Review: Starlight

Solli Raphael burst into the spotlight in 2017 when at 12 he became the youngest winner of the Australian Poetry Slam.

Now a young adult, Solli's latest book, Starlight is the third in a series of connected books. The previous ones being Limelight and Spotlight. 

Starlight is in two parts. The first explores identity. 

National and personal identity, racial and cultural identity, identity and public image versus private image and representation.

Examples are shared, from popular culture (musicians, influencers, etc) and fictional worlds (like superheroes), as a way into thinking about how our identity might alter with boundaries or crossover in different contexts. 

How are our physical identity and intellectual identity connected? Do we have one identity or many? How do history and historical events influence identity?

Review: Ink And Light: Poetry Anthology

There are moments in life, fuelled by the actions of people you may barely know but have always admired from afar that bring you to your knees, and in my case, induce a surge of tearful emotions. 

This book, Ink and Light, an anthology of poetry by our very own,  Nia Shetty is filled with such moments.

Raw. Powerful. Immediate. Shetty’s subject matter strikes an impressive chord. Each line resonates energy and angst, anguish and anticipation. Clarity and an unnervingly keen conception of ‘how it is’.

She doesn’t spare the truth either. Diaspora, the forced shedding of cultural identity, racial discrimination, and the eternal search for buried hope; all chime subtly throughout each poem but amazingly, never in an oppressive nor despairing way. 

There is a force of optimism and expectation behind each verse that somehow provides light to the various patches of shade.

The resulting pieces are articulate, elegant odes to the author’s cultural roots and sharp contemporary observations. And, as mentioned, stirring enough to incite genuine emotion.

Review: Right Way Down

Right Way Down and Other Poems, is an astonishing display of word usage by gifted wordsmiths. 

Various contributors show their talents, including Sally Murphy, who with Rebecca M. Newman, have selected the poems for this compilation.

Briony Stewart creates with her detailed and entertaining black and white illustrations, an impressive accompaniment to the text.

Five sections encompass this marvellous selection: Come on In! Creative Thinkers, Creature Features, A View from Here, and Heading Home.

It was hard to pick a favourite as so many were so clever. I ended up loving them all!

These are some that will surprise.

Announcement: New Junior Reviewer - Meet Ayla!

Our reviewing team are passionate about sharing some of the best stories for children and teens with anyone who'll listen. 

It's one thing reviewing kids' books. It's another creating stimulating, entertaining and enthralling content for kids but it's something altogether special when kids share their true thoughts and feelings about a story with other kids. 

Which is why we are over-the-moon excited about the latest member to join our elite KBR team. Give it up for the delightful, book mad, soon-to-be-published-author, Ayla Wardrop everyone!

Review: It's The Sound Of The Thing: 100 New Poems For Young People

This collection of 100 new works from much loved poet and author Maxine Beneba Clarke, will be a wonderful addition to bookshelves and classrooms the world over.

A rumination on life as we know it, it covers dreams, hopes and aspirations that are familiar to most young people, and will touch something in every reader.

The breadth and content of the poems is vast and satisfying, slipping as they do from pandemic to flirtation, from school to racism and gender to gender, with as much ease as a cat finding that sweet warm spot on the couch.

The variation of form and style is dazzling enough to hook even the most reluctant reader. 

10 Quirky Questions with author Libby Hathorn

1. What's your hidden talent?
Inadvertently killing every rose bush that I hopefully plant!

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Count Dracula

3.You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
William Shakespeare (geinus writer poet playwright), Judith Wright (poet extraordinaire), Maggie O’Farrell (Hamnet), May Gibbs (Snugglepot and Cuddlepie), Louisa May Alcott (Little Women), Alice Munro (short story).

Review: Hope is the Thing

Hope -- anticipation and waiting and wanting -- is a concept that may or may not be somewhat difficult for a child to explain.

In their picture book Hope is the Thing, a note from Johanna Bell and Erica Wagner explains that in the book they aim to '[speak] to the many ways hope presents in the world'.

Inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poem Hope is the Thing With Feathers, Johanna and Erica use their main character, a creative young girl, and many kinds of birds to help 'create an imagined world filled with art and hope'.

Junior Review: Letters From Cuba

Esther has been yearning for her Papa ever since he left Poland to live in Cuba in the midst of World War 2, to provide for the family. 

After 3 years distant from the family, Papa has finally saved enough money for one child to come and stay with him. Therefore, the eldest, Esther travels across the large ocean from Poland to Cuba to visit her Papa. 

From the moment Esther steps down from the boat, she is in love with all the vibrant colors and aromas that meet her, and she falls in love with Cuba, her new home. 

To Esther’s surprise, her home won’t be in the heart of Havana, but in the small farmers village of Agramonte. In her tiny wooden house, Esther finds her inner talent for sewing and is able to help her father by providing extra income. 

Review: And Everything Will be Glad To See You - Poems By Women And Girls

Sometimes an anthology of poems just hits a sweet spot. With its foreword, afterword, separate lists of poetry and poets, gorgeous tactile cloth bound cover, posh ribbon bookmark and adorably lush, sumptuous, immersive illustrations - not to mention poems by the bucketload - this book is truly a feast for the senses.

A delightful collection that will appeal to both long-time poetry afficionados and newbies, there’s something for everyone here. 

Old favourites such as Maya Angelou and Mary Oliver sit alongside fresh, exciting contemporary voices in Jackie Hosking and Amanda Gorman, among others. 

Review: No Words

From the author who gave us the heart-jolting, Exit Through The Gift Shop, comes another show-stopping middle grade drama. 

No Words pulls no punches telling the story of 12-year-old refugee, Aria and moves with the same tumultuous pace as Master’s former novel.

Don’t equate the tempo of this narrative with a rushed outcome however because Aria’s tale is told with measured sensitivity and precision. It just happens to be in the same voice as your typical upper primary school kid with as much energetic beat and bounce. Which is ironic when the story centres around Aria’s distinct lack of voice.

Aria hails from old Iran, Persia having fled his country with his older brother and father. There was no time for goodbyes. No time to mourn the loss of his beloved mother. No time to digest the horror of their situation. We learn through the broken recall of Aria that his mother was persecuted for her liberated feminist beliefs. But that is not the main thrust of this story.

Review: Shakespeare for Everyone

Who was William Shakespeare and why is he famous? Shakespeare for Everyone takes us on a journey through history, to learn about the man considered the world's greatest and most influential playwright.

Beginning with an introduction to Shakespeare and his life and times, it goes on to introduce theatre in the late 1500s and early 1600s, including physical and historical information about The Globe and Burbage's Theatre which were popular at that time.

Readers will learn about Shakespeare the actor, because it is believed that he may have performed as well as written plays. The book explains how actors lived and worked, that they were known as 'players' and had to work hard to memorise their lines in a short amount of time as well as to sing and dance.

Shakespeare for Everyone summarises Shakespeare's achievements. He wrote both plays (at least 38) and poems (almost 160), and they cover multiple genres, including histories, comedies, tragedies, and romances. But just what places each of these plays in those genres? What are the common features of such plays?

Review: I Am Hungry

I Am Hungry is about a topic that young children will understand. Being hungry!

Former UK Children's Laureate, Michael Rosen has written I Am Hungry as a humourous take on what you might think and feel when you're hungry.

The star character is a red squirrel and the first words on the page are: I am hungry. 

The word hungry is repeated many times through the book, so children who are learning to read will quickly be able to recognise and read it with or for you.

Squirrel is so hungry that he could eat just about anything, whether it's popcorn or peas. He'd even chase a gingerbread man.

Review: I Wish I Had a Wookie and Other Poems For Our Galaxy

Star Wars fans young and old will love this poetry anthology.

I Wish I Had a Wookie and Other Poems For Our Galaxy is filled with clever, funny poems celebrating Star Wars.

There are poems about characters and events, and poems about being a Star Wars fan.

The title poem, I Wish I Had a Wookie, is relatable and captures a child's wish for a furry friend who can help keep nightmares away.

My Room's the Millennium Falcon is about a child who is sent to their room and spends their time imagining they are in Han Solo's Millennium Falcon, playing holochess with Chewbacca, and flying with speed through the night.

Review: Clancy of the Overflow

Clancy of the Overflow, Banjo Paterson’s startling view of the Australian outback, has been brought to life in picture book form, for a new generation of younger readers to enjoy and learn from.

On the front endpaper, are award-winning Andrew McLean’s  visions of the bush in sunburnt colour. A bright ball high in the distance heats the already dry earth across the land. It churns beneath the horse’s hooves, as Clancy follows the two blue heelers that race before him.

On the title page lies an oval image of a bedroll, camp-ware and a drover’s hat.

Review: Common Wealth

Artist, storyteller, poet/lyricist, performer and advocate for his people, Gregg Dreise is a multi-talented man whose picture books first assaulted our senses seven years ago. 

Since the publication of Silly Birds Gregg has continued to delight his audience with his books which have predominantly been for younger readers.

This stunning new work is a sophisticated picture book for older readers and truly offers just so much on so many levels. 

Gregg has expressed his thoughts on the important issues dividing First Australians from the rest of the population: taught history, wording of the anthem, the national flag and more, through the medium of slam poetry making this one of the most powerful and persuasive texts I have read for some time.

Review: Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble

I have loved poetry ever since I was a small person, and so any chance to check out a new poetry book is always so very welcome. 

This volume of magical poems is just a beautiful little jewel, and though clearly published with a view to the education market, would make a truly delightful gift for any child who revels in verse.

Cookson has gathered together a wonderful selection: short, not-so-short, humorous, more serious, purely magical or just with a hint of whimsy, contemporary writers and older ones, including Shakespeare and Lewis Carroll, but all of them absolutely enchanting and just begging to be read aloud.

Without a doubt my favourite has to be, Somewhere in the Library by Stewart Henderson – watch this poet reads his work to great effect here.

Review: The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain

The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain is all about possibilities and hope for the future. 

That's what Katherine Rundell wanted to focus on right now, when the world is in upheaval.

Rundell is a bestselling author (Rooftoppers and others), and she contacted her writing and illustrating colleagues and invited them to participate in this compilation.

More than 100 people have contributed, and the book amounts to almost 400 pages of uplifting short stories, poems and illustrations. 

One of my favourites is The One-Hundred-Year-Old Gardener who plants strawberry seedlings, looking forward to turning them into jam by her next birthday.

There's also Lockdown Cat Haircut, where a young child amuses herself with the neighbour's cat, and The Hope-o-potamus, who learns that although the journey may be tough, you should keep going because persistance can pay off.

Review: The Missing

Michael Rosen was the UK Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. He's responsible for books like We're Going on a Bear Hunt, What is Poetry?, A Great Big Cuddle, and many others.

The Missing is 'the true story of [his] family in World War II'. It's a very personal and moving book.

Michael grew up hearing only that his paternal great-uncles had been 'there' before World War II, but not afterwards. 

No one could tell him what happened to them.

As an adult, Michael began seriously searching for information. He asked questions, travelled, and met American cousins he'd not known before. 

Over the course of many years he uncovered the truth, and in The Missing, he shares the story of his journey to discover what happened to the relatives who had disappeared.

Review: Poems to Save the World With

In 2018, Chris Riddell chose and illustrated a collection of 46 poems. Poems to Live Your Life By came in eight sections as diverse as possible. 

In late 2019, Riddell gifted us, Poems to Fall in Love With, chosen classic and modern favourites which celebrate love in all its forms, decorating the pages with artistic expression.

Poems to Save the World With, presented in six sections, brings poems on advice, hope, happiness, compassion, acceptance and reflection in a time when all these things in life are so important.

Guest Post: Sherry Shahan on The Challenges and Revelations of Writing a (Teen) Novel in Verse

While cleaning out my office I found a tattered shoebox filled with letters written by a friend who was in Vietnam in the 1960s. I spent hours pouring through gut-wrenching accounts of his day-to-day. I knew I had to do something with his letters; after all, I’d kept them all this time.

I started messing around with other writing styles. Journals, notes, poems. I wrote character sketches about my crazy friends in high school. Once I began scribbling, it was a constant flashback. Memories assaulted me twenty-four-seven.

I wanted to be inside the head of each character to explore their innermost thoughts and feelings, not just describe them from the outside looking in. I could have done this with an omniscient viewpoint--but bouncing in and out of so many minds could confuse readers. Instead I chose journal entries, letters, free verse and traditional poetry.