A Hatful of Dreams by Bob Graham

From this warm and loving house at the end of the street, dreams take flight and light the way to a brighter tomorrow. A heartfelt tale of hope and love, perfect for children and grandparents to share together, written and illustrated by master storyteller Bob Graham. Walker Books

From the front cover with that large, pink comfy chair, reminiscent of Let's get a Pup, to the title page which links so beautifully with Rose meets Mr Wintergarten and of course the little family who have surely stepped off the pages of Oscar's First Birthday - all fans of Bob Graham will be filled with happiness that we can once again enter his story world. Oh, and you will surely recognise grandad - yes, I am sure this is Bob Graham himself. 

Illustration from Oscar's Half Birthday

I collect books by Bob Graham so I went back and looked at these three books plus a couple of others. Have you noticed the way Bob Graham often highlights a small family home and his illustration contrasts this against the surrounding neighborhood for example the lightning bolt house in Max or the new house in Rose meets Mr Wintergarten. 

Houses from Max; Grandad's Magic and Rose Meet Mr Wintergarten

The title page of A Hatful of Dreams

Bob Graham is also a master of the interiors of homes. You need to take your time to notice little details such as a discarded teddy bear, washing up on the sink, slippers, the art on the walls, and the really comfortable furniture. Bob Graham is also a master of warm hugs.

Illustration from Let's Get a Pup - a comfy lounge

Illustration from Grandad's Magic - another comfy lounge

Some other things to delight you in A Hatful of Dreams: 

• The end papers show Millie and Sonny playing tether tennis (I loved this game when I was young)
• Chickens, a dog and washing on the clothesline
• Look for the photo of Grandad with his wife - we can infer she has died but grandad still loves her deeply. I love that this is now an extended family and Gradad has moved in with his daughter and the three young grandchildren
• Grandad has a tattoo of a bluebird on his hand
• Here is a beautiful phrase "Maggie! Top of the pile, her tail wagging, with a puppy smell of fresh walnuts."
• You can link this book with the theme of urban renewal - we also saw this in the book A Bus Called Heaven
• "Wrappers off toffees" - go back and read Greetings from Sandy Beach - yes there are toffees there too

Blurb Penguin Random House Canada: The Mile End Road once sparkled in sunshine and children’s laughter, until hard times came and all the people left, taking with them the sun, moon, and stars. But one family stayed on this broken-down street: the Andersons, in their house with a warm little glow, where kids bounce happily on Dad’s back, and Grandad’s fingers squeak on guitar strings as he jokes about all the secrets and dreams he keeps under his hat. “Grandad, I’ve seen you without your hat,” insists Millie, “and nothing was there except your hair.” But what will the children see the next time he doffs his hat? As always with Bob Graham, the tenderness is in the details: strewn-about stuffies, tumbling children, a blue-jeaned grandad with one leg thrown over his chair arm. It’s a story where even a derelict neighborhood can spark back to life, and where the love of a playfully bantering grandad can conjure a whole universe of light.

By the tale’s end, something has changed, and the neighborhood becomes revitalized at last. The eclectic mix of realism and magic is what makes this tale work. Graham’s greatest talents lie in the day-to-day natural messiness of life in a family where Dad drops “pieces of tissue from a just-washed shirt like a soft fall of snow.” The author/illustrator’s signature spare watercolors bring to life the gloom of the abandoned street, the warmth of the home, and the magic that leaks from Grandad’s hat. ... True magic lies at the heart of this marvelous tale. Kirkus

Briony Stewart introduces the slogan here.

Today the CBCA announced the 2026 Book Week slogan or as some people call it the theme - A Symphony of Stories. There is plenty of time of course but I am sure you will want to gather a collection of picture books with musical references. In A Hatful of Dreams grandad has composed a little tune. He plays a fragment of it on his harmonica and mum joins in with her violin. Oh, I need to mention there is a harmonica (can you spy it) on the limited edition print Bob Graham did for IBBY Australia many years ago.

IBBY Australia limited edition print by Bob Graham

Notice the harmonica which links with his newest book A Hatful of Dreams

The Silken Thread by Gabrielle Wang

Gabrielle Wang has woven together an intriguing story in her book The Silken Thread. I use the word woven because there are several story threads and yes there is also an important reference to silk and silk threads from silkworm cocoons but really the strength of this book comes from both the way she weaves in and out of the past and present lives of these two children who live thousands of kilometers apart and the way she weaves in and gives us an insight into their complex family lives.  

I am not usually a fan of timeslip stories or ghost stories. In this case, though, The Silken Thread is not quite a timeslip in the usual way because Moonie, living in Melbourne, meets Little Dipper from China so it is not a different time just a different place. 

Little Dipper lives in poverty in a small village in China. He is a clever boy and the local school principal has identified him as a student who should go to school even though he is needed at home to help with the raising of silkworms and even though the family have little or no money. Little Dipper has two, much older, brothers but more importantly he did have a precious sister. Sadly Little Tian died in an accident. Little Dipper carries a great sadness about this, but Little Tian is never far away - he is still able to talk to her. Is she a ghost? His family are very superstitious, so he keeps her visits a secret.  When he travels to his lessons with his English tutor he has a set of instructions about how to deal with two spirits - the Slurp Slap Ghost and the even more terrifying Will O' the Wisp. His grandmother gives him special food packets and his brother tells him how to avoid the danger of the marshland. You could read Chapter 20 as a way to book talk The Silken Thread - this is when Little Dipper is trapped by the Will O' the Wisp.

Moonie lives with her older sister and two younger brothers in inner city Melbourne. Her grandmother lives with them too. Her father DeDi works at the local food market selling vegetables. The year is 1932 so Australia is in the grip of the depression. Moonie's mother MaMi has become very ill and has been sent away. Moonie and her siblings do not know where she is or when she will return. Things become even harder when a strange woman moves into their house. She seems to have bewitched DeDi and she is horribly cruel to Moonie's brother Floppy (Philip).

Moonie's Melbourne house is very old and Moonie has always been able to see ghosts of the former residents so she is not too shocked when a young boy appears in her room - is he a ghost too? 

Why has Little Dipper come to visit Moonie? Is there a way these two kids can help each other? 

I expect we will see The Silken Thread on the CBCA 2026 Younger Readers Notable list. Listen to an audio sample here. 

Publisher blurb: Moonie lives in Melbourne and dreams of designing dresses for movie stars. Eight thousand kilometres away, on Chongming Island in China, peasant boy Little Dipper cares for the silkworms on his family’s farm and hopes to learn English. On the day Moonie’s beloved Ma Mi goes away, Little Dipper appears in her house. Before they can speak, he is whisked back home. Aided by a magical silk cocoon, Little Dipper’s visits become a regular event and although neither knows how or why they are connected their bond grows each time. Will the silken threads of friendship be enough to help Moonie bring Ma Mi home, or to save Little Dipper from the troublesome ghosts who stand between him and his dream of learning English?

Things I enjoyed about this book:

• The references to food especially towards the end of the story.
• The pattern of three which is how many times Little Dipper has to journey to Teacher Sun before he can finally enter her house.
• The beautiful old water buffalo named Long Ma who takes care of Little Dipper
• The descriptions of each family especially Little Dipper's family and the way they care for one another.
• The alternating voices and stories of the two main characters.
• The scene (spoiler alert) when Little Dipper defeats the 'evil' Miss Yip.
• I am intrigued by the idea of 'rural school' in Melbourne in 1932.
• There are some great little history snippets in this story about life during the Great Depression.

Here is a quote to give you an idea about life during these times:

"One of my chores is to wash the potties in the morning. Another is to cut up squares of newspaper and thread them on a string to use as toilet paper. If there is a photo of a person though, I throw that page away. I wouldn't like it if my photo was in the newspaper and someone wiped their bottom on my face. MaMi taught us to scrunch the paper up first to make it softer. Rich people, who have telephones in their houses ... use pages from old telephone books as toilet paper ... it is so luxurious ..."

Highly recommended for readers who love historical fiction, and stories of warmth, friendship and a touch of magic. Reading Time

I think this is my new favourite of Gabrielle’s books and readers from around Year 4 upwards will love it too. Just so Stories

This is an outstanding novel, full of warmth and interesting issues. A combination of linking stories within stories. The chapters are presented in alternate voices – Moonie’s and Little Dippers’. Through these individual narratives, we learn about the boy’s family life, his surroundings, dreams, and his character. The same applies to Moonie’s narrative. Beautifully introduced are Chinese customs, culture and traditions, beliefs, philosophy, and the role each person plays within the family structure. Kids' Book Review

‘The Silken Thread is a beautifully evocative sunshine burst of magical realism, illuminating the harsh and joyous realities of life in China and Australia during the Great Depression, while celebrating the hidden lives of Chinese Australians. Rich in detail, complex in theme yet delicately drawn, the novel celebrates the strange ties that bind us across cultures, time and language, highlighting the importance of learning, friendship, family and community. An enchanting pocket treasure to lose yourself in.’ – Rebecca Lim

Read this review from Storylinks which gives more plot details.

Gabrielle Wang was the 2022-2023 Australian Children's Laureate. I talk more about this here. Companion books:

Bronze and Sunflower

Two Sparrowhawk's in a Lonely Sky (five stars)

The Kite Rider

A Glasshouse of Stars

All Four Quarters of the Moon

Ties that Bind, Ties that Break

11 Ruby Road 1900 by Charlotte Barkla

Bookseller blurb: It is 1900 and Dorothy and her family have just moved to a new house at 11 Ruby Road. Ruby Road is a busy street, bustling with activity - families and children, noisy carts and animals. The house is close enough to see the city and very different from the rural life Dorothy has known. Best of all it has a secret writing room that only she knows about! Dorothy has big plans for her new neighbourhood - she wants to put on a play and write it herself! But there are other reasons for her family's move to the city and, as Dorothy starts to learn about her new house, she discovers more about the period of time she's growing up in.

I picked up 11 Ruby Road 1900 from a charity book sale for just AUS$2 - this is a little surprising because this is a fairly new book published in 2024. The book that focuses on 1950 will be released in August this year. 

I would have liked a little more detail on historical facts but all in all, a jolly good read for kiddos from around Year 3 upwards. It would certainly be a good read-around-your-topic for history topics focused on this period ...  Just so Stories

Dorothy is bright, driven and rebellious, regularly in trouble at school but only for matters of principle! As the middle child of 6 girls, she looks to her older sisters for social precedents and sees herself as a trailblazer for the little ones. Curious and willing to break tradition, she is a perfect translator for young readers of the morals, values, opportunities and limitations facing young Australians, particularly women, in this era. Storylinks

Here are all three books from the series so far:

Here is the Lamont review of 11 Ruby Road 1900. Read more about Charlotte Barkla here. Walker Books have written some very detailed teachers notes. I am not sure I would use this book as a class novel but if you had a small book club style group (probably of girls) these notes might give you some ideas to discuss. As a character Charlotte annoyed me - she is too selfish and bossy for me. But I did enjoy the way she changed her play to link with the pressing issue of the times - votes for women. You could perhaps read chapter 20 and link this with your study of Australian history. The teachers notes have some useful ideas about this aspect of the story. I also worry about the awful teacher but perhaps her attitude to 'naughty' students is more a reflection of the times. 

The obvious companion text is this famous Australia book My Place.

I also thought of this book where a group of kids are putting on a play:

The Secret Hen House Theatre

And this wonderful book by Katrinia Nannestad:

Silver Linings

The Last Apple Tree by Claudia Mills

“Each person’s life is filled with both smiles and tears; there’s no getting around that. If you choose to take the extra credit option, which I hope you do, maybe you can find a way to share this that will let us appreciate not only the information you collected but the feelings, too. 

History is about feelings as much as it is about facts.”

It’s a gift to know what questions to ask, and a bigger gift to know how to listen to the answers.

Sonnet has moved with her little sister Villanelle and their mother back to the family home to support her grandfather now that his wife of over fifty years has died. Her grandfather's home used to be an apple tree orchard but years ago the land was sold for a modern housing estate. A boy named Zeke lives in one of these new houses. 

These two kids do catch the same bus but beyond that they have no interest in each other until the teacher sets a family history assignment. The task is to interview an older family or community member and ask them about their life in the past. Zeke met Mr Granger after his wife died because he and his mum took over a casserole. Zeke does not really know any other older people so when the teacher sends around a sign-up page Zeke writes his name. This utterly infuriates Sonnet - why should this strange kid want to interview HER grandfather. He has no right to visit her family. But that is exactly what happens. Zeke is an outsider at this school because until this year he has been homeschooled by is overzealous 'tree hugger' father. Zeke is not allowed a pet, a phone, any computer technology and his family grow their own food and follow a vegan lifestyle. All Zeke wants to do is fit in - to be a normal kid.

Sonnet is the protector her family. Her little sister Villie has a crazy imagination - she is a delight. Sonnet works hard to keep her happy. Villie invents a new 'land' for the family every day. It is also important to Sonnet to keep her grandfather away from sad thoughts. He is desperately missing his precious wife and the smallest things seem to make him cry. And he is forgetting small things and can seem mixed up. When Zeke goes off script and asks too many personal and probing questions Sonnet is furious. 

The third voice is this book is an old apple tree - the last apple tree. These parts of the story and very short but worth lingering over as the old tree shares his wisdom based on past events in the lives of this family. 

The Old Apple Tree 

The little girl skips around the old tree in dizzying circles. 

The bigger girl gazes at the old tree with eyes hungry to see. 

The old man visits the old tree in silent communion. 

But the woman... the woman never comes.

I also need to make a special mention of the school Teacher Librarian Mrs. Petrocelli - she has a stash of small chocolate bars in her desk for tricky situations. I love that idea.

Here are a few text quotes:

He barely knew the old man or the old woman, though when he used to see them walking around the small town of Wakefield, arm in arm, he secretly imagined what it would be like if they were his grandparents. His own grandparents on his mother’s side were both dead, and his father had, in his words, “become estranged” from Zeke’s grandparents on that side long before Zeke was born.

Sonnet and her little sister had each been named after a different kind of poem. A sonnet has fourteen lines that often rhyme in a special pattern. Shakespeare wrote lots of sonnets. A villanelle was more complicated, and Sonnet wasn’t sure she could explain it; she just knew it repeated a lot of the same lines over and over again.

“Our next project is going to be on oral history,” Ms. Hanh said, “gathering and recording stories that might otherwise disappear. The stories in greatest danger are the stories of our older friends and relatives, ... because their time is running out. They are closer to the end of their lives, and some of their memories may be already fading.”

The day the bulldozers came and the apple trees were ripped up by the roots like so many weeds, I’m not ashamed to say I cried like a baby. There was just one row of trees spared on what was left of our property, and all but one of those came down with some kind of blight. But if you ask me, they died of broken hearts, and I don’t blame them.”

“Villie,” Sonnet said, picking up a forlorn-looking rabbit with limp, droopy ears and tucking it into the crook of Villie’s arm. “You and I have to try to make Gramps happy. Or at least happier. That’s the most important thing, for both of us. Can you help me do that?”

“So what was your question again? What did I want that I didn’t get? Let me tell you, it’s worse when you get it and then lose it. Lost a child, lost an orchard, lost a wife, and now all that’s left is that one tree, older even than I am now, and it’s on its way to dying, too. The last place on this earth where my little girl was still alive.”

I read this book on my Kindle. The hardcover copy is sadly way too expensive here in Australia but I hope this 2024 book might be available in paperback soon. The publisher site says in the US the paperback will be released in October 2025. This book has such an appealing cover. This is a gentle story about finding yourself, revealing family secrets, and also about the healing of family relationships. A mature and sensitve reader aged 10+ will enjoy The Last Apple Tree. Here is the web page from the author. Listen to a five minute audio sample here (note it uses two voices which is terrific). The sample begins on the first page of this book with a poem by the tree. 

A touching homage to the healing of old wounds and family relationships. Kirkus Star review

Each complex and well-meaning character suffers personal challenges and tragedies on their own, which leads to confusion, dishonesty, and further isolation. As tensions build, the characters are cornered into finally being true to one another, and they discover understanding, compassion, and release. Horn Book

I am very keen to read this verse novel by Claudia Mills.

Claudia Mills is also the author of this series which might be in your school or local library.

We are like Birds by Laila Ekboir

 

I am a patchwork quilt made up of all the places I've lived.

Florencia is moving again with mum, dad and her baby brother. It is hard to fit into her new place. She plays a different sport (soccer) from the kids who play baseball. She speaks a different language (Spanish). Grandma is far away and they can only see her on a screen. But there are ways to make new friends. Sharing food with neighbors and inviting them to your birthday party which is filled with dancing and music. 

Blurb: Flor is only seven years old and has moved home three times. Now her family is moving again and she has to start all over again in a new country and a new school.

Mum says we are like snails ... Dad says we're like crabs ... Our neighbor says we're like a herd of elephants ... Grandma says we're like the moon, distant but always shining ... Mum says we're like dandelion seeds 

The perfect, uplifting story for any child who feels like they don’t fit in or who is worried about the prospect of moving country, home or school and having to start over. Books for Topics

For older readers there is perhaps more that could be drawn from the numerous analogies throughout the text between the family and the many animals their plight resembles: birds, snails, crabs. Perhaps this could inspire some reflective poetry, or encourage children to share the animal that they feel most reflects their own family’s journey. References are made also to puzzle pieces, seeds blown on the wind, and patchwork quilts which may help children to explore and share feelings about their family make-up, the movement of families around the world and the many reasons for such movement. Books for Keeps

Reading the bio of author Lalia Ekboir who comes from Argentina I discovered a new phrase: Third Culture Kid. It denotes a child who grows up in a culture different from the one their parents grew up in.

I noticed an unfamiliar publisher name on the cover of this book:

Kumusha Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, is a new inclusive list of globally inclusive, empathy-led, high-quality children's books, curated by publisher Ken Wilson-Max. Kumusha Books will publish a range of fiction and non-fiction, from board books for babies, to chapter books for emerging readers. Books to make positive and meaningful change to how we are all represented in children's books. ...  Our aim is to create books for all children to see themselves as they are and as they want to be; to feel at home though books.

I mentioned a book from Kumusha when I talked about the Inclusive Book Awards. 

Here is the webpage for Ken Wilson-Max. Decades ago I discovered this book and even though I do not own a copy (and sadly I am sure my previous library have probably disposed of it) A Book of Letters by Ken Wilson-Max remains a favourite book of mine.

Our Sister, again by Sophie Cameron

"Welcome to Project Homecoming and exclusive trial by Second Chances Ltd.

You are part of one of the most ambitious and pioneering projects ever carried out in the field of Artificial Intelligence. 

One that, if successful will change how we think about 

and experience life and death forever."

Life is a mystery and so is death but we do know that when someone dies we cannot see them again. In books there is an unwritten rule that death is never reversed or so it seems to me. In this book a young girl is 'brought' back and this has huge implications. This book will most certainly make readers think deeply about grief, death, what it means to be human and also the implications of technology in our lives.

Isla's sister has died. Mum is wrapped up in grief and so when she reads about a way to bring Flora back to 'life' she readily agrees. What does this mean? What are the implications for the family of agreeing to the Second Chances Homecoming Project. What are the implications for the community who have all signed confidentially agreements? And what about the other teenagers who were friends with Flora? They have grieved and attended her funeral and now she is back. But they are older because three years have passed. If this version of Flora is frozen in time and only has the memories. possibly unreliable memories, collected by Second Chances, is she a real person? Mum does not want to see the truth and dad is sure this is totally wrong, so he has left the family and moved away from their island home. Now that Flora is back should she go back to school? Is there any point in sitting exams? And of course, the kids in her class from before have left the school and are at college.

Is Flora person or a robot? "As Flora turns towards the harbour steps her hair falls to the side and shows the back of her pale neck. ... Carved into her skin, only just visible above her jacket, is a small square."

Is this Flora, really Flora? "The returnee has been created using vast amounts of data, in addition to photos, videos and extensive interviews with your loved one's friends and family."

"Our returnees look entirely human ... We are confident that this new arrival will be an extremely close match to the person you remember. However, please be aware that there are some differences. Returnees do not need to sleep, they cannot be fully submerged in water, (they do not need to eat), and they don't fall sick with human illnesses."

The food part about the returnee made my stomach squirm. In the first few days Flora does eat with the family but the food goes into a food compartment in her body and she has to regularly empty it. Eventually she just gives up this charade of eating. 

"Losing Flora so young made me realise that growing old is a gift not everyone gets."

Dad "doesn't think she's human ... He says you can't rebuild a soul and you can't be a human without a soul."

Exploring a number of ethical questions, Our Sister, Again is simultaneously an intriguing mystery and a moving story of grief, family bonds, and what it means to be human.  Book Trust

It's an emotional story, and heartwarming too. The Book Bag (read this full review - it is very thoughtful)

This is an incredibly powerful, compelling and absorbing read that raises issues around personhood, ethics and social media.  ... And, that ending – it brought tears and smiles – and was exquisite! Book Craic

Saturday, Sunday by Natalie Kate Forbes illustrated by Danny Snell

This is a book to read to your child BUT it is also a book all adults need to read!

My friend had a book display recently in her library on the theme of unplugging. Here is her blog post about this. I am a big advocate of unplugging - turning off or not even taking those phones when you are spending time with a young child - I talked about his here.

This story is also about spending time with your children but in this case it is about stepping away from our crazy busy lives to just enjoy a quiet time. The book is set out with contrasting days. Saturday is utterly hectic and timetabled to the max. They go to squad swimming, shop for food, rush to the library, a quick spin at the playground, then a visit to the butcher and finally home to cook dinner. 

"Bed. Teeth. Pyjamas. A quick book in bed. Darkness creeps in and stars dance overhead. Saturday's over - the busy day is done. Sunday's tomorrow - a day just for fun."

On Sunday there is time. It is breakfast in bed. Time to play with toys and pots (which are great for drumming). They can spend a little time in their garden and then run through the sprinkler to cool off. What about just lying on a blanket to watch the clouds float by? There's even time for picnics and visitors - hello Nanny and Poppa. At the end of the day the kids enjoy their bubble bath followed by home made pizza and several stories before climbing into bed.

As I said - this is a book for children but it also a book for parents. Often every day can become like the Saturday in this book with all those after school organised activities. Hopefully after reading this book families might find a way to make more days in their week a little like the Sunday in this book.

Here is an interview with Natalie Kate Forbes and Joy Lawn at Paperbark words. In the interview Natalie said: I wanted to capture the chaos of the Saturday, whilst making it feel like a cozy and fun family experience. And on the opposite end of the scale, I wanted Sunday to be super chill. Where Sunday is also a full day – it’s just filled with activities that happen organically and are more chill in nature… the day just rolls on from one thing to another without thought. Again, I was keen to promote strong family bonds and connections.

You can see other books illustrated by Danny Snell here. This is the second book by Natalie Kate Forbes. 

The Truck Cat

Seagull

Good Night, Good Beach by Joy Cowley illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper

Joy Cowley is a master of rhyme and pace. The text is minimal but it has such a pleasing cadence. This is made all the richer by the way Hilary Jean Tapper adds a layer that will take readers into scenes way beyond the simple words. You could run a master class on pace and page turns using this book with older students or even better with trainee teachers.

Creaky old bed with rumpled sheet,

sunburned skin and sandy feet.

Moon at the window,

sea by the door,

waves hush-hushing on the shore.

Under the pillow, one white shell,

and sea-washed glass with salty smell.

Plump up the pillow,

put out the light.

Good day,

good sea, good sand,

good night.

You might find this book listed with a different title if you live in New Zealand - At the Bach. 

I you have a library or book collection in your preschool this book is a must add addition. It would also make a sweet gift for a young child. 

Here is an interesting interview with Joy about her life. Her picture books include titles such as The Duck in the Gun (1969) and The Cheese Trap (1995). She has been actively involved in teaching early reading skills and helping those with reading difficulties. She has written approximately 500 books for children learning to read. You are sure to have seen her books for the Story Box Reading Program. These may be less familiar but I especially like her World Classics series:

The Wobbly Bike by Darren McCallum illustrated by Craig Smith

The trials of learning to ride a bike linger with me decades after my mum and dad gave me a brand new bike and then my dad spent so many evenings running alongside me, holding on of course, while I practiced on the empty road below our house. The other neighborhood kids all had secondhand bikes and even now some of them remember that mine was brand new. To me it felt that they all learned to ride by just jumping on their bike and setting off with no wobbles but for me it took months of patience by my dad. 

Like the little girl in this story I started with a tricycle and then moved up to a bigger bike and yes it did wobble and yes it did feel out of control but remember mine was new. The bike in this story is an old one from Grandad's shed. It needs cleaning and some repairs but really that wobble is not actually the fault of the bike - it is all just part of learning and persevering. 

Bookseller blurb: How do you fix a wobbly bike? Could it be the tyres, the terrain, or maybe it might be a new rider? A joyful, multi-layered story, celebrating the unique culture of Australia's urban "top end", the precious roles of grandparents in families, the fact that kindness and encouragement, combined with practice, are the key to success, bound together with gentle humour. because laughter is always the best medicine.

Notice all the quintessentially Australian inclusions in the illustrations - hills hoist; old roller lawn mower; the back shed and the house itself which looks like a "Queenslander". I also love the natural feel of the inclusion in this book - there are indigenous kids and a child in a wheelchair - all just kids in this neighborhood which I have discovered is in Darwin. 

Here are some brief teachers notes from Lamont. 

Darren is a tradesman and the author of The Wobbly Bike, he resides in Darwin with his wife and two daughters. The Wobbly bike was inspired by his daughter Summer who referred to her bike (after the training wheels were removed) as her wobbly bike. The book is a shout out to all children, especially the ones who struggle to never give up and keep trying your personal best and is also a nod to the precious roles of Grandparents.

Craig Smith  is one of Australia's most prolific, popular and award-winning illustrators of children's books. His witty and humorous artwork combines a wonderful sense of the absurd with a fine attention to detail. Craig has illustrated book covers, fiction series (including Too Cool written by Phil Kettle), and picture books Where's Mum? (Honour Book in the 1993 CBC Picture Book of the Year Awards), Billy the Punk (shortlisted in the 1996 CBC Picture Book of the Year Awards), and Bob the Builder and the Elves. Craig's previous Penguin titles include Paul Jennings' The Cabbage Patch series, Rachel Flynn's I Hate Fridays series, Gillian Rubinstein's The Pirates' Ship and The Fairy's Wings, Doug MacLeod's Sister Madge's Book of Nuns and numerous Aussie Bites and Nibbles. (Source Storybox Library) 

He also illustrated My Dog's a Scaredy Cat and one of his earliest books was Black Dog by Christobel Mattingley (later renamed First Friend). I read Bob the Builder and the Elves to hundreds of children in my former school library. Here is his web page and you can see him working here. 

You also need to linger over the end papers - morning on the opening pages and night at the back. And unlike so many other books I have read (mostly by celebrities) recently the rhyme used for the story in this book is perfect. 

This is such a joyous book with its humour, rhyme and illustrations making something very special from something very ordinary, evoking memories, connecting kids and generations, and reminding us that things that are worthwhile are worth striving for. The Bottom Shelf

This book is sure to be a CBCA Notable title for 2025 and it might even make the short list for Early Childhood. 

I love the work of Craig Smith and I think it is easy to connect this newest book with one of his masterpieces - Dreadful David.

The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens illustrated by Beth Suzanna

Sunny loves to work on and complete jigsaw puzzles. 

"Every piece was connected and every piece was important."
"Whenever Sunny finished a puzzle she would feel a warm, honey-tickle of happiness in her chest."

One day Sunny asked her grandmother what happens when she runs out of puzzles. Grandma is so wise. She gives Sunny a 1000-piece puzzle but what Sunny does not know just yet is that one piece is missing. This puzzle has been shared with many of their neighbors so Sunny has to go door knocking to ask if anyone has the all-important puzzle piece. Each house she visits is different:

"The Jack family's house smelled of warm bread and looked like milky tea."

"The Patel house smelled of spices and looked like a waving candle."

"The Stephens house smelled like an ocean breeze and looked like a coral reef."

So, Sunny meets Violet, Ravi and Gabriel and along the way she finds three new friends and discovers just how wise her grandmother truly is. 

Image source: Bloomsbury

Have you guessed about the missing puzzle piece - yes Grandma had it all along in her pocket.

There are two covers at the top of this post because the paperback edition has changed the colour of the cover to yellow - I wonder why? 

Luckily, I did not know this is one of those 'celebrity books' and that Jordan Stephens is a writer and performer best known for being one half of pop duo Rizzle Kick. I have deep reservations about 'celebrities' who write children's books. Read what my blogger/review hero Betsy Bird has to say about this phenomenon. 

The Missing Piece has much to tell us about friends, family, and learning new truths about ourselves. The concept behind the book works well on both a realistic and a metaphorical level and could be read aloud in class or form part of a class library for children to browse through independently. Just Imagine

The author’s late grandmothers were his inspiration for this beautiful debut picture book story that contains a powerful message about empathy, opening our hearts and minds to what life’s journey has to offer, and the importance of family and friends. I love his descriptions of the various homes Sunny calls at and positive responses she receives from the young residents. Equally uplifting and heart-warming are debut illustrator, Beth Suzanna’s bold, bright scenes of Sunny’s learning journey as she searches for wholeness. Books for Keeps

Awards:

• Shorlisted for the Inclusive Books for Children award 2024
• Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2023

Of course you will want to read this book too:

Jigsaw: a puzzle in the post

Here is a companion book which also demonstrates the wisdom of a grandmother who can see that her grandchild needs to find a friend. This is a very old book and long out of print but it might be in a library.

I previously talked about What you need to be warm by Neil Gaiman. I was delighted to discover one of the contributing illustrators is Beth Suzanna.