Everyone Starts Small

Apr18
Everyone Starts Small

Everyone Starts Small

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone Starts Small

Liz Garton Scanlon

Dominique Ramsey

Candlewick Press, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A34.99

9781536226157

Sun grows beams
and Grass grows blades
and Cloud cannot contain herself.

Spring rains change Water from a tumbling creek to a roaring river and bring Tree nutrients it needs to stretch toward the sky. As Sun’s rays intensify, the sprouts and fruits and insects of the forest grow and bloom and develop, all working together in harmony. Even Fire, whose work causes Tree to ache from the inside, brings opportunity for the next generation of flora and fauna. This poetic tribute to our planet’s resilience, accompanied by its striking illustrations is a resonant story of life, death, and regeneration and demonstrates to young readers the interdependence of the elements of Nature and how without one, or too much of one, our planet cannot survive, let alone thrive.

It echoes the old Aesop fable of The North Wind and the Sun although the theme of this is not competition but the symbiosis of the elements, despite Tree warning that “it is not a race”.  As well as building a greater awareness of the world around them, it introduces young readers to the concept of life cycles and possibly sparking investigations of the connections between creatures and their habitats and what they can do to help such as making a bee motel.

For those more mature readers, the personification could be a metaphor for their own lives, a reassurance that despite all they might experience as they grow and mature into independence, like Tree, they have the resilience and wherewithal to cope with whatever they encounter no matter how bleak the immediate future might seem.  Despite the devastation of Fire and the harshness of Winter, following the devastation, the Earth renews itself, and new lives arise again, rife with fabulous potential – just as they can. 

Words Between Us

Apr17
Words Between Us

Words Between Us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words Between Us

Angela Pham Krans

Dung Ho

HarperCollins US, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9780063224544

Felix and Grandma have always lived oceans apart—until the day Grandma arrives in the city from Vietnam. Felix is so excited to meet Grandma and spend time with her. But it’s tricky when he speaks no Vietnamese and she speaks no English. They get by with both showing each other special things like Felix’s pet iguana Pete and Grandma showing him how to care for the garden but one day, when Felix and Grandma are visiting a big festival,  Grandma gets lost and doesn’t know how to ask for help.  It is then that Felix decides to teach her English, and by working together and teaching each other, they bond closely as they learn to share words as well, culminating in their shared love of pizza.

With end papers that have flashcard translations of common words, (and Grandma’s recipe for pizza), this is another story like I Hear a Buho and Giovanni  that allows us to share and celebrate the languages spoken by our students as they take the opportunity to teach us the common words for the things that unite us regardless of our heritage.  Having bilingual books in our collections and actively promoting them is a way that we can build bridges and open doorways for those who are not native English speakers by showing them that we value what they can bring to the teaching and learning experience.  

For many newcomers to this country not speaking the common language can be a very isolating experience, compounding the difficulties of what must have already been a difficult decision, but if we can reach out to families through stories – perhaps even inviting them into the library to share the stories of their childhood in their own language to encourage those of the same background to hear them and learn about them – we show the parents, particularly the mothers, that we care and that their child will not be lost.  And, in return, we all gain so much!!!

The Adventures of William Brambleberry: Aviator Mouse

Apr16
The Adventures of William Brambleberry: Aviator Mouse

The Adventures of William Brambleberry: Aviator Mouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Adventures of William Brambleberry: Aviator Mouse

Genevieve Hopkins

Alexandra Heazlewood

The Military Shop,, 2017

32pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9780648153221

As war rages above the skies of the Cornish town of Perranporth, a little mouse watches the Spitfires of the RAAF Squadron 453 fly overhead and dares to dream… “One day I’ll be the bravest, most adventurous aviator mouse in all the world.”

The other mice laughed at him and told him he was too small to fly planes, but William had faith and one day, instead of just looking at them, he took the first step in making his dream come true – a step that had the most remarkable consequences.

Based on thorough research and including actual air and ground crew characters at the time, this is not only a story to encourage young readers to work towards making their dreams reality, but it will also appeal to those with an interest in military aviation and Spitfires in particular. Diagrams and accurate illustrations add authentic information and there is also the most adorable soft toy available.  It is the first of three proposed stories so young readers can look forward to learning more as they read more.

With the commemoration of ANZAC  Day on April 25, this is something different to add to that collection of Australia’s military history to appeal to those looking for a new avenue to explore, particularly families whose families may have served either in the squadron itself, or in the RAAF generally as something other than stories featuring ground troops. 

The book is available from the Military Shop and similar outlets as well as selected Australia Post shops, so an internet search would be the best way to identify your best supplier.  

Kevin the Sheep

Apr15
Kevin the Sheep

Kevin the Sheep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin the Sheep

Jacqueline Harvey

Kate Isobel Scott

Puffin, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A17.99

9781761048951

Shaun, Shauna, Sheryl and Shane are sheep – and are as predictable in their sheepish behaviour as the alliteration of their names.  Along with the rest of the flock, they are happy doing the same things over and over day after day in their fields of green grass and clover.

But Kevin is different.  To start with, he’s allergic to grass and would much prefer a bowl of soup (sprinkled with chives) and instead of subjecting himself to the regular shearing, he prefers to keep his locks long, and have painted purple hooves!  And if that’s not enough, he’s into drama and dance, is learning to knit (from a Ewe-Tube video), and is mastering kung fu, among other things. Sadly for Kevin, the other sheep don’t approve and ostracise him, make him feel like an outcast and he gets sadder and sadder.  Until one night…

There are many stories for young readers about being yourself, embracing the things that make you unique and standing up to those who would prefer you to be one of the flock, but few that I have read have been as LOL funny as this one, and as appealing.  Living as I do in sheep country, sheep behaviour is a common sight and both the author and the illustrator have captured that brilliantly. A paddock of sheep is a paddock of sheep is a paddock of sheep… So to have a Kevin to rock the flock is a masterpiece, particularly as his differences span all sorts of attributes from physical appearance to food allergies to sporting prowess to hobby choices… No matter how a little one in your realm stands out from the crowd, they will be able to relate to Kevin and draw strength from his determination to accept his differences (even though it takes some sleepless nights to understand that he has the inner strength to do so) so that they, too, can revel in who they are, what they look like and what they can do. 

Teachers’ notes include some pages to colour that could become the centrepiece of the reader’s own story or they might even like to use Kate Scott’s illustrations as a model to draw Kevin doing what they like to do most, then making up their own story to go with that. 

Definitely one for both the home and school library.

 

I Hear a Búho

Apr14
I Hear a Búho

I Hear a Búho

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Hear a Búho

Raquel Mackay

Armando Fonseca

Scribble Kids, 2024

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

9781761380495

As night falls, a  mother and daughter snuggle together in a hammock on their porch, and listen to the sounds of the night. The young girl makes animal calls and her mother responds, identifying the creatures in Spanish while the striking illustrations identify them for those who don’t speak that language. Then to their surprise a real búho appears and flies across the night sky.

When she was little, Ms Almost-18 and I drove regularly between Canberra and Cooma and on the way she would delight in teaching me the Spanish words that she learned from watching Dora the Explorer and took even more delight in the words she knew and which I didn’t (and I had to guess from her clues).  Children are fascinated by other languages and so this new book, the first bilingual text from this publisher, not only gives young Spanish-speaking readers the buzz of seeing their language celebrated in a book but also offers non-Spanish speakers some new words to add to their vocabularies so they, too, can baffle their elders.

I recently gave another bilingual book to a friend teaching a couple of Italian-speaking children and she told me that the doors it opened and the bridges it built between school and home were remarkable as the whole family got involved in sharing it, so we should never underestimate the power of acknowledging the languages spoken by our children and demonstrating to parents that we do this.  The animals that are featured in this seemingly simple rhyming story are a dog, cat, frog and owl, so how inclusive would it be if we invited all students to teach us what their words for these creatures are, and then extend that to teaching us their words for other creatures that we see around us in the local environment, or for the sounds we hear as night falls.  The sights and  sounds of the city are very different to the sights and  sounds of the country.

As with many well-written picture books that appear at first glance to be for the very young, in the hands of an imaginative teacher they can become powerful teaching tools for all ages, and this one has great potential too.  

The Great Australian Science Book

Apr13
The Great Australian Science Book

The Great Australian Science Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Australian Science Book

Prof. Luke O’Neill

Linda Fährlin

CSIRO Publishing, 2024

96pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781486316595

“Science is a small word for a really big thing”.   And it starts with a question like “how far away is the sun and why is it so hot” and then continues with an idea that might provide the answer, an experiment to see if the idea might be possible and then a theory that explains what we were wondering about in the first place.  Then the theory is tested and tested and tested, maybe challenged and changed until it is confirmed and an answer revealed.  

For some younger students, the concept of science might be overwhelming but as they make their way through this book specifically written for the Australian and New Zealand market, and addressed directly at the reader, they will realise that they too can think like a scientist and start to make sense of their world.  Covering topics spanning The Universe, Planet Earth, The Human Body, and The Very Small as well as a timeline of major discoveries it answers many of the questions that vex young minds in manageable chunks using accessible language and lots of illustrations. It includes  how Australia has made huge contributions to science and offers a few experiments for the reader to undertake as they learn to think like a scientist.

There are any number of books introducing young readers to these basic topics that capture their curiosity, but because this one emphasises that need to be a creative and critical thinker (and even sums those steps up in a graphic)  it is unique.  There are teachers’ notes available to use the book as the basis for a science program but it is probably more useful as a dip-and-delve book for the individual to follow their curiosity and their questions arise. 

Dexter Lost His Boo-Woo

Apr12
Dexter Lost His Boo-Woo

Dexter Lost His Boo-Woo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dexter Lost His Boo-Woo

Shane Hegarty

Ben Mantle

Hodder Children’s, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781444966350 

HELP! Dexter’s lost his Boo-Woo.

It’s a scary sounding beast! It has fiery eyes and floppy ears, and twenty pointy teeth!

Soon the whole town is on the hunt for the Boo-Woo… police officers, firefighters and so many more join in the search, each getting more and more concerned as Dexter describes the Boo-Woo.  They are very relieved when they find it,  but have they?

At first glance, this is a story written in fast-paced rhyme for very young children about finding something precious that has been lost and the emotions that that engenders, but it has the potential to be so much more because as the locals join the search, Dexter adds more and more information building up the picture of what his Boo-Woo looks like.  So much like The Dudgeon is Coming, young students can build group or individual pictures adding features as they are revealed, particularly if the first reading of the story is read aloud without showing the illustrator’s interpretation of the words (wrap the cover in brown paper) so the listeners really have to engage with the text as each new detail is revealed.  

It not only provides an excellent opportunity to focus on description and descriptors which will enrich their own writing, but also on perception because each drawing will be different and none will be the same as that of Ben Mantle.  You can talk about how our experiences shape our mind’s eye, and perhaps even introduce the classic poem, The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe. Extend the experience by having them draw the king in The King’s Breakfast by A. A. Milne, Dahl’s BFG as he walks down the street blowing dreams through the windows, or even Gandalf’s first meeting with Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. Each has a description that lends itself to be interpreted in a graphic and because each of us interprets what we see and hear differently can lead to discussions about perception, what is truth and how it is shaped by our beliefs, values and even our role in an incident.   

But to be able to hang such a series of lessons on a story, you first need an engaging story that appeals to its audience on the surface, and Dexter and his Boo-Woo is certainly that, with the ending lending itself to even more possibilities!  

‘Twas the Night Before Pride

Apr11
'Twas the Night Before Pride

‘Twas the Night Before Pride

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Twas the Night Before Pride

Joanna McClintick

Juana Media

Walker Books, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781529512502

 On the night before Pride, families everywhere are preparing to take part in this special parade celebrating gender diversity and honouring those in the LBGTQ+ community who fought against injustice and inequality. As one family packs snacks and makes signs, an older sibling shares the importance of the parade with the newest member of the family. Reflecting on the day, the siblings agree that the best thing about Pride is getting to be yourself.

This book has been sitting on my shelf waiting for the right opportunity to review it, and that seemed to present itself in the last week or two. Firstly, there was a conversation with a number of women of a certain age who still seem to believe that gender diversity is an active choice made by the individual and who not only thought it “disgusting” but believed it to be a result of the child’s upbringing and so condemned all those involved, which in this instance, included me.  Secondly, there was a request to a teacher librarian forum for LGBTQIA+ book suggestions for a primary school including how to deal with anticipated parental backlash.  So clearly there remains a need to continually educate and advocate for those who don’t fit the accepted norm, and the lines from the story

It sometimes happens we’re not given respect. It can take a long time for some to accept

becomes even more poignant and relevant, especially in light of some of the policies in schools in parts of the US and book bannings in libraries which clearly, some would prefer to have here as well.  

It remains my hope that one day soon that family and gender diversity in stories will not be a cause for comment, let alone a label but until then we need to continue to include books that demonstrate that people are people regardless of who they might share their nights with in our collection so that our young people don’t have the prejudices that are clearly still in our community.  This one, written to the rhythm of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”, although written for a US audience with reference to historical events there, is nevertheless, a worthwhile addition to your collection particularly because of the lines I’ve quoted, and to help our young ones understand the message behind the parade at Mardi Gras.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for appropriate titles, search this blog for LGBTQIA+, check out this list from Walker Books, or this one from Readings, and if you need to explain or defend your position, see how it is dealt with in this sample collection policy and this blog post. 

Super Sloth: Revenge of the Chick-Oats

Apr10
Super Sloth: Revenge of the Chick-Oats

Super Sloth: Revenge of the Chick-Oats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Sloth: Revenge of the Chick-Oats

Aleesah Darlison

Cheri Hughes

Big Sky, 2024

140pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781923004948

On a remote itty-bitty island off the coast of Panama there is an itty-bitty community of itty-bitty creatures. And while the rest of these pygmy sloths are content to dwell in the trees and move around “as slow as a rainy winter weekend”, Romeo Fortez, is different.  At his naming ceremony, the heavens do spectacular and amazing things and  Romeo is imbibed with powers of speed, intelligence, and irresistibly hypnotic good looks. As he grows up, Romeo craves speed and adventure and even his parents know that Escudo Island would never be big enough for him. But then he overhears a reference to New York – the city that never sleeps – and he knows that that is where he must be…

In the second episode of this action-packed series for newly independent young readers, ,Romeo’s nemesis, the unhinged Professor Ian Weird-Warp, is at it again. Bent on revenge, he concocts a quirky catastrophe. Mixing chicken and goat genes, he spawns a gang of eccentric chick-oats and they’re on the loose in the Big Apple, destroying everything in their path all the while chanting, ‘Berk-berk-baa!’

As the team faces off against Professor Weird-Warp’s sinister demands for Romeo’s surrender, they must hatch a brilliant plan to thwart the mad professor’s wicked schemes once and for all. Can this unlikely crew save the city from the clutches of the chick-oats?

Apart from being a fun read, it ends with the professor obviously intending more shenanigans so readers might like to have fun imagining what his next mutations might be – firstly it was a shark and a wolf, now chickens and goats so what could be next?  Perhaps they could even draw what they visualise and develop their own story based on what they already know of the resident characters, Weird-Warp’s motivations and their own imaginations.  

Stacey Casey and the Lost City

Apr9
Stacey Casey and the Lost City

Stacey Casey and the Lost City

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stacey Casey and the Lost City

Michael C. Madden

Nancy Bevington

Big Sky, 2024

164pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781922896667

Stacey Casey’s father is a terrible inventor. But now, despite years of failed inventions, he has created a functioning time machine.  But instead of sending him back in time, he turns their entire house into a time machine, transporting everyone and everything in it back into history, although they still have access to parts of 2022 like mobile phones and the internet.

In this, the third episode, while Stacey, her dad and the baby dinosaur have escaped back to 2022 after robbing a bank with Ned Kelly, Oliver was captured by the evil Isla Palmer. But now he has turned up at their home but as an old man…  Travelling back to 1964 to rescue him, and to stop an evil woman from stealing a powerful artifact and taking over the world, Stacey and her friends  take on a dangerous quest that takes them to a place outside of all time and space as they team up with the world’s most famous philosopher, Plato, to explore the lost city of Atlantis. And somehow, they have a dinosaur to return to its mum…

This is a series best read in order so there is continuity of the narrative but it is one that will appeal to those who prefer to go back in time rather than forward for their reading matter.  Atlantis, a mythical island in the Atlantic Ocean born in the imagination of Plato has always held intrigue for many, and this story may even inspire young readers to delve deeper into its origins, opening up new reading horizons.