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The New Kid

Mar1
The New Kid

The New Kid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The New Kid

Jennifer Bain

Deborah Brown

Woodslane, 2023

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

9781922800374

When the students of Burraroo Public School skipped through their dusty red playground and into class, they saw a new student sitting at a desk.  But this wasn’t another kid to join in their fun and games, but a bunyip!

They’re okay with that but Barry doesn’t really fit in well – he had chosen Kit’s desk to sit at and he’s a bit too fat for it and from there the day and the week just go downhill with accident after accident.  But rather than shun him , together with their teacher the class works on ways that Barry’s special talents can be used.

Fitting in and finding your place at a new school can be daunting but this takes it to an extreme, offering the opportunity for conversations about how we can make newcomers feel welcome.  Readers can have fun imagining the positives of having a bunyip come to their school, while others might want to investigate this legendary creature building a display that includes information gathered from their research and  other books such as the classic The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek by Jenny Wagner and the Alexander Bunyip series by Michael Salmon. Standing outside the Gungahlin Library in Canberra is a statue of Alexander so they could also imagine they were the sculptor invited to create it and submit their ideas using what they have learned about its appearance, habitat, behaviour and origins..

A is for Alexander B is for Bunyip C is for Canberra

A is for Alexander B is for Bunyip C is for Canberra

 

My Big Secret

Feb18
My Big Secret

My Big Secret

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Big Secret

Felice Arena

Penguin, 2025

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

9781761349706

Everyone, and that means EVERYone in Piggy’s family go for the red team.   Mum, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, even his guinea pig… they all like the red team. It’s a family tradition.

But Piggy likes the blue team.  

He has to sit there silently cheering for the blue team because to show his preferences might mean they won’t love him any more. Until the day when the blue team beats the red team in the dying seconds of the game and…

As footy season begins once again, this is a story that will resonate with many as memorabilia and merchandise appear and families again begin to follow their favourites.  And little ones are expected to follow the family allegiance, regardless of who their particular heroes are, fearing rejection and exclusion if they don’t conform . Inspired, by his own childhood experiences, Felice Arena says he  wanted to create a story that would show children that they are loved and accepted for who they are even if their interests and feelings are different to those around them, and that compassion and understanding and love are bigger than that.

While for younger students this may be about supporting a particular team and being fearful of the family’s reaction, for older students it could be about any number of deeper things such as gender identity, religious views, their moral compass, or any number of diverse beliefs and values and so as well as the teachers’ notes expanding the story for younger, on-the-surface readers, there are also opportunities to approach those bigger picture issues with those who are more mature, including encouraging them to put themselves in the place of the one who is “different” and thinking about their thoughts and feelings. Using anthropomorphism is a clever technique to put the characters at arms length so discussions are safe and not personal, but nevertheless give readers an opportunity to think about and respond to “What if…?” as they also begin to explore the concept and  impact of peer and social media pressures, and develop strategies to withstand them.  

The best picture books span all age groups, and this is definitely one of those.  A hidden gem for those prepared to look.

My Language Rights

Feb13
My Language Rights

My Language Rights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Language Rights

Judy Thompson

Tete Garcia

Scribble, 2025

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

9781761380488

In 1989, world leaders committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – an international agreement on childhood. which has become the most ratified human rights treaty in history, and has been life-changing for many children around the world as governments have changed laws, developed policies, and invested in programs and procedures that ensure children have the nutrition, healthcare and protections they need to survive. 

Among its provision is the right to “use their own language, culture and religion even if these are not shared by most people on the country where they live. 

However, such a right is not yet included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , and so, drawing on PEN International’s Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights, this book champions every child’s right to their own language in practice as well as on paper. Through accessible text and vibrant illustrations it  celebrates the diversity of the 7000+ languages spoken around the world showing that they are so much more than a collection of vocabulary.  Whether spoken, written, read, sung or signed they share thoughts, feelings, stories, memories, intentions, ideals and ideas -all of which deserve to be expressed in a language that is meaningful to the speaker and those listening to them.  It promotes the child’s right to hear, learn, speak, write, read and use their language in a respectful, dignified way regardless of the languages being used around them, and encourages them to do so in order to protect both their rights and the language itself so that their heritage is passed on from one generation to the next.

While most schools have programs that enable those who do not speak English, the opportunity to learn it, this book could be a starting point to begin an exploration and celebration of those languages that our children use outside of the classroom.  And it could be a cross-curriculum approach beginning by surveying, graphing and mapping those languages spoken by the children in their immediate families.  Displays could be made of how to say a common word such as ‘hello’ in those languages, and parents or grandparents could be invited to share stories in their own language so the traditional tales are passed on.  There could be collections of books in the languages available to those who wish to read them and displays focusing on a country’s national day made by those who celebrate it.  And, indeed, the children themselves will have ideas about how they can celebrate their linguistic heritage.

In 2023, Joanna Ho wrote a book called Say My Name that, IMO, was the most significant in reminding us that every child has the right to recognition and respect in the most personal way.  This book, that demands recognition of the language they use is equally as significant and we have a responsibility to do what we can to uphold that article of The Rights of the Child. 

 

All the Colours of the Rainbow

Jan29
All the Colours of the Rainbow

All the Colours of the Rainbow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the Colours of the Rainbow

Rae White

Sha’an D’Anthes

Lothian, 2025

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

9780734423061

Sometimes when Jem bounces out of bed in the morning, they feel like wearing their yellow dress and blue sandals, and on other mornings, blue jeans and orange sneakers get the nod.  Some days they feel like a girl, others like a boy, but most importantly, what they choose to do is not defined by their biological gender.

But, sadly, some adults only see the world through a black and white (or blue and pink) lens and try to limit Jem’s choices because of their stereotypical views of what what boys and girls should do, wear, enjoy and live. Fortunately, Jem has an understanding mother who shows her that anybody can be any colour of the rainbow at any time and this can change as often as they choose.  

For a while gender fluidity was becoming a non-event in society with people being accepted for who they are and stories for young readers contained characters who were diverse so readers could read about themselves, see themselves as just part of life and accept their differences which became less and less important.  For most, who a person chose to love or sleep with or not had no bearing on their public life.  That was until a certain extreme right-wing president got elected, anything not seen as being on the straight and narrow got banned from school curricula and even public libraries, and now, in his second term, within 24 hours of inauguration has made the “two sexes” policy official. Disturbingly, there are right-wing politicians in Australia, already elected, who believe the same thing and hope that a change in government here will bring about similar legislation.  

Therefore, books like these which gently explore gender diversity and subtly educate those who share them, particularly the adults who have set-in-concrete views because, just as in real-life it is the adults in the story who disapprove of Jem’s choices, have an even more important role to play as we encourage children to love and accept themselves no matter what colour of the rainbow they are.  As  The Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, said during her sermon at the inaugural prayer service at that president’s inauguration,  there are “gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families,” across the country “who fear for their lives.” and our kids have enough to deal with without having who they are denied.  Children need to read about those who look, live and love like they do.

Even without referring to gender, White’s clever use of the colours of the rainbow and D’Anthes illustrations help little ones understand that it’s okay and completely natural to be different whether that be related to our heritage. our feelings, our beliefs, our activities or whatever – it’s the colours of the rainbow, as they merge and separate and merge again that give the world its beauty.  

Giraffe Island

Jan2
Giraffe Island

Giraffe Island

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giraffe Island

Sofia Chanfreau

Amanda Chanfreau

Gecko Press. 2024

224pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9781776575657

Far away in the middle of the sea there is an island shaped like a giraffe. Nine-year-old Vega lives there with her father and Grandad Hector—a gardener and former ringmaster.  Their shed—the Paraphenalium—is filled with every possible thing you didn’t know you needed.

Although her dad is attentive, he always seems distracted and cannot see the extraordinary animals that inhabit Vega’s life and keep her company. Her bathroom is home to a grey bear with shampoo-lathered fur, and every day she talks with the asphalt beaver and crosswalk zebra on the way to school. However, Grandad Hector can see them and he even has some weird and wonderful creatures of his own that live in his garden which is a magical place.

Vega has never met her mother and when she asks  about her, both her father and grandfather answer her in riddles so she really has no idea what has happened to her, although she longs to know. But she is worried about the changes that she is seeing in her dad as he becomes more distant and forgetful. When he introduces a woman called Viola to her, things start to get colder in the flat. There is a coating of ice everywhere, snow starts to fall and all the food that Dad prepares is cold. When Dad’s heart becomes coated in ice Vega decides to run away and find help. Along with her new BFF Nelson and Hector, transported by the magnificent Muffinmobile, (an invention of her grandfather), they go off to the mainland to seek Vega’s mother. They are convinced that she is living in the travelling circus and will be able to melt Dad’s heart and return life to normal. Using clues from Hector’s garden and a penpal’s letters from a school project, they set out to find answers and find not only a unique circus but also some unexpected answers. 

For independent readers who enjoy  ‘magical realist mystery adventures” , this won the 2022 Finlandia Junior Prize awarded by the Finnish Book Foundation for books in either Swedish or Finnish to “celebrate reading and highlight new Finnish first-rate literature” as well as being nominated for the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize.  Detailed illustrations boost the reader’s imagination, and for all that it has the fantasy elements, it is deeply rooted in the need to belong to a family that we all have. 

 

Tiny Jenny: Little Fairy, Big Trouble

Nov28
Tiny Jenny: Little Fairy, Big Trouble

Tiny Jenny: Little Fairy, Big Trouble

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Jenny: Little Fairy, Big Trouble

Briony May Smith

Walker Books, 2024

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

9781529526806

Mr and Mrs Wren are surprised when a tiny, wingless fairy hatches from one of their eggs. But they lovingly name her Tiny Jenny and decide to raise her as their own, along with Min and Dru.  But the other birds are not happy – for the fairies in this wood are known to be mischievous and mean and, in time, Tiny Jenny seems to be just like them, for all that she has no wings. 

She digs up squirrel nuts and blocks mole hills and torments Hedgehog.  When she hears the other creatures complaining about her to Mr and Mrs Wren,  Tiny Jenny decides it is time to leave her home and seek out her fairy family. But it turns out the fairies are anything but welcoming, and before Queen Merletta is willing to give her wings, Tiny Jenny must prove herself him the fairy parade…  But this is not a beautiful procession that the reader might expect.  No, it is a cruel raid in the woods, where things were smashed and stolen and Mr and Mrs Wren’s own nest is threatened…

Tiny Jenny finds herself caught in the middle – does she protect those who have nurtured her or does she do what it takes to get those precious wings? Where does she belong? What is the difference between playful mischief and deliberate bad behaviour?

Although this is a somewhat wordy story that destroys many of the beliefs that young readers may have had about fairies, nevertheless, the illustrations alone will take them and their imaginations deep into the undergrowth of the woods where everyone knows little creatures dwell and unseen magic happens, providing the perfect setting for making up their own stories.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

This would be an excellent story to use as a springboard for an investigation into stereotypes. preconceptions and prejudice. Present it with the cover wrapped in brown paper and have students draw their image of a fairy as well as some descriptors and then compare those to Smith’s depiction.  As you share the story, talk about whether Tiny Jenny is naughty as she grows more independent, and then once she discovers the fairy family, pause and have them predict what will happen based on the fairy stories they have read.  Then, having finished the story, discuss how their preconceptions were challenged and extend this into the real world… Build on the elements of text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world to show how stories, even those about fantasy creatures such as fairies, can have a real place in teaching us about ourselves  and our worlds, as well as how authors use fantasy characters to hold a mirror to our lives. 

Much more to this one than meets the eye… and worth seeking out the author’s other stories Mermaid Moon  and Margaret’s Unicorn.

 

 

George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

Nov17
George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

Tony Armstrong

Emma Sjaan Beukers

Lothian, 2024

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

9780734422163

High on a mountain top George loves using his magic to speed around on his flying cloud, looking after his crystal gardens and making himself a never-go-cold bubble bath every night.  But for all that he could conjure up whatever he wanted, George is lonely.  He wants friends but he is afraid that they will laugh at his magic.  

Meanwhile, nearby in a village, Harriet has her own special talent and is able to hear George’s wishes so she sets off through the forest to find him to see if she can help. Despite the embarrassment of catching him in his bubble bath and her offer to take him to the village to meet other people, George has lots of excuses about not going – his fear of being laughed at has overwhelmed his need for company.  But Harriet is nothing if not persuasive, so they set off only to discover the village is under attack by a dragon, and George has to use his magic to save it.  But will the villagers embrace him or shun him?

While the overt narrative of the story is about using ‘real’ magic, there is an underlying theme of everyone having some sort of magic or special gift within that can and should shine, and this is emphasised in the illustrations where every villager is a different colour, size and shape and clearly with all sorts of individual idiosyncrasies.  Yet these differences are no barrier to them being friends – in fact, as Harriet says, “Imagine how boring life would be if everyone pretended to be the same.”

Fifty years ago in the first Australian classroom I taught in, there were three of us team-teaching – there was Jennifer who was a Scot, Jill who was from Germany and me, a Kiwi. And I still recall the first lessons we shared where musical Jennifer taught the children a ditty about being special which each child sang and then shared what was special about them.  The pride they took in sharing their unique origin, talent, or whatever using whatever props they had prepared, and the sense of unity amongst those 90 kids has stayed with me all these years and completely influenced and infiltrated how I teach.  To this day, when people ask what I teach my reply is always. “Kids”. And in all those years, I have not met two the same – even identical twins who kept me baffled and tricked – because I had learned in those early days to let each let their light shine. 

This would be the ideal book to use at the beginning of the school year as students and teachers are getting to know each other, offering them an opportunity to embrace their individuality whilst sharing it so just as a cake is made of diverse ingredients, when they are all combined they become a delicious whole.  

 

Millie Mak the Mender

Nov15
Millie Mak the Mender

Millie Mak the Mender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Millie Mak the Mender

Alice Pung

Sher Rill Ng

HarperCollins, 2024

256pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781460763797

Millie Mak is back!  The little girl who loves to recycle, repurpose and upcycle things rather than buy new, returns in the second in this series for younger independent readers  in two more stories that will resonate with so many.

At last her friends at her new school have accepted her and Millie has a group of four close friends who enjoy both her company and her passion, including the snooty Shanelle whose little sister Safire was the recipient of the dolls house that Millie and her Scottish grandma rescued in the first story.  Things are a little better at home because while her mum still works at the aged care home, her dad’s leg has mended and he is now studying to follow his dreams.  Little sister Rosie is still making toddler mischief but because her Chinese grandmother Ahma who lives with them always seems to blame Millie for Rosie’s antics, Millie is convinced that she is not loved as much, and prefers to spend her time at her Scottish grandma’s house.  Ahma also seems to be more concerned with what other people’s opinions and perceptions are about the family which is also troubling, as Millie often feels shy and awkward, particularly in public and they have been invited to a wedding that is very important to Ahma,

But the main focus of this story is Millie’s relationships with the residents at the aged-care facility because, like many young children,  she sees only their age, illnesses and disabilities, rather than their personalities until she starts making them individualised hats and realises that there is still someone young and fun-loving, even adventurous inside the physical appearance.  However, when bully  Geri takes over the hat-making turning it into a public project for her own glory, the relationships between her friends becomes strained and Millie is caught between a rock and a hard place. 

Similarly, in the second story, when Millie’s abilities attract the attention of a television presenter and the Fru-Gals are invited to appear on a national television show. While Millie wants the girls to wear the things they have made, they have other ideas for their own reasons, and there is tension which comes to a head when the show’s producer has different ideas entirely, preferring to stereotype Rita and Veesa based on their cultural identity.

Once again, Alice Pung nails the issues of young girls straddling being the “little girl” and the one finding her identity as independence and the double-digit years loom, complicated by the physical differences and expectations as puberty kicks in.  Millie expresses a lot of those inner thoughts and concerns that most have while trying to negotiate the ups and downs of relationships that involve others with similar insecurities.  But,  as Fru-Gals becomes Ahem Creations with Rita as marketing designer, Veesa as fashion designer and product producer,  Shanelle as publicist and Millie as maker and mender,  above all, there is the belief that each will find their own path, and with that, inner calm and hope for the future.  

This is a series that will appeal widely to those in that Year 3-6 age bracket who are finding their own interests and paths to follow, and need encouragement to keep going despite the nay-sayers. There are detailed instructions for some of the things that Millie makes, including the little dancing toy she makes for Mr Feik’s project, that not only inspire readers to get started but also show that creativity can come in many forms.  So if sewing doesn’t appeal, something else will. 

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.  

Giinagay Juluum, Hello Mountains

Nov2
Giinagay Juluum, Hello Mountains

Giinagay Juluum, Hello Mountains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giinagay Juluum, Hello Mountains

Melissa Greenwood

ABC Books, 2024

24pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9780733343025

The juluum (mountain) watches over us as we walk proudly on Country.
Me, Jinda, Miimi and Gami take note of all the subtle changes in nature
as we walk up, up the rocky path towards the peaks…

As the mountains and their ancestors watch over them, the family under the guidance of Aunty make their way through the oft-trodden pathways to the mountain peaks for the corroboree acknowledging and respecting the land and it inhabitants  as they go.  It is Spring and there is fresh, green growth on the trees (jaliigirrin). birds are singing, and the bandicoots (duura), kangaroos (nunguu), koalas (dunggiirr),  snakes (dungguuny) and goannas (wirriiga) are calling, moving and mating while the bindarray (river) rises and falls with the snow melt, threading through the land connecting everything and bringing life to all.

And as they walk barefoot through the landscape, the children learn its stories, how it was made and how to walk it respectfully and pay homage to those who have gone before and those who will come after.

Much as I love the ocean and its endless motion soothes my soul, my home now is in Australia’s mountains, and, while so different from the mountains of my homeland in the south of New Zealand’s South Island, there is nothing quite like the silence, solitude  and  size of this land, such as is spread before me as I write this.  I can see much of what is described in the story – all except the river although the Murrumbidgee is only 200 metres at the bottom of the valley – and while we are not blessed with duura or dunggiirr we do have kangaroos, wallabies, possums, echidnas, wombats aplenty and the most amazing parade of native birdlife.  For now it is the season of the crimson rosella and the magpie, but soon it will be the cockatoos, galahs, gang gangs and kookaburras as the new Spring growth turns to flowers and seeds as the warmth spreads.  

So while Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean took me back to my roots of growing up on the seashore of Bluff, this one brings me into the here and now revitalising the senses that drew me here originally. 

As with its predecessor, the text is woven together by stunning artwork that tells its own story and the full text is included in both English and Gumbaynggir in the final pages, adding to the resources for preserving and revitalising First Nations languages.  But most significantly, as again they thank the land for its protection and it awaits their return, there is that inner feeling of being in the moment, taking note of surroundings and what is going on in them, seeing through eyes not a camera lens and being connected that gives meaning to the now-familiar Acknowledgement of Country so that it more than a collection of words, encouraging readers to see with new eyes and listen with new ears.