Hari's Bones by Danny Parker illustrated by Rache Antonio with music by Matt Ottley

Hari is a cautious girl. She shuns danger because she wants to stay safe. She needs to avoid physical and emotional harm. Hari holds all her bones in a bag but she does have dreams and she certainly doesn't just sit around doing nothing. She can see things to explore in the world and beyond and so she flies her kite, uses a net to gather feathers and from her feather seat she watches the unfolding universe and constellations. But then the day comes when Hari needs to break out of her safety bubble.

The kids call out to her. Hari is standing in the outfield of the ball game, and the ball is heading her way. She needs to catch it but this is risky. Hari will need to overcome her fears, grab that ball and run. Doing this she makes an amazing discovery:

"She peaked at her bones - not a scratch! Her eyes sparkled."

Hari finds she can join in - she can dodge and hop and swerve and spin and splash and still be okay. It seems her dream of reaching the moon might now come true, so it is time to work her plans (blueprints) and models. Her future is filled with endless possibilities.

When you reach the final page of this book - please stop and ponder the final end paper. It shows a small paper aeroplane moving over the night sky and reaching high to the stars showing the endless possibilities Hari can now enjoy. Now go back to the first spread - this same image has been used to open this story showing Hari always had the potential to follow her dreams. These two images beautifully book end the story.

Bookseller blurb: A story for the curious. Hari is always trying to avoid trouble, but one day, trouble comes to find her. To her surprise, the very things she's done to stay safe become her superpowers. A story for the curious, gentle risk-takers, those who suspect there is more to adventure than climbing up and jumping off. Written by the award-winning author Danny Parker and illustrated by emerging illustrator Rache Antonio this children's picture book includes original music composed by acclaimed artist, Matt Ottley, with text narrated by the author.

This is a picture book for slightly older readers. I think many kids (and even some adults) will relate to these words from the text (I certainly did) and this quote could be a terrific way to open a conversation with your library group:

"Hari wouldn't climb a tree, wasn't tempted by trampolines, bicycles, skateboards or scooters."

Whether you share this book with younger children so they learn that being curious, creative, imaginative and quiet as they discover their world is perfectly acceptable, or with older children to help them understand how working towards their aspirations of the future helps shape who they are now, it is a must-have for any collection devoted to student well-being, identity and self-acceptance. A Book and a Hug

Something I often think about is the way an illustrator is sent the text for a picture book - perhaps just typed on one sheet of paper. In the case of Hair's Bones, the art of Rache Antonio works so well to extend the text and to add a rich additional layer of meaning to the story. Take a look at the terrific teachers notes from Scholastic which also include sample illustrations. 

It would be good to share Hair's Bones alongside another book by Danny Parker. I am sure it is no coincidence that this book from 2016 was illustrated by Matt Ottley:

Read more about Danny Parker here

I recently talked about Dany Parker's book Perfect illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Matt Ottely has created a musical accompaniment to enjoy alongside this book (there's a QR code at the back of Hari's Bones) and others. Matt did not do the art in this new book, but it does invite comparison with several of his previous titles which are also part of his "The Sound of Picture Books" project. Read more here. Our 2026 CBCA slogan is 'Symphony of Stories' - this work by Matt Ottley would be so perfect to share as you explore this theme - his work to add orchestral scores while the audience enjoy visuals from his books is an extraordinary experience.

Stickboy

How to make a bird

Teacup

You can see art from Hari's Bones and hear the music by Matt Ottley on the book trailer. 

IBBY Australia nominated Matt Ottley for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen award in 2024 and back in 2019 I shared his work at the Texas Book festival. Thanks to Matt Ottley for sending me a review copy of Hari's Bones. 

In a previous blog post, I talked about how much I enjoyed the music Matt Ottely composed to go with the splendid book Dumazi and the Big Yellow Lion. 

Dumazi and the Big Yellow Lion

I also need to mention the beautiful art in Hair's Bones which comes from a new illustrator- Rache Antonio. She has been illustrating children’s books since 2022 as a means of capturing the wonder, humour, depth and complexity of the human spirit, and the world we live in. She has a degree in Fashion Design and Applied Arts from ECA and has worked in fashion, costume, music festival production and illustration.  Born and raised in rural Scotland, she now lives and works in Somerset, UK.

Tomorrow Most Likely by Dave Eggers illustrated by Lane Smith

"Tomorrow most likely there will be a sky. And chances are it will be blue.

Tomorrow most likely there will be a squirrel. And chances are his name is Stu."

There will also be a meal, a door (that leads to the world), a song, a plane, a bright blue bug, an interesting smell, a stone, or you might ride a whale. 

"Tomorrow most likely will be a great day because you are in it and Stu is okay."

This book is sadly out of print (published in 2019) but you might find a copy in a library - I sure hope you do! Here is the Kirkus review. See more pages inside this book here. 

Written by celebrated author Dave Eggers and illustrated by Caldecott honoree Lane Smith, Tomorrow Most Likely is a heartfelt (and not-so-quiet) bedtime story that brings affirmation and comfort to young audiences. By juxtaposing the small and the grand, the familiar and the odd, what is and what can be, author and illustrator provide confidence to a little boy facing the big, wide world. Good Reads with Ronna

You could share Tomorrow Most Likely as a bedtime read aloud in your family or you could use it as a writing idea with a group of older students after a discussion about optimism!

My friend spied this treasure at a recent charity book sale - Lane Smith - I am a huge fan and Dave Eggers - his book for middle grade readers The Eyes and the Impossible is a book that still lingers with me over three years since I read it.

The Eyes and the Impossible

Companion book:

And try to find these:

The Big Question

Things to look forward to

Pablo Neruda Book of Questions

Do you Wonder?

Who is the world for?

The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone illustrated by Fiona Woodcock

"It was Christmas Eve, and Phoebe could see that the little town of Whistlethrop was covered in a thick layer of snow. It was the first snow of winter and it had come silently in the night, the way magic often does."

This opening sentence holds so much promise for a wonderful story. It is Christmas Eve - surely that means wishes can come true. The snow came silently the way magic often does - it is confirmed. Magic is coming. But who is Phoebe? Where is she living? Why does she need some magic in her life?

Phoebe lives in an orphanage and if you need confirmation that it is a horrid place just think about the name - Griselda Bone's Home for Strays. It seems the children who are taken there have to stay or stay that is, until Miracle Day.

As the story opens, it is Miracle Day, a day that happens only once each month. Today is Miracle Day but it is for Jack, Phoebe's friend. And now that he has gone, she is the last child left. All she has now is her little dog Herb. 

Griselda punishes Phoebe for using her imagination in a writing activity. She sends her to the dog kennels for the night. It is freezing cold and she is fastened with a metal cuff. Then something magical happens - you can see him on the book cover - the snow dragon.

WOW! This is a picture book I picked up a recent charity bookfair. I based this selection purely on the cover image. I didn't even bother to read the blurb on the back cover. What a fabulous discovery. This is a story about an orphan, it is about the power of dreams and imagination, and it has the most wonderful (and all important) happy ending.

Everything about this book, (which is an abridged version of a tale included in the collection, Winter Magic), is out of this world gorgeous. The telling is full of uplifting messages for youngsters, not least of which is that even in dark times ‘We all have the gift of wonder’ and mustn’t forget to look at the world’s natural beauty. ‘Be content. Be watchful. Be brave’ the dragon tells her. Red Reading Hub

The Snow Dragon was published in 2019 (it is still available) but the story originally appeared in an anthology entitled Winter Magic. Here is the webpage for Abi Elphinstone. I previously talked about her novel Sky Song.

Sky Song

Here is the webpage for Fiona Woodcock. Her work really shines in The Snow Dragon and here are some of her books which I will now hunt out:

Kid by Peter Carnavas

"They were so brave ... the bravest goats in the world! And I want to be just like them."

Now read the opening sentence of Kid: 

"There once was a small goat who lived on a farm, not far from the rugged mountain."

Ask yourself some questions - will this small goat have an adventure? will he travel to the rugged mountain? what will he find there? does he have a good life on the farm? are there any other goats there? does 'not far' mean this story will involve a journey?

Life on the farm is good. There are cows, sheep, pigs and hens. Oh, and of course there is a small goat - a young goat - a kid named Kid.

"He was barely taller than the hens, and not just because he was young. He was a small breed of goat - a miniature - so even when fully grown he would hardly peek over a bale of straw. For now he was still a kid, with gangly legs, ears that stuck out and two bumps on the top of his head. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there, and he dreamt that one day they would grow into big curved horns, strong and majestic."

Kid has dreams - big dreams. And these dreams are linked with the story of his parents. This is the story Audrey, one of the hens, tells him night after night. His parents were Buck and Bess and they heroically saved the farm from a fox but by chasing the fox they jumped over all the fences and "no one ever saw those brave goats again." Bess and Buck left their baby behind in the care of Audrey. "And you've been stuck with me ever since."

Kid has the care and friendship of Audrey and also of Harriet, a whitish-pink pig. So, the story is set. Kid would like to be heroic like his parents. He is sure his parents are living in the nearby mountains. Audrey needs to protect her young charge just as she promised his mother all those years ago and Harriet is keen to experience new tastes in the wild. But of course, there is a problem - well there are lots of problem but the biggest one of all is Farm Law. Note the capital letters. 

"Farm Law says that any animal who leaves the farm can never come back ... They'll bring danger to the farm - predators, or sickness from the wild."

"The adventures of Buck and Bess played in his mind. He had loved the stories, so wild and exciting, but he always dreamt that one day they would return to the farm. Now he knew he would never see them again, all because of a big white dog who didn't like goats."

Kid will not be stopped. Ma, the big white farm dog will not stop him. He jumps over the fence and ...

There are some sweet words of wisdom in Kid:

Audrey: "I was scared and I didn't want you to go. But then I asked myself what was more important: to follow the rules or follow your dreams?"

Audrey: "The world hasn't ended. You have a home and friends who love you - even when you're miserable. I didn't raise you to blob around like a snail without a shell. Get up and do something."

Cow: "Gavin (the great hawk) said you will find your family ... on the mountain."

I think I held my breath through the final chapters of this book - I know Peter Carnavas is a trustworthy author and he would give me that all important "happy ending", but I was so worried about little Kid - would Ma let him come back to the farm?

Publisher blurb: This is the story of a small goat called Kid. Ever since his parents chased away a fox and never returned, Kid has stayed with Audrey the hen in the chook yard. Audrey tells him stories of his mum and dad’s daring and bravery. She says they live on the nearby mountain, and Kid longs to leave the farm to find them. And then, one day, he discovers he is big enough to jump the fence … Will a wild adventure up the mountain help Kid find where he belongs?

Here is the trailer - this is sure to make you fall in love with this book:

This book will be published next week - do not wait - run to your independent bookstore or local library and order a copy of Kid by Peter Carnavas. I really wish I lived in Queensland so I could participate in some of the launch events for Kid. Huge thanks to UQP for sending me an advance copy of Kid. I devoured it in one sitting and then went back and read it all again today. There are extensive teachers notes for Kid BUT really my suggestion is just read this book - to your young reading companion, to your class or to your library group. Don't dissect it - just enjoy the writing, the friendships, and the very special voice of young Kid.

This one is just a delight from the first page to the last and your young readers will find it entirely satisfactory and, very likely, the kind of book that they will return to again and again. Just so Stories  (You can see art from Kid in this review)

Kid gives us plenty to love especially for the confident junior reader, animal lover, and those searching for their own g.o.a.t mini-hero to emulate. Dimity Powell  (G.O.A.T stands for Greatest of all Times)

In the UK Kid from Pushkin Press has a slightly different cover. I love talking with students about covers - design, appeal, font choices and the way covers can influence our reading choices. The US edition will come from Groundwood Books in 2027! Kid is published in hardcover and the beautiful pastel colours reminded me of my old copy of Heidi (I have put this image at the bottom of this post).

The publisher and Peter Carnavas himself (quite rightly) links Kid with two very famous books:

Charlotte's Web

You may know this book became the movie Babe.

Peter Carnavas says: After writing my last book, I promised myself I’d take a quiet break from writing, 

but then a small goat trotted into my thoughts. I’m not sure where he came from but I remember what I was doing at the time – I was reading Edwina Wyatt’s book Cub and Brown. Edwina’s story has nothing to do with goats but for some reason, halfway through reading, I put down the book, opened my sketchbook and drew a goat.  Up until now, my novels have centred around quiet children and relationships, so I wanted to try something different with my goat – I wanted an adventure! I started drafting ideas based on the structure of the hero’s journey: I gave him a call to action, a merry band of accomplices (each with their own strengths), a wise elder, a series of trials and an exciting climax. 

I really appreciate having maps in books. The map at the beginning of Kid reminded me of this book:

Map from Kid (found in the teachers notes)

Try to find this picture book too:

Albert and Lila

Check out all the picture books by Peter Carnavas and then look for his terrific novels:

Leo and Ralph, My Brother Ben, The Elephant

Kid is published in hardcover and the soft pastel colours used on the cover reminded me of my old copy of Heidi. Just a small observation of mine - Kid doesn't have any actual links with Heidi!

The sound of colours by Jimmy Liao

"A year ago I began to notice that my sight was slipping away. I sat at home alone and felt the darkness settle around me. But today I walked outside into the thin gray rain and made my way to the subway. I have a journey to go on. There are some things I need to find."

Without sight the young girl in this story uses her other senses and her wonderful imagination to create images in her mind as she journeys through the subway. She takes care on the stairs as slowly as an elephant. She can feel the crunch of the autumn leaves. If she could climb the tree she would be able to pick a sweet red apple. The next station feels so vast - perhaps it is like stepping into the ocean. She imagines hearing the singing of the dolphins. Outside she cannot see the sky, but we see the scene - she imagines of a beach which is actually on top of a huge blue whale. The girl is stretched out in the sun in her swimmers with her hat and dog. And so her journey continues moving from one spectactular scene to another. 

"Now it listen for the sound of the colours I can't see. I try to smell the shapes, taste the light and dark. And I hope to find a friend who will read me a poem while the window fills up with sunset."

This quote touched my heart. My mother and two aunts had macula degeneration and so their vision was greatly impaired. I worry about losing my eyesight because this condition can be hereditary but if that happens it would be so special if someone could read me this book and take me on a journey like this one. 

Take a look at this detailed description of The sound of colours. 

Read more about Jimmy Liao here.

Blurb from author page: Follow the blind little girl to hear the sounds of colors together, and see how colors make sound. From one stop to another, visit the city corner, the breezy treetops, the entrance to the underground, and the exit to the sky anew.

Home is the place where everything I've lost is waiting patiently for me to find my way back.

Companion books:

The Seeing Stick

The Black Book of Colours

The Sound of Colours has been translated into Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chines, Japanese, English Spanish, Thai, French, Dutch, Polish, Russia,n Vietnamese, Italian, German, Portuguese and Korean

I mentioned Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao and this book in a previous post and then to my absolute delight the Teacher-Librarian from the library where I spend fantastic days as a volunteer read my blog post and when I arrived she had this book ready for me to borrow! That is truly the best library service! The Sound of Colours was published in English in 2006. This is another example of why libraries are SO IMPORTANT. The Sound of Colours is long out of print but your local or school library may have a copy - I did have this book in my own former school library (hopefully they still have it).

Another companion book:

The Sound of Silence

The Book Without a Story by Carolina Rabei

This could be the perfect book to read to your younger groups in your school library at the beginning of the year. What do the children think happens to a library book when it is borrowed? Of course it has an adventure and then when the book is returned this adventure is shared with all the other library books.

I thought of the Bluey episode Bob Bilby Season One episode 12 called Bob Bilby where Bingo brings a class toy home and the family record Bob's weekend with the family. Following this idea and the one in A Book without a Story the children write an adventure for their library book - showing plenty of reading time and sharing!

Blurb from author page: When the library closes, and the last librarian has gone home to bed . . . the books come alive and tell stories of their adventures. But Dusty the book has never been borrowed and dreams of finding someone to share his story with . . .   Will he find his perfect reader?

Readers will find themselves wanting to hug a book after reading this story. Kirkus

Companion book:

Sorry Miss Folio

You can see more books by Carolina Rabei here. She lives in the UK. These three are especially worth hunting out plus Snow also by Walter de la Mare:

The Sunbird by Sara Haddad illustrated by Baraa Awoor

Begin with this text quote:

"Before they left, Nabila went to the olive grove one last time. She wandered among the trees that were never just trees. They fed her, sheltered her, kept her company. She loved to climb them so much that, in the warmer months, Nabila spent more time above the ground than on it. She even had a job to climb to the very top of the olive trees and pick the best olives, the sweetest fruit. The people in the village called her the sunbird."

Now you also need to know that the Palestine sunbird is the national bird of Palestine. It is a symbol of  beauty, resilience and freedom. These THREE words are very important.

Now go back to the quote - Who is Nabila? Why are they leaving? Where does she live? Are her family with her? Where will she go? Are there no olive trees in the new place? Will she be safe? Will she be happy?

How would you feel if all you had of your home was the front door key? 

 I just had to show you a Palestine Sunbird and how spectacular they look

This book is told in three parts - we begin in Australia in October 2025. People are gathering for a protest march just as they have every week for the last two years. Then the time shifts back to December 1947 as Nabila recounts the story of her childhood and her Nakba story. In the final chapter the focus switches back to that first day in 2025 where Nabila is sharing her story with her new young friend Zane. I was so moved when Nabila, now aged in her 80s, gives Zane that small stone she picked up near her home on that terrible day when the bombs began to fall.

1947 "As she squatted to pick up a stone to throw into the water, she heard it and felt it and saw it all at once, the first of the bombs."

2025 "This stone is for you. Take care of it. Every day, hold it between your fingers, raise it to your nose, close your eyes and breathe in deep. If you clear your mind and concentrate hard, you will smell the autumn rains."

From the cover and title you might think this is a simple book for a young reader but reading this book you will discover it is so much more. This is one of those important books that I would love to put into the hands of readers aged 10+ as a way to give a small understanding of the history of Palestine as told through the eyes of a young child. Older readers will want to discover more about UN Resolution 181 and Resolution 194. Huge thanks to UQP for my advance reader copy of The Sunbird. I especially appreciated the Author's Notes and glossary. This book will be released on 3rd February 2025. Gleebooks Kids will hold a launch event on 7th February.

The Sunbird (my copy) is an adaption of an adult novel which was published in 2024. The adult version is 128 pages so it is a slim novel - the young reader version has 73 pages. Hopefully this book will be shared with lots of readers but I also hope it 'lands' in the right section of a bookstore - with the middle grade novels and not shelved with very junior beginning chapter books. Booksellers need to read this book both because it is important and then because they can then match it with the 'right' reader. Similarly if you are in a school library make sure you read this book - it is fabulous and most certainly deserves your attention. There is something truly powerful about reading a book set during a terrible world event which is told through the eyes of a child. 

Adapted for young readers from her critically acclaimed adult novel, Sara Haddad's middle-grade story about a child's experience of the Nakba is a lyrical ode to sovereignty, freedom and homecoming.⁠ How could a new country be put inside a country that was already there? Where would the new country go? Where did it come from? What would happen to the people who were already there?⁠ It’s 1948 and Nabila Yasmeen lives a happy life in her village in Palestine. She plays in the hills with her friend Khalil and climbs high in the olive trees to pick the sweetest fruit. But when bombs start falling, Nabila and her family are forced to leave. Where will they go?⁠ Embellished with beautiful line illustrations by renowned Palestinian artist Baraa Awoor, 'The Sunbird' is the poignant story of a little girl who just wants to go home.⁠ Instagram

Publisher blurb: It’s 1948 and Nabila Yasmeen lives a happy life in her village in Palestine. She plays in the hills with her friend Khalil and climbs high in the olive trees to pick the sweetest fruit. But when bombs start falling, Nabila and her family are forced to leave. Where will they go?

Here is the original adult edition:

The adult book The Sunbird was originally self-published and then 'discovered' by UQP

Read more here and here is a review and there are more details here too.

The Sunbird discusses themes of migration, post-colonial dispossession 

and displacement, truth-telling, protest, community, identity, belonging and culture.

I had not heard of the Palestinian artist Baraa Awoor. I really like the cover of The Sunbird but I do hope this book, as I have said, reaches older readers even though the cover gives the impression of a book for a younger audience and the publisher suggests 8+. I think this book will better suit readers aged 10+. The small black and white drawings scattered throughout the book are also perfect.

You can read an extract from The Sunbird (young readers edition) here

Baraa Awoor is a self-taught, award-winning illustrator from Gaza, Palestine, currently based in Cairo and holding a UAE Golden Residency. With a background in education and years of artistic practice, she brings stories to life through acrylics, oil pastels, colored pencils, and mixed media and collage. Her work has been exhibited internationally, with recognition at prestigious events such as the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the Sharjah Reading Festival, and exhibitions in Geneva. Baraa has led international workshops on illustrating children’s books in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and beyond, sharing her creative process with young artists. Her books have been translated into several languages, including Italian, Portuguese, Korean, Turkish, and English. Mama's Scent is her first book to be published in the United States. Simon and Schuster

Companion books:

Oranges in no Man's Land

The Kites are Flying

The Key from Spain

I plan to look for these books - two picture books and one YA novel which link with The Sunbird.

These Olive Trees Kirkus Review; Homeland Kirkus Review

Where the Streets had a name Kirkus Review