Review: Itty-Bitty Kitty Corn

Review: Where's My Dinosaur?

Mummy’s tummy is growing. Dad says it will be a playmate for the little girl that narrates the story. 

Obsessed with dinosaurs, she hopes it will be one. With the size it currently is, she imagines it is a chick, so she chooses a name for it.

As Mummy’s tummy gets bigger, so do the pets the child imagines will become part of her family. 

A rabbit to share her room? A puppy perhaps, to chase around the yard or park, with lots of bones to keep him happy?

During the last stages, the possibility of it being a bear is also considered.

Then the bear becomes an elephant!

While all these animals pass through the child’s mind, each is accompanied by the wonderful play time they will share.

More joyous than all these imaginings, is the one in which she believes it will be a dinosaur. She hugs this thought tightly. She even has the perfect name picked out for him.

Banners of welcome will greet him. A shiny name tag will be hung around his neck.

Excited when the time has come, dad and daughter head to the hospital.

Mummy is holding something wrapped in a blue blanket. It’s not a chick, a dog, a bear, an elephant, or a dinosaur!

How does the little girl come accept her new sibling?

With a wonderful ending that solves all questions with answers that delight, this beautifully presented picture book, has a diverse family at its core, and addresses the sensitive issues of adjustment and change for parents and children, at a new addition to the family unit.

Stunning covers and gorgeous full page, detailed illustrations filled with humour and activity, complement the the text. The choice of colours used throughout by Jasmine Berry add a vibrant and lively atmosphere to the main character’s thoughts and expectations.

Title: Where's My Dinosaur?
Author: Ashling Kwok
Illustrator: Jasmine Berry
Publisher: Yellow Brick Books, $26.99
Publication Date: 30 September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780648492559
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Guest Post: Allison Paterson on I Wonder

Giveaway: Where's My Dinosaur?

Review: Horrible Harriet and the Terrible Tantrum

Horrible Harriet turns 20 this year! 

Hip hip hooray for the cheekiest kid on the block!

And to celebrate, Harriet has decided it’s time for a change.

In Horrible Harriet and the Terrible Tantrum, Harriet is bored with being bad. 

She’s decided to be a good girl.

Mr Boggle, her teacher, has always thought she was good, but Harriet wants EVERYONE to think she’s good.

She tries really hard, but no matter what she does, it just doesn’t seem to convince her classmates that she’s changed. And Harriet thinks she knows why.

See, up in her room lives a terrible tantrum. Harriet keeps it locked in a cage because it cannot be controlled (smart girl!), but it is truly terrible. It’s rude and demanding and so, so naughty. It makes Harriet feel angry and mean.

And then one night, the terrible tantrum escapes. And not only does it escape. It takes Harriet’s seat in class! Can Horrible Harriet get the terrible tantrum back in its cage? Will Harriet’s classmates ever think she’s good?

This is a brilliant instalment in the Horrible Harriet picture book series, and I’m so delighted we get to jump back into Harriet’s world. Harriet is that character who speaks to all of us because, in so many ways, she is all of us. She is a little on the naughty side, but she is also vulnerable and insecure and just looking to make friends, and maybe finds it more difficult that she expected to connect with others.

What I love about this book is the ‘realness’ of the story. It is just so ‘kid’. The humour weaved throughout speaks to kids directly. It has the perfect amount of silliness, with a perfect dash of gross.

Leigh Hobbs is a super-loved Australian creator. An author and an illustrator, Hobbs has brought so many delightful characters to life, including Old Tom, Horrible Harriet, Fiona The Pig, Mr Badger, The Freaks in 4F and Mr Chicken. And, he was the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2016/2017.

Find out more about Leigh in our interview about what he's reading.

And check out more of his wonderful picture books by reading KBR reviews for Mr Chicken all Over Australia, Mr Chicken Arriva a Roma, Old Tom's Big Book of Beauty, Hooray for Horrible Harriet and Mr Chicken Lands in London.

Title: Horrible Harriet and the Terrible Tantrum
Author/Illustrator: Leigh Hobbs
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $24.99
Publication Date: September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760878221
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Books

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12 Curly Questions with author/illustrator Katrin Dreiling

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I would love to single-handedly solve a crime and present the culprit to the police. In the peak of the ensuing excitement I would then quietly leave the building not needing any thanks or attention.

2. What is your nickname?
Katrinchen or Frau Dreiling

3. What is your greatest fear?
To run out of dog food with the shops closed. What can I say, I have a Golden Retriever and he doesn’t negotiate...

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Straightforward, hopefully humorous, quirky, fun and kind but also a bit clumsy due to me not being a native speaker.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Eager to learn, cooperative, disciplined, passionate and driven.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Miss Marple because she can just do her thing without being noticed – most people don’t expect an old lady to have detective skills.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
The Victorian era – the illustrator in me would just go to town sketching that kind of fashion.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Thank you for being brave.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
As a child it most definitely was the books that I read and in a more concrete sense it was Astrid Lindgren. Her character’s humour and way to look at the world greatly inspired and influenced me. Nowadays, I would say it’s my husband – he’s my best friend, too.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I have always written stories ever since I could write whole sentences. Things got difficult when I studied German and English at uni and the style I used in German stood in the way of my English writing. This is a constant challenge for me but I love it.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Flamboyant – one day I will create an evil character named Flam Boyant!

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Beatrice Alemagna’s The Marvelous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty of course! 

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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Review: The Australian Climate Change Book

Identical in its exceptional design and presentation to their previous The Bushfire Book, Polly Marsden and Chris Nixon have collaborated again on the thought-provoking, The Australian Climate Change Book.

Full of information intended to arouse awareness in children about actions that can be taken to restore balance to our planet, it examines the how and why of dangers the planet faces. It dissects these through in-depth examples so that children can understand and become involved, be informed and make a difference.

Nixon’s delightful almost delicate illustrations visually reinforce the strong text that encompasses the connection of ecosystems, climate change and its effects on life and environment, energy resources, and the effects of fossil fuels that an increasing demand has created.

It refers to the Barrier Reef and the effect the warmer climate is having on corals, fish and other under water life, the extreme droughts and fires that are increasing which affect our ancient forests, and the rising sea levels, stronger winds and rain that cause erosion.

It is told in a simple but detailed narrative, with the illustrations complementing the meaning.

So many people are doing something about it, but more action is needed and reflects on the issue of alternate renewable energy. This resolution lies in areas of education including changing farming methods, stressing the absolute importance of trees, and reaffirming that every person can play a role in slowing climate change, no matter how young or old they are.

For Your Toolkit allows a broader examination on the subject and how to get involved through a list of websites.

Repair, recycle, re-use and eat local, a few of the small changes that can be made in life style, are introduced on a lift-out wall poster.

Title: The Australian Climate Change Book
Author: Polly Marsden
Illustrator: Chris Nixon
Publisher: Hachette, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 29 September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780734420831
For ages: 5+
Type: Non Fiction

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Winner: Australiana Picture Book Prize Pack

Review: Happy Hoppy Home

Happy Hoppy Home is the story of a family of hares, called the Cottontails.

Their home is a small and crowded one.

There rarely seems to be enough room for the youngsters to play games, or practice ballet in the burrow.

And it's far too noisy for naps.

So what do you do when your burrow is too small? You find a bigger one.

However, Papa Hare and his family find that their new house doesn't quite feel like home.

Perhaps there is another way for them to make the perfect Happy Hoppy Home.

Author and illustrator Tull Suwannakit has created an appealing and relatable story with beautiful, soft and muted pastel illustrations. There's also a quirky comfort in the characters.

Readers can follow the characters by tracing their path through the burrows and tunnels. And see who else they can discover living in the maze of underground burrows. Hint: there are foxes, snakes, moles, and other creatures.

A tale about loving your family and your home, Happy Hoppy Home will be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Title: Happy Hoppy Home
Author/Illustrator: Tull Suwannakit
Publisher: Scholastic Australlia, $ 19.99
Publication Date: August 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781742999937
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Books

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Review: Slow Down… and Sleep Tight

Following on from Slow Down with wholesome nature exploration at an even more relaxed bedtime pace, Slow Down… and Sleep Tight is the perfect modern lullaby.

The book begins with gorgeous flowing rhymes which make you want to snuggle up and embrace the evening. It then journeys through 7 spreads saying goodnight to creatures and nature of the day, and then through 4 of the night and dawn. Each spread explores a brief story with facts to absorb before leading you to the next. 

From goodnight to bunny, bee and blackbirds to hello moon, fox and more, this gentle story encourages calm to your bedtime ritual.

The soft, whimsical illustrations tell much of the story. Traditional pencil lines and digital colour create a sense of light which shows evening, night and dawn in perfect unity with the text.

I adore the bonus end spread with mindful breathing suggestions and questions about the day to ponder or discuss. 

Slow Down… and Sleep Tight would best suit reading time with a loved one before sleep. It would make a gorgeous gift, bound to be treasured and read time and time again. It also has a sturdy cover, flowing typography and gold foil.

Other books by Rachel Williams include Illuminature and Atlas of Animal Adventures. Freya Hartas has illustrated many books including The Dragon With A Chocolate Heart and Frankie Frog and the Throaty Croakers. 

Title: Slow Down... and Sleep Tight
Author: Rachel Williams  
Illustrator: Freya Hartas
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $29.90
Publication Date: 1 September 2021
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781913520304
For ages: 3 – 5
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Where Ya Goin'?

Where Ya Goin’? opens onto the Australian outback. It’s the start of an adventure into new friendships, companionship, and sharing.

Echidna sets out towards the unknown. With a string of amazing native animals picked up along the way to who-knows-where, anything goes.

Echidna has planned a journey in his worn, rickety bus with just a bag of marshmallows. 

Guided by a map, is he headed towards the Black Stump, the Back of Beyond, Woop Woop, there and back, or down the track? It doesn’t matter!

Stopping for petrol, he finds Galah perched on the tin roof with his guitar, busking for offerings. Echidna decides a song or two on the way will do them good. One becomes two.

Further along, they encounter Emu boiling her brew over a campfire. Two become three.

They come across Wombat; a solitary, sad and sorry sight, sitting beneath a tree decorated with coloured flags, celebrating his birthday. May I join the jolly gang? He does.

The old bus is filling fast and just past the Gnarly Beach sign they find Koala and Dingo engrossed in their gumnut bingo.

Where ya goin’? Dingo howls. Before they know it, six new friends are hanging from the bus windows.

Snake with a six-tiered cake at his by the roadside bakery, hisses his way onto the bus. The gang press on.

A stop at the seaside sees Lizard and Skink along with their esky full of drink, added to the loaded bus. Soon after, Crocodile has goodies to offer if they take him along to the Back of Nowhere.

The deal done, they can’t say no to Bandicoot and his Kiwi fruit for they are now eleven and extra food will be needed. Parrot and his carrot, with Pademelon and a watermelon are added to the busload of buddies that arrives in Dunedoo.

What have Kangaroo and Joey cooking on the barbie?

With a camp fire burning in the background, could this will be the best birthday party Wombat will ever have?

Full page illustrations by Matty Mitchell allow an earth to sky view of the surroundings. The expressive features of the characters detail their sense of freedom and easy-going Aussie attitude, hilarious activities, and conversation between new friends.

For more fun, kids can download colouring sheets and activities. There is also a cipher for kids to uncover the secret message hidden throughout the book.

Written, illustrated and printed in Australia, this superb counting picture book in rhyming slanguage with fabulous alliteration and assonance, can claim the completely original, dinky-di Aussie label.

Title: Where Ya Goin'?
Author: Steve Heron
Illustrator: Matty Mitchell
Publisher: Wide Eyed Press, $ 15.90
Publication Date: 1 August 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780648161189
For ages: 4 – 8
Type: Picture Book

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Guest Post: Q & A with Beth Bailey: Winner of The Guinness World Records 2022 Book Cover Comp!

GWR competition winner Beth Bailey at 11-years-old submitted a drawing of what she thought the cover of the Guinness World Records 2022 should look like and out of thousands of applicants Beth won! 

She is now featured on the GWR 2022 Australian edition. Discover more about Beth and this fantastic experience in this exclusive interview.Full Name: 

Elizabeth Bailey but everyone calls me Beth!

Age: 

I am 11

Hometown: 

I live in Togari near to Smithton, we moved to Tasmania when I was seven before that I lived in the UK in a village called Walcote, in Leicestershire, England.

Tell us a little about yourself! What year are you in? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Any pets?
I like horses! I’m in grade 5. I have one brother and we live on a dairy farm. We have 2 horses, 4 dogs, 1 cat, 5 ducks and 1 rabbit.

Do you have a super cool special skill?
Riding Stormy (my pony!)

Why did you enter the competition to get on the cover of Guinness World Records 2022?
My teacher, Miss Cramer told my class about it and we were doing it at school and then I took it home and finished it.

We loved your drawing! Tell us about it...
It is about Australia and a person doing a cartwheel.

How does it feel to be on the cover of Guinness World Records 2022?
I feel happy and excited to see it!

What’s your favourite thing about the Guinness World Records books?
I really like the amazing animals one and the funny records people have done.

Is there a record that you think you could or wish you could break? What is it?
Most horse hugs in a minute!

What would you like to see on the cover of Guinness World Records 2023 (next year’s book)?

My friends and pets.

Global pandemics and lockdowns haven't stopped record breakers from achieving spectacular things: indeed, they've given many people the chance to focus on their ambitions and attain goals beyond their expectations.

The changing pace of the last year has also given GWR the opportunity to take stock of our planet and explore the current state of the environment, as seen through our unique record-breaking lens. Plus, GWR has reached out to some of the young people who refuse to let their age be a barrier to success. What are they doing to change their world? What inspires them? Find out in Guinness World Records 2022.

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Meet The Illustrator: Cindy Lane

Name: Cindy Lane

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Aiming for ‘Happy accidents’, not perfection!

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Natural light, growing green things, towers of books, a cup of tea, a kitty or two and a ‘What if?’ attitude.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I like creating with anything that allows unexpected results to occur. Even if it means I’ve spilt my water jar over something! 💦

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Aargh! Three is not enough! I’m a huge fan of quirky, a bit crazy, and graphic styles, which can say so much with so little on the page. I LOVE the work of Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin & Hobbes), Leigh Hodgkinson (books & Olobob Top on the telly), and David Mackintosh (illustrator of his own books, and designer of Lauren Child’s books, whose work I’m also mad for! Can I include her as well? Pleeease?

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Ancient Egypt, or anything with ‘Ancient” in front of it. I have always found the graphic style and weird perspective of those times irresistible!

 
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I was illustrating before I even knew it was called that, making and drawing my own miniature books before I started school. It was the sheer excitement of creating MY own worlds within those pages that had me hooked!

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

This is my studio, purpose built when I built my new house. There is no flat ceiling because in previous studios my extended easel kept hitting it, almost punching a hole through the plaster! There are windows on three sides for maximum natural light, as I don’t like working under artificial lights as colours can shift too much.

 
I’m a bit obsessive over storage, and have unusual finds spread throughout the studio to house all my creative accoutrements. Vintage timber map/planner drawers for my large sheets of watercolour paper, wooden library card catalogue chest of drawers for my pastels, vintage timber Japanese letterpress trays for my bottled pigments, old leather travelling trunks and suitcases for sketchbooks, a 100 yr old leather Dr’s Medicine Bag for my eggs, bones and feather collection, and a lacquered Korean apothecary cabinet for my pens and paints.

 
The studio has separate entrances, so I can ‘physically’ leave home, walk down the garden path, and ‘arrive for work’ with my mind focused on creative tasks for the day.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

There are two :

1. the very beginning, where I list all the possibilities – so exciting!

2. the very end, where I can see all of the work as a complete collection – an entire book – so satisfying!

  
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Don’t quit! I’ve found that even ‘overnight success’ takes at least ten years!

 
Cindy Lane is an award-winning artist and illustrator who loves the ocean. She was born and grew up by the sea in Sydney, lived by the Great Barrier Reef in FNQ, and now has her seaside studio by the Indian Ocean in Perth.

Cindy loves to make her own paints with materials she finds in nature, and collects waters from all over the world to use in her paintings. Seawaters from across Australia were used in Great White Shark, her first picture book.

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

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Guest Post: Claire Saxby on Writing Great White Shark

10 Quirky Questions with author Anna Cidor

1. What's your hidden talent?
Making porridge! Seriously, I am a terrible cook and the only thing I can make is porridge. All my grandchildren demand ‘Nana porridge’ as soon as they see me. My secret is soaking rolled oats in milk all night before cooking, and never spoiling the dish with sugar or fruit.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
It would have to be Lord Vetinari, the evil Patrician, from the Terry Pratchett Discworld series. All of the characters in Pratchett’s books are hilarious spoofs, and Vetinari, despite his dastardly ways, adds a great humorous touch.

“I have to ask, sir...Why does it have to be done like this?"
Vetinari smiled. "Can you keep a secret, Mister Lipwig?"
"Oh, yes, sir. I've kept lots."
"Capital. And the point is, so can I. You do not need to know.” (From Raising Steam, by Terry Pratchett)

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Oh, fantastic! I’m going to invite some of the authors who were my favourites when I was a child – the people who put me on the path to becoming the writer I am now:
Rumer Godden, who wrote Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, and fascinated me with her unique writing style; Rachel Field, who wrote Hitty, the adventures of a wooden doll, and ignited my obsession with the past; Enid Blyton who carried me off into other worlds with all her fantasies; Joyce Lankester Brisley, who wrote Milly-Molly-Mandy, and taught me the joy of music and rhythm in prose; Noel Streatfeild who wrote Ballet Shoes and other stories that pulled at my heart strings; A.A… Oh dear, that’s five. I’ll have to stop. Do you think they’ll mind if I serve them porridge for dinner?

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
Time travel, of course! For as far back as I can remember, I have wanted to visit other times. But I definitely wouldn’t want to actually live in another time. When I sent Perry back to the Roman Empire, in The Boy Who Stepped Through Time, he had to sit on a shared toilet seat with other people, wipe his bottom with a sponge on a stick, and share a bath with people he didn’t know, in dirty, scummy water. Yuck!

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Research, research, research, research, research. I have to drag myself away from the research to actually write – but then I procrastinate for ages with lots of planning! And if I ever get stuck with the plot I just head right back to research and I always find the answer there!

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Took me into another world.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
A closed door – I need peace and quiet to write, a photo of all my grandchildren, a computer, a printer, a pencil – because, although I compose on the computer, every now and then I print out what I’ve written and read it out loud with a pencil in my hand, making corrections. By reading out loud, I hear the rhythm and flow of the words – and check they make sense!

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!)
Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. (Word taken from The House at Pooh Corner by AA Milne that I’m in the middle of reading to a grandson)

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
I always have problems thinking up plots, so I would like to ask any author who writes really gripping, emotionally powerful plots to give me an idea for my next book. Garth Nix would be a good start… Or Glenda Millard…

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
That’s easy. I looove reading, and ever since I was little, I’ve kept a book to read on the kitchen table (while I eat my porridge). But if I have to make a choice, I’d have to say I’d never read another book, because I never, ever want to give up writing. While I was writing The Boy Who Stepped Through Time, I was so caught up in the plot that I propped my laptop on the table instead of a book and kept on writing while I ate. I was so emotionally involved in the life and world I was creating, I didn’t want to leave it to read any other book! 

Anna Ciddor has always been fascinated by the past. It would be her dream come true to step through time! Instead, she immerses herself in research and hunts out the tiniest details so she can bring the past to life in her imagination – and in her books. Anna's meticulous work has been recognised by a grant from the Literature Board of the Australia Council, three of her novels have been selected as Notable Books by the Children's Book Council of Australia, and several have been translated into other languages to be enjoyed around the world. For more information, see www.annacidor.com.

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Review: Four All at Sea

The four car friends from Four on the Run, return with fame and new adventures. 

In Four All at Sea, the personification of the characters and the objects that surround them, steer the story through dialogue and point of view with humour.

Flash, Fergie, Lady and Maxie have tasted success after living on the farm in unintended neglect. Now, with shiny new paintwork that matches their stardom, they are travelling for the first time overseas on a ship with their owner Mrs Brown, to film their first movie with Peachey Productions.

Housed in a container with a bright interior, the cars all look forward to this new adventure into the flashy world they have entered.

Bad weather sets in and the ship starts to rock. They don’t understand what is going on. The ship assures them they are safe, but a darkness closes over them as their container is washed overboard.

Landing on a beach, they work as a team to push the door open. Amazed at the beauty of the desert island and the palm grove they find themselves on, their first consideration is to move to safety away from the water.

When Fergie goes to investigate their surroundings and returns followed by a rusty tank that believes they are invaders come to destroy him, the friends are faced with new challenges.

The four must use cunning to find a way to attract attention so they can be rescued. When a navy warship answers their distress call, new developments add a hero to their experiences.

Illustrated short chapters, a fast-moving storyline and trim size with themes of friendship and team spirit, this second book about the adventures of the talking cars will delight early readers and kids that find longer books overwhelming.

Title: Four All at Sea
Author: Sophie Masson
Illustrator: Cheryl Orsini
Publisher: Christmas Press, $13.99
Publication Date: 1 September 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780648815419
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Food or Friend?

Have you ever heard of a cabbage butterfly? It would have to look like a cabbage, right?

What about a crab apple? That’s a type of crab, isn’t it? 

Do dragon fruits have wings? 

Is a kiwi a fruit or a bird? Food or a friend?

In this fun and funny picture book, author/Illustrator Rebel Challenger explores a range of things that sound like they should be something, but are, in fact, definitely not.

A cabbage butterfly doesn’t look anything like a cabbage. A crab apple is a type of apple rather than a type of crab. Dragon fruits do not have wings (but their bright pink and green colouring and scaly exterior perhaps reminds people of dragons). And a kiwi is a bird, unless it has ‘fruit’ at the end of it, in which case it’s a piece of fruit.

With vibrant colourful illustrations, Food or Friend? is an engaging laugh and half that also teaches kids about the gloriousness (and sometimes absurdity) of language and how we name things.

At the back of the book, there is a brilliant page that explains why these foods and friends are called what they’re called, and where some of their peculiar names have come from.

If you’re looking for a fun book to read to a crowd and start a conversation about language, this is a perfect choice. With brilliant repetition throughout, it’s a book kids can interact with, and I predict loads of loud and engaging story times stemming from this little gem.

Make sure you check out the teachers notes for this one from Larrikin House. They’ve got loads of fun activities to get you thinking about food, friends and language!

Title: Food or Friend?
Author/Illustrator: Rebel Challenger 
Publisher: Larrikin House, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922503367
For ages: 3 - 6 
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Monster at the End of This Book

The Monster at the End of This Book is a special 50th anniversary edition of the bestselling book starring the much-loved, furry, blue Muppet named Grover.

Grover is, of course, one of the stars of Sesame Street.

It's a book that's highly interactive.

Grover speaks directly to the reader throughout.

The title of the book is what first raises concerns for Grover. 

There's a monster involved, and Grover doesn't want to encounter a monster!

He pleads with the reader to be quiet and not to turn the page, because that way the monster might not make an appearance.

Would you turn the page if it would lead to a monster? Can Grover stop the pages from being turned by tying them up, or nailing them shut?

The anticipation builds as you read each page, and you might be able to guess just who the monster at the end of the book is. And when you reach the book's ending, you'll find that there was nothing for Grover or anyone else to be afraid of.

A classic publication, The Monster at the End of This Book is a book to able to be enjoyed by everyone.

Title: The Monster at the End of This Book
Author: Jon Stone
Illustrator: Mike Smollin
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $ 19.99
Publication Date: August 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761129476
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Books

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Giveaway: Australiana Picture Book Prize Pack!

Review: Always

Always is the seventh and final book in Morris Gleitzman’s outstanding series featuring the hero Felix. It marks the end of two journeys; the one taken by Felix, the other, the writing journey with Felix by the author,which began sixteen years ago with Once.

Followers of this series can expect many surprising revelations.

The dearest thing to ten year-old Wassim living in Poland, is the memory of his dead parents whom he frequently speaks to at the cemetery. 

His short list of treasures includes Uncle Otto who has cared for him since he was orphaned almost a year ago.

His last is a book left to him by his Grandpa Amos with a note in it instructing the boy to find the international hero Felix Salinger, if ever he’s in trouble.

He’s in the worst trouble now, after being beaten and almost choked to death by the criminal gang the Iron Weasels. Their racist actions extend to Otto, with frequent abuse, intimidation and death threats. Time to obey Grand's words.

Felix is well into his eighties now. Active and well, he lives in aged care in Australia. Wassim believes he can still solve any problem.

Computer research tells Wassim all he wants to know about Felix. With money from the sale of stolen goods belonging to the Weasels stored in his garage; Otto buys tickets to Australia and Felix. His plan; to return to Poland alone and take care of his persecutors.

Without his consent, Wassim finds himself left with Felix who sees the strength, courage and intelligence of the boy and commits to helping him. Strong bonds are formed between the two.

Everything that Felix holds dear is taken from him by the evil that stretches its tentacles across the world.

Wassim and Felix are helped by special friends who build a ring of protection around them so they can return safely to Eastern Europe and Uncle Otto.

One mystery links to another as the clever Wassim, full of logic and analytic thought, fights with Felix for a freedom which always seems just beyond reach.

But can Felix protect the boy from the agony of a truth, used as a weapon to destroy him?

Within the brilliant main story and deeply-moving sub-stories, the residual horror of war, shivers between the lines that round off the lives of the characters that surfaced long ago.

Title: Always
Author: Morris Gleitzman
Publisher: Penguin, $ 19.99
Publication Date: 31 August 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780143793243
For ages: 10 – 14
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: Backyard Birds

Fly free with our native feathered friends in Backyard Birds by Dr Helen Milroy and celebrate their majesty and splendour. 

Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She was not only Australia’s first Indigenous doctor and psychiatrist but also AFL’s first Indigenous Commissioner. 

Here we celebrate her work, Backyard Birds, which was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards. Also by Milroy is Backyard Bugs.

In a riot of colour and sound, Backyard Birds brings birds to life and will have you dancing, prancing and singing along with them. Some of the birds like the kookaburra were already familiar to me, while others like the ‘twenty-eight’ were excitingly new. The twenty-eight is the colloquial Western Australian name for an Australian Ringneck parrot, so named because its cry sounds like ‘twenty-eight’. 

Writing sparse, rhyming text, Milroy uses the rhythm of words to draw readers into the book. A few near rhymes, such as ‘laugh/bath,’ are slightly jarring but not so much as to take attention away from the flow of the story. In the text, the actions of the birds are accented to enhance meaning and provide emphasis. 

The illustrations seem to vibrate and captivate me with their aliveness. Each boldly coloured and patterned artwork is richly influenced by the artist’s cultural heritage. The repetition of colour helps tie the spreads together. Stretching from dawn to dusk, the end papers denote the change in light.

This lively and joyful text is well suited for littlies but is also a great conversation starter for older kids, and includes teaching notes for classroom use. Backyard Birds reminds me of Busy Beaks by Sarah Allen but for younger kids. It is a lovely size for little hands and would make a great gift for budding bird lovers and overseas loved ones.

As a bird nut myself, Backyard Birds has in fact encouraged me to sign up for the Aussie Backyard Bird Count which runs annually in October.  

Birds are such a source of wonder and solace with the power to connect us to the natural world. Right at this moment, wattlebirds have nested in our hedge, and I can hear the chirps of some babies. I am utterly enthralled by them. When we feel connected, we are more likely to want to preserve our wonderfully diverse environment. I think this book is just what we need.

Title: Backyard Birds
Author: Dr Helen Milroy
Publisher: Fremantle Press, $19.99
Publication Date: 31 March 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781925816563
For ages: 2+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Zoo Crew #1

If you like weird and wacky with a healthy dose of gross, Zoo Crew is for you! 

Hang with Gus the hamster as he fills you in on all you need to know about Bazooglyville Primary School, or Zoo Primary for short. 

He’ll introduce you to the Zoo Crew — Eddie, Mabel and Princeton — and prepare you for the school athletics carnival.

It won’t be easy, though... 

Cheater extraordinaire and school bully Echo is up to her old cheating tricks again, Principal Phaart is being as gross as usual, and competing in athletics is hard! But if Eddie, Mabel and Princeton want to win the gelato prize, they’re going to have to suck it up and get moving.

Zoo Crew is a fun and funny junior fiction novel for fans of laughing, joking and being grossed out. With farts, pus and bum wiggles galore, this is a book for the kids who love a side of silly with their reading.

The illustrations are gloriously entertaining in this book. And there are loads of them. Every page is peppered with multiple pictures, making this a very visual read. They are engaging, detailed and filled with fart puffs. The text, too, is more than just text, delivered in a variety of fun ways across the pages.

This is a book kids will really ‘get’ and really WANT to read, not just because an adult had told them to. The jokes are for them, the grossness is for them, and the relatable characters are for them.

This is Guy Edmonds’ and Matt Zeremes’ first novel, but if you’ve ever heard of the hit television show HARDBALL!, then you’ll be familiar with their work. And as the first book in a cool new series, Zoo Crew is just the start.

Title: Zoo Crew #1
Author: Guy Edmonds and Matt Zeremes
Illustrator: Peter William Popple
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $15.99
Publication Date: 1 September 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760976569
For ages: 6 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Treasure in the Lake

With the surge of graphic novels for all ages, comes the opportunity for creators and designers to offer a different style of book to children who find reading words difficult, but are drawn to visual narratives.

A five-publisher auction led Allen and Unwin to secure the brilliant, Treasure in the Lake, a debut graphic novel for Jason Pamment.

Iris and Sam, both thirteen, are best friends that share adventures in their spare time. That’s all they share. 

Intelligent and mature, Iris has dreams of seeing something more than the limits of Bugden where she lives. The only thing that will draw anyone there is the giant fish soon to be unveiled in the square.

Sam is an easy-going boy without any specific vision for his future. The is happy tagging along with Iris who spends her time reading at the river and collecting things she finds.

Her application has been accepted at a city boarding school for an education in archaeology. But there is no money to support her. To recover peace of mind, she camps at her reading spot at the river. In the morning, she finds all the water drained away.

It is an opportunity for discovery; treasures to be found. Perhaps something valuable.

Sam comes looking for her and they set out together. He finds fish and a turtle. Iris artefacts. But the two do not stay together. Iris follows the river to discover a lost city in the lake. Sam gets lost and is found by the old Benjamin, who fills him with stories that give him food for thought.

Both undertake a fantastic adventure that will impact their friendship and reveal to each child, how strong and resourceful they are.

Iris uncovers more than artefacts just before the unpredictable flood waters threaten again. 

Can she make her way back through the flowing gushes? How will all she has seen and experienced, influence what she thinks and does  from now on?

A riveting adventure inspired by existing hidden cities underwater all over the world.

This beautifully illustrated book with strong themes, will send interested readers to their computers to discover where other such cities are to be found and the history that surrounds their flooding.

Title: Treasure in the Lake
Author/Illustrator: Jason Pamment
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $16.99
Publication Date:14 September 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978176052 6238
For ages: 8 – 12
Type: Graphic Novel

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

WINNERS OF 2021 ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE ANNOUNCED

The winners for this year’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature have been announced by the Wilderness Society during Nature Book Week, which runs between 6 – 12 September.

Now in its 27th year, the Wilderness Society shortlists the best children’s nature books before a panel of judges crowns a winner for three categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Picture Fiction. The award showcases and celebrates some of the best writers and illustrators working in children’s literature.

The winner of the Fiction category of the Environment Award for Children’s Literature is The Power of Positive Pranking by Nat Amoore. The book explores the agenda of the Green Peas, who are determined to make a difference in the world. When the adults won’t listen, the kids will find a way to be heard – as long as they can stay out of detention.

The winner of the Nonfiction category is Tree Beings by Raymond Huber, illustrated by Sandra Severgnini. This storybook depicts how much we depend on trees for our survival, yet few understand just how fascinating these beings really are. With a foreword by the world-renowned anthropologist Jane Goodall, Tree Beings is an adventure through the secret world of trees.

The Giant and the Sea by acclaimed author Trent Jamieson and CBCA Award-winner Rovina Cai took out the Picture Fiction category. The book explores themes about the environment, climate change and standing up for what you believe in.

The Ambassador for this year’s award is ecologist and science communications expert, Dr Jen Martin. Joining her as judges of this year’s shortlist are acclaimed playwright and children’s author, Hilary Bell; the New York Times bestselling cartoonist and creator of last year's Fiction Winner, Gavin Aung Than; as well as sustainability advocates, Sadie Chrestman and Matthew Evans, who were both featured on SBS’ TV series, Gourmet Farmer.

Judge Hilary Bell said, 'Congratulations to the winners of this prestigious award, one that is so important in its recognition of the need to inspire our next generation of nature-lovers and -warriors. The prizewinning books were each remarkable in unique ways, but all shared a special quality: that of instilling in kids a sense of empowerment.'

Past winners of the award included acclaimed Australian children’s authors Tim Winton, Paul Jennings, Jackie French, the late Narelle Oliver, Coral Tulloch, Graeme Base, and Wendy Orr.




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Guest Post: Sofie Laguna on The Song of Lewis Carmichael

Sophie Laguna‘s first children’s book in ten years, The Song of Lewis Carmichael, illustrated by her husband Marc McBride, is a magnificent journey deep into The Arctic, but also into the depths of the human psyche.

Sofie tells us about the genesis of the book and what writing  it means to her.

I remember sharing the idea for The Song of Lewis Carmichael with my husband when we were on a holiday together about five years ago. I told Marc all about a boy who travels by hot air balloon to the ice, to find a lost baby.

I described the pictures I saw in my mind: a flock of snow geese carrying a balloon, polar bears thundering across the ice, a cave of dangerous Arctic wolves, the antlers of reindeer resembling the branches of trees. We discussed the possibility of Marc doing the illustrations for this story set in the snow. I was really excited and I began to write it when we returned from our holiday.

I can’t remember exactly how much I wrote, before another book for adults took over! But the story never quite left me alone, and as soon as there was space, I began the story again, in earnest. I was determined to complete it, before more demands were made on me with other books.

It was a real pleasure to escape to The Arctic each time I wrote. I needed ice! I needed polar bears, walruses and Snowy Owls. The more I researched The Arctic the more excited I became. The North Pole is always moving!

As far as why I wrote a book for children again after so many years – well, the story was there, asking to be told.

I just followed the feeling in me. I didn’t ask if the story was for younger readers or older readers, I just knew I wanted to spend time with a crow who could speak, and a boy who needed a friend.

It was exhilarating. It was also a very emotional journey. I felt Matthew’s pain quiet acutely. And I loved the friendship that he developed with Lewis. It meant the world to me, and still does.



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Review: One Million Insects

One Million Insects explores the world of insects.

And there are lots of insects to discover because there are more than one million species!

Insects have many unique characteristics and life cycles when compared to other animals.

Did you know that only about ten percent of insects can properly be called bugs (true bugs)?

In One Million Insects you'll be able to learn all about different insect types.

There are stick insects and beetles, wasps and dragonflies, grasshoppers, butterflies, and many more.

Facts and figures about these 'creeping, crawling, fluttering, scuttling and hiding' insects are also prominent.

From the longest living insects, and which ones are stinky, or biters, to which ones change colour, and which make unusual sounds, some that we can hear, and some that we can't.

You'll find all this and more in One Million Insects, which is written by Isabel Thomas.

Around sixty pages of insight into insects' lives concludes with a glossary and index to help with finding your way around the book.

The illustrations by Lou Baker Smith are numerous and make this book like an enormous one of those bug boxes, or terrariums. It starts on the cover and include flourescent endpages with insect silhouettes, too.

Some children may prefer to browse the pictures to see which insects they can recognise. While others might want to read the text first.

However you approach it, One Million Insects offers an impressive horde of insects to read about.

Title: One Million Insects
Author: Isabel Thomas
Illustrator: Lou Baker-Smith
Publisher: Welbeck Editions, $ 24.99
Publication Date: August 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781913519025
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: The Magnificent Hercules Quick

Hercules Quick lives with his Aunt Alligator and his pet tadpole, Sylvie. They live on the middle floor of a big red house, with the Elk family above them and Professor Calamari below. Queen Claude lives in the cellar and the turtle brothers, Mike and Herbert, live on the roof.

It’s a wild and wonderful place to live, and Hercules loves it. But… he really wishes he had enough money to buy a marvellous box of magic tricks from the shops.

So, Hercules comes up with a plan. He’ll do odd jobs for whoever is in need to save up to buy the magic tricks. But the plan is easier said than done, because Hercules’ neighbours have some strange requests when it comes to jobs they need done for them.

He answers phone calls for Professor Calamari, cleans the cellar for Queen Maude, recites love letters up at the Elk family’s home and does some very strange paintings for the turtle brothers. But after all the jobs, will Hercules have enough money to buy the box of magic tricks?

The Magnificent Hercules Quick is a vibrant junior fiction novel from dynamic duo Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner. How Dubosarsky can inject so much character, history and story into such a short word count I will never know, and Joyner’s delightful illustrations are so much fun to explore as you turn each page.

This is a perfect book for younger readers, with a simple storyline and easy to read language. But while being simple and easy to read, it’s also jampacked with rich characters, loads of humour and lots of fun. Hercules Quick is a very relatable protagonist, filled with enthusiasm and a can-do attitude, but with doubts and fears just like us all.

If you’re looking for a new series for younger readers or kids ready to tackle a book independently, I highly recommend The Magnificent Hercules Quick. From our own Australian Children’s Laureate for 2020-21 and Australian illustrator royalty, how can you go wrong!

For more fabulous books by Ursula Dubosarsky check out The Blue Cat and Brindabella. And for more from Andrew Joyner, make sure you check out The Pink Hat and Boo!.

Title: The Magnificent Hercules Quick
Author: Ursula Dubosarsky
Illustrator: Andrew Joyner
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $4.99
Publication Date: 31 August 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761065712
For ages:  5 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Pax Journey Home

An extraordinary and emotional tale of survival of both animals and humans,
I regret having missed the first book, Pax, as I loved Pax: Journey Home, so much!

Its beautiful and moving poetic prose carries countless underlying themes and messages that will move the reader deeply.

Several parallel stories are in play throughout the book.Peter's story, the journey to repair the environment, several sub-stories, and that of Pax. 

Pax and his family have a voice. This allows us access to the strong feelings and thoughts of the animals, and fully understand the bond between humans and animals.

The main character is thirteen year old Peter. Bitter and turned inside himself after the loss of both parents, first his mother, then his father in the war, his grief magnified after having being forced to give up his pet fox Pax, whom he saved as a kit.

Pax now has a family of three, one a girl kit. Pax often thinks of his boy with whom he shared his life, and who then sent him away.

Vola with whom Peter now lives, wants to save Peter from becoming embittered by life and therefore miss out on all the treasure and security love can offer. His grandfather, Peter’s last living relative, bitter and distrustful of everyone and everything, is unable to show any kindness or understanding toward the boy.

To shut people and love out, Peter builds a small hut on his father’s property to live in alone and be self-sufficient. He decides to join the Water Warriors, that analyse and repair waterways that were poisoned during the war, in the hope of restoring safety to the remaining creatures of the forests that have been significantly diminished.

Jade and Samuel are Peter's adult companions on the hike to rivers and streams, and the testing and documenting of the results. The boy is slowly drawn into the work which he does well.

Knowing a great deal about trees, nature and survival skills, the adults are impressed by his abilities. He begins to warm to them, ever cautious to keep a distance between them. Fearful he will get close again to something or somebody, he withdraws from any warmth or emotion that threatens.

But love has a way of creeping in.

When Pax sets out on a journey with his girl kit to teach her how to survive and recognise danger, she becomes sick after drinking the water.

There is only one thing to be done.

Can Peter repeat the thing that broke him? Or will love win him over regardless of the barriers he has carefully built around himself.

Jon Klassen’s black and white illustration reflect the ever-present threat to the animals in the forest, and the aloneness of the boy, in haunting, breathtaking shadows.

A beautifully constructed and executed storyline that explores human emotions; how all living things need and depend on one another to survive. Regardless of the way life wounds them, they can always be healed through love.

Title: Pax: Journey Home
Author: Sara Pennypacker
Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Publisher: Harper Collins, $14.99
Publication Date: 7 September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780008470289
For ages: 9+
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Super Geeks #2 Planet Pancake

Zeek and Arnie are back to implement Plan B to take over the world. And this time it starts (and ends!) with pancakes.

Dynamic duo and best geek friends Zeek and Arnie want to take over the world. Well, really, it’s Zeek’s obsession, but Arnie is happy to tag along and help his friend achieve his goals.

Plan B is about finding treasures at the edge of the world, because money equals power and power equals world domination!

So Zeek and Arnie build a ship and head out across the ocean in search of gold.

With Eleanor the fish and a sad Arnie in tow (Arnie has misplaced his pancake maker), Zeek navigates the seas in search of the edge of the world. But when a mysterious explorer turns up, and leads them to a strange ice wall, Zeek begins to become suspicious.

What will they find at the edge of the world? Treasures, or something else? And will Arnie ever find his pancake maker?

This is book two in the Super Geeks series, but I found it really easy to pick up and read without having read the first book in the series, Fish and Chips. It’s a brilliantly designed book, in graphic novel style, with fully illustrated pages, loads of speech bubbles and only minimal narrative story.

Truly, it’s a visual feast.

Kids who love more illustrations and less words will love it. It’s filled with action, adventure and splashes of mystery. And it’s fun.

James Hart is the illustrator of so many loved children’s books — D-Bot Squad, Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables and Little Legends, just to name a few — but Super Geeks is his first series as both author and illustrator. And he nails it.

If your kids like to be entertained, like whacky adventures and books with loads of illustrations, I highly recommend checking out this cool new series.

Title: Super Geeks #2 Planet Pancake
Author/Illustrator: James Hart
Publisher: Penguin Random House, $14.99
Publication Date: 2 July 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760895143
For ages: 6 - 10
Type: Junior Fiction

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Meet The Illustrator: Matt Cosgrove

Review: Babies at the Billabong

What a wonderful anytime story Babies at the Billabong is! 

A walk through the Australian bush is reason for celebration. There is so much to see and learn about; tall trees, flowered bushes and baby animals playing in their natural habitats.

The little girl sets out for a late afternoon walk in nature. The sun is still high as she heads for the billabong.

Down by the coolabah tree, energetic joeys slide and splash gleefully. But they are too loud, so she keeps walking.

As the sun begins to sink, she wanders to where the wattle blooms. 

Echidna puggles are having a drum-a-thon. Although it is a beautiful sight, added to the joeys’ noisy exuberance, it is too loud, so she continues on through the tree-lined forest.

Along the banks of the billabong, as light flickers through the river red gum branches, cute cockatoo chicks gobble a high tea which they share with the girl. Sweet as they are, their chatter is added to the echidna and joey sounds. Far too loud for her, she walks on to sit at a picnic table to eat her cake.

At the lilly pilly bush where surrounding she-oaks cast long shadows on the ground, goanna hatchlings are building. It is a delight to watch them work. But too noisy when added to the previous sounds of the cockatoos’ tea party, the echidna drumming, and the joeys splashing. Off she goes.

Almost dusk, she comes to the crimson waratahs. Through an opening, she sees a large group of green tree froglets dancing on rocks and fallen tree trunks. They are impressive in their freedom dance. But added to all the previous sounds that now filled her head, she leaves them behind.

Looking high in the branches of a giant paperbark, the girl realizes it is almost dark. Flying fox pups are waking. She calls all the baby animals to her.

Time to wind down around the campfire and share a story together before bed.

From the creators of By the Billabong, stunning matte illustrations portray the beauty of Australia’s flora and fauna in earthy tones. Humorous undertones of the text entertain as children learn about Australia’s magnificent trees and baby animals, with images and by name.

Title: Babies at the Billabong
Author: Maura Finn
Illustrator: Cate James
Publisher: Affirm Press, $24.99
Publication Date: 31 August 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922419408
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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