Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer

Scout's mum has died and because her dad is a long-distance truck driver, Scout is now at boarding school. As is often the way with boarding school stories Scout feels lost and she is also bullied. Luckily, as the story opens, the Christmas holidays are beginning and here in Australia that means Scout can leave school behind for the next five or six weeks. In the first week, leading up to Christmas, Scout joins her dad as he drives through Northern Victoria and Southern NSW with a delivery of dog food which has been donated by a philanthropist. 

At each animal shelter Scout meets some sweet dogs and other rescued animals including a baby wombat. The owners of the various shelters explain why dogs are left and how desperate they are to find new owners for these pets. Scout is a girl of action. She can see some of these dogs would be fabulous companions for other long-haul drivers like her father. Her class teacher has set up a pen pal assignment for the summer holidays and Scout is matched with a kind girl called Anika. Together, via email, they design a website for the rescue dogs and (spoiler alert) Scout finds the perfect little dog to join her own family.

Meanwhile ferocious bushfires are engulfing enormous parts of Southern Australia. The air is filled with smoke and Scout and her dad have to race home and prepare their own house in case the fire reaches the town where they live. If you are book talking Scout and the Rescue Dogs you could read aloud pages 198-203 which describe the fire coming so close to their home. I have a Pinterest of other books that explore bushfires here in Australia. 

"Shelters full of pets as rental crisis bites" Sydney Morning Herald 23 March, 2024 by Tim Barlass

By coincidence, our Sydney Morning Herald newspaper had an article today about animal shelters and the huge number of dogs and cats being surrendered. This is an issue which is explored in Scout and the Rescue Dogs. In the article today the animals are taken to rescue centres because their owners need to be able to rent somewhere to live and having a dog or cat is not looked on favorably by landlords. In Scout and the Rescue Dogs - dogs and cats are taken there when they turn out to be unwanted Christmas presents. And there is also the horrendous issue of illegal puppy farms and the urgent rescue of very badly mistreated dogs. 

Scout and the Rescue dogs has been shortlisted by the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) in the Younger Readers category.

Here are the judges' comments: Realistically set during the 2019/20 bushfires, this book journeys with Scout and her dad as they deliver donations of dog food to animal shelters throughout southeastern 

Australia. The bushfires and the geographical details related to their travels are accurately presented. Grieving the loss of her mum, sparked by their travels, the people they meet and a school friendship project, Scout develops a website to connect shelter dogs with truck drivers needing company. Responsible internet use, described throughout the text is commendable and age appropriate. Including creative design features, this fictional narrative is heartwarming and uplifting, dealing sensitively with topics of parental loss, environmental threat, bullying and separation balanced by optimism and the love Scout shares with her father and with animals.

Strengths

• Scout has an authentic voice.
• Scout is a problem solver and her idea of matching shelter dogs with long distance truck drivers is practical and realistic.
• There is an interesting side story in this book about girls and STEM, fostering curiosity and hobbies like rock collecting.
• Adult readers will well remember the dreadful bushfires referred to in this story.
• The urgency of the bushfire danger, Christmas celebrations and the delivery of donated dog food to various animal shelters is an effective device which moves the plot along at a good pace.
• Scout and her dad have a warm relationship, but I did find all the 'dad' jokes a little tedious at times. On the other hand, you could use these with a group of students in your library as a way to introduce the lighter side of this story.
• The concept of philanthropy is one that is worth exploring with upper primary readers.
• You could use this book to explore maps of Southern NSW and Northern Victoria - in fact I kept hoping the book might contain a map because I was very keen to follow their journey.

Dianne Wolfer has a generous selection of photos of dogs in trucks here. 

Weaknesses

• Is this book worthy of our most prestigious award? I think it is an enjoyable story which I would happily recommend to a reader aged 10+ but there is nothing here that excited me. I look for books that stretch a reader; that contain a rich vocabulary; and that involve deep emotions.
• The CBCA criteria under Literary merit says:  The language exhibits breadth and variety of vocabulary and precision. And under the Theme heading: Ideas and messages within the narrative are skilfully presented and crafted. The reader can recognise the themes or develop a fresh perspective. I was not able to apply these criteria to this book.
• This story is very Australian and very location and time specific - I am not sure it will appeal to, or translate to, an international audience which is something I always hope will happen with our CBCA winners.
• At times all the extra issues in this book felt quite overwhelming - climate change; puppy farms; koalas burnt in bushfires; struggling farmers; death of a parent; animal rights; injuries to firefighters, and animal euthanasia. 

Here are some very brief teachers notes from Scholastic. Here is a review from The Bottom Shelf. 

Read these reviews for more plot details:

The talented Dianne Wolfer has created an interesting chapter book full of innovative thoughts and ideas around the importance of considering properly, what is involved in choosing a dog or giving one as a gift. Kids' Book Review

Dianne Wolfer has written an engaging, heartwarming novel that touches on some big topics, including the death of a parent and dangerous bushfires (the terrible 2019/2020 summer bushfires are used as background context). While it is confronting in parts and doesn't shy away from honestly discussing these issues it carries a lightness courtesy of Scout and her father's loving relationship, a lovely smattering of dad jokes, Aussie slang and cultural references to summer cricket, Christmas traditions and road trip sights and sounds. Read Plus

Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer with illustrations by Tony Flowers is oozing with community spirit in the face of adversity, layered, authentic and endearing characters, a glimpse into the world of community outreach by truckies and gorgeous dogs needing to find their forever homes. This story seamlessly weaves together in a riveting and non-didactic way many themes including, the truckie community full of heart and spirit making deliveries during the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires, climate change, responsible pet ownership, puppy farms, a positive father daughter relationship, grief and loss. Reading Opens Doors

See other books by Dianne Wolfer including these ones which I really enjoyed. She has written a huge range of titles including picture books, picture books for older readers and novels:

The Dog with Seven names

CBCA Book of the Year Early Childhood 2014

The Colt from Old Regret by Dianne Wolfer illustrated by Erica Wagner

"The Colt from Old Regret" is part of the larger narrative poem "The Man from Snowy River," written by Australian poet Banjo Paterson in 1890. The poem captures the spirit of the Australian bush and the culture of horse riding. It begins with the news that a valuable colt has escaped and joined the wild bush horses, prompting a gathering of expert riders to recapture it. The poem highlights themes of bravery, skill, and the bond between horse and rider.

Dianne Wolfer has based her book on this famous Australian poem. Every part of the book design is so special - the cover will catch your eye, the end papers are perfect, the collage illustrations are rich and full of movement. 

Think about these sentences: "Alpine mint scents the air." "Birds startle. He trembles. The sky is a flurry of wings."  The mountain's craggy brow is close."  "A branding iron sears the air."

Along with the narrative created by Dianne Wolfer the full poem is included at the back of the book over several pages along with details about Banjo Paterson, bush poetry, brumbies, who was the man from snowy river and an author's note.

There was movement at the station, for the word has passed around
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses—he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.

The book is sumptuously illustrated with Wagner’s water colour painting and collage. The colours beautifully capture the light of the Australian bush and movement of the brumbies. Reading Time

An engrossing and suspenseful story that has the added bonus of connecting a young child with an iconic Australian poem. Storylinks

It doesn’t rewrite the poem, but allows Colt’s voice to be heard, and merely shows a different perspective of the event. It’s written in prose or free verse, so it can be read as a story or a poem, and feels like it has the same rhythm as the original poem. The Book Muse

The Colt from Old Regret would be a beautiful present to gift to a friend living away from Australia or as a keep-sake gift for a student graduating from High School. Here are the teachers notes. I am certain this book will be a CBCA 2026 notable title.

All of us in the children's literature community loved the illustrations in this first book by Erica Wagner. 

Hope is the Thing

Dianne Wolfer is an award-winning author of 25 books, including the acclaimed Light series, The Dog with Seven Names and The Last Light Horse. Most recently, Diane’s book Scout and the Rescue Dogs won the Children’s Book of the Year at the Western Australian Premier’s Literary Awards. Dianne completed PhD research into anthropomorphism at UWA and loves talking about animal characters in children’s literature.

The Dog with Seven Names by Dianne Wolfer

It is so interesting when real life and the book you are reading coincide. On the weekend I attended the Top Dogs film Festival and at the same time I had been reading The Dog with Seven Names.

If you enjoy reading Historical Fiction then this is a perfect book especially if you are a dog lover. There were many aspects of the impact of World War II on Australia that I did not know about. Luckily this book does contain a timeline and set of facts on the final pages.  Dianne Wolfer explains her research process on her web site.

Dog arrives on the farm in October 1939. He is the runt of the litter but Elsie begs her dad and by Christmas she is allowed to keep Princess.  The pair spend two happy years together.  This is an important bonding time for Princess because she is destined to be separated from Elsie. Their friendship needs to be strong so that this bond is never broken even though Princess goes through many owners and, as the title suggests, many names.

One of the joyous moments in this story comes when the dog, now called Flynn, flies with Doc. He works for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and for me he was one of the heroes of this story.  This quote will give you a sense of the first 'person' narrative.

"Doc let me sit with him in the hole on top of Fox Moth, instead of in the cabin between the top and bottom wings. That was my favourite place. If I balanced carefully I could look over the side and let my ears flap in the breeze. As we soared into the sky, cool air blew across my nostrils and I shivered."

Here is a review with more plot details.  I would follow The Dog with Seven Names with A Dog's Life and Everything for a Dog both by Ann M Martin. To follow this historical time period you might also look for books by Michael Morpurgo such as War Horse.  For an Australian flavour look at My Australian Story series which includes The Bombing of Darwin. From the Our Australian Girl series look for the four titles about Pearlie. I would also recommend looking for other books in your school library by Dianne Wolfer such as Lighthouse Girl, Light Horse boy and In the Lamplight.  Lamont Books list The Dog with Seven Names as a secondary title but I think it will appeal to mature Grade 6 students.

My reading pile - more titles

This is part two of my post about my holiday reading pile.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk has an interesting cover.
The prologue says :
"The year I turned twelve, I learned that what I said and what I did mattered.  So much, sometimes, that I wasn't sure I wanted such a burden. But I took it anyway, and I carried it as best I could."

The shark caller by Dainne Wolfer
Dianne Wolfer is the author of the senior picture book Photographs in the mud which is a moving account of events from World War II when Australia and Japan were at war. She also wrote the short listed book Granny Grommet and me.

" ... there is a tragic reason for the trip.  Her twin brother, Ray, died in a freak diving accident, and Izzy and her mum and are taking his ashes home. ... Izzy's cousin Noah explains that the clan needs someone to undertake a traditional diving ritual. The person must be a twin from the shark-calling lineage. The dive will be perilous. And Izzy is the last twin."

Nooks and crannies by Jessica Lawson
Kirkus call this one a 'swell mystery'.
Here is an extract from the blurb :

"Tabitha Crum is a girl with a big imagination and a love for mystery novels, though her parents think her only talent is being a nuisance."

Oddly I am not a huge fan of Michael Morpurgo but many of my students are avid readers of his books and we have a full shelf of them in our library.  An Eagle in the snow was a title selected for our NSW School Magazine bookshelf list in 2016. You can listen to an audio sample here.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi
Here is the blurb :

"In a world brimming with colour and magic. Alice's pale skin and milk-white hair mark her as an outcast. For the people of Ferenwood, colour and magic are one and the same. Alice is determined to prove her magical abilities and solve the mystery of her father's disappearance. To do so she'll have to  travel into the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore. But nothing there is as it seems and Alice may never find her way home."

Kirkus describe this as a 'smashing fantasy.'

CBCA Notables 2019 Younger Readers

Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop. Their generosity means I have read (and blogged) many of the twenty titles.  Colour highlighting on the title takes you to my review and colour on the author links you to their other titles.

Fearless Frederic by Felice Arena
The Tales of Mr Walter by Jess Black illustrated by Sara Acton

Brindabella by Ursula Dubosarsky illustrated by Andrew Joyner
Help around the house by Morris Gleitzman
Sweet Adversity by Sheryl Gwyther

Shine Mountain by Julie Hunt
Fairytales for Feisty girls by Susannah McFarlane

Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler
The Young Vikings by James Moloney
The slightly Alarming tale of the Whispering Wars by Jaclyn Moriarty
The girl, the dog and the writer in Provence by Katrina Nannestad

The Peacock Detectives by Carly Nugent
Swallow's Dance by Wendy Orr
The adventures of Catvinkle by Elliot Perlman illustrated by Laura Stilzel
His name was Walter by Emily Rodda

Everything I've never said by Samantha Wheeler
Taking Leave by Lorraine Marwood (verse novel)
Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt by Rhiannon Williams

In the lamplight by Dianne Wolfer
The dog with Seven names by Dianne Wolfer

I already have The Swallow's Dance and The Slightly Alarming tale of the Whispering Wars on my to read pile. I am excited to read Brindabella by the wonderful Ursula Dubosarsky and Shine Mountain by Julie Hunt who designed our IBBY International Children's Book Day flyer.

In just four weeks the CBCA will announce the short list - six of these notable titles which are in the running to receive the award - Book of the Year Younger Readers. The title on this list that excites me the most is Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt. I do hope this one gains a place on the short list. In my next posts I will talk about the Picture Book of the Year Notables and the Early Childhood Notables. Just as a sneak preview I was so very excited to see A Boat of Stars on Early Childhood list. How wonderful that the judges included a poetry book!

How did I go with my earlier predictions? In this category I was right with my prediction of The Tales of Mr Walker and His Name was Walter by Emily Rodda.  I also correctly predicted the judges would adore Lenny's Book of Everything. It has been placed in the Older Readers Notables category. Where did I go wrong?  I thought Just a Girl by Jackie French would make the Older Readers list along with The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby which I thought would make the Younger Readers selection.

ANZAC Day - a book list

Image Source: Avalon Public School art class (Mrs Julie Thorby)

ANZAC Day is commemorated next week and in our school students prepare and present a moving service each year.  We have so many excellent books suitable for all ages in our library which allow students to gain some understanding of the events surrounding World War I and II along with other more recent conflicts. Some focus on individuals, others on major events such as the landing at Gallipoli while others explore courage and heroism.  I have included a little quote from each book to give you an idea of the tone and content. Blue links will take you to more details on this blog.

My Grandad Marches on ANZAC day by Catriona Hoy and Benjamin Johnson
"He wears his best jacket and has shiny medals on his chest.  He doesn't have much hair on his head but he does have a big moustache."

Only a Donkey by Celeste Walters illustrated by Patricia Mullins
"I was a donkey who served in a war that was fought long ago in a place far away, and many young soldiers who fell would have died, except for one man who just followed his heart.  At the sound of his voice I was willingly led.  With his hand on my halter, sure-footed I trod."

The Bantam and the solider by Jennifer Beck illustrated by Robyn Belton
"Food became scarce, and Arthur and his companions collected grubs and worms for Bertha from the muddy banks of their clay prison.  And she rewarded them.  In the midst of a raging battle, when the sky was crisscrossed with fire, Bertha laid a warm brown egg.  When Arthur found it, he hugged the little bantam to his mud-caked jacket."

Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood illustrated by Annie White
"The ANZACs had been at Gallipoli for months now.  The weather was hot, and they were sweaty and dirty. Insects bit them day and night.  Sometimes they got letters and presents from home. Bluey opened a parcel wrapped in brown paper with string. 'Fruit cake and tins of apricot jam!"

The house was built in a day Anzac cottage by Valerie Everett illustrated by Barbara McGuire
"A proud community gazed upon its achievement. On a street in their suburb stood Western Australia's first Gallipoli memorial, a house that could never be sold.  The Australians who fought and died would live on in their hearts and memories..."

ANZAC Biscuits by Phil Cummings illustrated by Owen Swan
"The farm was quiet.  Rachel and her mother were in the kitchen.  The fire crackled and Rachel was warm.  'Let's make some biscuits for Dad,' her mother said.  'Yes, let's!' Rachel cried."

"Snow was falling.  The solider turned his back to the bitter cold. He lifted his collar and lowered his unshaven face to feel the warmth of his own breath."

In Flanders Fields by Norman Jorgensen and Brian Harrison-Lever
"A brightly coloured robin is trapped.  One wing is flapping helplessly. The bird is unable to free itself from the tangle of deadly barbs."

Photographs in the mud by Dianne Wolfer illustrated by Brian Harrison-Lever
"Hoshi and Jack stared into each other's eyes. Then Hoshi rolled closer, groaning with the effort.  Scalding pain burned across his chest as he held out the picture."

Present from the past by Jennifer Beck illustrated by Lindy Fisher
"Princess Mary, who was the only daughter of the King and Queen of England at the time, decided that she wanted to give a special present to all the allied troops serving overseas."

Anzac Day parade by Glenda Kane and Lisa Allen
"Sixty years since he saw the battle when ninety-three mates got blown away by cracking mortar and machine gun rattle, now names on a plaque at the RSL."

The Red Poppy by David Hill illustrated by Fifi Colston
"Of course! The puppy would show they were near a patch of flowers. Jim put the flower into the pouch too, then looked into the dog's eyes.  'Hurry, Nipper.' The tail wagged again."

Lofty's mission by Krista Bell illustrated by David Miller
"Sorry, lad.' Frank McNamara was firm.  'The army needs top homing pigeons as messengers. Your Lofty, Number 371, is our best squeaker ... just what they need up in New Guinea." You could pair this book with Flapper, VC by Mark Wilson. 

Meet the ANZACS by Claire Saxby illustrated by Max Berry
"The ships docked at Cairo after six long weeks at sea.  The Australians and the New Zealanders set up camp side by side, close to the pyramids.  The air swirled hot and fierce, full of sand."

Lone Pine by Susie Brown and Margaret Warner illustrated by Sebastian Ciaffaglione
"The soldier looks down.  He stoops and plucks a pine cone that is still clinging to a branch.  Holding it up, he breathes in the fresh clean scent of pine. He thinks of his mother's garden where he used to play with his brothers.  The soldier slips the pine cone into his pocket.  It is a reminder of this sad day."

Do not forget Australia by Sally Murphy illustrated by Sonia Kretschmar
"Billy tried to imagine what it would be like to have your home destroyed, or to have no school to go to every day. And he wondered if there was anything he could do to help the kids of Villers-Bretonneux."

Memorial by Gary Crew illustrated by Shaun Tan
"But the tree's a memorial,' I say. 'The same as the statue - except the tree's alive and the statue's just rock and concrete. And the tree's full of birds and fruit bats and possums. Whole families, like ours.  The council wouldn't cut the big tree down, would they, Old Pa?" You could pair this book with Only a Donkey by Celeste Walters illustrated by Patricia Mullins.

The Poppy by Andrew Plant
"The poppies nod in the winds that blow over the Somme.  Their petals turn the fields red where once they were stained with the blood of the fallen."

Harry and the Anzac Poppy by John Lockyer
"A small wooden box was on the floor beside the chair.  Harry picked it up.  'What's this, Grandma?' Grandma Kate ran her fingers over the scratched lid.  'Do you know anything about World War One?' she asked."

Simpson and his Donkey by Mark Greenwood illustrated by Frane Lessac
"Jack was responding to a cry for help when he came upon a donkey cowering in a gully of pines."

The Afghanistan pup by Mark Wilson
"The solider suddenly stopped.  Just where he was about to dig was a little dog. covered in sand.  The pup wasn't moving, so the solider brushed away the dirt and discovered wounds on its legs and side. He could see that the wounds were badly infected ... He wiped the dust from the pup's face before dripping some water from his canteen into the animal's mouth.  It was soon time to go, so the solider picked up the pup and carried it to his truck."

Vietnam Diary by Mark Wilson
"Jason sat bleary-eyed in his foxhole early one morning as the sun burst through the trees.  But something wasn't right.  There was no noise.  Then suddenly, explosions erupted throughout the camp."

The Anzac puppy by Peter Millet illustrated by Trish Bowles
You might like to read my review.

A day to remember by Jackie French illustrated by Mark Wilson
You might like to read my review.

I was only Nineteen by John Schumann illustrated by Craig Smith
"Townsville lined the footpath as we marched down to the quay. This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean. And there's me in my slouch hat, with my SLR and greens. God help me, I was only nineteen."

Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon illustrated by Henri Sorensen
You can read the lyrics here.  This book is one of my favourites. You could pair this book with Shooting at the stars: The Christmas Truce 1914 by John Hendrix.

Why are they marching, Daddy?  by Di Burke
Madi is watching the parade with her father. "Why are they marching, Daddy?" she asks. Madi's father tells his daughter the story of Anzac.  He talks about war too: "Is war bad?" asks Madi... Daddy answers by talking about the good and bad. The reasons and the consequences. He talks about freedom. This little book addresses the big issues simply and clearly. It's a great book to talk about what we are commemorating on the 25th April every year. In some Australian Primary libraries this book will be available in a Big Book format.

The Fair Dinkum war by David Cox
"Everybody had air-raid shelters at home, too.  Some were just trenches, like our, that filled with water when it rained.  But some kids had air-raid shelters they could boast about, with cups and plates and cupboards full of canned food that would last for weeks."

What was the war like, Grandma? by Rachel Tonkin
"There were posters pasted up warning of spies. Some people were so frightened they thought there were spies everywhere.  Albie Sodablom from the petrol station was beaten up because his name sounded foreign.  He changed it to Albie Blom.  Our family doctor, Dr Danzeigre screwed a new brass plate to the wall outside his surgery saying 'Dr C Danbyy' in case people turned against him too."

Here is my Pinterest book collection of ANZAC Day books (edited April 2021)

Click here to read more details from My Little Bookcase blog.

Image Source: Avalon Public School art class (Mrs Julie Thorby)

Children's Book Council of Australia Notable titles for 2023

 

The word Notable might confuse you but it simply means LONG list. Here is the judging sequence for our CBCA awards.

1. In 2022 from February to late November publishers submit new Australian books for judging in six categories. Books can be submitted for more than one category:

• Older Readers
• Younger Readers
• Early Childhood
• Picture Book
• Eve Pownall (Non Fiction)
• New Illustrator

This year over 600 books were submitted across the categories.

2. Judges meet all through the year to decide which books will move through the process and we write brief reports on each book. There are three judges for each category. 

3. The judges meet in January and select their Notable titles for example in Picture Book, 25 books were selected. 

4. Next Tuesday, 28th March, the short listed books will be announced - 6 in each category. Teacher-Librarians and teachers then have until late August to explore these books before the winners and honour books are announced.

I am penning this post to share the Notable titles with you but also to make a plea. It is tempting to just focus on the short listed books in each category but the Notables are always fabulous too. Please try to find time to explore them in the category that interests you. I know you will find some wonderful gems.

 If you click this link you can see all the notables (I am not yet permitted to talk about the Picture Book list or New Illustrator because for the period 2021-23 I have been a judge). The New Illustrator category has no Notable list just a short list which will be announced next week. I used collages from Network Education Queensland for this post. Most school libraries here in Australia will already have many of these books especially if they purchase standing order titles. If you need to add any of these to your library I am sure you have your preferred supplier. 

You could also take a look at this post from Paperbark Words because Joy Lawn has interviewed (in depth) many of these Australian authors and illustrators.  This is a rich resource which you could use for your library planning over the coming months. 

Blue links in the lists below take you to my blog post about each title. 

Older Readers (Young Adult titles)

• A Little Spark - Barry Jonsberg
• Ask No Questions - Eva Collins
• Completely Normal (and Other Lies) - Biffy James
• The Greatest Thing - Sarah Winifred Searle
• Interned - Pamela Rushby
• Invisibly Grace - Avery McDougall
• The Killing Code - Ellie Marney
• Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending - Jodi McAlister
• The Museum of Broken Things - Lauren Draper
• Neverlanders - Tom Taylor
• The Not So Chosen One - Kate Emery
• The Other Side of Tomorrow - Hayley Lawrence
• Scorpion Falls - Martin Chatterton
• Slipping the Noose - Meg Caddy
• The Stand In - Allison Rushby
• Triple Threat - Katy Warner
• Unnecessary Drama - Nina Kenwood
• We Who Hunt the Hollow - Kate Murray
• The Wearing of the Green - Claire Saxby
• What We All Saw - Mike Lucas
• Where You Left Us - Rhiannon Wilde

Younger Readers

• All Four Quarters of the Moon - Shirley Marr
• August & Jones - Pip Harry
• Big Magic - Sarah Armstrong
• The Book of Wondrous Possibilities - Deborah Abela
• The Bravest Word - Kate Foster
• Dusty in the Outwilds - Rhiannon Williams
• Evie and Rhino - Neridah McMullin
• Hedgewitch - Skye McKenna
• The Jammer - Nova Weetman
• The Last Light Horse - Dianne Wolfer
• Mikki and Me and the Out-of-Tune Tree - Marion Roberts
• Mim and the Woeful Wedding (The Travelling Bookshop #2) - Katrina Nannestad
• Ming and Flo Fight for the Future - Jackie French
• No Words - Maryam Master
• The Raven's Song - Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble
• Runt - Craig Silvey
• The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-bottomed Boat - Charlie Archbold
• Waiting for the Storks - Katrina Nannestad
• The Way of Dog - Zana Fraillon
• We Run Tomorrow - Nat Amoore
• What Snail Knows - Kathryn Apel
• The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1) - Melanie La'Brooy
• Xavier in the Meantime - Kate Gordon
• Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon - Gabrielle Wang

Early Childhood

• Backyard Beasties - Helen Milroy
• Beside the Sea - Kerri Day
• Bev and Kev - Katrina Germein
• Clementine's Treasure - Annie White
• Come Over to My House - Eliza Hull and Sally Rippin
• The Echidna Near My Place - Sue Whiting
• Ella and the Useless Day - Meg McKinlay
• Emergency! Emergency!: Vehicles To The Rescue - Rhiân Williams
• The Garden on Red Gum Road - Phil Cummings
• How Do You Say I Love You? - Ashleigh Barton
• Jack's Jumper - Sara Acton
• Jigsaw: A Puzzle in the Post - Bob Graham
• Lionel and Me - Corinne Fenton
• Market Day - Carrie Gallasch
• My Shadow is Purple - Scott Stuart
• Please Handle with Care - Coral Vass
• Polly's Grand Party Plan - Jane Godwin
• Rainbow Days - Margaret Hamilton
• Ship Ahoy! Box Boy - Mal Webster
• Snap! - Anna Walker
• Thank You Rain! - Sally Morgan
• This Little Joey - Renee Treml
• Where the Lyrebird Lives - Vikki Conley

Picture Book

• 11 Words for Love - Maxine Beneba Clarke
• A Job for Kingsley - Gabriel Evans
• Accidentally Kelly Street - Briony Stewart
• Amma's Sari - Michelle Pereira
• Be Careful, Xiao Xin! - Sher Rill Ng
• Crumbs - Shane DeVries
• Dirt by Sea - Tom Jellett
• Egg - Harrison Vial
• Farmhouse - Sophie Blackall
• Frank's Red Hat - Sean E Avery
• Jigsaw: A Puzzle in the Post - Bob Graham
• Jørn’s Magnificent Imagination - Nicky Johnston
• Koala Ark - Stephen Michael King
• My Strange Shrinking Parents - Zeno Sworder
• Open Your Heart to Country - Jasmine Seymour
• Our Dreaming - Dub Leffler
• Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment - Levi Pinfold
• Piano Fingers - Caroline Magerl
• Summer Blue - Marjorie Crosby-Fairall
• Tiny Wonders - Sally Soweol Han
• Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness - Matt Ottley
• What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say - Hilary Jean Tapper
• When You're Older - Judy Watson
• Where? - Phil Lesnie
• Whisper on the Wind - Jess Racklyeft

Eve Pownall Non Fiction

• A Is for Australian Reefs - Frané Lessac
• A Shorebird Flying Adventure - Jackie Kerin
• Amazing Animal Journeys - Jennifer Cossins
• Charlie's Swim - Edith Wright
• Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid Should Know about the First Peoples - Isaiah Firebrace
• Deep: Delve Into Hidden Worlds - Jess McGeachin
• The Echidna Near My Place - Sue Whiting
• Grub - Sandra Severgnini
• The Happiest Boy on Earth: The incredible story of The Happiest Man on Earth - Eddie Jaku
• Hello Every Body!: From Hairy to Bald, Tall to Small, This Book Has Got It All! - Samantha Curcio
• In an Artist's Garden: A Seek-and-Find Book - Claire Orrell
• Kind - Jess McGeachin
• The Marvellous Manner of Water - Philip Bunting
• Naturopolis - Deborah Frenkel
• Oceans of Plastic: Understanding and Solving a Pollution Problem - Tracey Gray
• Off to the Market: A celebration of markets, cooking, and fresh food - Alice Oehr
• On the Trail of the Plains-wanderer: A Precious Australian Bird - Rohan Cleave
• Opal and Dart - Vianne Brain
• Peregrines in the City - Andrew Kelly and Sue Lawson
• Votes for Women!: The story of Nellie, Rose and Mary - Mark Wilson
• The Voyage of Whale and Calf - Vanessa Pirotta
• Where Do Babies Come From? - Heath McKenzie
• Wild Australian Life - Leonard Cronin
• Wonders Under the Sun: A Collection of Daytime Creatures - Tai Snaith
• The World's Most Ridiculous Animals - Philip Bunting

Evie and Rhino by Neridah McMullin illustrated by Astred Hicks

Things that appealed to me about this book:

• The cover
• The back story of the real shipwreck off the coast of south-west Victoria in 1891 which contained exotic animals including a real rhinoceros
• The apple pie recipe at the back of the book
• The small sections of text where we read the thoughts/perspective of Rhino himself
• The themes of justice for animals and healing for humans
• The beautiful "voice" of young Evie
• The wonderful happy ending

Publisher blurb: A moving tale about love, connection and the healing power of friendship. 1891 On a stormy night off the coast of southern Australia, a ship transporting a cargo of exotic animals tosses and turns in enormous seas. Rhino senses they are in grave danger. Not far away, ten-year-old Evie and her grandfather shelter in their crumbling, once-grand old home. They know too well how deadly storms can be. When all is calm, Evie treks over the dunes to the sea and makes a discovery that will change her life, and Rhino’s, forever. Will the tragedies of their pasts finally be put to rest?

This book was published in October 2022. Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy.

Narrated in the present tense, this charming story of friendship and conservation will be enjoyed by those who like adventure, animals, and justice. McMullin’s descriptive language and captivating story-telling leave the reader wanting more after each chapter. In addition, she incorporates the rhino’s perspective, narrated alongside the child’s perspective, which allows the reader to fully understand the bond between Evie and Rhino. Reading Time

I would pair this book with this picture book:

Recently on a social media forum someone asked for books to read after Storm Boy. Here is their request: Hi everyone! I just read Storm Boy to my 7-year-old son and he loved it, and wants to read more real-life stories about special friendships with animals. 

I did disagree with a few of the suggestions especially Pax by Sara Pennypacker which in my view is aimed at a much older reader and I would like to say save this for later.  I would suggest Evie and Rhino might be a book this parent could read with their child. Other books suggested on the forum were: 

Wandi by Favel Parrett (this could be perfect)

Blueback by Tim Winton

One dog and his boy by Eva Ibbotson (not a true story)

The last bear by Hannah Gold

The dog with seven names by Dianne Wolfer

Speedy by Colin Thiele

The one and only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

I previously talked about two picture books by Neridah McMullin

Fabish - the horse that braved a bushfire

Drover

Notables are coming

Next week our CBCA will announce their Notable titles for 2018. From this selection the short listed titles will be announced in March and then in August we celebrate the winners of the Australian Children's Book of the Year award in various categories.

I thought it might be interesting to look at some picture books published over 2017 - titles that are all eligible for this award - and try to predict some books that might make the cut.

Here are some I have already talked about. Click the title to read my thoughts:


Eddie Frogbert
Hark, it's me, Ruby Lee!
Once upon a small rhinoceros
Storm Whale


I borrowed a small selection of other 2017 picture book titles from my friend's beautiful library so here are a few more which might be on the Notable list.

Stitches and Stuffing by Carrie Gallasch and Sara Acton

Bunny Bear is left behind after a day of fun and sunshine at the beach.  He is left behind and suffers great injury at the hands of the family dog. Nana fixes him and adds new buttons so he can see but Bunnybear feels like a stranger. He languishes on the shelf until one day Adeline picks him up again. Each day they play together "and even though he was different to how he once was, Adeline knew Bunnybear was just the way he should be."
This is a gentle affirming book for a very young child and I would pair it with Ducky's Nest and Arnold the Prickly Teddy by Kym Lardner.

Nanna's Button Tin by Dianne Wolfer and Heather Potter

This is the perfect book to pair with Stitches and Stuffing.  Once again Grandma rescues a precious Teddy. This one has lost an eye and so it is time to explore Nanna's button tin and enjoy all the memories associated with some of the special buttons they find inside. This book has a simple repetitive story pattern which is perfect for a young child. The button has to be the right size - the tiny yellow one from her baby jacket is too small.  The button has to be the right shape - a bear shaped button comes from a birthday jumper but it is not right for teddy's eye. The button has the be the right colour - the green button is pretty but Teddy needs a brown one. I would enjoy sharing this book with a group of pre-school children because I could bring along my button jar which has buttons collected over three generations.

Gus dog goes to work by Rachel Flynn illustrated by Craig Smith

Gus is a working dog. He has a house, a yard, a Ute and a man. Craig Smith is the perfect illustrator for this book. I love the way he draws dogs and authentic scenes of rural life in Australia. Gus loves his daily routine. He does not understand every word used by Tom but he can follow words like gidday, getup, getoutovit and gohome. Something goes wrong one morning and Tom does not appear. Gus decides to follow his daily routine without Tom but he becomes very lost.  At the school the teacher shouts at him, he finds some chooks but again someone shouts, and then he comes to a set of delicious smelling bins. After a full day of wandering he finds a ute that looks familiar but is it? This book will appeal to Kindergarten and Grade One children especially city kids who are curious about farm life. I would compare this book with My Dog's a Scaredy Cat, The Windy Farm and one of Craig's earliest books The Black Dog by Christobel Mattingley.

Pea Pod Lullaby by Glenda Millard illustrated by Stephen Michael King

In my view this is not really a book for the Early Childhood section. Older children will make deeper connections. Flipping through this book you might think it is a simple story with gentle illustrations by Stephen Michael King but Glenda Millard (who I adore) has a deeper story to tell.  Night time, barbed wire, red flames, a family on the run.  These are the images on the title page. The tiny family climb onto a little green row boat. Their voyage takes them out into the open ocean where they find a stranded polar bear.  Glenda Millard has written another lyrical text that surely began as a poem.

I am the windblown husk
you are the jewelled rain
quench me
I am the sapphire night
you are the lantern moon
light me

They take the polar bear back to his icy land where he is reunited with his family and then our group sail on until their journey also ends with a reunion. This is a philosophical tale about our place in the world, about care of others, about the cycle of life, and love and family.  Here is a set of teaching notes and Kids Book Review describe this book as breathtaking. The back cover says this is "an inspiring and timely story of courage, endurance, and hope for a world in which we can reach out and embrace one another."

Other titles which might/should be included on the 2018 Notable list are Florette by Anna Walker, I'm Australian Too by Mem Fox, Sloth who came to stay by Margaret Wild, Feathers by Phil Cummings, Mopoke by Philip Bunting and Swan Lake illustrated by Anne Spudvilas. I was excited to see so many fabulous Australian picture books which were published in 2017. In my next post I will make some predictions for the Younger Readers category.