Guest Post: Penny Macoun on The Poetry of Christmas

Christmas is my favourite time of year. I have always found it to be special, not because of the religious aspect of the day, but because of the magic and closeness to loved ones it creates.

I wanted to write a Christmas story but wasn’t sure if I could create something new. I was worried that all the good story ideas had already been written. The Night Before Christmas has always been magical for me and I can still recite it off by heart. 

I am not a natural poet; however, I have dabbled with this style now and then, and by using The Night Before Christmas as inspiration I had a go at writing a Christmas poem. 

I wasn’t sure that I would publish it, but it turned out better than I expected so I decided to publish it as The Christmas Door.

Growing up I always loved the discovery of what was inside a present. I never asked for an actual present, always asking simply for surprises. I wanted to write a story about Christmas, capturing the magic that every child loves, while also exploring the idea that Christmas is not only about physical gifts but that a simple gesture can be a gift to others, such as a hug that can be given at any time of the year.

The Christmas Dooris about a little girl who finds an old oak door in her living room. Her Father tries to open it and finds he can’t. She opens it easily and is blinded by the glorious rays of light before reindeer bound into the living room and out through the back door onto the lawn. Santa follows the reindeer and enjoys a glass of warm milk and mince pie before he continues the journey of present delivery.

While I had the fun bit sorted, it took a long time to get the rhythm and rhyme right and I did have help from a friend who writes poetry; she was amazing and taught me a lot. I wanted to write about the magic of Christmas, which inspired the door in the floor idea. The next step was to work out what was through the door, and as it was a Christmas poem, the logical idea was Santa and his reindeer.

It was easy for me to choose an illustrator for The Christmas Door. Paul Nash illustrated my previous book, Rollo’s Wet Surprise. I loved his style, and we worked well together. Paul not only illustrates my books, he also does the page layouts and supplies the print ready files, so it’s a complete package. He beautifully captured the amazement and magic of this poem, although there is one page that is my absolute favourite. It’s the page where the girl first opens the door, and the glorious rays surround her, and she is looking down through the door in amazement. I wonder what she is seeing? Perhaps some of the reindeer are looking back at her? 

For me, Christmas is about being with loved ones, sharing good food, jokes and laughter. It is also a time when I reflect on the past year and make plans for the following. I love decorating the Christmas tree - it’s a little bit of magic I can create at home. Every Christmas I hope children around the world have enough to eat and are with people who love them. No matter where they live or what their circumstances are, every child is unique, every child deserves to be healthy and every child deserves to be happy. This is my Christmas wish.

Even though I am now an adult, I still love the magic and joy Christmas brings. Writing The Christmas Dooris my way of sharing my Christmas magic, because you never know what magic will lie beyond a door.

Penny Macoun was born in Sydney, Australia. She has been writing since 1993 when her story about a funnel web spider was printed in a school newsletter. She is an author, editor, book reviewer and trained primary school teacher. After teaching in public schools for eight years, Penny decided to pursue her passion for writing and fulfill her dream of becoming a published author.

The Christmas Door (2022) is her third book. Gorkle (2020) and Rollo’s Wet Surprise (2021) are her previous books for children. When she is not writing, teaching or editing, Penny dabbles in various forms of visual arts and enjoys travelling, completing short courses, and being out in the garden.

Visit Penny at: www.pennymacoun.com.au or via her Facebook or Instagram.

 

 

 

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Review: Zola And The Christmas Lights

Review: Furball Spy Cat

Furball is fancy. Furball is brave. Furball is the best super spy cat working for Meow-6!

Along with his spy buddies, Kit the spy-gadget inventor and Jade the karate cat, these crime-fighting friends go after the roughest, toughest villains from Klawz — the evilest organisation there is.

After a very successful mission saving the moon, the spy-trio are rewarded with a trip to Wet Willy’s Waterworld. It’s all fun and waterslides, until the spies discover something fishy. 
Waterworld seems to be lacking some… water?

Which devious villain is behind this? And what exactly are they plotting? Can Furball, Kit and Jade uncover the devious truth and stop the baddies from delivering their evil plan?

Furball Spy Cat by author-illustrator extraordinaire Adrian Beck is an action-packed and hilarious read. The jokes are endless, and the bad guy butt-kicking doesn’t stop either. I love that the story is narrated by Kit, even though the focus is generally on Furball. It’s a giant shoutout to all the sidekicks, who really run the show (in case you didn’t know!).

It’s also a shoutout to the underdogs, who sometimes feel invisible. Kit is smart and strong and a super-duper spy, but sometimes he can’t see that. But he’ll learn. They’ll all learn!

Beck’s illustrations are as big and bold as his words. Fun and funky and so expressive, they dominate the pages and immerse readers in the Meow-6 world. You will adore exploring each and every one of them.

This is a winner for junior fiction fans. If you love a funny, kooky read, this one is for you.

Title: Furball Spy Cat
Author/Illustrator:  Adrian Beck
Publisher: Larrikin House, $14.99
Publication Date: 1 October 2022
Format: Softcover
ISBN: 9781922804006 
For ages: 7 - 10
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: An Anthology of Aquatic Life

Review: Unnecessary Drama

Guest Post: Cherie Bell on Sourcing Books For Kids

12 Curly Questions with author Michel Deverall

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I once performed alongside celebrity Daryl Somers in a stage production (kids’ pantomime) of Doctor-Do-Little.

2. What is your nickname?
I don’t have one, unfortunately. Although, I do love a good nickname. Well, as long as it’s something endearing, or cute and quirky, that is. I’ve heard some crackers over the years. That being said, my family all refer to me as Shell, which is a bit boring, but that’s OK.

3. What is your greatest fear?
I have a totally irrational fear of birds. I refer to it as 'birdie-itis'. I’m not the only one, supposedly. Apparently, it’s a thing (ornithophobia). FYI: I was once swooped by a magpie outside my workplace, which proved to be a great source of entertainment for everyone watching, including the maggie, who zeroed in on me like a guided missile, terrorising me for almost two whole blocks.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Fast-paced and humorous, with lots of unpredictability and mayhem.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Tenacious. Determined. Structured. Plotter. Hopefully funny.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I remember reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory back in primary school and would have given anything to be one of the characters visiting Mr Wonka’s factory. I’m sure I would’ve also delighted in consuming a vast amount of chocolate bars in an attempt to win one of those elusive Golden Tickets. I love chocolate!

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’m not so sure I’d want to time travel into the future — too scary to even contemplate. Perhaps I could time travel back to the1970s, knowing what I know now. That’d be pretty cool. Daggy, but cool.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Don’t let fear rob you of your joy. You are more capable than you realise. Enjoy the journey.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
In terms of writing for children, I’d have to say Andy Griffiths and Lincoln Peirce, (pronounced purse). Both for their writing style and humour.

10. What/who made you start writing?
Whenever I hear an author asked this question, the answer is nearly always the same: I’ve been creating/writing stories since I was a child. Personally speaking, I hadn’t even contemplated the prospect of writing children’s books until I had a child of my own. Reading countless picture books and junior fiction to my son when he was growing up allowed me to view them from a different perspective, and was most certainly the catalyst for me later going on to study Professional Children’s Writing and Publishing.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
It varies depending on the age and genre I’m writing for, I guess. At the moment I seem to be throwing the word 'knucklehead' around a lot. It has such a comedic connotation and sound to it.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Wow! I’m not sure I could actually do that, to be honest. It would inevitably do my head in. Although, if I had to generalise, it would have to be a thriller of some sort with lots of drama and suspense. Something along the lines of the classic Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, which was the very first book I read in high school.

Michel studied Professional Children's Writing & Publishing for three years, graduating with nine High Distinctions. There are so many aspects of writing that she genuinely enjoys — everything from deciding on a plot to progressively developing it into a finished manuscript. Her preferred style of writing is fast-paced, humorous stories with lots of unpredictability. For more information, see www.micheldeverall.com.

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Review: The Gecko and the Echo

Goldy the gecko is the star of The Gecko and the Echo. He's a self-assured, singing reptile who thinks he has what it takes to be famous.

Goldy sings his heart out, playing guitar and dancing along. The trouble is, he’s very loud and makes noise all day (and night) long. He’s not overly considerate of his friends and neighbours, and one day they let him know what they think of his musicality and thoughtless behaviour.

Shocked and upset, Goldy takes off and, in doing so, ends up in a canyon where he finds music and other noises are greatly amplified. Hearing a sound that he doesn’t think is particularly good, Goldy discovers that his own voice is echoing and it doesn’t sound great. He’s horrified.

Goldy takes to heart the advice of a new friend, a butterfly, and returns home with a whole new attitude. He’s a changed gecko, kind and helpful, and welcomed by the rest of the gecko colony.

The Gecko and the Echo offers a simple, yet important, message in an entertaining package. With a clever and lively rhyming story by Rachel Bright and bright, amusing cartoon-style pictures by Jim Field, this is a book that can be shared and enjoyed by the whole family.

Title: The Gecko and the Echo
Author: Rachel Bright
Illustrator: Jim Field
Publisher: Hachette - Orchard Books, $24.99
Publication Date: November 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781408356067
For ages: ages 4 - 8
Type: picture book

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Review: Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts

Have you ever wondered about the dinosaurs and mega beasts that once roamed Australia? What creatures were they? Where did they live? What fossils have been found across the country?

Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts is a (literally) mega book, packed full of information and illustrations that take readers on a journey to the past.

Start at the beginning, when life on earth began. Move through different eras and learn about the dinosaurs that called the lands of Australia home. Crocodile-like lizards, longnecked giants and river beasts.

Have you heard about trackways — footprints immortalised in sandstone. At low tide, across the coastline of the north-west Kimberley, you can explore 130 million-year-old dinosaur trackways for yourself.

And when the dinosaurs were all gone, explore what came next. Did you know that big, bigger and giant ancestors of kangaroos, wombats, emus and all manner of Australian animals once roamed the country. These mega beasts filled our ancient forests, swamps and grasslands for millions of years.

This book is packed full of information, but it’s delivered in a really accessible and kid-friendly way. The layout encourages page turns and information is delivered in bite-sized chunks, making it easy to dip in and out with ease.

One of my favourite parts? The sizing charts that show you just how big some of these creatures were compared to people, and how they evolved over time.

The illustrations are glorious too — deep colours, intricate details, and there are just so many. They fill each giant page with giant beasts, and they make the reading experience something truly special.

The end papers are stunning as well. They include a map of Australia and a brilliant overview of the famous fossil discoveries that have been made across the country. It’s truly fascinating and a great way to start this information journey.

If your kids love dinosaurs (if you love dinosaurs!), you need to check out this book. Packed full of addictive beastly information and lavishly illustrated, it’s the book you have to have if you want to know about ancient animal life in Australia.

Title: Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts
Author/Illustrator: Myke Mollard
Publisher: Woodlane Press, $29.99
Publication Date: 1 November 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922800060
For ages: 8+
Type: Junior Non-Fiction

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Review: Romans Magnified

Romans Magnified is a terrific book for kids, and an especially great choice if they have an interest in history, love reading Asterix, or enjoy interactive books like Where's Wally?.

The book can be experienced in a couple of different ways. There's text to read which provides an introduction to different aspects of life in Ancient Rome. 

It starts with explaining what the Roman Empire was, and works through topics like the emperor and senate, public baths, Roman army, reading and writing, roads, Roman markets, family life, and lots more. 

There's also a page on archaeology and how we learn from the past through the discovery of ancient objects and exploring the ruins of ancient cities like Pompeii.

Importantly, there are detailed pictures to look at. They are intricate and colourful, full of the activity of life in ancient Rome. To help look closely, a magnifying glass is included embedded inside the book's front cover.

Each double page spread has a list of ten things to spot, and at the end of the book there is another list of things to find on the same pages, which will test readers to see if they can remember where to find them. Plus each picture has a mouse and a heart hidden somewhere. Altogether there are more than 200 things to find throughout the book!

A 'gallery' of famous ancient Romans includes people like slave and gladiator Spartacus, Fulvia who was the 'first living woman to have her face on a Roman coin', and several Roman emperors.

A brief timeline summarises key events in ancient Rome, starting with the founding of the city of Rome in 753 BC, and ending with the reign of the 'last western Roman emperor, a teenager called Romulus Augustus'. A glossary is also available to look up some of the words used in the book, and some of the Roman numerals.

Romans Magnified will draw children in and entertain them, keeping them busy while also increasing their knowledge of ancient history.

Title: Romans Magnified
Author: David Long
Illustrator: Daniel Spacek
Publisher: Wide-Eyed Editions, $27.99
Publication Date: 31 May 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780711266858
For ages: ages 5 - 10
Type: Non-Fiction

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Review: One and Everything

One and Everything is many layered. It's an artwork, a message, and a prompt for thought and discussion inspired by the Endangered Alphabets project.

This is a book about: stories and storytelling, words and language, culture, oral traditions, and expression. At its heart is language and written scripts.

Who is it for? One and Everything is a picture book best suited for older readers, those in at least upper primary and into early high school, and for adults. 

It deals with complex concepts that need the support of teachers and/or parents to help understand and interpret them.

Probably most useful in a classroom setting for language and social sciences discussions. Also useful in an art and design context, due to its application of typology and colour throughout.

One and Everything will also benefit from multiple readings and detailed exploration, including the additional information at the back of the book. It includes information about 10 of the unusual language scripts used. There's also a map showing where the book's 50 different scripts come from, and a list of them in both English and the scripts themselves.

According to creator Sam Winston there are an estimated 7,000+ languages spoken around the world. His author's note explains there are questions underlying what you read in One and Everything. Questions about how languages do or will survive or not. How they change and grow or are lost.

An unusual and rather difficult to describe book, One and Everything is a reminder of the importance of language in its many forms.

Watch a One and Everything behind the scenes video interview with Sam Winston,

Title: One and Everything
Author/Illustrator: Sam Winston
Publisher: Walker, $29.99
Publication Date: November 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781529509298
For ages: ages 9-13 (and older)
Type: Nonfiction picture book for older readers

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Meet The Illustrator: Sarah Matsuda

Name: Sarah Matsuda

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Colourful acrylic and mixed media in a semi-realist style.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
A good light for working at night (I have a Uniqu phone stand with LED lighting), my iPhone for listening to art podcasts, my Macbook Pro for research, a spray bottle filled with water to wet my palette - even though I use acrylic, I can use the paint over days/weeks if I spray it often and cover it after use. That way I have wet paint ready to use in those little fragments of time that exist in motherhood and I don’t have to constantly clean my palette and waste paint.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?

I love to mix it up with layers of acrylic paint, Conte pencils, Posca pens and Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencils in 8B (The B stands for black and it’s quite different to other graphite pencils). Sometimes I use pastel too.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Mary Cassatt, Adrienne Stein, Elly Smallwood.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Probably the American Renaissance, because I would love to see John Singer Sargent paint. His work seems so effortless, but I have heard he carefully considered each brush stroke before he laid it down.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?

My background is fashion design, specifically couture wedding gowns. I would always draw theatrical sketches for my clients of their gown design before it was made-to-measure. I always adored looking at fashion illustrators' work such as David Downton.

 
I’m a third generation artist and when I moved to Brisbane from Sydney, I decided to give up fashion design and focus on art. I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to work with my best friend Cate Storey who was starting a new publishing house called Wet Season Books focusing on books for children about Australia’s ecology.

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 live in a two bedroom apartment with my husband and daughter. We all sleep in one room (as is the Japanese custom), so the second bedroom is a combined playroom and my workspace. We have a basement that I was planning to use as a studio, but that hasn’t worked out so far as my daughter is with me most hours of the day and it’s not very stimulating for her there.

 
My workspace consists of a simple Ikea desk. I have worked on quite large pieces there, but it would be awesome to have more space! I also have to constantly pack things away and make sure they are out of reach of curious hands!

 
I try to keep things a bit minimalistic and not waste, but I think a true artist needs to vary their methods and techniques from time to time! So I do have quite a range of materials from Lami pens, inks, pastels, watercolours!

 
I also move between spaces occasionally, going to my artist Mother Robyn Bauer’s studio. My Mum helps me look after my daughter so I can get some work done. So it’s essential that I keep my work portable.. I often have to lay artwork that is still wet on thick plywood boards on the seat or floor of the car to transfer between studios. I also carry my big palette with its cover around too and a pencil case of materials.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

I really enjoy when I have planned out the picture and laid down some basic lines and I’m starting to splash around the paint. Also when I’ve done a few layers and I break out the pens and pencils and add extra brightness and sharpness.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

Don’t worry about trying to find your style. Just draw lots of different subject matters and eventually it will start to emerge. Also try to practice drawing from life, it’s so different to using a photo reference and really helps you loosen up and become a better drafts-person!

Sarah Matsuda is a fine artist and illustrator interested in maternal themes and the human figure. She has illustrated two children’s books: Snuggled Away about Australia’s nocturnal wildlife and The Perfect Hollow about a Greater Glider searching for a home. Sarah is currently working on book three about Australian birds.

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

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Review: The Heartbeat Of The Land

12 Curly Questions with author Yvette Poshoglian

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you. 
I once wanted to become Prime Minister. Or play cricket for Australia.

2. What is your nickname?
Posh/Poshy/Poshington

3. What is your greatest fear?
Driving along a cliff road.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
My writing style adapts to the story I wish to tell.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Connection, change, warmth, community, imagination.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I always wanted to be George from the Famous Five – she was so brave!

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I would have loved to visit Shakespeare’s times in Tudor England, perhaps around 1600. Also, Sydney in the year 1878, a year I spent researching about Cockatoo Island. Sydney was changing and developing as a colony at that time.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
You may not be Prime Minister, but you can still change the world for the better through words and actions.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
I’m inspired by strong and powerful women like Greta Thunberg, Malala Yousafzai, Julia Gillard, Grace Tame and others through history such as Anne Frank.

10. What/who made you start writing?
I had so many stories I wanted to tell. I love to escape into other worlds, so hopefully I can create these for readers too!

11. What is your favourite word and why?
It’s a secret word that my brother, sister and I invented as kids. We still use it and we’ll never tell you what it is or its meaning!

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My mum’s old recipe notebook with handwritten notes. It’s our connection to our past and contains wonderful stories as well as delicious recipes if you look hard enough.

Yvette Poshoglian is the author of over 40 books for children and young people, including the bestselling Ella and Olivia series. Born and raised in Sydney, Yvette taught secondary English in southwest Sydney and now manages major education projects for the NSW Department of Education. Currently, she works at the intersection of pedagogy, technology and innovation with the Technology 4 Learning team at the NSW Department of Education. Many of the STEM and technology developments occurring in schools around NSW are captured in Dear Greta. Yvette has loads in common with her character Alice Boghosian, apart from Alice’s horrible nickname. For more information, see www.yvetteposh.com.

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Review: A Walk In The Dark

Review: Dirt By Sea

Guest Post: Cassie Veselovsky on Making Reading More Musical

For over 20 years I have been serving as a youth librarian providing storytimes and programs for the children and families in my community. I am loud, goofy and I make mistakes, but I hold dear an unwavering commitment to support the kids and their grown-ups.

I strive to help grown-ups recognize how easy it can be to help their children learn by utilizing the five early literacy practices of reading, writing, talking, playing, and singing.

I am passionate about early literacy and encouraging and supporting grown-ups in their role as a child’s first teacher. Throughout my years I have created numerous songs and rhymes when I couldn’t find something to fit a storytime theme or program plan. Sure, many times my songs were met with chuckles, but kids and grown-ups sang and had fun together!

Singing is one of the five early literacy practices that many people struggle with and in my humble opinion, it is the most fun! Singing can make everyday activities exciting; it can make daily chores more fun!  To top it off, because of the magic that is music, creating a song about something you need to remember, can help you remember it!  (Try teaching your kids their address using a song!).  And when it comes to early literacy development, songs help children hear the individual syllables of words and develop their phonological awareness.

We all are not blessed with golden vocal cords, and that is ok! Years ago, when I had my daughter, all my education and experience flew out the window. I couldn't remember one single lullaby.  I felt lost.   I'm dating myself here, but the songs I turned to were TV show theme songs from my childhood:  Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island.  I used the themes and made up my own songs at 2am trying to soothe my dear one and get her back to sleep. 

Familiarity is comforting.  It didn't matter that I wasn't singing a proper children's lullaby or that my voice was off key; I was singing and engaging with my child. She relaxed with the sound of my voice, and I grew confidence as a new mother.  There are many picture books written to the tune of old, familiar songs, but you can make up your own songs as well. Take any five-letter word and create a song to the tune of Bingo. How about a new counting song about over in the park instead of Over in the Meadow. Don’t sing about Five Green and Speckled Frogs; sing about Five Blue and Furry Monsters! The options are endless. Yes, they are silly and goofy, but if they bring about positive engagement with you and your child and you are spending quality time together, then the songs are golden.

Cassie Veselovsky has worked in or for libraries for 40 years (which obviously means she’s part time lord). Her passion for early literacy has led her to be an active member of many youth services committees as well as present at conferences, in classrooms and via the internet.

Her commitment also drove Cassie to write. She is the author of the Bingo Books series as well as Over in the Outback, Old MacDonald had a Cat and Five Tasty Tacos sharing her love of reading and singing (and goofy songs) with the under-5 crowd and their grown-ups.

Discover more at: lonecow.blogspot.com or connect with Cassie via her socials: Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest

 

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Review: Meerkat Christmas

Hip hooray! It’s Christmas Day! Meerkat One, it’s time to play.

Jump into the Christmas spirit with 10 cheeky meerkats who love to spread joy through their mischievous shenanigans.

As they jump, leap and climb to get the Christmas tree ready for its special day, readers can count along with each Meerkat. 

But watch out for those itchy noses that cause some sinister sneezing. It might wreck everything!

Meerkat Christmas is a joyful rhyming picture book for everyone who loves a bit of Christmas cheer and/or cute little meerkats. It’s joyful, fun and a perfect gift in the lead up to the festive season or on Christmas day.

Short, sweet and filled with darling illustrations, award-winning author/illustrator Aura Parker delivers the goods with Meerkat Christmas.

And don’t forget to check out the gorgeous endpapers, which tell a story of their own through the stunning illustrations.

Title: Meerkat Christmas
Author/Illustrator: Aura Parker
Publisher: Puffin, $19.99
Publication Date: 5 October 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780143777229
For ages:  3 - 6
Type: Picture Book

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12 Curly Questions with Millie Lewis

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
OK, I’ll let you in on a secret: If I am ever late to a meeting or event, I will usually say that it was because of traffic. This is a lie. More than half of the time, it’s because somewhere on the way to that meeting or event, a random dog has made eye contact with me. I am addicted to giving good-boy-belly-rubs!

2. What is your nickname?
As a child: 'nose in a book' (what a cliché!). As a teen/adult: Millie or Milly (my real name is Amelia).

3. What is your greatest fear?
This one is oddly specific – I love to paddleboard at the beach (very inexpertly), and my greatest fear is crossing into that darker stretch of water where you can no longer see what’s underneath you. I’ve been attacked by many vicious seaweed strings and plastic bags over the years.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Experimenting with ideas, playing with language, and seeing what sticks.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Funny, silly, playful, energetic, rhythmic.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Matilda Wormwood, because I can’t help but feel that the powers of telekinesis would make
me at least 98 per cent more productive.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
1985, because the music was banging, the movies were ridiculous, and ‘the sprinkler’ (my signature dance move) was still cool.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Congratulations on finding a job that isn’t boring! Also, why are your eyes so baggy?

9. Who is your greatest influence?
I grew up on Pamela Allen’s picture books – lots of rhyme, lots of nonsense. I definitely see elements of that in the stories I love to write.

10. What/who made you start writing?
My son (but not for the usual lovey-dovey reasons). I was so excruciatingly tired and bored during the first six months of maternity leave (during COVID-19 lockdown) that I could almost feel my own brain atrophying. Writing classes were a gift to myself to survive that period – and a reminder to myself that my mind still worked!

11. What is your favourite word and why?
'Bamboozle', because it just feels great coming out of your mouth.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
William Goldman’s The Princess Bride – who could resist that delicious combination of romance, fantasy and comedy? Plus, it’s immensely quotable.

Millie lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband and a rather cheeky two-year-old. Her lifelong ambition is to accumulate enough books to justify an extravagant home library like the one in Beauty and the Beast. Her debut picture book, Mr Price’s Pet Emporium, is out now, published by Larrikin House. For more information, see www.millielewisauthor.com.


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Review: Pugnacious and Scuttlebutt

Two dogs, worlds apart, destined for greatness… and each other.

Pugnacious and Scuttlebutt couldn’t be more different. Scuttlebutt is a disgraced greyhound (after an unfortunate itching powder incident), and Pugnacious is a cranky, rude pug who only cares about himself.

But when they both end up in the dog pound, they must find a way to get past their differences (and Scuttlebutt’s itching butt) to break free. Can they do it? Can they not betray one another? Will Scuttlebutt’s butt ever stop itching?

Pugnacious and Scuttlebutt is a brilliant new junior fiction novel from Adam Wallace and Wayne Bryant. Packed with humour, silliness, butt-scratching and awesome illustrations, it’s one for the jokers and tricksters. It’s for fans of laughing and chuckling and butt jokes galore.

This is a straight-up joyful book. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and it’s all about entertainment. With illustrations galore on every page (which are fun, engaging and hilarious), short chapters, big text, and super-fun layouts, it’s a great one for reluctant readers + kids looking for something shorter.

If you love funny, fast-paced books filled with excitement, this one is most definitely for you.

Title: Pugnacious and Scuttlebutt
Author: Adam Wallace
Illustrator: Wayne Bryant 
Publisher: Larrikin House, $14.99
Publication Date: 1 November 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781922804013
For ages:  6 - 9
Type: Junior Fiction

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Review: The Ultimate Pet Handbook

Meet The Illustrator: Forrest Dickison

Name: Forrest Dickison

 
Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Bill Peet meets NC Wyeth meets Looney Tunes.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My library! The more books the better.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I love the old-school earthiness of pencils and gouache, the versatility of a Wacom, and the buttery flow of oil paint.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Herge, Georges Beuville, and Edgar Payne.

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I'd love to visit the early days of Disney when the Nine Old Men were inventing the artform of animation as we know it today. Watching them reshape the collective artistic imagination of Planet Earth would be something else. This would also be a convenient time to swing by Edgar Payne's studio and talk colour theory.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I grew up reading Tintin, Asterix, and Calvin and Hobbes. I was fascinated by those worlds and characters that came alive through lines and shapes. I've been imitating ever since.

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 current studio is on the second story of my house. Just out of frame to my left is a window that overlooks the backyard. When I need a break from the art, I can watch my girls playing, plants growing, and chickens chickening. It's all gloriously ordinary. The corkboard above my desk is filled with scribbles and notes from various projects currently under construction. The drawing of Jafar above my head is by Andreas Deja. It was an impulse buy at CTNX a number of years ago and is the closest it's ever been to being framed and hung on the wall. Maybe next year. My easel and overflowing bookshelves are set up behind the camera. All in all, it's a great place for picture making.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
I love the earliest stages of the process - the part that consists of venturing into the vast, unknown world of a blank piece of paper, armed with nothing but a pencil and my imagination. The more I illustrate, the more I feel like an explorer or an archeologist who's digging around in the dirt for things that have existed long before I was even born. Finding them is thrilling. Sprucing them up for presentation is still fun, but a different kind of fun.

  
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Dead artists are the best teachers. It's easy for students to mistake artistic trends for fundamentals. Copying illustrators and artists whose work has stood the test of time is the fastest way to build good habits.

Forrest Dickison is the award-winning illustrator of Hello Ninja, which was recently made into a Netflix original series. When he isn’t illustrating books or working on animated shows, Forrest can be found in the great outdoors, chasing the light (and clouds) with a brush and some paint.

For more information, please visit Forrest's website.

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Review: Need a House? Call Ms Mouse!

Need a House? Call Ms Mouse! That’s both the name of this fabulous STEM-themed picture book, and the message of its animal characters.

Ms Mouse is Henrietta, a talented architect whose imagination and creativity are put to excellent use. This book is like a portfolio of Henrietta's work.

There are many animals who want the home of their dreams, so Henrietta listens carefully to their brief, then designs a house to meet them. 

From Lizard’s desire for a beach house to lounge in the sun, to Owl's tower with an observatory to gaze to the stars. Caterpillar has a snug home packed with features that allow him to store plenty of food. There are also homes for Squirrel, Spider, Trout, and others.

Whether simple or grand, Henrietta will find a solution, and she might just inspire future architects and designers to do the same.

George Mendoza's text helps readers understand a little about design and building, and to learn about the animals' needs and environments.

Doris Susan Smith's illustrations are a brilliant visualisation of Henrietta's designs. They're in pen and ink and watercolour, and take a cross-section approach to depicting the various houses. It lets you explore the nooks and crannies of the house design.

Need a House? Call Ms Mouse! is a reprint of the original, first published in 1981, and a favourite childhood memory for those who read it in the '80s. I hadn't heard of the book before, which is surprising given my particular interests, but it appealed to me straight away and I'm happy to have been able to enjoy it.

It's great to know Allen & Unwin set out to find the copyright holder so this book could be republished at last, much to the excitement of those who have long awaited it, and for all the new readers of today.

Detail and creativity abound in Need a House? Call Ms Mouse! I highly recommend you find a copy and share it with your family, and keep it for future readers to enjoy as well.

Title: Need a House? Call Ms Mouse!
Author: George Mendoza
Illustrator: Doris Susan Smith
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 November 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761066016
For ages:  3 - 7 
Type: Picture Book

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10 Quirky Questions with author Deborah Abela

1. What's your hidden talent?
I am a brown belt in Judo. So watch out everyone... I’m also very short, so that may not be as scary as it sounds.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
I love Count Olaf from A Series of Unfortunate Events. He’s so mean and wicked and has no idea of how unfunny he really is, which of course makes him hilarious.

3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Kate DiCamillo, David Walliams, Julia Donaldson, Jacqueline Wilson, Katrina Nannestad. I think that would be a fun party!

4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
A Skymouse (Arlo from The Book of Wondrous Possibilities has one).

5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Chaotic, messy, surprising, shambolic, wondrous.

6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Imaginative, heartfelt, exciting, warm, brave.

7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
A view, light, a fresh breeze, friends nearby when I need to play, and a huge pot of tea.

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!)
Bully on the Bus by Kathryn Apel. ‘Walk,’ she says, which I do because I know she’s angry and don’t want to do anything that’ll make it worse.

9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Kate Di Camilo, can you hear the voices of your characters when you write, because they feel so real, as if they really do exist.

10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
What! What a terrible choice! I can’t choose. Don’t make me! Please! Reading makes me want to write and writing making me wants to read... it’s part of the same lovely circle.

After training as a teacher, Deborah Abela travelled to Africa where she was harassed by monkeys, caught in a desert sandstorm and thrown in jail... twice! She’s worked as a child wrangler and a rides operator at Luna Park, but her first real job was as writer/producer of a national children’s TV show at Network TEN. She has since become an internationally published and awarded author of 28 books, including her cranky climate change trilogy, Grimsdon, New City and Final Storm. Her family’s survival in WWII and migration to Australia inspired Teresa A New Australian. The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery were inspired by her fantabulous Grade 4 teacher, Ms Gray. She’s also written picture books: Wolfie, An Unlikely Hero and the 2021 CBCA Notable, Bear in Space. The Book of Wondrous Possibilities is her love letter to books, booksellers, librarians and readers. Deb’s won awards for her work but mostly hopes to be as brave as her characters. She’s a proud ambassador for the charities, Room to Read and Books in Homes. For more information, see www.deborahabela.com. 

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Guest Post: Kylie Mort on The Inspiration Behind Big Emotions

Review: The Edge Of Limits

Guest Post: Cherie Bell on $5 Book Reviews

Review: Kill Joy

Guest Post: Susanne Gervay on The Edge Of Limits

Review: Digging Up Dad - And Other Hopeful (And Funny) Stories

12 Curly Questions with author Mike Lucas

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I am a very long-time member of the Curly Wurly Club. And I have a card to prove it.

2. What is your nickname?
I’ve never had one, but I’m open to suggestions of a complimentary nature.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Somebody setting fire to my vinyl collection.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
I make it up as I go along. That’s it. (I’m counting that’s as one word)

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Proud, persevering, supported, fortunate, improving.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
Winnie-the-Pooh because everybody loves him and his world is so perfect.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Probably 1865 to prevent my great-great-great grandfather from blowing up his house and killing nine people. But then again, I may wipe out my own existence by interfering...

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Why didn’t you take writing more seriously from a younger age? You always knew you could do it.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
It has to be Stephen King. I’ve been reading his books since I was 11.

10. What/who made you start writing?
Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, mixed with teenage angst.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Discombobulation. It’s a fabulous word that makes you feel exactly what it means.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Neverending Story (I’m being clever here!)

Originally from the UK, Mike moved to South Australia in 2010. He is the author of several picture books and his first YA novel, What We All Saw, was published this year with Penguin Australia. Mike also owns a bookshop in Adelaide and works full time as an engineer. For more information, see www.mikelucas.com.au.

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Guest Post: Morris Gleitzman on His Secret Friends and How They Inspire Him

We spoke to former Australian Children's Laureate, Morris Gleitzman to learn about inspiration, humour and his new book, Digging Up Dad.

Where did you get the ideas for the stories in Digging Up Dad?
They just sort of slowly came to me, thanks to a creative technique that has served me well over the years. The one where you make slow circular meditative movements with a sponge in a sink full of dirty dishes and let your mind wander.

While I was waiting for the burnt bits to soften, I found myself thinking about how everyone’s problems seem to be a bit bigger these days. And more complicated. And harder to fix. And when I say everyone, I'm including the planet that lets us park our cars on it.

I also found myself thinking how a lot of us grown-ups aren't feeling as confident as we used to about making things better. And how young people are probably noticing this. And perhaps wondering if they might be able to do a bit of making things better themselves. Not just in their own lives, but also in the lives of their families, pets, teachers, neighbours, local shopkeepers, members of parliament etc.

Which got me hoping I could meet a few kids like that in my imagination. And then, when they found they'd got a mate with a laptop and a big sink, they might feel hopeful enough themselves to have a crack at it. And along the way, even if they hadn't planned it, inspire us grown-ups to be our best selves too. In somewhere between three and seven thousand words with not too many adverbs.

The stories in Digging Up Dad have certainly made me feel more hopeful, which is why I put the word in the extra bit of the title. I also did it to remind young readers that if they come across a grown-up who’s not having a very hopeful day, sharing stories with them might just help.

How do you incorporate humour into serious subjects?
Stories are always about characters struggling with problems. So as their author you want to equip them with as many believable personal strengths and qualities as possible. Especially when the characters are young.

Empathy, bravery, optimism, resilience, creative thinking, the capacity for loyal and loving friendships, the ability to stay up much later than adults think they can - you can make your own list. If young characters can start out with at least some of these, the problem-solving journey helps them develop even more.

It's never easy for young characters - bombarded with new experiences, out of their depth, desperate sometimes - so they often use what they've got in unconventional and not always parentally-permitted ways. And this is where humour often comes in.

But, an important note. No matter how much humour there is on the page, every story is a serious story. Even if at first glance it doesn't seem like it. Even if you don't stop chuckling from start to finish. And that includes the stories in Digging Up Dad.

I would like to point out, though, that no swimming-pool swamp weed, flared stretch leotards, federal politicians, nervous speed bumps, giant sloths, lumps of toe fluff, rugby-playing wheelie bins, real estate agents' teeth, scary removalist trucks, very naughty year six dance and drama groups or bouncy bouncy settees were hurt in the writing of this book.

What inspired you to start writing?
My secret friends. As a young kid, like most young kids, I spent countless hours with secret friends in my imagination having unsupervised adventures. In year five, when we had to start writing stories, I realised I already had everything I needed. And I still do. Thanks, secret friends. Sorry about you not being so secret anymore. (Actually, they don't mind. I know they don't because their publicists tell me.)

How do you know what types of stories people want to read?
It's actually quite easy. Because there's only one type of story. Character, problem, laughter, tears, physical journey to try to solve or survive the problem, emotional journey so we can all share the experience. The rest is packaging. And while packaging can be fun, every teacher knows you can't keep a class transfixed and facing the front for an hour just with packaging.

If you could choose just one, what is the main message you'd want young readers to take away from Digging Up Dad?
Sorry to be unhelpful, but there aren't any messages in Digging Up Dad. Stories aren't allowed to have messages. It's illegal under the Federal Telecommunications Licencing Act. Stories are only allowed to have richly immersive visual and emotional components that remain inert until they enter the infinite realm of the reader's imagination and there come gloriously alive. Sorry.

Morris Gleitzman grew up in England and came to Australia when he was sixteen. After university he worked for ten years as a screenwriter. Then he had a wonderful experience. He wrote a novel for young people. Now, after 43 books, he’s one of Australia’s most popular authors. He was appointed the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2018–2019.

Reproduced with permission by Puffin Books. Keep an eye out for our KBR review of Digging Up Dad by Elizabeth Vercoe - coming this Wednesday!

 

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Review: Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination

Jørn Utzon is a child who sees the world through a very specific lens. Obsessed with building, creating and thinking outside the box, this is the story of how he harnesses both his own ideas and resilience in ways that don’t always make sense to others.

He even collected ideas from his orange peels at breakfast!

It’s also the story of how ultimately, he enters and wins a competition to design and build our iconic Sydney Opera House.

A quote from the adult Jørn Utzon opens the story, and it applies equally to his unique Opera House design and to the warmth and inspiration of this picture book:

The architect’s gift to society is to bring joy to the people from the surroundings they create. 

John Utzon's, Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination is written with the wonderful lilting cadence of repeated phrasing, alongside the anticipation of ‘expected’ surprises through language. Writer Coral Vass easily - and cleverly - takes us from Jørn's youth to adulthood with an elegant economy of words, deftly explaining all the while how his creativity is nurtured and grown.

We see so many ways in which young Jørn could potentially be thwarted and give up, but he obviously is not and does not (in the long term, at least!). Other people’s opinions of his work aren’t always kind, but it seems that Jørn is able to believe in himself and his dreams enough to follow through on his ideas, regardless of what others think – which is perhaps a life lesson for us all.

Nicky Johnston’s pencil illustrations are gorgeous as ever, divinely expressive and perfect for this work. The cover gives us a clear indication of what’s inside, with its hand-drawn lettering and young Jørn happily clutching compass, pencil and ruler. The front endpapers with their torn pictures depict orange peels, shapes, buildings, flowers, shells, and patterns that eventually all contribute to the design of the building that we know and love. My very favourite illustration is of the fist-pumping Jørn when he finally creates his masterpiece. It’s pure joy.

The back endpapers contain a beautifully rendered pencil timeline of Utzon’s life, which offers useful information for school projects and research. And of course, to provide the impetus to look further into this interesting and colourful life.

A wonderful true story. Highly recommended.

Title: Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination
Author: Coral Vass
Illustrator: Nicky Johnston
Publisher: EK, $24.99
Publication Date: October 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922539144
For ages: 4 - 8
Type: Picture Book

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