Chris Ferrie is a physicist, mathematician, and father of four children, and as you would expect with this background, has produced a fascinating list of 100 words that relate to dinosaurs and their world. Each double page spread in this colourful board book focuses on one type of dinosaur and then gives 8 to 12 words relating to them. An example is the two-page spread on Stegosaurs, which has a picture of a huayangosaurus, with an arrow to the word 'spines', a picture of Coprolite (fossilized poop), and on the opposite page has a picture of a stegosaurus, with the words, 'beak', 'scutes', 'thagomizer,' and picture of a fossil stegosaurus with the words 'spikes' and 'plates'. Other sections include Mesozoic Era, Sauropods, Carnosaurs, Coelurosuaurs, Ankylosaurs, Pachycephalosaurs, Ceratopsians, Ornithopods, Ichthyosaurs and Mosasaurs, Pterosaurs, and finally Plesiosaurs.
Children who already are familiar with the names of many dinosaurs will be thrilled to learn the more difficult names of the categories, while very small children will be able to easily identify the more common dinosaurs and their attributes. The work of a paleontologist and paleobiologist is also introduced and pictures of fossils are featured.
The illustrations are bright and colourful and there are plenty of interesting details for young readers to look at and talk about. The board book is perfect for little hands, with a shiny padded cover that is sure to appeal. My first 100 dinosaur words will be grabbed by eager readers who love dinosaurs and adults who read to their children are going to learn a lot about dinosaurs as well.
People go missing all the time, and while some cases have a happy ending with the lost person(s) being located, the majority of missing are never found. This book explores the nature of these missing cases, ranging from personal issues, kidnappings, accidental cases, war, natural disasters, murder, refugees, Stolen Generations and any other kind of disappearance. Stewart has researched cases that are widely known, including Madeleine McCann, cases that originate from wars, cases that are unknown to the wider public but still have a deep impact on those who knew the person and dozens of cases in between. Stewart explores the pain and ambiguity of loss for those left behind, as well as the systems that have been put in place to prevent missing persons cases, or to assist with searching.
Thoroughly researched, this book is incredibly descriptive and detailed, as well as disturbing and depressing. This is simply due to the staggering numbers of those who go missing, as well as the rate at which this can occur, and the issues that those involved face. The author has researched using a variety of methods, including face to face interviews with people who have lost loved ones, never knowing where they went, as well as people who have been lost themselves. Travelling across Europe as well as Australia, Stewart has dedicated time and effort to ensuring the stories are accurately recorded and the complexities are reflected. A really well written book that would be beneficial to those researching missing persons, and for those interested in the topics covered in the book.
Themes Missing, Loss, Real Life, True Crime, Cults, Stolen Generation, War, Australia, Europe, New Zealand.
Melanie Pages
My dad thinks he's super funny by Katrina Germein. Illus. by Tom Jellett
The family in My dad thinks he’s funny, has grown. There is now a baby in the mix, which gives dad another layer of jokes to tell revolving around the new addition. Kids will groan as they read dad’s hilarious offerings, delighted at the puns, but at the same time, sighing with embarrassment as the man tries so hard to be funny. And he has an endless supply. He can pun for Australia, making asides, quips and double entendres with words like mosquitoes and ants, spiders and worms, fans and paper plates. Nothing is outside his orbit for a play on words, as he seems to have a response or every occasion.
With the new baby in a sling across his chest, dad and the two boys go off to the supermarket, a storehouse of puns as he spies the biscuits and tells them not to take the plane ones as they might fly away, while he is pleased to meat the butcher, and says the bread is just loafing around. Nothing on the television, says one boy, but dad retorts, ‘yes there is dust’.
All through the puns are funny and will appeal to the younger audience who will think up lots for themselves.
Jellett’s hilarious illustrations, featuring dad in his shorts with hairy legs, falling down socks an old sneakers, will bring the house down. Kids will revel in the way the older man is featured, smiling at the similarities between their dad and the one represented.
He is a super dad: sharing the work needed around the home, taking the kids shopping, minding the baby, hanging out the washing, cooking tea, and on every page, caring for his kids. He wears a cape just like his younger son, eats with them at the table, meets their gran with them. He is a super dad, and is super funny, a charming model for families coming up to Father’s Day.
I am every good thing by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James
Egmont Books, 2021. ISBN: 9780755502707. (Age:3+)
I am a non-stop ball of energy. Powerful and full of light. I am a go-getter. A difference-maker. A leader.
"Step inside the mind of the confident narrator of this book! He is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and will see them through. He's creative, adventurous, smart, funny. A good friend. A superhero. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's often misunderstood. So, slow down, look and listen as he shows you who he really is …"
Oprah Magazine says this book is "one of its essential books for discussing racism with kids" and other quotes from reviews all refer to the main character above all else. Yet, when I read it I didn't even notice his colour, although the illustrations are so lifelike and full of energy, because I saw it through the lens of the performances at the Olympic Games - and not just those by Australians. So often, as I watched (as an alternative to the ad infinitum of COVID 19 and lockdown), the back story of the athlete was shared and so often it was a story of triumph over tragedy, of hard work, perseverance, resilience, overcoming hurdles and obstacles, staring the impossible in the face... and that is what I took from this book.
So many of our students would have seen performances that have inspired them - the silver lining of lockdown being the access to real-time coverage rather than a news snippet - and dreams will have been dreamt, particularly with some of the sports being so accessible, like skateboarding, and the age of the competitors so close to their own. And within this book is the sort of motivational, inspirational language that will fan the flames of the spark of those dreams.
So while this book may have been intended to help young black children to rise above the racism and be the person they are, and sadly, will resonate on that level with some of our students, it can be used in lots of ways to affirm and reaffirm, to challenge and to change, to build not just dreams but hope and expectation.
There are so many cliches about it being the inner person that counts, and while that is true, we all know it's not that simple. So help students see their potential by having them identify the highest wall facing them right now, whether that's understanding a science formula or improving their lap time, and then help them put in place a plan to climb over it. Dreams. beliefs and goals can be the driving force but sometimes we need some strategies to make them happen. Have them add a page to the book that celebrates them.
Themes Self-perception.
Barbara Braxton
Shackleton's endurance: an Antarctic survival story by Joanna Grochowicz
Allen & Unwin, 2021. ISBN: 9781760526092. (Age:10+) Highly recommended.
The story of Shackleton and his crew, who in 1914 endured the most horrific of shipwrecks, is one of the most thrilling of survival stories, ensuring that one ship, Discovery, that Shackleton helped fit out, stationed in Dundee, Scotland, will always be a tourist mecca, inviting people to look over the ship and marvel at the story of his life and others in the flurry of Antarctic exploration prior to World War One.
Shackleton and his twenty seven men set off for the Antarctic in August 1914, on board Endurance, aiming to walk across the last unknown continent by foot. It was to take three months. They did not return to any semblance of civilisation until August 1916, surviving two Antarctic winters, a feat unparalleled in the history of Antarctic exploration.
In this absorbing book, Grochowicz retells their story, with maps and diagrams to support the text. A list of the members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, followed by two pages of thumb nail sketches of each member of the team introduces the story, dubbed ‘the last great polar journey’.
A useful timeline and maps of the voyage ready the reader for what is in store. And a non-fiction narrative follows - absorbing, heart stopping and intimate.
When their ship was crushed by pack ice, they had no alternative but to make a much more dangerous journey. With no way of contacting anyone with the First World War in its throes, they had to battle extreme hunger, exhaustion, despair, and unimaginable cold. Their leader, Shackleton, was the one man who could pull off such a feat. Determined, inspiring, dogged, courageous, Shackleton fought against insurmountable odds to get all of his men home.
This story bears rewriting over and over again, a testament to endurance, and this book, told in the style of a fictional story will enthral readers of all ages. Teachers' notes are available.
For the many little train lovers out there comes this delightful story about a birthday party at a miniature railway. It even features the well-loved train cake from the classic Australian Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book. A beautiful map of the train track features on the front and endpapers, complete with roundhouse and signal box; young children will delight in following the track with their finger. The illustrations depict a culturally diverse spread of people and the landscape features the greens and browns of Australia, with lots of gum trees and big blue skies. There are small groups of families gathered all over the train park, all celebrating birthdays of differing ages. They are sitting down and talking together, playing, eating and riding on the minature trains. 'We're at the park. Time to unpack. What can you hear? Clickety-clack'. Children will love joining in with the 'clickety clack' repeated on each page and the train-like rhythm of the short and simple text. After the train ride the families can be seen gathered around, each birthday child blowing out the candles on their cake. 'One more train, but this one's a snack. Blow out the candles! Clickety-clack'.
This is a warm, gentle book depicting a special family day out and the magic of birthday celebrations. It is perfect for train lovers and those who have visited a mini railway, but will delight any preschoolers.
Themes Trains, Birthday parties, Rhyming book.
Nicole Nelson
The lucky list by Rachael Lippincott
Simon & Schuster, 2021. ISBN: 9781398502604. (Age:15+)
Emily and her Mum were always lucky in small town Huckabee… until the luck ran out and her mother succumbed to cancer. For three years since her mother’s death Emily has been less than she once was. Now she is facing her final school year and the appalling realisation that she has yet again offended Matt, her former flame, leaving him in a world of confusion and isolating herself from her former friendship group. The only friend she has retained is going away on a summer camp and Emily is left alone in every way and still stuck in her post-grief wallowing. Her luck has run out. Into this maelstrom of emotion comes Blake, the daughter of her parents’ old school friend. Blake understands what it is to have lost a mother but is able to provide a stimulus to rediscovering life. When they find a list of personal challenges that Emily’s mother had written many years before, Emily is talked into breaking through her fears by the charming Blake and attempts to re-visit the tasks her mother had set. Along the way she also discovers the spark that had been missing from her life… but does it include Matt or Blake?
This is a romance that involves a young teen exploring her gender sexual preference and breaking through the restrictions of her small-town community. It is also about the difficulties of grief and the long journey that sometimes must occur when someone that you love dies. Emily is warmly described despite her attempts to keep people from getting close, and her exploration of her romantic interests is not trite but is slow and inevitable. The psychological journey of growth out of the difficulties of grief and heartbreak are also gently explored. Written obviously for those exploring their sexual identity, it is though just a coming-out, romantic story. For LGBTIQ collection.
Themes LGBTIQ, Romance, Grief, Relationships.
Carolyn Hull
Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN: 9781743316603. (Age:14+) Highly recommended.
Another award winning fantasy from Nix (Ditmar Award Nominee for Best Novel (2004) and Aurealis Award for Young Adult Novel and Best Fantasy Novel) follows directly along from Lirael, with Lirael and Sam facing the Destroyer, an evil being, desperate to escape from its prison and take over the world. Sabriel and Touchstone have gone to Ancelstierre to seek help in stopping the being and Sam’s friend Nick has been trapped into helping the forces of darkness.
Fans of the first two books will not be disappointed. The incredible world building with its Charter Magic and Free Magic, its evil spirits, the Dead who walk and the Nine G into Death is an outstanding feature of this series. Both Lirael and Sam have become confident in their abilities and are determined to overcome the dark necromancers that scrouge the Kingdom. The knowledge that Lirael must use when she wields the bells is amazing. Sam, meanwhile, has gradually realised the power that he has as a Wallmaker and Charter Mage, and is a helpful ally. Of course, those two fantastic characters, the Disreputable Dog and Mogget the little white cat feature strongly and their unique characteristics and skills are essential in breaking the grip that evil has on the land.
Action, terror, magic, the Dead and the courage of Lirael, Sameth and Nick make this a wonderful read and fans will want to continue with Clariel, a prequel, and Goldenhand, as well as the short stories To hold the bridge. This is a series not to be missed and would be an excellent choice for libraries.
Themes Fantasy, Good and evil, Magic.
Pat Pledger
Green by Louise Greig and Hannah Peck
Farshore, 2021. ISBN: 9781405299398.
When winter snow turns the green grass of the hills to white, Ed revels in his favourite season. Because that's when he can get his sleek sled out of the shed and race the other children down the slope. But instead of the fast sled of yesteryear his now seems old and dull and slow as new, shiny, purple, orange , yellow and red ones flash past.
Discouraged and disappointed at no longer being the best, Ed takes his sled back to the shed where he spends days and days trying to perfect it. The voice in his head tells him that it is fine but he ignores it and keeps on tinkering. But something strange has happened while he has been tucked away all that time. There is blue peeping out of the snow and the blackbird is singing... and with a heavy spring shower the white is turned to green!
Even though few Australian children will spend their winters sliding down the slopes, this is a timely story that introduces young readers to the emotion of envy, exploring how we can be so consumed by being bigger, better, and faster that we miss out on more important things like fun and friendship. Rather than valuing what now, we get carried away with the anticipation of what next. It is another in a series in which little people can confront big emotions through story and learn about and from them.
Told in rhyming text, as well as being a story about emotions, there is also an element of science that can be explored as Ed draws elaborate plans for his new sled to make it magnificent. But what does he sacrifice in exchange for the fancy-dancy add-ons? What are the essential elements a sled needs to glide swiftly over the snow? And for those in warmer climes than mine, what is snow and why doesn't it fall everywhere? Why doesn't it fall all the time? Why do the seasons change?
I adore books that become springboards for young readers to explore well beyond the pages, that help them make more sense of the world around them and broaden their horizons. This is one of those.
The Wolf's Howl (another Maven and Reeve Mystery), written by A.L.Tait, is the sequel to The Fire Star, which was a 2021 CBCA notable book. Allison Tait (A.L.Tait) is an internationally published bestselling author of middle years adventure books and is best known for the popular Mapmaker Chronicles.
In The Wolf's Howl, the two central characters, Maven and Reeve, having just unmasked a killer and rescued the dazzling Firestar Ruby, find themselves travelling to the farflung, miserable castle of Glawn. Fans of Medieval history will enjoy the physical, social and political setting of the Maven and Reeve mysteries. Tait conjures up a bleak, boggy, bitterly cold, tussocky moor setting complete with a gloomy castle and sinister windmills with blades that can sever the bodies of the unwary. A constant presence is the vicious wind - The Wolf's Howl, which carries with it sleet, darkness and peril to any who venture outside into its clutches. The inhabitants of this setting live in the medieval castle hierarchy under the Airl of Glawn. All, from the scullery maids in the kitchen, to the stern faceless guards hidden in swirling grey cloaks, live in a state of fear, immersed as they are in the brutality, political intrigue and their generally miserable stations in the social structure of a medieval castle.
Into this grim scenario ride Reeve of Norwood, Squire of Sir Garrick, Knight Protector of Rennart Castle, Sir Garrick himself, his new wife, the Lady Cassandra and her maid, Maven. Their mission is delicate and dangerous. They have been sent by the Airl of Buckthorn to subtly ascertain the sentiments of the Airl of Glawn towards the king - a mission which is tantamount to treasonous design. On their arrival, the party find the castle in chaos as the cook has gone missing. Normally this would not be such a notable catastrophe. The plot begins to thicken. Maven applies her considerable intellect to unravelling the clues surrounding the mystery.
Tait delineates the hardship experienced by women of the era who, if found to be literate, clever or educated in any way, would be executed. Maven of course is all of these things and in addition belongs to a secret society of women - the Beech Society. Secret societies, the role of women and the political, cultural, economic and social structure of medieval society are all woven into the cracking storyline.
The Wolf's Howl is not an easy read. The plot twists sinuously demanding steady concentration. For the reader who is uninitiated into the medieval world with its accompanying social rankings, formalities and associated trappings, this book presents a challenge. However for a powerful tale of danger, mystery, loyalty and betrayal, The Wolf's Howl is recommended.
Themes Role of women, Politics, Social structure, Secret societies of the medieval era.
Wendy Jeffrey
The shortest history of war by Gwynne Dyer
Black Inc., 2021. ISBN: 9781760641696. (Age:16+) Recommended.
It’s a short history but the message is hard to take. War has been part of the human psyche since prehistoric times and has continued to erupt throughout history. Once thought a noble and glorious activity, most people are now aware that in the current time of algorithms and atom bombs, a world war would likely lead to destruction of the planet.
Dyer succinctly describes the development of war from hand to hand combat to trench warfare to missiles and drones, each invention leading to an increasing detachment and depersonalisation in the destruction of the other. There is always the lingering appetite for war, and whilst we know we mustn’t use nuclear weapons, nations still desire to have them. As Dyer says, ‘no great power has renounced war as an instrument of policy’. He proposes that the only hope is to create ‘some sort of genuine international community’, in other words a United Nations. ‘The danger is extreme, but it’s no reason to stop trying’.
The chapters are short, the headings of each page highlight key points and there are many diagrams, images and quotations. It is a well referenced book, a neat and easy to read summary of war history, but whilst the final pages present an optimistic view, it’s hard not to come away with the sense we are fatally flawed as a species.
This would be a useful book for senior secondary students of Modern History for its succinct and insightful summary of the issues in the development of nuclear warfare, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the role of the United Nations. It brings together ideas that would stimulate historical analysis and class discussion.
Themes War, Weapons, Military strategy, Nuclear warfare, United Nations.
Helen Eddy
All About Diversity by Felicity Brooks and Mar Ferrero
Usborne, 2021. ISBN: 9781474986649. (Age:3+)
"Being different from each other is called DIVERSITY" and this entertaining book explores a range of ways people can be different such as what they look like, where they live, the sorts of families they live in, the foods they eat and the way they spend their time. Using a two-page spread, lots of illustrations accessible text and speech bubbles, its design encourages the young reader to explore each vignette and learn something new each time. There is also a glossary to explain some of the trickier words as well as notes for the grown-ups that explain why promoting diversity and inclusion is critical for the healthy well-being of our children.
Although this is a topic that early childhood teachers focus on each year this books gives a real focus and explanation to those aspects that their students are most aware of, making it an excellent foundation for an ongoing unit of work. Inspired by the stimuli provided, children could create their own class pages featuring themselves and their lives making it a powerful resource for both social and language development.
If you enjoyed Lisa Walker’s last novel The girl with the gold bikini, you’ll enjoy this sequel even more, though it must be said it reads perfectly well as a stand-alone. Walker has really settled into her groove, and I found this second story about private investigator Olivia Grace a more smooth flowing mystery with plenty of laughs along the way.
The descriptions of her undercover disguises are hilarious, the fake tans, dyed hair, hippy clothes, as are the thought comments of her assumed persona ‘Nansea’, the comments she worries might be a throwback to the imaginary friends she had as a kid, something she thought she’d outgrown. Her inner Nansea is really cool, ‘the girl who gets her man, never takes no for an answer, and always looks stylish’. However the reader picks up clues that perhaps the disguise is not as convincing as she thinks, and maybe Rosco, her former employer and love interest, finds it all a bit amusing.
This latest adventure has the lot, a missing girl, environmental activists, a bizarre cult, hippies and surfies, cryptic clues, and numerous suspects, all with names starting with the letter A. It’s a lot of fun, and the mystery will keep you guessing until the end.
Starting school is a very exciting time in the lives of young children. It can also be overwhelming and full of worries for some or one big adventure for others. There is so much to learn, to understand and to remember. This book discusses a range of scenarios that a young child may experience in those early days. The author begins with an introduction to the diverse range of child characters and follows this with warm-ups for school. Activities such as putting coats and shoes on, writing the first letter of their name as well as wiping “my own bum” and hand washing. There is a double page spread about how the child will get to school as well as saying goodbye to the adult responsible for bringing them. The author then includes information for the child about what may happen during the school day right up until home time. There is a page of worries with children asking questions that may resonate with the young reader. Each double page is brightly coloured with speech bubbles and appealing illustrations.
This new publication, Let’s Get ready for School, is a perfect read for parents or carers to share with those about to take their first plunge into school life.
Twenty short stories full of laugh out loud humour, short enough to read to friends or keep for yourself in a corner of the library, Spratt has featured every fairy tale she can get her hands on, interspersed with a few unpublished stories from Friday Barnes and Nanny Piggins. Nanny tells her stories, of course, from a porcine perspective, while Friday adds to her store of mysteries with new stories, and interspersed between them all are hints on writing short stories for the reader to use.
I giggled reading Rapunzel Bacon-Hair, and laughed at Red Riding Pig, enjoyed heartily reading The Pied Pig of Hamelin and laughed at the Princess and the pea rehash with a prince you would certainly not die for. Friday Barnes was in her element in Friday Barnes and the Case of the Missing On-Dollar Coin and the Case of the Smashed Statue, while Storytelling Tip 2 told me ‘never let the truth ruin a good story.’
So a great, easy to read selection of short stories to get your teeth into for a short time, sure to please a wide audience, with hints to begin writing stories themselves. Kids will love the rehashed fairy tales and with the hints in mind, try a few themselves.
Grab a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales from the library and read a not so well known one, then get your kids to rewrite it from Nanny Piggin's point of view. Something for the lockdown.
Themes Short stories, Fractured fairy tales, Humour.
