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Country Town

Sep21
Country Town

Country Town

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Country Town

Isolde Martyn

Robyn Ridgeway

Louise Hogan

Ford Street, 2023

48pp., pbk., RRP $A19.99

9781922696359

Every country town has its own unique history shaped by its location, its settlers and the events that have come and gone over the years. 

In this book, somewhat reminiscent of the seminal text My Place by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins, and Window by Jeannie Baker,  the story of a fictitious town is traced from its earliest times as a camp for a First Nations clan, and then from the 1820s when European explorers arrive, one decides to stay and run sheep, displacing those earliest inhabitants, and beginning a new story that features significant events that might have occurred over the ensuing 200 years.

Beginning with a poem by Robyn Ridgeway that describes the life her ancestors led but foretelling the feeling that great change is to come, each significant event, both natural and not, is explored and its impact explained so this becomes an oral history rather than just a series of facts and figures.  Each snapshot is accompanied by a detailed illustration that has much to investigate in itself as well as comparing it to the previous illustrations as the changes happen and the town evolves.

Extensive teachers’ notes are available  inviting the students to explore this text in detail, compare it to Window and then look at the history of their own town. They also suggest ways to use it from a broader perspective offering an entire term’s history curriculum that covers other strands of the Australian Curriculum, including  the cross-curricular priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures making it a valuable addition to a teacher’s personal toolbox as well as one that the teacher librarian can suggest with confidence.  Take a peek inside here.

Let’s Save the Great Barrier Reef

Sep9
Let's Save the Great Barrier Reef

Let’s Save the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Save the Great Barrier Reef

Catherine Barr

Jean Claude

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781529513615

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is home to a quarter of all ocean life, but it also has many other roles to play in the ecosystems of the region including protecting the Queensland coast from powerful ocean weather and waves , sheltering the communities that are spread along the shoreline.  

This, and many other reasons for its protection are presented in this picture book for young readers, each starting with the line, “Let’s save the Great Barrier Reef because… ” followed by a clear but simple explanation and accompanied by stunning illustrations that really drive home the message.  

Part of a series which includes other significant at-risk regions of the planet, the underlying, common threat to all is climate change, and while young readers might not fully understand this or perhaps feel they can do little about it, it does include a few tips about the small differences they can make which, if shared broadly, will make a big difference. 

While it will serve as an introduction to this unique location for young readers, it could also serve as the springboard for a broader investigation for more mature students.  Just starting with the phrase “Let’s save the Great Barrier Reef because… ” could initiate either deeper investigations into the reasons already provided, search for other reasons or even look at the importance and imp[act of coral reefs in general.  There are also teachers’ notes available to explore other ideas. 

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

Sep1
Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

Libby Hathorn

Christina Booth

Lothian Children’s, 2023

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

9780734421555

Encapsulated in these 32 pages plus the endpapers could be your whole year’s  curriculum to satisfy the sustainability cross-curriculum priority, particularly the concept that focuses on “the interdependent and dynamic nature of systems that support all life on Earth and our collective wellbeing.”

From the very first haiku on the front endpaper…

Below ground tree-talk

Nodes and links and fungal 

threads

Reaching out to touch

this is the most engaging collection of poems that celebrate Mother Nature, and the connections between her and her children and between us and them. No matter its format or structure, each reflects on the wondrous things that are available to us all if we choose to look.  Some, such as Garden Australia, celebrate the everyday miracles,; others, like Beach Blues, commiserate what has been lost; but each and all offers the opportunity to inspect and reflect on that which is under our nose. Accompanied by the most exquisite illustrations that range from the whimsical like the cane toad chorus to the mysterious of the valley under the rock, this is one for those who love the magic of lyrical, picture-making language as well as those who prefer more factual content – a combination that is very rare.  Take the start of Bush Picnic…

Kangaroos high kick

wombats waddle

bilbies burrow

cockatoos squabble…

Factually accurate but expressed divinely. 

Thus, this is not only the ideal springboard to explore the focus of each poem and how it teaches us about those critical systems on which we depend, but also gives the reader the opportunity to respond to their own discoveries. 

There have been many storybooks of late that have encouraged our young children to be more aware of the world that is at their back door, but how can we make their observations more meaningful, help them find the wonder in what they see?  By having them go outside to select just one thing that captures their imagination -perhaps something as simple as a dead leaf on the ground – examine it thoroughly,  draw it  and then encouraging them to think about its story of how and why and tell that story in their own way and words, we are providing the perfect platform for learning, appreciating, expressing…

To me, this is one of those symbiotic pairings of author and illustrator that produces something both mystical and magical and is a must-have in any teacher toolbox.  

Eat My Dust!

Aug31
Eat My Dust!

Eat My Dust!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eat My Dust!

Neridah McMullin

Lucia Masciullo

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781760654191

It is 1928 and despite proving their capabilities during World War I,  most men still believed a woman’s place  to be “barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen”. Many who had stepped in to fulfil the roles and occupations traditionally taken by men had been relegated back to domestic duties, yet there were many who defied the prevailing practices and attitudes and chose to follow their dreams.  

Among them were Kathleen Elizabeth Howell and Jean Ochiltree Robertson whose passion was driving and who, in 1927, had completed the perilous trip between Melbourne and Darwin mapping their journey and the mileages as they went from Melbourne to Mount Gambier and Adelaide before heading north through the Central Desert to Oodnadatta and Alice Springs and up through to Darwin, sending their research back to their sponsors, the Shell Oil Company, who used the information to produce their first map of the route to central Australia.

Even though they were well-known in the motoring circles of the time, were experienced in both motor mechanics and driving in the desert, in 1928 when they took on the the west-east speed record from Perth to Melbourne (having already driven from Melbourne to Perth) and beating it by five hours, it was the derision and discrimination of the men that proved to be a greater hurdle. Each place they stopped for fuel or food, they were met by those who felt that such a journey was not the realm of women. To which they tended to respond, “Eat my dust!”  Thus, told as narrative non fiction, this new book provides both an introduction to two little-known heroines who paved the way for women to drive today, and highlights those attitudes offering an insight into how difficult it was to be female in a male environment and the opportunity to investigate the transition of women’s achievements and influence over the last century.

With the 2023 CBCA Book Week theme of Read. Grow. Inspire still fresh in our minds, this is another story that allows young readers to meet the pioneers who followed their dreams, inspired others and  made something “abnormal” normal for today’s generations. 

 

 

Scout and the Rescue Dogs

Aug9
Scout and the Rescue Dogs

Scout and the Rescue Dogs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scout and the Rescue Dogs

Dianne Wolfer

Tony Flowers

Walker Books, 2023

224pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

9781760655860

As the school year comes to an end at the Arcadia Boarding School for Young Ladies, Scout has only two plans for the long summer holidays – to enjoy the time with her trucker dad and to persuade him that Arcadia is not the best fit for her and she shouldn’t have to go back there.  She has only been there since her mother died from cancer and having kept that a secret from the other girls, she has found it hard to make friends.  And now her teacher has set  the class a summer project of reaching out to three others to establish stronger friendships… and , of course, two of her three assigned contacts are her greatest tormentors.

But, Dad has one last run to do before they can escape to their farm near Beechworth – a philanthropist has donated a load of dog food to be delivered to animal rescue shelters in anticipation of the increased numbers they experience over Christmas – and soon Scout’s school-based problems fade into perspective as she meets carers and dogs and even makes a new friend through Ms Lawler’s initiative, all the while facing the threat of bushfires sweeping the countryside. 

Set against the backdrop of the unprecedented fire season of 2019-2020 and travelling through south-eastern Australia through country that is so familiar to me – I’ve been to every one of the towns mentioned so many times – this was a story that kept me reading well past my bedtime and into the early hours.  Wolfer has created a character who tells the story of that dreadful time through a child’s eyes – the interminable days of smoke and ash, the concern for the native wildlife, the fear of ember attacks and worse – and while, as an adult who evacuated twice because of the imminent danger, I could cope with the memories, it may open wounds that are just beginning to have scar tissue for some readers. But, at the same time, it is a story of love,  the importance and power of memories,  friendship, the camaraderie amongst strangers as communities rally together as they do in dire times, and of hope as Scout comes to terms with her situation through her deepening relationship with her dad and her own philanthropic enterprises.  And threaded through it to lighten the mood as the real-life issues are addressed, is the greatest collection of the WORST Dad Jokes ever!!!

Burrumbuttock Hay Run

Burrumbuttock Hay Run

 

Edward the Emu 35th Anniversary Edition

Jul19
Edward the Emu

Edward the Emu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward the Emu 35th Anniversary Edition

Sheena Knowles

Rod Clement

HarperCollins, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

9781460764084

Edward the emu was sick of the zoo,

There was nowhere to go and nothing to do,

And compared to the seals that lived right next door,

Well being an emu was frankly, a bore. 

And so Edward decides he is going to be someone else entirely – he tries swimming with the seals, he spends a day lounging with the lions, and even slithers with the snakes – before realising that perhaps the thing he is best at is being himself.

This is an Australian children’s classic, first published 35 years ago, and one shared with so many classes and children in my care ever since.  The children always respond so well because apart from the storyline, its rhyme and rhythm and its glorious illustrations, it is one of the best stories ever for helping our young people understand that who they are and being that is enough.  And their turn to shine will come, even if the spotlight is on someone else right now.  Certainly, when I include a copy of it in a storybook cushion, parents buy it because they remember it as an integral part of their childhood story journey.

And there is even more fun if it is teamed with  Edwina the Emu, the sequel which follows Edward’s journey but with a focus on his mate who is also trying to find her identity.

 

Edwina the Emu

Edwina the Emu

These two stories are classic Australian children’s literature at its best – there is a message of being comfortable and confident about who you are but it is subtle and embedded first and foremost in an entertaining engaging story which has to be the primary focus of any author. No wonder they have stood the test of time and are still around to delight yet another generation.

Parcel For Koala

Jul17
Parcel For Koala

Parcel For Koala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parcel For Koala

Shelley Knoll-Miller

Puffin, 2023

24pp., hbk., RRP $A14.99

 9781761046636

Koala and his other friends who like to sleep through the day are stuck in a tree full of squawking cockatoos who are keeping them awake.  They are tired and frazzled and just want to sleep. But then, on the back of a bouncing kangaroo, Postman arrives with a parcel.  Both Gorilla and Penguin have received parcels, so what could be in this one from Turtle? 

Knowing that in this adventure in this fabulous series for little ones, all the creatures want to do is get some sleep, young readers can have fun predicting what it might be that will help them do that.  Could it be a harp to play lullabies or a hammock to curl up in?  Perhaps some earmuffs to blot out those raucous cockies! Or is it something completely unexpected but which can be used to solve the problem anyway?

As with its predecessors, the thread of the story is presented on the endpapers helping the child to focus their thoughts on what is to come and predict what might happen, essential skills in becoming a reader.  As one who has taught littlies to read for over 50 years, to me this series is an absolute winner and should be in the hands of all those who want their children to become successful, independent readers.  It just works in building those early skills on so many levels and in so many ways. 

Find Spot: An Australian Adventure

Jul10
Find Spot: An Australian Adventure

Find Spot: An Australian Adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find Spot: An Australian Adventure

Eric Hill

Puffin, 2023

18pp., board book., RRP $A14.99

9780241618127

Spot and his mum and dad are camping near a billabong and exploring the Australian outback, its colours and creatures. As they paddle down the creek they discover all the colours that can be found in and around the billabong and meet lots of Australian animals along the way, most of them hidden under flaps for littlies to lift, but as they are exploring, Spot disappears! Where did he go?

Eric Hill’s Where’s Spot? was the first ever lift-the-flap book – and his ground-breaking innovation continues to delight and surprise readers with interactive fun. Spot has now been a trusted character in early learning for over 40 years, selling over 65 million books worldwide. And the tradition continues as young readers not only have the delight of discovering what is under the flap, but also sharing a familiar adventure with a favourite character, building their vocabulary with words like “billabong”, naming the colours that they can see and having fun identifying those creatures they already recognise – all critical skills in early reading development and affirming that they, too, will become a “real reader”. 

 

 

Banjo, the Woylie with Bounce

Jun21
Banjo, the Woylie with Bounce

Banjo, the Woylie with Bounce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banjo, the Woylie with Bounce

Aleesah Darlison

Mel Matthews

Puffin, 2022

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

9781760899257

For most of his short life, Banjo the woylie has stayed safe with his mum in her pouch or her nest but as he gets a little older, he ventures out at night in search of food for this little woylie likes two things above all others – mushrooms and bouncing! But there are those like foxes and feral cats who like woylies just as much and when one startles Banjo, he bounces off … only to find himself far from home and his mum with no more bounce left in him.  And it seems worse is yet to come because he is tempted by the sweet smell of fresh fruit and finds himself caught in a trap!

Before Europeans settled Australia, the woylie, also known as the brush-tailed bettong was found over much of Southern Australia but now they are classified nationally as endangered and even presumed extinct in New South Wales., mostly due to predation by foxes and feral cats.  So this addition to the Endangered Animal Series which focuses on our lesser-known indigenous creatures that are threatened, at the very least, and which includes Poppy, the Punk Turtle  and Coco, the fish with hands and Rusty the Rainbow Bird, highlights the plight of these tiny creatures  bringing their stories to younger audiences who are just beginning to understand that there is a wider world around them.

As with the others, this one also features bright, bold illustrations which  catch the eye immediately and a story written in simple but accurate vocabulary which respects the young reader’s intelligence, and which is supported by fact boxes that offer more information. Perfect for those with an interest in the natural world and who are looking to find out more. 

At the same time, its format is also the perfect model for older students to base a story and an investigation of another little-known creature of their own.  Start by asking , “What would Aleesah Darlison and Mel Mathews have needed to know before they could begin one of these books?”  An opportunity for meaningful research as well as those who prefer writing fiction and those who prefer writing non fiction and those who prefer illustrating to collaborate. 

 

 

Ruby’s Rescue

Jun14
Ruby's Rescue

Ruby’s Rescue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby’s Rescue

Elizabeth Mary Cummings

Cheryl Hughes

Big Sky, 2023

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

9781922896292

Ruby is really keen to help the animals that have been injured in a recent bushfire, but is finding it tricky because she is confined to a wheelchair because she broke her leg when her horse threw her when it was spooked by the smoke. Pushing a wheelchair over rough ground is hard work and so she has to be satisfied with helping her mother rake leaves so that the house is more fireproof before the next fire season.  She is even more determined when she finds a possum with burned paws, and that night she gets inspiration from an unusual source…

This is a timely release as we are urged by state bushfire authorities to prepare our homes during these cooler months in preparation for the summer fire season, and in fact, it contains a checklist from the NSW Rural Fire Service to encourage families to take action.  But it also a story that demonstrates to young readers that they are not powerless and that there are things they can do to help not only in preparing their home but in caring for the wildlife that will be inevitably impacted and injured as well. 

While stories like this and The Fire Wombat bring the heart-breaking impact of fire to our attention, others like Alight: A Story of Fire and  Nature  show that it is an integral part of the life cycle of the bush and thus, even our young readers, need to be aware and ready.