Meet The Illustrator: Katia Hinic

Name: Katia Hinic

 
Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Little foxes, little bears, lots of details and fine hairs!

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Materials to work with and music to listen to.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I work in a wide variety of mediums - oil, gouache, ink, pastel, fabric, digital. I tend to go from one medium to another depending on what I’m trying to do. 

But recently, I do most of my work digitally. It’s a convenient way to create art even if I can only do it on the sofa for 15 minutes – which is what I usually have time for!

 
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Hieronymus Bosch, L. S. Lowry and Marlenka Stupica. (an honorary mention goes to William Morris)

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Providing I can avoid the plague, Renaissance would definitely be top of my list. As a period between the Medieval and modern times, it connected the spiritual importance of the old world and the human, lived experience of the new. The connection between the two is very much something I explore in my drawings as well – mixing magical with the mundane, folklore with modern time.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?

My parents were both important in their own way. My dad was the one that made incredible technical drawings, taught me the basics and instilled a keen interest in details. But it was my mom who always encouraged me to draw. Even when I decided I wanted a more secure and cerebral job and became an Architect. She was the one who saw my potential, even when I had not, and was certainly not surprised when I finally acknowledged my passion for illustration.

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
I don’t have a fixed workspace – working from home in a pandemic meant a lot of adjusting. Since I still work as an Architect, I do all my creative work when I can and where I can. This means my laptop is my best friend. So is my sofa.

I don’t really mind where I work. If the space is tidy or messy. If it’s inside or outside. Once I start drawing, the space and sounds around me disappear. I may as well be on the Moon!

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
I don’t think I have a favourite part. All stages are important when trying to create something that works, but I guess finishing a large and detailed piece is always very satisfying.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
I’m sure I won’t say anything new here: practice, practice, practice. If you’re young, practice as much as you can as you’ll never have more time than you have now. If you’re older, pick up a medium that is quick so you can get as much practice in with the valuable time you do have.

Also, diversify. Try making products from your art to sell or try projects that you normally wouldn’t. You never know where those avenues lead or what doors they may open.

 
Katia Hinic is a Slovenian Architect and Illustrator. She is based in Bath, UK. Alongside her architectural projects she also works on various art projects, children’s illustration, book illustrations and design. She advocates for sustainability and social inclusivity in illustration and the wider art world.

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

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Review: The Boy and the Elephant

A quiet boy who doesn’t fit in has a busy family that doesn’t always see him. He finds solace in the patch of trees beside his home where he imagines up a new friend — an elephant. 

But when progress cannot be stopped, and workers come to cut down the trees, the boy does something amazing to save them.

This story is filled with emotion, with power. It pulls on your heart strings and makes you think and smile with wonder. And there is not a single word on the pages.

Award-winning illustrator Freya Blackwood brings the world something exquisite in this wordless picture book. Each spread tells a story in itself but also adds to the bigger narrative of the book.

What this provides readers is a unique experience to travel alone or with others, because the story I see might be different to the story you see, and that is something truly magical. And the ending is… unforgettable, but I’ll say no more than that because its power lies in experiencing it for yourself.

I first explored this book with my six-year-old daughter, who adores wordless picture books (and often brings them to class to share). As I devoured Blackwood’s stunning illustrations in my mind, I asked my daughter what she saw.

Often, we saw a similar story (though not always), but we always noticed different details and my daughter’s interpretation of the Boy’s expressions and feelings opened my eyes to how she sees the world. It was a wonderful experience to share with my child, and I highly recommend you grab a copy a of this book and do the same.

The Boy and the Elephant is more than special. It’s powerful and unique.

Wordless picture books are not easy to deliver, but Blackwood shows us how it should be done, giving the world images that will imprint a story in your mind and never be forgotten.

To have your mind blown even more by Freya Blackwood's stunning creations, make sure you check out The Unwilling Twin, The Tiny Star and Molly and Mae. 

Title: The Boy and the Elephant
Author/Illustrator:  Freya Blackwood
Publisher: HarperCollins, $24.99
Publication Date:  3 November 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781460759998
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book

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Review: How We Fall Apart

Ah, elite high achievers. Don’t we love reading about them? We especially love the loud splat they make when they ignominiously plummet to a hard, humiliating landing.

This is a Young Adult thriller, set in a super elite New York prep school. The characters are intriguing, four ultra competitive teenage “Crazy Rich Asians” plus Nancy, the main protagonist, the scholarship girl with a cleaning lady mother. She and her peers have no choice but to excel at everything. It’s been drummed into them since birth that there are no prizes for second place.

 Failure is not and never has been an option. Pressure, much?

The author skillfully portrays a toxic teen-girl relationship; this is the novel’s strength. Nancy’s best friend, the queen bee rich girl Jamie, is driven and highly motivated, a girl who thrives on the thrill of sabotaging her rivals when the prize of being number one is threatened. Jamie seems to tolerate Nancy due to her not being a threat (she is from a poor family after all), although is not above rubbing Nancy’s nose into her lowly status. Nancy puts up with Jamie’s gaslighting and passive aggression because she can also be hugely generous and lots of fun to be with (a classic bullying pattern). Thankfully, as the story progresses, the reader learns that Nancy is not as much of a doormat as she initially seems.

But their rarified world is overturned when Jamie is found dead, and the police are treating it as suspicious. Nancy and each of the three other friends in their circle all have secrets, all of which are motivations for wanting Jamie dead.

Enter the mysterious “Proctor”, an anonymous on-line presence who seems to know all of the four kids’ secrets, whose messages threaten to expose them all and thereby ruin their lives. And in so doing, Zhao shows just how deeply unhappy, pressured and troubled these children with perfect lives really are, which was her inspiration for writing the novel.

The tension builds as their attempts to identify the Proctor all fail and the threats intensify. One by one, secrets are exposed. Zhao teases the reader, implying that Nancy’s secret is truly shocking, something referred to as “The Incident”, but keeps the reader guessing until the finale what Nancy had been involved with two years previously.

The story threads are tied off in the story’s climax. However, like most thrillers, the motivation and actions are far-fetched. 

In fairness, I have read thrillers with a much less convincing denouement. But it really irked me that the police were only in the background and never bothered to follow up and identify the Proctor who seemed to have a broad insight into Jamie’s murder. And it’s also a stretch to believe that the super-rich are unable to use CCTV for the purpose it was intended.

Overall a fast and fun ride that can withstand being picked apart – as I just have.

Title: How We Fall Apart
Author: Katie Zhao
Publisher: Bloomsbury, $16.99
Publication Date: 5 January 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781526632791
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction

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12 Curly Questions with author Pamela Rushby

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I’ve been invited to visit the ongoing excavations of ancient tombs in Egypt. And I’ve gone on a boat up the Nile. Which was all very helpful as background for my book The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle. Not that I knew that at the time.

2. What is your nickname?
I don’t have one, unless you count ‘Pamela’ being shortened to ‘Pam’.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Big brown grasshoppers. They give me the screaming horrors.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Delving into history and uncovering stories I have to write.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Inquisitive. Imaginative. Never miss deadlines!

6. What book character would you be, and why?
The one I’m writing about – because I can have her do exactly what I want. Which doesn’t happen in real life.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d go to the day of the next Melbourne Cup, then come back and put a bet on the winner.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
I thought you said you were going to be a tiger tamer.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
Very hard to say. Maybe kids when I do school visits – they ask questions and make comments that start me thinking.

10. What/who made you start writing?
Reading a lot as a child. And I mean a lot. Then discovering that people actually made books, they didn’t just appear magically on library and bookshop shelves. Thinking, this can’t be too hard, then! And then, making my own books (bits of paper sewn together) and forcing my long-suffering family to read them.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Contract. I’m ecstatic every time I see it.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The very longest one I could possibly find. Running out of reading matter is another Great Fear – almost as bad as grasshoppers.

Pamela Rushby is the author of over 200 books for children and young adults, as well as children's TV scripts, documentaries, short stories and freelance journalism. Pam has been an advertising copywriter, pre-school teacher, and producer of educational television, audio and multimedia. She has won several awards, including the NSW Premier's Ethel Turner Prize, five CBCA Notable Books – and a bag of gold coins at a film festival in Iran! Pam believes the strangest, most riveting, heart-breaking, laugh-out-loud stories aren't fiction. They're real. They come from history. And she loves tripping over unusual incidents from history – and then writing about them. For more information, see www.pamelarushby.com.

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Review: Young Oracle Tarot

Review: A Hundred Thousand Welcomes

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes is a story, a poem, about peace and friendship.

It's about welcoming people, whatever their background, and sharing culture. The welcome might be for new friends or neighbours, and it might be for people who speak a language different to that which you speak.

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes uses words of welcome in languages other than English, incorporated into the English language poem, to demonstrate how a simple welcome can be offered. It also expresses the specific cultural meanings, customs and food linked to such welcomes.

As the book's introduction explains, there are 'almost as many ways of making someone feel welcome as there are people on the planet'.

From Japanese and German to Urdu and Indonesian, there are thirteen languages represented. For each, the page also includes phonetic spelling to help readers learn how to pronounce the words. Look carefully for them, usually in a corner or along the bottom of the page.

The final greeting is the Irish blessing, céad mile fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes).

Author Mary Lee Donovan and illustrator Lian Cho have created a beautiful, warm and heartfelt picture book, which reminds us all how being welcoming can open our lives to valuable new friends and experiences, and increase cultural understanding.

A Hundred Thousand Welcomes is highly recommended, and includes notes from the author and illustrator, and a pronounciation guide, and a selection of further reading.

Title: A Hundred Thousand Welcomes
Author: Mary Lee Donovan
Illustrator: Lian Cho
Publisher: Harper Collins, $ 19.99
Publication Date: December 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780063228658
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book

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Giveaway: Graphic Novel Double Prize Pack

Review: Twelve Little Festive Frogs

Review: Macquarie Junior Atlas of Indigenous Australia

Review: Click

Everyone questions their sense of place and belonging at some point in their lives. For the young, school can be a minefield of self-doubt and friendship conundrums that threaten ones esteem and self-assuredness. Click is Kayla Miller's pert interpretation of the topic of 'fitting in' smartly conveyed in a colourful graphic novel.

Olive has a wide friend base. She is neither an overt leader or follower but mingles aka 'clicks' with the lunch crowd and bus chums with an easy disposition. That is until a school variety show is announced and friendship groups immediately begin to cluster based on their variety act ... without Olive.

She feels adrift in a sea of rejection. Why don't any of them want her to be part of their act? Karate spectacles, singing duos, cheerleading squads all enthusiastically plan their performances heedless of Olive's growing consternation. 

Her family are some comfort but little help; Olive's mother typically wants to intervene and rectify, oblivious to the fact that this would create further feelings of ostracization for Olive. Only her more 'with it' Aunt Molly seems to understand that what Olive really wants is to be asked by her friends to join them, not forced to out of pity. 

As the night of the show grows closer, Olive finally decides upon a role that appeals. She sets her heart on hosting the whole shebang and after a lot of research and gathering of jokes, feels ready to take on her first live audience. Meantime, her friends realise their oversight and invite her to join their act, but is it too late to make amends? Will Olive fulfill her destiny or flip to her friends in the name of fitting in with the cliques? 

This is a tale that tiptoes on the precipice of preachy teachy however the page-flipping pace, winning comic strip styled illustrations and balance of text prevent it from falling into a didactic mire. Click is spot on for the upper primary schoolers age group who are still essentially kids who want to hang with the crowd but are beginning to experience the complexities of clique warfare. I use the term warfare with respectful flippancy for at this age, the art of friendship can be brutal and challenging.

Fortunately books like, Click help almost-tweens-teens survive this period of childhood with more grace and good humour.

For a chance to win your very own copy of, Click plus Kayla Miller's brand new graphic novel, Camp, enter our Double Pack Giveaway competition, open this Saturday 8 January 2022!

Title: Click
Author Illustrator: Kayla Miller
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $17.99
Publication Date: October 2021
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760654870
For ages: 8 - 11
Type: Graphic Novel, Junior Fiction

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12 Curly Questions with author Candice Lemon-Scott

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
When I was a writing student, I was given a job as a sports reporter for the soccer during the 2000 Olympic Games, but I knew nothing about soccer. I interviewed the Italian soccer coach, took quotes from players as they left the field after matches, and reported on games results. A fellow reporter gave me a crash course in soccer to write up the articles and I ended up having a blast. On the last night we even played a friendly soccer match on the MCG. Years later, I wrote Hubert and the Magic Glasses about a soccer playing kid, using that knowledge I’d gained.

2. What is your nickname?
Candy.

3. What is your greatest fear?
That the next generation will grow up without our amazing wildlife due to animal extinction.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Fast-paced, adventurous, fun, quirky, interwoven with subjects I care about.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Passionate, persistent, motivated, driven, fun.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I would be Skye from my Jake in Space books because she’s smart, cool and can handle any situation. Most importantly she comes from the planet Venus.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
The Enlightenment period of the early 18th Century because it was a time of great philosophical and scientific discussion. I would love to sit in on the literary salons, where women exchanged ideas, and both amused each other and increased knowledge through conversation about art, culture, literature and politics.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Believe in yourself.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
I’m influenced by authors I read as a child like Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, L Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, Ruth Park, and Frances Hodgson Burnett. My family, writing friends and teachers also influence me to pursue my goals and motivate me to write through their example and encouragement.

10. What/who made you start writing?
A combination of reading and daydreaming prompted me to begin writing from a young age. Receiving encouragement from my teachers throughout my school and higher education at Tafe and university spurred me to continue writing and pursue it as a career.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Enigmatic, because I’m interested in things that are mysterious, obscure and difficult to understand. It forces me to ponder things a little more deeply, which I love to do to challenge my thinking.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry because it’s a beautiful book about life, friendship and love. For me, it reminds me to look at the world through the eyes of a child, who is open-minded and sees the beauty in everything.

Candice Lemon-Scott is an award-winning Australian author, editor and presenter. She has published 13 books for children, and written one for adults, and her books have been published in Australia, the US, the UK and China. Her quirky style, fast-paced narratives and originality appeal to young readers in particular. For more information, see www.candicelemonscott.com.au.

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Review: Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket

Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket is a special book for young cricket buffs. It might also appeal to older cricket lovers, too.

As one of Australia's most famous cricketers, a wicketkeeper and batter, and now a commentator, Adam Gilchrist, known as 'Gilly', knows cricket better than most. 

This book is Gilly's list of 30 cricketers who have made a significant impact on his career, and the game of cricket in Australia. They are some of the players who have inspired Gilly, and their stories might inspire young cricketers today.

A two-page biography is provided for each of the 30 players, along with statistics from their playing career. They capture something of the cricketers' experiences, all from the perspective of Gilly's childhood and professional perspective.

All the biographies begin with a highlighted quote from Gilly summarising their achievements, contribution to the game, playing style, or memories.

'Belinda Clark has done more for Australian women's cricket than almost anybody else. She is an icon and legend of the game.'

'The man who never stops talking and thinking about cricket. He's mad for it!'

'Seeing Dennis come steaming in, shirt unbuttoned, gold chain flying, sweat dripping down the side of his brow and his hair flying in the wind was one of the great sights of cricket.'

The players include men and women from the last 30 or more years. From Dennis Lillee and Allan Border, to Belinda Clark, Steve Waugh, Ellyse Perry, and Ashton Agar, you will find all kinds of stories in this book.

Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket is a great robust design, and illustrated by Michael Weldon in a bright, caricature style.

Whether cricket-mad or sports-mad, Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket is a perfect book to add to a young reader's home library.

Title: Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket
Author: Adam Gilchrist
Illustrator: Michael Weldon
Publisher: Affirm Press, $ 35
Publication Date: October 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922626127
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Non-fiction

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Review: Born to Run

Born to Run is the picture book edition of Cathy Freeman's autobiography of the same name.

It traces Cathy's life, beginning as a young girl growing up in Queensland. That's where she spent time with her family and spent a lot of time running. It's also where she ran her first race, and won.

Cathy's story tells readers how she would practice sprinting by chasing her brothers on a dry, sandy riverbed. And she would practice running laps at a local track. 

It was hard though, and Cathy didn't always want to train, but her mum would help to motiviate her and remind her that she could do so much her sister, who had cerebral palsy, couldn't do.

Born to Run tells the story of Cathy's success, but doesn't shy away from difficulties either, including showing she faced racism. Cathy's road to achievement in sport took her far from home and her family, but Cathy always remembered her sister and ran for her as much as for herself.

The Sydney Olympics marked the pinnacle of Cathy's running career, with a proud moment lighting the cauldron at the opening ceremony, and then winning gold in the 400 metres. The girl who was born to run made her dream come true.

Although Born to Run finishes with the Sydney Olympics, and Cathy retired a couple of years later, the book is not the end of the story. She went on to begin the Cathy Freeman Foundation. Cathy, a Kuku Yalanji and Birri Gubba woman, has used the Foundation to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids get an education and to support them to follow their own dreams.

Charmaine Ledden-Lewis, an award-winning Indigenous artist and descendant of the Bundjalung people has illustrated Born to Run with beautiful, intimate pictures which help capture Cathy's perspective.

Born to Run is a wonderful story that acts as a reminder for everyone that dreams can come true.

Note: Born to Run contains the names and images of deceased Aboriginal people.

Title: Born to Run
Author: Cathy Freeman
Illustrator: Charmaine Ledden-Lewis
Publisher: Puffin, $ 24.99
Publication Date: November 2021
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761043802
For ages: 5+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Dragon Mountain

Do you like adventure and magic? Perhaps flying on dragons is your cup of tea? If so, you’re going to love this book.

Set in the mountains in China, the story starts with the mysterious line, ‘Mountains always have secrets’. This sets the scene for 12-year-old Billy Chan’s entry to Camp Dragon. Billy would rather be back home in California, surfing, but instead he is on a summer camp, learning about his Chinese heritage and improving his limited Mandarin.

Once settled, Billy is paired with three campmates Dylan, Charlotte and Ling-Fei. He soon learns that Dylan is funny and pessimistic, Charlotte likes to win and has fierce determination and Ling-Fei loves nature and is kind.

After the first activity, the four children stumble upon a secret entrance into a mountain. There they find magnificent dragons who have been trapped in the mountain for over a hundred years. And what’s more, the dragons have been waiting for them … Billy and friends are then thrust on a nail-biting quest to save both the dragon and human realms from destruction.  

Dragon Mountain is the first book in the Dragon Realm middle grade series and is written by Katie and Kevin Tsang, a wife-husband team. The Tsang pair have written a thrillingquest tale and have cleverly used humour to cut through the high tension. The characters hurtle through the action and must keep growing, being flexible and adapting to what’s happening to them, to ensure that they have a chance of succeeding. It is through this growth that the authors have highlighted important themes of friendship, loyalty and individual strengths. 

The story leans more towards action than complexity, suiting younger readers, but there is room to develop the characters further in the rest of the series. I, for one, am looking forward to the next instalments of this suspenseful story.

Readers who like fast-paced action will enjoy this book. I read it aloud to my ten-year-old daughter and my eight-year-old son is eagerly awaiting a reserved copy of the audiobook on Borrowbox. Further, in the classroom, the moral dilemmas embedded in the story will raise interesting debate. 

Dragon Mountain was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards. It was also shortlisted for the Children's Book of the Year (British Book Awards) and longlisted for the Diverse Book Awards.

I highly recommend this story. It’s heart-pumping stuff, making you feel alive. It certainly left me feeling wired for more.

Title: Dragon Mountain
Author: Katie and Kevin Tsang
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, $14.99
Publication Date: 7 October 2020
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781471193071
For ages: 9+
Type: Middle Grade Fiction

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The winning and finalist authors are as follows:

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

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

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

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

Kids’ Choice Winner: 21 Cousins by Diane de Anda

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




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Review: Take Me With You When You Go

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: Asterix and the Griffin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: Coco And The Bee

Review: Shatter Me

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: I Need A Hug

Review: Trouble In The Hen House

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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A Very KBR Christmas 2021 and A Delicious New Year!

Meet The Illustrator: Deb Pilutti

Name: Deb Pilutti

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

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

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?

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

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

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

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

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

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

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

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

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

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

For more information, please visit Deb's website.

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Guest Post: Lorraine Miller on A Passion For Wildlife

Review: Toy Mountain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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10 Quirky Questions with author Julie Murphy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Grab the nearest book, open it to page 22 and look for the second word in the first sentence. Now, write a line that starts with that word. (Please include the name of the book!)
Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. Shall we work together to take care of this world; the only one we have?

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

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

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

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Review: Scarlett, Starlet

Review: The Accidental Penguin Hotel

The Accidental Penguin Hotel is about penguins with personality.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Download teachers' notes from the publisher's website.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: Song Bird Drought Rescue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Guest Post: Phillip Gwynne on Exploring Justice through The Break

Review: Go To Sleep, Jessie!

Review: Grace and the Christmas Angel

Grace and the Christmas Angel is a special festive story.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: The Supernatural Survival Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Review: Search and Find: Magical Creatures and Animal Kingdom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Winner: An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree

Our lucky winner is...

Jody Smith, NSW

Congratulations!

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

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

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