My Tiny Universe by Maryam Master

Leif is a unique kid - or at least our insights into his big brain and life experiences make him feel unique. Leif has been born with CIA (Climate Induced Anomalies).  Before you get too worried, I think Maryam Master made up this disease but, in any case, at this time (spoiler alert this book is in set the near future) CIA is not common and in fact Leif is the very first kid with this in the whole world BUT ... being the first kid it means he is subject to all sorts of tests and experiments and this has been going on since he was born. Leif is tired of doctors and hospitals.

What are the symptoms of CIA. Luckily Maryam Master does not go into too much detail but for Leif there is one huge life challenge - he is small - very small. Also, but not connect with CIA, Leif has, as I mentioned, a huge scientific brain which comes from his curiosity about the world of science and his extensive reading on a range of topics. Leif is also a highly self-aware kid. For example, early in the book we learn about all his phobias - these are mostly hilarious such as a phobia of cake icing, the number eight, delivery drones and a fear of phobias - called phobophobia! Leif also has a phobia that you may have too - fear of being without his phone. 

But most of all Leif has a desperate need to make a real friend. 

"I am a certified, card-carrying, genuine science enthusiast. I guess you could say that is the lends through which I see the world. ... I do however fear that it could be this obsession with science that has caused everything else in my life to fall apart. Perhaps it's the reason why most kids my age treat me like I'm a radioactive three-eyed freak. Of course, it could also be my personality. My odd way of speaking, my tendency to notice small details in bit situations ... or it could be my phobias. Which ones you ask? There are simply too many to list ... "

Leif and his family have moved from the Hollow Creek in the OC (Outer Circle) because of a severe drought which has made that area almost uninhabitable. Now they live in Orange Grove in the IC (Inner Circle). 

This story quickly becomes a recount - we read about the events that led to the fire at school which burned down the whole science block. Here is the opening sentence of My Tiny Universe:

"I would like to clarify for the record, one very important, undeniable fact. It wasn't me who burnt down the science block."

Leif has a quirky story voice (which for me could have become slight annoying) so I was pleased to see that Maryam used alternating voices and so we hear his sister's take on the events leading to the fire and almost obsessive relationship with his friend Albie. The switch between narrators is shown with chapter headings and a change of font. It is also clear that Holly can read the chapters written by Leif and when we hear her voice she is able to refute or clarify or elaborate on the Leif version of events.

Publisher blurb: Leif is named after a valiant Viking. But being a two-foot nothing, fraidy-cat kid with a thousand and one phobias is about as far from valiant as you can get. ... He's not one of the cool kids at school. Or the geeks. He's not even one of the misfits. (Have you ever heard of a misfit who didn't fit in with other misfits?) Leif's different in every way, but especially because he was the first kid to be born with CIA (Climate Induced Anomalies). He didn't have a single friend at West Hershey College, before Albie came along. And that's when all the trouble really began.

One really splendid part of this book comes from the way Maryam Master very slowly and almost secretly lets us know that this is the world of the future albeit the very near future. There are dystopian themes in this book such as climate change, but they are not at the forefront of the story. And I didn't really start to think about the time setting until about three quarters of the way through the book.

As an adult reader though, fairly early it in the story, I worked out the 'truth' rather like solving a murder mystery before the detectives have gathered all the clues. Of course, I cannot talk about how I worked this out because that would be a massive spoiler but I will be very interested to hear Maryam Master talking about this book on Sunday (tomorrow) because I expect she will talk about when and why and how she thinks readers will work out 'what is going on here' and her expectations around that discovery for her audience of readers aged 10+.  I will update this post with her comments.

Comment by Rachel Robson Gleebooks: My Tiny Universe is Maryam’s most sophisticated novel yet, she has that wonderful ability to take you into those dark places whilst still showcasing the sunshine and the wonder. Her characters are flawed yet beautiful and they take you on a journey that will have you questioning how we all fit in this crazy universe of ours. I’m so excited to finally see this gorgeous book out in the world and I can’t wait to see the conversations that kids and grown-ups will have about their future and about our connection with each other. ... Hands down, this is book of the year in an ocean of extraordinary book releases.

Here are a few questions I could ask Maryam:

• The opening fire event is very dramatic - was this the first story thread you thought of ?
• When Leif puts on a helmet at the science fair I thought of the famous book Wonder by RJ Palacio. Would you be happy if people compare your story with Auggie's?
• I really like that the setting for your story feels very general and not specifically Australian - was this a deliberate decision?
• I've found some links between your books (see below). As an author do you see overlapping themes and character traits between your stories?
• Do you have a favourite scene in your book? Mine is when Leif runs away - I felt every moment of that train journey and his shock on arriving in his former town and later I gasped when you introduced a 'bot cop' - I think that was the moment I realised we were in a near future/dystopian world.
• How conscious were you of the social commentary in your story about climate change, addiction to technology and AI and the use of and power of Chatbots?

Post update from the event at Gleebooks which was attended by over fifty people including ASLA President Martha Itzcovitz; Alison Cunningham CBCA NSW; a number of school Teacher Librarians; and Paul Macdonald previous owner of The Children's Bookshop. Maryam Master was interviewed by Ursula Dubosarsky. Rachel Robson introduced them both with the most impressive list of awards. Here are the questions:

How did this book begin? Maryam's husband suggested she might explore dystopian ideas and then she thought of the tiny boy living in a vast universe. Yes the world is complex but Maryam is by nature an optimistic person.

Did Maryam know this book is funny? That surprises and delights her. She did want a balance of light and dark.

Was it hard to juggle two narrators and use different fonts and writing styles? No, because she is used to writing scripts. Maryam worked closely with her book designer Astred Hicks. When Maryam wrote the character of Holly it seemed that girl would never shut up - I found that so funny.

Can you see a connection with your own migration to Australia and the need/desire to reconnect with your homeland and the way Leif travels back to his old home? Maryam was delighted by this question and while she had not directly made this connection she conceded it was probably true.

Can you talk about the writing process and your view of the reader? Maryam finds writing can be a struggle. She loves celebrating the final product and is especially thrilled when a young reader writes and tells her their reaction to her story. Readers bring their own experiences to a book and once the book is out in the world it no longer belongs to the author. My Tiny Universe took 9-10 months to write, and it was her high school English teacher who encouraged her to write.

Other news - there might be a movie version of her book No Words and she is pitching a Picture book with publishers right now.

I was right that Maryam invented CIA (Climate Induced Abnormalities). I was also right that Maryam knew just having the voice of Leif could make this story slightly tedious which is why she introduced his sister Holly and used the technique of alternating voices.

My Tiny Universe is sure to be a CBCA 2027 Notable title and I expect it will also reach the shortlist. The cover of this book by Astred Hicks is fantastic - it is sure to grab the attention of kids in libraries and bookshops. Here is a video review. The publisher does have a set of teaching notes/questions but really once again my plea is to just let the readers in your life, classroom or library enjoy the story without doing a micro analysis.

I read it in one sitting, marvelling at the book that looked like a simple tale of school friendships and sibling troubles all mixed in with first person geeky humour, but had become so much more. What book Next

My Tiny Universe by Maryam Master, is a close up exposé of a universal problem; the art of being big when you feel so stupendously small. ... Leify is a beautiful, brilliant and very bruised soul who, like many of us experiencing unwanted change, is grieving in ways no amount of higher thinking can resolve.  Dim's Write Stuff

Companion books:

Wonder

Our sister again

Lenny's Book of everything

The Experiment

The Probability of Everything

Now let's talk about some repeated ideas or themes in other books from Maryam Master that apply to My Tiny Universe. In each previous book we meet an outsider or a kid who is struggling and we are able to experience their life journey and watch and hope they will find true friendship:

Exit Through the Gift Shop

Ana has cancer (non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma) Leif has CIA. Exit through the Gift shop has a reference to Persian tea and in My Tiny Universe Samira (you need to read the book to discover her importance) is Persian. Maryam Master was born in Iran (Persia). 

No words

Aria is the new boy at school - he is mute so, like Leif, we watch him struggle to make friends. Leif tries using a check list of strategies to make friends. A big theme in No Words is the importance of making true friends and for reasons that you will discover when you read it so does My Tiny Universe. And both books have short chapters.

Laughter is the best ending

Zee has no friends and so she is sent to a holiday camp designed for kids with, well as you have guessed, no friends.  Laughter is the best ending also uses changes of font, lists and play scripts. Zee uses more sophisticated language than her peers and so does Leif. Zee talks about the poet Rumi like Leif! And both books also mention Maya Angelou and Shakespeare.

Together by Jane Simmons

Mousse and Nut (two very different dogs) are the best of friends until one day something goes wrong. Nut jumps onto a wall, but it is too high for Mousse. Mousse jumps in the lake but Nut cannot swim.

"You're not my best friend any more,' said Mousse, unhappily. 'You're not mine then,' said Nut. Everything was horrible."

You need to notice the way Jane Simmons uses weather in her story. When Mousse and Nut begin their friendship the rain clears away and the sunshine breaks through the clouds. As their friendship shatters the dark cloud gather. Both retreat to their kennel homes to watch the rain. Mousse and Nut are miserable. Mousse makes the first move - setting out to talk to Nut. 

"They smiled at each other. The rain stopped and sunshine broke through the clouds."

A topic that is often requested by teachers of young children is friendship. A picture book can be a great way to show the ups and downs of friendship and also these books can also be great discussion starters or simply terrific for an adult to share with one child - the book can be a safe way to make sense of conflicts that should be seen as a 'normal' part of navigating relationships and especially friendships.

I highly recommend this book Together - it was published in 2006 but I am sure you will find a copy in a library - that's where I found it. You should also look for other books by Jane Simmons - I really like her 'soft focus' almost 'cuddly' illustrations.

In your library it might be fun to display other books with the word 'together' in the title:

We are together

Here is another book I love to share with children about 'weathering' the ups and downs of friendship:

A friend like Ed

Welcome: a book about friendship by Alison Green illustrated by Axel Scheffler

I know it is the end of the school year in many parts of the world and here in Australia it is Winter and we are about halfway through our school year but I'd like to suggest you pop the title or cover of this book onto your list as a perfect one to read at the start of the school year.

I worked in many different schools but one thing I really loved to see or meet in my library were class groups where it was so obvious the teacher took time to create a community with her group - kids who listened to one another, kids who were kind and respectful of each other, classes where every kid felt equally important - no social isolates or queen bees. 

The words say inside this book but really it could say inside this classroom or even better, albeit an ambitious idea, inside this school:

"Inside this book we make everyone welcome. Whether you're big or small, jumpy or flappy, stompy and noisy, or a little big shy and quiet, all are welcome."

And I love the conversations you could have around this line:

"Our best friend might turn out to be someone who's very different from us."

But this book is also not saccharine. There might be times when someone does not want to share or when someone is cross or upset or gets into an argument. Of course there are ways to resolve this. 

Then "we cheer everyone on and congratulate everyone when they've tried really hard. If things haven't gone so well, we're always there with a hug or a kind word."

This book comes from Three Peas - they are a charity with gives practical help to people who had to flee their homes - refugees. We have a politician here in Australia at the moment who has no idea about the concept of welcome. I would love to gift her this book even though sadly she probably lacks the intelligence to understand the importance of the ideas in this special book. I guess this book would be way too obscure for her.

‘Now, imagine if the whole world was like this book – if everyone was kind and helpful and welcomed everyone else. Doesn’t that sound good?' Read reading hub

This book follows on from Kind:

Kind

This is the third book - it is a board book for very young children:

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+:

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:

The Prime Minister Problem by Brenton Cullen

Wren doesn't have friends at school and in fact he is badly bullied, but he does have a truly special relationship with his grandmother. Sadly, she has a stroke, and his mum has to make the heartbreaking decision to place her in an aged care home which is 300km away. Wren is a worrier. He worries his grandmother will be lonely, he worries that they won't be able to visit very often, he worries that she might even forget him. Wren pleads with his mum to let Gran stay in their town of Fairley but there are no facilities in this small town. 

At school his grade five class are studying Australian government, and the teacher sets several assignments including writing a letter to the Prime Minister. At first, Wren decides to ask the PM to help animals that are hurt in our frequent bushfires, but when then the crisis with his grandmother takes over his family life, he starts a series of letters and emails begging the Prime Minster, whose name is Elsie Jones, to help by building a care facility in his town and he also suggests she should consider offering financial support to families caring for their elderly relatives. He does not get a reply even though he writes several times and even tries to phone the PM, but Wren is a problem solver. He cannot prevent his own grandmother from going into care but he can perhaps do something for other elderly and lonely people in his town and even better he finds a way to persuade other kids at school  to help too. Wren has found his voice!

The first half of this book is very sad - especially the parts where we read about how Wren badly is treated at school. The second half of the story, though, is emotional and uplifting. I did shed a tear or two even though the final scene felt a little 'too good to be true'. 

It is easy to identify many of the influences on Brenton in this book. One that came to my mind early in The Prime Minister Problem is the book Two Weeks with the Queen by Morris Gleitzman. In fact, in his acknowledgement, he specifically thanks a whole bunch of authors including Gleitzman so I am sure he must have read Two Weeks with the Queen. Not related, but I noted that Wren also read Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan (2004) which I think would have appeared in Brenton's school library when he was in Grade 3 or 4. In more recent years Brenton has connected with many of his favourite Australian authors - especially those he loved as a child. You can read their endorsements of The Prime Minster Problem on Brenton Cullen's Instagram page. 

Peter Carnavas said: The Prime Minster Problem "has so much heart, really beautiful writing and some of my favourite themes: grandparent-grandchild relationships, kindness, birds, dogs, quiet kids. It’s an incredible debut from Brenton and I can sense in his writing the enormous amount of children’s literature he’s absorbed over the years."

I thought The Prime Minister Problem felt autobiographical as I was reading. Then I read this interview with Sally Odgers where he says "it isn't autobiographical - none of the things in the book actually happened to me! But the feelings and emotion and inner dialogue of my main character Wren is definitely very similar to what I felt and thought as a ten-year-old. Like Wren, I have always been a big reader; Like Wren, I hold a lot of worries and curiosities about the world. And like Wren, my grandmother was a very special influence on my love of stories." 

Here are the links I made between Brenton and his character Wren:

• Brenton also grew up in a small town in Queensland - Kingaroy population around 10,000 - so it makes sense that his first book, is also set in a small town. And being in a small town is the crux of Wren's problem because when his grandmother needs care there are no aged care facilities.
• Wren is a lonely boy who finds school very hard - sadly he is bullied by his classmates. With his love of reading and different outlook on life I expect Brenton had some similar experiences perhaps feeling like an outsider.
• On his webpage FAQ Brenton lists the Fairy Wren (bird) as one of his own favourite animals. Fairy Wrens appear in this book - you can see them on the book cover. I did wonder though, why it took Wren until age ten to ask about why his mother gave him this name - a name which has not been an easy one for a boy to navigate with his peers and I imagine also with other adults.
• I did laugh when his main character, Wren, picked up his favourite book which was Thunderwith (1999) by Libby Hathorn because Brenton lists this as one his own favourite childhood books.

It is interesting that Brenton Cullen includes a female Australian Prime Minster in his book. We have only had one woman PM - Julia Gillard was our Prime Minster from 2010 to 2013 - Brenton would have been aged around 17 and just coming of age to vote when she was in office. I think this inclusion might also relate to the way Brenton often talks on social media about the influence of three women in his life - his mother and two grandmothers and in fact their names are included in his dedication for this, his first book.

One of the most powerful scenes in this book that resonated with me was when Wren and his mother visit his Gran in the aged care home. I have talked before about visiting my own little grandmother in a nursing home when I was very young and then, very sadly, when my own mother moved to an aged care (not that there was much care) hostel. In chapter 23 Wren visits his grandmother who has had two strokes and is now in a nursing home 300km from their town.

"The lady in the bed is skinny and lost. Her eyes are blank. There's no colour in her cheeks. She lies flat, her mouth open, a spool of dribble on her chin. ... Wren's eyes move across to the milky cup of tea beside her. Grandma doesn't have milk in her tea. Beside it sites a wilting piece of toast, absolutely smothered in vegemite. She only likes a thin layer."

I am not sure that I would use The Prime Minister Problem as a whole class text but here is a link to the teachers notes. Thanks to Riveted Press for sending a review copy of The Prime Minister Problem. It will be published in late April 2026. 

This book has gentle messages about family relationships, kindness, community and the importance of knowing one person can make a difference - it just takes one step of bravery and a belief in your ideas. 

Brenton has achieved a really fine balance with his characterisations here. While characters have flaws as real people do, they are neatly balanced with their strengths and the voice is very authentic. I have no doubt that middle-grade readers will respond and connect to both the plot and the people very positively. With strong themes of empathy, friendship, loneliness, creative thinking and rising above difficulties it offers many beneficial talking points. It is a superb choice for a shared read especially if you are undertaking units around community, governance and taking action. Just so Stories

Publisher blurb: When a lonely boy’s mission to save his grandmother goes viral, it sparks a movement that reshapes his country town — and everyone in it. Ten-year-old Wren has always felt invisible. Mum is busy working two jobs, his brother has his own life, and at school, Wren hides in the library with the books his grandmother taught him to love. Grandma is the only person who truly sees him — until she has a stroke and is forced to move away to a nursing home in the city. Lonelier than ever, Wren writes to the Prime Minister for help. When no reply comes, his small act of hope takes on a life of its own — and Wren discovers he isn’t the only one who feels forgotten. As his town rallies around him, Wren learns that real solutions don’t come from politicians, but from the people who call the town home. A moving story about isolation, connection, and how one quiet voice can make a difference

Companion books:

The ACB with Honora Lee

The Kindness Project

Not Nothing

I think the class teacher in this story - Miss Peg might benefit from reading these books and then using them with her students. At times her class assignments seemed to need some serious scaffolding. I read the poster scene early in the story and was slightly horrified at the work produced by the class.

The Red Lemon by Bob Staake

"Over the hills and along the blue sea, 'The lemons are ready!' shouts Farmer McPhee."

The farmer loves his lemons. The people love these lemons. They make sherbet, drinks, cookies, cakes, muffins and shakes. But one day a rogue lemon appears - it is red!

"Who'd squeeze this red thing in their afternoon tea? Who'd buy a red lemon from Farmer McPhee?"

Famer McPhee throws the red lemon over to a nearby island but as you your reading companion or library group might predict lemons (no matter what colour) contain seeds and so if the conditions are right then ...

Does this book have a deeper message about acceptance of difference; trust; risk taking; perfection, consumerism (look closely at all the advertising banners) - probably, but it will also just be a fun book to read to your young preschooler. You could also talk about the way something that was discarded turned into something special and there is a whole discussion you could have with older students about the fate of the original orchard or island. Here are a few discussion questions. It would be fantastic to copy the double page spread of the futuristic red lemon town to read all the advertising signs. The one that says McPhee Memorial Building might give you a slight chill. Hopefully if you can find this book you will agree it is one of those picture books that will work equally well with young children and your older primary group.

"The Red Lemon" tells the tale of jolly Farmer McPhee, a perfectionist who one day finds a red lemon, a freak of nature, in his pristine orchard. He hurls the offending fruit onto a nearby deserted island. Little does McPhee know that he has just planted the seed that, long after his own orchard has gone to weed, will be the foundation for the thriving tourist destination Red Lemon Island. We see the island 200 years in the future, complete with its own Air Red airline and Bitter End discothèque. Bob Staake

A quirky city has evolved with an economy based on these fabulously sweet red lemons, attracting people from all over the world. Kirkus

Here is the publisher blurb: In this thought-provoking tale reminiscent of Seuss, Farmer McPhee finds a red lemon in his orchard and cries, "It's red as a stop sign! It's red as a rose! I can't have red lemons where yellow fruit grows! Imagine a world where lemonade's red? Where once-yellow cupcakes are crimson instead?" As he tosses the red lemon across the water, he can't imagine that it will land on a small island, sprout a seed, and someday bring forth an orchard of lemon trees...where people will travel to from all over, to try the red lemons that are "six times as sweet!"

Here are some more books about lemons. 

Companion book:

And if you want to talk about planting things try to find this vintage book:

The Lollipop Tree

Here is another Bob Staake book I really loved:

The Book of Gold

I did a search for other books by Bob Staake and now I have added his name to my library borrowing list for next week.

Borka: the adventures of a Goose with no feathers by John Burningham

Little Borka is born without feathers. Her mother knits her a woollen jersey (jumper or sweater) but of course this useless for flying and hopeless for swimming. I love the names of his siblings: Freda; Archie; Jennifer; Oswald; and Timothy.

Then, as you might have anticipated, the geese all fly away migrating to a warmer climate and poor young Borka is left behind. Luckily, he is befriended by a ship's dog and at the end of a long voyage he finds himself in London, in Kew Gardens. I love the final sentence:

"So if you are in Kew Gardens and you see a goose who looks somehow different from the others - it might well be Borka." and when I read this book to groups of young children I would add - why not go up and say hello!

I spied this book at a recent charity book sale for just $1 and considering this book was published in 1963 (paperback edition 1992) it is in a fabulous condition.

The best book to pair with Borka is of course the fairy tale The Ugly Duckling. 

I read somewhere that the art of John Burningham can be divided into several categories. Borka is from his first period along with books like these:

Later John Burningham produced books like Simp, Oi, Get off our Train, Would you rather?, Courtney, Mr Gumpy's Outing, Come away from the Water Shirley, Where's Julius, Avocado Baby, and Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present.

This is my favourite John Burningham book. Simp was originally titled Cannonball Simp and decades ago I found an amazing almost silent movie (not an animation) of Simp which was captivating. 

My own first encounter with the art of John Burningham was in the book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.