Reviewed by Gail McDonald This book is the first published book by Anton Clifford-Motopi although he wrote three other books while completing post-graduate studies in public health, working as a university lecturer and raising four children. The author’s stories explore themes of self-identity, family relationships and friendship drawing from his experiences growing up in a
Reviewed by Gail McDonald Amal Abou-Eid is a passionate educator, mother and author of multiple self-published books. Amal started writing children’s books when she couldn’t find books that depicted characters and stories that related to their Muslim Lebanese Australian identity. This is the third book by Amal. Cara King is a Melbourne based illustrator and
Reviewed by Gail McDonald Ian Hayward Robinson is a former teacher who worked for many years in curriculum development and teacher development for the Victorian Education Department. He has run courses on Story Structure and workshops at many writing conferences across Australia. The Most Amazing Thing is his first picture book. Matt Shanks is an
Reviewed by Gail McDonald Phil Cummings the author of this book is an Australian author who has written over 70 children’s books including picture books and novels. His work is published in the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, China, and throughout Europe. Phil has received many awards including 2016 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA)
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Claire Saxby, the author of this children’s book worked in Community Health while simultaneously writing for children. She has won several awards for her work. Jess Racklyeft is an illustrator who creates a variety of works either on paper or digitally. Her work with Claire Saxby on Iceberg, resulted in the
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend The author who presented the world with the first indestructible cardboard baby book should be awarded a Noble Prize for Literature. Saving parents from the inevitable task of rescuing baby’s first set of books from a torn and soggy death, while simultaneously, placing tiny feet on the path of literacy, is
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This is the first novel by Tylissa Elisara, a children’s social worker. Her aboriginal and Irish heritage has given her a long legacy of storytelling. This hard covered 20 x 13cm book has been described as an indigenous Blinky Bill meets Winnie the Pooh. In her adventure story Wurrtoo the author
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This brightly coloured hard covered 26cm square children’s book, is produced by writer of science books for children, Idan Ben-Barak and Christopher Nielsen, Australian children author and illustrator. In 2018 Nielsen’s first picture book saw him shortlisted for the CBCA Crichton Award for best new illustrator, and in 2022 his book
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend When writing for very small children colour is a vital component, worldly logic need not be applied to the narrative. Those enviable little people are free spirits, living in a universe of possibility, no suspension of disbelief needed. Rainbow Saurus by Steve Antony is full of colour and movement as he
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend It is said that David Walliams’ books for children cross the brick wall built in the sand by the political correctness brigade. Personally, I didn’t notice, and I have it on good authority that children reading David Walliams think his books are wonderful. Even children who normally regard reading as ‘work’
Reviewed by Rod McLary When I was a child – quite a number of years ago now – one of my favourite books was Grimm’s Fairy Tales written by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in 1812. When first published, the book’s title was Children’s and Household Tales; and there was much criticism as the
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This 224-page book, which resembles a textbook in size, has a busy cover in blue and yellow. As well as presenting the title of the book in large letters, it is decorated with science and maths symbols with a picture of the author tucked into the bottom lefthand corner of the
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Inspired by the Uluru Statement from the Heart this book is an invitation to go on a journey together with family, friends and First Nations people. It is one of a set of children’s books belonging to a Welcome to Our Country series to connect young children, parents and teachers with
Reviewed by Rod McLary There is nothing like a good adventure story to engage the hearts and minds of all those young readers who enjoy being transported to another world where the kids are the heroes. Tanya Hunter in her debut novel delivers on this well and truly. The story – combining adventure and magic
Reviewed by Rod McLary This charming book for young children addresses and affirms diversity and the intrinsic value of each of us regardless of any differences we may have from those around us. Lupe attends school and notices that she looks different from the other children – and they too notice the differences. She is