Neridah McMullin (text) and Astred Hicks (illustrator), Evie and Rhino, Walker Books Australia, October 2022, 272 pp., RRP $18.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760654207 Set in rural Victoria in the late 19th century, Evie and Rhino is the story of an adventurous 10-year-old girl who becomes friends with a rhino she rescues from a shipwreck. Evie, who lost her voice after her parents tragically passed, lives with her charismatic grandfather and a host of farm animals. During one of her walks on the beach, she uncovers a shipwreck, and to her surprise, she finds an astonishing exotic creature, a rhino. Her caring…
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Pauline Deeves (text) and Brent Wilson (illustrator), Get Me Out of Here! Foolish and Fearless Convict Escapes, Allen & Unwin, May 2022, 64 pp, RRP $29.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760526993 Seven convicts. Seven stories. This wonderful new offering from Pauline Deeves and Brent Wilson showcases the strength and sheer joy of well-crafted non-fiction. There’s petty thief Mary Bryant – ‘The Girl from Botany Bay’ as she became known – who escaped in a tiny vessel with her family and others. There’s prisoner and expert sailor, James Porter, who pirated (he’d claim ‘borrowed’) an unfinished ship. Then there’s petty thief and self-proclaimed…
Chihiro Takeuchi, All in a Day, Berbay Publishing, October 2022, 40 pp., RRP $26.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922610539 It might be an ordinary day in the building, but this story is anything but. All In A Day follows the different inhabitants and visitors to Takeuchi’s marvellous building throughout the course of an entire day. At every hour of the day, something different is happening. Each page gives us a glimpse into a different life in action. A family, a clockmaker, a baker, an artist and many more live within the building. As the day progresses, we see many activities unfolding inside…
Jackie French, Ming and Marie, Spy for Freedom (The Girls Who Changed the World, #2), HarperCollins Publishers, August 2022, 304 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781460760215 A strange character called Herstory in today’s time, throws Ming Qong and her younger brother Tuan into the past. They time slip to the battlefields of Belgium in 1916, WWI where they are confronted by a terrifying burning cellar. It is desperate as Tuan has concussion and broken leg from being thrust into WWI. They escape but have no idea where they are. French speaking twelve-year-old Marie finds them. With dynamite she has stolen…
Sue deGennaro, Grumpy Days, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, June 2021, 24 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760507619 Everybody has a grumpy day. Those days when things don’t quite go the right way. Tripping over toys days, hats blown off on windy days, not wanting to share days, and refusing to say sorry days. A little lion has them all. But will he find a smile amongst his grumpy days? Sue deGennaro, best-selling author and illustrator is no stranger to writing vibrant and engaging picture books. Grumpy Days is a fun and candid addition to the ‘Different Days’ series. Recognising that…
Jenny McLachlan (text) and Chloe Dominique (illustrator), Dead Good Detectives, HarperCollins Publishers, August 2022, 288 pp., RRP $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781405298155 The graveyard is 12-year-old Sid’s playground. She loves playing all sorts of spooky games with her best friend Zen, but she never meant to ACTUALLY unleash 300-year-old ghost pirate Ezekiel ‘Bones’ Kittow into the town of Fathom. Bones needs Sid’s help to find his lost treasure so he can finally be at peace. The only problem is – he can’t remember where, or what it is. This leads Sid to the Halfway House, a mysterious, cursed inn full of…
Melissa Greenwood, Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth, ABC Books: An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, May 2022, 24 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780733341632 Melissa Greenwood’s debut picture book is a beautiful love letter from mother to child. It explores the connection between mothers, babies and Miimi Marral, Mother Earth. It celebrates the reciprocal love and protection between people and the earth. The soft, sparse text is accompanied by painted illustrations which the author describes as ‘contemporary with a cultural lens and deeply personal’. The colour palette is feminine and earthy, which enhances the book’s themes. The book also contains explanatory text…
Jacinta Farragher (text) and Manka Kasha (illustrator), Joy’s Journey, Little Steps Publishing, March 2022, 28 pp., RRP $16.95 (pbk), ISBN 9781922358554 Joy is a young girl who has heard about a magical paradise where a wise teacher lives, and wishes come true. She is keen to find this wonderful place, so Joy sets off on an adventure which takes her through all the seasons, introduces her to animal friends and the discovery of fascinating places. However, after all the adventuring, the magical paradise Joy is seeking may be closer to home than she realises. Joy’s Journey is a lovely adventure…
Catherine Greer (text), Joanna Bartel (illustrator) and Alexander Lau (music), Violin & Cello, EK Books, September 2022, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922539274 I love the ability of picture books to make an ordinary part of childhood magical. The trio of creators at the heart of this gorgeous book have done just that; celebrating a love of music between neighbouring children learning the violin and cello respectively. The two unnamed children live in neighbouring apartments and hear each other practising. They’re both committed musicians but it’s a little lonely. One day the violinist has an idea and sends a…
Mary Anastasiou (text) and Anil Tortop (illustrator), I Want to be a Sports Star, Larrikin House, July 2022, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922503596 I Want To Be A Sports Star is a delightful picture book story about two children who want to achieve at every sport—swimming, tennis, athletics, skateboarding and so much more—aspiring to become the very best they can be, just like some of their sporting idols. The quality of this publication, I Want To Be A Sports Star, makes it an absolute pleasure to hold, read and browse through from the very first moment. The vibrant…