Bob Graham Quiz

My copy of September/October 2022 Horn Book Magazine arrived today with a review of Bob Graham's newest book - Jigsaw: A Puzzle in the Post or as it is called in the US Jigsaw: A Mystery in the Mail.

I love their words:

"Graham fans will know to expect a miracle. His squiggly, interrupted pen lines can render even a pile of wastepaper dynamic, and even the cadence of his text makes the ordinary grand. ... this timely tale is a celebration of wishful thinking."  Sarah Allen reviewer 

Here is a quiz I sent to a friend for her 80th Birthday. I thought I would share it here just for fun! She is a huge fan (and expert) on the works of our wonderful Australian author/illustrator Bob Graham.

Can you identify the Bob Graham book for each of these quotes?

• Let’s call him a small hero; a small hero doing quiet deeds. The world needs more of those.
• Grandma and Grandad’s! A whole day and night. Where the tea is always hot, there’s a bed of feathers for weary wings, and pancakes with syrup for breakfast.
• Grandad was still reading from a Poem for Every Day of the Year, with Vincent’s sweet breath in his ear.
• The girls drank hot elderberry juice and then were hugged some more.
• Pete put his cap on his bed. Next he placed a piece of apple inside, for when Roland woke up. 
• They had a dog with goggles that rode up on the petrol tank It was the best thing I ever saw in my life.
• They ate the picnic grandma had packed. Plum sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs with a little sprinkle of salt.
• The music slips under doorways, through skylights and windows … as surely and pleasantly as the smell of hot chocolate.
• Sunlight from all over the city streamed through the window and the kitchen clock struck ten.
• The baby arrived on the stroke of midnight along with two little strands of red hair.
• Mrs Stavros bought a bus cake, and Lucy lent her dog, Bear, for anyone who needed to just sit and pat something. 
• The engine coughed and sputtered. Wild flowers burst from the tailpipe. And for those who had time to look, the small van gathered speed. … and slowly left the ground like a swan in flight.
• The seventh day was picnic day on the docks, with plum jam sandwiches, ginger beer and fruit cake.
• I’ve bought some flowers and hot fairy cakes from my mum.
• Dave climbed right over the top of Kate, who briefly wore him like a hat.
• “That’s wishful thinking,’ said Mum. ‘Let’s wish then,’ said Katie.
• Will opened his hands and with a beat of its wings, the bird was gone.

A Trip to the Hospital by Freda Chiu

Rani has a broken arm - she needs to go to hospital and later she will need some surgery. Momo doesn't feel well because her asthma is making it hard to breathe - she travels to the hospital by ambulance. Henry has been visiting the hospital for many years. Today he has an appointment with a physiotherapist because he needs strong muscles to help with his prosthetic leg. All three children are in safe hands. The staff work hard, they smile (we can see through their masks) and inside the hospital walls are bright colours. Hopefully it is not too scary.

Publisher blurb: Going to hospital might seem scary or worrying - you might be hurt, you might feel sick or maybe you just have to visit a friend. But don't be worried! Hospitals are amazing places filled with clever people all doing incredible things, including making you feel better. Follow Momo, Rani and Henry on three very different adventures inside a busy children's hospital. A picture book that shows children all the interesting things that happen inside a hospital, helping them feel safe and secure, and ready for their first visit.

I volunteer at a children's hospital in their library. This book is simply perfect and should be a gift to all children who have to visit hospital and it should be added to all Primary and public library collections. Oh and in the interest of full disclosure I do need to mention one of the children in this book is named Momo!

There are many things to love about Chiu’s bright and dynamic debut picture book. The clear, simple language; the inclusiveness of the illustrations (workers, visitors, patients and families); the breadth of information, covering emergency visits, scheduled operations, recovery and rehabilitation; and the person-centred focus and capabilities of hospital staff. Reading Time

Freda Chiu spent time at Liverpool hospital in the paediatric unit and her experiences really shine through in this book. You might like to linger over the end papers (front and back are different) have been designed to match messages in get well soon and thank you cards. 

A Trip to the Hospital was entered (and short listed) for our Australian Children's Book of the Year Award for a New Illustrator. I was not able to talk about this book on my blog until after Book Week which happened last month. Take a look at my post about another book from this category For Love.

The judges said: The cover of this debut picture book which depicts the main characters beaming out will do much to allay readers’ fears of going to hospital. Chiu has cleverly captured the busyness and complexity of a hospital by using a mix of page layouts. Her bold style is perfectly matched to her use of mixed media such as pencils, gouache, crayons, pastels and collage. This original style allows the reader to explore the content and the artistic media on each page in detail or to read each image as a whole. Chiu quietly introduces inclusive adult and child characters in a natural way. She does not shy away from the reality of illness and injury, but her ability to convey the individual personalities of staff members will reassure readers.

Teachers Notes are available on the publisher web site - Allen and Unwin. You can see inside this book here on Freda Chiu's page. 

The exuberant child-like illustrations, use of bright colours, inclusive adult and child characters, and the variety of page designs are all excellent features of this book. The graph paper background on the cover and on the page where we meet all the medical specialists, is also very effective. The cover is terrific – this could be a frightening topic but these three smiling children will assure young readers (and their parents) that they are in safe hands with this exploration of hospitals and medical procedures. 

For Love by Cristina Neri

"She hummed softly while she worked, 

inhaling all the love her father exhaled her way."

I will begin with some abridged text quotes:

Papa, why do bees exist? For love he replied, bees exist for love.

Papa, why do snails exist? For love my child. Snails exist for love.

Papa, why do worms exist? For love. Worms exist for love was all that he said.

The little girl named Carina, falls, head first, into a prickly cactus plant while trying to rescue a beetle from a spider web. This is a moment that will make all readers gasp.

But Papa, why do spines exist? And he replies again. For love. Spines exist for love. 

But Papa, I don’t understand how everything can exist for love? 

He replies – my child nothing can exist without love.

Every day Carina and her father leave their little white washed cottage near a seaside fishing village, climbing a treacherous path with their donkey to a parcel of land where her father grows their crops of beans and tomatoes. 

Of all the books submitted for New Illustrator and Picture Book in 2021 for the 2022 awards, For Love by Christina Neri, published by LakePress was the only book we received with a dust jacket. I know they are an expensive extra but seeing that dust jacket I was sure this would be a carefully designed book. And I was right!

This book contains a rich vocabulary – words such as the eternal sea; spellbound by the magic of the retreating moon, slumbering volcano, and terrace walls built from pebbles spat out from the sea.

Cristina Neri uses a very appealing palette of colours, shades of dark denim blue, brighter reds, green and yellow, for her digital graphic art. She uses matt paper and fills each illustration with patterns of fine lines which give her pages texture. I love the way Cristina Neri shows emotional depth in the way she draws the eyes of the young girl and her father. And the young girl has delicate pink cheeks reminiscent of the art by Austrian illustrator Julie Volk.  Every page turn is interesting and at times even surprising. This book celebrates the relationship between a father and his daughter, patience, the reassurances that come from daily routines and the importance of love in a family. 

I just have two very tiny criticisms relating to the design of this book (even though I adore the design it could be even better). Firstly I wish the end papers had been illustrated although the red colour does echo the title. Secondly the front fly leaf has author information but this should be printed on the back fly leaf leaving the front fly leaf for the blurb such as the one on the back cover. This is the usual convention with dust jackets. 

Take a look at this detailed review in Reading Time. Here is the trailer where you can see inside this book. 

One of the New Illustrator judges for the CBCA 2022 awards said: The beautiful illustrations in this book perfectly complement the gentle story and theme. The choice of medium and style is original, and I love how the blue shades work to enhance the brighter reds, greens and yellows, with recurring symbols of love and nature throughout. 

The story is set on the island of Salina, one of the seven islands of the Aeolian archipelago located just off the north coast of Sicily. 

For Love was shortlisted for the 2022 CBCA New Illustrator award - one of six special titles.

The judges said: This is a very assured first book. The illustrations enhance the story line — providing further information and insight into character, setting, plot and theme. The choice of medium and style is original, and the blue shades enhance the brighter reds, greens and yellows, with recurring symbols of love and nature used throughout. The overall theme is reflected in the bright red endpapers, tying to the bold red font on the front cover. The production values of this book; a dust jacket, beautiful heavy matte stock and wonderful design make this book stand out from other entries in this category.

Cristina Neri has a new book coming soon:

The CBCA New Illustrator Award (originally called The Crighton Award) began in 1988 and it is such an important prize. I am sure you will be amazed to read this list of previous winners:

• Kim Gamble The Magnificent Nose & Other Marvels
• Anne Spudvilas The Race
• Shaun Tan The Viewer
• Anna Pignataro I’m in the Sky and I Can’t Come Back
• Freya Blackwood Two Summers
• Anna Walker Santa’s Aussie Holiday 
• Andy Geppert (Tim Brown) Little Big Tree
• Andrew Joyner (Ursula Dubosarsky) The Terrible Plop
• Marc Martin A Forest

My Life Begins by Patricia MacLachlan illustrated by Daniel Miyares

Jacob is an only child for the first nine years of his life. He thinks a puppy will fill the gap but mum and dad have other ideas - triplets. Charlotte (Char), Katherine (Kath) and Elizabeth (Liz). They are completely identical so Jacob calls them the Trips. Mum uses different colours so everyone call tell them apart. Luckily the family can hire a nanny to help - she is a truly special person. 

Jacob's teacher sets an assignment. Everyone has the whole term to research a topic of their own choice. Jacob decides to use his notebook to record his observations about the Trips.

Part of the blurb: As each of the triplets become unique and more special with each day, Jacob starts to wonder if “the Trips” is still a good name for them. They aren’t puppies, or a bunch of bananas, and they aren’t just “the Trips” anymore. What should he call them that will show what they mean to him? Can he figure out their “forever name?” And will he ever get a puppy?

Listen to a text sample here.

... measured writing focuses on moments of everyday magic and charm, and Jacob’s observational notes read almost like poetry. Kirkus

MacLachlan has poignantly captured the way Jacob's sibling relationships form and grow depending on the personality of each of his sister's, inviting readers into Jacobs thoughts and feelings to show how all this all unfolds.  Randomly Reading

I love Jacob's tenderness toward these tiny babies - in this scene he gets up late at night because he hears a baby crying.

"I go into the nursery, where the Trips sleep.  It is yellow Liz. She stops crying to look up at me. I pick her up. I know how to do this. I can warm a bottle. I can change a diaper. Her diaper is dry. Liz doesn't want a bottle. She wants to look at me. Her eyes are a dark colour I can't name. She watches me in the moonlight. I sing her 'All the Pretty Little Horses' and she is very still, listening the way she does when Father sings to her. I touch her hand and she curls it around my finger ... she smiles!"

I adore Patricia MacLachlan which is why I spent $30 for this slim (119 pages) book. I do hope a paperback version is available soon but I am happy to have a small shelf of hardcover books by Patricia MacLachlan. 

I need to find two more books by Patricia MacLachlan - her last books as she died earlier this year.

Companion reads to share alongside My Life Begins:

The Year of Billy Miller

Billy Miller makes a wish

Runt by Craig Silvey illustrated by Sara Acton

"Then for the first time Annie used her magic finger. She held it up, and Runt sat down. There was an invisible energy that seemed to connect them. It was as though a kind of electricity moved from the tip of Annie's finger to the end of Runt's snout."

"Remember, it's just like at home. Don't worry about all the sheep outside the fence. Just keep looking at me. You can do it. If we win this, we can go to London and try to pay the overdraft on the overdraft, and I could afford all the MUSH (dog food) you could ever eat."

This is a thoroughly joyous story about a girl and her wonderful dog named Runt. Life could be so good in their small Australian country town but a very, very greedy neighbour has been buying up the land and houses and he has redirected the town water into his own lake. There is a serious drought and the farmers who still live in Upson Downs are rapidly running out of hope and money.

Mum and Dad especially need money because the greedy landowner, appropriately named Earl Robert-Barren, is demanding the family pay him thousands of dollars for damage caused by their runaway sheep. 

Annie's dog Runt though,  has special talents. Annie discovers there is a competition with enormous prize money - enough money to save her family. Runt wins the agility course at the local rural show, then he wins at the National titles. The next stop is the Krumpets Dog Show in London but how will the family ever afford the plane ticket? Oh and there are two other HUGE problems. Firstly, Runt will not compete in front of an audience (the family do solve this in a very creative way). And secondly there is a serious rival - Fergus Fink. He plans to win at Krumpets and nothing will get in his way - nothing!

I usually laugh or dismiss the hyperbole often found on the back cover of books but I totally agree with these words:

"Runt is a heartwarming and hilarious tale of kindness, friendship, hurdles, hoops, tunnels, see-saws, and, above all, being yourself and bringing out the best in others."

Runt would be a terrific class read aloud book for a Grade 3 or 4 class and also a wonderful family read aloud. I almost read the whole book in one sitting and it does have 345 pages so hopefully that shows you that I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling and twists and turns of this story. You will cheer for Annie and Runt and boo and hiss at Fergus Fink (he is a fink).  I do hope this book is selected for the CBCA Younger Readers notables in 2023.  Runt will be published in October, 2022. It would also make a wonderful present if you know an Australian family living overseas.  Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy. 

Craig Silvey is the author of the adult titles - Honeybee and Jasper Jones. 

The beautiful community spirit and family unity in this book reminded me of this one:

The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee

And the problem solving and the affect of drought on small rural communities reminded me of this one:

Bungawitta

Just One Bee by Margrete Lamond and Anthony Bertini illustrated by Christopher Nielsen

Just One Bee provides readers with opportunities to explore the topic of bees and their importance in our lives. The message is clear without being heavy handed. The way the queen bee has a tiny crown and the way she is contained in a cage will allow readers to infer her role and importance. The text of this story can be read in different ways by younger children and older students. It could be a story about two bees (and the queen) who restore the fields of flowers or it could be read as a story about humanity, climate change deniers, affirmative action, and the power of an individual to make change happen. There are also the themes of optimism and pessimism, hope and despair. One-Bee, the character, shows vision and resilience.

This is a book of true quality. The language is poetic, the page turns perfectly paced, and the illustrations are haunting and worthy of close study. The drama of turning the page to the field of vibrant flowers provides a visual shock while at the same time it is quietly affecting. The story and the telling are spare but below this is a theme of great depth.  The varied textures used as page backgrounds give this book an almost tactile feel. The illustrations have a hand-made quality.  The end papers have a retro feel. 

The paperback edition of this book will be released in mid October - here is the ISBN 9780648899655.

Just one Bee was published in 2021 but because it was entered for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year I haven't been able to talk about it until now. Book Week and the announcement of the CBCA Award winners for 2022 happened last month. As a CBCA judge I had to wait to share these books until the judging was completed.

Just one Bee is a 2022 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Honour Book.

Here in Australia, by now, most children in Primary schools are sure to have heard Just one Bee read aloud in a library or classroom but I know people from other places in the world read my blog so I do hope you can find Just one Bee in your local library, school or book store.

Here are the judges comments: 

The language here is poetic and balanced, and the illustrations use a limited palette and stark design to create an arid effect in this flower-less dystopia. There is a strong sense of place with the environment itself developed as a key character. On the surface, this is the story of three bees who question their own power and place in creating a more sustainable future. But these characters are rich representations of climate deniers and activists in the real world and the book helps readers to consider their own role in climate change and the importance of resilience and working together to make a positive impact. The shifts in tone, from bleak and barren to vibrant fields of flowers, are effective and create a sense of hope and optimism.

You can see books and art by Christopher Nielsen here. Read more about one of our newest Australian publishers - Dirt Lane Press. You can find teachers notes for Just One Bee on their site. 

I would pair this book with another dystopian picture book from Australia:

The Duck and the Darklings

Of course you will also want to read other books about bees - and there are hundreds to choose from and here are some other companion books:

Links to blog posts: How to Bee; Where the river runs Gold; The Thing.  For older students in Grade 6 I also highly recommend you try to find Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker (2009). There are so many terrific books you can read about bees. Here is my Pinterest.

My two favourite non fiction bee titles are:

Flora of Australia

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything recently talked about the responses of her youngest students to a discussion about Australian native plants and flowers.  Talking about Daffodil Day many of her students said: "if a flower is red, it's a rose and if it's yellow, it's a daisy or dandelion".  My friend suggested someone needs to produce a new book about Australian flowers - not one with illustrations like the beautiful book Plantastic (2021) but one with photos of flowers to show a class. This idea has lingered with me.

Thinking of your youngest children in Kindergarten or Grade One here is a list of the flowers I would include in a book like this. I have included some photos from around my area:

Bottlebrush

Flowering Gum

Grevillea

Kangaroo paw

Waratah

Flannel Flower

Boronia

Sturt’s desert pea

Egg and bacon (Eutaxia obovata)

Wattle

Banksia

And a book with photos of Australian flowers should include a section with the National and State flowers:

Image Source: Australian Goverment

National - Golden Wattle

ACT - Royal Bluebell

Victoria - Pink (Common) Heath

Queensland - Cooktown Orchid

New South Wales - Waratah 

South Australia - Sturt's Desert Pea

Western Australia - Red and Green Kangaroo Paw

Northern Territory - Sturt's Desert Rose 

Years ago I had this tiny book in my school library - it is not illustrated with photographs but it could be a good starting point for a list of flowers to include in a book.

Iceberg by Claire Saxby illustrated by Jess Racklyeft

Antarctica is a fascinating place but it is also a place very few of us will ever visit. If you do visit Antarctica you will only be there for a very short time and only see a fragment of this huge continent. People do work at the various stations in Antarctica but only a small number of people will ever experience a whole year in the coldest, windiest, driest place on earth.

Every word in Iceberg is liquid gold. The text is informed by facts but expressed using a carefully constructed lyrical text. Referencing the seasons as a way to mark time is perfect in the context of an iceberg in Antarctica. The colours beautifully reflect the icy environment and a sense of wonder is created by the see-through transparent layers of water which allow the reader to see the mysteries beneath the ocean. 

This book has been carefully designed. The front cover has a stark image of an iceberg but closer inspection reveals the different animals that call this place home. The end papers actually look cold and contrast beautifully with the exuberant colours found on the fold out page later in the book. The text and illustrations in this book beautifully complement each other. There are tiny touches of humour in the faces of the sea creatures and this adds a lightness to the story. This book will stand the test of time, the sense of place is very strong and the text will give young readers a rich reading experience.

Publisher blurb (click this link to find very comprehensive teachers notes): In the final freeze of an Antarctic winter, green tails wave across a star-full sky, as if to farewell endless nights. If this world looks empty, look closer ... Penguins trek across the ice to their winter homes. As the temperature warms, birds fly above on their long migrations. And with the advent of summer, beneath an iceberg, the sea is teeming with life. Ocean, sky, snow and ice - minute greens and giant blues - dance a delicate dance in this evocative portrayal of the life cycle of an iceberg.

In 2017 Claire Saxby wrote a poem for our NSW School Magazine (Touchdown issue #1 February 2017).  I was luckily able to obtain a copy. Claire mentioned this in an interview with Joy Lawn for her blog Paperbark Words. Claire talks about this process here. 

Here is part of the poem:

In a blue Antarctic dawn

an iceberg calves - 

shears from a glacier

and is released to the sea

sharp and angular

it hoards ancient weather

layers of ice clothing

a coat for each year volcanoes blew

and black ash fell like snow

Iceberg was the 2022 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year winner but because it was entered for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year I haven't been able to talk about it until now.  Book Week and the announcement of the CBCA Award winners for 2022 happened last month. As a CBCA judge I had to wait to share these books until the judging was completed.

Here are the judges comments:

The writing is sophisticated; facts and technical vocabulary are lyrically combined with beautiful description. The sentences are perfectly balanced, and verbs are used precisely to describe the vivid life of this icy place. The choice of artistic medium offers a perfect complement to the text; the illustrations are subtle at times and commanding at others. The use of many shades of blue beautifully reflects this icy environment and immerses readers in the Antarctic. A sense of wonder is created through transparent layers of water allowing readers to spot life above and the mysteries below the surface.

Awards:

• Adelaide Festival Award for Literature shortlist 2022
• CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year 2022
• CBCA Notable Eve Pownall Award
• CBCA Shortlist Picture Book of the Year 2022
• CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2022 Winner

In this video shared on Facebook Jess Racklyeft talks about her research and processes in creating the art for this book. 

Here in Australia, by now, most children in Primary schools are sure to have heard (hopefully someone read the book in a library or classrooom) and/or seen (Storybox Library) this book but I know people from other places in the world read my blog so I do hope you can find Iceberg in your local library, school or book store. Here is the website for Jess Racklyeft and for Claire Saxby.

Her text is both narrative and non-fiction, effortlessly creating a wonderful reading experience for teachers, librarians or parents while also providing an educational, fact-learning feast for children in kindergarten to middle primary. Reading Time

Saxby’s text is sophisticated, poetic and accessible all at once and Racklyeft’s illustrations are multi-layered and luminescent; ‘Iceberg’ is text and images in perfect harmony ... Children's Books Daily

Here is the US cove which is slightly different - I wonder why they added a subtitle?

Here are some craft works inspired by this book:

Le Page Primary School Victoria

Booragul Public School, NSW

Here are some books you could use to compare the way illustrators depict Antarctica:

Other books by Claire Saxby:

My September and October reading pile

Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for these:

The Reindeer and the Submarine by Beverley McWilliams (Pantera Press)  Due November 2022.

Publisher blurb (this story is based on real events which did surprise me): An orphaned reindeer with no antlers, Pollyanna is raised by Igor, a Sámi herder, and is more at home in the company of people than other reindeer. When she discovers Igor is leaving for war, Pollyanna decides to follow, but en route, she is captured and gifted to the crew of a British submarine, the HMS Trident. Life onboard the Trident brings more than a few surprises, and Pollyanna – with her love of food – gets into all kinds of mischief. But she also makes friends, becomes part of the crew, and uses her courage and cheekiness to comfort her companions in the dark days of the war. Eventually all journeys come to an end however, and Pollyanna finds herself facing a new adventure.

One more Mountain by Deborah Ellis (Allen and Unwin) Due for publication November 2022

This book follows on from Parvana, Parvana's Jurney, Shuazia and Parvana's Promise. In Canada the first book in this series had the title The Breadwinner.

Publisher blurb: In Kabul, 15-year-old Damsa runs away to avoid being forced into marriage by her family. She is found by a police officer named Shauzia, who takes her to Green Valley, a shelter and school for women and girls run by Parvana. It has been 20 years since Parvana and Shauzia had to disguise themselves as boys to support themselves and their families. But when the Taliban were defeated in 2001, it looked as if Afghans could finally rebuild their country. Many things have changed for Parvana since then. She has married Asif, who she met in the desert as she searched for her family when she was a child. She runs a school for girls. She has a son, Rafi, who is about to fly to New York, where he will train to become a dancer. But Shauzia is still Parvana’s best friend. And Parvana is still headstrong, bringing her in conflict with her spoiled sister Maryam. While Asif tries to get Maryam and Rafi on one of the last flights out of Kabul, the Taliban come to the school, and Parvana must lead the girls out of Green Valley and into the mountains.

Berani by Michelle Kadarusman (Allen and Unwin) due for publication November, 2022

I have previously talked about The Theory of Hummingbirds and Girl of the Southern Sea. Here is the Kirkus review for Berani. 

Blurb: Malia has had a privileged upbringing in Indonesia, but since her Indonesian father died, her Canadian mother wants to return to her own family on the other side of the world. Malia is determined to stay. Indonesia is her home, and she loves it. Besides, if she leaves, how can she continue to fight for her country's precious rainforests? Ari knows he is lucky to be going to school and competing on the chess team, even if it means an endless round of chores at his uncle's restaurant. Back in his home village, he and his cousin Suni dreamed about getting a chance like this. But now he is here without her, and the guilt is crushing him. As if that weren't enough, he's horribly worried about Ginger Juice, his uncle's orangutan. The too-small cage where she lives is clearly hurting her body and her mind, but where else can she go? The rainforest where she was born is a palm oil plantation now.

Here are two books I borrowed from the Book Bunker at Westmead Children's Hospital

Sky Chasers by Emma Carroll 

This book comes from a competition which I think may have been discontinued called The Big Idea competition where you send in a great story idea and if you win a well known children's author writes your story. I love this idea. 

Chicken House blurb: Orphan Magpie can’t believe her eyes when she sees a boy swept off his feet by a kite … or something that twists and dances in the wind. She goes to his rescue only to find herself dangling in the sky. The world looks so different from on high and suddenly Magpie knows what she wants – to be the first to fly in a balloon above the King and Queen of France.

My friend the Octopus by Lindsay Gavin

Chicken House blurb: Twelve-year-old Vinnie Fyfe works in the tea-shop at Brighton aquarium, and waits for her milliner mother to return from Paris. The arrival of a giant octopus changes her life for ever. Discovering a talent for art, Vinnie begins to draw the extraordinary beast. She soon realises she can communicate with the octopus through colour and – as a gripping mystery begins to unfold – discovers what true courage really means …

Book I purchased:

Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz

Publisher blurb: After a family tragedy results in the loss of both father and home, 12-year-old Nora lives with her mother in Manila’s North Cemetery, which is the largest shantytown of its kind in the Philippines today. When her mother disappears mysteriously one day, Nora is left alone. With help from her best friend Jojo and the support of his kindhearted grandmother, Nora embarks on a journey riddled with danger in order to find her mom. Along the way she also rediscovers the compassion of the human spirit, the resilience of her community, and everlasting hope in the most unexpected places.