Dad and I
find an injured koala on our property …
Dad says
keeping koalas safe will be a big job.
I need a
plan and help from some friends …’
There is so
much to digest and reflect upon in this book – for everyone, not just picture
book aged readers.
For it is
this father’s undying love that has borne magic, mystery and wonder in
abundance with the birth of picture book, Tiny Dancer.
‘Tiny Dancer
is about making each moment count and living life to the full.’
A tortoise may live for over one hundred years. An olive tree, up to five thousand. But a mayfly lives for just one day.
To relay a tale based on true life with the perfect balance of sensitivity and fact without sinking into a mire of sentimentality requires a deft narrative voice and strong will, attributes Singaporean author, Evelyn Sue Wong has in spades.
Reach For the Sky records the story of her father and his big sky dream; to fly.
I am not unfamiliar with notions of ‘dreaming big and flying high’, being well acquainted with a plucky little pigeon (aka Pippa) with similar aspirations. The major difference between Robert Shun Wong and afore mentioned pigeon however is that one has wings and one had to build his own. And build them, he does.
Well, maybe we don’t need to be that dramatic but you know what I mean.
Lil
desperately wanted
to join in
the class.
But each
time she tried,
She’d land
PLONK on the grass.
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Without further preamble, the two spiky critters meet, head-to-head in the first spread of this curious clash of comparisons.
One is surrounded by flowering gums and kookaburras. Clearly an Aussie original. The other is nestled in a forest of fungi and European song birds.
They look alarmingly
similar yet obviously different. Does this stand in their way of friendship?
Most definitely not!
Meet
Jemima, a loveable Labrador with a very important job!
Jemima is a
very good dog who loves all the usual doggy things such as going to the park,
playing games, a good old tummy scratch and of course, dinner.
But she’s
also got a very, very important job to do – being the eyes and ears for her
blind handler, who she loves more than anything in the world.
From busy street crossings to cosy moments at home, Jemima balances her fun-loving nature with the focus and dedication needed to be an extraordinary guide dog.
Abracadabra!
Alakazoo!
Bubbily, bobbily, boffity, boo!
Clutch your
cauldrons and crystal balls,
Dance with dragons down the halls…
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There’s Mr
Delagatti who collects seeds, Annika who plays the violin, and even Esmerelda
the chicken, who likes worms for breakfast!
But then, things change for Rosie.
A large company with noisy, powerful machines takes over the precious little garden and builds a towering skyscraper in its place. Where will the friends go?
In Too
Many Dogs, Maura Finn and Lucinda Gifford have created a naughty - but
nicely naughty - classic.
The clever,
endearing rhyme with marvellously funny illustrations come together as a
perfect match to create this wonderful and hilarious story.
Little Percy is used to being Top Dog in a household full of cats.
I was instantly entranced by the end-papers with their hand-drawn memorabilia, the silhouettes of friendly and enemy planes and many other interesting tid bits.
Then, I turned the page and was gobsmacked to learn that both author Angela Toniolo and illustrator Shannon Melvillle, are the direct descendants of women who performed as enemy plane spotters during the second world war.
I got goosebumps
on my goosebumps, and the story hadn’t even begun!
This accessible,
thoughtful rumination on the nature of life’s biggest mystery explores both life
and death.
Long or
short, every life on earth comes to an end some day.
But what
happens when we die?
The last
few years have seen a number of picture books that broach the subject of death,
grief and loss in various ways. Gone adds to this list with its
wonderful, clear message and bold illustration style.
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‘He can hum
like a cricket and tell you all about Tasmanian devils.’
Our curious
narrator Alexander is working very hard to NOT have a daytime sleep, and
nocturnal animals are his go-to rationale (what is mummy actually
talking about?, I’m not a nocturnal animal who needs to sleep in the daytime!).
And so
begins a cheerful and mischievous adventure.
What do we
do when things get in a tangle?
Do we tussle and struggle? Or do we try something different?
We all have
a little bit of Tilly inside us - an adventurer who is happy, headstrong and
independent.
We all need
to push our own boundaries now and then, for interest’s sake if nothing else.
And we’ve all experienced being in a tangle, a tight spot or a pickle, because
we wouldn’t be human if we hadn’t.
She was in year one during Covid times, which was difficult because doing things like holding hands (which was the only thing that made her feel safe) was discouraged. Despite this, teachers were putting themselves at risk to care for our kids, and in Evie’s case, they took her by her little hand anyway.