Squish Rabbit’s Pet
by Katherine Battersby reviewed by Kerry Neary You can’t take the cute out of books for early childhood readers. Where would iconic characters like Miffy and Spot be if they weren’t cute, as well as having their magical adventures. One of own
A Quiet Girl
by Peter Carnavas reviewed by Yvonne Mes Mary’s quiet conversations and ponderings are drowned out by the noise of tools, technology and toys used by her busy mother, brother and father. Mary is mostly content to be by herself surrounded by the
Under The Southern Cross
by Frane Lessac Reviewed by Kerry Neary This is a solo offering from the illustrating side of the partnership of Frane Lessac and Mark Greenwood, who create fascinating picture book interpretations of Australian folklore figures: Simpson and his donkey, Ned Kelly, Midnight
The Sleeping Beauty: The Story Orchestra
Retold by Katy Flint Illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle Reviewed by Kerry Neary Music is as much a way of telling stories as producing beautiful melodies. When the beauty of music is represented through visual images and words we have some of the most
Eva’s Imagination
Written by Wenda Shurety Illustrated by Karen Erasmus Reviewed by Kerry Neary When children start at school, along with all the physical things they need, they must pack their imagination. In this story, Eva’s Mum makes sure it is there. It starts with pet
The Second Sky
Written by Patrick Guest Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley Reviewed by Kerry Neary This gem of a book slipped through my net when it was published in 2017 and shortlisted for the Picture book of the Year. I don’t know how I missed it
Ozzie Goes To School
Written by Jocelyn Crabb Illustrated by Danny Snell Reviewed by Kerry Neary Experts say that children should be made school-ready to lessen the anxiety of starting at school. This probably takes all their preschool lives, not just a few weeks beforehand or one
Hodge Podge Lodge ( A rubbish story)
Written and illustrated by Priscilla Lamont Reviewed by Zewlan Moor Hodge Podge Lodge is the story of the higgledy-piggledy Pigwigs, a family of pigs. They all have a negative relationship to stuff in some way. Pa Pigwig is a compulsive online shopper.
BumbleBunnies: The Pond (BumbleBunnies, Book 1)
Written and illustrated by Graeme Base Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zabri BumbleBunnies is a series of picture books by Graeme Base. I was surprised when I received the first of these books – ‘The Pond’ – to review, as it was so
The ANZAC Billy
written by Claire Saxby illustrated by Mark Jackson and Heather Potter reviewed by Kerry Neary One way to take very young readers into wartime is to tell a story about what children did in those times. This story follows a young boy as
Lest We Forget
written by Kerry Brown illustrated by Isobel Knowles and Benjamin Portas reviewed by Kerry Neary This is not a book about ANZAC Day or any other memorial day, for that matter. Rather, it is designed to give early readers some insight into the
Archie and the Bear
Written by Zanni Louise Illustrated by David Mackintosh Reviewed by Sue Wright One of my favourite children’s books is Where’s My Teddy by Jez Alborough (1992). Archie and the Bear (2017) by Zanni Louise and David Mackintosh has a delightful small boy-meets-bear moment
It’s Not Scribble To Me*
Written by Kate Ritchie Illustrated by Jedda Robaard Reviewed by Kerry Neary Written in vibrant, bouncing verse, the story follows a little bear who has just entered the crayon phase of its life. Most likely, it has been inspired as a mother watches
Noah Noasaurus
Written by Elaine Kiely Kearns Illustrated by Colin Jack Reviewed by Yvonne Mes Ah, we can’t wait to hear our child’s first word, then we delight in every new word until they get to … ‘No’. Unfortunately, children love the power of ‘no’ and
Dinosaur Day Out*
Written and illustrated by Sara Acton Reviewed by Kerry Neary When the children in this story go walking through the park, they collect dinosaurs! Dinosaur day out, whimsically written and illustrated by Sara Acton, is a book on the Notables early childhood
Collecting Sunshine*
Written by Rachel Flynn Illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie Reviewed by Kerry Neary By and large, picture storybooks for children are joyful and uplifting. What could sound more joyful than Collecting sunshine. That’s the title of a book written by Rachel Flynn and illustrated
Emily Green’s Garden
Written by Penny Harrison Illustrated by Megan Forward Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zabri Emily Green’s Garden is a picture book celebrating the love of plants. Author Penny Harrison and illustrator Megan Forward are aficionados of the gardening world, having cut their teeth on
The House on the Mountain
Written by Ella Holcombe Illustrated by David Cox Reviewed by Kerry Neary Australia suffers a lot from natural disasters; some are happening right now. A new release adds to the list of picture books about these disasters. The house on the mountain, ,
Yahoo Creek An Australian Mystery
Written and illustrated by Tohby Riddle Reviewed by Kerry Neary Yahoo Creek: an Australian Mystery is one of those books that are better shared between adult and child because of its sophisticated presentation. It has been written and illustrated by extraordinary picture
The Happiness Box: a Wartime Book of Hope*
Written by Mark Greenwood Illustrated by Andrew McLean Reviewed by Maria Parenti-Baldey *Shortlisted for the CBCA Awards. The Happiness Box is a powerful, thought provoking story set during World War 1. The story follows Sergeant “Griff” Griffin and allied troops into a military
Malaysian Picture Books – a snapshot
Malaysian Picture Books by Inda Ahmad Zabri Growing up, I read books in my native tongue, Malay or Bahasa Melayu, as well as English. Eventually, it was English literature that I fell in love with, but my search for Malay
Waiting for Chicken Smith
Written and illustrated by David Mackintosh Reviewed by Katrin Dreiling Ever since I stumbled upon David Mackintosh’s What’s up MuMu? at the library, I am a massive fan. His style of illustrating and telling the story is so quirky that you are
Maya & Cat
Written and illustrated by Caroline Magerl Reviewed by Mia Macrossan A new picture book by local artist and writer Caroline Magerl is always an event. Maya & Cat is a quirky imaginative tale about a girl who sees a cat sitting on
Marvin and Marigold: A Stormy Night
Written by Mark Carthew Illustrated by Simon Prescott Reviewed by Yvonne Mes If you have young children, you know what a panic it can cause if there is a sudden loss of power and everyone is left in the dark! Marigold is scared, it
Quick, Barney, Run!
Written by Pip Jones Illustrated by Laura Hughes Reviewed by Andrea Wilson Can you remember being stuck inside on a rainy day as a child? With themes of cooperation and problem solving, Quick, Barney, Run! is a picture book told from a
Thimble
Written by Rebecca Young Illustrated by Tull Suwannakit Reviewed by Andrea Wilson Losing a loved one is difficult, especially for young children. Thimble addresses the theme of death in a delicate and comforting way. Thimble is a picture book about a little
Learn with Ruby Red Shoes
Learn with Ruby Red Shoes: Counting Book Learn with Ruby Red Shoes: Alphabet Book written and illustrated by Kate Knapp Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Ruby Red Shoes is the creation of Australian author and illustrator, Kate Knapp who here has expanded her successful series
The Brave Knight
Written by Sally Gould Illustrated by Celeste Hulme Reviewed by Zewlan Moor This is an ideal book for toddlers and preschoolers. Indeed, its theme ties into the Being, Belonging and Becoming of the Early Years Learning Framework. On the very first page,
The Story of Eva Carmichael: The Wreck of the Loch Ard
by Gary Crew illustrated by Paul O'Sullivan reviewed by Lucy McGinley I was captivated by the tumultuous true story of Eva Carmichael, as retold by Gary Crew. This historical illustrated story is based on the experiences of the sole female survivor of the
At The End of Holyrood Lane
By Dimity Powell Illustrated by Nicky Johnston Reviewed by Maria Parenti-Baldey At The End of Holyrood Lane is more than a picture book about a young girl being frightened of storms. It’s a book about the frightening stormy reality of domestic violence. The inside
