Oliver Kitten’s Diary

Oliver Kitten’s Diary by Gareth St John Thomas (Exisle Publishing) PB RRP $29.99 ISBN 9781922539359

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Oliver Kitten’s Diary is a fun and humorous recount of a kitten’s first year of life. Oliver (don’t even think of calling him Ollie) was adopted by a human family when he was six weeks old. The precocious and cheeky cat is confident that everyone will want to know about his important life so he decides to keep a journal. Oliver captures his most memorable moments from each day, from stealth operations to simply snoozing. Despite his mother’s warning to stay out of trouble, Oliver seems to be in it on many occasions.

Animal lovers of all ages will adore reading about the antics of this delightfully mischievous cat, and be amused by the subtleties of feline and human behaviours.

This novel sized book features short diary entries, thick yellow page borders, patterned endpapers, and cat silhouettes adorning most pages. Oliver Kitten’s Diary is recommended for readers aged 9 years and older.

Get Ready, Mama!

Get Ready, Mama! by Sharon Giltrow, illustrated by Arielle Li (Exisle Publishing) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781922539083

Reviewed by Kerry Gittins

In this latest book from Sharon Giltrow, we find a young girl and her mother getting ready for school, except this is no ordinary morning routine. In this warm and funny story, we see the roles reversed, with the young child urging her mama to get out of bed, get dressed (and help her put the clothes on the right way), eat breakfast, get her shoes on, and finally get out the door and be on the way to school. When they arrive at school, mama wants one more hug, one more kiss and a pinkie promise that they will see each other later.

Parents will relate to the morning rush and the extrication of limbs and goodbyes at the school gate before the children happily run off to find their friends and start the school day. Children will recognise the hilarity of the role reversal and see themselves in the many tasks that mama must finish before the school morning can begin.

Giltrow’s humorous and engaging text is complimented by Li’s bright and playful illustrations that expertly capture the essence of the story. Get Ready, Mama! is a wonderful addition to any library collection for young children. 

Themes to be explored in the classroom could include morning routines, families, mother-daughter relationships, getting ready for school, responsibility, and self-awareness. 

Book

Book by David Miles, illustrated by Natalie Hoopes (Exisle Publishing)

HC RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781939629654

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

There is one general theme in this most perfect and stunning book. That is that a book can be your greatest companion in life no matter what. It can fill the empty spaces in your life. It can take you to places far beyond reality. It never lets you down. You can always turn to it when you want or need some special company. In all your varying moods, it’s the one constant thing.

I could wax lyrical forever but words fail me. They sit before my eyes but won’t come out through my fingers.

This book is a rare and grand visual feast in every sense. It is magnificent in design, layout, breathtaking detailed illustrations, content, text and theme. It is a collector’s book; a book lover’s dream.

I have to share what is written about the author. “David Miles makes books for a living. He reads books, writes books, sells books, thinks about books, drives to books, sleeps to books (but doesn’t eat books)”.  Only a person like this could have created a book like this. This is his second children’s picture book. But it took a special kind of artist to translate all that he had to say into pictures.

About the illustrator: “Natalie Hoopes was born with a head full of ideas. She decided that the only way to get them out was to be a painter.” Evidence of their love of what they do is here, documented forever. It’s available to all those bibliopoles whose heart pounds to the sound of words and turning pages as mine does. This is the most creative book I’ve held for years.

Don’t Think About Purple Elephants

Don’t Think About Purple Elephants by Susan Whelan, illustrated by Gwynneth Jones (EK Books imprint of Exisle Publishing)

HC RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781921966699

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

‘Sometimes Sophie worried.’ That opening sentence immediately had me questioning; what does she worry about and why? I had to find out.

Sophie is a thinker. While she is busy, she thinks about the games she plays, and all that she’s currently occupied with. But in the still of the night when activity stops, she begins to worry. She worries about every what if…? she can think of. Sleep stays away from all the questions clogging her mind. Her days are frequently sluggish and unproductive due to her restless nights.

Despite all the family trying hard to help Sophie, nothing changes behind her closed eyes. She continues to worry until her mother gives her something else to think about.

 Susan Whelan is a writer, Managing Editor of Kids Book Review, and a ‘passionate advocate for children’s literature.’ Her publishing debut is impressive. She approaches the theme of worry in an imaginative and sensitive way.

Gwynneth Jones gives Whelan’s text a detailed and insightful translation in media of ink pen, colour pencil and gouache. Her vivid, visual portrayal of the text is highly individual. While keeping the expressions on the faces of the children authentic, she has created them in a more simplistic form than those of the adults. Sophie and what she is doing, thinking, and feeling is always the main focus.

I love the fact that the cat, or some part of it, is used on many of the pages. It’s like a game of seek-and-find in addition to the main story. The same device applies to hands (and paws). They appear without the rest of the body, expressing something of their own (or perhaps simply as part of a game). This has quite a fantastic effect on the whole presentation; a stand-out factor. With its stunning cover and delightful end pages, this captivating production can easily be used as a resource for children and adults to explore this theme together.

Blog Blast! Tottie and Dot

Tottie and Dot by Tania McCartney and Tina Snerling (EK Books)
HB RRP $24.99
ISBN 9781921966491
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

Tottie and Dot are the best of friends who do everything side by side.

The gorgeous girls nibble apricot sandwiches, sip marshmallow tea, boil speckled eggs, water their blooms and fluff up their angel feather pillows. Their lives are in sync.

But one day competition sneaks in to forge a wedge between the two girls. The wedge grows wider and wider until something has to give. And in dramatic style! Fortunately, it is not their friendship which comes out on top and the girls once again are content in each other's company.

This book is delicious. Tania's McCartney's delectable text is a pleasure to read out loud. The fantastical lengths the girls go to in an effort to out-do each other are outrageously enjoyable yet simultaneously portray a sense of chaos and impending doom. Among other things, Tottie ups the ante with 'scattered strawberries', a roller coaster and a ski slope while Dot resorts to a lemon-drop tree, flamingos and has even 'cooked up a circus'.

Tina Snerling's illustrations do the words justice and more and in true picture book fashion expand on the text. Readers will pore over the pictures, making new discoveries on each reading. The retro colours hark back to the essence of the story that all we really need is  a good friend to share our time with and all else is superfluous.

Tottie and Dot is a book that will be enjoyed by children, parents and all of us who love beautiful creations.

An Aussie Year Book Launch ACT

Book and Party. Two of the best words in the English language. Put them together and you have a book launch! Canberrans can head out to Paperchain Bookstore in Manuka on 26 October for the hugely talented Tania McCartney's launch of An Aussie Year. RSVP essential.

An Aussie Year Book Launch Brisbane

If you're in Brisbane on 19 October don't miss this chance to celebrate the launch of Tania McCartney and Tins Snerling's gorgeous new release, An Aussie Year. RSVP essential.

An Aussie Year

An Aussie Year by Tania McCartney, illustrated by Tina Snerling (Exisle Publishing)
HB RRP $19.99
ISBN 978-1-921966-24-8
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

An Aussie Year is a delightfully entertaining and informative journey across the months, seasons and places of Australia through the eyes of five children.

All Australian, the children who take us on this tour come from culturally diverse backgrounds. Ned’s family have lived in Australia for five generations. Zoe’s parents emigrated from Greece. Lily has a Chinese/Vietnamese background. Kirra is an Indigenous Australian. And Matilda’s family came from Ireland when she was a baby.

Each page opening illustrates a month in the year. And each month shows the activities, festivals and celebrations of the children. It reflects both the differences and similarities of the various cultural traditions.

The pictures are bold and bright and clear with cleverly set out, attractive pages. Six or seven scenes illustrate each month and the text snakes around them, through them, and in some cases, become part of them.

In January they swim, play frisby, have picnics, celebrate Tet (Vietnamese New Year), surf, watch the Australian Open, wear thongs, fish, slip-slop-slap, have school holidays, New Year’s Day and watch fireworks on New Year’s Day. All without crowding the page. And in January too, I learned that Australia Day is sometimes called Survival Day.

There is so much in this book that is representative of all Australian Children and families – it’s a wonderful melting pot of cultures that reflects Australia of today. All children will find plenty to relate too.

There’s a lot to learn as well. Some of the information is straightforward: “It’s Earth Hour. We turn off our lights for sixty minutes. (It’s because we want to save the planet).”

And some of the information is tucked away in clever sentences: “We paddle quickly away from box jelly fish.”

The humour is subtle, in both illustration and text. In March, on Clean-Up Australia Day, Zoe is vacuuming grass in the shape of Australia. Then, in September: “It’s Father’s Day. Dad reads the paper, watches the footy and goes to the hardware store.”

The last page has a map of Australia with more snippets of information and humour and the endpapers – front and back – area a wonderful montage of scenes from throughout the book.

I really loved this deceptively simple picture book. There is so much to see, read, discover and discuss. It will be thoroughly enjoyed by readers of all ages and is a celebration of all that happens in our diverse Australian lives.

30 Things My Dad Taught Me

30 Things My Dad Taught Me by Ian, Paul and Denis Baker (Exisle Publishing)
PB RRP $24.95
ISBN 9780980812985
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

30 Things is written by three brothers to honour the memory of their father Leon James Baker. Anecdotes about Leon and of Baker family life from each of the boys fill the book. Leon's wise words and actions highlight the type of man he was and his legacy. There is no doubting the deep love held this man held for his sons, and his sons for him.

The book is a celebration of family life and as such the authors' mother is also included in many of the stories. Inspirational quotes and personal stories are shared. There are also pages where sons and daughters can reflect and write things their own fathers taught them as well as things they would like to teach others. To me, this is the core of the book: the giving and receiving of love.

This is a truly touching book and one that will leave a mark on all who read it. It would make a perfect and personal Father's Day gift.

Coolmind

Coolmind by David Keefe (Exisle Publishing)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 9781921497933
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton

This pocket-sized book is perfectly suited to teenagers and addresses issues often experienced by young Australians. It begins with citing examples of situations which would commonly cause stress in a modern teenager's life: exams, competitions, parties, dating.

In easy to understand language and without sounding like he is lecturing, Keefe discusses why everyone needs a cool mind. His strategy to dealing with these everyday stresses is to calm the mind and he provides ten different meditation techniques for the reader. Each has particular focus and Keefe suggests initially trying the practices in order and then choosing the one that suits best. He combats the most common excuses for not giving meditation a go and shows that you only need a minimum of three minutes a day.

In our world of increasing pace and pressures this book is perfect for not only teenagers but all of us.