Early Childhood
Congratulations! You’ve made it through Christmas and New Year celebrations and now we’re heading right on into ‘Back to School Season’. Do your family decorate and cover the school books? I’m still…
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Title: ‘Big Love’Author: Megan JacobsonIllustrator: Beck FeinerPublisher: Walker Studio an Imprint of Walker Books AustraliaAge Range: babies, early childhood, lower primary.Themes: family, love, diversity. ‘Big Love’ is a soothing lullaby packaged and…
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Dr Sam Lloyd is entirely the correct person to review this book as not only is she a fabulous neighbour (oh the baked goods, chats and gin) but her yard is a…
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Title: ‘Enough Love?’ Author: Maggie HutchingsIllustrator: Evie Barrow Publisher: Affirm Press Age Range: lower primary, middle primary. Themes: family, family changes, family love, blended families, relationships, identity, step parenting, same sex relationships,…
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Title: ‘Coco: Big City Kitty’ (and series)Author: Laura BuntingIllustrator: Nicky Johnston Publisher: Scholastic Australia Age Range: early childhood Themes: city vs country, nature, insects, crafting, change, friendship, family. Sometimes you find a…
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I have been showcasing some of my new favourite bee books of late, including ‘The Very Clever Bee’ which you can see my review of here and my more extensive list of…
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Series Title: School of Monsters Author: Sally RippinIllustrator: Chris Kennett Publisher: Hardie Grant Age Range: beginner reader, early childhood. Themes: monsters, friendships, school, spooky, starting reading. Sally Rippin has been writing books…
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Title: Tomorrow Girl Author: Vikki ConleyIllustrator: Penelope PratleyPublisher: EK BooksAge Range: early childhood, lower primary. Themes: mindfulness, anxiety, friendship, connection, curiosity, imagination, natural world.Teachers’ Notes: from the EK Books website here. Mindfulness…
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Title: ClaudetteAuthor + Illustrator: Hélène MagissonPublisher: Red Paper Kite Age Range: 5+, early childhood, lower primary, middle – upper primary as art study. Themes: puppets, puppeteers, makers, creativity, difference, freedom of thought,…
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Title: The Bushfire Book: How to be Aware and PrepareAuthor + Illustrator: Polly Marsden (writer) and Chris Nixon (illustrator)Publisher: A Lothian Children’s Book published by Hachette Australia (2020)Age Range: Age range: lower…
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Title: Obsessive about OctopusesAuthor + Illustrator: Owen Davey Publisher: Flying Eye Books (published 2020) Age Range: early childhood, middle primary, upper primary, adults who love octopuses. Themes: Octopus ecology, diet, behaviour, movement,…
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Bubbay will be known to many families already, indeed I discovered it is a favourite in the house of my lovely neighbour Sam! She spied this re-release on my kitchen bench recently…
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My neighbour Sam was the only person who could possibly review a book about ants for me (see her bio at end of post). ‘The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants’ is currently one…
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Title: ‘Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street’Author: Felicita SalaPublisher: Scribble Age Range: early childhood/lower primary/middle primary/upper primary/ middle grade/ young adultThemes: cooking, food, international cookery and food, multicultural, neighbourhood This is one of my ‘must-have’ books of 2019…
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Oh how I love this book and I’m so grateful to Sam for reviewing it for me as her Scientific knowledge is invaluable with CSIRO publications. My parents have always had amazing…
READ MOREEncouraging young people to read widely and enjoy a balanced literary diet is something that can add immeasurably to their reading and writing journey. For many of us, poetry and verse novels…
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‘Baby Business’ tells the story of the baby smoking ceremony that welcomes baby to country. The smoke is a blessing — it will protect the baby and remind them that they belong. Click…
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I was 10 or 11 the first time I ever read Jeannie Baker’s iconic book, ‘Where the Forest Meets the Sea’ and to this day I can spend hours pouring over the…
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For the quiet ones and for the noisy ones (to teach us how to listen)…‘A Quiet Girl’ by Peter Carnavas will gently (and quietly) settle in your soul. Title: ‘A Quiet Girl’…
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At talks to parents and educators, I always say that books allow young people to walk in the shoes of others. Never was this saying more relevant than with the latest book…
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