Search Results for: shine

Christmas Days in the Sunshine

Dec16

 

 

 

Christmas Days in the Sunshine

Christmas Days in the Sunshine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Days in the Sunshine

Byll & Beth Stephen

Susan Howe

ABC Books, 2023

34pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

9780733342745

Every year in December
Christmas lights go up ’round here.
I wait up late till it’s darker
to see them in the moonlight.

While Christmas for many is all about Santa Claus and cold, wintry days, in Australia it signals the beginning of the long summer holidays and all the fun of those.  So many children’s stories focus on that northern hemisphere experience that it is refreshing to share one that has an Australian focus and features all the things that are familiar to our families.  So while there are the traditional things like trees and lights and food, the illustrations give them a very Aussie flavour, staying up late to see the lights as darkness falls, swinging on the clothesline, running through the sprinkler, trying to hear yourself over the cicadas’ song, even those pesky mossies that come to spoil the fun.

Something for little ones to relate to when the winter stuff is so foreign, and something to spark conversations about why the two versions of Christmas are so different, even why we still do so much of that northern stuff as we recreate snow-covered pine trees and and other cold-climate fantasies. 

 

Shine, Star, Shine

Jul7
Shine, Star, Shine

Shine, Star, Shine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shine, Star, Shine

Dom Conlon

Anastasia Izlesou

CSIRO Publishing, 2022

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

9781486316823

Open your eyes.

Someone shook a fizzy universe and a festival of colour sprayed out.

It’s a nebula – gas and dust squeezed ’til it sparks and this is how our Star is born. ..

Our star’s called the Sun and without her there’s be no life on this planet called Earth…

Using lyrical text and stunning illustrations, young readers share the journey around the planet by a boy and his cat to see how all life is touched in some way by the sun.  Whether it’s ripening the wheat on farms in Idaho, or providing warmth for Australian children to romp in “whale-blue waters” each day the Sun enables and encourages life to grow in one way or another, as it shines through days, seasons, years, even lifetimes…  

There have been many books in library collections that have the sun as their focus for information, but few would be as poetic as this one. while still having so much information packed into it , including some facts that explain the use of some of Conlon’s terminology such as “planet-turner” because of the Sun’s gravitational pull on the planets of the solar system. Indeed, that in itself could spark an activity as students consider some of the things for which the sun is responsible or necessary and then devise their own vocabulary.

As well as the imaginative text, the illustrations carry their own story that could be told without reference to the words as they are so rich in both detail and imagery. 

Teachers’ notes exploring the science as well as the language are available.

 

 

 

Collecting Sunshine

Sep20
Collecting Sunshine

Collecting Sunshine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collecting Sunshine

Rachel Flynn

Tamsin Ainslie

Puffin Books, 2018

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

9780143785187

Mabel and Robert are enjoying walking in the park, collecting things in their paper bag.  Leaves, stones, seedpods, berries, flowers and sticks – they all go into the bag.  But disaster strikes when it begins to rain and Robert decides to collect the raindrops.  The bag disintegrates and their collection falls on the ground!  Mabel is despondent but Robert soon cheers her up – he has another way to collect things.

The is a charming book for early childhood readers that turns an ordinary walk into an adventure and will inspire them to do the same. Before the rain, Mabel and Robert just collected things they could pick up and put in their bag, but without the bag they have to use their senses and really start to experience the beauty of the park so this could be the beginning of a sensory walk through the playground.  But first they can use their sense of sight to spot the budgie and the mouse hidden in each illustration, helping them to hone in on the detail in the illustrations – an essential early reading skill!

As cheery as its title.

An activity pack is available.  

 

Rudolph Shines Again

Dec20

 

 

 

 

Rudolph Shines Again

Rudolph Shines Again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rudolph Shines Again

Robert L. May

Antonio Javier Caparo

Little Simon, 2015

40pp., hbk.

 9781442474987 

It’s a dark and snowy Christmas Eve so once again Santa wants Rudolph to lead the way for the sleigh as his nose shines bold and bright. 

But the other reindeer are jealous and not content with just laughing at Rudolph and calling him names, they are really mean and make him carry the heaviest loads, even using him as the ball when they played football!

Rudolph is so sad and whinges and whines so much that the light on his nose goes out!  With no reason to stay to help and full of self-pity, he leaves the comparative safety of the North Pole for somewhere where he is unknown and unrecognised.  And there he meets some rabbits whose babies are lost in the forest and at the mercy of foxes and wolves. Completely forgetting his own troubles, Rudolph promises to find them – but can he do it without his shiny nose to light the way? Of course he does and with the rescue comes a realisation that is brighter than any nose could be!

Written in 1954, this is the sequel to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer but unlike the original which May wrote to entertain children as part of a department store promotion, this one has a stronger message about there always being someone worse off than you, perhaps inspired by his family circumstances as his wife died from cancer as he worked on the original.  While not necessarily the time for an in-depth discussion, nevertheless young children will feel Rudolph’s pain at being bullied and might think about the feelings of others that they tease.  They will also draw encouragement from Rudolph being able to get things in perspective and go back to face his tormentors knowing that he is strong and has a lot to offer.

This new release is stunning with its beautiful artwork bringing another dimension to the story, also told in rhyme, and making a special duo of books for the Christmas Countdown. 

 

Shine

Mar14
SHine

Shine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shine: A story about saying goodbye

Trace Balla

Allen & Unwin, 2015

Hbk., 32pp., RRP $A19.99

9781743316344

 

“Far, far away and long, long ago, on a beautiful planet, amongst the golden stars there lived a young horse.  He was so kind and bright, so sparkly and shimmery, that everyone called him Shine.”  Shine galloped with the other horses under the smiling moon until one day he met Glitter, the loveliest horse he had ever seen and soon Sparky and Shimmer had come to make a beautiful family.  But sadly and too soon, Shine had to return to the stars and Glitter, Sparky and Shimmer are heartbroken, crying an ocean of golden tears and climbing the high mountain of grief until they finally see and understand the overwhelming size of the love they shared.  And far above, the brightest star of all shines on them and brings them peace.

Trace Balla wrote this book for her niece and nephew when they lost their dad, suddenly and unexpectedly.  Even though it is so difficult to explain the inexplicable to young children, it gave them a moment of peace and beauty and moments are sometimes all you can get at such a difficult time. But it also gave them reassurance that they were still surrounded by love and hope that, in time, they would see their Shine shining down on them. 

We tend to think of death as adult-business but whenever an adult dies there is so often a young child deeply affected and trying to come to terms with the loss, not quite understanding the finality and perhaps blaming themselves for not being good enough.  Whatever the circumstances of the death, it is essential that the child knows they were loved deeply and will continue to be so, and this story not only shows that but celebrates it.  It acknowledges and allows the sadness of all those left behind, the grieving process is accurately depicted as a huge, steep mountain to climb that will take time but it also shows that it can be conquered and that there is still joy in the world.  Little people don’t have the vision to see beyond the horizon and so a story like this gives them some comfort that eventually the hurt starts to heal and the love shines through.  They have not been abandoned, they are not lost and they are still loved.

Because school is often the one constant in the child’s life at this time and particularly if the child is not involved in the final farewell process, it often falls to the teacher to provide the support that is needed and having a story like Shine to share gives them a starting point to share and talk with the child.  It is gentle, it is reassuring and based on the belief that “We all come from the stars, we all go back to the stars” it can be shared without risk of contradicting any religious beliefs.

Sadly, this particular copy will not be added to the collection at my school – it is on its way to a little person who needs it right now and who will get great comfort from it.  I thank Carolyn Walsh from Allen & Unwin for making that possible.

 

Tree

Apr6
Tree

Tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree

Claire Saxby

Jess Racklyeft

A & U Children, 2024

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

9781761069505

On a misty mountain morning, just like the one outside my window this morning, the tree stands tall in the forest, high above those that surround it , “older than those who find it, younger than the land it grows from.”

From its roots that gather food and the tiny, feathery threads that connect it to other trees to the tips of it top leaves that reach for the sun and give dappled shade from it, the tree brims with life – both its own and those who seek shelter and food from it.

Known as “the forest giant” as they can soar to a height of more than 100 metres, and sometimes living up to 300 years old, this is the story of a mountain ash – Eucalyptus regnans – native to the forests of Tasmania and Victoria, born from a seed the size of a pinhead but uniquely designed to be able to push its way through the ash of a bushfire and begin its rapid growth that helps regenerate the scorched land below. 

Just like Iceberg this is another incredible offering from this team of author and illustrator, one that brings to life the life of something so ordinary yet extraordinary  in words and pictures (including an amazing three-page spread) in a way that should be used as a role model for students tasked with research-and-report writing.  Compare “In the layered litter, a a scaly thrush flicks. A lyrebird scritch-scratches. Slaters curl, beetles burrow and centipedes scurry.” to  something like “At the bottom of the tree lots of birds and animals live among the dropped leaves and twigs.” It is the lyricism of Saxby’s language that shines through in all her books and in this case, Racklyeft’s watercolour illustrations put the reader right in with those little inhabitants.

But whether the tree is a magnificent mountain ash, or a humble backyard specimen, this is one that will spark awareness of the value that any tree adds to both the landscape and life itself, and thus needs protection rather than destruction. 

 

Astronomy for Curious Kids

Mar14
Astronomy for Curious Kids

Astronomy for Curious Kids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Astronomy for Curious Kids

Giles Sparrow

Nik Neves

CSIRO Publishing, 2024

12833., hbk., RRP $A32.99

9781486318384

Ever since humans first walked the Earth, they have marvelled at the night sky and wondered and imagined, dreamt and explained. And even though science has moved us along significantly from the ancient stories of why there is night and day, how the sun travels across the sky, and all the other myths and legends associated with the things we can see when darkness falls, our children are still asking the same questions…

Where did everything come from?

Is there life on other planets?

How do stars shine?

Why does it get dark at night?

How big is the universe?

And as the total solar eclipse on April 8 draws closer, even though it will be mostly visible across North America and not be visible from Australia, nevertheless there will be a heightened interest and news bulletins build.  Thus the release of this book for young independent readers is very timely as it provides the answers to many of the questions that will be raised.  Beginning with a chapter about hoe to watch the stars and the safest and most effective way to do so, it explains why the sky changes,  how to find certain objects at particular times and even being able to identify what you can see without using a n app or a smartphone.  And so begins a journey that offers brief but complete explanations of many of the phenomena providing readers with a solid understanding of the basics, that can then help them understand not only what they are seeing but also any study of indigenous astronomy they might engage in, as part of the curriculum, perhaps even sparking a deeper interest and further investigations.

Like any CSIRO publication, this is authoritative, tailored perfectly to its target audience and a valuable addition to your non fiction collection. 

 

 

Proud Mouse

Jan16
Proud Mouse

Proud Mouse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proud Mouse

Cara Menzel & Idina Menzel

Disney Publishing, 2023

48pp., hbk., RRP $29.99

9781368080996

Cara Lee is a proud mouse. She is proud of her big sister Dee. She is proud of her specially decorated journal. And now she’s proud to become what she’s always wanted to be: a student. But her first day of school is different than she imagined. Everyone keeps comparing her to Dee. But who is Cara Lee? 

Faced with an issue that many young children will encounter in the next few weeks as they start school and find themselves in the shadows of their brothers and sisters who have gone before,  this is a touching tale of a little mouse who has to learn who she is, rather than just being Dee’s sister.  Using her mother’s advice that often you see yourself more clearly if you stand alone, Cara Lee sets out to discover just who she is and what her unique talents are. 

 A sequel to Loud Mouse, in which Dee, herself finds her voice, this is one to share with little ones starting school to give them the confidence to shine in their own way, as well as showing those around them that being siblings doesn’t mean you are the same. 

Count the Stars

Aug29
Count the Stars

Count the Stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Count the Stars

Raewyn Caisley

Gabriel Evans

Walker Books, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781760653552

Everywhere in her everyday world, Maddie finds mathematics.  Whether it’s seeing the parallel lines of sunshine pouring through her bedroom blinds in to morning, counting daisy petals in the garden, or finding the patterns in the pathway, she adores maths.  But among her friends, it would seem she was alone – when her friends came to play they found fascination in other things like decorating the cupcakes rather than measuring and making them.  Her preoccupation impinges on her relationships with her classmates, making her feel out of kilter with them, as though she were some kind of weird and she doesn’t even notice that there might be others with a similar fascination, until…

This is an absolutely intriguing story with lots of layers that will resonate with so many readers, not just discovering the ubiquity of maths in our lives, and maybe building a maths trail around the school. While the author has chosen to make maths the focus of Maddie’s passion, there are bigger issues that can be explored through the story such as celebrating a love of learning; making and maintaining friendships; finding and following your passion and owning it or, conversely, feeling separated from our friends because they don’t love something as we do; even exploring whether friends can like and do different things and still be friends.

Having gone from someone who saved the Year 6 final excursion by being the only person to get 100% in the end-of-year maths exam, to be completely bewildered by the complexities of algebra and trigonometry at high school and getting a bare minimum pass in the School Certificate exam, to becoming a maths consultant and writing a number of teacher resource books on integrating it across the curriculum, I can relate very closely to Maddie as she finds the maths in everything fascinating and understands why it is referred to as the “Queen of Sciences”.  So while I could write a book or several (actually have) about how the maths in this story could be the springboard to the year’s curriculum, starting with the endpapers, it also opens the opportunity for readers to share their passions and what is involved in achieving their big dreams.  And that could lead to investigating how their heroes achieved their dreams, or building Genius Hour into the timetable, or…

But for all the Maddies who love maths, perhaps they could ponder this… if Maddie can figure out a way to count the daisy petals in the garden, how could she count the stars?  

 

What My Daddy Loves

Aug26
What My Daddy Loves

What My Daddy Loves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What My Daddy Loves

Raissa Figueroa

HarperCollins, 2023

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

9780008608408

Some daddies love going outdoors and exploring the world.
Some daddies love teaching their kids how to fix machines.
Some daddies love learning and dreaming big dreams.
But there’s a special something – or someone – that daddies love best of all…

With Father’s Day in Australia fast approaching, many classes focus on families and the men in them and so this is an opportunity for children to discover and share the things that make their daddies smile and feel joy. Ordinary things like pushing a little one in a trolley through the supermarket as well as their special interests.  Told from the perspective of a number of young children, it is clear that daddies are diverse and do so much more than the go-to-work-watch-TV stereotype of the past. 

Text is minimal and repetitive making it easy for young readers and writers to navigate and emulate, and while the fathers vary in age, size, shape, hairstyles, even being deaf or in a wheelchair,  and are depicted in various shades of brown, what shines through on each page is that commonality of love for their child, finding the joy in every day. .