Review: The Wall In The Middle Of The Book

At a glance, there is not much to this book. A brick wall is wedged in the gutter (middle) of the book with blank pages on either side.

On closer examination, you'll notice a brick is missing on the left-hand-side of the wall. 

Supposedly, this is the better side of the book, so it's fortunate the wall is in the middle of the book, protecting it - so says the little knight, who armed with a suitably sized ladder, aims to replace the missing brick.

While all this is happening, we catch a tantalising glimpse of the other side of the book. 

12 Curly Questions with New Junior Reviewer Evie Bee!

Evie is a ten-year-old book-mad girl who would read in her sleep if she could. She runs the bookish Instagram account @rockinreads where she shares her love of middle grade books. When she doesn’t have her head in an epic magical mystery or adventure story, Evie can be found dancing her way through the day or solving Rubik's cubes.

Evie is also KBR's newest and most effervescent contributor. We are beyond ecstatic to welcome Evie on board and can't wait to share her enthusiastic reviews with you. Luckily, her first junior fiction review will air just after Easter so make sure you visit again then. Meanwhile, we invite you to get to know this amazing powerhouse of book love a little better. Welcome, Evie!

Review: To The Bridge: The Journey of Lennie and Ginger Mick

Nine-year-old Lennie is awestruck by that engineering marvel, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Life is harsh during the great depression, especially for a family working a small farm. 

This beautiful book tells the true story of Lennie’s courage and determination to bring his dream to see the opening of the bridge come true.

His father, impressed by the hard work and responsibility Lennie showed by running the farm during a period when he was unable to, gave him permission to embark on an adventure without adult support. 

Review: Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a story of hope, peace and love. It is based on the life of a real child, who lived from 1943 to 1955.

Sadako was two years old when an atomic (nuclear) bomb was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan, near the end of World War II. As the story begins, Sadako is twelve years old, an athletic student who is close to her family and her best friend, believes in good luck symbols and is a fast runner who longs to make the school running team.

However, just as Sadako is running at her best, she notices dizziness and episodes of fatigue. She keeps her symptoms a secret, hoping they will disappear, until one day she collapses. Sadako is afraid she may have the atom bomb disease. Soon she is in hospital. Sadako has leukaemia, like so many others in her city who were affected by the radiation from the bomb.

Review: World's Wackiest Animals

The latest offering from Lonely Planet Kids is the fun and vibrant World’s Wackiest Animals which will appeal to children of all ages.

Glossy photographs provide readers with an up close view of these unique and often unheard of animals. The nature of the book allows readers to dip in and out of the book. 

While it will also encourage children, who are reluctant readers or who are not lovers of non fiction books.

Review: Lovable Lottie and the Shy Sheep

Lovable Lottie is now one year old. It is time for her to be given the responsible task of protecting the chickens from foxes. There is one impediment - the long grass. Daphne, Dolly and Dolores are brought in to resolve the problem. Lottie loves meeting new friends. Although she tries her best to make the sheep welcome, they keep their distance.

As in the previous book by Asia Upward, Lovable Lottie and the Lost Toy, this one also documents Lottie’s day-to-day activities for a week.

On Monday Lottie prepares the house for visitors. They don’t turn up.

Review: Eureka: A Story of the Goldfields

Eureka: A Story of the Goldfields is inspired by the real life of Catherine Martin, daughter of an English immigrant and Pan Ah Shin, a Chinese farmer that worked on the Goldfields.

The story tells of the Eureka rebellion which took place against unfair laws and enforced licence fees on the goldfields at Ballarat. It portrays in text and visual images, the environment on the goldfields, the intense dislike of the Chinese miners by others, and the social structure of the times.

Molly and her dad arrive at the goldfields to make money for a new life. Her mother has died leaving Molly only a gold locket.

Meet The Illustrator: Robert Henderson

Name: Robert Henderson

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
My own books. Concept driven. As little drawing as possible.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Brain space. No visible other things I could be doing. Right amount of strategic clutter. Books. Lack of children.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I don’t draw well and I am petrified by the idea of spending hours on something and then ruining it. So I either create in Adobe Illustrator with my trusty undo button and bezier handles, or by digitally layering media from charcoal to collage to ink to paint to pixels.

Video: StoryMakers with Hervé Tullet: Mix It Up!

Hervé Tullet has created more than 80 books for children, starting his journey as an illustrator when he was in his thirties. As he explains it, he tries to elicit dialogue between children and adults. His books are certainly an unusual and entertaining experience.

This interview with Hervé Tullet explores his ideas, creative process, and how he enjoys taking readers on an 'expedition'. Seeing how Hervé reads his books will change the way you read them! Hear a little of Mix It Up! and how to discover the way colours work. There's also a great demonstration of making and exploring sounds with The Trail Game.



Title: Mix It Up!
Author/Illustrator: Hervé Tullet
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $22.99
Publication Date: 2014
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760110956
For ages: 2+
Type: Picture book

12 Curly Questions with author Charlotte Barkla

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I grew up on a cattle farm west of Toowoomba, in Queensland. I’m one of four girls, and when we were younger we used to make up stories and plays together. (We were a bit Little Women-esque, but without the Laurie love interest next door. Or the war. Or Beth’s illness. Perhaps not so many parallels after all!)

Review: Myths, Legends & Sacred Stories: a children's encyclopedia

Myths, Legends & Sacred Stories is a children’s encyclopaedia rich in educational and cultural content. It contains stories passed down by word of mouth beginning with those from Europe.

The first section encompasses the mythological creation of the Universe, myths, legends and fables of heroes and gods of Europe, with all the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece that you could hope to read about. It goes on to include sections on Asia, Africa, The Americas and Oceania.

Review: Beetle and Boo

Beetle and Boo is a humorous, lighthearted story of the two friends and Bear’s search to find out if and what Beetle is scared of.

When Beetle announces that she’s not scared of anything, Boo doesn’t seem convinced, so he asks her specifically about some of the usual scary suspects; spiders, the dark, thunder, lightening and more. It really seems that Beetle is very brave, will they ever find something she fears? A giggle-worthy discovery prevails!

Review: The Fabulous Cakes of Zinnia Jakes: The Crumbling Castle

The first book, The Crumbling Castle, in the new series, The Fabulous Cakes of Zinnia Jakes, will enthrall readers who love top-secret adventures and cakes!

Zinnia Jakes is a famous, but mysterious, pastry chef. No one ever sees her and the incredible cakes always seem to appear at their destinations when no one is watching. In this story, Zinnia Jakes must create an authentic, crumbling castle cake in just two days' time, for the Medieval Fair. But, how will she do it and who is she?

Author, Brenda Gurr, has created a cast of characters children will love. Zoe Jones, is a 9-year-old school student by day and secret chef by night. Yes, Zoe Jones is Zinnia Jakes, the famous creator of exquisite cakes!

Review: Wheels

Big wheels and little wheels. Two wheels and four wheels.

All kinds of wheels!

Wheels is another classic book from the partnership of Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock.

With rhyming text and big, bold and colourful illustrations, Wheels will be a new favourite for many readers.

The pictures show two riders on bicycles who see many vehicles on their travels.

A red motorbike speeds past on two wheels. A semi trailer has many wheels rumbling as they head uphill.

Junior Review: Wings of Fire: Legends Dragonslayer

Wren is a 7-year-old girl with the temper of a dragon. The people of her village, Talisman, do not like her one bit. She bites, yells and scratches anyone who goes against her. 

But one day the Dragonmancers (who are unfortunately in charge of her village) believe that a dragon has sent them a vision that he wants to eat this particular fiery girl. 

So they lay her on the sacrificial rock and let her lie in wait for the dragon predator. 

She breaks free and finds herself wandering around all of Phyrria after this particular incident. But when she finds a little, odd dragon that she calls Sky, her world is flipped like a pancake and she is constantly avoiding human society.

Review: This Is How We Change The Ending

Fight and ascend or submit and sink, Nate’s teacher tells his him. Words and knowledge can change the world. 

Encouraged by his dedicated teacher, Nate secretly dreams of things he knows for him, are impossible.

At sixteen, Nate is highly intelligent with great potential and a voracious appetite for reading. But he must dumb himself down, for there is no place for a clever person in his town. Ambitions are too ambitious.

He escapes his dysfunctional family and hopeless surroundings by spending all his free time at the Youth Centre. He also escapes into the notebooks he fills with interesting thoughts, musings and excerpts of what he reads about.

Video: Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems

Mo Willems, bestselling creator of books like Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Knuffle Bunny, and the Elephant and Piggy series, is sharing daily videos with the world. This first episode of Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems, filmed in his studio, is just over 22 minutes long.

This is a great way for parents, teachers, and other carers to occupy young minds, getting them to use their imaginations, and develop their drawing and storytelling skills. It's like your own personal author visit!

Watch Mo draw, get tips and join in, see behind the scenes, and hear him answer questions from viewers. Make sure you have paper and pencils ready so kids can dive straight in and draw along with Mo, too!

The playlist of Lunch Doodles episodes can be followed on YouTube, and you can read our reviews of Mo Willems' books here.

Review: Spellhacker

Set in Kyrkata, a world where magic is a natural resource that people can tap into and use according to their talents, MK England’s second novel is a fast-paced adventure featuring lots of dangers and high stakes for the characters.

Diz lives on the fringes of society. A poor kid, she is housed with the other thousands of children orphaned by the magical plague that wiped out a chunk of the population a decade earlier. 

Not only did the plague kill people, it somehow slowed the magic flow, ‘maz’, to a mere trickle and turned it into a rare and valued commodity. 

Diz has a unique skillset. She and her friends are a formidable team, who together can break in and siphon the maz from the company that controls and limits its distribution. Diz know her magical skills are not strong, but she is awesome at hacking into security systems.

Look What I'm Reading! Meredith Costain

Meredith Costain is a versatile writer for children whose work ranges from picture books through to poetry, series fiction and non-fiction. 

She lives in inner-city Melbourne with a variety of pets who frequently wrangle their way into her stories. 

Her latest books include new titles in the quirky Ella Diaries and its sister series, Olivia’s Secret Scribbles, illustrated by Danielle McDonald, and a picture book, Grandmas Are Lovely, illustrated by Nicolette Hegyes.

Which children’s book are you currently reading?

I usually have several books on the go at any given time. The one I am currently reading is Grace’s Secrets, the first book in a time-slip mystery/adventure series by Louise Park.

Can you tell us in two sentences what the book is about?

Review: Ten Minutes to Bed Little Unicorn

Twinkle the baby unicorn has ten minutes until bedtime, but that doesn’t stop her from packing in several adventures.

Pixies, dragons, hairy trolls, shooting stars and rainbows — Twinkle sees them all while dad calmly counts down the minutes she has left.

This is a lovely and gentle story for your bedtime routine. In this new board book form, with thick pages and a sturdy cover, it’s great for little hands to grip and explore. 

Winners: Australian Animals by Frané Lessac

Our lucky winners are...

Kirsty Polujan, VIC
Melissa Wong-Mahanidis, WA
Piper May Fuller, ACT

Congratulations!

You have each a prize pack of A is For Australian Animals and Australian Baby Animals by Frané Lessac.

Your prize is on its way. Meantime, if you might like to read our beautiful KBR review of, Australian Baby Animals.

Thank you to ALL who entered. The response was overwhelming and the selection of Aussie animals impressive!

12 Curly Questions with author/activist Kate Bullen-Casanova

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I can wiggle my nose like Tabitha in Bewitched. It’s magic (hehe).

2. What is your nickname? 
Mouse/ Mouski (maybe because of the nose wiggling thing).

3. What is your greatest fear?
Spiders and octopuses; they’ve just got far too many legs!

Review: Twelve Days of Kindness

It is always hard being the new girl at school. So it was for Nabila. Her name was unusual, so was the lunch she brought from home and ate by herself. And so was her hair. The other girls made fun of her.

Holly didn’t like the thought of Nabila being lonely. Even after they played together, and were chosen for the soccer team, the other girls still continued being unkind.

There were twelve days left before the soccer team’s first match.

Review: Beautiful Eggs

Beautiful Eggs is a high quality board book which shares and celebrates the tradition of egg decorating around the world.

Featuring stunning cut-paper illustration, the book begins with a short informative introduction and follows on with 7 spreads focusing on different egg decorating traditions such as Pysanka, Vel’konočné Cascarones, Washi and more.

Review: Max and the Midknights

Max’s Uncle Budrick is a travelling, singing, entertaining troubadour, so Max is destined to be a troubadour too.

But being a troubadour is the last thing Max wants to be. Max really, really, really wants to be a knight.

When Max and Uncle Budrick head into Byjovia and Uncle Budrick gets thrown in the dungeons by the evil, and undeserving, King Gastley, Max knows only the bravest of knights will have the courage to save him.

Can Max be that daring, courageous Knight? 

Max is joined by a gang of Midknights (kids just like Max), and together they must solve the mysteries of Byjovia’s past to save Uncle Budrick and return the town to the wonderful place it once was.

Review: Jump!

The littlest Quig hatched in the Cloud Tower along with his siblings. He had a stumpy tail, and weak fins.

He feared the great empty space below. This made him different. His siblings grew stronger every day, swinging, jumping and jeering at his inability to match their progress. They named him Stumpy.

Stumpy became an outsider. The others made that clear. But the little one was afraid. What was he to do?

While the others were away exploring and playing, Stumpy slowly found his way down into the street to find he didn’t know what.

Review: Bunnies on the Bus

Bunnies on the bus! Bunnies on the bus! No wonder there’s a fuss about the bunnies on the bus!

A laugh-out-loud race through town, Bunnies on the Bus is a fabulous rhyming picture book about a bus full of bouncing bunnies. 

The speeding, swerving, bus stop ignoring bus creates havoc across town. Baby bunnies wail, bunnies scamper down the bus aisle, a bunny climbs on the roof! And I love it all!

Review: Swallow's Dance

Wendy Orr is famous for her novels Nim's Island and Rescue on Nim's Island, in which Nim is alone in the middle of the ocean.

Swallow's Dance is no less dramatic. Set in the Bronze Age near Santorini at the time of the great volcano eruption, Leira's world turns inside out as her entire village is decimated.

How do you hold onto hope when everything you know is crumbling to dust around you? How can you leave for the unknown when your heart wants to cling to all you hold dear?

Liera's journey is fraught with terrible possibilities.

We first meet Leira as she prepares to start her initiation as a priestess. Not only do we experience a recreation of long forgotten initiation rituals, we realise Leira is no ordinary girl.

Only the elite take such privileged roles in this society. This means her family are wealthy, her life is easy.

Review: Nelson 1: Pumpkins and Aliens

Nelson 1: Pumpkins and Aliens is the first book in a hilarious new junior fiction series by Australian DJ, food writer and founder of a youth music charity, Andrew Levins.

The premise begins simply enough; Nelson hates vegetables, despite the fact that everyone else in his family absolutely loves eating them, his dad loves cooking them and his grandparents love growing them! Even Nelson's best friend, Olive, loves vegetables, leading to a long-standing lunch-swapping ritual.

The story initially follows Nelson's frantic attempts to avoid vegetables, but the action ramps up dramatically when Nelson invents a story about a teacher-eating race of purple, slimy aliens, and, shockingly it turns out to be true!

Review: Peppa's Australian Underwater Adventure

There is great excitement at school. Peppa Pig has won a marine biology trip to Australia for her prize-winning picture of a fish she has imagined. Miss Rabbit explains what marine biology means. 

The prize includes her family. They will be staying with Mrs Kangaroo, who intends to give them lessons on how to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef.

The family head off to shops to purchase all the things they will need. 

Meet The Illustrator: Samantha Fry

Name: Samantha (Fry) Campbell

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.

Refined, gentle, flowing, moody, delicate, muted, painterly, textured

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
I need sound in the background, because silence makes me feel lonely. Either music or a
sitcom show (usually Friends). Tea or coffee is a must, and loose-fitting clothes. To start
working, I need paper, a sharp 2B pencil and sharpener, along with the medium that I will be
using, usually its watercolour or acrylic. My studio has lots of posters and paintings on the
walls, and cute little ornaments/ figurines to help with inspiration.

Guest Post: Rosanne Tolin on Writing and Paddington Bear

When I examine my love for learning alongside my writing aspirations I notice a through-line—a preoccupation with curiosity. To write for children is a privilege, and I feel dually obligated to use this opportunity not to preach what I already know, but to ask questions about what I don't.

My inspiration comes from many places, but in particular, weekend afternoons spent at my grandmother’s house as a child remain as vivid to me as her swirling works of watercolor—delightful rainbow canvases that now adorn my bedroom walls. Her modest home was just around the street corner from the conservative St. Louis temple she attended every Sabbath. 

Week after week, rain or shine, my sisters and I marched to grandma’s after long mornings spent in Sunday School. 

Review: Our Bush Capital

Our Bush Capital is written by Samantha Tidy and illustrated by Juliette Dudley.

It's a celebration of Australia's capital city. A place that many people call home.

Our Bush Capital shares the experiences of a young girl and the places she loves in Canberra, the things she loves to see and do.

Locals will recognise many of the sights.

Visitors will discover, through the pages of the book, a little of what it is that makes Canberra so great.

From the native birds and snow-capped Brindabella ranges, to enjoying a ride on the carousel, or on bikes in one of the nature-filled landscapes.

Review: Red Day

Charlie has three occupants of despair in her life. One is her father who left when she was a baby, never to be heard of again. 

The second is her brother Eli, who died eight years ago and his room remains the same since then. 

The third is the absence of her much-loved Nana Ruth who Charlie’s mother doesn’t allow her to see anymore.

Mum refuses to discuss any of the whys. They’re a family of secrets with a shroud over the most important issues.

A good imagination and synaesthesia is a dangerous combination for Charlie. Her brain works differently. She sees people and numbers in colours and shapes. Her emotions become physical pains. Images of past happenings pass in her mind.

12 Curly Questions with author Michelle Aung Thin

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
That I can write backwards – ie right to left. That’s how I thought left-handed people like me were SUPPOSED to do it!

2. What is your nickname?
Mimi.

Review: The Runaways

Grandpa is living with his memories if what he is doing can be called living. He is shut away in a hospital with pins holding his leg together. He hates the food and swears at the nurses. His son doesn’t understand him and his attitude. So he stays away and finds solace in silence.

Gottfried Junior loves him deeply and visits him often. They talk about everything together. He longs to bring him home to live, but Father refuses.

Grandpa has an enlarged heart, the result of his grief at the loss of his wife and home on the island.

There are things he wants to see one more time, but he is far away from his house on the hill.

Gottfried and Grandpa cook up a scheme to run away together for the weekend so the old man can tie up the few dangling strings from his past.

Review: Lola Dutch I Love You So Much

Lola Dutch I Love You So Much is a delightful story about friendship and showing your love to others, it’s the newest book in the delectable Lola Dutch series.

With a storyline inspired by Gary Chapman's theory of the five love languages, Lola shows her love for each of her friends in different ways. She makes a gift for Gator, sets up a special space for Crane and takes Pig on a fun experience. With so much love it’s good to know that Lola’s friends do something fabulously fun in return; you must read the book to find out what!

Giveaway: Australian Animals by Frané Lessac

There's been an unfortunate spotlight  blazing over our beleaguered Australian wildlife this past summer. As our flora and fauna toil with recovery, children around the Australia and the globe can at least regain a sense of joy in nature thanks to books like these by consummate author / illustrator, Frané Lessac, A is For Australian Animals and Australian Baby Animals.

Each is a classic showcase of Australian native favourites, their families and babies, that encourages young children to explore sounds and names and includes high interest facts and full colour illustrations of the rich diversity of animals throughout Australia. Read our KBR review of Australian Baby Animals to understand what a celebration of nature these books are.

Thanks to our generous friends at Walker Books Australia, we have three prize packs of these two special books each including, A is For Australian Animals and Australian Baby Animals.

To enter, tell us, in 25 words or less what Australian animal you are most like?

Review: Brother Moon

A young boy sits by the fire with his Great-Grandpa Liman.

Great-Grandpa Liman wants to tell him about his brother.

‘Who is your brother?’ the little boy asks. 

My brother is wise and never grows old. 

As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, my brother stops by. 

He knows that I am wary of the darkness.

Review: League of Llamas: The Golden Llama (Book #1) and Llama Impossible (Book #2)

What animal would make the coolest, most daring, most amazing secret agent? A llama of course! What other animal could it be?

Agent Phillipe Llamar has style — secret agent style! Along with his partner, Llyod Llamanator, Phillipe is a secret agent for the secret organisation League of Llamas (or LOL for short).

Together, Phillipe and Lloyd investigate crimes, thwart evil enemies and try to stay out of trouble, because, well, Phillipe has a bad habit of forgetting things/staring at his beautiful fringe and Lloyd is easily distracted by food (he’s a very hungry llama!). 

But when General Bottomburp — a dastardly and very smelly badger — steals the Golden Llama, Phillipe and Lloyd will have to get their act together to catch the evil badger and his crew.

Review: Better Than Sliced Bread

Award-winning author Clancy Tucker is never one to shy away from controversial or confronting social issues. Nowhere in his work is it as obvious as in his sequel to Kick-Ass Tyler - Better Than Sliced Bread. 

It is Sam’s voice that becomes the conduit for Tucker’s humanitarian beliefs and which produces the exceptional dialogue that drives the story. 

When we first met Sam, she was prickly, rough and hard to get close to, carrying a burden of grief from the loss of her beloved dad.

In Better than Sliced Bread, we meet a new Sam. Almost seventeen, she is mature, focused, a leader, and a doer, whose goal is to study law.

Review: Bumblebunnies Book 4: The Balloon

Graeme Base must be one of Australia’s most popular author-illustrators. Since his first book, Animalia, became an immediate best seller in 1986, his works have become must-haves for children’s bookshelves. 

Read about him in a Curly Questions interview with Kids Book review here.

His latest instalment in the Bumblebunnies series is as wonderful as his previous works. 

A sweet story about something that most children fear: popping balloons. 

Review: Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation

Growing up in the Netherlands, I have vivid memories from when I was a teenager reading Het Dagboek van Anne Frank (Anne Frank’s Diary) and visiting het achterhuis (the secret annex).

I also read and still have copies of her father’s, Otto Frank, autobiography as well as that of one of the helpers, Miep Gies. So, I was very interested in reading this graphic novel adaptation of Anne Frank’s Diary.

The adaption begins in 1942 with 13-year-old Anne living an ordinary life in the Netherlands. After she receives a diary for her birthday, she declares it her best friend and names it, Kitty.

Anne Frank and her parents, Otto and Edith Frank, and her sister Margot have moved to the Netherlands from Germany because of the Nazi’s rise to power and the worsening treatment of the Jewish people. After the Nazis occupy the Netherlands, and to escape being sent to work or concentration camps, the family hides at Otto Frank’s office behind a bookcase which leads to a secret annex.

Review: Madame Badobedah

Mabel thinks of herself as an adventurer and a spy who sometimes goes to school. Luckily for Mabel, her parents own The Mermaid Hotel where she spends all her spare time exploring and making new friends.

That is until a new guest turns up . . . .

Madame Badobedah struts into the Mermaid Hotel with her gaudy clothes, funny accent and excessive luggage along with her menagerie of animals.

Mabel is immediately suspicious of Madame Badobedah with her 23 pieces of luggage, 13 boxes, two trunks, endless trinkets, two cats, two dogs and a tortoise called Boris who sleeps on a pillow.

Review: Girls Can Fly

Girls can fly. Yes they can. And this stunning little book will help them to see exactly how high they can soar.

Each turn of the page has an inspiring quote in large print on the left and uplifting advice on the right. 

My favourite?

It’s okay to make mistakes.
Nobody is perfect.
It’s okay to fail at something.
That’s how you grow.

With important messages about believing in yourself, loving yourself and how to deal with self-doubt, anger and sadness, Girls Can Fly is a must-have for all girls. 

Review: The Lost Moustache

One day, Frankie finds a moustache.

She doesn’t know who it belongs to, so she begins an investigation to discover its owner.

But everyone she asks says it isn’t theirs. 

It doesn’t belong to the pirate, the queen or the chef. It doesn’t belong to the lion, the dancer or the cat.

What will Frankie do? Will she ever find the owner of the lost moustache?

10 Quirky Questions with author Katrina Lehman

1. What's your hidden talent? 
I can read in a car for hours and not get car sick. I can eat anchovies straight from the jar (is that a talent?). I am a mean bodysurfer. I can still recite my Year 12 boarding-house roll call from A-Z. I was W (Webb).

Review: Extraordinary

A heartwarming exploration of the beauty around us, from natural environments to the simplest of human actions including looking, listening and spending time with loved ones.

Sometimes what seems ordinary is actually more; Extraordinary! takes readers on a journey delving deep into what we may sometimes take for granted and even further into our own imaginations.

Review: The Wind in the Wall

What if you had one wish? What if you had to make a split second decision? What would you wish for?

The Wind in the Wall is a fairytale-like story set in England, more than two hundred years ago.

It's a story that is dark and mysterious, and might just leave you with a bit of a shiver.

At its beginning, a rich Duke's whims demand that his gardener grow pineapples so he can show off.

'Tis unfortunate that England's climate is not particularly suitable for growing such plants, and the gardener has no experience in doing so.

The gardener does his best, researching and experimenting.

Review: A Year Of Nature Poems

A Year of Nature Poems is a stunning gift book that draws on the seasons of the Northern Hemisphere. The glorious decorative illustrations begin on the covers where images of nature abound. 

Each month is allocated a double spread with a poem that signifies and salutes the season it reflects. A factual paragraph describes the main subject within the month.

January remembers a legend about flocks of warring starlings in Ireland during the 1600s. Black images of the birds in flight play against an orange sky as the sun sinks behind the hills.