PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES
The Candy Dish
– Kobi Yamada and Adelina Lirius (illustrator) –
Compendium Inc.
Published 9 November 2021
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The Candy Dish is an utterly delightful picture book with an important message of gratitude and embracing each and every day.
From the author that brought us the What Do You Do With… picture book series, Kobi Yamada has teamed up with illustrator Adelina Lirius to create a charming story. Continue reading
An Earth-Bot’s Solution to Plastic Pollution
Russell Ayto
Kids Can Press
Published 7 September 2021
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An Earth-Bot’s Solution to Plastic Pollution is a simple and straightforward picture book that addresses themes of pollution and easy steps we can take to protect our planet.
Plastic water bottles are the main target of this book. The end papers and large expanses of water in the illustrations are printed with the repeating pattern of plastic bottles. It’s a clear message and speaks to the enormity of the problem.
This book doesn’t hide its message of protecting the planet behind metaphors or subtext. It is clearly stated – we have a problem with pollution and there are things we all need to do.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Judit Orosz (illustrator)
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Published 21 September 2021
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The Little People, Big Dreams has become a well recognised and much loved series of stories about famous and influential people. These beautifully packaged books are as beautiful to look at as they are to caress in your hands. Children love reading their approachable stories as much as adults do. When I saw the latest publication featuring Ruth Bader Ginsburg I knew it was a title I wanted to read before passing it onto our students.
While RBG might be a bit of a social phenomenon, I didn’t know much of the details about her life and her story. Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara does a wonderful job of pulling out the highlights from Ruth’s childhood and career. She often refers to her as Little Ruth and reflects on the impact of her mother and her encouragement to learn as much as she could. The soft illustrations and childlike appearance of the characters, even into adulthood, by Judit Orosz are the perfect offset to the story.
Can You See Me? A Book About Feeling Small
– Gokce Irten –
Kids Can Press
Published 7 September 2021
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Can You See Me is a beautiful picture book that introduces perspective to young readers, as well as conveying a lovely message about fitting into a big world full of small worlds.
The artwork is stunning and works perfectly to convey the concept of size and perspective. Photographs, mixed media and collage work together. There might be a photograph of a building net to a drawing of a orangutang. Zooming in and out on consecutive pages is used to great effect. I love how you might assume an illustration is one thing, but zooming out on the next page reveals something else entirely. Continue reading
The Way To Treasure Island – Lizzy Stewart – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books – Published 6 June 2019
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Matilda and her dad are very different. Matilda is fast and Dad is slow. Matilda is tidy and Dad is messy, and Matilda is quiet and Dad is very, very loud. They’re off to find treasure, but Dad keeps getting distracted. Soon, they’re lost and Matilda is getting crosser and crosser…
Will they ever find the way to treasure island?
The Way To Treasure Island is a bright and colourful picture book about accepting differences in personalities and enjoying the company of family. It is an adventure story full of wonder and unexpected discoveries.
Matilda is neat, quiet and likes to follow instructions. Matilda’s dad is messy, noisy, often distracted and makes things up as he goes. They love to spend time together, even through they are very different. When Matilda and her dad set out on a treasure hunt, Matilda wants to follow her map, while her dad gets them lost and keeps getting distracted. Matilda’s not sure they’ll ever find the treasure. But as they journey, Matilda and her dad will find they can learn a lot from each other.
Stephen Hawking – Isabel Sanchez Vegara and lllustrated by Matt Hunt – Little People Big Dreams – Lincoln Children’s Books – Published 5 February 2019
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When Stephen Hawking was a little boy, he used to stare up at the stars and wonder about the universe. Although he was never top of the class, his curiosity took him to the best universities in England: Oxford and Cambridge. It also led him to make one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the 20th century: Hawking radiation. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant physicist’s life.
I have heard great things about the Little People, Big Dreams series, so I was eager to read this instalment which features the great scientist Stephen Hawking.
Your Mind Is Like The Sky: A First Book of Mindfulness – Bronwen Ballard, Illustrated by Laura Carlin – Lincoln Children’s Books – Published 5 February 2019
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Your mind is like the sky. Sometimes it’s clear and blue – but sometimes a raincloud thought comes along and makes everything seem dark. So what can we do about rainclouds?
Mindfulness is a hot topic and this book is a wonderful way to introduce the concept to young readers. The story is simple and very clear in its descriptions of mindfulness techniques, using a metaphor of the sky, with both cloudy and clear sunny days, to illustrate the concept, and yet also clearly explaining the process of controlling your thoughts. The illustrations, a mix of watercolours and coloured pencil outlines contribute to the dreamy state of the book and give it a child-like air. The main character is consistently done in full colour while many of the background characters and objects remain as simple outlines.
Guff – Aaron Blabey – Penguin Australia – Published 2017
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A delightful book for anyone who’s ever had a little fabric friend.
Aaron Blabey is the author of many delightful, hilarious children’s picture books, and Guff is no exception. Guff is sure to delight children and parents alike, with its whimsical take on the special bond between child and stuffed toy.
Meet Guff. He is the special friend of one little girl who has known and loved him since she was little. She recalls the adventures they have had together – and sometimes apart.
Twig – Aura Parker – Scholastic – Published November 2016
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Finding friends isn’t easy when no one can find you!
One, two, three. One, two three.
Why won’t someone play with me?
Heidi is a stick insect, long and thin like the twig of a tree. It’s her first day at Bug School, where she hopes to learn lots and make new friends. But no one will talk to her . . . and no one will play with her at lunch. No one notices her at all – not even her teacher Miss Orb. Perhaps she’s blending in with the branches a little too well! Finally, Heidi speaks up for herself and Miss Orb comes up with a plan to help Heidi stand out.
Aura Parker’s winsome illustrations are a pure delight. Kids of all ages will pore over the adorable details and enjoy the numbers and counting elements throughout the story. The endpapers are a delight and each includes a search-and-find activity.
I fell in love with this picture book when I first saw the end pages. I didn’t even need to read the story or flick through further to know it was going to be a gorgeous book.
Are you a bit different from those around you? Do you stand out? Or maybe you are so different no one even sees you? That’s the problem Heidi has. No one sees her. Heidi is tall and thin, just like the twig of a tree. It is her first day of school, but it is hard to make friends when no one notices you in the playground and you can’t join in the classroom activities if no one knows you’re there.
Lucy’s Book – Natalie Jane Prior, Cheryl Orsini (ill.) – Lothian – Published 28 February 2017
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LUCY’S BOOK captures that special connection between a child and their favourite book, as well as celebrating the way sharing stories can bring people together.
Lucy’s mum takes her to the library every Saturday. Lucy loves to read, but there is one special book that she borrows over and over again. The book is shared between friends, dropped in the ocean, flown to China and even made into a banana sandwich. But what will happen when everyone’s favourite book goes missing?
Lucy’s Book is a charming and delightful story that perfectly captures that magic moment when a book and a person first meet and change each other forever.
When the librarian hands Lucy a book and says “I think you’ll enjoy this one,” she couldn’t predict what would happen next. It becomes Lucy’s book. Her favourite. The book she wants to reread a hundred times. Lucy borrows it many times, shares it with her friends, takes it on holidays, and then discovers it has been removed from the library shelves. Desperate, Lucy begins a search to find her book.
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