Tag Archives: Fathers

Aug29

Happy Father’s Day!

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Whether you are celebrating a dad, step-dad, grandfather or the person who takes on the important role of a father figure – there are so many beautiful books which will add joy to your family’s or class’ marking of this special day. Here are some fabulous titles that will fit the bill perfectly!

I love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle

Penguin Australia

  • Published: 31 July 2017
  • ISBN: 9780141374376
  • Imprint: Picture Puffin
  • RRP: $12.99

It’s not just that I have an absolute passion for Eric Carle’s work but these little gift books are just so darling! Even though I am now in a secondary library these little sweeties make regular appearances on my special little ‘sacred space’ table for inspiration or reminders.

This little kaleidoscope of colour expresses all the wonderful feelings that little people have for their dads’ special attributes. My clear favourite is the beautiful seahorse pair with their stunning rainbow-like shimmers.

This little charmer makes a perfect gift particularly for the littlest people and their daddies.

Peppa Pig: My Daddy

Penguin Australia

  • Published: 1 August 2011
  • ISBN: 9781409309062
  • Imprint: Ladybird
  • RRP: $9.99

This favourite has a delightful new look as Daddy Pig takes on that all important role of being the barbecue chef (or if you’re like my family – Tong Master!).

Everyone knows just how important Daddy is in the Pig family and how much Peppa loves him. Just like all dads Daddy Pig is not really perfect. Along with his many wonderful attributes he’s also a tiny bit clumsy at times and not really very good as a handyman for home projects but this just makes him all the more loveable – and no doubt for many littlies, more relatable!

We all know for little people, you just can’t go wrong with Peppa Pig so this one is a must-have!

My Dad Snores – John Williamson. Illustrated by Peter Carnavas.

Penguin Australia

  • Published: 6 August 2019
  • ISBN: 9780143793793
  • Imprint: Puffin
  • RRP: $19.99

I got excited about this one when I got John’s latest Gumleaf newsletter a week or so ago and he had shared his video clip. I have to say – John is one of the very nicest people I’ve ever met and just saying, so is Peter Carnavas!

What an inspired pairing of creators this is and what an absolutely cracking gift for any family with a ‘snorer’ dad! This version of John’s song (which got many airings with my girls – we all loved John’s work) includes a new verse – increasing the hilarity even further.

If you are looking for a Father’s Day read to share with your minion troops this week – you can’t go wrong with this one. They will be falling about laughing and I am sure will be keen to share their own family ‘snorer’ stories!!

What do You Call Your Grandpa? Ashleigh Barton and Martina Heiduczek

Harper Collins Australia

  • ISBN: 9780733340864
  • ISBN 10: 0733340865
  • Imprint: ABC Books – AU
  • On Sale: 22/07/2020
  • List Price: 17.99 AUD

My final offering for your Father’s Day pleasure is this stunning new book that is not only a letter of love to all grandfathers but is inclusive and subtly informative. Little readers will be treated to an ‘around the world’ virtual visit to grandpas all over and learn their special titles in their own language. Given we have our own resident Nonno, this is one that appeals tremendously and in addition, in particular if your school like mine is a veritable melting pot of cultures and nationalities this will be a super exploration as well as lovely read-aloud.

Each beautiful double spread has a small rhyming verse to introduce the grandchild and grandparent and the book concludes with a list of the ‘grandfather’ names and a short explanation of their country of origin. Especially of note is the inclusion of one nomenclature in an Aboriginal language (Gurindji from the NT’s Victoria River region) and Maori as well as those from Europe, Africa, South America and languages such as Hebrew.

This is not only a superb inclusion for your Father’s Day collection but also for your HASS studies as it gives children an insight into cultural differences and similarities.

Highly recommended for readers from around 4 years upwards.

Jun7

Monstrous Devices – Damien Love

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Bloomsbury Australia

May 2020

Imprint: Rock the Boat

ISBN 9780451478597

RRP $14.99

Firstly if Sid’s Franken-toys in Toy Story freaked you out a bit, you’re really not going to like the titular monstrous devices in this deliciously exciting and somewhat creepy debut novel from Damien Love!

Twelve year old Alex has a collection of old robot toys which his largely absent grandfather has bought for him over the years. When a new one, and definitely the most interesting of them all, arrives with a note that tells Alex ‘This one is special’ he is both delighted and intrigued. Until that is strange things start happening and Alex begins to suspect that seemingly innocuous tin robot might not just be special but possibly deadly.

Just as things seem to be spiraling into some bizarre and dangerous events, Alex’ grandfather turns up and leaving behind normal life of school bullies, but also friends and his mother, Alex and Grandad, a somewhat mysterious and eccentric old man, plunge into a sinister world of assassins, pursuit by both human and robot adversaries, high-speed chases, narrow escapes and ancient mystical secrets and feuds.

From Paris to Prague the pair, in tandem with an old friend, needs to outwit and out-outmaneuver their persistent and callous enemies as they try to destroy an ancient macabre creation that could potentially destroy the world.

This is not just impressive writing for a debut novel – Love writes with the ease and assuredness of a master whirling the readers into a truly gripping page-turner with high octane excitement and some seriously creepy villians.

Readers from around 12 years upwards will absolutely delight in this and like myself, wait for a next thrilling adventure. Highly recommended for your upper primary/middle secondary kiddos – another one for ‘book talking’ tomorrow!