Archives

Koala Koala

Apr27
Koala Koala

Koala Koala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Koala Koala

John Williamson

Jonathan Bentley

Puffin, 2025

24pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761344244

Ask any little person (or international visitor) to name an iconic Australian creature and it’s highly likely they will say “koala”.  Yet there are fears that this favourite will be extinct in NSW by 2050, the greatest threat being loss of habitat because of  urban development, agriculture, mining and the expansion of existing infrastructure. Already, those in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory have been  classified as an endangered species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) since February, 2022.

So this picture book version of John Williamson’s 1990 song of the same name, is a provocative reminder that even though we have recognised the predicament of these favourites for decades, there is still much to be done.

With the original lyrics slightly modified and enriched by poignant, evocative illustrations by Jonathan Bentley , little ones are introduced to needs of koalas and the key dangers koalas face – deforestation, traffic, bushfires and dogs – helping them to understand that if they want to be able to show their children this treasured marsupial, the time to act is now. While they might not have the power to stop urban sprawl, they can be aware of the work of Koala Conservation Australia   (of which, Williamson is a special ambassador) and perhaps hold a fundraiser to support their work in building a new breeding facility, education the public generally, or even visiting the centre.

Even just learning about the koala’s habitats and habits can be a start, and such a study was my go-to intro to developing information literacy skills with kindergarten.  Use the book itself as well as lots of different pictures of koalas so there is at least one between two, and ask pairs, “What can we learn about koalas just by looking at these pictures?”. Record the responses,  and then classify what has been discovered into three columns… What do we know for sure? What do we need to check?  What more do we want/need to find out?  Not only does that give a structure to the class investigation but it also gives them the foundation for their own personal investigations into other native species.

On the other hand, more mature readers could use it as a starting point to investigate how songs and music have been used over time to build awareness of human rights, environmental and other issues to reach a wider audience, particularly the anti-war protest movement of the 1960s, although there have been many before and since. 

An essential addition to any collection to support the environment and sustainability curriculum. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

 

Sunny and Shadow

Apr22
Sunny and Shadow

Sunny and Shadow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunny and Shadow

Helen Milroy

Fremantle Press, 2025

96pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760995119

During the Dreaming, that special time where for First Nations peoples, past present and future coexist and all the elements for creation were formed, including special landscapes and landshapes where people, animals, land, sky and water cared for each other, the dingoes lived on one side of the hill and the people on the other, over time forming special connections. Calla, particularly, had a special affinity with them and the dingo became her totem, her life’s mission to take care of them, particularly one special pup, Chichi..  

But things changed when newcomers not only took over the land but also removed Calla and her people from them, leaving the dingoes, also in great danger from the newcomers,  to fend for themselves. So when Chichi has to run for his life and escapes through a special cave that gives him the power of invisibility, and he emerges in a different time and place, it seems natural that he will be befriended by Sunny who also has Calla’s gift with the species because she is her granddaughter.  Sunny, herself, also feels out of place, caught between the realities of modern life and the traditional beliefs and ways of her ancestors. and this becomes a story that weaves both worlds together as they attempt to restore a better balance between the environment and people because “when life is abundant and in balance, future generations can thrive”.  

Written in a format that suggests it might be for younger readers – which, on the surface, it is, as a story about the connections between a young Aboriginal girl and a dingo pup – it also requires a certain amount of knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal beliefs and culture and teachers’ notes ask some big questions that require a broader appreciation of the world than a young non-indigenous reader might have.  But for all that, it offers yet another layer of insight that all goes to help build that knowledge and understanding. 

Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History

Apr15
Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History

Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History

Melissa-Jane Fogarty

Dylan Finney

Lothian Children’s, 2025

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

9780734423351

Centuries, indeed, millennia, before it became one of Australia’s most iconic tourist attractions where people gather  to share and tell stories, sing and hear music and stories and enjoy dance, drama and other cultural experiences, it was a place for the Gadi people to do exactly the same sorts of things.  Known as Tubowgule – tube-uh-gahlee – which means “where the knowledge waters meet” because the fresh waters of the creeks mixed with the salty waters of the oceans making it a place of rich resources, the Gadi people would congregate to enrich and replenish their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.  

While millions of Australians and international visitors may only know it for Utzon’s creation built from playing with sailboats and orange peels, watching swans and collecting seashells, the Sydney Opera House has a history that disappears into the far distance of time, and which is brought to life in this striking book, the first in a series that explores the indigenous history of some of Australia’s iconic landmarks.  

Even though British colonisation brought about many changes to the use of the land, all of which are mapped out in double page spreads and a final-page timeline, the presence of the First Nations people continued, explained in sidebars that show how purpose and perspectives changed until they turned full circle, when in 2007 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and Ben Blakeney, an Aboriginal actor and descendent of Banalung , officially welcomed people to the House.

Described by the National Indigenous Times as “a rich and inclusive exploration of the land beneath one of Australia’s most famous landmarks” it offers younger readers an insight not just into the story of the Opera House itself, but helps them understand that, like so many other locations they are familiar with,  places have stories to tell that can bring them alive and make them relevant and meaningful.  From the front cover and endpapers which provide a poignant sneak peak of what is to follow,  there is history immersed in every word and illustration and teachers’ notes encourage the exploration of these,  particularly for those in the middle to upper primary grades. Even though the building itself might not be something non-Sydney readers are as familiar with, nevertheless there are significant points that are part of the nation’s more recent history which can be investigated and perhaps even compared to the history of their own region, while some might like to investigate a local landmark that could be the subject of another in the series.

Another in a growing collection of narrative non fiction works which offer insight and understanding of First Nations Peoples that can only take us forward on the journey together. 

 

Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts

Apr12
Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts

Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australian Dinosaurs and Mega Beasts

Myke Mollard

Woodslane Press, 2022

48pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781922800060

It may be 65 million years since a meteor apparently wiped out the land-dwelling dinosaurs and ended the Age of the Dinosaurs but stories with headlines like this,

Fossilised footprints found at Queensland school from just a month ago, still make national news and capture the imagination.

Because no matter our age, there is still a fascination with these creatures particularly when we realise that a lot of the early evidence of how life began on Earth is actually to be found in Australia such as the stromatolites which still exist in Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, WA.  Thus, this book, another of Myke Mollard’s fascinating creations, is going to have wide appeal as it explores the range and diversity of Australian wildlife from prehistory through to the final days of our unique megafauna. Covering over 70 animals that lived in Australia at various times during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras including sea creatures to amphibians, dinosaurs, reptiles, birds and mammals and with meticulous attention to the environment and flora of each period portrayed in both exquisite, detailed illustrations and text suitable for independent readers who want more information than just a starter book,  it introduces a succession of the huge animals that marched, flew and swam across our landscape, from the terrifying Daspletosaurus to the more sedentary Diprotodon. 

The endpapers set the scene....

The endpapers set the scene….

Maps, timelines, and comparison charts all add to the visual and learning experience, making this one an ideal addition to the 567.9 collection because it delves deeper, going beyond description and explains how the Australian continent has changed over the millennia and the impact of the change on the landscape and its inhabitants.  Definitely one for those whose interest was piqued by that remarkable stone at Biloela High School!

 

Wombat Poos are Square

Apr10
Wombat Poos are Square

Wombat Poos are Square

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wombat Poos are Square

Sophie Gillies

Karen Erasmus

CSIRO Publishing, 2025

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

9781486318759

All Australian creatures from galahs and potoroos

To stingrays and goannas do their own distinctive poos…

When I was a child – 100 years ago according to the preschoolers I share stories with each  week – we whispered words about human bodily functions for fear of getting our mouths washed out with soap and even to this day, there are some words that I feel uncomfortable saying (or doing) in public.  There were things that just weren’t mentioned, particularly among females, and goodness knows how many times our dogs got blamed for something my dad did. Even the stories about Winnie-the-Pooh instigated smirks and muffled giggles.

Who would have thought that 70 years on I could not only do the daily poo run (so we can walk without fear) but also identify which creatures had visited our bush home overnight! I can tell the difference between the kangaroos and wallabies, know that I have to clean the possum pellets from the feed tray daily, and even spot if a wombat has passed through.  Because each creature has its particular poo, depending on its diet, its size and its needs.  And in this new release from CSIRO Publishing, young readers are not only introduced to the unique output of many of Australia’s native creatures but it is done in a matter-of-fact way -albeit in rhyming text – that helps them understand that defecating is natural and necessary function for almost everything (even if it’s only once a year for snakes.)  Added to the no-nonsense approach is information of how our environment is nourished, generated and regenerated by the contents of each creature’s contribution, such as the cassowary that eats the seeds of almost 240  types of rainforest trees, 70 of which are so big only cassowaries can eat them, and then through its poo, spreads those seeds so new trees can grow.

Whether it’s sandy poo, grassy poo, sparkly poo, or square poo, young readers can start to learn about the importance and value of what comes out after what has gone in, and this is extended in more detail in the final pages as well as how scientists learn so much about the world’s creatures by studying their poo.  Maybe, they might start thinking about what happens to their own poo when they flush the loo.  No more whispered words and sniggering as they become more educated that precious generations!

A quick search of this blog reveals that this is not the first time this topic has been the focus and so these are some of the titles that could be added to a most fascinating and informative display while teachers’ notes will encourage further investigation. 

The Hullabaloo about Elephant Poo Whose Poo? Poo. Spew and Other Gross things Animals Do!
Poo and Other Words That Make Me Laugh Where Does Poo Go? Dung Beetle on a Roll One Little Dung Beetle

Click on the cover to reveal the review. 

 

 

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

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!!! 

 

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.

We Live in a Bus

Mar26
We Live in a Bus

We Live in a Bus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Live in a Bus

Dave Petzold

Thames & Hudson, 2024

32pp. hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781760764647

Imagine getting up in the morning and doing whatever you like, going wherever the road takes you unimpeded by having to go to school or work.  Sounds like a dream for the future after your working life is over and you have retired – and, indeed, for thousands of grey nomads, it is living the dream.

But what if you’re a child and it is your reality?  Because that’s the life of the family in this CBCA 2025  Shortlist nominee for Picture Book of the Year.  Every day there is somewhere new to go and something new to do or see as they travel around in  Gracie Joy Rufus Bean, a bus especially converted to be a mobile home, with her door that goes tic-shhh! and Blob, the bus spider who lives over the top bunk.  There are new people to meet and stories to share, adventures to have and camping under the stars wherever you pull up puts you in tune with nature.  

Creator Dave Petzold talks about the inspiration and process or creating the book on his website, stemming from his own family road trip, and with its straightforward, onomatopoeic text and distinctive illustrations (which he describes in this interview as “a smudgy jumble of collaged shapes and lines”),  it encourages the reader to appreciate the journey as much as the destination- wherever that may be.  Taking time out to play on a musical fence, listen to the sound of the budgies as they take off when the buss rolls through, learning the stories of Country, and feeling the cool of the clear water of the unspoiled waterhole. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

This has the potential to spark lots of discussion about the pros and cons of such a lifestyle, encouraging young readers to look closely at their own and identify what is precious to them, as well as considering those new things they could explore if they were not tied to timetables, screens, and after-school activities. Are there ways they could have the best of both worlds?    Are there places they want to visit and maps to make?  Are there dreams to build and make come true?

Petzold himself was CBCA Shortlisted for the New Illustrator award in 2021 for his first book, Seven Seas of Fleas  – two nominations from two works makes him one to look for in the future.