Dreaming Soldiers

Apr8
Dreaming Soldiers

Dreaming Soldiers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dreaming Soldiers

Catherine Bauer

Shane McGrath

Big Sky, 2025

36pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781923300255

Jimmy Watson and Johnno Hogan were the best of friends – swimming-in-waterholes, camping-under-the-stars, sharing-water-bottles kind of friends. Throughout their lives they did everything together and even when their paths diverged because there were different rules and expectations for “white” and indigenous children then, they still came back together as close as they had ever been.  And then one day they went into town for supplies, heeded the call for men to fight in a war far away and enlisted…

This could be the story of any number of friendships of the early 20th century when ‘white’ and indigenous kids on farms formed friendships that were blind to colour, cultural differences or any other racial prejudices and its strong focus on that friendship is its positive. While the treatment of indigenous soldiers during the conflicts that Australia has been involved in since the Boer War in 1899 could have been its focus, its power lies in that spotlight on the friendship, the shared adventures and stories, the fears and hopes that are common regardless of skin colour. 

This is a new release of this book, and is particularly timely.  While the Trump regime tries to reshape US military history including removing thousands of records of Black, Hispanic and female war veterans from official websites, including that of the Arlington National Cemetery (where those of the ilk of John. F. Kennedy are buried),  this book is one of not many that acknowledge First Nation Service Men and Women. 

Within the Australian Curriculum, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority is designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures, and so this book offers the opportunity to help our younger students understand that despite rules against their enrolment (those not of “substantially European origin” were excluded from enlisting by the Defence Act 1903) and not being recognised as citizens until 1967, their neglect and exclusion on their return, indigenous people have fought for Australia in many overseas conflicts and their contribution has been vital.  Now, each year following the Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, there is a special ceremony acknowledging their service. 

This edition includes some pertinent questions to pose to encourage students to reflect and remember,  teachers’ notes extend the experience and the learning. and further information, including some of the stories of the estimated 1000 who managed to enlist can be found on the Australian War Memorial site while an internet search will provide links to further valuable resources.

Click poster to download

Click poster to download

Elephants Never Forget

Apr7
Elephants Never Forget

Elephants Never Forget

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elephants Never Forget

Venita Dimos

Natashia Curtin

Walker Books, 2025

32pp., hbk.., RRP $A25.99

9781760658427

Mini the elephant has the best memory in the whole animal kingdom. She remembers the good stuff, the bad stuff and everything in between. And because Mini remembers everything, she also remembers mistakes. Usually other people’s mistakes. So when her best friend Milo the rabbit  accidently loses Mr Cuddles, Mini has to learn how to forgive … and forget.

The tag on this book is “Big Skills for Mini People” and it is a series written for our youngest readers to not only help them manage their emotions but help them navigate their way through relationships as they venture into the world of friendships beyond family and have to learn about competitiveness, managing inner voices, learning to listen, and communicating effectively. (Others include The Teeny-Tiny Voice,  Big Flappy Ears,  Elephants Can’t Jump, and The Last Plum. Learning to negotiate, compromise and consider others as they emerge from that egocentric world of toddlerhood can be tricky and so books like these, read with sensitive adults who can ask questions like “What could Mini have done instead of …?” can help develop skills and strategies that will provide well for the future.  

While using animals as the main characters to portray human behaviour, particularly that of young children, is a common trope in these sorts of stories, doing so enables a lot of humour and unexpectedness to be injected into the story so it doesn’t become didactic and overbearing, putting something that is common for target audiences to have experienced at arm’s length so they don’t feel as though they are being admonished but can put themselves in the place of both characters and start to understand feelings.  Did Milo mean to make Mr Cuddles vanish?  How did he feel when it happened, and how did he feel when Mini got cranky?  But why did Mini get so cranky?  Teachers’ notes for both teachers and parents can help guide the discussions further. 

One for the mindfulness collection that will help young people learning about the issues associated with assuming things.

Hatch

Apr6
Hatch

Hatch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hatch

Heidi Cooper Smith

CSIRO Publishing, 2025

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

9781486318278

Thirty years ago I introduced my Year 1 class to a new book that was causing a lot of buzz.  It was called Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones, and, not only do I still have my copy of it but I remember the fun and amazement we had as we discovered that chickens weren’t the only ones that laid eggs.   While those little ones knew that ducks and geese and other birds laid eggs, they were surprised that so many other creatures do too.

And I’m willing to bet that this generation of little ones will be just as astonished as they share this beautiful new book that introduces a collection of Australian creatures who also lay eggs, whether they live in the bush like the echidna and the cicada, on the beach like the turtle and the crocodile, or even in the water itself like the crab and the platypus.  Through beautiful, detailed illustrations that make you want to touch, and accessible text that is expanded with more information in the latter pages, double page spreads open up a wondrous world of life beginning, in, on and under the landscape.  Eagle eyes will also spot other egg-laying animals or their eggs hidden in the pictures and the endpapers, and these, too, are exposed in those final pages.

One of the activities we did way back then was to have a display board that was continually being added to as students discovered more and more egg-laying creatures but instead of just labelling them, they wrote clues that enabled their friends to discover the layer. The delight when the mystery was solved!!!!   One of my favourites was this that I found washed up on the beach during my scuba diving days…

While it is not featured in Hatch, it is not uncommon to find them washed up on the beaches of NSW looking and feeling like a piece of washed up seaweed.  Do you know?

We know children are fascinated to discover the hidden wonders of their world and this is yet another brilliant publication from CSIRO that unveils it for them.  Perhaps you will make the sort of career-highlight memories as I did in that class of so long ago.

No internet back then but perhaps you could start with this heart-warming clip from the miracles of Cyclone Alfred…. perhaps even investigate how the sex of those turtles (and crocodiles and alligators) is determined by the temperature of the sand they are laid in and thus, the impact of climate change on both the species and the food chain.  As usual, another on-the-surface-simple  publication that has the potential to span K-12!!! 

 

Chickenpox

Apr5

Chickenpox

Chickenpox

Chickenpox

Remy Lai

A&U Children’s, 2025

240pp., graphic novel,  RRP $A19.99

9781761068621

Abby Lai is sick of being trapped at home with her  rambunctious younger siblings – Amy, 11, Remy, 8, Andy, 6, and Tommy, 3 – who seem to take their role of embarrassing her in front of her friends very seriously. All she wants is to spend more time with her friends Monica and Julia, far away from the sticky fingers and snooping eyes of her annoying brothers and sisters, particularly as she eventually loses her temper with them and engages in a mortifying argument as Julia and Monica watch on. But then a case of chickenpox leaves all the little Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home for two weeks of nonstop mayhem. Abby thinks this might be the end of her sanity, and her friendships because she is sure her classmates are gossiping about her childish behaviour, but she feels responsible for the situation, because it was her best friend who brought chickenpox into their home.

Set in Indonesia in the 1990s when chickenpox was still a common childhood disease because the vaccine was still very new and vaccinations programs in their infancy, this is an hilarious story that many will relate to, if not because of having suffered the disease but because the theme of annoying younger siblings is universal. It’s bad enough living with them on a daily basis without being isolated indoors unable to escape – and while today’s readers might not be familiar with that disease (which is explained throughout the story), many will still have memories of the COVID era here.

As well as the familiarity of the theme and the situation, its graphic novel format will appeal to a range of independent readers, and, as Abby helps her mother to take care of the children she learns much about herself and how she can be a better sister and person particularly as she starts to see each child as an individual rather than one of a pack, so, too might they reflect on some of their own attitudes and actions,

But it also gives rise to other, more serious issues such as the role of vaccinations in protecting the health of children such as the elimination of polio , tetanus, measles, mumps and even the decline of chickenpox itself through national, free immunisation programs.   However, running parallel with that is the decline in vaccination rates in Australia since COVID and so, as well as its lighthearted side of sibling relationships and that awkward transition to being a teen where peers seem more important than family, there is also the serious aspect of children getting really sick from preventable diseases, perhaps giving rise to family discussions.   While those of us who have either suffered the diseases ourselves or seen friends left debilitated might not question the power and importance of vaccinations, those who have grown up not knowing the misery and the lifelong consequences or such diseases may dismiss them and the protection on offer, so there is the opportunity for research and informed debate within and without the classroom.  

 

 

Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

Apr4
Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

Jacinta Liu

Freda Chiu

Lothian, 2025

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

9780734421791

I have two grandmothers.
One with brown eyes, and one with blue eyes.
One makes dumplings, and one bakes bread.
They are my grandmothers.
One lives in the East, and one lives in the West.

So many of our students could have written those lines as a reflection of their family structure as “mixed marriages” are just a normal part of today’s society, and so this is one that is going to resonate with so many.  At its heart is the strong message that despite differences in their heritage and history that has made them them, grandmothers come together and give the very best of who they are as they love, accept,  teach, protect, and guide and their grandchildren so they can grow up to be the best they can be. While each may have different belief systems  – one was blessed under the protection of the Chinese dragon, full of dignity and strength. One was kissed by the light of the Cancer moon, filled with grace and style – or different food prep preferences and techniques or perhaps a different language the best of who they are is melded within the child so they too can say I am from the East and the West.

Written by a Chinese-Australian and inspired by her own family history, its authenticity  is apparent and will inspire young readers, whether they have a dual heritage or not, to consider the traits they share and the things they like, eat and do that have been directly passed on to them by their grandparents. It is the perfect accompaniment to Joanna Ho’s Eyes the Kiss in the Corners and Eyes that Speak to the Stars   and others that celebrate intergenerational relationships.

While these sorts of books tend to get a particular focus during Harmony Day celebrations, they have year-round appeal to any child who picks them up and sees themselves and their circumstances portrayed in a book for all to see.  As adults, we should never underestimate the validation and reassurance of who they are that that offers. 

Fantasy Adventure Trilogy

Apr3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scarlet Defender of the Universe

James Davis

Dotty Sutton

HarperCollins, 2025

240pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9780008653620

 

Heartseer: The Tale of Anise Star

Rowan Foxwood

Usborne, 2025

336pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9781803707372

 

Inkbound- Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo

Philippa Leathley

HarperCollins, 2025

384pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9780008660956

The genre ‘fantasy adventure’ is described as combining “the elements of fantasy (supernatural, magical, and often imaginary worlds) with the adventure genre (epic journeys, quests, and exciting undertakings), resulting in stories with magic, danger, and exploration.”  Unique landscapes, societies and cultures are the background to seemingly ordinary human characters embarking on personal quests that involve action, risk and danger and usually in company or conflict with imaginary beings to quell the malicious intent of those who seek to harm them.  As they seek to ensure that good triumphs over evil, often with unique and mysterious powers, they also learn much about themselves, who they are, what they stand for and what they can accomplish and achieve as regular people.  

Popular since the days of Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree series when young readers transported themselves away from the horrors of World War II to lands where fairies, elves and other magical beings dwelt and life was so different to their lived reality, continued through the 50s as my generation went through the wardrobe into Narnia, then brought into the realm of the modern young reader through the exploits of Harry Potter and his friends and  the making of the movies based on Tolkien’s classics of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings  trilogy, and perpetuated through any number of video and computer games, it is a firm favourite with independent readers across the ages.  Those written for children not only allow the child to dwell in an alternative world that may be more appealing than the one they are in, but also enable them to become the hero with both power and powers that the real world denies them.  They are in charge, they are calling the shots and making the decisions – something rare in the  pre-teen’s life.

Therefore, these three new releases from British authors will fit the genre, the demand and the library collection perfectly.

Scarlet Defender of the Universe, is a smart, 9-year-old redhead who answers an advertisement for the role of Defender of the Universe to prove to her annoying younger brother that it’s not a real thing. Thus, she’s a little surprised to be told that she’s got the job and is now responsible for the safety of the entire galaxy. Along with her co-Defender Jasper, Pom-Pom, the cutest alien in existence, and Bot, the cleverest AI robot that’s ever been invented, Scarlet is thrown into a whirlwind adventure that takes her to the furthest reaches of the cosmos and back again, on a mission to prevent the destruction of planet Earth by an alien species who will do anything for a warm cup of hot chocolate.

In Heartseer: The Tale of Anise Star the reader discovers that there are more deities and daemons in the world than stars in the sky but only Heartseers like Anise Star can see them because only they still believe… Anise’s job is to help humans and daemons live happily together. But when the villainous Mr Babbitt tries to steal her home in the White Woods and drive the daemons out, she is forced to travel to the capital to ask the High King for help. First, though, she’ll have to convince him that daemons still exist. Accompanied by loyal daemon-dog Wolf, Anise sets out on a spellbinding and treacherous journey, meeting magical musician Robin and fox god Whin, and facing the cunning Magpie Queen and a deadly poisonous ink monster. In the midst of her battles she learns that it’s not just the daemons of the White Wood she must save, but all the daemons of the world.

Inkbound- Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo also has a female protagonist about the same age as the intended reader as on her tenth birthday, Meticulous ‘Metty’ Jones receives her fate, as all children do, in the form of a magical tattoo on her hand. She hopes that her tattoo will reveal an exciting destiny: travel, discovery or adventure. What appears is a skull in the palm of a violet glove – Metty’s fate is to be a murderer.  When Metty’s father disappears in mysterious circumstances, Aunt Magnificent takes her to the glittering city of New London, filled with magic, wonder and enchantment. But when Metty hears rumours of a shadowy organisation known as the Black Moths, she begins to suspect they are connected to her own dark fate …

Each feature those essential elements of the fantasy adventure genre with fast-paced narrative that draws the reader into both the setting and the action, while dropping tiny but important clues along the way whose significance only becomes apparent as the climax approaches.  There are elements that echo the reader’s world making the transition to the imaginary one seem more seamless as they take on the role of the protagonist as they are able to relate, perhaps even empathise, with the struggles they face, yet each features a lightness of touch that makes them ideal read-alones or read-alouds.  They also all seem to set themselves as the possible beginning of a new series that keen readers will seek out.

Currently, in the school library in which I volunteer, it is series like these that seem to be constantly circulating, so to be able to bring some new reads to the selections will definitely spike interest as our long winter nights approach. 

The O in the Snow (series)

Apr2
The O in Snow series

The O in Snow series

The O in Snow series

The O in Snow

9781925868609

The AU in Dinosaur

9781922800381

The I in Island

9781922800077

The NG in Ningaloo

9781922800787

The A in Rainforest

9781925868821

The OO in Uluru

9781925868180

The EE in the Deep Blue Sea

9781925868401

The English alphabet has just 26 letters, yet there are 44 phonemes (perceptually distinct units of sound) that make up the words we speak, making the teaching of reading and writing with a primary emphasis on phonics or “sounding it out” tricky at best.  Many will be familiar with “ghoti” which is “fish” spelt from the sounds of ‘enough’, ‘women’ and ‘nation’ and T. S. Watt’s  poem which begins

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, lough and through?
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?  

is a common visitor to Facebook feeds, while The Chaos written in 1922 by Gerard Nolst Trenité has over 800 irregularities in both spelling and pronunciation.  

So how can we help our young readers make sense of this language that is constantly changing and evolving as words are added, fall out of use or have their meanings changed entirely?

In this series of seven books (to date) young readers are introduced to the various spellings of a particular sound by taking them on a journey through a particular Australian landscape.  For example, The O in Snow is inspired by The Man from Snowy River and celebrates the creatures of the High Country and the drovers that once mustered horses and cattle on the high plains, while The AU in Dinosaur follows the journey of several young Australians on a time travel ride back to see real dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.. 

In each book, the particular sound is highlighted in all its guises each time it appears, and Janie Frith’s stunning illustrations bring the whole to life so that even if the emphasis is not on the phonic awareness, the reader is still introduced to the Australian landscape and its inhabitants, and the teaching notes which accompany some of them offer ideas for exploring the many layers of each.  For example,  The O in Snow covers the relationship to the original poem as well as the Indigenous language and heritage of the Alpine High Country; the annual journey of the bogong moth; the Snowy-Hydro Scheme (and its current extension); renewable energy; the natural inhabitants of both the Monaro and the high country; the threats they face and the controversial current treatment of the brumbies; as well as developing vocabulary, listening to the original poem and the movie’s musical score (add in the Wallis and Matilda version)  and a variety of creative arts, giving it a broader audience than those coming to grips with the peculiarities of the language.

But, if that is your main focus, then challenge students to build their own version of The Chaos by seeing how many of the 800 irregularities they can find.  Here’s a kickstart…

 

Our Strange Lingo
When the English tongue we speak.
Why is break not rhymed with freak?
Will you tell me why it’s true
We say sew but likewise few?
And the maker of the verse,
Cannot rhyme his horse with worse?
Beard is not the same as heard
Cord is different from word.
Cow is cow but low is low
Shoe is never rhymed with foe.
Think of hose, dose, and lose
And think of goose and yet with choose
Think of comb, tomb and bomb,
Doll and roll or home and some.
Since pay is rhymed with say
Why not paid with said I pray?
Think of blood, food and good.
Mould is not pronounced like could.
Wherefore done, but gone and lone –
Is there any reason known?
To sum up all, it seems to me
Sound and letters don’t agree

(Author in doubt)

Design & Building on Country

Apr1
Design & Building on Country

Design & Building on Country

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design & Building on Country

Alison Page & Paul Memmott

Blak Douglas

Thames & Hudson, 2024

152pp., pbk., RRP $A26.99

9781760763565

Whenever our young people hear the now familiar Welcome to Country or recite their school’s Acknowledgement of Country, are they just hearing or saying words or do they have an understanding of the meaning and purpose behind them?

Ever since 1835 when NSW Governor Richard Bourke implemented the legal principle of terra nullius in Australian law as the basis for British settlement until its repeal in 1992 by the High Court’s Mabo Decision that recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ continuing connection and rights to land through Native Title., there was a legally perpetuated belief that Australia was, indeed, a  “land belonging to no one”, having “a complete absence of people and additionally the absence of ‘civilised’ people capable of land ownership” and thus, was used to justify and legitimise the dispossession, dispersal, and inhumane treatment of First Nations peoples.

But in this book, shortlisted for the CBCA 2025 Eve Pownall Award for Information Books, the authors and illustrators have provided a critical insight into the culture and history that underpins those  statements and helping them better appreciate what they are hearing and saying.  With easily accessible language, impactful illustrations and an appealing layout, they show that not only was the land populated by a culture that has been here for 65 000 years at least – making it the longest continuing culture in the world – but that there were amazing homes and buildings constructed, as well as incredible science, technology and design knowledge  ensuring both its continuation and development.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Speaking directly to the reader, they start with an explanation of the difference between ‘country” and “Country’ as it forms such an integral part of who the Aboriginal person is, their heritage, beliefs, values and identity. Using their own cultural heritage as well as their professional expertise in design and development to show that this country was anything but terra nullius, readers learn about how the need for food and shelter were satisfied by the invention, development and refinement of tools and structures that were unique to the land and landscape around them as well as contributing to that deep connection to the land and their spirituality. But as well as offering the information itself, the reader is also encouraged to consider how their own environment determines and impacts how their lives are lived.  While modern technology and transport might mean that our food needs and availability are fairly generic, how does my mountain landscape change my life compared to that of my brother on the Queensland coast?  How does what those who have lived thousands of years before us influence how we live now?

Originally published as a book for adults in the First Knowledges series edited by Margo Neale which include: Astronomy, Country, Innovation, Plants, Health, Songlines. Design and Law, this is the second from that series that has been developed for young readers, the first being Songlines. itself a CBCA Notable Book for the Eve Pownall Award in 2024. Both, and any future adaptations deserve a prominent place in any primary or secondary school collection supporting First Nations studies.

The Strange and Unlikely Tale of Montgomery, the Mysterious Bird of Mystery

Mar31
The Strange and Unlikely Tale of Montgomery, the Mysterious Bird of Mystery

The Strange and Unlikely Tale of Montgomery, the Mysterious Bird of Mystery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Strange and Unlikely Tale of Montgomery, the Mysterious Bird of Mystery

Antony Elworthy

Walker Books, 2024

176pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781760658915

Every Wednesday he cycles over to the Twilight Retirement Village to visit Gramps and listen to the remarkable tales he has to tell of his past life. It is the high point of the week for both of them and Gramps certainly seems to have had a most interesting life, because today’s tale is just as intriguing as those told before.  Having decided to give up being a deep sea diver because he didn’t want his innards sucked back up through the hose and sprayed across the boat’s deck, Gramps decided to become a magician.  Before long known as The Astonishing Alfredo, he is  famous across the land, particularly for his trick of being able have his white dove Montgomery fly from a seemingly empty hat, and who then serenades the audience with a song.  Between them, they bring the house down but mysterious forces are afoot and in a strange twist, the two find themselves in each other’s shoes.

Readers are warned to “Expect the unexpected and believe the unbelievable ” and this is certainly the case for both the boy and the young independent reader as they are immersed in a story that seems hard to believe, but it really doesn’t matter because it is the sharing of story and time between grandfather and grandson that is at the core of this debut novel. Even though he finds it difficult to believe his grandfather’s stories, nevertheless it is the bond they have formed that drives the story and the weekly visits.

Enhanced by the author’s own illustrations – he is an animator who has worked on Corpse Bride and Coraline, among others – the reader becomes just as immersed in the story, wondering if Gramps will ever be able to get his wand back and reverse what Montgomery has done. And, if he does, what will he have learned from his experience?

For me, it was a step back in time to the 50s and visits to my own grandparents who lived across the road from the ocean and always had many a tale to tell as the waves pounded on the nearby rocks, adding the perfect music and atmosphere to the adventures they shared.  Perhaps it will inspire today’s readers to connect with their elders in a similar way so the stories are not forgotten or lost altogether. 

Counting Sheep: A Farmyard Counting Book

Mar30
Counting Sheep: A Farmyard Counting Book

Counting Sheep: A Farmyard Counting Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Counting Sheep: A Farmyard Counting Book

Michelle Robinson

Nikki Dyson

Walker Books, 2025

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

9781406384918

Down on the farm, it’s time to sleep. So Sam the sheepdog who is really tired himself,  rounds up the sheep…  But they don’t want to go to sleep. and even though he tells them to count each other because everyone knows that counting sheep will send you straight to sleep, but the problem continues because the sheep can’t count!  And the horses, cows, pigs  and chickens don’t want to settle down either.  Sam is getting exasperated! What is keeping them awake?

With its bright, bold and expressive illustrations our youngest readers will have fun identifying the familiar farm animals, counting them, imitating the sounds they make and trying to work out what is keeping them awake.  They will also LOL at the ending!  Then , to finish off, there is a challenge to find and count the animals – they will delight in finding seven mice!

Just a joyful story that will resonate with any child who has been on a farm or wants to visit one.