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My Buddy & Me – Normalising Grief & Loss and Learning Resilience

May19
My Buddy & Me - Normalising Grief & Loss and Learning Resilience

My Buddy & Me – Normalising Grief & Loss and Learning Resilience

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Buddy & Me – Normalising Grief & Loss and Learning Resilience

Joan Oakley-Lohm

Phyllis Nicoll

Balancing of Life, 2018

45pp., pbk., RRP  $A30.00

9780648317760

Unfortunately, loss and grief can become part of any child’s life at any time whether that be through separation, divorce, death or even an everyday, less dramatic (to an adult) event like a friend moving away or not being invited to a party and, because they are still a child, they don’t have the maturity or skills to cope with the big emotions that follow.

Building on Einstein’s philosophy that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge” because while knowledge is limited to what we already know and understand, imagination embraces the entire world and thus stimulates progress and innovation because creative thought enables us to explore possibilities beyond  our current reality,  retired counsellor and author Joan Oakley-Lohm has crafted this book to help young children develop strategies that will help them navigate those times when they feel overwhelmed by sadness.

Using a little boy who acknowledges he feels sad at times as the main character, he and his mouse buddy go for a walk in the garden and encounter a tree that  may lose a limb at some stage but while it may lose a limb at some stage, it will regenerate and still go on living, just as Al will when he feels loss.  Using suggestions that focus on imagining a brighter future and doing things that make him happy, Mouse offers ideas that while not minimising the grief that Al feels, can move him forward as he works through his feelings.

It is designed to help children develop an inner resilience that doesn’t rely as much on community support as it does on self-talk and self-awareness but nevertheless, it is one that probably needs adult guidance because most young children will not have the maturity to set their here-and-now emotions aside to appreciate and understand what Mouse is saying and to find a pathway forward.   It is one that could be used by a parent helping a child move forward, or a teacher helping students build emotional resilience offering a conversation starter that can help the child take the first steps beyond their immediate emotions, rather than just distracting them, thus being a useful addition to the mindfulness curriculum. 

The Prime Minister Problem

Apr28
The Prime Minister Problem

The Prime Minister Problem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Prime Minister Problem

Brenton Cullen

Riveted Press, 2026

192pp.,  pbk., RRP $A17.99

 9781764256728

So many of us know Wren – the quiet, shy, introverted child who seeks solace in the library because it’s safer than the playground; the child who reads the Guinness Book of Records so they can say something but is never asked to contribute; the child who is always the last to be picked when it comes to team tasks; the child whose mum loves him dearly but is so busy working two jobs to make ends meet she never has time; the child who desperately wants a friend but whose only friend is his grandmother with whom he shares a love of nature and birdwatching… The invisible child who begins to think he is unworthy of attention, let alone love.

But then his teacher Miss Peg tells them that the term’s focus will be the government and particularly the prime minister, their roles and responsibilities and the class will work in teams to present a speech. Could being teamed with Tamara, the kid new to the school and the town, be a turning point for Wren? No- it seems not for she quickly sizes up the atmosphere and joins the hurt-you-before-you-hurt-me in-crowd who relentlessly tease Wren, before they discover her vulnerabilities.  But Wren is used to disappointment and goes it alone, again, convinced that if the PM’s job is to help everyone, surely she will help him save the animals from the current bushfires. So he writes to her and then waits and waits and waits for a reply…

However, while he is waiting a bigger, more personal problem arises – his beloved Grandma has a stroke and is going to need full-time care.  Problem is, there is no full-time care available in his small rural town and she is going to have to go to a nursing home in  the city three hours away where she knows no one and visiting is going to be hard.  Surely that is a problem that the prime minister would respond to – but another letter to her goes unanswered and even an attempt to travel to Canberra is thwarted.

And then Wren has an idea – one so big and important that from deep within he finds the courage to put himself in the spotlight, overcome his fear of speaking to groups, . An idea that finally gets the PM’s attention, but by them it doesn’t matter because his thinking has gone viral and the whole country is behind him already…

This is a powerful, read-beyond-lights-out story that is going to resonate with so many readers whether they see themselves as Wren, Tamara, or one of their school’s in-crowd, or even know Grandma or Mr Bright. In a digitally connected society that has never been more disconnected, loneliness is rife particularly as families and friends are so scattered, yet is masked by that prevalent unwillingness to show our deepest fears and feelings, in case we be judged in a world that thrives on likes and the approval of others. 

Few viewers who watched it will forget the warmth, charm and life-changing events of Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds. and this is a story in the same vein for younger independent readers. Cullen has touched a hidden nerve, one that the Prime Minister can’t fix, but which one child’s hope, love, courage and determination does, and which may even spark a similar solution in the reader’s realm. One child can spark change and while helping others, help themselves too – not just growing a friendship group, but self-confidence and self-worth too.

Cullen has crafted an authentic novel that not only reflects real life but also addresses the “Now I know this, what next?” issue. At a time when every problem is blamed on the Government and therefore should be fixed by them, Wren (and the reader) learn that often the greatest solutions come from within those most affected.

Skipping to Sammy’s Beat

Apr26
Skipping to Sammy's Beat

Skipping to Sammy’s Beat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skipping to Sammy’s Beat

Coral Vass

Blithe Fielden

New Frontier, 2026

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

9781923331020

The year Sammy turned four she wore her pink tutu, her spotty yellow gumboots, her big bat wings and her bike helmet.

That year she splashed in puddles, dangled from trees, looked for ladybirds and danced down the path to the beat only she could hear… tap, da–dum, tap. tap. ta-dum. But things changed when Sammy turned five as she started to notice her friends dressing more conservatively and laughing at her dancing – so much so that the beat grew quieter and quieter until she no longer heard it, and no longer danced.  She just watched her friends do those things that had once given her pleasure, getting sadder and sadder… Until the day as she slumped near a large puddle and saw a dragonfly desperately trying to escape the water’s clutches.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

Sammy’s story could be that of so many children who are content and comfortable in their own skin being just who they are, until the perceptions and opinions of the outside world begin to creep in. Suddenly, they start to compare themselves to those around them,  it matters what others think of them, and conformity is easier than the conflict that being different can engender. At least, on the outside, because on the inside a battle can be raging , But through this sensitive story with its vibrant but gentle artwork, young children can learn that it is okay to hear a beat in your head and move to it in your own way, even if you are the only one who can hear it. It takes courage and confidence but the rewards are worth it.

With so many little ones feeling the first seeds of self-doubt and anxiety as they begin their journey into a world wider than the family home, they need to hear and talk about stories like Sammy’s so they have the affirmation that who they are, with all their quirks and foibles is enough, is perfectly okay, and to be celebrated so they can conquer the fears and insecurities before they take hold or worse, take over.  They need to know that dancing to the beat of their own drum is the best path to take.

Fearless

Apr12
Fearless

Fearless

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fearless

Kelly Canby

Fremantle Press, 2026

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

9781760996611

Bea Ware is afraid of everything – from shadows to ladders to trampolines, she is in a constant state of anxiety and trepidation. Her friend, Annie Venture, seems completely carefree, skipping through life without a single worry. But Annie shares her secret with Bea. Annie is not fearless, she has simply learned to fear less. So, just a little every day, Bea tries to fear less, too, and uncover a more carefree life.

Set against a backdrop of words of the things that scare her swirling all around and all over, and using a limited, dark palette,  Canby has used a clever visual technique to portray and enhance Bea’s feelings of being swamped by her anxieties, reflecting the feelings of many young readers at a time when, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in May 2025,  it is “estimated that one in seven children between the ages of 4-17 experience a mental illness.”  Over 10 years ago, that same body identified “Anxiety disorders were the second most common disorders among all children (6.9%), and the most common among girls (6.1%).”  One can only surmise that the numbers and percentages have increased if the anecdotal evidence from teachers is relied on and indeed, more recent, equally reliable sources quote “Of children with a mental illness, half have a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (2). The prevalence of anxiety disorders is 7% for children aged 4-11 years and is similar for adolescents aged 12-17 years. This equates to a total of 278,000 young people in Australia diagnosed with an anxiety disorder” -and even that refers to a study 10 years old and pre-COVID.

Therefore, this book is likely to resonate with many but rather than increasing their anxiety, it will reassure them that their feelings are common, they are not alone or odd, and that because there is a significant difference between being fearless and fearing less, their anxieties can be decreased, lessened and need not define them or their life. Just as Bea follows Annie’s lead and confronts some of the things that she is afraid of, trying something new each day, discovering that many are more her imagination than reality, so the reader is encouraged to do the same. And, like Bea, that frayed-knot feeling in their tummy might gradually unravel and turn into a frayed no-quite-as-often, and instead of a life of gloomy shades, it now has all the colours of the rainbow.

For little ones, finding the self-belief that they do have the courage and resilience  to take the first steps in facing their fears can cause anxiety in itself so there are sensitive teachers’ notes to help the adult share the book and begin the conversations- in themselves, the first steps forward. 

The Flower Garden – A Changi Secret

Apr2
The Flower Garden - A Changi Secret

The Flower Garden – A Changi Secret

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Flower Garden – A Changi Secret

Claire Saxby

Lucia Masciullo

Walker Books, 2026

32pp., hbk.,  RRP $A25.99

9781760657352

I have a secret – we have a secret –
in this place where secrets are not allowed.

Imagine you’re a child with all the natural curiosity, imagination, energy and exuberance that goes with childhood.  But instead of being able to wander and explore the world around you, that world is bounded by high walls and barbed wire, patrolled and guarded by brutal soldiers who do not hesitate to impose their power – even on little children.  Such was the life of many children and their mothers who were long-time residents of Malaya and Singapore but who, with the fall of both countries to the Japanese in February 1942, were herded like animals into the notorious Changi Prison, and treated as such. Days were spent tending the gardens to grow food for their captors in the morning and then on rows of hard benches learning “numbers, words and formulas” and secret songs under the watchful eyes and ears of gun-carrying soldiers in the afternoons. Not until dusk fell was their time their own.

But in that time, the women tried to make life a little more normal for the children, and one in particular, Mrs Elizabeth Ennis, an army nursing sister, began a secret Girl Guides group and taught them how to take their minds, if not their bodies, far beyond the prison walls.  So as her birthday approaches, it is time to make a special present, and in this sensitive, softly illustrated story, Saxby and Masciullo not only divulge what that gift will be but expose the lives of those who made it and the risks they took to do so.

The horrors of Changi have been on my radar since my own childhood because even though my dad was a POW in Germany and eventually force-marched across Poland as part of the Germans’ human shield, even in those days long before television, let alone the internet, the atrocities and barbarities of Changi were known, and the brutality of the captors was being revealed by those like my future father-in-law who miraculously survived the men’s camp, as well as in stories like Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice, and movies like The Bridge on the River Kwai (where my f-i-l ended up).  Yet from the depths of the darkest despair, the human spirit soared and stories like the making of this precious gift have emerged.

As I read this book, including the author’s note that offers a short background history of the time, I wanted to know more and a simple search brought many links including stories of those who helped make it, a history of the quilt itself, including close-up photos of it in the Imperial War Museum, as well as information about the other quilts that were made, including the Australian quilt. 

 

girl guide quilt, Changi, Far East Civilian Internee

girl guide quilt, Changi, Far East Civilian Internee Image: © IWM (EPH 9206)

However, this is not primarily a book for an older, quilt-loving  adult like me but one for younger readers – those, who, had they lived in another time and place, might have been in it – and so, once again, using her gift to use words to put real life into the realm of young readers, Saxby has opened up a whole new world that exemplifies the courage, determination and kindness of humanity even when confronted with its worst aspects, and Masciullo’s illustrations whose tiny details like the child finding wonder in the garden regardless of the overbearing soldier who dominates the image depict resilience and hope and the eternal love of adults determined to protect their children.

Some might question whether this is a topic that its intended audience need know about or, if indeed, it is one they can cope with, but whoever wrote the teachers’ notes is to be congratulated on their thoughtful approach that explores both the story and the history in a way that builds and supports the child’s historical knowledge, social awareness and emotional intelligence, even encouraging the class to create its own quilt. Probing questions that encourage them to think more deeply, understand the lives of others (which some in the class may have experienced in a different context), and focus on those human traits of hope, kindness, courage and empathy underpin an outstanding investigation inspired by the book but which have the potential to be so much broader and longer-lasting.

Among all the books I have read and reviewed over time, this is a stand-out and a must-have in any collection of those who want to better understand how a “simple” story can reveal so much more than the words on the page. 

 

The Night Tiger

Mar27
The Night Tiger

The Night Tiger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Night Tiger

Sherryl Clark

Hannah Sommerville

A & U Children, 2026

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

9781760113421

end of day
sunset red
fills my window
dusk romps in
we eat
play
laugh

But then “night drops in like a curtain” hiding the garden and the little boy has to go to sleep.  But he can’t because it is too dark,  shapes “slide and glide into corners, across walls, hang from the ceiling” and no matter his self-talk he still cannot sleep. Slowly though, things begin to lighten as the full moon rises and he is drawn to the window – and beyond…

In this evocative story, written in free verse that is perfectly matched by the moody illustrations, Clark and Sommerville have created something quite magical as they address a child’s fear of the dark and  taken their imagination beyond the shapes and shadows to becoming a tiger, prowling the landscape outside, ruler of the domain rather than small, scared child within it.

I arch my back high, feel my night tiger paws
and night tiger claws stalk across the grass,
flick my tiger tail, twitch my tiger ears,
growl my night tiger groooooowwwwwl.

A peek inside...

A peek inside…

We all know that little person whose imagination is bigger than they are and, despite reassurances, who sees the dark as a time of the unknown, the unheard and the unseen – a place of fear and to fear. While there are any number of stories of children facing their and overcoming those fears, few are as powerful as this one, not only because of the marriage between words and pictures but because that marriage means it can be appreciated by a wider age group.  As our young readers emerge from the cocoon of family, and start to venture into the world of sleepovers and school camps, many find they are hamstrung by their fear and deny themselves fun opportunities because they dwell in the world of “What if…?” But if this were shared under the guise of investigating its format as a verse novel, perhaps those children could subliminally face and overcome the harriers they are self-imposing, but are too embarrassed to talk about openly. While they might not share their own concerns openly as their younger peers do, as they discuss what Clark has to say in this particular format, they may project themselves into the story to become the little boy, and perhaps take on board his thoughts and actions. What if a story had the power to show them that their worries are common but can be conquered and a whole new world is waiting to be discovered?

Rather than trying to diminish a child’s fears, acknowledging that the fear of the unknown and unexplained can be very real but it can be vanquished by imagining themselves as bigger, stronger, fiercer and more powerful can be a really useful strategy to draw on helping to develop resilience and courage on the journey to independence. Clark and Sommerville have created an important and powerful weapon in the arsenal. 

 

 

 

 

Jayden Noticed

Mar19
Jayden Noticed

Jayden Noticed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jayden Noticed

Carolyn Crimi

Shamar Knight-Justice

Candlewick Press. 2026

32pp., hbk., RRP $A34.99

9781536227307

Jayden notices everything. He notices the way the moon looks different every night as it peeks through the oak tree. He notices spiderweb wheels and egg freckles, mouse paws and rose petals. But most of all, Jayden notices rocks. Jayden collects a rock to go with everything: a homework rock, a Saturday rock, even enough wishing rocks to fill up a jar. 

But now, Jayden has moved to a new home in a new neighbourhood and the first thing he notices is its weird colour, the trees are too short and the mailbox is in the wrong place.  Immediately he says he is not going to like it, but his wise mother suggests that he give it some time.  Will he find a rock that will help him have the courage to embrace this change that he has no control over?  Maybe even find a friend?

Little people often find it tricky to embrace the changes that adults impose on them for whatever reason, because for many is is the certainty of routine and regularity that enable them to feel safe. But through the author’s sensitive text and the illustrator’s expressive and emotive pictures, they can be guided through the upheaval by learning to look for the positives in the new situation, like the fact that the short trees enable Jayden to see the moon unimpeded in its full-moon glory, rather than just peeking through the trees. And who knows what new worlds might open up to him now that he has notice and made friends with Alex, a boy as curious as himself but his focus is bugs.

Parents and  teachers alike will find this a helpful way to start conversations and navigate big life changes that are looming for children, whether home or school-based, by encouraging them to concentrate on the small details rather than the big picture.  They might not notice rocks in the way Jayden does, but by honing in on the child’s particular interest and showing how it will stay the same or may even be better than now, focusing on the positives that are within the child’s realm, perhaps the disruption may not be as traumatic as anticipated and gradually they build their emotional resilience and their anxiety diminishes.

Ideal for adding to the collection that help little people navigate the big feelings that they don’t yet have the words to articulate, especially when they are out of their comfort zone.  

Poppy & Pipsqueak: The Mighty Pipsqueak

Mar15
Poppy & Pipsqueak: The Mighty Pipsqueak

Poppy & Pipsqueak: The Mighty Pipsqueak

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poppy & Pipsqueak: The Mighty Pipsqueak

Deborah Kelly

Anne Sabadin

Wombat Books, 2026

65pp., pbk., RRP $A11.99

9781761112768

Poppy is very excited when she sees the new pups that Jess has had overnight, and even moreso when she spots a teeny-tiny one, not much bigger than a mouse, wriggling among the other five and that her parents had not seen.  But her joy turns to devastation when her dad tells her it is a ‘runt”, and unlikely to survive.  And even if it does there is no room for such little ones on the farm, and they don’t sell, so there is no point in trying to save it.

But then Poppy plays an ace – she, too, was born tiny, spending weeks in an incubator being fed through a tube, because her parents refused to let her die.  An argument that couldn’t be argued with and so begins the relentless, 24/7 tasks of raising a pup that Poppy (and the young reader) learn must be undertaken if the puppy is to survive and thrive. It’s more than just cuddles and snuggles and walking them each day!  And just as Pipsqueak learns the physical tasks of being independent, so Poppy learns about taking responsibility and developing her own independence.  But thriving is in Poppy’s DNA and she is determined that Pipsqueak will flourish, just as she has, and be brave and resilient, just as she is.

But when Pipsqueak starts eating shoes and ripping washing from the line and Dad declares she must go back to the barn, Poppy is worried that the possums, blue-tongue lizards and spiders would scare her, particularly as the other pups had been sold and she would be alone in the damp and the dark.  And to add to her misery, she spots the sign advertising Pipsqueak for sale! Poppy knows that farm dogs are different from house dogs  -they are not working dogs, not pets, and many find new homes – but can she persuade Dad to let her keep Pipsqueak?

This is a charming story for young, emerging readers full of joy and hope that just as Poppy had been cared for so carefully and despite needing glasses and a hearing aid, so too will Pipsqueak thrive. It moves along at a fast clip, with just enough drama to keep turning the pages to find out what happens. Ideal for those whose skills are consolidating or even as a first read-aloud chapter book for a class. It’s the first in a series so there are more adventures to look forward to. 

 

The Drover’s Son

Mar5
The Drover's Son

The Drover’s Son

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Drover’s Son

Leah Purcell

Dub Leffner

Puffin, 2026

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

9781761341977

In 1892, renowned Australian storyteller Henry Lawson published his short story, The Drover’s Wife in which, through the life of Molly Johnson, he shone a spotlight on the courage and resilience of the pioneer women who followed their husbands to the rural and remote regions of Australia – in this case, the alpine country of New South Wales – and held the fort against the landscape, the isolation, and the dangers of the country while their husbands were away for months at a time trying to earn a living.   

The original story has inspired artworks, retellings, and other interpretations including a play written by Leah Purcell, itself becoming a film, a book and an opera.   Central to Molly Johnson’s story are her love for and protection of her children, and now, emerging from such auspicious beginnings, is this new picture book that focuses on her oldest son Danny, who believes he will have no choice but to leave home and go droving with his father. But then he meets Yadaka, an indigenous man, who despite the attitudes towards First Nations people at the time, takes Danny under his wing and shows him there can be  another path – one in which a man can be wise and gentle, and a warrior too. “It’s not what you wear on your feet, Danny. How you carry yourself is what makes a decent man.”

Set in 1893, with the Ngarigo landscape and intriguing characters perfectly portrayed in Leffler’s exquisite illustrations, Purcell, herself, says, “This is a yarn about fathers and sons, a mother’s love, fierce and true, and about family in whatever form that takes. A tale of cautious meetings, bonding and the sharing of stories.  Of lessons learnt and of cultural understanding and genuine respect. This is a story about a time in our history we shouldn’t forget.”

Although the primary story is Danny’s, Molly’s also remains central as she awaits the birth of yet another child, isolated and without modern medical assistance – giving today’s girls plenty of food for thought. How would they cope with being almost constantly pregnant, the likelihood of losing the baby anyway, while all the while having to take full responsibility for the other children 24/7?

Whether it is read and shared through the lens of the power and endurance of the women of the time; the attitudes towards and treatment of First Nations peoples; Yadaka’s connection to Country and heritage and the importance of that; the difference in childhood between then and now; the relationship between Yadaka and Danny and the importance of role models; the visual literacy of Leffler’s interpretation of a landscape and history that I see daily out my window; the reimagining of a story from long ago into so many versions so that it is as powerful today as it was then; or any other perspective this is a must-have addition to the collection that will open up so much of this nation’s early European history for older, independent readers.  

Oh Brother

Feb21
Oh Brother

Oh Brother

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Brother

Georgina Chadderton

Penguin, 2026

288pp., graphic novel, RRP $A19.99

9781761046346

A brief glance at the blurb of this debut graphic novel suggests it is a situation that will resonate with many students… 

New house.  New school.  New best friend?  For a nervous kid who doesn’t like change, it’s a lot to deal with.

But there the comparison ends for most because this is not just another story about such a familiar situation, particularly at this time of the year. Subtitled “a graphic memoir” it is the real-life story of Gina, the author, growing up alongside a brother with high-needs autism and an intellectual disability, including being almost non-verbal with a unique way of communicating with his family,  at a time when autism was scarcely understood by lay people, let alone accepted as a genuine disability.  Even though great strides had been made in schools, children like Rob were seen as the “naughty” children, confrontational, disruptive and therefore unaccepted and isolated from “normal” children.  

So while it’s tough enough for Gina to transition to high school in a new neighbourhood where neither she nor her brother’s needs are known, and all the changes that that brings, without the additional challenges of puberty, having a brother who “causes chaos” adds another dimension. Although the need for strict routines, and locks on doors and cupboards to keep Rob safe and as balanced as possible are normal for Gina, the situation is strange for those outside of the family and so making friends and participating in commonplace events is not easy for her. 

Told in comic format which is Chadderton’s preferred medium to express herself, it explores her childhood in Adelaide and the impact living with Rob has, but rather than being dramatic and self-centred, its purpose is to educate and advocate for understanding, tolerance and acceptance, and, in the process, not only gives others in similar circumstances a voice, but also says, “You are seen and understood.” Explanations for such things as Rob’s meltdowns and what to do when one happens are sensitively addressed in the context of the characters’ conversations as well as cartoons which clearly explain the signs to look for such as hunched shoulders, fingers in his ears and “the air feels electric”. Yet, rather than frustration, there is a strong undertone of love, joy,  resilience and it-is-what-it-is.

Author’s notes explain her purpose and that while, on the whole, it is true, memories can be fickle and change with time and perception. We learn where Rob is now, and also that Gina, too, was diagnosed on the Spectrum at 32, but although she suspected that she might have been, that hasn’t influenced her story-telling.

Usually, books for upper primary plus students would be passed on to reviewers for that age group because the focus of this blog is stories to encourage younger children to read, but this is such an important one that achieves what the author set out to do so well – educate, advocate, and give a voice to others in a similar situation – that it needs to be as widely shared as possible.  One to add to the collection and let all the other Ginas read.