Meg McKinlay, author of How to Build a Bird, chats to Reading Time reviewer, Julie Murphy JM: How long did it take to actually write this book? MM: A split second, a couple of hours, several days, many months, sixteen years. By which I mean: The idea, along with the shape and form of the book, and some of the actual lines, came to me very quickly, almost in a flash. It felt like the piece was there, complete, and I just had to see it clearly, put it on paper. This is not at all characteristic of how I…
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Meg McKinlay (text) and Matt Ottley (illustrator), How to Make a Bird, Walker Books Australia, October 2020, 32pp., RRP $25.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781925381894 How To Make a Bird is a beautiful picture book that speaks to the heart. Breathe deeply and take your time. The making of a bird is not a thing to be hurried. A girl living in an impossible shack on a deserted beach builds a model bird from flotsam and jetsam. Once she releases her creation into the air, it transforms into a live bird and flies away. This book explores the hard work and persistence…
Gina Newton (text) and Tiffanee Daley (illustrator), Combat Wombat to the Rescue, Ford Street Publishing, October 2020, 32pp., RRP $16.95 (pbk), ISBN 9781925804577 Dr Gina Newton’s background is in marine biology, zoology and science communication. Her previous books included Amazing Animals of Australia’s National Parks, which won the 2017 CBCA Eve Pownall Information Book of the Year. The character of Combat Wombat came from an earlier picture book called Blossom Possum and the Christmas Quaker. The text was written some years ago but came to fruition this year. It is timely, in the wake of the horrific bush fires of…
Ben Martynoga (text) and Moose Allain (illustrator), The Virus, David Fickling Books, November 2020, 160 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781788452106 Written by Dr Ben Martynoga, this fun, witty but highly factual illustrated chapter book comes out into the world at a crucial time as we all live under the constraints of a global pandemic. The author is not only a neuroscientist but is also an exceptional and well published science writer. The Virus is his second children’s book. The Virus takes the reader on the “day in the life” adventure of the COVID-19 virus from chapter 1, “What the…
Sue Lawson (text) and Liz Anelli (illustrator), The Biscuit Maker, Walker Books Australia, September 2020, 32 pp., RRP $25.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760650438 This is a delightful picture book from the always reliable Walker Books. Benedict Stanley lives alone with his cat, Audrey Mae, and greets his neighbours from his garden each morning as they head to school or work. Receiving little response, except from young Rory, Benedict decides to make some biscuits to share with them all and to celebrate various occasions such as Halloween and the Grand Final. When Benedict gets sick and his beloved cat wanders the streets,…
T.C. Shelley, The Werewolves Who Weren’t, Bloomsbury, September 2020, 320 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781526600806 T.C. Shelley’s The Werewolves Who Weren’t is the magical sequel to The Monster Who Wasn’t. After his great adventures of the previous novel, Sam is about to tackle a new challenge – settling in as ‘normal’, which may prove to be difficult as he is half monster, half fairy. When his adoption by the Kavanagh family is finalised and he finds his pack of friends, equally as strange as he, Sam feels as though he could do anything. All is right in Sam’s wacky,…
Janeen Brian (text) and Renée Treml (illustrator), Look, Baby!, Little Book Press, July 2020, 32pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780648551034 Look, Baby! explores the exciting world of new experiences for babies. With the help of each family member including grandma and grandpa, this Baby learns to see the world in all its wonder. Readers will experience the oceans, skies, and land from a baby’s perspective and be taken on a unique journey of first sights and sounds. From the biggest of oceans to the smallest of ponds, there is always something new to discover. Janeen Brian’s use of minimal, rhyming text works…
John Flanagan, The Missing Prince (Ranger’s Apprentice – The Royal Ranger, #4), Penguin Random House Australia, September 2020, 294 pp., RRP $18.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760890452 Ranger Will and his apprentice Maddie are on a secret mission to rescue the son of King Philippe of Gallica who is being held hostage by the evil Baron Lassigny in the Chateau des Falaises. While King Philippe is not a close ally of Maddie’s father King Duncan, it is decided that it would be strategically wise to keep King Philippe on side by rescuing his son. As they must be well disguised to infiltrate…
Stephanie Owen Reader (text) Tania McCartney (illustrator), Australia’s Wild Weird Wonderful Weather, NLA Publishing, October 2020, 68 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780642279637 A captivating title and an intriguing cover illustration of random animals and objects falling into an ocean offer instant appeal for this non-fiction book. Weather is perhaps not a topic that would traditionally interest children, so an attractive cover is a great start. The book is divided into seven broad areas: seasonal weather; precipitation; sound, light, movement; disastrous weather; weather forecasting; climate change and researching the weather with three page-spreads devoted per topic. The format is of…
Pénélope Bagieu, The Witches by Roald Dahl: The Graphic Novel, Scholastic, November 2020, 304 pp., RRP $24.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760978303 Roald Dahl’s The Witches, written in 1983 was the first scary book I remember borrowing from the school library. If you aren’t familiar with the story, it’s a slightly horrid, but funny story about witches who are hidden all around us and how an eight year old boy and his grandmother come face to face with the Grand High Witch herself. Penelope Bagieu’s graphic novel adaptation of The Witches is marvellous. Bagieu is a French author and illustrator, best known…