What's in your pocket? by Heather L Montgomery illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

Inspiration for nature-loving children. Kirkus Star review

George stuffed his pockets full of seeds.

Charles collected rocks, shells, and beetles.

Valerie Jane kept worms under her pillow!

You know THAT kid -- packing their pockets and growing science skills!

Every school library needs a copy of this book - it is a wonderful jumping off point to share with your youngest reads and it invites them to explore the lives of eight famous scientists - some well-known such as Dr Jane Godall but others that may be less familiar:

• George Washington Carver (1860s - 1943)
• Charles William Beebe (1877 - 1962)
• Valerie Jane Godall (1934 - 2025)
• Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)
• Margaret Lowman (1953 - present) Australian
• Diego Cisneros-Heredia (1980 - present)
• Mary Anning (1799 - 1847)
• Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 - 1717)

Read more about Maria Sibylla Merian here

Each of these famous people are organised under three headings - 

When you explore the great outdoors and you find something strange and wonderful do you put it in your pocket? Do you add them to your collection? Do you make amazing discoveries?

• Scientists collect specimens so they can observe the details of natural artifacts.
• As scientists sort, compare and categorise specimens they learn to see patterns within their collections.
• Young scientists make significant discoveries too. Trained to see details and see patterns collectors of any age can surprise us with their finds.

The author web page has an 85 page guide to using this book! After reading What's in your pocket? book I would seek out the matching (where there is one) title from the Little People Big Dreams series and then you might dig into the biography section of your school or local library. Here is a terrific Pinterest collection with over 200 titles to get you started. 

The Enchantment of Golden Eagle by Margaret Wild illustrated by Stephen Michael King

Margaret Wild: ‘I hope readers will understand that people can say something in anger (in this case, the curse put on the bird). And that those words can be regretted and forgiven. It would be good if this story can open up discussions about consequences, atonement and, especially forgiveness, because if we can forgive, there is the possibility that things can change for the better.’  Interview with Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright (see the Teachers Notes)

After reading The Enchantment of Eagle here are some questions that occurred to me:

• Can you ever really 'own' a wild creature? 
• Did the eagle owe an extra loyalty to the family because they saved him when he was just a fledgling?
• Do you understand why the eagle needed to fly away?
• What is a curse?
• Should you always keep your promises? 
• What is guilt? 
• How do you repair a relationship when words are spoken in anger? 
• Why is it important to say sorry and how to you express this from your heart?
• Why are wolves always representative of danger?
• Think about feeling safe and unsafe and how this is explored in this book

Think about the title - enchantment - that is such a powerful word. It implies magic and has overtones of the fairy tale genre. And Margaret Wild writes of Golden Eagle not 'the' golden eagle. Is this a unique creature with magical qualities? Then we have the word golden. This implies precious and wise and important.

Symbolism of the golden eagle: The golden eagle is a powerful symbol that encompasses a wide range of meanings, including strength, freedom, ... and resilience. Its significance varies across cultures, but it consistently represents the ideals of power, guidance, and the ability to rise above challenges. Whether viewed as a divine messenger or a symbol of personal growth, the golden eagle holds a revered place in the spiritual and cultural narratives of many societies. Source

You will find some beautiful vocabulary when you share this book with your library group or young reading companion - fledgling; venture; gazed; summoned; exhilarating; "he batted about'; enfold; curse; pitiless; hollowed-out; tattered; rejoicing; and larking about.

Publisher blurb: One day, Ella and her little brother Leif found a fledgling with a broken wing. They took him home, wrapped and fed him, and watched over him for seven days and seven nights. In time Golden Eagle was well enough to fly away, but he loved the children, so he promised to stay with them at the edge of the dark forest. Until one day, the wind whispered and the breeze caressed his feathers, and Golden Eagle forgot his promise ...

The publisher links the themes in The Enchantment of Golden Eagle with another award-winning book by Margaret Wild - Fox - illustrated by Ron Brooks. With a group of older students, it would be good to compare these two books - read them side by side - and then talk about themes such as guilt; fear; promises; betrayal; and forgiveness. The Enchantment of Golden Eagle is one of those multilayered stories that you could share with your younger students and then also discuss with an older group. I would then pick up Robber Girl by Margaret Wild as another example of a text which showcases Margaret Wild's skill with writing.

The publisher page has a link to some detailed teachers notes. 

A new book by Margaret Wild is certainly something to celebrate. She has written well over 70 books and even at age 76 does not seem set to stop. I expect to see The Enchantment of Golden Eagle listed by the CBCA as a 2026 notable title. 

Read some reviews:

The publisher marks this as suitable for readers 7 to 12, older than the typical picture book market, and online Teaching Notes offer suggestions up to Year 6. This is valuable recognition of the potential of picture books to inspire rich learning well beyond the formative literacy stage. Story Links

Interview with Paperbark Word (Joy Lawn) I love the word “enchantment”. As you say, it is so evocative.  With its associations of spells, magic and mystery, I hope it will spark a reader’s curiosity to open the book and read on.

Highly recommended for all! Kids' Book Review

This is a compelling story that will have the reader turning the pages to the end so they can discover whether the eagle, seen by many cultures as a symbol of strength and freedom, survives the curse, whether it returns and what happens next. The Bottom Shelf

This is a gentle book that reminds us about forgiveness and letting go and loving what you have in life. The Book Muse

From Stephen Michael King: Golden Eagle is my seventh book with Margaret Wild. You might remember the piglet series: Piglet and Mama, Piglet and Papa – then there’s the pocket dogs (everyone’s favourite books). Margaret Wild was instrumental in turning me into a published author/illustrator (with my first book, “The Man Who Loved Boxes”), so it’s always a giant privilege to work with her. 35 plus years ago – when I was working as a General Library assistant, I created a display of her and Julie Vivas’s book “The Very Best of Friends”. I’ve loved Margaret Wild’s work from that very first visual.

Other books by Margaret Wild with art by Stephen Michael King:

And two sequels

IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece Art Auction two chickens and a duck

Take a look at our wonderful selection of original art.

This is a fantastic opportunity and 

you will be supporting IBBY Australia

Do you love chickens?  My own favourite animals are puffins, pelicans, hedgehogs, and cows but I do have fond memories of chickens in the backyard of a country home where my family lived for a few months when I was a small child. Collecting the warm eggs fascinated me. If you want to see heaps of picture books about chickens, take a look at my Pinterest. I also love ducks - there are so many that live along the shore of the lagoon near my home.

Ann James

Jess McGeachin

My favourite book by Jess McGeachin is Fly 

but he has so many others - click the label on this post

Lucia Masciullo

Check out my post about Eat my Dust which has links to 

lots of other books illustrated by Lucia

Craig Silvey event October 2025

Last night Craig Silvey spoke at an event organised by his publisher Allen and Unwin and a small independent bookstore in North Sydney or more specifically McMahons Point - Blues Point Bookshop.  The owner Helen Baxter has a long association with Craig Silvey. His first book was Rhubarb (2004) written when he was just 19.  The focus of the event last night was his new book Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping - second in the series about the little country dog Runt. On this tour Craig is also visiting Castle Hill; Katoomba; and four locations in Western Australia.

I was excited to attend this event because I adored the first book and was so lucky to read an advance copy back in 2022. But my connection is even stronger because IBBY Australia had a post card sized piece of art by Sara Acton on our last Mini Masterpiece art auction and I was the highest bidder.

AND this year for our second Mini Masterpiece art action we have another little picture of Runt. 

I was hoping to share this with both Craig Silvey and Helen (the owner of the bookstore) but unfortunately, they were both too busy with their event guests. Sadly, too, Helen had not heard of IBBY which is such an important international organisation and I guessing she has no idea about my blog. Here is the web page for IBBY Australia.

I talked about Runt in this blog post and then on Instagram Craig responded with these words:

"Thank you so much @momotimetoread! So delighted you found Runt such a compelling and joyous read! Means the world."

Here are a few things Craig Silvey shared in his talk:

• He hopes Runt and the sequel will be shared in families - he coined the term "camp-fire read".
• The title of the second book matches the tin - you know in advance what you will get - a dognapping!
• The sequel needs to connect with the first installment but also expand on characters and add in new ones. A theme in this second book is truth - it can be distorted or skewed but it is always inside us.
• The town of Upsdowns is an amalgam of the county towns in Western Australia where Craig lived as a child - towns like Colley and the delightfully named Dwellingup.
• Craig Silvey has three young daughters but no dog.
• Craig filled his conversation and answers with such rich language - whimsical; idiosyncratic; unmitigated joy; duress; beguiling; and nominative determinism. It was a delight to listen.
• He watched hundreds of hours of real dog dancing competitions when researching this for the sequel to Runt. 

The children in the audience last night impressed me with their intelligent questions. Here are some that I didn't get to ask Craig Silvey:

• Can you talk about the impact of winning the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Book of the Year award - Younger Readers in 2023
• Which of your books has reached the highest sales?
• Can you please talk about the different cover used on the US edition (see below)
• Did your publisher ask Sara Acton to illustrate your covers?
• How do you respond when people say (with a slight scoff) 'Oh you've written a kids book'.
• Did you expect more of your adult audience (last night) to have read Runt?
• Do you have a favourite children's book featuring a dog? (mine is Because of Winn Dixie)
• You moved around a lot as a child - did you have access to books and libraries? Were you a reader as a child? Do you have a childhood book that has stayed in your memory?
• When you speak you use a very sophisticated vocabulary - can you explain this and does it link with your own reading life?
• What was your involvement in the movie? And what is your involvement in the play at the Sydney based Belvoir Street Theatre which will presented in 2026?
• Were you thinking of adult readers and parents when you created all the funny names for your characters?
• Has your book Runt been translated into other languages? Do you see any issues with this process given the colloquial language and Australian setting?

Read more about the US edition here

Here is a Facebook entry about The Blues Point Bookshop - if you are in the area you might like to drop in and take a look:

Helen Baxter’s Blues Point Bookshop and its blue neon sign have been at the heart of the McMahons Point community. In three decades of devotion to the printed word, Helen has read around 20 books every month. She still hand writes the reviews that adorn her green shelves and the price tags on the back of the books. ...  This charming old-world bookstore is located at McMahons Point but will instantly transport you to the streets of London or Paris. A treasure trove for book lovers, Blues Point Bookshop houses a wide selection of classics, non-fiction, fiction and children's books, with friendly notes and recommendations from the shop's owner Helen Baxter. The comfy armchairs are the perfect spot to while away an afternoon.

Helen Baxter has run over 300 author events -that's so impressive. Craig Silvey has 2 titles in the top 25 of the ABC Radio National top 100 list - that's also very impressive. 

Craig Silvey is an author and screenwriter from Fremantle, Western Australia. His critically acclaimed debut novel, Rhubarb, was published in 2004. His bestselling novel, Jasper Jones, was released in 2009 and is considered a modern Australian classic. Published in over a dozen territories, Jasper Jones has won plaudits in three continents, including an International Dublin Literary Award shortlisting, a Michael J. Printz Award Honor, and a Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlisting. Jasper Jones was the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year for 2010. Craig's third novel Honeybee was published in 2019 and won Best Fiction for the Indie Book Awards 2021 and Dymocks Book of the Year 2020. His much-loved family favourite Runt was published in 2022 and has won multiple awards including Dymocks Book of the Year for Younger Readers 2022, Best Children's Book and Book of the Year at the Indie Book Awards 2023, Book of the Year: Younger Readers at the CBCA Awards 2023, Children's Book of the Year at the BookPeople Book of the Year Awards 2023, and Book of the Year for Younger Children at the Australian Book Industry Awards 2023. Runt was adapted into a critically and commercially successful film in 2024.

The Ash House by Angharad Walker

He had been expecting a healing refuge for children like him. Something between a school and a summer camp. But this wasn’t it. The Ash House was like the end of a world that had been left to decay, forgotten by everyone who had ever cared about it.

Sol (Solitude) has been in hospital. He has a mystery illness that leaves him wracked with pain and it is so severe he falls to the ground unconscious. As this book opens Sol has been taken out of the hospital to the strange Ash House. There he meets a group of children - boys and girls - with names that strangely link with their ethos of kindness. There are no adults, but the children talk about The Headmaster. He has been absent for three years but each day, until now, he communicates via a telephone, with instructions for the children. Their days are filled with routines of preparing food, cleaning, washing, and feeding three monstrous creatures called Shucks that live under ash house. 

The sky is empty of birds but the children have never seen real birds so they name the drones that constantly monitor them - birds. Sol has lived in the outside world - he knows so much more about life than these strange kids. It seems impossible that Sol will make any friends here and even more impossible that this place can cure his illness. But Dom (short for Freedom) is determined to have Sol as a friend and then the doctor arrives with the promise of a cure for Sol - but can he be trusted?

Bookseller blurb: A new boy arrives at the Ash House. He can't remember his name or why he's been sent there. Given the name Sol, and troubled by a mystery pain that no medicine can cure, he joins the gang of children living in the shadows of the secretive house. Soon, however, there's more for him to face: the darkness that descends with the arrival of the Doctor...

I never seek out horror stories, but I belong to an online Middle Grade book group and, because it is nearly Halloween, The Ash House was our assigned reading for October. The Ash House is from the UK publisher Chicken House. They relate this book to Lord of the Flies; and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. These are both books that make me shudder and if I had read that before picking up this book I might not have ventured further. Strangely though, I really loved the open ending so reading this book was well worth the harrowing journey. 

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this book:

He had been expecting a healing refuge for children like him. Something between a school and a summer camp. But this wasn’t it. The Ash House was like the end of a world that had been left to decay, forgotten by everyone who had ever cared about it.

‘So . . . there aren’t any adults here? No teachers or parents or anyone? Just us?’ ‘Par-ents,’ Libby sounded out the word. Heads tilted to one side. ‘You don’t have parents?’ ‘What are parents?’ Dom asked. Sol looked scared, suddenly, which Dom thought was strange. His green eyes were wide and worried, and his voice became high-pitched as he tried to explain: ‘Parents – your mums and dads? The people who made you and raise you and look after you!’

Nobody saw the Doctor arrive. His car was black and shining and didn’t have number plates. The children gathered around it and looked at their stretched, alien faces reflected in its glossy metal. Stray flakes of ash were already settling on its roof.

‘You will not question my decisions!’ the Doctor thundered over the outcry. Silence fell again and he continued at a normal volume: ‘How dare you come into the Ash House at night? How dare any of you go upstairs into the Headmaster’s study, and tamper with his documents? No punishment is enough. But I must try to make you all understand the severity of what you’ve done. You’ll face the Shucks, all of you, one by one.

The idea of names matched with this ethos of kindness is an intriguing one. Concord (Con); Happiness and Temperance; Liberty (Libby); Justice and Merit; and the mysterious missing girl Clemency.

Disturbing scenes (spoiler alert):

• the burial of the dead pig and then Sol is placed in the hole with the pig and he cannot climb out.
• when Sol wakes up and he cannot move his legs - what has this 'doctor' done to him?
• the night the doctor discovers someone has been in the headmaster's study.

An unexpected—and pleasing—combination of propitious and disquieting. Kirkus Star review

The Ash House is a vivid and rich read, full of well rounded and complex characters. Each child has their own voice and it is easy to fall into the world that Walker has built. Wound around the striking imagery and fantasy elements of the story are a number of themes including the power of friendship, physical and mental illness and disability and the importance of critical thinking. The Book Bag

It's an incredibly vivid story, the sort with lots and lots of description that is so well integrated into the story that you don't really register why your mind is making such clear pictures. It's a suspenseful mystery, as the reader, along with Sol, tries to figure out what's happening. ... It's also the story of a group of children taking their survival into their own hands, and desperately trying to keep their community together, and I cared about them lots by the end of the story! Charlotte's Library

You can read an extract from The Ash House here. Angharad talks about her book here. What do you think about the two covers - one from the UK and one from USA? I would recommend this book to mature readers aged 11+ who seek out horror stories. 

All through this book I kept thinking of this book I read many years ago:

The Lost Children

Going Fishing with Nana by Frances and Lindsay Haji-ali illustrated by Karen Briggs

 

"As the sun rises on brand new day.

It's time to pick up Nana. We're going fishing today."

Publisher blurb: This ... children’s picture book takes readers on an exciting fishing trip with Nana in the far north of Australia. Through repetition and rhyme, readers are introduced to early education concepts such as ordinal numbers, counting by twos, and adjectives, all while seeing many cute and cheeky outback animals along the way.

Thanks to Magabala Books for sending a review copy.

Things I like about this book:

• Map end papers - this really is a mud map because for much of this journey across remote areas of Western Australia I am sure there would be no paved roads - but you could also talk to your students about the real meaning of the term mud map
• You could use the map on the end papers to compare the way we draw maps and also to locate this area on a larger map of Australia
• After talking about the map grab your copy of Are We There yet by Alison Lester or Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner.
• I'm curious about the dedication to the children of Roper River and Manyallaluk School (perhaps the author worked there)
• Taking this book further than counting one to ten but also including the idea of doubling number gives this book scope for discussion and innovating on the text
• The inclusion of less well-known Australian birds such as jabirus and pink galahs
• It would be good to share this book with a preschool group as a way to practice counting and also introduce doubles

Things I wish the publisher had done differently:

• This book has less visual appeal because with the use of digital illustrations - although the notes say they are created "using acrylic paint on canvas paper" so perhaps it is the high gloss paper that gives the illustrations a digital feel
• I am not a fan of cartoon-style faces and eyes (especially on the frog, snake and children)

If your young reading companion is keen on fishing here are a few other titles to explore. 

Here is the companion book:

Frances Haji-Ali is an educator. She has worked in Catholic schools across the Kimberley and is currently a school principal in Perth. Frances is a non-Indigenous collaborator.

Lindsay Haji-Ali is a descendant of the Yawuru/Karajarri people of the West Kimberley region of Western Australia. He is an accomplished artist and his designs and artworks are held in private and corporate collections.

Karen Briggs is an illustrator, graphic and digital designer, and contemporary First Nations artist. She is a Yorta Yorta woman whose ancestral homeland radiates from the junction of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers in Northeast Victoria. Karen illustrates from her home in the Adelaide Hills and runs her own freelance design business. Her first book was Kick with my Left Foot written by Paul Seden, was published by Allen and Unwin in 2014, and shortlisted for the CBCA Crichton Award in 2015. Long-Listed, CBCA Book of the Year, Early Childhood, 2015. Short-Listed, Speech Pathology Book of The Year Awards - Indigenous Children, 2015.

IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece Art Auction - so many birds

Have you visited our Auction page?  
The bidding begins in just over two weeks. 

Head there now to find your favourites

Aura Parker

Check out my post about this series of wonderful bowerbird books

Bridget Farmer

Here is my post about The Bush Birds

Erica Wagner

Check out my post about Erica's latest book

Evie Barrow

This image is from My Mum is a Bird

Jess Racklyeft

Check out my Meet the Illustrator post

Marc Martin

Check out my post about his newest book All about Antarctica

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Where do dreams come from? For myself, my dreams are really vivid stories, and I have several each night - many are repeated scenes and many involve dangerous situations such as being lost or in an out-of-control car or with no way to make a phone call home. Perhaps our dreams come from the tiny creatures in this book but where do they get the ideas to create our dreams? Littlest One is learning to do this. Each evening she goes with her teacher and she practices touching objects very softly, using her gossamer touch, so she can gather happy memories. These are then threaded together and sent into the ears of the humans in the house.

Who lives in this house? There is an older lady who is living alone but then a young boy arrives. He is coming for foster care. He has been so badly damaged, and his response is to react to everything with violence. Littlest One and Thin Elderly work hard to gather tiny fragments of happiness for young John but there is danger and it is close. Have you considered nightmares - these are given to us too, but these come from Sinisteeds. Littlest One can hardly bare to think about these awful creatures and knows she and Thin Elderly will need to work really hard to protect John from revisiting his worst experiences.

Each morning Littles One and Thin Elderly return to their gathering place called The Heap:

"This gathering, this dwelling place where they slept now, heaped together, was only one, a relatively small one, of many. It was a small subcolony of dream-givers. Every human population has countless such colonies - invisible always - of these well organised, attentive, and hard-working creatures who move silently through the nights at their task. Their task is both simple and at the same time immensely difficult. Through touching, they gather material: memories, colours, words once spoken, hints of scents and the tiniest fragments of forgotten sound. They collect pieces of the past, of long ago and of yesterday. They combine these things carefully, creating dreams."

This book is a strange mix of magic and sweet fairy-like characters juxtaposed against extreme domestic violence that has been metered out to a very young child and his mother. There were times, reading this slim novel of 140 pages, that I just had to walk away and take a breath. I would recommend this book for mature readers aged 11-12+. If you believe in magic and crave stories with a happy ending this might be a book to explore.

Wikipedia have a detailed entry with the full plot of Gossamer and a character list. You can see other books by Lois Lowry here - of course you probably know her famous titles such as The Giver; Number the Stars; and I have talked about Tree Table Book; Bless this Mouse; The Windeby Puzzle; Gooney Bird Green; The Willoughbys; and the sequel The Wiloughby's Return.

Publisher blurb: Where do dreams come from What stealthy nighttime messengers are the guardians of our most deeply hidden hopes and our half-forgotten fears This imaginative novel from New York Times bestselling author Lois Lowry confronts these questions and explores the conflicts between the gentle bits and pieces of the past that come to life in dream, and the darker horrors that find their form in nightmare. In a haunting story that tiptoes between reality and fantasy, two people—a lonely, sensitive woman and a damaged, angry boy—face their own histories and discover what they can be to one another, renewed by the strength that comes from a tiny, caring creature they will never see.

For such a slim work, the characterizations of Thin Elderly and Littlest are strong—she the sprightly little girl learning her trade, he the bemused and patient elder. The prose is light as gossamer; the story as haunting as a dream. Kirkus Star review

Kirkus gave Gossamer a star but Ms Yingling had the opposite reaction. 

Companion book for younger readers:

The Night Fairy

IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece art Auction

 

Visit the auction site to see over 40 pieces of original art

We need your support. Following the success of our inaugural 2023 fundraiser, we will once again be running Mini Masterpieces to raise funds for the Australian branch of the International Board on Books for Young People, IBBY Australia. We have invited celebrated Australian children’s book illustrators to donate post-card sized artworks for an online auction. You could OWN one of these gorgeous pieces - we have over 40 on offer. 

Ann James, Renee Treml, and Peter Carnavas

Formed in 1966, IBBY Australia is one of 82 National sections of IBBY, and each year must pay a membership fee of almost $10 000 to remain part of the international IBBY organisation.

IBBY was established following the Second World War and aims to build bridges to international understanding through children’s books. As you may be aware, IBBY Australia promotes Australian authors and illustrators by submitting their work for several IBBY administered international awards, including:

• The Hans Christian Andersen Award

• IBBY Honour Book List

• The Silent Books collection 

• The Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities list 

You can read more about IBBY and about IBBY Australia.

The Mini Masterpieces auction will run from 14 November to 28 November, with the original artworks promoted as a unique Christmas gift. Each piece will have a reserve of $75.

Nicky Johnston

The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros

Winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing 2023

Translated from Welsh

Book seller blurb: Dylan was six when The End came, back in 2018; when the electricity went off for good, and the 'normal' 21st century world he knew disappeared. Now he's 14 and he and his mam have survived in their isolated hilltop house above the village of Nebo in north-west Wales, learning new skills, and returning to old ways of living. Despite their close understanding, the relationship between mother and son changes subtly as Dylan must take on adult responsibilities. And they each have their own secrets, which emerge as, in turn, they jot down their thoughts and memories in a found notebook - the Blue Book of Nebo.

A couple of weeks ago I visited the new premises for the famous Melbourne bookshop - The Little Bookroom. I spied a book by an author I did not know - Feathers by Manon Steffan Ros (more about that in a minute). My friends from southern NSW met me at the bookshop which had just opened that day and independently of me my friend found another book by the same author - The Blue Book of Nebo. Once we were home, we both read this book and agreed it was terrific - short and powerful and certainly a page turner. I highly recommend The Blue Book of Nebo for readers aged 15+. 

I especially loved the way the ending is left open and also the way the author holds back right to the end before telling you about Dylan's little sister Mona. Dylan is also a wonderful character because he is so patient with everything they need to do to survive - building shelters to grow food, collecting and storing firewood, and saving seeds. I also liked the way on the day of the catastrophe Rowen, who was working as a hairdresser, has the presence of mind to go to several stores and buy tools and other very useful things - she somehow knows their lives are about the completely change. 

A curiously sweet-tempered novel that finds the upside of global catastrophe. Kirkus

This slim book packs a huge emotional punch and is a thoughtful, grounded look at what life might be like for a child growing up in the wake of a terrible disaster. At the heart of the novel is Dylan's connection with his mother, Rowenna - most of his memories are of the life they've led in the wake of the destruction, whilst hers are of the people, relationships, and experiences from before.  Book Trust

You can read lots more plot details for The Blue Book of Nebo here. I was also unfamiliar with the publisher Firefly Press. The Empathy Lab have some teachers notes for The Blue Book of Nebo. Here is a five minute video where Manon Steffan reads an extract from her book. I would pair this book with  titles by Bren McDibble such as Across the Risen Sea and an old long out of print book - Chance of Safety. 

Here is another book by Manon Steffan Ros written for a younger audience ages 9+.

Huw always pops in to see his nan on the way home from school - she bakes him cakes and never fusses about his homework. So, it's a great shock when, one day, Nan forgets his name and calls him Johnny - the long unmentionable name of her late brother. As Nan slowly slips into the grip of dementia, Huw and his friends go on a quest to learn more about Johnny and what happened to him. Exploring themes of friendship, family bonds and the history of conscientious objection in WW2, Feather is both modern and historical, as well as being relatable, particularly for children who may have grandparents with a similar dementia struggle to Nan. Aimed at ages 9-14, the original Welsh edition, Pluen won the Tir na n-Og Award Wales children's fiction Award in 2017.

Manon Steffan Ros was born in Snowdonia and worked as an actress before becoming a writer. She writes for adults and children and has won the Wales Book of the Year for her adult fiction as well as being four times winner of the Tir na N'Og Welsh children's literature award. She has also won Eisteddfod and National Theatre Wales awards for her drama writing. She lives in north Wales with her sons.

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate illustrated by Charles Santoso

“Here at Second Chances,” Pocket continued, “we report to two lovely humans. Elizaveta and Dasha, her daughter, make sure we are prepared for new homes. ... “Our job,” Pocket said, “our only job, is to wait with hope. Always with hope. 

And while we wait, to care for each other.”

Elizaveta and her daughter, Dasha, are refugees from war-torn Ukraine. Their cat named Zephyrina brings them gifts in the form of old discarded toys. Dasha has named their home Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured. When the toys arrive they have a few days outside on display just in case their actual owner comes by to retrieve them then the toy is taken inside and restored. First stop the freezer to remove any bugs then off to the day spa (bathroom) for a thorough cleaning. The plan is that over time to old toys will find new homes. Dasha also writes a history for each bear - I loved this idea. 

Look closely - Pocket is standing on the piano to address the gathering of toys.

What Elizaveta and Dasha don't know is that these toys have nighttime adventures and that they have a 'leader' named Pocket. He is a tiny pocket bear made to comfort soldiers during World War I. As this story begins Zephyrina has bought in a new bear. Later he is named Berwon. The curious possibility about this new bear is that he might be from the famous Steif factory. If that is true he could be worth a lot of money so it is at this point of the story an unscrupulous antique toy dealer arrives. She connives to steal Berwon - his rescue will leave you breathless. 

Every part of this book made me smile especially the gentle wisdom of Pocket and the voice of the street wise cat Zephyrina also known as Corporal Z. Here are a few text quotes:

Thing about Pocket, first thing you noticed, was his height. Guy was tiny, even for a stuffed toy. Three and a half inches max, nose to toes. He was fond of saying—Pocket was fond of saying many things - “We are, all of us, small for a while. But only a fortunate few stay small forever.”

He said the most important feature of a mascot bear, besides his size, was the positioning of his eyes. Dark glass edged in gold, they were set higher than you might expect. That way, if a soldier, pining away for his family or his sweetheart, glanced down at his pocket, he would see a little bear gazing up at him. I had my doubts when Pocket told me this. It seemed like an awfully big burden to put on the shoulders of a tiny bear.

“Your fellow recruits are all here after lives of many kinds.” Pocket began striding up and down the piano keys. “Some brutal. Some brimming with sweetness. Some wild with adventure. Some unhurried and serene.” He smiled. “All complicated. All beautiful.”

She lowered Berwon into the bubbles, careful to keep his head above the water. She only immersed the toys briefly. Didn’t want to get them too wet, I suppose. “I love watching you at work.” Elizaveta leaned against the wall and smiled. “You’re so gentle.” Dasha reached for the brush. She stroked the fur on Berwon’s back. “I like it. It feels good to take something messed up and make it, you know … not so messed up.”

The sign says Welcome to Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured

You will need to wait until February 2026 to pick up this book here in Australia (I read the ebook version). Hopefully it will be available from your favourite independent bookstore [9781760266622].

It would be wonderful to share this book as a family read aloud. Think about exploring words such as incredulous; imperfections; arctophiles; spry; and altruist. The 93 chapters are very short so you could read 5 or 6 each night. This book has 272 pages. You also must hunt out other books by Katherine Applegate. I have SO many favourites. Here is her website. Here are some teachers notes - not sure I would use these. I think this is a book just to read and love!

During World War I Farnell contributed to the war effort by making miniature soldier bears that were often given to soldiers by their loved ones as good luck. The bears had upturned faces so they could look out from their soldier’s front pocket to see what was going on. Read more here

Applegate’s writing is exquisitely nuanced; she couches profound themes in accessible language that depicts relatable situations. Gentle, generous Elizaveta and Dasha poignantly underscore the human impact of wars. Santoso’s enchanting, delicate, black-and-white illustrations bring the timeless feeling of a classic to this hopeful, humanizing story of the distressed looking out for each other. Kirkus Star review

Publisher blurb: Thimble-born from tip to toe, Pocket Bear remembers every moment of his becoming: the glimmering needle, the silken thread, the tender hands as each careful stitch brought him closer to himself. Born during the throes of WWI, he was designed to fit into the pocket of a soldier’s jacket, eyes sewn a bit higher than normal so that he always gazed upward. That way, glancing at his pocket, a soldier would see an endearing token of love from someone back home, and, hopefully, a good luck charm. Now, over a century later, Pocket serves as unofficial mayor of Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured, where stuffed toy animals are refurbished and given a fresh opportunity to be loved. He and his best feline friend Zephyrina, known far and wide as “The Cat Burglar,” have seen it all, and then some. An unforgettable tale of bravery, loyalty, and kindness, Pocket reminds us all that love comes in many forms (sometimes filled with fluff), and that second chances are always possible.

The text skillfully balances the perpetual appeal of animated toys, the warm connections between various characters, and the villainous action of the collector’s thievery to offer readers a well-paced, reassuring tale of friendship with just a bit of mild tension. An earnest consideration of the trauma of war brings added depth: not only was Pocket on the battlefield years ago, but Dasha recently lost her dad to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Fans of Applegate will be pleased with another work that is sweet but not saccharine, cozy but not twee. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Applegate’s latest strikes at the heart, addressing the vitality of empathy, the long-lasting effects of war, and the power of found family. Readers follow the plot through Zephyrina’s perspective and journey from a tough street cat to a loving pet. One can either let their past harden them or let it soften them to the world around them, and the characters of Applegate’s book strive for empathy and softness. School Library Journal, starred review

Final wisdom from the author Katherine Applegate in her author notes:

If you’ve ever loved a stuffed toy, you’ll understand. And if you haven’t, well, there’s still time, as Pocket says. There’s always time.

Companion books:

The Barnabus Project

Barnaby Unboxed

They Threw us Away

Teddy and Co

Dougal the Garbage dump Bear