You could own this gorgeous original illustration by Martina Heiduczek. It is titled Porcine Passengers. It would be fun to share this illustration with your library group and then perhaps read Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen.
Here are other books illustrated by Martina Heiduczek:
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And I have selected A pet for Mrs Arbuckle. This book was published in 1981 and that is about the time my journey into the world of children's literature began. I now own two art works by Ann James from It's a Miroocool and Bird and Bear and the Special Day (I talk about this here). I realise now I should have told Ann James how much I adored reading Little Humpty and Lucy Goosey to hundreds of children in my school library. This also seems like a good way to thank the wonderful Ann James (Hans Christian Andersen Award nominee 2019) for her wonderful books and more importantly for her generous contribution to IBBY Australia including these pieces you will find in our Mini Masterpiece art auction which begins on 14th November.
Every school library needs a copy of this book - it is a wonderful jumping off point to share with your youngest reads and it invites them to explore the lives of eight famous scientists - some well-known such as Dr Jane Godall but others that may be less familiar:
Each of these famous people are organised under three headings -
When you explore the great outdoors and you find something strange and wonderful do you put it in your pocket? Do you add them to your collection? Do you make amazing discoveries?
The author web page has an 85 page guide to using this book! After reading What's in your pocket? book I would seek out the matching (where there is one) title from the Little People Big Dreams series and then you might dig into the biography section of your school or local library. Here is a terrific Pinterest collection with over 200 titles to get you started.
After reading The Enchantment of Eagle here are some questions that occurred to me:
Think about the title - enchantment - that is such a powerful word. It implies magic and has overtones of the fairy tale genre. And Margaret Wild writes of Golden Eagle not 'the' golden eagle. Is this a unique creature with magical qualities? Then we have the word golden. This implies precious and wise and important.
You will find some beautiful vocabulary when you share this book with your library group or young reading companion - fledgling; venture; gazed; summoned; exhilarating; "he batted about'; enfold; curse; pitiless; hollowed-out; tattered; rejoicing; and larking about.
A new book by Margaret Wild is certainly something to celebrate. She has written well over 70 books and even at age 76 does not seem set to stop. I expect to see The Enchantment of Golden Eagle listed by the CBCA as a 2026 notable title.
Read some reviews:
Highly recommended for all! Kids' Book Review
Other books by Margaret Wild with art by Stephen Michael King:
Do you love chickens? My own favourite animals are puffins, pelicans, hedgehogs, and cows but I do have fond memories of chickens in the backyard of a country home where my family lived for a few months when I was a small child. Collecting the warm eggs fascinated me. If you want to see heaps of picture books about chickens, take a look at my Pinterest. I also love ducks - there are so many that live along the shore of the lagoon near my home.
Last night Craig Silvey spoke at an event organised by his publisher Allen and Unwin and a small independent bookstore in North Sydney or more specifically McMahons Point - Blues Point Bookshop. The owner Helen Baxter has a long association with Craig Silvey. His first book was Rhubarb (2004) written when he was just 19. The focus of the event last night was his new book Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping - second in the series about the little country dog Runt. On this tour Craig is also visiting Castle Hill; Katoomba; and four locations in Western Australia.
I talked about Runt in this blog post and then on Instagram Craig responded with these words:
"Thank you so much @momotimetoread! So delighted you found Runt such a compelling and joyous read! Means the world."
Here are a few things Craig Silvey shared in his talk:
The children in the audience last night impressed me with their intelligent questions. Here are some that I didn't get to ask Craig Silvey:
Here is a Facebook entry about The Blues Point Bookshop - if you are in the area you might like to drop in and take a look:
Helen Baxter’s Blues Point Bookshop and its blue neon sign have been at the heart of the McMahons Point community. In three decades of devotion to the printed word, Helen has read around 20 books every month. She still hand writes the reviews that adorn her green shelves and the price tags on the back of the books. ... This charming old-world bookstore is located at McMahons Point but will instantly transport you to the streets of London or Paris. A treasure trove for book lovers, Blues Point Bookshop houses a wide selection of classics, non-fiction, fiction and children's books, with friendly notes and recommendations from the shop's owner Helen Baxter. The comfy armchairs are the perfect spot to while away an afternoon.
Helen Baxter has run over 300 author events -that's so impressive. Craig Silvey has 2 titles in the top 25 of the ABC Radio National top 100 list - that's also very impressive.
Bookseller blurb: A new boy arrives at the Ash House. He can't remember his name or why he's been sent there. Given the name Sol, and troubled by a mystery pain that no medicine can cure, he joins the gang of children living in the shadows of the secretive house. Soon, however, there's more for him to face: the darkness that descends with the arrival of the Doctor...
I never seek out horror stories, but I belong to an online Middle Grade book group and, because it is nearly Halloween, The Ash House was our assigned reading for October. The Ash House is from the UK publisher Chicken House. They relate this book to Lord of the Flies; and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. These are both books that make me shudder and if I had read that before picking up this book I might not have ventured further. Strangely though, I really loved the open ending so reading this book was well worth the harrowing journey.
Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this book:
He had been expecting a healing refuge for children like him. Something between a school and a summer camp. But this wasn’t it. The Ash House was like the end of a world that had been left to decay, forgotten by everyone who had ever cared about it.
The idea of names matched with this ethos of kindness is an intriguing one. Concord (Con); Happiness and Temperance; Liberty (Libby); Justice and Merit; and the mysterious missing girl Clemency.
Disturbing scenes (spoiler alert):
An unexpected—and pleasing—combination of propitious and disquieting. Kirkus Star review
You can read an extract from The Ash House here. Angharad talks about her book here. What do you think about the two covers - one from the UK and one from USA? I would recommend this book to mature readers aged 11+ who seek out horror stories.
All through this book I kept thinking of this book I read many years ago:
Things I like about this book:
Things I wish the publisher had done differently:
Here is the companion book:
Frances Haji-Ali is an educator. She has worked in Catholic schools across the Kimberley and is currently a school principal in Perth. Frances is a non-Indigenous collaborator.
Lindsay Haji-Ali is a descendant of the Yawuru/Karajarri people of the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. He is an accomplished artist and his designs and artworks are held in private and corporate collections.
Karen Briggs is an illustrator, graphic and digital designer, and contemporary First Nations artist. She is a Yorta Yorta woman whose ancestral homeland radiates from the junction of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers in Northeast Victoria. Karen illustrates from her home in the Adelaide Hills and runs her own freelance design business. Her first book was Kick with my Left Foot written by Paul Seden, was published by Allen and Unwin in 2014, and shortlisted for the CBCA Crichton Award in 2015. Long-Listed, CBCA Book of the Year, Early Childhood, 2015. Short-Listed, Speech Pathology Book of The Year Awards - Indigenous Children, 2015.
