The Elixir by Lindsay Galvin illustrated by Kristina Kister

Ann has inherited the gift of healing from her late grandmother. She works with her parents, brother and sister in the family apothecary.

"The rest of my family followed recipes exactly when they made our normal tinctures, infusions and syrups. It was an open secret that I didn't follow a recipe. My parents only let me get away with it because my tinctures worked so well. My family also knew I scratched a spiral mark into the base of the glass bottles containing my special tinctures. They didn't know it was the sign my grandmother had taught me and that it helped my medicines work."

You have probably noticed some arcane words in this quote - tinctures, infusions and syrups. The year is 1665 and so, yes, this a story set in the past but wait a minute do you know what was happening at that time - the witch trials. Now the stage is set - Ann has gifts but others will be suspicious. There are witch hunters roaming the countryside. Ann and her siblings have been left in charge of the shop because her parents have been called away. To help make ends meet a border has moved into the attic room - and very strangely this young man is Isaac Newton. These are also the times of the plague. If Ann is able to heal the townsfolk will she be accused of witchcraft and can she survive the drowning trial?

Ann forms an alliance with Isaac- and together they strive to make a very special elixir - the elixir of life. Then her brother is in a terrible accident and Ann, without permission, administers a few drops of the mixture. Yes, her brother is healed. Isaac is furious and so in a moment of recklessness Ann grabs the elixir and drinks it. What will be the consequences?

Here are a few text quotes:

"Grandmother taught me that grinding herbs on a full moon, then letting them soak in the moonlight would make powerful extracts. ... I started with Vervain. Its colour was a rich chestnut brown, excellent for restoring strength and vitality. Next, I bruised some Horsetail and Yarrow, used in cases of bleeding. These were fluffy shades of blue and grey."

"I described how when I touched people, I saw their colours in my mind. When I knew the colours of my customers, I could recognise when a hue was missing and find the mixture to restore them. I explained how ingredients that were matched to a person's colour nearly always strengthened them."

This book has 110 pages so it is a quick one to read but it is also an absolute page turner. 

This is a truly gripping story where the tension is palpable as danger builds and impossible choices are made. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns with an ending that took me completely by surprise. A masterful blending of history, science and fantasy that left me utterly captivated – and astounded! The illustrations are absolutely stunning and capture the time period and the emotion of the story perfectly. An enthralling page-turner that captures the indomitable spirit of a young girl who uses her innate abilities to help others and stand against hatred and prejudice. Book Craic

Lindsay Galvin packs lots of action into this short, ultra-readable novel, as Ann finds herself in danger after danger, while working to do as much good as possible. The final twist in the tale is particularly satisfying and this atmospheric, immersive story will keep readers gripped from beginning to end while the presence of Isaac Newton is an added treat. Love Reading 4Kids

Bookseller blurb: With a witchfinder skulking about town, gifted healer Ann and a young Isaac Newton must be careful not to draw too much attention in this high-stakes story from Lindsay Galvin. Will the discovery of the Elixir of Life lead to a death sentence for a talented young healer? Ann Storer has inherited her grandmother's mysterious gift of healing, which she shares through the special tinctures she dispenses in her family's apothecary shop. When she combines her talents with the genius of a young Isaac Newton, recently arrived to board above the shop, the two create an incredible elixir with seemingly unlimited powers. But seventeenth-century England is a dangerous place to display any special abilities, and Ann must hide all evidence when witchfinder Abel Geach arrives in town. So when the plague starts to run rife and those she loves are in danger, will Ann risk everything to help them?

When I see a Barrington Stoke title in a bookshop I always pick it up and read the blurb. I wonder why our stores here in Australia don't make a bigger deal of this series - they only seem to stock one or two at any one time. I found this one in a Newsagent in Deniliquin - they added it to their children's book section (which is terrific by the way) in November last year. If you don't have any books from this series click the label on this post to see other titles. I also recognised the art on the cover of this book by Kristina Kister (The Book of Wondrous Possibilities by Deb Abela).

I have also read these historical fiction books by Lindsay Galvin:

The Great Phoenix of London

My friend the Octopus

And The Elixir reminded me of these two books:

I love all the different cover of Tuck Everlasting

I have recently discovered this series and this title would be a terrific follow on from The Elixir

Happy Birthday Winnie the Pooh 1926-2026

Pooh: “What day is it?”

Piglet: “It’s today, my favorite day.”

The character of Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by a stuffed toy that Milne had bought for his son Christopher Robin in Harrods department store, and also a bear named Winnie they had viewed at London Zoo. In this post I am going to focus on the original version with illustrations by EH Shepherd. The Disney creations date from 1961.

In my third library working as a Teacher Librarian, I had a set of handmade Winnie the Pooh toys - they were made from a sewing pattern. I wish I had kept them as I am sure they are no longer in that library:

They looked a little like this:

The actual original toys currently reside the New York City Public Library. You can see baby Roo is missing but just a few weeks ago the King and Queen of England visited the US and Camilla bought a new little Roo with her. The toy was faithfully reproduced by the company who made the original set.

There is something almost impossibly moving about the fact that Queen Camilla, one of the most prominent advocates for reading in the world today, walked into the New York Public Library in late April 2026 and did something no one had managed to do for nearly ninety years: she reunited Roo with his family. The Queen's Reading Room, her beloved literary charity born quietly on Instagram during the pandemic, brought her to the NYPL's iconic Fifth Avenue branch for a historic UK-US literacy celebration, and the guest list alone was extraordinary, Dame Anna Wintour, the legendary fashion and cultural force who has shaped taste and culture for decades, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who told a reporter ahead of the event that her 'great focus' was on funding for libraries at a time when so many face hardship. 

But it was the children in that Trustees Room who owned the day. They had been taught by broadcaster and author Gyles Brandreth to practice their bows and curtseys, and when the Queen arrived they erupted in a chorus of 'Hello, Your Majesty!' that filled the room with the kind of joy you cannot manufacture. Camilla read aloud to them from the Pooh books, her voice warm and unhurried, the way a grandmother reads, the way a best friend reads. And then, with breathtaking gentleness, she handed over the little Roo, handmade by Merrythought, Britain's oldest teddy bear maker, to NYPL President Dr. Anthony Marx, completing a collection that had waited since the 1930s to be whole. The Queen herself had said it best: 'Books are the best friends you can have, in good times and in bad.' On this day, in this library, that truth felt more alive than ever, and a tiny stuffed kangaroo, after nine decades away, finally came home."

Giles Brandreth (not pictured here) was at this event because he has written a new book about AA Milne:

Watch a video here and you can read an extract on the publisher page

You might find this book in your local or school library:

Winnie-the-Pooh quotes:

Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day.

As soon as I saw you I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.

Pooh: “I don’t feel very much like Pooh today.”

Piglet: “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do.”

Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts.

Always wear a smile, because your smile is a reason for many others to smile!

Piglet: “What’s the first thing you say to yourself in the morning?”

Pooh:”What’s for breakfast? What do you say, Piglet?”

Piglet:”I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?”

Pooh: “It’s the same thing.”

The Girl who Raced the World by Nat Harrison

Maggie is an orphan. All Maggie Appleton has is a letter written by her mother that she must deliver to a stranger but on the way the letter is taken by a policeman/detective. Maggie is distraught but she continues her journey through London having just escaped from the workhouse only to make the surprising discovery that the man who was supposed to get this letter now works as a valet for the famous explorer Phileas Fogg. I need to tell you that all of this action takes place over the first 25 pages. 

Maggie is swept up into the famous journey around the world and, as you are sure to have already guessed, and time is ticking because this unlikely crew have to be back in London in just 80 days. Maggie also needs to get her important letter back from , but she needs to keep Mr Fogg away from the Detective Fix because she knows it is not true that Phileas Fogg stole thousands of pounds from the bank. Has he been framed?

If you love trains, ships, catastrophes, wild story twists, and heroes you will devour this debut book by Nat Harrison. I read the whole book of over 300 pages in one day - yes, it is that good. This book could also be a terrific family read aloud. Oh, and I love the gold embossed cover. There are world maps scattered through this book but I would also suggest you might grab a real, old-fashioned, atlas so you can follow the around the world journey in more detail. Your young reading companion is sure, also, to ask questions about the way time works in the world and how you can jump days when you travel from west to east.

Book seller blurb: It is 1872 and, when Maggie Appleton's beloved mother dies, she is left with nothing but a letter for a mysterious stranger called Passepartout. With nowhere else to turn, Maggie seeks out Passepartout and, in doing so, is drawn into an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Together with Passepartout's employer, the enigmatic Mr Phileas Fogg, Maggie journeys to Italy, India, Hong Kong, Japan and America, in a daring race against time to win the wager Mr Fogg has accepted. But with a bank robber on the loose, an angry Inspector on their tail and unread secrets in her mother's letter, Maggie soon discovers that there is much more at stake than keeping on schedule to win the bet. Who can she really trust - and will she ever find out where she truly belongs?

Listen to an audio sample.

Maggie is a feisty and relatable character, providing an ingenious and accessible doorway to the world of late Victorian explorers and their heroic exploits. Book Trust

Each character has a distinct voice and purpose, making the group feel like a true family created through shared experiences and mutual respect. Harrison also updates moments from Verne’s original story to reflect contemporary values. Just when readers think the journey is over, Harrison invites them to imagine where Maggie and her newfound family might travel next and what new adventures await them. This is a gentle, exciting promise that the spirit of exploration and love continues beyond the final page. Children's Books Ireland

Like other readers who pick up this book I have not read the Jules Verne classic - Round the World in 80 days - so my knowledge of the plot was somewhat limited. I am telling you this because your young reader aged 10+ can easily read this new book The Girl who Raced the World with absolutely no idea about the original story. They are sure to enjoy this action-packed adventure. Some readers though might, after reading this book, which is based on the famous 1872 book, want to hunt out the Jules Verne story or perhaps read an abridged version or listen to it as an audio book. Huge thanks to Gleebooks Kids for sharing this new book with me. The Girl who Raced the World is available in paperback but if you find the hardcover edition you must lift the dust jacket - there is a terrific surprise under the cover. 

Here it is (from Instagram)

I now discover I have read several books with covers designed by Tom Clohosy Cole. (Cobweb; An Elephant in the Garden; Clifftoppers).  Here are some teaching ideas to use with The Girl who Raced the World. 

The sequel to The Girl who Raced the World is due later this year:

Companion books:

The Silver Arrow

The train to impossible places

The Boundless

On the Blue Comet

The Ship of Doom

The Pearl in the Ice

Meet the Canadian illustrator Thao Lam

Image source: House of Anansi 

About Thao Lam: Thao Lam fled from Vietnam to Canada with her family as a child. Learning English was difficult, and it was picture books that helped her understand this new world and ignited her passion for visual storytelling. She has an insatiable love for colored and textured papers, which she uses to create her exuberant collages. Source

Take a look here to read more about many of these titles.

The Paper Boat is part of the IBBY Silent Book collection and Everybelly was selected as a title for the 2026 USBBY Outstanding International Book list. 

Read the Kirkus Star review of The Paper boat. Here is a video of Thao talking about this book. 

Bookseller blurb for Thao (the book): A funny, eye-opening story about the challenges of growing up with an unfamiliar name and learning to be true to yourself, new from the critically acclaimed Thao Lam. Even though it's only four simple, familiar letters long, nobody can ever pronounce Thao's name. She's been called Theo, Tail, even Towel! But the teasing names - Tofu, Tiny, China Girl - are worse. Maybe it's time to be someone else? Thao decides to try on a different name, something easy, like Jennifer. It works, but only until she opens her lunchbox to find her mother's Vietnamese spring rolls, ... Thao's favorite! Now, it feels a lot more comfortable to be herself. Simple on the surface, this story inspired by Thao's own childhood is full of humour, heart, and important ideas of diversity, inclusion, and cultural pride. The story will be instantly relatable to readers who have ever felt different. Designed with a playful emphasis on typography, and Thao's own childhood photos added to her signature cut-paper collage, THAO champions being true to yourself and your background, and being empathetic towards others. It is a celebration of all that's in a name and the power of owning your identity.

Kirkus Star review comments:

Every Belly: Through cut-paper collage illustrations, Lam spotlights a noteworthy diversity ... 

Wallpaper: Paper-collage illustrations lend texture and depth to this fantastical story, with individual elements providing layers so real readers will want to lift them up and peek underneath. Simple shapes (triangles for trees) and careful attention to detail make complex emotions visible and real for young readers. The hand-lettered title adds to the accessibility and childlike qualities of this book. A unique and visually stunning approach to the classic dilemma of making new friends.

The Line in the Sand: The artwork uses bold pops of color and geometric designs to tell an elegant, profound story.

Meet the Canadian illustrator Elly Mackay

Butterfly Park

Bio: Elly MacKay is an acclaimed paper artist and award-winning children’s bookmaker. She is the author and illustrator of a number of picture books, including In the Clouds and Red Sky at Night, and has illustrated, among others The Enchanted Symphony by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton and I A a Meadow Mermaid and The Secret Fawn by Kallie George. Before pursuing a career in picture books, she taught in schools and was an educator in galleries. Elly lives in the winter kingdom of Owen Sound, Ontario, where she and her family often search for snow dragons in the gardens and fields nearby. 

Read about her process here and see all of her picture books. I am attending the IBBY Congress in Ottawa - hopefully Elly Mackay will be there too sharing her wonderful work.

Here is an interview with Marmalade Books. You might like to follow her work on Instagram.

Kirkus review comments:

The Bunny Ballet: Though select stylistic elements invoke the pastoral aesthetic of Little Golden Books of yore, MacKay’s art is something special, a marriage of vintage and contemporary in its ethereal dreaminess and Technicolor detail. The result is an enchanting bedtime incantation, one that’s light on narrative tension and rich in immersive loveliness. (Star review)

The Tallest Treehouse: MacKay’s backlit dioramas, suffused with watery colors, glow gauzily. Moss greens and dawn pinks conjure the light-skinned fairies’ forest, a place that feels both familiar and faraway. 

Here is a list of her newest and forthcoming titles:

• The Island of Wild Horses. by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2028.
• Fox Fairies. by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2027.
• A Forest Begins Anew by Louise Aamodt. Ill. by Elly MacKay. Astra Young Readers, 2026.
• Twelve Daring Grays: A Whale Migration Adventure by Nora Nickum. Ill. by Elly MacKay. Candlewick, 2026.
• The Bunny Ballet. Written by Nora Ericson, Ill. by Elly MacKay. Abrams, 2025.

MacKay’s captivating ink and paper illustrations were layered and enhanced with wire, colored filters, and light and then photographed for a glowing and serene three-dimensional effect. The speckled whales seem ready to splash off the page in each dioramic scene. Kirkus Star review

And here are all her previous titles:

• Frostfire. by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2024.
• The Enchanted Symphony. by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton. Abrams Kids, 2023.
• I Am a Meadow Mermaid. by Kallie George. Tundra, 2023.
• Zap! Clap! Boom! Written by Laura Purdie Salas. Bloomsbury, 2023.
• Too Early. Written by Nora Ericson. Abrams, 2022.
• In The Clouds. by Elly MacKay. Tundra Books, 2022.
• Hidden Treasure. by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2021.
• The Secret Fawn. by Kallie George. Tundra Books, 2021.
• The Tallest Treehouse. Running Press Kids, 2019.
• Red Sky at Night. Tundra Books, 2018.
• Waltz of the Snowflakes. Running Press Kids, 2017.
• Maya. by Mahak Jain. Owlkids, 2016.
• Beach Baby. by Laurie Elmquist.  Orca, 2016.
• Butterfly Park. by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2015.
• Shadow Chasers. by Elly MacKay. Running Press Kids, 2014.
• Fall Leaves. by Loretta Holland.  Clarion Books, 2014.

And I now discover Elly Mackay did the cover for A most magical girl by Australian author Karen Foxlee.

Cyril and Pat by Emily Gravett

Cheeky yet sincere. Kirkus

Cyril thought he was living alone in the park until the day he met Pat. Pat is grey and Cyril is sure Pat is another squirrel but is he? Other park dwellers can see the 'truth' but Cyril can only see a friend! Until the day someone blurts out the word rat. Does this mean the end of their friendship?

A colourful, rhyming story about friendship against the odds which is enhanced by illustrations that are witty, detailed, expressive and atmospheric. Funny and endearing, Cyril’s experience celebrates independent thought and the joy of difference. Book Trust

The really lucky thing about a charity bookfair is when people clear out their bookshelves and donate brand new books. Yes Cyril and Pat was published in 2018 but I would guess this book was only read once or twice in a family. It was purchased from a local bookstore in July 2018. I picked this book up partly because I really like books by Emily Gravett but also because this book (only AUS$4) had an intact dust jacket and the copy is in mint condition. The case reveal is wonderful (that's the surprise you find under the dust jacket) and here it is:

A fun topic to explore with your library group or class could be 'unlikely friends'. If you click the label on this post you will find more books on this theme. I especially love the two Bear and Chook books. And another book series featuring a squirrel are the books by Smriti Halls.

Emily Gravett won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2005 for her debut book Wolves and then again in 2008 for Little Mouse's book of Fears.

Kirkus Star review

Kirkus Star review

I recently read this wonderful book for readers aged 10+: