Our Beautiful World by Sarah Speedie illustrated by Margeaux Davis

Please grab an atlas or find a simple world map online to share alongside this book. You will begin in Australia then travel on to Chile, China, England, Italy, Canada, Japan, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Morocco, and South Africa. Each location is matched with a landscape and a colour. Purple grapes in Chile, white snow in Canada, and yellow sunflowers (see the cover) in Italy for example. 

"Yellow, bold sunflowers and in neat rows. The Italian summer puts on a bright show."

Each landscape is a double page spread but the text placement varies. The children in each country change too. I especially loved the Japanese kids in their iconic school uniforms. 

Our Beautiful World celebrates a rainbow of colours and these same colours are used across the front and back end papers. 

I really like the cover of Our Beautiful World and, this might sound strange, but when I first saw this book in a shop in April 2025, I thought it looked like it came from a Japanese illustrator - I had no idea (at that time) that this was an Australian title. 

I love books about concepts like colours, days of the week, numbers and the alphabet. Our Beautiful World uses simple colours and landscapes to explore the world.  It reminded me of this truly exceptional book:

Our Beautiful World is a 2026 CBCA Early Childhood Notable title. 

Margeaux Davis is the illustrator of a book I really loved - What Stars are for. Here is her blog.

I was sent one of Sarah Speedie's early titles when I was a previous CBCA judge. I am going to honest and say it did not really appeal to me. I gifted it to a friend for her library and she told me her students really enjoyed it so that's great!

Here are the previous books by Sarah Speedie:

Here is my blog post about The Great Dawn Choir

Our World full of Wonder by Jevita Nilson illustrated by Jess Racklyeft

This book is published by the CSIRO here in Australia. I did not read the blurb and I didn't focus on the cover when I first 'dived in'.  In my mind the places in this book were in Australia so imagine my surprise when I discovered I had just been on a journey around the world and had seen places that were totally new to me and others that should have been familiar such as one from Australia - The Great Barrier Reef and Iguzau Falls in South America.

"There is a place where the night sky is a ballet of light, where ghostly greens swirl above snow-capped mountains, and reflections dazzle the darkness."

Aurora Borealis

"There is a place where the rocks are streaked with colour, where ancient mountains rise from the land, and time has revealed a hidden rainbow palette."

Rainbow Mountain China (Zhangye National Geopark)

"There is a place where a mysterious cave holds magical wonders, where explorers climbed over monstrous crystals glistening in the depths of Earth."

Cave of the Crystals Mexico (Sierra de Naica in Chihuahua)

Here are all the places you can visit in this book - it is sure to inspire young (and old) travellers:

- Aurora borealis, North Pole
- The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- The Rainbow Mountains, China
- Reynisfjara Beach (black sand beach), Iceland
- Lake Hillier, Australia
- Sequoia National Park, United States of America
- Catatumbo lightning, Venezuela
- The Cave of the Crystals, Mexico
- Valley of Flowers National Park, India
- Iguazu Falls, Argentina and Brazil
- Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, Madagascar
- Vaadhoo Island (Sea of Stars), Maldives

Here is a list with examples of the exquisite vocabulary used in this book: ballet of light; multicoloured maze; rainbow palette; fairy-floss water; streaks of silver pierce the clouds; the torrent's roar; eerie shadows; and illuminating the moonless night.

Here is the blurb from the back cover: Explore fascinating phenomena and places around the world in this vibrant picture book. Our world is full of amazing natural wonders. From sparkling seas and towering trees, to valleys, lakes and waterfalls, there are extraordinary places that seem too magical to be true but can be found right here on planet Earth. There are ghostly green lights of the aurora borealis near the North Pole, and exquisite rainbow mountains in China. There is a lake in Australia so pink it looks like fairy floss, and giant crystal caves hidden below Mexico. These are just some of the incredible places you will discover in Our World Full of Wonder. Shall we go explore?

Here are the brief Scholastic Teacher's Notes. There is a link on the publisher page to a more detailed set of teaches notes.

I wonder why oh why this book did not make the 2025 CBCA Eve Pownall (Non Fiction) notables list - this is a book that SHOULD be added to your school library. If you purchase standing orders from a supplier you may already have this book. This is a book to treasure in your library and it would also be a wonderful gift for a child aged 8+. 

You can see more books by Jess Racklyeft. Here is the second book in this series:

Earth's wildlife is nothing short of extraordinary. There are colour-changing chameleons in the forests of Madagascar and cliff-climbing goats in the European Alps. There are fluorescent fish in the depths of the Mariana Trench and wildfire-surviving echidnas in the Australian bush. Our World of Wild Wonders explores the unique animal species that inhabit our planet. Some mighty, some meek, but all wondrous in their own special way. Shall we go explore?

Taking time by Jo Loring-Fisher

Do you take your time to look, listen, feel, smell, touch our world?

Taking time to listen to a bird's song on the breeze.

Taking time to gather up the blossom dancing free.

Taking time to snuggle in my dog's soft velvet fur.

Taking time to feel the beat of my cat's rhythmic purr.

This text is one your students could easily use as writing inspiration and also for a discussion about mindfulness, time, and precious life experiences. At a really simple level you could also use this book as part of a mapping topic with a young class. 

Sadly, here in Australia, this book Taking Time is very expensive, but you might be lucky and find a copy in a library. 

Here is an interview with the author and you can see some drafts of her illustrations. And here is her own webpage. You can see Jo with her book here. 

A must-have for anyone sharing books with young children—simply exquisite. Kirkus Star review

This is simply exquisite. In eleven different parts of the world, children savour the moment: on each double spread there is a gorgeous, mixed media scene showing a young boy or girl in an everyday setting relishing the beauty of the surroundings. Red Reading Hub

I mentioned this book in a previous post when I was talking about Timeless by Kelly Canby.  Taking time would be an excellent book to use as a comparison text especially with a group of older students.

Take a look at my previous post about another book by Jo Loring-Fisher - Wolf Girl. 

Papa brings me the World by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

 

"My papa is a photojournalist. His pictures and stories are windows into magical worlds. Papa says he was born to explore. When Papa comes home, his pockets are treasure troves of silver and gold!"

Papa travels for and wide around the world and he always brings truly special things from over twenty five countries for Lu but the gift she really wants is to join him on his adventures.  Finally that day comes and they head off to Australia!

This book is based on a true story. You can read about that at the back of the book and there is a world map showing all the places Papa collected the treasures. 

The collage illustrations are scrumptious. You can see pages from this book on the publisher website. On the title page you will see a brown leather covered journal. This is the book Papa gives Lu ready for her to fill with notes about her own adventures. 

Readers in Australia are sure to especially love the illustration showing Papa and Lu walking towards Uluru. 

You can listen to an interview podcast with the author (40 minutes). Here is part of the Author Note by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw:

"That someday eventually came when we travelled to Australia together. It was a gift from my parents. Dad and I visited the Three Sisters Rock formation in the Blue Mountains. we ran five miles in the pouring rain along Sydney Harbour and up the steps of the Sydney Opera House. .... Thank you Dad, for sharing your joy of exploring and your wonder for all the world's diversity and beauty."

I also love this book, Same Same, but Different, by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw - it is one that should be added to all Primary school collections:

Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer

The text of this book, as with all truly special picture books, reads like a poem.

"Wonder walk? Sure.

Is the sun the world's light bulb?

Is fog the river's blanket?

Do mountains have bones? Are forests the mountain's fur?

I wonder ... Me too."

My favourite lines read: "Is the wind the world breathing?" "Is the moon the world's night-light?"

Image Source: New York Times

Excellent for enriching vocabulary, developing creative thinking, and enhancing a love of nature. Kirkus Star review

Beautifully rendered — and wonderful in every way. Horn Book

Exquisite details require readers to pause at each page turn. Librarian's Quest

Kirkus describe the art in the book as "luminous ink-and-collage illustrations (which) are lush and vivid, perfectly suiting the text." Micha Archer, from Massachusetts, is a collage artist.  In this short video you can see how Micha makes her art. You can see art from this book here and here. I have previously talked about her books:

If you come to Earth by Sophie Blackall

"We humans define ourselves by where we were born, where we live, what we believe, by the clothes we wear and the languages we speak. But there is no 'typical' person. We are all different. Yet there is something we all share - the planet on which we live."

If you come to earth begins with a view of the universe. Quinn, the author of the letter, takes reader and the visitor from outer space down through the stars flying high above the planet and gradually getting closer and closer so we can see houses, people enjoying a picnic, facial expressions, brightly coloured and varied clothing, the seasons, methods of transport (road, air and water), school life, famous people, leisure time, a diverse meal time and then we see the wonders of our planet. Our precious water, sea life, land animals, and birds. This is my favourite page. Then Sophie explores music, art and communication. We have natural things and man made; big things and tiny things but it is the next page that may make you gasp:

"Some things are invisible. wind; invisible cloak; gravity; electricity; the smell of roast chicken, old socks, frangipani, wet wool; sound waves; germs."

There are times when people are hurt or sadly hurt one another but things are much better when we help each other - thank you Sophie this scene is a library!! Over time all humans grow and learn to tell stories. Finally Quinn says:

"If you come to Earth, you can stay in my room. Love Quinn."

In this generous video Sophie talks about her book and the five years of work that went into the creation of a book that everyone should treasure. I think this book should be added to EVERY library and also go out right now and buy this book as a Christmas present for someone precious in your family. In this interview Sophie talks about her book.

Two-time Caldecott Medalist Blackall balances eye-catching double-page spreads with white space, even focusing on a single powerful image—for instance, one giant bird formed from dozens of small birds fit together. ... Each rich illustration invites return visits to investigate all the small, and big, details it contains. Kirkus

Sweet, funny, moving, timely, and beautiful. Horn Book

The visual detail is awesome and the importance of seeing each person as a unique, valued human being worthy of our respect and care, and of the vital necessity too caring for the Earth, shine through the entire book. Red Reading Hub

Some things to notice in this book (there are sure to be more):  

Quinn looks just like the Ezra Jack Keats boy in Snowy Day and he appears on nearly every page.

• Houses page - look for the caravan with the clothes line and the line of people who have lost their homes
• Picnic page - look for the book with a map of Australia (Sophie is from Australia but lives in NYC)
• Transport page - look for the Christmas tree; stretch limo; and snowboarder
• School page - the kids are drawing the aliens we will later see on under the dust jacket

You might also hunt for several lighthouses; a puffin; Quinn playing a triangle; and a boomerang. You will also want to linger over the page of fifty paint tubes with their creative and funny names: slug belly, proud, baby tooth, vacuum bag dirt and dreams do come true.  Sophie should ask Dulux if she can name their next range of paints. She has invented some really nifty labels.

I do need to say one thing to Sophie (if she happens to read this post) - I was utterly devastated when Hello Lighthouse was not awarded a prize by our Children's Book Council of Australia. I am associated with several school libraries and we were all so certain Hello Lighthouse would WIN. At least the short listing for 2020 means hundreds indeed thousands of children in Australian schools have seen this glorious book.

Sophie has written over 45 books. Here are a few I adore:

My Heart is a Compass by Deborah Marcero

Rose has a problem. She needs something for 'show and tell' at school. Rose longs for adventure. She wants to make discoveries and travel to places that have "never been found." She decides to draw a map starting with her own town, then moving outwards to maps of the city, sky, oceans, an island and new mountainous lands but on reaching the end of her journey she has "nothing to show. Nothing to tell".

Well that's not quite true. Rose has drawn the most fabulous maps showing all her exploring and providing her with a memory of journey. She shows these to her class and they exclaim: spectacular, amazing, bravo, magic, beautiful, sublime, a fairy tale.

If you love maps this is the PERFECT book. You will find yourself pouring over the maps and noticing the tiny details many of which are sure to make you smile. Look for the Gingerbread House; Daydreaming Grasslands; the Blue Fox Farm (filled with blue foxes!); the Lake in the Clouds; and the sky zone called Unfilled Wishes. This book should be added to every Primary school library.

I especially love the end papers showing Rose's classroom filled with books!

Marcero makes excellent use of the picture book as a storytelling vehicle. Bright, open illustrations deftly capture Rose’s quest with landscapes that effortlessly dismantle the supposed opposition between the real and the imaginary. …  Lovely, lively, and enchanting for new and veteran explorers alike. Kirkus Star review

I love the quote on the first page of this book:

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere - 

Carl Sagan

Here is a video interview with the author where she talks about her process and art techniques. Here are a very detailed set of teaching notes for My Heart is a Compass.  I recently talked about another book by Deborah Marcero - In a Jar.

I love books about using your imagination and I adore books about maps SO My Heart is a compass is simply perfect. Here are some other books with maps, show and tell and imagination that are brilliant:

Happy by Nicola Edwards illustrated by Katie Hickey

Happy is a children's book of mindfulness.  Each page contains a topic, a rhyme and a suggestion or question accompanied with joyous and colourful illustrations. While I do like the text of this book - the rhyming parts, I especially love the illustrations.

Topics: Listening, Feeling, Relaxing, Tasting, Touching, Discovering, Smelling, Loving, Appreciating, Breathing, Happiness

Rhyming text - here are two examples of pages I liked:

Touching
Touch calms the wildest emotions,
We connect to the world all around,
When we dip out toes into the ocean
Or crunch crisp golden leaves on the ground.

Appreciating
It feels good to give thanks at the day's end
For the pink blushing sky overhead,
A hot meal, comfy shoes or a good friend,
And the warmth of a soft cosy bed.

A fine resource for sharing moments of mindfulness, empathy, and reflection with young children. Kirkus

In a society full of stress and pressure it’s often difficult to find time to stop and appreciate our surroundings and the people in our lives. Screen time is increasing, outside play is decreasing and many children now have anxiety and mental health problems. Teaching them mindfulness can help them to slow down, relax and find ways to cope with stress. Story Snug

Here are some additional Mindfulness books to explore from Megan Daley.

I talked about another book by Nicola Edwards here recently - Goodnight World.

I love the illustration style in this book so I have added a Christmas book illustrated by Katie Hickey to my ever expanding shopping list.

Here is a Christmas Lighthouse illustrated by Katie Hickey for an art challenge in 2017.

I am also very keen to see this book by Nicola Edwards: