Thursday, December 31, 2020

Momo's favourite books Post Number 2000

 2000


Momotimetoread is celebrating. I have reached 2000 posts. Here are some lists to help you discover some of the treasures I have explored over the last twelve years. Apologies in advance that I might mention books that are now "out of print".  My last milestone celebration was for 300 posts and 30,000 hits and now I have 2000 posts and over 570,000 hits. Have I missed one of your favourites? Have I mentioned a book you had forgotten? I love to receive comments. Colour titles link to each book.


Published in 2020 (Highlights)

If you come to earth by Sophie Blackall

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake illustrated by Jon Klassen

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman

The House of Light by Julia Green



New Australian favourites

We are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad

The Biscuit Maker by Sue Lawson illustrated by Liz Anelli

I saw Pete and Pete saw me by Maggie Hutchins illustrated by Evie Barrow

How to make a bird by Meg McKinlay illustrated by Matt Ottley

Eloise and the bucket of stars by Janeen Brian

The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller

Sometimes Cake by Edwina

Finding Francois by Gus Gordon

Ellie's Dragon by Bob Graham



Verse Novel - favourites

Love that dog by Sharon Creech (take a look to see a comment by Sharon herself!)

May B by Caroline Starr Rose

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossman

Sister Heart by Sally Morgan

Motormouth by Sherryl Clark

Out of the dust by Karen Hesse



Picture book - favourites - 

small selection

Shelter by Celine Claire illustrated by Qin Leng

The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

A friend like Ed by Karen Wagner illustrated by Janet Pedersen

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

Come on Rain by Karen Hesse illustrated by Jon J Muth

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal illustrated by Scott Magoon



Australian children's Picture books every child should hear

Fox by Margaret Wild illustrated by Ron Brooks

Mallee sky by Jodi Toering illustrated by Tannya Harricks

Sonam and the Silence by Eddie Ayres illustrated by Ronak Taher

Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon

The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek by Jenny Wagner illustrated by Ron Brooks

Sebastian lives in a hat by Thelma Catterwell illustrated by Kerry Argent

Miss Lily's fabulous pink feather boa by Margaret Wild illustrated by Kerry Argent

Felix and Alexander by Terry Denton

Our School Fete by Louise Pfanner illustrated by Kim Gamble

Puffling by Margaret Wild illustrated by Julie Vivas

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Margaret Wild illustrated by Julie Vivas




Special Australian children's Picture books (out of print)

The Greatest Treasure of Charlemagne the King by Nadia Wheatley illustrated by Deborah Klein 

Space Travellers by Margaret Wild illustrated by Gregory Rogers

Jandy Malone and the Night O'Clock Tiger by Barbara Bolton

The Wonder thing by Libby Hathorn illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe

The Bush Jumper by Jean Chapman illustrated by Ali Beck

The Mouse with the too long tail by Bani McSpedden illustrated by Greg McAlpine

The Sea-Breeze Hotel by Marcia Vaughan illustrated by Patricia Mullins

Pog by Lyn Lee illustrated by Kim Gamble



Picture books for older children

The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman

Let the Celebrations begin by Margaret Wild illustrated by Julie Vivas

The Minstrel and the Dragon Pup by Rosemary Sutcliff illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

War and Peas by Michael Foreman

Stepping stones by Margriet Ruurs illustrated by Nazir Ali Badrby

Ruby's wish by Shirim Yim Bridges illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Mr Maxwell's Mouse by Frank and Devin Asch

The Moon's revenge by Joan Aiken illustrated by Alan Lee



Early chapter books

Houndsley and Catina series by James Howe illustrated by Marie Louise Gay

Mr Putter series by Cynthia Rylant illustrated by Arthur Howard

Flubby series by JE Morris

Dixie O'Day series by Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy

High Rise Private eye series by Cynthia Rylant

Detective Gordon series by Ulf Nilsson

Care of Henry by Anne Fine and Choosing Crumble by Michael Rosen illustrated by Tony Ross

Fairy Bread by Ursula Dubosarsky illustrated by Mitch Vane



Middle Grade novels - a selection of favourites

View from the 32nd Floor by Emma Cameron

The Night bus Hero by Onjai Q Rauf

The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke

No ballet shoes in Syria by Catherine Bruton

Detention by Tristan Bancks

How High the moon by Karyn Parsons

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill

Beautiful Blue World by Suzanne LaFleur and the sequel Threads of Blue

Lenny's book of Everything by Karen Foxlee

The Wonderling by Mira Bartok

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L Holm

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Savvy by Ingrid Law

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Applet



Christmas top picks

Truffle's Christmas by Anna Currey

The Silver Christmas tree by Pat Hutchins

The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojeichowski illustrated by PJ Lynch

Wombat divine by Mem Fox illustrated by Kerry Argent

Max's Christmas by Rosemary Wells

The Christmas Caravan by Jennifer Beck



Obscure but worth finding (most are out of print)

Mayfly Day by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Tony Ross

Ratbags and Rascals by Robin Klein

The Mice Next Door by Anthony Knowles illustrated by Susan Edwards

Farfallina and Marcel by Holly Keller

The Night fairy by Laura Schlitz illustrated by Angela Barrett

The story of a seagull and the cat who taught her to fly by Luis Sepulveda

Walter by Barbara Wersba illustrated by Donna Diamond

Left Shoe and the Foundling by Annie O'Dowd and sequels

Meannie and the Min Min by Pamela Shrapnel illustrated by Terry Denton

Varjak Paw by SF Said

The Big Bazoohley by Peter Carey illustrated by Stephen Michael King

Billy's bucket by Kes Gray



Out of print and precious

Sorry Miss Folio by Jo Furtado illustrated by Frederick Joos

The Amazing Adventures of Chilly Billy by Peter Mayle illustrated by Arthur Robins

The Astonishing Madame Majolica by Erilys Hunter

Snow White in New York by Fiona French 

Pete and Roland by Bob Graham

The Tishkin silk series by Glenda Millard

Felix and Alexander by Terry Denton

Ice Flowers by Jutta Goetze illustrated by Patricia Mullins

The Vegetable Thieves by Inga Moore

Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett illustrated by Adam Rex

Duck for Danger by Ann Grocott

Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger by Barbara Bolton

Mike's Magic seeds by Alexander McCall Smith

O'Diddy by Jocelyn Stevenson

1 is for One by Nadia Wheatley



World War I and World War II 

Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

The Little Riders by Margaretha Shemin

What about me? by Gertie Evenhuis

Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutecheon illustrated by Henri Sorensen

The War that saved my Life by Kimberley Brubacker

Anna at War by Helen Peters

Captain Rosalie by Timothee de Frombelle

The Goose Road by Rowena House



A few essential Picture Book additions for every school library (Primary)

The Black book of Colours by Menena Cotton illustrated by Rosana Faria

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

Mustafa by Marie-Lousie Gay

Whale in a fishbowl by Troy Howell and Richard Jones

The Hug machine by Scott Campbell

Truman by Jean Reidy illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Six Dinner Sid by Inga Moore

The Secret Sky garden by Linda Sarah illustrated by Fiona Lumbers

On the night of the shooting star by Amy Hest illustrated by Jenni Desmond

Sonam and the Silence by Eddie Ayres illustrated by Ronak Taher

I like bees, I don't like honey by Sam Bishop illustrated by Fiona Lumbers




Series 

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl and three sequels

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and sequel The Wild Robot escapes

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate and sequel The one and only Bob

Endling Book One The Last by Katherine Applegate and sequels

Boot by Shane Hegarty illustrated by Ben Mantle and Boot the Rusty Rescue

Fire Girl by Matt Ralphs and sequel Fire Witch

The legend of Podkin One ear by Kieran Larwood and sequels

Heartwood Hotel by Kallie George (4 books)

Beetle Boy by MJ Leonard and sequels

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson and sequels (Young Adult title)

The Thickety by JA White and sequels (Young Adult title)



Children's books all adults 

should read too

Momo by Michael Ende

The Eleventh trade by Alyssa Hollingsworth

Pax by Sara Pennypacker illustrated by Jon Klassen

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Toby Alone by Timothee de Frombelle

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate illustrated by Charles Santoso

Where the river runs gold by Sita Brahmachari

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman


1 comment:

BGHS Library said...

A wonderful accomplishment, Margot, and worthy of celebration! It is a timely reminder of the dedication to literature and the appropriate application to scholarship that comes with involvement in the role of Teacher Librarian. It is pivotal that we engage in the world of publishing of children’s books and read widely and often. Thanks for continuing to share your knowledge and passion for stories across such a wide variety of formats and reflecting so many cultures and author voices. You are such an inspiration to our profession! Best wishes for health and happiness in 2021, Kind regards, Deb Hogg