End of Year Summary 2023

Momotimetoread began in 2008 and now it is 2023. This has been an interesting reading year.  I blogged nearly every day and thanks to the wonderful library I visit each week, I found some special book treasures. I did devote quite a few posts to books published in 2022 from Australia which were either sent to me for judging (Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book and New Illustrator) or books that won our CBCA award in 2023. I have not listed these in this summary post. I was not permitted to talk about the 2022 Picture Book entries until our CBCA awards were announced in August. You can use the CBCA label from my sidebar to explore these. 

In this list today you can expect to find books from around the world (especially USA, UK and Canada) because I believe we are so lucky here in Australia - we can share books from any country where they speak English and also there are a wealth of translated books each year which are often wonderful discoveries. Not every book listed here was published in 2023 but these were books I read or discovered. Sometimes it takes a while for an international title to reach us here in Australia and I also mostly wait for the paperback editions of US and UK titles which also take time to arrive. 

I blogged just over 440 books this year and I have reached 1.3+ million page views. 

Books I enjoyed the most:

Tyger by SF Said illustrated by Dave McKean

Foxlight by Katya Baylen

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker

Willodeen by Katherine Applegate illustrated by Charles Santoso

The Summer We Found the Baby by Amy Hest

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird illustrated by David Small

Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee

Surprise discoveries:

Little Robot by Ben Hatke

The Secret of the Magic Pearl by Elisa Sabatinelli illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

 The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

Some Questions about Trees by Toni Yuly (Picture Book)

Ajay and the Jaipur Moon by Varsha Shah

The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Alone by Megan E Freeman (Verse Novel)

Sunshine by Marion Dane Bauer

Best new Australian titles for middle grade:

The Fortune Maker by Catherine Norton

Two Sparrowhawks in a Lonely Sky by Rebecca Lim

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks

Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth by Anna Fienberg

Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd

The Lorikeet Tree by Paul Jennings

Best Australian Picture books:

The Balloon Blow up by Andy Geppert

Eat my Dust by Neridah McMullin illustrated by Lucinda Gifford (Biography)

Pocket Treasure by Wendy Shurety illustrated by Juliana Oakley

The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham

I am Lupe by Sela Ahosivi-Atiola illustrated by Yani Agustina

A Life Song by Jane Godwin illustrated by Anna Walker

Stay for Dinner by Sandhya Parappukkaran illustrated by Michelle Pereira

Before you were Born by Katrina Germein illustrated by Helene Magisson

Cub and Brown by Edwina Wyatt illustrated by Evie Barrow (junior novel)

A small sample of some of the best International Picture Books:

Who lives here? by Julia Donaldson

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

The Barnabus Project by The Fan Brothers

Lizzy and the Cloud by The Fan Brothers

Most interesting Australian Non-Fiction Book

Australia: Country of Colour by Jess Racklyeft

Books I hope teachers will read aloud:

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate

Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker illustrated by Matthew Cordell

The Lost library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

Favourite illustrations:

Night Lunch by Eric Fan illustrated by Diana Seiferling

The Baker by the Sea by Paula White

Poppy's House by Karla Courtney illustrated by Madeline Kloepper

Pigeon and Cat by Edward Hemingway

Best verse novels:

Under a broken Sky by Mariko Nagai

Odder by Katherine Applegate

Alias Anna by Susan Hood and Greg Dawson

Starfish by Lisa Fipps

The Way of Dog by Zana Fraillon

Here is a tiny sample of the books I really want to see in 2024. I also plan to add more graphic novels to my diet - I need to experience more titles in this form. 

These are from my shop wishlist which has 450+ titles - yes, it is a little out of control:

Peng's Vase: A Chinese Folktale by Paolo Proietti illustrated by Angus Yuen-Killick

Oh, Sal by Kevin Henkes

The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown

The probability of everything by Sara Everett

Simon sort of Says by Erin Bow

Gold by Jed Alexander (and also his two other wordless books: Olive and Red)

Rise Up with a Song: The True Story of Ethel Smyth, Suffragette Composer by Diane Worthey illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia

The School for Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Little Green Envelope by Gillian Sze illustrated by Claudine Crangle

Escape to the River Sea by Emma Carroll

Birdsong by the Billabong by Maura Finn illustrated by Cate James

Catching a Story Fish by Janice N Harrington

'You'd talk the whiskers off a catfish,'

Grandpa says, 'and the shine 

off a new penny.'

I like to talk.

I like to spin stories,

this-is-what-I-did stories,

this-is-what-I-saw stories,

stories to make my brother giggle-bouncy

and wiggly as a worm,

stories to make my Daddy lean in

and hold me octopus-tight,

stories to make Mama's eyes

shine birthday-candle bright.

My name is Katharen but my friends and family call me Keet - Keet Keet Parakeet.

"I used to be Keet-Keet Parakeet.
I used to talk to anyone.

I used to talk anywhere.

But now at school,

words are peanut-butter sticky

and tight was lids on pickle jars."

This seems like a perfect book to end my reading year. It is a verse novel and I adore this genre. It is a book that I knew nothing about, so it is a surprise discovery. This is a book that celebrates the power of storytelling and the importance of courage to use your voice. I love the new friendship between Keet and Allegra. And the paperback edition (2023) of this book has just been published so we can afford to buy it here in Australia. There is even a poem you could use from this book when you talk about our CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) 2024 slogan - Reading is Magic. 

Ms Lindle is the school Teacher-Librarian:

"Ms Lindle won't mind.
She says getting lost in a book
is a magic trick
which means that I'm a wizard."

I love Ms Lindle.  When Keet enters a story competition I can hear her warm voice when she says:

"It's a good story, Katharen.'

'Really?' I ask,

'Absolutely-truly-ruly-

no-mistake-for-certain,' Ms Lindle says."

Moving house is hard for Keet and at school the other kids tease her southern accent:

"Grandpa, the kids say I talk funny.

They laugh at my words.

They're mean. Grandpa. And I don't like,

I don't like, I don't like school at all."

Blurb from the author webpage: Keet knows the only good thing about moving away from her Alabama home is that she'll live near her beloved grandfather. When Keet starts school, it's even worse than she expected, as the kids tease her about her southern accent. Now Keet, who can "talk the whiskers off a catfish," doesn't want to open her mouth. Slowly, though, while fishing with her grandfather, she learns the art of listening. Gradually, she makes her first new friend. But just as she's beginning to settle in, her grandfather has a stroke, and even though he's still nearby, he suddenly feels ever-so-far-away. Keet is determined to reel him back to her by telling him stories; in the process she finds her voice and her grandfather again. This lyrical and deeply emotional novel-in-verse celebrates the power of story and of finding one's individual voice.

Keet's is a simple and familiar-feeling story, but one that is understated, fully realized, deftly written, and utterly absorbing ... School Library Journal

Awards

• Winner of the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
• Arnold Adoff Poetry Honor Award

Janice N Harrington includes ten different poetry forms in her story and these are listed at the back. 

"This lyrical novel in verse effortlessly weaves together multiple poetry forms to introduce readers to Katharen, called Keet, a young girl who loves to talk and spin stories.... The poems effectively convey conflicting emotions; different styles (haiku, concrete, blues, etc.,) express moods and nuances without being distracting."  Booklist

New Girl Blues

I got the New-Girl blues.

I got those back-to-school and don’t-want-to,

do-I-have-to-Mama? do-I-have-to? blues.

Blues in my thinking, blues

in my walk. Blue and lonely lonely

because of my New-Girl talk.

I got the New-Girl,

don’t-want-to-go,

don’t-make-me-go blues.

You could use this book with a class as a way to explore poetry forms plus there is a wonderful public speaking topic idea - The Dream Report.

I would pair this book with:

The One Thing You'd Save

Cornbread and Poppy at the Museum by Matthew Cordell

Each year at this time Betsy Bird (School Library Journal) posts 31 lists over 31 days. This is such a generous series of posts and a rich source of new books to discover.  Here is her list of Easy Books and Early Chapter Books. The list has 25+ titles. I would also add all three books in the Cornbread and Poppy series to this list. I have talked about this series previously.

In this newest installment (published 2023) Cornbread is so excited to receive an invitation to the gala function at the Moonville Museum. A new surprise exhibit will be revealed. Cornbread loves so many of the museum displays. It is a favourite place to visit where he can see:

Toothbrushes through Time; Molds and Fungi; Insect specimens; Antique cheese graters; and the Mummified peanut (this is my favourite item).

His invitation to the Founders Gala is for Cornbread and a guest. Gourmet cheeses, nuts and juices will be served. Fancy attire is required.

Naturally Cornbread has invited Poppy but she is not really keen on events like this and has no interest in museums. She does put on her "glamorous dress with sparkles" and great-great-auntie Twick's fancy hat. Little does she know this hat is of great significance and yes there is a museum disaster but everything is neatly resolved in the end - thank goodness. 

Bookseller blurb: Cornbread LOVES spending time inside. Poppy does not. Cornbread ADORES in-depth research. Poppy does not. Cornbread is THRILLED to visit The Moonville Museum. Poppy…is not. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when Cornbread is invited to attend the Founders Gala to see the unveiling of a surprise new exhibit, Poppy agrees to be his guest. Their evening is full of spectacular treasures, including hand-carved hairbrushes, diamond-encrusted perfume sprayers, and a solid gold ice cream scoop. What other wonders will these mice discover? 

The friends’ charming camaraderie shines in this sweet, gently humorous early reader ... No need to visit a museum to find an exhibit of best friendship; see it on display right here. Kirkus

After or even before reading this book it would be terrific to take your young reading companion to a local museum so they gain a sense of how the displays are set out and perhaps encounter some new vocabulary. Reading this book you may need to talk about the idea of a gala and also ancestry. Your family might also adopt a new expression 'Cornbread cleaned up nice!' 'Poppy cleaned up nice!'

I recommend shopping around for the Cornbread and Poppy books. I picked up my paperback copy in a city bookstore today for just AUS$13 but one of our popular Australian online booksellers lists this book at nearly AUS$19.  Do think about adding this series to your school library. Young children who are just ready for easy/beginner chapter books also need books with terrific stories that are fun and worth reading. Listen to Matthew Cordell talking about his book series.

A truly great easy book must use literally the simplest of words to convey a title so interesting that it makes a child want to know how to read. Betsy Bird

Here are the three Cornbread and Poppy books that have been published and the newest one which will arrive in 2024.

Wait! Wait! by Hatsue Nakawaki illustrated by Komako Sakai translated by Yuki Kaneko

A young child sees a fluttering butterfly. We hear the off-stage voice saying Wait! Wait! On the next page the child lifts their arms and looks up as the butterfly flutters away. Moving along the child spies a small lizard on the path. Wait! Wait! Oh no - he has wiggled away. But this is not a problem because now there are three pigeons ready to distract the child but the warning of Wait! Wait! is ignored and so the pigeons flap their wings and fly away. Perhaps these two cats will want to play? No. Never mind there are plenty of other things to explore now that we see all of these tiny moments have been happening at their local park. It is a simple day but it is a day of joy between a father and child with green grass, sunshine and tiny moments to explore and experience. 

There are only thirty words in this book but, as with the very best children's picture books, so much more is going on. This is a book you just have to talk about as you read it with a very young child. Begin with the cover - did you spy the little bee?

Dressed in white overalls, a striped shirt, and chunky shoes, the toddler (who could easily be a boy or a girl) is the star of every spread. ... A lovely and intimate study of a child’s growing sense of independence, capability, and curiosity.  Publisher's Weekly

Sakai’s soft, delicate acrylic-and–oil-pencil illustrations are breathtaking. The butterfly, lizard, pigeons and cats are brilliantly depicted in vivid, accurate detail, while the child is all expressive softness and yearning as she encounters each new experience. Each double-page spread is a sea of white, with a single large-print sentence and a lightly drawn hint of setting, allowing the characters and action to hold center stage. Parents and their little ones will snuggle together to read this joyous evocation of the newness and wonder of the world over and over again. Tender and wistful and glorious. Kirkus Star review

This simple little book captures so nicely the speed of a toddler’s thoughts and the way that they can keep so busy with new discoveries in their day.  There is a wonderful gentleness to the book, where the animals and then the adult are just as much fun and intriguing as one another.  At the same time, there is a sense of discovery and awe as each new creature is found. Waking Brain Cells

When I saw the art of Komako Sakai in The Bear and the Wildcat I fell in love with her work. This book Wait! Wait! was waiting for me at a recent charity book sale. It was published in 2013 and luckily for me this copy is in mint condition and only cost $2! I love this book SO much. My dilemma is do I keep this book - my own shelves are packed full - or do I gift this to a young child?

Here is the Japanese cover  こりゃまてまて

 And the German edition has an entirely different cover:

Hiding Edith by Kathy Kacer

Book seller blurb: In 1938, Edith and her family joined the many Jewish people forced to leave their homes to escape the Nazis. In a desperate bid for survival, Edith was entrusted to the care of a children's home in Moissac, France, where other Jewish children were hiding. All the people of the town promised to keep the children's identity a secret. Could they possibly succeed? Would Edith ever see her family again? A dramatic and moving account of one girl's experience during World War II.

By coincidence my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything penned a blog post this week about Anne Frank and Samantha Read Smith (more about this young girl in a moment).  I often had students in Grade Five or Six who wanted to read The Diary of Anne Frank but I did not purchase this for my library because I think it is better suited to an older reader aged 13+.  I did have Hiding Edith in my library, but I will confess I had not read it until this week. I picked up my copy at a recent charity book sale. Hiding Edith was published in Canada in 2006 and the Australian edition arrived in 2011. Younger students aged 10+ who are interested in Anne Frank are sure to find the story of Edith Schwalb engrossing. Kathy Kacer interviewed Edith and other children who were saved when they went into hiding in the French village of Moissac so this is a non-fiction biography of a young Jewish girl. She had to cope with leaving her family, living with strangers, and changing her identity.

As unimaginable as it may seem for today’s youngsters to comprehend the experience Edith endured, Kacer has succeeded in allowing the young reader into the apprehensive and troubled mind of this child survivor. Kirkus

Hiding Edith details not only the amazing courage and struggles of one young girl, but the inspiring spirit of the people she met. Second Story Press

Here is a very detailed set of teaching notes from the publisher. You can listen to a five-minute audio sample here from the Introduction to Hiding Edith. 

Here is an alternate cover for Hiding Edith:

Companion books:

Beyond Belief

This is a picture book version based on the famous diary of Anne Frank

Girl 38 Finding a Friend

Let me Whisper you my Story

Now to briefly mention Samantha Reed Smith. Take a minute to read the post above from Kinderbookswitheverything.  I had no idea about this courageous young girl. Samantha was born in 1972 in Maine, USA. She was worried about the Cold War (1947-1991) and so she took some action and wrote a letter to:

"Yuri Andropov, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, expressing her concerns about the possibility of nuclear war. Her sincerity, genuine curiosity, and unshakable belief in the goodness of humanity shone through her words. To everyone’s amazement, Andropov responded to Samantha’s letter with an invitation to visit the Soviet Union." History Captain

She travelled to the USSR in 1983

"Samantha’s message was simple but profound: Peace is not an abstract concept; it’s a shared aspiration of all humanity. Her youthful innocence allowed her to see beyond political rhetoric and to touch the hearts of people who had been taught to see the West as an enemy." History Captain

Read more here:

• The letter sent by Samantha and the reply.
• Kids Britannica
• Kids encyclopedia

I previously talked about another book by Kathy Kacer - To Hope and Back. 

My parents were both survivors of the Holocaust. My mother survived the war by hiding. My father was a survivor of the concentration camps. Their stories of survival were an inspiration to me as I was growing up. As an adult, I was determined to write their stories and pass them on to young readers. In that way, future generations would never forget that time in history. Kathy Kacer

Tru and Nelle by G Neri

About Tru:

• Truman Capote was born on 30 September 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana, originally named Truman Streckfus Persons. He changed his name to Truman Garcia Capote in 1935 – from his stepfather, Joseph Capote, a Cuban-born New York businessman.
• Capote’s parents divorced when he was very young, and he was subsequently primarily raised by his mother’s relatives in Monroeville, Alabama. He formed a special bond with his distant relative, Nanny Rumbley Faulk – ‘Sook’.
• Truman Capote’s best friend in Monroeville was the girl-next-door, Nelle Harper Lee, who later based the precocious character of Dill Harris on Capote in her famous novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Similarly, Capote also used Harper Lee as an inspiration for the character Idabel Tompkins in his debut novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms.
• Truman was classified as a “lonely child,” and before he even entered formal schooling, he used that loneliness (along with his obvious smarts) to teach himself how to read and write. By 11, he was already writing his first short stories.

About Nelle:

• Harper Lee was born Nelle Harper Lee. Her first name is a backwards spelling of her grandmother’s name—Ellen. When pursuing her writing career, Lee dropped her first name because she didn’t want people misprinting or mispronouncing it as “Nellie.”
• She did not seem to have many companions during her childhood except her neighbor and friend Truman Capote. 
• Lee met Truman Capote when they were both around five years old, and she was his protector from neighborhood bullies for much of their early years.
• Lee’s mother probably had some psychological ailments and this left a profound impact on her. Truman also faced domestic problems and the two found an outlet in each other to pour out these grievances which later came out through their writings.
• The plot and characters of To Kill a Mockingbird are loosely based on Lee's observations of her family and neighbors in Monroeville, Alabama, as well as a childhood event that occurred near her hometown in 1936. The novel deals with racist attitudes, the irrationality of adult attitudes towards race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s, as depicted through the eyes of two children.
• Her father was a former newspaper editor, businessman, and lawyer, who also served in the Alabama State Legislature from 1926 to 1938. ... Before A.C. Lee became a title lawyer, he once defended two black men accused of murdering a white storekeeper. Both clients, a father and son, were hanged.

G. Neri skillfully weaves all of these facts into a brilliant story for readers aged 11+. I do need to give a warning - there are two very confronting scenes from Chapter 24 through to Chapter 26 - one involving the Klu Klux Clan and the suggestion of a lynching and the other is a dreadful staged fight between two enormous snakes where men bet on the outcome. Read this sentence - king = snake, moccasin = snake, green backs = money, hood = the Clan.

"Meet me this afternoon at the snake pit ... Indian Joe done got a king and a moccasin goin'. We gonna make enough green backs to cover my hooch costs. And bring my hood, boy. We got fireworks tonight."

Listen to an audio sample and here is the publisher blurb: Long before they became famous writers, Truman Capote (In Cold Blood) and Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) were childhood friends in Monroeville, Alabama. This fictionalized account of their time together opens at the beginning of the Great Depression, when Tru is seven and Nelle is six. They love playing pirates, but they like playing Sherlock and Watson-style detectives even more. It’s their pursuit of a case of drugstore theft that lands the daring duo in real trouble. Humor and heartache intermingle in this lively look at two budding writers in the 1930s South.

Every time I go to our local charity Lifeline Book fair I seem to pick up a truly surprising book. How did this book published in the US in 2016 end up in a book fair in Sydney, Australia? There is a clue on the back cover. This book was purchased from an Australian independent book seller (now closed) for $25. It was added to their shop shelves in November 2016. Who purchased this book? There is a clue inside the front cover. Very very childish writing says "This book belongs to Leda". If the writing matches the age of this child then I am certain Leda did not read this book - so of course it is in mint condition with the dust jacket intact. On the final day of the fair every book is half price if you spend over $30 so I picked up this book for $1.50 - amazing. You can read more plot details here.

Betsy Bird shares two videos made by G (Greg) Neri about Monroeville and his book. These will give you a fabulous insight into the background to this book. 

Here are a couple of text quotes to give the flavour of the writing:

"They decided to pay a social call on Mr Yarborough (owner of the drugstore) to straighten out the facts. The plan was to just sit there and chat away, enjoying an ice cold Catawba Flip or a fluffy Cherry Dope at the soda fountain. Then using their wiles and charms, they'd get Mr Yarborough to reveal some crucial bits of information which would solve the case."

"Because it was Halloween, the Boular house reminded Nelle even more of an old graveyard. Surrounded by spooky trees and a rusty bent fence, the house was built of dark wood and was rumored to be haunted. It was foreboding and sagged in the middle like it was on its last legs. The yard was an overgrown tangle of scuppernong arbors and wild pecan trees. If you hit a ball into ol' man Boular's yard and he was home, you could consider that ball lost forever."

The charming and elegantly written novel doesn’t shy away from issues of mental illness, child abandonment, and racism, but they are woven neatly into the fabric of the characters’ lives in the tiny Southern town. Kirkus star review

Many readers are given To Kill a Mockingbird as a High School text. Tru and Nelle could be an interesting way to explore the background to that famous book. Take a look at this page on the author website. Here is the sequel to Tru and Nelle which I plan to read as a ebook:

Companion reads:

How High the Moon

Stella by Starlight

Read-Aloud rhymes for the very young selected by Jack Prelutsky illustrated by Marc Brown

I picked this up at a recent Lifeline charity book fair for only $2. It is no longer in print because it was first published in 1986, but I am sure it would have originally cost over $30 so I picked up a true bargain. I have some friends with two young granddaughters and recently their mum asked for some suggestions of poetry books to share with the girls aged three and five. This one will be perfect, and it might even have been given as a Christmas gift yesterday.

Look inside here (the cover on this site is from the paperback edition).

From the Introduction - Children have a near-genius capacity to absorb and process language between twelve months and six years of age, learning an average of nine new words a day. Research further shows us that the richer and more plentiful the language environment, the richer will be the child's vocabulary. ... Next to hugging and talking to children, reading aloud is the greatest gift we can give them. ... Unlike the toys we buy our children, poems cannot break. Their flavour will last longer than a hundred boxes of sweets. They come ready assembled and new only one battery, a reader connected to one child. And that read can start a glow that lasts a lifetime. - Jim Trelease

As you would expect this book has a title index, a first line index and an index of poets.

Two Sad by William Cole

It's such a shock, I almost screech,
When I find worm inside my peach
But then, what really makes me blue
Is to find a worm who's bit in two!

Fairies by Eleanor Farjeon

Don't go looking for fairies,

They'll fly away if you do.

You never can see the fairies

Till they come looking for you.

Silverly by Dennis Lee

Silverly,

Silverly,

Over the 

Trees

The moon drifts

By on a

Runaway

Breeze

Dozily,

Dozily,

Deep in her

Bed.

A little girl 

Dream with the

Moon in her

Head.

The Butterfly by Clinton Scollard

Up and down the air you float

Like a little fairy boat;

I should like to sail the sky,

Gliding like a butterly!

Reviews:

• "All truly easy to read aloud." The Horn Book Magazine
• "Bound to develop an appreciation for poetry at a very young age." School Library Journal
• "Parents will discover it is as much fun to read as it is for the little ones to hear." Chicago Tribune
• "Marc Brown's pictures of children and animals, each lovingly depicted, convey the universal childhood exuberance found in each rhyme." Boston Sunday Globe
• A Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book
• A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Book seller blurb: America's favorite children's poet and anthologist, Jack Prelutsky has selected more than 200 poems for every occasion, every event, every experience that a young child encounters, from waking up in the morning to going to bed at night, all written by popular and well-known twentieth century poets. Each poem is artfully brought to life in the bright, playful illustrations of award-winning artist Marc Brown. From cover to cover, this fantastic anthology is filled with timeless fun that will open young minds to the magic and meaning of words and enchant both parents and children for generations to come.

Here are some poetry hints from Jack Prelutsky:

1. The first few years of a child’s life are extremely important to their emotional and intellectual growth. Reading to your child during these vital years is an essential tool to provide a nurturing and language-enriched environment. In Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, I have selected short poems with wonderful sounds to keep even the youngest child entertained while acknowledging their short attention spans.

2. Make reading a daily practice–a special time for both of you to look forward to. It could be during the afternoon to provide quiet quality time, or perhaps right before bedtime to calm the child after an active day. Find a special place in your home to sit together while you read–snuggling together while listening to a parent read makes the child feel safe, loved, and happy.

3. Read through the whole book to become familiar with the poems before choosing which ones to read to your child. This will help you pick the perfect poem that relates to the day, the weather, or an upcoming event–for example, read a poem about animals before visiting the zoo.

4. Choose rhythmic poems and vary your tone to keep the attention of very young children. While they may not understand the words yet, they will respond to the sounds. As your child gets older, begin to encourage your child to repeat the words you read to them. Point out the pictures that relate to what you are reading. If they start enjoying a particular poem you may look into other books by that poet.

The Fortune Maker by Catherine Norton

"It meant living in the cheapest room in Silvertown, in a house on Pilchard Street at the very end of a terrace that tilted towards a lake of dark, oozing run-off from the coal tar factory. Their room had one tiny window they had to keep closed against the stench, especially in summer, and tide water seeped up through the floorboards all year round. Silvertown itself was built on a boggy bit of land between the river and the docks, in the shadow of dozens of factories that filled the streets with the foul stinks of sulphur, tar and the boiling bones and guts of slaughtered animals."

Maud Mulligan lives in desperately poor circumstances in a London slum. The year is 1913 - think about the significance of that date - suffragettes; Emaline Pankhurst; World War I is not far off; and the Industrial Revolution means thousands of people have come to London and many work in very dangerous factories. Maud might have a tough life, but she also has a dream to leave the slums and travel with her father to a better place. In their lodgings they have a jar and every day for the last seven years she has been saving so that one day they can buy two tickets on a streamer to somewhere else. Sadly, this cannot happen because the very old building where they live falls into the Thames. The money is gone. Then her father is killed by an elephant that was being winched off a ship down on the docks. He was knocked into the river and drowned. Now Maud has no family, no home, no money and only the clothes she had been wearing the day her home fell into the river.

Maud and her father had been living in an unused pantry in the home of Mrs Wray. Her husband is a violent man and for a while Maude manages to keep out of his way but then she is discovered and so now she is forced to live on the streets. 

This is a time of superstition. Maud is desperate to know the future. 

"Underneath the river, between the factories on the north bank and the gun yards on the south, there was a tunnel. ... for a few pennies you could find out your future."

In a heartbreaking scene we see Maud exchange her mother's beautiful green shawl so she can learn about her future. 

"How will I get out of Silverton?"

"Ruin! You will lose everything."

What does this prophecy mean? Maud is kidnapped by a man connected with a factory that makes dyes. The rich owners have also consulted a fortune teller - a famous and rich one. Somehow the colour yellow is important, as are chemistry lessons. Maud will escape, then be recaptured, then escape again. Along the way she meets rich people, corrupt people, and surprising new friends. She is even caught up in a suffragette protest march - a violent one. And there is another layer over the top of all of this which is hinted at on the cover. Maud herself is able to see the future - this is a gift but it could also put her in grave danger.

Maud is told to predict the colour that will be in fashion next year.

"Maud carefully lifted the crystal ball from the velvet-lined box and carried it to an armchair. ... She gasped when the flames flickered and changed. They became a column of figures, so indistinct as to be almost silhouettes. Even so, she could tell they were not ladies but men, moving slowly forwards and swaying.  ... The dying men were sucked abruptly into the ground."

All she can see is grey and black and mud and sludge. What does this mean?

This book has 312 pages and I read it all on one day - yes this book is THAT good. The final sentence made me gasp! I sincerely hope this book has been entered in our CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) awards and if it has, I am certain it will be a Younger Readers Notable title and almost certainly a short-listed book too. I am surprised I haven't heard more people talking about this book which was released in August, 2023. That said, do take a look at all the positive comments on Catherine Norton's web page. I also really like the cover - in fact that is what drew me to this book when I saw it in a local independent book shop. Catherine Norton's book Crossing was a 2015 CBCA Notable but I somehow missed reading it. 

Publisher blurb: London, 1913 Twelve-year-old Maud Mulligan knows there's no future for her in London, in the rat-infested slum where she grew up. But in the tunnel under the river are fortune tellers, Seers, who will tell your fortune for a few pennies. And then there is Mr Mandalay, Seer to the king and anyone else rich enough to afford him. When Mr Mandalay sees Maud in a foretelling for a wealthy factory heiress, she believes Maud can save her family from financial ruin. But how? And why? In a world shaken by suffragettes, scientists, and the threat of war, what could a girl like Maud do to change anyone's future - or even her own?

This is a mystical adventure about strength, determination and changing times. Full of optimism even in the most desperate of situations, it shows how survival can be achieved through the worst or best experience, depending on the strength within to face whatever you are dealt. A stunning, eye-catching cover equals the fantastic read. Kids' Book Review

This reviewer inhaled this book - I did too. 

Serious themes of grief and loss, gender roles, power and resilience underpin this adventure but never overburden this exhilarating roller coaster read. The writing is assured, rich in historical detail, and enlivened by delightful insights into character. ...  I inhaled this book in one sitting and I think many others will do the same. ... Its high production values indicate the publishers think they have a keeper and I agree with them. Story Links

This story feels like the writing of Charles Dickens. You could share some children's abridged versions of his famous stories with your child after reading The Fortune Maker.

Here are some teachers notes from the publisher. You can read chapters one and two here. 

Companion books:

My Friend the Octopus

The Runaways of Haddington Hall

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow

The Truth about Verity Sparks

Withering by Sea

Counting on Grace

Twelve Days of Letters to Santa - Christmas Day

Dear Father Christmas by Alan Durant illustrated by Vanessa Cabban

Dear Father Christmas was published in 2005 and the paperback in 2013. I picked up a copy at a recent charity book sale for just 50 cents! This book is out of print but I am sure it will be in many school and local libraries and hopefully the final (vital letter) is still in the envelope on the last page.

After the children visit Santa in a big store Holly leaves him a letter above the fireplace:

Dear Father Christmas,

I hope you are well. Is it snowing in Lapland?

It is cold here. I saw a man in a shop today who said he was Father Christmas.

He was dressed like you, but was it you? Really?

He told me to leave my Christmas list by the fireplace, but I wanted to make sure it really was you.

Please answer.

love Holly

Father Christmas writes back to Holly. She finds his letter on her mantle. It is typed and has been sent from Lapland.

Dear Holly,

Thank you so much for your letter.

What a lovely Christmassy name you have!

"The Holly and the Ivy" is one of my favourite Christmas carols. 

I am also very fond of "Jingle Bells." I often sing it on Christmas Eve when I ride the sleigh

with my reindeer to deliver the presents.

Santa goes on to ask Holly to write her Christmas list. 

Holly wants something very special for Christmas, but she does not feel brave enough to ask so instead she writes back and asks about the elves. Once again Holly finds a reply on the mantle and once again she is not able to ask for her gift instead this time she asks about riding in the sleigh and Billy wants to know how Santa can fit down the chimney. The letters continue back and forth and Santa also gives Holly a decoration for her tree and a special guide explaining how to care for reindeer. On Christmas Eve Holly finally writes her Christmas list - you will never guess the one thing she wants most in the world but the envelope on the final page contains something so wonderful you are sure to sigh with happiness.

Here is a good idea - this reviewer suggests you treat Dear Father Christmas a little like an advent calendar - opening one letter each day in the lead up to Christmas. I would share this book with children aged 6+. Please don't use this with your child but if you need to see inside this book here is a video - it is read way, way too quickly. 

Meerkat Merry Christmas by Emily Gravett

Meerkat Christmas was published more recently in 2019. The paperback edition [9781509857302] from 2020 is still available. The publisher suggest this book for readers aged 3+ but to my eye this one is for an older child especially one who has enjoyed the other book from this series - Meerkat Mail (see below).

Bookseller blurb: A young meerkat travels the world looking for Christmas in this festive card-packed picture book, ...  Sunny isn't quite sure if Christmas in the desert with his meerkat family is the right sort of Christmas - there's no snow, no fir trees and no figgy pudding! So, he heads off on a journey round the world looking for the picture-perfect Christmas . . . before realizing he might have left it at home after all.

Begin with the cover - you need to stretch it right out.

Sunny reads a magazine article - How to have the Perfect Christmas. 

1. THE PERFECT WEATHER Must be snow. Crisp and deep.
2. THE PERFECT TREE Must be tastefully decorated
3. THE PERFECT PRESENTS There must be a huge pile.
4. THE PERFECT DINNER Must include well-boiled sprouts.
5. THE PERFECT MUSIC Christmas carols.

So Sunny packs his bag (which looks a little like a Santa sack) and he heads off - leaving the Kalahari - in search of a place that is more Christmasy than his desert home. 

First stop Australia and his friend Kev. But oh no they are having prawns and there is no snow and everyone is at the beach. Only one thing on his check list of five criteria receives a tick. 

Next stop Trevor's in the Philippines. Again, only one tick on the list although Sunny does enjoy eating crickets so this food be part of his Christmas dinner. He travels on to visit Robin, but it is raining and very gloomy. The birds are singing carols but there is no snow and the food on offer is worms! The weather is way better in Antarctica - snow tick, presents tick, but no trees, no dinner and no singing. Sunny travels on to the north. Snow tick, trees tick, but no presents, no dinner and no music. 

Finally "on the night before Christmas Sunny arrives somewhere perfect. The snow is falling (outside), everyone is singing, there is a beautifully decorated tree, plenty of presents and a HUGE Christmas dinner with all the trimmings (even sprouts).  It should be perfect."

It should be perfect but something is missing! Santa has the solution, and a wonderful present arrives on Christmas morning in the Kalahari. Oh, and remember Sunny had a sack - wait until you see what he has inside. And make sure you spend some time enjoying the brilliant end papers which are different front and back and contain some wonderful images to make you smile. 

Then re-read the book and find all the fun and corny Christmas cracker jokes. Here is a video of the book which is well done - good pace and full screen images but please only view this after you have enjoyed exploring the real book with your young reading companion or library group. 

This book is a joy, from Sunny’s Christmas jumper to the excitement of opening the little cards. A fitting follow-up to a popular book and a timely reminder that sometimes we have to look a little closer to home – at what matters to us – to find perfection. Book Murmurmation