Search Results for: shine

The Lucky Shack

The Lucky Shack

The Lucky Shack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lucky Shack

Apsana Baldovino

Jennifer Falkner

Working Title, 2023

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

9781922033154

Having grown up in a harbour town at the very south of the South Island of New Zealand, where the next stop is literally Antarctica, and my childhood days were bordered by either daylight fading or the tide turning, it is neither secret nor surprise that my favourite place to be is by the sea.  Or that I escape there whenever I can, particularly to the more remote places. But remoteness is becoming a luxury as grand McMansions swallow all those little beach shacks that used to be the escape for city-dwellers, although every now and then you see one tucked in amongst its imposing neighbours.  Yet even though the land value puts it out of reach of the bank balance of mere teachers and teacher librarians, nevertheless, we can dream and think about the stories it must have to tell as generations have passed through it, usually since the time at the end of World War II when many were constructed as safe havens for returning soldiers.

In this beautifully illustrated debut title for both author and illustrator, one little shack tells its story. Perched on the shore it watches the boats on the water and the colours of the landscape shine and blur throughout the days and seasons, lovingly cared for by the old fisherman. But dark, monochromatic times come as it slips into loneliness and abandonment as he no longer visits, until one day there is a new glimmer of hope…

As well as being a completely original concept, this a story of  the timelessness of the sea and the seasons, of the cycle and circle of life and of enduring hope for a better future.  Because even at its darkest moments, when it is starting to crumble and fall into the sea,  the little shack believes that all is not lost and indeed, the ending shows that not only can it be restored but its future is assured.  A bit like a person, really.

By telling the story from the perspective of the shack itself, rather than an observant narrator, the reader becomes invested in its tale, feeling its joy when the fisherman brings it to life with warm fires and music, its desolation as it is battered by the elements,  its happiness when a new owner comes and then its delight when children come too.  So even though, on the surface, this would seem like a story for young readers, older readers can explore the concepts of perspective and personification and the impact of those on both the writing and the reading experience.  Teaching notes explore these concepts really well, and readers might even like to try their hand at telling their own story of a tree passing through the seasons from the tree’s perspective, with groups of four each taking a particular season.  As this winter seems endless with its fog and frosts (at least here in the mountains) it is the new buds appearing that offer hope that the world will turn – but, then, is that the same in tropical regions?  Perhaps there is the opportunity for a whole integrated STEM unit! 

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.

The Hats of Marvello

The Hats of Marvello

The Hats of Marvello

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hats of Marvello

Amanda Graham

Lavanya Naidu

HarperCollins, 2023

304pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781460761670

In the small Australian country town of Mount Dry, Olive is preparing for her starring role as a narrator in the Year 5 play. It’s a really big deal for her and she is very excited so she is determined to shine  and so she needs the perfect costume. She is delighted when she finds the perfect top hat at the local op shop, but when she gets it home she discovers it has a secret.  A talking rabbit called Robbit unexpectedly pops out – and a rabbit is something that Olive has always longed for but can never have because they are considered pests on farms and her grandfather has repeatedly refused her requests.

Olive faces a dilemma – how can she obey her grandfather who is trying to rid the farm of rabbits altogether (and is obliged to by law) and still help Robbit who tells her that 100 of his friends have been kidnapped by the wicked Reynard  and need to be rescued?   Her hat is one of a magical set that allows the rabbits to travel between hats through time and place and so when they turn up on the farm  does she hide and protect them so they can go back to Wilby’s Magic Shop in England or does she tell her grandfather?

As well as being torn between Robbit’s pleas and her grandfather’s beliefs there is also the question of how a magician’s hat turned up in an op shop in rural Australia and so Olive is drawn into a mystery that becomes much more exciting than the school play.

Although this is a book that is based on mystery and magic, it is set against a backdrop of people and places that are very recognisable as they face familiar, real-life problems.  Olive has choices to make but there are many elements influencing her options and she has to navigate these while trying to make the right decision to suit everyone.

Short chapters and illustrations make this an intriguing read for independent readers, but one which has some more complex layers that will provoke thought and consideration, and perhaps even further investigation into the impact of introduced animals on the Australian landscape, particularly those species which have become feral.

Hedgehog the Wonder Dog

Hedgehog the Wonder Dog

Hedgehog the Wonder Dog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hedgehog the Wonder Dog

Dannika Patterson

Ross Morgan

 Ford Street, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A17.95

9781922696212

Each day of the week, Hedgehog has a routine he follows with his owner Jo – going to the cafe, the dog park, the beach and even just staying at home on Thursdays. Some people think he is a strange-looking dog, all rough and hairy and sometimes smelling of shorebird poop. But there is more to Hedgehog than meets the eye and only Sam can see this.

Meanwhile, in a parallel world, Sam also has a routine – drawing pictures, playing cards, going outside if it’s fine, having tests… all the while counting down the sleeps till Friday. Because Fridays are the best days  – that’s when Hedgehog comes to visit. Sometimes it’s for cuddles and stories from Jo, but sometimes it’s just for cuddles and comforts as Sam is topped up with Superpower Juice.   No matter how weird or strange Hedgehog might seem to others, to Sam he has superpowers too, and right now that’s what Sam needs.

In this heart-warming, beautifully illustrated story that treads new ground in children’s picture books, exploring the connection between a child in hospital receiving treatment for cancer and a little dog whose owner brings him to visit every Friday and celebrating the healing powers that therapy dogs like Hedgehog can offer. 

Even though Sam’s surroundings and illness are not explicitly stated, close attention to the illustrations beginning with Sam wearing a beanie inside while drawing will offer clues and cues that there is something special happening – sadly, something that will resonate with many whose lives have been touched by cancer.  Even though the situation is one we would wish that no child has to encounter, nevertheless there are touches of humour throughout that lighten the mood, such as Hedgehog rolling in the bird poop, Sam receiving treatment at the Superpower Charging Station, and just Hedgehog’s cheerful appearance and expression. While teaching notes allow for the literary aspects of the book to be examined, the power in this book is the hope and joy that shines through the trauma and sadness.  

Something different to read and share but something essential and illuminating. 

When The War Came Home

When The War Came Home

When The War Came Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When The War Came Home

Lesley Parr

Bloomsbury, 2022

320pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781526621009

Wales, 1920. Twelve-year-old Natty is quite happy living with her mam in their flat, going to the village school with its yummy free lunches, and special fish and chip teas on Fridays just like her dad used to do when he was alive. 

But when her activist mum loses her job for sticking up for the workers’ rights, and they are forced to move in with relatives in a nearby village, things change dramatically.  Firstly, she has to share a room, even a bed, with her cousin Nerys who is very bright and never stops talking.  Then there are the unpredictable Huw who lied about his age to enlist but who has come home a totally different 17 year old suffering from shell-shock, and the mysterious “Johnny”, another young lad who has returned from the Western Front but who has no idea who he is or where he came from.  She also has to attend a school ruled over by a brutal principal who uses his cane freely, particularly on those who are poor and hungry because there are no free dinners at this village school because their provision is the prerogative of the local council.

Even though she is angry at her mother’s desire to right wrongs that are not even her problem because of the impact it has on her own life, Natty is surprised to find herself drawn into a student strike demanding free school lunches so those who don’t have enough to eat can think about their studies rather than their stomachs. Perhaps she is more like her mother than she realises.  But it is her friendship with both Huw and Johnny that has the most profound effect on all their lives, particularly as the message about never giving up is one that comes from all angles.

Once again, Lesley Parr takes the reader back in time to an era of Welsh history, but, as with The Valley of Lost Secrets and  Where the River Takes Us , the issues she addresses will resonate with today’s readers.  For although World War I is over a century ago, many children will know someone who is experiencing PTSD  or the impact of some extraordinary trauma -or it may even be themselves- and so they empathise and perhaps find a little more compassion. And even though women now have the vote and workers have rights, this can serve as a starting point for  an investigation into why such change was inevitable as well as discussions into what remains the same.  Homeless, hunger and abuse are still rife in our society so what is the answer?  Is there an answer?

At the very least, the story shines a light on what happened in so many homes and families around the globe after the guns fell silent.  Sometimes, having your loved one home wasn’t the be-all and end-all – the war came home with them, shaping lives in a way that has impact today.  As Nerys tells Natty,  “The war took him away, Natty. And it gave him back, only not every part of him. And it took away some of the good parts and gave him bad ones instead.”

Lesley Parr has written three books now, and each one has been the most absorbing read – stories of kids of another time and place but whose lives seem so familiar, making them an opportunity to reflect and respect and understand the power of well-crafted, well-rounded characters, a story that seamlessly embraces critical social issues as it flows along, and the joy and satisfaction of being just a little wiser for the experience.  Definitely an author to introduce to those who like meaty, engaging stories. 

Little Wombat’s Easter Surprise

Little Wombat's Easter Surprise

Little Wombat’s Easter Surprise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Wombat’s Easter Surprise

Charles Fuge

Walker, 2022 

28pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781760654269

Little Wombat is busy collecting eggs on his Easter hunt when he sees Rabbit hop by wearing a special Easter Bunny costume. It’s such a good costume that the tail and nose won’t come even off – but wait, is that really Rabbit? Or is it his new friend, Bilby?

In 1991,  the Foundation for Rabbit Free Australia (RFA) developed and registered the Easter Bilby campaign  to raise awareness of the damage rabbits do to native wildlife, and to raise money with royalties from Easter Bilby sales to fund research programs. In 1993, Haigh’s Chocolates in Adelaide stopped making chocolate Easter bunnies and made the first Easter Bilby, donating part of the proceeds to RFA.  More recently the Easter Bilbies have been made by Fyna Foods sold under the brands of Australian Bush Friends and Pink Lady and have been stocked by national chains and other independent stores. 

Aligned to this, in 1999 the  Save the Bilby Fund was established in 1999 to raise money and awareness to help stop the steady decline of bilbies. The fund helps support bilby conservation initiatives including a breeding program and a “bilby fence” creating a predator-free zone in Western Queensland. 

Dedicated to Tim Faulkner and his work with Aussie Ark ,Little Wombat’s Easter Surprise shines a new light on the both the plight of the bilby and the reasons behind Australia having such a unique interpretation of the familiar Easter Bunny both for the young audience and their parents who share it because they will be too young to remember the circumstances.  As in Swim, Little Wombat, SwimLittle Wombat tries to mimic the actions of his new friends Bilby and Easter Bunny only to discover he has his own unique talents that come in very handy for building friendships and having fun.

As well as being a fresh story about Easter in Australia, and helping children understand that we each have special abilities that we can use for the good of others, it is a great way to introduce another Australian species, sadly also endangered, and raising awareness (and perhaps money) that there are many who need our help.  

Sea Bear

Sea Bear

Sea Bear: a journey for survival

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Bear: a journey for survival 

Lindsay Moore

Greenwillow Books, 2023

48pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9780062791290

Imagine you are a polar bear.

Your coat is thick. Your teeth are sharp.

Your front paws are paddles, your back paws are rudders, and you can swim for miles.

Your home has always been the sea and the ice.

A sea bear, far north in the Arctic, hunts and naps and raises her young. She moves with the ice, swimming, running, stalking seals, resting. She follows the rhythm of the sea and the seasons.

But what happens when those rhythms change? What happens when there is no ice?

Told from the perspective of a female bear, the reader is taken on a journey of the Arctic seasons starting in spring when the ice is thick and the baby seals numerous, through to summer when the water warms and the ice melts, making it too thin to stand on and the seals more wary and quicker. Smelling land on the offshore breeze, the bear starts to swim to shore for food but it is a long arduous and perilous journey filled with lots of other creatures of the cold seas.  But above all, polar bears are patient and so she continues knowing that the world will turn, the time will pass and winter will come again. Courage, determination, resilience – even in the animal kingdom.

As well as the evocative text, it is the illustrations which make this book a stand-out.   Using a palette of a myriad of blues, the reader is treated to all the moods and times of this wonderland -starry night skies, ocean depths and shallows, the aurora borealis, the breaking ice pack and isolate seashore. While it could be a story of any sea bear, using the first person builds a connection with the reader so we are invested in her survival as well as that of all her kind. Her companions of the deep become less threatening as they pass by each other as Moore’s illustrations reflect her Master of Science in Medical and Scientific Illustration.

A page of information about sea ice and polar bears and another introducing the creatures she passes on her journey to shore add to the value of this book which shines a light on the plight of Arctic (and Antarctic) creatures as global warming continues and the amount of sea ice declines each year

Originally published in hardback in 2019, this is the more affordable paperback version from the same author who gave us the intriguing true story, Yoshi and the Ocean last year.  A valuable addition to your environment and sustainability collection that a new wave of students can enjoy.

 

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses

Jacqui Halpin

Big Sky, 2022

72pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781922615602

For over 100 years Australia’s military nurses have been risking their own lives to save the lives of others. From nursing Gallipoli wounded in Egypt during World War I, to treating injured troops and civilians in modern day Afghanistan, with skill, devotion, and compassion these courageous nurses have cared for the casualties of war.

Australia Remembers 6: Care and Compassion – Wartime Nurses, the sixth in this series, shines a light on the remarkable women, and later men, who have served, and continue to serve Australia and humanity during times of war, conflict and natural disasters. The hardships, dangers and sorrows they faced is made accessible to younger readers and highlights the outstanding contribution of these often-forgotten heroes. With historic photographs, quotes from past and present-day nurses, fascinating facts and medical breakthroughs, questions and fun activities, it provides engaging and informative reading for children, adults and educators.

It ensures Australia’s military nurses will be remembered for the sacrifices they have made, the care they have given, and the lives they have saved with facts and photographs combined in a layout that makes the information readily accessible. Teachers’ notes are available to guide a deeper understanding  of both the text and its subject, making this a valuable addition to any collection that focuses on Australia’s military history and the things we commemorate around Both April 25 and November 11.

The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra

The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra

The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Mary-Kate Martin’s Guide to Monsters (series)

The Trouble with the Two-Headed Hydra

Karen Foxlee

Freda Chu

Allen & Unwin, 2022

304pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760526634

Although a rather anxious child who prefers  to make lists so she can plan and manage her life because she doesn’t cope with change well, nevertheless Mary-Kate Martin has left the sanctuary of her grandmother’s home to travel the world with her mother whose life is spent on mystery-solving adventures such as why the Woolington Wyrm was causing such destruction in a quiet English village. 

This time, Mary-Kate and her mother are visiting Galinios, an idyllic Greek Island filled with history and surrounded by the shimmering Aegean Sea. An ancient mosaic has been unearthed at the local sardine processing plant and Professor Martin must investigate, leaving Mary-Kate to enjoy a few days of sunshine and antiquity.

But a message asking for help changes everything. A wrecked boat and smashed jetty have recently disrupted life on this tranquil island and point to a monster-sized mystery. Could the local legend of the Two-Headed Hydra be more than a story? If so, what could make this historically serene sea creature so angry?  Armed with her glitter pens and strawberry-scented notebook, Miss Mary-Kate Martin is determined to find answers. She might be scared of heights, but there is no problem too big for her to solve.

This is the second in this series for independent readers who like mystery, adventure and a touch of fantasy, and given that it is based on the creature of Greek mythology perhaps it will inspire deeper investigation, maybe even an entry into the class Monsters book inspired by yesterday’s review.  

You are Loved

You are Loved

You are Loved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are Loved

Liv Downing

Mel Matthews

Albert Street, 2022

36pp., board book., RRP $A24.99

9781760878146

You are loved when you win the race.
You are loved when you don’t.
You are loved when you brush your teeth.
You are loved when you won’t.

You are loved all the days and nights,
in sunshine and in rain.
And if you forget, put your hand on your heart
and feel the love again.

This board book with clever, colourful cutouts affirms and reassures young children that they are loved, no matter what. In  conversations with the grown-ups in their lives they can learn that even though their behaviour is sometimes frustrating, nevertheless the person they are is still loved and treasured. 

If children grow up thinking themselves unworthy of love, then the seeds of poor mental health are sown from the get-go and because so many little ones blame themselves for parental discord this is a message that sadly, many need to hear and adults need to remind themselves of.  The connections we make with those who are embedded in our lives are critical for physical and emotional health and the more we can offer our little ones this reassurance, the better.