Reviewed by Wendy Lipke This story by lecturer from the University of Canberra and Queensland Wuilli Wuilli woman, Lisa Fuller, would probably best suit 9–12-year-old young people. The key themes as mentioned in the Media Release include – First Nations people and perspectives. Diversity and how this can help to solve problems. Bullying, racism and
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeve This is a beautiful book, in both the illustrations which feature the natural wonders of the objects washed up by the tide, and the unfolding way the facts are revealed. The format is large, the illustrations have the softness of watercolour and the fold-out pages engage a young listener, readily. The
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend If I had to sum up Hervé Tullet’s Dot! Scribble! Go! in few words it would be ‘Confidence Builder’. This large hard cover book is pitched at a target audience between three and six-years-old. It steers the young brain to represent their environment with pride and imagination. I write from a
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend Enid Blyton must be glowing green with envy in her grave. Children’s literature is imaginative light years away from days of yore, although brave twelve-year-old and ten-year-old characters are still saving the day. Although in We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord by Garth Nix, they are busy saving the world from
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend When a book reappears after forty years it just has to be something special. So, Emily Rodda’s debut novel Something Special is aptly titled having been a children’s fantasy favourite for many years, winning the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers Award in 1985. Although
Reviewed by Patricia Simms-Reeves This hardback and weighty volume is an addition to the ever-increasing mountain of books, toys, even Lego that features the staggering success of the Potter phenomenon. The eight films of the much-loved books have been an unparalleled success, and it is the production values of the movies that made this such
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke The author of Marigold’s Magic Stars is Samantha Wills who is described as a multidisciplinary creative. She is a writer, creator, educator, speaker and feminist. She says of herself, “I’ve never done things the way you’re ‘meant’ to do them. That approach saw me get really terrible grades in high school
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke The story in this bright, square, hard covered children’s book follows four bunnies as they set off on a trip around Australia. They do this using various modes of transport. They arrive in Sydney in a sea plane then take a jeep to more outback areas before boarding a hot air
Reviewed by Gail McDonald This book, The Brightest Christmas Star, is the first book by Laura Motherway and what a great story for families with children living in warmer climates during Christmas – a story that they will be able to relate to. The children will be able to see themselves on the beach, in
Reviewed by Gail McDonald Every single minute of every single day a child somewhere loses a tooth which is collected by the tooth fairy or tooth fairies – because there is more than just one. The book explains what is a tooth fairy. And what they eat and a very important question – what do
Reviewed by Gail McDonald This is an interesting story about Plum who is a panda trying to find something that she is good at, just like her brothers. She tried tree climbing and, oh no, she fell out of the tree. She tried painting but ended up getting paint all over herself. And then one
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke The cover of All You Need to Know About Dogs says that the book is by A. Cat. Among the publishing details inside the book, in tiny font, is the sentence ‘Fred Blunt has asserted his right to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work’. Turning the first
Reviewed by Gail McDonald This is a fabulous book for young children loaded with many opportunities for the reader to engage the child in discussion about the story and to be an active player in it as well. Lights Out, Little Dragon engages the child from the first page, inviting them to help as the
Reviewed by Wendy Lipke Walking the Rock Country in Kakadu is a beautifully illustrated hard-covered book which has much to share with the reader. Although it has been published as a book for Primary School children the detailed, vivid images and information it provides have much to share with young and old. Throughout the story
Reviewed by Antonella Townsend Best to wear a jumper and a beanie when reading Mawson in Antarctica, Joanna Grochowicz really takes you there. At times during the narrative I did not want to be there – at all. This is scary stuff of the non-fiction kind. Joanna Grochowicz has written a well-researched account of Douglas