Robin by Sarah Ann Juckes illustrated by Linde Faas

Eddie is the older brother. His sister, Scarlet, has been unwell ever since she was born - she has serious heart issues and has been in and out of hospital. Eddie does love his sister but he is now tired of being the 'good boy' and tired of coming second with his parents. His feelings have been building up and up and they make him feel so desperately guilty.

While Scarlet is in hospital this time Eddie goes to stay with his uncle John who lives near a wild forest. His uncle tells Eddie about some of the special trees:

"I always found the trees to be the most excellent listeners ... particularly for secrets that we don't feel we can tell a person yet."

Eddie goes to the forest and he expresses some of his pent-up feelings and rage inside one of the hollow tree trunks. Oddly he then meets first a tiny robin and then a strange girl. She talks about hunting monsters and also about being brave. At school Eddie meets another boy named Richard and he seems to offer similar advice about being bold and brave. 

Scarlet meanwhile has her operation and (spoiler alert) she is fine. This seems to mean there is no longer any need for the forest girl named Mari to exist. 

Publisher blurb: Eddie feels invisible - his sister Scarlet isn't well and nobody seems to remember that he's here. Out in the forest, as the ice hardens and winter gets deeper, the world is quiet. But there's a monster deep among the trees - a monster that's growing with every sad and angry thought Eddie says out loud. When a little red bird takes him to meet Mari, a strange and fierce girl with blurred edges just like him, she shows Eddie how to be loud, how to make new friends at school and enjoy the music he loves again.  As Scarlet's big operation approaches and Eddie gathers his courage to finally be heard, will he find his way back through the snow and put the monster to rest once and for all?

Robin is a strange story. Even now, days later, I am not sure quite what this story was trying to say. And I had one unresolved plot point when Uncle John seems to know this girl?

"I met a girl yesterday, ... she was wearing strange clothes and carrying a knife and bow and arrow. And she was sort of see-through, like a ghost. But she didn't feel like a ghost. She said she was a story, so I don't know."

At its heart this is a story about healing and identity and finding your voice. I did like the term used by one review - glass siblings. Sensitive readers aged 10+ who enjoy emotional stories and magical realism could enjoy this book. The cover certainly enticed me.  Each of these reviews has more plot details:

The main character starts to become bolder as he explores his wintery landscape and finally finds his voice to make sure that he is heard and not forgotten. The story is very powerful and explores themes of illness within a family and the effect it has. It shares an important message through great imagery which is then coupled with the beautiful illustrations ... Books for Topics

Over time, Eddie learns to do things for himself and finds his voice. He learns that he doesn’t always need to be a good, quiet boy – it’s ok to be angry and release the monster inside, to be true to himself – to be fierce, fearless and loved. Robin is a story of empowerment, friendship and hope. Set in the snowy forest, it’s the perfect winter read ... Scope for Imagination

It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming to watch Eddie realize that the monster in the woods isn’t a villain to be defeated by a sword, but a manifestation of his own suppressed grief. By trying to stay quiet and brave, he has actually been feeding the beast.

I saw Robin in one of our Sydney bookstores - The Constant Readers. Very strangely the hardcover edition was only AUS$18. This book is fairly new - published in 2025. I quickly read a few reviews while I was in the shop and they all praised this book.

Sarah Ann Juckes writes books for young people. Her YA debut Outside (Penguin) was nominated for the Carnegie Medal Award 2020, shortlisted for Mslexia’s Children’s Novel Award, and longlisted for the Bath Novel Award. Her second YA novel, The World Between Us was published in March 2021, and The Hunt for the Nightingale was her first Middle Grade Novel. She works with writers from all over the world via Jericho Writers and is on the board for Creative Future – a charity supporting under-represented writers. You can often find her hibernating in her writing shed in East Sussex, with her cat.

I mentioned this book here

You can see more books illustrated by Linde Faas here. Linde lives in Norway. I previously mentioned her IBBY Silent book in this post from 2019. 

Little Blue Where are you? by Sally Morgan illustrated by Karen Blair

"One bright and shimmery summer's day Skippy Gillespie went out to play with a pitter pat of his small dog paws and a scritchetty scratch of his small dog claws."

Little Blue - the baby duck - is lost and even worse she is being hunted by an enormous cat named Rocky Road Jack. Luckily Skippy Gillespie and his friend Boofa Boy Jones are able to spring into action and save the day. 

Thanks to Fremantle Press for sending me a copy of this new book which has just been published. Here are the teacher's notes. Little Blue where are you? is a book I would read to a preschool group for enjoyment. There are lots of ideas in the teacher's notes but in my view it would be best select the ideas that suit your class or library group and not attempt every question or activity. This could also be a book you could adapt for a reader's theatre with older students presenting the story for the youngest children in your school. I am imagining doing this will the addition of percussion instruments as a way to add sounds to the story. Your art teacher could also use this double page spread showing sunlight on the lake as a lesson inspiration.

Publisher blurb: Skippy Gillespie is taking himself for a walk in the park – but he is not alone! Rocky Road Jack has followed him, and that nasty cat now has his eyes firmly on a tiny duckling. Will Skippy save the day, and will Little Blue ever get home to his mother?

Your young reading companion will hear some wonderful words (real and invented) in this story - shimmery, slashetty, quailed, charging, and frenzied.

Here is the review from Readings Melbourne:

• It’s made for reading aloud. Morgan’s bouncy rhymes are packed with playful sound words, and we can already hear little ones joining in by the second read. It’s the kind of book that gets requested again at bedtime.
• Skippy is a hero worth rooting for. When he spots a small creature in trouble, he doesn’t walk past. With his mate Boofa Boy Jones, he steps up to help. It opens up easy conversations with kids about kindness and looking out for others.
• Karen Blair’s illustrations are full of movement. Ears flap, legs stretch and water swirls across the page. Some words are even drawn to look like they sound. The characters’ faces show exactly how everyone is feeling, which makes this a lovely book for talking about emotions.

The publicity notes for Little Blue mention The Detective Dog series by Julia Donaldson; Dog Beach by Julie Murphy; and the Hairy Maclary series by Lynley Dodd. 

I previously talked about this book which is the first in this series also by Sally Morgan and Karen Blair which is where we first met Skippy Gillespie.

The Midnight Chew

Here are a couple of my own favourite books about ducks:

The Other Ducks

Just Ducks

Don't Fidget a Feather!

These are my rocks: A story about collecting by Bethan Woollvin

This is one of those special books that 'breaks the fourth wall'. Think about the opening sentence which speaks directly to the reader:

"So, I've heard you'd like to be a collector! Well, you've come to the right place. I'll teach you everything you need to know to be a real collector. But I'll warn you, it's hard work. First off, let's turn on the light."

Our narrator has a huge collection of large and small things, but when you opened the cupboard (turned the page) the biggest things all spilled out. Hopefully you can help squish them back in. Oh and watch out for that spider. There is a rock collection, as the cover tells you, but also collections of pointy things, prickly things, stinky things, fan mail, bananas, and the one I loved the most - a collection of invisible things which is actually a collection of air, thoughts and dreams. I suggest you also try to find the picture book In a Jar by Deborah Marcero to further explore this idea of collecting things in jars. 

It would be fun to read this book at the start of the school year if your young class of Grade 1-3 students like to present 'news' or 'show and tell' to their class. These are my rocks was published in 2025 and is available in hardcover and paperback. This book would be an excellent addition to your school library. 

I rarely read book dedications, but this one caught my eye:

"For Mom - who held my hand as we combed the beach for shells and, even now, slips the occasional rock or pinecone into my pocket."

Publisher blurb: Join the narrator, as they proudly introduce the reader to their prized collection, featuring BIG things to small things … and spiky things to wobbly things! Each page is bursting with humour – and they are interactive too – with children encouraged to interact with the book, with invitations to point, make noises, clap their hands and think about what they could collect.. Interactive books engage young children and capture their natural curiosity and These Are My Rocks encourages the development of important early-learning skills such as listening, choosing, matching, counting and moving by playing on the theme of interaction. 

The last page encourages youngsters to become collectors themselves, but they won’t need much convincing; Woollvin’s quirky, conversational text and artwork will have already persuaded them to follow suit. Kirkus

Here is another book that I suggest reading as a way to talk about those 'class news' sessions.

Lousia May Pickett

Here are some other books by Bethan Woollvin:

Anya and the light above the ocean by Amelia Giudici

Anya's mum is a scientist. One night she does not return from her work out on the ocean, so Anya braves the night and rows out to find her.  Then something happens - a bright light engulfs Anya. Jump forward and two months later Anya is living in the home of two strangers. She has no idea what happened to the lost time and there are other puzzling things such as a doctor who visits and keep testing her, taking her blood and asking her questions about her life. She overhears a strange conversation in this austere house where she is held like a prisoner. Nothing makes sense.  It is time to run away but Anya has no idea what lies ahead or that she is about to discover another Anya - who is real and who is duplicate and what happened out there in the ocean and where is her mum?

The cover and blurb do not even slightly hint at the contents of this story - only the endorsement on the cover gives the game away but luckily I did not read this before I read Anya and the light above the ocean.

I picked up this book at The Constant Reader mainly because the cover appealed to me. I especially like the way it has gold lettering which almost sparkles when you hold it under the light.

Publisher blurb: When her scientist mum disappears one night, Anya sets out to find her in the middle of a storm. Taking a boat out to sea, she encounters a strange window of light hovering above the waves. Transfixed, she reaches out to touch it. Moments later, Anya wakes in her boat. The sea now eerily silent. With her mum still missing, Anya is packed off to stay with the odd, unwelcoming Mr and Mrs Ungsworth. Trapped under their watchful gaze, she uncovers a shocking secret: the light has split her into two people. Anya escapes and returns home – to find another girl, identical to her, living there. Confronted with this impossible situation, the girls soon realise the organisation their mum worked for, Janus, is seeking to harness the power of the mysterious light and is now after them. Thrown headfirst into the perilous world of Janus, both versions of Anya must now team up to escape them. But can Anya’s battle to find herself also lead her back to her mother?

Spoiler alert - you may have already guessed this is a Science Fiction story but I absolutely did not expect that plot twist.

I would put this book into the hands of a thoughtful reader aged 10+ and I would tell them to expect to have their mind blown! 

This book did in some ways remind me of a famous book which you may have read. It's a book I will never ever re-read - Coraline by Neil Gaiman. 

One of the most gripping and thought-provoking books you will ever read. A Paper Girl

A vivid and riveting sci-fi mystery, heartfelt and hopeful ... Book Craic

The story moves at pace, balancing tension and discovery while gradually revealing its scientific and emotional stakes. The unfolding mystery has the momentum of a thriller, yet beneath the action lie thoughtful philosophical questions about identity, memory and consciousness. What makes someone who they are, and how can we trust our understanding of ourselves or others? Despite the complexity of its ideas, the novel remains accessible and engaging for middle-grade readers, grounding its speculative elements in Anya’s emotional experience of fear, loss and determination. The result is an original and absorbing science fiction adventure that rewards careful reading while maintaining strong narrative drive. Books for Keeps

Companion book (this is very old but well worth finding):

Forbidden Memories

And look for these two books they will also blow your mind:

The Experiment

Masterminds

Anya and the light above the ocean is a debut novel for Amelia Giudici. She grew up in New Zealand and Warwickshire. She is currently based in East London where she works as a primary school teacher. Prior to teaching, Amelia studied Philosophy at Cambridge University, where she first encountered the thought problems concerning personal identity that Anya and the Light Above the Ocean draws on.

The cover illustration is by Philip Harris. I wonder why his name does not appear on the imprint page? You can see more of his art here. 

In the Tree House by Andrew Larsen illustrated by Dušan Petričić

"It's hot. Really hot. I crunch on an ice cube to cool off. There's more ice melting in the bowl beside me. I can see the whole neighborhood from up here. It's pretty nice. There are lots of big, old trees. But there's only one tree house."

The family have moved to a new house and the best thing for the two brothers is the discovery of a huge tree just perfect for the building of a treehouse. The boys talk to their father and because he once wanted a treehouse too the three of them draw up some terrific plans and begin construction. As night falls the younger boy notices that here in the city there are no stars showing the sky. Why?

"My brother and I spent most of that summer in the tree house. It was the best summer ever. We had comics. We had cards."

But as time passes the older brother becomes less interested in the tree house and doesn't spend time playing with his younger brother any more until one night all the city lights go out. It is a blackout and suddenly all the stars in the sky can shine. The street turns into a party with torches and games and ice cream and best of all his brother climbs back up into the tree house - just like old times. 

Awards for In the Tree House:

• Jean Throop Book Award, Municipal Chapter of Toronto IODE Winner 2014
• TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, CBC Fan Choice Award, CBC Centre Awards Winner 2014
• Bank Street Children's Book Committee Winner 2014
• Shining Willow Award, The Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Award Short-listed 2014
• Book of the Year 2013: Books for Young People, Quill & Quire Winner 2013
• Blue Spruce Award, Ontario Library Association Short-listed 2014

There are a few good ideas/life experiences in this book. Brothers who outgrow one another; seeing the night sky or actually not seeing the night sky because our city lights do not allow them to shine; and the wonder of changes that can happen in a community after a shared event such as a blackout.

Oddly the Kirkus reviewer did not really like this book but I think it could be a good addition to your school library. I have put a few other treehouse books in this post. My friend from Kinderbookwitheverything has a splendid Pinterest collection of picture books about Treehouses.

In the Tree House was published in 2018 BUT for once I have good news. The paperback edition is still available (check here).

A House for wombats

Happy Mouse Day

I previously talked about these books illustrated by Dušan Petričić:

Mud Puddle

The Man with the Violin

You can see books by Andrew Larsen here.

You might also try to find this book:

Finding Fire by Logan S Kline

"Long before the secrets of fire had been discovered, people had to find fire. And if they lost it ... if it went out ... 

someone would need to search for more."

Blurb: After a hard rain douses the family fire, a brave young boy sets out to search for more fire to bring home before the cold season sets in. Along the way, he’ll face many challenges, from perilous mountains to fearsome predators to raging rivers, and find something wholly unexpected: a friend.

This is a debut picture book for Logan S Kline.

This book could be in your local or school library. Plan to read this book slowly and more than once and make sure you spend time with the title page and prologue.

Library displays are an essential way to circulate the books in your library - surely your goal is to get books into the hands of the kids and not have them languish on your shelves. In the library where I work as a volunteer, the Teacher-Librarian regularly changes her displays and she also fills two under shelf tubs with books specifically designed to appeal to her youngest students aged 3 and 4 (preschool). At the end of last term she set out all her books about rocks and rock related topics like cave people, crystals, and mammoths. This week we packed up those books ready to set out the next topic Halloween but instead of shelving the 'rock books' she decided to pop them into her preschool tubs. Among them I spied Finding Fire. This is a brilliant wordless book that explores, as the title suggests, the need for fire with a prehistoric setting. 

Watch the trailer - it is terrific! Read this interview with Logan S Kline where he talks in depth about his illustration process. 

Rugged, sparse mountains and outcroppings, white-capped rivers, weather, and saber-toothed predators all present varied challenges for the child in the lush, earth-toned illustrations, rendered in graphite, ink, oil paint, and digital techniques. ...  This is a simple but heartwarming story told through a well-balanced variety of panels and full double spreads. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A prehistoric premise best enjoyed cozied up next to a warm, safe fireplace. Kirkus

This tiny but valiant adventure is visually precise enough for lap-sitters and artistically sophisticated enough for primary grade prehistory fans. . . . This will make a good wind-down choice at bedtime or perhaps a candlelit saga to while away a power outage.

—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Logan S Kline cites a few titles in the interview above including the illustrators Chris van Allsburg and David Weisner:

Aaron Becker

The Branch by Mireille Messier illustrated by Pierre Pratt

When I visit the library where I am SO lucky to work as a volunteer, I have to constantly remind myself I will never be able to read every book and that I should just be happy when I make a new discovery. Once again today I found a treasure - this is an older book - 2016 - and so it is out of print. I really wish I had discovered this book back when it was published because it is one I would have loved to add to my school library. 

A branch falls off the tree in a wild storm. The little girl in this story loved that branch - it was a perfect place to play and explore her imaginative ideas.

"It was my castle, my spy base, my ship ..."

Other trees in the neighborhood are also damaged and people up and down the street have begun the clean-up but the little girl needs to keep her huge branch. Luckily Mr Frank from next door does understand. He offers to help. He and the little girl carry the branch to his workshop and over the following days working together they create something wonderful.

Bookseller blurb: When an ice storm snaps a small girl's favorite branch from the tree in her yard, she's crestfallen. The girl's mom says it's just a branch. But not to her! "That was the branch I sat on, jumped from, played under. It was my castle, my spy base, my ship…" Luckily, her neighbor Mr. Frank understands. He says the branch has "potential." "What's potential?" she asks. "It means it's worth keeping." And so, with imagination and spirit, and Mr. Frank's guidance and tools, the girl transforms the broken branch into something whole and new, giving it another purpose, and her another place to treasure.

In this endearing picture book, author Mireille Messier explores a young child's experience with loss and renewal. Though the little girl is heartbroken that her special perch in the tree is gone, the kindness and vision of her neighbor, combined with her own creativity and determination, help her recognize that it can have a new life in a different form. The charming intergenerational relationship adds depth and richness to the story, as it becomes clear they both offer something valuable to each other.

The idea behind this book is perhaps a simple one but this story is brim full of joy. It would be wonderful to see a grandfather and child sharing this book and then perhaps creating something together. 

Image source: Montreal Gazette (see more images from inside this book here)

Here is the book trailer. Pierre Pratt is a Canadian illustrator - you can see his books here (note many are in French). Pierre Pratt is a previous winner of the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award in 2003 and again in 2014 (finalist). Lots of his books have Kirkus Star reviews.

Awards for The Branch:

• Short-listed for the 2016 Governor General Award, Young People’s Literature Illustrated Book category.
• Short-listed for the Maine’s Readers’ Choice Chickadee Award.
• Nominee for the Surrey School’s Picture Book of the Year Award.
• Finalist for the 2018 Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award.
• Finalist for the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Award, Shining Willow category

Brimming with personality and passion, this protagonist is a joy to know. Kirkus Star review

I previously talked about this book by Mireille Messier:

The Magic Cap

I am keen to see this book: