The ABC Book of Lullabies

This is an old book from 2008 but what I love about books like this is the way they allow you to explore a range of illustrators - in this case illustrators from Australia:

Tamsin Ainslie, Jonathan Bentley, Gaye Chapman, Janine Dawson, Wayne Harris, Ann James, Stephen Michael King, Alison Lester, Caroline Magerl, Kilmeny Niland, Anna Pignataro, Cheryl Orsini, and Emma Quay. 

The cover art is by Emma Quay:

Here is the illustration from Stephen Michael King:

Illustration by Stephen Michael King for Golden Slumbers

I wonder who selected the illustrators to include in this book? I wonder if they were able to select their lullaby to illustrate? I did enjoy reading the end notes where each illustrator talks each specific lullaby. The ABC of the title refers to the publisher's name and not the organisation of the lullabies.

Books like The ABC Book of Lullabies are produced for two audiences simultaneously: the child who focuses on the images as the words are read to them and the adult (usually) who is reading. Each will take different things from the reading. An adult may well be interested in the differences between the images and the differing styles of each illustrator. Short bios, including sketches and photos are included in the final pages for those readers. Each illustrator shares a little about what they do and why, and why they’ve chosen the particular lullaby. Children will enjoy this collection whatever time they read or are read to, but it does make a lovely bedtime collection. For adults, The ABC Book of Lullabies is a bit like a sampler, introducing the work of some of Australia’s most talented illustrators. Or perhaps an illustrators’ version of an anthology. Aussie Reviews

If you have this book in your library and you have a small display space you could copy the pages from this book as a way to explore the CBCA 2026 slogan "Symphony of Stories". Lullabies are often examples of simple stories and hopefully also of familiar stories.

Here are a couple of examples:

Rock-a-bye Baby

Rock-a-bye, baby, in the treetop,

When the wind blows the cradle will rock;

When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,

And down will come baby, cradle and all.

Baby is drowsing, cosy and fair.

Mother sits near, in her rocking chair.

Forward and back the cradle she swings,

And though baby sleeps, he hears what she sings.

From the high rooftops down to the sea,

No one's as dear as baby to me.

Wee little fingers, eyes wide and bright --

Now sound asleep until morning light.

Hush Little Baby

Hush, little baby, don't say a word,

Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.

And if that mockingbird don't sing,

Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring.

And if that diamond ring turns brass,

Mama's going to buy you a looking glass.

And if that looking glass gets broke,

Mama's going to buy you a billy goat.

And if that billy goat won't pull,

Mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.

And if that cart and bull turn over,

Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.

And if that dog named Rover won't bark,

Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.

And if that horse and cart fall down,

You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

I imagine most of these names are very familiar to you. There was only one illustrator that I had not heard of - or perhaps I knew the books but not their names? - Janine Dawson is the illustrator of Pudding and Chips; Bobbie Dazzler and Junkyard Dogs. She also did illustrations for the Aussie Nibble Pippa's Perfect Picnic and the covers of the Lily Quench series. 

Here is one book from each of the illustrators who have work in this book. In most cases you can pop a title into my search bar to read more:

IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece art auction - Meet Judy Watson

 

Auction of 48 Mini Masterpiece art works runs from 14th - 28th November 2025

Judy was born in 1966 and grew up in an outdoorsy veterinary family, passionate about animals, art and books. She worked as a veterinary nurse while studying literature and art history at the University of Melbourne before travelling overseas. There she worked in a London theatre and painted in a garret in Brixton. After returning to Australia in 1995 she worked in revegetation and Landcare, whilst developing a graphic design business and found her way into children’s book illustration.   

Judy’s fine art practice typically incorporates mixed media techniques including printmaking and collage for her smaller pieces. But she also paints larger works in acrylics. These are often painted on found panels or upcycled surfaces.

Judy Watson has illustrated a number of children's books, including Goodnight Mice! by Frances Watts, which won the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Children's Fiction in 2012, Searching for Cicadas by Lesley Gibbes, shortlisted for the Eve Pownall Award for Information Books in the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year awards, and Leonard Doesn't Dance by Frances Watts which was selected by the International Youth Library for the White Ravens 2020 Catalogue. She lives and works in Frankston, Victoria. (Source Allen and Unwin).  Here is her Instagram page. 

When I was judging the CBCA Book of the Year award we were sent When You're Older and I just marveled at the colourful and lively illustrations. In fact, I loved this book so much that I gifted it to a young family with two little boys. Read the Kirkus review.

When you're Older

Here are edited comments by one of the judges:

The boldness of the design and illustration of the wrap around front cover grabbed me from the start. There were visual references to Elmer and Max from Where the Wild Things Are.  The body language of the bored and frustrated older sibling is captured so effortlessly. The shapes of the digital collage pieces have different textures and ratios of size (e.g. the squiggles on the baby suit are much finer than the pattern on the plant pot.) - this gives an illusion of depth and solidity of scene. This blue then turns to teal and peacock green on the following pages, but once again acts as a path or vein to follow across the pages.  All the other creatures and plants are highly patterned, but the dog has a very flat and plane shape and texture - linking him back to the reality of the opening scene. There is such movement on the opening with the seagulls hovering across the top of the page and the crab pincers up, stealing the hot chips. Judy Watson's use of texture for the water creates a sense of shimmering on the ocean. The negative space of the white used to create the glacier is quite extraordinary. The wild dogs pulling their sleds race across the page from left to right indicating a wildness of speed. The design of the binoculars framing the close up of the seal in ingenious. Simple yet sophisticated. 

Page from the French edition of When you're older (Source)

I have a beautiful art piece in my home from the book Thunderstorm Dancing. 

Blurb: When a sunny day at the beach turns stormy, a little girl runs for cover. Her daddy and brothers are wild in the wind and lightning, and her poppy is as loud as thunder. They fill the house with stamping and crashing while Granny plays piano to their riotous thunderstorm dancing, until the storm passes and they all fall down. Then, in the stillness, the girl is ready to play. What will she be, now that the rain has stopped and there's a glimmer of sunlight? Read more here

Now there is an opportunity to own another. Judy talks about our auction in a 13th November blog post and she has generously donated five pieces to our IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece art auction. Here are two of them:

Faces at the pet parade

Unicorn at the pet parade

Judy Watson illustrated Searching for Cicadas for the Walker Nature Storybook series - this is a book that should be in every Australian library because Cicadas are such a quintessential part of our Australian Summer.

From the few book examples I have shared here you can see Judy Watson is a master of many forms of illustration. Here are more images of her work. Now take a look at another piece she has contributed to our auction (she has five pieces).

"Trent"

Description from Judy Watson: Trent is sometimes gloomy at parties. The music is not to his taste, or the tomato sauce runs out before he gets his hot dog, or the host’s children ask impertinent questions about his feet. (He’s sensitive about his feet.) When Trent is gloomy, he stands beside the door to the kitchen – not inside the kitchen where the lights are bright and people may ask him to help slice celery. It’s better just outside, where he can snatch a sausage roll off the tray at the moment it comes through the door. If someone speaks to him, he points to his beak and makes apologetic munching sounds.  But today Trent is not gloomy. He has eaten two hot dogs with an abundance of tomato sauce, and Madness are playing at just the right volume. Trent has taken over the dance floor in just the way he used to at kindergarten. Back then, the teacher scolded him for waving his wings about with a ‘total disregard for others’. Today there is no teacher, everyone else has shuffled back to the walls and Trent is the life of the party. 

Leonard doesn't dance

Blurb: All the birds are excited about the Big Beaky Bird Ball -- except Leonard. His warble-warble waltz with the magpies is more wobble-wobble, and his caw-caw can-can with the crows is a can't-can't. The puffins are prancing, the rosellas are rocking and you should see the flamingo go-go-go! Everyone is jumping and jiving, but not Leonard. Leonard doesn't dance. Then an unexpected encounter changes everything ...

Here is a new book illustrated by Judy Watson:

Read the Kids' Book Review review

Her newest picture book is Jo and the No by Kyle Mewburn. 

IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece art auction - Meet Renee Treml

Check out the link to our IBBY Australia auction - 

you could own this sweet illustration - 14th - 28th November 2025 - act quickly 

American-born Renée Treml moved to Australia in 2007, where she was immediately captivated by the unique wildlife in this country. Drawing on her background in ecology, Renee’s began writing stories and creating illustrations that focused on animals and the environment. Renee works in her home studio in Fremantle, WA. She has written and illustrated several picture books including award-winning Once I Heard a Little Wombat, and Wombat Big, Puggle Small. She is also the creator of the hilarious graphic novels featuring Sherlock Bones and Ollie and Bea. 

Here is an interview with Kids' Book Review. Take a look at this greeting card by Renee Treml for La La Land. And I found another interview from 2009 written before she had published her first picture book!

Spread from One Very Tired Wombat

Kirkus said: ... her illustrations place beautiful pen-and-ink drawings against delicate pastel washes and capture lots of personality in her creatures. The judicious use of color and white space makes each two-page spread a work of art as well as a visual delight. Elegant, informative, engaging.

Renee sure does draw fantastic illustrations of wombats. In a previous post I talked about other illustrators who paint and draw this very appealing Australian animal.

Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery

IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece art auction - Meet Gabrielle Wang

Begin with my previous post about Gabrielle Wang.

Gabrielle Wang is an award-winning Australian author and illustrator whose stories often blend Chinese and Western culture with elements of fantasy. A former Children’s Laureate, she draws on her rich heritage and love of art to create imaginative, heartfelt books for young readers.

Our IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece auction has over 45 pieces including this very special illustration by Gabrielle Wang. The auction begins on 14th November.

This piece is titled Sweet Hammock

Here are some recent books by Gabrielle:

Silken Thread

Zadie Ma and the Dog who Chased the Moon

Here is the illustrated card made by Gabrielle Wang for the opening of the Melbourne Bookshop - The Little Bookroom. Twenty-Five illustrators were invited to interpret the famous bookshop logo which you can see below the piece by Gabrielle.