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Lily Halfmoon: The Magic Gems

Lily Halfmoon: The Magic Gems

Lily Halfmoon: The Magic Gems

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lily Halfmoon: The Magic Gems

Xavier Bonet

A & U Children’s, 2023

80pp., graphic novel, RRP $A16.99

9781761180354

It’s Lily’s birthday and she has moved to a new village, a new house and now it’s time for her to start a new school. She has all the same trepidations about it as other children do but when she gets there she finds things are a bit different from her previous school because this one is especially for witches to learn their craft!  Lily had no idea she had magical powers but now a lot of things in her life start to make sense. 

And now, in The Royal Academy and Library of Magic Studies, Creatures,  Potions and Spells (aka The Library) she must learn magic, and find her animal guardian and gemstone, while keeping her new identity a secret -even her family can’t be told. With her friends Gigi and Mai  she is part of a group of witches who have to protect the people of Piedraville from evil, tricky when there is a dangerous creature on the loose. And she’s found a rare and unique gem that no witch has ever had before – what does it all mean?

There are so many stories in this vein for emerging independent readers to choose from, and this one appeals because it can be both a stepping stone to more complex reads like Harry Potter as well as to the graphic novel format because it combines the new-to-some format with elements of a traditional layout. There are the familiar panels and speech bubbles of the former, although the text is written in the usual way with capital letters, lower case and punctuation, as well as the conventions of the latter for introductions, instructions, maps and other diagrams.  

Those readers who are verging on independence often view “real readers” as those who can read thick books or graphic novels and that is the yardstick by which they measure their success, so this is the ideal bridge for them capturing their imaginations through a popular theme but putting it in a setting that they can relate to.  Genius. 

Questions & Answers About Growing Up For Boys and Girls

Questions & Answers About Growing Up For Boys and Girls

Questions & Answers About Growing Up For Boys and Girls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions & Answers About Growing Up For Boys and Girls

Joanna Cole

Bill Thomas

Farshore, 2023

96pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9780008587871

Fifty years ago, in 1973, Peter Mayle and Arthur Robins collaborated on two books that provided answers (with illustrations) on many of the questions that children have about growing up, body changes and their own origins.  And Where Did I Come From? and What’s Happening to Me?  were so revolutionary at the time that they are still in print, recognisable  and readily available today because there is still a need for them. 

Questions about puberty, sex, and transitioning into adulthood will always exist, and given the fuss made about a recently released book written for teens and the banning of so many similar titles in so many states in the USA, it is clearly a topic that many parents are still not comfortable discussing with their children. What we used to learn behind the shelter sheds in the school playgrounds is now available everywhere just by watching a movie, television or an internet search, and there is no guarantee that what is learned is accurate or healthy.

And so, no-nonsense, factual books such as this new one from experts in relationships and sex education remain a necessity in library collections so that our children can learn and know for themselves.  While the average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12., it’s perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys and thus this book has a place on primary school shelves as well as this blog.  Using a Q&A format it covers the usual areas of the changes that boys and girls will experience but also touches on issues such as gender identity and contraception, the explanations being factual and straight-forward so that not only are the questions shown to be common and normal but also the answers and actions.  Children experiencing the changes and wondering what’s happening do not need to feel alone, abnormal or even dirty, and thus, they can understand that they are just like everyone else about the same age, but they have the advantage of knowledge.

For those born in a time when babies came from the cabbage patch or were delivered by a stork, when homosexuality was a criminal offence with an attached jail term, and the only source of information was from behind those shelter sheds, the normalisation of the conversations these days may seem strange and hence the actions in those US states where teachers and school librarians can face criminal charges for sharing books like this (or even having them in the collection) but IMO, the more information our children can access the better and so this is an important addition to your 612.6 section.

 

 

Olive of Groves (series)

Olive of Groves

Olive of Groves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Olive of Groves (series)

Olive of Groves

9780733342615

The Great Slurp of Time

9780733342646

The Right Royal Romp

9780733342622

Katrina Nannestad

Lucia Masciullo

ABC Books, 2023

288pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

Mrs Groves’ Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers is NOT the place for an ordinary girl like Olive but because her grandparents just wanted her to be able to mix with other people it is where she has ended up by mistake. And because going to boarding school has been her dream, Olive decides to stay even though she has to tell a lie that she is an acrobat to be able to satisfy the entry requirements because she is neither a naughty boy, a talking animal or an actual circus  performer. Apart from not being an acrobat, as those who are are keen to show her, she has to contend with a principal who is terrified of ordinary girls like her and whose leadership and management skills are non-existent as she seems to be perpetually flustered and flummoxed; a supercilious, egotistical pig who is a bully and determined to make her life unbearable, a goose that faints at the slightest thing, and sharing a strange turret room with three talking rats.  Thank goodness she has some allies.

Originally published in 2015 and shortlisted for the 2016 Indie Book Awards, this is a whimsical series for younger readers who can lose themselves in the nonsense of such a scenario and just enjoy Olive’s adventures for what they are.  There is tension and drama as the series progresses – it is one best read in order – but this is offset by the crazy characters, the situations they find themselves in and the clever dialogue. Even the title is a clever play on words. As all three have been republished and released at the same time, this is a series for those who like to binge-read without having to wait for the next episode. 

The Girl Who Brought Mischief

The Girl Who Brought Mischief

The Girl Who Brought Mischief

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Girl Who Brought Mischief

Katrina Nannestad

ABC Books, 2023

224pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9780733342899

After her mother dies, Inge Marie is sent to live with a grandmother she has never met, and who certainly doesn’t seem to want the responsibility of an unknown child, particularly one with her hair half-eaten off by a goat. It is a huge adjustment for each of them as Inge Marie is used to a carefree childhood with servants and freedom in the bustling city of Copenhagen and now finds herself in a tiny cottage on a remote island of Denmark where there are farm animals to care for, domestic chores to be done and a bed to be shared with a grandmother who snores.  And things get much worse when she has to go to the local school… 

Inge is very aware that what might be normal for her bright, optimistic self could be construed by her grandmother as bad manners or even bad behaviour and so she becomes very grateful and remorseful as she navigates a series of incidents like knocking Henry the turkey out cold that are just the hijinks of childhood It’s hard to forge a path between an imagination boosted by the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, the city life taken so abruptly from her and living with someone who has only known the traditional life of a small village community.  Grandmother slaps her once or twice – she has never been hit before – but it is all part of the process of accepting their unimaginable loss and managing their grief.  And gradually things start to change, not just for Inge and her grandmother but, indeed for the whole village.

This book was previously published in 2013 and was the Winner of the 2014 NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature as well as being a CBCA Notable Book for Younger Readers in 2014 and it has stood the test of time.  Told by Inge, it is both heart-warming and heart-breaking in places but throughout there is a realisation that both are trying to come to terms with their new situation and you have the feeling that things will work out for the best.  Despite being set in 1911, when girls were supposed to be quiet and genteel while boys could be rowdy and rambunctious, young readers will see themselves in the outspoken Inge and delight in her approach to life while being compassionate for her loss.   

As well as being deserving of the awards that it has won and the praise it has been given, this story has stood the test of time and a new audience will delight in it.  

 

Edward the Emu 35th Anniversary Edition

Edward the Emu

Edward the Emu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward the Emu 35th Anniversary Edition

Sheena Knowles

Rod Clement

HarperCollins, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

9781460764084

Edward the emu was sick of the zoo,

There was nowhere to go and nothing to do,

And compared to the seals that lived right next door,

Well being an emu was frankly, a bore. 

And so Edward decides he is going to be someone else entirely – he tries swimming with the seals, he spends a day lounging with the lions, and even slithers with the snakes – before realising that perhaps the thing he is best at is being himself.

This is an Australian children’s classic, first published 35 years ago, and one shared with so many classes and children in my care ever since.  The children always respond so well because apart from the storyline, its rhyme and rhythm and its glorious illustrations, it is one of the best stories ever for helping our young people understand that who they are and being that is enough.  And their turn to shine will come, even if the spotlight is on someone else right now.  Certainly, when I include a copy of it in a storybook cushion, parents buy it because they remember it as an integral part of their childhood story journey.

And there is even more fun if it is teamed with  Edwina the Emu, the sequel which follows Edward’s journey but with a focus on his mate who is also trying to find her identity.

 

Edwina the Emu

Edwina the Emu

These two stories are classic Australian children’s literature at its best – there is a message of being comfortable and confident about who you are but it is subtle and embedded first and foremost in an entertaining engaging story which has to be the primary focus of any author. No wonder they have stood the test of time and are still around to delight yet another generation.

Business Chickens

Business Chickens

Business Chickens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Chickens

Jess McGeachin

Puffin, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

 9780143779179

Fran is not a good business chicken… She is not neat; does not arrive on time at work at her office job every morning and she certainly doesn’t take everything very seriously as the others do. Instead of staid business ties, she prefers brightly coloured scarves, and sharing treats and jokes is much more fun that staring at a screen all day.

When her out-of-the-ordinary ways come to the attention of management she is hauled before the boss, but no matter how hard she works and tries to conform, she is still laid off.  Is the end for Fran or is there another path she can follow?  One that not only makes her happy, but all those staid old chooks as well?

This is a new take on an old theme of having the courage to be yourself and follow your own dreams, but once again McGeachin has put his own spin on it so that first and foremost it is an engaging story that will make young readers really start to cheer for Fran and her right and need to be herself, as well as being free to explore different paths to discover just who that is. .    

 

 

Feelings Are Wild

Feelings Are Wild

Feelings Are Wild

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feelings Are Wild

Sophy Williams

Gavin Scott

A & U Children’s, 2023

24pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761180262

One koala feels grumpy

His naptime was too short.

Two bunnies feel nervous

What if they get caught?

As our little ones become more independent they not only begin to feel a variety of emotions but also begin to recognise and identify a range of them, some of which can be a bit scary if they are made to feel ashamed or guilty for expressing them. So this charming picture book (which is also a counting book) helps them understand that not only are these emotions normal, they are common and experienced by everyone so they, themselves, are no different from their siblings or their friends.  

Read together with an adult, they can be encouraged to look at the illustrations to work out what the characters are doing  and describe how they might be feeling, thus recognising and describing situations where they might have felt a similar feeling as well as extending their vocabulary and starting to understand cause and effect. Having the characters as animals puts the events at arm’s length so they have the choice about whether they share a similar situation or not.  Such opportunities help them learn to articulate their feelings rather than throwing frustration-driven tantrums because they don’t have the words, as well as teaching them that it is OK to talk about all sorts of feelings. Not every sentence has to start with “I am happy when…” 

But  what sets this book apart from the many that describe and acknowledge emotions generally, is that having raised the issue that raised the emotion, it then revisits the animals to see how it was resolved.  So the child learns that while having the “big feelings” is normal, they can be turned around and only last for a short time.  

IMO, young children can never hear the message that they are OK, that they are normal and just like everyone else often enough and this is a book that helps underpin that. 

 

Blackbeard’s Treasure

Blackbeard's Treasure

Blackbeard’s Treasure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackbeard’s Treasure

Iszi Lawrence

Bloomsbury, 2023

288pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

97818010967

It’s 1718: pirate ships sail the oceans and brutal slave masters control the plantations so that those in Europe can enjoy luxuries like sugar, cotton and tobacco.

Eleven-year-old Abigail Buckler lives with her father in the Caribbean. Her clothes are made of finest muslin so she can’t play in them, not that there’s anyone to play with anyway. Her only “companion” is Boubacar, a slave boy whose whole family would be punished if their friendship became public knowledge. Such are the protocols of the time, she isn’t even allowed to go out alone. But when pirates attack the settlement, Abigail’s life changes forever, particularly her beliefs about and relationship with her father. Suddenly her old certainties about right and wrong, good and bad start to unravel. 

Maybe Abigail doesn’t have to be so ladylike after all… in fact she can’t be as she dresses like a boy to escape and the twists and turns of her new life show her there are many sides to people, and not all stereotypes are true. 

Fast-paced, action-filled this is a tense drama packed with characters who actually existed including Blackbeard himself, historical detail about the Atlantic slave trade, the ravages of empire and imperialism and the human cost of providing those luxuries to a Europe obsessed with displays of wealth and power, and which takes a look at the real pirates of the Caribbean, making it more than just a swashbuckling adventure and perhaps the start of an investigation that could help readers start to understand old practices and current attitudes. 

In My Dreams

In My Dreams

In My Dreams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In My Dreams

Chelsea Schar-Grant

Aaron Pocock

Little Steps, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A16.95

9781922678409

Just like its intended audience, little Platypus has big dreams of being everything from a movie star to a police officer to a princess, even a racing car driver. And given being asked what you want to be “when you grow up” has to be one of the most common questions asked of young people (as though who they are at the moment is not enough), this is a story deliberately written to inspire the imagination and start the dream.

The vibrant, detailed illustrations explore Little Platypus’s dreams beautifully – my favourite has to be her in her “shining pink tutu” with “silk ballet pointe shoes” on her feet – and really help the young reader realise that if she can do it so can they.  Great for showing little ones that they can dream big, as well as being a kickstart for those a little older who could articulate their dream and then investigate what it would take to make it come true.

Birdie Lights Up the World

Birdie Lights Up the World

Birdie Lights Up the World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birdie Lights Up the World

Alison McLennan

Lauren Mullinder

EK Books, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781922539489

Each evening at sunset, Birdie the penguin would sing to the sky, enticing the stars and the moon to come out so the other zoon animals would not be left in darkness. She believed that she was the chosen one, and this was her sole purpose.  But she is dismayed when she gets sick and cannot sing, and depressed when the sky lights up in its evening show regardless. Clearly, she is not as important as she thought she was.  What is her purpose if not to sing the night in?

This is a sensitive story that opens up opportunities to discuss some philosophical questions with young readers about purpose and responsibility and coping with disappointment.  Teachers’ notes suggest some of the questions that could be posed and how Birdie’s situation might be related to their own lives, particularly if ambitions or expectations are thwarted somehow. In a world where every little thing is rewarded with praise and celebration, some children are not learning how to deal with things that don’t work out the way they want and so this is a chance to ask, “But what if…” 

“The author has said that she wanted to deliver the message that we all have special, unique gifts and it’s our responsibility to share them with the world. If we have a song to sing, we should sing it, whether it fills a stadium or only brings joy to one person … it all counts.”