All the Ways I See by Nas Campanella and Eliza Hull illustrated by Sophie Beer

"I can't see the summer, but it's clear in my mind. I hear it, 
I feel it, in my heart all the time."

It is a summer day and so the family head to the beach - mum and dad with their two young daughters. Now it is time for sunscreen and a game with the seaweed followed by the building of a terrific sandcastle. Dad buys some hot chips and then mum and the little girl - the one you can see on the cover of the book, head into the water. 

"She lets me know when waves are coming. I smile as I hear the ocean humming ... The waves brush me lightly."

It seems somehow wrong to say this - but this book is visually so delightful. The little girl on the cover is wearing a vibrant flower design swimsuit and her face glows as she turns towards the sunshine. The end papers are filled with all the all the objects mentioned in the story - shells; ice cream; sunhat; waves; sunscreen; and chips. If you and your young reading companion linger over the end papers you might also see a white cane - go back now - it is also on the cover. My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has just penned a blog post about white canes. 

As you read make sure you notice the way this little girl uses all her other senses - smell, touch, sound and taste. Her day at the beach is just as much fun with mum taking her hand while they swim and dad describing all the special sights. In this book the blind child is the central character - we 'see' the world through her senses.

Huge thanks to Allen and Unwin for my copy of All the Ways I See which was published this week! Make sure you add this beautiful book to your Primary or Preschool library (AUS$24.99). 

The Teachers Notes on the publisher web page have some good discussion points you could use with a group of older students along with an extensive list of related picture books, non fiction and web links.

I wish we had been able to add this book to my former school library where we had a blind student named Nelson. He would be an adult by now, but it would have been so good to share this book with each of his classes as he progressed through our school from kindergarten to Grade Six. 

All the Ways I See is a joyful, lyrical story about a day at the beach from a blind child's perspective as she experiences the baking heat, the sticky sand, the hum of the ocean, the smell of hot chips and the splash of the waves. Readings Melbourne

Most people know what the beach looks like, but could you describe the heat, the smells and the sounds? How would you describe it to someone who couldn’t see what you were looking at? This book does just that. It’s a cool way to experience the beach, and to teach readers that not everyone experiences things the way they do. But most importantly, it’s an utter joyful example of disability representation from three fabulous disabled creatives. The Book Muse

One of the many strengths of this groundbreaking book is that the creators celebrate the way the young girl experiences the beach and makes beautiful memories with her family. The story presents the protagonist as capable and independent. She confidently walks and plays with her younger sibling while using her cane. Her family provides support that empowers rather than limits her. ...  These interactions model inclusion, connection and respect, enhancing her independence and participation. Reading Opens Doors

This book is sure to be submitted by IBBY Australia for the prestigious IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities. This collection has two sections. All the Ways I See fits Category One and Category Two.

Category Two 

Portrayals of Disability provide examples of respectful representations of disabilities. ...  In choosing these books, we hope to encourage a more inclusive understanding of disability that gives people a new language to talk about their experiences and validates the experiences of those who are rarely represented in literature.

Nas Campanella is the ABC's National Disability Affairs Reporter. Nas is blind and lives with a neurological condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) which means she can't read braille. After completing a Communications degree at the University of Technology Sydney, majoring in journalism she started with the ABC as a cadet and has worked in several senior roles since including producing, presenting and regional reporting. While working for Triple J she became the world's first blind newsreader to read news live to air. She is passionate about sharing stories from disabled people.

Here is quote from the 2025 IBBY booklet which certainly applies to this new book from Nas Campanella: "People with a specific disability or condition can usually depict their lived experience more easily and authentically than an author who has relied on research."

Category One

Accessible Books includes formats that can help a child or teen to read independently. For those who need to read with a partner, we have chosen formats that allow for as much participation as possible. These formats include braille, sign language, picture communication symbols, tactile books and easy-to-read books.

The IBBY selection committee from Toronto also said: "It is exciting to see enhanced print texts that have additional access points or information. These include QR codes, CDs or digital audio content, braille, sign language, picture communication symbols and better tactile illustrations."

All the Ways I See has accessibility features including easy-to-turn pages with rounded corners and textured elements for a tactile experience. You can feel the shells, the sand, the little girl's hat, sandy footprints, and even the waves. All the Ways I See also has a QR code for an audio and sign language version of this book and there is a website where you can order a braille edition. 

I will update this post in a few days - I am going to an event at Gleebooks where Nas Campanella will talk about her book. 

This book is for every child who experiences the world 

in their own beautiful way. Nas Campanella

Post update - at the book launch Nas recited her book while the illustrator Sophie Beer showed us her illustrations. Rachel from Gleebooks had thoughtfully laid extra copies out for people to read as we listed to Nas. The event was packed which was terrific. I do wish some one had filmed Nas reciting her book because her pace was so perfect. Teacher Education students could learn something from this - to slow down, to allow the children to spend time on each page. Of course Nas is a radio broadcaster so she has a perfect voice and it is her text but it was so moving to hear her say her words - think about that - she had memorised the whole book - but after all it is HER book. 

Nas talked about wanting joy to be at the heart of her story. To validate the experiences of her family. To give other kids the experience of reading about a family and a child enjoying a day at an Australian Beach (Sophie Beer hinted it might be Noosa). 

Nas didn't use these words but in literature we talk about windows and mirrors and this book exemplifies that idea. 

Sophie Beer loved creating the snazzy 'togs' for the main character with their flower pattern and frills - sun saife with a large straw hat. It was so funny when the NSW/Sydney audience explained we don't use the word 'togs' - we call them swimmers. I love that this is one of those words that varies across the nation. Sophie or Nas also gave me a term to use for the tactile aspect of All the Ways I See. It is called 'Sand Varnishing'. 

Eliza Hull OAM is an award-winning writer, musical artist and disability advocate based in Victoria. A proud disabled woman living with the neurological condition Charcot-Marie-Tooth, Eliza is passionate about amplifying the voices and experiences of people with disability across media, literature and the arts. Her children's book Come Over to My House, co-written with children's author Sally Rippin, celebrates friendship, accessibility and inclusive play, introducing young readers to disability through joyful and everyday experiences. It was a CBCA Notable Book and named in the Guardian top 10 children's books of all time. In 2026, Eliza received an Order of Australia Medal in recognition of her service to people with disability and the arts. 

I previously talked about this book by Sophie Beer:

Thunderhead

Companion books:

The Sound of Colours

The Seeing Stick

The Black Book of Colours

I Love Vincent

Answers to Dog by Pete Hautman

"He went back to the gate and shoved his paw through the chain link and batted at the latch handle. It moved a little, but the gate remained locked. He got up on his hind feet and pushed both front paws through and clawed at the latch. It moved in a new way. The dog remembered how the metal bolt had slid to one side. He nudged it over with one paw. It was not enough. He pulled his paw out and pushed it back through, one space over, and nudged the bolt again, until it would go no further. He pulled his paw free and butted the gate with his forehead. It swung open."

Evan sees a dog outside his house. He knows his mother (and probably his father too) will never allow him to have a dog but right from the beginning he seems to have a special connection with this white Border Collie dog. Meanwhile 'Dog' as he is called has run away from an intensely cruel situation. On the edge of town there is a dog breeder - he breeds Border Collie dogs and perhaps in the past he was kind but now he is drunk most of the time and the dogs are starving and horribly neglected.

Evan tracks down the dog kennels ironically named Happy Dog. He finds the stray and their friendship strengthens but Peter Grey, the owner, demands $5000 for this dog. There is no way Evan could ever find that much money.

In a book like this you just know early on that this cruel man is destined to be 'punished' in some way and so I cheered when he was hurt falling off a ladder. I cheered when Dog ran to Evan's house and then  made the boy run the 7 miles back to the kennels and I cheered (well no I won't tell you this part but this story does have a truly wonderful and happy ending). 

My biggest question at the end of this splendid book is about Evan's mother. I wanted to know more about her life and about her withdrawal from the world and about her previous dog. Mum cooks fantastic meals even though each recipe is different the meals follow a set pattern of stew, chicken, roast, soup and sandwiches, and a vegetarian meal. Her care with the food and of her garden and later of Evan when is feet are badly hurt gave me tiny glimpses into this important character. Evan's father is also a complex character but he does connect with his son and the scenes where they share meals together are very special. 

There are other minor characters in this story who are also interesting: Calder has alopecia; Kellen is very small for his age with huge ears and so is a victim of relentless bullying; and Hana has just had complex surgery to repair her leg and so she has limited mobility. Hana is an important character because she loves dogs and she is able to help Evan and answer his questions about the dreadful practice of puppy farms. 

If you are talking with your class about foreshadowing, you could use this passage:

"The driveway was rutted, uneven and dotted with clumps of yellowing weeds. It curved through a stand of trees then opened onto a large weedy lawn that hadn't been mowed for a long time (and there was) an old two-story farmhouse badly in need of paint."

I started to read Answers to Dog this morning and lifted my head early in the afternoon - this story engulfed me. I love the meaning of the title - the dog answers to the name Dog - although we do discover his real name is Samarkand (Sam for short).  In an interesting twist Evan's dad is named Sam and mum's previous dog that died aged 17 was called Evan. I guess also Evan finds some answers about his family and friends through his friendship with Sam and more importantly he makes some discoveries about himself. 

"Dad told me you named me after your dog,' Evan said. 'Not exactly,' she said. 'Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted a son named Evan, so really the dog was named after you, even though you weren't born yet.' 'What if I'd been born a girl?' 'I would have named you Evangeline."

How did I find this book? I am the sort of person who always has to spend time in bookshops. We have several shops in the CBD of the city. When I go into a bookshop - yes you are right - I have to buy a book. But which book to buy? I picked this one up because it is about dogs, it is about a boy and his love of one special dog (more of these at the end of this post) and it was published by Candlewick (Walker Books) and they consistently produce terrific books for kids. I do need to say I had never heard of Pete Hautman and I did not read the endorsement on the cover of the book until much later.

As always Ms Yingling gives an in depth review here. 

Whether it’s a dog in a kennel or a boy trapped within his solitary parents’ routines, themes of neglect and isolation dominate the story, although the author’s careful approach ensures that this heaviness is balanced by the presence of uplifting supporting characters, such as Hana Ganz, who’s a dog enthusiast despite her allergies, and track coach Mr. Raley, who displays subtle kindness. The balance of the third-person limited narration between the perspectives of Evan and the dog makes this an enjoyable gateway book for readers who typically prefer stories featuring talking animals. Kirkus

Publisher blurb: Evan doesn’t seem to fit in at school or at home. He goes out of his way to avoid attention. He sits at the back of the bus, keeps his head down in class, and keeps to himself. But when a burr-covered border collie—a survivor with a gut instinct about the Boy—starts following him around and joining him on his runs, Evan’s simple duck-and-dodge existence becomes a lot more complicated . . . a lot more like life. Evolving from wary companions to steadfast friends, Evan and the dog run fast and far together, thwart an abusive dog breeder and the school bully, and find the courage to stand up for themselves and to open up to those who matter most. Narrated in alternating viewpoints, this relatable contemporary novel with classic coming-of-age themes has all the hope, pathos, and emotional complexity that mark Pete Hautman’s books for middle-grade readers—and is a deeply satisfying read for animal lovers.

Pete Hautman says as a boy he loved dog stories by Jim Kjelgaard. 

Companion books for dog lovers:

One Dog and his Boy

Shiloh

The Way of Dog

Brave like that

Talking to Alaska

The truth as told to Mason Buttle

You could also look for this very old book which might be in your school library (content warning this one is very violent):

Out of print - published in 1991.

Companion book for kids who love running:

Ghost

Running my own race

Here are some other books by Pete Hautman:

The sound of colours by Jimmy Liao

"A year ago I began to notice that my sight was slipping away. I sat at home alone and felt the darkness settle around me. But today I walked outside into the thin gray rain and made my way to the subway. I have a journey to go on. There are some things I need to find."

Without sight the young girl in this story uses her other senses and her wonderful imagination to create images in her mind as she journeys through the subway. She takes care on the stairs as slowly as an elephant. She can feel the crunch of the autumn leaves. If she could climb the tree she would be able to pick a sweet red apple. The next station feels so vast - perhaps it is like stepping into the ocean. She imagines hearing the singing of the dolphins. Outside she cannot see the sky, but we see the scene - she imagines of a beach which is actually on top of a huge blue whale. The girl is stretched out in the sun in her swimmers with her hat and dog. And so her journey continues moving from one spectactular scene to another. 

"Now it listen for the sound of the colours I can't see. I try to smell the shapes, taste the light and dark. And I hope to find a friend who will read me a poem while the window fills up with sunset."

This quote touched my heart. My mother and two aunts had macula degeneration and so their vision was greatly impaired. I worry about losing my eyesight because this condition can be hereditary but if that happens it would be so special if someone could read me this book and take me on a journey like this one. 

Take a look at this detailed description of The sound of colours. 

Read more about Jimmy Liao here.

Blurb from author page: Follow the blind little girl to hear the sounds of colors together, and see how colors make sound. From one stop to another, visit the city corner, the breezy treetops, the entrance to the underground, and the exit to the sky anew.

Home is the place where everything I've lost is waiting patiently for me to find my way back.

Companion books:

The Seeing Stick

The Black Book of Colours

The Sound of Colours has been translated into Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chines, Japanese, English Spanish, Thai, French, Dutch, Polish, Russia,n Vietnamese, Italian, German, Portuguese and Korean

I mentioned Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao and this book in a previous post and then to my absolute delight the Teacher-Librarian from the library where I spend fantastic days as a volunteer read my blog post and when I arrived she had this book ready for me to borrow! That is truly the best library service! The Sound of Colours was published in English in 2006. This is another example of why libraries are SO IMPORTANT. The Sound of Colours is long out of print but your local or school library may have a copy - I did have this book in my own former school library (hopefully they still have it).

Another companion book:

The Sound of Silence

Worth a Thousand Words by Brigit Young

You can see Tillie (Matilda) with her camera. Tillie is an observer and through this she has become almost invisible to her classmates until they need things found. The kids have labelled Tillie "Lost and Found". She can find lost objects and her camera sometimes helps when she reviews the images she has captured through the day. Lost objects, are easy to find, and safe but what about a lost person? At times this story feels like a detective or mystery television program. Tillie and Jake gather clues, visit places linked with Jake's dad, and Tillie takes heaps of photos but then she takes one of Jake's dad in a compromising situation and this whole lost and found adventure becomes very serious. Tillie is about to lose her first and only friend since her serious accident but it seems impossible to tell Jake what she has seen.

The kids in this book uncover some adult behavior - the kind of behavior I don't think I have ever read about before in a middle grade book.

I have a suggestion of how to book talk Worth a Thousand Words with your readers aged 10+. Read the blurb. Talk about how Tillie loves her cameras, she has four different types, and talk about how they have helped her cope with her now complex relationship with her father who feels enormous guilt over the accident that left her with a painful disability. Now read chapter 18 - it will break your heart to read the scene where Tillie smashes all of her precious cameras. This scene should leave your library group with a heap of unanswered questions and make them keen to dive into this book.

You can hear an audio extract from Chapter One here.

Publisher blurb: Ever since a car accident left Tillie Green with lasting painful injuries, she's hidden behind her camera. She watches her family and classmates through the lens, tracking down misplaced items and spotting the small details that tell a much bigger story than people usually see. But she isn’t prepared for class clown Jake Hausmann’s request: to find his father. In a matter of days, Tillie goes from silent observer to one half of a detective duo, searching for clues to the mystery of Jake’s dad’s disappearance. When the truth isn’t what Jake wants it to be, and the photographs start exposing people’s secrets, Tillie has to decide what—and who—is truly important to her.

There are some hilarious scenes mixed in with some quite serious and scary ones!! Tillie is a smart and courageous young girl who, although hiding behind her camera lens, finds her inner self once she steps away from it. A great story of family and friendship for all ages!! Miss Mahee's Library

Worth a Thousand Words was published in 2018. I am not sure how I came to have my copy but it probably came from a recent charity bookfair. Worth a Thousand Words was a debut novel for Brigit Young. You can read Chapters One and Two here. I think the ebook might still be available. 

Companion books (I read both of these decades ago):

Half a Chance

The Keeper of the Octopus by Neridah McMullin

"Every child in the village grew up hearing the tale. It was folklore. A long time ago a shark attacked a Portablow fishing boat as a it sailed up the river with its catch. A giant octopus who lived at the river mouth fought with the shark, saving the fisherfolk and their livelihood. And from then on, an octopus had always lived at the river mouth to protect the fisherfolk from sharks. At least that was the story."

Pippy lives with her elderly great uncle. She desperately misses her mother who has died recently and also longs to talk to her father, but he has headed away to sea and has been gone for nine months. It is clear Uncle Isaac who is caring for her now, is suffering from memory loss. It has begun to feel dangerous to sail with him, but Pippy needs to do this because Uncle Isaac, like all the people in this village, rely on fishing for their income.

The village is near a cove and decades ago there was a problem with shark attacks. Pippy is sure this is not the fault of the sharks but rather a symptom of things being out of balance. There has always been the story about an octopus but surely this is just a folktale. Young Pippy discovers it is her own mother who has been the Keeper of the Octopus but now that her mother is gone destiny determines Pippy herself must now feed, care for, and learn to communicate with Octavia. Uncle Isaac gives Pippy a special talisman, a stone that she wears around her neck. It glows and helps her know when Octavia is near. She also has the diary written by generations of her ancestors which tells her how to care for and recognise the moods of the octopus. 

Then three brothers arrive in the village. They appear at first to be fishermen but then they bring back an enormous catch with all sorts of precious sea creatures - way more than the town could ever need. Pippy knows this is a wrong and dangerous practice and then she hears one of the men talking about Octavia and so she knows this will be a race against time to keep Octavia safe and to convince the town authorities that the Calamary brothers are dangerous. 

As with all great stories there were moments in this book when I gasped, when I cheered, and when I sighed. One special character, apart from young Pippy who is wise beyond her years, is her friend Wally.

"Wally had been born with a deformed foot, a foot that turned inwards and downwards, worsening as he grew older, which meant he couldn't walk very fast nor go very far. Teased at school because of his limp, Wally stuttered a little when he spoke. He never said much. But he was a child who noticed things, small things."

And there is an element of magical realism because Pippy and her uncle live with a family brownie named Ferg. He tends to the house and the cooking. I loved his way of talking he always addresses her by saying - Pippy Cocklebiddy, daughter of Claudine and he uses words like bairn, Mither, orright, and nowt. He reminded me a little of Dobbie from the Harry Potter series. 

Here are a couple of text quotes:

"There were masses of bluefin tuna, black bream, tommy ruff and kingfish; hundreds of snapper, flathead, silver perch, and graylings; and many smaller good eating fish such as garfish, whiting, salmon and trevally. There were even parrot fish, which Pippy thought was odd because everyone knew they were inedible. Portablow fishers always tossed them back into the sea. The brother hauled even more baskets onto the wharf, tipping out dozens of sharks, Bronze whalers, and even a huge basking shark ... It was beautiful but its bright blue eyes quickly faded to a dull grey, dead colour."

"Pippy felt heavy with sadness. Uncle Isaac's memory was getting worse. He'd just put both their lives in terrible danger. It was as if his brain was erasing everything he'd ever known, including her, and that was what hurt the most. She had to do more to help him, more to look after him, but she wasn't sure how much more she could do unless she was with him for every minute of every day."

This book is certain to be a 2026 CBCA Notable title in the Younger Readers category. Here is the web page for Neridah McMullin. Here is a link to some detailed Teachers Notes.  I have previously talked about Eat my Dust; Drover; Tearaway coach; Fabish the horse that braved a Bushfire; and Evie and Rhino. 

Publisher blurb for The Keeper of the Octopus: Since her father sailed away, Uncle Isaac is the only family Pippy has left. Together they spend their days fishing off the coast, until one day Pippy is knocked into the sea and rescued by a gentle, giant creature … Uncle Isaac knows it’s time to tell Pippy the truth. Pippy is the descendent of a long line of Keepers – the Keeper of the Octopus, responsible for the giant octopus who protects the fisherfolk of the village. At first, Pippy is hesitant to meet Octavia, but soon the octopus is sharing her dreams with Pippy and they recognise each other as kindred spirits. But when the Calamary Brothers come to Portablow, she learns of their search for a particular giant octopus. It's up to Pippy - and her rag-tag crew of a cat, a dog, a hobgoblin called Ferg and an albatross – to rescue Octavia from the Calamary’s clutches.

I was enthralled by this book, because it captured a timeless world with a touch of magic, coupled with a commentary on some of the issues we face today: grief, environmental issues, bullying and disability. Wally was such a cool character too, and I loved his friendship with Pippy, and that he believed her without question. This is the mark of a true friendship. It was one that I loved, and one that I think kids need to see more of in the books they read. And it’s another reason I love reading kids’ books, because they feel less judgmental and more accepting. The Book Muse

Companion books:

My Friend the Octopus

Song of a Thousand Seas

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

This was beautifully written and palpably sad. Ms Yingling Reads

Carefully crafted language, authenticity of setting and quirky characters that ring fully true all combine to make this a worthwhile read. Kirkus

Have you ever read a book where you kept anticipating dreadful events, you gasped, turned the page and then that event didn't happen but instead a few pages later the author slammed you up against a wall with something even worse? I started Paperboy late in the afternoon and read a few chapters, then read a few more at midnight and then woke up at 3am and read this book right through to the end. All the while I was holding my breath because I was so worried about 'Little Man'.

It seems amazing when I think about it but in over 32 years as a Teacher-Librarian I never had a student who stuttered but I did work with one teacher (in hindsight I think about his bravery to be a teacher and face a group of ten year olds every day) and knew a young boy when I was a teenager. As humans there are some hard things in life that we have to navigate. Sensory impairment such as hearing loss, vision loss, epilepsy, and other disabilities that can make life so complex. I found it heartbreaking to read how much 'Little Man' struggled with his stuttering. In fact the reason we don't know his actual name until the final pages of this book is because his own name is almost impossible to pronounce - it contains the most tricky sounds. 'Little Man' is a highly intelligent young boy and this book and we get to know his story because we can hear his thoughts and read his typewritten words.

His best friend has gone away for a month over summer. 'Little Man' takes over the newspaper delivery job from Art or Rat as he is known. Over the following weeks 'Little Man' meets a variety of characters. My favourite was Mr Spiro who, in contrast with his newspaper delivery boy, uses long complex sentences and shares deep philosophical ideas that come from his extensive reading and huge personal library. He shows a beautiful level of kindness and intelligent interactions with the young boy. On the other hand, the town 'junk man' is a violent individual who you will desperately want 'Little Man' to avoid. When he risks his life twice and has to confront this disgusting man I wanted to shout at 'Little Boy' to run away because I knew he was in enormous danger. You can tell I became very involved in this story.

Adding to the power of this story at the end we discover this book is based on the life of the author. Read this detailed interview. Here are some quotes from the interview:

" ... everything in the book which had to do with stuttering, was factual. I had trouble saying my name, and on more than one occasion, I would pass out because I held my breath too long trying to say my name. If you remember the scene where the boy is in the restaurant with some of his parents’ friends, and he gets embarrassed, and it all just starts coming onto him and he loses his spaghetti all over the table and everybody? That actually happened to me."

"In the past few years, I've been reading an awful lot about the covert stutterer. I should have been the poster boy for covert stuttering. I tried to hide my stutter in every way I could. I would lie about it, I would skip class, I would do anything. I would pretend I was sick; I would do anything not to have to speak in class, or in some social situation. What that did is it held me back from starting on my journey of finding my voice."

"Saying my name was my albatross. At the start of school each year, I would start going into sweats, about the middle of August. School would start the first of September, I'd start worrying about it in August because I knew the teachers would say, "Okay, everybody stand-up, tell us your name. Tell us your brother and sister’s names. What your pet is, and what you did this summer." I'd have rather been whipped 40 lashes than do that."

In terms of an Australian young adult reader this book does contain aspects of US History from the 1960s especially racial discrimination and also a few references to baseball and famous baseball players but these references did not mean anything to me, but my ignorance did not affect the way this story totally engrossed me. Listen to an audio sample of chapter one - Mam is not his mother - she is the hired help - a brave African American lady who I would love to thank for the way she loves and protects 'Little Man'. 

Blurb: Little Man throws the meanest fastball in town. But talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering—not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friend’s paper route for the month of July, he’s not exactly looking forward to interacting with the customers. But it’s the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, who stirs up real trouble in Little Man’s life.

Awards for Paperboy:

• A Newbery Honor Award Winner
• An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book
• An IRA Children’s and Young Adults’ Choice
• An IRA Teachers’ Choice
• A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
• A National Parenting Publications Award Honor Book
• A BookPage Best Children’s Book
• An ABC New Voices Pick
• A Junior Library Guild Selection
• An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Recording
• An ALA-YALSA Amazing Audiobook
• A Mississippi Magnolia State Award List Selection

On another level this book is also about racial discrimination. Think of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr and also the movie The Help. There are two further books in this series (both are Young Adult or adult titles) and the final one deals with the five days in April 1968 that changed the world - the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Read more here. 

I am working my way through some Newbery winners and honor books from the last 25 years. I was so lucky to spy Paperboy at a recent charity book sale and it only cost AUS$2.

Companion books:

Walking to the bus-rider Blues

Stella by Starlight

The Parker Inheritance

How High the Moon

I also found a list of Middle Grade books that feature stuttering: Say It Out Loud by Allison Varnes; The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga; and Wild oak by C.C. Harrington.

Just under the clouds by Melissa Sarno

"Then I brush my notebook off and stuff everything in, fishing around for my Tree Book. But it's not there. The worn leather, with its little ribbon tail is missing. I check the front pocket. I check the sleeve inside. I sit down on the wet ground and throw my backpack to it, opening it wide. I take all the withered papers out and stack them. I take each covered textbook and each notebook out. Purple, red, green, blue. I check the front pocket - a jumble of pens and pencils and paperclips, an eraser that feels like it's coated in sand and crumbs. I check the empty sleeve, I fan the colours, in a pinwheel, looking for the soft brown leather. Its gone."

This notebook is everything to Cora. It is her link to her father who died several years ago. Her father was Irish and mum has Mexican heritage. Cora's little sister lost oxygen to her brain during birth and so she has a fairly profound disability. Money is very tight and so the family of three keep having to move. As the story opens, they are living in a homeless shelter, but it is a very dangerous environment. After they are robbed, they move in with mum's friend. Willa seems to have a perfect life and a perfect home and so mum just needs to move again. Cora would love to stay because it is the first place in a long time that she feels safe, but they do move this time into assisted housing. Now school is even further away. 

One thing that connect Cora to her father is the drawing in his notebook of a tree he called The Heaven Tree. Cora finds the tree down by the canal. She is determined to climb it but there are no low branches. The only way seems to be through the window of a disused factory. This will be very dangerous. 

Little Adare loves cats. There is a stray cat that hangs around near the tree and near the canal. On the day Cora loses her dad's tree notebook, little Adare goes missing. Can Cora put all these puzzle pieces back together and find her little sister in time?

This is a debut novel for Melissa Sarno. Kirkus say ages 10-14 so I have listed this as a senior primary novel. Just Under the Clouds was published in 2019 but it is still available. This book will appeal to thoughtful readers who have good reading stamina and who enjoy quiet books about family relationships and children living in complex situations. 

Troubling, affecting, and ultimately uplifting, from a promising debut novelist. Kirkus

There is a delicate balance of things my readers like in a sad book. They like lots of descriptions of what life is like, but they are not as fond of the character's introspection about their situation, if that makes sense. (I spend a large part of my day involved in the nuances of what students want in a book!) This is a little slower than my students usually want, but I will probably purchase it, and this is certainly a great book to look at for most collections. Ms Yingling

Companion books - pop these titles into my sidebar:

And here are some picture books on the topic of homelessness.

This book might be in a library or available as an ebook - it also deals with the heartbreak of a disabled sister.

And this new Australian book has a World War II setting and the story centers on saving the disabled sister from capture.

Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brien

"I think about this chain of violence that began with human greed, the desire to take and take until the trees lost their protectors and many wolves and humans lost their lives."

Red lives in a village with her mother and younger brother and sister. The village is controlled by the mayor and by the fear of attack by the wolves who live in the forest. In past years wolves attacked the village men but not the women so, while everyone lives behind a high fence, the men especially can never leave. The mayor controls everything including the distribution of food, marriage and the dispensing of punishments.

Red's father has been killed many years ago - purportedly by a wolf. Her grandmother has also disappeared and Red has not seen her for many years but as this story opens Red does meet her grandmother in the forest. People from the village are not supposed to visit the forest but Red feels a strong affinity with the trees - they even seem to reach out and touch and caress her. Then her grandmother shows her something even more surprising. Red is able to summon a small pack of wolves. They gather around her and walk in a diamond formation. There are two women who can be found in the forest - an old lady who is suspected of witchcraft called Ms Blaeberry and the woodcutter - a woman named Caragh. It is not directly stated in the story but there is an implication that Caragh has been banished to work as a woodcutter because she refused to marry the mayor. He is so jealous of Raif because he an Caragh are in love and in fact have a plan to run away. 

The changes to Red continue when she discovers not only can she summon her wolf pack but she herself can transform into a wolf. This ability coincides with the menarche. There are all sorts of rules about girls and their periods. This is considered a dark secret and even the water she uses to wash her rags can only be disposed of after dark in a secret place. Red knows she is in great danger if anyone, especially the mayor, finds out that she can transform. Added to this is the worry that her sister, Aerona, might also be able transform too and the day of Aerona's first period is approaching. 

One of the most interesting characters in this story - that I was desperate to know more about - is the wife of the mayor. His treatment of her is an example of domestic violence but Nova also gives tiny signals to Red that seem to mean she has a deeper knowledge of her oppression. 

There are some interesting life rituals and manners explored in this book such as the way people greet each other and their procedures following a death.  Girls are also expected to wear skirts - another sign of control and oppression. 

I also loved the way, as a previously explained, the trees support Red:

The woods seemed more alive after the rain, as though the very air was releasing a sigh of pleasure. But there was something else there, too, a feeling that was much harder to identify. The tree curled her twig branches over my shoulder as though she was preparing to steady me, and I covered the rough twigs with my hand to reassure her. I turned slowly, looking from tree to tree, scanning the ground, peering up into the lower branches for whatever the woods thought deserved my focus.

Beth O'Brien uses language so skillfully.  Think about her word choices in these sentences:

"The thud of the plate and cup sounded dismal in the quiet house."

"The cacophony is beautiful, the disjointed sounds creating a melodious echo."

I recommend this book for very mature readers aged 11+. Here is a list of other "Little Red Riding Hood" based books for Young Adults aged 13+. 

Publisher blurb: Red is not allowed to go into the woods. Everyone knows that they are dangerous – because of their strange magic and the wolves that lurk there… But Red finds herself increasingly drawn to the woods and the place where her grandmother disappeared without a trace three years ago. When the woodcutter fails to return home one night and wolves are spotted close to the village boundary, fear drives a deep and dangerous divide between the villagers and the nature they live alongside. Only Red seems to hold the key – but she has a secret, and exposing it could ruin her family forever …

You can read a chapter sample on the Harper Collins (Australia) webpage. This book was published in 2025 and I picked up my print copy here in Australia from a local bookseller for AUS$18.

Here are a few text quotes:

"Father was one of many men to be taken by the wolves. Where once our village had been famous for its lucrative wolf-fur trade, courtesy of our skilled hunters, soon it was associated with nothing but violent attacks. No matter how many men the mayor conscripted to try and keep the wolves at bay, our losses continued to mount up. Shortly after my father’s death, the mayor was forced to admit defeat, disband the hunters entirely and forbid all men and boys from entering the woods. This worked in so much as the attacks stopped. But the restrictions the mayor placed on our village after that meant the fear of the wolves was impossible to forget."

"I want you to imagine there’s a wolf in front of you. She has her back to you and she’s going to stay in front of you wherever you walk.’ There was a pause as she let me form that image in my mind. ‘Now, to your left and to your right are two more. They come up to your waist and if you reach out your hands, you’d be able to brush their fur, but they are no closer than that.’ Another pause. ‘Finally, there is a fourth wolf. This one is behind you, so the four of them form a diamond."

"I turned my own face up to smile at Grandmother and saw she was holding a bundle out towards me. I stood up and my wolves parted, letting me step closer to her. It was a coat. By full daylight, it would be a vivid scarlet, but under the dappled light of the trees it looked much deeper, much darker. More like blood."

"The mayor depends on us all being frightened of the woods, whether it's fear of attack or of shame."

"Nearly all the girls and women of this village know the woods aren't a bad place. They're a place where bad things happen, ... but bad things happen within our village wall, too."

Wolf Siren is a debut novel for UK author Beth O'Brien. She is the author of four adult poetry books. Having been born visually impaired and with an upper-limb difference, Beth is passionate about the representation of disability in literature and is currently studying for a PHD researching the (mis) representation of disability in fairytale retellings. She is the founder and editor of Disabled Tales.

Here is a map of Young Adult Fairy tale retellings:

Image source: Epic Reads

I think my interest in these 'grown-up' versions of fairy tales goes back to my reading a book by Donna Jo Napoli although it was not about Red Riding Hood. 

I found this collage of versions of Little Red Riding Hood on Library Thing. When you go to the link you can hover over each title for a brief plot summary.

Image Source: Library Thing tag "Little Red Riding Hood"

I have had this book, Red, on my to-read list for a long time so this might be the next "Red Riding Hood" based story that I read: