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Over or Under?

Nov23
Over or Under?

Over or Under?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over or Under?

Pip Harry

Hilary Jean Tapper

Lothian, 2024

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

9780734421807

I’m jumping waves at the beach with Dad.
If they’re small I can leap over their frothy peaks.
Easy!
But further out, when they’re big, you have to duck dive under.

It’s time for a break at the beach, and Maisie is learning to navigate and negotiate that waves as they constantly roll in  Some are gentle and float her off the sand but then comes one that is a bit more vigorous and she has to make a decision to go over or it or under it. Before she makes up her mind, it has her in its grasp and she is tumbled over and over, unsure which way is up until Dad’s strong hands guide her and take her to shore.  And like any of us who has been dumped in that fashion, Maisie decides to spend the rest of the holiday close to mum and safely onshore.  But come the last day, does she have the courage to venture into the waves once again?

This is a story that will resonate with many young readers as they start to look forward to a long hot summer at the beach, maybe because they find the waves and their endless motion as though they are the planet’s heartbeat, either exhilarating or daunting.  There will be few who have not been dumped and experienced that momentary panic as they seek the surface, and the relief as someone’s hands guide them back to shore. They will also understand Maisie’s dilemma as she wants to be both safe with her mum but also out there with her dad, so this is a time to review and reinforce those rules for safe swimming that are provided on the final page.    

But then, just as the sea has many levels, this is written by Pip Harry who gave us both August and Jones, and The Little Wave, and so as well as being Maisie’s story, it is also one for older kids who find themselves being knocked about by the waves of life and having to dig  deep and find the resilience and courage to put their toes in the water again.  End of year can bring extra stress for many as the safe haven of school and its routines are not there, Christmas holidays with their emphasis on family togetherness can mean heartache and hurt, and the uncertainty of the new year, perhaps with a new school, as well as any number of other factors.  So while there is the surface level of Maisie’s experience and the re-iteration of water safety, perhaps it’s an opportunity to review strategies and services that older students may need to draw on during this time.  And, just as Maisie’s dad is there to help her up, and her mum there for a safe refuge, there are those who can offer them similar help. 

In her blog post about the book’s birth, Harry says she likes ” to imagine that Maisie goes on to become a strong ocean swimmer or surfer and it’s that special, triumphant day on the beach that ignites a lifetime of connection to the coast. ” But it just might be the impetus for someone else to dip their toe in the water – so to speak – to try again, to try a new way, or to try something new altogether and celebrating each step conquered.  Or maybe, just learn to pick their battles – which ones do we float over, dive under or face head on – at the risk of being dumped.

An excellent example of a picture book being for all ages.  

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.  

 

How We Share Cake

Oct28
How We Share Cake

How We Share Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How We Share Cake

Kim Hyo-eun

Translated by Deborah Smith

Scribble Books, 2024

52pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781761380655

When you’re one in a family of five children, it can be tough to get your fair share. As the second sister in a Korean family of five explains, it can also be tricky and depends on what it is, whether you want a fair share, and there can be tactics, politics and sneakery involved. While it might be easy to divvy up a piece of fruit or a litre of milk, what happens if it’s a roast chicken with everyone wanting their favourite joint, or if it’s a serve of fairy floss?  And does anyone really want an equal share of broccoli?

Then there are the indivisibles like hugs from a favourite uncle, the breeze from the fan and who gets to ride the new scooter first…

Drawing on her own experience the author has created an original, intriguing story that will resonate with many – including me as being the only girl amongst eight boys, seven of whom were close cousins – and offer lots of opportunities to discuss, explore and explain how things can be shared fairly, whether they need to be, and what strategies and plans can be devised to outsmart and outlast their siblings.  Do you dig into the ice cream with a spatula or a soup ladle?  Does your place at the table determine your menu?  And if it’s your birthday, do you choose the cake of your dreams or one that everyone can share? And then there are broader questions… Do shares always have to be fair? What happens when the unforeseen happens and the planning goes awry? How do you feel and what do you do if you don’t get what you were expecting? What is the difference between ‘deserving’ and ‘entitled’ and what determines them?

Using simple illustrations accompanied by captions that express the inner thoughts of each child and which are so familiar they are LOL, this is a story that would fit into any family in the world because learning to share – evenly and fairly or not – is one of the first things we teach little ones to do as they move into socialising with others so it is a familiar concept.  And while some things can be divided equally using maths concepts, each of which puts the abstract to a practical use so its relevance is understood, it is those that can’t that often create the greatest memories – as the endpapers show. 

This is a story that has many layers from the physical maths to the abstract of justice – how many times do we, as adults, hear a child exclaim something isn’t fair – and so it can be read over and over with a new focus each time.  Unique, refreshing and so relatable.

 

Ava and the Acorn

Oct26
Ava and the Acorn

Ava and the Acorn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ava and the Acorn

Lu Fraser

Paddy Donnelly

Hodder Children’s, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A32.99

9781444964844 

There’s a whisper of woodsmoke that tumbles and twists

Through the ribbons of dawn and the morning’s soft mists

It weaves through the eaves of a house with a curl

Then downwards it drifts in the breeze…to a girl…

Add that text to this image and you know that you are about to embark on a very special story.

And indeed it is.  

As Grandad emerges from the cottage and joins Ava for their regular walk in the woods, she declares that she wants to stay there with him forever, but Grandad knows that nothing stands still, that life moves forward and things grow and change and so he takes her to an ancient oak tree that “has a lifetime worth knowing. A lesson it shares with each season growing. And the long-ago song that it sand as I grew Has become a new song that it’s singing for you.”

And so, through the year, they make memories together as both time and the tree roll through the seasons, swinging on the old swing, picnics in its shade, crunching through the leaves and then comes winter.  But Grandad is not well and there are no trips to the tree together – just memories to recall until Spring comes again…

Described as “a tender, stay-with-you-forever story about one little girl’s relationship with her grandad, and the hope that lies in the changing of the seasons and the circle of life” this is one that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age who has memories to treasure of times shared with a grandparent and how those memories are such a part of who they are now, as well as being especially appropriate for helping a little one deal with a recent loss.

The last few pages are particularly poignant as Ava tends the acorn that she and Grandad planted and as she grows, so does it, until she, in turn, takes her own son to learn the lessons of long ago… Because where you think there’s an end, there’s always a beginning . . .

Emotional, personal, sensitive and beautifully illustrated, even though this is a story that is essentially about the decline and loss of a loved one, at its core is a story of hope and promise of the future as the circle of life revolves and evolves. In fact, in answer to a question in an interview, illustrator Paddy Donnelly suggest that Circle of Life from The Lion King would be an appropriate song to accompany it and I agree.  

From the day we arrive on the planetAnd, blinking, step into the sunThere’s more to see than can ever be seenMore to do than can ever be doneThere’s far too much to take in hereMore to find than can ever be foundBut the sun rolling highThrough the sapphire skyKeeps great and small on the endless round
It’s the circle of lifeAnd it moves us allThrough despair and hopeThrough faith and love‘Til we find our placeOn the path unwindingIn the circleThe circle of life

Like a Gannet

Oct16
Like a Gannet

Like a Gannet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like a Gannet

Kirsten Ealand

Deb Hudson

Windy Hollow, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP %A29.95

9781922081094

Francie has learned to swim, and while at first she dabbled like a duck, now she can cut through the water like a cormorant, head held high like a swan. But, even though she is comfortable, confident and competent in the water,  can she dive like a gannet? Can she find her brave and go head first from the diving board like her cousins?

This is a joyful story about facing something new, exciting and terrifying for the first time, and it brought back so many memories of me being Francie. Even though it was so many, many years ago and I was a competitive swimmer, I can still remember the day I climbed the tower of the 1.8 metre board for the first time… A ne even though I became a competent scuba diver, I did exactly what Francie does but I  never ever went up there again!  

If I can recall my experience, then there are going to be many other children who will relate to Francie, and even more if you broaden the concept to facing anything for the first time… child or adult.  Even though it’s not mission accomplished for Francie the first time she climbs the ladder, nevertheless she has the resilience to try again, and this time, she makes a plan with her cousin Arthur.  And the sheer delight of achieving her goal puts a smile on the reader’s face, just as it does for anyone who reaches for the stars and discovers they can fly. 

Little ones often feel they have to get things right the first time, especially if there are older siblings who already can, so this is an excellent book for talking about having a go, practising, seeking support and reassurance, making a plan,  and not giving up – whether it’s diving like a gannet, riding a bike, learning to read or any of the other million first-times they are going to encounter as they grow.   It’s a story worthy of being shared over and over to reassure our little ones that they can touch the moon, whatever that looks like for them.

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

Billy’s Brilliant Butterflies

Sep29
Billy's Brilliant Butterflies

Billy’s Brilliant Butterflies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billy’s Brilliant Butterflies

Jacquie Ward

Winona Kieslich

Little Steps, 2024

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

9781922678324

For little Billy Moss, his heart is happiest when he is out in the garden hunting for tiny treasures, growing juicy red strawberries and drawing pictures of magical rainforests, where his world is calm, quiet, familiar and predictable.  .  When the world gets too loud or too busy, he seeks refuge in his treehouse, puts his headphones on to block out the noise and escapes into his daydreams.  

But life is about to change drastically for Billy because he is going to be starting school with all its people, noise, movement, busyness, unfamiliarity and unpredictability.  And already the butterflies in his tummy are beginning to flitter-flutter as his anxiety builds,  However, he finds his brave, and even though the butterflies are now doing somersaults and he wishes she could stay longer, he lets his mum leave and sits on the edge of the mat as Miss Dee reads to the class.  Will it be home time soon?

No, it’s only lunchtime and as the other kids race out to the playground, a little voice asks him, “Are you okay?” Amelie has noticed his distress and they face the playground together, not joining in the boisterous games but hunting for treasures because Amelie is good at that too.  And Miss Dee understands as well, setting up a quiet place for the two to go when they need a break, even encouraging them to have a wander out under the trees if that’s what they need…

Research estimates that between 15-30% of the population could be labelled “highly sensitive”, possessing “a deep sensitivity to their physical, emotional and social worlds” and expressing this through vivid creativity, highly tuned intuition, deep empathy, an appreciation for beauty and a natural affinity to animals and the natural world.  But it can also mean being prone to overstimulation and feeling overwhelmed so they need more time out to be on their own in peace.  So, as much as this is about the normal anxiety of starting school and the butterflies that we all get, it is also an insight for parents and teachers into the world of the HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and how their needs can be acknowledged and accommodated within the classroom environment.  While it is seen as a personality trait rather than a mental health disorder. nevertheless it can prevent the child, particularly, from participating in some of the normal aspects of childhood, and so the author has provided some factual information about the condition that is useful for helping the child survive and thrive in the busy world of school – although encouraging a calm, predictable environment with provision to take time out, celebrating particular creative talents and providing opportunities to pursue these, has to be a win-win for everyone.  

As preparations for the new school year begin, this is worth reading as we welcome new children to this new world, so we have an awareness of not only the sorts of questions to ask parents but also the sorts of things we can incorporate in the classroom life to ensure everyone has a positive, supportive time. 

Shadow Play

Sep9
Shadow Play

Shadow Play

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shadow Play

Kate Forsyth

Rosalie Street

Wombat Books, 2024

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

9781925563740

Minnie May is afraid of everything, even her own shadow.  No matter where she goes outdoors it follows her as though it is tied to her heel.  It mimics her every movement  swirls in the water, crouches under her bed, reaches with black claws from the trees and looms large and terrifying in the tall buildings around, and, as the day goes on and it gets larger and linger, it grows more menacing Minnie’s fear and anxiety grow and she believes the only way of escape is to hide, crouching low under a large umbrella until the shadow shrinks away.

But then one day while Minnie is hiding, she spies another shadow-one that is larger than her own. But rather than being threatening, she discovers it belongs to Ziggy. And he is not afraid of it. In fact he celebrates it showing  Minnie many things that can be done with shadows, such as telling the time and casting shadow puppets on the wall., even making it be in front of them as they swing higher and higher. At last,  Minnie isn’t afraid of her shadow any more, in fact, she likes her shadow.

Lots of our littlies are afraid of things they don’t understand and can’t articulate, especially shadows, and that one that occurs every 24 hours – night time.  Even though Rosalie Street has painted Minnie’s shadow as a benevolent fairy-butterfly, the unknown and unexplained still frightens Minnie until she learns the truth from Ziggy.  So, while these fears are common and will resonate with our young ones, there is much we can do as their carers to help alleviate them by taking them outside and making shadows fun and fearless.  Games like trying to jump on each other’s shadow, marking your shadow in chalk on the pavement at different times of the day; making shadow shapes on the wall – the list is endless and as well as having fun and facing their fears, there is also some valuable science and maths occurring as well.  

An ideal introduction to so many areas – emotional connections and recognising our fears and investigating them so their reality is put in perspective through new-found knowledge, not to mention all the maths and science, language and art that permeates the curriculum. Imagine the learning if you put your students in Ziggy’s shoes to devise their own explanation about shadows for a younger child! 

 

The Secret Garden Rewilded

Aug25
The Secret Garden Rewilded

The Secret Garden Rewilded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Secret Garden Rewilded

Anthea Simmons

Andersen Press, 2024

176pp., pbk.,  RRP $A16.99

9781839134203

In 1911, young readers were taken into the world of the imperious, emotionally-deprived Mary, animal-whisperer Dickon, and the apparently-doomed Colin as their lives gradually changed as they discovered the delights of nature, the beauty of the outdoors and the power of friendship in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.  Orphaned in India and sent to live with an unknown, disinterested uncle at Misselthwaite Manor on the seemingly endless and desolate Yorkshire Moors, Mary is angry, rude and dislikes everything about her new life, where she lives and those around her and is not afraid to show those emotions.  But things gradually begin to change when a robin seems to show her the secret to a garden that has been locked and abandoned for ten years after the death of her uncle’s wife…

Fast forward nearly 125 years, and Anthea Simmons has “rewilded” the story to the modern era.  Again the main character,  Mia, has been orphaned when her physically and emotionally distant, thrilled-seeking parents are killed in a helicopter crash and she is whisked away from her boarding school (where no one is sad to see her go despite the circumstances)  to Mis Tor Manor on the edge of Dartmoor to live with her uncle and cousin Christopher. Like Mary, Mia is appalled to find herself in the remote countryside, in a freezing, crumbling manor. Grieving and missing her old life, she takes an instant dislike to Christopher, who never leaves his bedroom due to serious heart problems. And then,  little by little, Mia starts to discover the beauty of this wintry world, and befriends local boy Daniel, who loves animals and teaches her how to ride a Dartmoor pony. One day she discovers a hidden door, covered in brambles and ivy, which leads to a walled garden … A special, secret place which needs someone’s care to bring it to life once again so nature can flourish. Does her life take a turn for the better, just as Mary’s did?

Just as in the original where the three children bring the neglected garden to life, so too do Mia, Daniel and eventually Christopher, but in this modern version there is a greater emphasis on the biodiversity and interdependence of the plants and creatures it supports, not only paralleling the real-life relationships the children are experiencing, but actively making it a safe haven for all that live there, rather than just restoring it, so the theme is very relevant to today’s readers. Rewilding is an emerging concept involving  “a progressive approach to conservation. It’s about letting nature take care of itself, enabling natural processes to shape land and sea, repair damaged ecosystems and restore degraded landscapes. Through rewilding, wildlife’s natural rhythms create wilder, more biodiverse habitats” rather than the restoration of what is, perhaps, a human-driven landscape.  In Australia, the World Wildlife Fund has a number of projects whose focus is “to support strategies that test and scale-up methods that help reverse the decline of culturally important wildlife and move beyond just preventing further extinction toward our goal of Regenerating Nature by 2030.”, any of which could become an interest for the reader if there are none closer to home.  

For me, this inspired a re-reading of the original, a beautifully illustrated unabridged edition because it had been so long, and that might also be the case for today’s readers, but this is also a stand-alone read that independent readers will appreciate for its own sake, perhaps inspiring them to become further involved in the protection of the planet . 

 

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.