• Children's & Young Adult Books

    School fun: two picture books for littlies

    School – big school – is a Big Thing in a little one’s life. For their parents, too. So picture books that help prepare and excite very young children about the prospect of starting or returning to school are always welcome.

    From the ABC Books ‘Mindfully Me’ series comes Ready, Set, Big School, (Jan Stradling and Jedda Robaard) featuring the beloved characters from ABC’s ‘Play School’ TV shows. Humpty, Jemima, Little Ted, Kiya and friends practice putting on their school uniform, packing their lunchbox, and making new friends, all ready for the big day.

    When the first day arrives, Big Ted is surprised to find that he also has a funny feeling in his tummy.
    (Parents will relate to that bit.)

    The Crayons Go Back to School (Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers) allows youngsters who are old hands at the school thing to recognise that the end of the holidays means back-to-school. The colourful crayons throw themselves into the routine of school: deciding what to wear, greeting old friends, drawing, writing, doing maths.

    Two books to share and read aloud, perfect to soothe Big School nerves.

    Ready, Set, Big School and The Crayons Go Back to School are published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in November 2023.
    My thanks to the publisher for review copies.

  • Books and reading

    Philosophy for all – in pictures: ‘Begin Again’ by Oliver Jeffers

    As I began to read this book, news of the renewal of appalling violence in Israel and Gaza was on TV screens and online. It made the message in this, Oliver Jeffers’ first picture book for adults and children, feel very timely indeed.

    In Jeffers’ inimitable style, the pictures and pared back words in this lovely book are his plea to humanity: surely, given how far we have come as a species, and the amazing leaps in knowledge and technology we have achieved, surely…we can find a way to ‘begin again’ with our relationships with ourselves, with others, and with our planet?

    He traces our beginnings as humans: the way we discovered walking upright, using fire, making tools, creating beauty…all the way to the invention of phones and space rockets.

    But oh dear, we took a wrong turn somewhere early on, when humans began to

    draw imaginary lines, so we know who we are and who we are not,
    where we belong and where we do not,
    taking what we want when we want it.
    The kings in our castles
    on our islands of isolation.
    Admired by strangers
    (safe from those strangers)…

    Though, when we look from far enough
    it is clear that we all come from Earth.
    There is only Us.

    We all love stories and sharing them, because stories:

    gave us safe harbour and an idea
    of where we fit in the long line of time.

    Jeffers explore what, why and how things went wrong for us as humans, and suggests how we might correct our course:

    By slowing down.
    By creating better stories.
    Bigger ones
    where we all fit
    inside the same powerful plot.

    In his Author’s Note, he explains the changes in his thinking that began after his son was born, and how this book is a culmination of ‘observation and optimism.’

    I’d suggest that humanity as a whole, no matter who we are or where we live, needs a hefty dose of optimism right now, and also awareness and compassion.

    This book is one that can be shared by adults with children of all ages, and might just help provide some of those essential ingredients for a happier and safer world.

    Begin Again is published by HarperCollins in November 2023.
    My thanks to the publishers for a review copy.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    Christmas picture books

    How wonderful to see books celebrating Christmas as we know it in Australia. The ‘Teeny Tiny Stevies’ are back with a new picture book, all about Aussie summer Christmases.

    Snowmen, chimneys, plum puddings and dark wintry evenings are all charming, but not part of an Australian Christmas.

    Instead, we have hot days in the sun, the long summer holiday, shorts, T-shirts and swimmers in the paddling pool or the beach, the buzz of cicadas and the sting of mozzie bites, pavlova for Christmas lunch.

    The pictures by Simon Howe capture the pleasures of long hot days, camping trips, the anticipation of Christmas morning.

    I love this book; it is a real portrayal of an Australian summer and our different way of ‘doing Christmas’ here.


    Back to the northern hemisphere, we have A Night Before Christmas – with a difference.

    A small boy, accompanied by his dog and cat, is witness to the antics of the Elf on the Shelf, who narrates the familiar story of the arrival of St Nicholas with his sleigh and trusty reindeer.

    There is a mix of old and new as the much-loved Christmas poem is given a shake up by the elf. The pictures created by author and illustrator Chanda A. Bell are vibrant with saturation colours and plenty of activity.

    Together these two books celebrate Christmas in both hemispheres of the globe. They are published in Sept and Oct 2023 by Harper Collins Children’s Books.
    My thanks to the publishers for review copies.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    Australian stories: three new picture books

    Three very different picture books here, all by Australian authors.

    Giinagay Gaagal (Hello Ocean) by Gumbayngirr artist Melissa Greenwood (who also created My Little Barlaagany (Sunshine) among others.) It’s a celebration of the ocean and its pleasures: swimming, fishing, running on the sand, collecting pipis and shells. In the story the aunties share cultural knowledge and wisdom as well as fun:

    But first, before walking on Country, we talk to the land
    and let her know that we are here to play.
    We are grateful for what she has to offer,
    we promise to take care of her during our stay.

    Giinagay Gaagal (Hello Ocean)

    I’m always delighted to see new books incorporating First Nations languages. It’s a gentle way to introduce young readers to the multiplicity of cultures and languages that flourished in Australia before colonisation, some of which are still in use or are being revived.

    The illustrations are gorgeous, incorporating the colours of sea and sand.


    Fans of Jackie French will welcome her latest picture book, The Turtle and the Flood, a companion to the wonderful The Fire Wombat. Fire and flood are the bookends of natural disaster events in this country, and our children experience them all too often.

    Learning about how native animals have evolved to survive these events is one way of coming to understand the natural cycles of our land.

    We are introduced to Myrtle the long necked turtle, who can sense a coming flood (even before the rains begin) and makes her long slow climb uphill to a safe spot, out of the reach of the water.

    She is joined by others (snakes, wombats, water dragons, wallabies.) The animals are guided by Myrtle’s wisdom and understanding of her environment.

    There are lovely soft illustrations by Danny Snell which bring Myrtle’s journey to colourful life.


    The third book in my selection is a change of pace. The first in a new series featuring Bunny and Bird, How to Hatch a Dragon is a sweetly hilarious story about the importance of observation and paying attention. The two friends are so engrossed in the instruction booklet that came with their dragon egg that they completely miss most of the action!

    Little ones will get the humour, as they can see in the pictures what’s going on behind Bunny and Bird’s backs.

    Three new books to delight: Giinagay Gaagal, The Turtle and the Flood, and How to Hatch a Dragon are published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in September and October, 2023.
    My thanks to the publishers for review copies.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    Garden love: ‘In My Garden’ by Kate Mayes & Tamsin Ainslie

    There is a very welcome trend in books for very young readers that focus on the amazing variety of cultures, languages and traditions across the globe, while emphasizing the things we all share.

    In My Garden is a lovely addition to these, celebrating as it does the attractions of the outdoors and nature across a range of landscapes.

    We visit a little girl who lives on a river boat in Laos, another in Australia’s tropical north, a boy in New Zealand who watches over little penguin nests and one who sees the rubble of bombed out buildings in war-torn Syria.

    Other landscapes and gardens are from Iceland, Japan, America, Malawi, Canada, Italy and Brazil.

    No matter where the children live, they are all nurtured by the beauties of nature, even little Sami who holds a pine cone from a garden not far from his apartment, which helps him remember Crocuses, tulips and the great Aleppo pine. That garden is his favourite place. He is remembering something there.

    The pages are filled with detail and colour and are truly lovely. Young children can spend time identifying and perhaps naming the various plants and animals they can find, as they absorb the truth that children are children the world over.

    In My Garden celebrates and honours the role that nature plays in all our lives, no matter where we live.
    It is published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in August 2023.
    My thanks to the publishers for a review copy.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    Celebrations: two new picture books for special days

    These two picture books celebrate special days on children’s calendars: Father’s Day and Christmas.

    What My Daddy Loves is a sweet and tender portrayal of the special love between father and child.
    Each double page spread portrays a daddy and his child engaged in all the magical, wild and everyday activities that a small child can imagine.
    The simple text invites repetition while the colourful block pictures by author and artist Raissa Figueroa wryly illustrate the scenes.
    The dads and kids represent a wide variety of shapes, sizes, abilities and interests, and it is notable that they are all people of colour.
    What My Daddy Loves is published in August 2023 by HarperCollins Children’s Books; a good choice for a read-aloud on Father’s Day.

    How the Grinch Lost Christmas is a follow-up to the much-loved classic by Dr Seuss, The Grinch who Stole Christmas. Written in the inimitable style of Dr Seuss by Alistair Heim, with illustrations by Aristides Ruiz, it portrays a reformed Grinch who has grown to love Christmas.

    To show the Whos just how much he has changed, he decides to enter a competition to make the most Christmassy Christmas tree. But when his grand entry takes only second place, he suddenly loses his Christmas spirit.

    It takes a small girl to get the Grinch to re-think and to remember what is the real spirit of Christmas.

    A delightful story about sharing, playing fair and togetherness, The Grinch Who Lost Christmas is published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in September 2023.

    My thanks to the publishers for review copies of these books.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    Beauty and love: ‘The Lucky Shack’ by Aspara Baldovino

    What a beautiful debut book this is.

    With lush, gorgeous illustrations by Perth-based Jennifer Faulkner, The Lucky Shack tells the story of a simple cottage by the sea, built and cared for by a fisherman.
    One day a frightening storm strikes and the fisherman does not return. The shack feels alone and neglected…until a fisherwoman finds it and once more, the place is loved and lived in.

    The story celebrates the colours, depths and beauty of nature, along with human connection and love.

    There is a wonderful assortment of vocabulary for younger readers to absorb, enriching the narrative and introducing beautiful new words to try:

    Boats pass me by.
    I creak my tired floorboards with loud groans,
    but they don’t stop.
    I flicker the porch light,
    like the lighthouse on the cliff
    sending codes in the night.
    I let go of a precious window shutter
    to send a message into the deep blue,
    to anyone who will listen.

    This is a gorgeous addition to any child’s bookshelf.

    The Lucky Shack is published by Working Title Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, in July 2023.
    My thanks to the publishers for a copy.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    For the dads: ‘Amazing Dad’ by Alison Brown

    A companion book to Amazing Mum, this new picture book by UK creator Alison Brown is a celebration of dads in all their various manifestations.

    There are dads who grocery shop, cook on the barbeque, use a wheelchair, play in the park. There are separated dads, same-sex couple dads, read books, and play guitar. All the dads and their kids are in cute animal form in the endearing illustrations.

    This one is perfect for Father’s Day and for reading aloud together.

    Amazing Dad is published by Farshore, an imprint of HarperCollins, in July 2023.
    My thanks for a review copy.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    Bravery at all ages: ‘How Brave Can I Be?’ by Byll & Beth Stephen

    I wonder if any parent out there can read this picture book by the Stephen sisters, (aka the Teeny Tiny Stevies) and not feel a little wistful?

    As each double page spread charts a child’s growth and passage through their world, readers also catch glimpses of the emotions of mum and dad as they witness their daughter’s growing independence.

    There’s love, and pride, and satisfaction, of course – with a little nostalgia in the mix:

    Darling, I’ve been feeling wistful lately.
    I’m so proud of you, but I feel sad
    that you don’t need me.
    Can you stay where I can watch from the side?
    I won’t get in the way,
    I’ll just be thinking ’bout how time flies…

    …One day soon I’ll take the leap
    and let go of that
    tight grasp I keep.
    I’ll move away and say,
    ‘I’m OK, I’ve got this, I’ll show you how brave I can be.’
    Cause I had you to teach me.

    How Brave Can I Be

    The lovely thing about the illustrations by Simon Howe is that readers always know which character’s thoughts we are hearing, (mum, dad, or daughter) because the individual is highlighted in the picture. It’s a clever technique which underlines the contextual understanding of the words and pictures together.

    A lovely, lovely book, How Brave Can I Be? was published by HarperCollins Children’s Books with ABC Books in May 2023.
    My thanks for a review copy.

  • Children's & Young Adult Books

    June picture book arrivals

    How Do You Say Hello? is the latest in the series by Australian duo Ashleigh Barton and Martina Heiduczek, exploring the richness of human language and culture in picture books. It follows on from earlier titles including What Do You Call Your Grandma?, How Do You Say I Love You? and What Do You Do To Celebrate?

    This one explores a diversity of greetings from languages such as Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Gamilaraay, Turkish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Swahili, among others.

    As always, the illustrations by Martina Heiduczek add a great deal to the story, showing families and friends enjoying time together.

    I love this series and I’m sure there will be more to add to the collection.
    How Do You Say Hello? is published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in June 2023.

    A Very Dinosaur Birthday is by US writer Adam Wallace with illustrations by Christopher Nielsen. It’s a fun romp through a birthday party which is gate-crashed by a bunch of dinosaurs, resulting in hilarity and a great deal of mess – perfect for youngsters who dream about dinosaurs. My grandson would have loved this book a few years ago. The illustrations are bold and bright and the rhyming text moves at a smart pace, echoing the rumbunctious antics of the dinosaurs.

    A Very Dinosaur Birthday is published by Tommy Nelson, an imprint of HarperCollins, also in June 2023.

    My thanks to the publishers for review copies.