Reading Time is very pleased to showcase the First 5 Forever series of children’s picture books. Over the next seven days, reviews of the First 5 Forever series will be posted.
Including a story about a cow’s hapless journey down a flooded Brisbane River and an alphabet book featuring echidnas exercising in Emerald, the First 5 Forever series of new children’s books will be available in all Queensland public libraries and Indigenous Knowledge Centres from early December.
The Stories for Little Queenslanders series, published by the State Library of Queensland, has been created by 21 authors and illustrators as part of the Queensland Government funded First 5 Forever initiative. The project represents a publishing first for the State Library and a significant investment in telling Queensland stories while supporting emerging and established authors and illustrators. They include much-loved children’s authors Pamela Rushby and Samantha Wheeler, illustrators Sophie Beer and Simon Howe, and first-time children’s book authors and illustrators Emma Cracknell, Janet Turner and Eunice Day.
The books promote early literacy and inspire a love of reading for children aged 0-5 years and feature the adventures of mischief-making animals, quirky local settings and charming young characters reflecting the diversity of families in Queensland.
This series of high-quality local stories helps Queensland (and Australian) children develop a sense of identity and belonging through stories that connect them with their environment and local communities.
The links (see above) provide additional resources, including videos of the books being read aloud, as well as tips and articles to help adults as they support literacy in their younger readers. The easy to navigate site offers a wealth of resources for parents and educators alike.
