Yet again the Pirate Academy is battling against mysterious and evil forces and the students are preparing to face even more obstacles to their survival.
Neo, one of the three central characters in this action-packed adventure series, has left the academy to follow clues his renowned pirate mother left him on her trails, in order to understand his own destiny. With help from Captain December Wilde, aboard her ship Brave as the Waves, Neo follows the coordinates left for him to claim a sword bestowed to him by his mum. But now he needs to know what is the significance of the sword?
Behind the elegance, discipline and applause of the ballet world lies a demanding culture of perfection, and Ariane Beeston's Don't Forget to Smile offers an honest and compelling glimpse behind the curtain.
Told through the alternating perspectives of Clara, Elle and Ben, three talented young dancers competing for a coveted place at the International Ballet Grand Prix, the novel explores what it truly costs to pursue excellence. Each protagonist faces their own personal battle: Clara struggles with the expectations of fitting the traditional ballet mould, while Elle and Ben challenge outdated attitudes and entrenched power structures within the dance world. As their individual journeys unfold, an unexpected scandal draws the trio together in surprising ways.
It shares a message of hope for anyone who feels alone, out of place or misunderstood.
Right from when Sketch was born, there was something different about him, both in looks and actions.
In his home town, which is neat and picture perfect, and everything and everyone have their place, Sketch just doesn’t seem to fit in.
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A lot can
be said about that little house, even before you open the book. Instantly recognisable
is the one door, two windows and a chimney, (well two actually) construction
that is the go-to design when a child draws a house for the first time. It has
a face of sorts, making it ‘alive’ and with its almost scale like shimmering
tiled arms and legs, there is no doubt that this little house has character and
a unique personality. All of this combined make for the perfect book cover that
children will pick up wanting desperately to know what the story is all about.
Well done Simon.
And what about
that story? It begins, ‘Once there was a house that didn’t feel at home.’ What
a great opening line. I’m sure many of us can completely relate to that
sentence. What I love is that this little house decided to do something about
it.
The House
that Walked Away follows
the little house as it searches for somewhere that ‘feels right’. Somewhere that
feels like home. Discontent, It never stays in one place for long as nowhere
seems to fit, or perhaps it feels that it, doesn’t fit anywhere. One day a
family notices this little house and begins to follow it. That’s when
everything changes.
With under
200 words this may come across as a picture book with a simple story, but I can
assure you it is not. Those words have been perfectly chosen and combined with the
illustrations create something unexpectantly emotional.
Let me just
take a moment to give credit to those illustrations as they rightly deserve. To
begin Simon has created a house full of hope and yearning. A house…. with
emotions…. that is a marvel in itself, but it just gets better from there.
Composition
wise, the book changes from full spreads to an almost graphic novel approach,
perfectly enabling the story to flow without the overuse of text. Then the
colour is added, and what glorious colour it is. Simon has chosen the perfect
colour palette and uses it expertly to show emotion throughout the narrative.
There is a deep sadness felt in the grey ocean and uplifting hope in the fire red
clouds, which also happens to be my favourite page. The painterly texture throughout
just adds to the appeal. In short the artwork, and it is art, is stunning. I must also give credit to the choice to print on matt
paper instead of gloss.
This may be a book written for children, but the story has such a wider reach. Even as adults we are constantly searching for our tribe. Many of us spend years being restless in jobs or moving and changing friends as we look for a place where we are appreciated just being ourselves. We are always looking for somewhere where we can relax at the end of the day and feel safe. Ultimately we are all looking for somewhere to feel like home.
Title: The House that Walked Away
Author/Illustrator: Simon Howe
Publisher: Little Hare
Publication Date: May 2026
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781761218309
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture book
It covers a year in Juliet’s life and the year is 1975. Colour television was introduced in Australia, flared jeans were fashionable, and the landmark National Library of Australia building opened. It was also a time of political upheaval.
1975 brings lots of changes for Juliet, her family, and the whole country.
Juliet lives with her parents and grandmother, and has an older sister at university interstate. Her dad works in a quite senior position in the federal government.
She's entering her final year of primary school, and is expected to complete a year-long, individual project, one that she needs to choose for herself.
Juliet decides to compare her life growing up in the seventies, with her Gran’s at the end of the First World War and afterwards.
