The High Street by Alice Melvin

Sally's in the High Street and this is what she needs ...

a yellow rose,

a garden hose,

a bunch of grapes,

some roller skates,

a cockatoo,

a tin kazoo,

a Persian rug,

a stripy jug,

a cherry tart,

a candy heart.

As you turn each page we see Sally enter each shop to make her purchases. Number one is a sweet shop; number two is a bakery; the china shop is number three; and there are antiques in number four. You can probably guess where she finds cockatoo, roller skates, grapes, and a hose but how will she find a yellow rose?

Each shop has a short rhyming text description and a fold out so readers can head inside each store. 

This shows the way the pages in this book fold open

There is something so deliciously old-fashioned about The High Street. ... From sweetshop to hardware shop, from antiques shop to greengrocer’s, for many children, looking inside these shops via the medium of this book will be a real discovery ... The High Street manages to convey the sense of wonder that a child would feel when entering these shops. The clever use of flaps allows to have first a view of the shop closed and as Sally enters, the young reader can open the flap and find himself stepping inside the shop too ... Library Mice

In 2007 you could even buy a little flat pack to go with The High Street:

From the author web page: A little girl called Sally travels down the titular High Street with a very eclectic shopping list. As she visits each shop the reader can open up the throw-out pages to reveal the life behind the shop front. I have always loved doll’s houses, and I think this book grew out of fond memories of opening up a tiny house to peep at the hidden world inside. I wanted to fill the book with details of the life both in and above the shops: the bustling café above the bakery; the band practicing in the music shop and the pigeon loft in the pet-shop roof. Now translated into nine different languages it's lovely to know that this book has been enjoyed around the world.

On social media I saw a post with a list of books that could be perfect for budding architects and this book The High Street caught my eye. Luckily for me I found it in a library this week. 

The post listed six titles - here are the other five: Georgian House Picture Book (Usborne); The House with the Little Red Door (Thames and Hudson); At Home in a Book (Penguin); Our House by Trudie Trewin (Scholastic); and Need a House call Ms Mouse.

Here are some other books I'd add to this list.:

A House that once was

If I built a house

The Hidden House

Boy oh boy I do wish I had discovered this book The High Street when it was published in 2011. I would most certainly have added it to my school library and possibly even gifted it to a friend or two AND I would have loved to put this book into the hands of a Kindergarten teacher to read alongside the Squeak Street series by Emily Rodda. This book would also be a fabulous read aloud to a preschool group. AND I now discover Alice Melvin is the illustrator of this book which I own and love:

Mouse's Wood

You could also pair The High Street with other stories about shopping lists with repeated refrains such as Shoes from Grandpa (Mem Fox); and Don't forget the bacon (Pat Hutchins).

Jane Yolen (1939-2026)

Image source: Wired Jan 23, 2013

A number of sad things happened to me today but the one that made me cry was reading that the world has lost the enormous talent of Jane Yolen. Of course we do have her books - books! Her final book was number 450. I would love to go to a library in the US and find all 450 that would be so fabulous.  Here are just a handful that I have shared on this blog beginning with one of my most favourite picture books to read aloud - Owl Moon.

Here is a brief biography and a partial list of her amazing books. And here is an interview from 2014 with Kidlit. 

Here is the Facebook post from her daughter: It is with profound sadness that I, along with my brothers Adam Stemple and Jason Stemple, share the news of our mother, Jane Yolen's passing. As you all probably know, she had one of the most brilliant creative minds of our time. This year, her 450th book published. She has been awarded 6 honorary doctorates and too many awards to mention here. She has mentored, inspired, and nurtured so many authors and illustrators through her words both on the page and off. But, beyond that, she was our mother and grandmother. ... But friends and fans alike, please know that she passed gently with no pain or stress, with my brother Adam’s music filling the room and me reading Owl Moon to her one last time.

Owl Moon

The Seeing Stick

I am the Storm

Love Birds

Switching on the Moon

Where have the unicorns gone?

The Stranded Whale

A Plague of Unicorns

How to Spot a Mermaid

Take Two

A kite for Moon

Sleeping Ugly

There are over 25 books in this series

Read my post about this book: Attack of the Black Rectangles

I am very keen to see this new book about the life of Robert Louis Stevenson:

Read more about this book here

You can read some Kirkus reviews of books by Jane Yolen.  

I am also keen to see these:

The largest single anthology of Jane Yolen's poetry, containing more than one hundred poems for all occasions-with fun black-and-white art throughout - 208 pages

The Last Word by AL Tait

I wonder which character in this story matches the author's own life experience. Her descriptions of the way Hayley flicks her hair resonated with me - I went to a High School where I was bullied by girls just like Hayley and her 'gang'. I now call girls (adult women) like this 'ponytail girls'. I laughed and cringed when I read:

"Hayley pouted her hair swinging like a pendulum. She used her hair a lot, Matilda noted, ... If Hayley wasn't pulling the end of her ponytail pensively, she was cocking her head just so in a move guaranteed to make it swish. Did she practice at home? ... surely no-one would actively spend time perfecting something like that? Surely?"

"flicking her hair over her shoulder."  AND "her sleek ponytail bouncing as she walked."

Bookseller blurb: There are two things Matilda Bell can count on: her best friend, Gemma, and being top of every class. But this year, everything has changed. Gemma has moved away, leaving Matilda all alone at school, and Will O’Connor has moved to town. Not only does Will disrupt every lesson—Matilda’s pet hate—but he’s somehow matching her grades with zero effort. If only Matilda could ignore him ... but Will gets under her skin in a way that no-one else ever has. When Will is forced to join the debating team, he and Matilda spend more time arguing with each other than winning debates. With their team losses mounting up, Gemma ignoring her calls and old enemies getting up to new tricks, Matilda feels like her life is out of control. Can Matilda find a way to work with Will so they can win as a team? Or will they end up hating each other in the process?

I do have one tiny quibble with this book - the publisher Scholastic say this series, called Two Hearts, is "a collection of standalone clean romance stories written by well-known Australian authors. Each title explores the excitement and challenges of first crushes and early relationships — with no sexual content and plenty of heart. The series’ bright, contemporary covers and strong branding signal to both readers and parents that this is romance for tweens done right."  I wish this description did not use the work tweens. I think this romance story will better suit junior high school readers aged 12+. It feels to me that today we are in too much of a rush to have our Primary School aged kids 'grow up'. The characters in this story are in Grade 8 in High School - character ages can be an easy way to judge the audience for a book. The bullying that happens to Matilda is cruel and emotionally wounding. 

"Hayley was clever in that mean, underhanded way that rats and cats were clever. She was also very pretty which meant people often didn't see ger teeth and claws until it was too late."

Will is also a complex character but we know only a little of his circumstances. Readers need to 'join the dots' to make sense of his changing moods and of course the whole story is told through Matilda's eyes. Finally, I know Primary students participate in debating competitions but again this is an aspect of the story, that yes I enjoyed but it is one that I do think more likely to appeal to a junior high school reader. And to my eye the cover is also designed to appeal to readers aged 12+.

Here is another text quote that deeply affected me:

"the betrayal was more painful than anything she'd ever felt. This was worse than Gemma ghosting her. It was worse than the nauseating numbness of being eight and having to pretend everything was okay as she'd sat in an empty room full of streamers and party hats. ... How did you argue with a bully who went straight to insults? You didn't, you just put your head down and walked away, trying not to make things worse ..."

Joy Lawn, a very respected Australian children's book reviewer, disagrees with me. In her view this book is perfect for 'tweens' - take a look at her review here. 

I was pleased to see the Kids' Book reviewer use the words 'early adolescence' when talking about The Last Word but then this reviewer labels the book 10+ which I think is too young. 

Alison Tait taps into a sophisticated understanding of how young people experience the often-difficult years of becoming teenagers, school life, friendships, bullies, love, and romance, and creates a compelling, multilayered story. Buzz Words

Here is the Reading Time review with lots of plot details.

I read The Last Word almost in one sitting so in spite of my criticisms this is a book that will appeal to young adolescents - especially girls who might relate to the peer group dilemmas faced by Matilda and they will also enjoy her slowly unfolding of her relationship with Will. I also enjoyed 'meeting' Will who approaches school and their debating competitions in a different and quite refreshing way. 

You can hear AL Tait reading the first 20 pages of her book here.

These are the books from the Two Hearts series by Kate Forster, Laura Sieveking, AL Tait and Yvette Poshoglian. As I said previously in this post to my eye the covers seem aimed at a Young Adult reader. I do like the way each book has decorated page edges. 

I previously talked about these books by AL Tait:

Danger Road

Willow Bright's secret plot

The First Summer of Callie McGee

The Dragon Snare by Rhiannon Williams

"In Synstar, the year of turning from twelve to thirteen was called the twilight year. It marked passing from the bight colourful day of youth to the deep, starlit night of adulthood. The Twilight Tournament was named for this age. Only those in their twilight year could complete ... "

Henry is twelve and so this will be the year he can compete. Three tournament winners become knights, but Henry is a lowly kennel boy. He has tried to practice but he has no real sword and no armour. He decides to take his few coins called pentacles and ask the Oracle. She tells him about a sword, a secret sword which has an ancient and powerful spell woven into the steel and the Oracle tells him exactly where to find this sword.

He does find it but wielding it has terrible consequences and once used the power is gone and now it is only two weeks until the tournament. Using the sword as dawn is breaking a shooting star streaks across the sky followed by a monstrous dragon. 

"A thunderous roar filled the sky and an enormous dragon with black and gold scales hit the ground."

And as she lands Henry's little dog squid leaps in to defend his master. Henry grabs the magical sword and "They were gone." The dragon is now a girl - her name is Snare and his dog Squid, is now a small boy. 

There are three plot points that propel this story forward: Henry is determined to compete and become a knight; Snare needs to regain her form as a dragon and return to Dracath land of the dragons and there is one more thread. The opening chapter of The Dragon Snare is a prequel. One month ago Henry stumbled on Nialla Princess of Synstar. Days later she was declared missing and then word arrives that she has drowned. 

At times reading this book I needed a character list - so I have made one:

• Henry Haddow - an orphan working in the royal kennels his ambition is to become a knight
• Snare - a 99 year old dragon now in the form of a human girl but with supernatural powers and a predisposition for acquiring treasure
• Squid - once a disobedient small dog and now a loyal but bewildered young boy
• Bridie - apprentice healer working for Merel
• Nialla Princess of Synstar - she has disappeared and later her body is found
• Queen Ravina- over whelmed with grief over the loss of her daughter she has great powers
• King Bardo - desperate to help his wife. He has the loyalty of his people.
• Yort - master of the hounds
• Seraphy - a healer dog (this quality is called tac). 

Blurb from author page: Ever since he was orphaned in the Dragon War, thirteen-year-old Henry Haddow has lived with the dogs in the castle's kennels – and that's where he's expected to stay. But Henry dreams of becoming a knight. His one chance is to compete for a coveted novice spot in the Twilight Tournament, and when he discovers a magical sword that will grant him a single wish, he knows he can win. That is, until he accidentally uses the magical sword in a chance encounter with a dragon named Snare, and it transforms her into a teenage girl. Henry is horrified. Snare is furious. They both live by the law that neither humans nor dragons may enter the lands of the other; it’s the only thing preventing another war. But a dragon trapped in a human body can enter Henry’s city undetected … and seek revenge. 

How amazing - thank you Hardie Grant Books - The Dragon Snare has stenciled or decorative page edges. We don't see this very often here in Australia especially on kids' books. This feature makes the book look extra appealing. 

Here are a couple of text quotes to give you a flavour of this story:

"Listen. Tonight, I'm going to the castle library to figure out how to fix this.' It was his best option for information, but he couldn't risk it during the day. He was only allowed in certain parts of the castle, and the library wasn't one of them."

"Humans and dragons were two fundamentally different species, and, according to the histories, they had almost never co-existed peacefully. The dragons kept pushing the borders, expanding their land. They did not thrive in big communities like humans did. They needed space and their demand for more and more land had led to more and more wars."

"Until Evermore, every peace attempt had failed. Dragons were vicious and heartless and ravenous for everything it was possible to be hungry for: meat, power, treasure, territory ..."

I saw this book in a library and recognised the author name Rhiannon Williams. I adored one of her previous books and even now, years later, the story has lingered with me. I do wish Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt had received more attention but it was a 2019 CBCA Notable title. The problem with the Notables (usually around 25 titles per category) is that the short list is announced so quickly after we hear about the Notables and so it can be easy to lose sight of many splendid notable titles. 

Warning - do not equate a slim book with an easy book! There is SO MUCH going on in The Dragon Snare I found myself back-tracking over and over again in order to follow all the characters and events - past and present. Oh, and another warning. This book is part one, part two is not yet published (due September 2026) AND yes, sorry to say this but you will be left hanging out for the second book. This is one of those books where I just marvel at the imagination of the author. 

You can listen to the author reading her first chapter here - begin at 2.15 (20 minute podcast). 

The Dragon Snare has everything I love in a fantasy – heroic tales of chivalry and adventure, magical creatures and powerful sorcerers, and a lovable dog (called Squid). Henry is truly a hero worth cheering on. Readings Melbourne

In the meantime I plan to go back and re-read Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt and then I will grab the other two books from this series:

Rhiannon Williams lives in Tasmania, where she writes magical books for young readers. Her debut novel, Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt, won the Ampersand Prize. Her books have also been named CBCA Notables and shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards, the Readings Children’s Book Prize, the Speech Pathology Australia Book Awards and she was shortlisted for the IBBY Australia Ena Noël Award. You can see the full shortlist from 2024 here. 

This is the Bear by Sarah Hayes illustrated by Helen Craig

This is the Bear is a perfect preschool book. It has a cumulative tale format. Sadly this book is out of print. It was originally published in 1986 - so this is the 40th anniversary!  I do wish Walker Books UK would republish this book and others from the 'This is the Bear' series. These books were also produced in a Big Book format and set out to read as a play. 

This is the bear who fell in the bin. This is the dog who pushed him in.

This is the man who picked up the sack. This is the driver who would not come back.

This is the bear who went to the dump and fell on the pile with a bit of a bump.

Companion book:

Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear

Here are the other books in this series:

Walker Books UK published these books for their series called "Reading Time".  There were titles such as Big Bad Pig by Allan Ahlberg; Our Dog by Helen Oxenbury; and Have you seen Crocodile? by Colin West.

You may already know art by Helen Craig. 

The Pumpkin man and the Crafty Creeper

(This book is a fabulous one to read aloud)

Jam

The Night of the Paper bag Monsters

This goes with Charlie and Tyler at the Seaside

There are 67 Angelina Ballerina books!