Together Things

Together Things by Michelle Vasiliu and Gwynneth Jones (EK Books)

ISBN 9781925820294 RRP $24.99 HB

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

This picture book explores the issue of children with parents who suffer from mental health issues. With colourful illustrations, Together Things is a story about a girl who spends quality time with her father doing fun activities. When her dad gets sick and must go to hospital, the girl needs to find new pastimes suitable for the new situation. And although different, these ‘together things’ can be just as much fun.  

The first part of the book shows the ‘normal’ things the girl and her father do together: swinging, climbing, swimming, and playing with insects and the cat. The middle part of the story is about her dad getting sick and going to hospital and how that makes the girl feel – ‘Sometimes it makes me feel sad too. Or angry mad’. The last part of the story shows the new quieter activities: reading, drawing, watching TV, listening to music, and cuddling under the blankets. These show how we sometimes need to adapt to allow time to heal.

A recurring theme through the illustrations are squiggles in different colours in the background of the other pictures. But when the dad is sick, all that is left is stark blue doodles on a white background. Gradually the scribbles are replaced with pictures again (including a picture of doodles when drawing). This is a good illustrative device to show emotion and mood and finishes things off on a positive note.

The author Michelle Vasiliu works in mental health peer support for Families Where a Parent has a Mental Illness. She hopes that this book will give people the courage to tackle the topic of mental illness with our children. With one in five adults experiencing depression in their lifetime, it is important to have resources to help young children who are affected.

Together Things

Together Things by Michelle Vasiliu, illustrated by Gwynneth Jones (EK Books) RRP HB $24.99
ISBN 9781925820294

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Together Things is a picture book that looks at adult depression from a child’s perspective. An unnamed little girl reflects on the experiences she used to enjoy with her dad: climbing, swimming, exploring, swinging and playing outdoors. She then states that her dad is sick and that they don’t do any of those things anymore.

The girl’s mother tries to sensitively describe the dad’s depression to her, advising: ‘It muddles up his thoughts. And makes him feel yucky and very very sad.’ The young girl’s simplistic hopes are just to spend quality time with her dad. Naturally the girl has big feelings around her dad’s illness and his change of behaviour, claiming it makes her feel ‘sad’ and ‘angry mad’. Thankfully, her loving mother explains that they may not be able to do the same things they used to, but they can still do things together… different things.

Together Things is beautifully illustrated in full colour double page spreads. There are large random scribbles and swirls on the end papers and most pages throughout the book which symbolise the father’s disordered thoughts and the daughter’s confusion. Together Things has themes of love, family, mental illness and resilience and is suitable for children aged 4-8.

Don’t think about Purple Elephants

Don’t think about Purple Elephants written by Susan Whelan, illustrated by Gwynneth Jones (EK Books) HB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-925335-48-4

Reviewed by Elizabeth Vercoe

The title page of this delightful story features a tiny purple elephant sporting a fez, a handbag and twirling a hula hoop on its trunk. So begins Don’t think about Purple Elephants, an engaging picture book whose fundamental message is one of empowerment.

Sophie is a young girl who loves friends, school, riding her bike, baking cakes, reading books… but sometimes she worries. And these worries often visit at night, leaving her feeling tired and out of sorts the next day. So Mum comes up with a great idea:

‘I know,’ said Mum. ‘Go to bed, close your eyes and DON’T think about purple elephants. No cute little purple elephants, no big purple elephants at the circus. No purple elephants at all.’

And of course, the moment Sophie lies down she can’t help but imagine itty bitty purple elephants everywhere, and so snuggles into a purple-elephant-infused sleep.

Worry and anxiety are becoming more of a cultural fixture as society grows ever more complex, and this offering from Susan Whelan and Gwynneth Jones gives a delightful, practical means of easing the worries of bed time anxiety. It’s a bonus that the book is captivating and amusing.

I love Jones’ animated pictures which somehow manage to be both dreamy and full of detail at the same time. The combination of words and illustrations is seamless and wonderful. In the middle section, black and white illustrations are cleverly used to reference Sophie’s worry and anxiety, with splashes of colour defining the cause of her anxiety.

This is a helpful, engaging and highly recommended book.

Teacher’s notes are available and the book is also available in hardcover.

Patch and Ruby

Patch and Ruby by Anouska Jones and Gwynneth Jones (EK Books) PB RRP $19.99

ISBN 978-1-925335-22-4

Reviewed by Elizabeth Vercoe

This is the story of a lonely pony Patch, who has farmyard friends in all sorts of places but still doesn’t feel quite ‘right.’ This delightful tale covers enormous terrain although it’s confined to a small geographic locale.

‘Patch was lonely. It wasn’t that he didn’t have friends. He did. But sometimes he felt like he didn’t quite fit in.’

A beautifully crafted story, Patch and Ruby touches on the universal themes of friendship and needing to belong. It shows us how Patch spends his days on the farm, highlighting his ‘difference’ and the clever ways in which he tries to deal with this. Through a wonderful melding of words and pictures, young children will immediately see and identify with his challenge to fit in.

When Patch’s special (human) girl Sam has a BIG idea, his life changes in an amazing way. 

It’s hard to describe quite how much I love both the words and illustrated characters in this story. I can’t recall ever having seen a ladybird with such attitude. Gwynneth Jones’ soft paintings are simple, fresh and surprising. Beryl and the girls (chooks) hold a special place in my heart.

All children will at some point feel that they don’t quite belong – at school, at home or in the community - and the story of Patch and Ruby makes such ‘not quite belonging’ okay.

This book is simply a ‘must read’ for everyone!

Also available as one of three books in the Sugar and Spice Collection is a beautifully presented boxed set.

The Great Sock Secret

The Great Sock Secret by Susan Whelan and Gwynneth Jones (EK Books) PB RRP $19.99

ISBN 978-1-925335-24-8

Reviewed by Elizabeth Vercoe

No doubt we’ve all asked some big curly questions: Is there life on other planets? Trump or Clinton? Where do single socks disappear to? ‘The Great Sock Secret’ title is apt. Only in THIS case, the answer is one that no-one to my knowledge has ever broached. 

Apparently single socks are all taken away and used by fairies. Luckily for us, in this magical storybook, we get to actually see what the fairies do with the socks. We also witness the ways in which one little girl tries to protect her fairy friends. 

The Great Sock Secret is a funny, whimsical story that pokes fun at grownups everywhere because we simply don’t see fairies.

As ever, the wonderful illustrations of Gwynneth Jones provide an extra layer of story to each double page spread so that readers both young and old will be poring over them long after the words have finished…

This is a delightful, fresh and engaging read.

It is also available as one of three books in the Sugar and Spice Collection, a beautifully presented boxed set.

Dance with Me

Dance with Me by Penny Harrison and Gwynneth Jones (EK Books) PB RRP $19.99

ISBN 978-1-925335-23-1

Reviewed by Elizabeth Vercoe 

Dance with Me is a delightful and uplifting picture book about a music-box ballerina who loves nothing more than to dance.

‘Come dance with me!’ she sings as the music box lid is opened. Then the ballerina and her little human girl dance around together. And because she loves to dance so much, sometimes the ballerina even leaves the music box to dance in the big wide world of the bedroom when the little girl isn’t looking!

However as always happens, small girls grow bigger and their interests change. Who will dance with the ballerina now?

Gwynneth Jones’ divine, soft illustrations are a perfect complement for Penny Harrison’s charming story line. I love the clever and engaging way these pictures give a deeper context to the narrative.

Depicting joy, fun, freedom, movement, uncertainty, release, moving on and new beginnings… this book covers a breadth of ideas with simple beauty and clarity.

A poignant ending brings the story full circle to leave readers young and old, very satisfied.

The book is also available as one of three books in the Sugar and Spice Collection, a beautifully presented boxed set.

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.