Whale Song by Nicola Davies illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

"Listen! Listen! Listen! Somewhere in the deep, deep blue, a humpback whale is singing. The sounds shiver through the water ... through the timbers of our boat and we can feel them tingle in our bare feet on the deck, and hear them when we lay our heads against the hull. Sounds so strange, they seem to come from out in space, amongst the stars, not from here on Earth."

This book is partly a poem, partly a glorious work of art, and partly an exploration of the science we know about the songs of whales. Male humpback whales use sounds to communicate and they string the sounds together to create complex songs. There are fourteen places that we know of where humpbacks gather in their breeding season. In each group their songs are the same but different groups sing different songs (I love that idea). If the whales in one group hear a different song "they learn it" and add it to their own melody. Nicola Davies uses the idea of beads on necklaces as a way to describe this. 

"Scientists are still trying to discover the meaning behind humpback whale song. It's like trying to decode a language without a dictionary. Scientists have found that humpback song is more like human language than they first thought, but there is so much more to discover..."

Think about the lyrical language used in this book:

"to make an orchestra of sounds"

"He's stringing sounds together to make patterns, like threading coloured beads onto a string."

"The singing of the male whales is a big part of this jamboree."

And the illustrations are luminous:

I urge you to add this book to your library or to find it in a library to share with your young reading companion. It is available here in Australia from Walker Books and was published in April 2026. The publisher have combined the talents of two utterly splendid book creators for this book - Whale Song. 

Nicola Davies is an award-winning author and Children's Laureate Wales 2025-27. Her many books for children include Tiny, Lots and Grow with Emily Sutton; One World with Jenni Desmond; The Promise and King of the Sky with Laura Carlin; and A First Book of ... Nature, The Sea and Animals with Mark Hearld, Emily Sutton and Petr Horácek respectively. 

Britta Teckentrup has created over 120 books, translated into 30 different languages, including The Memory Tree (Hodder), Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright (Nosy Crow) and The House by the Lake (Walker). Her award-winning artwork has appeared on homeware, clothes and packaging. Britta now lives and works in Berlin with her artist husband, son Vincent, and their cat.

Companion book - this one is absolutely perfect:

The Whales' Song

There have been a few books released recently about whales. I urge you to look for this one:

Life after Whale: The Amazing ecosystem of a whale fall

You could link this news story with this book from ABC news where five whale carcasses have been found. When I heard this on the radio last week I sighed with happiness because I adore it when 'real life' and books, such as Life after Whale, collide. The report says:

Researchers explored the remains during multiple deep-sea submersible trips in 2023, collecting samples and mapping the extent of the necropolis. They found five carcass sites and fossils, including skulls belonging to beaked and baleen whales. The oldest bones date back 5.3 million years. Feeding and living on the carcasses were myriad creatures, large and small, including sea cucumbers, squat lobsters and saltwater clams. Many of them are likely species that have never been documented ... Why did so many whales die here? Maybe they were already living in the area and died of natural causes. A few could have perished from exhaustion or illness caused by deep-sea diving. The area's shape, akin to the letter V, could also have funneled the remains to their resting spot ... "

Read more here. And the BBC have a comprehensive article about this find. 

I also found a couple of other books that will be worth finding:

Read more here on the publisher web page - this book looks more suitable for 

Upper Primary readers - 80 pages

A new Australia title (2026)

Here is the Storylinks review

Here are the teachers notes

The Secret life of whales

Say Hi to Hedgehogs by Jane McGuiness

Follow this lovely little creature through the year and learn what hedgehogs like to eat, how they hunt for their food, where they build their nests, the time it takes for them grow from tiny hoglets into healthy adults and, as the seasons turn, 

how they prepare for hibernation.

You are right - we do not have hedgehogs here in Australia but that does not stop my fascination. Several years ago I visited a family in Sussex and they were delighted to show me a baby hedgehog and they also explained how people in their rural village or hamlet were anxious to create safe spaces for these tiny creatures. In the USA this book has a different cover and title - Prickly Hedgehogs. Say hi to Hedgehogs is a title from the Nature Story Book (or formerly called Read and Wonder) book series published by Walker Books (Candlewick in the US).  Click the label at the bottom of this post to find more books from this fabulous series. 

You can see just how sweet they look in this glorious illustration by Brian Wildsmith from his book Wild Animals:

Here are a couple of my favourite hedgehog books:

I'm Not Scared by Britta Teckentrup

The Hodgeheg by Dick King Smith

Find more book ideas here - 2nd February 2019 Hedgehog Day (Kinderbookswitheverything); and 2nd February 2023 Hedgehog Day (Kinderbookswitheverything). 

Jane McGuinness is also the illustrator of this terrific book that you MUST add to your library:

We are the Wibbly

The Memory Tree by Britta Teckentrup

"Fox had lived a long and happy life, but now he was tired. Very slowly, Fox made his way to his favourite spot in the clearing ... Fox closed his eyes, took a deep breath and fell asleep forever."

His animal friends gather to remember the life of their friend Fox. While they are gathered talking, sharing and listening a small orange plant emerges from the snow and as each story is told it grows bigger.

"The animals talked about Fox all through the night. And, in the morning, the little plant had grown into a small tree. The animals saw the tree and knew that Fox was still part of them."

Take a look at the labels I have assigned - grief, loss, death to this post. Now please take a few minutes to read this previous post about books that deal with these subjects.

As usual, Britta Teckentrup’s illustrations are gorgeous. The wintry scenes are atmospheric and steeped in symbolism. She has also cleverly captured the changing seasons in a lovely page that has been split three ways. Her forest animals are charming and their eyes are wonderfully expressive. This picture of Fox and Mouse enjoying the sunset is my favourite illustration – just look at those colours and the comfortable companionship! Get kids into books

Blurb: Fox has lived a long and happy life in the forest. One day, he lies down in his favourite clearing, takes a deep breath, and falls asleep forever. Before long, Fox's friends begin to gather in the clearing.

One by one, they tell stories of the special moments that they shared with Fox. And, as they share their memories, a tree begins to grow, becoming bigger and stronger, sheltering and protecting all the animals in the forest, just as Fox did when he was alive. This gentle and comforting tale celebrates life and the memories that are left behind when a loved one dies.

Yes, this book deals with a very difficult subject but using animals makes it a gentler reading experience for young children. Your school library needs all kinds of books - happy, sad, funny, frivolous, serious, mysterious, complex and even books like this that deal with this big topic - the death of a loved one. 

Companion books:

Fox A circle of life story

The bear and the wildcat

Waiting for wolf

The hare-shaped hole

Circles in the sky

Ida always

A Leaf called Grief

Thinking about picture book forms

This week I have been so privileged to read the Master's Thesis of a friend entitled "Shapes and forms: Some recent uses of techniques in picture books". This thesis was written in 1990 but it is thrilling to see how many of her selected titles have really stood the test of time and I hope that nearly all of them are still available in your school library.  The thesis explores twenty forms - I won't list all of her choices here, but I have added a couple more of my own so I have a total of fourteen forms you could explore. The more I dip into this topic the more possibilities I have found such as stamping or using stamps (Jarrett and Jarome Pumphrey); dual functioning books (such as The Ribbon Le Ruban a book I long to own); clay sculpture illustrations such as Barbara Reid; photographic illustrations; narrative and illustrated nonfiction; and diorama constructions - try to find books illustrated by Soyeon Kim to see this form.

Here is a video of this book (in French)

I have listed the thesis picture book example first and then examples of my own. This thesis was originally given the title 'innovations in the picture book' but many of the forms/shapes listed are actually very old for example the popup book and the leporello. The book at the top of this post is a leporello! I do love that word (and form). So the thesis author changed her heading to Shapes and Forms.

I also need to think about where to place one of my most shared and most treasured but very obscure books:

1 is for One

1. Wordless

Up and Up by Shirley Hughes

Check out my Pinterest of Wordless Books (IBBY call them Silent books)

I have tons of favourites but I first thought of one special favourite, because it was the first wordless book I ever read, Sunshine by Jan Omerod. Thinking about more recent ones I would list Stormy by GuoJing and The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. If you haven't discovered Peter Collington try to find his books in a library. My own favourite is The Tooth Fairy.

2. Paper engineering (pop up and die-cut or laser cut)

Haunted House Jan Pienkowski

The die cutting process is a way to create unique shapes in material. It’s often used artistically on covers to cut windows into a book or on interior pages to create flaps, pop-up structures or interesting shapes.

The master of the popup is Robert Sabuda. His paper engineering will amaze you. An older book I marvel over with amazing die cut pages is The Story of Snowflake and Raindrop. This book also fits into the category of a flip over book. More recent examples of die cut pages are found in books by Britta Teckentrup for example her book A Happy Place. You might also look for books by Aaron Becker and Su Blackwell. I recently spied this edition based on Mary Poppins with die cut or laser cut illustrations.

Read more about Hélène Druvert here.

3. Lift the flap

Where's Spot? by Eric Hill

I stumbled on Mouse's Wood by Alice Melvin a couple of years ago and now I see there are sequels. I also love the bird books by Bridget Farmer which have the sturdiest flaps and incredible art. Searching for Treasure by Johanna Bell illustrated by Emma Long made me gasp and you do need to add Who Lives here by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Rebecca Cobb to your collection. All of these books show that flaps are not just for our tiny reading companions but of course every little child does need to see and touch lots of books about Spot.

4. Flip over book (reversable)

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

I cannot cite many examples of these but I do love them. I always think of an old book - And then it Rained by Crescent Dragonwagon. Another example could be Mirror by Jeannie Baker. You don't flip this one over but readers see the action side by side in two different locations simultaneously.  An Australian example is Room on our Rock by Kate and Jol Temple. 

5. Stitching (using textiles)

The Shoemaker and the Elves stitching by C & W Birrer

I find books with illustrations made from embroidery or stitching or fabric patchwork very appealing. One UK illustrator to look for is Rachel Griffin. You could also look for The Whispering Cloth: a refugee's story by Pegi Deitz Shea and illustrated by Anita Riggio. I love the work by US textile artist Salley Mavor. I would love to own her book called My Bed. 

6. Letters in envelopes

The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg (and sequels)

I have so many book forms that I adore but I think the value-added of real letters inside envelopes is one I find the most delightful. AND I thank publishers who are willing to invest money into the production of these. Santa Post by Emma Yarlett; Maisy's Christmas Letters by Lucy Cousins; Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a World Tour by Annette Langen; Meerkat Mail Emily Gravett; and of course The Jolly Christmas postman by Allan Ahlberg.

7. Collage

Where the forest meets the sea by Jeannie Baker

This is an enormous topic. My friend has a terrific Pinterest on this topic and I have one too of illustrators who use collage. Apart from our wonderful Australian illustrator Jeannie Baker,I love the work of Eric Carle; Ed Young; Robin Page; David Wisniewski and Susan L Roth. You may already have a new Australian picture book called Hope is the Thing. And there are so many other names such as Rachel Isadora; Melissa Sweet; Leo Lionni; Ezra Jack Keats; Lois Ehlert; Ellen Stoll Walsh. Another favourite Australian illustrator of mine is Patricia Mullins. I was also delighted to discover this book made with illustrations made from pebbles:

Stepping Stones

8. Reality (illustrations) versus fantasy (text) or illustrations show a fantasy which contrasts with reality.

Drac and the Gremlin by Allan Baillie illustrated by Jane Tanner

Another older example is Kirsty Knows Best illustrated by Anthony Browne. I also thought of Magic Beach by Alison Lester; A House for Wombats by Jane Burrell; Suri's wall by Lucy Estela illustrated by Matt Ottley and When You're Older by Sofie Laguna illustrated by Judy Watson. I recently discovered this old book: Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. There are sure to be lots more for this category. 

9. Page turner (anticipation and a guessing game)

I went walking by Sue Machin illustrated by Julie Vivas

Eyes in the Dark by Kim Dale; An animal guessing game by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page; Who's Next? Guess Who! by Anton Poitier illustrated by Sophia Touliatou; Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Sharon King-Chai; and for older readers a title from many years ago - Guess What? by Mem Fox illustrated by Vivienne Goodman. I also need to mention What's Inside: The alphabet book by Satoshi Kitamura and Brown Bear Brown bear by Bill Martin Jr illustrated by Eric Carle.

10. Participatory story 

We're going on a bear hunt by Michael Rosen illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Participation was always the focus of my early weeks with a new Kindergarten group. We read lots of books with a repeated refrain including We're going on a bear hunt; My Brown Bear Barney by Dorothy Butler illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller; There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof eating cake by Hazel Edwards illustrated by Deborah Niland; Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina; Peace at last by Jill Murphy; Owl Babies by Martin Waddell illustrated by Patrick Benson; and The Elephant and the bad baby by Elfrida Vipont illustrated by Raymond Briggs.

11. Leporello

I added this one to the list but I know the author of the thesis enjoys discovering these. You could add tunnel book to this category too. There is one of these inside The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan Ahlberg. I also have a book based on Can't you sleep little bear by Martin Waddell which you fold out and join into a circle or a carousel. 

Books that have accordion-style, or zig-zagged, pages are called leporellos (or concertinas). These books can be experienced in a few ways: readers can keep the book folded and turn the "pages," flipping the book at the end to experience the other side of the book; or they can completely unfold and expand the book to create one giant, linear narrative. Some leporellos are printed on the front and back, while others are one-sided. Let's Talk about Picture books (you can see examples)

Pages of Look by Gavin Bishop Gecko Press

12. Breaking the fourth wall and the off-stage narrator

This one is also my headings and I talk about this with lots of examples here. Look for Hide me, Kipper! by Mick Inkpen; Let’s Play! by Hervé Tullet; A Squiggly Line by Robert Vescio illustrated by Kathy Creamer; Fish and Crab by Marianna Coppo; Bear Hunt by Anthony Browne; The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston; Press Here Herve Tullet; and Escargot by Dashka Slater illustrated by Sydney Hanson. Another very curious example is Zoom by Istvan Banyai.

13. A catalogue book

Imagine by Alison Lester

I love this term catalogue book as used by the writer of this thesis. It is a perfect label for so many picture books that have no narrative but are filled with things to talk about. The big question by Leen van den Berg and illustrated by Kaatje Vermeire; Things to Look Forward to by Sophie Blackall; What to say when you don't know what to say by Davina Bell illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper (and sequels); The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown; Pablo Neruda Book of Questions illustrated by Paloma Valdivia translated by Sara Lissa Paulson; If I had a little dream by Nina Laden illustrated by Melissa Castrillon; and the most obvious example The Baby's Catalogue by Allan Ahlberg.

I need to mention two more titles for this catalogue book category:

Who is the world for?

Do you wonder?

14. Poetry with pictures

Read more here. 

A Life Song

Here is a quote from the final sentence of the thesis which inspired this post (I hope you have found it interesting and useful).

The book features explored in this thesis "support the proposition that the contemporary picture book is a subtle and skillful artform. Artists, authors, publishers and most importantly readers are increasingly aware of this fact. There can be no turning back."

The House on the Canal by Thomas Harding illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

"The girl with the sweet smile hid in the house with her father and mother and sister and four others. The top floors of the annexe were now a hiding place. They had to be silent, otherwise the police and soliders would find them. So still. Not a sound. Each minute was a day. Each day was a year."

The House on the Canal begins in 1580 when the land a marshland:

"With some cows. A few herons. A family of fieldmice. And in the sky above, a flock of seagulls. It was a calm and happy place".

By 1600 workers begin to reclaim the land and create the canals we all associate with Amsterdam. In 1635 the first house is built by a newly arrived stonemason. 

"The stonemason wanted more space. So they added an annex behind the main house with a large attic."

Yes, just in case you haven't worked it out - this is the famous annexe and attic where Anne Frank and seven other people stayed in hiding until their arrest in August 1944. But before we get to that point so many other people lived in this house with large and small families, or they used it for their business including a company that made metal beds and stoves; a small business that made piano rolls; and it was for a while used as a sewing workshop and even a horse stable. 

After the war the only survivor of the Frank family was Anne's father Otto. He worked hard with other members of the community to save the house on Canal Street and at last, in 1960 the house was opened to the public. 

Perhaps you are wondering about the chestnut tree that gives Anne comfort during her long days in hiding. It began to grow in 1853 so that means by 1940 when the family moved into the attic the tree was 87 years old. 

The text in this book will be accessible to children aged 10+ but I would also add this book to a High School library so that students who study history, or architecture or who read The Diary of Anne Frank can discover more about this famous house. This book could also be a fabulous way to show the depth of research completed by an author or an historian. See inside the book here. Read more about the author Thomas Harding. And this book should also be shared with an art class because Britta Teckentrup is an outstanding illustrator. 

Readers will emerge simultaneously awed by the passage of time and personally affected by the stories told. Teckentrup overlays her bright, exquisitely detailed sepia-toned depictions of the house and its environs with a misty haze; the results are hauntingly beautiful. Deeply moving, powerful, and breathtaking. Kirkus Star review

Readers will notice that the Frank family are not the first residents of this house to have experienced religious persecution, or to have been confined to the house for extended periods of times. At other times, the freedom enjoyed by previous residents poignantly contrast with the restrictions faced by the Franks – freedoms which all families want and which can easily be taken for granted. Just Imagine

I first saw a mention of this book over a year ago. I am so happy this book has now arrived here in Australia. It is a book to cherish. In 1974 I visited Anne Frank's House in Amsterdam. I was quite young but the experience affected me deeply. Later, in my school library I read these books to my Grade 6 library groups and we talked about Anne Frank.

Let the Celebrations begin

Rose Blanche

Behind the Bookcase

I am also very keen to read this book from 2019 but sadly it is way too expensive here in Australia:

If you want to read another book that traces the history of a house try to find this one with scrumptious illustrations by Roberto Innocenti:

Thomas Harding and Britta Teckentrup have created two other books about the history of a specific house:

On the outskirts of Berlin, a wooden cottage stands on the shore of a lake. Over the course of a century, this little house played host to a loving Jewish family, a renowned Nazi composer, wartime refugees and a Stasi informant; in that time, a world war came and went, and the Berlin Wall was built a stone's throw from the cottage's back door. With words that read like a haunting fairy tale, and magnificent illustrations by Britta Teckentrup, this is the astonishing true story of the house by the lake.

In the northeast corner of the USA, near the city of Auburn, stands a red brick house. It was built 130 years ago and served as a farmhouse, old people's home, museum and a refuge for enslaved women, men and children. It was the scene of an extraordinary story: the American Revolutionary War, the Underground Railroad, the American Civil War, the fight for women's suffrage, and a safe place for Harriet Tubman, her family, and many others. This is the exciting story of a remarkable house.