Archives

Chico the Schnauzer

Jan21
Chico the Schnauzer

Chico the Schnauzer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chico the Schnauzer

Taryn Brumfitt

Puffin, 2024

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

9781761343988

Chico the Schnauzer has a very distinctive appearance with his salt-and-pepper coat, cheeky eyebrows, fabulous moustache, and really big beard.  He loves anything that starts with ch, particularly Chelsea and Charlie and when they go to work in the morning, he likes to stand at the gate and say hello to all his friends.  But one day, when the gate is left open, he ventures through it and goes to play with them all.  Susie the Sausage Dog, Penelope the Poodle and Digby the Dalmatian and all the others invite him to play with them and Chico is amazed at how different they are and how well they can do certain things – many of which he finds a bit tricky.  

But instead of envying them their skills, he is proud of what he can do and shares his talents with them.  At the end of the day, he is tired but happy because he knows that everyone is different and that he has his special talents too.

Author of Embrace Your Body,  and 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt has been recognised around the world for her efforts in getting people, especially young ones to not only accept who they are and what they look like but to celebrate it, and this book follows that theme.  Chico admires what his doggy pals can do but also shows his strengths as well.  It’s a message our young readers need to hear over and over it seems, as anxiety levels continue to grow as expectations seem to compound.  They are invited to reflect on what their ‘AH-MAZING’ bodies can do and share this. Perhaps an opportunity for a photo display of each class member’s unique skills as part of the the customary getting-to-know-us activities for the new school year. 

The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure

Jan20
The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure

The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure

Coralie Bickford-Smith

Particular Books, 2023

64pp., hbk., RRP $A35.00

9780241541975

As autumn turns to winter in the woods, and leaves and acorns fall, the young squirrel watches others scrabble to collect them, murmuring about a secret place in the centre of the forest where no trees grow at all.  As night falls she sees a solitary acorn lying in the leaves and gathering it quickly, she clutches it all night determined not to let it go ever.  When dawn broke she heads for the centre of the forest where there are no trees  no birdsong, and no other squirrels to steal her precious prize.  And there she buries it safe from the cold and snow to come.

After the long winter finally passes and Spring comes again, the squirrel hurries to find her treasure – but where is it?  And why has everything changed?

The creator of this “fable about growth, new life and finding hope in unexpected places” describes herself as “a designer of fine things, mostly books” and her talent is very obvious not only in the lyrical, almost poetic text of this book but also its presentation. Author-illustrator of this as well as  The Fox and the Star (2015) – the first picture book to win the Waterstones Book of the Year award – The Bird and the Worm (2017), The Song of the Tree (2020) and the designer of many more, particularly the Clothbound Classics series from Penguin, she has a distinctive style which turns a seemingly-simple story into something so much more, harking back to a style of bygone times.

This has a place in any library collection as much for its presentation as its contents offering goodies as rich as the acorn the little squirrel buried. 

 

 

Who has the biggest Mouth?

Jan13
Who has the biggest Mouth?

Who has the biggest Mouth?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who has the biggest Mouth?

Judy Cannon

Verena Heirich

Little Steps, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A16.95

9781922678096

On a trip to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa the children are looking for the creature with the biggest mouth.  While they discover lots of interesting and unique information about a number of individual species, do they find the one with the biggest mouth?

Young readers will have fun predicting who they think is the winning candidate as they share this book and they may be surprised by their discoveries.  If the reserve list for the latest Guinness Book of Records is any indication, little ones are fascinated by these sorts of extremes and so this could be the start of an individual or group display of investigating who, in the animal kingdom, has the biggest, longest, heaviest, smallest whatever encouraging young naturalists to delve deeply into the 500s collection to read and interpret with purpose while learning about measurement, comparison and adaptation.

Peggy and Molly

Jan10
Peggy and Molly

Peggy and Molly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peggy and Molly

Juliette Wells

Ebury Australia, 2023

128pp., pbk., RRP $A22.99

9781761344503

In September 2020 Molly the magpie fledgling was rescued by Peggy the Staffordshire terrier’s owners and nursed back to health, and the two creatures formed a bond that made them inseparable. There was a surprise when Molly eventually revealed that he was a male, but nevertheless, he was a family member and when Peggy had pups he formed just as close a bon with Ruby, the only female in the litter. 

This little book, full of photographs of the trio, celebrates their connections and is captioned to encourage the reader to be “kind, humble and happy”.

There is a little more about their story on their webpage, with regular updates for those who have access to Facebook, including a video of Molly barking just like her friends.

 

Bluey: Treasury

Jan9
Bluey: Treasury

Bluey: Treasury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluey: Treasury

Puffin, 2023

160pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761342233

Can there be anything better for our youngest readers than a collection of six stories about their favourite television family, a collection they can return to time and again whenever they choose?

Including Fruit Bat, The Creek, Bob Bilby, The Pool, Charades and Hammerbarn they can go swimming in Uncle Stripe’s pool, explore the creek, play a game of Charades and more as they share the summer with their favourite characters understanding the endurance of stories in print and the power they have as they apply what they already know of the personalities and their relationships.  

Regardless of the basis of the story, each is familiar and each publication quickly becomes a favourite as little ones are able to “read” them for themselves.  essential early literacy behaviours.  

The Ultimate Book of Reptiles

Jan6
The Ultimate Book of Reptiles

The Ultimate Book of Reptiles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ultimate Book of Reptiles

Ruchira Somaweera

Stephanie Warren Drimmer

National Geographic Kids, 2023

192pp., hbk., RRP $A34.99

9781426373732

Snakes, tortoises, chameleons, crocodiles, lizards, even dinosaurs – reptiles are found all over this planet and have been for about 300 million years when insects (including centipedes as large as alligators) ruled and a new predator Hylonomous evolved to eat them.  .

And regardless of how scary they might look, how creepy they might feel and how dangerous to humans they might be, there is a certain section of the population that is fascinated by them.  Thus this book with its full colour photographs, accessible text and attractive layout is going to appeal to them as well as any others who have an interest in finding out more.

Arranged in sections such as deadly hunters, amazing adaptations and super creatures (featuring the extremes of each type) their stories are told by a leading herpetologist and includes suggestions on ways we can help these creatures survive the threats of habitat destruction, climate change, being a food source and even being smuggled to be someone’s exotic pet..  Even though we might not become one of the conservation heroes featured, nevertheless the school playground and the backyard garden can become a haven for lizards and other little creatures. Skinks, geckos and blue tongue lizards (if not the unique tuatara of New Zealand) will thank you. 

Miss Then11 being given a rare opportunity to be up close and personal with a tuatara, the only living member of the first dinosaurs, at the Otorohanga Kiwi House, New Zealand.

Miss Then11 being given a rare opportunity to be up close and personal with a tuatara, the only living member of the first dinosaurs, at the Otorohanga Kiwi House, New Zealand.

 

The Deep End: Real Facts About the Ocean

Jan5
The Deep EndReal Facts About the Ocean

The Deep End
Real Facts About the Ocean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Deep End: Real Facts About the Ocean

Drew Sheneman

HarperCollins, 2023

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

9780063224551

Despite the wild weather that has plagued Australia’s east coast recently, many will have enjoyed a beachside holiday and some will have wondered about what actually lives in that deeper water out beyond the breaking waves.

So they will enjoy this exploration and explanation told in a mixture of regular text and cartoon illustrations as Brownbeard the pirate, his first mate Alan the parrot and a knowledgeable scientist take them on a journey that spans the development of the discovery of the deep from those who first dived to find food to the development of modern sonar and submersibles, the things they found and saw and the legends that they sparked.  There is an introduction to some of those mysterious creatures that can survive the incredible pressure of being kilometres below the surface, as well as the cold and the permanent darkness.  But as well as the humour there is also a serious side as it is revealed that on a recent trip to the Challenger Deep, the deepest known part of the ocean on the planet, a plastic bag was discovered floating in the depths and the darkness, raising awareness that despite its size and still being relatively unexplored, the ocean is in danger. 

This is a unique way of piquing the interest of curious readers, all of which is factually accurate, and sparking a desire to learn more through more conventional presentations. 

 

 

Where’s Bluey? At Christmas

Dec18

 

 

 

Where’s Bluey? At Christmas

Where’s Bluey? At Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where’s Bluey? At Christmas

Bluey

Puffin, 2023

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

9781761046278

Bluey and Christmas – can there be a better combination to put together into an interactive book for a surefire winner for a Christmas gift that will not only entertain but will educate at the same time?

Christmas in Australia is very different to the Christmas so often featured in children’s books and other entertainment at this time of the year, and so all the things that are familiar to our kids are featured in double-paged interactive spreads that encourage the young reader to engage with them.  Time in the pool, putting up the tree, playing backyard cricket, relaxing at the beach – each has its place with items to find in the pictures ensuring little ones continue to develop their visual acuity as they look at the details in the illustrations.

 

A peek inside

A peek inside

Then if the days to wait seem too long. offer them Bluey’s Christmas Craft  so brains and fingers are engaged in making and doing all sorts of Christmassy things that can become their contribution to the celebrations. Step-by=step guides offer all sorts of things that can be made from candy cane bunting to designing their own Christmas rashie to building an entire gnome village.

 

Combined with Bluey’s Advent Calendar, this could indeed by a Blue-y, Blue-y Christmas!

 

 

Bunnies in a Sleigh

Dec12

 

 

 

Bunnies in a Sleigh

Bunnies in a Sleigh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bunnies in a Sleigh

Philip Ardagh

Ben Mantle

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781529507126

Christmas Eve and suddenly Santa’s elves are feeling very unwell because someone has given them sugary candy canes and they have scoffed the lot!  How will Santa finish those last-minute chores and deliver the toys?  But it’s OK.  The Bunnies have arrived, and this time, instead of taking over the bus or the boat, they take over the sleigh, giving Santa delivery ride he will never forget. 

Rhyming text and bright, detailed pictures create to the pace and excitement of this hilarious story of mad bunnies helping Santa, and young children will enjoy the chaos and mayhem as it unfolds.  It is likely to be one they will want to revisit again and again, if only to absorb all that is in the illustrations – in fact, they can start by trying to spot the culprit responsible for the elves being sick!

Something whimsical to add to the hype of the season.  

 

Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

Dec8

 

 

 

Dasher Can't Wait for Christmas

Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

Matt Tavares

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781529514193

Ever since Dasher left the travelling circus and went to live with Santa at the North Pole, Christmas has been her favourite time of the year.  Impatiently she waits for the big night to come, counting down the sleeps, but one night, when she hears the sound of Christmas carols she can wait no longer and she takes off on her own.  I’ll be back before they even know I’m gone,” she says with confidence before flying off.

Knowing that the North Star will always guide her home she is not afraid, but when the clouds build and it starts to snow, she loses the sound of the music and the sight of the star and before she knows it she is lost, hungry and tired. Until she sees a little house with a tree covered in lights in the garden…

Young readers will be familiar with the legend of Santa’s sleigh being pulled by magical reindeer. and may even be able to recite their names first given to them by Clement C. Moore. In the original story, they learn the backstory of these creatures and how they came to be Santa’s helpers, and this is a delightful sequel.  The digital illustrations that feature all that you would expect of a northern hemisphere Christmas scene have a lifelike feel to them adding to the magic and consolidating it for just a little bit longer..