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Backyard Footy

Jun9
Backyard Footy

Backyard Footy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Backyard Footy

Carl Merrison

Samantha Campbell

Hachette, 2023

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

9780734421517 

Sometimes accidents can lead to the most amazing consequences.  In the spacious backyard of his home in the Kimberly, Jy accidentally kicks his football over the fence into Kitara’s yard, setting off an adventure that gathers momentum, kids, football skills and friendships that culminates in a lot of fun on the local football oval. 

From the team that gave us My Deadly Boots, this is  another joyful celebration of how something as common and as everyday as kicking a footy in your back yard can bring people together just for the sheer enjoyment of being together and sharing knowledge and skills .  Because while kick-to-kick is fun, going for goal is better…

Even though Australian Rules is the focus, because that is what is played in that part of Australia, and the author says the story was “inspired by my lived experiences-without phones, PlayStations, the internet, social media.”, nevertheless it highlights the joy that kids get from playing any team sport as it brings them together, everything else forgotten,  as they work towards a common goal.  (pun intended). As the author says in this interview, “It was like what me and my mates did when we were younger. I had the young kids of Halls Creek in mind when writing this book, so they could see themselves in it and know their pathways too.” But really, it could be a story for any kid in the world, regardless of nationality or sport.  All you need is some space, and to me, that is the most unifying message of all. Race, religion and all that other stuff has little to do with the natural instincts of the child to play, to have fun and friends and to belong.  

 

Downtown Sewertown

Jun8
Downtown Sewertown

Downtown Sewertown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Downtown Sewertown

Tull Suwannakit

Ford Street, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A17.95

9781922696250

“When the diggers came and construction began,

The animals had to pack and scram,

Leaving behind their woodland home,

Searching for a place of their own…”

These days there is seldom a news bulletin or a talk show that doesn’t mention the “housing crisis” and the need “to build more homes”, and so the rural environment is threatened by urban expansion in an unprecedented way.  But what happens to those who already live in the fields and woodlands when their habitat is destroyed?

This is a seemingly light-hearted look at a serious subject as we follow the plight of Badger, Fox, Rabbit, Mouse and a band of other creatures as they desperately try to find somewhere in the city to live now that their own homes have disappeared to unstoppable development and urban sprawl.  But there is no welcome for them in the city with its concrete towers and rough pavements, cars and pollution and the only place they can find and afford is underneath it all in the sewers.  But they’re dirty and smelly and unfit for habitation until Mouse rallies them into working together to create something special, only to discover that having lost one environment, they are about to lose their new one as greedy smoothskin eyes gleam and gloat at the possibilities…

Often when students investigate the threats facing the fauna and flora of their environment, habitat loss is at the top of the list and we often hear of the vast amounts of land cleared daily throughout the world to service the needs of the human population but to many, this remains an abstract concept that is hard to grasp.  But this clever story puts the problem into a perspective that even young minds can understand – particularly the underlying question of what happens to the animals that are displaced. Is their future condemned to being on the threatened species list at best, or extinction at worst?  Is there a way that “the furries and the smoothskins” can unite and live in harmony?

Comprehensive teachers’ notes linked directly to the Australia Curriculum will help draw out the key themes of this book, which the author identifies as nature, empathy, kindness and acceptance, but they also show the importance of reading the words and the pictures, looking for cues and clues that enrich and enhance the author’s message and the story itself.  One of those picture books that works on so many levels for a range of age groups.  

Our Mob

Jun5
Our Mob

Our Mob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Mob

Jacinta Daniher & Taylor Hampton

Seantelle Walsh

Ford Street, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A17.95

9781922696236

If you look at the AIATSIS  indigenous map of Australia it is obvious that the Australia of our First Nations people ” is made up of many different and distinct groups, each with their own culture, customs, language and laws” and thus it is clearly rich in diversity and difference.  Or is it?

In this beautifully illustrated book for younger readers, each double-page spread is devoted to a proud Aboriginal kid from a number of countries, each sharing the word for ‘hello’ or ‘welcome’ in their own language as well as something that they really like to do.  But what struck me was that although the words might be different, the sentiments were the same – the connection to and concern for Country, the sharing of favourite activities with family members and the similarities among the activities themselves.  From watching the stars at night to collecting the treasures of the sea; from the collection of food and preparing and sharing it – all are based on meeting everyday human needs and all offer the connection with family and friends that humans need.  The words might be different, the stories that accompany them varied, and the actual activity unique to the circumstance but there is a common thread of childhood joys and human needs that weaves everyone together, regardless of their origin and ancestry.

So while the richness and diversity of indigenous culture is celebrated, IMO its power lies in the realisation of the  similarities that connect us all regardless of race. religion, location, timeframe or any of the other constraints that might appear to be impediments .  Targeted at those “aged 3 to 8 years”, it could form part of a bigger investigation into identifying what are our basic needs as humans –  to love and belong, to be powerful, to be free, to have fun and to survive – and then compare and contrast these to how they are met by the children in the class and the children in the book.  The teachers’ notes offer some ideas for exploring  this, such as Lylah’s aunty making bush bread, but there is scope in every page for students to connect the text to themselves and the world. For example, Eli is a proud Aboriginal kid from Gamilaraay Country and he likes to look at the stars with his uncle and hear the stories associated with them, such as the emu in the sky.  But other students might see the Southern Cross or other star patterns of the southern sky, while some may have been more familiar with the northern hemisphere, opening up scope for investigations on many levels.

The potential of this book to permeate so much of the curriculum beyond its initial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures makes it an essential part the collection.

 

Pippa and the Troublesome Twins

Jun3
Pippa and the Troublesome Twins

Pippa and the Troublesome Twins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pippa and the Troublesome Twins

Dimity Powell

Andrew Plant

Ford Street, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A17.98

9781922696298

Pippa loves her new twin baby brothers, Pepi and Penn. But their constant mess and cries for attention are driving her batty and she  yearns to take off on her own to the Too-far-to-fly-to Forest but each time she asks about flying to the Too-far-to-fly-to Forest, her parents are always too busy attending to the babies.  Instead, they have left her to babysit the twins while they go off to find food.

Pippa has always been an adventurous bird even though her parents found it hard to let her be independent, but now they have given her the responsibility of looking after her brothers, she has to show that she is worthy of their trust. 

Like its predecessor, this story has themes that will resonate with many readers who have to come to terms with there being new babies in the family and the disruption to everyone’s routines that this causes.  But although this might seem to be just for younger readers, the excellent teaching notes that embrace all strands of the curriculum expand some of the themes for more mature readers too.  So while little ones can compare the arrival of the cat to the concept of “stranger danger”, older readers might investigate why birds can fly but humans can’t, or use their own experience to compare the pros and cons of being an only child to that of having siblings. Even more mature readers might like to investigate how picture books like this are used to address the issues that younger children face and then compare that to how their own issues are addressed in contemporary realistic fiction and why there is such a change of approach. 

Whichever level the reader is at, this is an entertaining story that deserves its place in the library’s collection.

Grandads are the Greatest

May30
Grandads are the Greatest

Grandads are the Greatest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandads are the Greatest

Ben Faulkes

Nia Tudor

Bloomsbury, 2023

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

9781408867570

It is the summer picnic especially for grandads and their grandchildren and a chance to celebrate their relationship.  But being a grandad is about the only thing the men have in common . For each one has a different career or interest – baker, barber, explorer, inventor, magician… But they all share one passion – their love for their grandchildren.

Written in rhyme this is a joyful  picture book that honours these special men and the wonder and happiness they bring to the lives of their young ones.  As well as helping the child to understand the structure of the family tree, it also offers them the opportunity to share what is special about their own grandfather and would be the perfect companion to What do you call your Grandpa?

One to set aside for Grandparents’ Day in your school. 

We Are Matildas

May28
We Are Matildas

We Are Matildas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Are Matildas

Shelley Ware

Serena Geddes

Puffin, 2023

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

 9781761048906

Jazzy dreams of being a football star and playing for the CommBank Matildas one day. She has a plan to get there . . . now all she needs is a team. But she soon learns that there is more to being a successful team than skills and drills, an aspirational name  and an individual’s dream.

As interest in the FIFA Women’s World Cup being held in Australia and New Zealand in July continues to grow, the focus on soccer as a sport also gathers momentum and so there will be many young girls who will be thrilled to read this story and perhaps begin to build their own dream.

But, regardless of the sport, there are many facets to being a team player that are explored in this book with the emphasis being on being together and having fun.  Even though the ending is somewhat predictable, nevertheless there is much that can be discussed including what if the team had lost.  What did they learn about themselves, each other and working together that would have made them winners anyway?  

 

Desert Jungle

May27
Desert Jungle

Desert Jungle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desert Jungle

Jeannie Baker

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781406387872

Despite being surrounded by mountains of rock and cacti, the boy prefers to sit inside and experience the world through the screen of his tablet.  He fears going far from his home because he has heard the coyotes howling at night and the village dogs barking.

But then he goes to stay with his grandpa in a place far away, much more isolated than even his tiny village,  but it still has internet coverage and so his tablet remains his friend.  Until the night a coyote steals the bag with it inside, and in his search for it Chico’s life changes in ways he will never imagine…

Set in the Valle de los Sirios in the Sonoran Desert in Baja California, Mexico, Jeannie Baker’s magnificent and magical collage artwork brings to life an environment that shows that the desert is not necessarily the barren, desolate, lifeless place we envisage but one which is rich in flora and fauna and history.  While the landscape she portrays is a specific part of the Mexican  desert, nevertheless she raises the possibility that this could be a desert anywhere, just as rich in biodiversity if only we took the time to look and appreciate.

In her notes, she refers to “nature-deficit disorder,” where children are indifferent to their natural surroundings because they are isolated from it and ignorant about it, and  thus they are likely to fear what they don’t know, and what they fear, they will destroy. so this book has a much wider application than just introducing the reader to the wonders of a particular piece of this planet.  Even the juxtaposition of the words in the title is significant as it evokes two totally different images in the mind at the same time, neither necessarily as compatible as the title suggests, and those who are familiar with the author’s work know that there will be many layers to explore in both text and illustration.  For while it is the story of the boy’s individual growth as he learns to love the environment and those feelings of wonder and protectiveness follow him home – the lizard unseen on the rock at the beginning becomes a thing of fascination at the end – it could also be the stories of many who are given the chance to experience Nature at her best in the raw and in the wild first-hand.  How many city kids have never seen a dark sky glistening with stars because the city lights keep them in permanent twilight?  How many country kids have never felt the sea foam tickle their toes or been in awe of the power of the waves crashing on the rocks?

There are so many books for young readers that focus on sustainability and the need to protect the environment, but this is a masterpiece that shows them just what it is they are protecting.  And if not here, then where? 

It is nearly seven years since we were gifted Circle, and the wonder and beauty of Desert Jungle has been worth the wait. 

 

The Blue Umbrella

May23
The Blue Umbrella

The Blue Umbrella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Umbrella

Emily Ann Davison

Momoke Abe

Andersen Press, 2023

32pp., hbk.

9781839132520

It wasn’t supposed to rain the day the little girl found the blue umbrella on her doorstep with a note that said, “For you.”  But she took it with her to the park just in case, and sure enough the rain started.  As it got heavier, she realised her mum was getting wet, and even though it was just a little umbrella she told her mum to get under it.  And, miraculously, they both fitted.  As they noticed more and more people getting wet, they invited them to shelter too, and the umbrella grew to embrace them all.  But the biggest miracle was yet to come…

This is a heart-warming story of the power of community coming and working together that will delight young readers, particularly. Somewhat reminiscent of the story of the magic pot that kept multiplying the food so all the peasants could be fed, but without the didacticism, it shows just how the ripples of kindness can spread into unexpected corners – how a simple act might be the shining light in a person’s struggle, as it was for the old man on the park bench.  Perhaps the children might not have a mysterious, magic umbrella but they do have a smile that can spread just as widely. 

The Little Fear

May22
The Little Fear

The Little Fear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Little Fear

Luke Scriven

HarperCollins, 2023

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

9780008559168

When Sam lets in a little fear one night, he’s sure it won’t be any bother. But before he knows it, the fear has grown and grown and grown. Until even the sunniest of sunny days doesn’t feel very sunny any more. There’s only one thing for it. Sam must try and be a little bit brave …

It’s not so long ago that if we wanted books that addressed the mental health of our youngest readers we would be searching the shelves, possibly in vain.  But with the growing recognition and understanding that the well-being of our teens and young adults begins with their ability to cope with their earliest fears – fears that all children have as they start to navigate the road to independence – then books like this are not only becoming more common but, sadly, more necessary.

Sam’s particular fear is not identified but it is given shape, form and colour so that it seems real, and that in itself is important because it acknowledges that for Sam , and other children, whatever it is is a real concern so the story has wider applicability. In Sam’s case, the fear grows so large it follows him around like a big black cloud until he decides that to be brave, he just has to put one foot in front of the other.  There is no indication that he tells anyone about it or  seeks adult help, so if this book is used in a class program perhaps those steps should form part of any ensuing discussion.  To give the impression that something that has grown as large as it has is something the child could/should deal with alone is perhaps instilling even more anxiety especially if using Sam’s strategy doesn’t work . So while facing our own individual demons, regardless of their size, shape and colour, all of which can keep changing, is something we ultimately have to do ourselves, there needs to be a strong message that we don’t have to do it alone.  So while I’d recommend it as part of your mental health collection, it is one that should be shared in the first reading.       

Shadow Catchers

May21
Shadow Catchers

Shadow Catchers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shadow Catchers

Kirsty Murray

Karen Blair

A & U Children’s, 2023

32pp., hbk., $A24.99

9781760526955

In the early morning they make shadows on the bedroom wall that are tall enough to touch the ceiling.

At lunchtime their shadows disappear altogether!

And in the evening, they can look scary and fearsome!

As with its predecessor Puddle Hunters, it is the everyday, take-for-granted things that give two children the greatest delight.  This time they chase their shadows across a day having so much fun with something that needs only a sunny day, some imagination and awareness.

Apart from just the sheer enjoyment of the story which exudes from each page, this is ideal for starting all sorts of scientific investigations about the light, the sun and its movement and direction,  as well as measurement if you map your shadow at different times of the day. 

Picture books that celebrate the joy of being a child, that take something as simple as a game of shadow catching that everyone can do and turn them into a magical experience, that make the ordinary extraordinary are among the best, in my opinion, because the young reader can instantly relate to them and join in the fun. Who wouldn’t be wanting to head outside on the next sunny day and have the same sort of fun? So whether it’s catching your shadow or jumping in puddles, share a memory-making moment that cost nothing!