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Artichoke to Zucchini

Feb14
Artichoke to Zucchini

Artichoke to Zucchini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artichoke to Zucchini

Alice Oehr

Scribble, 2023

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

9781761380617

Many of us grew up learning that healthy eating was based on selecting something from the five food groups each day…

 

Five Food Groups

Five Food Groups

And then we learned that we should be judicious in our choices using the Food Pyramid as a guide…

Food Pyramid

Food Pyramid

Then we were encouraged to eat a rainbow every day…

Food Rainbow

Food Rainbow

So it seems only logical that now we can indulge in an entire alphabet of food in this beautifully illustrated new release from graphic artist Alice Oehr, a follow up to her successful first book, Off to Market. a CBCA Notable and the Winner of the 2023 ABIAs Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year.

A is for artichokes and long spears of asparagus. It’s for bright, creamy avocados and salty little anchovies …

While these sorts of books appear, on the surface, to be for very young readers learning new vocabulary as they pick out those foods they recognise, they have a much wider value as we try to encourage little ones to learn to make healthy choices from the get-go.  Students can have fun classifying the various foods into those familiar food groups; they can tick off those they have tried and those they are yet to try; they can suggest foods they know that start with a particular letter but which haven’t been included on the page; those from other countries can contribute foods they are familiar with which we might not know; they can seek out recipes and ways to cook and prepare the foods they are unfamiliar with; they can carry out research and data collection of favourite foods; they might even venture into the history of food, the concept of food miles, traditional foods for traditional celebrations – the list is endless.

This is the first book I’ve reviewed for this company and if this is the calibre, then we are in for some good stuff.  I’m just glad I did the review after my healthy chicken and salad meal! 

Questions and Answers About Refugees

Feb13
Questions and Answers About Refugees

Questions and Answers About Refugees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions and Answers About Refugees

Katie Daynes

Ashe De Sousa

Oksana Dkachkovska

Usborne, 2023

14pp., board book., RRP $A19.99

9781803709987

Who are refugees?

Why do people become refugees?

Can anyone become a refugee?

What do ‘asylum seeker’, ‘migrant’ and ‘internally displaced person’ mean?

These are some of the questions asked and answered in this new release Q&A from Usborne, the masters of making the complex simple. With its lift-the-flap format, all the big questions like “Why do wars start?” are explained in short, easy-to-understand paragraphs so that students can have a basic understanding of what some of their classmates may have faced in a previous life and time.  And with current and potential conflicts creating an even greater problem than previously, there are many who will be seeking answers.

 Written with advice from the Refugee Council and drawing on conversations with refugees and aid workers from around the world, the questions cover all stages of a refugee’s journey, from fleeing danger and embarking on hazardous journeys, to seeking asylum and struggling to find a new place to call home. The language and scenes have been carefully considered to be appropriate for younger children, providing an extremely useful educational tool for families and schools. And for those wanting to know more, there are the usual Quicklinks to carefully selected and vetted online resources.

Little Horses

Feb12
Little Horses

Little Horses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Horses

Deborah Kelly

Jenni Goodman

Wombat Books, 2024

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

9781761111310

Out in the bay, where sailboats glide

Little horses drift and glide

Changing colours so predators pass

In gardens of sponge and coral and grass

In the calm peaceful waters, disturbed only by the rise and fall of the tide, little seahorses spend their lives swaying with the movement of the water, occasionally spotted by sharp-eyed scuba divers who are lucky to see them amongst the seaweed. They give birth and raise their young in a way that only seahorses do, continuing a cycle that is generations old.

But then a storm hits the bay and the seahorses are swept away from their home by the tumbling, crashing waves to a barren place where there are no sponges, coral and grass until…

Inspired by true events when severe storms hit Port Stephens, NSW between 2010 and 2013 and almost wiped out the fragile population of White’s Seahorses (hippocampus whitei) – so much so that it was declared endangered on the IUCN list – this story tells the story of how scuba diver David Haraski spotted two seahorses beginning to build a new home on an old lobster pot that had also been swept away bit which was starting to sprout new corals and sponges. With the adage, “If we build it, they will come” in mind, in 2018 Haraski  built and placed the first seahorse hotel onto the Port Stephens seabed – and it worked.  Haraski the tried his concept in Sydney Harbour where there were other endangered populations and now these seahorses hotels are springing up around the world, including a dedicated breeding program at Sydney Sea Life.

This is such a positive spin on how humans are working to save the environment and its creatures that it deserves a place in any library collection to support the environment and sustainability curriculum. The gentle rhyme has a rhythm that mimics the wave movement, building to a crescendo when the storm hits, and all set against eye-catching artwork that is so lifelike.  There are notes about both the seahorses themselves and the seahorse hotels to add context and whet the appetite to know more and explore further.

With summer beach holiday memories still fresh in the mind, this is the ideal time to encourage students to think what lies below the yellow sands, beneath the rockpool calm and beyond the sparkling waters and used together with Beach Song and Voice of the Sea, there is the trifecta of storybooks to form the basis of the investigation.

 

 

 

Voice of the Sea

Feb11
Voice of the Sea

Voice of the Sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voice of the Sea

John Williamson

Andrea Innocent & Jonathan Chong

Puffin, 2024

32pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781761344237

Described as “an unrequited love song to the ocean, a national anthem of the sea”, this is the picture book version of the iconic song by one of Australia’s most loved musicians that has become so integral to the campaign to conserve the oceans that it won an ARIA award.

With references to global warming, overfishing and the risk of losing some of our incredible marine wildlife a turtle swims through what were once pristine waters, narrowly escaping the clutches of a plastic bag already filled with precious creatures, lamenting, “Where did it go? Where has it gone, your love for me?” From the time that the first European settlers landed, the oceans of this country “girt by sea” have been exploited and now, with the personification of the ocean as a friend in need, students are encouraged to think of how we can preserve this natural wonderland – how we can give rather than take.

Written specifically for the Australian Marine Conservation Society, there are both teachers’ notes and a free education kit  to encourage not only an awareness of humans’ impact on the ocean but also how we can embrace it as a friend again including investigating the projects already in place like The Accidental Penguin Hotel.  the seahorse hotels and others that they might become involved in, offering hope for those who are concerned about the planet’s future. 

This is most definitely one for any collection, and the perfect starting point for any investigation of the oceans, it creatures and their challenges. 

 

The Worm Book

Feb9
The Worm Book

The Worm Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Worm Book – Nature’s Recycler

Karen Tayleur

Guy Holt

Wild Dog, 2024

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

9781742036694

It begins with a riddle…

What animal has no bones but can move, has no lungs but can breathe and has no eyes but can see?

And it continues with a fascinating exploration and explanation of the humble worm,  creature so familiar that we pay it little attention but one which is vital to the health of the planet because it is Nature’s recycler.  Yet, while we are probably most familiar with the garden worm that inhabits healthy soil, compost heaps and worm farms, there are, in fact, about 20 000 species of worms (1 000 of them native to Australia)  ranging from a roundworm smaller than a pinhead to the giant earthworms of Gippsland, Victoria.

With its accessible text and stunning photographs, this is a companion to The Frog Book introducing young independent readers to some of the less exotic creatures around us but which have such a vital role to play in establishing and maintaining a robust and sustainable environment. Old as I am now, I can still recall my primary school investigation into these creatures and learning two words which my 6-year-old self would insert into adult conversations with glee – ‘hermaphodrite’ and ‘invertebrate’. And jaws would drop when I could explain their meaning – read the book to find out if you don’t know.  

With its strong emphasis on the worm’s role as nature’s recycling machine, it offers instructions about both composting and building a worm farm, both projects that can easily be done at school actively involving students in protecting and promoting these little wonders. 

As Bright as a Rainbow

Feb5
As Bright as a Rainbow

As Bright as a Rainbow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Bright as a Rainbow

Romy Ash

Blue Jaryn

Working Title Press, 2024

34pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781922033062

When we think of the colour blue, do we all visualise the exact same shade or do we see hues like cornflower, ultramarine, azure, cerulean? Perhaps even turquoise like the ocean – but is the ocean just turquoise? Or can it be one of the myriad of iterations of green?

Just like there are so many ways to describe the core colours of the rainbow, then so are there many ways to express yourself as a boy or a girl and this book encourages young children to understand that there is no specific, set-in-concrete way to define one or the other.  

Gradually, we are moving away from the stereotype notion of “pink for girls and blue for boys” (so many ask for gender0neutral colours for baby items in the chop where I volunteer), although it was only 10 years ago when there was an enormous fuss in some places with the release of Jacob’s New Dress and people asked if girls can wear trousers, why can’t boys wear dresses? But while schoolboys wearing skirts in protest of school dress codes still get headlines around the world, and others roll their eyes and tut-tut if someone signs their email indicating their preferred pronouns, it is clear there is still a way to travel and this book for young readers not only raises awareness of the issue, particularly for those struggling with their identity, but does it in a way that is so simple to understand = an analogy that could be used to explore any sort of difference or diversity.

Regardless of the progress that has been made, gender diversity remains a struggle for those who are diverse, so perhaps this is a way to change thinking from the very beginning.  It is somewhat ground-breaking, would certainly be banned in some states of the US and perhaps in some schools here, but nevertheless it is an important contribution to the well0being of those who are different.  

 

Nova’s Missing Masterpiece

Feb4
Nova’s Missing Masterpiece

Nova’s Missing Masterpiece

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nova’s Missing Masterpiece

Brooke Graham

Robin Tatlow-Lord

EK Books, 2024

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

9781922539373

Nova has created a special portrait of her dad to give to him at his birthday celebration this evening.  But now she can’t find it anywhere!  She searches and searches in every place she can think of but the missing masterpiece is nowhere to be found.  The more frustrated that Nova gets, the more frantic the search but despite this all the while her little dog Harley seems unperturbed. And gradually Nova starts to notice some of his behaviours – breathing in long and slow, having a drink – and gradually she calms down enough to keep searching as she tries the same things. But will she find the picture in time for the party?

We all know the anxiety and frustration of not being able to find something that we really need; the searching in the most unlikely places in case it may miraculously appear and as we get older we are more able to self-calm and think more clearly.  But for children of Nova’s age that is a skill yet to be learnt so this is a great story to help start teaching it.  Every child will have their own story to tell so a group discussion of strategies like breathing, like taking a few minutes, like doing something else can be the beginning of helping children learn to take a step back, relax and think.

But even without extracting this theme from the story, this is just a good read that will resonate with many. 

 

Wear a Purple Poppy: Remembering Animals in War

Feb1
Wear a Purple Poppy: Remembering Animals in War

Wear a Purple Poppy: Remembering Animals in War

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wear a Purple Poppy: Remembering Animals in War

Fiona White

Kathleen O’Hagan

Lothian, 2024

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

9780734421630 

It begins…

For the horses and the mules, for the donkeys and the camels,

We wear a purple poppy for you.

To the dogs and the pigeons, to the elephants and cats,

We wear a purple poppy for you…

And it continues by taking each part of the poem and explaining the role that animals have played in conflict for Australia over the decades “from Beersheba to Afghanistan, Kokoda to Posières” in tribute to these brave creatures that now “lie in distant fields far from home”. 

In 2019, the Australian Parliament declared 24 February each year as the National Day for War Animals, also known as Purple Poppy Day. It’s a day to pause, wear a purple poppy, and pay tribute to the many animals who served alongside soldiers and this is a poignant and stunningly illustrated tribute to all those creatures, often symbolised by Simpson’s donkey but which involved so many other species doing so many other things in so many fields. So important have they been that there is now an international war memorial for animals at Posières in France and those who have provided outstanding service or displayed incredible courage and loyalty can be awarded the Dickin Medal or the Blue Cross Medal.

Released in time for this year’s commemoration, this is an enlightening tribute that is supported by comprehensive teachers’ notes which cover significant strands of the curriculum and include a long list of picture books, novels and other resources which will encourage students to read and investigate more widely. As well, the Australian War Memorial has compiled a number of resources that will further students’ understanding including a digitised version of their popular A is for Animals exhibition and its accompanying publication M is for Mates which may be in your collection already because it was distributed to all schools in 2010. There is also an education kit available.

For any school that has the commemoration of our military history in its curriculum, this is a must-have in the library’s collection.

 

Marvellous Vehicles

Jan31
Marvellous Vehicles

Marvellous Vehicles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marvellous Vehicles

James May

Emans

Farshore, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9780008520878

In the beginning, the only way for humans to move from one place to another was by Shanks pony – walking – but then someone somewhere sat on a log and drifted downstream and the rest, as they say, is history. Human-powered travel had begun and in this fascinating book for young readers, motoring expert James May looks at the variety of ways humans can travel from one place to another entirely using their own power.  No animals, engines, batteries, wind or other external aids – just the use of human muscles.

From the common bicycle to submarines and even vehicles that travel on both land and water, all powered by human energy, the range of conveyances is surprising and there is even an explanation about how potential and kinetic energy are used to make this happen so readers can understand the science that underpins even the wackiest of inventions and craft.

This is another in a new series called Little Experts designed to introduce 6-9 year olds to the world around them by having experts in the field share their knowledge, and even though they, themselves, may not recognise the names of the experts, nevertheless having titles about everyday things that our little ones are curious about and pitched at their level can only be a positive addition to  non fiction collections

An Amazing Australian Camping Trip

Jan29
An Amazing Australian Camping Trip

An Amazing Australian Camping Trip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Amazing Australian Camping Trip

Jackie Hosking

Lesley Vamos

Walker Books, 2023

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

9781760654948

Having completed their Amazing Australian Road Trip, now the family is off on a camping adventure because Aunty wants to paint “a fantastical beast”.

“It eats like a fish and swims in the lakes, has fur like a dog and venom like snakes, with a bill like a duck, it also lays eggs, has a tail like a paddle and walks on four legs.”

With the 4WD loaded to the hilt and beyond, they head to country to find this amazing creature, finally setting up camp and starting to relax. And although there is lots of wildlife to discover, each with one of the attributes that Aunty has described, none has them all.  What could she be looking for?

As with its predecessor, this is a story that rollicks along in rhyme accompanied by eye-catching illustrations full of detail and humour including the mysterious animal hiding on each page waiting for the eagle-eye to spot…  While many readers will be familiar with camping, and understand the terminology as well as recognising the creatures that the family spot, for those for whom the Australian bush is a mystery there are lots of explanations of unfamiliar words as well as information about the various animals. And, also like its predecessor, it offers a lot of potential for investigation, not the least of which is the meaning and purpose of a glossary.

As summer holidays fade into the distance, this is one that will bring back so many memories for children who spent their time camping “out bush” as they giggle their way through familiar scenes and adventures – although I was a bit concerned that the copperhead snake that inhabits the cool climate region I live in is active at night – and begin to look forward to the next one. 

Loving this series which brings our country to life in such a fun way.