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George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

Nov17
George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George the Wizard: Let your magic shine!

Tony Armstrong

Emma Sjaan Beukers

Lothian, 2024

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

9780734422163

High on a mountain top George loves using his magic to speed around on his flying cloud, looking after his crystal gardens and making himself a never-go-cold bubble bath every night.  But for all that he could conjure up whatever he wanted, George is lonely.  He wants friends but he is afraid that they will laugh at his magic.  

Meanwhile, nearby in a village, Harriet has her own special talent and is able to hear George’s wishes so she sets off through the forest to find him to see if she can help. Despite the embarrassment of catching him in his bubble bath and her offer to take him to the village to meet other people, George has lots of excuses about not going – his fear of being laughed at has overwhelmed his need for company.  But Harriet is nothing if not persuasive, so they set off only to discover the village is under attack by a dragon, and George has to use his magic to save it.  But will the villagers embrace him or shun him?

While the overt narrative of the story is about using ‘real’ magic, there is an underlying theme of everyone having some sort of magic or special gift within that can and should shine, and this is emphasised in the illustrations where every villager is a different colour, size and shape and clearly with all sorts of individual idiosyncrasies.  Yet these differences are no barrier to them being friends – in fact, as Harriet says, “Imagine how boring life would be if everyone pretended to be the same.”

Fifty years ago in the first Australian classroom I taught in, there were three of us team-teaching – there was Jennifer who was a Scot, Jill who was from Germany and me, a Kiwi. And I still recall the first lessons we shared where musical Jennifer taught the children a ditty about being special which each child sang and then shared what was special about them.  The pride they took in sharing their unique origin, talent, or whatever using whatever props they had prepared, and the sense of unity amongst those 90 kids has stayed with me all these years and completely influenced and infiltrated how I teach.  To this day, when people ask what I teach my reply is always. “Kids”. And in all those years, I have not met two the same – even identical twins who kept me baffled and tricked – because I had learned in those early days to let each let their light shine. 

This would be the ideal book to use at the beginning of the school year as students and teachers are getting to know each other, offering them an opportunity to embrace their individuality whilst sharing it so just as a cake is made of diverse ingredients, when they are all combined they become a delicious whole.  

 

Millie Mak the Mender

Nov15
Millie Mak the Mender

Millie Mak the Mender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Millie Mak the Mender

Alice Pung

Sher Rill Ng

HarperCollins, 2024

256pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781460763797

Millie Mak is back!  The little girl who loves to recycle, repurpose and upcycle things rather than buy new, returns in the second in this series for younger independent readers  in two more stories that will resonate with so many.

At last her friends at her new school have accepted her and Millie has a group of four close friends who enjoy both her company and her passion, including the snooty Shanelle whose little sister Safire was the recipient of the dolls house that Millie and her Scottish grandma rescued in the first story.  Things are a little better at home because while her mum still works at the aged care home, her dad’s leg has mended and he is now studying to follow his dreams.  Little sister Rosie is still making toddler mischief but because her Chinese grandmother Ahma who lives with them always seems to blame Millie for Rosie’s antics, Millie is convinced that she is not loved as much, and prefers to spend her time at her Scottish grandma’s house.  Ahma also seems to be more concerned with what other people’s opinions and perceptions are about the family which is also troubling, as Millie often feels shy and awkward, particularly in public and they have been invited to a wedding that is very important to Ahma,

But the main focus of this story is Millie’s relationships with the residents at the aged-care facility because, like many young children,  she sees only their age, illnesses and disabilities, rather than their personalities until she starts making them individualised hats and realises that there is still someone young and fun-loving, even adventurous inside the physical appearance.  However, when bully  Geri takes over the hat-making turning it into a public project for her own glory, the relationships between her friends becomes strained and Millie is caught between a rock and a hard place. 

Similarly, in the second story, when Millie’s abilities attract the attention of a television presenter and the Fru-Gals are invited to appear on a national television show. While Millie wants the girls to wear the things they have made, they have other ideas for their own reasons, and there is tension which comes to a head when the show’s producer has different ideas entirely, preferring to stereotype Rita and Veesa based on their cultural identity.

Once again, Alice Pung nails the issues of young girls straddling being the “little girl” and the one finding her identity as independence and the double-digit years loom, complicated by the physical differences and expectations as puberty kicks in.  Millie expresses a lot of those inner thoughts and concerns that most have while trying to negotiate the ups and downs of relationships that involve others with similar insecurities.  But,  as Fru-Gals becomes Ahem Creations with Rita as marketing designer, Veesa as fashion designer and product producer,  Shanelle as publicist and Millie as maker and mender,  above all, there is the belief that each will find their own path, and with that, inner calm and hope for the future.  

This is a series that will appeal widely to those in that Year 3-6 age bracket who are finding their own interests and paths to follow, and need encouragement to keep going despite the nay-sayers. There are detailed instructions for some of the things that Millie makes, including the little dancing toy she makes for Mr Feik’s project, that not only inspire readers to get started but also show that creativity can come in many forms.  So if sewing doesn’t appeal, something else will. 

Turtle Moon

Nov12
Turtle Moon

Turtle Moon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turtle Moon

Hannah Gold

Levi Pinfold

HarperCollins, 2024

336pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9780008582081

Life has been unflash in the Trevelon household for some time as Silver’s parents try unsuccessfully to have another child and discover that it is not going to happen.  So much so that 11 year-old Silver feels she is second-fiddle to that unborn child and there is nothing that she can do to please her parents, particularly her mother.  She can’t even do well in a school art competition, even though her father is an artist. So when her father is invited to visit a turtle sanctuary for three months to paint pictures of the turtles to be turned into fund0raising souvenirs, it seems just like the circuit-breaker the family needs.

Life in the jungle of Costa Rica could not be more different than their English home, but, despite that, her parents’ melancholy continues – her mum spending her day reading and sleeping in a hammock and her dad unable to see the colours around him and confining himself to using black, regardless of the best efforts of Tickle, the capuchin monkey.  Silver finds a friend in Rafi, the son of the sanctuary’s overseer and who goes nowhere without Speedy, the baby sloth, draped around his neck.  Rafi recruits her to his secret one-man TAPS – the Turtle Agency Protection Society – that has its headquarters high in a treehouse – and Silver and the reader begin to learn about the turtles of the seas and the dangers they face, especially the eggs they lay in the sands on the beach. While all are endangered and in danger, it is the leatherback that hasn’t been on the beach for two years that is of the most concern, so when Silver sees one crawl up the beach and lay eggs, not only does she feel a special connection with the mother, but it sets off a train of events that others have described as Gold’s best story ever.

From her first novel, The Last Bear,  its sequel, Finding Bear, and The Lost Whale, Gold has become synonymous with offering stories for young independent readers that shine a spotlight on some of the world’s most endearing and endangered species, entertaining and educating at the same time. But this one is a little different because, although its lead character is again somewhat lost and alone because of parents not available physically or emotionally, Gold has drawn on her own experience of not being able to have children to show that even if your life doesn’t follow the path you expect, there are other pathways you can take.  Thus, Silver’s parents play a more prominent role in this story than its predecessors, but nevertheless, in all four, there is a strong theme of the humans learning as much about themselves as they do about the creature that is their focus, and offering the reader pause for reflection.  

Offer me a book with Hannah Gold’s name on the cover and it’s straight to the top of the TBR pile – and this one proved its promise. 

How We Share Cake

Oct28
How We Share Cake

How We Share Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How We Share Cake

Kim Hyo-eun

Translated by Deborah Smith

Scribble Books, 2024

52pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781761380655

When you’re one in a family of five children, it can be tough to get your fair share. As the second sister in a Korean family of five explains, it can also be tricky and depends on what it is, whether you want a fair share, and there can be tactics, politics and sneakery involved. While it might be easy to divvy up a piece of fruit or a litre of milk, what happens if it’s a roast chicken with everyone wanting their favourite joint, or if it’s a serve of fairy floss?  And does anyone really want an equal share of broccoli?

Then there are the indivisibles like hugs from a favourite uncle, the breeze from the fan and who gets to ride the new scooter first…

Drawing on her own experience the author has created an original, intriguing story that will resonate with many – including me as being the only girl amongst eight boys, seven of whom were close cousins – and offer lots of opportunities to discuss, explore and explain how things can be shared fairly, whether they need to be, and what strategies and plans can be devised to outsmart and outlast their siblings.  Do you dig into the ice cream with a spatula or a soup ladle?  Does your place at the table determine your menu?  And if it’s your birthday, do you choose the cake of your dreams or one that everyone can share? And then there are broader questions… Do shares always have to be fair? What happens when the unforeseen happens and the planning goes awry? How do you feel and what do you do if you don’t get what you were expecting? What is the difference between ‘deserving’ and ‘entitled’ and what determines them?

Using simple illustrations accompanied by captions that express the inner thoughts of each child and which are so familiar they are LOL, this is a story that would fit into any family in the world because learning to share – evenly and fairly or not – is one of the first things we teach little ones to do as they move into socialising with others so it is a familiar concept.  And while some things can be divided equally using maths concepts, each of which puts the abstract to a practical use so its relevance is understood, it is those that can’t that often create the greatest memories – as the endpapers show. 

This is a story that has many layers from the physical maths to the abstract of justice – how many times do we, as adults, hear a child exclaim something isn’t fair – and so it can be read over and over with a new focus each time.  Unique, refreshing and so relatable.

 

Ava and the Acorn

Oct26
Ava and the Acorn

Ava and the Acorn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ava and the Acorn

Lu Fraser

Paddy Donnelly

Hodder Children’s, 2024

40pp., hbk., RRP $A32.99

9781444964844 

There’s a whisper of woodsmoke that tumbles and twists

Through the ribbons of dawn and the morning’s soft mists

It weaves through the eaves of a house with a curl

Then downwards it drifts in the breeze…to a girl…

Add that text to this image and you know that you are about to embark on a very special story.

And indeed it is.  

As Grandad emerges from the cottage and joins Ava for their regular walk in the woods, she declares that she wants to stay there with him forever, but Grandad knows that nothing stands still, that life moves forward and things grow and change and so he takes her to an ancient oak tree that “has a lifetime worth knowing. A lesson it shares with each season growing. And the long-ago song that it sand as I grew Has become a new song that it’s singing for you.”

And so, through the year, they make memories together as both time and the tree roll through the seasons, swinging on the old swing, picnics in its shade, crunching through the leaves and then comes winter.  But Grandad is not well and there are no trips to the tree together – just memories to recall until Spring comes again…

Described as “a tender, stay-with-you-forever story about one little girl’s relationship with her grandad, and the hope that lies in the changing of the seasons and the circle of life” this is one that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age who has memories to treasure of times shared with a grandparent and how those memories are such a part of who they are now, as well as being especially appropriate for helping a little one deal with a recent loss.

The last few pages are particularly poignant as Ava tends the acorn that she and Grandad planted and as she grows, so does it, until she, in turn, takes her own son to learn the lessons of long ago… Because where you think there’s an end, there’s always a beginning . . .

Emotional, personal, sensitive and beautifully illustrated, even though this is a story that is essentially about the decline and loss of a loved one, at its core is a story of hope and promise of the future as the circle of life revolves and evolves. In fact, in answer to a question in an interview, illustrator Paddy Donnelly suggest that Circle of Life from The Lion King would be an appropriate song to accompany it and I agree.  

From the day we arrive on the planetAnd, blinking, step into the sunThere’s more to see than can ever be seenMore to do than can ever be doneThere’s far too much to take in hereMore to find than can ever be foundBut the sun rolling highThrough the sapphire skyKeeps great and small on the endless round
It’s the circle of lifeAnd it moves us allThrough despair and hopeThrough faith and love‘Til we find our placeOn the path unwindingIn the circleThe circle of life

11 Ruby Road: 1925

Oct19
11 Ruby Road: 1925

11 Ruby Road: 1925

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11 Ruby Road: 1925

Charlotte Barkla

Walker, 2024

176pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781760657956

It is 65 years since Millie and her mum moved to 11 Ruby Road and began Millie’s Store, and 25 years since Dorothy wrote her play inspired by the fight for the rights of women, and now it is the turn of the Muellers, a German-Australian family who have moved from Ipswich. to begin their life there where there is opportunity and jobs for his mother and older siblings, even though they have had to change their name to Miller.   Ten-year-old Bert’s father has been deported back to Germany following the conclusion of World War I, but there is still deep suspicion and distrust of anyone with connections to that country and so as well as trying to fit into a new school where cricket is king but your love is music and reading, Bert also has to contend with the attitudes of those whose lives have been so profoundly affected by the conflict and who hold all Germans responsible. –

But, in a time where entertainment and good times are pursued as an antidote to the horrors and restrictions of the previous decade,  Bert’s love of jazz and his ownership of a gramophone offer him an opportunity to make new friends, and although his plans are thwarted at first, following the near drowning of his younger brother Friedrich there is a chance for a second chance – one that reveals that Bert’s is not the only family with overseas heritage, and sets a few lives on paths very different to that which they anticipated. 

With some references to the past story including the reappearance of the pink ribbon given to young Millie back in 1860 as it binds the inhabitants together, but otherwise a stand-alone story, this is the second in this series  tracing the stories of the occupants of this house in Brisbane, introducing young independent readers to the lives of those who lived in the times, as well as the genre of historical fiction.  As with the predecessor it opens up avenues for discussion about how children lived – and there are notes at the back that expand on this – and extensive teachers’ notes support a more in-depth study for more mature readers, particularly the treatment of Germans post-war.  As the daughter of one who was held in captivity in Stalag VIIB for many years and then force-marched across Poland as part of a human shield and the daughter-in-law of another who knew Changi and the infamous Burma Railway first-hand,  I understand the prejudices that adults  like Mrs Purcell hold, but like Bert, younger readers might find this difficult to grasp particularly as both he and his siblings were born in Australia. Perhaps it is the children’s unity through playing cricket without regard for life through the adult lenses of what was and what should be which Hildegard is encountering, that can be the lasting legacy and set up the next chapter in the series as well as new friendships and understandings applicable even today.

Pow Pow Pig 6: Forest Secrets

Oct14
Pow Pow Pig 6: Forest Secrets

Pow Pow Pig 6: Forest Secrets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pow Pow Pig 6: Forest Secrets

Anh Do

Peter Cheong

A&U Children’s,  2022

224pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781761069833

It is the year 2050 and the world is in trouble. In 2030 the rich animals of the world voted to stop helping the poor and as they became richer, forever seeking bigger and better while discarding their unwanted things instead of sharing them, creating a huge amount of waste.  And then the fighting started.

But all is not lost and Piccolo Pig (aka Pow Pow Pig) , inspired by his parents’ role model has yearned to join CHOC (Creatures Helping Other Creatures) to help make the world a better place through small acts of kindness. So as soon as he was old enough he joined, and now, after three years of training it’s Graduation Day. But he and his friends Danielle Duck (aka King Fu Duck), Chelsea Chicken (aka Cha Cha Chicken) and Barry the Goat (aka Barry the Goat) are not in the A Team but the Z Team.  So they are the last to be picked when it comes to world-saving missions.

So when a call comes in and they are the only ones left, it is up to them to save the situation.  Although they live in 2050, they have time machine that allows them to travel back in time but sometimes it doesn’t work as it should so instead of ending back in 2030 as they want, they land in a variety of different time periods of the past. In this, their sixth adventure, they are in the forests of Ancient Japan caught in a chaotic fruit fight between two rival groups, the foxes and the monkeys, the once-peaceful forest is now divided and the team is determined to investigate how the conflict started so perhaps the issue can be resolved and harmony restored. 

The series is designed for younger independent readers with all the attributes required to support their transition to novels including a larger font, a light-handed layout and many illustrations, But, as with his other series embedded in the thoroughly modern characters, action, adventure and humour, there is an underlying message that gives the story more than just fleeting entertainment value. With their real world in such a tumultuous state with overseas situations touching those in Australia daily, this is a story whose underlying themes of getting combatants to recognise, understand and forgive long-held grievances, build bridges, work together and build a brighter future is very relevant and gives it substance that it relevant and thought-provoking so that there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.   

By making the heroes creatures often associated with being underdogs and having them as the Z Team , readers can learn that success can take many forms, that not all battles are won with might and power – a tea towel and a broom can be very effective when used cleverly – and that the desire to do well has to come from within. Perhaps they might even be inspired to stretch a hand across the desk to someone with whom they haven’t been seeing eye to eye and begin the peace process.   If Pow Pow Pig can do it, so can they. 

Small Acts

Oct11
Small Acts

Small Acts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small Acts

Kate Gordon & Kate Foster

Walker Books, 2024

256pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781760655938

Josh closes his laptop on the video his class has been watching about how people’s lives have been changed because strangers did something kind for them.  But even though the screen is now blank, the images continue to play in his mind, leaving him feeling overwhelmed.  For ever since his clever, computer-nerd BFF Andrew won a scholarship to a new, posh school Josh has felt alone yet desperately wanting to belong.  Perhaps being kind will be the key of the door of acceptance, but he is also confused.  How can an 11 year old boy make a difference -the only money he had was that which h had saved to buy a special camera for his photography – and how can he reach out when the ideas and emotions are often too big for his brain and speech becomes impossible, so he has to write his thoughts and make his lists to make sense of them?

And then there is Ollie – Olivia Alwyn Joan Richards to be precise – but that name was for a girl who was sweet and pretty, and Ollie was just Ollie.  Artistic and autistic, Ollie didn’t do talking either preferring to express herself through her art and her poetry, and after her best friend deserted her in the meanest of ways, she has struggled to believe that she is enough, that she is worthy of another’s attention, let alone kindness, even though she, herself, has reached out through one of her sculptures to a strange boy she has seen sitting on the park bench and whom she believes to be homeless because of his too-small, too-old clothes…

What they don’t know yet is that video assigned by Mr Parham, 5P’s teacher with  a passion for red, is going to change their lives and the lives of those around them in ways that will be profound…

IMO, put either of these author’s names on the cover of a book and you know you are going to be in for a quality, thought-provoking read and this one lives up to expectations.  As much as it gives the reader an insight into the world of those on the spectrum and how such a diagnosis is not one-size-fits-all but manifests itself in different ways for different children, it is also a powerful story for those who are ASD.  All four key characters – Josh, Ollie, Andrew and even Mr Parham – are autistic but each is very different, as are all neurotypical children, but first and foremost, they are children with all that that entails, and to be so brilliantly portrayed in a story that ‘normalises’ their thoughts and actions for themselves as much as  it enlightens the reader can only be a positive.

For me, who was so engrossed in the story that I read it right through the NRL Grand Final, the most powerful chapter is the poem written by Ollie in which she reflects on whether she will ever be enough in the eyes of those she holds most dearly, and then gradually comes to understand that maybe, more important than being enough for other people, she could find her own enough inside her.  If that isn’t a key message for strong mental health for all children, then I wonder what is. 

Comprehensive teachers’ notes are available that will help readers not only understand the story, its purpose and message but also apply what they have learned to their relationships so these are stronger, more compassionate and empathetic and richer for everyone.  

Should it be a read-aloud for a class so others can understand the lives of those on the spectrum?  That depends on the class and the teacher’s knowledge of any neurodivergent students within it.  While it is critical that such children can now read about themselves in stories like this, (a category search of this blog for “autism” will deliver several results), for some, having their condition exposed publicly may be too much, may lead to emotional distress and even more marginalisation and so a conversation with their parents who will always know the child best, should be a prerequisite.

Mia’s World

Oct7
Mia's World

Mia’s World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mia’s World

Amelia Donnelly

Jennifer Bouron

Little Steps, 2024

32oo., hbk., RRP $A26.95

 9781922678300

Cultural Day is coming up at school and to make it more significant, Ms Joy has asked the children to investigate their family backgrounds.  While some of the children are certain of their heritage, Mia is confused. She knows she was born in Spain but now she lives in Australia… so what does that make her? Spanish? Or Australian? And is there more to her than where she comes from? 

When she asks her mother to clarify things, her mum says she is “divine”- so Mia is even more confused.  What does that mean? To help her understand, her mum takes her to visit the leaders of the various faiths and religions in the area, but each has a different interpretation of the word.  It is not until they talk to an Indigenous elder in the park that Mia understands, and realises she is more than her name, where she comes from and the colour of her skin. 

With 49% of those living in Australia having at least one parent born overseas, Harmony Week. and in particular Harmony Day, is celebrated in many schools across Australia as children are encouraged to know, acknowledge and share their heritage but there are many who are like Mia who are confused because they feel they are Australian.  So this story has a part to play in helping them understand those words written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton that is viewed as an alternative national anthem…

We are one
But we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come
We’ll share a dream
And sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian

Woodley, B., & Newton, D. (1987) I Am Australian  

There are some teachers’ notes included on the final page to help guide discussion as well as a glossary and greetings, each giving scope to explore those that are relevant to students so they understand that there are differences that may divide, but overall, there are so many more similarities to unite.. 

Mini and Milo: The Last Plum

Oct3
Mini and Milo: The Last Plum

Mini and Milo: The Last Plum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini and Milo: The Last Plum

Venita Dimos

Natasha Curtin

Walker Books, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A25.99

9781760656171

Mini the elephant is gathering together the ingredients for her plum pie, her entry into the Annual Delicious and Delightful Cooking Competition but, much to her dismay, she has only nine plums and the recipe requires ten. Having been the winner for the last three years, the only thing Mini likes better than plums is winning – and that won’t happen with a pie with only nine plums.  

But she knows that Milo has plums on his plum tree so she asks him for one, but Milo only has one left and he’s been waiting ages for it to ripen so there is no way he is giving it to Mini, even if she is his best friend and offers to make him a pavlova, pudding and pancakes.  Things get desperate when Mini discovers that even the fruit shop has no plums and so she hatches a cunning plan… But sometimes plan go astray and this one has disastrous consequences…. or does it???

The tag on this book is “Big Skills for Mini People” and it is a series written for our youngest readers to not only help them manage their own emotions but help them navigate their way through relationships as they venture into the world of friendships beyond family and have to learn about competitiveness, managing inner voices, learning to listen, and communicating effectively. Learning to negotiate, compromise and consider others as they emerge from that egocentric world of toddlerhood can be tricky and so books like these, read with sensitive adults who can ask questions like “What could Mini have done instead of doing what she did? ” can help develop skills and strategies that will provide well for the future. 

While using animals as the main characters to portray human behaviour, particularly that of young children, is a common trope in these sorts of stories, doing so enables a lot of humour and unexpectedness to be injected into the story so it doesn’t become didactic and overbearing, and that is the case with this one.  Imagine – an elephant wearing a mask as a disguise climbing a ladder under the cover of darkness versus a young child doing the same.  Which will have the greater impact and memorability?  So as well as being a story for little ones to help them be a better friend, this could also be one for budding young writers to consider as they start to develop their own characters. 

Teachers’ notes and storytime kits to help teachers and parents make the most of the book and the series are available.