Sophy Williams (text) and Gavin Scott (illustrator), The ABC of Cuddles, Allen & Unwin, July 2021, 32 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760526115 Sophy Williams and Gavin Scott have successfully collaborated on the perfect book to help little ones fall asleep. Utilising the alphabet as its hook, each page celebrates different ways to hug and cuddle. A is for airport cuddle, when it’s time to go away. B is for bear hug, when teddy goes astray. C is for crying cuddle, a scary ghost went boo! D is for daddy cuddle, when only Dad will do. The text has a…
Author: Admin
Citation for Jan Nicholls Jan has made an outstanding and long-term contribution to the field of Australian literature for children and young people and is a passionate advocate. She has been a leader in professional associations including the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) WA Branch and the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia Libraries (AISWA Libraries) and an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Australia West and the International Board of Books for Young People (IBBY). Jan joined the CBCA in 2007 and has had two terms as President of CBCA WA…
The announcement of the Book of the Year Awards was made on Friday August 20 as a virtual event, and the entire ceremony can be viewed here. A list of the winners can be downloaded here as a pdf file, and there is a lot of other information available about each book as well. Links to be added once they are available. *Each book is linked to its Reading Time review. 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 secondary years of schooling.…
Zoë Ingram, My First Book of Sea Creatures, Walker Books, June 2021, 48 pp., RRP $27.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781406394924 My First Book of Sea Creatures is a colourful and aesthetically appealing catalogue of some of our favourite, and even our most-feared underwater friends. Full of some interesting and perhaps little-known facts, this is a great introduction for any ocean-loving reader from preschool to even early readers who might wish to read the well-sized text solo. From the clownfish to the might colossal squid, we learn all about the habitat, characteristics, and habits of 20 creatures of the deep. Each page…
Tracey West (text) and Kyla May (illustrator), Ruff and Ready (The Underdogs, #1), Scholastic, May 2021, 176 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781761126253 Nova and her friends are underdogs. Born runts, they have never been the best at anything. Every year one pup at the Barksdale Academy is named Best in Show. Nova desperately wants to win and encourages her friends to be their best selves by practising and trying to overcome their shortfalls. Harley can’t stay focused, chasing whatever passes by. Peanut cannot stand getting his coat dirty. Duke is afraid of heights and Nova is extremely clumsy. When…
Kitty Black (text) and Laura Wood (illustrator), Mr Bat Wants a Hat, New Frontier Publishing, May 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922326218 Mr Bat is a very contented bat until one twilight, he flies above the park and notices a sea of hats beneath him. Finally, he knows what is missing from his life! He tries to nab a hat but is swiftly sent packing until he glimpses a pink, glittery bonnet on a sleeping baby. He swoops in and steals the bonnet leaving the baby distraught. But Mr Bat doesn’t care, not now he has his hat.…
Nathan Luff (text) and Chris Kennett (illustrator), Raging Wool (Nerd Herd #2), Scholastic, June 2021, 144 pp., RRP $14.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760974619 The Nerd Herd is a new illustrated book series, in bridging novel format. I very much enjoyed the tongue in cheek humour and light-hearted silliness of the first book. So, I was thrilled to receive the 2nd book of the series – Raging Wool – to review. And it didn’t disappoint. The second book continues the story of the three farmyard friends – Barny (a lamb), Sharma Llama and Billy the kid (a goat) – who now have…
M. Chan, Tiger Warrior: Attack of the Dragon King, Hachette Children’s Books, July 2021, 144 pp., RRP $12.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781408363089 Jack loves defeating dragons in his video game but is he strong and brave enough to do it for real? He is about to find out. Jack’s grandfather, Yeye, thinks it is time Jack knows about his family’s heritage. Yeye produces a magical jade coin, imprinted with Chinese zodiac symbols, and explains that Jack must take his rightful place as the Tiger Warrior. Within the coin are magical spirit animals, each with a special power to assist the Tiger…
Lydia Williams (text) and Lucinda Gifford (illustrator), Goal!!!, Allen & Unwin, June 2021, 32 pp., RRP $19.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760526146 I was delighted to see that the author of Goal!!! was in fact an Australian and internationally known goalkeeper, Lydia Williams. Williams tells the tale of a young budding goalkeeper who has just moved to the big city. All she has ever known is replaced, including the bush animals to zoo animals. She can’t possibly play soccer with these creatures. Tiger is too loud, gibbon too silly. This is a story about friendship, and you can imagine each of these…
Angeline Boulley, Firekeeper’s Daughter, Bloomsbury, June 2021, 494 pp., RRP $18.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780861540907 Angeline Boulley’s Firekeeper’s Daughter is thought provoking and heartfelt, exploring the subject of Indian tribes in a contemporary context. This novel gives readers a unique insight into the lives of Native Americans, their language, ancient rituals and teachings, as well as their traditional medicine and healing practises. Unfortunately, violence, especially against women, is a significant part of these tribes and to demonstrate this, Boulley has made it a recurring theme throughout the book. In both her local neighbourhood and the nearby Ojibwe territory eighteen-year-old Daunis has…