Children's Book Week

Market Day by Carrie Gallasch

OOOH…. Market day…. The smells, the sounds, the noise, the food, the colours…. the wonder of it all is so exciting! This delightful picture book brings all the vividness of the market to us.

For a little girl, with money in hand, wandering through the market with her family, what will she spend it on? Baba ganoush? Dolmades, a mango, fairy floss, fritters, a taco, flowers, fried rice, beads, a hoodie, goldfish? The list is endless! How can she decide? But, decide she does… and in a very kind and thoughtful way, she solves her little conundrum, to her family’s delight.

What do you like to spend your money on at market day?

Find Market Day by Carrie Gallasch

Jennifer

The Garden on Red Gum Road by Phil Cummings

Everything about this book is delightful.  The text is constructed around rhythm and rhyme so it’s great for little ones. Community is the central theme. Everyone working together with respect, inclusion and joy, even the dog. The illustrations are large, colourful and a wonderful reflection of the central theme. After a day of work and fun in the garden we finish with a song. How perfect!

Find The Garden on Red Gum Road by Phil Cummings

Cathy

Naturopolis by Deborah Frenkel

Naturopolis is a charming picture book that reminds us to slow down and take a closer look at the world around us. The pages are filled with beautiful illustrations, beginning with a wide shot of the city vista and then narrowing in on the natural wonders that inhabit the concrete jungle. As the reader is introduced to many of the everyday flora and fauna of the city there are also little specimen labels included in the illustrations. These labels reveal the common name, the scientific name and some short facts about the highlighted species.

In the opening pages, readers are introduced to the Gravel Ant as one of the many wonders in the city. The following pages encourage a search and find experience with the ant hidden in every illustration. Readers will encounter Dandelions with ‘bold heads bobbing in the sun’, Maidenhair Fern with ‘feathery fronds flung high into the sky’, a Penny Lizard ‘darting from stone to stone’ and many more. What’s more, young readers will delight in searching for dandelions, ferns, moss, spiders and so much more when they next venture outdoors.

Find Naturopolis by Deborah Frenkel

Dionyy

Paradise Sands by Levi Pinfold

Levi Pinfold’s latest picture book effort tells the story of a lion called The Teller who imprisons children in a large palace with promises of paradise.

The prose is tight and sparse, occasionally spinning off into surreal rhymes born of ancient mythology. Its restrained colour palette and hyper-realistic illustrations make for a compellingly weird and atmospheric experience that is at times hallucinogenic, strange and slightly unsettling. This being the case, it isn’t recommended for younger readers, and is perhaps best suited to a YA audience with a hunger for the abstract. But don’t let this put you off.

Though it’s a tale of darkness and danger and the perils of enchantment, it’s also a tale of love and the importance of family. For those who appreciate stories that refuse obvious meaning, and for those who enjoy stories that continue to give up hidden secrets and clues with each read, this could be for you. This is certainly a book that will stay with me for a long time.

Find Paradise Sands by Levi Pinfold

Matthew

There’s No Such Book by Jessica Dettman

This picture book perfectly represents the panic of finding a Book Week dress up costume. Ellie comes to her mum the night before the parade asking for a costume – panic stations! Her mum is going through the house asking if there is a book about a pirate who also plays soccer? She goes through many ridiculous options and Ellie responds, ‘there’s no such book’. But not to worry, Mum has a plan!

I love the bright colours and imaginative illustrations in this book. It captures the both the stress of Book Week and the joy of books, imagination and dressing up. I hope it inspires some imaginative dress ups this year and allows families to not have a ‘perfect’ costume. The theme for Book Week this year is ‘Read, Grow, inspire’ and I think this book demonstrates that to a ‘T’. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

What character will you be dressing up as for Book Week?

Find There’s No Such Book by Jessica Dettman

Rosanna

Frank’s Red Hat by Sean E Avery

As the saying goes “it’s not all black and white” … however in Frank’s Red Hat the penguin protagonist tests his fellow two-tone colony on this very notion!

Frank is a seemingly creative penguin on the lookout for inspiration beyond his monochromatic existence of never ending polar ice caps and dark oceanic reflections. So, he introduces the concept of wearing a red hat much to the bewilderment of his hue-challenged penguin peers. His daring invention is first met with caution but then untimely rejection! However, Frank is persistent despite a penguin waddling resistance, and is eventually rewarded by failing forward with a colour explosion of ideas unexpectedly appreciated by sea bound neighbours.

Frank’s Red Hat is humorous and thought provoking. The narrative opens up conversation to ideas of group think versus individuality, dreams and goals, vulnerability and resilience, and maybe even marketing and branding! It is a story with a message for all ages. 

Frank’s Red Hat has been short listed for Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture of the Year.

Find Frank’s Red Hat by Sean E Avery

Andrea 

The Best Hiding Place by Jane Godwin

There’s a game of hide and seek with 5 kids playing: some hiding in obvious places and one in the best hiding place.

We find out the names of the kids on the title page so we’re right in the game with them. It’s played in good spirits with the big kids helping the little kids with ideas and strategies.

While Archie is waiting to be found, he starts to notice things: his beating heart, the sounds around him and the feelings in his body. Then, there’s a turn of mood as he starts to worry about the time it is taking. Where are they? Why haven’t they found him? Suddenly there is fear. Suddenly we’re all in the dark cupboard with Archie…will he ever be found? 

A very engaging book with fabulous illustrations.

Find The Best Hiding Spot by Jane Godwin 

Cathy

My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder

First thing that captured my attention with this book was the hard cover and muted illustration of a child’s giant legs with his tiny parents at his feet. The title of the book is cleverly presented on a postage stamp and gives the impression of being transported in time. The story is one that resonated with me on a personal level being the child of first-generation migrant parents myself and knowing the sacrifices my parents made bringing up my sister and I in a foreign country with no English and little money.

The story is creatively told through the eyes of a young boy who sees his parents ‘shrink in size’ with each sacrifice they make for him as he grows up, starting with his wish to have a birthday cake which his parents cannot afford and when they ask the baker to make it for them, he asks for five centimetres of their height!

This story is heartbreaking as well as heart-warming and at times told with humour. We follow the story page by page with its beautifully detailed illustrations and come to understand what it’s like to grow up in a family from an ethnic background and the financial and emotional challenges they face raising a family in a foreign land. As the story continues, we are shown the depth of love parents have towards their son exceeds all sacrifices made in the hope of giving their son a better life of opportunities than they themselves had.

Find My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder 

Natali

Lionel and Me by Corinne Fenton 

Lionel and Me tells the tale of Maverick the dog and the new arrival to the family, Lionel. Presented from the viewpoint of Maverick the dog, he tells us that life was perfect with his family - sharing precious moments snuggling, eating, walking and snoozing. He had everything he wanted, until along came Lionel. Maverick could somewhat deal with Lionel as a puppy, but the novelty wears off and Lionel takes up everyone’s attention. Maverick is in the doghouse as Lionel laps it up. Soon after though Lionel’s time comes and he gets put out, but Maverick decides to keep him company.

Lionel and Me is suitable for lower primary aged readers and gives a great lesson on jealousy and how we can behave when we are jealous of someone. Using Maverick the dog as the voice of the book provides a welcoming point for a discussion with children about how they might feel jealous and what they would do. Painted in water colour, illustrator Tracie Grimwood has created bold yet soft scenes that are bright and expressive, giving the perfect backdrop for Corrine Fenton’s characters.

Lionel and Me is a happy and upbeat story, reminding us that everyone needs a friend like Lionel.

Find Lionel and Me by Corinne Fenton

Jackie

Wild Australian Life by Leonard Cronin

Did you know Cassowaries are the dinosaurs closest living relative? No wonder they’re so dangerous! This is an informative and entertaining read for the fact-loving, animal-curious primary school child (6+). ‘Wild Australian Life’ is chock full of fascinating animal facts!

There is a great chart detailing how animals are classified, from the broader level of Invertebrates vs Vertebrates to the more particular Species level. The layout of the chart shows clearly how scientists use these categories to make sense of the diversity of animals. There are diagrams comparing the various body parts of insects and birds, detailing what they are used for e.g. eagles have broad wings with long flight feathers so they can soar. These are just a few of the scientific discoveries you will make when you dive into this book.

Wild Australian Life is on the 2023 Shortlist for the CBCA’s Eve Pownall award, check out CBCA for more fantastic book recommendations.

Find Wild Australian Life by Leonard Cronin 

PJ