Poppy Makes Pockets

Poppy Makes Pockets by Jemima Parker & Karen Erasmus. Hardcover picture book published by EK Books in 2026. RRP $24.99. ISBN 9781921497131

Reviewed by Debra Williams

Whilst out walking with her Mum and dog, Poppy collects some treasures: a smooth stone, a feather, a shiny button and a rattling seedpod. But she doesn’t have anywhere to put them, as Poppy’s dress doesn’t have pockets. Once back at home, she empties her wardrobe and sorts her clothing into two piles, large and small, to find something to wear that has pockets. But all she can find is a large, thick coat, which is too heavy to wear on a hot summer day.

Poppy has an idea, and gathers some sewing supplies: an old t-shirt, scissors, needles, thread and pins. All afternoon, she fashions pockets for her pinafore and sews them on. The next day, when she notices that her friend Linh doesn’t have pockets either, she has another idea and gathers old T-shirts from her family members. Poppy sets up a street stall offering free pockets to anyone who needs them.

This warm, crafty story celebrates fairness, creativity and community, and shows how even small hands can stitch big changes into the world. The end paper illustrations are gorgeous, showing the young reader how to sew their own pockets. And look out for the cute dog in the illustrations, especially when he is staring at a Kookaburra perched on the clothesline.

Poppy Makes Pockets is suitable for children ages 5-8.

The Very Stinky Fly Hunt

The Very Stinky Fly Hunt by Andrea Wild. Illustrated by Karen Erasmus. CSIRO Publishing 2025. Hardback Picture Book 32 pages RRP $26.99. ISBN 9781486318780.

Reviewed by Debra Williams

Keith is a fly hunter. No, not an oversized fly who hunts (as indicated with a little humorous illustration at the beginning of the story), but a scientist who hunts flies, and in particular, one of Australia’s rarest insects.

Readers join Keith on this very stinky fly search, as he hunts for a species thought to be extinct, in remote public toilets. Yes, that’s right…toilets! And if you try hard enough, then persistence pays off.

Based on a true story and beautifully illustrated, The Very Stinky Fly Hunt reveals that science is sometimes weird and sometimes a little gross, but always an adventure. It shares real science in an accessible way that will appeal to kids who enjoy all things gross and weird. It underlines messages of discovery along with the wonders of nature and the importance of all animals for biodiversity. There is Teacher Notes aligned to the Australian Curriculum available on the website: publish.csiro.au/book/8180/#forteachers.

Suitable for children 6+ years of age.

Ariana Treasure: The Missing Book

Ariana Treasure: The Missing Book by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern and Karen Erasmus (Wombat Books) PB RRP $10.99 ISBN: 9781761111808

Ariana Treasure: The Secret Ingredient by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern and Karen Erasmus (Wombat Books) PB RRP $10.99 ISBN: 9781761111822

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

Ariana Treasure helps her mum in their shop, the Treasure Chest – a thrift shop started by Ariana’s grandfather and specialising in reusable and recyclable goods. Ariana loves their little shop and delights in finding items to help her friends and the community.

In Book 1 of the series, The Missing Book, Ariana’s mother mistakenly sells Ariana’s favourite book. It belonged to her grandfather and was not for sale. Unfortunately, the boy who bought it is in no mood to return it – having just moved house and feeling very upset about having to leave behind his own ‘treasures’.

Book 2, The Secret Ingredient, sees Ariana and her friends, Hunter and Jake, excited for the upcoming food truck competition. The boys’ parents own the Taco Garcia food truck and think they have a good chance of winning – until they come down with a mystery bug.

In writing the Ariana Treasure series – six books in total – author Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern has focused on creating short chapters with a simple plot and one problem to solve, which is perfect for beginning readers. Themes including kindness, sustainability, friendship and teamwork will resonate with this younger audience, and send positive messages in a gentle way.

Karen Erasmus’ black and white illustrations bring the characters to life and focus on transmitting the emotions felt as the story unfolds.

Readers aged 5 to 7 will enjoy solving the relatable problems faced by Ariana and her friends, and the stories are sure to inspire personal connections and deeper conversations about sustainable practices and kindness.  

Ariana Treasure: The Secret Ingredient

Ariana Treasure: The Missing Book by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern, illustrated by Karen Erasmus (Wombat Books) PB RRP $10.99 ISBN 9781761111808

Ariana Treasure: The Secret Ingredient by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern, illustrated by Karen Erasmus (Wombat Books) PB RRP $10.99
ISBN 9781761111822

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Ariana Treasure is a new six-book junior fiction series written for newly independent readers. Ariana Treasure is a young girl who helps at her family’s thrift shop called The Treasure Chest. The heartwarming stories set around this thrift shop radiate a great sense of community and kindness while offering a sustainability message that highlights the reuse of pre-loved items.

In book one, The Missing Book, Ariana meets a new family that has just moved to her town. Additionally, Ariana is left saddened when her most prized possession, a precious book that once belonged to her beloved grandpa, goes missing.

In book two, The Secret Ingredient, Ariana’s friends enter a food truck competition and go to The Treasure Chest thrift shop in search of inspiration for a special dish that could help them win.

The Ariana Treasure stories are highly recommended for an audience aged 5 years and older. The books would appeal to young readers who are beginning their chapter book journey as they include a large font size, short chapters, plenty of white space, and monochrome pictures throughout.

The remaining books in the Ariana Treasure series include: The Lucky Shoes, The Lost Frog, The Perfect Day, and The Fundraiser.

Wombat Poos Are Square

Wombat Poos Are Square (CSIRO Publishing) Sophie Gillies & Karen Erasmus PB RRP $26.99 9781486308759 

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Sophie Gillies has taught English and Environmental Studies and has a Creative Writing Degree. She lives in Canberra with her family. Karen Erasmus has been illustrating for children for years and lives on the south coast of Australia. She loves the diversity and quirkiness of Australian wildlife.

Discover all about animal poo and the important role poo plays in our unique Australian environment.

Sophie Gillies has created a fun, rhyming text packed with facts. The light-hearted humour, paired with simple and compound sentences, makes this story an enjoyable read. The opening sentence showcases how Australian creatures—from galahs and potaroos to stingrays and goannas—each do their own distinctive poos. The verbs make the information easy to absorb and keep the story flowing. Every now and then, the repeat refrain, "And wombat poos are square!" adds to the read-aloud value of the story, creating moments of laughter.

A variety of Australian animals and the types of poos they produce are covered, allowing readers to quietly learn along the way. I particularly love how the importance of each animal and their poo is recognised, and yes, the dung beetle is included too!  The ending links to the beginning. Each creature's poo is quite unique. Look closer, if you dare. You might learn something strange but true: like wombat poos are square! The backmatter is helpful, with a picture of each animal and fascinating poo facts. A glossary addresses the more scientific words and their meanings, making this a truly informative and fun read.

Karen Erasmus’ illustrations are vibrant, engaging, and full of character. The bright orange cover with a wombat front and centre with square poos immediately captures attention. The detailed endpapers feature some of our unique animals and flora in a repeated eye-catching pattern. I really love the dung beetles rolling a dung ball in varying poses. The colour palette is pleasing to the eye, and the animals featured are delightful. The illustrations capture the time of day or night the animal’s poo. The artwork captures the humour and offers playful depictions of Australian animals in their natural habitats. Each animal, from the galah to the goanna, is drawn with care and attention to detail, complementing the text. The illustrations enhance the humour and educational value of this delightful book.

Wombat Poos are Square is a picture book that really makes learning about our unique animals and their poo fun. It will inform and create awareness and an emotional connection to our unique Australian animals. To get more out of this book, get the teacher notes aligned with the Australian curriculum from the CSIRO Publishing website. This book is suitable for 5-9 years and will resonate with teachers and librarians, too.

Grace’s Mystery Seed

Grace’s Mystery Seed by Juliet Sampson and Karen Erasmus (Ford Street)

ISBN 9781925804218 PB RRP $16.95 PB $24.95 HB

Reviewed by Nean McKenzie

Grace’s Mystery Seed is a gentle tale about a girl called Grace and her elderly neighbour Mrs Marino. It does contain a mystery, and this keeps the reader turning the pages to discover what happens. Beautiful water colour and ink illustrations, by Karen Erasmus, fill every page with gardens and plants. This is a story about patience, and the value of waiting for something worthwhile to happen.  

 Grace is a little girl who is curious about gardens and Mrs Marino has the best one in the street. When Grace asks what kind of seed the parrot is eating, Mrs Marino helps Grace to plant it. Then they wait for it to come up. While the rest of Grace’s class have theories about what it could be, all Grace and her best friend Leo can do is wait. And no one is disappointed – the seed is an impressive sunflower, with plenty of seeds for all.

The inter-generational relationship between Grace and Mrs Marino is a highlight of this story. So are the illustrations, which have so much to look at. In many there are a cat walking along a fence and a dog on the other side. There are also chickens and parrots to spot. Karen Erasmus has illustrated several picture books including most recently The Flying Optometrist and Eva’s Imagination.

Previously published as an adult romance writer, this is Juliet Sampson’s first children's picture book. Grace's Mystery Seed is suitable for lower primary school students. It provides its readers with information about the natural world in the form of an engaging and enjoyable story.  

Grace’s Mystery Seed

Grace’s Mystery Seed by Juliet M Sampson and Karen Erasmus (Ford Street Publishing) PB RRP $24.95 ISBN: 9781925804201

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

A picture book for ages 3+ years, this gardening tale takes us to a place where the simple things can bring the most joy.

Grace’s neighbour, Mrs Marino, has the best backyard in the street. It’s a treasure trove of delights including a veggie patch, fruit trees, chooks, fish pond and birds that visit. Grace is a good helper and loves feeding the birds. She wonders about the seeds that the birds eat.

So together Grace and Mrs Marino plant a seed. Grace learns to care and wait for her plant to grow. She shares her news about her seed and everyone is waiting to see what the seed is. Once the sunflower appears, its specialness shines as it follows the sun. Then, there is one final gift from Grace’s flower: there are enough seeds for everyone next year.

The joy of Australian backyards is delightfully shown with the realistic use of green in its many hues with blue skies in watercolours. The layout is varied and the perspective cleverly shows us the backyards from a variety of angles. I particularly love the bird’s eye views of the backyards.

The language and dialogue delight and this story would be a perfect tool in a classroom. This is a charming book that will appeal to both child and adult readers.

Rose’s Red Boots

Rose’s Red Boots by Maura Finn, illustrated by Karen Erasmus (New Frontier), HB RRP ISBN 9780957988446 

Reviewed by Lisa Hoad

One bright autumn day, Rose and her little dog Banjo decide to go on an adventure. Wearing her beloved red boots and with her trusty companion at her side, Rose goes merrily on her way.

Karen Erasmus’s dazzling illustrations really complement the beautiful imagery conjured up by Maura Finn’s delightful prose.  The vividly inky depth of the water colours, barely contained within Erasmus’s soft, sweeping pencil lines show off the day’s blustery autumnal beauty to perfection.  Some illustrations are glorious double page spreads, showing the stunning countryside backdrop and the whipped up fallen leaves dancing about the two friends, whilst others are delicate vignettes, colourful and bold against the large white pages.

As Rose and Banjo journey on to find the perfect place to fly their kite, they discover so many things to explore and experience along the way.  Mischief and muddy puddles become part of their wonderful adventure and when the weather takes an unexpected turn for the worse, Rose and Banjo must change their plans altogether.                                                                                                                          

‘They crossed the stream and meadow where the playful rabbits run,                        And buttercups all turn their heads to greet the morning sun.                                        Beneath the trees the autumn leaves lay scattered on the ground.                                       So…                                                                                                                                   

The little red boots went crunching, crunching, crunching.                                         The little red boots went crunching, crunching                                                                 To hear that crunching sound.’

Just as in Alfred Noyes’ narrative poem ‘The Highwayman’ Finn includes a repetitive refrain within her prose. Cleverly using the activity of Rose’s little red boots, Finn adds a wonderful rhythmical quality to the narrative.  As the little red boots are marching, crunching, chasing, splashing, climbing and dancing; young readers will find confidence in each repetitive chorus and be desperate to join in, both verbally and physically.

Recommended for early and preschool readers, children will delight at the sight of this big square picture book with its eye catching cover art and meandering smudgy paw prints. Teachers and parents could easily use this beautifully written and illustrated text to inspire some poetic word play or as a prompt for some adventurous role playing activities whilst also discussing the title’s integral themes of explorative play, danger and friendship.

I just love the way that this title promotes the idea of free and imaginative play, as an independent and confident little Rose takes off on a journey of endless possibilities with only her dog and her fabulous red boots for company.

First published in Reading Time https://readingtime.com.au/roses-red-boots/

Incy Wincy Spider

Incy Wincy Spider illustrated by Karen Erasmus (Lothian/Hachette)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN: 9780734415493
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

This in-house picture book has extended the well-known action song and turned it into a lively story. Where else did the Incy Wincy Spider shelter other than the water spout?

Children often scream at spiders, but Karen Erasmus' large-eyed Incy Wincy is very cute and benign sitting in a splash of water on the cover, with legs like liquorice spaghetti. The red of Incy Wincy, the dark turquoise water shooting out of the black spout on a lime-green background is bright and eye-catching.

Young readers will enjoy looking for Incy Wincy in many familiar places: on a beach umbrella, the toilet seat, and a chair are a few examples, and will empathise with him as he survives lots of scary adventures. Grandpa sweeps Incy Wincy off the verandah, the cat threatens him, Aunty Joan nearly flushes him down the toilet, and he gets washed clean in Mum's washing machine, not forgetting a narrow escape when the dog jumps on the bed where he is lying. Perhaps almost being sucked up by the vacuum cleaner is his worst plight.

Although the new text is not as rhythmic or snappy as the original verse, it nevertheless provides a good storyline with plenty of interest and excitement. Incy Wincy demonstrates the determination of real life spiders which are found in so many places around and in the home. Karen Erasmus's illustrations are delightfully executed and it isn't hard to guess where Incy Wincy is found at the end of the tale.

Five Little Platypuses

Five Little Platypuses illustrated by Karen Erasmus (Lothian/Hachette)
PB RRP $14.99
ISBN 9780734414908
Reviewed by Hilary Smillie

The classic children's song, Five Little Ducks Went Out One Day is given an Aussie twist when five little platypuses wander off from their mum. An in-house picture book, Five Little Platypuses has been charmingly illustrated by Karen Erasmus.

The chubby babies are depicted in various watering holes while their anxious mum awaits their return each day. Double page spreads in soft colours enhance the gentle nature of the lyrics, and show the platypus family surrounded by bushland, native flora and smooth river stones. A couple of colourful lorikeets, a frog and a butterfly add extra appeal. I am sure mums will sing, rather than read this picture book to their toddlers as they count how many youngsters return each night.

Observant children will discover all the truant babies on the second last spread and know a happy ending is in store. The great rhythm and repetition of this well-known song is easy to learn and in this new form, will delight another generation of kids.