-
A Hatful of Dreams – Bob Graham
Walker Books Australia September 2025 ISBN13:9781529525861 Australia RRP:$27.99 New Zealand RRP:$29.99 When, I ask you, have you ever been disappointed by a Bob Graham book? Never is my answer and this new one is every bit as charming, heartfelt and warm as so many of his others. In a street full of tired, empty houses…
-
Koala Fairies – Anna Pignataro
Scholastic Australia September 2025 ISBN:9781761123849 RRP: $19.99 It really could be set right here at the end of our street – where bush meets the sea and there are native animals sheltering in quiet spots. Cute little friends, Cookie and Clover, are a pair of helpful koalas who do their best to care for their…
-
Little Bee’s Year of Blooms – Sarah Jane Lightfoot
I’ve had quite a few board books come my way this year and truly they’ve all been lovely but this one is the pièce de résistance with its sculptured pages and combination of plants and insects. I hadn’t seen any of Sarah Jane Lightfoot’s books before but if this one is any indication, they must…
-
Parrot Palace – Susanne Gervay with Pooja Mathur. Illustrated by Sarah Tabassum.
Big Sky Publishing Imprint: Little Big Sky March 2025 ISBN: 9781923300088 RRP: $12.99 When I had an email from the wonderful Susanne Gervay last year, asking if I would write teaching notes for a new book, quite naturally I was delighted. And when I first read Parrot Palace, I was even more delighted. This is…
-
The Big Backyard Plan – Kirsten Ealand/Laura Stitzel
Affirm Press February 2025 AUD RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781922992444 What a delightful and happy-making book this is! Until I was 14, my family home was our house in the front corner of 3 regular-sized Sydney suburban blocks, with the rest of the land being taken up with the family business of A. Warren & Sons…
-
Best Idea Yet: Willa and Woof # 8 – Jacqueline Harvey
Penguin Australia October 2024 Jacqueline Harvey continues to smash this series for younger readers with another exciting adventure from the ever-intrepid and resourceful Willa. Along with Tae and Woof, Willa has been officially helping at the Sunset Views retirement village next door. And the elderly residents are now also even more involved with Willa’s school…
-
The Cubbies: the battle for Australia’s first adventure playground – Joan Healey
Monash University Publishing Publication Date: Aug 2024 RRP: $36.99 ISBN: 9781922979698 Sometimes it is really marvellous how things come your way. Just over a week ago I was writing some teaching notes for a forthcoming JF in which a cubby is featured, and, as is my wont, I was rootling around for info or inspo…
-
Dragon Folding – Christopher Cheng. Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo.
Penguin Australia September 2024 Grief is hard. And most of us know, in one way or another, some losses are harder to bear than others. I know that well, as does author Christopher Cheng. In a beautiful new book from this illustrious author, comes a narrative that explores the depths of grief, and how strength…
-
Clarice Bean Smile – Lauren Child
Harper Collins Australia April 2024 Yesterday was a very grumpy day. Although there was lots of good stuff in it, I was extremely annoyed to find out that someone has literally passed my own words off as their own, and, not for the first time, used my work to put focus on their own, without…
-
Who’s the Gang on Our Street? – Susanne Gervay. Illustrated by Nancy Bevington.
Big Sky Publishing September 2023 ISBN: 9781922896803 RRP: $19.99 When the always gracious and warm Susanne emailed me some months ago, and asked me to write teaching notes for a new picture book she was writing, I was – quite naturally – absolutely thrilled and flattered,that she should consider me to do so. When she subsequently…
Just So Stories 
You must be logged in to post a comment.