Beaut Younger Fiction

Perry Angel's Suitcase Glenda Millard & Stephen Michael King (ABC Books)

This is a beautiful and moving story about belonging, being lost, about family kindness and finding your place in the world. Perry has spent the past seven years searching for a place to belong. When he arrives in the Kingdom of Silk with his battered and old gold-lettered suitcase and with hidden feelings - well maybe his time his luck will change.

Queasy Rider James Roy (Walker Books)

What do you do with a rusty, batterd, incomplete old bike? Well if you are Thicky and Nobby you fix it up and make it work (sort of). Then to makes some money Shirley (who gets half the profits for the suggestion) decides that you charge kids 20 cents in a challenge (with conditions) to ride the bike to the bottom of a very steep hill. The person who makes it all the way down without falling off gets the jar full of coins!

A great story in the new Lightning Strikes series - books with short, easy to read chapters, that are fun and fast paced.

Norton Saves the Day (Pony Patch series) Bernadette Kelly & Liz Alger (BlackDog Books)

Boredom even gets to horses so Molly decides to take naughty Norton to riding school. Molly and Norton are in for some very interesting lessons there. For young readers (especially girls) who love horses this series of short, well illustrated chapter books will be a fun read. The books also have a glossary and hints for pony care too.

Extraordinary Ernie & Marvelous Maud Frances Watts & Judy Watson (ABC Books)

Superheroes are back and this time it is Ernie and Maud - a boy and a sheep. Ernie wins the contest (he was the only entrant) to become a superhero but is not so pleased with having a sheep as his sidekick ... even if it is a talking, multilingual, fast sheep! But Ernie's opinions of Maud soon changes when they venture out on their first superhero advneture - and of course they win!

Beautiful, Warm and Fun!

It has been a few weeks since the last listing but even bloggers need to grab holidays. In the meantime a large bundle of wonderful new Australian books have arrived so over the next few days some of these will hit these pages ... starting with these picture books.


Firefighters Sue Whiting & Donna Rawlins (Walker Books)
A wonderful story with perfect pictures about firefighters - those imagined and the real ones! When the children hear an alarm they know there is a fire so they dress in their uniforms, ride in their engine, connect the hoses, put on their masks and fight the fire - just like the real ones. Even their teacher joins in! But then when they are resting they hear a real siren and a surprise is in store. The real firefighters arrive and that is when the excitement really begins!
Just beautiful!


I'm Still Awake, Still! Elizabeth Honey & Sue Johnson (Allen&Unwin)
If you have a child who just won't go to sleep at night then this is the book to read and listen to with them ... and do make sure you examine the wonderful illustrations. The story is read by the author and can be listened to with the accompanying CD. The songs on teh CD are highlights from the story and also can be listened to alone.
The story tells of Fiddy, a young boy who at bedtime is still wide awake and can't go to sleep. when Parlo says to fiddy that he dreams up something sondrous and sings about it Fiddy the begins to sing to the 'things' all around before he finally falls asleep. A wonderful bedtime story.


How To Heal A Broken Wing Bob Graham (Walker Books)
When a bird with a broken wing is seen by young Will but ignored by everyone else in the busy city he carefully takes it home in his mother's handbag. With tender care, rest, time, and a little hope from Will and his parents the bird flies again. A tender picture book of care and hope with illustrations that must be closely examined for their own warm story.


The Naked Penguin Kym and Oliver Lardner (ABC Books)
When a little penguin, who was different from all the other penguins because he has no patch of white on his chest, decides to leave his home because none of the creatures will play with him, he notices that there are other 'different' creatures all around. And the result ... of course he learns the very important lesson of accepting who you are.

Lu-Lu's Wish Matt Zurbo & Ben de Quadros-Wander (Lothian)
Lu-Lu Jones is around about ten. She can clean her room and sort of do maths but she wants to be able to make something. She wants to do something special like everyone else. So clutching her wishing rock she sets out to find her something special. Unfortunately for Lu-Lu every attempt, from painting to playing a sax, is unsuccessful ... until something amazing happens to her wishing rock.


The Minsiter for Traffic Lights Tony Wilson & Andrew McLean (Lothian)
This is a warm family tale about a government minister who does his job so well that people never hear about him. Traffic lights are so much a part of his life that the colours are all around him. And when road rage requires a solution it is the minister for traffic lights who comes up with a new colour and law that will solve the problem.

Byuntu Ninti (What You Should Know) Bob Randall & Melanie Hogan (ABC Books)
This beautiful photographic picture book is told by 'Uncle' Bob Randall, a wonderful Anangu man from Uluru. He tells us what we should all know about an ancient and spiritual culture that is the very heart and soul of Australia. The book is a simple and gentle explanation of his people's relationship to all that surrounds them and why it is vital for us all to care for the environment. This is a book for all Australians.

Enjoy!
These books will make great additons to any home or school library for kids of many ages.

Terrific Fiction

Some great new fiction for kids of all ages has been appearing. here are just a few of the great reads I have seen.


NIM'S ISLAND Wendy Orr & Kerry Millard (Allen & Unwin)
The book came first and this is it!
This is a wonderful read about Nim, a girl left alone on a tropical island with her friends ... a sea lion, an iguana, a turtle and a pelican with only a satellite dish for communciation to the outside world. It is about about pirates who want to establish a tourism getaway, a phobic author (Alex Rover) living on the other side of the world and how bravery comes in the most amazing ways! And once you've read the book go see the movie!


BLOOD OF THE INCAS David Harris (ABC Books)
A great historical adventure series begins with this title as the fearless historian and adventurer Hiram Bingham searches for the lost city of Machu Picchu. Venturing over rope ladders, up mountainous paths and treacherous cliffs, confronting cannibals and ravanous panthers are all just part of the true adventure that unfolds here.
A great read.



TREASURE FEVER! Andy Griffiths (PAN)
This new series (Schooling Around) is sure to be a hit.
With names like Henry McThrottle, he's the narrator, and Mr Brainfright, who has a rather unusual way of teaching his students (he teaches them to slide on banana peels), a gardnener called Mr Spade, and a principal called Mr Greenbeard and many more this makes a giggling read. Lots of fun especially as it involves treasure maps, volcanoes, a class bully, a villan and a classful of treasure seekers!