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The Counting Sheep

Apr7
The Counting Sheep

The Counting Sheep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Counting Sheep

Natasha Curtin

Wombat Books, 2026

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

 9781761113154
There once were four friends who loved playing music together. They practised and practised until they felt they were good enough to out on some concerts in the city. But every time they began to play, something strange happened … the audience fell asleep!!!   Even though their friends suggested the different types of music they might play  – hip-hop, rock, pop – the same thing happened. And so, with bad reviews and no ticket sales, they decided to head back to the farm.  Until a little bilby spoke up – and things turned around.

This is a wonderful story about four sheep doing what they love, and which could lead to all sorts of rabbit-holes to explore, beginning with end pages that feature all sorts of punny nods to tunes that some of us remember, and young readers might like to talk to their parents about to hear the originals.  They might like to suggest which sort of animals would enjoy being in the audience sparking an investigation into nocturnal animals, their habits and habitats, or they might like to explore the different musical genres and examine the characteristics of each, or those studying literary devices might like to discuss why the author chose the title.

Or maybe they will just enjoy it for the entertaining, original story it is.

 

 

The Wheels on the Bus and Other Songs 60th Anniversary Edition

Jan2
The Wheels on the Bus and Other Songs 60th Anniversary Edition

The Wheels on the Bus and Other Songs 60th Anniversary Edition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wheels on the Bus and Other Songs 60th Anniversary Edition

ABC Books, 2025

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

9780733344428

There would be few children born in this country in the last 60 years who are unfamiliar with that familiar tune that begins, “There’s a bear in there…”  and who haven’t looked through the windows and enjoyed stories with and about Big Ted,  Little Ted, Jemima, Humpty, and, more recently, Henny Penny, Daisy the cow, Korean twins Kim & Lisa Banana,, Kiya from Noongar country Diddle the cat, Scrap the dog and others who are as familiar as their own toys.  Many will even be sitting with their own children and grandchildren and sharing the adventures.

And now, in 2026, Play School is turning 60!

To help the celebrations, this is a new, colourful release which includes all the toys and all those familiar songs like The Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Five Little Ducks, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Little Peter Rabbit, There Were Five In the Bed, Der Glumph, Miss Polly Had a Dolly, A Sailor Went to Sea Sea Sea, and  Five Little Speckled Frogs – just perfect for beginning a new year with a nod to those past. 

And to continue the fun to fill in these not-time-for-school-yet days, there are plenty of activities at the Play School website  to keep them occupied and, for those in Melbourne between March and mid-July, an exhibition where they can discover what happens behind the scenes of Play School by becoming a presenter, a camera operator, or even a director!

Apart from all that fun, it’s a great way to introduce very little ones to the concept that “print is just talk written down” as they follow the words of the songs they know already  and see those familiar faces in the illustrations.  A great foundation for developing those early reading behaviours so crucial to building the readers of the future.   

 

The Messy Bath Monster

Oct20
The Messy Bath Monster

The Messy Bath Monster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Messy Bath Monster

Tina Wilson, Joan Wilson & Matt Ottley

One Tentacle, 2025

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

9780648511946

Whenever Monkey has a bath, there is always a big mess left behind so he is convinced that there must be a monster lurking there.  He wanted to tell it to stop leaving such a mess, so, being a brave monkey, he decided to go in search of it…

We first met Monkey a few years ago when he took a trip to Venice, and now the little knitted toy is back on a new adventure that involves all sorts of undersea creatures – again, all handknitted by the author’s mother and photographed against real-life backdrops.  But as well as the visual experience, there is also an auditory one as award-winning artist Matt Ottley has created a unique musical score to showcase and connect the images, words and music from this and the many other picture books he has created, which can be downloaded for free.(There is both a QE code and a link to access these included with the book, as well as links to the knitting patterns.)

With the CBCA’s 2026 theme being “Symphony of Stories”, this would seem to be perfect timing to introduce children to both the concept of a multi-modal experience, either of this particular book or Matt’s others which include masterpieces such as The Colour of Music, How to Make A Bird, Teacup and Parachute.   

Sadly, I have had an infection which has left me temporarily deaf so I can’t hear the music to comment on it, but this is a brief trailer which will be part of live performances taking place in Western Australia in October 2025 (perhaps in NSW and Queensland in 2026) as part of The Sound of Picture BooksTM initiative.  Opens up all sorts of possibilities to investigate instruments, the sounds they make, and then, like Tchaikovsky’s Peter and the Wolf, have the children consider which would be best to represent each character. What other creatures might Monkey and Octopus meet and what would be appropriate music for them? 

No harm in starting the Book Week 2026 experience early!

Koala Koala

Apr27
Koala Koala

Koala Koala

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Koala Koala

John Williamson

Jonathan Bentley

Puffin, 2025

24pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761344244

Ask any little person (or international visitor) to name an iconic Australian creature and it’s highly likely they will say “koala”.  Yet there are fears that this favourite will be extinct in NSW by 2050, the greatest threat being loss of habitat because of  urban development, agriculture, mining and the expansion of existing infrastructure. Already, those in Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory have been  classified as an endangered species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) since February, 2022.

So this picture book version of John Williamson’s 1990 song of the same name, is a provocative reminder that even though we have recognised the predicament of these favourites for decades, there is still much to be done.

With the original lyrics slightly modified and enriched by poignant, evocative illustrations by Jonathan Bentley , little ones are introduced to needs of koalas and the key dangers koalas face – deforestation, traffic, bushfires and dogs – helping them to understand that if they want to be able to show their children this treasured marsupial, the time to act is now. While they might not have the power to stop urban sprawl, they can be aware of the work of Koala Conservation Australia   (of which, Williamson is a special ambassador) and perhaps hold a fundraiser to support their work in building a new breeding facility, education the public generally, or even visiting the centre.

Even just learning about the koala’s habitats and habits can be a start, and such a study was my go-to intro to developing information literacy skills with kindergarten.  Use the book itself as well as lots of different pictures of koalas so there is at least one between two, and ask pairs, “What can we learn about koalas just by looking at these pictures?”. Record the responses,  and then classify what has been discovered into three columns… What do we know for sure? What do we need to check?  What more do we want/need to find out?  Not only does that give a structure to the class investigation but it also gives them the foundation for their own personal investigations into other native species.

On the other hand, more mature readers could use it as a starting point to investigate how songs and music have been used over time to build awareness of human rights, environmental and other issues to reach a wider audience, particularly the anti-war protest movement of the 1960s, although there have been many before and since. 

An essential addition to any collection to support the environment and sustainability curriculum. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

 

Wolfgang and the Magic of Music

Apr14
Wolfgang and the Magic of Music

Wolfgang and the Magic of Music

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wolfgang and the Magic of Music

Didier Lévy

Lorenzo Sangio

Thames & Hudson, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A29.99

9780500653838

When Wolfgang posts a notice on a big tree in the forest about wanting to start a band, he is very disappointed that no one comes to join until, just as he gives up and decides to take it down, a rabbit appears and asks to audition.  Even though Wolfgang has more culinary ideas about the rabbit than musical, nevertheless he listens and rather than seeing Rex as a tasty snack, Wolfgang sees him as the perfect partner. The Big Bads group is born. They are an immediate hit, and their fans come to listen from all over the forest. And even though sometimes Wolfgang’s tummy rumbles, all it takes is for Rex to start playing and the music overwhelms them.

This is a story about how the most unlikely of friendships can be formed through the shared love of something common like music or sport, that offers much food for thought for those wanting to look beyond the storyline and charming illustrations. So while little ones will enjoy identifying some of their favourite fairytale characters who make up the audience, perhaps even listening and moving to the sort of music that some of the newly-formed bands create, older readers could delve a little deeper.  Why might Wolfgang have struggled to find band members? Could there be more to the Big Bad Wolf than his reputation?  After all, even Little Red Riding Hood comes to listen to The Big Bads Play. Are characters, or even real people, one-dimensional? What is the meaning of “stereotype”? What can we learn about characterisation from this story that we can apply to our own?

While building connections through the universal language of music is not an uncommon theme in children’s literature, and those focusing on unusual friendships even moreso, stories that readily enable young writers to focus on their own storycraft are rarer and that is the real appeal of this one for me  Now I am keen to get my hands on its predecessor, Morris and the Magic of Stories.

Giraffes Can’t Dance: Jingle Bells

Dec13

 

 

 

Giraffes Can't Dance: Jingle Bells

Giraffes Can’t Dance: Jingle Bells

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giraffes Can’t Dance: Jingle Bells

Giles Andreae

Guy Parker-Rees

Orchard Books, 2024

16pp., board book., RRP $A16.99

9781408371855

Everyone knows that giraffes can’t dance- that is unless you are Gerald!  

Gerald was a tall giraffe

Whose neck was long and slim,

But his knees were awfully bandy

And his legs were rather thin.

After being laughed at by the other animals who all seemed to manage their limbs well, in the iconic Giraffes Can’t Dance, Gerald had lost his confidence until he had a conversation with a wise cricket who told him that sometimes you “just need a different song”.  And now, here he is, swaying his neck, shaking his tail and kicking his hooves  as he grooves along to the cricket playing Jingle Bells on his violin and all the other animals join in.

 Jingle Bells would have to be one of the first Christmas songs that many of our little ones learn and so they will delight in following both the text and the pictures in this new adventure for Gerald.  Written to the tune of the traditional melody they can join in, predict the rhymes and just generally delight in its playfulness.  But best of all, they will be able to join Gerald on the dance floor and move to the beat of their own drum.

Sheer delight.  

 

Kevin Saves the Show

Sep15
Kevin Saves the Show

Kevin Saves the Show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Saves the Show

Jacqueline Harvey

Kate Isobel Scott

Puffin, 2024

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

9781761048968

Now that Kevin, the idiosyncratic sheep has been accepted for who and what he is by Shaun, Shauna, Sheryl and Shane and the rest of the flock, no one looks twice at his purple locks and quirky unsheeplike ways. He loves to learn and try new things so when he decides to host a song competition,  there are lots of entrants – many as eccentric as he is, but all safe in the knowledge of being accepted and welcome.  Thirty performers line up to pay their $1.00 admission including a donkey in leg-warmers, the beautifully dressed Polly Pig and even Shaun, Shauna, Sheryl and Shane appear as the baabaa-shop quartet! 

But while they may look and dress the part, sadly not many have the talent to match until…

But who’s the new sheep that the spotlight’s revealed?
And how has such talent been so well concealed?

However, there is panic and fear when the identity of the winner is revealed, until Kevin steps in. Because he knows what it is like to be different and on the outside…

Continuing Kevin’s saga from the original released earlier this year, young readers will not only laugh out loud at the competition performers, but they might also pause and think about the masked singer.  How often do we make judgements based on appearance, reputation and prejudice?  Perhaps the naughty, ostracised child has a different story to tell, one that is masked by their behaviour or circumstances and all they want is the acceptance, perhaps even friendship of those around them.   

Both author and illustrator have created delightful characters that will appeal to our younger readers, and they will eagerly wait to see if the newcomer can fit into the farmyard.  Or perhaps they will write their own sequel… 

Jawsome: Licence to Rock

Feb25
Jawsome: Licence to Rock

Jawsome: Licence to Rock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jawsome: Licence to Rock

R. J. Timms

Albert Street, 2024

272pp., pbk., RRP $A15.99

9781761068607

Deep under the ocean in the Shallow Side of Chumville Finley the reef shark lives with his dentist parents Su and Shi, and his siblings, Dash, Smash, Crash, Flash , Splash and Bash.  During the day Finley goes to school with his mates Hunter the tiger shark, Gnash the pointer shark and Gilleon the lemon shark, but at night, they are secretly the super-famous rock band JAWSOME!

In this, the second in the series, the band is off to play at Euro-fishin, and international music competition, where there will be bands like Swim Shady and Mertallica. But at the airport as departure time draws closer, Gnash (aka Gnarly Gnelson) hasn’t turned up, and a phone call to his parents reveals that he is missing. Immediately suspicious, and the police not taking the matter seriously, the band members find themselves deep in mystery and intrigue which includes  stopping evil A.B.B.A. (Alliance of Brutally Bad Anglerfish) agents from destroying the ocean. Then, in the second story, unmasking a strange new band called the Killer Wails, that everyone seems to follow, and having to use all their rockstar skills to save Chumville from becoming mindless zombies.

This is a fun series for those emerging readers who like a light-hearted read, peppered with pun humour and plenty of illustrations.  Verging on a graphic novel because so much of the action happens in the illustrations as it does in the text, it will also appeal to those students who like to be seen with thick books – it has over 300 pages because of the large font and copious graphics.  With most of the puns printed in bold, it is also a good opportunity to investigate that literary technique and how its use adds humour to many situations, as well as identifying the common elements and themes of such stories so readers start to understand the concept of genre, in this case the tropes of spy stories. 

Released at a time when so many of our students are swept up in the Swifties craze as Taylor Swift tours the nation, this is an engaging and enjoyable read on many levels that will have wide appeal. 

Voice of the Sea

Feb11
Voice of the Sea

Voice of the Sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voice of the Sea

John Williamson

Andrea Innocent & Jonathan Chong

Puffin, 2024

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

9781761344237

Described as “an unrequited love song to the ocean, a national anthem of the sea”, this is the picture book version of the iconic song by one of Australia’s most loved musicians that has become so integral to the campaign to conserve the oceans that it won an ARIA award.

With references to global warming, overfishing and the risk of losing some of our incredible marine wildlife a turtle swims through what were once pristine waters, narrowly escaping the clutches of a plastic bag already filled with precious creatures, lamenting, “Where did it go? Where has it gone, your love for me?” From the time that the first European settlers landed, the oceans of this country “girt by sea” have been exploited and now, with the personification of the ocean as a friend in need, students are encouraged to think of how we can preserve this natural wonderland – how we can give rather than take.

Written specifically for the Australian Marine Conservation Society, there are both teachers’ notes and a free education kit  to encourage not only an awareness of humans’ impact on the ocean but also how we can embrace it as a friend again including investigating the projects already in place like The Accidental Penguin Hotel.  the seahorse hotels and others that they might become involved in, offering hope for those who are concerned about the planet’s future. 

This is most definitely one for any collection, and the perfect starting point for any investigation of the oceans, it creatures and their challenges. 

 

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

Dec17

 

 

 

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas

Matt Lucas

Forrest Burdett

Farshore, 2023

288pp, pbk., RRP $A16.99

9780008519926

Leo LOVES Christmas.
And this Christmas needs to be absolutely perfect, because it’s the first one without Mum. Only it all keeps going wrong!

The fairylights are in a tangle
The Christmas cards aren’t finished
The tree isn’t decorated
And the Christmas cakes have all been destroyed!

Soon Leo decides he’s had enough – he makes a heartfelt wish that it would all GO AWAY.  But, then when he wakes up on what SHOULD be Christmas Day –  it’s gone!! All of Christmas! But Leo isn’t going to let it escape that easily . . . So Leo  sets out on a mission to undo his wish and get Christmas back.

With a premise that will sadly resonate with some of our students and who just wish they could sleep through this festive family time, this is a story that might provide a little relief in those long days where every emotion and activity is tinged with the sense of loss.

Written for independent readers who enjoy funny stories by actor and comedian Matt Lucas, this is unique in that there are QR codes to scan so the reader can listen to the songs included  as the story progresses. (For those without the technology, all the lyrics are included at the end of the book.)  It is also liberally illustrated so the thickness of the book shouldn’t daunt young readers,

Definitely a story of being careful about what you wish for but one that might add some joy to a tricky time.

1. Our Christmas Tale/Dear Father C from The Boy Who Slept on Vimeo.