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Shearer

Nov6

Shearer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shearer

Neridah McMullin

Michael Tomkins

Walker 2023

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

9781760653163

Click go the shears, boys — click, click, click,
Wide is his blow and his hands move quick,
The ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow,
And curses the old snagger with the bare-bellied yoe.

Click Go the Shears is one of those traditional Australian songs that our children learn about the same time they learn the iconic Waltzing Matilda. But while the origins and meaning of that song are learned alongside the lyrics, what is the story behind some of the strange words and phrases in the shearing song?  Surely sheep are shorn using machinery.

But before Frederick Wolseley perfected his invention of mechanical shears in 1888 – a design 25 years in the making – sheep were shorn with hand or blade shears requiring great skill and considerable strength in the hand, arm and back and then, as now, it was one of the most physically demanding jobs as far as stress to the human body according to a 2000 report by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. 

Iconic images of the 19th century shearing shed. Shearing the Rams (top) and The Golden Fleece (bottom) both by Tom Roberts.

Iconic images of the 19th century shearing shed. Shearing the Rams (top) and The Golden Fleece (bottom) both by Tom Roberts.

Shearers travelled from woolshed to woolshed as wool became one of the most valuable resources of the Australian economy, particularly as gold discoveries dwindled, and among those men, was Jack Howe who had “hands the size of tennis racquets, legs like tree trunks and wrists made of steel”. 

Shearer is the story of the day Howe sheared a record 321 sheep in 7 hours and 40 mins at Alice Downs Station in Blackall, using blade shears, bringing to life the story of a man still regarded as Australia’s greatest shearer and after whom, the iconic navy blue singlet of the tradie is named.  

With her books Eat My Dust, and Drover  and the upcoming Tearaway Coach, Neridah McMullin is becoming known for telling the stories of those who have had a significant impact on Australian life, particularly that of rural communities, and thus opening up all sorts of opportunities to explore further.  Shearer continues this tradition, particularly as attendances at shows that bring the country to the city continue to break records and shearing demonstrations attract huge crowds.

For a century Australia “rode on the sheep’s back” and this book gives readers, young and older, an entry point to investigate the hows and whys of this common saying. 

The A – Z of Who I Could Be

Nov5
The A - Z of Who I Could Be

The A – Z of Who I Could Be

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The A – Z of Who I Could Be

Chloe Dalton

Kim Siew

A & U Children’s, 2023

64pp., hbk., RRP $A22.99

9781761180422

When she was young, the author used to love watching people like Anna Meares, Louise Sauvage and Nova Peris as they appeared on the world stage of the Olympics or Paralympics, but then despaired as they disappeared for the next four years. Female sporting heroes were not worthy of prime time television and there were few role models to aspire to so she founded the [female] athlete project to redress the balance – 40% of participation but only 4% of television coverage.

Being an Olympic gold medalist herself, Dalton is well-placed to understand the need for young girls to have role models and so in this new book she has created a thumbnail sketch  of Australia’s top female and non-binary athletes, Olympians, Paralympians and World Champions – from Ash Barty to Zali Steggall – across 26 different sports including  Ash Barty (tennis), Belle Brockhoff (snowboard cross), Taliqua Clancy (beach volleyball), Danni Di Toro (para-table tennis), Ellie Cole (para-swimming), Caitlin Foord (soccer), Georgia Godwin (gymnastics), Tayla Harris (boxing/AFLW), Isis Holt (para-athletics), Jessi Miley-Dyer (surfing), Steph Kershaw (hockey), Lydia Lassila (aerial skiing), Anna Meares (cycling), Nova Peris (athletics/hockey), Bendere Oboya (athletics), Ellyse Perry (cricket), Alicia (Quirk) Lucas (rugby 7s), Madison De Rozario (wheelchair racing), Sharni (Layton) Norder (netball), Ariarne Titmus (swimming), Tamika Upton (NRLW), Darcy Vescio (AFLW), Melissa Wu (diving), Jessica Fox (canoe slalom), Yvette Higgins (waterpolo), and Zali Steggall (alpine skiing),

As well as acknowledging the achievements of these women and perhaps inspiring young girls to find out more about those they admire, perhaps it would also inspire a class dictionary of other female athletes who are the students’ heroes so they, too, become household names. Perhaps names like  Jessica Fox,  Sam Kerr or Alyssa Healy might feature or even those of Dawn Fraser, Lauren Jackson or Debbie Flintoff on whose shoulders they stand.

Given their achievements recently one could argue how many female Australian cricket or soccer team members the general public could have named just twelve months ago so perhaps with book like these and the increase in interest, we are moving towards Dalton’s dream that  “One day, female athletes will receive equal coverage in the media, and will be recognised by their achievements, not by their gender”.   

Who’s the Gang on Our Street?

Nov3
Who's the Gang on Our Street?

Who’s the Gang on Our Street?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who’s the Gang on Our Street?

Susanne Gervay

Nancy Bevington

Big Sky, 2023

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

9781922896810

There are lots of gangs on our street – a rock and roll gang with spiky hair; a soccer gang with bright uniforms; a billycart gang who race down the hill; a music gang, a dancing gang, an acrobat gang… so many gangs that I don’t belong to but I could if I wanted to!  Because I have funky-punky hair, I love to move and play; I can fly faster than any human can run; I can hang upside down and twist and turn better than anyone… 

This is a jaunty, unusual introduction to one of Australia’s most iconic birds, the sulphur-crested cockatoo, and, as if to prove Gervay’s point about their versatility, there is a gang of them investigating a newly-fallen tree outside my window as I write.  They’re hanging upside down on the food feeder chains, looking for bugs in the newly peeling bark, while there is always one standing guard… and their distinctive squaark always lets us know when they are in the neighbourhood.

But for all that I see these birds almost every day once the mountain weather starts to warm up, there is still a lot in this new book that I hadn’t noticed, such as the fact that they always use their left leg like a human hand, so I will be observing them with fresh eyes this summer. 

Narrative non fiction has overtaken the traditional facts-and-figures books that used to be the core of the library’s non fiction collection and between them, Gervay and Bevington have produced something that is unique, fun and very appealing bringing this Australian icon right into the realm of the reader.  A short quiz encourages the reader to explore the fun facts that are included and ensures that these birds that bring so much joy through their antics (even though these are provoked by the eternal search for food) will become favourites for a new generation.  

 

  

A First Book of Dinosaurs

Nov2
A First Book of Dinosaurs

A First Book of Dinosaurs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A First Book of Dinosaurs

Simon Mole

Matt Hunt

Walker Books, 2023

80pp., hbk., RRP $A39.99

9781406396096

It was an era that lasted about 180 million years over 66 million years ago and yet it still fascinates old and young alike, so much so that books about dinosaurs – fact or fiction – are regularly published for an eager audience. This one, written for an adult to share with a younger reader is one of the latest. 

Bold, contemporary illustrations and short poems with vivid language introduce young readers to this world of “eat or be eaten” . Divided into the chapters of ‘Meet the Dinosaurs, Eat or be Eaten, Dinosaur Families and The End. OR is it?’, each dinosaur or theme has its own double page spread with lively, unique graphics and a short poem, often in the voice of the dinosaur itself. Some like brachiosaurus and tyrannosaurus rex will be familiar but others such as halszkaraptor and therizinosaurus will be new so the pronunciation guide is handy, and although the descriptions – using a variety of poetry styles – are brief, there is enough information to inspire further research for those who want to know more, as well as offering an opportunity for older students to compare Mole’s style with the more traditional fact-and-figures books. 

Something new and unique to share about something old and common.

How It Works: Electricity

Oct31
How It Works: Electricity

How It Works: Electricity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How It Works: Electricity

Victoria M. Williams

Miguel Bustos

Usborne, 2023

16pp., board book., RRP $a19.99

9781474998888

Whoever labelled the magic that happens when you turn on a light switch “electrickery” nailed it, in my opinion. Never one to understand the phenomenon, even I, as a ‘more mature’ adult learned something from this new book from Usborne,  So if I can, your students certainly will.

The source of our energy is a hot topic right now as the switch to renewables becomes more necessary and urgent, and so, more than ever, understanding how it works and where it comes from is becoming a part of even the primary school curriculum. So starting with the basics of what electricity actually is the reader is led step by step through diagrams, explanations and lift-the-flap discoveries to understand how electricity is naturally generated to being able to harness it and even look at future sources, some quite unexpected. And there are the usual Quicklinks to support further investigation.

Living in a town whose history is steeped in the building of the original Snowy Hydro project and whose future is closely tied to Snowy 2.0, this was a must-read for me and IMO, an essential part of your non fiction collection.  

Wombats Are Pretty Weird

Oct26
Wombats Are Pretty Weird

Wombats Are Pretty Weird

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wombats Are Pretty Weird

Abi Cushman

Greenwillow, 2023

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

9780063234437

There are few Australian children who grow up without being introduced to Mothball, the real-life star of Jackie French’s Diary of a Wombat series which not only shone a spotlight on these creatures over 20 years ago but which helped to revolutionise the publishing of stories for preschoolers. Bruce Whatley’s sublime illustrations brought to life a character that has endeared wombats as a species to generations and they are often declared as a “favourite animal”. Certainly a younger Ms 17 was delighted when she got to feed one of the many orphans raised by fellow teacher librarian Anne Graham.

 

But there is much more to this descendant of the ancient diprotodon and this “(Not So) Serious Guide” provides younger readers with a lot more information about them.  Although written for an American audience (and using a number of American terms like miles rather than kilometres and “mombat” for the joey’s mother), it provides interesting facts and details that are the main part of the narrative while there is a secondary flow between the wombat and a snake also called Joey written in speech bubbles which young readers may find amusing. 

There are a few pages at the end which offer further information about various wombat species, photos, glossary, and links to further reading (although these would be beyond the scope of the target audience) . Any book which sparks awareness of and interest in Australia’s unique wildlife which perhaps leads to greater care and protection for them as their natural habitat disappears and they become victims of rushing motorists, deserves a place in the collection and for that alone, this has earned its place. 

Don’t forget to celebrate Hairy Nosed Wombat Day – May 11, each year.

All You Need to Know about Your Body by Age 7

Oct22
All You Need to Know about Your Body by Age 7

All You Need to Know about Your Body by Age 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All You Need to Know about Your Body by Age 7

Alice James

Stefano Tognetti

Usborne, 2023

80pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781803701639

Children are not very old before they start asking questions about their bodies – what it can do, what makes it work, why it looks the way it does, how it grows and why it changes.

In this new release most of their questions are answered and with a cast of comical bugs to guide readers, activities to try at home, and links to further resources online so they can explore further, it is pitched at just the right level for those asking those initial questions. 

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

 

 

Covering topics such as the outside of the boy, the inside, breathing, blood circulation, as well as an emphasis on staying healthy – “Your body belongs to YOU.  It’s your job to look after it and be kind to it, throughout your life” – . it will satisfy the normal curiosity of young readers while enabling those with more questions to learn more if they choose.  As is usual with Usborne publications, this is another quality resource that has a place in any library – home or school.

What Can I Do With a Cardboard Box?

Oct19
What Can I Do With a Cardboard Box?

What Can I Do With a Cardboard Box?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Can I Do With a Cardboard Box?

James Maclaine

Harriet Noble & Erin Wallace

Usborne, 2023

48pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781805310037

We have all had experiences where we have seen mega amounts of money spent on a gift for a young child yet their greatest enjoyment has come from the cardboard box it was packaged in.

This new release from Usborne takes that humble cardboard box to a new level, well beyond the imagination of the toddler and into the construction skills of the older child. Using all sorts of boxes, each type readily available, they are challenged and guided to building a mini village, turning tissue boxes into monsters and rolling up chunky beads from bold and bright packaging. Bridges and ramps are put to the stability and functionality test, and that knowledge is used to investigate how to make an empty box strong enough to sit on.  They can see what happens when a marble is rolled in the lid of a shoebox with some paint. And simple step-by-step instructions can turn any big cereal box can become an amazing 3D model of the Solar System.

Forget being thrilled about creating a cardboard version of Hogwarts – these projects will satisfy all of the requirements of the Design and Technologies curriculum while encouraging creative and critical thinking as models are designed, made and appraised as well as giving hours of enjoyment and fun. And there are even more ideas at the Usborne Quicklinks page. 

Perfect for the Christmas stocking for both child and teacher!  

A cardboard Hogwarts

A cardboard Hogwarts

LEGO Marvel Visual Dictionary

Oct18
LEGO Marvel Visual Dictionary

LEGO Marvel Visual Dictionary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEGO Marvel Visual Dictionary

Dorling Kindersley, 2023

160pp., hbk., RRP $a39.99

9780241621424

Since 2012 when it first released its Batman-themed sets, LEGO, a contraction of leg godt which means “play well” in Danish, have offered fans construction sets related to the popular superheroes so they can learn to read and follow instructions and develop their fine motor skills as they make the intricate models from the movies, then use their imagination to build new stories and adventures with their creations.

Beginning with a visual timeline of releases this guide to the minifigures, vehicles and sets of the Marvel multiverse offers lots of background information about the characters including Spider-Man, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and others, it culminates in a behind-the-scenes chapter which features concept art and an interview with the LEGO  Marvel creative team.

Like its predecessors that have been linked to popular movies and characters, this is a book that will have young fans poring over it, talking about what they are discovering, wanting to learn more and reading to do so- engaging in all those behaviours that show that print offers them something and that reading for pleasure is a worthwhile thing to do.  Guaranteed to hook young reluctant readers, appeal to more independent fans and even offer suggestions for the Christmas stocking as each model has details of its release date, set number, and the number of pieces and minifigures that come with it. There is even a Iron Man minifig included!

The Disney Book New Edition

Oct16
The Disney Book New Edition

The Disney Book New Edition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Disney Book New Edition

A Celebration of the World of Disney: Centenary Edition

Jim Fanning

Tracey Miller-Zarneke

Dorling Kindersley, 2023

256pp., hbk., RRP $A65.00

9780241573686

On October 16, 1923, two brothers began a company that has brought immeasurable joy to millions of people throughout the world for a century!  Those brothers were Walt Disney and Roy Disney and their company was known as the Disney Brothers Studio. 

At a time when black-and-white silent films were state of the art, Walt Disney had a vision to create “a novel entertainment that was uniquely engaging” and for the Disney name to represent quality.  Nearly 50 years since his death in December 1966, one wonders if he could ever have imagined that company being what it is today. From a young lad who loved to draw cartoons that appeared to move as he flipped the pages quickly, to his first animated image in 1927 – a rabbit named Oswald – and his belief that “cartoon animation offers a medium of story telling and visual entertainment which can bring pleasure and information to people of all ages around the world” the name Disney has become synonymous with family entertainment that is engaging and enchanting with memories and moments that last long after a particular feature has ended,  How many of us of a certain generation recall that special time at 6.30 on a Sunday evening, curling up in front of the television to see whether we would go to Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Adventureland or Main Street USA for the next hour? How many of today’s children view a trip to Disneyland as their must-have life experience?

And all this history and wonder is encapsulated in this new centenary edition of The Disney Book,  a glossy tome incorporating beautiful art and artefacts from The Walt Disney Company’s vast historical collections, with a decade by decade illustrated timeline spanning 12 pages offering an incredible archive of  all that the name Disney conjures up.

Updated from the 90th anniversary version, it includes all that has been achieved between 2012-2023 making it the most comprehensive collector’s item for Disney fans as well as those with an interest in animation, film-making, children’s entertainment  or aspirations of being the new Disney, themselves.  

For me, this is 256 pages of memories of childhood – mine, my son’s, and my granddaughters’ – so this will have a special place in our family library.