Archives

Shibu’s Tail

Sep30
Shibu's Tail

Shibu’s Tail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shibu’s Tail

Tess Thomas

Kamwei Fong

A & U Children’s, 2025

48pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781761182525

Whatever Shibu the cat is feeling, whether he’s happy, afraid or literally bristling with anger, his tail tells his mood. But when the other cats started looking at him strangely when he expressed his feelings this way, rather than attracting the spotlight, he decides to stifle them. Shibu represses his joy over the milk delivery, his rage over a broken toy, and his fear during a lightning storm but while it might have helped him blend in with those other cats, it wasn’t long before he felt that he was going to explode.  And then, one day, he did… 

Using thousands of tiny, monochromatic strokes as fine as cat fur to depict Shibu and his emotions, and including a tactile cover,  this is a masterful depiction of a cat and its feelings, that once shared with young readers, will enable them to return to it again and again to tell themselves the story unassisted, while the story itself can serve to help them understand that emotions are natural expressions and it is healthy to share how we are feeling, particularly if we are starting to feel overwhelmed.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

There are many books available to help our youngest learn to recognise and deal with their emotions, but the development of emotional intelligence is a gradual process, different for each and so the more often they hear this message the better equipped they will be.  What sets this particular one apart is that by using Shibu and his tail to express his feelings, they can begin to think about how others might be feeling rather than just themselves.  Learning to interpret facial expressions and body language is a critical skill in developing relationships and this is an excellent gateway to discussing, “How can you tell if someone is feeling….?” or “How can you tell if your mum is cross with you?”  They can have lots of fun pulling all sorts of expressions and adopting different stances, while at the same time learning that there are messages being conveyed and some contain a line not to be crossed.

 

Shmoof

Jul17
Shmoof

Shmoof

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shmoof

Heidi McKinnon

Albert Street, 2025

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

9781760876661

Shmoof is Shmoofy.
Shmoof is super shmoofy.
Shmoof is ready to be best friends.
But Floof? Floof is not so sure…

The sequel to Floof, this is an hilarious story of Floof, who, being a cat, rules the household, being introduced to a newcomer to the family – and it is a dog!   

It’s a classic tale of cat meets dog and the interactions between the two are all you’d expect -until they find a common enemy. 

Told is very limited text because the action is carried long perfectly in the distinctive illustrations which express the thoughts and feelings of both Schmoof nd Floof so well, the young reader can really engage with the story using their own words to tell the story, developing all sorts of early reading behaviours as they do, including the way some words just roll around your mouth. Both animals have particular individual personalities – the cuddliness of friendly Shmoof and the haughtiness of aloof Floof  – and as well as sharing the story, littlies will enjoy sharing stories about their own pets, perhaps even venturing into how there was someone or something they didn’t like but have overcome the feelings. 

One to put on the must-share-with-preschool list. 

 

 

 

Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town

Jul10
Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town

Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town

Li Chen

Penguin, 2025

208pp., graphic novel. RRP $A17.99

 9781761353406

Dressed in the traditional trench coat and fedora hat that are the trademarks of real detectives,  Detective Beans -known as Jellybean to his mother – is a tabby cat who takes his job seriously. He believes he is  “a hard-boiled detective cleaning up this city one case at a time” and he  is back on the job after solving the mystery of his missing hat.

This time there are many mysteries to solve in between playing Scrabble, having sleepovers and trips to the beach, including who ate Mum’s donuts, who has lost their handbag in the park, which pigeon stole King Chip, or even a burgled diamond ring.  Beans is ready for anything. He’s so ready that he’s even starting a detective school – if he can find any students . . .

It’s interesting to watch younger students gravitate towards the graphic novel section of a local school library searching for something in that format that is suitable for both their ability, interest and maturity.  Clearly they have the notion that this is the format that real readers read, but it is seldom that they find something to meet their needs, so they will be happy to discover this one which will appeal. A clever but funny cat who is also a detective who solves everyday crimes is much more suitable, particularly if they can solve the mystery before Detective Beans does.  (I am NOT responsible for the collection development or arrangement of this library.) 

Told through the perspective of his friend Biscuit presenting a documentary featuring some of Bean’s more colourful jobs as well as his everyday life, there are over 30 short stories told in comic form that showcase a variety of Cat Town’s characters who need his help whether it’s a duck who has been burgled or finding Mr Kipper’s gloves, interspersed with some of his daily activities and his ambitions to be a graphic artist himself, so that he is a more-rounded personality that readers will relate to. Even though it is 208 pages, each adventure is a manageable entity making it a good pick-up-and-put-down entry into this format for younger reader, particularly as the text is not written in all upper-case as is usual with graphic novels. 

 

Morris and the Magic of Stories

May28
Morris and the Magic of Stories

Morris and the Magic of Stories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morris and the Magic of Stories

Didier Lévy

Lorenzo Sangio

Thames &  Hudson, 2023

40pp., hbk., RRP $A28.99

9780500653258

Morris the cat’s favourite food was mice, but he was tired of having to run around all day to hunt them.  He decided it would be much better if he were to lure them to him by reading them stories, just like magic.  But no matter what story he chose – sad, funny. boring – he and the mice got so involved in it that when it ended, he was no longer hungry and the mice sauntered off, safe.  Just like magic.

Morris even tried writing his own story – but after many attempts at trying to make one up, he decided he wasn’t a story teller at all.  But when he shared his own story about a cat who tried to catch mice by reading to them and who, as usual, came to listen, he found that he couldn’t eat them after all.  They had all become friends through the magic of stories.  

Was Morris going to starve?  Or did the mice have a surprise for him?

Ever since I reviewed Wolfgang and the Magic of Music and learned of this predecessor, I’ve been waiting for it to arrive because it seemed to be at the very essence of what we do – share the magic of stories to anyone who will listen – and I was not disappointed because it echoes my current situation.  At the start of the year, I volunteered to read to the littlies at the local preschool each week so I could leave the books with them and try to shrink the piles I have collected, but now they give me more than I give them in the form of cuddles and smiles and the inevitable shout of recognition in the supermarket aisle!  Love it.  The magic of stories.  And it spans time and space as   2,204,658 registered participants in 16 632 locations took part in ALIA’s National Simultaneous Storytime last week and already excitement is mounting as CBCA Book Week approaches. And that’s just in Australia!

This is one for all ages.  Little ones will just love it for the story itself while those who are older can share their own stories of stories that have significance for them for whatever reason, and maybe create a display of the titles to encourage their friends to read more widely.  There is the opportunity to introduce genre as they share sad, funny and boring stories, particularly in the build-up to the Book Week theme – or just celebrate  the magic of the printed word that can be revisited over and over or lead you to new places altogether. 

Skippy Blackfeet

Mar14
Skippy Blackfeet

Skippy Blackfeet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skippy Blackfeet

Rebecca Fraser

Jennifer Horn

Wombat Books, 2025

121pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761111662

Woken by the loud rumble of his empty tummy, the little black cat cowers down in the agapanthus bush in the cemetery, knowing he needs to find something to eat but afraid of the noise and busyness of the world beyond the cemetery walls.  But as his peace is disturbed by a little girl clearly upset and crying because she is lost, he overcomes his trepidation and reaches out to comfort her – changing his life, and hers, forever. 

This collection of three short stories tells young readers of how May and Skippy Blackfeet become each other’s support network as they face life together, first convincing May’s dad that Skippy Blackfeet should stay and then coping with the fierce neighbourhood dog whose barking sends May into meltdown,  birthday party bungles, tumultuous trips to town, fireworks and thunderstorms and other everyday occurrences that are daunting and overwhelming. 

For newly independent readers, particularly those who love cats, this is a charming story of how a pet can change a life, and help even the most timid or shy have the courage to take on the world

Boss Cat

Jun23
Boss Cat

Boss Cat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boss Cat

Sarah Speedie

Tom Jellett

HarperCollins, 2024

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

 9781460764046

Napping on the sofa, one sunny afternoon,

I was very rudely woken by a slobbering buffoon.

‘Say hello,’ my humans said, ‘to our newest family member.’

I think I must have fainted then. I really can’t remember.

When a new puppy is introduced to the home of the cat who has had centre stage all its life, Cat is not amused.  And even less so when Puppy got all the attention and seemed to get away with anything, including disturbing Cat incessantly.  It was time to teach this interloper who is the Boss.

Written in rhyme with the perfect illustrations by Tom Jellett, this hilarious tale encapsulates all that cat-owners know about their pets, all those memes showing arrogance and disdain that pepper social media, the bad manners of Grumpy Cat, the humour of Garfield, and even a touch of T. S. Eliot’s  Macavity!  Even those who are not “cat-people” will relate to its true-to-life portrayal of both cat and dog, and the ending will ensure much laughter as well as the opportunity for discussions about what Cat might do next.  Can there be a truce so harmony and equilibrium is restored and if so, how?  And what does Cat and Puppy’s relationship tell us about our own?

LOL funny, so relatable and just ideal for raising spirits by sharing on a gloomy day.  

Where Is the Cat?

Apr8
Where Is the Cat?

Where Is the Cat?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where Is the Cat?

Eva Eland

Andersen Press, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A25.99

9781839131837

Whenever Suzy visits Auntie, all she wants to do is play with the cat.  But Cat is nowhere to be found, or is he?  No matter where Suzy looks, she can’t find Cat, but is she looking hard enough?

This is a joyous story for very young readers who will enjoy spotting Cat even though Suzy can’t.  They will love joining in to point him out, much like the audience in a pantomime, as well as learning and understanding prepositions like “behind”, “under” and so forth. There is also the opportunity to talk about how the cat, used to a quiet, good life, might feel when confronted by the boisterous, effervescent Suzy.

While it’s a familiar theme, nevertheless these sorts of stories are always enjoyable for our younger readers who like the feelings they have as they engage with the print and pictures, all helping them to enjoy the power of story believe that they can be readers themselves.

The Easter Bunny Hunt

Mar3
The Easter Bunny Hunt

The Easter Bunny Hunt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Easter Bunny Hunt

Stacy Gregg

Sarah Jennings

HarperCollins, 2024

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

9780008623043

Easter is here and Cat and Dog find the bunny’s basket but there are no eggs in it.  

So Cat goes in search of the Easter Bunny, following Dog’s somewhat meagre and misleading clues,  meaning a lot of creatures with long ears and floppy tails come to celebrate Easter, but none of the is the Easter Bunny. Will Cat ever find who he is looking for?

Little ones will delight in this new story for the Easter season, and once they realise the pattern, will have fun predicting just which creature Cat might have brought to the party this time, as they apply their existing knowledge of creature features to match the illustrations, while learning the importance of trying to be as precise as they can.

 

Pepper Masalah (series)

Nov9
Pepper Masalah (series)

Pepper Masalah (series)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pepper Masalah (series)

Pepper Masalah and the Flying Carpet

9781761111105

Pepper Masalah and the Temple of Cats 

9781761111143

Pepper Masalah and the Giant Bird

9781761111204

80pp., pbk., RRP $A11.99

 Nine year old Zamir lives with his father and grandmother on an olive farm in Australia with his cat Pepper Masalah (who looks like a mini panther).  Although Pepper Masalah prefers to spend her days sleeping in front of the fire on a red and blue carpet, one that Zam’s grandmother brought with her from Kashmir and which she believes can fly even though it hasn’t done so for many years.  But one night during a storm, Sam and his cat discover  discovered that the rug does have magical powers and they find themselves flying off on all sorts of adventures that take them to all sorts of places, particularly those in the mysterious Middle East.

Inspired by her own circumstances, this is a new series for newly independent readers sharpening their skills, particularly those who love cats and adventures and have dreams of flying off on their own magic carpet. But underlying this, the books also introduce the reader to various cultures, stories and beliefs that they may be unfamiliar with and, in an age-appropriate way, some real world issues, particularly those relating to children.

As well as taking the reader to a region that is in the news but of which little is generally known by the target audience, the series offers the opportunity for the reader to think about where they might go if they had their own magic carpet, perhaps even sparking a way to celebrate all the nationalities represented in the classroom.  Students could design their own magic carpet and then create a display of the important things about their country of birth or ancestry.  

While there are many series written for this age group, this one combines the fantasy of a magic carpet ride, the friendship between a boy and his pet, and the familiarity of the personalities of cats in situations that may offer cause for consideration.  Each story has some information pages at the end as well as a glossary of local words and their pronunciation, grounding the stories in reality.

Something out of the ordinary that will open readers’ eyes to new places and introduce them to children who live different lives from them. 

George and Tao

Sep11
George and Tao

George and Tao

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George and Tao

Claude K. Dubois

Gecko Press, 2023

48pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

9781776575251

When George the puppy is introduced to Tao the kitten, The two of them “look at each other and wag their tails,”  and it is not long before they are best friends. playing and together all day long. But when George chases him up the curtain in the living room, and Tao falls, George is bereft. While the kitten is scooped up and taken to the vet, George has no idea where his friend is.  He searches in all the usual spots but Tao is nowhere, and so he sits at the door and waits and waits, and waits…

This is a tiny book just made for little hands and being shared with a little one, that focuses on friendship and fun and what happens when things get out of hand -as they often do when little ones play together.  The text is simple, but the watercolour artwork carries so much making George’s loss when Tai disappears, palpable.  

Exquisite.