Archives

My Body Is My Home

Jun8
My Body Is My Home

My Body Is My Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Body Is My Home

Jasper Peach

Beci Orpin

A & U Children, 2026

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

9781761181672

This is my body. It’s my home.
I will live here my whole life long.
Every part of me belongs.

Promoted by the publisher as, “A joyful celebration of bodies of all shapes and kinds, with a gently inclusive message about being at home in your own skin” and others as  “an endearing and inclusive exploration of all the ways bodies can be and all the incredible things they can do!”,  this book illustrates not just the similarities of the human body such as lungs, heart, and the way it grows over time,  but also how it changes as we learn and do new things, the feelings we experience and people who come and go throughout our lifetime,.  And the repeated refrain of, “My body is my home” reinforces that message that each of us is unique and the body we have is the only one we get so we need to accept it and nurture it in all the ways we can.

However, when you read the story behind the story, you see the powerful message that really stands behind it, one that could well give pause for thought, particularly in our role as educators and/or parents.   As a young child, the author learned that “my presence seemed to offend other people” and because “Children learn hierarchy from adults and then their peers. Who belongs, who doesn’t and why. My classmates learned from adults to see me as something to mock and despise.”  But while he had the wherewithal to lean into his brainy side and make others laugh to “compensate for the space I took up”, many of our students who, to this day, are still judged by their appearance, do not – and neither should they have to.

Therefore, in this picture book, Peach celebrates body neutrality – a concept that he describes as “being similar to being cold and getting a jumper: you’d neither celebrate nor criticise someone for feeling cold, or for wanting to be warm. My body isn’t wrong because it’s cold. It isn’t wrong because it’s fat. I’m not an amazing person just because I’d be more comfortable if I was warm, or because I choose to eat an apple or hot chips.” It’s a lesson he wished he had learned as a child when he was so focused on what everyone else thought about him, as so many of us are even as adults. Instead, he wished he knew that genetics, environment and economics are all part of the pictures and that,  “Size is not solely determined by self-control… being weak-willed or broken.”

While the bold illustrations are going to catch the eye of young readers, IMO, this is a book for all ages for there is something for all of us to learn from it, including us as adults as we challenge ourselves to consider what messages we are passing on to children whether we realise it or not.  If we are fixated on diet, exercise, fashion, makeup and physical appearance under the guise of “being healthy” , what are we saying to those who see us as role models, even subliminally?  And what impact is that having on their mental and emotional well-being?  Are they, like Jasper, beginning to believe that their not-so-perfect presence is offensive?

So much food for thought and one that should be brought to the attention of our peers.  And let’s raise a glass to all those of us who will never be Charles Atlas, Twiggy, a Kardashian or whoever the current idol is, and be grateful that they are in our lives anyway,

PS

I wrote the review to My Body is My Home a couple of weeks ago, in the days before I knew about a phenomenon  that is apparently gathering momentum among young boys, particularly those in their teens, called looksmaxxing in which, driven by some predetermined “perfect” body image promoted by social media “influencers”, they take extreme measure like hitting their face with a hammer and taking steroids and peptides to achieve this stereotype which they believe is the only way they can move forward, have friends, get a job, get a girlfriend and so on. 

I just watched an interview with Dr Nick Coatsworth and another professional (perhaps a psychologist) on the Today Show about the dangers of this practice, and it made me realise just how important the message in what is seemingly a book for young readers is.  I focused on it in the review, unaware of this new wave and so I am just trying to draw your attention to it so we as parents and educators are aware of it. The message from the interview is to seek information about the process, and those who are pushing it and putting our kids in grave, unseen dangers, and my searches discovered a 60 Minutes segment   as well as a number of other reports that are worth exploring and names worth knowing if you hear someone quoting them.  And as one who is married to one who relaxes with “Home and Away”, it may be becoming the new storyline featuring Sunny (?).

Therefore, even if you deem today’s book to be too young for your clientele, at least read the review and perhaps the full story behind the story so your awareness is raised. And, by extension, the power of social influencers and their motivation and how it all feeds into the natural anxiety of teens who are just finding their place in the wider world. 

Whatever happened to just teaching  reading, writing and ‘rithmetic?  LOL. 

Connected

May3
Connected

Connected

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connected: Networks for Kids

R. A. Stephens

Tamlyn Teow

Wombat Books, 2026

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

9781761113178

Chloe has a dot on her shirt called a node. So do her friends and family, and all the other people depicted on the end pages of this unique, informative book that is designed to help young children understand a host of quite complex, theoretical mathematical concepts, particularly networks.

Chloe explains that the dot represents her and she is directly connected to her brother Jack and sister Jasmine, not just by blood but by invisible lines known by the experts as edges or links.  But, in addition, Chloe has friends she is connected to, as do Jack and Jasmine and now, instead of just a family, there is a network…

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Long, long ago when I taught in a school where children were streamed from Kindergarten according to their ability in maths and literacy, a practice I abhorred, I was given the “bottom” maths group, a class of children who saw themselves as failures in the subject even though they were only seven years old!!!  A huge rethink about how to turn this around was required and so the accepted traditional, theoretical, compete-the-workbook page was replaced with practical activities that directly related to the children so they could see how maths had meaning for them (and led to Maths About Me ,  Maths About My Year and the Teachers’ Ideas Books for the first three years of the Eureka Maths scheme.)  It was also a turning point for the students who not only began to understand the concepts and appreciate their relevance, but started to turn their personal attitudes towards maths in particular and school in general around – I know this because one of those students is married to my son!

Therefore, the practical nature of Stephens’ explanations and Teow’s illustrations really resonated with me.  How much easier would it be to teach graph theory and all the terminology associated with it if we started with each student building a basic network using their family and friends as the starting point?  

But while the reader is given some extra maths facts in the final pages, and teachers could be inspired to try the mapping activities in the classroom, it has a much broader application that taps into student well-being, because by starting with our people and then expanding that to their people. students can see that they are never alone, that they have connections everywhere and those connections can lead to even more until there is a global network! It’s a great way to help children understand how communities form, how they are intertwined and interdependent and indeed, how many networks they actually belong to.  In fact, Stephens dedicates the book to “anyone who has ever felt alone”, especially relevant in a world that has never been so connected yet disconnected at the same time. 

Whether this is used in the maths classroom to turn the abstract into concrete, or to show how there is always someone we can turn to, it is a most valuable resource and its originality is outstanding. It would have been a brilliant support to the class of 87.

 

 

A Better Best Friend

Apr30
A Better Best Friend

A Better Best Friend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Better Best Friend

Olivier Tallec & Antony Shugaar (translator)

Gecko Press, 2026

32pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9781776575749

All Squirrel wants is a friend and the day he was out walking in the forest and met Pock the Mushroom, he not only found one but Pock became his best friend. Usually he only found pinecones but everyone knows that best friends don’t fall from trees like pinecones.  They enjoyed exploring the forest as the seasons changed, and there were new things to show each other and do together.

But when Spring came, Moo Mosquito joined them and before long, was showing them new places and things to do, like eating blackberries and skipping stones across the water.  And then they were joined by Gunther…  Squirrel wanted just one best friend and now there are three….

This is a deceptively simple story with minimal text that tells of Squirrel’s quest for a friend, accompanied by stunning illustrations that carry it along perfectly.  But it sets up a question that is going to encourage young readers to delve deeper into the meaning of friendship and all its ramifications – can you have more than one best friend?  If best friends are those with whom you share your deepest thinking and are there for you no matter what, making even the bad time not-so-bad, is there room in your life for more than one? Do you exclude someone new because you already have your one best friend? How does that make the newcomer feel?

As little ones spread their wings and explore the world beyond family, there is a lot to learn about how to be a good friend, and there are endless books and lessons devoted to this, but A Better Best Friend takes those a step further.  What is a best friend? What qualities do they have that makes us want to be and share with them that we hold back from others? Can we have more than one? Is one BFF better than the other? Or do different friends fulfil different needs in our lives?  Can the intensity of friendships ebb and flow, perhaps even disappear over time? What happens when the person we consider our best friend wants to play with someone else? What could happen if Puck and Gunther wanted to have a card game just for two? Is that okay?  How would Squirrel feel? Are our friends “allowed” to have other friends?  

Just like Squirrel’s dilemma, the answers are open-ended and like the final picture in the story, the reader has to draw their own conclusions.  There may not even be a definitive answer, but reflecting on the possibilities can only prepare them for those inevitable changes that are going to happen, because just as the seasons change and bring new opportunities throughout the story, so do life’s circumstances and situations.

Any story that helps our children understand the world better, particularly those things they are likely to encounter, and develop strategies to deal with them so they navigate them with as little stress as possible, has a place in the mindfulness curriculum and this one, with its appealing characters should definitely be there.

What Do You Call Your Mum?

Apr17
What Do You Call Your Mum?

What Do You Call Your Mum?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Do You Call Your Mum?

Ashleigh Barton

Martina Heiduczek

ABC Books, 2026

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

9780733343810

In every country around the world are mums – some short, some tall.

Though they go by different names, we love them one and all.

Whether it’s Mummy, Mama, Mum or Ma, or a word from another language altogether the bond between mother and child and the memories we make are unique and both Barton and Heiduczek have captured them perfectly in this new companion to What Do You Call Your Dad?,  What Do You Call Your Grandpa? and What Do You Call Your Grandma?,  another celebration of the special relationships with special people in our lives, regardless of the name we call them.

Apart from giving little ones a chance to share the special things that they do with their mum, maybe even different to those that their siblings do, it provides an opportunity to introduce the concept of people speaking different languages because they come from different places, and, beginning with the first word that so many say, regardless of their heritage,  share that special word for our female parent while learning new ones.  Build a word wall with photos and labels to explore how many languages are spoken in students’ homes.

Great for promoting inclusivity as well as being the focus for Mother’s Day on May 10!!!

Up, Down, Over, Through

Mar23
Up, Down, Over, Through

Up, Down, Over, Through

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up, Down, Over, Through

Jane Godwin

Kim Drane

Lothian Children’s, 2026

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

9780734423733

Take a young child to a playground where there are things to climb up, slide down, crawl under, swing across and wriggle through and then sit back and watch them play.  Within minutes they will have joined with other children also there, regardless of age or any other factor, and they will be having fun in the moment with their new friends as they just savour the joy of the physical activity.  There are no formalities, no  names, no handshakes, no judgements – just kids being kids with older ones helping and protecting those younger and smaller, all just playing together, enjoying what they are doing and who they are with.  No adults needed. 

And in this joyous new book, those moments have been captured by both author and illustrator, as though they were sitting on the park bench together with a camera and their own little ones.  

The pictures capture all the fun two little ones are having together as they explore, discover and navigate climbing frames, slides. merry-go-rounds and all the other devices that are there just for their enjoyment, while minimal rhyming text captures their conversation and emphasises spatial concepts, encouraging young readers to be more aware of their surroundings and learn and use the words that describe their position to the objects within them as they take the first steps that will eventually lead to all sorts of more sophisticated mathematical and mapping outcomes as they mature. Just as the storybook children explore their playground, so too are there opportunities for the reader to explore their own, as they, themselves, go up, down, over, through, behind, beside, beneath and beyond combining movement and learning in the best way possible – having fun, perhaps even meeting challenges like, “Find something you can hide behind”. Teachers’ notes offer more ideas. 

But more importantly, it is the celebration of childhood, the complete acceptance of a stranger and the friendship sparked through enjoying a shared activity that puts the sparkle in this story, that so many others with a similar pedagogical focus lack. 

 

 

 

My Super Uncle

Mar17
My Super Uncle

My Super Uncle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Super Uncle

Dannika Patterson

Seantelle Walsh

Ford Street, 2026

32pp., hbk., RRP $a27.95

9781922696540

My friends all love my uncle
when he jokes and fools around.
To me, he’s super special
’cause he never lets me down.
I don’t need x-ray vision,
to see the way he cares.
I don’t need super senses,
to know he’ll be right there.

Families come in all shapes and sizes – always have, always will – but now, more than ever before, those shapes and sizes can not only be accepted, but be celebrated. And in this joyful story, it is the shape of a family of two mums, a child and the sperm donor – depicted in a delightful “child’s” drawing on the endpapers, an a subtle hint on the front cover – that is celebrated.

But because endpapers are often overlooked, for much of this story, it seems that the little girl is just celebrating the joy and fun she has with a special adult in her life, and their unique relationship is not revealed till the final pages. But how excited will many little readers be when they see their family structure depicted in such a happy way, not just through the rhyming text but also the warm-hearted, realistic illustrations that convey a sense that these are real people, not just book characters -as, indeed, they are. 

While first term is often a time when young students investigate and share their family structures, learning about the internal relationships between the various adults and children, comprehensive teachers’ notes offer ways to delve deeper into the story behind the story, to use the clues in the illustrations to understand that each character has their own story rather than just being a 2D representation of an anonymous, imagined person and to appreciate the diversity of family structures in the 21st century. While this might be this little girl’s story, every child has one.

In Australia, at least, we have come a long way in the last decade being able to provide and promote stories like this that strayed beyond the ‘norm’ – as recently as 2015 some principals wanted to be kept in the loop so they could field any parental complaints in an informed manner, while many teacher librarians themselves, felt that to read such inclusions without prior parental approval would be “outrageous and cause uproar” – and although there will still be concerns about sharing a story about family diversity, sexual orientation or assisted reproduction,  even though most are more than willing to share those relating to physical disabilities, mental health issues, particular illnesses and different cultural, social and religious backgrounds as we try to promote the message that these things should not define the person or their worth, IMO it is essential that we think of the child first.  Books like this are a critical element of their mental health so they see themselves and their circumstances in everyday books, are not marginalised, made to feel that they have done something wrong or are somehow different because of the choices made about and for them by the adults in their lives, and the more we share stories that celebrate diversity the more we normalise the child’s situation and experiences.  

Just like the story behind Charles M. Schultz introducing a black character into the Peanuts comic strip has been well-documented and there are stories galore of how this impacted young black readers in the US, particularly, so too must we think of those whose origins are not what is considered ‘traditional’ and as well as books like this and Guess How I was Born  and Rainbowsaurus,  among others,  the teachers’ notes also provide links to several appropriate websites including 10 Ways to Rethink the Family Tree Project – and be more inclusive to all students.

Perhaps we, as educators, can also be the superhero who doesn’t wear a cape, by starting the conversations and actively fostering inclusion and acceptance. 

The Umbrella

Mar11
The Umbrella

The Umbrella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Umbrella

Niki Foreman

Binny Talib

Penguin, 2026

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

9781761348242

It’s pouring rain and all the kids are sheltering under the umbrella.  Except for one little girl who doesn’t fit, no matter how hard she tries.

But then she asks herself, “Do I need to fit? ” And while she acknowledges that she would like to, and even makes friends with others who don’t fit either and getting their own umbrella, she has the self-awareness to realise that even that is not a good fit and gradually realises that maybe she doesn’t need to fit at all – there is plenty of fun to be had being in the rain… 

Written entirely in conversation with the story being beautifully interpreted in the illustrations as a seamless whole – the epitome of a picture book IMO – this is a story that looks like it is for younger readers but which, in fact, has much broader appeal and potential. 

Promoted by the publisher as being written by “author and parent with intimate experience of neurodivergence“,  it can indeed, be a story about embracing your different way of thinking and viewing the world but it could be applied to any form of difference whether that be having red hair and glasses in a world that valued voluptuous blondes; having different beliefs and traditions, speaking a different language, wearing different clothes, eating different foods or any of the myriad of other differences that make us unique as individuals. Do we really need to be under the same umbrella?  And what happens when those who do fit and are sheltering under that umbrella lift it and see what life in the rain can be like?  From first turn of the cover where the reader sees all sorts of individual children out in the rain, some with the protection of an umbrella and many without to the final endpage of all being gathered together under the arc of the multi-coloured rainbow this is a celebration of diversity, discovery and inclusion that will resonate widely.

But beyond that, there is also a story of the emotions of being the person who is “different”.  How do they cope with the pressure of feeling the need to fit in?  How do they manage their emotions when they realise that even if they turn themselves upside down, they don’t? What is it like to feel invisible and unheard? How do those under the umbrella project their feelings, consciously or not, and how does that projection impact their ‘target”? Why do they feel the need for the umbrella’s protection? What might happen if they step out from under? How much courage does it take to be the first to step out from the umbrella, perhaps risking the wrath of those who stay, and acknowledge the ‘outsider’? What rainbows to see and puddles to stomp in might they find? Conversely, how much courage does it take to be the ‘outsider’ and question whether you need to fit under the umbrella and ultimately deciding you don’t?  Examining such questions helps build emotional intelligence and empathy as young students begin to learn to put themselves in another’s shoes, and view things through different lenses. Penguin NZ has compiled a short list of other books with a similar theme that together with this one, might help reduce the level of anxiety and bullying that seems to be so prevalent. 

And taking the whole even further for older students investigating literary devices, how does this book use the umbrella as a metaphor for a much less tangible concept about the expectations of groups, communities and societies in general? 

Ideal for those who move to the beat of their own drum, as well as those who feel everyone should be in time.

 

 

The Lonely Lunch Club

Mar8
The Lonely Lunch Club

The Lonely Lunch Club

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lonely Lunch Club

Maddy Mara

Laura Stitzel

Affirm Kids, 2026

92pp., pbk., RRP $A12.99

9781923419308

What have alien butt spiders, broken benches, and school lunch times got in common?  And how do they bring a bunch of kids together to form a new friendship group?

Why does Benji go to sit on  the worst bench in the whole school instead of playing footy, when everyone knows he always plays footy at lunchtime? And who is Mabel?

All of these questions are answered in this new story for newly independent readers that will resonate with so many who find school lunchtimes long and lonely. 

Part of a new series Your Next Read , specifically written and designed to keep emerging readers reading by offering them stories that meet their interests, written by leading Australian authors and formatted to support their growing independence, this is the first of four in the Silver category for those aged 5-8 to be released this month, with two more to be released in July while there will be stories for those 7-9 in the Gold category coming in October. 

Evolving from the popularity of  a group founded by well-respected teacher librarian Megan Daley and authors Allison Tate and Allison Rushby in 2017, the series is “specifically designed to fill the need for chapter books that strike a balance between child satisfaction and parental approval” so that parents can “find the right ‘good book’ for your kid at the right time”.  For the school setting, there are teachers’ notes aligned to the Australian Curriculum available for each book, but, more importantly, there are also supports to empower the reader to identify their own next read with  some questions to help them determine the genre they like to read – Mystery Master, Family Favourite, Animal Ally or Spooky Seeker – as well as icons to colour to narrow the choices down, and these icons are also a feature of the cover of each book,  For example, The Lonely Lunch Club features the icons for friendship, school and funny books immediately summarising its thrust while the teachers’ notes  not only encourage exploration of the story itself, but how what has been learned could be applied more widely, such as establishing a Buddy Bench for their school, taking leadership and ownership of the entire project, with all the academic and social skills that would entail.

Create a Buddy Bench for your school

Create a Buddy Bench for your school

While there are any number of stories and series that support younger readers as they transition from reading instruction to reading independence, IMO you can never have too many that are built on sound educational pedagogy and written and produced with the readers’ needs explicitly in mind.  This series deserves a prominent place in the Select-a-Series section of the library collection. 

 

 

A Dash of Adventure

Feb24
A Dash of Adventure

A Dash of Adventure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Dash of Adventure

Julie Williams & Mitch Oates

Caroline Keys

Little Steps, 2025

32pp.,. hbk., RRP $a26.99

9781923306424

Going to the supermarket for groceries is hardly the most exciting way to spend your time, especially if you’re in a wheelchair . 

BUT, if you  have a big brother with a healthy, lively imagination who helps you see your wheelchair as a tractor, and the supermarket aisles as a farm, then it can be a whole lot more fun. 

Co-author Mitch Oates lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and this story reflects his belief that his disability is not a limitation but rather “an opportunity to discover things in my own unique way.”  Through Millie, he and Julie, his support worker and best friend, want to show that kids are kids regardless of their circumstances and they just want to have fun, even if that means exploring the world from a new perspective.  How much more fun is shopping when the fruit aisle is an orchard and the dairy shelves a busy farm?   It’s about possibilities rather than limitations, and hopefully will open up conversations around inclusion and connections,  and anyone can make the ordinary extraordinary. Just as importantly, it is one of a few books that has the main character in a wheelchair  – others might include such kids in the illustrations but seldom in the lead role – and so it is an opportunity for others like Millie to see themselves in a story -we can never underestimate how self-affirming that is.

This is a joyful celebration of inclusion and teaching notes to further discussion and understanding are available. 

Oh Brother

Feb21
Oh Brother

Oh Brother

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Brother

Georgina Chadderton

Penguin, 2026

288pp., graphic novel, RRP $A19.99

9781761046346

A brief glance at the blurb of this debut graphic novel suggests it is a situation that will resonate with many students… 

New house.  New school.  New best friend?  For a nervous kid who doesn’t like change, it’s a lot to deal with.

But there the comparison ends for most because this is not just another story about such a familiar situation, particularly at this time of the year. Subtitled “a graphic memoir” it is the real-life story of Gina, the author, growing up alongside a brother with high-needs autism and an intellectual disability, including being almost non-verbal with a unique way of communicating with his family,  at a time when autism was scarcely understood by lay people, let alone accepted as a genuine disability.  Even though great strides had been made in schools, children like Rob were seen as the “naughty” children, confrontational, disruptive and therefore unaccepted and isolated from “normal” children.  

So while it’s tough enough for Gina to transition to high school in a new neighbourhood where neither she nor her brother’s needs are known, and all the changes that that brings, without the additional challenges of puberty, having a brother who “causes chaos” adds another dimension. Although the need for strict routines, and locks on doors and cupboards to keep Rob safe and as balanced as possible are normal for Gina, the situation is strange for those outside of the family and so making friends and participating in commonplace events is not easy for her. 

Told in comic format which is Chadderton’s preferred medium to express herself, it explores her childhood in Adelaide and the impact living with Rob has, but rather than being dramatic and self-centred, its purpose is to educate and advocate for understanding, tolerance and acceptance, and, in the process, not only gives others in similar circumstances a voice, but also says, “You are seen and understood.” Explanations for such things as Rob’s meltdowns and what to do when one happens are sensitively addressed in the context of the characters’ conversations as well as cartoons which clearly explain the signs to look for such as hunched shoulders, fingers in his ears and “the air feels electric”. Yet, rather than frustration, there is a strong undertone of love, joy,  resilience and it-is-what-it-is.

Author’s notes explain her purpose and that while, on the whole, it is true, memories can be fickle and change with time and perception. We learn where Rob is now, and also that Gina, too, was diagnosed on the Spectrum at 32, but although she suspected that she might have been, that hasn’t influenced her story-telling.

Usually, books for upper primary plus students would be passed on to reviewers for that age group because the focus of this blog is stories to encourage younger children to read, but this is such an important one that achieves what the author set out to do so well – educate, advocate, and give a voice to others in a similar situation – that it needs to be as widely shared as possible.  One to add to the collection and let all the other Ginas read.