Orin is courageous and modest. With his friends Beatrix and Pascal, he goes in search of a missing villager. They are well equipped for any attack by the goblins who have recently overrun the village, due to their their mentor Bruno, who has been training them for the Village Guard.
But life has other plans for them all.
When Orin and friends lead an attack on the fiends sent to destroy Draeland, a power is released in Orin.
It focuses entirely on a family - a grandmother, two children, and a rabbit, and the choices they make.
Survival is utmost. As they move to the top of their apartment building, a shed becomes their refuge.
The entire building is transformed into an immovable object in the flooded waters.
Their wait for help proves futile and after many days, they realise that help isn’t coming.
The Night Librarian follows twins, Page and Turner, who are on a mission to recover their father’s rare book which was stolen when they were trying to determine its value.
While it deals with an episode of history that is
both terrifying and confronting, the format and the narrative from a child’s
perspective means it is less so for younger readers, while still delivering
factual information.
Peter Lantos, a Hungarian Jew, was 5 years old when he and his parents were deported to Bergen-Belsen, where his father subsequently died.
Through many adverse and frightening situations, Peter and
his mother survived Belsen, and while they were liberated by the US Army, they
were, by that time, in Magdeburg which became Soviet occupied territory.
She begins a journey of discovery back through time.
In the company of her dog Tassie, the
weekend becomes a dedication to educating herself enough to complete her
project.
Until she encounters the ghost of the last Thylacine.
Thyla (what Violet names the presence), offers to help Violet obtain the knowledge needed to understand the how and why of extinction. The when, where and who join the group of unknowns.
Through conversations with Thyla, many facts about the extinct Thylacine and other marsupials are revealed and clarified.
The greatest scientist of the twentieth century is, without a doubt, Albert Einstein.
Einstein’s amazing reasoning and powers of observation brought us the photoelectric effect (key to solar panels), special relativity (E=mc2) and general relativity which describes our current understanding of gravity.
However, my favourite observation of Einstein’s – which is pertinent to teachers not just in science, but in all fields – is his assertion that 'If you can’t explain it to a 6-year-old, then you don’t truly understand it.'
This has huge relevance to me in my line of work as a children’s writer and also in my day job as a science communicator.
Superhero Captain Amazing is tired and getting older. He needs help. And it's his pets, who are worried about him, are the ones who come to the rescue.
Captain Amazing, also known by his non-superhero name Harry, decides sidekicks could give him a helping hand. There's an eclectic group of humans and animals who want to audition for the role.
Amongst Harry's pets, first up there's Roscoe the dog and Fluffy the hamster. They tend to squabble a bit.
Then there's a brand new pet, a chameleon who Harry names Shifty. Roscoe and Fluffy aren't sure what they think about Shifty yet.
And finally there's Manny the cat. Manny used to be Captain Amazing's sidekick, going by the name Static Cat.
But something happened and Static Cat disappeared into apparent retirement.
When Fluffy heads out to practice his superhero skills, much to his dismay he's shadowed by Shifty.
Then Fluffy and Shifty unexpectedly cross paths with Manny. Manny, who has experience, knows what it takes to be a superhero sidekick, and starts teaching them what they need to know.
Will Harry's pets be ready and up to the job when the day of the sidekick auditions arrives? Can they save the day when the villain Dr Havoc makes trouble?
Sidekicks is a great graphic novel for younger readers. Packed with slick, colour illustrations, and just enough text, the story features family, friendship and teamwork, mixed with a generous dose of adventure.
Title: Sidekicks
(Book 1)
Author/Illustrator: Dan Santat
Publisher: Scholastic Australia, $ 19.99
Publication Date: 2024
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761640261
For ages: 8+
Type: Graphic Novel
This is how twelve-year old Abby, on the cusp of adolescence, feels about her four younger siblings.
The wish she made when very young – to have a sibling to play with, turned into four obnoxious ones.
Remi Lai frequently draws on her own life experiences to create believable stories.
This graphic novel takes a humorous and realistic look into the dramas played out in many families between siblings.
The bold, detailed illustrations reinforce the daily dilemmas, situations so familiar, they force a smile that remains fixed till the end of the book.
We're surrounded by technology. In fact it's hard to avoid it.
While access to devices of various kinds can have advantages, there are also disadvantages, some of which you might not even realise.
(Be Smart About) Screen Time! is a guide, a series of questions and answers, and a non-fiction graphic novel. It presents key concepts and issues in a simple and easy to understand way.
Specifically aimed at children, but helpful for everyone, it covers some of the pros and cons of having the world at your fingertips, and touches on media literacy by discussing whether or not seeing is believing.
Each title in this series has an individual author and illustrator.
The Cat in the Hat just wants to have fun.
Fish initially convinces Sally and her unnamed brother not to open the door for Cat.
His previous
shenanigans caused chaos and an inevitable reprisal for their combined
actions.
So, the siblings pretend they are not home,
but the shrewd Cat talks through the door until his persuasive suggestions change
the course of their good intentions.
And they let him in.
Let’s get this party started is a powerful expression.
The book follows Jamie and her trusty robot companion through a delightful adventure that showcases how even ordinary items, like socks, can spark extraordinary moments.
Rusu’s book is
filled with playful humor, vivid imagery, and a creative blend of the real and
the imaginary, making it a perfect read for young children and their parents
who are navigating their own big feelings.
One of the standout features of this graphic novel is how themes of comfort, emotion, and the occasional chaos of childhood are wonderfully mixed.
Through the imaginative
lens of a child’s world, Rusu touches on separation anxiety, the need for
routine, and the importance of emotional expression, all with a charming robot
by Jamie’s side. The vibrant illustrations by Martín
Morón bring Jamie’s world to life with bright colors and whimsical designs,
perfectly complementing the story.
Now, let’s hear from the author herself, Meredith Rusu, as she shares insights into the inspiration, characters, and creative process behind There’s a Robot in My Socks in our exclusive KBR interview:
The stars of Kung Fu Roo are three friends: Kai, Harry and Charley. They love martial arts and are on the way to compete in a kung fu competition when the train they're travelling on is hijacked.
Then the train is hit by a meteor. Yet stranger events are still ahead!
After awakening in hospital, Kai returns home to discover he has a new desire to eat salads, and even a sudden hankering for grass. What's happened?!
Kai, Harry and Charley work out that weird purple goo from the meteor had a special effect.
People who were on the train when the meteor hit werehave taken on the characteristics of zoo animals and pets which were also on the train!
Kev and Trev are best friends, a cockatoo and a marine iguana, who live on a houseboat.
You'll meet them in Kev and Trev: Snot Funny Sea Stories! the first in a graphic novel series.
Kev and Trev have decided to write a book, and Snot Funny Sea Stories! is their immersive journey to literary stardom. At least that's what Kev and Trev hope will be the result.
Amongst the side trips, is a lesson in surfing, with Kev explaining some of his favourite surfing positions, like the starfish and the bottle flip.
There are stories within stories, too. Like Cob Fish, Santa Ray, and Turtle (Nude).
Snot Funny Sea Stories! is packed with rhyming, puns, and strange situations, dreamt up by Kev and Trev and their wild imaginations and inspired by their sea adventures.
The Ratbags are back in another action-packed, humour-filled adventure created by Tim Harris and Shiloh Gordon.
Just like the other four books in the series, it has plenty of clever jokes and illustrations that leap off the page.
In Dummy Spit the Ratbags find themselves landed with an unexpected problem. A very naughty toddler rat.
Jigsaw is the first to encounter Blitz, who literally crashes into his life. He’s a whirlwind of destruction and determination.
