When this first arrived, aside from the fact that I was totally blown away by the gorgeous, shiny gold dust jacket, I thought – what the…? 20 years?? surely not! But then I stopped and realised that The Kid was five years old when the movie came out, and she, along with her mum and I, fell in love with Toothless. I already knew that the book was brilliant, but the movie adaptation elevated the fandom beyond anything up to that point. I am even surprised to realise that my review of the final, #12, in the series was written 8 years ago!
And so now here we are, twenty years and seven million copies (of the series) worldwide later. How absolutely marvellous it is to re-visit Hiccup and the band of extraordinary (and somewhat crackerbarrel) Vikings with the bonus of a new story to boot – and an epilogue that actually made me feel teary.
Because Cressida’s books are like that. They are often wacky, and exceedingly humorous but there is also, so often, tenderness or wisdom that only those of calcified heart could fail to be moved by. And of course, Cressida’s iconic and idiosyncratic illustrations are completely unmistakable, and add so very much to the text.
These are, rightly so, regarded as modern classics. I’ve gone on to love every single one of Cressida’s books, and her assortment of (regularly misfit!) characters and circumstances.
I want to take this opportunity to personally thank Cressida for not only giving children everywhere ,Hiccup, Toothless and all the crew, but also for the extreme pleasure she gave to The Kid, when she was known as Small, and her mum, before we lost her forever, and the joy The Kid continues to have in these stories.
Thank heavens, I had saved her dragons which used to regularly feature in her imaginative play before she was ready for more social interactions – they were her friends before humans were.
I don’t need to ‘sell’ this at all. You will want it for your collection, whether library or personal, and if you have been a fan for twenty years and own them all, you will still want this special and glittery addition. And just think – now you will have an entire new generation with whom to share the joy. I think this one will be one of the few that remain on my own shelf.
“However treacherous the path may be through the heather, however difficult it is for you to say what needs to be said, however small and helpless and unimportant you may look, you always have to fight with your heart and your hands and your head, for what you believe to be right.
For when the world needs a Hero…..It might as well be YOU.
She got up early one morning and drew Toothless as a surprise for me 2014Small pretending to be Toothless the Night Fury (throwing down a bit of smoked salmon) 2015No, I’ll never get rid of her dragons ..
Hardback MAY 31, 2023 | 9780734421517 | RRP $19.99
This is another fabulous footy book from Carl Merrison and the exuberance of the narrative leaps off the page like a specky.
In his own backyard, in the Kimberley, Jy is playing footy, because kicking the ball is fun! When he accidentally kicks the ball over the fence, his neighbour, Kitara, joins in and goes for the catch – but oops! over the next fence goes the ball. Kicking the ball IS fun, but playing with friends is better.
And so the story goes on, with another friend with a different skill joining in along the way, until there is one big happy mob having a game on the local oval. Readers will enjoy the game of footy but they will also take note of the setting from the rich red soil to the lush backyards and orchards, this is a virtual visit to a region that I’ve not yet seen in a picture book, and one which would provide much interest.
Take your kiddos on a Google maps tour of the Kimberley and research what the region is like, and where in Australia it is located. Children will be fascinated by the remote wilderness and likely find it hard to believe that people do live there, let alone kids playing football!
Carl’s writing is joyful and the glorious colours of the illustrations make this a knock-out. The footy-mad kids are depicted with bold colours and outlines,set against backdrops of muted pastel skies and mountain ranges. And the endpapers are just gorgeous!
Both author and illustrator are First Nations creators and this book is part of a new sporty series developed by SLQ’s black-and-write!, a program aimed at fostering First Nations creators and editors. You won’t want to miss this and neither will your young footy fans.
Jane Godwin’s delightful new series for your younger readers, venturing on their independent reading journeys will, I predict, be a huge hit. These kiddos are always enthralled with stories which mirror their own doings, likes and dislikes, worries and joys, and, of course, family and friends.
Isabelle is an only child who lives with her Dad. She has a best friend Harry B, and a cat, Steve, plus a baby cousin called Bibi. As happens in many classes in schools all over, there are some double-ups (and even triple-ups!) of names but Isabelle loves being the only one with her name. Then Isobel arrives, and even with a different spelling, Isabelle feels somehow threatened, especially as new Isobel is very loud and in-your-face which can be rather confronting for a shyer child.
These four stories in one volume explore Isabelle working through making friends with Izzy, something which definitely has some trickier moments. These will provide some perfect fodder for class discussions about friendships, getting along and the dynamics in different families.
Isabelle’s suspicion that Izzy has stolen a precious possession and the awkwardness that ensues is a great example of how these stories will enhance classroom circle time conversations by examining how to handle such situations and, indeed, how to both apologise and accept apologies graciously. Given Isabelle’s own family situation, it’s little wonder she’s also a little bit intimidated by Izzy’s teenaged half-sisters and it takes a little while to overcome her anxiety with this – a great bit of growth and learning there to take into a group discussion. Whether it is something big or something small, these are stories with which your younger readers can easily make connections to self.
There are some extensive teaching notes to accompany this and while I can understand that the bibliography at the end of these seems to focus on series/titles with girl titular/main characters, it would be good to keep in mind that there are also several such series with boy protagonists in the lead – albeit, all of these have a combination of both genders in their narratives.
All in all, this is going to be a hit with those keen beans in Year 1 or Year 2 moving into their first ‘chapter books’. I give it a big thumbs up for these little guys from 6 years upwards.
Jane Godwin has created another intense narrative for teen readers which really encapsulates how different a ‘coming-of-age’ might be for disparate individuals. The teenagers at the Otway Community School, which is not your regular school, are used to doing things differently but the ‘dropping’ is a new experience altogether. Based on a similar Dutch activity, the students, in small groups, are dropped into the forest/wilds at 4 pm with a basic kit of essentials and must find their way back to the school, 27 kms away, by midnight. Five very different young people head off in a group which is about to encounter much worse than just the dark and some rain. Each has their own backstory that impacts on their behaviours and reactive responses, especially to challenges:
Elle has lived all over the world as her mother works for DFAT but now finding herself in rural Victoria is still feeling adrift and, as yet, unable to find her niche in the social groups,
Fred has found himself continually in trouble, and angry, since his parents have not only split up but essentially each abandoned him,
Ash is definitely more settled in some ways than the others, but being the child of a same-sex couple he’s struggling to define his own interpretation of becoming a man while determined to reject all the examples of toxic masculinity he observes,
Laila is the daughter of a world-famous self-help guru and appears to be the most collected and calm of all, but her family situation is fraught as her celebrity dad basically ignores them all,
and then there’s Chrystal, exchange student from America, who clings onto her Snoopy stuffie, constantly hums, is obsessed with her phone and appears to be perpetually in some of brain fog.
When things begin to go awry with their hike rapidly, it is hardly a surprise given the dynamics between them all, and there is far more to contend with than just their own mis-management of the experience. A lost child, serious threats from older and drunk males intent on creating havoc in the bush, losing precious equipment and a wild storm lashing the entire district all add to the intensity of their deteriorating expedition.
Facing the elements of nature, the unknown, the intrusion of violence and their own insecurities and fears, the five must somehow survive the night – and each other. Gripping throughout, this is a real page-turner and readers from around 13 or 14 upwards will thoroughly enjoy it. Jane Godwin is adept at creating the kind of thrilling and drama filled narrative that readers in this age group relish and I have yet to have a disappointed punter when I’ve suggested one of her titles.
When I saw the little piece today that Netflix has announced that Heartstopper Season 2 has wrapped up, I just knew it was the day to share this one! The graphic series that started as a slow burn 2 years ago or soon, with many of us recommending i,t has steadily gained a huge following but the Netflix series not only clinched its popularity but saw it skyrocket like nothing I’ve seen since the frenzy of HP years ago.
This is going to make the ultimate stocking stuffer for any tween or teen in your circle, as Alice Oseman takes her readers through the whole journey of Heartstopper, with profiles on characters (and even pets!), the artwork including ‘how to draw’ activities for fans, backstories and more.
While there is some room for an owner-reader to personalise the book, I don’t believe this precludes it from a library shelf as these pages are few. For the most part this a celebration of the phenomenon that is Heartstopper along with some very pertinent commentary on the Pride movement, diversity and acceptance for all. The allure of this series is that it is genuinely sweet and wholesome, and every kiddo I know who has read it is not only instantly hooked but dragging in their friends to get hold of it next.
It is beautifully presented in this hardback edition, and would make a marvellous gift at any time but perhaps especially for a Christmas surprise. If, like me, you’ve needed four copies of each volume in the series in your collection, you won’t want to miss out on getting this one.
Highly recommended for readers from around 12 upwards.
In the Arabic language, there are over 50 words describing the degrees of love. That’s 50 stories, 50 life-worlds. This lyrical and heartwarming book takes you on a journey through 11 of these Arabic expressions for love
While this deceptively simple text focuses on the journey of an Arabic family seeking refuge, it is most definitely a book for all children, regardless of their family history or culture. Each Arabic expression (in Arabic symbols/script as well as words) is accompanied by a lyrical one-sentence definition and both are pinned against the backdrop of glorious double spreads full of life and indeed, love. Maxine’s illustrations are gloriously rendered in watercolour pencil and collage, and vibrantly reflect the liveliness of the child who is offering up the words of love.
The child’s family find friends in their new home, along with much joy with nature, pets, neighbours and school, although they do miss their old home and remember it with love as well.
In a world increasingly beset with ugly hate and conflict, we know we must continually reinforce empathy and compassion in our youngsters and, in my opinion, the most effective strategy in our toolbox is through quality literature which is thoughtful and sensitive. Sharing this book will provide a perfect entrée into rich discussions on refugees, migrants, different cultures and languages, kindnes, and ways to make people welcome.
It is a book full of hope as well as love and I would love to share this with children and have them create their own artworks with their depictions of love in its many forms.
Highly recommended for little people from Kinder upwards.
A delightful 1/2 class, at a local school which has a special focus on all things ‘ocean’, as it is located right on the very seafront, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the depths of the brine with Sami.
Dive on in and find out about each of the underwater zones and the weird, wonderful creatures who inhabit them, as well as how those creatures have adapted and evolved over time to suit their habitat.
We enjoyed so much rich discussion as we took our time over each double spread. Along the way we interrupted our reading to measure out just how long a giant oarfish is, and to see if we could flatten ourselves like flounders (which was a nice opportunity to talk about alliteration!) and to talk about what the children (and the school) are doing to help preserve the ocean on our doorstep.
The marvellous creatures are shown with great detail and each one is accompanied by neat facts, which add even more to the wealth of information being shared. It is, of course, quite difficult for little humans as young as these to grasp the concept of millions of years or indeed, thousands of metres down below the water’s surface but they can realise the scope and enormity of this part of our natural world.
This is another of Sami’s lavishly visual offerings with her trademark superior illustrations and I, for one, just love her self-representation right down to her distinctive hair and winged eyeliner!
Having stolen just half an hour or so to pore over this and seen the fascination exhibited by my audience, I would love the opportunity to incorporate this into a more extended learning experience.
HIghly recommended for readers from as young as 5 or 6 years old, and naturally, particularly useful if you are exploring a unit of inquiry focused on the Ocean.
I have no doubt that anyone in my personal orbit will confirm that I am a dyed-in-the-wool, fully card-carrying aficionado – nay, devotee! – of Spicks and Specks. Not only would I not miss an episode when is was screening but I regularly watch repeats, specials, have the DVD of the play-at-home game – you get the picture. And by virtue of that, I am also a deadset fan of Myf – the little pocket rocket who might always look teeny next to Adam and Alan but is huge in her knowledge and chutzpah. Myf has always struck me as a kindred spirit (not least of all due to our propensity to a love of the more – let’s say – not so esoteric ‘hits’ in the music world. I can’t honestly say I see her ‘thing’ for Kenny Rogers but we definitely converge on certain points :-).
This absolutely delightful joy of a memoir has been my read over the past four nights. I love that each chapter is headed up by a particular ‘hit’ complete with record reference image. I do think Myf could have shared a few more photos – as there were so many moments in her recounts where I thought – Oh, I’d love to see that!
The anecdotes from Myf’s childhood and early career were so interesting and fun but I actually think, above all, it is her reflections since Covid – the never-ending Melbourne lockdown and more – that resonated most with me. I love that she sees herself as complete without a partner and that she’s got the gumption to get in and do stuff (read, renovations and so on) off her own bat. It took me a long time to get to that sort of point and nowhere near as young as Myf, so I totally admire her.
If you are a fan of bios/memoirs and enjoy reading those that are not full of doom and gloom (like I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that per se, and I’m certainly not making light of tough times in Myf’s life), do yourself a favour and pick this one up. I promise you, you won’t regret it.
If, as I am, you are are a fan of historian Lucy Worsley, either in her role as Chief Curator of Royal Historical Palaces and her numerous TV appearances, or in her other guise as a skilled writer of best-selling history books AND you are also an Agatha Christie devotee, you will be one of the many readers who will eagerly take up this newest of Lucy’s books.
I have read quite a bit about Dame Agatha over the years, though admittedly not for some time, but it seemed to me that this volume was in many ways a complete revelation as it peeled the quite complex layers of the woman and celebrity author.
There are clearly many well-known facts about Christie’s life: her mystery disappearance in 1926, her highly publicised marriage to archaeologist Max Mallowan, her own experience working in a dispensary during the Great war which informed her writing of her first successful mystery novel and her record-breaking book sales and stage plays. However, there is so much more to discover about this truly remarkable woman and with her access to many personal letters and papers, Lucy Worsley has provided us with this depth of detail. In many ways an enigma, there is also an element of understanding to be had as one unravels the significant episodes in her life from her quite privileged childhood which subsequently disintegrated into near poverty, to her embrace of the modern world in the early 20th century including fast cars, surfing, and pyschology. Throughout her increasingly successful and high profile career, Agatha protested that she was simply a very ordinary ‘housewife’ – nothing could be further from the truth. Long before the celebrity mania modern society seems to indiscriminately bestow on people notorious for five minutes (and the plethora social media exposure etc) this was a woman whose face and work was not only known but highly respected. Despite her Victorian/Edwardian start to life, she became a beacon for women who aspired to a working career in the contemporary setting.
I read this at night over about two weeks, and was so completely entranced with it that I didn’t even ‘book cheat’ during that time *grin*!
I can highly recommend it to you, especially those of you with an interest in well-researched biographies and literary history. Definitely a 10/10 for this one!
This is just utterly fantastic from first page to last. So good that I gobbled it up in just two sittings in fact. Why is it so dangerous being Trilby Misso you may wonder? Well, because she finds herself in a unique position – inheriting the singular role of Time Keeper.
A truly strange illness has befallen much of the general population, causing people to do some very bizaare things such as bake ancient cakes or speak dead languages, but it is when these give way to just continued and unceasing sleep that situations become dire. When Trilby’s mother becomes ill she knows it won’t be long before she will also become one of the never-ending sleepers so she decides that she and Trilby must seek out their only living relative, an elderly great-aunt of some kind. Whatever Trilby expected, it was not the incredibly ancient and eccentric Thumbelina, who lives in an intriguing antique shop, full of curiosities, at the edge of a lake which appears to more of an inland sea. And she certainly didn’t expect her lively aunt to just drop down dead and leave her in what turns out to be, a hugely overwhelming and dangerous role – that of Time Keeper on the very edge of Time.
As Trilby tries desperately to make sense of who, what and where she is, the situation becomes even more fraught and definitely more dangerous when the villain of the piece, the Night Manager, Mr Colin. Evil personified, and the relentless pursuer of Trilby, Mr Colin, has been thwarting the members of the Time Guild at every turn. Now that Thumbelina has passed the Time Keeper’s responsbilities to Trilby, he is determined to rid himself of what he thinks is merely an annoying young girl. Little does he know that Trilby is both resourceful and courageous.
The entire lively adventure is peppered with the author’s trademark humour and the completely off-the-wall interjections and asides are hilarious. Middle school readers are going to love it – for both the suspenseful adventure and the wacky wit – as well as the extremely nasty baddies.
Highly recommended for your kiddos from around Year 4 upwards.
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