 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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 Ruby was excited when she was given a shiny new pair of red roller skates for her birthday. She slept with them that first night and the next morning was ready to roll. Roller skating was easy peasy – or so she thought. When she tried inside the house she crashed into Dad’s tower of cards. Dad offered to teach her how but Ruby giggled and said, ‘No. It’s easy peasy.’ Dad suggested she try outside. Wobble, wibble . . . bump! Wooble, wibble . . . thump! Wobble, wibble . . . crunch! No matter how hard she tried, roller skating wasn’t as easy peasy as she thought. When Dad tucked her into bed that night she told him, ‘Roller skating is too hard!’.’ But Ruby didn’t want to give up so, the next day she asked Dad to teach her and he offered to take her somewhere special. There were flashing lights, music and lots of other kids whizzing around. They made roller skating look easy peasy. Dad took Ruby’s hand and they skated slowly around the rink until Ruby took a deep breath and let go of Dad’s hand. She was skating all on her own without a wobble, wibble or crunch in sight! This delightful story from Ky Garvey is a fun and entertaining journey that follows a young girls' experiences as she tries something new. From excitement to disappointment, then determination and persistence, to the final euphoria of mastering something that wasn’t as easy peasy as she thought. Accomplished with the help of a thoughtful and patient Dad, this is an endearing tale about the relationship between father and daughter and a reminder that to never give up on something new. Amy Calautti’s bright and colourful illustrations are the perfect compliment to the text. The huge disco ball on the front cover reminds me of the one that adorned the skating rink I used to frequent as a tween! The final page illustration is a wonderful, exuberant celebration of Ruby’s triumph. Keep an eye out for the duck in the story who is an important companion on Ruby’s path to success. Find out more about Ky Garvey Find out more about Amy Calautti Published by EK Books an imprint of Exisle Publishing Pty Ltd. Release date: 01 February, 2023 ISBN: 9781922538441 (HB) Recommended for ages 4 - 8 Teaching themes could include: roller skating, families, father daughter relationships, determination, persistance, trying new things, roller skates. Thanks to Book On Tour Aus and Romi Sharp for the review copy.   Baby wants to grow up as cute as a kitten like his Aunt Daisy said, and as strong as lion just like his Uncle Dan. But as much as he loves his family, there are some attributes from the others he’d rather not inherit – like Uncle Max’s bushy eyebrows, Uncle Ted’s hairy legs and Aunty Fern’s wild hair! Will he grow up just right, just as he should be?
In this hilarious new picture book from author Frances Mackay, we watch as Baby’s relatives welcome him to the family, commenting on how they hope he will inherit a little something from each of them as he grows up to be his own person. Everyone has a personal attribute they hope to see reflected in him, but Baby is not so sure and reacts in a way that baby’s tend to when things get overwhelming – with a huge wail! Both young and older readers will relate to comparisons being made within families and the very funny situations this can lead to. This is a brilliantly simple but engaging story with lots of laugh out loud moments. Dotti Colvin’s wonderful, cartoon like illustrations with outlined, colourful characters who possess those all-important accentuated attributes, are the perfect complement to the text. A great addition to any school or home library. Teaching themes could include families, physical characteristics, babies, humour in stories, relatives, growing up, emotions & feelings. Find out more about Frances Mackay Find out more about Dotti Colvin Published by Frances Mackay. Release date 2 November, 2022. ISBN: 9780646860220 Recommended for ages 3 to 8.  From the dust cover to the end pages, this book will captivate and enchant you. Step into the first page and be transported to faraway lands and worlds where anything can (and does!) happen. This story will take you on a magical journey where you’ll meet bears, dragons, pirates and unicorns. You’ll sleep on top of the tallest palm tree, dine with merfolk and be serenaded by clams, glide across rainbows and be granted the very special gift of a giant’s friendship. You’ll be trapped in a tower, saved by a bee and challenge the cosmos. You might also have the chance to meet the moon mouse and help polish the stars. For when you hold a book, you hold the key to so many wonderful adventures. Then, when you are ready, you only have to close the cover of the book to return home. Can you go back to experience more adventures? Why yes you can! Wonders await when you open a book. This book has quickly become one of my favourites. The story is beguiling, charming and expertly rhymed. Caroline Derlatka has a true gift for storytelling. Readers will find themselves drawn into a story that encapsulates all the wonder of childhood fairy tales with the imagination of stories yet to be told. The gorgeous illustrations are a visual treat. Sara Ugolotti uses a palette that is at once soft, but also bold when it needs to be. The gentle lines of the creatures and the joyous expressions of the two children upon each magical encounter are an absolute delight. See if you can find the golden hummingbird that appears on each page! This book is everything you want a young child to feel and experience as they embark upon, or continue, their reading journey. What will you find there? What will there be? When you’re in a book, just read, and you’ll see. This book proudly supports The White Feather Foundation, a charity that support projects across the globe that foster education and good health for young girls in developing nations; protect and preserve indigenous cultures; conserve and sustain the environment; and give access to clean water. Supporting teaching themes could include fairy tales, magical creatures, dragons, pirates, sea creatures, giants, bears, space, the moon, imagination, storytelling, diversity, rhyming books, poetry. Find out more about Caroline Derlatka. Find out more about Sara Ugolotti. Published by Bushel & Peck Books. Distributed in Australia by New South Books. Release date October 2022. ISBN: 9781638190943 (HB) Highly recommended ages 3 to 6.   From the opening lines of ‘School’s done. Ride, roll, run!’ to the final ‘Ride, roll, run. Friends and fun!’, this simple but action-packed rhyming story, takes the reader on a joyful afternoon of possibilities after school has finished for the day. Skateboarding, bike riding, playing basketball and sidewalk games are just a few of the many fun activities these friends get up to. Although not specified in the text, the illustrations highlight the diversity and inclusion of those three words ‘ride, roll, run’ and showcase activities all children love to participate in, no matter their background or ability.
Ride Roll Run is Valerie Bolling’s third picture book, written in her distinctive style of sparse, engaging, rhyming text, and readers will connect from the very first page. The playful nature of the story, and clever use of slant rhyme, encourages readers to listen closely, and perhaps even pre-empt the words associated with the actions described in the story. Sabrena Khadija’s bold, uncomplicated and colourful illustrations are the perfect complement to the text. Her use of simple shapes and lines add an exuberant strength to each of the characters, enticing the reader to join in the fun. Ride Roll Run is a celebration of community, friendship and neighbourhoods, and is a wonderful addition to any library collection. Supporting teaching themes could include friendship, community, sports, neighbourhoods, children with disabilities and rhyme. Find out more about Valerie Bolling Find out more about Sabrena Khadija Published by Abrams Books Appleseed Imprint Release date October 4, 2022. ISBN: 9781419756290 (HB) Recommended for ages 3 – 5.  When a parcel arrives at the Kelly house, no-one knows who sent it or where it actually came from. The card attached simply says ‘Good luck to you all.’ Inside the plain brown wrapping they find a jigsaw puzzle of a beautiful African sunrise. The family sets about putting the pieces together. Dad even sets his watch to Late Autumn to allow everyone time to get all the pieces in their right places. As they work their way through the cycle of the seasons and Autumn returns once more, the colourful dawn of the puzzle emerges and the jigsaw is almost complete. But then Dad discovers that – oh no – the piece for the hippo’s swim shorts is missing! They search everywhere, even under their dog Lucy, but it’s nowhere to be found. Then mum realises that it must have accidentally been put out with the rubbish! ‘We’ll find it,’ Dad says, and they drive to the recycling centre where they are presented with an enormous pile of rubbish. They start searching and, although they don’t find the missing puzzle piece, they do find other pieces of people’s lives like letters from faraway places, bus tickets, wedding confetti, photos, old socks and lots of shopping lists. Without realising it Dad has actually trodden on the missing piece and it’s stuck to the bottom of his boot. As he walks through the house it slips off and onto the carpet where Kitty, the youngest Kelly member, finds it. ‘Must have been there the whole time,’ she says. With Autumn nearly over, Kitty places the final piece and her sister straightens it. The jigsaw is finished. With enough stamps to cover its travels, Katie and Kitty post it back to ‘Sumwear’, with their own message attached.
From my very first encounter of this brilliant Australian author/illustrator with Greetings From Sandy Beach, through Queenie The Bantam, A Bus Called Heaven, How The Sun Got To Coco’s House and all the others in between, Bob Graham’s latest picture book is yet another superb example of masterful storytelling. With his signature style of softly outlined, colourful illustrations, and underlying themes of family and community, JIGSAW: A PUZZLE IN THE POST is in an uplifting tale of hope, togetherness, and perseverance, and of always being found no matter how lost you think you might be. Supporting teaching themes could include family, recycling, perseverance, community, connections, jigsaws, puzzles, hope, stamps, seasons, waste, letter writing. Find out more about Bob Graham. Published by Walker Books ISBN: 9781529503319 (HB) Highly recommended for ages 3 - 7  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 +  'Breathe deeply and take your time. The making of a bird is not a thing to be hurried.' '. . . feel your slowly beating heart fill with a kind of sadness, a kind of happiness. For this is when you will know that you have really made a bird.' These are my favourite lines form this beautifully delicate and evocative story. Yes there is a bird that is made, but it is so much more than just a bird. From the delicate bones gathered by the child, to figuring out how to put them together, and then the thoughtful imagining of what is needed for the bird to truly fly, are ideas expertly brought to life in Meg's soulful, meditative text. There is a sense of wonder at every page turn as we follow the journey of the child and the bird in its making. I love Matt's blueprint that forms part of the front cover illustration as this creates the simple deception that there is a blueprint to follow, when in fact there really isn't. His palette of soft, paler hues and tones throughout the majority of the story adds to the ethereal nature of the text. The exquisite, brighter colours of the feathers are a marvellous contrast and help focus the readers' attention on the possibilities of what the bird might do and become.
How To Make A Bird is a story of self belief, individuality, resilience, belonging and limitless imagination, and is a picture book for all ages - not just younger readers. There are so many layers to both the text and the illustrations that you will discover something new every time you read this stunning 2021 CBCA Picture Book Award winner. Use this story in both primary and secondary classrooms for poetry studies, storytelling, art studies and for maker space ideas. Themes to be explored could include resilience, belonging, imagination, self-awareness, compassion and inventiveness. Find out more about Meg McKinlay. Find out more about Matt Ottley. Published 2020 by Walker Books Australia. ISBN 9781925381894 (HB) Highly recommended for ages 6 - 12 I would also recommend this book for middle and high school students.  The Curiosities centers around a young boy named Miro, who begins to see the world in a way that is different to others. When the Curiosities first appear they seem to blend in, but gradually they show Miro the 'oddments and snippets', 'wonders and possibles' in the places where no-one else looks. Sometimes the curiosities would show Miro how to tickle songs from the earth, whisper up waves and dance with him deep into the night. The pull of the curiosities gradually became stronger and stronger and soon others in his village begin to notice them too. They became so loud that people began to stare, and no matter what he did, Miro could not tame them. They were almost unbearable, and he felt as though he was vanishing deep inside the earth. Then he heard the whisper of a village elder who helped Miro brush away the darkness of the curiosities. They were still there, but he found the more he connected with people, the easier it was to control them. And he noticed that many others had their own the curiosities too which helped him feel not so alone.
There are many who deal with neurodiversities and disabilities, and this book is a wonderful celebration of who we are and how we see ourselves, and encourages us to not to worry too much how others choose to see us. Zana Fraillon is one of my favourite YA authors and she has managed the cross over to picture books flawlessly. Her text is poignant and uplifting, but also challenging, asking us to know ourselves first before we look at how we perceive others. Phil's whimsical and playful images draw us into Miro's world to see what life looks like through his eyes. His clever depictions of the curiosities as recognisable but wisp-like creatures, make us aware but not afraid of them, and inspires us to embrace the curiosities in all of us. Diversity, autism, neurodiversity, acceptance, empathy, perspective, community, culture and mental health are all topics that can be introduced and discussed when using this beautiful and highly recommended book in the classroom. Find out more about Zana Fraillon Find out more about Phil Lesnie Published in 2021 by Hachette Australia ISBN 9780734417848 (HB) Recommended for ages 4 - 8  Isabel and her family couldn't afford a lot of things like heating, going to the cinema, scooters or brand new clothes, but she always noticed the beautiful things around her, like the ice patterns on her window and the snow flakes falling outside. And really she had everything they needed - her books and her family. But when their wasn't enough money to pay rent or bills, they had to move to the other side of the city and for the first time Isabel couldn't find anything beautiful. It seemed people on this side of the city didn't even know she was there. She felt herself becoming more and more invisible as people drove or walked straight past her. Eventually, Isabel faded away altogether. That's when she started to notice the other invisible people around her and decided to help. Soon others joined in and '. . . the more people came together . . . the more they could all be seen.'
This is an important story. It is one that needs to be read to children all over the world. It is a story of belonging, of hope and community, and truly seeing what and who is around you. There are few picture books that tackle the issue of poverty as well as this one. Tom Percival has written a book that draws from personal experience, and is poignant and beautifully simple, yet conveys such a powerful message of making a difference in the lives of others by just acknowledging they exist. Kindness, community, poverty, family, relationships and empathy are all topics that can be explored as teaching ideas through this warm, wonderful, and highly recommended picture book. Find out more about Tom Percival Published in 2021 by Simon & Schuster UK ISBN 9781471191305 (PB) Recommended for ages 4 - 8 |
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