Four Wonderful New Picture Books for Children

1. 'The Flower Garden' by Claire Saxby & Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo

It shouldn't surprise us that Claire Saxby has created yet another masterpiece. She is well supported by the delightful illustrations of Lucia Masciullo the book will be enjoyed by 7 to 12 year olds.  

We are taken to the Changi Prisoner of War camp where women and children are being held Second World War. The captured male soldiers were kept in their walled prison wasting away as WW2 continued. Women and children were kept separately and did back breaking work tending a garden bed outside in a separate wired enclosure where they were forced to tend gardens to feed the soldiers and for the imprisoned soldiers who were fed meagre amounts after the soldiers had been fed. 

 2. 'My Ball is Broken' by Rob Graves-Morris

This delightful picture book for younger readers (aged 4-9) will captivate children. His slightly exaggerated images of the animals who feature in the story are wonderful.

 A little puppy is fascinated by the birds, small insects, fish, musical instruments and something nightmarish that falls from the sky.

He begins to understand play from different angles and that not all things are always quite what they seem.

Young children will love reading this themselves and be delighted by the reading their teachers might present to them. Enjoy!

3. 'Here with Me' by David Walker

If you could choose a different kind of You, what might you wish it to be? A rabbit in a burrow? A monkey in a tree? Would you be fluffy? Or a slow-moving sloth?

Many children often stamp their feet and say "It's not fair!" "Why can my sister do this and not me!" "I'm almost 7, can't I walk home alone?" 

Of course, for parents, it seems these challenges of our children growing up, start early, and continue well into the teenage years. Good luck! 

4. 'Fuzzball' by Nathan Luff & Illustrated by James Foley

With a title like 'Fuzz Ball' there is bound to be a pet at the centre of the story!

Luca's Mum and Dad give him a special present for his birthday. He is hoping that it will be a dog! But instead, he gets a little 'fuzzball'! A guinea pig 😂. Oh no! "Fuzzball can't play 'fetch'!" No use going for walks with him! Luca is miserable. But over time, just as he is ready to be rid of Fuzzball he finds there is something that he CAN do! His parents challenge him to take care of Fuzzball and one day he might just prove he could care for a dog.

 

This little illustrated 6 chapter book is about 60 short pages of 'largish' print and is a great first book for readers 6-8 years old. This is very much an Aussie creation. The author Nathan Luff grew up on a farm in rural New South Wales as one of five boys. He is also the author of 'Nerd Herd' and the 'Family Holiday Disasters' series, as well as and the middle grade novels 'Bad Grammar' and 'Jungle Escape'. James Foley is from Western Australia and is the author of many picture books and graphic novels. Enjoy! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. 'Here With Me' by 

Three Exciting Books for Children Aged 4-12 Years

Walker Books have published many fine books. You won't be disappointed by this lovely collection.

1. 'Going Home' Written & Illustrated by Simon Howe

Two mice head off one morning with no real agenda. They just wanted to see what they might see. They see many things along the way, and Father can't always tell his little one what they all are, and junior is full of questions.

They come across a beautiful blue beetle, and a swarm of yellow bees hovering over a field of Dandelions. Hot air balloons hovering over them and a line of snails moving ever so slowly. And they enjoy a quiet look over a stone bridge while dropping in a stick to watch it float.

They finally head home by walking along the top of an old stone wall. They need to balance with arms held wide.

Such busy and tiring work and when they spy an ice cream cart. They sit down enjoy their vanilla scones when a large butterfly comes down to have a peek. They enjoy some time on swings, watch a line of ants, admire white birds flapping around them. A final moment to blow on a dandelion and watch its feathers rise, then home after a wonderful day.

I love this book and children aged 4-6 will too. The story is engaging, the illustrations are simply stunning. Even the cover sets high standards with flashes of colour and even some flashes og gold. This is a masterpiece from Simon Howe.

2. 'Tiny' Written & Illustrated by Laura Stitzel

This is the story of 'Tiny' who often feels, well tiny! This is especially the case when travelling on buses she is surrounded by 'knees'! She longs for the day when she will be "finally grown". As she ponders these things she sees somebody smaller than her, a mouse. She thinks to herself I wonder what it would be like to be smaller. And lo and behold she begins to shrink. At first this is so exciting, but over time she learns that they terrors to avoid like larger creatures, marching ants. As well, after rain there would be water flowing everywhere. Could she shrink even smaller!?

This opens a whole new world for her. Imagine being able to stand beside a mouse who is just as tall? She could sit and chat to sparrows and finches. For a snack, just one berry would do!

But where would she go to get out of the rain? Then again, she would be washed along past beetles and perhaps splash into the world of fish twisting and swirling around her.

She could sleep in flowers on soft pollen. But then there would be bees. And just then she "opens her eyes to a happy surprise", she is just the right size. Tiny decides that being 'small' at home is not bad at all. In fact she will stay as "perfect sized me".

3. 'Freddie Jones. The Mystery of the Troublesome Trees' by Kate Foster. Cover Illustrations by Jake A. Minton. Cover & internal illustrations by Sarah Mitchell.

From the opening page of this 'who dun it' book, there is mystery and intrigue. Freddie is to have his first experience of flying and he's off to stay with his family, his Grandma and his dog 'Hobnob' for a holiday in the Daintree Rainforest. This is his first special holiday and he is very excited. 

Freddie is looking forward to see a special holiday together as an extended family, and to seeing the wonder of the Daintree Forested. Almost from the beginning, they experience things that seem hard to explain. There are strange noises and lights in the evening and there is also something strange about the trees. This will be a holiday that will have special memories and experiences.

While the book has 245 pages, good readers aged 9-12 will enjoy it and find it to be a 'page turner'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Seven Great New Books for readers aged 6-12 Years'

 

1.'The Mosaic' by Deborah Kelly & illustrated by Nicky Johnson

Have you ever been responsible for breaking something special? Was it yours' or someone else's? Yikes!

 

Frankie's intentions were good, she took the special vase to collect flower's for Nan. But... it was broken into many pieces. Nan takes her on a special drive to an art gallery that seemed to change everything...

I just love this special book.

2. 'Too Many Acorns' by written and illustrated by Susannah Crispe.

At one level this is a wonderful and warm story about a Dad his Son and a fascination with acorns that gets out of hand. But beneath the surface there is another untold story of heartbreak and personal loss, as a Dad and his Son try to cope with the loss of someone they loved.

Can you have too many acorns? Maybe not if you're a squirrel, but if you are a young collector of acorns, you never know. This delightful book from Susannah Crispe is a simple tale that draws you in as a reader as the keenness of a young boy to collect a few acorns, gets out of hand.

Beautifully illustrated with the vibrant colours you'd expect from a talented author illustrator like Susannah Crispe. Originally from New Zealand, she now lives in Canberra and we've claimed her as an Aussie!  Her other works include 'Where the Heart Is', 'Cookie', 'Under the Moonlight', 'Swoop', 'Cloudspotting' and 'The Real Cowgirl'.

3. 'The Welcome Cookies' by Kaye Baillie & illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan

I'm sure readers will relate to this lovely story about a girl and her Mum who visit their favourite cafe every Friday; the 'Sugar Plum Cafe'. And like all of us, if we have a special cafe and suddenly it is sold! Well, devastation. But Mabel is to find that even though Miss Plum has left, something new might just fill the gap left when Miss Plum retired.

"Will Mabel be able to give to give the new-look cafe a chance or has she lost her happy place forever?"

Beautifully illustrated Kirrili Lonergan. Her pencil sketches and water colour images are delightful and bring the key characters to life. Children will want to hear this time and time again, and also enjoy reading it themselves.  

A wonderful collaboration between author & illustrator.

4. 'Dragon Guest Handbook' by Jeanette Stamphone & illustrated by Novia Heroanto.

Wow! This little gem of a book is wonderful. And practical too, because we all need to know, just what to do if a dragon arrives unannounced. Thanks to the experience of one boy, we are given the 'good oil' on the requirements, and what NOT to do. Like any tourist who drops in, a Dragon might well have a few quirky ways.

First greet it well and be careful how you introduce the dragon to your parents when he sits down for breakfast. Perhaps get him to put on a disguise before venturing out. And of course take Dragon exploring in the disguise. But be careful, especially if you visit a museum and be doubly if you visit the skeletons.

Dragon will most likely love surfing, Hot Air Ballooning (watch where he points its flaming breath) and dining out! But make sure Dragon doesn't breath any fire while there. 

A quirky and fun book that readers 2-6 will enjoy.

5. 'When Santa Got Stuck in a Gum Tree' by Jackie Hosking & illustrated by Nathaniel Eckstrom

It's Christmas in Australia and unlike the Northern Hemisphere it's hot and dry. This alone makes Christmas different. And things are different for Santa too! 

It's very hot for him and the hazards down under are different than in the northern winter. He won't get stuck in the snow, or the chimney but...could he end up in a tree?! Unfortunately, yes he just might.

The creators of this wonderful little book are also different. Jackie Hosking is a Nigerian born Australian who moved to Australia when she was 10. She began writing for children after completing a creative writing course at her local community house in a seaside town just off the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. She was awarded the 'May Gibbs Creative Time Fellowship'. She is also the author of 'The Croc and the Platypus' (2014).

Nathaniel Eckstrom is an illustrator based Sydney. He has worked on a number of children's books including 'Stubborn Stanley', 'The Hole Idea', 'Roadtrip' and 'Ten Little Figs'.

6. Two wonderful short novels for readers aged 8-12

There are three books in this series, one of which I have reviewed previously ('The Fingerprint Code'). But here are two I haven't shared.

a) 'The Counterfeit Bust' by R.A. Stephens & illustrated by Em Hammond

Riz is a kid who often notices things that others miss. With a name like Riz this kid was always going to be a little different. She seems to have uncanny ability to see things that others miss. As usual Rizz is thinking and wondering. But when she goes to hand a 10 dollar note to the check out person she exclaims "can notes be faulty"? Mum says, just hand it to her. But no! Riz hands it to the checkout person and says something is wrong with this. A security guard is called and Mum and Rizz end up heading to the police station to have things checked.

Like all of the Riz Chester books, you can't easily put it down. You'll have to buy the book to find out how this all ends!

b) 'The Evidence Track' by R.A. Stephens and illustrated by Em Hammond

Riz and her friends successfully led the Counterfeit Bust. Now Riz has discovered a passion for forensic science.She loves mysteries, and with her new interest in forensics she is looking for crimes to solve. But what?! Nothing has happened for months. 

So what do you do? Riz organises the perfect ‘match-the-tracks’ party for her friends. Moulds are prepared and muddy prints are evidence to help solve crimes. But given Riz's past, could such a innocent party get them into trouble?

 

Nine Wonderful New Books for 5-13 Year Olds

I hope you enjoy my reviews of four new picture books for children aged 3-6 and five Junior novels for readers aged 8-12. A great collection!

1. Little Axel's Axolotl' by Juliette MacIver and illustrated by Christopher Nielsen

This is a very funny and endearing picture book, about a very special pet axolotl; named "Harris Aristotle" by his owner Axel. This is a very spoilt pet!

Axel attends to his every wish and want and need and feeds him with the finest cheese, and warms him with the warmest of hats. Axel's fishy feet never touch the ground ... But despite his life of ease, Harris has a secret dream ... and hatches a secret, and daring scheme. Harris is about to surprise everyone!

Axel takes Harris everywhere with him, but Harris Aristotle craves the chance to bask in the sun and learn how to swim. He sets out one night on a brave (or is it foolish) adventure?

This wonderful little picture book will be released in July and will be a great hit with children aged 3-6. It has a surprising ending for this adventurous Axolotl.

2. 'The Wobbly Bike' by Darren McCallum & illustrated by Craig Smith

This is another special book from Walker Books to be released in July. Librarians should advance order! 

It is a quintessential story about the joys and challenges of learning to ride your first bike. There is something wonderful about this experience, that author and illustrator capture so well.

Master illustrator Craig Smith captures the fear and exhilaration of conquering one's first 'uncontrollable' bicycle. 

But this wobble in the bike isn't due just to the rider, it has a wobbly wheel that her Pop fixes. The story offers insights into life in the top end of Australia and the special role of grandparents.

The wonderful wobbles of learning to ride a bike, set amidst the vibrant colour and culture of Australia's "top end" is a winner! The book is beautifully created by author and illustrator who have worked in 'tandem'! A wonderful first book from Darren McCallum. I hope it isn't the last collaboration between author and illustrator.

3. 'Florence & Fox - The Pet Mouse' Zanni Louise & illustrated by Anna Pignataro

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book which will work well as a read aloud for children 2-5 or a self-read for 5-6 year olds. The central characters are Florence the crocodile and her friend Fox. Illustrator Anna Pignataro has created wonderful images for these sweet characters who are best friends. But they are VERY competitive. Each tries to trick the other by issuing challenges that they think they can win.

My only quibble with the book is that the text is a little confusing in places. There a few gaps in the dialogue that create disjunctions for the reader particularly on the first 5 pages.

This delightful story with beautiful crayon and water colour illustrations will amuse and encourage your children's understanding of what true friendship looks like. 

4. 'Mitchell Itches: An Eczema Story', by Kristen Kelly & Illustrated by Amelina Jones 

"An uplifting story about a boy who doesn’t let his eczema hold him back from having fun and facing his fears. Mitchell is part of the one in five children who live with eczema."  

Mitchell lives a life of constant itches. This story helps us to learn about the challenges of this condition, including the common triggers and stresses of managing it and the need for resilience.

 

As part of his journey, Mitchell discovers a unique talent. His Uncle Sean introduces him to the guitar to keep his itchy hands occupied (rather than scratching himself). Mitchell's condition, surprisingly, leads him to a new passion that could make him a sensation. Will his newfound talent take centre stage at the school band auditions?

The story opens with his Mum's words that "Mitchell was born scratching". The book has such relatable characters that it reads like a story, but it also offers a deep understanding of this common condition that many people experience.

The wonderful illustrations of Amelina Jones offer realistic characters and how the combination of the love of family, and the support of doctors, is needed for anyone with this condition. As well, the story helps children to understand that life challenges also help us to discover that we can be strong.

5. 'Ducky The Spy - Expect the Unexpected' Written and Illustrated by Sean E. Avery

Just released! This funny little story about a duck who is also a spy, will amuse readers aged 7-10. 

 Laugh-out-loud who-dunnit ridiculousness in this new graphic novel from Sean E Avery

 
A thief on the farm. A goat kidnapped by a gang of cats. A giant chicken. Ducky the Spy and Donny “The Distraction” Donkey are on the case.

From the internationally renowned creator of Frank’s Red Hat comes a brand new terrific tale, fresh from the funny, and funky, farm. At first glance this might look like a simple comic book for 6 year olds, but don't be deceived. This is a graphic novel that 6-10 year olds will read. The 6 year old will need to be a good reader and might miss some of the jokes, but it will have wide appeal.

6. 'How to Avoid Being Eaten by Sharks and Other Advice' by John Larkin & illustrated by Chrissie Krebs

This is a delightful and very funny Graphic Novel for readers aged 8-12 years. Surely anyone would like to know how Liechtenstein has had ZERO people eaten by sharks! And it's about time all children have read about the 'Big Book of Interesting Facts' that explains how the earliest humans lived on a flat earth, and they NEVER had a shark attack! 

This funny book will amuse young readers, who will want to read bits out loud in the playground to their friends. The black and white illustrations by Chrissie Krebs also offer some additional insights that will keep children reading and laughing their way through the book many times.

7. 'Stitch' by Padraig Kenny and illustrated by Steve McCarthy

Pádraig Kenny is an Irish writer who hails from Newbridge in County Kildare. His debut novel 'Tin' was published in 2018 and was Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month. It has been nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and several other awards. Since then he has had success with his second novel 'Pog' (2019). And his third novel 'The Monsters of Rookhaven' (2020), received the 'Honour Award for Fiction in the 2021 KPMG Irish Children's Books Ireland awards. It was also nominated for the Carnegie Medal. This fifth novel "Stitch" was published by Walker Books in 2024. It was 'Times Children's Book of the Month' in January 2024.

 

 

Readers aged 10-13 should enjoy 'Stitch'. The central character 'Stitch' and his friend 'Henry Olaf' were brought to life by the genius Professor Hardacre. But the professor's wicked nephew takes over his laboratory. Stitch and Henry are forced to escape, but will they ever be seen as anything but 'monsters'? 

 

 A rare gothic novel for readers aged 9-13.

8. 'Knights and Bikes - Wheels of Legend' by Gabrielle Kent and illustrated by Rex Crowle & Luke Newell

Welcome to the sleepy island of Penfurzy, where nothing exciting ever really happens. OR DOES IT? Adventure awaits Demelza and her new best friend in the whole world, Nessa, as they explore the island and uncover the mysteries of the Penfurzy Knights. With a honking pet goose sidekick, quirky islanders and a legendary treasure to find, it's up to Nessa and Demelza to ride their bikes, solve the puzzles before them, and face down danger with frisbees, water-balloons, feathers .... and a toilet plunger. THEIR FRIENDSHIP WILL WARM YOUR HEART. THEIR BRAVERY WILL MAKE THEM LEGENDS.

This is is a mystery with a sprinkling of wonderful black and white images by Rex Crowle & Luke Newell. Readers aged 10-13 will enjoy the engaging story

9. 'Queen of Dogs' by Joe Weatherstone & illustrated by Nicolette Treanor 

Maddy’s family is talented and ambitious — sporting trophies, top grades, they collect them all. But Maddy would rather spend time with her best friend, her pug Gusto. When Gusto disappears … her world changes.

Her search for Gusto reveals a surprising talent and Maddy can't believe her ears. She can understand everything the neighbourhood dogs are saying and suddenly Maddy becomes the go-to canine problem solver. But when more and more dogs go missing, Maddy finds herself with a much bigger problem … and she is going to need a lot of friends – two-legged and four-legged – to help her solve it ...

This is a debut novel from Joe Weatherstone that speaks of loneliness and how friends and animals can help to overcome these challenges. It is Joe's debut middle grade novel, that 12-13 year-olds will enjoy and find relatable. Joe is actually Creative Producer and her work includes the 'Emmy' winning children's series 'Hardball', 'Oscar' nominated 'Inja' and the Logie winning 'Housos'. She lives in Sydney with her two children and two dogs!