The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name
The Boy Who Tried To Shrink His Name by Sandhya Parappukkaran, illustrated by Michelle Pereira and published by Bright Light an imprint of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, is a 2022 CBCA Notable and is also shortlisted for the 2022 CBCA Award for New Illustrator. This is an uplifting and beautiful story, told from the perspective […]
It’s Up to Us: A Children’s Terra Carta for Nature, People and Planet
It’s Up to Us: A Children’s Terra Carta for Nature, People and Planet by Christopher Lloyd, foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales with illustrations by 33 illustrators from around the world. This is a powerful, thought-provoking non-fiction book featuring a story of hope and activism and is “based on the Terra Carta – a […]
A Feather on a Wing
Title: A Feather on a Wing Author and Illustrator: Maria Speyer Publisher: University of Queensland Press – UQP Publication date: 31 May 2022 Themes: Belonging, comfort, adventure, lullabies, bedtime stories Additional notable information: Teachers’ Notes can be downloaded from the UQP website here. A Feather on a Wing choral arrangement can be found here. You can listen to A […]
Miss Understood
Miss Understood by Kathryn Apel and illustrated by Beau Wylie is a fractured fairy tale and is a brilliant book to use when exploring perspective to consider a traditional fairy tale (in this case ‘The Three Little Pigs’) from a different point of view. Miss Understood is told from the wolf’s perspective and is a […]
Looking After Country with Fire: Aboriginal burning knowledge with Uncle Kuu
Looking After Country with Fire: Aboriginal burning knowledge with Uncle Kuu by Victor Steffensen and illustrated by Sandra Steffensen is a picture book that educates young readers about the use of First Nations fire practices to manage the land. In this story, Uncle Kuu spends time with children in the bush to observe what is […]
Through Old Eyes
Through Old Eyes, an anthology of poems by Uncle Wes Marne, a proud Bigambul man and community elder, recently celebrated his 100th birthday. To mark this milestone he released his first book, Through Old Eyes, containing fifty of his poems. This book is published by BLACKBOOKS a division of Tranby Aboriginal Cooperative Limited. These poems […]
Amma’s Sari
Amma’s Sari written by Sandhya Parappukkaran and illustrated by Michelle Pereira is the second collaboration by these two very talented creators who also produced the multi award-winning book, The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name, a CBCA 2022 Notable and also shortlisted for the CBCA 2022 Award for New Illustrator. Amma’s Sari is a […]
Interned
Interned by Pamela Rushby and published by Walker Books Australia is a well-paced and meticulously researched read that opened our eyes (I read this as a read aloud with my children) to yet another shameful and racist part of Australia’s history. This story is set mostly in the fictional rural town of Bornabba in Australia […]
Papa and the Olden Days
Papa and the Olden Days written by Ian Edwards and illustrated by Rachel Tonkin was a Children’s Book Council of Australia 1990 Honour Book in the Younger Readers category. This book has been inspired by the illustrator’s family history as she has recorded and preserved her father’s stories about growing up in Thoona, a north-eastern […]
We Are Australians
We Are Australians written by Duncan Smith and Nicole Godwin with paintings by Jandamarra Cadd and published by Wild Dog Books is an absolutely stunning picture book. The utterly moving, poetic and emotive text coupled with sublime illustrations provoked a visceral reaction for me. I had goosebumps while reading this breathtaking book. This is a […]