Thankful by Eileen Spinelli illustrated by Archie Preston

"I'm ever so thankful for .... you!"

There is so much to like about this picture book but the aspect I appreciated the most was the imaginative interpretation of the text. Kirkus call this a 'counterpoint'. The words say one thing and the illustrations something unexpected. In this book all of the scenes show a family, their daily activities and imaginative play. I was excited to discover Thankful is available as a board book. Some books should not be converted to board books but I think Thankful would be perfect to share in this format with a very young child. If you are looking for a gift for a new baby this is one you should also add to your list.

"The waitress is thankful for comfortable shoes

The local reporter for interesting news."

"The poet is thankful for words that rhyme.

The children for morning story time."

You can see some of the pages from this book in this brief video.

Thankful is/was the first book illustrated by Archie Preston. He doesn't seem to have done many others which is an odd discovery because the illustrations in Thankful are so joyous and lively and simply delightful.

I've made a wonderful discovery. Eileen Spinelli is married to the author Jerry Spinelli.  His book Stargirl truly did change my life and the scenes in Wringer continue to linger with me decades after I first read it. I have one his newer titles - The Warden's Daughter - on my 'to read' list.  In a previous post I talked about another special picture book by Eileen Spinelli - Someday.

You might also look for this book by the wonderful Todd Parr.

Wonderland by Barbara O'Connor

"Holly cannoli" this is a terrific book!

The title of this book is perfect. Mavis wonders if she can make a new friend. Rose wonders if she can be brave and put her worries aside. Henry (the retired greyhound) wonders how he can find a better life away from the racetrack called Wonderland. Finally there is the wonder of newly emerging friendships

Mavis and her mother, Miss Luanne Jeeter, live on the edge of poverty. Luanne follows a pattern. She gets a job, it doesn't work out and so Mavis is forced to leave another house, another school and another town and trail after her mother in the hope things can get better.  This time they have moved from Hadley, Georgia to Laundy, Alabama. Luanne will now work in the house of Mr and Mrs Tully and their daughter Rose. Luanne is the only indoor servant so she has to do the cleaning, cooking and laundry for this very demanding wealthy lady - Mrs Tully. Needless to say Luanne hates everything abut this job and so it seems Mavis may be forced to move again.

It is the Summer holidays. Mavis and and her mother move into a small apartment over the garage. Mavis has decided Rose will be her friend.  Rose doesn't have any friends among the kids in this gated community and Mavis is a "force of nature". She is fearless and truly kind. When Mavis meets Rose's friend Mr Duffy, the gatekeeper, she can feel his desperate sorrow over the loss of his beloved dog. Mavis knows what needs to happen. She tells Rose they will form a special club - just the two of them, and then they will find a new dog for Mr Duffy.

The chapters in this book alternate between three voices - Rose, Mavis and Henry. I loved the distinct personalities of Mavis and Rose but the stand out character in this story for me is Mr Duffy. I don't live in the US but I adore his turn of phrase which I am guessing is authentic to Alabama.

"Well hot dang! We should have a cupcake party."

"Jupiter, Mars and Pluto, Rose ... You're gonna scare me right into my grave."

"Truth of the matter is, this old sorry life of mine is all vines and no taters, and even my vines aren't looking too good anymore. Ain't no dog on this earth needs a pitiful geezer like me."

"You can't keep trouble from coming, but you don't have to give it a chair to sit on."

"The corn's off the cob, Rosie. Too late to come back."

I do enjoy seeing familiar author names when I am browsing in a book shop. The bonus with Wonderland came when I spied a paperback edition for a really good price.

Take a look here to read a text extract. Listen to an audio sample.

A richly satisfying exploration of the logic and determination with which children work to make things right. Kirkus

Readers will love Rose and Mavis with all of their hearts. Colby Sharp

It's a heart tugger and a short lesson in believing in yourself and standing up for what you think is right even if it means facing your own mother.  You may need a tissue or two but you'll definitely feel like you have two new best friends  A book and a hug

Here are three previous books by Barbara O'Connor which I have shared here at momotimetoread:

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis

Wish

How to steal a dog

You might like to dip into the blog by Barbara O'Connor called Greetings from Nowhere, where she interviews authors of middle grade books.

Finding Kindness by Deborah Underwood illustrated by Irene Chan

 

Simple acts of kindness that warm the heart. Kirkus

When you read this book with a preschool aged child you need to be prepared to linger over every page. The rhyming text is appealing but so much more in happening on each page. Kindness comes when we help others - a ladybird trapped inside is released; a cat stranded at the top of a tall tree is rescued; a lady is given a seat on the train; money is shared with a busker; holding open a door; and taking some soup to a neighbor. On each page it feels as though a camera is quiety filming each scene while people, with no need for prompting, beautifully express kindness in so many perfect and often practical ways.

You can watch a video of the whole book here. In this blog post for Nerdy Book Club Deborah talks about the writing of this book.  Students of English literature might like to know rhyme in this book is called anapestic verse. I have a Pinterest collection of picture books on the theme of Kindness. Here are my favourite lines from this book:

"Kindness is sometimes just taking a break or sitting with someone who's sad, forgiving yourself when you've made a mistake or forgiving a friend who got mad."

Deborah Underwood is the author of some of my favourite books - The Quiet Book; The Loud Book; and The Christmas Quiet Book.

You can see some art from children's books by Irene Chan here.

Pierre's not There by Ursula Dubosarsky illustrated by Christopher Nielsen

"Lara had always wished she was a dog, and one day, 

just for a short time, she actually became one."

From the first few pages Ursula Dubosarsky had me intrigued. Where were Lara and her mum going for the day? Why were they going there? And most pressing of all -  why is there a the cast list on the first page? I love that the opening of this book is clearly in Sydney starting at our Circular Quay ferry wharf but the story also has a universal feel. Perhaps the ferry is heading to Rose Bay or is this Manly? 

"In front of the wharf was a long, green park with thick grass and tall Norfolk pines with drooping dark-green branches. Beyond the edge of the grass was a smear of beach with white sand, sparkling like glitter."

Lara's mother has come to clean a house. She has clearly been here previously as she knows where to find the hidden key. Lara is on holidays so she has come along too. Standing in the garden, Lara notices a small boy at an upstairs window. How is this possible? The house is supposed to be empty. Lara heads up stairs and she finds a boy - Pierre - and he shows her something very special:

"It was a puppet theatre! Made of wood, painted with curls and columns in faded gold and silver, like a temple from ancient Greece. At the front there were two velvet curtains and behind them a sheet of scenery gleamed in the darkness, snow on top of a mountain."

Pierre needs Lara to help him. He tells Lara his whole family have been eaten by a pack of wolves. His mother has told him, if he is ever alone, he must find his grandmother. Pierre grabs a puppet from his collection and begins to tell a story. He tells Lara to find a puppet too. She reaches into the box without looking and picks up the wolf puppet. 

Lara is transported into the story as a wolf. Pierre is terrified of her but Lara can talk (luckily) and she explains that she is not really a fierce wolf, she is actually just a friendly dog. It is time for the play to really begin and so the text now changes form into a script. Lara and Pierre have a long way to go, there are dangers to overcome and new friends to help them. Pierre must find his grandmother and as a reader we must reach that all important happy ending.

If you've never read a play before you are in for a treat. The really delicious parts I think, that add so much to this format, are all the little stage directions. I didn't ever write plays the way Ursula did as a young child but I did love reading them in one of my first books - The Youngest Child's Ominbus and also in the NSW School Magazine. And later as an adult I did enjoy acting in a few small town amateur theatre productions too. There is something very satisfying about reading a play script - the action just zooms along and before you realise it you have reached the final act.

I think this one would make a great first chapter book or even a story that could be read together over several nights. BookBook Owl

Here is an interview with Ursula by Joy Lawn and a link to a set of teachers notes.

I am going to make one of my predictions and say this book Pierre's not There will be one of the titles on the CBCA 2021 Notable list and I also hope it might make the final six short listed titles too. I think I smiled through the whole story. This book would be a perfect addition to a school library or home collection and teachers could consider buying multiple copies to use with a group of children so they can act out the play! You will probably want to investigate a few fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood) and also find out more about Punch and Judy shows too. Punch is such a diabolical fellow - boo hiss.

Ursula Dubosarsky is our 2020-2021 Australian Children's Laureate and in this Covid year she has been an amazing ambassador for kids and reading and libraries and Australian books and so much more!

In our NSW School magazine you can find other plays written by Ursula. She also wrote this little Nibble title many years ago about a puppet show:

You should also look for these - just a handful of titles which I loved written by Ursula:

Tales of all Kinds

Leaf Stone Beetle

Jerry

I found some other plays by Ursula Dubosarsky on the NSW School Magazine site:

• The fastest Girl in the World
• Arachne Spider girl
• The boy who could fly

October, October by Katya Balen illustrated by Angela Harding

Have you (adult readers) seen the movie Captain Fantastic?  This book echoes that plot with October and her dad in a remote forest "off the grid".  October does have a mother but she could not cope with life in the wilderness and so she leaves when October is quite small and heads back to live in the city.

Here is the blurb: 

"October and her dad live in the woods. They are WILD. They only need the trees and the lake and the stars and each other. Until the year October turns eleven. The year everything changes.That’s the year October rescues a baby owl. It’s the year Dad falls out of the biggest tree in their woods. The year the woman who calls herself October’s mother comes back. The year everything changes.

Written in Katya Balen’s heart-stoppingly beautiful style, this book is a feast for the senses, filled with the woodsmoke smell of crisp autumn mornings and the sound of wellies squelching in river mud. And, as October fights to find the space to be wild in the whirling chaos of the world beyond the woods, it is also a feast for the soul."

October is filled with anger that her mother left the family. She refuses to even open the regular letters sent by her mother. On the day of her eleventh birthday when her mother comes to visit (this has happened before) October is determined not to see her. October climbs a high tree. Her father tries to get her down and there is a terrible accident. October cannot be left on her own in the woods and her father will be in the hospital for many months so October is forced to move to the city to live with her estranged mother. Adjusting to this new relationship; the lights, noises and crowds of the city; and coping with going to school each day is almost too much for October. She does have a tiny owl baby as a companion but then little Stig is taken away to an animal rescue centre and it feels as though her world is crashing all around her. Over the year we watch October grow and change from an incredibly angry girl into a girl who can make new friends and into someone who can adjust to change. Thank goodness for that all important happy ending.

Take a look at the beautiful art by Angel Harding. I do love the cover of this book and the small lino cuts inside. In this video Katya Balen reads an extract from her book. Here is a UK Podcast where Katya talks about her book.

The Time Traveller and the Tiger by Tania Unsworth

Elsie is sent to stay with her Uncle John. Her mother is busy with work. In one of her uncle's upstairs rooms she sees a huge tiger skin rug. 

"Did that tiger come from India?' Elsie's mother had told her that John had lived in India when he was a boy, when the country was still ruled by the British ... He nodded. 'It did, yes.' Elsie thought of the tiger's roaring mouth. It was meant to be frightening, yet it just looked strange and sad. 'Why do you keep it in that room?"

"I have to keep it because I was the one who killed it,' he said at last. 'I shot it when I was twelve years old.' Elsie stared at him. 'It was the worst thing I ever did,' Uncle John said."

Can events of the past be changed? Elsie wanders into Uncle Johns garden late at night and finds herself transported to India. The year is 1946. The tiger has not yet been killed. 

There are a couple of problems with having a character go back in time. Altering history for one event, such as the hunting of the tiger, surely will have ramifications for other future events. And there is the problem of bringing the character back to the present.

Both of these issues are handled really well by Tania Unsworth. I recommend The Time Traveller and the Tiger for readers aged 10+. I especially enjoyed the way the relationship between John and Elsie grows and changes; the chapters told from the point of view of the tiger; and the vivid jungle scenes.

The resolutions for all characters, and for the tiger, are very satisfying and make this a title to recommend to readers who will enjoy a mix of adventure, fantasy, and conservation. Books for Keeps

... this is an atmospheric adventure story with a strong message about the importance of conservation. The writing is sophisticated and memorable and will keep older readers thoroughly engaged. Book Trust

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Friday Old Favourite

The Midwife's Apprentice won the John Newberry Medal in 1996. Karen Cushman has a list of all the awards for The Midwife's Apprentice on her web site. You will also find a discussion guide. 

Publisher blurb: "On a frosty morning sometime early in the fourteenth century, in a village somewhere in England, a girl known only as Brat was sitting on a dung heap. 'You girl. Are you alive or dead?' When she opened her eyes, she saw an important-looking woman with a sharp glance and sharp nose and a wimple starched into sharp pleats. This woman was Jane the Midwife and she needed a helper."

I have a plan to read or re-read some favourite books which I read long ago. I spied The Midwife's Apprentice at a recent charity book sale for only $2. In just 121 pages Karen Cushman gives her readers a hugely memorable story with a character you really care about and a setting that is skilfully bought to life. I picked this book up from my huge "to read" pile yesterday and finished it in almost one sitting. I smiled through the whole story.

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this writing:

"Each morning Beetle (this is the name Alyce has near the start of the book) started the fire, blowing on the night's embers to encourage them to light the new day's scraps. She swept the cottage's dirt floor, sprinkled it with water, and stamped it to keep it hard packed. ... She dusted the shelves packed with jugs and flasks and leather bottles of dragon dung and mouse ears, frog liver and ashes of toad, snail jelly, borage leaves, nettle juice, and the powdered bark of the black alder tree."

"Alyce learned about the sometimes mighty distance between what one imagines and what is. She would not be bringing Edward back with her to make her heart content, but she knew she had not failed him, and she breathed a heavy sigh of sadness, disappointment, and relief."

Listen to the first chapters of this book as an audio sample. I highly recommend The Midwife's Apprentice for all readers aged 11+.  Click on these review comments to read more plot details:

In this powerful, often touching, sometimes humorous book, Karen Cushman once again takes her reader back in time. In this instance we visit to a medieval English village where life is hard, and where a homeless orphaned child has a very hard time finding a place she can call home. Looking Glass Review

It's a rouser for all times. Kirkus Star review

A couple of years ago I re-read The Ballad of Lucy Whipple also by Karen Cushman. This is another title to add to your own 'to read' list.

Jefferson by Jean-Claude Mourlevat illustrated by Antoine Ronzon translated by Ros Schwartz

Jefferson Ponsonby-Smythe is a dapper, modern (he has a mobile phone) hedgehog. He is looking forward to his visit to Cut n' Dye - his hairdresser. It is time to have his quiff trimmed. 

On the way into town, however, a speeding car almost knocks him over. The car is driven by a pair of shifty looking humans. What are they doing in Animal Kingdom when they clearly come from The Land of the Humans? This is the first in a series of events, none of which Jefferson or indeed you, the reader, could possibly anticipate.

"That was life: one minute you feel light, joyful and carefree and then, in a split second, everything changes. Happiness is so fragile, he said to himself, and tried to think about other things."

On arriving at Cut n' Dye, Jefferson makes a gruesome discovery. His hairdresser Mr Edgar, a badger, is on the floor of the salon, with a pair of scissors in his chest. He has been murdered. Jefferson reaches down to help his friend and at that very moment the only other customer wakes up from her doze under the hairdryer. It looks as though Jefferson himself is the murderer. He tries to explain but the nanny goat, Mrs Kristiansen, has run out into the street screaming. Jefferson reacts by running - running away as fast as he can. 

With the help of his best friend Gilbert, a young pig, the race is on to find the real culprit, to clear Jefferson's name and solve the mystery of those human drivers who almost knocked him over earlier in the day. Sophie, niece of the deceased hairdresser, gives Jefferson and Gilbert a odd postcard sent by her uncle Mr Edgar. It has been sent from Granville. Gilbert's cousin is a driver with Globetrotters. He tells Jefferson that they should join a tour to Granville in The Land of Humans so they can continue their investigation.

"You want us to conduct our investigations on a package tour? 'That's right! You go around in a herd, and no one pays any attention to you, you take as many photos as you please. It's ideal."

The tour leaves in three days. Jefferson stays in hiding, Gilbert packs their bags and the pair of friends set off to uncover the truth about the murder of Mr Edgar and along the way this very special pair of friends will also discover so much more about some truly big issues.

There are parts of this story that are laugh out loud funny; there are madcap chase scenes; heroic deeds; and really wonderful characters but I also need to explain that Chapter 11 is very disturbing which is why I think this book is really for mature readers aged 10 or 11+. In Chapter 11 Gilbert visits an abattoir and his descriptions of the animal cruelty are quite graphic. I imagine this chapter will raise a lot of important questions for young readers and adults too.

On a lighter note I especially loved all the tourists on the Globetrotters tour - animals of all shapes and sizes and with truly quirky personalities. There are also terrific black and white illustrations scattered throughout this book:

In this video the translator, Ros Schwartz, reads from the first chapter of Jefferson which was originally published in French with the same title - Jefferson.

In summary this is a book I loved, I raced through it desperate to solve the crime BUT this is not a book for every child. Many young readers will love this book but I do suggest you (the adult reader) should check it out first just to check it is a good fit for your child or class. 

Here are some reviews so you can read more plot details:

• Legenbooksdary
• Thenatashareads

Jean-Claude Mourlevat is the author of nearly thirty books and he has been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award several times. 

Phileas's fortune a story about self expression by Agnes de Lestrade illustrated by Valeria Docampo

Tuesday Treasure

In the world of this story words are made in a factory. The words are then sold in shops and boutiques. "People must buy and swallow the words they need to speak." The factory churns out words of all kinds day and night but some words are very valuable and cost more money than others. The poor people of the town often have to scavenge for words in the trash and these are usually dull and uninteresting words. Words that go on sale are usually useless too often because they are so old-fashioned. Very occasionally, though, special words can be found floating the air. Phileas has a net for word catching. He has collected three special words and he has plans to share them with Cybele for her birthday.

Phileas wishes he could just say Hello, how are you? and Happy Birthday ... but he doesn't have those words. And deep in his heart he also wishes he could say I love you - but he hasn't saved enough money for those precious words. All he can do is smile when he sees Cybele. 

On the day of her birthday Phileas sees Cybele on the stairs. Just as he is about to share his three precious words Oscar jumps in and blurts out 17 loud words declaring HIS love for Cybele. Phileas feels defeated but he has so much love in his heart.

"He utters his words. Off they float to Cybele like beautiful butterflies. 

cherry! 

ruby!

chimes!

Cybele stops smiling and looks right at Phileas. She doesn't have any words to use, so instead she gently and softly kisses Phileas's cheek."

Remember Phileas had three words. He actually has one more - the perfect word to use right now - the word again!

I have mentioned Phileas's fortune in a number posts recently so I wanted give you more details about this gentle love story. You can see the whole book here. Take a look at this French theatre production based on this book - it looks amazing! Phileas's fortune has been translated into 20 languages. I am happy to say this book from 2010 is still in print. My copy came from a wonderful school library but I had added Phileas's fortune to my own book shopping list.

Phileas's fortune was originally published in French with the title La grande fabrique de mots. The English language edition is translated by Julia Frank-Neil. Valeria Docampo comes from Argentina - you can see some her other books on her web site.

The Bad Trousers by Ros Asquith illustrated by Mairi Hedderwick

The bad trousers is a book from the Little Gems series published by Barrington Stoke and YES it is a gem. Robbie knows exactly what he wants for his birthday this year - a shiny red tractor with a real steering wheel. Early in the story we read that Robbie's granny loves to knit. Oh no! Does this mean Robbie won't receive that special tractor. Has granny knitted him something "special"?

Perhaps this text quote will add to your (and Robbie's) anxiety:

"Robbie's granny was called Granny Knit because she liked to knit. She knitted egg cosies and hot water bottle covers and bed socks and blankets and pictures and even curtains."

Notice how Ros Asquith builds this list from regular knitting to the truly absurd. Robbie has begged and begged his mum and dad for the tractor:

"It had a real steering wheel, and when you turned it the tractor wheels turned too. ... at his last birthday, his mum had said it was too big and cost too much - so instead he got a jigsaw puzzle with a picture of a tractor."

What will happen? Will Robbie receive the right present? And what about the new kittens that have just been born?

The Little Gems series are perfect for newly independent readers. I love the emotional arc of this story and the voice of Robbie. Fingers crossed for a happy ending. Here are some other books from the Littel Gem series. I loved The Bakery of Happiness; The Smile; and The first third wish. 

I think this series should be added to every school library collection. These books are just perfect for children in Grades One and Two with their appealing stories, colourful illustrations and warm stories. As a bonus they are all very inexpensive and there are plenty of titles (40) to choose from. On the Barrington Stoke web site these books are shown in packs but you can buy individual titles. The bonus puzzles and jokes under their covers and small size add to their appeal. Very highly recommended.

The Magic of Letters by Tony Johnston and Wendell Minor

 

This would be the perfect book to read to a Kindergarten class half way through their first year at school when they have already spent some time untangling the mysteries of the letters and their sounds in English.  Teachers could also base their classroom displays on ideas in this book such as a wall of the children's names, a truck filled with words from street signs, shops, newspapers and advertisements. There are also words in this book to add to a word wall - acrobat, clunk, trout and flibbertigibbet! What about the word quesadilla?

Image source and recipe from Taste

Then there are special words such as enchanted. Perhaps you can even put all the new words together:

"The flibbertigibbet ate an enchanted quesadilla and became an acrobat who slipped on a trout - clunk!"

Given the sophistication of some of the words in the story, it is best read with slightly older kindergarteners. ...  A charming ode to the lyricism of language. Kirkus

Click here to see some other books illustrated by Wendell Minor.

I read one reviewer who suggested pairing this book with Z is for Moose.

CBCA NSW Aspire and Celebrate - High Tea with the Stars November

This is the second time I have attended the CBCA High Tea with the Stars event where, in this case 13, NSW authors and illustrators are given three minutes to share their latest books and perhaps also give us a sneak peak at their forthcoming titles.

Louise Park

Louise Park talked about her junior series featuring Grace. This series will be a trilogy - the first book is called Grace's Secrets. Book two will be published in September, 2021. In these books we meet favourite children's authors from the past such as May Gibbs, Louisa May Alcott and book characters such as Alice (Alice in Wonderland). Here is a link to the publisher page. Here is the book trailer that Louise shared with us.

Marjorie Crosby-Fairall

Marjorie Crosby-Fairall talked about her latest book Bear in Space created with the author Deborah Abela after the pair saw a sun bear at our Taronga Zoo. Here are some teacher notes from Walker Books Australia. In this video Marjorie and Deb talk about their story.

Marjorie is the illustrator of these two books which I really like and which are sure to be in most Australian school library collections:

Amelia McInerney

Amelia McInerney talked about her almost "wordless" book Bad Crab. Here are some teaching notes from Scholastic Australia. Take a look at this interview with Amelia where she talks about the ideas behind Bad Crab a book for the youngest children along with children in Kindergarten and Grade One.

Amelia also gave us a sneak peak of her new title due in February 2021 - My Bird, Bertie. This one looks like it will be terrific fun for pre-school aged children.

Julie Thorndyke

Julie Thorndyke shared her new book which links with an earlier book - one is about the night - Waiting for the Night and the other is about the daytime - Waiting through the Day. The night book focuses on the view using a torch and the day book observes the world through a camera lens. Julie gave us a quick look at the inside of her book - I did spy a marvellous pelican! 

Victoria Mckinlay

Victoria Mckinlay talked about her book Ribbit, Rabbit, Robot which she launched on 1st April. Here is a video introduction to her book. You can see Victoria reading her alliterative picture book here. Take a look at this review.

Peter Macinnis

Peter Macinnis loves bushwalking and this inspired his newest book:

Sonia Bestulic

Sonia Bestulic left the audience mesmerised as she played the famous Brahms lullaby on her violin at the end of her three minute presentation where she shared her book Kisses in your heart. Sonia wrote this book as a way to express the deep love she experienced as a new mother. Here is a trailer from Big Sky Publishing along with a link to teaches notes.

Elizabeth Mary Cummings

Elizabeth Mary Cummings shared her book Rain Shaker.  The main character is a girl called Erin which means "water". 

Susanne Gervay

Susanne's grandson told his grandmother that when he wore his glasses "no one could see him". This became the inspiration for her newest book The Boy in the big Blue Glasses. Here is a trailer with a very catchy sound track! I am keen to take a closer look at this book because the topic of glasses and young children is both close to my heart and one I often encountered in my Primary school library. This book is available from The Story Box Library.

Liz Anelli

Liz Anelli illustrates book for the wonderful Walker Nature series. These are books that should be in EVERY school library and they would also make perfect gifts to send to your friends and family around the world. I loved seeing Liz's sketch book and photos. Liz illustrated has several books which I have discussed on this blog: The Biscuit Maker; and  One Photo. I also need to mention View from the 32nd Floor - Liz did the cover- this is a middle grade novel I highly highly recommend. A terrific read aloud title for Grades 4 and 5.

Liz talked about her book Dry to Dry which follows Desert Lake by Pamela Freeman and, while she didn't give us the title, she did let slip a new book from this series is coming soon! I was fascinated to see her pictures of lightning. It is clear Liz takes so much care with her books and that she spends a lot of time with her careful research.

Katrina McKelvey

Katrina McKelvey shared her book Isla's family tree.  I had a quick look at this book and I think it is one that would be perfect for all Primary school libraries.  I am going to recommend it for the Westmead Children's Hospital Book bunker as we sometimes get requests for books that explain families. The illustrations in this book by Prue Pittock look very appealing. 

Katrina's newest book published in August this year is Chasing Rainbows.

Jess Black

Jess Black loved horse riding as a young child (and I think she would still like to jump on a horse anytime one becomes available). There are three books in her new series about the Pepper Creek Ponies due for publication early in 2021. I do like the pony names (hope I got them right I was rushing to take notes) - Thunder, Banjo, Juniper and Taco! The first in the series is called 'A New Friend'. Jess Black is the author of Mr Walker. You can see many of her other series on her web site.

Nat Amoore

Nat Amoore is larger than life which I think means she probably based her characters in her two books on her own personality! Nat is co-host of the podcast One More Page. In episode 38 she and her cohost talk with Libby Hathorn. 

Winner 2020

This CBCA NSW event was also a celebration of the Lady Cutler Award which this year goes to Libby Hathorn.  She is the author of over seventy books. Here are some I have mentioned on this blog:

Here are some other books you are sure to find in a school library:

I have fond memories of reading Looking out for Sampson; The extraordinary magics of Emma McDade; All about Anna and Harriet and Christopher and me; and Paolo's secret all previously listed by CBCA for awards. Libby mentioned the 1992 book launch at the CBCA National conference in Manly of her book Love me Tender. I was there too!

At the CBCA event Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell launched their new (adult) book - biography of their ancestor - Searching for Charlotte. These sisters had an amazing time researching Australia's first author for children.

Dates for your diary 2021.  Here are some future CBCA NSW events so you can save the date!

• February 23rd Night of the Notables (this is an event I always enjoy)
• March 30th AAA Professional development Conference focus for 2021 is POETRY
• August 21-27 Book Week "Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds"

Finally speaking of Poetry see if you can find these anthologies which contain poems by Libby Hathorn. She delighted us with a reading of a new poem which will be included in an future anthology.