Review: The Runaways

Grandpa is living with his memories if what he is doing can be called living. He is shut away in a hospital with pins holding his leg together. He hates the food and swears at the nurses. His son doesn’t understand him and his attitude. So he stays away and finds solace in silence.

Gottfried Junior loves him deeply and visits him often. They talk about everything together. He longs to bring him home to live, but Father refuses.

Grandpa has an enlarged heart, the result of his grief at the loss of his wife and home on the island.

There are things he wants to see one more time, but he is far away from his house on the hill.

Gottfried and Grandpa cook up a scheme to run away together for the weekend so the old man can tie up the few dangling strings from his past.
With the help of the kind and loving Adam from the bread shop, they plan their getaway.

They arrive at Grandpa’s house with great difficulty. But it is clear that Grandpa is there to farewell; to let go of his life. He also has memories to collect to stamp in his mind and questions to which, perhaps, there are no answers. There are longings that he had no time to fulfil before he was injured and forced to leave his island. Then there are the few treasures that he wants to take back with him.

Ulf Stark has captured the young boy’s and the old man’s thoughts and voice, transferring them to the page in simple honest words. The strong bond between the old and the young is deeply moving. The lack of compassion from Gottfried’s father for Grandpa is heart-wrenching. The sadness of old age and the decrepitude that accompanies it is subtly and authentically portrayed.

The roughness and beauty of Kitty Crowther’s illustrations match and complement this character-driven story. They sit along-side Grandpa’s irritable attitude and emphasise his frustration and inabilities. Beautifully delivered, this is a story of love and its legacy.

The book comes with a striking cover showing the two main characters, reinforced by a fold-under flap.

Title: The Runaways

Author: Ulf Stark

Illustrator: Kitty Crowther

Publisher: Gecko Press, $17.99

Publication Date: April 2019

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781776572342

For ages: 6 – 11

Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: Lola Dutch I Love You So Much

Lola Dutch I Love You So Much is a delightful story about friendship and showing your love to others, it’s the newest book in the delectable Lola Dutch series.

With a storyline inspired by Gary Chapman's theory of the five love languages, Lola shows her love for each of her friends in different ways. She makes a gift for Gator, sets up a special space for Crane and takes Pig on a fun experience. With so much love it’s good to know that Lola’s friends do something fabulously fun in return; you must read the book to find out what!

I like how the story somewhat mimics how children often role play, at first I thought Lola was overly giving and unrealistic but her actions quickly grew on me along with the fact that she just really loves her friends. The message about love languages and using the right one for each person in your life is a good take home for readers; adults included.

I adore the beautiful use of watercolour and mix of textures in Sarah Jane Wright’s illustrations, her characters are sweet and endearing and her use of colour is fresh and whimsical. It’s a nice bonus that the dust jacket turns into a gorgeous garden party scene with cut out puppets and a note card to keep children busy and interested.

Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright are a husband and wife team, Lola Dutch I Love You So Much is the third book in their Lola Dutch series; following on from Lola Dutch and Lola Dutch When I Grow Up.

Title: Lola Dutch I Love You So Much
Author: Kenneth Wright
Illustrator: Sarah Jane Wright
Publisher: Bloomsbury, $24.99
Publication Date: 4 February 2020
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781547601172
For ages: 3 – 8
Type: Picture Book




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Giveaway: Australian Animals by Frané Lessac

Review: Brother Moon

A young boy sits by the fire with his Great-Grandpa Liman.

Great-Grandpa Liman wants to tell him about his brother.

‘Who is your brother?’ the little boy asks. 

My brother is wise and never grows old. 

As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, my brother stops by. 

He knows that I am wary of the darkness.

On each turn of the page, Great-Grandpa Liman continues his story about how his brother guides him through the night.

My brother can be big and bold. Even when he is half there, he is my brother and he is always with me.

As Great-Grandpa Liman tells his story, we see glimpses of his life: hunting for tucker in the cool night, rowing through the mangrove forest, avoiding snakes in his shack. It reveals a relationship with the earth and planets — a connection with nature.

This is a quiet but powerful book that leaves an imprint on your heart and soul. It's about family, tradition, nature and the stories that make us who we are.

It's also beautifully engaging for young audiences. As you read through the book, children can ponder who Great-Grandpa Limen's brother is along with the little boy. There are clues along the way and opportunity to guess at the end. It’s such a beautiful story, and it will spark so many conversations about the moon, our earth, nature and culture.

The illustrations — like the text — can’t not affect you. The pages are filled with deep night-hue blues and purples. Shadowy blacks contrast against the bright white of the moon. It’s magical. Samantha Fry, of the Dagiman people of the Katherine region in the Northern Territory, is a great talent. These are illustrations you will want to put on your wall.

At the back of the book, you’ll learn about the real Great-Grandpa Liman, a respected Wadjigany man and a leader amongst his people. Author Maree McCarthy Yoelu, a Wadjigany woman from the western Wagait region in the Northern Territory, is Liman’s granddaughter, and she writes to keep his stories and the Batjatmalh language alive.

This is Maree McCarthy Yoelu’s first book, and I’m already eagerly awaiting her second.

For another beautifully illustrated book by Samantha Fry, make sure you check out Alfred’s War.

Title: Brother Moon
Author: Maree McCarthy Yoelu
Illustrator: Samantha Fry
Publisher: Magabala Books, $24.99
Publication Date: March 2020
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9781925936827
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: League of Llamas: The Golden Llama (Book #1) and Llama Impossible (Book #2)

What animal would make the coolest, most daring, most amazing secret agent? A llama of course! What other animal could it be?

Agent Phillipe Llamar has style — secret agent style! Along with his partner, Llyod Llamanator, Phillipe is a secret agent for the secret organisation League of Llamas (or LOL for short).

Together, Phillipe and Lloyd investigate crimes, thwart evil enemies and try to stay out of trouble, because, well, Phillipe has a bad habit of forgetting things/staring at his beautiful fringe and Lloyd is easily distracted by food (he’s a very hungry llama!). 

But when General Bottomburp — a dastardly and very smelly badger — steals the Golden Llama, Phillipe and Lloyd will have to get their act together to catch the evil badger and his crew.

League of Llamas: The Golden Llama is book one in a brilliant new junior fiction series by Aleesah Darlison. It’s packed with jokes, a healthy dose of grossness, mystery, intrigue and adventure.

In book two in the series, League of Llamas: Llama Impossible, a thief is on the prowl in New Llama City. Luckily LOL secret agents Phillipe and Lloyd are on the case, and it seems obvious to them that General Bottomburp is up to his old tricks again. 

But is he? Or are Phillipe and Lloyd ignoring clues that are right in front of them?

These books are fantastic for junior readers. They are funny and engaging, and they’re easy to read, with large text and black and white illustrations peppered throughout.

I adore the characters in this series. They are funny, unique and flawed. Phillipe is not a perfect secret agent, but he never gives up. When he realises he is wrong, he’s happy to admit it, and he really doesn’t take himself too seriously.

I also love the hidden jokes for parents. As this is a book for the younger end of junior fiction, chances are there will be some parents reading these books to kids or helping them as they learn to read independently. Lloyd’s last name is a clue to the kind of hilariousness you can expect, and trust me, the funnies just keep coming!

If you’re looking for a fun and funny chapter book to share with your kids, or for them to try on their own, definitely check out this cool new series. With more books on the way (Undercover Llamas and Rogue Llama), this is a series for kids to sink their teeth into.

And for more brilliant books by Aleesah Darlison, make sure you check out the Little Witch series, the Unicorn Riders series and picture book The Dream Bird.

Title: League of Llamas: The Golden Llama (Book #1) and Llama Impossible (Book #2)

Author: Aleesah Darlison

Illustrator: Simon Greiner

Publisher: Penguin Random House, $9.99

Publication Date: 3 March 2020

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781760894160 / 9781760894184

For ages: 7 - 10

Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: Better Than Sliced Bread

Award-winning author Clancy Tucker is never one to shy away from controversial or confronting social issues. Nowhere in his work is it as obvious as in his sequel to Kick-Ass Tyler - Better Than Sliced Bread. 

It is Sam’s voice that becomes the conduit for Tucker’s humanitarian beliefs and which produces the exceptional dialogue that drives the story. 

When we first met Sam, she was prickly, rough and hard to get close to, carrying a burden of grief from the loss of her beloved dad.

In Better than Sliced Bread, we meet a new Sam. Almost seventeen, she is mature, focused, a leader, and a doer, whose goal is to study law.

Earning a black belt in karate, and elected as School Captain, she is determined to be a role model to all the strugglers in her school, and the person who makes things happen.

She is also a powerhouse of inspiration and motivation for people that believed had no place in the Australian landscape and others that had no self esteem. Her character encourages young people regardless of gender, to aspire to greater things fearlessly, with initiative, confidence and self esteem.

But life will test her strength and courage when she is attacked by a competitor in the Seaspray Surf Challenge. Then she is diagnosed with a brain tumour. It will take all her positive power and belief to see her through difficult challenges. She does not battle the complex treatments alone, for her support group is made up of family, Somali refugees, a disabled champion swimmer, and a ward full of children suffering cancer who she has befriended. And then there is Mick, the farmer she meets that changes her life.

Tucker has covered a lot of ground in this book. There is an intricate weaving of stories and situations that combine the many interests that Sam’s character has decided she can do something about.

Countless themes enter and exit this inspiring novel. There is the issue of kindness and community spirit that is a main vein.  Tucker addresses the drought and its needs, equality for the disabled, youth suicide, refugees, cultural diversity, climate change, Indigenous rights, detention centres, homelessness, children living in poverty and so much more.  How did Tucker fit all this into one novel? He has an authenticity that is reflected in his writing. He weaves one story through another, until all of them are linked in a chain of excellent writing of passionate views.

Title: Better Than Sliced Bread
Author: Clancy Tucker
Publisher: Morris Publishing, $45.00
Publication Date: October 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780994601032
For ages: 12+
Type: Young Adult Fiction




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Review: Bumblebunnies Book 4: The Balloon

Review: Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation

Review: Madame Badobedah

Review: Girls Can Fly

Girls can fly. Yes they can. And this stunning little book will help them to see exactly how high they can soar.

Each turn of the page has an inspiring quote in large print on the left and uplifting advice on the right. 

My favourite?

It’s okay to make mistakes.
Nobody is perfect.
It’s okay to fail at something.
That’s how you grow.

With important messages about believing in yourself, loving yourself and how to deal with self-doubt, anger and sadness, Girls Can Fly is a must-have for all girls. 

And honestly, it’s not just for kids. It has messages all women should read — and read on a regular basis.

That’s one of the things I love most about this book. It’s something to read again and again to remind yourself that you can accomplish your dreams and the bad times are never forever.

To support this, the book is a lovely hand-held size so you can keep it in your bag or by your bed and pick it up whenever you are feeling down or looking for inspiration.

It’s a book I definitely plan to keep on hand to read repeatedly to my young daughters. When they’ve had a bad day or I want them to feel inspired and empowered, it’s a book I will reach for to give them a boost.

I also love that the book includes a section at the back about the Kimberly and Pilbara Girls programs. Participants of these programs gave feedback on the book and award-winning author/artist mother-daughter team Sally Morgan and Ambelin Kwaymullina included their contributions in the final product. It means the advice is tried and tested. The messages are what girls want and need to hear. 

Young girls often experience self-doubt and confidence issues, but within the covers of this book, readers will find reassurance, support and a whole lot of love. With bright, vibrant colours on every page, it’s also a book that warms you inside. Honestly, it’s like literary medicine for the soul!

Thank you Sally and Ambelin. This is a book that needed to be in the world, and I am so happy I’ve found it. 

If you know a young girl, this is a MUST-BUY for them. 

Title: Girls Can Fly

Authors: Sally Morgan and Ambelin Kwaymullina

Publisher: Magabala Books, $16.99

Publication Date: March 2019

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 9781925936759

For ages: 5+

Type: Non-Fiction, Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: The Lost Moustache

One day, Frankie finds a moustache.

She doesn’t know who it belongs to, so she begins an investigation to discover its owner.

But everyone she asks says it isn’t theirs. 

It doesn’t belong to the pirate, the queen or the chef. It doesn’t belong to the lion, the dancer or the cat.

What will Frankie do? Will she ever find the owner of the lost moustache?

This is a delightful picture book about curiosity, imagination and the joys of dressing up. With beautiful alliteration and rhyming elements throughout, it’s wonderfully engaging.

As you turn the pages, the story invites you to wonder if the moustache could belong to the characters, creating a reading experience that gets the audience involved in the story. This would be a great book for reading out loud to a group or classrooms of kids.

I also love the mystery throughout the story. The owner of the moustache is indeed found at the end of the book, but the reveal is not what you think, and it may take a keen eye from the audience to solve the mystery.

The illustrations, too, are stunning. Caterina Metti’s style is so funky, with deep colours and quirky details. It’s a visual delight!

This is a picture book for the kids who love a mystery and love to play pretend. It will no doubt inspire some dressing up and playing investigators with friends.

The back of the book also includes some black and white illustrations from the story — I can only assume for kids to colour. Sorry Vikki and Caterina if that wasn’t the intension, but my kids delighted in a special opportunity to be part of the story and colour in a page! I found this addition such a beautiful surprise and very engaging for kids.

For more picture books by Vikki Conley, check out Little Puggle's Song. And for more beautiful illustrations by Caterina Metti, make sure you check out Snoozette.

Title: The Lost Moustache

Author: Vikki Conley

Illustrator: Caterina Metti

Publisher: Red Paper Kite, $26.99

Publication Date: March 2020

Format: Hard Cover

ISBN: 978 0 648 674207

For ages: 3- 6 

Type: Picture Book

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10 Quirky Questions with author Katrina Lehman

1. What's your hidden talent? 
I can read in a car for hours and not get car sick. I can eat anchovies straight from the jar (is that a talent?). I am a mean bodysurfer. I can still recite my Year 12 boarding-house roll call from A-Z. I was W (Webb).

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why? 
I love the bear in Jon Klassen’s I want my Hat Back. He’s not really a villain, but he does eat the rabbit. And the rabbit probably deserved it. It’s so simple and I love that there’s no soft ending, no soft slap on the wrist for stealing. This is the real life: You do something bad, you might get eaten. I’m also up to #4 of Aaron Blabey’s The Bad Guys and killing myself with laughter; all those references to Mission Impossible and Ocean’s Eleven (that only I get). The villains are so hopeless and yet by some incredible luck they always come out on top; and when the snake eats the chickens instead of saving them... LOL. I used to edit Aaron Blabey’s early picture books and this step across to junior-fiction graphic novel was pure genius.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead) 
Patrick Ness, Tara June Winch, David Almond, Tara Westover, Sarah Winman

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real? 
My sister Sif or Skellig or Matilda’s ability to move things with her mind. Of course, they may be real…

5. What are five words that describe your writing process? 
Lightning strike inspiration. Mad scribbling.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer? 
Imaginative, lyrical, inspirational, evocative, vibrant

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there? 
Coffee/wine (depending on time of day), laptop, pen, window seat, lots of people and overheard stories…

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!) 
Her Body and Other Parts, by Carmen Maria Machado: ‘To the edge of the forest and back, that's all she allowed herself this time.’

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Where does your inspiration come from? Patrick Ness.

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Never write another story. It’s lovely to create my own world but there are limits to my imagination. To never again walk in someone else’s shoes and feel what they feel is unimaginable!

Katrina lives in Melbourne with her three children, a gardener/baker/handyman husband, and a blue tongue lizard. She is lucky enough to spend all day crafting words as a writer and as an editor, helping authors unleash their inner magic. For more information, see www.scribblekidsbooks.com.

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Review: Extraordinary

A heartwarming exploration of the beauty around us, from natural environments to the simplest of human actions including looking, listening and spending time with loved ones.

Sometimes what seems ordinary is actually more; Extraordinary! takes readers on a journey delving deep into what we may sometimes take for granted and even further into our own imaginations.

Floating through days, nights and seasons the story questions and conveys feelings from common life scenarios; reading in a cosy living room on a rainy day, spotting a shooting star, toasting marshmallows, harvesting homegrown food, dancing in the snow and more.

Flowing, rhyming text, refreshing illustrations and typography which glides like a soft breeze combine to set the scene wondrously. I love how Extraordinary! sparked memories and took me to times and places in my life. It was a joy to share it with my children, in each scenario we discussed memories and possibilities of similar moments and events.

Katie Wilson’s illustrations with watercolour textures and a handcrafted feel are a perfect fit for Penny Harrison’s gentle enchanting words. I adore the cover art with speckles of spot varnish glimmering amongst the leaves in a scene showing a child and a dog walking in the forest.

Penny Harrison is a KBR contributor and the author of other fabulous books including Emily Green’s Garden, Bronte: Me and My Boots and The Art Garden. Katie Wilson is a New Zealand based illustrator, who has illustrated other books including Jane Austen (Little People, Big Dreams).

Title:  Extraordinary
Author: Penny Harrison
Illustrator: Katie Wilson
Publisher: New Frontier, $24.99
Publication Date: 28 February 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:  9781925594911
For ages: 3 – 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: The Wind in the Wall

What if you had one wish? What if you had to make a split second decision? What would you wish for?

The Wind in the Wall is a fairytale-like story set in England, more than two hundred years ago.

It's a story that is dark and mysterious, and might just leave you with a bit of a shiver.

At its beginning, a rich Duke's whims demand that his gardener grow pineapples so he can show off.

'Tis unfortunate that England's climate is not particularly suitable for growing such plants, and the gardener has no experience in doing so.

The gardener does his best, researching and experimenting.

However, when what he produces is not of the expected quality, he is cast aside to mind the flower garden, in favour of an apparent specialist, Mr Amicus.

Mr Amicus is both stranger and strange. His behaviour raises the gardener's suspicions. And the gardener's actions in uncovering one of the stranger's secrets, raise Mr Amicus' ire.

The result is a confrontation, and a choice that will have devastating ramifications.

The Wind in the Wall is a picture book written by award-winning author, Sally Gardner for older readers, with a plot and themes suited to teenagers.

The narrator, the gardener, is never named, and this along with the story's historical and fantasy elements, add to the mystery.

Like the text, the illustrations by Rovina Cai are dark and mysterious. Faces are mostly hidden, or turned away, and there are flowing lines and textures which all help create an atmosphere of secrets.

The Wind in the Wall is an unusual book that will leave you wondering 'what if'?

Title: The Wind in the Wall
Author: Sally Gardner
Illustrator: Rovina Cai
Publisher: Hot Key Books, $ 29.99
Publication Date: November 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781471404986
For ages: 15+
Type: Picture book for older readers




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Review: A Year Of Nature Poems

A Year of Nature Poems is a stunning gift book that draws on the seasons of the Northern Hemisphere. The glorious decorative illustrations begin on the covers where images of nature abound. 

Each month is allocated a double spread with a poem that signifies and salutes the season it reflects. A factual paragraph describes the main subject within the month.

January remembers a legend about flocks of warring starlings in Ireland during the 1600s. Black images of the birds in flight play against an orange sky as the sun sinks behind the hills.

February has environmental elements and refers to the declining amphibians due to Man’s progressive construction.

March is an ode to the 12 types of daffodil. Their names and description fill a single page while the opposite side shows a full page image of daffodils amongst a forest of trees. Butterflies and a rabbit share the joyous yellow blooms.

April is the undecided month. Rain and strong winds are caused by unnatural climate change and erratic weather patterns. On the contrary, May sings her song to the incredible Mayfly and her evolutionary pattern of life.

June heralds the Summer Solstice when the sun is at its highest, while July brings an onslaught of jelly fish to the beach.

August is fruit season while September reminds us of red poisonous toadstools, fairytales and goblins.

October embraces autumn, abscission, log fires and dormancy while chestnuts and empty spiky cases cover the ground beneath and around.

November sees the leafless trees enter a type of hibernation. December pushes it away to accommodate the snow that forces the recollection of memories past, as the white covering brings home the fragility of life.

Title: A Year of Nature Poems
Author: Joseph Coelho
Illustrator: Kelly Louise Judd
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $22.99
Publication Date: January 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781786035820
For ages: 8+
Type: Poetry/Picture Book




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Review: Willy Wonka's Everlasting Book of Fun

Willy Wonka's Everlasting Book of Fun is an activity book chock full of entertainment. Enough to do something different every day of the year.

It features one of Roald Dahl's most famous characters, Willy Wonka, and the five children who visited his chocolate factory.

Try your hand at cooking. Recipes include cabbage soup (a warm and hearty staple for Charlie Bucket's family), strawberry-flavoured, chocolate-coated fudge (not one of Mrs Gloop's favourites), and butterscotch (loved by the Oompa Loompas).

Show off your artistic skills by dreaming up and drawing a fabulous new chocolate bar, or your fantasy chocolate factory.

Learn how to draw your own optical illusion, or make a moving Oompa Loompa bookmark.

There's word play, too.

Willy Wonka's sweet-themed riddles and wisecracks will get you chuckling (Why did the chocolate factory close down? It had a meltdown), and you can challenge yourself to think of many different words to describe delicious chocolate.

Quiz questions will test the knowledge of avid Willy Wonka fans. There are also mazes, find-a-words, games, magic tricks, and lots more.

Even if you haven't encountered Roald Dahl and his fabulous stories before, Willy Wonka's Everlasting Book of Fun is bound to please and keep everyone amused.

Title: Willy Wonka's Everlasting Book of Fun
Author: Roald Dahl
Publisher: Puffin, $14.99
Publication Date: February 2020
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780241428139
For ages: 7+
Type: Activity book




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The Institute of Fantastical Inventions

Review: Judy Moody Super Book Whiz

Review: Raymund and the Fear Monster

Raymund is afraid of many things. He could fall climbing trees, drown swimming in the river, and get hurt playing soccer. 

But most of all he fears nightfall. That’s when the monster prowls their village.

It thrives on fear and has gained gigantic proportions, satisfying its hunger from the children’s reaction to his presence.

Small in stature, and made fun of by the village children, Raymund is answered with laughter when he asks to join them to face the monster. He believes he has the courage needed.

Raymund is determined to overcome the fear he feels. He has worked out a way. Can he succeed in staring the monster down?

Powerful portrayal of fear is presented in both text and illustrations. Higginson’s prose is direct and positive. Ester De Boer, using fine liner pens and watercolour pencils, has employed intricate detail to portray the passion and confidence the monster has in controlling the children through fear. Images of the children at play, and close-ups of Raymund, add poignancy to the scenes and double spreads.

The artwork displaying the trees in the forest is exceptionally beautiful. The spreading roots in the ground and the splayed out branches above, juxtapose the children’s fear magnified, with the monster’s insatiable appetite.

Title: Raymund and the Fear Monster
Author: Megan Higginson
Illustrator: Ester De Boer
Publisher: Blue Brumby Books, $20.00
Publication Date: October 2019
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 97805483381
For ages: 5 - 8
Type: Picture Book




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Meet The Illustrator: Tanja Stephani

Name:

Tanja Stephani

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Cheerful, humorous, a little cheeky, warm, with lot of soul, touching.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My pin board, my sofa, my books and my double bass.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Yes I feel very at home with my coloured pencils from all kind of producers.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Paula Monderson, Bansky, Picasso.


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

The Picasso time, everything was fresh, new and unusual and the way was open to create crazy stuff. Nowadays nearly everything is done and it is hard to create something new. 

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?

My books and my LPs with children stories such as Peter and the Wolf  inspired me, I also wanted to create small worlds. I loved the  Tatjana Hauptmann's work.

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
My work space is an old stable outside my house, I can easily go outside to work and smell the fresh air. I really love my studio, we also play music here, drink coffee together, it is a meeting point for my friends and family.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

When the raws are done, than the nice process starts for me, it is cosy to sit over my work with nice podcasts, and colouring the world I created.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Be yourself, be kind to yourself, practice your skills and believe in your dream, but it has really to be what you want to do with your heart and soul. It is sometimes a lonely world as an illustrator.

Tanja is an  illustrator, artist, and a folk music double bass player. She lives and works in an old farmhouse together with her family, dogs and a fabulous grandmother, on a mountain in Switzerland. After art school, she trained as a graphic designer. Computers were less prevalent in the early eighties and  that is how students learned to do everything by hand which is very helpful in case of an internet crash....When Tanja is not working on her illustrations, you can find her in her huge garden, in the forest, on the ground playing with her dogs or sitting together with family and friends, and on stage with her lovely bluegrass folk band.

Please visit Tanja's website for more information or follow Tanja on instagram and pinterest .

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Review: After The Fall, How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again

Review: Duck, Apple, Egg

Delightful, warming, joyful. That’s Duck, Apple, Egg in three words.

From award-winning author Glenda Millard and uber-talented illustrator Martina Heiduczek, this is a picture book that feels like a giant hug when you read it. 

With few words, arranged in delicious wordplay throughout, it follows a child as they play in their garden with a duck, an apple and an egg. 

You can’t help but smile when you read this picture book. It pulls you back into your childhood and the delights of being in nature, doing nothing in particular and loving it. 

Kids will relate to this book. They will love it for its simple beauty and entertainment. Adults, too, will love it. They'll love the gentleness of the story — the quiet and calming flow that acts as a reminder to take things slow and enjoy the world.

Heiduczek’s illustrations are as warming as Millard’s words. Truly they are stunning. I’ve not seen shadow work quite like Heiduczek’s and it’s absolutely beautiful. There are so many details to explore, it’s impossible to notice everything on the first read.

I love books that take something simple and turn it to magic. A special and joyful story for spreading love and warmth all around, I highly recommended Duck, Apple, Egg.

For another magical picture book by Glenda Millard, make sure you check out Pea Pod Lullaby. And For more beautiful illustrations by Martina Heiduczek, check out From Above the Clouds.

Title: Duck, Apple, Egg
Author: Glenda Millard
Illustrator: Martina Heiduczek
Publisher: ABC Books, $ 24.99
Publication Date: 24 February 2020
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9780733340185
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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Review: I Am Change

12 Curly Questions with author Emma Perry

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
But then, everyone will know. I’m not sure I can reveal it. Not yet. Not now. Maybe later… ?!

2. What is your nickname?
Sometimes people call me Em. Does that count? I’m clutching at straws there, aren’t I!

3. What is your greatest fear?
That at some point I will use SO many exclamation marks in my writing that I’ll end up with a page with more exclamation marks than words. What can I say, I like them!!! See. Ooops.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Giggle-inducing, erratic and hopeful, with a fondness for silly words.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Determined, TRYING to be patient (you need heaps of it in this lovely industry), thoughtful, easily distracted and…

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Oooh this is a good one. And a hard one, too. Can I choose one of my own? I’d quite like to be Colin the bear from This Book Has Alpacas and Bear – he’s a bit grumpy to begin with, but he is friends with Alfonso the alpaca, and I know that would LOTS of fun.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Hmm, I quite fancy going back to 1920s America - Fitzgerald, Gatsby, Jazz Age - that would be intriguing. I might have to follow them to Paris, too!

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Blimey! You wrote a book!!

9. Who is your greatest influence?
My kids xxx

10. What/who made you start writing? 
A New Year’s Resolution, after a string of hints that wouldn’t disappear no matter how much I ignored them!

11. What is your favourite word and why? 
Hullabaloo – doesn’t it sound brilliant when you say it out loud? I even managed to sneak it into I Don’t Like Books. Never. Ever. The End.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Wait? What? What tricky idea is this? Yikes. Could I go for an anthology? Yes, I should go for an anthology, shouldn’t I? Hmmm, maybe The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris should be the one? Or… I know! Children’s Picture Books: The Art of Visual Storytelling by Martin Salisbury & Morag Styles. Lots of wonderful picture books are tucked inside there, so I can reminisce quite nicely with that one.

 

Emma Perry can be found either writing books, reading them or teaching them. It's always been that way. In fact, her first two picture books are about... yep, books. The founder of MyBookCorner, and organiser of International Book Giving Day, the book obsession shows no sign of slowing down. For more information, see www.emmaperryauthor.com.

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Winners: The Good Hawk

Our winners are...

Ben Tolz, NSW
Kearin Guziak
Joseph Spagnolo

Congratulations!

You have each one a copy of the fantastical, The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliot.

Your prize is on its way.

Meantime, if you want to find out more about the making of this fascinating trilogy, read Joseph's interview.

Thank you to ALL who entered. We think you are all heroes!

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Review: Humanimal

Humanimal takes a fabulous, fascinating look at the many ways animals are just like humans.
Beginning with community and teamwork, the book is divided into topics such as farming, grief, language, inventions and more. For each topic, discoveries about different animals; how they think and what they do similarly to humans in various situations are told.

I found this book so captivating that I read it all in one go, the content is unique to other animal fact books and is highly relatable to us as humans. Some of my favourite parts include the language and teamwork of honeybees, angry llamas, sneaky cuckoo birds, puzzle solving slime mould and ravens who roll down hills for fun.

A helpful glossary, index and profiles of ecologists, marine biologists, zoologists and other people who studied the animals in the book including Jane Goodall and Karl von Frisch is featured at the end.

Humanimal is the perfect book for a classroom and curious minds, it’s educational, thought provoking and beautifully presented.

Mark Ruffle is a UK based illustrator and designer, his textured digital illustrations suit perfectly and give Humanimal modern stylised feel. Christopher Lloyd is a UK author and historian, two of his many other books include Absolutely Everything! and The Big History Timeline Wallbook.

Title: Humanimal
Author: Christopher Lloyd
Illustrator: Mark Ruffle
Publisher: What on Earth Publishing, $27.99
Publication Date: 1 February 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781912920006
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book




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Video: League of Llamas

League of Llamas is a cool new series written by Aleesah Darlison and illustrated by Simon Greiner. Just imagine a bunch of secret agents known as LOL (League of Llamas) whose evil nemesis is a badger named General Bottomburp! How would the llamas save the world and what mischief could ensue?

League of Llamas features characters with tongue twisting names, action packed adventures, and plenty of humour. Look out for The Golden Llama, Llama Impossible, Undercover Llamas and Rogue Llama.


 
Title: League of Llamas 1: The Golden Llama
Author: Aleesah Darlison
Illustrator: Simon Greiner
Publisher: Puffin, $9.99
Publication Date: March 2020
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760894160
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior fiction




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Review: The Family Travel Handbook

The Family Travel Handbook is a useful resource for adults planning to embark on the adventure of travelling with children. It is also for families who have often travelled, but are looking for inspiration for their next adventure.

All families are diverse in their shape and make-up. This book is primarily focussed on the subset of families consisting of one or more adults (parents or carers) with a child or children. This includes those travelling with infants, toddlers, primary-school-aged children and teenagers. There is a brief section on multi-generational travel, but this is not the primary focus for this particular book.

A perfect size to slip into a suitcase, this book contains 168 pages packed with tips, ideas and strategies to maximise the joys of travelling with children and to minimise some of the inevitable challenges of travelling with children, with ideas for different families at different stages.

Chapters on choosing modes of travel and styles of holidays that work for different families can help families to plan their next vacation, from a staycation (a vacation at home), to a road trip, to travelling sustainably, and to volunteering in various parts of the world. There are also tips on how to find places to eat to meet everyone's needs, ways to stay healthy and a parent Q&A at the conclusion of the book.

The Family Travel Handbook is peppered with photographs, anecdotes and real-world tips that will inspire, reassure and encourage anyone who would like to travel with children.

Title: The Family Travel Handbook
Publisher: Lonely Planet, $29.99
Publication Date: 8 January 2020
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781788689151
For ages: Adults
Type: Non-fiction




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Review: The Big World of Fun Facts

Do you know what the longest word in the English language is? It will take more than a minute to write. I couldn’t even say it!

If you like facts, figures and trivia, and are curious about anything and everything, you’ll love The Big World of Fun Facts. Lonely Planet excels in informational books for kids and adults that love to learn stuff! This is another opportunity to discover unknown things about the world around us.

National symbols, flags, currency, language and everything connected to culture and traditions can be found here, along with snippets of social history and politics.

Historical facts abound. About 7000 languages are spoken on Earth. The Albanians have 27 different words for moustache. Learn how people are named in different countries and why. Read interesting Folklore Facts and learn about unique schools.

Unusual factual stories invite the reader to explore further. Some of them are gruesome and disgusting. Just what kids love to read.

There are music facts, sports and car facts, incredible feats, weird job facts that no one will believe, with dangerous jobs included. Arts and entertainment are also addressed. Each section is separated by individual page colours for easy identification.

Wise words and proverbs from each country that are still used today will surprise. So will the many amazing entries of things I had never heard about.

From rappers to railways; Hollywood to Bollywood, colourful photographs in a montage of colour and shapes fill the pages and complement the excellent text.

I had the best laugh with Real Place Name Facts! They were literally unbelievable!

This will certainly be one of the most entertaining and comprehensive books kids and adults will ever come across. It will be opened repeatedly and at every opportunity.

It has a listing at the end of more books of facts - hard copy and online, for those that love learning, or just reading about fun facts.

Title: The Big World of Fun Facts

Author:W. H. Poole

Publisher: Lonely Planet Kids, $29.95

Publication Date: November 2019

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 9781788683326

For ages: 9 - 12

Type: Non Fiction

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Review: Ready, Set, Code!

Review: I Heart the World

To try and describe the immensity of the work involved in Tania McCartney’s I Heart the World seems impossible. The research that has gone into creating this magnificent encyclopaedic oversized book is staggering. That’s only the text.

In addressing the illustrations, they have to be seen to be believed. The detail involved needs time and examination to truly appreciate what McCartney has done here. This is perhaps her magnum opus amongst all her outstanding output.

Each full page entry is an excursion into knowledge, statistics and information. With exquisite supportive detailed illustrations.

From cities to jungles; from forests to things that fly, we discover Earthly Extremes, visit the Arctic Circle, the Oceans of the world, buildings and monuments, a history of house styles, national costumes, clothing styles, food, animals – familiar and unfamiliar, rivers, sea creatures, customs and traditions, flora and fauna.

(Please forgive me if I have forgotten something.)

All the continents are touched upon. Each one with all the general information about countries, land mass, language, population, largest city, rivers, highest and lowest point.

Elegant and priceless, this book and McCartney’s gifted talent, shouldn’t be underestimated. Striking covers indicate the quality of the internal content.

Illustrations were created with watercolour, ink, and digital elements, as well as mono printed and photographed textures.

Tania’s purpose with this book was to spark curiosity and adventure…and environmental awareness in children. She has succeeded and more!

Title: I Heart the World

Author/Illustrator: Tania McCartney

Publisher: Hardie Grant Travel, $29.99

Publication Date: February 2020

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 9781741176711

For ages: 9+

Type: Non Fiction

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Review: The Girl, The Dog and The Writer in Lucerne

Review: Charlie Morphs into a Mammoth

How to describe Charlie Morphs into a Mammoth?

Outrageously hilarious, beyond engaging and the best fun you can have with paper and words!

This is a FANTASTIC series for kids. 

It follows Charlie McGuffin, who has a very special and interesting talent: Charlie can morph into animals!

He can make it happen by thinking about things that make him sad, angry or stressed, but he doesn’t quite have control over the animals he turns into, which results in hugely hilarious challenges for Charlie.

I haven’t read the first two books in the series (Charlie Changes into a Chicken and Charlie Turns into a T-Rex), but it caused me no confusion whatsoever. Author Sam Copeland does a great job of getting readers up to speed on Charlie’s adventures.

In this particular adventure, Charlie and his friends notice that pets and animals are going missing across town (feared eaten). Charlie’s friends suspect it’s Charlie changing into animals and eating other animals without realising it, but Charlie swears it isn’t him, even if the evidence points in that direction. Can Charlie and his friends solve the mystery of the missing (possibly eaten) animals?

Easy to read with large text and brilliant illustrations by Sarah Horne throughout (with some very funny Easter eggs to find), this is an engaging and addictive read. Kids (and adults) who love non-stop laughs and a fast moving story will love this book. 

It’s got a healthy dose of grossness kids will love and so much humour in some really cool and different ways — like the foot notes that appear throughout where Copeland adds in additional notes to hilarious effect, and the funny letters from fans and the publisher about Copeland’s quirky refusal to make Charlie change into the very animal that is described in the title of each book. 

But perhaps this is the one, dear reader. Perhaps Charlie will change into a mammoth in this instalment. 

You’ll just have to read it to find out!

Title: Charlie Morphs into a Mammoth

Author: Sam Copeland

Illustrator: Sarah Horne

Publisher: Penguin Random House, $14.99

Publication Date: 4 February 2020

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9780241346235

For ages: 7 - 12

Type: Junior Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction

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Review: The Corner of My Eye

This is a book you must spend time with. Because it is the story of a life whose colour has gone out of everything and all is reflected in grey. You will want to read how this came about.

It is presented frame by intricate frame, in whole page illustrations that depict the amount of things collected in a lifetime, and the probability that more than half of them will be forgotten.

…You don’t actually forget anything. You’ve collected so much stuff in your head there’s not enough room for it all, so you throw lots of it away.

Highly significant, these illustrations demand full attention. They are extraordinary; created with striking, detailed art work, and montages of photographs and other media.

Grandad has lost something. Can his granddaughter to help him find it? But what is it that is lost?

Colin Thompson’s story is unavoidably biographic and valuable. The excuse that ageing is uncomfortable to talk about and therefore is frequently avoided, steals from life. This stunning book’s theme is memory; something people of all ages struggle with. Thompson has written about life and its natural evolution, within a relationship between old and young. For nothing and no one is ever the same as it, or they are, at the beginning.

For collectors of extraordinary picture books, this is for you. Lovers of books that move you to tears and touch the heart, and those that want to give a gift that will be treasured, this is a priceless gem for every collection.

On the inside of the back cover is the most beautiful set of words, This is What Should Happen, a hymn to Old Age.

Colin Thompson began writing The Corner of My Eye in 2016. It will stay with me forever and with all those people that take it and read it for what it is.

Title: The Corner of My Eye
Author/Illustrator: Colin Thompson
Publisher: Walker Books, $26.99
Publication Date: October 2019
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781925381931
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book
 



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