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Alex Neptune (series)

Oct15
Alex Neptune (series)

Alex Neptune (series)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex Neptune (series)

Dragon Thief

9781474999236

Pirate Hunter

 9781474999274

Monster Avenger

 9781474999298

David Owen

HarperCollins, 2022-2023

250+pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

Alex Neptune lives in Haven Bay, a town whose history and currency is intertwined with the sea, and particularly the legends of the Water-Dragon and the pirate, Captain Brineblood, But Alex hates the sea because he is convinced it wants him dead and besides, strange things have happened to it since a mysterious factory was built and it is now so polluted that visitors no longer come to the town, let alone support the family gift store Neptune’s Bounty.  And what’s happening with the long-closed aquarium at the top of the hill which mysteriously glows green at night time?

This is new series for independent readers (best read in order for story continuity) that contains all the elements of relatable quirky characters, sea creatures that can talk and adventure that has  been described as  perfect “for fans of Percy Jackson and Dragon Realm”. With his tech-genius best friend Zoey, legend-lover Anil, and a sharp-shooting octopus, Alex discovers that he actually has power over his nemesis , the ocean, and embarks on a series of escapades that feature the town’s two legends, as he tries to save it from whatever is bringing it doom.

Full of action and embedded humour to lighten the mood, this is an entertaining read that has a powerful underlying message of how the ocean is being used by the unscrupulous for their own greed without regard for the consequences. From hating and fearing the ocean, Alex comes to appreciate and value it.  An eye-opener… 

Wollemi: Saving a Dinosaur Tree

Oct14
Wollemi: Saving a Dinosaur Tree

Wollemi: Saving a Dinosaur Tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wollemi: Saving a Dinosaur Tree

Samantha Tidy

Rachel Gyan

CSIRO Publishing, 2023

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

9781486316083

Imagine if, in the course of your daily work, you discovered something so significant that only a handful of people were ever allowed to know where you had been and even they were sworn to secrecy.  

This is the story of the discovery of the Wollemi pine, a tree that can grow to over 40 metres tall but whose existence was unknown until just 30 years ago, when Ranger David Noble found a clutch of them growing in a deep gorge in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. A tree so old that it dates back to the dinosaur period and so rare that there were less than 100 in existence at the time.  No wonder its location remains a secret so that sightseers can’t traipse in and bring in diseases on their shoes, damage the site and perhaps wipe out those remaining so it is gone forever.

Sadly, though, humans aren’t the only threat to this ancient species and this is the story not just of the tree but the remarkable efforts that were made to protect the grove and the gorge during one of NSW infamous fire seasons, for surely, something that has descended from a family of trees going back 200 million years, and has survived ice, fire and the passing of many generations deserves to be saved no matter what.

This is another remarkable publication from CSIRO Publishing shining the spotlight on yet another unique Australian creature so that our youngest readers can start to build their awareness and knowledge or the amazing things we share this landscape with, and hopefully, with that knowledge and awareness, become its protectors.  Introducing Mia, the schoolgirl daughter of botanist Kate, brings the story right into their realm and when Mia suggests that her class plant a seedling to help conserve the Wollemi, they might be inspired to do the same thing as they explore the story further through the teachers’ notes. 

 

The Turtle and the Flood

Oct9
The Turtle and the Flood

The Turtle and the Flood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Turtle and the Flood

Jackie French

Danny Snell

HarperCollins, 2023

34pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781460762974

Myrtle the Turtle loves by the creek, swimming in the waterholes and eating the little creatures in summer, and sleeping in the dry leaves under a log in winter.  If the creek dries up she buries herself in the silt and the sand to keep cool, and if it rains and the creek flows swiftly, she swims with her strong legs and claws.

However, every now and then she notices a slight change in the water level and the air pressure on the back of her neck, and she knows that that is the signal to move to higher ground. And so she begins to walk uphill…  Like the Fire Wombat, her long-evolved instincts, “more accurate than the weather bureau” tell her disaster is coming and it is time to act.  But Myrtle is not only saving herself from the impending flood – the other creatures of the bush know that if she is on the move then they must be too.

In a country of frequent fire and flood, our wildlife is often seen as the first and most frequent casualty as so many are estimated to perish.  And the statistics can cause great distress to many, particularly our little ones, so as well as telling the story of Myrtle and how her instincts and actions are the triggers for others to act too, this is a story of reassurance that not all is doomed during disasters. While those who know Jackie’s stories for little people most commonly think “wombats”, her home in south-eastern NSW is a haven for all wildlife, including Myrtle and her companions who live in the creek that usually meanders through the space but which can become menacing…

Used with Jackie's permission...

Used with Jackie’s permission…

But there is some peace of mind in knowing that many animals can sense rain, storms and floods well ahead of the event itself and do escape.

Once again, Jackie has used her knowledge, experience and observations of her surroundings to create a story of wonder and hope, and Danny’s illustrations bring that alive symbiotically. But while Myrtle’s story will offer comfort to younger readers, older readers might want to explore further… How do creatures like Myrtle sense the changes? Do humans have the same capacity?  Is the Bureau of Meteorology our only warning system? How do our First Nations people predict the weather and what can we learn from them?  Does the land need floods in a similar way to its need of fire? And then, on another tangent, how has the impact of humans on the environment increased or reduced the likelihood of the survival of native species during such events?  Do structures like roads and fences impede their escape?

I have often said that the best picture books operate on and across many levels, they are never an end in themselves.  This is one of those.  

The Littlest Penguin

Oct5
The Littlest Penguin

The Littlest Penguin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Littlest Penguin and the Phillip Island Penguin Parade

Jedda Robaard

Penguin Foundation

Puffin, 2023

144pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781761341830

Before the Europeans came to Millowl (Phillip Island) there were at least ten little penguin colonies there, but these days there is only one.  Protected by law now, it is the largest colony in the world, and, at the end of each day, hundreds of tourists come to watch some of those 40 000 adults gather together in “rafts” before they surf into the beach, waddle across it and head up the familiar tracks to their burrows, each looking for landmarks or listening for their partner’s voice to find their way.  

And, just maybe in that daily trek there will be Little Penguin, Scruffy, Cheeky and Big Chick who are the stars of this absorbing, beautifully illustrated novel for younger readers as they begin their lives as downy chicks and grow into adults ready to have chicks themselves. Just 33cm tall and less than a kilo as adults, there are many dangers facing the little penguins, particularly as they can be at sea for up to a year on that first journey, and Little Penguin, Scruffy, Cheeky and Big Chick are exposed to all of them making for an engaging read as we hope for a happy ending for all of them.

As well as their story, there is also an extensive information section to tell the reader more including the usual facts and figures that add the background as well as what happens when they are affected by oil slicks, itself an intriguing, heart-warming story, as is the story of another colony at St Kilda.. 

Produced by the Penguin Foundation which “raises funds to enhance Phillip Island’s natural environment and protect native wildlife through research, conservation and education programs”, and published by Penguin random House (who else? and who provide funding for the organisation), this is the ideal read-aloud or read-together to inspire interest in and awareness of these little birds as well as giving all those who are likely to make the trip to Phillip Island over the upcoming Christmas  break the knowledge and understanding of just what they are seeing. Maybe, as they learn more from both the Penguin Foundation and the Penguin Parade websites, they might even want to adopt a penguin for themselves. 

I adored it.

 

Penguin chick born in Eden for the first time in 30 years holds hopes in re-establishing colony 

How We Came to Be: Creatures of Camouflage and Mimicry

Oct4
How We Came to Be: Creatures of Camouflage and Mimicry

How We Came to Be: Creatures of Camouflage and Mimicry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How We Came to Be: Creatures of Camouflage and Mimicry

Sami Bayly

Lothian. 2023

40pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9780734421371 

In 2019, “author and illustrator of all things weird and wonderful” Sami Bayly published her first book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals and within four years her name on the cover of a book has become the signal for an intriguing, fascinating read about the creatures that inhabit this planet.  

That first book was followed by The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals and The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature, then the first in a new series called How We Came to Be focusing on sea creatures.  This new release is the next in that series and it examines animals that are masters of disguise – those who can blend into their surroundings (camouflage) and those that can look like something else (mimicry) – and how they have developed these abilities over time. 

As she explains, there are different forms of camouflage including appearance, smell, sound, behaviour and location and so the book is divided into those sections, each examining  a handful of exponents of that art.  But rather than the usual format of an illustration accompanied by text, the information is shared in short speech bubbles with the creature itself with more generalised facts highlighted in spots. So the reader is involved in a “conversation” with the unique characteristics shared by the creature itself making the whole very accessible to younger independent readers, providing enough to satisfy curiosity but also to spark greater investigation.  For example, she dons her scuba outfit and seeks out a mimic octopus who appears as a sea snake but then confesses their ability to mimic a number of creatures, and this could then lead to reading Meet Mim to find out more.  Those featured in the book are complemented by those on the endpages, including my all-time favourite the leafy sea dragon (a cousin of the weedy sea dragon) which in itself led me to investigate the differences between them. 

In a recent blog post, I set out the reasons why our young readers need access to a robust non fiction collection including

  • not everything is available on the internet
  • what is there is not necessarily aimed at the curious minds of the very young and so is not accessible to them
  • not all young readers have easy access to internet-enabled devices and don’t have the knowledge or skills to search for what they want
  • young readers get as much from looking at the illustrations as they do from reading the text and so an attractive, graphic-laden layout is essential
  • young readers like to look, think and return to the same topic or title over and over and the static nature of a print resource allows this
  • that not everyone prefers to read from a screen, that print is the preferred medium of many, and there is research that shows that many prefer to print onscreen articles so they can absorb them better
  • that research by people like Dr Barbara Combes shows that screen-reading and information -seeking on the internet requires a different set of skills and those most able are those with a strong foundation built on the traditional skills developed through print
  • young readers need support to navigate texts so they offer contents pages, indices, glossaries and a host of other cues and clues that allow and encourage the development of information literacy skills, and again, the static nature of a book enables the young reader to flip between pages more easily
  • the price of the book covers its cost and so there is no distracting eye-candy to distract the reader from their purpose and pursuit
  • the content of most non fiction books is designed to inform rather than persuade or challenge, and so the young reader doesn’t need to be searching for objectivity, bias and undercurrent messaging
  • that young children are innately curious and that exploring the answer to a question via a book with the child in charge is a unique bonding experience shared between parent and child that is not the same as looking at a webpage where the parent controls the mouse
  • that children know what they’re interested in and a range of resources gives them a range of options all at the same time; that one question leads to another and the answer might be in another resources on the same topic but with a slightly different slant
  • that children don’t know what they don’t know so browsing an interesting display of books  with bright covers and intriguing titles can open gates to new pathways

Publishers are aware of this need, teacher librarians need to defend their collection development and whilst ever we have the likes of Sami Bayly bringing the real world to life in such interesting and intriguing ways the learning of our children will be enriched and enhanced.  Can’t wait for the next one. 

The Concrete Garden

Sep18
The Concrete Garden

The Concrete Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Concrete Garden

Bob Graham

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781529512649

At last, winter is over, lockdown is lifted and the children spill out of the large apartment block ” like sweets from a box”.  Last out is Amanda and she is carrying a large box of chalks because she has an idea. Choosing green first, she draws a large circle with some smaller circles radiating from it – and from there the fun begins… Firstly, Jackson made a dandelion from Amanda’s circle, and then Janet added a mushroom and then the twins added flowers and then…

This is Bob Graham at his best offering the reader so many ideas to explore as the book is read and re-read.

Firstly, there has to be that glorious feeling of being free to connect with others, including those whom you have never met, when isolation has been imposed on you. The reader can hear the shouts of delight of the children and the babble of busyness as they get to be kids again, and imagine that their new and renewed friendships will spread to those of the adults in their lives too, meaning that there will be a greater sense of community in the apartments once inside beckons again.  But what if that isolation isn’t COVID related?  What if there is a child confined to a hospital bed, or isolated by language or being new to the area or… How might the reader reach out to them?

And while many will resonate with living in an apartment building where there is no opportunity to have the sort of gardens that feature in In My Garden , that doesn’t mean the children are oblivious to Mother Nature and the colour and magic and togetherness that she brings.  As so many of the young artists add natural elements to the drawing, there is an unspoken acknowledgement of what is missing from this hemmed-in concrete jungle, perhaps inspiring something more than a transient chalk drawing to be done. And, as with In My Garden, there is much to explore about the connectivity of gardens, real and imagined, in “The picture crossed deserts and mountains and oceans and cities.  It bounced around the world, returning to fill the screens in all the dark rooms over the concrete garden”. 

Others might like to explore why it is the seemingly simple activity of drawing a picture with chalk that brings so much imagination, friendship, co-operation, optimism and joy rather than the more formal, organised, prescriptive activities that seem to be such a part of children’s lives.  They might be let loose with chalk in their playground, or start a chain picture to which everyone contributes in the classroom, or even work together on a physical project to beautify their school or local community.  The possibilities are endless.

This is not only Bob Graham at his best but also the picture book at its best.  The links between text and illustration are woven so tightly together, one can’t stand without the other and each thread of the tapestry offers something to explore and ponder.  Expect to see this one up there in all the awards in the coming year.   

The Gargoyle

Sep14
The Gargoyle

The Gargoyle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gargoyle

Zana Fraillon

Lothian, 2023

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

9780734421241

Forced off his rooftop to make way for a new urban development in a barren cityscape, the old gargoyle packs a battered suitcase and boards a train going who knows where. But he is unseen to all those who are packed on it, except for a child  who has the time and the presence to ponder the gargoyle’s story…

He’s old, this gargoyle. Very old. Older than me. Older than anyone. He looks tired. If I had a seat, I would give it to him.

He shuffles past me and stands near the door and watches the city smushing past.

I think I hear him sigh. An echoey, achy, hollow sort of sigh, like the wind when it gusts down lanes and through tunnels and in and out of the big drains that stretch under the city.

Invisible to all who are so engrossed in what is to come that they don’t see the here and now, except for the ticket collector who forces him off the train when he cannot produce a ticket, the gargoyle is a forlorn sight, testament to the often unnoticed and ignored elderly, disabled and homeless among us.  But he leaves his suitcase behind and when the child, overcome by curiosity and compassion, opens the case he unleashes the gargoyle’s many memories of the city and its inhabitants. When the case crumbles, leaving nothing but a small seed, the child decides to find a place to bring the gargoyle, and the soul of the city, back.

This is a poignant picture book that works on many levels both for younger and older students as they explore it, each visit exposing something different.  For example, on a literal level, the meaning and history of “gargoyles” could be investigated  to build vocabulary and children could be encouraged to not only identify structures in their town that feature them but also learn architecturally related words such as buttress and belfry, perhaps even compare modern and bygone construction styles and methods.   

Others might like to consider what memories are contained in the gargoyle’s case, and if he were a gargoyle from one of their town’s structures, what changes and events might he have seen and packed into that case.

Older readers who can dig deeper into the messages that lie beyond the words might look more at the humanitarian issues that are addressed- the trials and tribulation of ageing and how those who are in their senior years become invisible and often ignored as though they no longer have anything  to contribute; the way buildings and structures are often valued and preserved more than those who constructed them; the destruction of those buildings in the ever-growing need for quick-fix housing; the knowledge and memories of people and places past that could be drawn on to build a better future so the same mistakes are not repeated; society’s attitudes towards and treatment of the homeless… And having examined those issues, consider and plan what might grow from the seed that the boy plants.

Teachers’ notes offer discussion points about these as well as ideas for exploring its language, literary devices and visual literacy – both the author’s and illustrator’s notes add much – but the lingering emotion for the reader is one of empathy and compassion, of a desire to acknowledge and celebrate the legacies of those who have gone before us and consider the legacy that we, ourselves, might leave. 

I do expect to see this among the award winners of the upcoming year. 

Let’s Save the Great Barrier Reef

Sep9
Let's Save the Great Barrier Reef

Let’s Save the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s Save the Great Barrier Reef

Catherine Barr

Jean Claude

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781529513615

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is home to a quarter of all ocean life, but it also has many other roles to play in the ecosystems of the region including protecting the Queensland coast from powerful ocean weather and waves , sheltering the communities that are spread along the shoreline.  

This, and many other reasons for its protection are presented in this picture book for young readers, each starting with the line, “Let’s save the Great Barrier Reef because… ” followed by a clear but simple explanation and accompanied by stunning illustrations that really drive home the message.  

Part of a series which includes other significant at-risk regions of the planet, the underlying, common threat to all is climate change, and while young readers might not fully understand this or perhaps feel they can do little about it, it does include a few tips about the small differences they can make which, if shared broadly, will make a big difference. 

While it will serve as an introduction to this unique location for young readers, it could also serve as the springboard for a broader investigation for more mature students.  Just starting with the phrase “Let’s save the Great Barrier Reef because… ” could initiate either deeper investigations into the reasons already provided, search for other reasons or even look at the importance and imp[act of coral reefs in general.  There are also teachers’ notes available to explore other ideas. 

In My Garden

Sep8
In My Garden

In My Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In My Garden

Kate Mayes

Tamsin Ainslie

ABC Books, 2023

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

9780733340253

In our gardens are where we belong.

Planting, watching, growing, dreaming.

In our gardens something out of nothing comes.

Over 2000 years ago, Marcus Tullius Cicero is said to have said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

And in this new release,  readers can have both as they join children from around the world as they share their gardens, from blossoming flowers in Japan to the waterside of Malawi, the frozen landscape of Iceland to the bush tracks of Australia, even where the mountains meet the sea in New Zealand.. Despite the diversity of plants and wildlife, these are the places they love and the places they belong, where they seek serenity and solace from the busy-ness of the world around them.

But as well as bringing peace to the soul, this is a book that has the potential to open up new horizons for young learners as they understand that while gardens themselves are universal, the plants within them vary greatly and so that can set up all sorts of investigations into why that is so, the needs of plants, the adaptations they make to their conditions – perhaps even why so many Australian gardens tend to feature English plants. And those who have come from some of the gardens featured can not only indulge in a little nostalgia but share their knowledge with their peers. There is the opportunity to consider what each garden might teach the reader about the child and the country represented, and teachers’ notes offer further guidance and ideas to explore.

I am not a gardener, which is probably just as well given where I live with its harsh winter climate and poor soil that is leached of its goodness by the hundreds of snow gums that surround us, but I do value their beauty and the variety of wildlife they attract (in itself, another investigation) and I’m privileged to  experience that universal feeling  of calm and wonder that comes wherever we find Mother Nature just doing her thing.  Just looking at this book can offer that as the mind drifts away… 

 

 

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

Sep1
Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature

Libby Hathorn

Christina Booth

Lothian Children’s, 2023

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

9780734421555

Encapsulated in these 32 pages plus the endpapers could be your whole year’s  curriculum to satisfy the sustainability cross-curriculum priority, particularly the concept that focuses on “the interdependent and dynamic nature of systems that support all life on Earth and our collective wellbeing.”

From the very first haiku on the front endpaper…

Below ground tree-talk

Nodes and links and fungal 

threads

Reaching out to touch

this is the most engaging collection of poems that celebrate Mother Nature, and the connections between her and her children and between us and them. No matter its format or structure, each reflects on the wondrous things that are available to us all if we choose to look.  Some, such as Garden Australia, celebrate the everyday miracles,; others, like Beach Blues, commiserate what has been lost; but each and all offers the opportunity to inspect and reflect on that which is under our nose. Accompanied by the most exquisite illustrations that range from the whimsical like the cane toad chorus to the mysterious of the valley under the rock, this is one for those who love the magic of lyrical, picture-making language as well as those who prefer more factual content – a combination that is very rare.  Take the start of Bush Picnic…

Kangaroos high kick

wombats waddle

bilbies burrow

cockatoos squabble…

Factually accurate but expressed divinely. 

Thus, this is not only the ideal springboard to explore the focus of each poem and how it teaches us about those critical systems on which we depend, but also gives the reader the opportunity to respond to their own discoveries. 

There have been many storybooks of late that have encouraged our young children to be more aware of the world that is at their back door, but how can we make their observations more meaningful, help them find the wonder in what they see?  By having them go outside to select just one thing that captures their imagination -perhaps something as simple as a dead leaf on the ground – examine it thoroughly,  draw it  and then encouraging them to think about its story of how and why and tell that story in their own way and words, we are providing the perfect platform for learning, appreciating, expressing…

To me, this is one of those symbiotic pairings of author and illustrator that produces something both mystical and magical and is a must-have in any teacher toolbox.