Archive | November 2018

Maddie’s First Day

Nov10
Maddie’s First Day

Maddie’s First Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maddie’s First Day

Penny Matthews

Liz Anelli

Walker, 2018

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

9781925381351

Today is the day that Maddie is going to start big school.  She has her uniform ready, including the big red hat she likes best; her backpack has her pencil case, painting smock, lunch box with lots of yummy food and water bottle – and just in case, she has hidden Blanky at the bottom.  Before she catches the train to work, Mum plaits her hair and then it’s off with Dad to join the rest of the new children.  She feels so grown up that she doesn’t even hold his hand, but once she gets to school and she can’t see her friends Maya or Charlie amongst all the children, she starts to worry and he tummy starts to feel wobbly. 

To help her feel better, she takes Blanky out of her backpack just as Maya appears. Maddie’s tummy feels wobblier than ever and it gets worse as the morning goes on, especially when Maya tells Charlie and their new friends Hossein and Henry about Blanky.  But then Charlie shares a secret with her…

As the new school year looms there will be many preschoolers like Maddie who are looking forward to being grown up but whose tummies are also a bit wobbly.  This is a perfect book to share with them as it works through the little things in Maddie’s day that will be familiar to them, as well as those big feelings of being overwhelmed, nervous and a little bit lost. Anelli has used real schools as the basis for her real-life illustrations so that the youngest readers will recognise the surroundings – the whole story is such a familiar one that the fact that Maddie’s dad is the primary carer and the family is not the typical white middle-class family usually portrayed in such books goes almost without notice.  

While this is just one of many stories about a child’s first day at school, the more of them that children hear before the big day, the more relaxed they will be about it.  They will understand that all their friends are feeling just the same as they are and there is a lot of comfort to be gained from that. And if taking Blanky or a favourite toy to school makes it easier, then so be it.  Let them do it.

The Tales of Mr Walker

Nov9
The Tales of Mr Walker

The Tales of Mr Walker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tales of Mr Walker

Jess Black

Sara Acton

Puffin Books, 2018 

192pp., hbk. RRP $A24.99

9780143793076

On a beautiful autumn day, Mr Walker sat in the back seat of the car feeling very excited because he was going to be the Guide Dog ambassador of a park.  Even though he didn’t know what “ambassador” meant, he loved parks, especially rolling in the dirt and playing fetch with sticks.  

So he was really confused when the car stopped outside a tall building, and when he got out his paws slipped and slid on tile floors instead of gripping the grass he was expecting.  Turns out Mr Walker was going to be the ambassador for the Park Hyatt hotel in Melbourne. Because of his larger-than-life personality it had been decided that he would be better meeting and greeting the hotel’s guests, including important people and celebrities and raising awareness of Guide Dogs Australia. 

Written in a chatty narrative that will appeal to all those who love stories about dogs, especially true ones, this book contains four illustrated stories about Mr Walker’s adventures at the hotel -where he still remains lounging on his custom-made Tasmanian oak bed.

  

All royalties from the sales of the book are being donated to Guide Dogs Victoria. 

The Restless Girls

Nov8
The Restless Girls

The Restless Girls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Restless Girls

Jessie Burton

Angela Barrett

Bloomsbury, 2018

160pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781408886915

 

For her twelve daughters, Queen Laurelia’s death in a motor car accident is a disaster beyond losing a mother. Their father, King Alberto, cannot bear the idea of the princesses ever being in danger and decides his daughters must be kept safe at all costs. Each girl – Frida, Polina, lorna, Ariosta, Chessa, Bellina, Vita, Mariella, Delilah, Flora, Emelia  and the youngest, Agnes – has her own special talents and interests, talents and interests that had been encouraged by their mother but of which King Alberto knew nothing.  To him, girls were of little value, useful for getting married and bringing further wealth to his kingdom of Kalia and so as they grew up, he knew nothing about rearing girls and certainly didn’t approve of them being educated – “a girl may as well have been a sunflower or a trumpet”. So deep in grief at his wife’s death and afraid his daughters will suffer a similar fate because their mother had encouraged their independence and freedom, he removes all the things they love – their lessons, their possessions and, most importantly, their freedom. When Princess Frida defies him, as in the traditional tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses from the Brothers Grimm that the story mirrors, the girls are locked in a small room where they spend all their days and nights, except for one hour a day in the garden “to stretch their legs”.

When they find an escape from their cell-like room, sneaking off through a hidden door to a different world 503 steps down underneath the palace, life becomes a bit more bearable but Frida is made aware that there is always a price to pay for such freedom.  And, just as in the original, it is the girls’ worn out dancing shoes that give them away and Frida finds she has to use all her intelligence and ingenuity to keep her sisters safe and eventually free them…

This is a modern day version of that old German tale and by expanding on it, describing the settings, giving the girls personalities and emotions,  breathing life into characters that are usually one-dimensional, although it is somewhat disappointing that when the pilot arrives to try to solve the mystery of the worn out dancing shoes, that each is struck by his looks at first.

This is a story for independent readers who like a bit of meat in their fairy tales, while setting up the question, “Is freedom free?

 

The Upside-Down History of Down Under

Nov7
The Upside-Down History of Down Under

The Upside-Down History of Down Under

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Upside-Down History of Down Under

Alison Lloyd

Terry Denton

Puffin Books, 2018

304pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9780143788669

 

“The story of Australia starts with a piece of land that went for a swim. About 200 million years ago it floated away from Africa. Very   very   slowly.  It was home to dinosaurs and giant animals, then the first Australians showed up.  And for a long time this wild and wonderful land was a mystery to the rest of the world.  Until the English decided it would make the best jail ever.”

When you read a blurb like that on the back of a book, you know you have got something somewhat different from the usual collection of Australian history books populating your 994 section, and indeed, different it is.  Spanning that time when the ancient continents split till Federation in 1901, this book tells the history of this continent in a quirky way with a narrative that speaks to the reader in short chapters with engaging headings and lots of the sorts of illustrations that are so uniquely Terry Denton.  It tells stories that are unfamiliar, challenges some long-held beliefs, and explores that which helped shaped 2018 Australia in a way that not only captures the imagination but makes the reader want to delve deeper.

Imagine, for instance, starting a study of the crossing of the Blue Mountains, with the sentence, “In 1813, three British gentlemen, Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Wentworth, took four of their servants and four of their dogs out for a long mountain walk.” Or exploring the whaling industry under the title “How Australia got stinking rich”. 

So many of our students groan at the thought of studying history, seeing it as having no relevance to their personal lives, and having been exposed to the “If it’s Year 5, it’s the Gold Rush” version of the curriculum, dry, dull and done-to-death. But if that same topic was embedded in a geological study of the formation of the gold, as alluded to in All that Glitters is Gold and followed up with the meaning of “golden soil and wealth for toil” it may well spark greater interest. 

Why is gold so valued that people left all they knew and loved in a quest to find it? Why did the NSW government try to hide Edmund Hargreaves’ discovery? How was the Australian 2018 way of life shaped by those who were grubbing in the dirt 160 years ago?

This book is excellent for being the appetiser for the main meal – offering tasty tidbits that tantalise the tongue and make the reader want to indulge further.  It’s a way of serving our history to our students which, in the hands of a skilful cook or even a dedicated diner, will open new worlds and new understandings that shows the broad spread of what has gone before. 

To add to the experience, there is a wealth of support materials available on the author’s website.

Digby and the Duck

Nov6
Digby and the Duck

Digby and the Duck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digby and the Duck

Max Landrak 

Lothian Children’s, 2018

32pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9780734417770

Digby is sure someone is watching him. It is just a feeling, but no matter what time of day or where he goes, he is certain that there are eyes following his every move.  Determined to find out who or what, he searches for clues, finally stepping in some poo that appears to prove his theory, and that sends him on a research search to discover what sort of creature does such droppings. But is the creature that he finally decides is the culprit, actually the spy?

Many of us will have had that weird feeling that someone is looking at us, but it is usually just a passing thing and we seldom go to the lengths that Digby does to discover who or what it is. But once he thinks he has solved the mystery, his world is back in balance and so this story sends a strong message about facing your fears, staring them down and getting them into perspective. So many of our young people suffer from anxiety of  real or imagined situations -in fact, some are like Digby and feel out of kilter if there is nothing to worry about as the ending of the story shows – so helping them develop strategies to deal with this is a critical pathway forward to learning.  Whether it’s doing research as Digby does to get to the root of the fear or talking about it with others to discover the particular fear is common or other strategies, until the feeling is dealt with satisfactorily it can become crippling.  

Ensuring our children’s mental health is safe is as important as their physical health so this is another one to add to the mindfulness collection, to be shared and discussed as we continue to help our students develop resilience as they learn how to deal with fear and anxiety.

Invisible Jerry

Nov5
Invisible Jerry

Invisible Jerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Invisible Jerry

Adam Wallace

Giuseppe Poli

EK Books, 2018

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

9781925335781

People don’t notice Jerry. If someone bumps into him, they don’t say sorry. If he makes a joke, no one laughs. He never gets picked last for sports teams — but that’s because he never gets picked at all. It’s like he’s invisible. Even though, like most kids, he doesn’t want to be so different that he stands out, he hates being invisible.  He really would like to be part of the crowd, laughing, smiling and having fun but that’s hard if you’re quiet and  shy.

But then along comes Molly… and not only does she change Jerry’s life, she enables him to change the lives of others.

There is a fine line between being the centre of attention and perhaps putting a target on your back for bullies and being so introverted that you’re not even noticed. Most kids seem to work within a happy medium between the two but there are always the extremes – like the Bell curve of distribution.  Sharing this book with young readers can help make those in the middle more aware of those like Jerry who don’t have the confidence to step forward, or who are ignored when they try, while at the same time, give the introverts the opportunity to reach out to someone who is just like them and who is probably feeling as unhappy as they are. Whilst we don’t all have or want to be in the limelight, sometimes it’s necessary to cast a light into the shadows.

From the front cover of this book where the line between Jerry and his peers is drawn with the title dividing him from them, the placement of Jerry in the illustrations underscores his isolation and the gentle palette reinforces the light touch that Spark author, Adam Wallace has used to portray a common situation that can be dark and overwhelming.

Another wonderful story for your mindfulness collection. 

Finding Your Path: A happy start to school

Nov4
Finding Your Path: A happy start to school

Finding Your Path: A happy start to school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding Your Path: A happy start to school

Amba Brown

Finding Your Path Books, 2018

30pp., pbk., RRP $A19.99

9780648233930

A new school years is just over the horizon and next year’s Kindergarten students are starting their transition visits to “big school”. So this book by Positive Psychology author Amba Brown is ideal for preparing them for what to expect when they begin this next phase of their young lives, particularly as anxiety about making this move is common and natural. 

Written in rhyme with bright bold pictures, it will capture their attention and help allay any fears they might have. Explaining some of the things they will learn and encouraging them to try hard, use their manners and smile will reassure the most concerned, making this transition full of the fun, excitement and anticipation that it should have. 

 

Meet the Fingerlings

Nov3
Meet the Fingerlings

Meet the Fingerlings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the Fingerlings

Rosie Peet

DK, 2018

24pp., hbk., RRP $A12.99

9780241370803

The Fingerlings are a lively gang of monkey, sloth, and unicorn friends who love to hang out together and this book introduces very young readers to Boris the energetic monkey who loves to play the drums, Marge the brainy sloth and Gigi the bubbly unicorn who is always the life and soul of the party as well as  Bella the monkey who loves to jump and climbs and  Kingsley the sloth whose favourite sport is surfing!

At first glance, this is just another book that is a tie-in to a set of popular commercial characters, and to some extent it is, but with the expected DK twist of educating as well as entertaining, it is more than that.  Each character has their own page with basic information about them in easily accessible language but the book also has a quiz at the end to test the children’s knowledge of what they have read and an index so they can find the answers quickly if they are unsure.  While not a fan of quizzing kids on what they’ve read as though they somehow have to prove they have read and understood things, nevertheless this is a fun format to introduce the concept that books can contain information and that it can be found by using specific cues and clues, thus laying down the foundations of information literacy.  

Even if it is viewed as a clever marketing tool to popularise characters soon to hit Australian preschoolers, books that tie screen to print are always popular as young would-be readers recognise familiar things and with the bonus of some simple guidelines to help them with those first research skills, this deserves a place in the early childhood collection- just as we provide books about Star Wars and superheroes for our older readers. 

Funny Stories and Other Funny Stories

Nov2
Funny Stories and Other Funny Stories

Funny Stories and Other Funny Stories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funny Stories and Other Funny Stories

Morris Gleitzman

Puffin Books, 2018

560pp., pbk., RRP $A24.99

9780143793380

Swap a bomb for three ice-creams on a train, bounce on a vampire’s bed, eat a pizza that makes you fearless, read the secret diary of a dog, unleash the awesome power of chips, save ten lives with a paper clip, surprise your mum with a chainsaw, use a demolition ball to defeat a bully, live in a house that gets wiped clean more often than a bottom…

Since Morris Gleitzman, the current Australian Children’s Laureate wrote The Other Facts of Life in 1987, he has been entertaining children with his stories -some long, some short , some serious, some not-so – and this bumper new release is a  compendium of all his shorts stories in one place, plus a bonus story! So in one volume that will satisfy the needs of those who like to borrow fat books, those who like to laugh out loud, and those whose preference is for short, read-in-one-go stories,  all the stories from Give Peas A Chance. Pizza Cake and Snot Chocolate are gathered together – 36 stories in all.  Even rationed to one a week, that’s a lot of the classroom read-aloud program taken care of for the year, or, for the young, independent reader, a lot of  fun practice in honing skills and enjoying the delight of the printed word! 

With at least 40 books with his name on the cover and the final in the Once series on the horizon,  Gleitzman not only has an established fan  base amongst teachers and parents, but this new offering will see that swell as others discover his quirky humour and his gift for telling stories. 

 

 

LEGO Super Heroes Visual Dictionary

Nov1
LEGO Super Heroes Visual Dictionary

LEGO Super Heroes Visual Dictionary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEGO Super Heroes Visual Dictionary

Elizabeth Dowsett & Arie Kaplan

DK, 2018

128pp., hbk., RRP $A35.00

9780241320037

Since 2006 when it first released its Batman-themed sets, LEGO, a contraction of leg godt which means “play well” in Danish, have offered fans construction sets related to the popular superheroes so they can learn to read and follow instructions and develop their fine motor skills as they make the intricate models from the movies, then use their imagination to build new stories and adventures with their creations.

 This visual guide to the minifigures, vehicles and sets of the Superhero world offers lots of background information about the characters culminating in a behind-the-scenes chapter which features concept art and an interview with the LEGO DC Super Heroes creative team.

Like its predecessors that have been linked to popular movies and characters, this is a book that will have young fans poring over it, talking about what they are discovering, wanting to learn more and reading to do so- engaging in all those behaviours that show that print offers them something and that reading for pleasure is a worthwhile thing to do.  Guaranteed to hook young reluctant readers, appeal to more independent fans and even offer suggestions for the Christmas stocking as each model has details of its release date, set number, and the number of pieces and minifigures that come with it. There is even a Yellow Lantern Batman included!