Guinness World Records: Science & Stuff, Pan Macmillan Australia, 11 Jan 2018, $22.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781910561638 Packed full of action, interesting and weird pictures, facts, stats, world records and some pretty intriguing stories not to mention cool experiments, Science & Stuff is designed to capture the interest of a broad readership. With an introduction by scientist and broadcaster Robin Ince, contents include traditional subjects such as space, robots, inventions and world record breakers, from a less traditional perspective. Why, for example, has cabbage been banned from the International Space Station? And what can cats teach us about the laws of physics? Can…
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Brendan Murray, Jail Road Shadows, Vivid Publishing, Dec 2017, 288pp., $17.95 (pbk), ISBN: 9781925681093 Billy (Bam) McCallum rides his tricycle along Hope Avenue. He waves at Clem Daley, busy with his soldering work in his large garage, open to the street. He spies mad Shirley shouting abuse at poor Mrs Amoroso who is standing at the kerb with a large bowl “Mangiarre, mangiare. Eat, eat, prego!” she pleads holding the bowl towards the older woman. Frank across the road sits on his verandah rolling his cigarettes, hidden amongst his roses but he sees Bam and waves. The day is warm and…
Andrew Joyner, The Pink Hat, Random House Australia, 15 Jan 2018, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9780143789369 In charming shades of soft grey Joyner tells a lively ‘lost-object’ tale. The qualities of composition, line and white space are exemplary and clear retro graphic style illustrations pack in lots of fun details. Spot colour highlights the subject in question – a wool hat that is first knitted by a lady in her flat, then snatched by her cat, hooked into a tree, cuddled by a baby and so on until a girl rescues it from her pet dog. A double page spread shows this new…
Kirilee Furlong (text), Mel Craig (illus.), The Hug, Wonderful Me, Sept 2017, 32pp., $24.75 (hbk), ISBN: 9780987619006 The Hug is an endearing picture book that seems best suited to read-aloud story times because of its interactive nature. Designed to personally involve children and leave them feeling empowered, a major element of the text is its use of the second person point of view. The Hug is the story of a cute but lonely little character called The Hug, who befriends YOU (i.e. the child being read to) and, after being accepted, hops into YOUR pocket where it will always ready to…
Penny Harrison (text), Penelope Pratley (illus.), The Art Garden, EK Books, 22 Jan 2018, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9781925335590 Entirely set in the house and garden this story explores and encourages the activities children can enjoy in their home environment. Sadie and Tom love to cook, climb trees, play with the pets and most of all to paint pictures. The difference between them is that, with her mis-matching boots and frequently ‘lost-looking’ facial expressions, Sadie lacks confidence in her artistic skills. To me, her paintings do not look particularly less accomplished than her friend’s, so perhaps this book is really about self-perception and dissatisfaction.…
Tori-Jay Mordey, In the City I See (Young Art series), Magabala Books, Feb 2018, 14pp., $9.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781925360790 In the notable Young Art series that showcases young indigenous artists, this neat little board book will spark all manner of conversations with early readers and pre-schoolers. It can be used to count, to describe colour, to talk about your own walk around town. Mordey takes an observer’s view of a city; a collection of passers-by, some pets, pigeons, buskers and buildings all depicted in succulent fun paint tones against the white of the page. Bold two-word coloured text labels each group and is well…
A S King, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, Text, 29 Jan 2018, 336pp., $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781925603286 This is a strong and engaging book about growing up and coming-of-age. Of course we often say that about YA books, but this one is one of those books which stays with you long after you’ve finished. Vera has always found it safer to try to be invisible, to stay out of people’s way and to keep secrets, particularly those of her best friend, Charlie Kahn. When we first meet him, Charlie is actually dead and no-one quite knows the circumstances although they seem straight forward…
Clare Atkins, Between Us, Black Inc., 29 Jan 2018, 275pp., $19.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760640217 This is a kind of Romeo and Juliet story but it is not the Montagues and the Capulets keeping the young lovers apart, it is the Australian Government’s border protection policy. Anahita (Ana) and Jono meet at school, but they are not like ordinary teenagers as their lives are so very different. Jono is the son of a Vietnamese ‘boat person’, whose mother has left him and his father, and Ana is a Muslim girl held at an internment camp outside Darwin. Ana who misses her father, killed…
Kenard Pak, How To Say I Love You In Five Languages, Wide Eyed Editions/Quarto UK, Jan 2018, 10pp., $18.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9781786030818 When I was a kid in a bookstore, I would find every book that made noise and press the buttons over and over. A book that made noise! Incredible! Here, Kenard Pak has produced a lovely board book, which, as well as making noise, promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and knowledge. Each page shows a different child from a different place, someone they love and how they express that feeling. Buttons on the side of the book allow readers…
Margaret McAllister (text), Holly Sterling (illus.), 15 Things Not To Do With A Puppy, Frances Lincoln Children’s/Quarto UK, Feb 2018, 32pp., $21.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9781786030474 Getting a puppy is the dream of many children, and in this delightful book two siblings are overjoyed by their new and very energetic family member. Children are often bombarded by rules in their lives, do this, don’t do that, this book plays with this idea by listing the many things that the children should not do with their new puppy. But this isn’t any ordinary list, instead making sure the children know not to teach…