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The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell

Jul9
The Witch Who Couldn't Spell

The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell

Jess Galatola

Lu Baker

Larrikin House, 2026

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

9781923345256

“Wanda Spelled was one of the most talented witches at the Spell Bright Academy.”  But, although her magic was excellent, she had difficulties when it came to spelling – the kind where you put the letters of a word in order so others can understand your thoughts – and so her spelling – the kind where princes are turned into frogs – often resulted in unforeseen, somewhat disastrous endings, each of which is delightfully depicted in Lu Baker’s hilarious illustrations.

So when she confuses “bare” with “bear” she creates an embarrassing incident when the class visits the zoo, and when she confuses “creek” with “creak” when she tries to fix the library door, she causes chaos rather than the quiet she intended.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

And so the reader is taken through an hilarious week in the world of Wanda where, despite what they might think about the necessity to spell correctly, the consequences of not doing so are made very clear, particularly when Wanda is summoned to the principal’s office after a major mishap at the whole school assembly. But rather than being in BIG trouble the principal shows Wanda a strategy to help her get her words right “before someone gets hurt.”

In an interview, author Jess Galatola explains that as a teacher, she sees kids struggling with spelling all the time, particularly those that can’t  be decoded or  “sounded out” because English is an amalgam of so many languages. But although “sometimes we have to learn a word and move on”, there are strategies we can learn to help ourselves particularly if we are patient and persevere as Wanda did.  By placing her focus on playing with homophones and homonyms – both of which are cleverly distinguished on the front endpaper – Galatola emphasises the potential repercussions if we don’t choose the right combination of letters. Even if the weekly spelling list and subsequent test, and Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check strategies have been replaced by text-speak, abbreviations and spellcheck, there is still a need for an accepted universal system that ensures our thoughts can be understood over space and time. 

But as our young writers develop their knowledge and skills and discover the vagaries, nuances and fun of our language, let them create their own fun by choosing their own homophone/homonym combinations and letting their imaginations go as wild as Lu Baker’s to build word awareness and a wonderful wall display!  

Hand to Hand

Jun28
Hand to Hand

Hand to Hand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hand to Hand

Liz Anelli

Walker Books, 2026

32pp., hbk., RRP $A25.99

9781761600005

In a brilliant valley under the southern sun, kangaroos graze, kookaburras chuckle, platypuses play and wombats waddle …

And high in the arms of a eucalyptus trees, the little koala sleeps, not far from the watchful eyes of its mother.  But when it wakes, some of the familiar background bush sounds are silent and wisps of smoke are drifting between the trees…

The front cover is the first clue about the focus of this story – the fear and flight of the fauna as they race to escape the fire dragon that is consuming their homes.  While creator Liz Anelli says it was inspired by the fires of 2019-2020 – ” I will never forget the ash sticks falling into our NSW sea from fires over 50 miles away.” – it is a story that plays out somewhere in Australia every year.

Told from the little koala’s point of view as it tries to keep with its mother as they, and all the other animals flee, it moves along as fast as the animals themselves, accompanied by Anelli’s remarkable artwork which add as much to the action and the atmosphere as the little koala’s words.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Despite the fear and the panic which are almost palpable through the textures and colours of the illustrations, the little koala and its mum are rescued, rehabilitated, reunited and released into a new valley which has “a shimmering creek, the scent of grass after rain and where kangaroos graze, kookaburras chuckle, platypuses play and wombats waddle”, offering all a sense of hope.

However, the cruel reality of bushfires is that many creatures do not survive – in fact, the World Wildlife Fund estimated that 3 billion animals perished during that Black Summer. Therefore, we need to be aware that this could be a trigger for some children, especially those who have experienced more recent fires.  Teachers’ notes offer suggestions for exploring the story itself in greater depth, but it could also be worthwhile exploring how the children themselves can be proactive in helping to save the animals,  which may alleviate some of the anxiety and other emotions that might be provoked. Perhaps they could identify, contact, invite and interview a local wildlife carer to learn more about local activities and their needs and investigate how they can contribute through fundraisers or other practical initiatives. Maybe they could take the initiative at home and make sure that not only does their family have a survival plan in the event of a bush fire but also help check that their home is as safe as it can be. Such actions evoke a feeling of empowerment so the child feels in charge rather than helpless and by focusing on the needs of local organisations, there is that sense of being directly connected to what is being done. 

Even though it is now winter in Australia, and bushfires, are not likely to be front-of-mind, this is perhaps the best time to share this “powerful and positive message of animal rescue and rehabilitation” as a reminder of their dangers and consequences and taking action now. What they do today might be that which saves a little koala and its mum next summer. 

The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau

Jun20
The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau

The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Not So Quiet Life of Marcel Marceau

Jenn Bailey & Sherry Bushue

Pamela Zagarenski

A & U Children’s, 2026

48pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781761182945

A little over 100 years ago, in 1923, a little boy was born to an immigrant Jewish couple in Strasbourg, France – a little lad whose name is still instantly recognised by so many around the world as being the master of mime, the ability to share an emotion or tell an entire story through facial expressions, body movements, and gestures with no need for words. But for all that that little boy transfixed audiences with his storytelling, his own story was even greater…

The person we now know as Marcel Marceau was born into a world where the movie was beginning to boom but the science of adding sound was only beginning, names like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford and Clara Bow were household names, and stories were told on the screen through movement, often accompanied by live music to set the scene and the atmosphere.  He was fascinated by these stars of mimicry and began to emulate them by imitating everything -“birds, people, plants, and even the wind.” But there was a much louder noise than the development of synchronised soundtracks and sound effects in the movies brewing.  For all around Marcel’s homeland of France, and particularly his hometown on the French-German border, the voices of war were growing louder, the persecution of Jews growing more outrageous and the danger to the young Marcel Mangel and his family ever increasing…

Even if the reader is not familiar with the name and fame of Marcel Marceau, this is an intriguing story of how a young teenager put his talents of art, acting and mimicry to work to save thousands of lives that is going to captivate them, particularly in these days of anti-Semitism rising again.  While there have always been those who actively discriminate against those whose beliefs are different, this may be their first introduction to just how extreme things can become and why there is such concern, if not fear, as the rise of the far right once again gathers momentum.  The actions taken against the Jewish people are painted with a light brush within the story, but expanded in the biographical notes at the end, and while it is Marcel’s activities that are the story’s focus, they only occurred because of the background against which they were set.

Using a soft palette that evokes a sense of calm and determination, despite the outside-world context, Caldecott winner Zagarenski’s illustrations complement the text perfectly as it tells the story as it unfolded, using the present tense and language that is unsensational but draws the reader in to find out more, striking a balance between “brushstrokes and bombs”. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Those with a greater knowledge of art, artistic techniques and their symbolism will be able to draw so much more than I from the images, ideas that will add so much to the story for those who are more mature, but for the younger reader this is a biography that has the power to reveal new horizons, reading journeys and ethical questions.  Who was Marcel Marceau? What is mime? What is anti-Semitism? Why is it rising? What was the Holocaust? Is it ever okay to break the law? If they were faced with the dilemma that Marcel faced, what would be their response? What have they learned from Marcel’s story that might help them make a difference now?

For those who want to know more NOW, there are movies and video clips readily available as well as these links to get started…

Jewish Gems – How Legendary French Mime Marcel Marceau Rescued Orphans During WWII

The French Resistance’s Secret Weapon? The Mime Marcel Marceau

Silent Saviour: How Marcel Marceau Used Mime to Save Lives in WWII

 

 

Tick-Tock Around the Clock

May26
Tick-Tock Around the Clock

Tick-Tock Around the Clock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tick-Tock Around the Clock: A day in the life of a cat

Ruth Brown

Scallywag Press, 2026

32pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781836300410

As the clock strikes 7.00am – bong, bong, bong, bong, BONG, BONG, BONG – each chime getting louder as it intrudes into Tick-Tock’s sleep, it is time for this cat to wake up and begin the day, beginning with breakfast.  Then it is time to click-clack through the catflap and venture into the busy garden – where the action really heats up as the squirrels and a cheeky mouse let Tick-Tock know they are there and they are in charge.

Told through the most stunning illustrations and not much more than a series of onomatopoeic phrases, this is the story of the chaos that ensues when Tick-Tock’s ire is raised when the squirrels pelt him with acorns and he spies the mouse and gives chase…

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

It is another masterpiece from the creator of A Dark, Dark Tale, a story which had my beginning readers enthralled all those years ago because  its limited text and captivating pictures meant they could read the story by themselves – suddenly they were readers!  And this is no different because even if they can’t quite work out the words, there is so much else happening on the pages, they can make up their own text.  Even if the garden is quintessentially English, and they may not be familiar with squirrels and oak trees, it doesn’t matter because the tale of a cat chasing a mouse is universal, as is that of the daily routines of a cat. Those who own cats may well recognise their own in Tick-Tock but even the most ardent dog-lovers can appreciate the joy and charm of this story.

While teachers’ notes are available,  slightly older readers might like to consider how Tick-Tock is feeling throughout the day, building their vocabulary with synonyms, or think about what he might see and do if he were in an Australian garden, while those studying literary devices such as onomatopoeia have the perfect example of it in print providing an opportunity for them to retell the story with their own suggestions.  

Something special that may lead them to her other works like A Dark Dark Tale and Greyfriars Bobby which may, in turn, lead them to the original of that classic true tale. 

Tiny Good Things

May24
Tiny Good Things

Tiny Good Things

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Good Things

Gabrielle Tozer

Sophie Beer

Angus & Robertson, 2026

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

9781460764978

There’s a song, part of the Disney collection, that almost every child will have heard, if not sung, and it begins…

It’s a world of laughterA world of tearsIt’s a world of hopesAnd a world of fearsThere’s so much that we shareThat it’s time we’re awareIt’s a small world after all.

And it is that world that is explored and celebrated in this new book about discovering the everyday pleasures around us, even if it seems that it is going to be a ho-hum, nothing-special, everything-the-same kind of day. 

Beginning in greyscale with the little girl lying on the floor with her cat as the rain tumbles down outside, there’s a spark of colour as her mum brings her a bright yellow umbrella, raincoat and gumboots and a crown!  Young readers will be able to suggest the conversation as mother and daughter head out into the wet streets, kite in hand, and they may well spot some of the things others are doing to make the most of the time, even if it is gloomy and grey. 

As mother and child splash through puddles, spot spiderwebs in trees, watch snails race along walls and sing as loud as they like, share stories that take them to magical places, and let their imaginations soar, the day (and the illustrations) get brighter and brighter as the possibilities become endless and the little girl finally drifts off to sleep with all sorts of thoughts swirling in her head, as the memory of the magic of just spending a day with her mum take over. it is, indeed, a small world, after all, and it’s the little things that can mean the most. 

This is one to share and remind our little people that the best things in life are free, and a day spent doing everyday things with someone special can be the best fun.  They will probably have their own special things they like to do that don’t involve a lot of preparation or money – perhaps dressing up, finger painting or snuggling in a sheet-cubby.  An opportunity to seek a photo and write a caption for a “My Favourite Things” wall that inspires the imagination and helps them get to know their friends better as they start to spread their wings beyond the walls of family.

Whenever she came, we knew it would be time to build the cubby...

Whenever she came, we knew it would be time to build the cubby…

...while this one just wanted to sew like Grandma!

…while this one just wanted to sew like Grandma!

 

Through the Darkening Sea

May18
Through the Darkening Sea

Through the Darkening Sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through the Darkening Sea

Claire Saxby

Peter Cheong

HarperCollins, 2026

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

9781460766743

Out in the open ocean where currents sway wild as wind,
where sharks and sea lions widely roam,
a whale falls.

Down, down, down it slips through the waters where no sunlight can ever penetrate and strange creatures dwell, some generating their own light in the blackness until it finally reaches the bottom.  But even though its life is over, it is not the end of the life it gives….

Put Claire Saxby’s name on the cover of a book and you know you are in for a feast of learning about something new and different through her ability to tell a real-life story through lyrical language that brings the subject to life – even when it is dead, as the whale is in this new release. Accompanied by striking illustrations that capture creatures that most of us will never see, this is a story that introduces young readers to the concept of life cycles in a way that the oh-so-familiar diagrams of frogs and butterflies never can, not least because it focuses on the death of the whale rather than its life.  And while that is not usually a topic of young readers’ storybooks, Saxby’s carefully selected language and sensitive use of it makes this an uplifting story of hope and rebirth, rather than one of a depressing and sad death, as the whale becomes foods for those on the seafloor beginning a whole new chapter of life.

Yet for all the beauty in Saxby’s storytelling,  there is a lot of research and science to be explored and explained in the limited word count of a storybook, and while this particular one appears to be about the whale’s contribution to ocean life even after it has died, it was actually sparked by her fascination with how animals change colour as the ocean gets deeper, and where her investigations in to phenomenon took her.  So its purpose is more about that than just the whale itself – the whale just becoming a feasible “viewpoint character” that can witness and experience those changes, which may take up to 100 years to evolve. She explains all that went into the story’s creation in this video which also gives an insight into how much goes into creating such a story, in itself offering guidance for aspiring authors.

 

As well as Saxby’s words though, it is the marriage of those with Cheong’s illustrations that make this so memorable.  In an interview about another of his works,   Where We can Hear the Giants Sing, he says, “I used Adobe Photoshop to draw and color almost everything in the book. And I used scanned traditional paints and markers on canvas or paper (either made myself or found copyright free online), to create textures. I overlay these textures in the illustrations to give that nice painterly feel. These textures also provide accidental color variations throughout the illustration, which I quite like.” He also said of that book, “The most difficult thing for me was ‘finishing’ the final illustrations. I would work at them for weeks and weeks but they never felt ‘finished’ and I was never satisfied with how they looked. It wasn’t until I drew in the white line work of fish, over the top of everything else, swimming throughout the illustrations, that they finally felt right. They were the final missing thing I needed to tie in the illustrations.”  And, in this new one, he certainly has perfected the technique because, as well as being mysterious, those creatures the whale passes on its journey have an ephemeral quality that emphasises all that we don’t know about them, including the impact of the lack of light, while still capturing Saxby’s intention of connecting the waves lapping over the child’s feet at the beach with what is happening in the much deeper waters offshore. His illustrative journey is also told in the video.

Whether this is shared with children because they are curious and wondrous about whales, particularly as the Humpback Highway along the Australian coast gathers momentum, or as the story of what happens when a whale dies, or the science of light changing, or of the interconnectedness and interdependence of that continually moving mass of water and its inhabitants, this is one for all ages and stages that, as a former scuba diver, I just love.   Watch for it in awards lists!

 

Storm

Apr1
Storm

Storm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storm

Claire Saxby

Jess Racklyeft

A & U Children, 2026

28pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781761181719

The summer beach looks much like it always does when the people have all gone home – empty, peaceful, quiet, ripples lapping on the sand in their endless rhythm…  But above and below the glassy surface,  the creatures are watching and waiting…

It begins with a puff, then another and a shiver dances across the water. A puffball cloud appears, joined by friends, slowly turning from innocent white to menacing grey. – and the watching, waiting creatures take shelter.  Because they know  and they are not wrong.  Soon all hell breaks loose and that quiet, peaceful beach is no more – lashed by a violent summer storm that is so magnificently captured in a four-page gatefold spread as updrafts and downdrafts compete, lightning flashes, thunder cracks and rain lashes the land carried on a wind that seems to know only anger…. 

And then, as swiftly as it came, it has moved on and the land, the sea and their creatures are calm again, emerging to carry on as they were.  But always watching, waiting…

Many of our young readers will have seen a summer storm build and grow and deliver over the last few weeks as “storm season” has lived up to its name, particularly on Australia’s east coast.  And they may well have been frightened at its noise and ferocity as it unleashed its fury on the land below because they know it is more than the angels’ fireworks or a giant’s tummy rumbling as we were told as kids, or even the work of the Greek god Zeus who controls thunder, lightning and rain; his Roman counterpart Jupiter, or even Thor, the mighty Norse god .  

We know knowledge is power and so, in this new release from this team that gave us Volcano, Tree, and Iceberg, young readers learn about storms through both science and art, demystifying this natural phenomenon that can be so scary, particularly if they have seen its impact and aftermath, because although the ocean creatures resume their regular rituals, often it is not so simple for humans, Using her trademark way with words that turn factual statements into poetry, combined with Racklyeft’s gift to create dramatic illustrations that echo the real thing, both have offered the young reader something special that will not only help them understand the storm but also pose questions about how the creatures know something is brewing and the need to prepare, perhaps sending them to find out more. And if not the angels, a giant or Zeus and co., then who and why? And beyond the science, they can let their imaginations roam in language, art, music and movement…

My mum told me I was born on the wings of a storm that was born in the Southern Ocean and swept across southern New Zealand in an angry demonstration of power and might, and perhaps that is why I have watched in awe at so many and they feed my soul.  So to indulge in the lyricism of Saxby’s words and immerse myself in the colours and the energy of Racklyeft’s illustrations is heaven-on-a-stick for me – as I watch yet another one build on the horizon.  ‘Twill be another wild afternoon as Mother Nature shows who is really in charge, methinks. Already the birds are silent…

Once I was a Giant

Mar24
Once I was a Giant

Once I was a Giant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once I was a Giant

Zeno Sworder

Thames & Hudson, 2025

48pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9781760764913

It’s just an everyday tool we take for granted, use and discard when it is of no use.

But even the storyteller’s pencil has a story to tell – and the night the storyteller runs out of his own words and it seems to be a long-term affliction – the little stub of a pencil says a small ‘hello’ and then the storyteller again has a story to tell.  Of beginning as a small sapling in a forest, shimmering green, filling the world with life, watching the stars and dreaming.  Of a mysterious wanderer who visits regularly and tells it it will be a giant and watches as his words come true. As they do – until the days the machines come… And the giant is no longer, but rather stretched across a myriad of items, including being the little painted pencil who wishes it could grow again…

 Creator Zeno Sworder says that this unique story was inspired by his childhood love for a tree, and that through it he wants to “bring trees alive for young people by telling an imaginative story rooted in recent scientific discoveries about the social lives of trees and their abilities to communicate, learn and feel” because ‘trees make all of our lives possible but they are often absent from stories because we tend to only care and feel for characters that are like us ” and at a time when “we all tumble towards an increasingly digital, atomised and urbanised world I wanted to make a story about the natural world that touches on ideas of interdependence, metamorphosis and impermanence.”  It is also shaped by his Daoist belief that every living things “holds an essence, a mystery that cannot be measured or counted or sorted” and that we are enfolded and sustained by the natural world.

And from such big-picture, philosophical beliefs he has created a story of wonder and imagination that helps even our youngest readers start to grasp the concept of the interdependence of Mother Nature as they begin to understand the connections between a habitat and its inhabitants; while older readers begin to appreciate why humans have a need “to stop and smell the roses”.  

Visually stunning opening with a picture on a high-rise building with only one light burning – perhaps symbolising that of all the stories that could be told by the things that carry the tree’s DNA, there is but one who can share their shared history, it begins with a prologue that sets the reader up for what is to come- a rarity in a picture book and perhaps a point of discussion for those learning about literary devices – and spans some big ideas like interdependence, symbiosis,  death, regeneration, renewal and hope but all within a context that brings them into the child’s world of understanding. From being the child who climbed the tree, sat in its branches, hugged its bark and sought solace in its silence, Sworder has become the tree and is telling its story from the other side of the memories. And in a fitting tribute to both tree and pencil who have given him so much over time, he knows just what he has to do next.

Reviewed by many, and a CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year for 2026 – perhaps shortlisted, and, IMO a winner – this is a remarkable book that has so many layers that it spans many age groups, and has the potential to change our thinking as we examine our own connections, both human and not, and perhaps start to think about the stories that have brought us all to this one place at this time.  For those wanting to take the journey further, there are some outstanding, wide-ranging teachers’ notes written by the author.

 

A Tiny Little World

Feb22
A Tiny Little World

A Tiny Little World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Tiny Little World

Joel Sorrensen

Little Steps, 2025

32pp., hbk., RRP $A26.99

9781923306257

Far out deep in space lies a Tiny Little World and on that little planet lives a lonely little lizard named Rexy, who would dearly love a friend.. But when there is a loud thump  and a space explorer emerges from a space craft. things are about to change as Rexy is invited to join the quest to find the mysterious lost (misplaced) red beacon. , Will this new thing change Rexy’s life?

This book is dedicated to “all aspiring young artists” who are urged to “pick up a pencil and start drawing” and use their imaginations to create “heroic characters who save the world, or friendly monsters of all shapes and sizes” and that appears to be what Sorrensen, himself, has done. For it is the colour and the crazy creatures that capture the imagination in this story as Rexy and the space explorer pursue their quest in this fast-paced adventure. There is even a page to colour followed by a blank page with an invitation for the reader to draw their own planet or a new friend for Rexy.

In fact, each page is so full of colour and detail that the story itself is almost overwhelmed, and it could become a robust game of “I Spy” as young readers are drawn into this imaginative world to discover if the space explorer finds his beacon and more importantly, if Rexy finds a friend, particularly as the space explorer cannot stay. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

 

 

 

Seven Ways Through the Woods

Jan26
Seven Ways Through the Woods

Seven Ways Through the Woods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seven Ways Through the Woods

Jenn Reese

Devin Elle Kurtz

HarperCollins US, 2026

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

9780063356269

There will come a time, not too far off, when you will stand before a deep , dark forest.

There are several ways through it, but which one will you take?  

Will you take the path most often trodden, following in the footprints of those who have gone before, a pretty walk but somewhat boring?

Or will you let your curiosity explore one of the other ways, where you might encounter griffins, giants, serpents, sprites, and more – each with its own special way to speed you, slow you, maybe even lead you off the path and away from your intended destination altogether? Perhaps you might even take the path that keeps you in the woods, rather than going through it, so you discover all the wonders that exist within it.  “Do not go through the woods at all. Stray off the path.” 

As the narrator speaks directly to the child reader, each one different depending on the path they choose, they travel through a forest that might appear dark, perhaps malevolent, but which reveals itself to be a place of enchantment and wonder through the captivating illustrations full of mood and magic as one soars on the back of a griffin and another is covered in the magic pollen of a portal flower.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Young readers will enjoy taking all the ways through the woods and then, having seen the choices, deciding which one they would take if they were one of the adventurers.  Older readers may view it as an analogy for the moral, ethical or social dilemmas that they may encounter as their horizons expand and their choices start to have consequences that are not the black and white solutions they are used to,  Indeed, they are more like fifty shades of grey!  It is an introduction to really considering cause and effect… If I do this, then this may happen but what might be the broader impact or implication of that?  Or they might begin to consider whether they really have to go through the woods at all… What might happen if they choose to stay where they are, go around the woods, or venture in and stay awhile?  Perhaps there is a different route altogether?  For those older readers, it’s an arm’s length way of becoming aware of life’s choices, that there is always an alternative if the obvious or peer-pressured one doesn’t sit well, including doing nothing or looking for a compromise, and the direction they take is in their hands.