OWEN, Weldon Amazing Jobs: Explore REAL Jobs Around the World ISBN 9781743219195 SCIS 1665553; Incredible Animals: Explore REAL Habitats Around the World ISBN 9781743219218 SCIS 1658666 Lonely Planet, 2014 unpaged lift-up-flap $19.99 Great interactive books somewhat reminiscent of a Where’s Wally but with an easily accessible text and a strong message of conservation of our planet. Supplementary activities at the end of each book and stickers make these sturdy books ideal information sources for readers under eight. reviewed by Chris Dayman
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NORMAN, Dr Mark Funny Faces Black Dog, 2014 32pp $16.95 pbk ISBN 9781922179968 SCIS 1661392 Head of sciences at Museum Victoria, researcher and educationalist Dr Mark Norman has written a number of science related books for young children. Beautifully photographed, Dr Norman introduces his young readers to the amazing world of animal-life through clever titles such as ‘Big nose,’ ‘Giant eyes’ and ‘Big ears’ with just enough information to excite and perhaps inspire his young audience to do further research. Did you know for example, bats that hunt insects often have a nose shaped like a flower? or that the…
McCARNEY, Rosemary (with Plan International) Every Day is Malala Day Allen & Unwin, 2014 unpaged $12.99 pbk ISBN 9781760110536 SCIS 1654182 Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban as she made her way to school in Pakistan, 2012. The story of that event, Malala’s recovery, and her valiant advocacy for the rights of girls and boys around the world, has been widely broadcast. The book, written as a letter to Malala, is a powerful message of affirmation. Based on a short film from Plan International depicting girls thanking Malala, the book has full page…
FREEMAN, Pamela Mary’s Australia: How Mary MacKillop Changed Australia Black Dog (Our Stories), 32pp 2014 $17.95 pbk ISBN 9781922077905 SCIS 1661387 Pamela Freeman has taken an interesting approach to presenting Australian history during the lifetime of Mary MacKillop. Fourteen significant dates in the history are selected and listed in the contents. For each of these years, for example 1842, the pages contain firstly an overview of events and conditions at that time. This is followed by the story of Mary at that stage, succeeded by a survey of life in Australia at that point. While Mary’s remarkable biography is developed,…
FORRESTAL, Elaine To See the World NLA Pub, 2014 200pp $17.99 pbk ISBN 9780642278494 SCIS 1656076 Louis Claude Desaulses de Freycinet, the noted French navigator, is a significant name in the early history of Australia, for he and his brother, Louis-Henri, had sailed with the pioneer navigator, Nicolas Baudin, in 1800-02, exploring the south-western and southern coasts of Australia in the Naturaliste and the Géographe at the same time as Matthew Flinders in the Investigator. His map of the Australian coastline. Published in 1811 preceded that of Flinders by three years, and he published the account of the expedition in…
BIESTY, Stephen (illus.) Rod Green (text) Stephen Biesty’s Giant Vehicles Walker, 2014 unpaged $24.95 ISBN 9781922244444 SCIS 1662141 Giant Vehicles was first published in the UK in 2014, this edition has been produced for the Australian market. In large format landscape style, with thick cardboard pages and meticulous drawings of machinery, this lift-the-flap book brings to adult book lovers all the pleasures of a past era when children’s books were interactive, hardy, and beautifully designed. Inspired by the styles of architectural and engineering line drawings, with devotion to detail and scale, and an elegant feel for the drama of giant…
Nominations are now called for the CBCA Nan Chauncy Award, to be conferred in Book Week 2015. The Award has been created to honour an Australian citizen who has made an outstanding contribution, over a period of years, to the field of Australian children’s literature. Such a person could be an editor, publisher, teacher, teacher-librarian, bookseller, lecturer, researcher, author, illustrator etc. Financial and Life Members of CBCA may nominate eligible people. If you know someone who deserves to be nominated for the Nan Chauncy Award, go to our website, download the nomination form and send it in to us by 31/03/15.…
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (Tasmanian branch) held a market stall in Salamanca Markets during Children’s Book Week. The stall aimed to promote CBCA’s work and the understanding that a family focus on reading for pleasure, at any age, even infancy, has a profound impact on children’s learning and school performance. They were joined by Rosemary Mastnak who generously donated copies of her popular picture books. In all they made about $200 from the sale of donated picture books and novels. Thanks so much to all those who donated! Interest from parents and grandparents, many who were interstate…
Readers Cup was recently held in the southern Tasmanian region. Winning teams went on to a Reception at Government House. Our congratulations to all involved! Winning secondary team from Friends’ School CBCA (Tasmanian Branch) Patron, Mrs Frances Underwood, widow of the late Governor of Tasmania, congratulates Friends’ School, the winners of the Tasmanian Southern Region Secondary Reader’s Cup competition 2014 Margaret Blow, wife of the acting Governor of Tasmania, congratulates the winners of the Tasmanian Southern Region Primary Reader’s Cup, Campbell Street School Eminent Tasmanian children’s book creators Lian Tanner, Julie…
FUSILLO, Archimede Dead Dog in the Still of the Night Ford St, 2014 211pp $18.95 pbk ISBN 9781925000344 SCIS 1653520 Nearing the end of Year 12, Primo is feeling under pressure. His life is changing and not for the better it seems. Primo is an angry young man, and when decisions are made based on emotion, there are turbulent times ahead. Primo holds a deep resentment towards his adulterous father, now in a nursing home. He could never understand his mother’s complacency and mistakes tolerance for weakness. He sees the sins of his father repeated in his older brother’s behaviour. …