Review: Goodnight Grandchild

Michelle’s latest book in the beloved Goodnight series is an absolute delight. From the very first page, her beautiful rhyming story is a joy to read aloud. The words flow so gently and playfully that children will listen with wide eyes, and adults will love sharing them just as much. There is a calm and comforting rhythm that makes this story perfect for bedtime, quiet moments, or even a special book corner in the classroom.

Nick’s illustrations are as wonderful as ever. Each page is full of colour, detail, and warmth. The pictures provide perfect prompts for children to talk about what they see, share their ideas, and connect with the story in their own way.

Review: My Mum's the Best - 15th Anniversary edition

How utterly delightful to see this sweet little favourite in a lovely new anniversary edition! And what a surprise it is really to realise it’s now 15 years old. 

With wonderful timing as we anticipate Mother’s Day, this new release will make a gorgeous gift especially for any new mum and bub. 

Rosie Smith’s text is simple but eloquent. It completely encapsulates all those wonderful things that mothers (and mother figures) do to make their offspring’s life happy and comfortable, whether it’s making their breakfast or giving great hugs, tucking them in at bedtime after a busy day of playing ball or taking them to school. All those little things that mums do, often without us even realising. 

One-Minute Review: We’re Going on a Teddy Hunt

We’re Going on a Teddy Hunt is the latest book in the charming series The Bunnies of Hoppity Hill, written by Martha Mumford and illustrated by Cherie Zamazing.

Follow along with four sweet bunnies as they set off to find their bedtime teddies. Along the way they meet other sweet animals preparing for bed.

There are flaps to search behind and lots of delightful details in every spread for children to discover.

Review: Little Love List

This book is absolutely divine – it’s like a perfect, illustrated love letter to all the children of the world.

I love you when you’re brave.

I love you when you’re done.

I love you when you won’t wear pants.

I love you when you’re fun.

Little Love List brings us the very best of what is on offer in picture books today. 

From the sweet idea of writing a ‘love list’ for a child to the playful, fresh and joyful illustrations, it’s easy to feel good about everything about this book – even the bad stuff! 

Review: The Cheeky Toddler Alphabet

A stunning cover and end pages set the scene for this delightful picture book. Full of alliteration and clever rhyming verse, plus superb illustrations, The Cheeky Toddler Alphabet is not to be missed.

A divine publication, it reflects the good and otherwise of toddler years. 

Mothers will nod their heads in recognition as they associate the familiar issues displayed on the pages with their own experiences.

Each letter of the alphabet is represented in perfect, descriptive, carefully considered and selected wording.

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: Uh-oh! Rabbit / Yippee! Rabbit

Jo Ham has taken a deceptively simple concept, a rabbit in silhouette, and turned it into the Rabbit series of books for some of the youngest of readers.  

The first two titles are Uh-oh! Rabbit and Yippee! Rabbit. They're really appealing.

Uh-oh! Rabbit sees Rabbit exploring the concept of going up and down. Rabbit plays on a see-saw, dives into a pool, and climbs up to slide down a slippery dip. Hopefully Rabbit will be careful not to get hurt.

In Yippee! Rabbit, the Rabbit enjoys flying a kite, playing on a swing, and riding a scooter. Yippee! Doing all those things, Rabbit can pretend to be a superhero. At least until the kite gets tangled, or it rains.

Guest Post: Viv Young on Picture Book Persuasion

Will a picture book help clean a toddler’s teeth? Writer, Viv Young explores the power of persuasion through picture books.

Bookstore shelves and online marketplaces are brimming with books that promise parents help with common parenting issues. Whether it’s biting, toileting or teeth cleaning, the book industry tells parents it’s got this or that issue covered. 

But will a picture book really help you clean your toddler’s teeth or get them on the potty quicker? I think the answer is probably yes, but not in the way parents expect.

Guest Post: Vikki Conley on Sensory Storytelling

We’ve caught up with CBCA notable author Vikki Conley to hear what she’s been up to in the storytelling space.

What’s something great that you’re doing right now?

As part of a Stonnington Shire arts grant, I’m working alongside the fabulous team at Vision Australia’s Feelix Library. This library is the best. It has shelves and shelves of tactile storykits that have incredibly cute handmade touch and feel storybooks that pair with all of our much-loved picture books.

Sarah and Victoria at Feelix know so much about sensory storytelling and they regularly host events for children who have low vision, are blind and are often neuro-divergent. We all got a little excited about sharing our experiences around sensory and dynamic storytelling, so we decided to host a professional development session to share our passion and skills.

Guest Post: AlphaKid - My Illustration Process

Love behind-the-scenes peeks at the picture book illustration process? KBR Founder, Tania McCartney, joins us to talk through her process for the creation of her recent book AlphaKid: An A to Z of Antics.

An alphabet book has long been on my bucket list, and - like many of my book ideas - the concept dropped in unannounced - a clatter of hooves and trumpet toots. 

Noisy koalas? Of course. Teeth-brushing orangtans? Natch. And yes, giraffes do eat pancakes, they really do. Towers of pancakes with rivers of syrup.

Review: Poopy Pants and Potty Rants

AFL star Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas has created a hilarious story about toilet training. All parents can relate to the trials and tantrums of trying to encourage toddlers to use the toilet.

This cheeky and energetic look at the difficulties of toilet training celebrates fatherhood and the special relationship that often exists between daughters and their fathers.

Rhyming helpful tips are scattered throughout the book 'ping pong ball something to aim for' will be heard throughout bathrooms around the country. Along with praise, rewards and lots of laughs and tears.

Review: Ten Sleepy Sheep

Ten Sleepy Sheep is an adorable board book set on a farm in the Australian bush.

Gently counting animals who are ready for bed down from ten sheep to one snuggly, sleepy joey, this new book from Renée Treml is as sweet as they come. Each spread features a group of gorgeous, very sleepy animals to count, including puppies, foals, calves, ducklings, lizards and more.

I adore the Australian farm themed illustrations, featuring delicately drawn line art of flora and fauna with soft pastel background colours, they set a dreamy sense of open space and rich night skies. 

Guest Post: Dr. Tinita O. Kearney on Increasing Your Toddler's Language Skills

As a wife, mother of two children under 2 and a business owner, I am all too familiar with just how busy each day can get! There are a million things to check off of the daily ‘To-Do’ list and not a million hours in which to do it all. 

But, like any parent, my children are always at the very top of my priority list, and this means that I am purposeful about finding creative ways to fit them into my hectic schedule. 

And since I just happen to also be a speech-language pathologist, this often takes the form of games and activities that are designed to build language and communication skills (in super fun ways!). 

Review: How Airports Work Activity Book; Trains

How Airports Work offers a wonderous world of discovery and interaction. For kids interested in planes and travel, and with over 200 stickers to find places for amongst the images, it is a learning experience with hours of involvement.

Extremely novel and absorbing, this educational publication is by James Gulliver Hancock, who has developed a whole series of different sized books about transport for various ages.

Review: The Little Engine That Could 90th Anniversary

With an enthusiastic and warm introduction, singer Dolly Parton recalls how this story, told to her by her mother, influenced, encouraged and gave her strength and hope.  She chose it for her gifting program in her home town.

Still inspiring generations, it is a powerful influencer. I think I can, I think I can, is still used as a mantra by many adults when life challenges appear too great to overcome.

Review: Where's Spot 40th Birthday

In this special edition of Where’s Spot we revisit the original story of our beloved Spot for his 40^th birthday. To celebrate, a ruby red tinsel background gives the cover a festive look.

Here is Spot, opening his toy box again! After all these years, still loved by children and their parents; still an active part of toddlers’ lives.

It is dinner time. The search begins. Where is Spot?

Review: Bluey: All About Bluey; All About Bingo

Bluey: All about Bluey is exactly that!

Six year old (dog years) Bluey loves to play grown-up games. Her imagination is a bottomless pit. She is a committed organiser and loves playing with her sister Bingo.

The rules of each game are a flexible process as everyone involved has their own idea about which roles they play.

Bluey loves listening to stories at school (this helps with ideas for her games) and playing with her friends.

Review: Isla's Family Tree

A delightful story about family and family trees which explores Isla’s reaction and feelings towards her growing family.

When Isla finds out she is going to be a big sister, she’s not impressed. Isla and her mother go on to create a family tree, they cut-and-paste leaves and branches to show how Isla’s grandparents, aunty’s, uncles and cousins all fit together.

Review: A is for Ant

A is for Ant is a fascinating, beautifully designed board book about ants and the letter a.

Each page or spread begins with ‘A is for’ and continues with a something associated with ants including type of ants, their body parts, food, homes, environments, and my favourite, a beautifully collaged spread about an anteater.

Guest Post: Wendy Haynes on Where Stories Take You

I didn’t think Hayden’s Bedtime was going to be my first published book.

The story for Hayden’s Bedtime had been brewing for a while. I wrote it for my grandson, who has trouble falling asleep at night.

My son Clint has all sorts of trouble getting Hayden off to sleep every night. I wrote the book to make bedtime a fun and happy experience with dad checking behind the door, under the bed, inside the cupboard, and in the drawer.