Fiction
My lovely neighbour Dr Sam continues to write some beautiful reviews for Children’s Books Daily and this one is no exception! I love the ‘Welcome to the Museum’ series and they have…
READ MORETitle: ‘Miss Penny Dreadful and the Midnight Kittens’Author: Allison RushbyIllustrator: Bronte Rose MarandoPublisher: Walker Books AustraliaAge Range: lower primary (read aloud), middle primaryThemes: mystery, boarding school, historical fiction, paranormal. An enquiring mind…
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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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Title: ‘Elsewhere Girls’Author: Emily Gale & Nova WeetmanPublisher: Text Publishing Age Range: from 10+, upper primary, lower secondary. Themes: friendship, family, courage, pressure, sport, elite sport, academics, timeslip, history, feminism, women, women…
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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: ‘The Surprising Power Of A Good Dumpling’Author: Wai ChimPublisher: Allen & Unwin (2019)Awards: Shortlisted Best Young Adult Literature, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2020 AU; Shortlisted Readings Young Adult Book Prize 2020…
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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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Jazzy has been reviewing for me for several years now and I always love seeing her emails pop into my inbox as her reviews are thoughtful and insightful and it’s so nice…
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Author and illustrator: Kylie HowarthPublisher: Walker BooksAge Range: Lower Primary, Middle PrimaryThemes: Ocean, climate change, Marine biology This week I am introducing ‘ChickPea Reviews’! Is it any surprise that the daughter of a teacher librarian is…
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Author and illustrator: Zeno SworderPublisher: Thames & HudsonAge Range: Babies, boddlers, toddlersThemes: Childhood, life, philosophy, self-identity I have gushed about ‘This Small Blue Dot’ since its release in August 2020 on my socials, to my kids,…
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Author: Mem FoxIllustrator: Christine DavenierPublisher: PenguinAge Range: Early childhood, toddlers, early primaryThemes: Farm animals, visual literacy, repetition Mem Fox needs no introduction – who hasn’t been begged to read, ‘Where is the Green Sheep’, ‘The Magic Hat‘,…
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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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Author: Philip BuntingIllustrator: Philip BuntingPublisher: ScholasticAge Range: lower primary, middle primary, upper primaryThemes: Identity, philosophy Welcome to the Children’s Books Daily review team Clare Mellor! You can read more about Clare in her bio below this review,…
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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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Another fab review from Jazzy! Jazzy is one of the most sophisticated young readers I know and I really value her insights on the latest book she’s been reading. Today she’s reviewing…
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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: Looking for AlibrandiAuthor: Melina MarchettaPublisher: Penguin Australia (published 1992)Age Range: Young adult, AdultsThemes: Feeling Like an Outsider, Pressure, Immigration, Family Ties, Community and Tradition, Cultural Differences and Racism, Self-discovery Sophie Fu…
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Title: ‘Bear in Space’Author: Deborah AbelaIllustrator: Marjorie Crosby-Fairall Publisher: Walker Books AustraliaAge Range: early childhood, lower primary. Themes: friendship, difference, schools, kindergartens, imaginative play, space. I will always shout loudly and lovingly…
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