Archive | August 2020

HOPE: 50 Ways to Help Our Planet Every Day

Aug19
HOPE: 50 Ways to Help Our Planet Every Day

HOPE: 50 Ways to Help Our Planet Every Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOPE: 50 Ways to Help Our Planet Every Day

Puffin Books, 2020

176pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760896737

After the disastrous couple of years that have plagued Australia with droughts, bushfires and floods, and the impact on the environment that not only these have caused but also the healing that has happened because of global lockdowns, the health of the planet has never been in greater focus. 

Beginning with a poem that is a plea from Solli Raphael for each of us to be better and do better, this is a handbook of 50 ideas to enable to do just that as individuals.  But is more than the usual tips and tricks as it includes case studies from Australian kids, practical tips and easy activities that can involve your school, family and community that make a difference from using coffee grounds from cafés for compost to starting a school swap shop to recycle toys and books that have been outgrown. Some of the ideas are probably already familiar but there are some that are new and novel, helping each of us to understand that no one is too small to make a difference and we all need to keep learning and educating ourselves to be better. The case studies themselves are fascinating as they are Australian  stories and show the theory in practice so it’s not just somebody’s dream.

While not particularly flash and gaudy in its appearance – itself being a green publication – this is such a practical guide to help individuals make just small changes in their lifestyle that can have a huge impact.  Helping students start to view their world through a more protective lens so that it just becomes the norm is one of the most positive things teachers can offer for their positive future.

Kookaburra

Aug18
Kookaburra

Kookaburra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kookaburra

Clare Saxby

Tannya Harricks

Walker Books, 2020

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

9781760651060

Dawn and in a line on a limb, Kookaburra and her family greet the rising sun with their distinctive call, harsh at times but more melodious than any alarm clock.  After welcoming the daylight hours, they go their separate ways in search of food, using their keen eyesight to spot even the most elusive snack.  But it is nesting season and after being presented with a delicious morsel by her lifelong mate, they go in search of a new tree hollow in which to lay their eggs.  But despite looking at a lot of new real estate, they return to their old home even though they have to defend it and the surrounding territory from intruders. And as the shadows grow longer and dusk falls, once again there is a line on a limb and that familiar sound bids the world goodnight.

There is no more iconic sound of the Australian bush than the laugh of the kookaburra – even though it varies according to circumstance and season and is never actually directed at something amusing – and in this latest addition to the narrative non-fiction Nature Storybook series that opens the world of Australia’s fauna to young readers by telling the story of one creature and accompanying it with facts about the species in general, Saxby and Harricks have captured both the sound, sight and antics of this stunning bird perfectly. 

Saxby, also the author of Big Red Kangaroo, Emu,  Koala  and Dingo (also illustrated by Harricks) brings her ability to create pictures with her words to create magic on the tongue, while Harricks has captured the colours and the contours of the bush in oils with her bold strokes and beautiful palette. This book is going to a family for whom the kookaburra was the favourite of their recently-passed Nonna and it will be the perfect memorial.  

All The Science You Need To Know By Age 7

Aug17
All The Science You Need To Know By Age 7

All The Science You Need To Know By Age 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All The Science You Need To Know By Age 7

Katie Daynes

Stefano Tognetti

Usborne, 2020

80pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781474968966

Little people always have lots of questions about the world around them – it’s how they find out how it works.  Often the answers to those questions lie in quite profound science and relate to topics like plants. animals, materials, time., weather, forces and energy, all of which are gathered together with others in this single volume that provides the basic answers beginning with the premise that a scientist is one “who studies the world around us”  and therefore anyone can be one using their powers of observation and some simple tools.

Author Katie Daynes is a specialist in answering questions about science for young people and so you can be assured that the information in the book is pitched at just the right level and offered in a format that is accessible and appealing. As well as the colour-coded sections there are also a glossary and an index, both supporting early information literacy skills as students learn to navigate non fiction texts efficiently and effectively. And, as is common with publications from Usborne, there  are curated quicklinks which provide further information to support further questions.

As National Science Week gets underway this is an ideal text to capitalise on children’s natural curiosity, demystify what science is and open up a whole new world at the same time.  Perhaps an interest piqued today will be the knowledge that defeats a pandemic tomorrow. 

Big City Atlas

Aug14
Big City Atlas

Big City Atlas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big City Atlas

Maggie Li

Pavilion, 2020

64pp., pbk., RRP $A24.99

9781843654599

During this pandemic the world seems to have shrunk as nightly news bulletins bring the tales of heartache from the world’s major cities into our lounge rooms.  Even though we can no longer visit the cities that are becoming household names even to our younger readers, we can join Penguin on this adventure as he journeys around the world getting involved in the activities they have to offer. 

Cities visited include San Francisco, Mexico City, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Washington DC, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Rome, Madrid, Cairo, Istanbul, Cape Town, Dubai, Mumbai, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Auckland and the reader is invited to spot Penguin on the pages.

With the information provided in speech bubble chunks, this is an engaging book that will interest and intrigue all budding young jetsetters – who may actually be able to travel by the time they grow up!  

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

The Blue Giant

Aug13
The Blue Giant

The Blue Giant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Giant

Katie Cottle

Pavilion, 2020

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

9781843654513

Meera and her mother are planning on a day at the seaside, something they’ve done before often.  But this time they are greeted by a large blue giant who beckons them to follow him beneath the waves and see the problems of the ocean creatures that have been caused by human laziness and degradation. Both learn valuable lessons and although they do their best, it is a job too big for one, so it’s time to call on family and friends for help. 

As warmer days approach and the lure of the beach becomes stronger, this is a poignant and timely picture book that introduces children to the issues of pollution, waste management and the oceans, with suggestions of lifestyle changes to help the world become a better, cleaner place. As the worldwide lockdown because of the pandemic has provided the planet with a brief breathing space and shown that it can heal given help and time, perhaps this story will help students start to see their favourite place through a new lens as they consider what they can do (or not) to contribute to the health of this vital resource.  

Hound the Detective

Aug12
Hound the Detective

Hound the Detective

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hound the Detective

Kimberley Andrews

Puffin, 2020

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

9780143774655

I’m Hound! And I’m a sleuth.

I solve all types of cases.

I sniff and snuff until my nose

detects the clues and traces.

Missing jewels, stolen cars —I always solve the crime.

And his latest case has been mysteriously delivered by post, sending him on a trail that takes him all over town on the scent of something mysterious – although that something isn’t disclosed till the very last page. 

Kimberley Andrews, the creator of the memorable Puffin the Architect has created another masterpiece that will have readers of all ages poring over the detailed illustrations as eagerly as Hound follows his nose,  searching for clues and other hidden treasures. With its clever rhyming text, there’s an unspoken challenge for the reader to find the solution before Hound does, ensuring close engagement with the mystery and offering the opportunity for prediction and speculation. One for a range of ages that reminded me of the fun my students had trying to solve the mystery in the Graeme Base classic, The Eleventh Hour.

Beware! Ralfy Rabbit and the Secret Book Biter

Aug11
Beware! Ralfy Rabbit and the Secret Book Biter

Beware! Ralfy Rabbit and the Secret Book Biter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beware! Ralfy Rabbit and the Secret Book Biter

Emily Mackenzie

Bloomsbury, 2020

32pp., pbk., RRP $A12.99

9781408892091

Ralfy Rabbit loves to read but when his new baby brother arrives,  his peace is constantly shattered and he can not find anywhere quiet to read and enjoy his stories.  He finally ventures to the library which works well until he is embarrassed to find a huge bite taken out of his library book!  

Using his special detective kit he sets out to find who is responsible but when he discovers the culprit (along with several other books with bites taken out of them), the solution isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. 

All lovers of books and reading can relate to Ralfy’s dismay when he finds his precious books damaged, and this is a charming story for early readers who have younger siblings who haven’t yet learned about taking care of things.  And once they discover who the biter is, they can have fun predicting how the problem might be solved. What would they do if they were Ralfy?

Small Town

Aug10
Small Town

Small Town

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small Town

Phillip Gwynne

Tony Flowers

Puffin, 2020

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

9781760893484

Milly loves her little town – in fact it is so nice, they named it twice.  But sadly, others don’t find it as attractive and fulfilling and families keep moving to the city.  Within just a short time her basketball team comprising the four Chloes and Milly shrinks as both Chloe P and Chloe B leave – they might even have to let the boys play!

But then Milly learns about the refugees who have had to leave their own countries and who have nothing – and she has an idea.  Can one letter and a video made by Granny Mac save the town?

This is a unique, charming story about the resourcefulness and resilience of a young girl who sees an opportunity and acts on it.  Echoing the plight of many little towns in this vast country as the appeal and perceived opportunities of the cities beckon, Gong Gong could almost be renamed Anytown, Australia and its scenery, so artfully depicted by Tony Flowers will be recognisable everywhere. But not every town has a Milly who really just wants more players for the basketball team but starts a change that will turn empty houses into homes once more and vacant shopfronts into hubs of employment and breathe new life into a community looking for a focus.

With the story echoing those of many places such as Nhill in Victoria, but making a child the protagonist, Phillip Gwynne has put a national issue into the realm of children’s understanding perhaps sparking the imagination of some other child looking to bolster their sports team.  

Compelling reading that may start something, particularly as we emerge from lockdown and look for alternatives to crowded city life.

The Battle of Book Week

Aug7
The Battle of Book Week

The Battle of Book Week

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Book Week

Kate & Jol Temple

Georgia Norton Lodge

Allen & Unwin, 2020

206pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760875572

It begins when Alice Toolie becomes a library monitor and demands that Jimmy Cook  returns a library book, Princess Snow Cone and the Snuggle Panda Sleepover which she claims he has had forever and consequently banning him from borrowing any library books until it is returned.  Jimmy Cook denies all knowledge of the book but is desperate to maintain his borrowing privileges as he needs to learn as much about space as possible before his upcoming voyage there.  The conversation sparks a furious exchange of notes and messages and continues as Jimmy eventually gets the signatures he needs to a petition to become a library monitor himself and thus have unlimited access to the books.

But when Book Week is imminent and the two are required to work together to organise activities, particularly a visit by two unknown-to-them authors, the rivalry and hilarity reaches new levels as each tries to claim the glory. Ms Murtle, the librarian, fires them, and the only way they can get their positions back is to win the Book Parade – but that means having to work together…

 This is an engaging easy read told in the notes and messages between Alice and Jimmy that will have those newly independent readers thoroughly entertained and looking for the others in the series if they have not yet discovered them.  With its humour, format and clever graphics it is the perfect forerunner to this year’s CBCA celebrations as Alice and Jimmy decide who will be the unicorn’s bottom! Who comes out on top and is the disappearance of Princess Snow Cone and the Snuggle Panda Sleepover resolved?