Play School: the Useful Book

Play School: the Useful Book illustrated by Jedda Robaard (ABC Books, imprint of Harper Collins) HB RRP$19.99

ISBN 9780733334016

Reviewed by Sharon McGuinness

Celebrate the 50^th anniversary of this iconic Australian television program with this new edition. Play School has been an essential part of the lives of Australian children and the Useful Book chronicles some of the most favourite songs, recipes, craft, ideas and games. With a nod to our multicultural communities, the book also contains a variety of greetings and counting in other languages.

Slightly retro in its treatment of washed out sepia like colours this book is bound to be a hit, not only with parents and grandparents, but pre-schools. It encourages active participation of the child through play – which recent research proves is beneficial to children throughout their school lives.

A perfect companion to the television program, yet it stands alone as a book to be enjoyed for another 50 years. It’s the perfect gift for new parents.

Vietnam: My Australian Story

Vietnam: My Australian Story by Deborah Challinor (Scholastic Press)

PB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-76015-042-6

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

It is the late 1960’s and young Davey Walker can see change happening everywhere. He is starting high school, his brother Tom has been drafted to fight in Vietnam and his mother is acting a little strange. But the surf is still great, and so with his new surfboard, his two best mates, and plenty of new pop songs to sing on the way, Davey spends as much time as possible biking to and from the surf beach.

Vietnam is the fictional diary kept by thirteen year old Davey between September 1968 and January 1970. It is not a story about the Vietnam War, although letters home from Tom with brief descriptions of the war are included in the pages, but rather a picture of Australian culture during this time. And this was a time of social change, anti-war protests, surf-culture, space exploration and music.

I particularly loved the record Davey kept of the songs which were at the top of, or climbing the charts. Davey’s comments about whether it was a song his father liked/hated, his sister loved or his mates were into, really helped form the characters in the story. As music was a very important part of this era, these inclusions gave the story a strong 60’s atmosphere as well as clearly showing the changing face of popular culture.

Diary form is an intimate way to tell someone’s story, but you do have to connect with the diarist for it to work well. It wasn’t hard to connect with Davey. He is involved with family, a loyal friend and a bit of a ‘lad’ - but he is also a complex character, very compassionate and a thinker, trying to make sense of what life has thrown up. After his brother Tom comes home from Vietnam – minus a leg courtesy of a land mine – Davey has to tell his mother Tom is not coming back to live at home.

She said, ‘He’s not our Tom any more, is he?’

I didn’t really know how to answer that. My Tom was probably always different from her Tom. So I said, ‘I think he still loves us.’

The writing is very good. The people, their motivations and their relationships, feel solid and realistic. There is a good balance between social issues, Davey’s inner life and action in the pages of his diary. There is also a good balance between the ups and the downs. While some parts of life turn out great for Davey, other parts are very sad. It did touch a chord with me and there were tears.

My Australian Story is a really solid series and a great way for teenagers and preteens to learn about different periods in Australian history.

Juicy Juicy Green Grass and Other Fun Songs

Juicy Juicy Green Grass and Other Fun Songs [with CD] by Peter Combe, illustrated by Danielle McDonald (Scholastic Australia)
PB RRP $16.99
ISBN 978-1-74362-064-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

The four songs in this picture book are catchy, fun and wildly silly. They are also about things preschool children are often fascinated with and will relate to well - the postman, sheep, traffic lights and the transformation of tadpoles to frogs. The silly humour will hold great appeal for pre-schoolers.

In Juicy Juicy Green Grass, a hungry sheep fantasises about eating fresh green grass, ‘Summer’s been so dry, turned you into brown. Will you come back? Juicy juicy green grass.’

In The Silly Postman, the postman starts off by putting a letter in the letterbox on Monday, but on Tuesday he puts in a frog, and then each day after that he puts something just as inappropriate in the letterbox.

Tadpole Blues tells the tale of a tadpole’s confusion as he starts to grow legs, and Red Says Stop is a catchy tune about traffic light colours and what they mean.

The bold illustrations by Danielle McDonald make every page pop. They are bright with prominent coloured backgrounds. They are uncomplicated with wonderful characterisations, from the hungry sheep with his tongue hanging out to the confused tadpole/frog.

The accompanying CD is performed by the author, Peter Combe, whose timeless songs have been entertaining children for two decades. These are silly ditties about common things and will have everyone singing along instantly.