Against All Odds: Young Reader’s Edition
By Craig Challen and Richard Harris, with Ellis Henican Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Craig Challen and Richard Harris are the Australian cave divers who helped rescue the 12 members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach, from a cave system
What Will You Make Today?
By Maura Pierlot Illustrated by Triandhika Anjani Reviewed by Margarite Igras This non-fiction picture book, written by the award-winning author, playwright and filmmaker, Maura Pierlot is packed with wonderful full-page illustrations by Triandhika Anjani. What will you make today? is a child centred book,
Harriet’s Hungry Worms
By Samantha Smith & Melissa Johns Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is Samantha's first eco picture book which she hopes will inspire readers to become young 'wormwarriors'. Melissa is an artist and illustrator whose artworks are predominantly made of recycled materials. In Harriet's
It’s a Wonderful World
How to Protect the Planet and Change the Future Written by Jess French Illustrated by Aleesha Nandhra Reviewed by Margarite Igras This informative and practical book describes how each person has the potential to make informed choices that will make a difference to our
Earth Day 2023 Saturday April 22
The theme for Earth Day 2023 is Invest in our Planet. Here are some resources that may inspire and support your work if you are thinking of doing something in your classroom or home. StoryLinks has a list of Environmental Fiction:A selection
Can You Get Rainbows in Space?
By Dr Sheila Kanani Illustrated by Liz Kay Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This colourful compendium of questions and answers about colour is sure to spark the interest of any child with an enquiring mind. Dr Sheila Kanani is a planetary physicist, science presenter,
Picturebook Makers
By dPICTUS Reviewed by Mia Macrossan This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in the process of picture creation. Originally published in Sweden, this English edition has been edited by Sam McCullen who also wrote the introduction. In it he says The
Bush Birds
Written & Illustrated by Helen Milroy Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “Little birds, big birds, all different kinds. How many bush birds can you find?” From an inquisitive little Blue Wren to an emu booming out his song, this beautiful picture book identifies Australia’s
Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses – Care and Compassion
By Jacqui Halpin Reviewed by Liane McDermott Australia Remembers: Wartime Nurses – Care and Compassion is the sixth book in the Australia Remembers non-fiction series. The book takes the reader through a historical journey of Australia’s military nurses who have risked their
Art is Everywhere
By Eleanor Chan Illustrated by Olivia Bargman Reviewed by Margarite Igras Ellie Chan is an art historian and together with Liv Bargman’s simple, comic, drawings, they have created a book about art, that is fun and accessible to children. The book takes the
Big Feelings and What They Tell Us
By Rebekah Ballagh Reviewed by Margarite Igras Rebekah, who has both written and illustrated this book, has used her background in counselling to create an instructive book about emotions for children. In the opening text she says Emotions are messages from the
Mathematics for Beginners
By Sarah Hull & Tom Mumbray Illustrated by Paul Boston & Robert Samuel Hanson Reviewed by Barbara Braxton Ask your students what they believe maths to be and you will get answers such as 'numbers', "measuring". "counting"
Best Books of 2022
At this time of year we ask our reviewers to select the best books they have read this year. Here is the result which should provide some wonderful holiday reading and maybe some ideas for seasonal gift giving. Just click
Noongar Boodja Waangkan (Noongar First Words)
By Jayden Boundry, illustrated by Tyrown Waigana Reviewed by Liane McDermott Jayden is a Noongar language teacher and cultural consultant, didgeridoo player, traditional dancer and storyteller. Tyrown, is a multidisciplinary artist and designer, including painting, illustration, sculpture, animation and graphic design. Both
The science of the Earth : the secrets of our planet revealed
Contributors: Philip Eales, Gregory Funston, Derek Harvey, Anthea Lacchia, Dorrik Stow; foreword by Chris Packham Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Here is another encyclopedia about the earth - this one impressive for its beautiful images, clear attractive design, legible well written text, and
Africana : An encyclopedia of an amazing continent
Written by Kim Chakanetsa Illustrated by Alabi Mayowa Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A long time ago I spent a year working for the UNECA in Addis Ababa. One of the things that experience taught me is that Africa is huge, vast, with many,
Amazing Animal Journeys
Written and illustrated by Jennifer Cossins Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A book by Tasmanian writer/illustrator Jennifer Cossins will guarantee a wealth of carefully researched information, a sensitive age appropriate text and stunning illustrations throughout, the whole creating a work that will inspire
Kunyi
By Kunyi June Anne McInerney Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray Kunyi June Anne McInerney is a Yankunytjatjara woman, born on a station near Oodnadatta in South Australia in 1950. When she was four years old, she was taken with three of her
The Very Hard Book
By Idan Ben-Barak Illustrated by Philip Bunting Reviewed by Sandhya Parappukkaran The Very Hard Book is the second book collaboration by the compelling partnership of Idan Ben-Barak and Philip Bunting. This book explores big concepts such as meta-cognition and philosophy of the mind
The Big Book of Exhibits
Written by Marita Bullock and Joan-Maree Hargreaves Illustrated by Liz Rowland Reviewed by Margarite Igras This new work by this talented team is a beautiful and informative partner to their first book The Big Book of Festivals. This hardback publication is loaded with information
An Anthology of Aquatic Life
Written by Sam Hume Illustrated by Angela Rizza & Daniel Long Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Dorling Kindersley or DK have long been renowned for producing well researched and profusely illustrated reference books with high production values. Put simply they produce beautiful books chockfull
How We Came to Be: Surprising Sea Creatures
Written and illustrated by Sami Bayly Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Anything by Sami Bayly is guaranteed to be well researched and magnificently illustrated. Her other books The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals 2020, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature 2021,
And Everything Will Be Glad To See You
Poems by women and girls Selected by Ella Risbridger Illustrated by Anna Shepeta Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ella is a food blogger as well as a writer of historical fiction (The Secret Detectives), and has produced various other anthologies. Anna is a remarkable artist known
Australian Backyard Buddies
Created by Andy Geppert Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Andy is an Australian illustrator based in Brisbane who previous books include Little Big Tree which won the Crichton Award for a new illustrator in 2010, and Meep, a CBCA Notable Book in 2016. For
All the Words I Need to Know
Written by Jane Godwin & Illustrated by Andrew Joyner Reviewed by Sandy Driessens “All the words you need to know Will help you as you learn and grow. From ant and ball and yak and zoo, Here’s a word book JUST FOR YOU!” Jane Godwin, an
2022 CBCA Winners announced
Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators and publishers who won one of the prestigious CBCA awards this year. It is always a suspenseful and eagerly awaited event to see which book will win the coveted gong. Here are the StoryLinks reviews for
But I’m NOT Hungry For My Dinner!
Written by Valerie Gent Illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan Reviewed by Claire Monsour Valerie Gent is a Paediatric Feeding Speech Pathologist and this is her first children’s book, dedicated to her two sons, who in her words, “have taught me all that I
Boss of Your Own Body
Written by Byll and Beth Stephen (Teeny Tiny Stevies) Illustrated by Simon Howe Reviewed by Claire Monsour Sisters Beth and Byll Stephen are best known for the music group ‘The Little Stevies’, and their children’s band ‘Teeny Tiny Stevies’. Their popular children’s songs,
Grub
By Sandra Severgnini Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Sandra is really hitting her stride as a children's picture book illustrator as is shown in her impressive new book Grub. By the way, what a wonderfully direct, simple, memorable and somehow very Australian title.
Naturopolis
Created by Deborah Frenkel and Ingrid Bartkowiak Reviewed by Mia Macrossan In our very busy lives rushing from one task to the next we don't often take the time to enjoy the unobserved beauty around us. In Naturopolis Deborah Frenkel and Ingrid
