Hatch

Hatch by Heidi Cooper Smith. CSIRO Publishing 2025. Hardcover Non-Fiction Picture Book, 32 pp, RRP $26.99. ISBN 9781486318278.

Reviewed by Debra Williams

What kind of animals lay eggs? Where do they lay them, and how do they look after them?

This book introduces young readers to some of Australia’s egg-laying mammals and monotremes. It takes the reader on a journey inland, to the treetops high above, then back down to the underground and a waterhole, finishing back at the sea once more. It includes reptiles, birds, and insects, along with their habitats.

Hatch (from the illustrator of the Amanda Commander chapter book series) has beautiful illustrations containing plenty of detail for kids to explore. It includes animals found in the Australian bush and sometimes city backyards to encourage children to observe them and their behaviour for themselves.

With a glossary in the back, it is aimed at a reading level of ages 5-9.

 

There are Teacher Notes aligned to the Australian Curriculum available to download from the CSIRO Publishing website: publish.csiro.au/book/8159#forteachers.

Amanda Commander: The Green-Eyed Monster

Amanda Commander: The Green-Eyed Monster by Coral Vass. Illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith. Wombat Books 2024. Junior Fiction paperback RRP $12.99. ISBN 9781761111341

Reviewed by Debra Williams

This is the fifth book in the Amanda Commander series. Amanda is almost ten. Along with her friends Mai and Lu, Amanda has formed a team called The Dolphin Squad. The three friends want to convince their schoolmate Rosie to audition for the lead role in the school play. Rosie is embarrassed and feels that she isn’t good enough to audition. It’s only when the others offer to audition as well that Rosie goes ahead and wins the lead part.

Another girl, Bella, feels that she should be the one to be the lead. Lu says she is acting like a green-eyed monster. As the production night draws closer, the actors practise consistently. Amanda is given the backup role for Bella’s minor part. On the night of the performance, Bella is missing in action, and Amanda has to step up to the plate. Now it is Rosie’s turn to do the encouraging after her constant encouragement from the others. The play is a success, and Amanda fills in with minor difficulties. Bella returns to school and admits that she is the one who wants to perform, not be in the backblocks. Instead of reacting, Amanda tells Bella that they really missed her. Bella responds that maybe they can all audition for the following year’s show.

This book has themes of kindness, loyalty and friendship. It promotes inclusion, empathy and compassion. However, it would have been beneficial to have the author explain the meaning of the term “green-eyed monster,” about jealousy, to the readers. It may not be a term the age group would be familiar with.

This book is an easy read, aimed at children aged 6 to 8 years.

Amanda Commander: The Blues Day Tuesday

Amanda Commander: The Blues Day Tuesday by Coral Vass and Heidi Cooper Smith (Wombat Books) PB RRP $12.99 ISBN: 9781761111174

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

Amanda Caomhanach – aka Amanda Commander because no-one can say her last name – and her friends Mai and Lu are back at it again in the fourth Amanda Commander book, The Blues Day Tuesday. Once again, they’re noticing when things aren’t quite right at school, and then working to do something about it.

This time, Amanda notices one of her classmates, Rosie, seems very left out after she returns to school following a few days away, sick. Not only does Rosie have to do her volcano poster by herself because everyone else is already paired up, but her usual group of friends seem to have forgotten she exists.

After a little bit of planning, Amanda, Mai and Lu – the Dolphin Squad – swing into action, making sure Rosie feels included again. Then more students start getting sick and needing days off, which keeps the squad busy until, suddenly, Amanda finds herself at home with a cold.

Surely, when Amanda returns to school, she won’t be left out – or will she? And what will have when Eve Kelly – Miss Popular – has a few days off?

If Amanda Commander: The Blues Day Tuesday had been around when I was in primary school, I know it would have really resonated with me because I was always super uncomfortable going back to school after a few days off … but I’d always thought it was a ‘me thing’. Turns out, it wasn’t. And still isn’t. As I read, I found myself wishing there had been an Amanda Commander and a Dolphin Squad at my school!

Coral Vass has crafted an immediately relatable story that is supplemented by Heidi Cooper Smith’s often poignant illustrations to bring forward a very real problem faced by most children at some point – being left out or feeling like they’re on the outer.

The Blues Day Tuesday is the perfect book for beginning readers, who are ready to move on to ‘chapter books’ and read independently. With its themes of kindness, friendship and inclusivity, it’s also an ideal ‘shared read’ for children aged 4–7 years with their parent or teacher as it is sure to inspire deeper conversations, reflections, problem-solving and personal connections.

The Other Brother

The Other Brother by Penny Jaye, Heidi Cooper Smith (Wombat Books)

RRP $24.99 Hardcover ISBN

9781925563832

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

This is a tender story that explores family, siblings and change from a child’s perspective. The voice of Jayden James reminds me of Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge in some parts. I love how the text links and loops back with the family’s activities. What a family of five did they do as a family of six. A new brother does not impress Jayden James. There’s a new car, not enough room on the picnic rug and Mitchell David chases all the birds away. Then, the story gives us a peep into how Mitchell David is feeling in his new family. Jayden James steps into his new role of big brother and with a wiggle and a squish he makes space on the couch for Mitchell David. And now six fit. The text is rich in language that is warm and emotive. For example, One, two three, four, five and six – with blankets and cuddles, all squishy but sweet.

The heart-warming illustrations depict the movement and flow of family life. The facial expressions are emotive and expressive. The use of space on the pages show the family members together or apart depending upon the message. My favourite spread is the double page where Jayden James is underneath his doona. You just want to give him a big hug. The end papers are adorable with the family blankets and pillows scattered and scrunched after snuggling. Heidi has cleverly used white space to draw the eye straight to the family and their interaction which is the core of the story.

This is a story that will be enjoyed by children 3-8 years from all sorts of families. It is a book that helps with understanding about adoption or fostering. This book will be read by both families and schools. The Other Brother ties in well with the school curriculum and teachers will find this a very handy resource when students are learning about what it means to be a family.

Illustration by Heidi Cooper-Smith

Six Sleepy Mice

Six Sleepy Mice by Heidi Cooper Smith (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.95 ISBN: 9780648256359

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

A tumble of hungry mice noses its way into an enticing pantry. ‘A store of treats, oh what a find! Six feast together, tails entwined.’ Filled to their whiskers, the mice search for the perfect place to curl up together and sleep. But it’s easier said than done! Chased from a cosy egg carton, a comfy clump of clothes and a fluffy bed of teddies, the furry friends are swiftly swept outside. When they land on a feathery drift of foliage, they are finally free to ‘burrow deep… Rest their heads and fall asleep.’

Heidi Cooper Smith has taken on the mammoth task of both writing and illustrating this picture book aimed at children aged three to eight. The story scampers along at a brisk pace, punctuated by chipper couplets that bring a smile to your face. With a natural rhythm that rolls off the tongue, this is an ideal book for reading aloud.

Dripping with delicious details, Heidi’s illustrations draw readers into the dramatic world of the mice. From the paw prints scurrying past tasty titbits on the end papers to the heart-warming reds and yellows of the autumn leaves, the visual aspects add layers of meaning and merriment to the text. Perhaps the most endearing element in the book is Heidi’s characterisation of the mice – the sweet faces run the gamut of childhood emotions before their eyes finally close in serene slumber.

Six Sleepy Mice is an action-packed story that keeps young readers eagerly turning the pages. Dynamic illustrations dance with lively rhymes across the spreads, the caper only slowing with the delightfully drowsy denouement.

Two Birds on a Wire

Two Birds on a Wire by Coral Vass, Illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith (Koala Books)

PB RRP $14.99

ISBN 978-1-74276-161-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Little Blue Bird is happily sitting on a wire one morning enjoying the view when Little Black Bird joins him.

          Two birds on a wire

          Together they sat

          Little Bird Blue

          And Little Bird Black

But neither bird wants the other to be there. They both want the wire, and the view, to themselves and what follows is a very funny tale of the tussle they have to decide who gets to stay.

Told in humorous verse, with rhyme and rhythm which both work beautifully, this story is reminiscent of sibling or schoolyard arguments over toys, swings or even friends – and is one which every child and adult will recognise and relate to. There is a wonderful build up. They begin politely, move on to ‘I’m bigger,’ but ‘I’m louder,’ then a little pushing and shoving, until a full on competition puts it all on the line.

          They snapped and they snorted

          They pushed and they shoved

          They hassled and heckled

          But neither would budge

The text is lovely to read aloud. The energy of the words is matched by the vibrancy of the illustrations. The background is full of colour, with a few farm animals who watch the action unfold. But its softness allows this to stay in the background while the two bright and glossy birds take centre stage always. With fabulous expressions in both their faces and bodies, these quarrelsome creatures seem just like preschoolers.

This is a great story for young children about sharing. It shows up the silliness of fighting over something with subtlety and humour, I think it will be a big hit with both young children and their readers, be they parents, older siblings, grandparents or teachers.