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Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

Apr4
Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandmother from the East, Grandmother from the West

Jacinta Liu

Freda Chiu

Lothian, 2025

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

9780734421791

I have two grandmothers.
One with brown eyes, and one with blue eyes.
One makes dumplings, and one bakes bread.
They are my grandmothers.
One lives in the East, and one lives in the West.

So many of our students could have written those lines as a reflection of their family structure as “mixed marriages” are just a normal part of today’s society, and so this is one that is going to resonate with so many.  At its heart is the strong message that despite differences in their heritage and history that has made them them, grandmothers come together and give the very best of who they are as they love, accept,  teach, protect, and guide and their grandchildren so they can grow up to be the best they can be. While each may have different belief systems  – one was blessed under the protection of the Chinese dragon, full of dignity and strength. One was kissed by the light of the Cancer moon, filled with grace and style – or different food prep preferences and techniques or perhaps a different language the best of who they are is melded within the child so they too can say I am from the East and the West.

Written by a Chinese-Australian and inspired by her own family history, its authenticity  is apparent and will inspire young readers, whether they have a dual heritage or not, to consider the traits they share and the things they like, eat and do that have been directly passed on to them by their grandparents. It is the perfect accompaniment to Joanna Ho’s Eyes the Kiss in the Corners and Eyes that Speak to the Stars   and others that celebrate intergenerational relationships.

While these sorts of books tend to get a particular focus during Harmony Day celebrations, they have year-round appeal to any child who picks them up and sees themselves and their circumstances portrayed in a book for all to see.  As adults, we should never underestimate the validation and reassurance of who they are that that offers. 

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. 

 

Noodle & Bao

Jan8
Noodle & Bao

Noodle & Bao

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noodle & Bao

Shaina Lu

HarperCollins US, 2024

224pp., graphic novel, RRP $A19.99

9780063283404

Momo has lived in Town 99 her entire life. She knows all its quirks and rhythms: the best places to buy fruit, practice tai-chi in the park, and, most of all, get the best meal: Noodle & Bao, run by Momo’s best friend, Bao, and their amah, Noodle.

But Town 99 is changing. Rent is becoming unaffordable for Momo and her parents, and even Noodle & Bao has been edged out of its storefront, which was just recently bought out by a new business venture—Fancé Cafe. Fancé is run by the ambitious Ms. Jujube and her henchmen, who claim they’re only beautifying Town 99 with good business.

Momo knows that’s not true, and knows that if she doesn’t do something, she’ll lose everything she loves about her neighbourhood. From undercover recon to a cook-off proposal, protest signs to petitions, Momo and Bao are on a mission to protect Town 99. Will they succeed before it’s too late?

Twenty years ago, Odo Hirsch wrote a series of books about a feisty, determined young girl called Hazel Green which included one, Think Smart, Hazel Green, in which Hazel found herself in a not dissimilar situation to Momo.  It was a series that really captured the imagination of the girls particularly, because it was one of not many books and series that had a courageous, don’t-back-down girl as its main character.  And in this graphic novel, Momo shows that same sort of awareness and resilience as she notices subtle changes to her local Chinatown – changes that are changing lives as well as the landscape – and she, accompanied by some friends and some anthropomorphic animals, is determined to show that progress is not always positive and it is usually driven by motives well beyond what is good for the community.

While this book is based on the real stories of the changes in Chinatowns throughout the USA, as explained in the final pages, it is also something our own children might have noticed or even experienced, particularly those who live in “tourist towns” as their surroundings change, expand and become more expensive to cope with the annual influx of visitors.  So it could become the impetus for taking a close look at their own neighbourhood and investigate changes, their causes and impacts, as well as those things that are worth fighting to preserve. 

Although the format of a graphic novel precludes it from being a class read-aloud, it could be worth searching out the Hazel Green series  to underpin any unit of work that has a theme of change and progress.  

Stand Proud

Oct15
Stand Proud

Stand Proud

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand Proud

Nicho Hynes & Marlee Silva

Blak Douglas

Puffin, 2024

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

 9781761341335

As a kid, Nicho knows a few things to be true.
Everyone calls him Nicho, instead of ‘Nicholas’.
He loves the sport of rugby league.
And he is Aboriginal – but he hasn’t always known what that means.
Then one day at school, Nicho sees his friend covered in white paint and practising a special dance.
Nicho asks him to teach him the dance too . . . and that’s when everything changes.

Even though the 2024 Rugby League season has past and preparations for the next one yet to begin, there will still be many young children who have been inspired by those they have deemed to be their heroes and who aspire to emulate their prowess by practising their skills daily.  For many, that hero will be Nicho Hynes from the Cronulla Sharks and so they will be delighted to read this story of his life, although they might be surprised that it is not so much about his success on the football field as it is about finding who he is and where he has come from.

Because his mum, an Aboriginal, was one of the Stolen Generation,  taken from her family as a little girl, she lost her indigenous identity and although she always told Nicho of his Aboriginal heritage and to be loud and proud about it, she had lost all the stories of her heritage to pass on, and so Nicho was caught in no-man’s-land, particularly when his schoolmates didn’t believe him because his skin was so light.  He didn’t know how to be “a loud, proud, blackfella” so while he felt something ignite inside when he saw his friend Bruce dancing on Harmony Day, it wasn’t until he followed his rugby league dream, idolising Johnathan Thurston and meeting more and more blackfellas who also played, that he started to feel like he was with family and that he belonged.

And the rest, as they say, is history … through opening up to those around him and being open to hearing and learning what he needed to know about his heritage and inheritance, he really began to thrive and not only share his story but, just as Johnathan Thurston had become his idol, so he himself became an idol for those following his footsteps –  so much so that he was awarded the 2024 Ken Stephen Medal Man of the Year for his outstanding mental health advocacy and leadership in the Indigenous community.  

The publisher’s blurb says that this is a story about “Nicho Hynes, who grew up to find his passion when he found his people” but it is also a story for anyone who feels that they are out of step with those around them, whether that be driven by race, culture, religion, gender, or neurology, encouraging them to continue seeking not only their own identity but also others with whom they feel most comfortable.  By telling his story to his close friend Marlee Silva, this becomes an opportunity for others who may also feel lost to find the courage to speak up, to seek and find their way and their particular “tribe”. Hynes is a role model far beyond the boundaries and goalposts of the footy field. 

Why footy star Nicho Hynes has teamed up with Archibald Prize winner Blak Douglas to tell his story about growing up Aboriginal

Mia’s World

Oct7
Mia's World

Mia’s World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mia’s World

Amelia Donnelly

Jennifer Bouron

Little Steps, 2024

32oo., hbk., RRP $A26.95

 9781922678300

Cultural Day is coming up at school and to make it more significant, Ms Joy has asked the children to investigate their family backgrounds.  While some of the children are certain of their heritage, Mia is confused. She knows she was born in Spain but now she lives in Australia… so what does that make her? Spanish? Or Australian? And is there more to her than where she comes from? 

When she asks her mother to clarify things, her mum says she is “divine”- so Mia is even more confused.  What does that mean? To help her understand, her mum takes her to visit the leaders of the various faiths and religions in the area, but each has a different interpretation of the word.  It is not until they talk to an Indigenous elder in the park that Mia understands, and realises she is more than her name, where she comes from and the colour of her skin. 

With 49% of those living in Australia having at least one parent born overseas, Harmony Week. and in particular Harmony Day, is celebrated in many schools across Australia as children are encouraged to know, acknowledge and share their heritage but there are many who are like Mia who are confused because they feel they are Australian.  So this story has a part to play in helping them understand those words written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton that is viewed as an alternative national anthem…

We are one
But we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We’ll share a dream
And sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian

Woodley, B., & Newton, D. (1987) I Am Australian  

There are some teachers’ notes included on the final page to help guide discussion as well as a glossary and greetings, each giving scope to explore those that are relevant to students so they understand that there are differences that may divide, but overall, there are so many more similarities to unite.. 

What Do You Call Your Dad?

Aug29
What Do You Call Your Dad?

What Do You Call Your Dad?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Do You Call Your Dad?

Ashleigh Barton

Martina Heiduczek

ABC Books, 2024

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

9780733343476

In every country around the world are dads – some short, some tall.
Though they go by different names, we love them one and all.

A Daddy here, a Baba there – or maybe he’s Papa

Turn the page, let’s meet a few of the finest near and far

This is a  companion to What Do You Call Your Grandpa? and What Do You Call Your Grandma? and like its predecessors, it introduces readers to all the words that our students use to refer to their fathers. . But whether it’s Tama, Taata, Dedi, , Buwa,  Papi or one of the other special names,  what is also in focus is that special relationship and bond that children have with their fathers and the precious memories that are made as they celebrate life together.  Whether it is creating a special hairstyle, climbing to a special view or cheering from the sidelines, there are magical moments that kids everywhere share with their dads regardless of where they live or what they call him.

As well as teaching little ones new names – I can envisage a wall display of photos of the children’s fathers sharing a special time and the special names they call them, especially as the author invites the reader to share – this would also be a grand book for those who are learning English as a new language because they will delight in seeing their own culture represented in a way that connects us all.

The perfect book for those who focus on Father’s Day and build a more inclusive classroom. 

Just Like You

Aug24
Just Like You

Just Like You/ Bitjan Nhakuna Nhe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Like You/ Bitjan Nhakuna Nhe

Natashia Curtin

Walker Books, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781760658069

Sometimes the world of today’s children seems so very different from that of their parents, particularly given the advances of and accessibility to technology,  but when you put that aside, literally and figuratively, it turns out that both generations like the same things – playing with friends, building cubbies, dancing to music, jumping in puddles, having cuddles… 

In this dual -language picture book, Natashia Curtin draws inspiration from her time growing up in Arnhem Land in a unique exploration of the universality of childhood as she shows her child that they share a love for the same things – it’s just that grew up in a Yolngu township in the Northern Territory rather than the city and so while both generations enjoy a picnic in the park or jumping into the pool, the settings are very different.  By the clever juxtaposition of the illustrations ,and the use of both English and Gupapuynu, young readers can follow both journeys and enjoy the similarities and differences at the same time.  

Regardless of the nature of the reader’s heritage, this is an opportunity to explore how similar childhood likes are for everyone, regardless of the time or place and there are discussion notes to help guide the conversations.  As well as a wonderful tool to help bridge the gap across generations, some children might be surprised to find that those who “have come across the seas” enjoy the same things they do, even if they do it in a different way, again building conversations, connections, and ultimately, communities.  There ls all sorts of scope to use the dual-language nature of this book to reach out to those whose mother tongue is not English to share their words for the activities, building a multi-lingual display that demonstrates, that for children, play is universal. 

This has the potential to be so much more than a reminiscing between mother and daughter, and for that, deserves a place in the collection as well as promotion for any studies of families and where they have come from.  

Eyes That Weave The World’s Wonders

Jun26
Eyes That Weave The World's Wonders

Eyes That Weave The World’s Wonders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eyes That Weave The World’s Wonders

Joanna Ho & Liz Kleinrock

Dung Ho

HarperCollins US, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9780063057777

In the annual family photos where everyone gathers in matching clothes and shoes and laughter, everything is the same for everyone – except for one.  Because no one has eyes like hers – eyes that kiss in the corners.  But despite their shape, she sees the wonder of the world through her eyes and those around her,  But who gave her those eyes? And where ad why and what if and what happened?   Questions that every child who is adopted asks eventually, and even though there may be no immediate answers, she understands that sometimes “love must look like letting go”.

This is another wonderful story from the author of such masterpieces as Eyes that Kiss in the Corners and Eyes that Speak to the Stars.  and once again Joanna Ho has used her gift of language to create something that brings a common situation into the spotlight.  This time it is that of the adopted child and co-author Liz Kleinrock focuses on this in a note to the reader at the beginning of the book.  Between them, authors and illustrator have created another story of awareness, understanding and acceptance not just by the protagonist but also the reader and I know that whenever I pick up a title with Joanna and Dung Ho’s names on the cover I am going to be changed by the reading of it.  And this is no exception.  It’s not the shape of our eyes that matters, it’s what they see that counts.

Giovanni

Jan1
Giovanni

Giovanni

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giovanni

Crystal Corocher

Margeaux Davis

Wombat Books, 2023

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

9781761111235

In 1881, four-year-old Giovanni and his family and local villagers leave the Veneto region of Italy bound for Australia having been promised “paradise” only to find that they are in the hands of a people smuggler with a rickety boat, little food and no real concern for their safety, let alone comfort.  Eventually stranded on a beach in Noumea, they were in despair of ever reaching Australia dying in huge numbers from bad food, mosquitoes, undrinkable water and back-breaking work in the monsoon season. 

But hearing of their plight, Sir Henry Parkes, the “father of Federation” but then colonial secretary of NSW sent a boat to rescue them and 22 families eventually settled on the NSW north coast in what was to become known as New Italy and the start of the Italian migration to Australia that continues today.

Told by the great-granddaughter of Giovanni, with a concurrent Italian translation by Jada Valpato,  this is a story meticulously researched that tells of an almost-forgotten part of Australia’s migration history, making it one for both younger and older readers, particularly those of Italian heritage.  Coupled with links to resources such as the New Italy Museum, this is definitely one for the collection for both your Italian families as well as any study of Australia’s immigration history. 

 

What You Need to Be Warm

Nov27
What You Need to Be Warm

What You Need to Be Warm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What You Need to Be Warm

Neil Gaiman

Bloomsbury, 2023

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

9781526660619

I have neither the desire or the skill to review this book because anything I say or write pales into insignificance in the presence of the wondrous Neil Gaiman. Thus I am going to use the foreword and the publisher’s notes to show what this book is about and why I immediately recommended it to colleagues who were seeking just such a piece…

in 2019, before COVID, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the current Israeli conflict, winter was coming to the northern hemisphere and people were going to be cold , especially people who didn’t have homes because they had fled the fighting in their countries or their homes, often their villages and towns, had been destroyed.  To draw attention to their plight Neil Gaiman asked his social media followers  what reminded them of warmth.  And from the tens of thousands of replies, each with a specific memory, he wove the responses into a long green scarf, so symbolic of being snuggled in warmth, and into a poem that became a film and now a book illustrated by people like Chris Riddell, Benji Davies, Yuliya Gwilym, Nadine Kaadan, Daniel Egnéus, Pam Smy, Petr Horácek, Beth Suzanna, Bagram Ibatoulline, Marie-Alice Harel, Majid Adin and Richard Jones, with a thought-provoking cover from Oliver Jeffers.

It is  “an exploration of displacement and flight from conflict through the objects and memories that represent warmth in cold times. It is about our right to feel safe, whoever we are and wherever we are from, and about welcoming those who find themselves far from home. “

Sadly, in 2023, winter is again coming to the northern hemisphere and more people than ever are without a home, or warmth whether that’s wrapping your hands around a baked potato on a winter’s night or wrapping yourself in a blanket knitted by your grandmother or just the warmth of feeling safe indoors, so sales of every copy of this book will help support the work of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which helps forcibly displaced communities and stateless people across the world.

And if you want to do more, check out Wrap With Love and perhaps start a knitting group in the new year.