Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Picture Books for Youngsters

Here are three delightful picture books for young kids ... the stories are lovely and there's lots in the illustrations to discover too!

The Littlest Pirate Sherryl Clark & Tom Jellet (Penguin Books)
Nicholas comes from a pirate family but when the littlest pirate's family won't let him go to sea, what does the littlest pirate do? He takes matters into his own hands and of course who comes to the rescue when his family is captured by Red Bear the pirate ... I am sure you will work that one out! A lovely story and great illustrations.


Teaching the Teacher Joan van Loon & Chantal Stewart (UQP)
Every school child at some stage wishes that they could swap places with the teacher ... then they could do the teaching and show the teacher that learning is tough! And that is just what happens when one child imagines!



Felix Pamela Allen (Penguin Books)
When Felix comes down for breakfast he soon finds that Grand is very cross - bread has been nibbled and jam has been licked. And it's up to Felix the cat to find out who the culprit is. When he spies the mouse licking the last of the jam in the jar Felix pounces ... and that's when the trouble really begins - Felix gets stuck and soon the whole family, grandpa, grandma and Molly are trying to free Felix! Pamela Allen picture books are always a delight to share!

Happy reading and picture book investigating.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Dragons

These two new titles have dragons within - one is also from Deltora! Dragonlovers will enjoy!

Belmont and the Dragon: The Forest Of Doom And Gloom Mike Zarb & Robin Gold (Random House)
There's a princess to be rescued, a contact wearing SNAD (sensitive new age dragon) a witch, pink pixies ... and uniting them all in medieval metropolis of Old York is Belmont, the boy who escapes from the orphanage to be a knight.
Just perfect for younger readers, and especially boys, this new series is filled with craziness and chaos and wonderful animation-like illustrations.


Secrets of Deltora Emily Rodda & Mark McBride (Scholastic)
A new addition to the Deltora collection of books is this large book filled with new information (and new art work) on Deltora's many creatures, Deltora's dangers, and places of interest including information about the seven gem territories - all told from the perspective of Doran the Dragonslayer. This is the definitive guide (and it actually looks like a travel guide too) to the land of Deltora!


Great gifts for dragon lovers!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Read & Look

Here are the latest picture books - some for very young chilren and others for older readers.

Sleep Tight, My Honey Lisa Shanahan & Wayne Harris (Lothian)
I cannot believe I have taken this long to get this book up here.
Lily and Monty are proud rabbit parents but their new baby bunny just will not sleep. They have unsuccessfully tried everything they could think of as well as suggestions form other neighbourly animals ... but there is one solution to the problem!
This is a delightful book - just perfect for bedtimes! Beautiful illustrations combine perfectly with a lovely text.


Little Cat and the Big Red Bus Jane Godwin & Anna Walker (Penguin)
Little Cat and her big sister catch the bus to and from school every day. One day Little Cat has to travel on the school bus all by herself and on the way home she falls asleep on the bus only waking after the bus has arrived at the terminus. How will she get home? A lively charming story of a little girl's adventure.


Tiny: A Little Dog on A Big Adventure Jennifer Castles & Steve Otton (Allen&Unwin)
This is a picture book illustrated in photographs with wonderful, images of Australia - especially of life in the outback. This is the story of Tiny the dog and his best mate Steve, and how they look after each other and of friendship.


Purple Snow Eric Lobbecke (Random House)
A quirky tale with a good environmental message.
Cockatoo takes a trip to the North Pole to see the snow which just happens to not be a thick as usual! But when invited down under only polar bear believes that purple snow exists and makes the trip. Exhausted from the heat polar bear falls asleep under a tree at night without seeing any purple snow. But next morning...!


Enigma Graeme Base (Penguin)
A new book by Graeme Base is always highly sort after and this one will continue that tradition. This book is filled with the visual puzzles that Base is renowned for creating. When a thief steals the props from a group of retired magicians Bertie sets out to sort out the crime. There are clues to the identity of thief and missing things to find in every illustration - as well as Enigma. There are other puzzles to solve as well - and a magical code breaker in the back of the cover to decipher ... this will have readers entertained ... and absorbed for hours!

Lovely reads and great illustrations are in these picutre books. Enjoy devouring them!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Fantastic Non-Fiction

These books are great for any reader who wants to know or joke or draw.

Alive in the Death Zone Lincoln Hall (Random House)
Lincoln Hall is one of Australia’s best known mountaineers and on his 2006 expedition it was very nearly his last. this is his story of climbing the world's highest mountain, being left for dead near the summit and his subsequent return to life and safety. There are also insights into how and why people climb mountains, facts about mountain climbing, maps and heaps of photographs ... and a snake and ladders style Everest climbing game!
A great story of survival against all odds using sheer willpower, courage and determination.


Australian and World Records 2009 Jennifer Morse & David Harris (Scholastic)
Boys are going to love ripping through these pages finding the records!
This will be popular and great for reluctant readers who love records! It begins with an Australian section highlighting Aussie records like the oldest artworks, largest aquarium, highest test innings, our driest place. The book then moves onto world records - all the typical fastest, biggest, longest records are there and then some ore obscure ones too like, the country with highest internet use, most mobile phone accounts, and just for the sweet tooth - the world’s biggest selling confectionary! And there’s a section on whacky facts too!


The Make-Your-Own Joke Book Sharon Holt (Allen&Unwin)
Kids love jokes ... telling them and also trying to make them up too ... and this is the book to joke around with. Filled with jokes and also with the instructions to making you won jokes with this book the kids will be the jest boker in class! Just right for the young comedian or for a a giggle on your own. There are also facts about humour in history.


1001 Awesome Things To Draw! Robert Ainsworth (Scholastic)
For the reader who loves to draw then this just ahs to be the perfect book! With the four 'awesome' drawing books combined into one spiral bound book you can draw anything - from aliens to animals, to jokes, to animal cartoons.
It has step-by-step instructions and examples as well as lettering ideas to draw any creature imaginable --- or unimaginable! Also has practise drawing sheets!

Young readers will have fun learning with these books!

For The Very Young

These small books are just right for children begining to explore and have fun with books. Just right for little hands!

Star & Sun Natalie Jane Prior & Anna Pignataro (ABC Books)
These are two beautiful little books, the perfect size for little hands, with repetitive text and lovely illustrations.
Star tells us about the end of the day and what it sees - perfect for an end of the day bedtime read! And Sun wakes up the world as the rays shine through forests and window all over the world.


I Love Birthdays and I love Holidays Anna Walker (Scholastic)
Ollie and Fred are back and this time it is birthdays and holidays that they love! Birthdays with balloons, fairy bread, singing party tunes and treasure hunts; and Holidays with picking up shells and splashing by the sea and drippy ice cream!


Froggy Green Anna Walker (Puffin)
A lovely book about colours and differences. Each child in this book likes a different colour Lucy likes orange and Joe likes froggy green, but all his friends at the park like something special.
This board book is great for youngsetsers to handle and play with.

Wonderful gifts and great for sharing.

Christmas Books for This Christmas

Just 4 weeks away from Christmas Day so here are the delightful Christmas books that have popped up this year. Four picture books and the perfect Christmas activity book are here!

Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle Glenda Millard & Stephen Michael King (ABC Books)
This is just a wonderful reworking of the Christmas story - set in a very Australian setting with a little pig called applesauce that learns that Christmas comes from the heart. Beautiful illustrations. Great story. Wonderful present.

An Aussie Day before Christmas Kilmeny Niland (Scholastic Australia)
Before the NIGHT before Christmas comes the DAY before Christmas and this is the book that explains everything that happened on that day. This glorious picture book is from the creator of the hugely successful An Aussie night Before Christmas.
'Twas the day before Christmas and in his beach shack,
Santa was snoozing flat on his back.
'Shake a leg, love,' Sheila Claus said.
'Time to get ready for the big night ahead.'
This is the book that tells how Aussie Santa gets ready to deliver his presents.

Letters to Santa Andrew Daddo & Michelle Pike (Scholastic Australia)
Now what would the animals from around the world write in their letters to Santa at Christmas time? What presents would they request from Santa? The amazing and very surprising answers are in the pull-out letters that are in the pages of this delightful book.

Princess and Fairy: A Very Sparkly Christmas Anna Pignataro (Scholastic Australia)
Princess and Fairy are back and this time its a very sparkly Christmas. The keeps of Christmas have asked them to decorate The Christmas tree in time for the midnight display. There is a list of items to collect for the tree ... which the reader has to find - and of course the real key to Christmas must be found.

Roland Harvey's Big Book of Christmas Roland Harvey (Allen&Unwin)
This book swill keep the kids (both big and small) entertained all through Christmas Day and beyond - there are recipes to make (the Christmas Pudding recipe looks delicious), activities to complete, ideas for homemade gifts, song to sing and even stickers to stick on those last minute Christmas presents. There are stories about Christmas celebrations and traditions from around the world. And of course this had Roland Harvey’s humorous illustrations.


A Bush Christmas CJ Dennis & Dee Huxley (black dog books)
It is wonderful seeing classic Australian verse that has stood the test of time gloriously illustrated - and this is one of those books. This story still is classically Australian - a hot Christmas, with a burning sun, visitors dropping by and a hot kitchen preparing a Christmas feast. It is sure to make new readers giggle and smile and with the great illustrations the reader will giggle and smile even more. An Aussie Christmas book for an Aussie Christmas.

Have fun sharing these Christmas themed books.

Monday, November 24, 2008

on the radio

Thanks to James Valentine for having me on his radio program Afternoons on 702ABC last Monday ... we chatted for half an hour about Australian kids books and especially about the new titles coming out this Christmas -- and they even had live video streaming going!

So if you missed it these are some of the books that we mentioned:

Fanatastic Presents - new releases
Wizard of Rondo
The Kings of Clonmel - Rangers Apprentice 8
Boy from Bowral
The Final Curtain – Max Remy 10
Enigma
Cloudchasers
Pencil of Doom
Chain of Charm
Secrets of Deltora
High Crime in Milk Bay

CHRISTMAS BOOKS – new releases
Applesauce & the Christmas Miracle
An Aussie Day Before Christmas
Princess & Fairy – A Very Sparkling Christmas
Letters to Santa
Roland Harvey’s Big Book of Christmas

The list with publication details will also shortly be on my website ... and linked from here!

Have fun grabbing those Christmas books!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Still More Series Fiction!

For sure fire hits to keep them reading that are also great fun and enjoyable ... try these.

The Final Curtain (Max Remy Superspy #10) Deborah Abela (Random House)
This is the final title in the Max Remy series but it still has the same excitement and buzz that began the series.
Max has a spooky dream featuring her old nemesis. There is the 50th anniversary party and the old agents have rolled in. There's a suspicious waiter - or is it Max's dream causing her to think suspicious thoughts? Has Spyforce been infiltrated and Will Max and Linden survive the onslaught? Does Spyforce get destroyed after 50 years? What is happening to London’s monuments and famous buildings? Will Max survive her kidnapping or is this truly the final curtain?
These are questions that will only be answered reading this fantastic book.
And to find out more Max Remy info check out this You Tube vid and also Info about Max - both straight from the author.


High Crime in Milk Bay Moya Simons (Walker Books )
Here is the second title in the wonderfully engaging fun series – the Walk Right In Detective Agency – about two kids with their own detective agency!
Milk Bay has MORE crime – flowers are being stolen from the council park (or are they); missing goats are found; a client has a letter and rose-sending secret admirer who she wants revealed. And then there is the biggest mystery there are the new neighbours, the Davenports, who have moved in across the street but the boy living there hasn't been to school yet. Could it be a kidnapping! Yes, there is more mischief afoot in Milk Bay!
And the detectives do real detective too ... like wearing surgical gloves so that the perp's finger prints won’t be messed up! Better than CSI!


Great reads that will make great gifts for any cooccassion. Enjoy!

Friday, October 31, 2008

More Series Fiction

Each book below is the next instalment in an already existing series. Some are for competent readers and others are for those who are searching for short chapter books. These are great fun reads and I am sure they will continue the buzz of reading!

Better Than OK! Nick Place (Allen&Unwin)
Hazy Retina (aka Focus) and his special superhero friends are back and the tables are flopping around! They are finding their feet as Level D superheroes but one of the team gets a superhero promotion. This time the team are also battling an enemy who has developed STOMP - Serum That Overly Magnifies Powers and it is being used and the team is not doing too well!!!!
This is Superhero fun with lots of fun and humour that kids will love ... boys especially! The OK Team #2


The Middle Sheep Frances Watts & Judy Watson (ABC Books)
Another superhero adventure, this time starring Extraordinary Ernie (another newish superhero who ahs only been in training for a few months) & Marvellous Maud (his sidekick - a sheep!) together again in their second adventure. In this adventure the two rescue a kitten from of a tree, have to learn to stop arguing (or get kicked out of the society) and Maud wants her own sidekick ... and of course the other superheroes have to join in too!
Extraordinary Ernie & Marvellous Maud #2


Roland Wright at the Joust Tony Davis & Gregory Rogers (Random House)
Roland Wright is going to be a Knight someday but first he must finish his training at Twofold Castle where he has been learning the finer arts of a knights life. he has school and swordsmanship classes to attend as well as taking care of his pet mouse nudge, and getting over his hiccups. this time there is even a tournament to determine who will be chosen as the king's oldest son and so teh heir to the King (even though there is actually an heir by birth!) Of course things at the joust don't go quite to plan for those involved and suddenly the pages are joining in! What will Roland (and nudge) get caught up in? Roland Wright #3


Saving Mr Pinto: Alison Lester & Roland Harvey (Allen&Unwin)
The two girls Bonnie and Sam are best friends ... the know everything about horses. This time they travel to the Royal Show with Mrs Puller - she's going to enter her cake into a competition and the girls are there to help their friend in a horse riding competition... but when they discover a sad starving neglected pony the girls set about rescuing it with some spectacular results!
Bonnie And Sam #4


Runcible Jones and the Frozen Compass Ian Irvine Penguin Books
The latest Runcible Jones adventure finds him in desperate stakes. this time he is in for the ultimate battle. this time Runcie and his friends have fled the tower where they have been learning their magic for if lord shambles gets hold of their unique magic ... earth will be invaded. The only solution is for Runcie to take on the most feared sorcerer - alone! There's magic, mysterious towers, ghost galleons, cells for prisoners, dimensional lenses for 'watching', vanishing rhymes, possible torture, and stacks more. A great fantasy adventure!
Runcible Jones #3
Enjoy these wonderful Aussie Reads! More coming soon - including fantastic Christmas Books!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Fantastic Fantasy Fiction

These are two books that can't be missed. I couldn't put them down!

The Wizard Of Rondo Emily Rodda (Scholastic)
Rondo just keeps turning and kids will keep reading!!! This is the magnificent second book in the Rondo series filled with fun and exciting twists created by one of our most successful and wonderful storytellers.
Leo and Mimi return once more to the fantastical world of Rondo ... unable to resist turning the key to the antique musical box and thus make changes to the world of Rondo. This time they are determined to stay out of trouble but once more they are caught up in the fantasy of Rondo and much has changed since their last visit. Now Bertha the pig is a media celebrity, Conker, Freda and other Rondo friends are all together. This time they are on a quest to find the missing Wizard Bing (who performs not so successful wizardry). Has he been murdered or is something more sinister afoot. And the Blue queen - is she really as helpless as she is supposed to be? And what will happen should the skipping chat ever be completed?
This is just a wonderful read!

The Cloudchasers Steven Hunt & David Richardson (ABC Books)
This book - a true graphic novel - is spectacular. It is a wonderful visual and literal exploration although a little dark.
In a town called Bankerville Alice is daydreaming out the schoolroom window. She is drawing the creatures she sees in the clouds - but creativity is forbidden in this town! Her daydreaming and drawing gets Alice into much trouble. She is suspended, eventually to be re-educated ... for Alice just might be the one to set Bankertown free. But Alice (and her companions including her conformist brother) escapes into the clouds in the sky into the land of Imagination all the time being chased by the Catcher. What will happen to Alice and her companions?
This is a grand adventure in the spirit of Jules Verne and Lewis Carroll with a more than a dash of the Grimm's fairytales thrown in! It can be read on many levels from upper primary and onwards. But the story is not complete with this book. The sequel (and resolution) will be coming later in 2009 ... but don't wait till then. There is also the Cloudchasers website to investigate.

Have fun with this wonderful fiction.

Friday, October 17, 2008

More (not so new) Picture Books

Recently two picture books published last year came across the desk. These are fun and delightful ... and still available and worth investigating.

Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs Peter Whitfield & Jacqui Grantford (New Frontier)
It's time for bed but there are always a few things that prolong the routine - cleaning teeth, Eskimo kisses, nursery rhymes, cuddles and more all must happen before ... sleep.
This lovely book explores the loving relationship of a mother and child and all that is part of the routine of going to bed!


Five Little Owls Mark Carthew & Mini Goss (New Frontier)
This is a fun hide and seek book. The game is played by five little owls and a bundle of creatures in a moonlit forest.
The rhyming verse is delightful and easy to read and accompanied by bold, bright illustrations. Counting activities and searching for the hiding creatures (as well as a mirror surprise for the reader) are also in the pages.

Delightful Picture Books

New Picture books are alwasy delighful to read ... here are two authros and illustrators and one from a star creative team.

Peka Boo: The Smallest Bird In All The World Eliza Feely (Allen&Unwin)
What happens when you are the smallest bird in the world? Life is tough; from having to crack an egg 20 times your size, to trying to get attention, to being teased by the brothers, and having to stay with Kapecki -the oldest wisest bird in the bush - where he eventually learns to make his own mark and get noticed! Big things do come in small parcels! This book is full of fun – fun to read and fun to look at all the delightful illustrations. Filled with really great Australian-isms (words and phrases like: older than Uluru, don't give a twig, doesn't matter a pip and quick sticks, gobdropper and doozey)

Planet Yawn Toni Collette & Emma Magenta (Pan MacMillan)
What happens when a naughty little boy called Yawn, from planet Yawn makes too much noise, won't sleep like the others do, won't play with other boys and girls, and all in all is very consuming? This book tells just that story. Partly written in rhythmical verse it can be read on a few levels as it also explores the environment around us that we all share. Unique illustrations also add another dimension to this tale.


Pocket Dogs Go On Holiday Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King (Scholastic) What happens to the pocket dogs when they are on holidays? But when Mr Pockets leaves his jacket on the beach while they all go exploring it gets washed away. Now the pocket dogs don’t have the pockets and Mr Pockets doesn't have his coat. It’s up to the pocket dogs to come to the rescue.
Another lovely story with unique and delightful illustrations by this super talented team.


Have fun reading and exploring and investigating these great books - read the words and explore the pictures ... its fun!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Two Treasures

My Place Nadia Wheatley & Donna Rawlins (Walker Books)
Not only is My Place back in print (definitely a cause for celebration) but it is updated with a timeline tracing the history of the book characters. It also includes 2008 and the Australian government's apology to Indigenous Australians. My Place is the story of one part of Sydney from 1788 through to 1988 and the children who lived there. Discover this book for the first time ... or discover it again. It is great.


Stories from the Billabong James Vance Marshall & Francis Firebrace (Walker Books)
This is a beautiful book - ancient legends of the Yorta-Yorta people beautifully retold and accompanied by beautiful illustrations (some full page) created by one of Australia’s most wonderful Aboriginal artists.
The ten legends include the Rainbow Serpent and the Story of Creation, what makes Frogs croak, why Kangaroo has a pouch, and just what it is that makes Platypus so special. The book also includes information about Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal symbols and their meanings and a glossary.

Both of these books are treasures and need to be part of every library!

Sport & more Sport!

Most Australians love their sport ... here are a few books for those kids who are sport mad!!

The Boy From Bowral Robert Ingpen (Walker Books)
This of course is the story of Sir Donald Bradman, Australia’s master cricketer who is recognised as one of the most talented cricketers ever to walk onto a cricket field. This beautiful book is the perfect introduction for children to this amazing sportsman's entire cricketing career right from the Don's early years in his Bowral backyard and his first real game at 12 years of age on the now Bradman Oval. It includes statistics and facts and is wonderfully illustrated throughout.


30 Australian Sporting Legends Loretta Barnard & Gregory Rogers (Random House)
Do you want to find out about some of our sporting superstars and their sports? Then this book might just be the one to read.
It features sporting stars like Ian Thorpe, Louise Sauvage, Mark Ella, Karrie Webb, Dawn Fraser, Lauren Jackson, Donald Bradman and Phar Lap. With information boxes, facts and figures, a section on sporting diets and training, even a feature on non-human sporting animals, as well as websites for finding out even more about the sports and even an Oops! (sporting mishaps for each sport) this is a great insight to lots of sports where aussies are stars.

Play the sport and read to find out more!

Pirates and Drummers and Treasure

Here are some fun fiction reads that have just hit the shelves - just right for younger readers who love illustrated chapter books.

Dragon Blood Pirates #1-6 Dan Jerris (Lothian)
Pirates lovers, ahoy there. You will love these books.

Death Diamond (#1)
One minute Al and his best mate Owen are searching through a trunk in the attic and the next minute they find themselves stranded on a rocky outcrop - in the middle of the ocean with no means of escape. A ship appears and rescues them (along with a three legged cat that has also appeared) but this ship is a pirate ship and soon the boys are sailing islands in search of treasure, encountering more pirates and becoming prisoners (and escaping) and riding out wild storms and finding out the mysteries of Dragon Blood Island!

This series of six short books (all issued at once) are great reads. Each book comes with a fold out map and a dragon blood tattoo. There is also a supporting Dragon Blood Pirates website with activities and things to discover.

A new Aussie Bites or nibble is always fun ... and these are two more.

The Lion Drummer Gabrielle Wang & Andrew McLean (Puffin)
Lulu wants to learn to play drums. She wants to be a Lion Drummer, even though she is told drumming is only for boys. She wants to lead the parade. She pretends she is drumming at every available opportunity - even at the dinner table with her chopsticks. But drums make too much noise and will drive everyone crazy. She even copies the rhythms of master Li and the GongFu academy. How will she ever learn to play the drums?


Tilly's Treasure Sue Walker & Chantal Stewart (Puffin)
Skipping ropes, mood rings, hula hoops, dangling things for bags ... each week there is a new craze at school. Tilly joins in with her wonderful treasure she has found, or created, but each time the other kids at school think hers is never as good as the real thing - that is until Tilly's dad shows her something he learnt at school. Soon everyone wants to join in with Tilly's craze!


Enjoy, read and read some more!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

More New Picture Books

Here are more new picture books to read and share and enjoy!

The ABC Book of Lullabies (ABC Books)
Thirteen wonderful Australian illustrators have each chosen their favourite lullaby to illustrate -- and this is their book. It features the glorious illustrations of Tamsin Ainslie, Jonathan Bentley, Gaye Chapman, Janine Dawson, Wayne Harris, Ann James, Stephen Michael King, Alison Lester, Caroline Magerl, Kilmeny Niland, Cheryl Orsini, Anna Pignataro and Emma Quay. A luscious book to be treasured and cherished. A wonderful gift book for a new arrival.


Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport Rolf Harris (Scholastic Australia)
Written, recorded and illustrated by the amazing Rolf Harris ... Here is his picture book, complete with the DVD of his classic 1960s Aussie song.
The illustrations are all new and in Rolf's unique painting style.
Readers of all ages will love this book!


Donald Loves Drumming Nick Bland (Scholastic Australia)
Drummers love drumming (sometimes all the time - even in their sleep) and every drummer has been told more than once that they are drumming TOO LOUD! This is a book just for them.
Donald loves drumming, all day and all night. But his family says he is TOO LOUD. So Donald searches for a new favourite activity but nothing 'beats' drumming. And then Donald had an idea. Fun!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Picture Books Galore (mostly for the young)

Lots of wonderfully delightful picture books have been hitting the shelves. They are great for sharing at any time of the day.

Sophie Bakes a Cake Tina Burke (Penguin Books)
Sophie and her cheeky doll Scarlett are helping to bake a cake. With all the ingredients ready she prepares the mixture but along to way Scarlett informs Sophie that the cakes needs some extra ingredients ... like vegemite and peanut butter and a green crayon and Sophie of course adds the extras. Together they watch the cake bake and then its time for tasting. How will this special cake taste? Sophie is gorgeous and this is a yummy story!

Big Red Hen and the Little Lost Egg Margaret Wild & Terry Denton (Penguin Books)
Big Red Hen loves looking after everyone else's babies but she longs for her very own baby to look after and kiss goodnight! One morning when she was scratching for seeds she found some hay and in that hay was a warm egg. She sets out to discover the egg's owner but when no owner is found the other adult birds decide that big red hen is the best one to look after it! She decides that she will love the baby no matter what type of bird it is but when it hatches she is in for a very big surprise. This is a tender loving story of unconditional love.

The Two-Hearted Numbat Ambelin Kwaymullina & Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Fremantle Press)
A beautiful story with stunning and vibrant illustrations. Numbat has two hearts, one of feather (making him soft and gentle but exhausted from helping others) and one of stone (making him powerful and strong but tough). But having two hearts was troublesome so Numbat sets out on a journey to find out which heart to keep. Eventually he discovers the truth about strength and about gentleness and what his true heart really is.

Double Trouble Deborah Niland (Penguin Books)
The perfect book for twins and the perfect book for exploring the wonderful chaos of the daily life of twins.
There's double trouble in the morning and double trouble getting dressed. There’s double trouble at breakfast and playing and all through the day. so much trouble is there that at night time mummy is all worn out and falls asleep ... but there’s still a little more double trouble!

Sunday Chutney Aaron Blabey (Penguin Books)
Imagine living all over the world. Sunday chutney does and it is the most extraordinary life. It would be great, new places, new people and new schools ... but being the new kid in school - that isn't so much fun. And not living in the same home - well she doesn't care about that, there are so many good things to do ... or does she? A lovely book from the creator of Pearl Barley.


Pilgrim Jo Oliver (New Frontier)
This is a story about a boy and his father and sharing their first sea adventure together. The boy unsure of the adventure ahead relies on the strength of his father who reassures and protects his son.
It is also the story of love and family and memories, of remembrance and of returned soldiers and the places they have been - and of coming safely back home.


DO grab some of these lovely books and enjoy the time sharing them!

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