Do You Dare: Fighting Bones (1836) by S. Laguna – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

In this historical adventure for boys, Declan and his younger brother Dan have been sentenced to transportation to Australia for stealing a pudding and a bowl of custard. They’re sent to Point Puer Boys’ Prison near Tasmania’s Port Arthur, where they join with 2 other Irish boys to create a little ‘gang’ called ‘Fighting Bones’.

When Dan sees something which could incriminate the prison bully, Striker, he is threatened with serious harm – or even death – and the boys decide the only solution is to escape the prison. What follows is a pacy, tense adventure with plenty of hair-raising moments that will test the boys’ courage and ingenuity. When they’re captured, and one boy is killed in the process, it seems all might be lost. But *spoiler alert* they do ultimately find safety and leave the prison – just not in the way we first expect.

There’s plenty of action in this story, and it champions values of mateship, honour, heroic sacrifice and looking after your family and friends. The boys learn trades such as bootmaking and gardening and we are shown that self-worth comes from working hard and creating things.

There is quite a bit of violence in the book, including institutional cruelty (lashing, solitary confinement) and fighting, physical bullying and even murder among the boy convicts. The boys also knock out a guard during their escape. The descriptions aren’t graphic, and it’s all seen through the lens of the past, but be aware of how sensitive the young reader in your life might, or might not, be about this.

There is also grief and loss and S. (Sofie) Laguna does a very good job of acknowledging and conveying these emotions in a realistic, kid-appropriate way.

Some of the plot elements did stretch my credulity a bit but I doubt young readers will care – they’ll simply be swept up in the action!

Fighting Bones is part of a series of Australian historical stories targeted specifically at boys (other books in the series cover topics including the Eureka Stockade, bushrangers and WWI). There’s some information in the back about the real Point Puer Prison and a list of other major events which happened in 1836.

The new Australian Curriculum requires that students read Historical Fiction and narratives, but I think there are plenty of reasons to offer kids historical novels outside of school, too.

I’ve recently been lucky enough to read some wonderful historical tales for adults by the likes of Elizabeth Gilbert, Christine Piper and Hilary Mantel, and travelling to the ‘exotic’ world of the past—a world like ours, but changed—and imagining myself navigating events and societal expectations back then is a real treat. The everyday details of how people lived can be fascinating. And the ‘distance’ of history somehow makes it feel ‘safer’ to read about difficult or disturbing events.

I’ve read comments from a number of educators and parents who say that historical fiction, if it's well written and not ‘dry’, has all those same benefits for kids. And because they show us so many different perspectives, historical stories can also help kids build empathy and teach them not to accept stereotypes.

I wasn’t sure about the boy-appeal of the Fighting Bones cover and the general series look, so I gave it the ‘nephew test’. Initially my nephew screwed up his nose and told me it looked ‘funky’ (not a compliment), but then he added that there are boys in his class who ‘like that sort of book’ and they would think the cover looks ‘good’.

Who’ll love this: Boys of about ten who love classic-style action and adventure. (The only girl character appears at the very end and is a spoilt pain!)

Teachers looking for texts to support the historical fiction requirements in the new Australian Curriculum will also love it.

Price: $14.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

John Williamson’s Christmas in Australia illustrated by Mitch Vane – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

Sharing favourite stories, songs and jokes can be a wonderful part of family Christmas traditions. And Christmas stories can also be a great tool in the classroom as kids wind down for the year and prepare for the festive season.

There are now a number of Australian-themed Christmas picture books around, from Mem Fox and Kerry Argent’s gorgeous classic Wombat Divine to the jokier Aussie Night Before Christmas, Santa’s Secret, Santa Koala and many more.

In this book, Mitch Vane has illustrated the lyrics of John Williamson’s very funny song about a family celebrating Christmas and trying to snap the ultimate family photo. Everyone has to be in the photo, but in each stanza someone goes missing…

The text works best if you’re familiar with the song and music. As a straight read-aloud it’s a little bit ‘flat’, but if you have Williamson’s laconic voice and the bouncy, guitar-strumming background music in your mind, it’s a lot of fun. (You can find the song on YouTube here or on Williamson’s website).

The song pays tribute to plenty of Australian Christmas experiences, including Santa arriving in a ute, the Christmas Day family cricket match and associated squabbles, and some wonderful dialogue among the adults (‘yum, yum, pig’s bum’; ‘How ya been, Tangles…I hear young Greg is playing fullback.’). And a couple of clichés (the men being useless while the women organise everything; and rather a lot of beer being drunk).

For me, the best thing about this book is definitely Mitch Vane’s very detailed, humorous illustrations, which tell us so much about each family member. Looking closely as we turn each page, we can see the baby pluck the head from the Christmas fairy and then be safely caught before it goes in its mouth; a teenage cousin transfixed by her phone as chaos descends around her; and naughty Nick filling a water bomb. There are other cheeky, irreverent details including an embarrassed adult returning from the campground amenities with a toilet roll.

Who’ll love this: Irreverent kids of around 6 and up, who’ll enjoy poring over the details in the illustrations.

It’s also a great gift for family overseas – especially if they’ve spent a Christmas in Australia and are familiar with some of our traditions.

As part of a classroom Christmas library, and prompt conversations about what Christmas means in Australia.

Price: $19.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Wilderness Fairies: Daisy’s Secret by Jodie Wells-Slowgrove and Kerry Millard – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

I’ve worked with books for children of all ages and both genders for pretty much my whole professional life, but in my personal life the kids closest to me are boys, so I’ve been spared bedtime read-alouds with fairy-obsessed girls.

If you have a fairy-mad little girl in your life and are a little bit ‘over’ the slightly, erm, predictable plots and one-dimensional characters in some series, then ‘The Wilderness Fairies’ might be for you. The series has been widely welcomed as more parent-friendly than others because there is more depth to the characters, more charm in the illustrations and they have a generally sweet-natured approach. As one reviewer on goodreads put it, ‘Seriously if you have a kid who is into fairies get them into these books they won't make you want to stab yourself in the face.’

Daisy’s Secret is the fourth of four books in ‘The Wilderness Fairies’ series and while it can definitely be enjoyed on its own, I can see how the character and her world and friendships would have developed over the previous books. This would be very rewarding for kids who follow the whole series.

This book is well-structured in short chapters, each of which ends with a little hint of what’s coming next—great for reading in small  ‘bites’ while keeping kids interested.

While the plot elements might not be all that original (fairy Daisy is not the first magical creature in a book to fail to follow instructions, encounter human beings, or find her ‘calling’), there is real heart to the story. Daisy is resourceful, curious and courageous with a desire to do well and help others.

The major point of difference for this series is that it’s set in a tiny magic world within the Australian bush, so in this book the young fairies ride on skinks rather than mice and a human girl explores mangroves rather than a forest. The descriptions of the plants and animals have a real charm to them without feeling ‘gimmicky’.

 There’s a map of the fairy world at the front of the book, detailed illustrations throughout, and some information about some of the Australian plants and animals at the back. There’s also an explanation of how to write and decode ‘secret’ messages like those that appear in the book. This would work better for older readers who are confident with words and spelling.

Who’ll love this: Fairy-mad girls of about 6 to 7 for read-aloud or independent reading. And their long-suffering parents!

Price: $9.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

The Last King of Angkor Wat by Graeme Base – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

This is a fable in the classic Aesop style.

Four animals sit among the ruins of Angkor Wat, talking about which of them would have made the best King in ancient times. A mysterious stranger sets them a challenge: they must test themselves by racing to a temple on a distant hilltop. Along the way each proves they have real qualities, but also reveals some failings.

While the story is quite simply told, the animals’ journey is genuinely exciting. They travel through intricate, complicated jungle and swamp settings and there is a real sense of challenge and peril, especially when they each encounter a fearsome snake!

It’s all rather satisfying and I can see younger kids being happy to read the story over and over again.

And all kids could spend ages poring over Graeme Base’s incredibly lush illustrations. He gives each of the animals—Tiger, Gibbon, Water Buffalo and Gecko—distinct personalities and body language. His scenes overflow from intricate frames styled as stone friezes of events in an elephant king’s life. There are intriguing, almost-hidden details of foliage and insects—including a ravishing butterfly which appears in each spread, making the journey with the other animals.

Just finding Base’s signature in each piece of art is a wonderful treasure hunt!

I like that the virtues expounded in this story are contemporary yardsticks. They’re the qualities we want to teach kids now: strength, compassion/kindness, resilience, courage and wisdom. I like that the book offers a chance to talk to kids about what these concepts mean, andI can imagine classroom teachers using it as a tool to do that, too. And it’s important that each character has both strengths and weaknesses.

The Angkor Wat setting gives the book an added dimension. Of course, the temples of Angkor are beautiful – and Base has made wonderful use of their stonework in his illustrations. But it’s also quite an iconic place for many Australians and part of ‘our’ neighbourhood. There’s a brief explanation of Angkor Wat’s location and history on the last page of the book.

Who’ll love this: Kids of around 4 to 7 who enjoy sitting down to share a longer story, especially kids with a sense of adventure.

Teachers will love it too and could use it with older kids.

And because it looks luscious with its detailed illustrations, dust-jacketed cover and classic themes, the hardcover would be a great choice for grandparents and others wanting to buy a special gift.

Price: $26.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

How Big is Too Small? By Jane Godwin and Andrew Joyner – Book Review

By guest reviewer Liz Bray

Pretty much every kid with an older sibling has felt the pain of being excluded from the the big kids’ games because they’re ‘too small’.  

This totally charming exploration of the idea of ‘too small’ made me smile, and not just  because the nostalgic palette and thick lines of Andrew Joyner’s illustrations reminded me of Harry the Dirty Dog - a HUGE favourite of mine as a kid.

Sam is constantly left out of his big brother’s games. He thinks there is no one his size, no friend for him, anywhere in the neighbourhood (sharp-eyed readers might spot the removalists’ van in one of the illustrations early in the book—things are about to change!).

We follow Sam as he thinks his way through the concept of ‘too small’, ‘small’ and ‘big’ via ants, mice, fleas, the leaves on trees and the cells in those leaves, and even rain clouds which ‘stop’ when they get too big.

All this thinking is interrupted when big brother’s ball gets caught in the roof gutter and he and his friends ‘need someone small’ to climb up a vine and retrieve it. In the act of rescuing the ball, Sam discovers something wonderful (*spoiler alert*): a new friend who shares many of his passions.

If you’re buying a special picture book in hardcover, you want to know it will stand up to repeated readings, and this one definitely does.

It has a bouncy, almost-musical rhyming text, reminiscent of classic stories of wonder like ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. It’s a lot of fun to share and read aloud, and I wanted to go back and read it again as soon as I’d finished!

There are also dozens of extra details in the illustrations, so on each new reading you’ll notice more of Sam’s toys and treasures and learn about his street and backyard.

To me this book isn’t so much about size as about how we all need a friend, someone we ‘click with’. And it’s a great celebration of daydreamers and thinkers – kids like Sam – making their way in a world of boisterous shouting and play.

While it’s a picture book, it has quite a bit of text, and to really appreciate it you’d need to be familiar with some early science concepts. So it’s for kids 6+.

Who’ll love this: 6- and 7-year-old quirky kids, scientific kids and daydreamers. Especially if they have an older sibling.

Price : $24.99

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Frozen - The Essential Collection - Book Review

The Frozen mania that exists in my house is SO profound that even I let out a shriek of joy when I opened Frozen: The Essential Collection. Embarrassing? Yes but also true.

There is just something about Frozen that little (and some big) girls love!

My own 3 year old has proudly worn her 'Elsa dress' for 2 months straight (in the interests of hygiene we now own 2 exactly the same) and, to be honest, I'm just relieved that it isn't pink.

Anyway, you can understand my excitement when I opened my Frozen package.

The Essential Collection contains 2 Frozen books, lyrics to all the songs (in case you hadn't realised that it is called "Let It Go"), lots of stickers and generally far more information about Frozen than anyone but a small girl could possibly want to know.

 It also has a "Let It Go" sing-a-long clip... for any little girls out there not already singing it continuously on their own.

Is this book MORE about the movie?

Well, yes.

Are we all a bit sick of Frozen?

Quite possibly but our daughters really aren't and there are worse things in life than a movie where the true love is between sisters, and the handsome prince turns out to be WAY less desirable than the nice guy who works for a living!

In all seriousness, if you know a Frozen-loving little girl (and if you know any girls under the age of 10 you probably do), this is the perfect Christmas present for them. Truly!

Who'll love this: All those Frozen-mad little girls out there
Cost: $29.99
Publisher: Penguin Australia

Sticker books and the kids who love them...

When Wildman was small I never understood the attraction of sticker books, after all what kind of preschooler wants to sit and stick stickers for hours?

Despite my scepticism, other parents raved about them:

 "Oh little Tommy just loves them"
or
"They're so fantastic for fine motor skills"
or
"He sat there sticking for 45 minutes!" (clearly very appealing to a Mum).

I did try to get Wildman to play with them but he would just stick the stickers on the wall for about 2.3 seconds (yay - not) and then lose interest leaving me to spend the next half an hour trying to pick them off without damaging the paint.

Fast forward a few years and I now find myself the Mum of a 3 year old girl who LOVES sticker books. She spends ages carefully sticking them in exactly the right places then telling me stories about the scene she has created.

Its all been a bit of a shock really.

Most recently we have been trying out the Peppa's Halloween Sticker Activity Book (which Penguin very kindly sent in a box of books for review). We aren't a family that embraces Halloween but this book is spooky, cute and very age appropriate.

Princess particularly loved the page where you need to stick jigsaw puzzle shaped pieces on to complete the scene.

I think Peppa's Halloween could do with a few more pages that were just scenes that kids could stick Peppa and her friends on to, rather than all the stickers being needed for the activities, and Princess definitely wished it had a few more stickers in the middle for her to play with, but the overall activities were fun and achievable for a 3-year-old.

And I got to drink a whole cup of tea in peace while Princess was busy with Peppa!

Who'll love this: Peppa fans.
Cost: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

 

Hello from Nowhere by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair - book review

It is incredible that a picture book can give you such a sense of the isolation, stunning beauty and mateship of the Australian outback, but that is exactly what Hello from Nowhere does.

It starts with the lines; "Eve thought that living in the middle of nowhere was better than living anywhere else in the whole world." and by the end of the book I was convinced that she might just be right!

In fact Eve lives at a truck stop called Nowhere with a population of 5, somewhere on one of the great empty stretches of road in the middle of Australia.

Eve is never bored - she plays with animals, chats to tourists, runs and feels the magic of the outback. The only thing Eve feels like she is missing is her Grandma who thinks that Nowhere is "the back of beyond".

When Eve finally persuades Grandma to come and visit she gets to show her just how wonderful Nowhere is.

I really liked this book - it feels like a tribute to the Australian outback and the people who live there. The pictures are stunning and the story is told so simply but has such a wealth of feeling, you can really tell how much Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair love Australia.

This is a great book for learning about kids who live different lives from ours, for remembering that kids can make their own fun, and for appreciating the beauty of Australia.

Who'll love this: Its a great present for children who overseas and for grandparents to give their grandchildren, plus its just a wonderful story with lots to talk about.
Cost: $24.99hc
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 

The Very Hungry Catepillar (cloth book) by Eric Carle - book review

Everyone loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar, right?

There is something about the story and, in particular, the illustrations that just grabs you and draws you in. 

Kids love the repetition of the food and the idea of just eating and eating, grow-ups love the lesson about life evolving and nature, and everyone loves the stunning butterfly picture at the end.

Well now there is a The Very Hungry Caterpillar book for babies and it is divine. Seriously, if you are looking for a gift for a new baby this is it!

The story isn't the same because the book it is just a few pages long, but the cloth version is absolutely true to the feel and emotion of the original. Soft, colourful and incredibly tasteful, this is the most lovely present for the newest little someone in your life.

Plus it comes in a gorgeous gift box with dots. So much love!

Who'll love this: People (especially grandmas) looking for a classy present for a new baby.
Price: $19.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 

The Protected - Q&A with author Claire Zorn

In The Protected Claire Zorn has written a heart-wrenching story about family, the death of a sibling and the horror that high school can be. Whatever your life experiences have been there is something here that will touch a chord within you!

Claire, who was CBCA short-listed for her previous book The Sky So Heavy, was kind enough to answer some questions about how she came to write The Protected.

The Protected took you 9 years to write, why was it such a long process?
It was my first serious attempt at a novel, so it had a lot of problems that came from inexperience. Hannah’s voice was inconsistent and it took me an entire re-write to realise she was actually three characters in one. It also took me a long time to work out how important a character Hannah’s sister, Katie, was. It wasn’t until I had her character totally fleshed out that the narrative began to work. The manuscript spent a lot of time untouched in my bottom drawer and I wrote The Sky So Heavy and had two babies in the time between starting it and getting it published. I just couldn’t give up on Hannah, it was her that kept me coming back and trying to nut out the problems.

In The Protected you deal with high school experiences, as well as sibling relationships. Were you inspired by your own experiences? 
Definitely. My experience wasn’t quite as brutal as Hannah’s, but I was miserable at high school. There are certain things that happen to Hannah which I experienced and things that I watched other people go through. I also wanted to touch on the flip-side of bullying through Katie: the pressure that comes from being at the top of the pile, the feeling that you have to behave in a certain way or you risk slipping down and becoming the victim. It’s not as simple as the bully and the bullied. As far as the sibling relationship goes, I don’t have a sister, but I do have an older brother. We didn’t get along at all growing up, there was always tension between us. Now that we’re adults we get a long really well and I’m so grateful that we got to grow up and get over ourselves and have a good relationship. I wanted to explore what would happen in a family that didn’t get that opportunity.

Was it confronting to write about a family dealing with an unimaginable tragedy?
Yes. Another reason it took so long to write was because I wasn’t digging deep enough to get at what it would be like to experience that kind of tragedy, particularly from the mother’s point of view. No parent wants to imagine losing a child. The character of Hannah’s mother didn’t become as well drawn as she is until I became a mum myself and forced myself into her shoes

You have young children – how important is it to you that they grow up with a passion for books?
It’s important because no other medium puts the audience in someone else’s shoes the way books do. Other mediums like television and film can sometimes get there, but I think it’s more direct with books, it’s more intimate. Reading a story and getting to know characters and how they look at world is essentially an exercise in empathy. The ability to empathise with others is the most valuable skill a person can have. Humans have an innate desire and ability to connect with each other through stories and it’s never more evident than in childhood. Every child loves a good story.

How can parents encourage their children to develop a love of reading and writing?
I can only draw on my own experience to answer this one. My Mum always read to us as kids and she let us read whatever we were interested in reading. Any reading was good reading as far as she was concerned. Adults tend to get quite hung up on what kids should and shouldn’t be reading but kids are very good at self censoring and working out the kinds of stories that they will enjoy themselves. When I was about eleven and Babysitters’ Club books weren’t cutting it anymore I read her books: Ruth Rendell, John Grisham whatever was around.The other important thing is, kids imitate what they see. My Mum was always reading and reading widely anything from Jackie Collins to Tim Winton, she didn’t care who the author was she just liked a good story. What’s interesting from my own experience is that while I have become a writer and obviously am embedded in a creative industry, my brother who is a fire fighter in the armed forces lives in a totally different environment and culture, is still a voracious reader. I’m pretty sure that’s down to my Mum.

Who'll love this: Teenagers will relate to it and teacher/librarians will love it!
Price: $19.95
Publisher: University of Queensland Press

Dummie the Mummy and the Golden Scarab by Tosca Menten - book review

I really liked Dummie the Mummy, which is why I was so annoyed that it has swearing in it.

Believe me I'm not holier than thou about swearing, and despite my best intentions I do occasionally swear in front of my kids but I believe that there is a big difference between saying a 'naughty' word when a car pulls out unexpectedly in front of me and writing swear words in publications for kids.

It's just so unnecessary - after all there are lots of other words you can use.

I struggled with this recently when K-Zone used the words 'cr*p' in a comic (in fact I channelled my inner old lady and wrote angry letters to the editor) and I wasn't any happier that Dummie the Mummy has words like 'sh*t', as well as 'damn' and 'hell's teeth' in a book for 9 year olds.

And it is even more ironic because the Dad in Dummie the Mummy doesn't like swearing and invents weird and hilarious phrases like 'Whumpy Dumpman' to use instead!

Anyway, excepting the swearing issue, I really liked Dummie the Mummy. Its a funny, light-hearted, totally unbelievable story about a boy mummy who is hit by lightning, comes back to life and ends up living with with Angus and his father, Nick.

Instead of calling the authorities Angus and Nick decide to pretend that Dummie the Mummy is a distant relative who has lots of bandages because he was burnt in a fire, and keep him. When he starts going to school with Angus pandemonium ensues!

My favourite thing about this story is the way Angus and Nick approach the fact that Dummie is decomposing, ugly and smells... they sit and stare at him until they get used to what he looks like and don't even see it any more, all they see is their friend.

Its a nice thought to leave with kids.

For the most part this the kind of comic novel that 8-11 years olds love, especially boys, Its silly and funny and very light-hearted... if only it didn't have those swear words!
  
Who'll love it: 8-11 year old boys (with parents who are more relaxed about swearing then me!)
Price: $14.99
Publisher: Penguin Australia

I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Gus Gordon - book review

Nadine is a cow with character and she's isn't afraid of ANYTHING... at least that's what she tells her friends.

But when her friends challenge her to go in to the woods Nadine has to discover whether she really is brave, or if she was just pretending.

Nadine is hilarious and this is a funny, clever story about the lies and exaggerations we tell each other.

It is truly perfect for kids who are at that 'of course I can read by myself, but only in my head' exaggerating stage. Its also a nice way of gently talking about being scared and telling fibs.

I really loved the rhyming text - it definitely added to the hilarity although it was occasionally hard to read out loud because the rhythm of the text changes from page to page, which can catch you out on the first few read throughs.

Gus Gordon's pictures are an incredible mixture of drawing, painting and collage, that is so full of life and perfectly portrays Nadine's cheeky character!

Overall this book is just good fun and can be neatly summed up by the double page spread of Nadine and her friends, up a tree in the woods, and yelling at the top of her lungs... "I am cow, hear me moo!".

Who'll love this: 3 and 4 year olds will enjoy it the most but older kids will giggle too!
Price: $24.99
Publisher: Penguin Australia

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner - book review

If you like the idea of Doctor Who crossed with an angsty romance (and I do) then this is the book for you.

Set in the future These Broken Stars is sci-fi but it is definitely not at the extreme end and you don't have to be a sci-fi fan to love it. Like in Doctor Who, humans are still humans, but we have discovered ways to travel the universe and of terraforming planets to make them inhabitable (and profitable).

In some ways this view of humanity's future is slightly depressing and I really hope that, by the time we have the capability of exploring the heavens, we are a little less superficial and wealth obsessed than the ruling class in These Broken Stars but it certainly provides an interesting background for the story.

Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen are both passengers on a luxury mock-Victorian cruising spaceship but their lives couldn't be more different. Lilac is the only daughter of the richest man in universe and Tarver is a hero returned from the brutal frontier wars. When they are suddenly thrown together on an uninhabited, mysterious and deadly planet sparks fly but they need to work together to have any hope of surviving.

It's a really entertaining and exciting story that I certainly found hard to put down.

If you were going to criticise this book I guess you could say that the romance is slightly cliched -Lilac is rich, beautiful and sassy, while Tarver is handsome, poor, heroic and unimpressed by her wealth but, and let's be totally honest here, there is a reason that model of romance is so popular and that's because it works.

And things are not as 'Mills & Boon' as they might seem, the further you get in to this book the more you discover that both Lilac and Tarver have unexpected depths, and there are certainly twists and turns that I never saw coming!    

One of my favourite things about this book is the way that each chapter begins with a short section that is clearly Tarver being questioned by some kind of official. It is intriguing and definitely keeps you turning the pages as you try to figure out what on earth is going on.

Teenage girls will love it!

Who'll love this: Teenage girls
Cost: $18.99
Publisher: Allen & Unwin

To Get to Me by Eleanor Kerr, illustrated by Judith Rossell - book review

To Get to Me comes from a very, very simple idea but it is so cleverly executed that the end result is brilliant.

Everyone who has friends or family who travel or live overseas knows how hard it can be to explain to small children about the world, all the people and places in it, and the different ways of travelling around it. Well, it isn't hard any more!

From buses to camels, from a ferry to a chairlift, To Get to Me is a story about getting from one side of the world to the other, and all the things you would see along the way. It is very simple, with bright and engaging pictures that young kids will love.

This is the kind of book that, when you read it, makes you go "Oh, that's such an obvious idea, I could have thought of that' but the more you read it the cleverer the idea and execution become, and anyway you didn't think of it... Eleanor Kerr did!

Who'll love it: 2 year olds, and preschoolers who have family overseas.
Cost: $19.95 ((hc)
Publisher: Random House Australia

Let's Paint! by Gabriel Alborozo - book review

"Are you keen to paint pictures but afraid of making mistakes?"

Let's Paint! is a very sweet book that aims to help kids explore and embrace their creativity, however messy and imperfect.

It is ideal for kids, particularly boys, who don't do much craft because it pushes the idea that ANY idea is a good one and that in the end your painting might not be perfect but it doesn't matter because the important thing is to just have fun and give it your best.

Alborozo is a very gifted artist and you can really feel how passionate his is about helping kids use art to express themselves (he also worked in the props department on the Star Wars and Matrix movies).

This would be a fun book for a preschool or day care centre - it would be a great activity to read and discuss the book together and then send the kids off to create a painting (or two) of their own.

Who'll love it: kids aged 3-5.

Cost: $22.99

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

  

Yoo-Hoo, Ladybird by Mem Fox, illustrated by Laura Ljungkvist- book review

I love Mem Fox, I really, really do.

I love her books, her passion for children and reading, and the fact that she agonised for years about the placement of a comma in Possum Magic. So, I was reasonably excited to get her latest book, Yoo-Hoo, Ladybird.

As it turns out, the thing that I ended up liking best about the book wasn't that it was by Mem Fox, it was that someone had finally created and clever and age appropriate 'finding' book for very young readers.

My kids love 'finding' books.

You know the ones where they sit on your lap and together you scour the pages looking for the illusive little bus/doll/Wally or whatever. In that moment of togetherness, concentration and then triumph, parenthood is like what I pictured it would be before I had children. Bliss!

The illustrations in Yoo-Hoo, Ladybird are bright, colourful and clear, plus they are full of things that are familiar to young children. There isn't too much text (so you don't get distracted from finding the ladybird) but what there is rhymes, has lots of lovely repetition and engages little minds from the very first phrase; "Ladybird loves to hide."

The level of difficulty is perfect for small children, say 2-year-olds, to start looking with Mummy or Daddy helping and then progress to finding the ladybird by themselves. Its also really nice that the answer is revealed in such an encouraging way on the next page so you can find it next time.

To be honest, I didn't think that you could do a good finding book for such young children but here it is and it is awesome!

Who'll love this: 2 and 3 year olds
Cost: $19.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia



  

Seadog by Claire Saxbuy, illustrated by Tom Jellett - book review

Seadog is a lovely story about a crazy, joyous mutt who loves the beach.

The illustrations are scratchy but so full of life, colour and exuberance that you will find yourself smiling as you look at them.

If you children love the beach, they'll really enjoy watching Seadog jump in the waves and chase the seagulls - it really makes you realise that what dogs want to do at the beach and what kids want to do at the beach are really very similar.

I also really love the way the narrator (presumably Seadog's young owner) accepts all the things that Seadog isn't and relishes what his dog is!

The rhyming text has lots of repetition and it is definitely the kind of book that kids will love and want to be read over and over again until they can recite the story with you.

Who'll love it: Kids aged about 3 to 5, perhaps slightly more boys than girls.
Cost: $19.95
Publisher: Random House Australia

Bertie by Pamela Allen - book review

Not many Australian parents will get through the early years of reading to their kids without coming across at least one book by the incredible Pamela Allen. In fact, it seems that most of us can recite large chunks of our children's favourite Pamela Allen book with no trouble at all!

In Bertie, Pamela reintroduces Bertie, the little boy from Bertie and the Bear. If you read the book from one end Bertie is happy (and so is everyone else) but if you start from the other end Bertie is sad (and so is everyone else).

It's a great way to introduce a young child to feelings and emotions, and perhaps you can decide together whether you are feeling happy or sad, and read the appropriate part of the book.

As always Pamela Allen's artwork is incredible - clean and clear but absolutely full of life.

The repetitive text will really appeal to young children (and get stuck in their parent's heads!) and I'm sure that if you start at the 'sad' end by the time you are finished reading you'll be happy again.

Who'll love it: All two and three year olds
Cost: $19.99 (hardcover)
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia 
 

The Saddle Club by Bonnie Bryant - book review

When I was at school The Saddle Club series was BIG!

I was a little bit old for them but my younger sister embraced them with all the enthusiasm that a 9-year-old, horse obsessed girl can muster (pardon the pun).

Years later, when I was a book publicist, I had the absolute delight of ringing my sister and telling her that I was looking after The Saddle Club author, Bonnie Bryant, at the Brisbane Writer's Festival. Brilliant.

So I think it is great that Random House have re-released The Saddle Club books with bright, modern new covers. After all, horse crazy little girls haven't changed that much in the last 15, oh fine, 20 years have they?

And I'm sure that a whole generation of young girls will fall in love with Stevie, Carole, Lisa and all the folk at Pine Hollow Stables!

The new editions have two of the original stories in each book and they only cost $12.95 so they are really good value.

Who'll love them: Horse crazy girls who are in primary school.
Cost: $12.95
Publisher: Random House Australia 

AFL range - book review

I am not at all that in to AFL. In fact, I'm so not in to it that when I started getting books from Penguin's new AFL series I had to ask my husband; "Is AFL the one with short sleeves...?"

Apparently it's the one with no sleeves!

But, if I was in to AFL (or had a child who was), I would love this new series...

Embracing the idea of 'get'm young' the series includes everything from AFL - My First Numbers Book (one stripey sock, two rugby boots, three whistles etc), to AFL - Game Day (a touch and feel book about going to a match) and then moves on to the AFL Sticker and Activity Book, Mascot Manor Colouring In Book and Doodlepedia (full of doodling fun and footy facts).

The finishes are classy and the books have obviously been created by someone who knows and loves AFL. So, although they aren't my idea of a good time, if you are in to AFL you are going to seriously love these books.

Who'll love them: Current and future AFL fans.
Cost: Range from $4.99 to $14.99
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia