Review: Tweet

Jay, and his budgie Clyde, are brothers at heart. Family. They are left with Poppa when their parents, specialists in bird behaviour and habits, go to Africa for research.

Their return is now four weeks overdue, and Jay and Poppa are unable to contact them.

Poppa dies suddenly. Jay and Clyde are left alone, then separated. Jay is put into foster care, but runs away to go in search of Clyde.

He discovers their house emptied of its contents, and all evidence of the family’s existence removed, which includes Clyde’s cage.

A series of sinister happenings begin for which there is no explanation.

Flocks of birds are congregating in masses all over the world. Is there an underlying message to humans in their behaviour?  

Review: Quickly! Quickly!

Some years ago, little Bongani sprung into life. I had this to say about him:

He ‘is impatient to grow and learn and be more than he is. His family temper his yearnings with humour and ancient fables to foster a sense of compassion and tenacity. As does Bongani, they eventually succeed.’

Bongani’s realisation came, Slowly! Slowly! It was how he learnt to catch his monkey but also learn self-temperance. Happily, Bongani is back in T M Clarke and Helene Magisson's latest edition of his life, Quickly! Quickly! 

Review: Listen, Layla

This is our second meeting with exuberant and passionate Layla, teenaged Sudanese-Australian girl living in Brisbane. 

Layla has much in common with any other teen but perhaps more accentuated in some respects as she straddles the expectations of two very different cultures.

Her first year as a scholarship student at her new school, and her passion for inventing has culminated in her secured position with the Grand Designs Tourismo team. 

The team has won entry in the international competition to take place in Germany and not only that, but Layla has been selected to be Australia’s representative on the associated Special International Invention Tour – life doesn’t get any better for this girl who loves her science and engineering!

But as we know, life doesn’t always go according to plan. 

Guest Post: Grace O'Hara: Around The World in 10 Books

Feeling restless? Who could blame you. A jaunt around the world is well overdue but how can you quench your thirst for travel in this current climate? Easy with books of course! Today's special guest, Grace O'Hara shares ten books that will help you to travel the globe from home. Bon Voyage!

If you’ve had the privilege of travelling in your life, you’ll know the transformative effect it can have. Travelling helps us understand the world, understand how our version of normal compares to others. It’s also an opportunity to open up your senses to a world of new experiences.

Even though travel outside our borders is on hold for the time being, many of us are still feeling the itch to explore new places and expose our little ones to all the joy that travelling involves. But, fear not, along with a tonne of digital resources, there are some incredible stories to be found from around the world in children’s stories.

Here’s a list of some of my favourite ones, which not only transport you to different settings, but immerse you in local languages and folklore from around the world too. Ready? Our journey begins…

Video Review: Elephant Me

Join Yvonne Mes for a short and snappy video review of the latest feel-good picture book written by author and illustrator duo Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, Elephant Me.

Title: Elephant Me
Author: Giles Andreae
Illustrator: Guy Parker-Rees
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: 26 May 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781408356524
For ages: 3 - 5
Type: Picture Book

Review: I Am Change

This powerful coming of age novel is based on a true story. Author Suzy Zail met Namukasa Nusala Sarah in Kampala Uganda in 2015.  She discovered a young girl with a thirst for knowledge who would wash clothes and sell porridge to earn money to purchase books.

The novel’s central character Lilian personifies Namukasa. Lilian learns the hard way of how a young girl in Uganda should behave and what is expected of her within her own family and the world in general.

On the verge of womanhood, Lilian can no longer wear short dresses in case she attracts attention, she must ensure no man is present when she washes and should always tend to the men of the family before her own needs.

Review: The Flag Book

Flags serve many purposes, from representing a country or region, to signifying decisions in sporting events, to sending aviation, medical and military information. The Flag Book (The amazing stories behind the world's flags) provides an overview of all these aspects, including chapters on every continent in the world, pirate flags, sporting flags, semaphores and record breaking flags.

 Flags often act as a symbolic representation of a country or region, however, this book goes into so much more detail, including the study of flags (vexillogy), the design of flags, the history of when and why specific flags were adopted, and the various ways in which flags are used.

Review: Adventures in the Wild with Jan Latta

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to come face to face with a lion, pat a wild cheetah, or watch a majestic giraffe lumber past followed by her skittish baby?

Jan Latta has had these amazing experiences, and her spectacular photography allows us to share them with her. She has a true talent for capturing the beauty and heart of a place, showing us the wild, untameable landscape of Africa yet sharing touching moments of the awe-inspiring animals she encounters.

Adventures in the Wild follows one of Jan’s trips to Africa. Written in first person, it draws readers in as they fly in to Africa and learn about the animals waiting there. Jan’s photographs put us right there along side her, seeing what she sees and marvelling at the magnificent creatures we meet.

Review: The Ugly Five

What animals do you think you can find on the African plains?

In Julia Donaldson's new book The Ugly Five you will see beautiful and majestic lions, zebras, giraffes, flamingos and cute little meerkat's.

Then why is it called The Ugly Five? This is the twist that makes this book fabulously different from all the other African animal books that you have read before.

Review: Slowly! Slowly!

Bongani wants to go to school, but his father says he is too young and must stay home to help protect the crops.

This makes Bongani sad... until Grandfather tells him there's fun to be had catching monkeys. 

But monkeys are not so easy to catch, and Bongani must learn to be patient if he wants to succeed. 

Slowly, slowly Bongani does catch a monkey, but it doesn’t make him feel as happy as he thought it would, and the prize comes with a big decision to make. 

Review: Unfolding Journeys: Following the Great Wall and Secrets of the Nile

Prepare yourself for a visual and information packed journey through Egypt and China in these fantastic new offerings from Lonely Planet Kids. They are both part of the Unfolding Journeys series, a unique series of fold out fact books.

Each book contains a beautifully illustrated pull-out wall-chart nearly two metres long with information galore in around 50 bite sized, non-threatening chunks that kids can explore at their leisure. The reverse side of the chart contains more detailed information on each of the items presented, for those that want to explore further.

Review: The Patchwork Bike

With a minimum of words, Maxine Beneba Clarke gives us a peek into life in an African village and the irrepressible energy of the children who live there.

Our unnamed stars take us on a personalised tour of their world and their ingenious creation. The parts they use to cobble together their vehicle gives insight into what they do and don't have.

Vann T Rudd's illustrations dig deep to reveal the heart of a place most Westerners cannot imagine. Despite the fact it isn't mentioned, every page shouts of dry dusty conditions.

Review: Precious and the Zebra Necklace (A New Case for Precious Ramotswe)

Alexander McCall Smith, well-known author of the Number One Detective Ladies Agency, takes us back in time to find Precious Ramotswe in her early detective days.

Can nine-year-old Precious solve the mystery of Nancy’s long lost family with only a photo and a carved necklace as clues? She is willing to travel far and face many dangers to help her friend. Luckily, a boy from the San tribe stumbles upon the girls when they become lost on an unfamiliar track but how do you ask for help when you don’t speak the same language?

Review: Maps

Sometimes it's hard reviewing books. Not because you have nothing to say, but because you don't even know where to begin.

Such is my conundrum with Maps. Sometimes words don't cut it, but I'll try.

This is a big book. A big, beautiful, impressive book. There are a lot of pages, too, and each and every page has been crammed to bursting with countries. And cities. And towns. And villages.

There are also kids. And adults. And people in local costumes. Flora, fauna, food, sites, sights, monuments, buildings, rivers, lakes, mountains, sportspeople. Even the oceans are stuffed withe whales and dolphins and fish and crustraceans.

Guest Post: Jan Latta - Against All Odds

Kids’ Book Review is delighted to welcome author and wildlife photographer Jan Latta to share about her experiences taking photos for her latest book, Ziggy the Zebra. You’ll appreciate the wonderful photos in Jan’s books even more once you read about what she goes through to get the perfect shots.

I booked my trip to Africa to create my next book, Ziggy the Zebra, but everything was against the journey. The Australian Government said it was too dangerous to travel, my neurosurgeon said it was not a good idea with my damaged back, I caught a terrible throat virus, and Kenya had another bombing.

My doctor finally gave me the all clear to fly, I strapped myself into a back-brace and off I went. I arrived in Nairobi after 23 hours, but my case didn’t. It was so devastating to watch an empty carousel and no case. I stayed overnight at Machusla House and the next morning flew in a tiny 12-seater plane to Naboisho camp in the Maasi Mara. I discovered I was the only person at the camp, great!  The next day the camp manager said my case was found, and two days later it was delivered to my tent.

I unlocked my case and to my horror realised my video camera, my back-up camera, all my tapes and chargers were all gone – stolen.  I was in shock. Fortunately I had my carry-on Nikon, which meant I could take photographs for five days if I could borrow a charger. The manager was great and called nearby camps and research stations. Success - now I could start my zebra book.

One evening when I was having dinner with the camp manager there was a loud bang and the sound of hooves on the wooden deck. When he unzipped the canvas there was a lion chasing a wildebeest right through the middle of the dining tent! Now that was a first and a very frightening experience.

Review: Mirror

Meet two boys and two families from different parts of the world – one from Sydney, Australia and the other Morocco in North Africa. Their lives are very different, but they also have things in common. Explore the pages to see how their lives mirror each other.

After a brief introduction, Jeannie Baker’s beautifully intricate collage artworks wordlessly share the story of a day in the life of each boy. The clever book design allows readers to move through each boy’s story simultaneously. This mirror-like effect makes the differences and similarities even more pronounced for young readers as they turn each page.

Review: Donkeys Can't Fly In Planes

South Sudanese refugee children living in Australia wrote the short stories in this amazing book. The tales are as varied as the children who tell them.

What is it like to live in constant danger, when being late home might get you attacked or even killed? How does it feel when eating enough is a rare luxury? The stories in Donkeys can’t fly on planes are not morbid, although the sadness in some pierced my heart.

Review: Lonely Planet Not-For-Parents Travel Books

Oooh - there's more! Another batch of Lonely Planet Not-For-Parents books has arrived, and I'm SO glad I have exemption from the no-parent rule so I can share these amazing books with you.

Using their typical travel savvy, Lonely Planet have created this hardy, travel-size-compatible book series for kids on a variety of destinations, and now we are travelling to four continents, exploring the coolest stops along the way.

Review: Amina (Through My Eyes #2)

Amina’s family has survived years of war in their homeland of Somalia. After watching the lives of others torn apart, Amina’s family finally feels the impact of the ongoing war in a heartbreakingly personal way. First, Amina’s father is arrested and then her brother is abducted by the militant group Al-Shabaab.

What can Amina do to help provide for her aging grandmother and pregnant mother when it isn’t safe for her to venture outdoors alone? She desperately wants to share a message of hope with her community through her artworks, but will she only put her family in more danger with the street art she creates?

Review: To Get To Me

Peter is going on an excursion to the zoo and he wants his friend Ahmed to come too. How many different forms of transport will Ahmed need to get from his home in Northern Africa to the zoo in Sydney?

Filled with wonderfully colourful illustrations and simple, fun-to-read text, To Get To Me explores some of the many forms of transport that people all around the world use to get about. From camels to buses, aeroplanes to cable cars, trains to ferries, Ahmed would need to undertake a travel adventure to read his friend at the zoo.