Vicky and June: Friends at Play

This 64- page, early chapter book, shares five short stories

about these two friends. Short sentence structure,

repetitive elements, and accessible vocabulary

make this book a wonderful choice for

​kids learning to read on their very own. Patricia Toht

Yes this book does have short sentences, accessible vocabulary etc but forget about that - it is not a reader - this book is a real story that young, newly independent readers are sure to enjoy and laugh over and perhaps even relate to as these unlikely friends - hedgehog (June) and squirrel (Vicky) discover that it is okay to like different things - blue or red, cake or biscuits, reading or playing, and follow the leader or hide and seek. Going back to those colour differences - wait a minute red and blue make purple - that's a great colour too!

You may know that I am always on the look out for junior or beginner or easy chapter books with satisfying stories and hopefully full colour illustrations. The Vicky and June series fit these criteria. Yes, these books are a little expensive here in Australia (AUS$18) but if you can find the money I highly recommend you consider adding these to your library.

Bookseller blurb: Join Vicky and June - the very best of friends - as they play, chat and laugh together in this first book in a charming new chapter book series from beloved author Patricia Toht. Vicky the squirrel likes games that are loud and fast, like follow the leader (and she's always the leader). June the hedgehog prefers to read, or play quiet games like hide and seek. But Vicky thinks June is a little too good at hiding! Vicky and June like different things, but they are best friends, and best friends can always find something they both enjoy. ... Vicky and June's beautifully illustrated adventures are full of warmth, humour and sweet, treasured moments. Join these best friends as they explore their cosy woodland world across four charming chapters in the first book in this brand-new series. Perfect to read aloud together, or for children who are just starting to read by themselves.

The second book in this series is coming soon:

International Award Winners Announced

On the same day we heard the news about the Hans Christian Andersen Award winners (one for writing and one for Illustration) and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award winner.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books. Given every other year by IBBY, the Hans Christian Andersen Awards recognize lifelong achievement and are presented to an author and an illustrator whose complete works have made an important, lasting contribution to children's literature. The Author's Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator's Award since 1966. The Award consists of a gold medal and a diploma, presented at a festive ceremony during the biennial IBBY Congress. 

And the winner for writing is .... Michael Rosen. Read my post from 2024. And here is his web page.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Michael Rosen's Reading Manifesto:

1. Reading books helps children make the most of what school and the world offer them.

2. Books give children language, thoughts, ideas and feelings.

3. Books show them places and times and cultures very near and dear to them.

4. Books show them places and times and cultures they may not have come across before.

5. Books help children walk in other people’s shoes, seeing things from someone else’s point of view.

6. Books help children see that they are not alone.

7. We have to do what we can to put books into children’s hands.

8. We have to do what we can to find space and time for children to talk about books.

9. We have to celebrate children’s books.

10. Children’s books are for everyone because we are all children at some time or another.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is a global award given annually to a person or organisation for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature. With a prize of five million Swedish kronor, it is the largest award of its kind. Above all else, it highlights the importance of reading, today and for future generations.

And the winner is ... Canadian author/illustrator Jon Klassen. Read more here. 

Extra Yarn

Check out my previous posts about the ALMA for 2026 and the HCAA ten short listed authors and illustrators. The 2026 HCAA Illustrator winner is Chinese artist Cia Gao. I don't think any of her books have been translated into English but I expect that will now happen following on from this award.  You can read her dossier. There are links here on the IBBY page. 

Previous ALMA winners include our Australian Indigenous Literacy Foundation; Shaun Tan; Sonya Hartnett; Jacqueline Woodson; Christine Nostlinger (Conrad the story of a factory-made boy); Laurie Halse Andersen; and Maurice Sendak.

Previous HCAA winners for writing include Patrician Wrightson (Australia); Jacqueline Woodson; David Almond; Margaret Mahy; Martin Waddell; Aiden Chambers; Katherine Paterson; and Astrid Lindgren. Previous HCAA winners for illustration include Maurice Sendak; Mitsumasa Anno; Robert Ingpen (Australia); Lisbeth Zwerger; Anthony Browne; Max Velthuijs (Frog is frog); Roberto Innocenti; Roger Mello; Suzy Lee; and Sydney Smith. 

Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett illustrated by Carson Ellis

Employing a conversational style, Barnett offers a fresh and immensely entertaining take on an old story Kirkus Star review

Hopefully you do know the Grimm Brothers fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin but if you don't you could read this version. 

The best picture books are a partnership between author and illustrator. Carson Ellis has so carefully crafted amazing illustrations for this book and Mac Barnett adds a delicious layer of humour. 

"Her father, a poor miller, was a nice enough guy but he had a big mouth."

"My daughter ... She's really great' (It's true. She was.) ... And ... 'she can spin straw into gold.' (Of course, she couldn't.)

"And soon the queen had a child, a boy she named Tom. (A pretty nice thing to do all things considered.)

The list of names are sure to have your students or young reading companion in fits of laughter - Baxter, Thaxter, Cuthbert ... and Mac! to name just a few. 

Vocabulary: bragged, retinue, sauntered, and chalice. 

Publisher blurb: Once upon a time there was a clever girl with a not-so-clever father. When her father claims she can spin straw into gold, the king forces the girl to perform this impossible task. She has no other choice than to accept a strange deal from a mysterious little man. But when he arrives and attempts to collect the debt, the fiendish trickster Rumpelstiltskin discovers that he is the one who has been tricked! 

This is the second in the groundbreaking new collection of masterfully retold fairy tales crafted by one of today's most celebrated and esteemed authors, Mac Barnett, paired with the stunning illustrations of the acclaimed and award-winning creator, Carson Ellis. With Barnett's signature pacing and wit, his subversive storytelling style and narrative voice, and Ellis's stunning folk-art style, this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin will introduce this classic story to a new generation of readers!

Think about the language used on this page: The little man swept into the room. 'And if I do it once more,' said the man, 'what will you give me?' The girl shook her head. 'I have nothing left. I gave you my necklace. My ring. I am bereft.' And she paused to consider her fate. But the little man smiled. 'I'll make you a deal. If you become queen, give your first child to me.' Well, who knew if that would ever happen. So the girl said, 'Deal.' And the man spun the straw into gold."

After you read and re-read Rumpelstiltskin you should take a look at this interview with Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis and have the book beside you so you can see the images and decisions they are discussing. And then take this deep dive into the illustrations. In this video Mac and Carson talk about their book. Sadly our Australian copy of this book has no dust jacket but if you live in the US be sure to look for the case reveal. 

A great new Rumpelstiltskin version for every library. Waking Brain Cells

Carson Ellis’s painterly gouache illustrations, inspired by 18th century fairy tale art and portraiture of the Renaissance era are a great complement to the telling, while the black and white illustrations resemble wood-block prints. Red Reading Hub

It would be good to share this book with a high school group. For example you could talk about the way this image is reminiscent of well-known paintings of the Madonna and child. Take a look here.

I highly recommend you share this picture book by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis with the students in your library (ages 9+). Hopefully you will have time to read the book, then go back and look at each page and talk about the decisions made by Carson Ellis and also it would be fantastic to then read a couple of other illustrated versions of this fairy tale (see below). Here is a very useful set of teaching ideas from the publisher Scholastic. See lots more Mac Barnett books here. I especially recommend one of his older titles - Billy Twitters and his Blue whale problem. Here is my Meet Mac Barnett post. 

I was slightly shocked when Colby Sharp talked about reading Rumpelstiltskin to his Grade Five class only to discover many/most of the group were not familiar with this fairy tale - I do hope he has now shared other versions with his class and perhaps gone even further and delved into other 'important' fairy tales that readers need to know. There are so many references to fairy tales in literature, in advertising and in cartoons. We do kids a disservice if we don't build up their field knowledge of this important cannon. By coincidence I have just read Once Upon Tomorrow which is a book for readers aged 16+ and which interweaves the story of the miller's daughter and the character of Rumpelstiltskin. This brand-new dystopian verse novel is by Australian author Karen Comer. 

See inside this version here

Look for this fairy tale version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff also by Mac Barnett with his friend Jon Klassen:

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Here are two books illustrated by Carson Ellis:

I am Ray's Imaginary Friend by Brian Moses illustrated by Bethan Welby

Ray needs help. That is the purpose of an imaginary friend and that is why Jacob arrives. Ray is desperately upset because his family are moving away from their small village to a larger town. Ray loves his house and his school and his friends. Change is hard and Ray is determined to make his parents change their minds but nothing seems to be working. Jacob cannot makes things better he can only listen and watch and this is especially awful when Ray runs away. 

The family do eventually move and even though Ray would not admit this it is all not quite as bad as he expected. His dog likes the backyard, the kids at school let him join in with their soccer game and he actually scores a goal. Over the days and weeks Ray begins to settle in and then the war in Ukraine begins and mum and dad decide to help by offering two of their spare rooms to a woman and her son.

When I saw I am Ray's Imaginary Friend (released March 2026) in a large chain bookstore the cover caught my eye and then flipping the book open I saw it was a verse novel and I really love that form. I read the first page and then thought - no I am not sure about this book (I will explain this in a moment) but the cover kept drawing me in so I quickly (in the store) googled a few book reviews and when I read one of the reviews I have quoted below I knew I had to read this book.

I did enjoy I am Ray's Imaginary Friend but it didn't quite have enough of an emotional impact for me. It took me until page 110 to really settle into this story. 

Initially with the focus on the humour found in the name of the village in which Ray’s family live, Pratt’s Bottom, the reader expects this to follow a particular route. However within a few pages this gradually develops into a story with a focus on anxiety and empathy and with the wise, witty and appealing imaginary friend narrating offers hope and guidance to young readers who may feel as Ray does. The big themes incorporated into the story are dealt with in an age appropriate and gentle manner increasing the encouraging and comforting tone of the writing. In addition to the potential house move, the experience of a homeless man and a Ukrainian family seeking refuge feature in the plot but this never feels like an “issues” book that may overwhelm youngsters. A Library Lady

The village where Ray lives is called Pratt's Bottom and I thought oh no this will be another 'toilet humor' story but NO I was wrong. In the UK villages are called ... Bottom because this word means bottom of the hill or bottom of the valley. Here are some real villages with this name: Green Bottom (Cornwall); Hammer Bottom (Sussex); Scratchy Bottom (Dorset); Paradise Bottom (North Somerset); and Honey Bottom (Berkshire).  There are lots in the USA too!

And Pratt's Bottom is a real place: Pratts Bottom is a village in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. The village's name is derived from the Pratt family who lived in the area in the 14th century, and "bottom" in this context refers to a valley or hollow. Prior to the 19th century, the village was even on a toll road between London and Hastings, frequented by smugglers and highwaymen, with Dick Turpin himself a rumoured patron of the local pub.

Australian readers aged 9+ might ask about the football (soccer) aspect of this story. Ray is fiercely loyal to Manchester United or Man U. The kids in his new school go for Man City (Manchester City) or Arsenal or Liverpool. 

Quietly brilliant, this is a book that explores coping with change and becoming mentally stronger and the powerful influence of empathy. The latter in particular is brought out beautifully in Bethan Welby’s black and white drawings. It’s a must read ... Red Reading Hub

Read an interview with the author. I do love the illustrations in this book by Bethan Welby. Her work reminded me of our wonderful Australian illustrator Ann James. 

Here are some other books about imaginary friends that I highly recommend:

O'Diddy 

(My most favourite read aloud about an imaginary friend but sadly long out of print)

Leo and Ralph

Bob

Crenshaw

Tish

The Surface Trials by HM Waugh

Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats. HM Waugh

Groups of kids who live on different planets are sent to complete a trial as a way to enter the Starquest Academy, an exclusive institution dedicated to training future Planeticians. The title uses the word surface because on one level the surface of this planet is terrifying and dangerous beyond almost your wildest imagination. The danger is mostly from enormous 'man eating' plants. Yes I did say plants! And there are also huge man-eating insects too. If you fall into one of the plants it immediately starts to digest you. The word surface, though, also refers to the way these kids judge each other. How much each of the kids in the group we are following are prepared to reveal to the others - to go under the surface. One kid is not who he seems, one kid has dangerous extra powers, and one kid is utterly selfish and out to win at all costs including jeopardising the lives his own team mates.

"During the trials, candidates will be judged on their ... courage, teamwork, innovation and exploration. Assessors will be looking for resilience, assertiveness, empathy and creativity."

Adding to all this pressure the kids are being watched and filmed and this is broadcast on televisions all over the universe. Every kid in this team has watched all the previous trials. They know the rules, they know how easily they can be eliminated. Every moment, every interaction has to be carefully enacted because they are being watched. And this is a race because they have to reach the end in just three days so they can be picked up and return to safety. Survival means looking out for yourself but one of the rules is about teamwork and co-operation. What should they do if helping the team stands in the way of winning?

Bookseller blurb: 

Three days, three clues, one hungry planet.

Constant surveillance.

The entire universe watching every move.

Some will shatter. Most will fail.

A select few will make it through, instant celebrities.

Welcome to the Surface Trials. The only way into Starquest Academy. For Amethyst Antares, Starquest Academy offers an escape from the prison of her home planet. For Rian - the uber-famous and expertly-disguised heir to the universe's two greatest dynasties - failure to get into his own academy is not an option. And Deneb? Well, he's an outlier... But this year not everything goes to plan, and Amethyst and her squad find themselves playing for more than Starquest admission. To survive, they'll have to outsmart carnivorous creatures, share dangerous secrets, maintain trust and embrace the most shocking truth in the galaxy. Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Here are a couple of text quotes:

"Panic flooded him, and he fought it back, knowing they were already being watched. Wherever they were about to land, he had to believe he had the skills to make it."

"Daneb shot out, slime oozing all around him, the goo dotted with carcasses of breeders and viperwasps and other unrecogisable things. "

"There were no such things as alien ruins. Through all the worlds that humans had spread to, no hint of other human-level intelligence had ever been found. That's what gave humanity the right to take over all these new planets."

I think lovers of science fiction will enjoy this book, and as someone who does not read a lot of science fiction, it’s a really nice introduction to the genre. Not too heavy or technical at all. It gets things in a nice balance to appeal to all readers who like adventure stories or who want to try science fiction without being overwhelmed by too much of the technical aspects of the genre. And the way it ended made me wonder if it is part of a duology or series, so it will be interesting to see if it is. But it also works as a standalone, and this is what makes it a great book to read when trying out this genre, and it fits in nicely with other books HM Waugh has written over the years as well. The Book Muse

I was interested to read this book because it was a 2026 CBCA Younger Readers Notable title but I am going to say right up front this is book will much better suit an older reader aged 12+. Reviewers consistently compare this book to other YA titles - The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. 

Here are the CBCA Judges' comments:

I seem to have read quite a few Science Fiction books recently. Here are a few:

The Touchstone

The Experiment

We do not welcome our ten-year-old overlord

I previously read this book by HM Waugh - her debut.

The Lost Stone of Skycity

HM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has been kidnapped twice, handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.

Myra in the Middle by Seetha Dodd illustrated by Peter Cheong

Think about the expression cup half full or cup half empty. Myra feels as though her cup in empty. Her new baby brother has just arrived so now she is the middle kid.

"I've been the youngest member of the Menon family for seven years and nine months. So, for a minute I'm confused. Then I realise she means Zeeshan, of course. He's the youngest one now. Anya's the oldest child, but she's always been the oldest. It's only me who has to change."

You can see Myra on the cover playing soccer (football). Her parents are distracted with the new baby but they do give permission for Myra to try out for the team.

"Grace is a striker, so she will get to score the goals. April is a goalkeeper, so she must stop the other team from scoring. My heart goes THUMP THUMP THUMP. What about me? Where an I going to be?"

The coach, Mr Ellis, sends her to the middle.

"Nothing exciting happens in the middle of a soccer pitch. All I do is get the ball and pass it to Grace."

The third issue is school. Myra feels invisible and her teacher confirms this by always mixing her up with another classmate. I cheered when Myra finally found her voice and calmly wrote her name on the white board after solving a maths problem. AND the teacher was so gracious with her response too.

Myra makes a list - There are so many bad things about being in the middle - squashed in the back seat of the car with no window to look out of; ignored like piggy in the middle; invisible like the hole of a doughnut; and lost like in the middle of nowhere. I really enjoyed the way Myra set out her concerns in little tables and Venn diagrams. 

Luckily for Myra, her grandmother Muthashi lives with the family. She is so wise and she is a listener. I loved the way she used a simple cream filled biscuit to show Myra just how important the middle can be!

Soccer fans will enjoy chapters 18 and 19 which describe the match you may have anticipated from the cover. This book is easy to read with larger print, 167 illustrated pages and a fast paced honest story about fitting in and change and family. This book will be enjoyed by readers aged 7+. 

Thanks to UQP for sending me a review copy of Myra in the Middle. 

Publisher blurb: Seven-year-old Myra likes maths, football and things staying the same. She lives with her mum, dad, Muthashi (grandma) and big sister, Anya. Her world flips upside down when her family welcomes a new baby. Myra is now a middle child – and everyone knows middle kids always get forgotten. On top of that, Myra tries out for the school’s soccer team, only to be put in the midfield. She can’t show off her skills when nothing exciting ever happens there! What will it take for Myra to feel marvellous in the middle?

A heartfelt story for readers aged 5 to 8 about speaking up for yourself (and others!) and standing out – not by being the loudest, but by being yourself. Readings

Myra’s handwritten wordplay and puzzles; the generous use of white space; and appealing black-and-white line drawings by Peter Cheong all contribute to the text being inviting to a newly confident reader. ... This book will have broad appeal to children aged 6-8, particularly children from migrant families who will be excited to see themselves in the funny, thoughtful, chatty character of Myra. Storylinks

Large print and line spacing make Myra in the Middle a great book for young readers moving from junior novels up to longer chapter books. Myra loves maths and uses it to sort day to day problems, showing readers that Maths is present in everyday life, not just the classroom. What book Next

Seetha Dodd is an emerging children’s author who loves wordplay, humorous rhyme and lyrical prose. Her fiction has been published in The School Magazine and in print and audio anthologies by Spineless Wonders and Hunter Writers’ Centre. Drawing on her Malaysian–Indian heritage, and themes of family, identity and belonging, Seetha writes stories that empower children to challenge stereotypes and to celebrate uniqueness in all forms. She lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with her husband and three children. Myra in the Middle is her debut novel. 

Rosa by Starlight by Hilary McKay

Such is the power of a story like Rosa by Starlight I had to keep putting this book down to take a break because I was so worried about young Rosa. Her despicable aunt and uncle most certainly mean to harm her. Yes I do mean murder her!

When Rosa was four her parents were killed in an accident. The kindly neighbors tried to look after her but they were elderly and she was so young. There was great relief when an aunt and uncle arrived. Now Rosa would be cared for. But who are these people? The aunt locks Rosa in her room each night. They empty the house of all clutter and memories. Rosa loved the apple tree in her garden. They chop it down. Rosa loves to read an old book of fairy tales left by her parents. Her aunt throws it away. I can hear you gasping. Luckily Rosa is a brave and resourceful girl. She learns how to climb out of her bedroom and takes solace in the quiet evenings and star filled sky. She is also able to retrieve her precious book each time it is taken. Rosa does have one friend - the cat from next door named Balthazaar.

The aunt and uncle sell fake grass (although no one is allowed to use that term). They have a plan to grow rich by selling their product all over the world and so that is why Rosa finds herself in Venice. Her aunt and uncle deposit her in an old rundown hotel - they stay somewhere else. No one speaks English but the owners of the hotel are very kind. Rosa is lonely in Venice but she does find some cats for company. Then comes the scene where she stumbles upon her Aunt and Uncle on the Rialto Bridge. 

"I believe there is a very strong current under the centre of the bridge. If we both take one arm, do you think we could manage?' ... Their voices were so calm, do detached, that Rosa couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was it a dream? Was it a joke? Why was her uncle peering earnestly over the parapet? ... 'All being well, our troubles will simply vanish, so let us make haste, my sweet."

Have you worked this out?  They plan to throw Rosa off the bridge. Luckily magic takes over ... 

Orphans in stories like this usually have to suffer some hardship - think of The Willoughbys; the children in A Series of Unfortunate Events; and The Unadoptables. But unlike these examples, where I knew the orphan or orphans would be okay - the dangers she faces and potential murder of young Rosa felt so very real - I was living in this story set in Venice with all the twisting alleys and the threat of falling into the dangerous waters of the canal. 

Bookseller blurb: Rosa lives in a world where she discovers there is magic. It arrives with Balthazar, a large black cat, just when she needs it most. Even so, it takes all her courage to stay hopeful and adventurous when her dreadful aunt and uncle move into her life. And when she finds herself abandoned in the ancient city of Venice, can magic help her then? Perhaps it can. The stars are watching, and there are lots of cats in Venice.

Reading a review of Rosa by Starlight from Just Imagine I learned a new word: chiaroscuro effect. It means the strong contrast between light and dark. Another reviewer used the words "a charming Ghibli-esque tale of a girl..."

Whilst Rosa’s story is a heart-wrenching exploration of loneliness, told through the window of magical realism, it is also a story imbued with a sense of awe and a feeling of hope.  The Venetian setting of shadows and light adds to the magic of the story and gives the reader a sense of being ‘outside of reality’ as they explore the Venice Rosa experiences from its hotels and piazzas to its bridges and waterways … and her unique bond with its feline friends. Book Craic

There are some golden moments, with Rosa desperately trying to get admitted into an orphanage or else irritating every person on her plane journey by asking the stewards to repeat their demonstration as she had not understood it first time round. The atmosphere of Venice at its most beguiling – and sometimes dangerous – is also well caught, backed up by Keith Robinson’s beautiful line drawings. Books for Keeps

Born in Boston, Lincolnshire, Hilary McKay grew up in a household of readers and read voraciously from an early age. After studying Botany and Zoology at St Andrews University, she went on to work as a biochemist, but always wanted to write. Hilary's novels have won numerous awards including the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Smarties Award and the Whitbread Children's Book Award. She lives in a small village in Derbyshire with her family. She is the author of over forty books. I previously talked about The Skylarks War and I now discover there is a sequel - The Swallows Flight (Kirkus Star review). Some years ago I also read Straw into Gold. 

Companion books to read after Rosa by Starlight:

The Hotel Balzaar

Eloise and the Bucket of Stars

The Secret Starling

Journey to the River Sea