I’m Not Afraid of Spiders

I’m Not Afraid of Spiders by Caitlin Henderson, illustrated by Annie Henderson (CSIRO) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN9781486318551

This is a non-fiction children’s picture book written in rhyming verse that explores the world of spiders, their fascinating features, and their different shapes, colours, and sizes.

Readers discover how there's nothing to fear about these beautiful but often misunderstood animals. Meet spiders that jump, spiders that sparkle and spiders that look like twigs. Be amazed by their fascinating features and different shapes, colours and sizes. Learn, for example, how spiders use their legs to sense touch and air movement, even to taste things.

At the end of the book there is a double-page spread titled ‘All About Spiders.’ It explains words such as arachnids, invertebrates, exoskeletons and arachnologists. It also explains how spiders use their spinnerets to make silk for their webs. And how newly hatched spiders use a technique called ballooning to find a new place to live. As well, readers learn that almost all spiders are venomous and inject venom into their prey to paralyse or kill it before they eat it.

Handy as well is a glossary that explains all things related to spiders, such as habitat and cephalothorax (the front part of a spider, where the legs are attached)

Caitlin Henderson is an award-winning wildlife photographer and writer who works with live spiders and other invertebrates. She tells stories of misunderstood wildlife online under the name She’s Got Legs Photography.

Annie Henderson is an illustrator with a love of nature and a passion for finding beauty in even the smallest of creatures. Her passion for illustration began as a child, when she and her sister Caitlin would spend hours creating drawings of make-believe worlds.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 5 to 9.

 

The World from Here

The World from Here by Cassy Polimeni & Mel Armstrong (CSIRO) JF RRP $26.99 ISBN 9781486319855

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Cassy Polimeni is a children’s author and freelance editor whose stories celebrate nature and the environment. Her books, including The Garden at the End of the World, Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra, and Ella and the Sleepover Safari, have been awarded CBCA Notables and the Environment Award for Children’s Literature.

Mel Armstrong is an artist and illustrator from Wellington, New Zealand. She blends digital and traditional techniques drawing inspiration from nature and her home life. She crafts distinctive children’s books and has illustrated over 15 children’s books.

Milo lies on the grass watching cumulus clouds transform into animals. Maya looks out a plane window and marvels at the sky outside and the shapes the countries make below. Milo and Maya remind us that there are countless ways to experience our world.

Cassy Polimeni has beautifully combined storytelling with scientific principles that explore our natural world. A dual story line explores Maya looking down from above the clouds in a plane and Milo lying on the grass, gazing up at the clouds. Readers are naturally and easily introduced to nephology (study of clouds), the basics of weather and meteorology, formation of Earths continents, star constellations and the little wonders of nature. Polimeni has masterfully woven together a picture book narrative with scientific information that feels very easy and natural for a child to read. It is not very often that you see a narrative and scientific information blend together so seamlessly and Polimeni makes it look easy. The storyline sequencing is well done, and the parallel scientific information appears in little speech bubbles.

A child can read the whole story first or travel through the book absorbing both sets of information. The book is layered with meaning so a younger or older child can both enjoy the same book. Polimeni plays to child curiosity and intelligence. The vocabulary used is descriptive and both simple and complex. Children are not only encouraged to look at our world differently but also intelligently by exploring the science of our world and natural wonders.  Wonder is all around. The endpapers and glossary are important to this book and are well done.

Mel Armstrong’s illustrations are joyful, bright and full of life. The endpapers lead in and end with soft clouds which is perfect for this book. What I love most about Armstrong’s illustrations is the playfulness and the way she has captured both the wonder and curiosity of Milo and Maya. Perspective changes as the narrative does and it works beautifully with all the cloud play and labelling. Her use of colour shows a distinct difference between looking down or up. I love how when the ground comes into play the plane still appears connecting the two views. The visual labelling is very easy to see and understand and white space is used well. The detail is lovely and draws the eye to places to seek both visual and written information.

The World from Here is quite a magical scientific picture book that is perfect for any curious child. To get more out of this book there are perfectly aligned teaching notes which are great for teachers and librarians using this book. I think what I love most about this book is its bright happy positivity about our world. Reading levels vary but this book is recommended for ages 5-9.

 

 

 

The Great Shark Egg Case Hunt

The Great Shark Egg Case Hunt (CSIRO) Kasey Whitelaw & Sylvia Morris PB RRP $26.99 ISBN 9781486318308

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Kasey Whitelaw is a marine biologist, educator and children’s writer who is passionate about connecting children to science and nature.

Sylvia Morris is an illustrator and science enthusiast who loves illustrating picture books because they combine two of her favourite activities: reading and problem solving. She is also the illustrator of the CSIRO books, Bear to the Rescue and The Opal Dinosaur.

It’s time to go on an egg hunt – a shark egg case hunt!  Join citizen scientists around the world and search for some weird and wonderful shark egg cases.

Kasey Whitelaw has created an interactive text that calls the reader to action. Our citizen scientists from around the world have an important mission. The reader is invited to be a citizen scientist too. Come along – you can be an egg case hunter too! Factual text is shared in a way that makes it easy to read and absorb. Shark egg cases are introduced and explained so that a reader knows exactly what it is they are looking for. Then the reader is taken to different places around the world. The weather and coastal features of each location are explored, with each place having its own unique type of shark egg case to discover. Noah, for example, finds a Thornback Skate egg case!

Activities vary depending on the setting—ranging from poking a stick along the shoreline to snorkelling or even paddleboarding over a kelp forest. Whitelaw’s sentences are concise, detailed, and easy to read. The language is straightforward, while some extended vocabulary—such as constellation—thoughtfully woven in. Children are encouraged to share their finds using data from the Shark Trust website, helping to connect the story with real-world citizen science. The engaging backmatter includes fascinating information about sharks and egg case discoveries, along with a helpful glossary. Teacher notes are also provided to support learning in the classroom.

Sylvia Morris has a clear and easy to follow type of illustrative style. This is important with a non-fiction book. She showcases real-life but simplifies it for children with clean line work and some texture to show the environmental and habitual context. Her colour palette is lifelike and slightly muted, and the layout is balanced and pleasing to the eye. It beautifully supports the text. The blue cover is eye-catching with shades of blue like waves, four children and, if you look closely enough, some hidden shark egg cases. The endpapers are a lovely lead into the story in soft pastels and feature a shark in the corner at the start and swimming away in the back endpapers. I particularly love the depiction of the reef in South Africa and all the bright sea urchins, sea stars, and soft coral.

The Great Shark Egg Case Hunt is a gorgeous non-fiction picture book that celebrates shark egg cases, their importance, and the sharing of scientific information. This book would make a great gift for any child who has an interest in nature and the environment. It is refreshing to see a non-fiction book that is highly engaging, topical and beautiful. Reading levels do vary from child to child but this book is recommended for ages 5 to 9 years.  This book has appeal to children, families, teachers and librarians. It is sure to capture little hearts, and big ones too. To get more out of this book, use the free teacher notes aligned to the Australian curriculum on the CSIRO webpage.

 

Lucky's Star​ - The Story of a Meteorite

Lucky's Star​ - The Story of a Meteorite by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Lucia Masciullo (CSIRO Publishing 2025) HB RRP $26.99 ISBN 9781486318070

Reviewed by Sylvia Forbes

On a quiet spring morning, something strange falls from the sky and lands on a small country town.

Lucky watches as 'stars' rain down on the fields and farms, but just what are these unusual objects?

And what will Lucky do with her own special find?

Follow Lucky as she discovers a very special rock that fell from space.

As a child I was one of those readers who preferred reading nonfiction books when they incorporated elements of fiction because they helped me engage with and absorb information easier. So, I was happy to find that this was how Mark Greenwood - history-hunter and award-winning author - chose to approach the narrative in Lucky's Star - by creatively sharing the story of a significant Australian event through the fictional character of a young girl called Lucky.  

Lucky finds a piece of the meteor (her little star) and takes it home with her. At night she wonders if her star has left an empty space in the sky and vows to return it. Her well-thought out attempts to relaunch the star fail, so she goes to the professor for help. He tells her it cannot be returned to the sky - but he finds the perfect forever home for her special star instead.

The text is easy to read and accessible to young children, allowing them to readily engage with the story and learn about this extraordinary event in Australia's past.

Award-winner Lucia Masciullo's illustrations add an appealing, whimsical layer to support the text and bring the story - and the small Australian farming town of Murchison in the 1960's - to life. Her soft muted tones bring a realism to the landscape and the details included to represent this decade are well researched and a pleasure to see.

I love the gently humorous details she includes in her illustrations - and the expression on the animals’ faces as the rocks fall are priceless! I also love the double page illustration of Lucky where she is reading at a table strewn with a plethora of items - marbles, an eraser, a record single, a spinning top, a wooden pencil box etc. - all reminiscent of this decade and commonplace before technology stepped in. And the double page illustration of the meteorite streaking over fields and farmland is an impressive sight.

The celestial spectacle was the talk of the town that Sunday morning. Murchison locals gossiped that the spooky rocks strewn across spring pastures might carry alien germs.

Having a meteor shower would have been a spectacular event for the townsfolk of Murchison in 1969. And whilst they would have had a renewed fascination with space - considering that the first moon landing had taken place earlier that same year - there still would have been way less information available (compared to what we have now) so it is reasonable for them to have had some strange ideas about the rocks that fell. Scientists - on the other hand - embraced this event as the perfect opportunity to discover and learn more about the mysteries of the universe.

The closing pages feature some thoroughly enjoyable, interesting facts on the Murchison meteorite to inspire deeper learning and understanding and to encourage further conversations and a host of more questions from children - along with a detailed glossary covering a wide range of space-related words. 

Lucky's Star comes in the form of a book where information meets imagination, adding an element of play to the learning process - making it accessible to all the different kinds of young readers out there. It is the perfect book for curious kids and particularly ideal for those who enjoy learning about outer space, science, meteorites and Australian history - and will make an excellent addition to schools and children's libraries.

Highly recommended and suitable for ages 5-9 years.

Teachers’ notes - aligned to the Australian Curriculum - are free to download from the CSIRO Publishing website: publish.csiro.au/book/8146/#forteachers

 

Tardigrades Nature’s Toughest Survivors

Tardigrades Nature’s Toughest Survivors (CSIRO) Anne Morgan & Jennifer Falkner PB RRP $24.99 9781486316052

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Anne Morgan is a seasoned award-winning author who lives in Tasmania.  She has a PhD in writing for which she won the university medal. Her picture book The Way of the Weedy Seadragon (CSIRO Publishing, 2021) was a CBCA Notable Book and shortlisted in the Wilderness Society’s Environment Award for Children’s Literature.

Jennifer Falkner is an illustrator based in Perth. Her work is inspired by her passion for nature, the antics of her two boys and her time spent working in South-East Asia. 

Tardigrades are micro critters that have incredible survival powers. This book is a journey of discovery about these fascinating creatures which are even older than dinosaurs and still here on earth.

Anne Morgan’s text shows the reader why Tardigrades are so fascinating and special. The opening page is an invitation to find out more. By comparing Tardigrades to animals and humans, the reader sees why they are so tough. But one kind of creature can survive extreme dangers that would kill almost every other organisation. They must be World Champion Survivors! By sharing extreme places, they are found Morgan shows their toughness without having to say too much about them. Their true name is not shown in the beginning, so the reader page turns to discover. Can you guess what these animals are yet?

Questions are used as an invitation to think as well as seek the answer. The language is simple but effective. Tardigrades might look like caterpillars in sleeping bags, but they’re not insects. Morgan uses what a child knows to help them understand and learn about Tardigrades. She tells us what they are not to show what they are. The words lead the reader to keep on reading. But the Tardigrades have an even more fascinating trick. The information is fresh and fascinating with the sharing of facts, like suspended animation. Morgan also allows a child’s imagination to play. The backmatter is great for further learning and understanding and teachers will really appreciate this. A detailed glossary is helpful and educational too.

Jennifer Falkner’s illustrations are informative yet playful. The cover is eye-catching with its space background and a colourful circular design around the title shows Tardigrades and extreme places you will find them. The endpapers feature many Tardigrades on a pale blue background blowing in the wind just like they do in real life. Extra visual information is shared that supports the text beautifully. For example, tough animals are mentioned and then the illustrations feature lots of tough animals. Perspective is used to advantage and playful imagination. White space is used sparingly but to great effect. The Tardigrades even look quite comical which gives them likeability as book characters. The colour palette varies and enhances the text. The visuals in the backmatter have both detail and a fun element.

Tardigrades Nature’s Toughest Survivors is a picture book that is intriguing and interesting about a fascinating topic. Children do like learning about unusual creatures that have superpowers so this book will capture interest. It will appeal to children, parents, teachers and librarians Those with a special interest in science will really enjoy and appreciate this book. It’s a fascinating read for children 5-9 years.

 

Fabulous Frogs

Fabulous Frogs (CSIRO) Katrina Germein & Suzanne Houghton PB RRP $24.99 9781486317875

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Katrina Germein is a bestselling children’s picture book author and an Australian early childhood teacher. She has written over twenty picture books with some published internationally. Her first picture book, Big Rain Coming, became an international success.

Suzanne Houghton is an award-winning author and illustrator of several books including Wonderful Wasps and Life is a Hollow. She adores using colour in her books.

Discover everything weird and wonderful about 12 Australian native frogs found in swamps, rainforests, deserts and even backyards.

Katrina Germein’s opening two sentences are questions, that use alliteration. They lead the reader to page turn to discover more. This is a perfect start for a book of discovery. Do you have a favourite, fabulous frog?  A fine, fascinating, Australian frog? Note the use of two strong sentences, not one. This is super clever. The sentences are succinct and on point so that a child can easily absorb the information. The sentences allow for the illustrations to complement the text and provide extra visual information.

As you read you move from habitat to appearance, adaptability, diet, lifecycle, predators, environmental threats and how to create a frog hotel in your backyard. The ending links back to the opening sentence and allows the reader to decide upon their favourite frog. Now, which is your favourite fabulous frog? The end matter has more information about Australian frogs and includes the steps to creating a frog-friendly garden which encourages care for frogs. A handy glossary at the back makes this such an informative and educational book.

Suzanne Houghton’s distinct illustrative style ensures the book is not only informative but beautiful to read. Her love of colour shows with the sky-blue background on the front cover with frogs on branches and rocks. The endpapers feature the twelve frogs inside the book each numbered and labelled. The reader knows exactly which frogs are in the book and what they look like before even reading a word of the text.

The illustrations work well with the text and allow frogs to shine in page spreads and vignettes. The attention to detail shows and the movement and beauty of frogs is captured beautifully.  The use of white space is effective so that the eye is immediately drawn to the frogs. I particularly love the double-page spread about camouflage with the Great Barred frog hidden beautifully in lovely brown leaf matter.  It encourages a child reader to find frogs just as they would in nature.

Fabulous Frogs is a book that celebrates our native frogs and their unique behaviours and features. It will not only delight children, parents, teachers and librarians but inform and create awareness about our native Australian frogs. It’s a great teaching resource and a fantastic read for those children who love non-fiction picture books. Fabulous Frogs is the sort of book that can be read repeatedly. This book is suitable for 5-9 years and I’m sure many will love it.

Purinina

Purinina (CSIRO) Christina Booth PB RRP $24.99 9781486317264

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Cristina Booth is a multi-award winning internationally published author working from her studio in southern Tasmania. She grew up in the bush with wombats, quolls, wallabies, possums, and purinia.

Purinina is a new rendition of the award-winning picture book Purinina, A Devil’s Tale (2007) for a new generation of children. In 2007 it won a CBCA Notable. The story follows the life cycle of one of Australia’s most unique animals from birth to adult. Will Purinina and her brothers survive when their mother doesn’t return to their cave? Tasmanian Devils are currently endangered: they not only face the dangers of living in the wild but Devil Facial Tumour Disease.

Cristina Booth’s love of Australian wildlife and Tasmania shines brightly in this poetic heart catching picture book. Purinina is the Aboriginal name for the Tasmanian Devil, and it is an attention-grabbing title. The opening sentence is captivating and compelling, it simply takes your breath away. It brilliantly establishes the setting and cleverly is split to create a powerful page turn. At the bottom of the world, on the edge of an island, through a deep valley lined with pines that point to the sky, deep in the darkest corner of a warm dry cave, Purinina climbs through a dark forest of fur, she searches for the warm sweetness of her mother’s milk.

Booth’s words capture the joy of joeys, the love of their mother and imminent danger that is always nearby. Longer sentences mixed with powerful shorter sentences create impact and drama. The emotive text brings attention to Purinina’s strong instinct to survive. Purinina was left wondering where the two strange things took her mother, and I did wonder, too. This circular story leaves the reader feeling happy when the lifecycle starts again with Purinina becoming a mother. The language really takes you into the heart of the story. The thoughtful educational backmatter raises awareness of this species, their vulnerability and unique beauty.

Cristina Booth’s captivating full-page illustrations move between warm, light colours to dark and dramatic. The illustrations work well with the text, with careful and thought-provoking placement of text and phrases and words that add to the dramatisation of the story. The endpapers capture the white band of Purinina on her black body. It changes direction from left to right at the end of the book and I see this as Purinina moving forward positively into the future. The final pages share devilish details and a glossary which makes the book a resource as well as a powerful story. The front cover features Purinina so that you immediately know the book is about a Tasmanian Devil.

Purina is an important picture book. It will not only delight children, parents, teachers, and librarians but inform and create awareness and an emotional connection to such a special Australian animal. It’s a great teaching resource and I am sure it will also find its way into environmental retail outlets as well as bookstores. This book is suitable for children 5 to 9 years and teaching notes are also available. I wouldn’t be surprised if this version won a CBCA Notable award too.

Our World Full of Wonder

Our World Full of Wonder (CSIRO) Jevita Nilson & Jess Racklyeft PB RRP $24.99 9781486316052

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Jevita Nilson is an Australian children’s author who creates stories that encourage children to explore the world around them. Her debut picture book Happy Hearts was published in 2020. Our World Full of Wonder is her first non-fiction book which will be followed by a third in 2025 with CSIRO.

Jess Racklyeft is a multi-award-winning illustrator and author of children’s picture books. Jess previously worked in publishing before becoming a full-time illustrator.

Our world is full of amazing natural wonders: there are extraordinary places found right here on Earth that are not only magical, but true. This book takes you to some of those places

Jevita Nilson has written about wondrous places. She really does inspire children to want to explore. The opening spread uses sparse text to create awe. Floating in space, there is a world full of wonder. Shall we go explore? The book unfolds with double spreads for each special place. A repeat refrain opens each spread There is a place where… Rather than revealing the name of the place, the text describes the place, and the illustrations show them. Rather than giving answers the text inspires the reader to find answers and wonder where the place could possibly be in our big wide world.

The language used is light and lyrical, to spark awe and wonder. The word choices are enriching and satisfying. There is a place where ocean creatures roam a multi-coloured maze, where giant rays glide through gleaming waters, and turtles paddle past wavering coral. The verbs give a sense of place and movement, and Nilson uses things children know to build imagery. e.g. fairy-floss water ripples. The ending beautifully links to the beginning. There is a place filled with wonder: our world, our home. Shall we go explore? The back matter lists each place featured in chronological order with its name, location and facts. A handy glossary gives the meaning of scientific words used in the text.

Jess Racklyeft’s signature illustrative style shines out distinctly from the front cover. A blue space background with tiny dots for stars and Earth front and centre with a world map that shows the places featured inside. The title is in a striking yellow font. The endpapers resemble coloured lights with brush strokes in pastel colours across a white background. The title page shows the title inside the sun and birds flying across which draws the eye to page turn into wonder. Racklyeft’s use of both moody and joyful colour really does show the wonder of such magical places. Her colour palette is candy for the eye. Perspective zooms in and out to advantageously show each unique place in its own light.

Some double pages beam bright glorious colour others show the view of the place through a child’s eyes. I love the spread with the tall trees as three children are looking up into the dappled canopy. The way nature shows herself in different places is captured. In the back matter there is a world map included with each place numbered and two children floating in space looking down. Beside the glossary on a white background a map of the world shows the places featured.

Our World Full of Wonder is a picture book that is gloriously magical but also about true places which is unique. This is a book that entices the reader to want to go explore places in our world. You can’t help but not fall in love with our world. It’s a special read for children 5-9 years, and will be enjoyed by many age groups.