Monthly Archives: July 2017

Jul13

Chook Doolan series – James Roy. Illustrated by Lucinda Gifford

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Walker Books

Sometimes it can be tricky finding those transition type books for the little ones who are ready to take on their first chapter books. I have found the Chook Doolan series to be ideal for this and I know that many people will already have some in their collection. Now we have four brand new titles to share with these excited emergent readers as we support their journey into independent reading. These all firmly focus on topics relevant to the readers: family, friends, school and particularly becoming confident. Although the main character is a boy I have found that little girls equally enjoy the stories so this is a great series to have for both.

On the Road

ontheroad

ISBN: 9781925381566
Imprint: Walker Books Australia
June 1, 2017
Australian RRP: $7.99
New Zealand RRP: $9.99

Chook’s mum says she needs a break so the family is off the country for a few days to visit Aunty Liz.  A mini-holiday is usually quite fun but Chook and his brother Ricky are less than keen to be told they need to be nice with their cousins who are tiny twin girls. They each have their favourite toy – Ricky, his soccer ball and Chook, his chess set but neither is interested in the other’s games. What a surprise is in store for them when they get to know their cousins again!

Unhappy Camper

unhappy

ISBN: 9781925381573
Imprint: Walker Books Australia
June 1, 2017
Australian RRP: $7.99
New Zealand RRP: $9.99

Everybody is excited about the school camp. Well, except for Chook because as we know Chook isn’t very brave. He’s terribly worried about snakes and really anxious that he’ll be homesick. He really doesn’t want to go on camp at all! But things move along with Mum buying what he needs like a torch and a beanie and Ms Rashid explaining things like activities. Chook is still resistant but his friend Joe is persuasive and when Mum tops off his packing with a huge bag of jelly snakes for a midnight treat, Chook is suddenly keen. And what a surprise when he finds out where the camp is!

Up and Away

upaway

ISBN: 9781925381580
Imprint: Walker Books Australia
June 1, 2017
Australian RRP: $7.99
New Zealand RRP: $9.99
Chook really wants to be a pilot like his dad when he grows up but how will he ever cope with such scary things as talking to strange people and flying to new places?

Dad has a great idea and takes Chook to visit his work and find out a lot more about flying and aeroplanes. Since Chook loves to know how things work this is a super idea. Once he knows more about the ins and outs, he is able to use his knowledge in just the right way to soothe a little girl taking her first flight – just as a real pilot would!

Let’s Do Diwali!

diwali

ISBN: 9781925381597
Imprint: Walker Books Australia
June 1, 2017
Australian RRP: $7.99
New Zealand RRP: $9.99

This is my favourite and I think lots of people will be able to use this when you are looking at festivals from other cultures. Chook’s class are pairing off to do presentations on festivals. Normally Chook would work with Joe but he has chicken pox so Chook teams up with Praj Patel instead. Praj is very softly spoken and Chook, well Chook is just scared of talking in front of everybody. But Praj loves Diwali and he invites Chook to go to the celebrations with his family. Of course, Chook is nervous about that as well! But the boys have a fantastic time and Chook really enjoys seeing new things, wearing different clothes and eating delicious Indian food. Their presentation is a huge success!

 

I highly recommend this series to you for your readers from around six years upwards. Perfect for developing emotional intelligence, good fun to read and totally relatable to kids.

 

Jul13

Dotty Detective #1 Super Secret Agent – Clara Vulliamy

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dotty

Harper Collins Australia

ISBN 9780008132491

ISBN 10: 0008132496

Imprint: HarperCollins – GB

01/06/2017

List Price: 4.99 AUD

Girl detectives seem to be quite the popular trend of late and you will perhaps have some younger readers who want to get in on this but are not quite ready for some of the books on offer.

This new series will be just perfect for them as Dorothy Constance Mae Louise, known as Dot, is a younger girl as well. Written in diary style Dot gives the reader the low down on her situation. She’s just moved to a new house with her mum and little twins, Alf and Maisie, and of course is starting a new school. She’s pretty excited about all this but also a wee bit nervous. Not to worry, she makes two great new friends, Beans and Amy.  As it happens Beans is also a fan of TV super sleuth Fred Fantastic – Ace Detective.  Dot is very good at puzzles and codes and Beans is a good foil for her investigating as he is good at making gadgets.

When the teacher announces a school talent quest Amy, who is rather shy but a really good singer, is keen to perform but classmate Laura who thinks she is the superstar plans to sabotage her. Will Dot and Beans be able to help Amy overcome her nerves and thwart Laura’s sneaky plan?

This is a really cute story and already three more to come so a great little series to start off some independent readers. Girls will enjoy seeing Dot’s new bedroom become her own special place and also getting to know her family.

Lots to explore around friendship, adjusting to new situations and of course, codes, puzzles and mysteries!

Highly recommended for readers from around 7 upwards.

By the way, the author Clara Vulliamy is the daughter of Shirley Hughes!

Jul12

Wolfie: an Unlikely Hero – Deborah Abela/Connah Brecon

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wolfie

Penguin Random House

ISBN 9780143781509

May 1, 2017

Random House Australia Children’s

RRP $24.99

One thing I’ve learned in my years of being a teacher-librarian is that all kids, big and little, love fractured fairy tales.

Wolfie is fed up with fairy tales promoting the nonsense that wolves are the bad guys. He’s determined to put the record straight. After all, he’s really a sweet creature and he is ready to prove himself so by rescuing a princess because that’s what heroes do!

What he hasn’t quite reckoned with is that annoying the book’s narrator is not likely to provide him with a satisfactory outcome and that gives the reader a load of laughs. Wolfie tries to rescue Rapunzel – but she has a screaming fit at the very sight of him and ends up rescuing herself (as all great princesses do!). With that disaster behind him he’s swooped up by a passing dragon and oh oh, this is certainly not the heroic ending Wolfie had imagined!

Deb Abela’s text is super funny and lots of interesting fonts give it real oomph. The illustrations are likewise very humorously done and discerning readers will get a real giggle out of some of the visual jokes.

A great addition to your collection for all those units on fairy tales – traditional or otherwise.

Highly recommended for readers from around six years upwards.

Jul12

When We Go Camping – Sally Sutton. Illustrated by Cat Chapman

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camping

Walker Books

ISBN  9781921977787
Imprint: Walker Books Australia
October 1, 2016

Australian RRP: $24.99
New Zealand RRP: $27.99
This is another one that had slipped through the cracks and shouldn’t have! It’s a really fabulous read aloud that will have little ones bouncing in their seats and joining in the choruses.

 

With lots of rhyming and onomatopoeia it is perfect for those beginning to read crowds to switch on their aural perception.

 

As well as all of that kids who get to go camping will be able to connect and offer up their own experiences, while those who don’t will surely be able to discuss what they would most like about a camping trip.

 

Cat Chapman’s illustrations are lovely – lots of details and humour abound in each spread.

 

This author and illustrator pair is from New Zealand, with Sally Sutton being a best seller and award winner.

Can’t go wrong with this as we look forward to warmer weather and the next holidays in September – perfect camping time!

 

 

Jul12

Piggy – Trevor Lai

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Piggy

Allen & Unwin

ISBN: 9781681190655

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Imprint: BLM Children’s USA

 January 2017

RRP $19.00

 

What’s not to love about a cute little pig who loves to read so much that he’s never made any friends?  Piggy has always been so immersed in his books and the library that it is almost a disaster when he comes to the last book and realises that he is actually quite lonely.

The little cutie goes looking for something to amuse himself and spies a sweet cat reading her book. Perhaps this could be a friend? Piggy tries everything he can think of to get the little cat’s attention including some spectacular moves but nothing works.  Then he figures he should try sharing the happy ending of his last book with her – and of course that works! The two become special friends who read AND play together.

The illustrations are every bit as charming as the text – as one might expect from an animator – very much in the cartoon style but with real appeal for little ones.

This is a really sweet book about forming friendships and would be perfect for little ones from around kindy age upwards.

 

Jul12

Teens – Louise Mack

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teens

Angus & Robertson

ISBN: 9781460705469

ISBN 10: 1460705467

Imprint: HarperCollins

On Sale: 24/07/2017

List Price: 7.99 AUD

In 1897 Angus & Robertson published their first fiction book which was a children’s book describing Australian family and school life – another first. Louise Mack was a contemporary and friend (most of her life) with Ethel Turner and both attended Sydney Girls High School.  Louise Mack had a rather bohemian upbringing and went on to live an even more eccentric adult life but her portrait of Lennie Leighton’s family and school life is anything but that. Considered to be loosely autobiographical it would appear that Louise created an alternate childhood for herself and re-invented her family life.

This commemorative edition reproduces the original faithfully with its black and white line drawings. As someone who grew up reading every Louisa May Alcott, Susan Coolidge and Ethel Turner, it was a joy for me to revisit a time when life for girls seemed so much simpler. Also as a Sydney girl it was a pleasure to connect with the setting of a time long gone.

Lennie Leighton, our main character, has just turned thirteen and been accepted on a scholarship to Sydney Girls High. Having been taught at home with her younger sisters this is a huge adventure for her. A loving father and mother, older brother and the three littler girls comprise a family that is supportive and full of fun.  Now Lennie is ready to expand her world and as she does makes a true friend with Mabel (supposedly a composite of Ethel Turner and other girls).   The story exudes warmth and joy in pleasures no longer considered fashionable and while it was the first book written in Australia specifically for ‘teenagers’ (long before that word was coined) it presents a very sharp contrast to modern life.

This is truly a delight to read and as I know many girls favour period books – look to the enduring popularity of Anne! – there will be many who will find this as charming as I do.

This edition includes a short biography of Louise Mack at the close and will give the reader some real insight into a writer who has, at times been overlooked in our children’s literary history.

I highly recommend this to you – girls from around ten upwards will enjoy its fresh and innocent look at a time in Australian history when there was far less ugliness in society.

louise

Jul11

A First Book of Animals – Nicole Davies

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Walker Books

ISBN: 9781406359633
Imprint: Walker
October , 2016
Australian RRP: $29.99
New Zealand RRP: $32.99

Divided into five sections: Big and Small, Colours and Shapes, Animal Homes, Animal Babies and Animals in Action, over fifty animals are presented in poems and simply glorious illustrations in this beautiful book. The author is both a biologist and a children’s writer so you can be sure that the information presented in this verse style is accurate as well as engaging.

It is big and bold as well as beautiful and young animal lovers will be entranced by the glossy pages and their contents.  The animals featured are from all around the world so this would present a wonderful opportunity to map their locations.

Perfect not just for the pleasure of the book but a superb addition for units of work focused on animal life.  Just take a look at some of these sample pages.

Highly recommended for primary libraries and small animal lovers.

 

 

Jul11

An Artist’s Alphabet – Norman Messenger

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1480326404615

ISBN: 9781406346763
Imprint: Walker Studio
October , 2016
Australian RRP: $29.99
New Zealand RRP: $32.99

 

This is an amazingly beautiful book which unfortunately (with a couple of others, reviews on their way) got waylaid on a shelf under some other more trivial items.

Whether this is a gift or a title for your library collection (either primary or secondary) it will be much appreciated for its beauty and unique creativity.

Messenger, who abandoned the world of ad agencies to become a full time illustrator in 1978, has devised the most magical, magnificent and surreal alphabet book by taking ordinary objects and transforming them into both upper and lower case letters.

It is not so much as an alphabet book that it will be a hit but rather as a delicious dip into surrealism for art lovers of all ages.

Highly recommended for any school library collection.

download (2) Love this one!

download (3)

Jul11

Glitch – Michelle Worthington/Andrew Spark

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Glitch PB HR Cov RGB

Ford St Publishing

July 2017

Author: Michelle Worthington

Illustrator: Andrew Plant

 

ISBN 978192527271

 

RRP $16.99

 

Here is a really lovely picture book about friendship, self confidence, and persistence, upcycling, overcoming anxiety and being positive.

 

Glitch is a twitchy little bug who lives in the dump and just loves recycling junk into useful things especially billy carts. Every year he builds a billy cart and his best friend, calm and kind June is the driver. They never win because in Glitch’s twitchiness he has usually mucked up something.

 

This year they have their fastest billy cart ever but in a practice run that goes awry, June’s antenna get bent. She won’t be able to drive like that but she insists that Glitch can. His nervousness almost gets the better of him but June, like a true friend, supports him and gives him just the boost of confidence he needs.

 

Andrew’s illustrations as always are so striking in each double page spread and Michelle’s text combines some lovely techniques like alliteration and assonance to make a really readable and rhythmic piece.

As well as all the above it’s a fabulous story that underlines that winning isn’t everything!

 Highly recommended for your little readers from around 5 upwards.

 

 

Jul11

Little Lunch series – Danny Katz/Mitch Vane

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Walker Books

I said earlier today that I’m not that across kids’ TV but this is one show I’ve watched with Miss K and we both think it is very funny.  She, like other kids, because she thinks the antics of the kids and their interactions a real hoot and me, because I reckon over my years of teaching I’ve had all of those kids in my class at one time or another. I think the children’s acting is superb and poor Mrs Gonsha as she swings between kind and caring and completely frazzled is just hilarious.

So just to extend the fun, Danny Katz and Mitch Vane have transformed the episodes into these great books each containing three stories and illustrations. A lot can happen in just fifteen minutes! Read and find out now!

Triple the Trouble

1487923241151

ISBN: 9781925381825
Imprint: Black Dog Books
Release Date: May 1, 2017
Australian RRP: $12.99
New Zealand RRP: $14.99

Why is Debra-Jo so stressed out about a mysterious truck in the school grounds? Is it because she has to hide something small and crawly? And who on earth would imagine that Rory of all people would be put in charge of the class during a wet break? And then there’s Tamara starting a game of kiss-chasey just so she can kiss Battie? What the…?

Triple the Laughs

1497404269666

ISBN: 9781921977398
Imprint: Black Dog Books
Release Date: August 1, 2017
Australian RRP: $12.99
New Zealand RRP: $14.99

Atticus is always so sweet and so nerdy and also really, really smart so why is throwing away his playlunch every day? It must have something to do with those weird smelly green things his YaYa is putting in his lunchbox. Battie, being batty as usual, is running around finding superhero things to do while dressed as his imaginary hero Stretcho (that is the weirdest superpower outfit I’ve ever seen and always makes me laugh!). Then Melanie, who never does anything wrong seemingly, is suddenly ‘Germblocked’ for no apparent reason.

These playlunch sized stories are perfect for kids wanting an engaging and amusing read in short bursts. The series is now up to fifteen so if you haven’t started collecting them yet, you should. They will fly off the shelves for your readers from around 8 upwards.