Review: Meet The Family

Junior Review: The Greatest Thing

Review: Youngbloods

Youngbloods is the fourth and final book in the Imposters series by Scott Westerfeld, and you should read the other books before this one. 

It brings readers full circle, linking with the Uglies series even more closely than before, through the return of Tally Youngblood.

Tally is the most famous rebel in the world, and Frey is now one of her crew, the Youngbloods.

After the events of the previous book, Mirror’s Edge, the relationship between twins Frey and Rafia is fractured, perhaps forever. 

Rafia is leader of the city of Shreve, having taken her twin's name to rule. Frey, once her sister’s body double and bodyguard, is a rebel Special, superhuman and living in the wild.

Can Frey come to terms with herself, her family, and her past? What could her future hold when she seems on the brink of disaster and death in a world filled with revolution?

Youngbloods is a gritty and complex story. Prominent amongst its themes is what is real and what is not, what is truth and what is misinformation, and how to tell the difference.

With every chapter and plot twist in Youngbloods, you'll question what you thought you knew. And you'll see parallels with real life, and the potential for what could happen if elements of today's world were taken to extremes.

Be prepared for a wild ride when you read Youngbloods.

Read reviews of other books in the series: Imposters, Shatter City, and Mirror’s Edge.

Title: Youngbloods
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $ 26.99
Publication Date: March 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760528270
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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Meet The Illustrator: Eilidh Muldoon

Name: Eilidh Muldoon

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Detailed; intricate; fun; decorative; a mixture of hand-drawn, digital and printmaking

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I have a few essentials. I would be lost without my Rotring Rapidograph fineliners for detailed hand-drawn bits (0.25 nib is my favourite); Blackwing Pearl pencils for looser line drawings; my Wacom tablet for the digital bits. And I love a Moleskin sketchbook!

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
It’s hard to choose, as you can probably guess from the length of my previous answer. If you had asked me years ago, I would have said the fineliner pens, but now I try to loosen things up and make messier marks. I’ll go for Aquarelle pencils, because you can create lovely sketchy lines with them, but also by adding water and using a brush you can achieve more painterly results. Oh, and I love to use rubber stamps! I love the combination of printed marks alongside hand-drawn lines.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.

I find inspiration from artists working in lots of different creative fields, but most of my favourite artists are best known as picture book illustrators. I have always loved the work of mid-century author-illustrator duo Alice and Martin Provensen. Of a similar era, Mary Blair’s concept art and paintings for some of the early animated Disney movies are wonderful. I like the way all of these artists create colourful, imaginary worlds that invite you in. I’m counting the first two artists as one, so if I’m allowed one more then I will go for Eric Carle. His work encourages me to put down my pens, move away from drawing fine lines, and to have fun using bolder shapes and experiment with composition.

  
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I studied Art History for my undergraduate degree, and I must admit it was once we got to 20th century art that I became really excited about my studies! I was fascinated with the freedom and experimentation of Dadaism and Surrealism. It must have been incredibly exciting to be an artist at that time. I think I’ll go for early 20th century, because I could experience the playfulness of early Surrealism, with its exploration of dreamlike landscapes, as well as seeing how Constructivist artists were starting to experiment with geometrical shapes, bold typography, white space. As an added bonus I would catch the tail end of ‘The Golden Age of Illustration’ and be around while Arthur Rackham and Beatrix Potter were still at work!

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
When I was growing up, we would visit one of my mum’s close friends, Debi Gliori, who also happens to be an extremely talented artist and illustrator. I am a huge fan of her books to this day. I think I must have been about 8 years old when I first saw her working away in her garden studio, drawing and writing stories. I thought it seemed like the best job in the world. It also helped that I was lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive mum, who encouraged me to pursue a career in the creative industries.

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 don’t yet have that dream garden-studio, but I feel like my current work-space is pretty close to that. I live in a small village, and from the back of my house I can see the sea, and a lot of trees. I have a desk by the window, so I get lots of natural light and have a lovely view (but I have set up my desk so that I face away from the window, otherwise I would stare outside all day and never get anything done). I have a big desk space, for making lots of messy marks. I scan everything in and play around with finishing it up digitally, using my Mac and Wacom tablet. There are a lot of books and other inspirational ephemera around the room – the collection is growing… and most importantly a space for my dog to curl up (or flap about) at my feet.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

The sketchbook stage, where I get to develop my ideas. Before the pressure of creating a ‘final thing’ and after the pressure of not quite knowing where to start. I find the first marks on paper to be quite nerve-wracking, so I start by making initial notes, sketches and doing the first bits of research. Then I feel like I get into the swing of things.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Look to the things that interest you for inspiration, not the things you think are ‘on trend’. Be a leader, not a follower. And keep drawing! Even if you think a drawing is rubbish, finish it and use it to work out what went wrong. The next drawing will be better as a result.

Eilidh lives in a wee village by the sea, not too far from Edinburgh. She studied at Edinburgh College of Art, graduating in 2013 with her MFA in Illustration. She now teaches part time at the college and work freelance from her wee home studio.


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

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Review: Ming And Flo Fight For The Future

Review: Cat's First Baby

Cat is agile. Cat is proud. Cat is independent and clever and delicate.

What cat is not is ready for the family to expand.

It starts with a ‘hello’, and the new bundle is small, so who cares. 

But the bundle grows, and moves, and makes noise. And… it doesn’t seem to be another cat.

Cat checks it out. From many angles. It doesn’t look like a cat, it doesn’t have a tail like a cat, but there are some similarities. Somethings they both enjoy doing (like napping!).

Cat’s First Baby is a glorious exploration of life with a new baby. Delivered in scrumptious (and hardy) board book form, this is the perfect book for new baby bundles (and their parents!). It’s joyful and truth-laden simplicity delivers a million smiles as you read.

Author/illustrator Natalie Nelson has captured the true essence of a cat on these pages. I love the way cat moves slow and steady at first, then tests the waters, then starts to embrace the change. Nelson notes she watched a lot of you-tube videos about cats and kids and interviewed loads of cat owners to build the best story ever. And she has.

Nelson’s illustrations are equally as glorious as her words. Colour extends to every corner of the page, with Cat (in blue) shining bright as you move through the story. The details are in the expressions, and nelson’s ability to inject so much emotion into every sideways look and glance is just magic.

This is a brilliant board book. Joyful, funny and engaging for the whole family. And if cats are not your thing, Nelson’s first book, Dog’s First Baby, is also a hoot!

But, really, who doesn’t love cats?

Title: Cat’s First Baby
Author/Illustrator: Natalie Nelson
Publisher: Quirk Books, $14.99
Publication Date: 1 March 2022
Format: Board Book
ISBN: 9781683692935
For ages: 2 - 5 
Type: Picture Book, Board Book

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10 Quirky Questions with author Wenda Shurety

1. What's your hidden talent?
I’m not sure if I’d classify this as a talent, but I’m not bad at helping rescue dogs. I’ve rescued several over the years and feel there’s nothing more rewarding than giving a dog with a sad past a happy home, then winning them over.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
My favourite villain is the multifaceted Marisa Coulter from the His Dark Materials trilogy. I love the many dimensions of her character. She came across as charming and persuasive, but underneath she was incredibly cruel and evil. However, she had a soft spot for her daughter and ends up saving her life.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Richard Powers, JK Rowling, Liane Moriarty, Jane Austen, Philip Pullman

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
The subtle knife, from the His Dark Materials trilogy. How cool would it be to cut open portals into alternate universes?

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Organic, random, emotional, recollected, researched.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Understanding, original, quirky, emotional, thoughtful.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
Computer, cup of tea, Nellie the pug, Nemo the dachshund and Nutmeg the manx cat.

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 Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. Strong.
Strong smells emanated from under the desk where a dachshund lay curled up asleep.

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Julia Donaldson (picture book author): How do you come up with ideas that both entertain and evoke such a range of emotions in so few words?

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Definitely ‘never write another story’ as I love reading!

Wenda Shurety, or Wobbly Wenda, is a children's author, scientist and archer. She grew up in England, worked in New York and now lives in Australia. Wenda’s books are inspired by her love of being a mum, and the hope that has helped her through her struggle with Multiple Sclerosis. For more information, see www.wendashurety.com.




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Review: Wild Australian Life

Wild Australian Life is a fabulous educational resource with an abundance of detail about creatures, their habitats and the signs of them in our environment.

The book has over 60 pages of fascinating facts, and curious discoveries found in Australia. Each spread explores a different topic, including Magnificent Mammals, Skulls & Skeletons, Feathers, Radical Reptiles, Metamorphosis, Pond Life and many more. It also includes an introduction, clear contents page, classification chart of living things, and a detailed index.

One of my favourite topics covered is Mysterious Monotremes which focuses on the fascinating details of Australia’s unique echidna and platypus; the mammals who lay eggs! 

I adore the designer illustrations featuring bold shapes, intricate textures and muted colours. I’m also particularly impressed with the easy to navigate layout of information.

This book would suit animal lovers and those who love to learn, and it would be perfect as a classroom resource or personal gift. It’s also beautifully presented, looks modern and has an earthy bronze metallic text finish that will stand out on a shelf.

Leonard Cronin is an expert and leader in natural history, some of his previous books include the Cronin’s Key Guide series of field guides, The Australian Climate Change Book and A Journey Through Ancient Kingdoms and Natural Wonders. Chris Nixon is an illustrator and designer, he has illustrated over 10 books for children, including Lights Out, Leonard and Pandamonia.

Title: Wild Australian Life
Author: Leonard Cronin
Illustrator: Chris Nixon
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $29.99
Publication Date: 12 April 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760637224
For ages: 6 – 12
Type: Picture Book

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Winners: How To Spell Catastrophe

Our lucky winners are...

Lou Eveston, VIC

Liz Dorrington, WA

Joseph Spognolo, NSW

Congratulations!

You have each won a copy of Fiona Wood's latest middle grade fiction, How To Spell Catastrophe.

Thank you to ALL who entered. Some entries made us laugh, others mist up. Life can be such a glorious catastrophe! 

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Review: Penelope Snoop, Ace Detective

Penelope is the world’s best finder-outer and has a huge imagination. 

This intrepid girl detective has solved several mysteries, ably aided by her sidekick dog, Carlos. She even found her dad's chocolate, and some missing homework.

In Penelope Snoop, Ace Detective, Penelope is hunting for Sidney the smelly sock snake who has disappeared. 

Sidney is special to Penelope. He was in bed with her earlier in the day, then had breakfast with her, so where could he be? 

Penelope has spotted some clues and follows them determinedly, starting with a muddy footprint.

Could Sidney be in the garden or the tree house? What about on the moon? 

Penelope won’t stop until she uncovers what has happened to Sidney. Just when all seems lost, she finds that her mum might be able to help her solve the mystery. 

The text and pictures in Penelope Snoop, Ace Detective really celebrate the power of imagination. The story is humourous and the bright and busy illustrations make Penelope jump off the page as you follow her search for Sidney. The unique illustration style, featuring neon pink throughout, has a quite retro feel and really bring Penelope's lively personality to life.

Penelope Snoop, Ace Detective is a fabulously fun and quirky story for kids, which will encourage them to actively use their imaginations and explore the world around them.

Title: Penelope Snoop, Ace Detective
Author: Pamela Butchart
Illustrator: Christine Roussey
Publisher: Bloomsbury, $ 14.99
Publication Date: 29 March 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781408856956
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Giveaway: The Ghost Locket

Review: The Smart Cookie

Review: The Shadow Arts

Review: The Boy with Flowers in his Hair

This book drew me from the moment I saw the cover. 

I mean, look at it!

Look at those fabulous flowers.

I was immediately keen to find out if this boy’s flowers were a metaphor or if he had flowers threaded through his hair. 

Either would have been delightful, but the reality is so much sweeter because the boy referred to in the title has actual flowers for hair.

The main character in this gorgeous tale is actually not the boy from the cover, but another boy called David. David is friends with the boy with flowers in his hair, and they are the BEST of friends.

They do everything together. Jump in puddles. Sing songs. Even run away from hungry bees searching for delicious nectar.

But one day, the boy with flowers in his hair comes to school sad. And quiet. All his petals have fallen off, and all he has left is sticks and twigs. The kids at school avoid the boy, afraid of getting scratched.

Except for David. David stays close by the boy, and then he has a brilliant idea to help him get his flowers back…

The Boy with Flowers in his Hair is a gorgeous picture book to add to your collection. I just adore the injection of fantasy into the real world. It’s fresh and engaging, and it’s used to great effect to share a hidden but powerful message: embrace what makes you unique.

With stunning illustrations to help guide the story, this book just win, win, wins. Jarvis’ style is bright and bold, yet soft at the same time. I adore the different textures used to create layering and interest. It’s just divine.

There are some picture books you read and just say ‘yes’.

This is one of them.

Title: The Boy with Flowers in his Hair
Author/Illustrator: Jarvis
Publisher: Walker Books, $27.99
Publication Date: 2 March 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781406392517
For ages: 3 - 8
Type: Picture Books

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Review: Whisper on the Wind

Oh, how I adore a word building picture book. I don’t see them too often, but I love them. And I loved this one so very, very much. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me explain…

I’m sure there’s a technical term for it, but the easiest way to describe what I’m talking about is to say this picture book uses repetition of sentences from the pages before to build the story in layers. So we start with the wind…

This is the wind that carries the whisper from Ren’s dream.

And then it builds….

These are the waves that dance in the breeze that carries the whisper from Ren’s dream.

And it flows from there. It’s magical, lyrical and addictive, pulling audiences into its song and whisking you away to storyland.

Ren’s whisper has quite the adventure in this stunning book. It glows in moonbeams, plays with fish, dances with dolphins and makes it all the way to a very important boat — which has a very important sailor onboard. The sailor finds the whisper, understands it and knows exactly where she needs to go.

This gorgeous story from award winning author Claire Saxby enters your heart and head and will not leave. It’s a story that is simple and yet so awesomely layered in meaning.

Add in the stunning illustrations by Jess Racklyeft, and I just don’t know how you can walk past this book. Gorgeous blues and aquas swim on the pages. Bright white sea spray sprinkles the edges. The pictures are soft and moody, and each is worthy of their own frame. Simply perfection.

But beyond the magic and whimsy, and the gorgeous use of language, and the amazing illustrations that I want to gobble up, is fun and engagement. Kids will ADORE this story because it provides such a fabulous way to interact with text. With repeated lines and building momentum, they will love exploring this book.

Highly, highly, highly recommended, Whisper on the Wind is destined to appear on multiple lists of great Australian picture books.

Title: Whisper on the Wind
Author: Claire Saxby
Illustrator: Jess Racklyeft
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $24.99
Publication Date: March 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760526887
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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12 Curly Questions with author and psychologist Rachel Tomlinson

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I used to make and sell polymer clay earrings online, and I was contacted out of the blue to have a pair of my pineapple earrings featured in a Jetstar inflight magazine. I love creating in all mediums, and cannot sit still, so always find myself writing or crafting something.

2. What is your nickname?
Nothing exciting here, just a shortened Rach. I wish I had a cool nickname and some kind of great backstory as to how the name came about. I'm open to suggestions though.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Birds. Full blown ornithophobia. It has reduced a lot since having my daughter as I don’t want to pass my fears along, but it can be absolutely debilitating at times. Birds seem to sense my fear and I have many amusing stories about birds coming out of their way to menace me (amusing to others, not necessarily me). My long-suffering husband has had to guide me through many a public place with my hands over my eyes so we could pass a gang of pigeons (gang isn’t the official term for a grouping of pigeons, but I want to impress on you just how threatening and flappy these pigeons were).

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Accessible, therapeutic, sensitive, supportive. I hold space for my readers.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Inclusive, creative, reflective, open, inquisitive.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
No hesitation…Matilda. I re-read that book so many times. Luckily my family were nothing like the Wormwoods, but I loved the concept of a young girl feeling powerful and being in charge of her narrative. I would also secretly love to have a superpower: I could float my phone in from the other room so I don’t have to get off the couch. It’s the dream!

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I'm going to be boring (maybe I’ll reframe and say philosophical) and say that I wouldn’t time travel given the chance. I am right here, right now, and all the things in history (wider community and my own) have led me to this moment.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Stop hoping and wishing… you are not getting any taller than this! Author headshots can be deceptive, so you can't tell, but I am 5 foot 0 inches. It’s also hard making friends when you are 10 and have the vocabulary of an 18th century noblewoman and your head is constantly stuck in a book. I would also tell her that she will find her people, the ones who truly get her.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Oh tricky, can I cheat and say more than one? I’d have to say my mum and my husband. My mum is probably the reason I became a psychologist. She worked in similar fields and so I think I was drawn to wanting to work with and help people. She is incredibly generous of spirit, so accepting and non-judgmental. It taught me how to hold space for people, to allow them to just 'be', which is the cornerstone for how I create space as a psychologist for my clients. And my husband because when I said I wanted to write and try to put my stories out there he never doubted me. He is my biggest supporter and cheerleader. I cannot believe my luck in finding him out of the millions of people out there in the world. Having two people like this in my life who believe in me gives me the courage to put myself out there and give things a go!

10. What/who made you start writing?
I have always written. I used to get bits of scrap paper and staple them together and make my own books. But I really started to explore writing professionally when I worked in play therapy. My clients could never truly see themselves in existing literature and they often felt so alone, like no one else in the world felt the way they did, or experienced things they did. So I started creating short stories that took the challenges my clients faced, and their strengths, and wrote them tailored stories of coping and hope to take home after our sessions had wrapped up. I had a number of people asking if I had ever thought about publishing therapeutic texts so other children could see themselves in stories too… and now here we are!

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Oh dear, I’m going to cheat again and choose a whole series of words! I like onomatopoeia - words that sound like their meaning: hiss, crisp, honk, bang, buzz… the list goes on. It just adds a bit of playfulness to conversation or text (when I'm writing) and I think it makes for a more enjoyable story that can be read aloud for children. The reader can really get into the story and I find it more engaging for the person listening. I write picture books, so I always think about what it's like for that poor parent reading the same story for the 47th time that week and I think adding in a bit of verbal gymnastics can keep the same story interesting.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rachel’s Holiday, by Marian Keyes. Not because I'm egocentric and share the name with the titular character, but because I love her writing so much. I could (and I have) re-read her stories over and over again. And I love Rachel’s Holiday because it deals with mental health (I'm drawn to these stories because I'm a psychologist and this is something that interests me). It's humorous yet raw, it's painful, it's human. I find something new every time I read it.

Rachel Tomlinson is an author and registered psychologist who has worked with adults, families and children in a variety of settings. She has presented at national conferences on mental health topics including trauma and play therapy. She writes about topics such as parenting, child development and relationships. For more information, see www.towardwellbeing.com.

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Review: The Love That Grew

Let me tell you of a power that can never be tamed,

of how I promise to love you all the same.

Something so special you must never forget,

no matter how big our family may get….

The Love That Grew, written by Sarah Ayoub, is a beautiful message from mother to children about the love she has for her family as it grows. It’s got all the feels, including those that warm your heart and those that make you giggle.

Sweeter than a slice of chocolate cake,

Stretchier than a lolly snake.

With stunning illustrations from Mimi Purnell, the pictures send you on a journey with the family of four as mum explains just how big her love for them is. In beautiful peachy hues, the illustrations are perfectly matched to the rhyming text — gentle and yet funky at the same time.

This is a different kind of rhyming picture book, and I really loved that about it. You won’t find strict metre in the story, but rather clear and consistent end rhymes throughout, that work to guide the flow as you read.

Even though my brain tried to force me to find the set rhythm at first, I quickly found exquisite joy in reading each sentence uniquely, savouring the words and enjoying the linking rhymes as I moved through the story. It’s different to many other rhyming picture books, but it works beautifully, and this type of construction seems MADE for reading aloud.

The Love That Grew is a joyful story perfect for sharing (and snuggling!).

Title: The Love That Grew
Author: Sarah Ayoub
Illustrator: Mimi Purnell
Publisher: HarperCollins, $19.99
Publication Date: 16 March 2022
Format: Hard Cover 
ISBN: 9781460761113
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: Please Write Soon

Please Write Soon is inspired by acclaimed author Michael Rosen’s family history. Sharing personal memories and experiences like these is something he’s done before in The Missing, which is also about the experience of World War Two, and that of Jewish people. 

In Please Write Soon, Londoner Solly tells his teacher and classmates about his Polish cousin Bernie. He shares the letters he and Bernie wrote to each other over the course of more than six years, including during the war. This epistolary approach provides a window into the minds of both boys. 

Solly tells Bernie about playing marbles, and being evacuated to a farm in the country. There he learns to milk a cow and ride a horse, and collects fresh eggs. He also watches badgers in the woods at night time and finds them clever creatures whose tunnels are like the shelters humans have been building for protection.

Bernie tells Solly about cutting trees in a work camp in Russia, and about becoming a soldier. Bernie fights in Persia and Italy and there are many times when Solly is worried about him because he doesn’t hear from him for a long time. 

Both Solly and Bernie share stories about events around them that happened in real life, including a tragic accident that killed many people at Bethnel Green underground station, and Wojtek the bear who lived with Polish soldiers. 

Using the letters between Solly and Bernie gradually builds the story to a climax. What happened to Bernie and his family? Did he survive the war? You will need to read the story to find out.

Michael Rosen is superb at creating stories that draw you in and make you care about the characters. Reading Solly and Bernie’s story helps readers understand something of the impact of war and and its personal costs. 

Readers of Please Write Soon should make sure they also read the Afterword. It explains the stories behind some of Please Write Soon, and uses it to explore the concept of remembrance and memorials. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, it also draws parallels between remembrance of those who served in wartime, and remembrance of those who serve in health services under difficult circumstances. 

Please Write Soon is highly recommended. It doesn’t take long to read, but has a lot to say and has a big impact.

Title: Please Write Soon
Author: Michael Rosen
Illustrator: Michael Foreman
Publisher: Scholastic UK, $ 16.99
Publication Date: March 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780702315572
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Fiction

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Arabella's Alphabet Adventure

Giveaway: Fiona Wood's How To Spell Catastrophe

Review: Rainbow the Koala and Star the Elephant

Award-winning author-illustrator Remy Lai brings her writing and illustrating superpowers to a brand-new graphic novel series.

Kick-starting with Rainbow the Koala and Star the Elephant, these fabulous books for junior readers are infused with adventure, heart and loads of information.

In Rainbow the Koala, it’s time for little koala Rainbow to leave her Mum and live independently. 

Mum has taught her much, but there are still challenges along the way. And when a terrifying bushfire sweeps through the land, Rainbow must be bold and brave and use everything her mum has taught her to survive.

Inspired by true stories that came from the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires, Rainbow’s story is one of both sadness and hope as she faces an uncontrollable and unpredictable force.

Star the elephant is as big a hero as Rainbow. When food shortages force Star and her aunt and mother to leave their homeland, they must travel the land and swim the ocean to find food. But the threat of humans is very real, and when Star’s mother and aunt are caught, she fears she may never find a place to call home again.

Star the Elephant is also inspired by real events. This time it's the incredible story of three bull elephants from Malaysia who swam to Singapore in search of food in 1990.

Lai infuses truth with fiction in this great series, and she does it in the best way for kids to enjoy, understand, and learn. The stories are fiction, with wonderful characters and loads of action, but at the back of each book, Lai provides the background for the stories, along with a variety of facts about the featured animals to help kids learn more.

Lai’s illustrations are so suburb. Funky and colourful, full of emotion and packed with details. They are a delight to explore, and I think will really help kids who love a visual to guide their reading experience.

Star and Rainbow are such superb little heroes, and the good news… these are only the first two books in the series. There’s still more to come!

Title: Rainbow the Koala and Star the Elephant
Author/Illustrator: Remy Lai
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $14.99
Publication Date: 14 April 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761065453/9781760526849
For ages: 6 - 9
Type: Graphic Novel

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Meet The Illustrator: Kate Isobel Scott

Name: Kate Isobel Scott 

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Friendly, a little naive, innocent, entertaining, colourful and cheerful

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
A good window to look out of. Some headphones lots of paper and sharp pencils. Plasticine a Wacom and a computer.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Simple pencil and paper, I also really enjoyed working with plasticine. 
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Liz Roland, Myung Ae Lee and Babette Cole

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I think I would like to visit the modernism sculpture movement. I wold have really liked to hung out with Babara Hepworth.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I love stories however I am dyslexic, especially as a kid I wold find reading impossible. I have always relayed heavily on the pictures. So illustration has always been part of everything I do.

   
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 recently moved countries, I use to live in Den Haag in The Netherlands where I had a beautiful big studio in an old school building, it was a real haven. Currently I am based in my front room of my house in Fitzroy Melbourne, although a little bit smaller it has a great window for people watching.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

I like the brainstorming at the beginning of a project. I also really enjoy being in the thick of it when you are so absorbed in what you are doing you forget there is a world out there.

 What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
KEEP GOING don’t give up. Its a hard slog to get recognised but the only way someone will notice you is if you keep making work!

Kate Isobel Scott (b. 1988) grew up in a small town in Australia. Once she finished school
Kate moved to England to study Illustration at Falmouth University in Cornwall. In 2011 Kate
graduated with a BA Honours degree in illustration and moved to London.

After a few years of working in London in set design and art department, Kate relocated to
The Hague in The Netherlands. Here she focused on her career as an animation director
and illustrator. Working for clients such as New York Times, Adobe, Libresse, Greenpeace,
Off-White and Gymshark.

Kate has developed her own visual language within the stop motion animation industry,
using plasticine as a main medium often combined with painted elements. Kate’s hand-
made plasticine style is heavily inspired by the nostalgia of 80s/90s children’s television. Her
colourful, friendly and sometimes wonky characters celebrate the essence of hand made
craft. Besides animation Kate works on children’s picture books and has been exploring
painting and illustration. Her work has been shown in several exhibitions in Europe.

Recently Kate has returned to her roots and moved to Melbourne, Australia where she
continues to work on both her self initiated and commissioned animation work.

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

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Review: Bad Bunny

Guest Post: Leslie Gang on Changing the Story - Hindi's Libraries

Review: Ceremony

Ceremony is written by legendary Australian Rules football player Adam Goodes, a Adnyamathanha and Narungga man. It's a collaboration with Ellie Laing, who is completing studies in Traditional Aboriginal Cultures, and David Hardy, a Barkindji man with extensive artistic achievements.

With rhyming text and beautifully engaging illustrations, Ceremony draws readers into a special event in the lives of an Aboriginal community.

The end papers are an important place to start in reading this book, because they introduce you to key words from the language of the Adnyamathanha people, of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Accompanied by illustrations and the English translation, you can practice them before you start reading.

As well as key words in language which are used in the story, the phrase 'Nangga! Nangga! Yakarti!' is repeated throughout in a way that will encourage children to learn to read and say the words.

The children who star in Ceremony are a little mischievous and a lot appealing in their excitement and connection with their culture. They're looking forward to their Ceremony and prepare for it with their family. 

Readers will be introduced to different aspects of Aboriginal culture as the Ceremony is shown in the context of recognisable activities such as sharing a meal, getting dressed for a special occasion, dance, and music. 

There's also humour in the antics of the children and animals, brought to life through the vibrant illustrations. 

I highly recommend Ceremony. It's a happy and celebratory story, and a valuable way to share traditional Aboriginal culture with young children.

Ceremony is the second book in the Welcome to Our Country series about Australia's First Nations' history. The first book in the series by Adam, Ellie and David, is Somebody's Land.

There is a QR code at the back of Ceremony which you can scan to access and listen to Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing reading the story.

Visit the Welcome to Our Country website for resources including a comprehensive guide for parents and carers, and educational resources for teachers.

Title: Ceremony
Author: Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing
Illustrator: David Hardy
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 12 April 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761065064
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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10 Quirky Questions with author Sharon Giltrow

1. What's your hidden talent?
I am unsinkable. I can float in a pool without treading water.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Mr Hyde as he reminds the world that inside every villain is a hero wanting to get out.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Enid Blyton – So I can thank her for instilling in me my love of reading and writing.
Julia Donaldson – But only if she talks in rhyme the whole time.
Anh Do – So he can paint a picture of all the guests while holding a great conversation.
Andrew McDonald – So I can get tips on how to write graphic novels as great as Real Pigeons. (Something I want to do this year.)
Kitty Black – Because she is one of my BFF writers

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
Time travel, so when I conduct research for my books, I can travel to that time and place to truly experience what my characters would be see, taste, smell, hear and feel.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Intentional –  Most weeks I don’t have a lot of time to write, so when I do I dedicate myself to it. Structured – I am a plotter. I like to know where my characters are going and why.
Generous – I love to support fellow writers on their journey.
Engrossed – Once I enter my character's world it is hard to get me out of it.
Fun – I like to have fun with my stories and characters.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Humorous, generous, prolific, inspirational, versatile.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
Plants – I love to see the green of nature. Organised desk – I struggle to work on a cluttered desk. A comfy chair. Trusty laptop, which I try and back up on a regular basis. Books, picture books, middle-grade books, my own books. Artwork from local illustrators, my children and my students.

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!)
Back, from Bedtime, Daddy my debut picture book.
Back to bed little one, it’s time to rest your weary head.

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Enid Blyton – "Where did all of your ideas come from and can you give me just one?”

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Tough question. Never read another book. I can’t physically and mentally stop writing stories. I get antsy if I haven’t written for a few days. I have to write!

Sharon Giltrow grew up on Yorke Peninsula in South Australia surrounded by pet sheep, sandy beaches, fields of barley and her seven siblings. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children, a tom cat and a miniature dog. Having worked with children for all of her career, she has been a teacher of children who are hearing impaired and Deaf-Blind, and is now an Early Childhood Educator and Teacher Education Support working with Young Children with Developmental Language Disorder. For more information, see www.sharongiltrowauthor.com.



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Winner: Pearly and Pig and the Great Hairy Beast by Sue Whiting

Our lucky winner is...

Julian Willis, QLD

Congratulations!

You have won a copy of this action-packed new junior fiction by Sue Whiting, Pearly and Pig and the Great Hairy Beast.

Thank you to ALL who entered. 

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Review: This Old Thing

This Old Thing is about memories and remembrance, and about war and the different perspectives we have of things.

A young boy has been asked to bring something to school for an ANZAC remembrance project and goes hunting through boxes at home.

He finds old newspapers and objects, things from long ago. They belonged to someone who went to war.

The story, written by Cassandra Webb, uses sparse and repetitive text, with two related plot lines unfolding together as you read. The illustrations by Tony Flowers reflect this in a clever way. 

One image on each double-page spread features the young boy with an object he's found. The other image on the page shows the object in use by the soldier during the war. There's an army slouch hat. Sturdy boots that marched long distances. And an old metal cup once used to drink something warm.

The boy playing around with now disused items like an old gas mask, is juxtaposed with the same items being used for serious and important protection in times of war. It presents them in a way that is not too confronting, but still clear about the reality of war.

All these old things from long ago seem unusual to the young boy, until he finds a photograph of his great-great-grandfather dressed in the hat and boots and makes a personal connection with them all. It's that photo that helps him understand, and he decides he wants to contribute the photo for the project.

These Old Things is a special and poignant story that connects historical events to people. It's an excellent book to use with young children, and will help explain the events which led to ANZAC Day.

Title: This Old Thing
Author: Cassandra Webb
Illustrator: Tony Flowers
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $ 24.99
Publication Date: March 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781743834008
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Guest Post: Carol Smith on Reading to Children

Review: Mary and Marcus: The Crazy Dance and Other Stories

Come meet Mary and Marcus in this delightful collection of short adventures by master creators Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner.

Mary is a happy panda who likes to say ‘oink’ sometimes. She’s confident and carefree and loves to dance. Marcus is a snake. He’s a little wiser and more sensible than Mary, but he likes to go with the flow and enjoys making Mary happy.

The pair live together in a lovely little world and get up to all sorts of fun together. Like the time they can’t decide who gets the first slice of chocolate cake, so they have a dream competition, the time Mary almost dances off the edge of the world, and the time they swap identities for the afternoon.

Each of the five stories in this book are delightful, fun and a little bit quirky (which I adore). The interplay of characters is also truly magic. Mary and Marcus were destined to be best friends as their personalities support and uplift each other even though they are quite different.

Mary’s free spirit is just lovely for a junior fiction novel, too. She inspires readers to be themselves, have a go and not to worry about what other people think — but not in any way that says this obviously. It’s just there in the kind of panda Mary is.

With five stories in the book, they are obviously quite short, which is perfect for young readers to tackle one at a time. But more than that, this book is highly, highly illustrated with bold and funky pictures filling most of every page and limited, balanced text to accompany it. It’s just gorgeous and a really great book for kids moving on from readers and starting to read independently.

If you’re looking for a JF book for your young story adventurer, I highly recommend Mary and Marcus: The Crazy Dance and Other Stories. Joyful, quirky and infused with a million illustrations, kids are going to love meeting Happy Mary and Marcus the snake.

Title: Mary and Marcus: The Crazy Dance and Other Stories
Author: Ursula Dubosarsky
Illustrator: Andrew Joyner.
Publisher: HarperCollins, $16.99
Publication Date: 2 March 2022
Format: Soft Cover
ISBN: 9780733339844
For ages: 6 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Piano Fingers

Review: Tomorrow Is A Brand-New Day

Review: Moonlight: Celebrating Forty Years

10 Quirky Questions with author Andy Griffiths

1. What's your hidden talent?
Persistence. If at first a story doesn’t work, I’ll try and try and try for as many times as it takes to get it working. And if it still doesn’t work then I’ll take a break before coming back to try and try and try again.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. His monomaniacal pursuit of the Great White Whale leads to one of the most dramatic and memorable demises in all literature. He finally succeeds in harpooning the whale but the line catches around his neck and he is pulled overboard, ‘smiting the sea, disappearing in its depths’.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Enid Blyton, Ray Bradbury, Lewis Carroll, Dr Seuss and Franz Kafka. They’re all dead so I won’t need to prepare an elaborate meal.

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
The Wishing Chair from Enid Blyton’s book of the same name. It’s an old-fashioned chair and when you sit in it, if it’s in the mood, it grows a little wing at the bottom of each of its legs and flies you out of the window and takes you on an unpredictably exciting and dangerous adventure.

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Fast, slow, intuitive, joyful, endless.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Funny, surprising, imaginative, surreal, inspiring.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
My first typewriter (a 1920s Underwood), cheap exercise book, a Pentel Uniball metal tip 0.7mm pen, CD player and a window.

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!)
My sentence: ‘Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of the same sounds at the beginning or within a group of words and is one of my super-favourite tricks for composing sensational sounding sentences!’
(‘Alliteration’ from The Poet’s Manual and Rhyming Dictionary)

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Excuse me Mother Goose, given that he was an egg with an easily breakable shell, why was Humpty sitting on a wall in the first place?

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Never write another story: I couldn’t live — or write — without having access to the wealth of wonderful stories that are already written.

Andy Griffiths is one of Australia's most popular children's authors. He and illustrator Terry Denton have collaborated on more than 30 bestselling books since their first title, Just Tricking, was published in 1997. In Australia, Andy and Terry's books have sold over 10 million copies, won 80 children's choice awards and 10 Australian Book Industry Awards-including Book of the Year for The 52-Storey Treehouse in 2015.
Their much-loved Treehouse Series has been embraced by children around the world and is now published in more than 35 countries. Five of the books in the series have been adapted for the stage and have all had sell-out seasons at the Sydney Opera house, as well as highly successful seasons in the Netherlands, New Zealand and America.
Andy is a passionate advocate for literacy and in 2015 was awarded the Dromkeen Medal to honour his outstanding contribution to Australian children's literature. He is also an ambassador for both The Indigenous Literacy Foundation and the Pyjama Foundation.

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Review: Sunshine: Celebrating Forty Years

Review: Built By Animals

Animals are clever creatures. All around us, sometimes visible and sometimes not, they create and live in ways that also inspired humans.

Built By Animals introduces us to some of the innovations that animals use to build their homes and live their lives.

The book is divided into five categories: construction, materials, shapes, energy, and water. Each section features examples from the natural world.

Some animals are well known for their cleverness. Beavers and their dam building, the strong honeycomb hives of bees, and camels with their amazing ability to save water (though did you know it's the way their nose works that helps them do so?).

The secrets of other animals are perhaps less well known. Peacocks are famous for their beautiful tail feathers. What you might not know is that the changing colours appear when tiny ridges on the feathers scatter the light. The strong, lightweight and layered abalone shell can provide inspiration for building, and the way bees work together has inspired computer and robot technology.

26 different creatures feature in Built By Animals. One that I had never heard of was the Venus's flower basket sponge, which is an animal, not a plant. Its skeleton inspired the London building that is known as 'The Gherkin'!

All the animals and their worlds are depicted in colourful illustrations and diagrams, including some cross sections.

Built By Animals is a great book for kids who love understanding how things work. They will soon have lots of trivia to share and ideas for their own building projects.

Title: Built By Animals
Author: Christine Dorian
Illustrator: Yeji Yun
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 29 March 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780711265684
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior Non-fiction

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Giveaway: Pearly and Pig and the Great Hairy Beast by Sue Whiting

Guest Post: Sharon Giltrow on Getting Your Parent Ready