Alicia Jasinska, The Midnight Girls, Penguin Random House, November 2021, 352 pp., RRP $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760894733 Set in the ice and snow filled world of Lechija (something like 18th century Poland), during Karnawal festive season, the story rotates around the characters of Morning, Midday and Midnight – Beata, Marynka and Zosia who are assistants to the witches, white, red and black jag. Although outwardly they appear as beautiful young women, they are really monsters whose job it is to steal the hearts of princes to feed to their witch mistresses. But this time they have been set a special…
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Ashleigh Barton (text) and Martina Heiduczek (illustrator), What Do You Do to Celebrate?, HarperCollins Publishers, October 2021, 32 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780733341595 What Do You Do to Celebrate? showcases celebrations of different traditions from around the globe at the end and beginning of a year. These celebrations include Christmas, Hannukah, Chinese Lunar New Year, St Basil’s Day and others. The picture book is a series of colourful double page spreads, highlighting diverse families in varied locations. Some of the locations are evident, through illustrations such as the Old City of Jerusalem. However, there is no hint of why Yonatan…
Australian Verse Novels for Younger Readers The National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature website is a treasure trove of resources for readers, parents, librarians and teachers. They have recently created a section that details Australian Verse Novels for Younger Readers, a comprehensive resource offering information about a range of verse novels. There is also a section covering verse novels for young adult readers. This resource is invaluable. Verse novels, novels written in either extended free verse or in shorter poems, have a long history in Australia, but it remains a genre that can still be undervalued or misunderstood. I teach secondary…
Adam Goode and Ellie Laing (text) and David Hardy (illustrator), Somebody’s Land, Allen & Unwin, November 2021, 24 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760526726 This, the first of five books, is a great start to the Welcome to Our Country series, which aims to champion Australian First Nations culture for children, parents, and educators. The creators hope to build on the acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the land where we all live and to invite us all to walk in a movement of the Australian people for a better future. There are two constant refrains throughout the book. The…
Sigi Cohen (text) and Irene De La Peňa (illustrator), Imogen Baddley, Larrikin House, September 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922503442 This book takes the phrase ‘turn the other cheek’ from the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ one step further. Sofia moves to a new school where her life is made difficult by the Imogen of the title. Imogen is a bully and eventually Sofia decides she has had enough. She resolves she will get her revenge but, that doesn’t involve bullying or violence in return. Instead she decides that she will turn it all back on Imogen by being…
Larry Brandy, Wiradjuri Country, National Library of Australia, November 2021, 97 pp., RRP $24.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780642279866 This fun and funky-looking book teaches readers — young and old — about Wiradjuri Country in central New South Wales. Uncle Larry Brandy, a Wiradjuri author and storyteller, describes his country through language, Indigenous history, information about nature, and stories. The book is full of bright, lively illustrations, photos and graphics and can be enjoyed as a whole or dipped in and out of. I love the way it weaves elements of language, culture, and ways of knowing together seamlessly. There are interesting…
Tina Foo (text) and Fern Choonet (illustrator), Tiny Can Help, Escarpment Publishing, August 2021, 46 pp., RRP $31.81 (pbk), ISBN 9781922329165 Tiny is a little rabbit with a big heart, two older bunny sisters and two human mums. Although Tiny knows she is loved she wants to prove her worth through helping her family; the problem is nothing ever seems to go quite right. How can she get others to see she has a lot to offer? Supported by Fern Choonet’s gentle, minimal illustrations the narrative explores important themes such as belonging, difference and learning to feel comfortable in one’s…
Samaria Rose Lemke (text) and Ruth-Mary Smith (illustrator), Little Mister Gets a Sister, Larrikin House, October 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922503473 From the moment our toddler tiger protagonist finds out a baby is on the way, he is not happy. Things get worse when his little sister arrives. She smells, dribbles and drools. She can’t walk or talk or play his games. He dreams of ways to get rid of her but has a change of heart when he realises he is bigger and can teach her things. This relatable picture book deals with sibling rivalry. Young…
Pierre-Jacques Ober and Jules Ober, Jacqueline, A Soldier’s Daughter, Ford Street Publishing, October 2021, 104 pp., RRP $34.95 (hbk), ISBN 9781925804911 Jacqueline was only eight when the Second World War began. Her father became a soldier and her mother and Jacqueline went to a farm. Life was cold and difficult, with only a dog for a friend. Her mother rode her pushbike with Jacqueline on board to rescue her father when he became a prisoner and together they travelled to Algeria, where they lived until the end of the war. That is only an outline of the adventures they had…
Congratulations to the following authors, illustrators and publishers on being recognised on this year’s lists. Shortlists will be announced on March 30. Check local branch websites and social media for events discussing these lists, and join us to celebrate the diversity of books written for children and young adults. Links on titles are to reviews on Reading Time. The National CBCA website has links to all books in their categories as PDFs Book of the Year: Older Readers Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers in their…