Gina Newton (text) and Rachel Tribout (illustrator), Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish, CSIRO Publishing, October 2020, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781486311842 Told from the point of view of a rather cute little fish called Handstand, Hold On! introduces the reader to the little-known anglerfish, the Spotted handfish. We learn about the distinguishing attributes of this species including its unique ‘hands’ (pectoral fins) and how it uses these to ‘walk’ along the seafloor rather than swim like most other fishes. We also learn the particular way this species reproduces and how increasing threats to its survival have placed…
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Jaclyn Moriarty (text) and Kelly Canby (illustrator), The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst (Kingdoms and Empires #3), Allen & Unwin, September 2020, 544pp., RRP $ 22.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760875060 Last year, I got to read and review The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars – Book 2 in Jaclyn Moriarty’s The Kingdom and Empire series – and rhapsodised to everyone I came across about it. I finished it and snatched up Book 1 – The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone – and was just as charmed. And so, when I was handed a review copy of The Stolen Prince…
Josh Pyke and Heath McKenzie, The Incredible Runaway Snot, Scholastic, November 2020, 24 pp., RRP $17.99, ISBN 9781760971083 Eric is the hero in the nose. All snots look up to him for advice when in doubt. Stressed by so many questions, Eric opens a school for snots. Training them hard, making sure they are ready for any finger attack that may happen at any time. I think that fathers would enjoy reading this to their children. I think it would want to make some kids look up their nose. Although I hope it doesn’t tempt them to pick their noses!…
Karen Hendricks (text) and Kim Fleming (illustrator), Feathers, Empowering Resources, September 2020, 36 pp., RRP $17.00 (pbk), ISBN 9781925592214 A young boy whose mother has died is trying to catch one of the feathers floating near his home. Finally, one drifts in through the open door of his house and at last he has his ‘wish feather’ to dream on when he goes to bed. That night his father also reminds him that his mother’s star shines brightly and as he falls asleep, he feels his mother is still with him. This is a gentle story best read and talked…
John Williamson (text) and Simon McLean (illustrator), Old Man Emu, Penguin Australia, September 2020, 32 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760898793 In this joyfully illustrated picture book, Australian icon, John Williamson pays tribute to Old Man Emu, the popular song that launched his 50-year entertainment career. As with so many of John Williamson’s funny and tender ballads and tributes, Old Man Emu tells the tale of an unsung hero and his many traits – good and bad. Just like his previous picture book Christmas in Australia, this picture book is quintessentially Australian and full of native charm. Along his journey,…
Liz Pichon, Shoe Wars, Scholastic, 448pp., RRP $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760976118 There’s an old saying that goes something like this: You can tell a lot about a person from the shoes they’re wearing. From the bestselling author of the Tom Gates series comes this brand new hilarious stand-alone novel. We meet Ruby and Bear Foot. They are on a mission to save their inventor dad from his boss, the evil Wendy Wedge who has been steadily taking over Shoe Town…I mean, Wedge Town. Wendy Wedge is so set on winning the prestigious Golden Shoe Award that she’ll do just about…
Jennifer Cossins, The Ultimate Animal Alphabet Book, Lothian Children’s Books, October 2020, 60 pp., RRP $29.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780734420091 Featuring over 400 animal species, The Ultimate Animal Alphabet Book is brimming with colourful illustrations and quirky facts. Each letter of the alphabet spans a double page spread and includes all manner of creatures from domestic to exotic. Every animal is labelled, and many are accompanied by an unusual fact. The vibrant illustrations are appealing and scattered across the spread. The annotations are written in a casual font which gives a notebook feel. There is the right amount of text to graphics, allowing readers…
First Dog on the Moon, The Carbon-Neutral Adventures of the Indefatigable EnviroTeens, Allen & Unwin, December 2020, 304pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760526122 Binky, aka The Monotreme (a mix of platypus and echidna), Worried Norman, aka Pastry Person (bitten by a radioactive croissant and can now harness the power of small cakes and other baked goods), and Letita, a genius but bossy wombat, are the superheroes known as the EnviroTeens. When they find out Singleuse Plastic Brendan’s evil plan to destroy all the world’s turtles they must fight to stop it. But they will soon realise there is something far…
Kalynn Bayron, Cinderella Is Dead, Bloomsbury, August 2020, 400 pp., RRP $15.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781526621979 Two hundred years ago Cinderella died and since then there is an annual ball at the palace. Young women are invited to attend where they may be chosen by an eligible man from the town. Sophia receives her first invitation to the bicentennial ball, marking 200 years since Cinderella was chosen by Prince Charming. The king sets hard rules in order to control the people of Lille, one of which is for every household to own a copy of Cinderella and that the annual ball is mandatory when invited. If, after three attempts at…
Anh Do (text) and James Hart (illustrator), Take to the Skies (Skydragon #1), Allen & Unwin, October 2020, 240 pp., RRP $15.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760876364 Anh Do’s latest release is the first in a new series for the busy author, artist and comedian. Take to The Skies: Skydragon is a thrilling read from the first few pages in, as the story is set up to be a wild adventure full of intrigue, mystery and secrets. Amber is a happy girl one minute, the next she is reeling from an unexplainable disaster which strikes her town and her family. Her brother is in a coma, she has no idea what the object was in the…