REVIEW: The Dog Who Danced On The Moon

From a front cover with tactile pops of silver and shininess, to a joyful text that simply begs to be read aloud, The Dog Who Danced On The Moon is just glorious.

There once was a boy called Jeremy Grace

Who had a remarkable interest in space.

He was quiet and shy, very often alone,

Just him and his dog, spending time on their own.

Young Jeremy has big dreams and a dancing dog for a best friend.

REVIEW: Spiro

Spiro the spider is thinking about lunch! He dreams of catching scrumptious moths, juicy flies and crunchy stink-bugs. And so, he sets to work to weave his web.

Spiro’s formula for spidery success:
11% hunger to succeed (or actual hunger),
34% trying again and again… and again
53% giving it another shot
2% luck
And a whole lot of spider silk.

Spiro is a funny, clever and delightfully optimistic picture book from award-winning author and illustrator, Anna McGregor.

Review: Penny Draws a Secret Adventure

Penny Draws A Secret Adventure is the third in the Penny Draws series from NY Times best-seller, Sara Shepard. Like it’s predecessors, this book is also a humorous and quirky wander through the life of a middle-grade, sometimes-angst-ridden child who has rather wonderful powers of observation.

The book is set out as a diary or letters to Penny’s dog, Cosmo. Penny’s secret super-power is to doodle, and one of the absolute joys of this book are the line drawings which so beautifully sum up the situations that she finds herself in. 

These drawings are an integral part of the narrative – you don’t read one without the other, which is genius when it comes to reluctant readers.

Review: What They Told Me

From award-winning author Hayley Lawrence, this coming-of-age story speaks in a strong, vulnerable voice to teenage readers. It’s a powerful narrative that will evoke compassion and empathy in young minds.

Fifteeen-year-old Elliot has always known that she’s one of the ‘lucky’ Gillespe family who have lived by Crooked River for generations. So when her parents deliver ‘unlucky’ and life-altering news, the world as she knows it slips on its axis. 

Nothing will ever be the same again. And as her life is turned upside down, it seems that Elliot might lose all the important people and places in her world.

It’s always hard when your beliefs are shattered, and especially so when you’re young. 

Review: Pink Santa

Pink Santa is a clever, warm-hearted, cheeky, laugh-out-loud play on the traditionally known and loved Night Before Christmas. It’s also about embracing change and being yourself.

When Santa’s classic red and white furry suit is mistakenly popped into a hot wash cycle and ends up pink, what are the elves, reindeer and indeed good old Santa himself, to do?

Never fear! The answer lies in creating a pink Christmas which is inclusive of everyone – and is a hoot, to boot!

Review: Mr Chicken Goes To Mars

Guaranteed to bring a chuckle to every reader, this book by our very own past Children’s Laureate and celebrated, multiple award-winner Leigh Hobbs, is an absolute delight. 

Having been to Paris, London, Rome, Australia and almost everywhere else in the whole entire world, Mr Chicken decides it’s time for something new. He will go on an interplanetary adventure to Mars.

And what an adventure he has! From a rocket that’s purpose-built by Boris (complete with spotted doona and little lunch table), to stopping en route at a space station for lunch and meeting a Martian mid-flight, Mr Chicken is very busy.

Review: A Footy Tail

A wonderful and timely rhyming story about working together and embracing difference, to move forward.

The fluffle of bunnies who play together as a footy team are dispirited, because all their adversaries are bigger, faster and stronger than they are. 

So, wily old Crow suggests a solution – he will go and find some other creatures to boost their side, and help the bunny team to play even better.

Review: Bertie And The Ginger Cat

This exquisitely beautiful and timely book is about stepping into your own power and finding the treasures outside of fear.

Bertie prefers to stay home where it’s comfortable and ordered, with her little dog and bluebird. But one day, her pets have a different idea and Bertie must follow them into the big world outside to ensure they are safe.

And what a world it is! Full of surprises, not the least of which is a large, ginger cat who leads Bertie and her pets on a wondrous, merry adventure.

The beautiful gouache illustrations appear at first to be a little sedate and flat, before morphing into vivid colour as Bertie and her pets move into an exotic, exciting landscape.

Review: Where Will The Sleepy Sheep Sleep?

A book for bedtime reading, this tongue-twisting and somewhat mind-bending story will delight and entertain parents and children alike.

With its wonderful wordplay and tricky tangles, it’s not for the faint-hearted! However, it definitely IS for those who enjoy playful language and a laugh.

‘Do you think the sleepy sheep will sleep on top of this wild and windy hill?

Baah! No-o-o, this windy hill is far too high and wild for a sleepy sheep to sleep on!’

Review: A Friend For Ruby

A Friend For Ruby is a magical story about friendship, family and kindness. The sort of kindness that requires looking outside of yourself, and where small actions can make a big difference in every way.

Ruby finds a lonely, hungry, magical creature on the beach. Glad to have a friend when the girls at school are so unfriendly, Ruby takes this creature home. 

She keeps it hidden from Granma on a bed of straw, inside her cubby.

Of course, a magical hungry beach creature needs more than a cubby house for survival! 

Review: You've Got Yoghurt In Your Nostrils

Oh my goodness, this book is a riot of joy and fun and musical sounds and trash and treasure! Learning to eat is tricky, and this book squeezes every single itty-bitty drop of hilarity from the experience.

Join baby as they discover how much fun food can be – and not just to eat!

From go to woe, there are endless delights in the all-singing, all-dancing, all-whooping, all-guzzling cast of characters – children, mum, dad, grandparents, family friends, pets. This book has it all.

The illustrations are divine – full of fun, energy, zoomies and whoop-die doos. 

Review: When You're A Boy

This book is, quite simply, sublime. I got some good-vibe goosebumps within the first three or four double-paged spreads, and I’m seeing a lot of picture books these days!

‘When you’re a boy

you are told how to be

just like the white-roaring oceans.

But I’ve learned

the fierceness of flowers

the glory of colour

and the beauty of dreaming.’

Review: One Song: Sometimes A Song Presses Pause On The World

This coming-of-age meets The Voice (the tv show, not the referendum!) story, taps into the zeitgeist that is music, fan-dom, celebrity, being seen and heard, personal integrity , teenage angst and connection.

And it’s truly awesome!

One Song tells the story of 17-year-old Eva, an introverted songwriter who is obsessed with Cooper, the son of a genuine rockstar. 

The two of them used to have something going on before the pandemic, but now it seems they’re just buddies. Although he HAS just invited Eva into his band, with the hope of winning Triple J’s Unearthed Songwriting competition.

For Eva, there’s a lot on the line. 

Review: Beginnings And Endings – A Play School Mindfully Me Book About Death And Life

A dear and gentle book about the value of friends, of being in nature and of playing, even when saddened by the loss of a pet.

Little Ted’s friends Jemima, Humpty, Big Ted and Kiya are coming to visit, because he is very sad about the death of his pet goldfish and friend, Swish.

His friends bring Little Ted a scrapbook with photos of Swish to stick into it, along with a picnic for when they get hungry, a ball to play with outside together, and the reassurance that they will come back another day to play again.

Review: Two Sparrowhawks In A Lonely Sky

This Young Adult book ticks all the boxes for a family reunion story crossed with epic adventure, all wrapped up in a generous serving of historical fiction.

Author Rebecca Lim has fictionalised historical events in China, namely 1958 – 1960’s Great Leap Forward campaign, to create a novel that is both clever and engaging. 

Economic disaster, widespread famine and millions of deaths don’t immediately scream ‘this will be a fabulous book’ but in Lim’s capable hands, they become one. 

Non-gratuitous bloodshed and violence co-exist with the kind deeds of strangers, which are intentionally smattered throughout the narrative. 

In her notes, the author reveals that she deliberately sought to include small, unsung acts of bravery to highlight the impact that every individual human being can have on the world around them.

Review: Meet Mim

Dive down to the world of the sandy seabed and meet one of the ocean’s masters of disguise!

Meet Mim is one of those immersive picture books that children and their adults will return to over and over. 

It’s the story of Mim, a Mimic Octopus who turns herself inside out and upside down to trick others and, it would seem, to delight herself.

Mim is a seahorse, a feather star, a stingray, a sea snake – you name it, if it lives in the ocean, it seems that she is willing to try it on as camouflage! 

Review: Amber & Blue And The Hunt For DNA

‘This lighthearted, easy to navigate and factual graphic novel… is the perfect introduction to genetics.’

As an – ahem – creative artist, I never thought I’d enjoy reading a science book on DNA, but I did. I totally loved reading this book!

A graphic novel that turns identical twins Amber and Blue into teeny tiny human beings, this book follows their quest to seek out, investigate and understand a human cell, in a close-up and personal way – by going inside it! 

Author/biologist Claudia Flandoli’s secret superpower is being very, very FUNNY while explaining complex ideas about genetics and DNA - which she does through fabulous illustrations, fantastic characters and lots of audience asides.

Review: Leaf Light – A Story About Caring For Each Other

This book is completely and utterly gorgeous! From the multi-awarded author and illustrator Trace Balla, Leaf Light is the perfect companion for readers of all abilities.

More than a graphic novel, it could also be described as poetry in motion.

In fact, Leaf Light is actually just an incredibly shiny, warming and captivating story of being connected to the wider world through friendship, nature and taking down barriers – quite literally!

Review: I'm A Frog!

From the award-winning author of Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus, comes I’m A Frog! – another Elephant and Piggie book that is chock-full of funny business, quirky characters and surprises.

We meet Piggie as he bounces about on the page, jumping like a frog and ribbiting as though his life depended on it. 

Gerald the elephant is, understandably, curious about and concerned for his friend. After all, Piggie’s a pig, not a frog. Why the bouncing and ribbiting?

The friendship between the two characters who are so very, very different, is presented through colour, fun and movement. 

Piggie’s chaotic energy is contagious. Gerald’s anxiety is crippling. Yet as readers, we love and accept them both!

Willems has done a superb job as an authorstrator (a new word I learnt this week!) and the book rollicks along with clever, witty wording, and perfect pictures. The narrative is full of giggles, innuendo and subtle facial and bodily expressions, along with delightful banter.

Told completely in speech bubbles with a wonderful repetitive use of familiar phrases, this book is the perfect companion for children who are just learning to read.

The narrative incorporates universal themes such as worry and anxiety, to then cleverly harness such ideas as friendship, optimism and pure unbridled joy as natural antidotes.

 A timely and very wonderful part of this book is that it addresses the elephants in the room (which are both Gerald the elephant and his elephant-sized anxiety) with warmth, dignity, fun and sparkle.

Title: I’m A Frog!
Author Illustrator: Mo Willems
Publisher: Walker Books, $27.99
Publication Date: 2 August 2023
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781529516081
For ages: 4 +
Type: Picture Book

Review: Cub And Brown

Cub is a boy scout on camp - a young lad full of tips and hints for outdoor survival. He knows all about the sensible and necessary things in life like tying shoe-laces, wearing a hat and carrying a shovel. 

As with all good boy scouts, his motto is Be Prepared. And so, he is prepared for anything. Anything that is, except for meeting a bear in the woods.

Brown is a bear in the woods, who lives in a very messy (human) house, is scared of rabbits and wears shoes with laces that he can’t quite do up.

What are the chances that these two will meet – and in the woods, no less?! You guessed it correctly! About one hundred percent.