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Emma Memma’s Alphabet Day

Nov18
Emma Memma's Alphabet Day

Emma Memma’s Alphabet Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Memma’s Alphabet Day

Emma Memma

 Puffin, 2023

26pp., board book, RRP $A16.99

9781761343780

Behind the the curly red hair, pink shirt and orange dress of the main character is  Emma Watkins, once known as the “yellow Wiggle” but also a woman passionate about raising awareness  of Australia’s deaf community, who already has formal qualifications in Auslan and who is currently undertaking her PhD in “the affective, artistic integration of sign language, dance and film editing.” In consultation with artists who themselves are deaf, she is producing and releasing a range of formats that as well as the storybook will include, an ebook, audiobook and an Auslan video translation so that all young readers can be entertained through “movement, creativity, inclusiveness and friendship”.

In this new release Emma Memma takes a walk through her day teaching young readers how to sign each letter of the alphabet relating the letter to something she sees or does. 

There is a lot of research relating to learning a second language in early childhood, not just because it is easier for the child but because of associated benefits so learning Auslan alongside learning the English alphabet makes a lot of sense.  By using a recognised character, everyday situations and multi-modal delivery, Emma Watkins is doing much to normalise this way of communicating so that all children can be included.  

Say My Name

Nov14
Say My Name

Say My Name

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say My Name

Joanna Ho

Khoa Le

HarperCollins, 2023

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

9780063205338

There is an old riddle that goes, “What is yours alone but used by everyone else? Your name”. 

There is so much embodied in a person’s name that it can be (and was) one of the most popular units of work that I did with my students at the beginning of each year.  They loved to discover why they had the name they did, its history and significance within their family, its meaning, its cultural connections  and how it shaped their own identity. They enjoyed having conversations with family members about why it was chosen, seeing their birth announcements and sharing their stories.  But most importantly, they wanted to teach us how to say it properly because that demonstrated that we respected them, cared enough about them,  to make the effort to learn it and use it and acknowledge that they were not invisible.  Even though some chose to use a more common “European” name, there was always a spark in their eyes if their birth name was used and pronounced correctly.

In this new book by Joanna Ho, whose stories  Eyes the Kiss in the Corners and Eyes that Speak to the Stars embody and celebrate diversity in a perception-changing way, six children of Chinese, Tongan, Persian, Diné, Nahuatl, or Akan descent share the meaning and history of their names. Names that are “full of tones and rhythms, melodies and harmonies, chords and cadences, Each syllable, each sound, is a building block in an architecture constructed over oceans and across generations.” (And there is a pronunciation guide and other material included in the final pages to help you out.)

Accompanied by stunning illustrations that are rich in the symbolism of the culture of the child, the lyrical text shows us how important it is to each child, indeed each person on the planet, to say their name correctly because “My name is a window to my world, a door to my destiny, a key to unlock the dreams of my ancestors, the hopes of my family and the divine that lives within. Anything less is not me.”

Sadly for some children having someone say their name and smile is the only positive acknowledgement that they will get in a day and it is that affirmation that they exist that is enough to bring them back to school for one more day.  If ever there was a book that demonstrates just how important your name is and how we each cling to its uniqueness, this is it.  With a pronunciation guide and other material included in the final pages to serve as a model for each child’s story, here, embedded in this literary treasure,  is your program for the first few weeks of Term 1 2024 sorted…

Listen

Oct12
Listen

Listen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listen

Duncan Smith & Nicole Godwin

Jandamarra Cadd

Wild Dog, 2023

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

9781742036731

Listen, and you will hear the voices of Ancestors.

At a time when there is such an important focus on Australia’s First Nations peoples,  this is a timely release to help students better understand the need for the referendum, where it has come from and what it is based on. 

Accompanied by the stunning artworks of Yorta Yorta man Jandamarra Cadd, each of which has its own story and significance, this is a book that has the minim um of text but the maximum of meaning.  While our students may have some knowledge and awareness of the importance of Country to indigenous people, this book explains the weight behind the acknowledgement of the phrase “elders, past, present and emerging” that is expressed in any Welcome to Country address.

This is a book that should not be shared without also using the teachers’ notes because they provide critical background information…

The Uluru Statement from the Heart
Key elements from the Uluru Statement from the Heart underpins the text … The Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation to all Australians to walk together towards a better future. It provides a roadmap with three key pillars – Voice, Treaty and Truth.

It explains why and what The Voice is, why it requires a referendum to be put in place, and what it will achieve if the referendum is successful.

But beyond that, it also has a strong element of text-to-self as readers are encouraged to consider the hopes and dreams of the children on the front cover and relate that to their own, while also having them investigate the Country they live on, its indigenous languages and stories. 

 If the referendum is unsuccessful, it is unlikely to be the end of the narrative of the requests and rights of our First Nations people to be recognised, so this book, in conjunction with We are Australians should form the core of a modern indigenous library collection as well as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures strand of the curriculum.

Together, they are a powerful and essential resource on which to base positive change for the future. 

I am Lupe

Jul26
I am Lupe

I am Lupe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am Lupe

Sela Ahosivi-Atiola

Yani Agustina

Lothian, 2023

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

9780734422538

Unlike her classmates, Lupe has curly black hair just like her dad, deep brown eyes just like her mum and the coconut oil her mum lathers into her brown skin each day makes it glisten in the sunlight.  And her friends ask about those differences, making Lupe feel awkward because she doesn’t know what to say.  And her mother’s answer shows that in reality, Lupe is just like every other kid – she is a daughter, a big sister, a friend, fearless and funny… she is who she is and that is enough.

This theme of a child being physically different from their peers is common  among picture books for young children such as the magnificent Eyes that Kiss in the Corners as is the revelation that despite our appearances, we share more similarities than differences.  Written by a Tongan-Australian writer this story opens up a different part of the world for many because Lupe is of Tongan descent – “I was born in … the first place on earth to see the sunrise each day” – and stories that have children from the Pacific Islands as their lead characters are rare. From the teachers notes we learn that the fish dish her mother is preparing is ota ika, a raw fish salad, offering the opportunities to not only investigate the traditional foods of Tonga, but also the traditional ways that fish is prepared in other cultures – it’s not always fried and served with chips.  And that can lead to all sorts of investigations about our Pacific neighbours allowing our students from those countries to share their stories and have their heritage acknowledged.

Over my 50+ years of working with children, I have never worked in a classroom where there were only “white Anglo-Saxon” children as Lupe’s class appears to be,  and there would be few nationalities I haven’t encountered, and the greatest joy has been not only seeing the children all meld together as one getting on with the business of being a child and learning and playing together, but all that they have taught me over the years.  And while I’ve not directly experienced the sort of open conversation that Lupe has with her peers, I do know that often kids see their own differences as being bigger than they really are and that this can lead to self-consciousness and anxiety, so the more we share these sorts of books and reassure them that regardless of red hair, wheelchairs, purple skin or knobbly knees, who they are is enough and welcome, the better. To have one in which our Pacific nations kids can see themselves, is a bonus. 

 

One Little Duck

Jul21
One Little Duck

One Little Duck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Little Duck

Katrina Germein

Danny Snell

HarperCollins, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

 9781460761649

Five little ducks went out one day… and came home when they were called by their mother, “Quack Quack Quack Quack”.

But now there is only one little duck left at home and even though Mother Duck is happy for her last one to go over the hills and far away, she strikes trouble when it is time to call him home and she can’t remember how to quack!  So she tries Moo Moo Moo Moo instead -with s surprising result. Little Duck comes back for tea but with a friend in tow.  And so the pattern continues. Each evening , as she tries to find her quack, the roll at the tea table grows in length and diversity but she remains unflappable, just getting out a bigger cooking pot and more dishes and cutlery each time.  Until one night…

Young readers can have heaps of fun with this one, not only appreciating the rhyme and rhythm and building vocabulary and spelling patterns,  but also predicting and suggesting which friend might come home with Little Duck this time. And what might Mother Duck be cooking that they would all enjoy? They could even examine the camping picture and identify who is not there, focusing their suggestions on animals likely to be found on a farm. and how that creature might feel about being left out. Perhaps they could use the established pattern to add some more verses. Counting and sequencing activities as well as learning the ordinal numbers and positional words add extra possibilities but this would also work well with English as an Additional Language learners particularly if it were used in conjunction with similar stories like Old MacDonald had a Farm.  What a wonderful opportunity to create a mural to label all the creatures with words from lots of languages!!!

Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes it Big

Jul16
Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid Makes it Big

Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes it Big

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes it Big

Dolly Parton

MacKenzie Haley

Puffin, 2023

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

9781761342837

French bulldog Billy the Kid was born with an ear for music. And not just any music. He loves barking to the beat of country music! So Billy sets out to Nashville to sing his heart out.

But when he meets some big bullies at the Battle of the Bow-wows, Billy worries he’s barking up the wrong tree. But when they start to pick on one of his new friends, one much smaller than all the others, he knows it is up to him to stand up and call out the bad behaviour.  But he knows he will need the help of his new friends, and so he comes up with a clever plan…

Based on the theme of one of Dolly Parton’s own songs, Makin’ Fun Ain’t Funny, based on her own life experiences, the anti-bullying message is strong as young readers are encouraged to celebrate differences rather than mocking them, a theme underlined in the illustrations which show dogs of every shape, size and colour. But as strong as that message is, there is  an equally strong one about following your dreams, believing in yourself and persevering to make them happen as Billy the Kid faces adversity and rejection before he finds his niche. 

Parton, herself, is well-known for her Imagination Library, a free book gifting program devoted to inspiring a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere (including in some parts of Australia) with over 211 million books given to young children to help foster a love of reading and encourage them to dream. “The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” So this copy will find its way into the local community as part of the hidden books initiative that is growing daily. 

Harriet Hound

Jul13
Harriet Hound

Harriet Hound

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harriet Hound

Kate Foster

Sophie Beer

Walker, 2023

176pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

9781760654702

Harriet Hound is pretty much like other girls her age – she is eight years old; she has short curly hair; her favourite letter is H; she lives in a town called Labrador; and she loves dogs.  She lives with her grandparents, her mum, and her older brother Hugo in a huge home especially built to be dog-friendly and now it is a dog rescue shelter.  BUT – she is also autistic and has a superpower that allows her to summon the dogs from her family’s rescue shelter every time there’s trouble afoot… Whether it’s a carnival catastrophe, a sudden storm, or vanishing vegetables, Harriet and her best dog friends use their super special talents and problem-solving skills to save the day!

Told in a series of short stories, this is a delightful book from the author of one of my favourite recent releases, The Bravest  Word  and again, she makes Harriet’s autism such a natural part of her life, something Harriet and her family are comfortable with, and it is this authenticity that not only allows those on the spectrum to read a book about themselves but for those around them to understand the condition better.  As Harriet says, “I stimmed. I flapped my hands out to the side and clicked my fingers out in front of me over and over again. It’s okay. There’s no need to be worried. Stimming is something I do ALL THE TIME. I do it when I’m worried and when I’m angry.  Sometimes I can’t stop my hands from doing it, but I also do it when I’m excited or when I’m happy. I stim to calm myself down.”  Can there be a better, more straightforward explanation By showing that being autistic is just a different way of being human, that there is nothing wrong that needs to be “fixed”, and certainly nothing to be ashamed or frightened of, Foster advances the cause of acceptance immeasurably.  Indeed, she continues this focus on kids with special needs in her upcoming book, The Unlikely Heroes Club. 

Autistic or not, this is a wonderful set of stories for young, independent readers who love dogs and who would desperately like to live where Harriet does, and have her superpower. 

 

Emma Memma: How Are You?

Jul6
Emma Memma: How Are You?

Emma Memma: How Are You?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Memma: How Are You?

Emma Memma

Puffin,   2023

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

9781761341083

Emma Memma is back to delight young readers with a new book in which she introduces her friends, at the same time teaching those young readers how to use Auslan to sign “How are you?”

Emma Memma waves hello
Can you wave a hello too?
Smiling, she signs and asks
‘How are you?’

Behind the the curly red hair, pink shirt and orange dress is  Emma Watkins, once known as the “yellow Wiggle” but also a woman passionate about raising awareness  of Australia’s deaf community, who already has formal qualifications in Auslan and who is currently undertaking her PhD in “the affective, artistic integration of sign language, dance and film editing.” In consultation with artists who themselves are deaf, she is producing and releasing a range of formats that as well as the storybook will include, an ebook, audiobook and an Auslan video translation so that all young readers can be entertained through “movement, creativity, inclusiveness and friendship”.

Aimed at the early childhood audience, this is a perfect way to help them understand that kids who have different needs are just like them, like the same things they do, and are easily included if we are just prepared to make a bit of extra effort. 

Our Mob

Jun5
Our Mob

Our Mob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Mob

Jacinta Daniher & Taylor Hampton

Seantelle Walsh

Ford Street, 2023

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

9781922696236

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

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

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

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

 

Dreaming Soldiers

Mar20
Dreaming Soldiers

Dreaming Soldiers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dreaming Soldiers

Catherine Bauer

Shane McGrath

Big Sky, 2018

32pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781925675528

Jimmy Watson and Johnno Hogan were the best of friends – swimming-in-waterholes, camping-under-the-stars, sharing-water-bottles kind of friends. Throughout their lives they did everything together and even when their paths diverged because there were different rules and expectations for “white” and indigenous children then, they still came back together as close as they had ever been.  And then one day they went into town for supplies, heeded the call for men to fight in a war far away and enlisted…

This could be the story of any number of friendships of the early 20th century when ‘white’ and indigenous kids on farms formed friendships that were blind to colour, cultural differences or any other racial prejudices and its strong focus on that friendship is its positive. While the treatment of indigenous soldiers during the conflicts that Australia has been involved in since the Boer War in 1899 could have been its focus, its power lies in that spotlight on the friendship, the shared adventures and stories, the fears and hopes that are common regardless of skin colour. Teaching notes are available. 

Within the Australian Curriculum, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority is designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures, and so this book offers the opportunity to help our younger students understand that despite rules against their enrolment (those not of “substantially European origin” were excluded from enlisting by the Defence Act 1903) and not being recognised as citizens until 1967,their neglect and exclusion on their return, indigenous people have fought for Australia in many overseas conflicts and their contribution has been vital.  Now, each year following the Dawn Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, there is a special ceremony acknowledging their service. 

Further information, and some of the stories of the estimated 1000 who managed to enlist can be found on the Australian War Memorial site and an internet search will provide links to further valuable resources.


 

Originally published April 23, 2020

Updated March 2023