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The Special Gift

Dec2

 

 

 

The Special Gift

The Special Gift

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Special Gift

Ruth Doyle

Carmen Saldana

Orchard Books, 2024

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

9781408369166

On a bitterly cold, fierce winter’s night Donkey wanders from the farm where there is no room for one so little to pull a cart, getting colder and colder as the snow falls. But as he stops to drink in an almost-frozen stream he sees the reflection of a brilliant star that grew brighter as he watched. Suddenly, a silver and white bird flew down, and magically, Donkey is wrapped in a warm blanket and is told to follow the star.

Distressed that he has nothing to offer in return, nevertheless he trudges forward  – and so begins a journey that now has hope and purpose.  And on his travels, Donkey meets other animals who are lost in their own way: a lonely lamb, an old sheepdog who longs to be useful and a robin searching for a reason to sing. Guided by Donkey, the new friends help each other to navigate the storm to safety . . .

At this time of the year. gift-giving seems to be at the front of mind for many. and while those gifts may seem to have to be the bigger/better/brighter kind, this is a gentle story that reminds us that they can be much simpler.  Not a day goes by that we don’t hear about the “cost-of-living-crisis” and so it could mean that this year’s season is more stressful than ever, so as the characters in this story offer nothing that is tangible but everything that is meaningful, it offers an opportunity for readers to think about what they might offer that could change someone’s life for a short time, if not forever. All the creatures have lost their “tribe”, lonely and outcast for one reason or another, so perhaps they could think about those in their circle in similar circumstances and consider whether a smile, a visit or a match of homemade biscuits might make the difference. Whether as a family or a class, what can they do to make someone’s life a little better – and what might that lead to in the future?

The publishers describe the book as a reminder ‘of the most special gift we can offer – our own kindness” and for that alone, it deserves its place in this year’s Christmas Countdown. 

 

Goodnight, Joeys

Nov29
Goodnight, Joeys

Goodnight, Joeys

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodnight, Joeys

Renée Treml

Puffin, 2024

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

9781761349096

Whisper goodnight to the land,
where joeys race on cool, soft sand.

Australia is a land with unique fauna, perhaps the most recognisable for our little ones being the kangaroo, and they soon learn that a baby is called a joey.

Yet, all baby marsupials are known as joeys and in this little book, another exquisitely illustrated by Renée Treml, they learn this and to recognise some of those unique creatures.  With gentle, repetitive rhyming text they say goodnight to wombats, numbats,  bandicoots, and many more as they draw the curtains on the day.  

Treml’s name is becoming synonymous with these lullaby-like stories that feature her iconic style, pastel colours and calming verse, and this is yet another gift to our smallest readers.

The Pelican Can!

Nov27
The Pelican Can!

The Pelican Can!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pelican Can!

Toni Yuly

Little Brown,  2024

32pp., hbk., RRP

$A32.99

9780316497817

In 1910, Dixon Lanier Merritt wrote a rhyme that endures to this day as a favourite of little ones who want to legitimately say “naughty words”…

“A wonderful bird is the Pelican.
His beak can hold more than his belly can.
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a week!
But I’ll be darned if I know how the hellican?”

And in this enchanting book, when Pelican knows it is time to feed the nestlings, creator Toni Yuly asks simple questions about the process and answers them with an equally simple repetitive answer that will appeal to little ones’ love of word play …

Who can see its time to eat?
The pelican can. The pelican can.
Against the solid-colour sunset backgrounds, the pelican is silhouetted as it goes about looking for the evening meal, and these images make it easy for the young reader not only to anticipate the text of the question, but join in enthusiastically with the answer.   
Pelicans are found all over Australia, even far inland wherever there is a water source, and there would be few young readers who do not meet Mr Percival, Mr Proud and Mr Ponder from the classic Storm Boy, by Colin Thiele, or even Pannikin & Pinta, also by Thiele, in their reading journeys, so this one, which has all the elements that help develop concepts about print and allow our youngest to believe they can be readers, is the ideal starting point to learning about how and why their “beaks can hold more than their belly can”. 

 

 

A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet

Nov22
A Beginner's Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet

A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet

Ali Rutstein

Tommy Doyle

Albert Street, 2024

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

9781761180903

Every family should have a pet.
A faithful friend to welcome into your hearts and home.
This guide is a MUST HAVE to help you decide which pet is the perfect fit for your family.

There comes a time, in many families, when the focal point of conversation turns to choosing a pet, and there are as many different opinions as there are family members. So this would appear to be the perfect handbook to help the decision-making.  Or is it?

While puppies, kittens, guinea pigs, budgies and rabbits are generally considered, they each have their shortcomings and these are pointed out in both the text and the hilarious illustrations which are such an integral part of this story.  No.  It makes much more sense to go with something a little more exotic like a tiger that is always up for “a rambunctious game of hide-and-seek” or a jelly fish whose “tickly tentacles will have you in stitches” or maybe a polar bear called Frank.  Or does it?

As Christmas comes around, many little ones will be asking for a pet, so this is a timely release to help make an informed choice.  Or will it?

Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods

Nov20
Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods

Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flora and Fern: Wonder in the Woods

Sarah, Duchess of York

Denise Hughes

New Frontier, 2024

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

9781923145085

The festive season is approaching and Flora and Fern are preparing the best party ever for the inhabitants of Holly Wood with “the prettiest decorations, the yummiest food, the coolest band and the most wonderful party-givers.”

But before the party begins there are decorations to collect, so, armed with two large bags, they go out into the snowy woods to collect mistletoe, fir cones, acorns and all the other things that they need.   Trouble strikes though when Flora awakens Hedgehog who is hibernating in the only bush with blackberries that she can find and her bag gets snagged.  Imagine her dismay when she discovers it empty when she gets back to the burrow…

With its charming illustrations, which begin with a map of Holly Wood, then continue with a scene from inside the bunnies’ burrow complete with blazing wood fire and a tree to be decorated, and then out into the woods themselves with its various creatures tucked into the snowy landscape, this is a feel-good story that introduces not-so-old children to one of those old-fashioned stories that previous generations grew up on set in the English woodlands that tends to spark both the imagination and the nostalgia of tales like Wind in the Willows where unfamiliar creatures like hedgehogs and badgers and squirrels become familiar and the scenery takes us somewhere comfortable and comforting.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…  

It’s one that little ones can enjoy and talk about the differences between its setting and that with which they are more familiar, not only increasing their knowledge and vocabulary but also giving them visual references for other stories that they are likely to encounter as their reading journey continues.  They will delight in the image of Hedgehog coming to the rescue despite his rude awakening, and there is even the recipe for Baz Badger’s Biscuits for them to try.

I know that some reviewers, including me, are wary of the quality of books for children that bear a famous name because it is sometimes just a marketing ploy, but this one took me back decades to my childhood reading, and so for that alone, I enjoyed it and will put it in my to-keep box.

 

 

 

 

 

Bear’s Lost Glasses

Nov13
Bear's Lost Glasses

Bear’s Lost Glasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bear’s Lost Glasses

Leo Timmers

Gecko Press, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781776575947

Bear can’t find his glasses. He must have left them at Giraffe’s house. On the way over to retrieve them, Bear sees all kinds of animals he didn’t notice last time: an elephant, a crocodile, a flamingo, a deer. And who’s this long spotty snake lying on Giraffe’s deckchair?

This is a joyful story that little ones will love to share because they can see where Bear’s glasses are, even if he can’t, and they will delight in letting him know.  But the bonus is that it doesn’t end when Giraffe finds Bear’s glasses as could be expected, but there is a whole new adventure when Bear goes to show Giraffe all those creatures he thought he saw.  

The conversation between Bear and Giraffe carries the entire story – there is no narrative to intervene – and the illustrations also focus entirely on them and their expressions with white space providing the background rather than scenery, making this not only one to encourage young readers to marry the text and the pictures, but also an excellent choice for older students who are investigating narrative and illustrative techniques.

Apart from being just a fun read that will make little ones LOL and tell Bear to go to Specsavers – the power of advertising reaches far – it will also help validate wearing glasses for those who have to but don’t want to, perhaps even sparking conversations about how things like glasses or wheelchairs are just there to help us to live our lives better.

Turtle Moon

Nov12
Turtle Moon

Turtle Moon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turtle Moon

Hannah Gold

Levi Pinfold

HarperCollins, 2024

336pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9780008582081

Life has been unflash in the Trevelon household for some time as Silver’s parents try unsuccessfully to have another child and discover that it is not going to happen.  So much so that 11 year-old Silver feels she is second-fiddle to that unborn child and there is nothing that she can do to please her parents, particularly her mother.  She can’t even do well in a school art competition, even though her father is an artist. So when her father is invited to visit a turtle sanctuary for three months to paint pictures of the turtles to be turned into fund0raising souvenirs, it seems just like the circuit-breaker the family needs.

Life in the jungle of Costa Rica could not be more different than their English home, but, despite that, her parents’ melancholy continues – her mum spending her day reading and sleeping in a hammock and her dad unable to see the colours around him and confining himself to using black, regardless of the best efforts of Tickle, the capuchin monkey.  Silver finds a friend in Rafi, the son of the sanctuary’s overseer and who goes nowhere without Speedy, the baby sloth, draped around his neck.  Rafi recruits her to his secret one-man TAPS – the Turtle Agency Protection Society – that has its headquarters high in a treehouse – and Silver and the reader begin to learn about the turtles of the seas and the dangers they face, especially the eggs they lay in the sands on the beach. While all are endangered and in danger, it is the leatherback that hasn’t been on the beach for two years that is of the most concern, so when Silver sees one crawl up the beach and lay eggs, not only does she feel a special connection with the mother, but it sets off a train of events that others have described as Gold’s best story ever.

From her first novel, The Last Bear,  its sequel, Finding Bear, and The Lost Whale, Gold has become synonymous with offering stories for young independent readers that shine a spotlight on some of the world’s most endearing and endangered species, entertaining and educating at the same time. But this one is a little different because, although its lead character is again somewhat lost and alone because of parents not available physically or emotionally, Gold has drawn on her own experience of not being able to have children to show that even if your life doesn’t follow the path you expect, there are other pathways you can take.  Thus, Silver’s parents play a more prominent role in this story than its predecessors, but nevertheless, in all four, there is a strong theme of the humans learning as much about themselves as they do about the creature that is their focus, and offering the reader pause for reflection.  

Offer me a book with Hannah Gold’s name on the cover and it’s straight to the top of the TBR pile – and this one proved its promise. 

Meerkat Mayhem

Nov11
Meerkat Mayhem

Meerkat Mayhem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meerkat Mayhem

Mem Fox

Judy Horacek

Puffin, 2024

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

 9780143777687

Meerkat loves his food, snacking whenever he finds something he fancies. Until the day he decides to go for a walk and finds himself stuck tight at the entrance to his burrow!!   No problem, though. Surely strong Elephant will be able to pull him out. No? Well, how about the combined strength of Elephant and Giraffe? 

The team that gave our young readers classics like Where is the Green Sheep?  have once again combined to bring them another superb story that will engage and enchant.  Reminiscent of the traditional tale of The Enormous Turnip, they will enjoy predicting which creature will come to help next,  as they follow the patterns of it being one from Africa and one that is smaller than its predecessor, and no matter how often they hear it, the ending will delight.  Using cardboard necklaces depicting each character, my Kindy kids adored acting out the original story as we turned it into a Readers’ Theatre, each clamouring for a role as we just enjoyed the fun of a seemingly simple story, and I predict this will have a similar appeal.  

Mem Fox is THE  master of stories for little ones IMO, and I have attended so many of her presentations and just been mesmerised at her knowledge and understanding of what it is that little children love and need in their books, and, once, again, she has excelled. She is the one who has been saying for decades that if we read our children three stories a night – a first-read, a familiar and a favourite – to our children from birth, not only will they have heard over 1000 stories by the time they get to school and have all the nuances of our language in their DNA, but that such a strategy would solve the illiteracy problem. 

Ms Now-20 is introduced to Possum Magic on her first night home from the hospital.

Ms Now-20 is introduced to Possum Magic on her first night home from the hospital.

 

At the same time as Mem’s carefully chosen words flow across the pages, Judy Horacek’s illustrations carry the narrative along perfectly, so even if you’re not quite able to read the words yet, you can still tell yourself the story and engage in all those pre-reading behaviours that are the foundations of being a ‘real’ reader.  (If you want evidence, look at the photos in my review of Green Sheep. That 2 year-old now reads anything and everything she can find.)

If you or someone you know has just had a little one, then this is a must-have on their bottom shelf so they can reach for it whenever they want it.  

 

For the story behind the story, read this ABC article.

Queen of Dogs

Nov10
Queen of Dogs

Queen of Dogs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queen of Dogs

Joe Weatherstone

Walker Books, 2024

288pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781760658588

Feeling somewhat out of place in her high-achieving family with their high-achieving expectations, and not fitting in at the elite school she attends, Maddy is much more at home playing with her little dog Gusto.- a dog that she was reluctantly given in exchange for promising to get a place at the school.  She is at peace in Gusto’s company although he can get into doggy mischief at times and cause her grief with her parents,   But when he goes missing, strange things happen as distraught Maddy is determined to find him.  She discovers she has the power to communicate with dogs, a little like Dr Dolittle, and as more and more dogs go missing, there is clearly a mystery to be solved. 

Adding to the collection of recent releases with dogs as the central characters, this is one for independent readers who like mysteries and while they might not have Maddy’s special powers, can still see themselves in the role of the hero solving the enigma and saving the town’s pets. 

Despite outward appearances, there are many children who are lonely or feel isolated even when they are surrounded by family and friends, and this is evident by the success of  companion dogs both in schools and the community, and so many will also relate to  Maddy’s situation and understand the role that a dog can play in a person’s well-being. 

This is a feel-good story that will encourage those who haven’t yet found their place in the world to follow their heart, find their passion, while understanding that each of us is unique and while we might not be good at everything, we can be good at something.  Success is determined in many ways, not just by collecting trophies or certificates, and each of us can be successful somehow. This is particularly appropriate for this audience who are at an age when they are branching further out into the world, away from family and need independent validation that who they are as they are at this time,  is enough.  

Barney Gumnut and Friends

Nov7
Barney Gumnut and Friends

Barney Gumnut and Friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barney Gumnut and Friends

Tamsin Ainslie

HarperCollins, 2024

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

9781460759714

It’s a not-do-a-lot sort of day in Scribbly Gum Forest and Barney the koala with his friends Wilfred the budgie, Hoppity the kangaroo, Edith the echidna, Charles the cockatoo and Robert the wombat. are doing just that.  They make flower crowns and daisy chains, look for pictures in the clouds and then decide to have a picnic.  But then – plop, plop, plop – it starts to rain…

This is the first in a new series for very young readers that introduces them to the common creatures of the Australian bush, although they will have to look at the pictures and use their existing knowledge to work out who is whom – an early introduction to looking for clues and cues in the illustrations. Familiar characters, a simple tale and charming illustrations make this an ideal introduction to reading series and with a range of readily-available homewares on the market, matching the book with something special will make a treasured gift in the Santa Sack.