K.O.A.L.A shortlist 2024 and other Children's Choice awards

I recently discovered this interesting article from IBBY Chile which explores twenty-eight children's choice awards. Our own KOALA awards participated in this survey from around the world. 

From: García-González, M., Roig, M., Rajpoot, A., Uehara, L. and Saona, I. (2024); 

Child Juries in Literary Prizes University of Glasgow

May Children Decide

“CHILDCULTURES. Challenging Anthropocentrism, Adultism and Other Exclusions with Children’s Literature and Culture” research project.

It is interesting to see the list of possible reasons from this survey for a children's choice award:

• Promote children’s right to participation.
• Foster and encourage the pleasure of reading.
• Improve literary skills and stimulate critical reading of texts.
• To support and stimulate children’s reading.
• To make visible and/or promote the institution that organizes the literary prize or the works it produces.
• Educational purposes.
• Academic research purposes and subsequent fulfillment.
• Literary market research

And here are some possible ways the child jury has access to the books they will judge:

• Publishing houses and/or authors apply directly.
• A selection of books is chosen from all the works published within
• a time-period.
• Members of the jury nominate books.
• Adults who are experts in the field present books

Here in Australia, we have a new program - the Sun Project - Shadow judging of the Children's Book Council of Australia short listed titles. 

The CBCA started the Sun Project: Shadow Judging to amplify the voices of young readers and to spark discussion about Australian children’s books across the nation, as well as to collaborate with the children’s book community to support creatives, bookshops and the publishing industry.

The CBCA say the benefits of this program are: To build personal aesthetic literary appreciation, to develop imagination, to think critically and respond creatively, and develop a greater self-concept, empathy and awareness of diverse opinion. The Shadow Judging program supports the development of reading breadth, depth and a sense that reading is a cultural practice where opinions are shared in a supportive reading community.

• Groups work with an adult facilitator.
• Read the six books in one category from the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Shortlist.
• Discuss the books and create a Creative Responses to share.
• Vote collaboratively to nominate a winner in their category. 
• The CBCA Shadowers’ Choice Awards will be announced in August, 2024.

I spoke with a group of Shadow judges in a local school this week. I was so impressed with their intelligent approach to this task. I really wanted them to understand this is a serious program and not about popularity. Literary merit is a complex idea, but I explained the process followed by the adult judges (I was one in 2021-23) and the fact that the judges for their category (Younger Readers) will have read over 120 books over ten months selecting 25 for a notable list, 6 for the short list (the books they are reading) and then the three final choices and one winner. The shadow team work with an abridged form of the actual judging criteria. We talked about cover design, title words, blurbs, linking the book with life experience, and audience. I suggested they might like to select a small extract from the book which they would use to 'sell' the book to a peer. I hope to meet with this group again closer to their final decision day. 

KOALA is a little different. The letters stand for Kids Own Australian Literature Award. It is mainly a popularity contest not a literary award. 

KOALA is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers (teacher/librarians, public librarians, teachers, publishers and other supporters of children’s literature). Every year, young readers from all over New South Wales judge their very own literature awards. By voting in the KOALA awards they can reward the Australian children's books that have most inspired, amused, terrified, enlightened and engaged them.

KOALA AIMS TO

• Promote and encourage the enjoyment and appreciation of Australian literature for children and young adults.
• Involve young readers in NSW in the process of selecting the most popular books.
• Assist in developing the Readers' critical appreciation skills.
• Give recognition to Australian authors and illustrators.

BENEFITS OF KOALA

• Gives students a voice regarding the books they love to read
• Integrates easily into literature promotion programs
• Involves students in the voting process, encouraging them to discuss and debate their views on literature
• Supports other reading programs such as the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 
• Provides students with the opportunity to meet their favourite authors and illustrators at the annual Awards Day
• Offers schools the chance to win original artwork and book prizes.

Kids Own Australian Literature Award short lists for 2024:

Runt
The Book of Wondrous Possibilities

Scar Town
No Words
Dragon Skin
Exit through the gift shop
August and Jones
Waiting for the Storks

The Raven's Song

Frank's Red Hat

The Black Cockatoo with one Feather Blue

The Travelling Bookshop (book one)

Mushroom Lullaby by Kenneth Kraegel

"You head up your soft mushroom stair and read a book in your big mushroom chair."

For the first few pages of this lullaby, we meet various mushrooms in different situations. On the ground, on a tree branch, in a desert, under a waterfall. Then turn the page and we find a mushroom house with a front door and window. This is sure to enchant your young reading companion. The path to the house even has a small lantern hanging on a twig rather like the light from Narnia. There is an outdoor table with a checkers board game and inside the house you will see shelves crammed with books and other toy treasures. There is even a model of the mushroom house itself. 

A nearly square trim size and ink-and-watercolor compositions with an abundance of curves and rounded shapes create a setting filled with quiet joy and a sense of security. Stippling and other surface patterns provide texture and gradations of light. As the day winds down, the warm palette becomes even more intense, with glowing embers in the fireplace and deep orange-red walls and décor. Kirkus Star review

The font is large and so easy to read throughout that it works so well for bedtime. There are relatively few words on each page, with merely a phrase or two on the spread. The illustrations are quite detailed and lovely, really inviting the reader to explore this magical world visually on each page and leading into the slower pace that works so well for bedtime books. The amount of words and simplicity of the story along with the rhymes will work well for toddlers on up. YA Books Central

Publisher blurb: In gentle rhyme, this spare and whimsical picture book from the one-of-a-kind imagination of Kenneth Kraegel introduces little readers to all sorts of wonderful mushrooms: ones that grow up high and ones that never stay dry, ones that grow in a park and ones that glow in the dark, and even one made just for them! Who can resist climbing up the soft mushroom stair, curling up in a plush mushroom chair, and preparing to dream sweet mushroom dreams? The lulling narration and warm illustrations of this charmingly quirky book will have drowsy young ones settling into their own comfy beds, ready to drift off to sleep.

I first saw this book in an independent bookstore (sadly this store has now closed). I told the teacher-librarian of the library where I volunteer each week and she generously purchased this for her library. I did mention the author Kenneth Kraegel in a previous post. Here is his webpage.

Wild Berries by Julie Flett

 

Bookseller blurb: Spend the day picking wild blueberries with Clarence and his grandmother. Meet ant, spider, and fox in a beautiful woodland landscape, the ancestral home of author and illustrator Julie Flett. This book is written in both English and Cree, in particular the n-dialect, also known as Swampy Cree from the Cumberland House area. 

Wild Berries was published in 2013 but I see a new edition will be released this year [9781772291049]. With a group of older students in Australia you could introduce the topic of other indigenous peoples such as the Cree of Canada. This book would also be brilliant to use with in an art class in High School. 

Read this interview with Julie Flett about her work and you can see inside Wild Berries. 

Except for a passing fox and the occasional bird, animals are depicted as silhouettes, which adds to the episode’s overall visual simplicity. ... A sweet commemoration of a shared experience, presented with care and infused with intimacy. Kirkus Star review

Here are some other books to explore by Canadian illustrator Julie Flett - you should consider adding at least one of her books to your library collection. I mentioned Julie Flett in this previous post. 

The Fix-it man by Dimity Powell illustrated by Nicky Johnston

I had not seen this book from 2017. I picked it up at the library where I volunteer at Westmead Children's Hospital.  The little girl loves the way her dad can repair things but what about mum? At first we see her sitting and watching as the girl and her dad work together. You might notice mum has a rug over her knees and a scarf tied over her hair perhaps showing she has been having chemotherapy. 

"She's too sore on the inside to help us, but her fingers still work fine."

Closer look shows mum is adding ribbons to a hoop. 

"Dad makes Mama's bad days better too, with his soothing peach and honey brew."

The teapot breaks but dad is able to mend it - well it is almost as good as new - but then on turning the page (even though the text does not directly say the words) we know her Mama has died. On early pages the picture frames in the lounge room are filled with happy images of their family of three. Now the page is monotone, and the picture frames are empty. Mum's wool basket sits to one side untouched. Tea does spill out of the teapot - the cracks are too wide - just like the cracks in their hearts.

Bookseller blurb: It's handy having a dad who can fix just about anything. A young girl believes her father is the king of fixing things, but following the death of her mother, she discovers that broken hearts are not as easy to repair as damaged toys and cracked teapots. Together, she and her father find a way to glue back the pieces of their lives. The Fix-It Man is a poignant picture book that explores how a child can cope with the loss of a parent (in this case, the young girl's mother). Repairing damaged emotions is not as straightforward as gluing a broken kite back together or sewing up a torn toy. And grief affects all members of a family, with each responding in their own way to the loss. By sticking with her father, the young girl is able to strengthen her resilience and ability to cope with one of life's harshest experiences.

This is a book where the cover does not really hint at the content - this is a book adults should read first to check your child is ready for this story which deals with the illness and death of a parent. Please take a minute to read my previous post about books that deal with death and the timing for reading them. Read what Dimity Powell says about her book. From her link you can also read a large number of review comments. Here is a link to the trailer - the soundtrack might make you cry now that you know that the mum has died. 

This is a poignant story of loss and one that will resonate with many children who have lost a parent or other loved one.  With its gentle text and soft palette, even though it is sad it is not gloomy because the love between this family oozes from the page and from that, the hope is tangible. ... Grief is a natural part of life and while we might like to protect our children from it, nevertheless it happens and we often struggle helping them to cope with their loss.  This book allows conversations to start and explores the way it is an emotion that we each express and deal with in our own way. The Bottom Shelf

What Stars are For by Margeaux Davis

Henry is a snail who loves to explore his environment during the night. He can burrow under fallen leaves, find water drops on spider webs, marvel at the construction of nest built by birds using twigs and he can see all of this because the moon lights his way. 

"But what are stars for? he would whisper to no one at all."

Because Henry has an unanswered question he decides to venture out in daylight and ask his question. The bee has no time for questions like this. The kookaburra thinks this is a ridiculous question. All the bandicoot can see is food - Henry quickly hides. Luckily there is someone wise who can help. That night Henry sees a wombat gazing up at the sky. He bravely asks his question one more time.

"Stars are for looking at together."

Sometimes in our rush to read a new book we forget to stop and look at other parts of the book such as the end papers and page layouts and colour palette. All of these features are beautifully designed in this book. You also need to stretch out the cover to see the front and back - the snail (his name is Henry) and on the back the wombat (her name is Celeste). This is also an example of a quiet story. Many years ago Mark McLeod talked about the importance of sharing quiet stories with our children. His comments inspired me to start a Pinterest on this topic. Think about the title too - the question is what are stars for but the title reverses this to what stars are for.

Here are the wonderful end papers which show the day and night setting for this story:

Image source: Instagram Telarahpslibrary

This book was published in 2024 so I am certain it will be a CBCA 2025 Notable title and I hope to also see it on their Early Childhood shortlist. Read more about Margeaux Davis. Take a look at this review. Make a plan to share this gentle story with a young reader today. Take a look at Instagram posts by Margeaux Davis. 

Companion book:

Where does Thursday go?

Here is small section of other picture books about stars. You can search for each of these titles using my side bar:

Dee Huxley (1947-2024)

Illustrator, teacher and artist whose creative work 
will be forever enjoyed. SMH May 25th, 2024

Dee (Deirdre Ann Huxley) studied design and craft at the National Art School, East Sydney. After graduating she taught visual arts in secondary schools in Australia and London, and later worked as a graphic designer for television. A freelance illustrator since 1976, her work is displayed in galleries nationally and internationally. Three of her books, Mr. Nick's Knitting (1989), Rain Dance (2001), and You and Me Our Place (2008) were short-listed for the Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award. She used a wide range of media and techniques and changed her style to suit the mood and subject of each picture book. Harper Collins

Her first illustrations were for Scan: The Adventures of Popcorn by Sandra Levy, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Australian Broadcasting Commission 1975.

You can view an exhibition of preliminary drawings for You and Me: Our Place which was previously held at the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature (NCACL). And also for Look see, Look at Me. 

Kirkus review of Chance: Huxley’s color scheme turns radiant, brimming with peach, yellow, and the freshest green, whenever Chance’s parents are on the scene.

Kirkus review of Look see Look at Me: Rich reds and browns dominate the dynamic illustrations created with pastels on colored paper. For the most part, the landscape is sparse, populated by only a few buildings and scattered trees in the background. Foregrounded is a community in which children actively explore an expansive natural world while supportive adults lend them an occasional hand and scoop them in for cuddles.

Here is an abridged list of her titles. Notice some of the 'big names' of Australian children's books - Margaret Wild, Glenda Millard, Sally Odgers, Jane Jolly, Garry Hurle, Nan Hunt and Jackie French. 

• My Brother Dee Huxley, Adelaide: Working Title Press, 2016 
• The Miracle of the Little Wooden Duck Margaret Wild, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Working Title Press, 2010 
• Look See, Look at Me Leonie Robin Norrington, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Allen and Unwin, 2010 
• Tom Tom Rosemary Sullivan, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Kingswood: Working Title Press, 2008 
• A Bush Christmas C. J. Dennis, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Fitzroy: Black Dog Books, 2008 
• Paraphernalia's Present Diana Lawrenson, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Sydney: ABC Books, 2008 
• You and Me: Our Place Leonie Robin Norrington, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Working Title Press, 2007 
• By Jingo! An Alphabet of AnimalsB Janeen Brian, Dee Huxley (illustrator), ABC Books, 2005 
• Angel Breath Glenda Millard, Dee Huxley (illustrator), ABC Books, 2005 
• Limpopo Lullaby Jane Jolly, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Limelight Press, 2004 
• The Long, Sticky Walk Edel Wignell, UWA Publishing, 2003 
• Cinderella's Wedding Sally Odgers, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Koala Books, 2001 
• Rain Dance Cathy Applegate, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Margaret Hamilton Books, 2000 
• Unplugged! Glenda Millard, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Margaret Hamilton Books, 1999 
• Taking a Chance Sally Odgers, Angus and Robertson, 1995 
• The Secret of Frosty Drop Garry Hurle ,Margaret Hamilton Books, 1995 
• Cheese Please Julie Hume, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Mammoth, 1994 
• Hairy Charlie and the Pumpkin Jackie French, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Moondrake 1994 
• You Can't See Me, I'm Invisible Nan Hunt, HarperCollins Australia, 1994 
• Light the Lamps Margaret Wild, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Margaret Hamilton Books, 1994 
• Hairy Charlie and the Frog Jackie French, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Moondrake, 1993 
• Morgan and the Tooth Fairies Dee Huxley, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Margaret Hamilton Books, 1992 
• Remember Me Margaret Wild, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Margaret Hamilton Books, 1990 
• Oinkabella Hazel Edwards, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Margaret Hamilton Books, 1990 
• Onion Tears Diana Kidd, Collins Anne Ingram Books, 1989 
• Mr Nick's Knitting Margaret Wild, Dee Huxley (illustrator), Hodder and Stoughton 1988 

This moving and profoundly affecting book is about the overwhelming sorrow, grief and sense of loss felt after the death of a loved one. The simple and expressive text, with carefully chosen words, highlights the loss of someone who was always there and suddenly is not anymore. It’s a feeling we all have some time in our lives when we lose someone very close and dear. The graphite and watercolour illustrations are exquisite and deeply involving. They invite repeat viewings as there are many details to find: references to nursery rhymes, fairy tales and favourite moments in a life well lived. The gradual transformation to colour in the final pages hints at hope for the future. The three creators of this book have achieved a seamless presentation full of integrity, love and ultimately hope, testament to this cooperative and deeply felt project. Strongly recommended, especially for anyone who has lost a loved one. Even young children will take comfort from this book.  Review by Margaret Hamilton for Reading Time.  Dee Huxley's son Morgan was sadly murdered in September, 2013 in the Sydney suburb of Neutral Bay. This makes her book Morgan and the Tooth Faires from 1992 even more poignant. 

The Letter with the Golden Stamp by Onjali Q Rauf

Audrey lives with her mum (Mam) and twin younger siblings. Things are very tough for the family and Audrey knows it is her job, even though she is only nine years old, to keep everyone safe. To do this she has to keep her mum's illness secret. And she has to be sure the authorities (Them) don't find out about mam or the bills they can't pay or their shortage of food. Her days are a roller coaster of emotions as she assesses her Mam's pain levels, wrangles her brother and sister and tries to maintain a web of lies with her two best friends. There is one person, though, who brightens every day - Mo the postman. Audrey collects stamps and Mo brings her all sorts of interesting ones he also has a cheerful smile at her door each morning. I love the way everyone recognises his door knocking pattern. The doctor also does home visits and so he tries to help especially when the pain medications need increasing but things are coming to a head for Mam and Audrey.

Mam's bedroom is upstairs and the bathroom is downstairs. Mam finds it so hard on some days to go up and down. Audrey calls these nightmare days. The doctor tells Mam - in a conversation overheard by Audrey, that Mam needs a wheelchair, a stair lift and they need to add an ensuite bathroom upstairs. But how could they ever possibly afford even one of these things? There is government assistance, but this could take up to a year and Mam needs these things now. 

"After I made up my mind to get Mam everything she needed for the doctor's orders, I tried to think of what I could do to afford them ... I knew we needed thousands of pounds - electric wheelchairs and getting a whole bathroom and a stairlift would probably cost more than everything we owned all put together. So I made a list of all the things I might try ..."

Audrey thinks of winning the lottery - but she has no money for a ticket and she is too young to buy one anyway. Holding a bake sale - but she cannot cook and has no money for ingredients. Do a sponsored run - but who would sponsor her for thousands of pounds to run around their small town?

Adding to the pressure strange people have moved in across the road and Audrey is convinced it is THEM - the welfare authorities sent to spy on the family.

Audrey's dad left two years ago. Audrey is Welsh, so she calls her dad Tad. Just as a side note Onjali who has Bangladeshi heritage now lives in Swansea, Wales. I enjoyed the way she added Welsh words - just a few - into this story. Every Christmas the children receive every item on their Santa wish lists. Audrey is sure these expensive and generous gifts come from Tad. Audrey is a problem solver. Her Mam needs help. The family need money. Tad must be rich. She finds an old envelope with his address. Surely if Audrey writes to Tad and explains their dire circumstances, he will rush to help them. Mo helps with the posting. The letter is sent. But then just a few days later it is returned with red 'return to sender' stamps all over the envelope. 

This story is told in the form of a police confession. Audrey has done something quite desperate to try to reach her Tad. She recounts the events leading up to her wild postal journey and the desperate chase by the authorities as they try to catch her. By the end of the book I was sobbing! One of the reviewers below uses the word 'compelling' and that is SO true. I just kept turning page after to page desperate to find out what Audrey did that led to her interview at the police station and also desperate to reach, what I hoped would be, a happy ending. I think readers aged 10+ will really enjoy this personal recount of Audrey's journey to help her mother and her family. The writing style may be very different from other books but it is well worth persevering until the rhythm of the writing feels natural - this is what happened to me as I was reading. 

Through Amy’s vivid storytelling we get a beautiful sense of the characters and the warm local community around her and especially of Mo, the local postman who keeps secret his own hidden support for Audrey and her family. The author explains her own fascination with stamps and her admiration for these community champions and I can see this gem of a book inspiring a whole new generation of letter writers. Love Reading4Kids

The story is very compelling, and Audrey makes a brave, funny, kind protagonist. Despite the serious subject, it’s a fun, fast-paced easy read with a very hopeful ending.The book shines a light on the challenges faced by over a million young carers in the UK. Book Trust

Publisher blurb: Deep in the heart of Swansea, Wales, lives a small girl with some big secrets to keep. Secrets that make her one of the best actresses on the planet – because no-one would ever think that, away from school, Audrey is the sole carer for her increasingly sick mam and her two younger siblings … or a seasoned thief. With her worlds threatened by the arrival of a mysterious, invisible neighbour, behind whose closed curtains and shut front door may lie a spy, Audrey must take matters into her own hands to save her family. Inspired by her beloved collection of stamps, her friendly neighbourhood postman (and fellow stamp collector), and her two best friends, off Audrey must go: on an adventure that will lead her to places – and hearts – she never knew existed.

Just look at that cover of The Letter with the Golden Stamp - I knew I HAD to read this book and then I saw the author. I really, really enjoyed four of her previous books:

The Boy at the Back of the Class

Night Bus Hero

The Star outside my Window

The Lion above the Door

In a couple of days I will talk about a new Australian book - The Kindness Project by Deborah Abela - it would be a perfect companion book to read after The Letter with the Golden Stamp.

You might also look for these:

The Meaning of Maggie

The Honest Truth

The Truth about Old People by Elina Ellis

Who decides when you become old?  The other day I jumped onto a very crowed bus. There were seats towards the back but before I could get that far a lady (I would say she was around my age) jumped up to give me her seat!  Of course I said no and walked further back to the empty seat I had spied but really - am I old?

I have many friends who are grandparents. I would love to gift them this book (the paperback is only AuS$14) - the text and illustrations are wonderful opposites. It is not true that old people are slow, clumsy, not bendy, or scared of new things. Let's think about that last one. Today I visited the mum of a friend. She is well over 95 years old and she proudly showed me photos of her great grandchildren on her iPhone! Then she scrolled through the text messages from another family member and showed me some special photos her friend had sent recently.

This book goes on to say old people don't dance - but my friend (another grandmother) takes a jazz dance exercise class every day! Here is the dancing page from The Truth about Old People:

And I love the bendy page:

Publisher blurb: A very funny and lovable picture book tribute to grandparents and older people. When you're small, everybody bigger than you seems really old. But does being older have to mean being boring, or slow, or quiet? NO! Elina Ellis' wonderful illustrations reveal that the age you are makes no difference to how amazing you can be. From the winner of the Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017, The Truth About Old People is an instant favourite with children and grown-ups that tackles ageism without being preachy. Elina has a great talent for characterful illustration: you'll feel like you've known this family all your life.

Here's the web page for Elina Ellis.

Look for these books which debunk the myth about grandparents. You can search for some of these using my sidebar search box:

Here is the companion book by Elina Ellis:

The Shelterlings by Sarah Beth Durst

"Each of them had left their home, trekked to the very top of Cloud Mountain and drunk from the Moon Mirror - a pool as perfectly round as the moon, which bestowed a magic power on all who drank its waters - and each had been told by the wizards that the magic the water had given them was small and useless."

Okay begin with the title - what are Shelterlings?  Shelterlings are animals who now live together in a shelter for Rejected Familiars. They all longed for an adventurous life so they climbed a mountain to gain a magical gift and then expected to become a familiar for a wizard. Working with a wizard would mean a life heroic deeds and grand adventures BUT all of the various animals in this book have failed. Their magic is either strange, seemingly useless or it just doesn't work properly. 

Here is a list of some of the animals and their magic:

• Holly is a squirrel and she can conjure pastries of any flavour or size.
• Charlie is a beaver and he conjures flowers - enormous in size and quantity.
• Gus is a barn owl who can turn himself in a stone.
• Periwinkle is a thief who can find 'lost' objects.
• Clover is a cow who tells prophesies but you need to expect the opposite things to happen.
• Zephyr is a fast turtle with no brakes.
• And more - skunk, porcupine, fox, mouse, bat, gecko, toad and flamingo.

Charlie has been in charge of the shelter where the rejected familiars live. He did leave a while ago but now he has returned with a fabulous plan. He knows how the rejects can repair their magic and fulfill their dreams. He tells the group about seven important objects that need to be collected and then taken to the Moon Mirror, where with the help of a magical spell, everyone will have their magic restored and then they can find a wizard and become a true familiar. Their days as Rejected Familiars will be over. BUT is all of this too good to be true?

While Charlie was away, Holly has been in charge of daily life at the Shelter. Now she decides they all need to work hard to collect the seven objects and strangely while they do this each discover their failed talents are actually very useful. But there is something else going on. Charlie is wise and kind but then he seems to snap and snarl. Does he have another plan for the seven objects and that spell he will cast at Moon Mirror? And what are these magic items - a flower that must be plucked from a cliff as the sun hits the petals at dawn; a herb that grows in the place where there has been a lightning strike; a desert fruit that ripens under a full moon; a pearl found deep in the ocean; a heart-shaped moon rock buried in a volcano; a crystal in a cave; and a piece of a fallen star.

An amusing, fast-paced fantasy with an impressive rodent hero. Kirkus

Blurb from author page: Holly the gray squirrel dreams of being a wizard's familiar and performing mighty magic. But squirrels aren't exactly known for being noble companions, and Holly's only magic trick is conjuring pastries. A tasty talent, but useless. Which is why she lives at the Shelter for Rejected Familiars with other oddball magical animals, including Gus (a barn owl who can turn to stone), Zephyr (a super-fast turtle with super-slow reactions), and Clover (a cow who constantly predicts the future but is always wrong). When an old friend presents a plan for curing the shelterlings' so-called defective magic, it seems like a dream come true -- but first they must find the rare ingredients of a powerful spell. How can a group of misfits complete such an impossible quest? And more importantly, should they? Maybe being different isn't a mistake. Maybe it's exactly what's needed to save the day!

Listen to an audio sample here from part way into chapter one. Read chapter one. And read more plot details in this review. I didn't race through this book but I think it will appeal to quest and fantasy fans aged 10+. 

I previously talked about this book by Sarah Beth Durst:

The Stone Girl's Story

Chengdu could not would not fall asleep by Barney Saltzberg

"It was late, and it was quiet, and everyone in the bamboo grove was sleeping ..."

Everyone except - Chengdu! He tosses and turns, tosses and twitches, scrunches and rolls. Perhaps he can find a comfortable spot higher in the tree?

This book was published in 2017 but it is still available and for a good price, but I would suggest acting fast - this won't last. Young children will especially love the way Barney Saltzberg uses artful page turns, gatefolds, and half pages. He truly knows how to keep readers in suspense and he knows how to keep them turning the pages plus the final scene will give everyone a smile!

Bookseller blurb: High in his bamboo tree, a young panda named Chengdu lies awake while everyone around him is sleeping. No matter what he tries, he cannot fall asleep. He turns and he tosses. He scrunches and he rolls. He even hangs upside down. Finally he climbs up and up and up, until he finds the perfect spot atop his brother. Panda pile!

Little sleepyheads will love chanting along with the words, and no one can deny the appeal of the art. A bedtime winner. Kirkus Star review

Take less than a minute and watch the trailer. And here is an activity to go with this book. 

Here is the first book about Chengdu:

My own favourite Barney Saltzberg book which I have read aloud hundreds of times is Crazy Hair Day. Take a look at this post too. 

Lulu or Lola series by Anna McQuinn illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

I first talked about Lulu loves stories back in 2018. 

I borrowed one book from this series (Lola gets a Cat) only to discover there are so many more titles and that the main character has two different names (more on that confusion in moment). I collect images of books like this one for my Pinterest collection entitled "She looks like me" for two little girls with a mum from UK and dad from Sri Lanka. The books in this series would be perfect gifts for these girls and they should also be added to your preschool shelves. Here is a page from Lulu or Lola gets a Cat.

The books in this series are available in paperback and hardcover. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand the little girl is called Lulu and in USA and Canada she is Lola. I wonder why they made this change - it sure has confused me!

"This is a great picture book where story and illustration come together seamlessly. Yet this is also a must-have picture book because it bucks the trend of a real lack of diversity in children's books."

2021 comment from Children's Books Ireland.

Anna McQuinn has worked in children’s books for more than twenty-five years as an editor, publisher, and writer. She is the author of more than twenty books for children, including Lola at the Library, Lola Loves Stories, Lola Reads to Leo and The Sleep Sheep. On her web page she shares something deeply shocking - in some US states Lola at the Library is a banned book (this is madness). Here is her Facebook page. And Instagram. 

Kirkus said (Lola at the Library): Beardshaw’s vividly colored acrylic paintings of a mother and child’s morning outing in their racially mixed neighborhood complements the classic library scenes charged with a child’s vibrant enthusiasm. The simple, significant message will ring true with every librarian, teacher, caregiver and parent as the day concludes with Lola’s nightly bedtime story. Everyone should begin and end the day with a good book.

Here is the Spanish edition. 

Rosalind Beardshaw loved drawing from early childhood and from a young age decided she wanted to become an illustrator. She studied at Manchester Polytechnic where she earned a degree in illustration. Since graduating in 1992, she has illustrated many children’s books. Check out her books My Pet Star and Just Right for Two. Here is her Instagram page.

And to confuse you further Anna McQuinn and Rosalind Beardshaw have a series about a little boy called Zeki (UK, New Zealand and Australia) and Leo (USA and Canada).