The kids’ Survival Guide

The kids’ Survival Guide Avoiding “When I was young” and other brain-exploding lectures by Susan Berran (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 9781925520071

Reviewed by Anita Howard

Susan Berran communicates directly to her readers through the voice of a primary aged child. This voice is littered with cheeky, of beat humour and at time outrageous suggestions that kids might think of but never say. The protagonist lets the readers into his secret ways to survive, boring lectures from parents; excuses; bending the rules; dumb things parents say; getting out of things with games that you never lose and sucking up.

A wonderful book for reluctant readers and could be used to generate classroom conversations related to difficult parent/child relationships. As these topics are present in a non-threatening and at times disrespectful manner, that many children enjoy.

Susan Berran’s cartoon style illustrations successfully communicate and at times exaggerate the same energy, mood, and message as the text.

The Silent Owl

The Silent Owl by Clemency Pearce, illustrated by Sam McPhillips (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 9781925520019

Reviewed by Anita Howard

The hand-crafted illustrations made from everyday items which are full of personality beautifully illustrate the story of an owl which, for an unknown reason, will not make a sound.

This is a fun story told through rhyme, of forest animals, mice, fox, badger, bats, a squirrel and a stag that all take turns in trying to get Owl to speak.

In the end, the owl produces a collection of musical instruments which it plays whle the animals comment on how cleaver the owl is -- and then the owl winks.

As a story, but also as a stimulus for creativity in the use of the found object, this picture book is appropriate for two year olds to 11 year olds.

The Silent Owl was a finalist at the People’s book prize.

Beowulf the Brave

Beowulf the Brave retold by Oakley Graham, illustrated by Emi Ordas

(Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 9781925275933

Reviewed by Anita Howard

The story opens as a dad reads ‘Beowulf, the Brave’ as a bedtime story to his son.

 Beowulf, the Brave is a re-telling of the longest poem in Old English and reminiscent of the story, David and Goliath; stories where good defeats evil. The original story of Beowulf is set in the 6th Century in Scandinavia.

In this retelling, there is a little boy who is Beowulf (who, in the illustrations, looks identical to the son listening to the story) He saves his community from a monster, with the monster’s mother followed by a dragon. His brave accomplishments are remembered through the words in a song. The exaggerated facial features, along with dramatic body language and bold colours, add to the energy that flows through this book.

Children from preschool up will enjoy the story’s liveliness and the boy’s get-up-and-go attitude. The words 'Your battles with monsters are legendary, Remembered in song to make us merry' is repeated four times, and children could be encouraged to chant these words along with the reader.

Shiver Me Timbers!

Shiver Me Timbers! by Oakley Graham, illustrated by Nina Caniac

(Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978-1925520002

Reviewed by Anita Howard

This is the tale told in a rhyming text of a fearsome pirate crew , including a chorus of ‘rolling waves and the words ‘ho ho ho’ repeated on each double spread. 

In a book for young children who will love to listen to the story told aloud, Captain Black and his pirate crew go looking for treasure in a swashbuckling, sea shanty adventure on the high seas. The story highlights aspects of the life of pirates from obedience to Captain Black, chores, doing a poo overboard, giant octopus and the demise of Captain Black. Details such as these are followed at the end of the book by facts about pirates of the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

The placement of the text is sometimes used to emphasise an action, for example, the words, ‘He likes to use his whip,’ is curved and swirls across the page. The vibrant illustrations are full of movement, with an interesting use of different pictorial formats and emotional communication often shown through the pirates’ body language.

Granny's place

Granny's place by Allison Paterson, illustrated by Shane McGarth (Big Sky Publishing) HB RRP $24.99 PB RRP $14.99

ISBN: HB 978-1-925275-62-9

           PB 978-1-925275-63-6

Reviewed by Anita Howard

Through the voice of a little girl the reader experiences what can be missed and gained when big changes happen. The girl loves visiting her Granny and Pa. She describes what is special about where they live; the farm, the mud brick house that pa made, sleeping in high metal beds, the animals like ducks and games pa had kept from his childhood.

Then Pa died and Granny had to leave the farm. Her new home is very different. 'But there was one thing that was still the same -- Granny.’

The book provides a gentle reflection about dealing with change and loss. There are also smaller changes that reflect changes in history, technology and materials used; these are seen between the farm home and Granny’s new home, such as the large wooden kitchen table replaced with a smaller mental legged table.

Delightful illustrations create energy and mood, and inform us visually of what and how things have been changed from one place and time to the other.

Stripes in the forest

Stripes in the forest by Aleesah Darlison, illustrated by Shane McGrath (Big Sky Publishing) HB RRP $24.99 PB RRP $14.99

ISBN: HB 978-1-925275-70-4 PB 978-1-925275-71-1

Reviewed by Anita Howard

This is a powerful story about the last wild Thylacine, the Tasmanian tiger; which aligns with aspects of the Australian Curriculum and appropriate for infant children and older.

The story is told from the perspective of a female Thylacine: as she passes on her fears and hopes for her kind to her young ones as she first finds a mate, produces cubs and then watches them leave. She looks down at a human's camp and ponders why they capture and mutilate her fellow creatures.

Empathy for the Thylacine is created through the questions and thoughts that occupy the female’s Thylacine mind. Primary school children can be encouraged to consider how they would feel if they were this mother or a current creature close to extinction. The reader is left with an uplifting question 'I'm the last of my kind. Or am I?'

This story is accompanied by beautifully rendered landscapes and emotive and skilled illustrations of the animals. Included on the last page are facts related to the Thylacine.

There’s a Magpie in My Soup

There’s a Magpie in My Soup by Sean Farrar, illustrated by Pat Kan (Big Sky Publishing) HB RRP $24.99 PB RRP $14.99

ISBN: HB 978-1-925275-67-4

           PB 978-1-925275-68-1

Reviewed by Anita Howard

This is a book of nonsense and anticipation that children will enjoy, filled with Australian animals in unexpected places such as a snake in a cake and a cockatoo in a loo.

The format for the book is two full spread pages, with the initial page introducing the animal and object and the following page a reaction between animal and object. These pairs are separated by an individual full spread page of text and illustration.

There are delightful rhyming phrases that children will enjoy repeating and I can imagine action accompanying the text.

The illustrative style of wash and quick, expressive pen work delightfully adds to the mischievousness of the text.

Barnaby and the lost Treasure of Bunnville

Barnaby and the lost Treasure of Bunnville by Robert Vescio, illustrated by Cheri Hughes (Big Sky Publishing)

HB RRP $24.99 PB RRP $14.99

ISBN: HB 978-1-925275-64-3 PB 978-1-925275-61-2

Reviewed by Anita Howard

A story about an eco-friendly rabbit and his desire grow a garden from his collection of seeds. Barnaby is a rabbit which has collected many seeds from his travels. He wishes to create a garden where he lives, in Bunnyville. But the mayor is only interested in monetary wealth and says no to Barnaby's request. Barnaby takes advantage of the mayor’s greed and tricks him and citizens of Bunnyville, using a fake treasure map into digging holes all over the open spaces around the town.

Barnaby drops one of his seeds into each hole. Over time, the seeds turn into trees and plants, bearing fruit and vegetables which he takes to the market to sell. Barnaby tells the mayor and people of Bunnyville that here is the wealth from the ground. Through Barnaby’s achievement, infant children and older will gain an insight into the wealth and value of the earth.

The illustrations are clear, bold and playful. The additional inclusion of the ladybug and her different antics, bring anticipation as you wonder what she will do on the next page.

The Mozzie with a Sharp Snozzie

The Mozzie with a Sharp Snozzie, written and illustrated by Irina Goundortseva  (Big Sky Publishing) RRP $24.99 HB & $14.99 PB

ISBN 978-1-925275-96-4 (PB) ISBN 978-1-925275-77-3 (HB)

Reviewed by Anita Howard

A mosquito admits that he didn’t always like being a mosquito.  There the story progresses to a time when Mosquito asks three beautiful butterflies, ‘Can I flutter around with you?’ The Butterflies respond: ‘You are not good enough for us. You are ugly and boring.’  Mosquito flies away. He soon comes across a beautiful flower. With the flower wrapped around his body he goes back to the butterflies, in the disguise as a beautiful butterfly and is accepted.

The butterflies and the mosquito are caught in a butterfly net and taken back to a room. Here Mosquito becomes a hero as he escapes from a holding jar and stings the thumb of the person who was about to stick a pin in one of the butterflies.

Finally, the butterflies are happy to fly with mosquito as a mosquito and mosquito is happy to be a mosquito.

Delightful depictions of the mosquito and creative use of different illustrative formats are evident in this excellent story, which is about looking at identity and encouraging children to find their strengths as individuals.

Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy - Shoot-out at the Rock

Tommy Bell Bushranger Boy - Shoot-out at the Rock by Jane Smith, illustrated by Pat Kan (Big Sky Publishing) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 978-1-925275-94-0

Reviewed by Anita Howard

This is an enjoyable story about the history of Australian bushrangers that will spark the interest of children aged 7 years and up.

The story begins with a disengaged Tommy who has failed his history test; he is kept in over lunch to read a boring history book, and misses his chance to buy a special donut. When Tommy notices a boy eating his desired donut, he kicks him and steals the donut, then he runs away from school. His distressed parents announce he will spend the whole of his upcoming school holidays working on his grandparents’ farm. This is not how Tommy had planned on spending his holidays.

Farm life is not as tough as he expects and he is provided with Combo, a horse, for the duration of his stay. The discovery of a cave and an old bushranger’s hat during one of his rides is the pivotal event that sends Tommy from the contemporary farm life into the life and times of Captain Thunderbolt, an Australian bushranger.

This section is fast-paced, as Tommy appears at moments such as a shooting between police and the bushrangers.Tommy’s first-hand experiences in Captain Thunderbolt’s world soon changes his attitude to stealing, violence; and history.

This is the first of a series of books, where Tommy, with the help of the old hat, travels back to the world of the Australian bushrangers.

Sprinkled with bold illustrations, and concluded with historic notes about Captain Thunderbolt, the story is followed by a fictional interview with Captain Thunderbolt.