Announcement: Every Hero Has A Story...Females In Fiction

Every Hero Has A Story...
What started as a small school project has quickly become an international literacy initiative.

Hindi’s Libraries collect and donate new and gently used children’s books to more than 650 organizations throughout the world at no cost to recipients.

Together, they are able to continue Hindi's legacy and share her love of literature with thousands of children across the globe.

More than 150 authors partnered with Hindi’s Libraries to support children’s literature and help give the gift of literacy this holiday season.

From Long Island, N.Y. Hindi’s Libraries is thrilled to announce the winners of the first annual Females of Fiction writing competition. The awards recognize outstanding female authors of children’s book who empower readers with their stories, with each winning author receiving a US$100 gift card donated by Barnes and Noble as well as award seals to add to their books.

‘When we first launched the 2021 Females of Fiction contest, I assumed we’d receive 10 or 15 submissions from local authors who’ve partnered with us before. But to see that more than 100 authors from across the globe (Australia, UK, Canada, US, etc.) joined us in this effort- it’s astonishing and heart-warming,’ explained Hindi’s Libraries co-founder Leslie Gang.

The winning and finalist authors are as follows:

Picture Book: That Monster on the Block by Sue Ganz-Schmitt

Finalists:
The Lion in Your Heart by R.C. Chizhov
Niko Discovers the 5 Senses Game by Karen Correll

Chapter Book: Mitzi Mufflin Principal for a Day by Liz Cooper

Finalists:
The Big Ol’ Bike by Rachael Clarke
The Upside-Down Gardener by Chrysa Smith

Kids’ Choice Winner: 21 Cousins by Diane de Anda

This year’s competing authors donated a total of 250 books and US$1,750 to support the Hindi’s Libraries mission of providing books to children in need, many of whom are international writers.

Descriptions of the winning books can be found below. Hindi’s Libraries is thankful for these incredible writers and the generous support of Barnes and Noble.

That Monster on the Block by Sue Ganz-Schmitt
Monster is excited to see what kind of creature will move into Vampire’s old house on the block. He even starts practicing his welcome growl for the new neighbor. But when the moving truck pulls up, it’s not a greedy goblin, an ogre, or a dastardly dragon that steps out. Instead, it’s something even more terrifying than Monster could have imagined! Monster quickly rallies the other neighbors to unite against the new guy on the block. But what if the new neighbor isn’t exactly as bad as Monster thinks? Join Monster as he confronts his fears in this charming and lighthearted look at what it means to accept others who are different from us.

Mitzi Mufflin Principal for a Day by Liz Cooper
When new student Mitzi Mufflin, who happens to be blind, joins the gang at Mortimer Potts Elementary School, she's thrilled to be named principal for the Day. Little does she know, the real principal and teachers will disappear. Can Principal Mufflin and her pint-sized "staff" secretly run the school until the teachers return? If they don't, Mitzi is afraid that anything could happen. The teachers might even be fired and everyone would have to start the school year all over again. A torrential rainstorm, a frantic book rescue, a kindergarten protest, and a statue of Mortimer Potts made out of cheese keep Mitzi and her classmates on their toes. And who is the mysterious Mr. Doberman who is snooping around the school?

Join Mitzi as she navigates her way through each new challenge to save the school from disaster using resourcefulness, determination, and her cane, Tappity.

21 Cousins by Diane de Anda
Tall, short, big, small, athletic, artistic . . . cousins may look different and have different interests and abilities, but that just makes them one extraordinary family! From Maricela’s bilingual spelling skills to Mario’s tech whiz abilities, no two cousins are alike―and that’s just the way they like it. All the cousins are muy entusiasmados for the surprise at the end of their family gathering! Diane de Anda cleverly highlights the beautiful diversity of Latino and mestizo families as readers are introduced to each cousin. Isabel Muñoz’s whimsical illustrations are filled with rich details, delivering a cornucopia of color for young readers. Featuring a mix of skin tones, personalities, and abilities, 21 Cousins is a delightful read that invites children to appreciate the rich heritage of Latino culture.

To discover more about the great work that Hindi Libraries does, visit their website.




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Review: Take Me With You When You Go

To be honest, when I first picked this up my inner voice sighed and said ‘oh more angst…’. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t appreciate that authors are writing representatively of their readers but there really are times one thinks that something jolly would be quite nice.

And then I started reading and could hardly tear myself away because from the first page I was hooked.

When Ezra wakes up one day to find his older sister just upped and hooked it out of their toxic home, he is distraught that she would abandon him. Left with his ineffectual mother and abusive narcissist stepfather, Ezra struggles to survive let alone thrive. The first small ray of hope is discovering an email address Bea has left him, in a place only he would find it.

Alone in a strange city with no friends and no plan, Bea relies on her own resilience and initiative but gradually begins to find some support, as she endeavours to unravel her family’s secrets and hopefully give herself and Ezra a future. She finds somewhere to stay, she embarks on some tentative friendships and perhaps even a new romance while she makes shocking discoveries about her false life.

Meanwhile Ezra is bearing the brunt of their stepfather’s wrath, his mother’s complete disinterest and the terrible resentment of Bea’s (now) ex-boyfriend. His only refuge is his boyfriend, Terrence, whose parents are, simultaneously, sympathetic and blissfully unaware of the boys’ true relationship.

Told entirely via emails, primarily those between the siblings this is both poignant and gripping. Our reader heart goes out to these two young people caught up as they are in circumstances not of their own making. Their mother’s choices impacted their lives in terrible and tragic ways and her refusal to stand by her own children is indefensible (and makes me despise her!).

There is a lot of attention focused on domestic abuse these days, but still (to my mind) not nearly enough on the children and young people who suffer at the hands of adults in their own homes. While some of this may be reasoned the result of mental illness, we know that there are times when actions stem from pure cruelty and power plays.

This is a powerful piece of writing which will touch your heart and wring your emotions thoroughly with its intensity and no-holds-barred approach. I would recommend it for mature readers who are able to handle difficult and confronting topics. Be wary of those who may be triggered adversely by the narrative. In my library this will mean not for years 7 and 8 and with a disclaimer inside the cover.

Title: Take Me With You When You Go
Authors: David Levithan & Jennifer Niven
Publisher: Penguin, $26.99
Date of Publication: August 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780241550809
For ages: 14 +
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Review: Asterix and the Griffin

Asterix comics have been around for a long time, originally created by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.

Asterix and the Griffin is the newest in the series (number 39) which is now written by Jean-Yves Ferri and illustrated by Didier Conrad.

In this adventure, Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix have joined Getafix on a trip to visit his friend Fanciakuppov in the land of Barbaricum.

Barbaricum is home to the Samartians, and is exceedingly cold. It's also home the the legendary griffin, which is half-eagle and half-lion.

Unfortunately for the Samartians and their visitors, Caesar has decided he wants the griffin for himself and sends an army of Romans to hunt it down. The Romans have captured one of the Samartian women and try to force her to help find the griffin.

The Gaulish visitors undertake to help the Samartians rescue the prisoner, Kalashnikova, who is Fanciakuppo's niece. They join the Samartian women, who are the nomadic warriors of their tribe, in tracking the Romans.

However, before they get started they lose Dogmatix who appears to have found some canine friends in the form of a wolf pack. And they don't have Getafix's usual potion to help them because it's frozen solid!

In typical Asterix and Obelix fashion, there will be fumbles and surprises aplenty before they help save the day in an unorthodox way, with more than a little involvement from Dogmatix.

It's been quite a while since I read an Asterix book, and I enjoyed going back in time with Asterix and the Griffin. In doing so I was reminded of the layers in the story, which can be read as a simple adventure on one level, and offer something different on another level, with lots of playing on words. Uncovering the names of all the characters, like Cartographus the Roman geographer, is fun.

This is the fifth Asterix story by Ferri and Conrad, and the first to be published since the death of the original illustrator, Albert Uderzo who died last year. While they have provided more modern perspectives, such as creating strong female roles, the stories also remain quite recognisable for readers of the originals.

Asterix fans will be delighted to have a new story to delve into with Asterix and the Griffin, and the opportunity to follow their adventures with the brave Samartian warrior women.

Title:  Asterix and the Griffin
Author: Jean-Yves Ferri
Illustrator: Didier Conrad
Publisher: Sphere, $ 29.99
Publication Date: November 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780751583984
For ages: 7+
Type: Graphic novel

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Review: Coco And The Bee

Review: Shatter Me

A broken girl tries to survive in a broken world. But when your touch can literally kill people, how on earth can you find a place to belong?

Juliette has been locked away because she’s a threat to everyone around her. In a dark and ominous prison, she is alone and starting to lose her mind. 

Until someone from her past walks into her cell and changes her life forever.

But is Adam there to save or destroy her? Juliette has been locked up and forgotten for so long, so why, now, does everyone seem to want to find her? And what exactly do they plan to do with her?

Shatter Me is the first book in a dystopian YA series about being different, finding courage and fighting for what you believe in (and who you love). Author, Tahereh Mafi delivers strong and rich characters in this book — both characters you wish you could be and characters you wish were real people in your life.

There’s a real closeness in this book not often achieved in literature. It’s written in first person, but it also has a really unique and intriguing writing technique that allows you to learn not only what Juliette is thinking in the most private part of her mind, but also what she knows she should be thinking — what she knows society expects her to think.

Set in a future world where a new order (the Reestblishment) has taken over (and not for the better), this book looks at consumerism, climate change and belief systems while it explores themes of identity, courage, friendship and love.

If you like YA dystopian romance, you are definitely going to want to check this one out. It’s got all the elements of a ‘can’t stop thinking you about’ YA read, and the ending sets things up perfectly for things to go bigger in book two.

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $19.99
Publication Date: September 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761066733
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Review: I Need A Hug

Review: Trouble In The Hen House

There's a small rebellion brewing in Farmer John's henhouse thanks to an indescribably hot Aussie summer and three very disgruntled chooks. 

As a chook (Aussie vernacular for cackleberry, er ... chicken) lover from way back, it goes without saying Australian summers can test those covered in feathers. 

Feckless feathered trio, Daisy, Audrey and Ellie May, attempt to weather the heat and get on with the job of laying eggs but their efforts are repeatedly thwarted by the greenhouse affect of their henhouse resulting in cooked eggs and torrid tempers.

Each chook threatens to stack it all in and leave Farmer John eggless. He gallantly attempts to cool his chookies down but each misguided endeavour results in an escalation of eggasperation! (Sorry, had to fit one in somewhere). Finally the girls calm their farm and a resolution is found but not without some compromise on Farmer John's behalf.

This rollicking rhyming adventure never leaves the confines of Famer John's backyard but keeps the reader's attention firmly nestled in the plight of our gregarious hens thanks to snappy meter and comfortable repeating patterns, sure to amuse little ones. 

O'Meara injects just the right amount of humour and sass into her diminutive characters so that we feel their simmering anguish without the added anxiety of laying eggs in extreme temperatures. Personalities crackle into explosive life thanks to Yvonne Mes'  jocular portrayal of the girls who sport frilly bloomers, spectacles and the most droll demeanors a chook can possess. It's loads of fun dressed in summery brights that is sure to raise a cackle-ish chuckle or two. Share it with your chickadees this summer, preferably under the cooling comfort of your air conditioning. 

Title: Trouble In The Hen House
Author: Susan O'Meara
Illustrator: Yvonne Mess
Publisher: Yellow Brick Books, $19.95
Publication Date: October 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978648492597
For ages: 3 - 7
Type: Picture Books 

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A Very KBR Christmas 2021 and A Delicious New Year!

Meet The Illustrator: Deb Pilutti

Name: Deb Pilutti

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Usually quirky or humorous. Hopefully evolving.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
A laptop and large monitor, easel, paints, pencils and crayons, a scanner, toys and things
I like to look at vintage packaging or colourful buttons. 

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?

I usually work with gouache. I love the smell, the texture and consistency of the paint and the little tubes that it comes in. I will often use it with other mediums, like coloured pencils, neocolour crayons and digital.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
I love the humor and candor in Maira Kalman’s work. She taps into relatable feelings and emotions. I’m drawn to the sparse and graphic illustrations of Alice and Martin Provensen. They are pros at distilling images to the simplest form, something I try to work toward. Eyvind Earle created ethereal landscapes and concept art for many of the Disney films. His use of colour and value is illuminating.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I don’t know about a specific period, but I’m always drawn to outsider art, or folk art of a particular culture. It’s often so personal and visceral and specific to a place or experience.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
My mother was an art teacher and we did a lot of art projects with her, but I also watched a lot of TV when I was a child. I credit Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Chuck Jones and Jay Ward as my first teachers in design, storytelling and animation. Still, I didn’t realize it was something I wanted to do until much later, so I worked as a graphic designer for many years before I ventured into illustration.

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
I have a big messy wooden table that I always have to clear off when I want to draw. (Sometimes I do my sketching at the dinner table so that I can spread out more.) my laptop and monitor are also on the table and I will composite work digitally there and prep for printing. My easel is in a nook. I like to paint standing up because I feel like I put more energy into the work.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

Painting the final. Once the layout is done and a digital colour study made, I can turn the music up loud and work at my easel. It’s gratifying to see an illustration emerge from the process.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

Work harder than necessary. In an effort to grow, I started paying attention to the work habits of artists and professionals whose work I admired. One of the things I noticed is that they often will rework a piece of art or a story that I think is already pretty great. Their art director and editor may be perfectly happy with it. I would be happy with it. But the artist is not satisfied and keeps pushing and self-editing. And when I see the finished product, I realize they were right. It is even better.

  
Deb Pilutti writes and illustrates for children. She feels lucky to have a job where reading, playing with toys and watching cartoons is considered “research.” Before becoming an author & illustrator, Deb was a graphic designer and created toys for Oliebollen.com and graphics for SeaWorld and Warner Brothers theme parks.

For more information, please visit Deb's website.

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Guest Post: Lorraine Miller on A Passion For Wildlife

Review: Toy Mountain

Sam has lots of toys, passed down through the family, but he isn’t really that into them. When he gets an opportunity to test new toys for the Tiny Hands toy factory, he jumps on it.

At first the gig is great, but the toys keep coming… and coming... and soon there is a mountain of toys in Sam’s backyard. And he can’t find the toys he loves the most. Can Sam save his favourite things from Toy Mountain?

Toy Mountain explores consumerism, greed and learning to be happy with what you have. It’s a great lesson for kids, who often want more, more, more, or want what everyone else has. Sam has to learn this lesson the hard way, but in doing so let’s other kids learn and understand more about having things you really don’t need.

Katherine Hall’s illustrations are bright, bold and funky in this book. They’re super engaging and very detailed, so there’s lots to explore.

A fun story that will trigger thoughts, questions and ideas.

For more books by author Stef Gemmill, check out In my Dreams and A Home for Luna.

Title: Toy Mountain
Author: Stef Gemmill
Illustrator: Katherine Hall
Publisher: EK Books, $24.99
Publication Date: 6 October 2021
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781925820966
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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10 Quirky Questions with author Julie Murphy

1. What's your hidden talent?
People have told me they think I’m pretty organised, but that could be because they have young kids while mine is now an elusive teen.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
I think Dolores Umbridge from the Harry Potter books is a wonderful villain. She has an intriguing combination of appearing innocuous while being filled with malice. She makes my skin crawl.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Hmm. Imagine this fun table: Jackie French, Lynley Dodd, Jane Simmons, Debbie Ridpath Ohi and Mac Barnett.

I wouldn’t invite any dead authors to dinner. That would be gross.

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
That would have to be the Magic Faraway Tree.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Laborious, pensive, imaginative, eclectic, curious.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
She helped me appreciate nature.

7. Picture your favourite creative space. What are five objects you would find there?
A window looking out to nature, a computer, a cup of coffee, inspiring art on the wall, a comfy place to sit.

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!)
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. Shall we work together to take care of this world; the only one we have?

9. If you could ask one author or illustrator one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
I’d ask Kwame Alexander how many drafts he wrote to make The Undefeated such a simple yet utterly powerful text.

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
What an impossible question. You’re just messing with me, right?

Julie Murphy trained as a zoologist and zookeeper, and has been a children’s book author for over 20 years. She hopes her books will inspire young readers to be curious about nature, and to go out and experience nature for themselves – even a park or back yard will do! Ideally, kids will also be encouraged to become lifelong readers and conservation stewards like Julie. She has 19 picture books and information books, through trade and education publishers, in Australia and the USA. For more information, see www.juliemurphybooks.com.

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Review: Scarlett, Starlet

Review: The Accidental Penguin Hotel

The Accidental Penguin Hotel is about penguins with personality.

You'll learn about how penguins hunt to feed their family, and spend days at a time away from them to find the food.

You'll also find out how penguins find a mate and build a home.

One of the most interesting things you'll discover is how well penguins can adapt. In this story, they do this when humans change the penguins' environment. 

One penguin sees the potential of a new breakwater built near the penguins' hunting grounds.

The breakwater is closer to their food source, and the lone penguin decides to build a new burrow there. All he needs is a mate. That one penguin's foresight led many others to follow him and create a new colony.

The Accidental Penguin Hotel is inspired by the fairy penguins, also known as little penguins, who moved into their very own 'penguin hotel' on the breakwater at St Kilda.

At the back of the book you'll find additional information about the story and the penguins, in a note from the author, Andrew Kelly who is the Yarra Riverkeeper. There's also a calendar letting you know what penguin activities usually happen throughout the year. Andrew is passionate about the environment and that shines through in this book.

Dean Jones' has created beautiful, colourful illustrations which capture the penguins at work and play, swimming and hunting, building a burrow, and exploring the world. They offer many perspectives, including the penguins underwater with surfers, boats, and other activities above water. I have lots of favourite pages, including when a female penguin chooses to take a chance and inspect the new burrow, and the final spread with two penguins in silhouette, watching the people and city at night.

The Accidental Penguin Hotel is a wonderful narrative non-fiction story perfect for penguin lovers, and will help all readers to appreciate the natural world and the clever and resilient creatures that inhabit it.

Download teachers' notes from the publisher's website.

Title: The Accidental Penguin Hotel
Author: Andrew Kelly
Illustrator: Dean Jones
Publisher: Wild Dog Books, $ 24.99
Publication Date: September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781742036281
For ages: 3+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Archie & Reddie: I really Dig Pizza! (book #1) and We Will Find Your Hat! (book #2)

Archie and Reddie, two adorable and energetic fox friends, have arrived! 

And they seriously make a splash! The Archie and Reddie is a VERY cool series for junior readers. 

I fell in love with it as soon as I opened the first book.

They are short, sweet, funny and entertaining and they’re delivered in comic book style, so the story is mostly dialogue and the brilliant illustrations COVER each and every page.

In I really Dig Pizza!, Archie finds a pizza and buries it so no one can find it. But Reddie is a super sleuth and when he discovers a mysterious pile of dirt, he recruits Archie to help solve the mystery.

In We Will Find Your Hat!, it’s Hat Day and Archie and Reddie are going to a hat party. But Archie can’t find his most favourite hat. The white and fluffy one! Reddie comes to the rescue and is there to help Archie find it, but it isn’t as easy as they both first thought.

I simply adore these books. The immediacy of the dialogue, and fun and simple stories, the funky illustrations all come together to deliver something unique, outrageously fun and perfect for junior readers. 

The text is large and there’s not a lot of it, so these books are perfect for readers just starting out. But they’re so much fun, everyone is going to want to read them (and they should).

Candy James has created some really cool characters in Archie and Reddie, and they really do come alive through these stories. On the back of each book, they even talk to each other about the story inside — its quirky brilliance.

And just a side note on Candy James. This author/illustrator creator is actually two people. Husband and wife duo, Candy (who draws) and James (who writes), come together as Candy James. It’s all explained at the back of each book, along with background info on Archie and Reddie and where the inspiration for these two cool characters came from.

These books, this series, is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Highly recommended if you like fun, funny, funky junior reads.

Title: Archie & Reddie: I really Dig Pizza! (book #1) and We Will Find Your Hat! (book #2)
Author/Illustrator: Candy James
Publisher: HarperCollins, $16.99
Publication Date: 1 December 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781460760802 (I Really Dig Pizza!) / 9781460760819 (We Will Find Your Hat!)
For ages: 6 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Song Bird Drought Rescue

Rosie (aka Song Bird) is back in her fifth adventure to help save the planet and thwart her evil enemies.
In Drought Rescue, Rosie and her friends, Amy and Ben, are heading to Aunt Matty’s property in the Australian outback to see if they can help Rosie’s aunt deal with the dreadful impacts of severe drought.

But it soon becomes apparent that things aren’t normal in the outback, and Song Bird’s nemesis Destructo may be behind the bad things happening to the land.

But just when Rosie and friends begin to piece things together, Aunt Matty goes missing. Can Rosie and her friends save Aunt Matty, stop Destructo and heal the land?

The Song Bird series is a great junior fiction read for kids who love to make a difference. It encourages kids to stand strong and fight for the things they believe in.

Rosie is a great protagonist — bold and confident. And she has some seriously cool superpowers that kids will adore. Ben and Amy are also the perfect sidekicks, each with their own special skills that support Rosie/Song Bird, proving that super heroes are only as powerful as the support systems that surround them.

There’s lots of cool facts weaved throughout the book too, and the glossary of terms at the beginning of the book helps to set up the information well. Lots to learn and lots to look up after you finish the book.

This story has it all: action, adventure, mystery and even dinosaurs!!!! A real treat for junior adventurers who want to help heal and protect our planet.

Title: Song Bird Drought Rescue
Author: Karen Tyrrell
Publisher: Digital Future Press, $16.95
Publication Date: 29 May 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780648161769
For ages: 7 - 13
Type: Junior Fiction

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Guest Post: Phillip Gwynne on Exploring Justice through The Break

Review: Go To Sleep, Jessie!

Review: Grace and the Christmas Angel

Grace and the Christmas Angel is a special festive story.

It's about Grace who has a mum and a dad, and a little brother named Nicholas. And it's about a Christmas angel who has a special task on Christmas Eve.

Grace is especially excited about performing in the Nativity play at school. She has a starring role.

She's also nervous about performing. What if she forgets her words?

Excitement and nervousness are to be expected on such a big occasion, especially when you add anticipation for Christmas.

The only problem is that Grace's dad is the captain of a fishing boat, and he's not home yet.

What if he doesn't make it in time to see Grace in her play, and singing a solo at the end? What if he doesn't make it home for Christmas?

When things don't turn out as Grace hoped they would, she lays in bed trying to sleep but unable to when there's a big storm and she's worried about her dad. Someone is listening though.

The Christmas angel hears Grace and finds her dad. The result is a surprise for Grace and her mum and brother on Christmas morning. 

The story is the first in a series by mother and son team, Lucinda Riley (who is the author of bestselling novels for adults) and Harry Whittaker. Lucinda planned the stories, and Harry wrote them. Sadly Lucinda died earlier this year. 

Illustrations are by Jane Ray who has illustrated dozens of children's books. They are beautifully hand-painted -- colourful and detailed -- and have a traditional feeling which fits well with the hopeful Christmas theme.

Reading Grace and the Christmas Angel will help get you in the Christmas spirit, and it would make a lovely gift for family and friends.

Title: Grace and the Christmas Angel
Author: Lucinda Riley and Harry Whittaker
Illustrator: Jane Ray
Publisher: Macmillian Children's Books , $ 26.99
Publication Date: October 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781529049800
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Supernatural Survival Guide

If you’re anything like me, knowing everything you can about the looming alien invasion, the rise of the kraken, and how to avoid ghostly things that hide in haunted houses is very, very important.

And luckily for me (and you) there’s a book that is here to help. The Supernatural Survival Guide will tell you everything you need to know about EVERYTHING supernatural. Everything to be wary of and how to deal with it if it comes knocking on your door (or creeping round your yard!).

There’s info on aliens and UFOs, beastly creatures, ghosts and spooky stuff, and everything else weird (like supernatural powers and strange disappearances). A weird-o-meter helps guide you through the strangeness, and there are just so many facts and so much information crammed into the pages.

Each section analyses the information included to try to conclude if the phenomenon is fact or fiction, solved or unexplained. But at the end of the day, you get to assess the facts and decide what you think about the strange occurrences.

The detail in this book is really brilliant. Author George Ivanoff has collected a huge variety of close encounters, sightings and evidence, and presents it all in easy-to-understand story snippets. There are loads of fact boxes and lots of images and photographs to work through, so you really are getting everything you need to make an informed decision about the supernatural (hint: it’s all REAL!!!!!!).

With a beautiful hard cover with a lovely fabric feel, this is a book that you will treasure, hide under your pillow and refer to continuously. If you’re a fan of the supernatural (or you know one), this is the perfect book. And with Christmas just around the corner, it would make a perfect gift for everyone who knows how important it is to have a survival plan for the supernatural (hint: it should be everyone!!!!!!).

Title: The Supernatural Survival Guide
Author: George Ivanoff
Publisher: Puffin, $24.99
Publication Date: 28 September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761043635
For ages: 6+
Type: Non-Fiction, Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Search and Find: Magical Creatures and Animal Kingdom

Perfect for Christmas, birthdays, travel or just because your little ones love a good search and find, Laura Blythman’s Animal Kingdom and Magical Creatures search and find books are simply delightful.

A peek at the covers let’s you know the kind of stunning illustrations you’ll get to explore inside, and they really are truly stunning + vibrant + funky + adorable.

Laura Blythman is one of Australia’s most iconic contemporary artists, using a wonderful mix of watercolour, collage and technicolour in these gorgeous and interactive books.

But turn each page and not only do you get stunning illustrations and lists of things to find within it, but also a page of funky poems to accompany what’s in the pictures.

In Animal Kingdom explore bees and butterflies, crocs and lizards, dogs and cats and so much more. In Magical Creatures explore unicorns, monsters, mermaids and dragons + genies and trolls and more!

The layout of these books is really kid friendly, making them accessible for even the youngest of readers. 

When it comes to the finding, there’s an image of the things you need to find alongside the description so it’s super easy for kids to use.

The poems, too, are easy reading so many junior readers will be able to read these books independently.

At the back of each book, you’ll find the answers to each puzzle, so you’ll be able to test how good your searching skills are, and I love how some pages are harder than others (but you never know which) to add challenge to your search and find adventures.

If you know special little people who love to search for things, they are going to adore these books.

Title: Search and Find: Magical Creatures and Animal Kingdom
Author/Illustrator: Laura Blythman
Publisher: Five Mile, $19.99
Publication Date: 27 October 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922514530 (Magical Creatures) 9781922514523 (Animal Kingdom)
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book, Activity Book

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Winner: An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree

Our lucky winner is...

Jody Smith, NSW

Congratulations!

You have won a copy of Jackie Hosking's and Nathaniel Eckstrom's, An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree. 

Thank you to ALL who entered. This was particularly difficult to judge as we simply adored EVERYONE'S favourite yuletide traditions. May you enjoy all them this Christmas. Have a fabulous festive season!

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Review: I Wish I Had a Wookie and Other Poems For Our Galaxy

Star Wars fans young and old will love this poetry anthology.

I Wish I Had a Wookie and Other Poems For Our Galaxy is filled with clever, funny poems celebrating Star Wars.

There are poems about characters and events, and poems about being a Star Wars fan.

The title poem, I Wish I Had a Wookie, is relatable and captures a child's wish for a furry friend who can help keep nightmares away.

My Room's the Millennium Falcon is about a child who is sent to their room and spends their time imagining they are in Han Solo's Millennium Falcon, playing holochess with Chewbacca, and flying with speed through the night.

Lovers of Star Wars memorabilia will appreciate Dad's Luke Skywalker Figurine, which describes the moment when a young child opens a pristine collectable figurine to play with. The dad's reaction is noteworthy. Similarly, in Trash Compactor which is only four lines, you get a vivid picture of an adult horrified at their child's recreation of a particular scene from episode four, complete with real rubbish.

There are almost 80 poems in total, some of which are super short (just a few lines), and others longer (a couple of pages). They cover the full range of Star Wars movies from episode one to episode six.

The anthology is appealingly illustrated by Tim Bugden, with pictures in a friendly cartoon style which children will appreciate.

Author Ian Doescher has also written William Shakespeare's Star Wars, and other books. With this anthology he brings his interest in words and Star Wars to a new audience.

A great gift for children, or adults, I Wish I Had a Wookie and Other Poems For Our Galaxy combines the otherworldly Star Wars with everyday life on earth.

Title: I Wish I Had a Wookie and Other Poems for Our Galaxy
Author: Ian Doescher
Illustrator: Tim Bugden
Publisher: Quirk Books, $ 34.99
Publication Date: November 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781594749629
For ages: 8+
Type: Poetry

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Review: Weird School

Is your school weird? Do you have a weird teacher? Is your playground strange?

I guarantee nothing at your school could possibly be weirder than Wally Park Primary, the weirdest school in Australia.

From alien students to uniform providing trees, the meanest principal in the world to kids who can change into animals, Wally Park is like no other school EVER!

Damian Callinan delivers giggles galore in this brilliant junior fiction book, which is actually a collection of short stories. Each one about Wally Park Primary, and all linked so by the end you feel like you've read one connected story.

You’ll go on a totally extreme and bizarre walkathon, discover a very special tree on school grounds, help your favourite teacher compete in the Olympics and outsmart the principal as he tries to thwart you at every turn.

Adele K. Thomas’s funky illustrations bring a brilliant spice to the book. On the very first page you'll meet and greet all the key players at Wally Park (to get a visual before you start to learn about these colourful characters), and then sprinkles of illustrations appear through the chapters from there.

Weird School is a wild and extremely fun ride. It’s a great book for classrooms, as each story can be read independently and would be gobbled up at story time with a group of kids. It would also be a great read if you’re not the biggest fan of longer novels, because you can read the stories out of order or take big breaks in between readings.

For kids aged 8 – 13 who love laughs and a half mixed with a big bowl of quirky, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Weird School.

Title: Weird School
Author: Damian Callinan
Illustrator: Adele K. Thomas
Publisher: Puffin, $14.99
Publication Date: 3 August 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760893446
For ages: 8 - 13
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: The School for Talking Pets

I’ve always wished for a talking pet, a pet that could be a true best friend. Have you?

If you have, The School for Talking Pets is the book you’ve been waiting for.

In The School for Talking Pets, Rusty Mulligan has a pet blue-tongue lizard called Bongo. His adventure begins when a talking cat appears on television and introduces Miss Alice Einstein (Albert Einstein’s great granddaughter!) and her new and exclusive school that teaches pets how to talk.

Five kids from across the world get the opportunity to spend one week at the prestigious school with their pets, and Rusty is one of the fortunate ones to be chosen.

But while Alice guarantees she can teach any pet to talk, Bongo is a special kind of lizard, and Rusty fears Bongo just isn’t the kind of pet who can speak. There are also some very shifty characters hanging around the school, and while Rusty is keen to teach Bongo to talk, he also wants to find out who the mysterious strangers are.

Can Rusty and Bongo find out who’s sneaking around the school? Will Bongo ever learn to talk?

The School for Talking Pets is a fun adventure filled with mystery, action and loads of fantastical. This is a book that goes deep into the detail, deep into the world. As Rusty goes on his adventure, we get to attend classes, meet new people and learn heaps about the ins and outs of the school.

I love this kind of story. It’s Harry Potter-like in its ability to immerse the reader in the story world and leave you craving to be a part of it for real. The details are lavish and they make you feel like you’re in the classroom alongside all the characters.

Peppered throughout the book are stunning sprinkles of black and white illustrations by Beth Harvey. Super fun and a lovely addition to this great book.

If you love junior fiction filled with adventure, rich characters and cool quirks, you’ll love The School for Talking Pets by Kelli Anne Hawkins.

Title: The School for Talking Pets
Author: Kelli Anne Hawkins
Illustrator: Beth Harvey
Publisher: HarperCollins, $16.99
Publication Date: 1 September 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781460759202
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Fiction

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Meet The Illustrator: Darren Pryce

Name: Darren Pryce

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Not realistic, not cartoony, but a variant of all in-between.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Pencil, paper, computer and a leafy outlook (ideally without Myna birds).

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Watercolor. It has a fresh immediacy I like and is unforgiving in a good way.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Of kids book Illustrators I like Chris Van Allsburg, commercial illustrators I like Jeff Fisher, painters I like Francis Bacon. 

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Paris at the end of the 19th century. Modernism was still young and there was so much potential and passion in the air.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?

Drawing was second nature to me as a child. I was often asked by my teachers to draw for the class on the blackboard. Becoming an illustrator felt like a preordained career path. My mother would paint the windows at Christmas time, I was enchanted by that…so maybe it was my genes that led me to it.

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

This is the painting part of the studio where most of my thinking is done and the larger pieces are made. The ones you see are repurposed 19th century paintings that I’ve been exploring lately in my fine art practice. Light streams in from a long window looking out onto a river and mountains. I have a drop sheet on the floor but the paint always seems to make it to the floor.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
I like the idea generation stage mostly, coming up with fresh ways of representing the ordinary and everyday. I also enjoy creating mood with lighting. Drawing, I find a little taxing at times.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

While studying one of my lecturers told us that 99% of us won’t make a living out of illustration but if 100% of us continued with what we loved then all of us would live a happy life. For the most part this I feel this is still true, but these days I would have a plan B - maybe learn some code and digital marketing.

Darren is an accomplished illustrator, artist and co-founder of publisher, Wise As Stories. Darren cut his creative teeth at Cato Purnell and David Lancashire Design. He has won major local and international illustration awards and has worked across major brands including CBA, ASX, Myer, Time Magazine and LA Times.

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



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Review: Ocean Warriors: The Rise Of Robo-Shark

10 Quirky Questions with author Kellie Byrnes

1. What's your hidden talent?
Hmmm. I don’t know that I have one. Perhaps, though, from all the reading and freelance writing I’ve done, I know a little bit about a lot of subjects. I surprise myself with the trivia questions I can answer sometimes!

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
This may seem like an odd answer, but I’d have to say Mr and Mrs Twit from one of my favourite childhood books, Roald Dahl’s The Twits. They’re interesting characters, in that they’re the protagonists of the story but also sooo horrible and the villains to each other. That’s an unusual combination!

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Ooh, how to choose?! So many people came to mind, but for a fun mix I’d invite Deborah Harkness, Mac Barnett, Neil Gaiman, Richard Branson, and Roald Dahl. If I was allowed some extra numbers (I realise how male-heavy my list is) I’d love to add Kate DiCamillo, Jane Austen and Agatha Christie.

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
Hermione’s time-turner in Harry Potter or teleportation devices as featured in many different stories.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Stop-start explorations into curiosity.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
I’m dreaming, here, but I’d love to be a writer remembered as curious, innovative, respected, prolific, and bestselling!

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
My office is filled to bursting with books and papers, so it’s always cluttered with 'stuff'. However, as for specific objects, in any work space of mine you’ll always find a laptop, paper, pens/pencils, kitchen timer, and a paperweight a long-term friend gave me years ago.

8. Grab the nearest book, open it to page 22 and look for the second word in the first sentence. Now, write a line that starts with that word. (Please include the name of the book!)
The word is ‘warning’, taken from Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. “Warning: may cause sleeplessness and heart palpitations, so please read with caution.”

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask? Only one?! That’s tough. I’d ask JK Rowling, “How did you come up with all the layered, complex characters in Harry Potter, and keep all their stories straight across the series?”

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
I don’t think I could cope in this world without other people’s amazing stories, so I’d choose never writing another story over never being allowed to read another book.

 

 

 

 

Kellie Byrnes is a children’s author and full-time freelance writer based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia who loves to travel for author talks and workshops and other events. Kellie’s first picture book, Cloud Conductor, released through Wombat Books in May 2018, and her second, Evie is all Ears, was published in October 2020 by Little Pink Dog Books. One Remarkable Reef, published by the State Library of Queensland, came out in November 2020. In May 2021, Yes! No. picture book was released by Little Pink Dog Books, followed soon after by This is NOT a Book! in June 2021, published by EK Books. Kellie also has another picture book on the way in November 2021, titled How Do We Love?: The Five Ways We Show We Care. It will be published by Macmillan US. Plus, Kellie has a junior fiction novel contracted. For more information, see www.kelliebyrnes.com.

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Review: Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Review: The World Awaits

The World Awaits is a brand new picture book from Tomas Roberts, the creator of the 2020 hit, The Great Realisation. And just like that book, The World Awaits has an important message. 

Described as a 'manifesto for our time', it's about the contribution we all make to the world, and how little things can make a difference. 

It's about being positive, and looking for the good. And about how getting out of bed might be difficult, but it's important to approach the day positively.

Tomas' sense of rhyme is spot on, and his grasp of important themes is, too.

Just how do you explain potential to a child? How do you convince them that it doesn't matter how small or insignificant you feel, it's always worth trying?

Tomas takes concepts which could be difficult to explain and communicates in a way that makes sense to a broad range of readers, from young children to adults. In this story, he does it by creating a conversation between and adult and child that enables children's questions to be clearly answered.

The examples used in The World Awaits are simple, yet highly relevant for us all. From smiling or making your bed, to calling a relative, or planting a tree.

Japanese artist, Nomoco is the illustrator, just as she was for the previous book, and brings a special and unique perspective. Their simplicity complements the story and it's message.

You can watch the official video performance of The World Awaits here, but please get the book as well as watching the video. It's one of those we can all enjoy and benefit from reading regularly.

Title: The World Awaits
Author: Tomas Roberts
Illustrator: Nomoco
Publisher: Harper Collins, $ 24.99
Publication Date: October 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:9780008502058
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Giveaway: An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree

Review: Rosie-May Blue: Mayhem at the Pet Show

Ten year old Rosie-May and her family have moved to a farm. She owns Carrie, a Welsh Mountain pony that she loves more than anything.

Making new friends is hard for Rosie-May as she is small for her age. It is when Carrie breaks through the fence and enters their neighbour’s property, that Rosie-May meets Ellie, who returns Carrie.

Ellie’s pony is the same breed as Carrie. The two girls hit it off immediately and they will be in the same class when school begins in a few days.

Things do not go as smoothly as Rosie-May hoped. The popular Vivian with her group of followers, is rude and unkind. First she ridicules Rosie-May for her height, then for the fact that she lives on a farm, naming her Country Pumpkin to match Ellie’s derogatory Country Bumpkin. Both girls ignore her taunts.

After helping Ellie and her dad round up some cattle, Rosie-May leads the horses to a trough nearby. She is confronted by an angry Ellie who reprimands her for allowing the horses to drink there. Rosie-May cannot understand her reaction.

It is later as she is brushing down Carrie in the stable that she hears a voice. No one is around. Yet, again someone is talking to Rosie-May. It is Carrie.

When she discovers that Ellie’s horse can also talk, her friend discloses how it was her Gran who first discovered the magic of the water trough. With a mutual promise to keep their secret, they prepare for the judging at the forthcoming pet show.

But someone has opened the gate. The school ground is full of cattle. Sounds and shouting come from all directions. Chaos reigns. The girls swing into action and muster the cows out of the grounds.

It is not over. A trapped kitten in a tight space needs a small person to get it out. Will Rosie-May’s petite build save the day? What about the horses? They are covered in dust and have no chance to take a prize in their condition.

More titles will follow as these characters and their adventures evolve. Lots of strings are left hanging to work with. Ideal for younger readers and lovers of horse stories.

Title: Rosie-May Blue: Mayhem at the Pet Show
Author: P. E. Woods
Illustrator: Pene Chadwick
Publisher: Little Steps, $14.99
Publication Date: 1 October 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780648267430
For ages: 6+
Type: Junior Fiction Younger

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Review: Fire Truck Santa

Fire Truck Santa is dedicated with love and thanks to volunteers around Australia. It is written and illustrated to accent and acknowledge, the kindness, generosity and invaluable help of people everywhere in times of need, especially fire fighters in their untiring role of saviours during bush-fires.

In this gorgeous book told in rhythmic rhyming verse, the Australian tradition of Santa arriving in a fire truck is being upheld!

The reindeers are resting up for the Christmas Eve run.

 

Santa uses his alternate mode of transport for the delivery of presents, for it is tradition for the versatile red fire truck to go through the country towns delivering presents for kids.

The children wait for Santa’s red fire truck. It can be identified from a distance by its noise and smell. Worn and battered, it manages to just make it to every stop. 

With splutters and coughs, it is given a truck-saving boost of petrol or some sort of patch-up for leaks or loose parts by the waiting children.   And for Santa, a cookie for luck. Then it's on its way again.

At the school there is no discrimination. Presents get passed around to everyone, happy or silly, bashful or wild. Even the animals get a little something to chew on.

When Santa’s truck breaks down completely and simply can’t be restored no matter how much attention it gets, how will he get about now, as every town needs a truck, especially in summer.

Terrific illustrations by Nathaniel Eckstrom sit lightly on the page allowing the bold text to take priority with its messages of love and hope and generous community spirit. The end pages show a panoramic view of the isolated Australian countryside. Vibrant back and front covers depict the old and new.

I loved it! Don’t miss this one!

Title: Fire Truck Santa
Author: Nic McPickle
Illustrator: Nathaniel Eckstrom
Publisher: Allen&Unwin , $ 17.99
Publication Date: 14 September 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760526894
For ages: 3 – 6
Type: Picture Book

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Guest Post: Monsters R Us: Adapting Gothic Classics For Children