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How to be a (fantastic sensational) good enough kid

Jun18
How to be a (fantastic sensational) good enough kid

How to be a (fantastic sensational) good enough kid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to be a (fantastic sensational) good enough kid

Alice Peel

Beck Feiner

UNSW Press & NewSouth, 2025

256pp., pbk., RRP $A29.99

9781761170188 

Currently, suicide is the leading cause of death in Australia in males aged 15-49, with over seven a day acting on their belief that death is a better option than life.  According to experts, half of all serious mental health issues begin before a child reaches 14, and it is indicative of the seriousness of this situation that, on a blog that focuses on books for those in the 0-8 years age group, there are over 150 titles that have been tagged with the “Mental Health” category.

It seems that helping young kids recognise the symptoms of anxiety and develop strategies to deal with it is not only an exploding problem but one that provides so many with the content around which to develop a context for their stories. Whether fiction, fact or self-help, the need to reach out is unending.  And the consequences if we don’t are dire as the current “youth crime crisis” as media and politicians and others have tagged a deeper, more troubling issue, demonstrates.  Why do these young kids need to go to such extremes so they can post their activities on social media?  Why is notoriety so valued?  Why do so many feel they have to be fantastic and sensational at any cost?  Why is ‘good enough’ not enough?

This is a new release from the co-founder of Grow Your Mind  – “a ground-breaking wellbeing program in over 500 Australian schools that helps children develop resilience, emotional regulation and friendship skills” and which  is available as a quality-assured program in the NSW Department of Education’s Student Wellbeing external programs catalogue. Using her professional experience as a teacher and psychologist, and sharing this through an entertaining and engaging format, Peel encourages children to “shift their focus from perfection to progress” as she helps them understand their own thoughts and feelings and how to not only deal with them, but improve them to develop those essential life skills so they can become “proud, glimmer-seeking, awe-hunting and totally good-enough” individuals.  Through examples they can relate to, activities to undertake and a text that respects their intelligence, parents, teachers and the kids themselves learn to navigate those challenges that are part and parcel of today’s life as they are empowered to understand what is happening and develop their own resilience while also getting an insight into why others respond the way they do and thus building their emotional intelligence.

 Based on the four pillars of mental health and well being – positive psychology, social and emotional learning, public health and neuroscinece, this would be not only a useful adjunct to those who have the program itself operating in their schools, but also as a standalone to support any wellbeing/mindfulness/mental health curriculum being offered. Teachers’ notes directly linked to the Australian Curriculum for Years 3-7 are available. 

Whether

A Lemon for Safiya

Jun17
A Lemon for Safiya

A Lemon for Safiya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Lemon for Safiya

Jemima Shafei-Ongu

Nisaluk Chantanakom

Lothian, 2025

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

9780734422224

“It was Safiya who first spotted the woman sitting on the edge of the footpath, sock-sandalled feet in the gutter, busy cars speeding past.”

And so begins a compassionate and compelling story of Safiya and her parents taking their time to find where the old woman has come from, because clearly the gutter is not her home.  Yet no one else has bothered to stop to help this elderly lady who has become invisible to society because of her ethnicity, race, religion, language, age and now dementia – a story that is sadly echoed as so many develop tunnel vision as they race about their daily lives.  

But to Safiya’s family, particularly her mother who speaks Arabic and can communicate with the woman, she is neither invisible or ignored and not only do they manage to find her family but learn a little about the life she has lead, including the significance of the lemon she is clutching.  “Every line on her face seemed to hold a story.” The final image is touching and suggests that not only has Maryam lived many stories but a new one has begun.

As the Baby Boomer generation ages and dementia and other age-related illnesses take their toll, sadly there are many who seem to be forgotten and unseen by society generally and the isolation is compounded when communications break down through either a lack of English or the loss or memory.  Luckily, Maryam’s family had ensured she had an identity bracelet to help with just this situation but the fear of a loved one wandering off is ever-present.  

While this story puts a face and personal context to this growing issue it is nevertheless a universal story – one playing out in so many families regardless of their heritage, language and beliefs.  We can only hope that if Maryam were our elderly relative, it would be a Safiya who noticed her. 

Skin

Jun10
Skin

Skin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skin

Deborah Kelly

Rhiza Edge, 2025

128pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781761112454

“When a tiny freckle on Lexie Collins’s cheek turns out to be a rare kind of melanoma that requires surgery, she is left with a big, ugly scar across one cheek. She had just earned a spot in the state finals for public speaking, but with the scar, her confidence has vanished. She doesn’t even recognise herself anymore.

Mum and Dad keep reminding Lexie how lucky she is that she didn’t need further treatment. But Lexie doesn’t feel lucky at all. She suddenly feels ugly, unsure of herself and different from all her friends. She doesn’t want to be seen—let alone speak—in public ever again.

But when a chance encounter turns into an unexpected friendship, Lexie’s feelings about her scar—and herself—slowly begin to change.”

Recommended for those 14+, this is not normally a book I would review for this blog but because of its important message about body image – from both perspectives of judging others and being judged – which impacts our tweens as much as our teens, I am making this exception as it is one that parents and young girls need to be aware of. Even if a young person, girl or boy, has not been ‘disfigured” by melanoma – itself an important topic to be discussed as the bullet-proof generation disregard all they have learned about being sun-smart – many will have some issue that causes them self-doubt and makes them the target for bullies, sadly, too often with disastrous consequences, so Lexie’s story needs to be known, shared, promoted – whatever it takes to help young people understand that who they and their friends are as they are is enough. Because we know that at this age peer opinion and pressure is more persuasive than anything parents say or do, and even moreso in these days of social media and its filtered reality where even strangers’ comments can overwhelm our own inner voice, this is an authentic story that echoes the lives of many. The author, Deborah Kelly, is no stranger to writing these realistic, empathetic stories which include the CBCA 2020 shortlisted The Thing about Oliver and The Chalk Rainbow  and this is equally as engaging and evocative.

Not a news bulletin goes by without some report of teenage thugs terrifying others as they wield machetes and so forth, seemingly in an attempt to prove something to their peers, and the perpetrators and their victims are younger and younger so, while this story is not going to solve the situation, any tool we have to promote discussion about and improve perception of individual self-worth is worth knowing about and using. 

It is the first in a series called Rhiza Shorts, described by the publishers as “Teen fiction. Minimal words. Maximum impact. A new list of teen novellas for busy teens or reluctant readers. Each book has an easy to follow stand-a-lone story based on topics, struggles and interests that teens face today.”  The list of up-coming titles and the themes they cover can be found by following the link, and again, while their target audience is for those older than this blog caters for, I believe there is a place for them in the Senior Fiction section of the primary library and perhaps as a starting point for a health and well-being curriculum.  

Bigfoot vs Yeti

May31
Bigfoot vs Yeti

Bigfoot vs Yeti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bigfoot vs Yeti

James Foley

Fremantle Press, 2025

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

9781760994983

The clans have been enemies for as long as anyone can remember.

The Bigfoots say it started when a Yeti threw a snowball across the rift. The Yetis say it started when a Bigfoot threw some fruit across the rift. Who could say for sure? But what was certain was that it seemed the rift was too wide to cross, too deep to fathom and it was seemingly endless.   There was always a Bigfoot and Yeti on guard on either side hurling snowballs, fruit and insults at each other. Until, one night, a young Bigfoot and a young Yeti decide to find the end of the rift so they can finish the feud – once and for all.

This is an intriguing book that has many layers, making it one of those that can be used from Kindergarten to Year 12.  For Kindy kids, it can be just a story about two clans or families that are arguing but who eventually find a resolution by helping each other and offering hope with a happy ending.  Slightly older children will begin to appreciate that it is possible for people to have different beliefs, even disagreements, and yet still remain on friendly terms if respectful communication continues. But for older students it can be an allegory to explain the wars and conflicts that are currently consuming the planet whether they be fuelled by racism, religion, ethnic or cultural differences, or just old-fashioned power and greed. 

Sadly, so many of our young students have already faced conflict in their lives, whether that has been at the family vs family or the country vs country level, and thus, are familiar with friction if not fear, so this is a simplified, child-lens view of how such disputes begin that teachers and parents can use to explain the circumstances that children might find themselves in, or to interpret increasing uncertainty in the world that makes so many anxious. And while President Trump’s infamous declaration in May 2023 that, ““They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours.” is coming back to bite him because rifts run deep and are not as simple as “doing a deal”, Foley has created an ending that could provoke older students into delving into why solutions are not as simple as they might seem and why age-old divisions endure through generations.  

While younger readers will understand that while the two clans are fighting, everything is depicted in black and white, right and wrong, and when the mist lifts, there is colour, older readers could explore how a creator’s use of colour in illustrations is a deliberate choice to depict mood, atmosphere, emotions and so forth and how such choices are integral to the story being told in the text. To help explore the story further, in a way that is appropriate to the reader’s age, maturity and understanding,  comprehensive teachers’ notes are available, and there is an interview with Foley here. 

Knowledge, understanding, tolerance and acceptance of differences begins at a very young age as our children play together in the playground with no language barriers, or racial, religious, cultural, social, economic or other prejudices. They just celebrate what each brings to the game – and, as in the story, that can be the way forward.  The work we do in teaching them how to resolve the inevitable arguments, how to negotiate, compromise and connect is not wasted and this story offers many riches in how to explain, explore and resolve conflict no matter the scale it is on. 

So this is a story for all ages  and all collections that can be used again and again as we strive for a better, brighter future.

My Cousins, My World

May24
My Cousins, My World

My Cousins, My World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Cousins, My World

Sharara Attai

Michelle Pereira

A & U Children’s, 2025

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

9781761180972

I have more cousins than I can count on my fingers and toes.
Quiet cousins and loud cousins.
Dark cousins and fair cousins.
Young cousins and old cousins.
I have cousins who are near.
And some who are far.
But even those who are far feel near.
Because memories of them surround me, wrapping me up like a warm blanket.

This is a joyous book that celebrates the wonderful richness that cousins can add to our lives as families and memories are shared at family celebrations and shared adventures, whether those be at the beach, camping out or just being together and singing and dancing.  It doesn’t matter if they live in different parts of the world or speak another language, those familial ties bind them together tighter than any other bond.

Before the invention and release of the contraceptive pill in the early 1960s (often referred to as THE invention of the 20th century), many women had babies on an almost annual basis and large families – and thus, lots of cousins – was the norm.  In my own family, I was the only girl among eight boys (one brother, seven cousins, all brothers) and this book brought back so many childhood memories of the two families getting together every Friday night for fish and chips for tea and then while  the adults played cards and had a beer, we children played hide-and-seek in the dark streets of a quiet Christchurch suburb. And although, over the decades, friendships have come and gone as life as ebbed and flowed, the bonds between those of us who are still alive, remain, and if I were to go back to New Zealand and meet the boys again, we would probably just pick up where we left off – although maybe on wheelie-walkers now.

Even though smaller families are more the norm these days,  this book is the impetus for young readers to explore their wider families – it doesn’t matter if they are “first”, “second” or times-removed cousins – and indulge in the common things they share and have inherited, as well as how those things have shaped their lives.  (I learned that if I wanted to be part of the action, I had to keep up with Barrie, Tony, Jimmy, Peter, Mark, Jonathan, Jason and Nicholas and so I was never going to be the elegant lady my mother wished for, even though, she herself discovered the same thing as she grew up roaming the hills of Bluff.)  It may even spark an interest in investigating the family tree to uncover the threads that weave the tapestry of family, discovering new connections and building new memories. 

“Cousins are the first friends, the best friends, the friends that last a lifetime. ” Indeed. 

The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best (series)

May22
The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best

The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best

Out of Bounds

 9781460765388

The Girl Who Cried Bird

9781460765401

Katherine Collette

Harper Collins 2024-25

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

Alma T. Best lives in Shellsville, a town whose main claims to fame are its sewage treatment plant and its basketball team, which could be okay in normal circumstances, but it’s tricky when you’re 12, already 1.8metres tall and you hate basketball.  Especially when people are continually asking you if you do. While all her friends are looking forward to moving to Point Elizabeth High School, Alma has won a scholarship to Holy Grace, an all-girls college that is also the biggest rival of the basketball team, which could be problematic, particularly as, rather than admitting where she lives and who she knows, she tells a lie…

Then, having got herself into an embarrassing situation in the first episode, you would think that Alma may have learned a lesson about telling tall tales but it appears not so because in the second in the series, rather than her family celebrating her as part of National Middle Child Day, she has to go on the annual bird-watching competition with them – something  she enjoys almost as much as basketball. 

So when she manages to see an extremely rare purple-bellied parrot, it’s big news. and she’s practically, almost, nearly, entirely famous! The only problem is no one else saw the parrot … And no one saw Alma see the parrot … And no one has seen the parrot since. When some so-called ‘experts’ suggest Alma didn’t see the bird at all, she’s determined to prove them wrong, no matter what. But given that the bird hasn’t been seen for 32 years, and her previous experiences, how can she show people that she is telling the truth?

Is this a series about a pathological liar, or is it about a young girl, who perceives herself to be so different from her peers that she will go to any lengths to be noticed, rather like the Aesop fable of The Boy who Cried Wolf? Straddling childhood and independence, being 12 is a tricky age and so this is a series that will resonate with many young female independent readers who are feeling confused about just where and how they fit in, especially if they are comparing themselves to their peers who seem to have it all together, breezing through puberty, the transition to high school and all the other challenges the age group faces.  Perhaps telling “white” lies to boost your status, your life  and your self-esteem seems an appealing option, but is it really the best way forward? While Alma’s poor choices may be obvious to the reader, it’s not so clear when you, yourself, are in a situation where you have to save face, and maintain your reputation and relationships, so not only are Alma’s scenario and circumstances familiar to many readers,  they could also prompt some self-reflection.. Is it better to be acceptable and accepted in the moment, or is your big-picture reputation more important?  

Having managed to survive two episodes which have involved to navigate some tricky incidents of her own making, the question is whether Alma has learned from her behaviour or will there be a third in the series?

 

  

 

 

The Girl and the Ghost

May16
The Girl and the Ghost

The Girl and the Ghost

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Girl and the Ghost

Jacqueline Harvey

Penguin, 2025

352pp., pbk., RRP $A16.99

9781761349409

Josephine Eloise Thomas (aka Jet) has moved  from metro Sydney to rural France with her dad Matt, stepmum Ellie, brother Teddy and golden retriever, Daisy to renovate an old chateau they have bought to turn into a guesthouse. They have chosen the location deliberately because Jet’s mum was born and raised there, but she died when Jet was very young and little is known about her childhood.  But what sounds like it could be another episode of Escape to the Chateau takes an interesting turn when Jet finds an old locket hidden in an armoire (wardrobe) in her room, and even more intriguing when she opens it and a ghost emerges. And it’s not any old past resident of the chateau but  one who claims to be Louis XVII. younger son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette and heir to the French throne. 

It seems that only Jet and Daisy can see and hear him, and if she closes the locket he is locked away again, which she does often until they start to build a “friendship” but that’s when the mystery begins… Is it about Louis’ life because history says he died in 1795 at the age of 10 at the Cafe La Tour du Temple in Paris yet the ghost claims to be 14 and was smuggled out of the capital and looked after in a nearby chateau until he got sick and died from a broken heart?  Is it about the mysterious childhood of Jet’s mother where there are questions and clues, but no answers? Or is it about the strange events happening in the seemingly abandoned Chateau du Lac which adjoins their chateau and which Jet and Louis witness when they go exploring?  What has this painting by Rembrandt got to do with what is going on?

Rembrandt’s “Storm on the Sea of Galilee.”

Rembrandt’s “Storm on the Sea of Galilee.”

Once again, Jacqui Harvey has written a story that is going to engage independent readers who enjoy a good mystery with relatable characters but not too many twists and turns in the plot. While they might not relate to moving to France, they can get a glimpse of life through Jet’s narrative as well as her emails and Facetime conversations with her best friend Harriet, who, herself, has had to upsticks and move with her family to Singapore, as well as the notes Jet makes in her diary as she is determined to become an author when she is older, particularly one who writes mysteries spurred on by her reading of the  Kensy and Max, Alice-Miranda and Friday Barnes    series, mirroring Jacquie Harvey’s own ambitions.

Because this story takes place in the school holidays before Jet starts her new school where her previous detective work has uncovered it is the school her mother attended, the introduction of potential boyfriend Gabriel as well as Harriet’s impending visit in September, and the links and leads that suggest there is more to not only her mother’s story but also Louis’, it’s clear that this is the first in yet another series by this popular author – and, indeed, it is. 

When they were Jet’s age, my granddaughters devoured Alice-Miranda and then Kensy and Max , and I particularly enjoyed this one, so it’s definitely one to introduce to your readers who like a bit of historical fiction mingled with a good mystery, likeable characters and an enchanting setting, especially as the genesis of the book is explained in the back matter, perhaps inspiring aspiring young writers themselves  Stories can come from anywhere!  

Bear

May3
Bear

Bear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bear

Natalia Shaloshvili

Frances Lincoln Children’s, 2025

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

9781836002604

When Bear sits on a bench in the meadow, he thinks 

“I love being a bear.  I love my cookie. I love my book. I love ,y balloon. And I love sitting on my bench all by myself.”

But then Fox wants a spot on the bench, Wolf asks for a bite of cookie, Rabbit wants a turn with the book. And Elephant would really like the balloon… Bear’s day is not what he expected but will he share? Or will he explode?

From the get-go, our little ones are taught to share their things, but what happens when you have given away all you have?  Do you speak up and risk the wrath of those around you, accused of being selfish?  Or do you learn the art of saying “no”  without hurting feelings or feeling guilty? Do you really have to give away some of the things you hold dear? Are you ever allowed to just let your frustration go?

While Bear’s words say one thing, his expression and the clever use of font say another, giving the reader the opportunity to consider his body language and speculate on what he is really thinking, offering yet more lessons in how to “read the room”, particularly if the adult sharing the book begins a conversation about these sorts of non-verbal cues and clues. 

While this is primarily aimed at the preschool child who is learning about operating in the world of family and friends, it also has implications for those a bit older as they also learn to develop respectful relationships and that it is not only okay to say no, but sometimes it is essential.  

Navigating the world of relationships, especially in this time of political correctness and social politeness where there is always someone who will take offence, is tricky for the most mature of us, and so retreating to Bear’s isolated world of a bench, a book and a balloon seems to be idyllic but because, as John Donne said. “No man is an island”, we must learn to map and walk our path carefully. even though sometimes we want to, can and do scream AAAAAARGH! (Or words to that effect and who cares about the consequences!)

 

The Terrakeet

May2
The Terrakeet

The Terrakeet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Terrakeet

Jo van der Borgh

Jo Beasley

Walker Books, 2025

25pp., hbk., RRP $A25.99

9781760657673

In the shade of the gobi trees on the edge of Pincer Sea,
live a family of Finlocks as peaceful as can be.
They lomf and fish and fish and eat and hope that they will never meet …
the Frimbulitic Terrakeet!

Described as “Dr Seuss meets The Gruffalo” this is a delightful story in rhyme that tells the story of a family living alone, fending for themselves but constantly in fear of meeting this maniacal monster who will eat them at the first opportunity.  But then, when Mother Nature isn’t as plentiful as she has been, the youngest decides to look further afield for food but, instead encounters the terrakeet…

On the surface this appears to be one of those stories full of imaginative, made-up words that just roll off the tongue and become etched in the brain. Whether it’s Seuss, Lewis Carroll, Spike Milligan or others who have mastered the art of inventing a word to suit the circumstances, children love to listen to the rhyme and rhythm and let their imaginations soar as the nonsense evolves. The soft, gentle watercolour and ink illustrations offer a clue that all might not be as it seems, and there might be a surprise ending.

But this also has a more serious message, one that takes it into the realm of older readers because even though the youngest Finlock has been conditioned since birth to believe that the Terrakeet is a scary, dangerous monster to be avoided, he discovers something quite different.  So, just as wolves have been portrayed as fierce, fearsome creatures in stories and we have been encouraged to rethink those beliefs, is it time to re-examine some of our own perceptions and preconceptions to discover the truth?  In a world which seems to becoming increasingly black and white (or black versus white), are there any shades of grey?  Are strangers in fact friends we have yet to meet? Could this be an opportunity to investigate the role of monsters and other fearsome creatures and outcomes passed on to generations through a culture’s myths, legends, fables and folklore?

On Gallant Wings

Apr25
On Gallant Wings

On Gallant Wings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Gallant Wings

Helen Edwards

Riveted Press, 2025

288pp., pbk., RRP $A17.99

9781763526051

Darwin, December 1941.  Even though her dad is a navigator for the RAAF and is stationed somewhere overseas, for 12-year-old Ava the war is a distant thing and she goes about her daily life with her mum and older brother Fred, playing with her best friend Kazuo, whose dad was born in Japan, and raising her pet pigeons. She lives by her own self-imposed rules and rituals and her greatest delight is watching the progress of her new chick Essie, her favourite pigeon, who is already showing signs of leadership, ready for her first flight early. while dodging Billy the Bully is her greatest fear.  Life is okay, under the circumstances – until it isn’t.

Fred lies about his age so he can join up and “do his bit” and is to be sent to training camp shortly; Pearl Harbour is bombed by the Japanese and Kazuo and his family are sent to an internment camp, even though both Kazuo and his mother were born in Australia; and then Darwin, itself, is bombed and Ava and her mum barely escape with their lives.  Forced to evacuate, Ava and her mum join the other families in making the long and arduous trip south to stay with Grandma Dot and Grandpa RaRi in Lake Boga near Swan Hill, Victoria, a town as different from Darwin as it could be. And such a change means a new set of rules -including the one about making no new friends because everyone leaves anyway. Yet despite the difference in location, the war follows Ava, both in reality as a secret Catalina flying-boat maintenance base is built on the lake and her mother joins the WAAAF and works at the base,  and in her head as the sights and sounds of the bombing continue to haunt her.  Infrequent letters, heavily censored, keep her in touch with her dad and Fred who is now with the Signals Directorate working with Essie and the other pigeons in preparation for deployment to New Guinea and despite her rule not to make friends because friends leave and heartache follows, she teams up with Pete, Jenny and Stevo and with school and swimming in the lake, watching the Catalinas and the pelicans, there is a semblance of normality again. That is, until her life is turned upside down when Kazuo appears in the dead of night having escaped from the family internment camp, terrified of being send to the single men’s camp where Japanese prisoners of war will see him as a traitor to their nation. Ava is torn between helping him and living by her rules of telling no lies to her grandparents… Can she find a way through her ethical dilemma so she doesn’t break her grandparents’ trust, can keep Kazuo safe and yet remain true to her self?

Written by Ava, and interspersed with those precious letters, this is an intriguing and engaging story for independent readers about a little-known period of Australian history.  While even our youngest have a sketchy knowledge of why we commemorate ANZAC Day, the wars and the conflict and upheaval they caused, are fading into the memories of even their great-grandparents now and the stories of the children’s lives of the time are disappearing. Life before the internet is tricky to remember, let alone life before television, and so a war fought in a time when soldiers had to roll cable out through the jungle and rely on carrier pigeons for communication is almost unimaginable and so this is an important story for giving today’s readers a glimpse into a life that was very real for their great-grandparents, and ultimately influenced who they, themselves, are. (My own grandchildren proudly volunteer as flag bearers each ANZAC Day at the Australian War Memorial, commemorating the service of their great-grandfathers, grandfathers and other family members, continuing that contribution to community through their Scouting activities.)   Meticulously researched, it also fills in gaps for those of us who are older but whose parents chose not to talk about their wartime experiences – too raw, too scary and too incomprehensible if you weren’t there and didn’t live through it.  It may even spark an interest in investigating personal family histories, or perhaps the story of someone whose name is etched on the town’s war memorial. 

As well as Ava’s own experiences, there are also broader issues that can be discussed and explored such as the automatic internment of those Australians deemed to be enemies because of their heritage; the secrecy surrounding the devastation of Darwin;  even the impact of PTSD on children and how seemingly unrelated events can cause triggers.  More general teaching notes following these themes and others, including the uncensored letters, are available here.

Through Essie, Tommy and the other pigeons, we also learn about the role they and other animals have played in wars -so many  more than Simpson’s donkey – and those with an interest can not only read about the Dickin Medal which was awarded to Essie, but can also read more in Pidge’s Poppies and Wear a Purple Poppy. 

Given the unpredictability of today’s world, the 24/7 news cycle and television and the internet bringing the world’s conflict into our students’ lounge rooms, many are feeling great anxiety about their future so want to escape into fantasy adventure where they have the power to control events, but with carefully selected historical fiction such as this, we can show them that previous generations have faced just as dire circumstances and come through – challenged and changed, but resourceful and resilient – and that there is hope for them too.  Humanity will prevail.

From pigeons and Morse code to satellites and cyberspace: 100 years of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals

"Rat on wings": the little pigeon that won a gallantry medal

“Rat on wings”: the little pigeon that won a gallantry medal