 Nate’s nose looked just like any other, perfectly normal nose. . .
except it definitely wasn’t normal! Nate’s nose could make all kinds of musical sounds. It was like having his own band right there inside his nose. Nate’s nose amused his friends and kept the birds away from the vegie patch. His dog Rascal loved it too because they could make music (sort of!) together. But not everybody liked his musical nose. It began causing LOTS of problems at home, at school, in the shopping mall and at the cinema. Nate and his nose weren’t welcome anywhere anymore. What could Nate do? How could he stop his loud musical nose from being, well, loud and musical! Enter Gabby the Geek, the world famous electronics wizard. Surely, they could help Nate? This is a delightful story about something ordinary that becomes quite extraordinary, and the pros and cons that accompany such a dilemma. Nate’s nose initially makes him stand out in a most wonderful way but eventually he finds it becomes more of a hinderance and less of an advantage. The illustrations are the perfect complement to the text with colourful, whacky and engaging characters. (My personal favourite is Gabby the Geek and her amazing hat and green hair!) The fonts and placement of the onomatopoeic words highlight the noises and musicality that flow from Nate’s personal ‘nose band’ and add to the fun of the story. Nate's Noisy Nose is a story about being unique, finding acceptance and discovering the positives in embracing change. This is well-crafted, humorous, and slightly gross (as you would expect from any nose story!) and it will elicit more than a few giggles and put a smile on the face of the reader. Nate's Noisy Nose is about being unique, finding acceptance and discovering the positives in embracing change. Oh and also about being loud! Find out more about Frances Mackay Find out more about Dotti Colvin Published by Frances Mackay Release date: October 2024 ISBN: 9780646705323 Recommended for ages 3 + Teaching themes could include: noses, music, musical instruments, sound, acceptance, dogs, families, school life and change.
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 Just when Penny thought things in Year 5 were actually going okay. With the help of her friends Maria, Kristian, Petra and Rocco, and Cosmo her dog, she figures she can cope with pretty much anything. And there’s always her doodling and her chats with Mrs Hines, the Feelings Teacher if she gets a little anxious again. But little does Penny know that life in 5th grade and at home is going to change in a BIG way.
She came home from school one day in January and was told they were moving house! Her mum was expecting twins, and they needed more room, so they had to move. But Penny didn’t want to move away from her old house. What if the old house was mad they had moved? What if the new owners were messy or painted the walls hideous colours? What if one of the chandelier crystals in her new room fell on her head in the middle of the night? What if she couldn’t organise all her stuff for the movers in time? Then the 5th grade replacement teacher Miss Kettle told the class everyone had to be involved in the school play that her friend Petra had written. She wasn’t too worried as she was cast as the bat and all she had to do was flutter. That is until halfway through rehearsals, she found out the bat was also the narrator. She would have to speak on stage! And then there was the problem with her new neighbourhood friend Chloe who hated her friend Maria. How was she ever going to solve that? Problems were everywhere and EVERYTHING was changing! What was she going to do? In this warm, insightful, and at times laugh out loud second book in the Penny Draws series, award winning author Sara Shepard takes us along on Penny’s journey through the changes that rekindle her anxiety. We are told in a simple and truthful way how this affects Penny and her ability to cope. The strategy proposed by her Feelings Teacher, Mrs Hines, doesn’t seem to work at first, and it is only as the story unfolds that Penny realises how brave she has become and that everything will be okay. The concern and empathy shown for Penny by her friends and family is the wonderful and uplifting thread woven into the story that tugs at the heartstrings of the reader and helps create a deeper understanding of the effects of anxiety. Teaching themes could include anxiety, families, friendship, acting, writing, diaries, dogs, coping strategies and change. Find out more about Sara Shepard and Penny Published by Text Publishing Release date: 5 September 2023 ISBN: 9781922790408 (PB) Highly recommended for ages 8+  Summer has finally arrived in Hibiscus Gardens, which means it's wedding time! Willa is super excited about her Aunty Jane's upcoming wedding but not so excited about her dress, which she tells her best old-age friend Frank, makes her look like a meringue. Still, it will be loads of fun and her dog, Woof, has the very special job of being the ring bearer. But summer also means bushfire season, and Willa is worried by the smoke rising from the mountains behind the town. Dad tells her not to worry as they head to the beach with her best same-age friend Tae. The wind seems to be changing though, and by the time they are back home, the smoke is bigger and closer. It starts raining - not water - but fire sparks - and they all spring into action packing backpacks, food for Woof and checking to make sure neighbours are safe. Suddenly there's a loud rumbling and raindrops, not fire sparks, fall from the sky. Everyone gathers in the middle of the road clapping and cheering and thankful they are safe. But not everything in the town was saved. Brookside Barn where the wedding was to take place, and where all the wedding dresses were being kept, has burned down, so the wedding is called off. Willa is worried about the koalas near the showground too. With the help of Tae and Frank, Willa hatches a plan to save the koalas, and orchestrate the biggest surprise wedding Hibiscus Gardens has ever seen!
Jacqueline Harvey tackles some important concepts for younger readers in this fourth installment of Willa and Woof including bushfires, bullying and wildlife rescue, which she approaches in a way that is meaningful but not confronting. The metaphor of the fire as a dragon is a masterful use of language to impress upon the reader the danger of the bushfire situation. The gravity of rescuing and looking after injured wildlife is portrayed with tension and understanding, with the reader given the opportunity to see the other side of a bully. Seriousness is balanced with humour, and descriptions like 'Ginger Biscuit, the serial killer (cat)', '. . . a giant carrot that looked like it had legs' and 'Her caterpillar eyebrows, Bert and Hilda, . . .' will have readers laughing out loud. Another highly entertaining adventure filled with heart, friendship, compassion and fun, from one of Australia's best known authors. Supporting teaching themes could include bushfires, seasons, friendship, bullies, wildlife rescue, koalas, intergenerational friendships and dogs. Find out more about Jacqueline Harvey Published by Puffin Books an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia Released 4 April, 2023. ISBN: 9781761043345 Highly recommended for ages 6 - 9.  Megan is not like her other sisters. They are loud and love sport, whereas Megan is quieter and loves to draw. It’s not that she doesn’t love them, or her mum and dad, it’s just that the broom cupboard offers a quieter place to get away and draw her fantastical creatures. So does her friend Li’s place. Ever since Li moved in across the road two years ago, the girls have been inseparable. Li is an only child with a single mum, and things are a lot calmer at their house. Plus, Li is a creative too. She loves to write, especially about aliens, and brings Megan’s creatures to life by giving them their own names and backstories. Then one Friday, everything changes. A blue glow takes over the town and everyone in it, except for Megan, Li and Megan’s dog Callie. People stop and quietly stare in a zombie like state. And when Megan tries to draw, it seems the pencil takes on a life of its own and she can’t control her hand. The same happens when Li writes her stories. On their way to get help, Callie leads them to the Talora Caves where they see an eerie blue glow emanating from the cavern. It tries to capture their minds and pull them in. The girls will have to use all their courage and awaken their fantasy beasts to defeat the creature that is The Glow.
This is a fast-paced, supernatural tale of adventure, friendship and heroism, set against a background of creativity and fantasy. Two ordinary girls are caught in an extraordinary situation and must use all of their creative skills to save their town. The story is extremely well written with short chapters, engaging language and plenty of mystery and excitement to keep the reader wanting more. The illustrations, especially those of the creatures, are very intricate with a hint of danger and menace, and will have huge appeal to those who loved the Deltora Quest series and the dragons, orcs, and other beasts from Middle Earth, Harry Potter and Hayao Miyazaki. As a lover of fantasy, I couldn’t put this one down and highly recommend it for upper primary and middle grade readers. Supporting teaching themes could include mythical creatures, dragons, fantasy, friendship, apocalypses, monsters, dogs, bravery, creativity, illustrating, writing. Find out more about Sofie Laguna Find out more about Marc McBride Published by Allen & Unwin Released March 2023 ISBN: 9781761066825 Highly recommended for ages 9 +  Chris McKimmie has a knack of being able to capture the essence of a story with language and images that are simple yet also have an underlying complexity that goes beyond what is on the page. His latest picture book is no exception. In The New Dog we meet Kiddo. Kiddo is very happy with the two snuggly futon beds, the water and food bowls, the king size bed he shares with his humans and the box full of stuff that Teddy has left behind. From this very first page Chris McKimmie reveals another layer to the story and gives us a subtle insight into the reason Kiddo has become part of this family. Kiddo loves to chew, dig, play, bark and eat anything left lying around or within reach on the kitchen bench! He’s also afraid of storms, hates baths and loves lying in the warm patches of sunshine in his yard. All the things you would expect from a loveable canine. Chris’s illustrations are a joy with bright colours and a slightly imperfect perspective that children love and see reflected in their own artwork. There is also a little help from his family for some of the drawings which adds to the feeling of warmth and inclusion in the images. There are clever plays on text direction and font changes which add to the fun and involvement for the reader. This warm and engaging story is a must have for anyone who has ever lost a canine friend and then experienced the delight of welcoming a new, playful, mischievous and instantly loveable family companion.
Chris McKimmie is an award-winning writer, illustrator and artist whose book I NEED A Parrot, won the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award in 2020. His stories are always quirky, eye catching and totally relatable for younger readers. The New Dog, aimed at readers aged 4 +, could almost be seen as a sequel to Me, Teddy, the story of the family’s beloved black Labrador, and would make a wonderful addition to any collection of animal stories. This review can also be found online in BuzzWordsMagazine Supporting teaching themes could include animals, dogs, loss of a pet, families, grief and stylized artwork. Find out more about Chris McKimmie Published by Ford Street Publishing ISBN 9781922696038 (HB) Highly recommended for ages 4 +  Matty has everything going for him - a loving family, great friends, great skills on the soccer field and pretty good grades at school - which should add up to a great life right? Well they did, until recently. When soccer season started this year Matty found he couldn't get himself onto the pitch without sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat and a mind that kept telling him he wasn't good enough. And he couldn't figure out why. Things got worse when he began dodging his friends calls and texts, missing birthday parties, not doing homework and avoiding school. He felt guilty, scared, angry and sad with himself, and all he really wanted to do was sleep the world away. But one morning his dad convinced him to go for a walk in the local national park where they came across an abandoned dog. Matty felt an instant connection to this small, frightened creature. After coaxing him into their car, taking him to the vet and eventually being allowed to adopt him and bring him home, 'Cliff' and Matty become inseparable. Cliff has 'good days and bad days', and as the dog begins to heal, Matty realises that he needs help to heal too. He summons up all his courage to eventually tell his dad that he thinks he might be depressed, to which his dad replies 'You've no idea how brave you're being by telling me that.' This is one of my favourite moments of the book. Kate Foster writes with such clarity, compassion and understanding about Matty's struggles. There is a beautiful empathy and strength that shines through in this story, and the relief Matty feels after he finally tells his closest friends about his depression is palpable. As is the surprise when he discovers that someone else his own age, whom he would never have suspected, is suffering from severe anxiety. This is my other favourite moment in the book as it is Matty's realisation that he is not alone.
Animals, especially dogs (sorry but I'm totally biased about this!) are the perfect listeners and companions for when we're not feeling great. They know when we need a snuggle and will goof around with us when we're happy. They are like mirrors into our souls, emotional soothsayers, and seem to have an innate understanding of exactly what we need at any given time. Cliff was Matty's ideal companion. Kate's own experience with depression has no doubt given her an invaluable, first hand insight into this illness. Her writing is filled with emotion, and the story is meaningful and transparent without being patronising or reductive. This is an important, must have, highly recommended novel for upper primary and middle school. Matty is not alone as a young man suffering with depression as, according to the Beyond Blue organisation, one in seven young men aged between 16 and 24 experience depression or anxiety each year. If you are suffering from mental health issues you can contact Headspace, Kids Helpine or Reachout. Themes for teaching could include mental health, depression, anxiety, friendship, courage, self awareness, dogs, pets as therapy, families and father-son relationships. Find out more about Kate Foster. Release date May 4, 2022. Published by Walker Books Australia ISBN: 9781760654719 (PB) Highly recommended for ages 9 + |
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