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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…

 

Grandmas in Grand Cars

Apr24
Grandmas in Grand Cars

Grandmas in Grand Cars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandmas in Grand Cars

Mick Elliot

Walker Books, 2025

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

9781760655068

Not so long ago it was common to find advertisements for cars that proclaimed. “one little old lady driver” insinuating that the vehicle had been well-looked after, never exceeded the speed limit and only driven to church on Sunday.  

But once glance at this new release puts the lie to that as the real truth about grandmas in their cars has been revealed.  Not for them the classic little putt-putt – these grandmothers drive an array of cars that would be the envy of Oscar Piastri or Broc Feeney! 

Minimal text and vibrant illustrations bring out all the joy and fun that these grandmas have in their flash cars, but for all that, there is one special grandma and one special car.

Little ones will delight in sharing stories about their own grandmas’ cars – but they will really appreciate the finale!

Mother’s Day Collection

Apr23

All the Ways Mum will be there for you

Sarah Ayoub

Kabe Moon

HarperCollins, 2025

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

9781460765630

 

My Mother’s Invisible Shield

R.A. Stephens

Jasmine Berry

Wombat, 2025

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

9781761111945

 

Happy Mother’s Day from the Crayons

Drew Daywalt

Oliver Jeffers

HarperCollins, 2025

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

9780008747053

 

My Mum is a Bird

Angie Cui

Evie Barrow

UQP, 2025

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

9780702268632

Because our mothers are almost always in our lives every day, day in and day out, 24/7/365 it is very easy to take all they do and how much they love us for granted.  So the second Sunday in May (for Australian children) has been set aside as the one day in the year that mothers become the focus of our thoughts, actions and activities.  While festivals honouring mothers and mother goddesses date to ancient times. the modern celebration originated in the USA in 1908 when Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia held a memorial service at her late mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia.to honour her mother who had organized women’s groups to promote friendship and health,  and within five years virtually every state was observing the day, and in 1914 U.S. President . Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday. it is now celebrated around the world, primarily on that second Sunday in May although in the UK it is the fourth Sunday of Lent as it has evolved from Mothering Sunday, a 16th century tradition.

Therefore this collection of books, each of which celebrates that special bond between mother and child in different ways, is perfectly timed to be shared with young children as the day approaches and each offers unique perspective on that special relationship encouraging little ones to really focus on all those things their mothers do to ensure they are safe and loved and making the often invisible, visible.

 

Don’t Trust Fish

Apr22
Don't Trust Fish

Don’t Trust Fish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Trust Fish

Neil Sharpson

Dan Santat

Penguin, 2025

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

9781761351082

When it comes to classifying creatures, most are straightforward because they follow the rules…

For example, a cow has fur, is warm-blooded and feeds her baby milk so therefore she is a mammal. On the other hand, a snake is cold-blooded, has dry, scaly skin, lays eggs and therefore is a reptile.  But fish a law unto themselves – not following any generalisations – as diverse as there are species and so you can’t trust fish! Because

1) They spend all their time in the water where we can’t see them.
2) Some are as big as a bus—that is not okay.
3) We don’t know what they’re teaching in their “schools.”
4) They are likely plotting our doom.

At first glance, I thought this would be an ideal follow up to share with the preschoolers because they enjoyed You Can’t Pat a Fish so much, but while it would work for some, the humour is probably too sophisticated and thus it is more suited to a slightly older audience.  Between the text and the illustrations, there are many reasons why fish are not to be trusted as a class as mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians can.  Readers might like to think of other reasons they are not to be trusted, but there is also the opportunity to investigate the broad characteristics of taxonomic classification – including the similarities fish share. 

I Am Not the Easter Bunny

Apr20
I Am Not the Easter Bunny

I Am Not the Easter Bunny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Am Not the Easter Bunny

T. L. McBeth

Walker Books, 2025

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

9781761601194

There is an old saying, “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”. So, if it’s a white bunny, with a fluffy cotton tail, wearing a bow tie and vest, carrying a basket full of painted eggs and other candy, then surely it must be the Easter Bunny!

Written as a conversation between the narrator who insists all the clues point to this being the Easter Bunny and a white bunny who insists he is not, and there are logical explanations for his actions, this is a story for young readers carried along in the playful back-and-forth that will make them focus on their vision and version of the real Easter Bunny, inspiring their own conversations and artwork.

But its format could also be used to introduce the concept and layout of dialogue for slightly older readers, as the narrator’s voice is in regular text while the bunny’s is presents as speech bubbles. How might this have been written in a novel using quotation marks and other punctuation? Some might even like to turn it into a Readers Theatre to perform for younger students.

Even older readers could enjoy it as an introduction to the concept of stereotyping, perhaps beginning by drawing their image of Easter Bunny before the book is shared, and discussing how their interpretations compare to those of their friends as well as those identified in the book. Even the too-cool-for-school brigade harbour a secret belief in this particular childhood favourite so this is a great opportunity to engage them in the fun while still respecting their growing maturity.

So what seems like, and has often been appropriated as, a book for the very young can have application across the school bringing a bit of light-hearted relief to everyone. 

 

Rosie’s Garden

Apr18
Rosie’s Garden

Rosie’s Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rosie’s Garden

Olivia Coates

Samantha McLelland

EK Books, 2025

32pp., hbk.,  RRP $A27.99

9781921497056

Unless you took the time to look, few knew there was a garden on Lot 33.  Most people just hurried past, too engrossed in their own lives and thoughts to notice it, but to Rosie it was a sanctuary – one that she tended daily so that Mr Dellagatti can collects seeds, Annika can play her violin, Chad can chase rainbows and even Esmeralda the chicken can scratch for worms for breakfast!

So no one really notices when the lot is sold and instead of a little community garden, another towering skyscraper swallows the space.  But Rosie does – and she also sees the changes in the lives of those who enjoyed it as she did.   So when she has an idea that she is determined to put to the Big Boss even if that means going all the way to the top of the building, it could be a turning point.  But will the Big Boss listen?  And what will their reaction be?

This is not the first story book for young readers about a child’s determination to nurture their local green space – others include Orlando’s Garden, Butterfly Girl, The Concrete Garden, Let’s Build a Backyard, The Secret of Sapling Green, Tiny Wonders, andHarriet’s Hungry Worms among others,  – but it is yet another one to encourage young readers that, even though they are ‘just’ young readers, they can make a difference.  Whether it’s something as simple as placing a flowering plant on a balcony so that the insects have nectar to find, or starting with a spontaneous but transient chalk drawing, with determination, perseverance and resilience even children can have an impact on the environment.

Teachers’ notes  not only help explore the story in greater depth, but help students consider the vital question of, “Now that I know this, what can I do with my new knowledge?” perhaps becoming the impetus for a local project.  Even though, in many parts of Australia, cooler weather means the natural world is taking a rest, nevertheless it is the ideal time to begin planning… particularly at this time when we are surrounded by symbols and images of rebirth.  Even in the southern hemisphere, Spring will be here soon. 

 

The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel

Apr16
The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel

The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel

Tim Saunders

Carla Martell

A & U Children’s, NZ. 2025

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

9781991006929

Oh no! The tractor has a wobble wheel and a wobbly wheel is not ideal, So we must fix this wobbly wheel!  

And so the farm animals set to, each with their own idea, but each making things worse until all they have is a leaky, squeaky, lumpy, clunky, shaky, bumpy, thumpy, knobbly wobbly wheel.  What can they try next?  And will it solve the problem?

Using all the prompts that very young children adore in their stories such as known characters, familiar scenarios, humour, rhyme, rhythm and repetition, this is a story to share with little ones just for the sheer joy of having the words roll off your tongue, watching them realise the pattern and then join in.  You don’t even have to be in a rural area like me for them to have fun with it. Imagine them moving and sounding like the wheel; predicting who will be the next “mechanic” and whether the attempt will be successful; and then their reaction to the ending.   It’s the epitome of why we share stories with them!

Hats off to these Kiwi creators for this burst of fun. 

 

 

 

 

 

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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.

Happy All Over

Apr13
Happy All Over

Happy All Over

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy All Over

Emma Quay

ABC Books, 2025

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

9780733341441

Happy on the inside,

inside-out.

Happy all over –

splash it all about.

Of the 3250+ reviews that I have written and posted for this blog, over 900 have a tag relating to Emotions and Feelings meaning that they have a strong theme of feeling, understanding and managing emotions – those natural human responses we have to the events around us and which, if current childhood anxiety levels are a barometer, our little ones are apparently unable to deal with and need constant guidance to navigate if there is as much as a little lump in the smooth custard of their lives.  The ‘experts’ call them “big feelings” and offer advice in all sorts of forms that encourage little ones to recognise, accept and cope as though they are something unique and new to this generation to the extent that anxiety is at an all-time high and resilience at an all-time low.

So this book that is a blissful, colourful celebration of just being happy, and acknowledging all those simple things that make us so, is a breath of fresh air.  On one double-spread alone we delight in the magic of sticky tape to complete a construction, giving a favourite toy a cuddle, peeking through the holes in the slice of Swiss cheese and rolling just the right number on the dice to avoid sliding down the longest snake on the board… those simple things that require little more than being young and free with good health, fresh air to breathe and people to love.

At a time when global events and national elections seem determined to squash our natural optimism, a gloom that does rub off on our kids even if we try to protect them, this is  a lively, cheerful reminder that the best things in life really are free and if filling the “happiness cup” (a physical image that features on the endpages) is indeed a metaphor for taking care of our own emotional, physical and mental well-being then it takes little to see that our cups do, in fact, runneth over.

Little ones (and big ones) can use it to think about and share what makes them happy, maybe to make a collage or journal of those specific things that made them happy that day so not only can they see there are so many to choose from but if things do get tricky, they have pleasant memories to draw on and look forward to doing again. 

Goodnight Sheep

Apr11
Goodnight Sheep

Goodnight Sheep

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodnight Sheep

Sally Barton

Cherie Dignam

Fremantle Press, 2025

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

9781760993986

When Lilly May finds it hard to go to sleep, her mother suggests the age-old solution of counting sheep. Which would be all very well if they were the sort that leapt one by one over the traditional fence, moon and stars looking down from the night sky.

But Lilly May’s sheep are not the ‘calmy kind’ – “to gently glide is not their way. No Lilly’s sheep just want to play.”

And so begins an hilarious tale of all the things that sheep can get up to in one little girl’s bedroom. 

Behind the door is Number One having such a lot of fun

He’s busy painting Number Two with stripes of pink and spots of blue…

In fact, there are ten in all, each causing havoc and each portrayed in the most appealing way that is not only make the young reader LOL but also engage in their antics as they use their counting and rhyming skills to predict the text.  They might even want to suggest other things the sheep could get up to if it was their bedroom they were in!

I find that if I pick up a book and can immediately picture and hear myself reading it to little ones, then I know it is a winner, and this is one of those.  It’s bright, it’s colourful, it’s original, it’s funny and it’s fun – the preschoolers I read to on Fridays will love it!