Books to Explore the Past and Present
Now and Then written and illustrated by Fiona Levings and published by Forty South Publishing is a non-fiction picture book which explores the stories and similarities that connect the lives of seven year old Doug in 1940 with eight year old Jem in 2019. Doug lived in the same house located in the seaside town […]
Ten Blocks to the Big Wok
Title: Ten Blocks to the Big Wok Author and Illustrator: Ying-Hwa Hu Publisher: University of Queensland Press – UQP Publication date: 28 February 2023 Themes: Counting, Chinese culture, Mandarin, visual literacy, slowing down and family bonds. Additional notable information: Teachers’ notes can be downloaded from the UQP website here. In the joyful picture book, Ten Blocks to the […]
Books for Harmony Week
Harmony Week celebrates the richness of diversity and all of the different cultures in Australia. Australia is a culturally diverse country and is home to the oldest continuous culture on earth and the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics from the 2021 census reports that just over seven million people, 27.6 per cent […]
Satin
Title: Satin Author: Sophie Masson Illustrator: Lorena Carrington Publisher: MidnightSun Publishing Publication date: March 2023 Teacher Notes: Available on the MidnightSun Publishing website here Satin by Sophie Masson, illustrated by Lorena Carrington and published by MidnightSun publishing is highly intriguing, meaningful, sophisticated and a remarkably unique picture book for upper primary school students. It is imbued […]
Noticing
Noticing by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Elise Hurst is a stunning companion book to their earlier title, Trying. In a similar vein to Trying, their newest book follows a young girl and an older woman who serves as a mentor. This older woman is a painter and a keen, dedicated observer of the world, […]
Amy’s Balancing Act
Amy’s Balancing Act by Bjorn Sturmberg and illustrated by Laura Stitzel is an innovative and inspiring tale about clean energy and the power of diversity. This engaging story uses animals to represent different sources of clean energy and explains switching from coal to a diverse range of energy sources through renewables. Not only is the […]
You Don’t Know What War Is: The diary of a young girl from Ukraine
You Don’t Know What War Is: The diary of a young girl from Ukraine written by twelve-year-old Yeva Skalietska, living in Kharviv when she was jolted awake on February 24, 2022 to the horrifying sound and sight of an explosion. This is Yeva’s gripping firsthand account of her days (up to Day 67, May 1, […]
Texts to Help Teach Persuasive Writing
The following collection of books could be used to help teach persuasive writing and these titles include themes relating to animals (mostly animal rights and endangered animals), the environment, sustainability and refugees. A fractured fairy tale is also included. This list is by no means exhaustive and as always I am very keen to hear […]
Books to Explore at the Beginning of the School Year and Revisit Regularly – Collection 2
To view the first collection of books to explore at the beginning of the school year and revisit regularly, please visit the Reading Opens Doors blog here. The following collection of books either promote a growth mindset, celebrate difference and inclusivity, or are a source of inspiration for creating a class inquiry task. These books […]
The Tantrum That Saved the World
The Tantrum That Saved the World co-authored by Megan Herbert and Professor Michael E. Mann and illustrated by Megan Herbert, is a timely book that would make an invaluable addition to any library collection about climate change, activism and hope. This empowering and highly engaging solution focussed story, written for readers 5-9 years, in rhyming […]