You’ll Always Be My Baby

You’ll Always Be My Baby by Jessica Urlichs, illustrated by Jedda Robaard (Penguin Random House) HB RRP $19.99 ISBN: 9781761355714

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

When a mother holds her newborn, she makes a promise: ‘You’ll always be my baby’. As the little one grows and becomes more independent, the parent–child bond strengthens through love and devotion. The bond never breaks, even when the child becomes an adult and the mother is ‘grey and old’.

Jessica Urlichs’ much-loved poem transforms beautifully into a tender and thoughtful picture book, reminding readers of any age that families are built on a foundation of affection, support and constancy, especially on ‘those harder days’. The importance of belonging shines like a beacon, drawing all into the harbour of familial happiness.

The muted colours in Jedda Robaard’s sweet illustrations wonderfully complement the gentle nature of the text. There are lovely visual links between the characters –including arms outstretched towards toddling steps, dandelion-clasping hands and lamp-lit eyelines – ensuring that relationships remain robust from page to page.

An ideal gift to celebrate the arrival of a new baby, or an emotional book for a parent to share with their youngster, You’ll Always Be My Baby will pluck the heartstrings every time it’s read. This is a book to turn to at bedtime, or when a crisis calls for a cuddle and a few calming words.

The Future Book

The Future Book by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Shawn Harris (Simon & Schuster) HB RRP $27.99 ISBN: 9781761639302 

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

There’s a curiosity around every corner as life in the future is laid bare. The sun is called the moon, and the moon is called the sun. Bananas are called apples, but apples don’t have a name because they don’t exist in the future. Even the customs are odd. Rather than ‘goodbye’, people in the future say, ‘You smell like a baby!’ And there’s a brand-new colour – blorange – which rhymes with no other word. Isn’t the future weirdly wonderful?

Award-winning author Mac Barnett has let his imagination run wild, and readers aged four to eight will enjoy the rollicking ride. Crazy phrases and surprise situations are sure to keep youngsters on the edge of their seats as they wait for the next silly thing to appear. The mad-lib-like ending is the height of hilariousness, and even adults will snicker at the audacious absurdity.

Shawn Harris’s funny and fluid illustrations flow across the spreads in an array of glorious colours. The use of fluoro green as the anchoring ‘future’ hue – from the endpapers and the apple’s leaf to speech bubbles and a fish gently placed on people’s heads – ensures that the disparate images remain part of the same visual universe.

Crammed with creative yet kooky ideas that sound laughably ludicrous, The Future Book is perfect for reading aloud. Kids and parents alike will find it entertaining from the first page until the last.

JoJo Winternitz and The Woman in White

 JoJo Winternitz and The Woman in White 

JoJo grew up in England and America. Her secondary schooling was at a girls’ boarding school situated in a drafty castle in the English countryside.  It was a disorientating experience but one that has proven to be fascinating fodder for her Young Adult Series, The Polly Watson Mysteries. 

The first in this YA series, The Woman in White, was published in November 2025. The story focuses on Polly, a young Australian girl who grew up in sunny, warm Sydney, but for the last two years she has been trapped in an isolated, cold and draughty boarding school in England that she hates. She’s lonely and has little in common with her stuck-up companions.

The Woman in White is set in 1983, and Polly is now entering her third year at Atherton Castle, and there is no such thing as the internet, mobile phones, or social media. Instead, Polly has to rely on her imagination, telling herself stories to get through miserable, lonely nights in the bleak castle. One winter’s night, as she’s lying awake, she hears piano music playing on the landing below her dormitory. She goes to investigate, but the piano player has vanished before she can get there. Polly is determined to find out who the mystery piano player is. Her investigations lead her to places and discoveries she could never have imagined, and in the process, she learns a great deal about herself and what happens when you dare to be brave and hold your head up.

JoJo has loved telling and writing stories since childhood and has published several short stories in adult fiction anthologies.  She now writes for children and young adults. Regardless of the genre, JoJo's work has a common thread at its core: the strength of the human spirit and the power of love to overcome adversity.

The Far Out Five: Snot Jelly Island

The Far Out Five: Snot Jelly Island by Olaf Falafel (Puffin Books) RRP: $19.99 ISBN 9780241732618

Reviewed by Rebecca Fung

This is a chaotically funny graphic novel, all a bit here, there and everywhere, which could be seen as part of its charm, problematic, or the pointless point of it all!

Our story starts with four normal kids, Stewart, Sophie, Zainab and Jeffrey, who meet an incompetent magician at a carnival. During an electrical storm, combined with out-of-date hotdogs, a butterfly's fart and the magician's utterance of a spell, the children and the magician are transformed into a rainbow-spewing unicorn, a magical grumpy koala, a musical walking bathtub, an intellectual seabird bird and a cool seal. They're now the Far Out Five.

Now, of course, it's time for them to go on adventures.

The scene's already set for wackiness and incoherence. The adventures are mainly opportunities to tell jokes and go crazy rather than follow logical storylines - the team itself is hodge podge. But that's not a bad thing, silliness is fun. The first adventure involves quick visits to lots of different lands. Falafel makes the most of it, poking fun at Chess Island, the Kingdom of Infinite Monkeys, Mudland, and the Island of Teachers.

The real story starts about halfway through the book when the Five visit Snot Jelly Island. Here, they find many people encased in green snot jelly, frozen as statues. One survivor, Craig the Cowardly, is there to tell the tale. He's recruited along to the Far Out Five, which is thus no longer Five, to help save the island from a Medusa creature who can snot-jellify everyone with her dangerous stare.

The visuals here are vibrant and fun in mucous green. I liked that they were simple, uncomplicated drawings, brightly coloured and very in keeping with the narrative style. Falafel clearly leans into the naughty, gross fun that delights young kids, with a "Plop Ness Monster" early in the book, and plenty of farts, poos, snot and butt jokes. Some parents may think it's too much, but it's the kind of humour that will probably engage kids in the 7-10-year age bracket, especially boys.

The same age group will probably love the weird, cheery chaos with different animals, magic, and action, much of it not making much sense, but anything for a joke.

The book also includes challenging words, including many obscure elements from the periodic table, and "find the difference" activities to keep kids engaged.

However, there are some areas where Falafel skates a lot closer to the edge of what might be considered acceptable for younger kids. For instance, a phrase repeated several times in a story for fun, "clucking fork" is meant to refer to an implement owned by a mythical chicken king, but the joke is clearly meant to be a pun on foul language that parents may feel isn't appropriate.

The book is a wild and ridiculous adventure. The general story is predictable, but the details are very imaginative. I'm sure many kids would love the naughty giggles, but parents should be aware that it does push limits.

 

 

 

WANTED: The Cutest Baby in the World

WANTED: The Cutest Baby in the World (Penguin Random House ) Davina Bell & Sarah Zweck PB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781760765323

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Davina Bell is an award-winning children’s author widely known for her best-selling picture books. Her wit, humour and heart-pulling messages shine in her words.  Her stories combine playful language with themes of belonging, emotional growth, creativity and everyday adventures. She collaborates with talented illustrators to bring her rich, expressive stories to life.

Sarah Zweck is a Melbourne-based picture book artist/illustrator who originally trained in fashion design in the UK. After becoming a parent, she embarked on a career in picture books. Play is at the forefront of her work; she creates expressive characters that evoke humour and heart. She loves working with mixed media, using materials that allow her to experiment with mark-making, colour, and texture.

A bedtime knock brings a detective hot on the trail of a master criminal — a true agent of chaos known only as the Cutest Baby in the World. Mum and Dad swear he’s not there. While they chat with the detective and learn parenting insights, the baby silently wreaks havoc right under everyone’s nose.

Davina Bell’s masterful storytelling creates not only a unique story, but one that waltzes perfectly with the visuals, which speak for the baby. We all know babies can’t talk — but their actions certainly do. The concept of a granny-style detective hunting for the Cutest Baby in the World, told through an interview-style narrative full of engaging dialogue, delivers plenty of laughs—especially for adults reading the book aloud to their children. ‘Count yourself lucky,’ said the detective, ‘because if The Cutest baby in the World gets a hold of you, he will make you do dastardly deeds.’

The voice is strong and highly engaging, offering a fresh and original spin on parenthood. It’s different and thoroughly entertaining. The dialogue mirrors natural conversation, so when read aloud, it flows effortlessly. Throughout the story, there are moments that make you pause, smile, and sigh: “That’s so true.” The ending has a perfect sweetener. Just like a box of chocolates, you never really know what to expect, but this picture book is yummy and makes you feel good inside.

Sarah Zweck’s illustrations are joyful and bright — the kind that make your heart sing. The facial expressions and body language are lifelike and humorous. The characterisation is strong: the baby is irresistibly adorable, the parents perfectly captured with the look and feel of new parenthood, and, hilariously, the detective has a nana-like presence that oozes with parenting wisdom. This brings so much energy to the story.

Everyday home life is lovingly depicted, with a well-balanced layout that mixes single- and double-page spreads. The family cat and dog quietly feature alongside the baby, adding richness and an extra layer of fun. The baby’s antics are laugh-out-loud funny and true-to-life, and the varied colour palette is happy, vibrant, and engaging.

WANTED: The Cutest Baby in the World is a picture book that has appeal to both adults and children. It’s great for 4-6-year-olds as it focuses on listening and engagement with the illustrations. It will be popular with children, parents, libraries and schools. It really would make a wonderful gift for anyone embarking upon the wondrous world of parenting.

 

Casa Mia

Casa Mia

IP Kidz, an imprint of Interactive Publications Pty Ltd, is proud to announce the launch of Casa Mia, a touching new picture book celebrating the deep bond between a grandfather and his grandson, written by award-winning author Josie Montano and illustrated by Kristen Willis.

In Casa Mia, young Carlo notices his grandfather, Nonno, is missing the “twinkle in his eyes. When asked if he wants to come home with the family, Nonno explains that he longs for his real home—his “casa mia” in Italy—but is simply too old to travel back. Determined to restore his grandfather’s happiness, Carlo searches through dusty photo albums and uncovers Nonno’s special keepsakes, including his old piano accordion. Carlo then transforms Nonno’s living space to bring Italy to him, welcoming him to his new “Casa mia”. The story beautifully illustrates that home is where you make it, resulting in “happy tears” and a renewed sense of belonging for Nonno.

A Story of Intergenerational Connection.

Casa Mia is described as a “heartwarming journey unravelled through snapshots of a rich and meaningful past”. It encourages young readers to discover connections to their own heritage and identity.

About the Creators:

Author Josie Montano is an international award-winning screenwriter and author with over 25 years of experience and 70 published works. As a first generation of Australian of Italian migrants, she

incorporates her lived experiences into her work to “advocate, celebrate diversity and lay down stories of the Italians” and their contributions to Australia.

Award-winning Illustrator Kristen Willis brings the story to life with a style influenced by a childhood “fuelled by biscotti and sugar cane.” Trained as a fine artist and graphic designer, she blends “pigments and pixels” to internalise and visualise family memories.

ISBN: 9781923435001 (Hardback)

9781923435018 (eBook)

Website: https://ipoz.biz/product/casa-mia 

Manuscript Assessments Offered

Manuscript Assessments Offered

Three kinds of assessments are offered by author Dianne (Di) Bates, as follows (below). Your story will be read and thoroughly edited online, and you will also receive a written report outlining the strengths of your manuscript and suggestions for ways in which you can improve it.

If Di believes your story is publishable, she will suggest Australian publishers to whom you can submit the manuscript. She will also give you a list of Australian children’s book publishers.

When you have made payment (and informed Di), you can submit your story as a Word document and editing will be undertaken online.

It usually takes fewer than five days for Di to read, edit and assess your manuscript from the date of submission. You are also welcome to ask any questions before, during and after the assessment. If you rework your manuscript, Di will revisit the next draft for no extra fee.

Di’s email address is dibates@outlook.com; she responds to all emails promptly.

Picture Book Assessment

For books under 500 words, the assessment will cost you $100. Over 500 words will cost an extra $20 per 100 words (or part thereof). 

Note: Di does not assess illustrations; instead, she directs you to Australian illustrators at http://thestylefile.com. You do not have to send illustrations to a publisher; he/she is initially only interested in the written text.

Junior Novel

Your novel, for children aged 8 to 12 years, should be about 25,000 words and no longer than 45,000. The cost is $10 per 1,000 words.

About your assessor

Dianne (Di) Bates has published 150 books for young readers in her 35-year writing career. Some of these books have been published overseas and won national and state book awards, including two children’s choice book awards. Di has also worked as a newspaper and children’s magazine editor. She also worked on the editorial team of the NSW Department of Education School Magazine. In 2006, she founded Buzz Words, an online magazine for people in the Australian children’s book industry. www.buzzwordsmagazine.com.