expressed in this book.

He not only describes the worlds depicted, he provides a stark commentary on the effect of over fishing, pollution and climate change on the species that populate each ecosystem.

An important read for all.

Title: Earth's Aquarium
Author: Alexander Kaufman
Illustrator: Mariana Rodrigues
Publisher: Walker, $44.99
Publication Date: 2 June 2021
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781913520090
For ages: 7-10 years
Type: Junior Non Fiction

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Guest Post: Kesta Fleming on Stage Presence (or How NOT to Perform Magic)

Review: The Little Coven

The Little Coven is picture book magic!

Filled with golden flowing rhyme, it’s a delicious read that makes music with words.

There’s a clearing in the forest where the moss and mushrooms grow,

Where three little witches gather beneath the full moon’s glow.

Eve, Florence and Sabine are best friends — the little coven, witchy friends who have each other’s back no matter what. They may be different, with different witchy talents, but together they can do anything.

Together they mix magic — whisper secrets of the soul.
And the things that make them different, when together, make them whole.

This gem of a picture book explores how friends don’t have to be the same to be friends — how our differences are a good thing and come together to make us better as a whole. It’s about deep friendship that spans time. It’s a celebration of connections that never break no matter what obstacles are thrown our way.

Each has wandered their own path, through every twist and turn.
But always to this clearing these three witches do return.

The rhyme flows gloriously in The Little Coven, adding to the witchy feel of the book. Penny Harrison’s words warm your heart as you read, reminding you of all the special people in your own world.

Illustrator Vivian Mineker injects magic, mystique and atmosphere into each page. The colour palette is exquisitely lush with deep greens and purples conveying the mystery of the forest. There are lots of hidden treasures to find as you read: darling forest creatures and smiling trees.

I love how Mineker represents the witches. Are they kids playing witches in the forest or do they actually have witchy powers? The answer is really up to you, and I love thinking about it both ways.

l also love how the coven plays as they grow, even into adulthood. It’s a beautiful message to adults to let go and find their inner child, and a message too to kids to never forget what being a kid is all about. These are small jewels hidden in the story and illustrations — subtle and almost invisible — but they add so much to the story experience.

I highly recommend The Little Coven. It’s a joy-filled and magical read that celebrates the bonds of friendship and witchy-fun.

For more great picture books by Penny Harrison, make sure you check out Extraordinary, Rainbow is my Favourite Colour, and Bronte: Me and My Boots.

Title: The Little Coven
Author: Penny Harrison
Illustrator: Vivian Mineker
Publisher: Hardie Grant, $24.99
Publication Date: 7 April 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760508128
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Books

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12 Curly Questions with author Steve Heron

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I failed English at High School.

2. What is your nickname?
Fish – although it doesn’t get used a lot nowadays. When I worked with street kids many years ago, they called me Hubcap Head.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Being told I can’t eat chocolate anymore.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
A blend of humour, heart, hope, literary lunacy and reality.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Determined, funny, cheeky, heartfelt, hopeful.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I would be the Puffin in The Sea-Thing Child by Russell Hoban. Why? It’s my favourite book and I love the way the Puffin discovers his true destiny, spreads his wings and soars. I can relate to that; I am encouraged by that.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Hmmm, hardest question. If pressed I would say 1965, so I could march with Martin Luther King Jnr on the civil rights protest march from Selma to Mongomery.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
I’m glad you stopped throwing stones at girls.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Other than my mum, Baymax from Big Hero 6.

10. What/who made you start writing?
About 30 years ago, a 10-year-old boy asked me if I would write a story about a boy who was being bullied. I told him that I don’t write books. Not long after that I saw a charm of magpies on the side of the road. It looked like they were picking on the weakest one. I could see a story in that, so I wrote it. It became my first picture book, The Magpie Who Wasn’t a Chicken. After that, I read The Sea-Thing Child and I knew I wanted to write for children.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Fantastic. Because it’s fantastic. If someone asks me how I am, I say “fantastic”. It surprises people. Even if I’m not feeling fantastic, just saying it helps me feel better and they usually smile.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Sea-Thing Child by Russell Hoban

Steve uses his 40-plus years of working with children to inspire him and combines heart, hope, humour and help to create books that touch and tickle children’s hearts. His first middle-grade novel Maximus (Serenity Press) published 2018. His first trade-published picture book is Ling Li’s Lantern (MidnightSun Publishing) 2020. For more information, see www.steveheron.com.

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Review : Elsewhere Girls

This clever and highly entertaining novel is written by two authors, writing one voice each.

It is early 2021. Cat and her family have moved from country Victoria to the city. Cat has won a sports scholarship into Victoria College. But swimming is not her passion but she is good at it. 

The expectations that come with the scholarship are overwhelming for Cat, and she’d rather be back in Orange. But she can’t let her parents down. 

Her life is ruled by early morning training and a stop watch.

Fan longs to be a top swimmer. Her goal is the Olympics. It is 1908. She and her nine siblings work extremely hard with training fitting in around the endless chores that every day demands.

On an ordinary day, when both girls are swimming, the hands of the stopwatch measuring time for Cat, turn anti-clockwise at the same moment that Fan is being timed.

A time-slip occurs. The girls find themselves in the other’s world. Fan is in Cat’s body and looks like her but is still Fan, and vice-versa.

How it happens is a mystery to both girls who must work out how to get back home.

Meanwhile, wonderful descriptions of life and family in the early 1900s, become film tapes, projecting the past that Cat is forced to adapt to. Hilarious situations occur when both girls try to cover their mistakes in speech, attitude, dress and relationships within the family circle.

It is almost impossible for Cat to behave like she belongs in Fan’s era. She must dispose of dead rats, and use a chamber pot in the night. This she forgoes for the dunny with newspapers hanging on a string for toilet paper. Washing day is worse and she fears she will never survive the challenges each day brings.

The toaster is a mystery to Fan. How does it go up and down? There is the shower that produces hot water at the turn of a tap. A machine washes the clothes instead of boiling a copper and using the wash board. Mobile phones and Google are mysterious words, and how do laptops die?

Valuable historical information is used to create Fan’s life which can’t fail to be highly educational for younger people who have grown up in the internet age.

I loved everything about this lighthearted story built of swapped lives. The past’s difficulties put the present’s luxuries in focus, reminding us how lucky we are to live in the times that we do. At the same time, acknowledging that those early years had a lot of beneficial things that today’ society lacks.

Title: Elsewhere Girls
Author: Emily Gale & Nova Weetman
Publisher: Text, $16.99
Publication Date: 4 May 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781922330451
For ages: 10+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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