Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li

When we did come across May’s, we’d do the exact same thing. We’d stop and exchange a look. Ye-Ye would raise an eyebrow. “Egg tarts or coconut bread?” 
And every time, I said, “Both?”

“I’m going to help save the bakery.” “What?” “The bakery,” I said, my voice steadying. “It can’t go. I’m going to figure out a way to help May Wong save it.” There. I said it. Now there was no going back.

It might be good to grab a map of San Francisco or look for some photographs of the city - especially if, like me, you don't live in the US or you are unfamiliar with this city.

I did read this book quite quickly. There were many plot points that felt familiar or similar to other books so while I did enjoy some parts of this story it didn't completely grab me. I have put some similar books at the end of this post.

Plot points:

• A young girl (Ruby Chu) is sent to spend the summer with her grandmother - Nai-Nai. This is partly a punishment because Ruby has been caught leaving her school at lunch time
• Ruby is carrying the burdens of grief and guilt. She is sure it is her fault that her grandfather Ye-Ye died about a year ago.
• Ruby was once best friends with her sister Viv but now that her sister is older and about to head away to college their connection seems to be gone. 
• Adding to this Ruby's best friend Mia has moved across the country and Naomi, her other friend, seems to have moved on to a different group. Ruby feels isolated and alone.
• Mum and Dad are absent from Monday to Friday because they are frantically busy with their work commitments and Ruby cannot talk to them over dinner at the weekend because they are always rushing to answer important phone calls.
• Ruby spends her weekdays with Nai-Nai and each day they go to the Seniors Centre. Ruby does make a friend but at first, she is sure she does not like Liam at all. Over time she finds out he has had some deep sadness in his life and with teamwork they bond over their shared goal of saving the bakery.

Maybe it was because after Liam and I had talked, things had changed. We now worked on stuff together and told each other all kinds of things about our families. I would never ignore him in a hallway again or tease him in my mind.

• Ruby knows she is 'grounded' but she breaks this rule by going a sleepover with Naomi. If she talks to her parents about her grandmother, they will discover this and the sleepover is a disaster.

I needed to tell Dad about Nai-Nai getting lost. And Mom. When would I mention it? I would bring it up at dinner, maybe, tonight when Dad picked me up and drove me home. But then I tried to imagine how the conversation would go. They would ask me what had happened. I would have to tell them about Naomi’s sleepover. They would get mad, I realized. My heart sank. Of course they would. They’d get angry at me and at Nai-Nai for letting me go. I didn’t know what would happen next. Would they yell at Nai-Nai? It wasn’t her fault. But would they stop letting me stay at Nai-Nai’s place? Would that leave Nai-Nai by herself again? I couldn’t leave her alone. If she was left alone maybe she’d forget more things and no one would be around to help her remember. Maybe I wouldn’t tell them, for now. I would tell them eventually. For now, I’d just keep watching Nai-Nai.

• Her grandmother is showing early signs of memory loss and later Ruby learns the words dementia and Alzheimer's.
• Mum and Dad decide Nai-Nai needs to go to an aged care facility and when Nai-Nai runs away but Ruby is able to 'rescue' her and things in her family are finally out in the open and able to be resolved.
• So by now you probably agree with me that the title is perfect - Ruby is lost and then she is found or she discovers things about herself and begins to accept the changes in her life.

Listen to an audio sample here.

Publisher blurb: Thanks to her Ye-Ye’s epic scavenger hunts, thirteen-year-old Ruby Chu knows San Francisco like the back of her hand. But after his death, she feels lost, and it seems like everyone—from her best friends to her older sister—is abandoning her. After Ruby gets in major trouble at school, her parents decide she has to spend the summer at a local senior center with her grandmother, Nai-Nai, and Nai-Nai’s friends for company. When a new boy from Ruby’s grade, Liam Yeung, starts showing up too, Ruby’s humiliation is complete. But Nai-Nai, her friends, and Liam all surprise Ruby. She finds herself working with Liam, who might not be as annoying as he seems, to help save a historic Chinatown bakery that’s being priced out of the neighborhood. And alongside Nai-Nai, who is keeping a secret that threatens to change everything, Ruby retraces Ye-Ye’s scavenger hunt maps in an attempt to find a way out of her grief—and maybe even find herself. 

Big feelings are uncomfortable but to be expected in this story of finding joy and community amid change and loss. Kirkus Star review

(While) this is not an exciting, page-turner; it's a self-contained family drama that's essentially about a grieving girl getting to know her grandmother better. It's definitely worth a read though -- Ruby's family and struggles feel real, the exploration of grief and intergenerational family relationships is touching, and the San Francisco setting sparkles. Common Sense Media

Read this detailed review from Ms Yingling and one from Horn Book Magazine.

I did enjoy the descriptions of Chinatown and also the relationships between the older ladies at the senior centre where Ruby goes each day with her grandmother. This book also explores the complexities of junior high friendships and peer group relationships. Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this story by Christina Li.

I took a bite and savored the sweet, creamy egg custard, pressing down the inkling of worry in my chest. The crust was soft and flaky and melted on my tongue. “Thank you,” I said, muffled, my mouth half-full. It was just like how I remembered it in May’s Bakery on a busy Saturday morning or on a quiet Sunday afternoon, leaning over the counter to peer at the egg tarts and sponge cakes through the glass. I took a sip of the tea and leaned back and felt warm and full.

They passed out bingo cards and chips. And right before it started, Auntie Lin leaned back to speak to May Wong. She kept her voice low, but I was just close enough to hear her say, in Mandarin, “Another kid to babysit? What are we, a day care?" ... Also: another kid? Some other grandchild was being brought here against their will? Five hours to go. The clock was literally slowing before my eyes.

Nai-Nai also didn’t do much after the days at the senior center. She used to always go on small trips and errands. Back when she was really into making clothes, she’d take me with her to the fabric store. We’d hang out for hours while she draped lengths of fabric over herself, so it looked like she had a rainbow cape. Or during her paint phase, she’d grab watercolors and have Ye-Ye and me paint with her. But now, like clockwork, we headed straight back to the apartment in the late afternoon. She wore gray sweater-vests and different varieties of handmade baggy pants. And her only hobby these days seemed to be watching TV.

Ye-Ye made me a scavenger hunt every August, the weekend before school started. There were colored-pencil marks over all of this map, a different color for every year. Dark green was last year. Gold was the year before, then red. The last time that Viv joined us for the scavenger hunts was recorded in a beautiful sky blue, looping near the ocean. Viv always liked to charge ahead with each clue, as if it was a race to finish as fast as possible. I liked to wander. And then the next year she stopped coming.

The other day, she left the package of tofu out on the counter after cooking noodles. When Nai-Nai came for breakfast, she stared at the tofu package and asked me why I’d taken it out for breakfast. Nai-Nai was always a bit scatterbrained. She often left mail and receipts out on the coffee table and left books she was reading open and facedown. But she never really misplaced things in the kitchen.

You might want to grab a copy of this book after reading Ruby lost and found:

And you want to eat a custard tart or some coconut bread and visit a Japanese stationery store to buy some of those fun animal erasers (chapter 7).

Companion books:

Tree Table Book

Talking to the Moon

Maizy Chen's last chance

Just like Jackie

Ready, Set, Skip by Jane O'Connor illustrated by Ann James

I can't skip.

I wish I could.

Other kids are really good.

I can leap.

I can creep.

I can twirl? Just watch this girl. ...

But I can't skip. 

It's not my fault.

Exuberant is the word I would use to describe the illustrations in this book which was published in 2007. This is a perfect book to share with a group of preschool children as a way to talk about the idea of 'not yet'. For myself I found lots of things like skipping and riding a bicycle very hard when I was a young child BUT these are both things you can learn and develop with practice. My former school had an extensive dance program and one of the ways the dance teacher assessed the children who auditioned was by asking them to skip. I think this was the first time I realised even older children can find skipping is a complex skill.

I know this book is out of print. I was so lucky Ann James herself gifted me a copy in mint condition with a dust jacket! You might be lucky and find a copy in a school or local library.

Kirkus gave this book a STAR review:

The narrator of this effervescent exercise in rhyme cannot skip. She can leap, creep, twirl, skate and “BURRRRRRRRRRP!”—but itches to add skipping to her repertoire. Her wise mom asks, “Can you hop?” and, after a perfectly child-calibrated burst of same (“I can hop and / never stop! / Watch!”), bestows the key to the elusive gait. “‘Hop on one foot. / then the other. / That is skipping,’ says my mother.” O’Connor’s deft turns of phrase masterfully capture the initial glumness and ensuing buoyancy, delivering a text perfectly pitched for both story time kids and emergent readers. Australian illustrator James’s charcoal-shaded watercolors beautifully limn that buoyancy, capturing the narrator’s whirling activity and multifold facial expressions in spot illustrations against a crisp white layout. In a brown bob cut, shorts and bare feet, this little one (with her constant companion, a doting dog ... ), embodies a hallmark symbiosis of childhood—joy expressed as movement, and movement, a joy in itself.

I learned a new word from this review: limn - to represent in drawing or painting.

I wonder how Ann James came to illustrate this book. US Author Jane O'Connor is famous for her Fancy Nancy books and lots of others - over 100 titles.

Big Enough by Regina Linke

Grandfather sends young Ah-Fu to collect their ox from the field but he warns the boy:

"Just don't try to ride him ... you're not big enough to hold on yet."

As Ah-Fu walks along others add to this advice. The swallows warn him not to lead the ox by the horns; and the frog says don't herd the ox from behind. Three pieces of advice. It is a lot to remember but then Ah-Fu meets the ox and as they journey home it seems each piece of advice will need to be disregarded. Perhaps Ah-Fu is actually old enough for this important responsibility after all. 

Here is an interview with the author about her book and in this 9 minute video you can see Regina talking about Big Enough. Here is the web page for this book. 

I spied this book in one of our city bookstore a few month ago and then I attended an event in the store and the price of admission could be used for book purchases. This seems like such a great way to organise an event - people pay to attend so you can be sure they will come and the reward is a book or two.

If you buy Big Enough published in 2025 (AUS$30) for your school library you will want to work out how to share the image under the dust jacket. And also stop and consider the way the end papers move from early in the day to late at night. 

Author blurb: Little Ah-Fu has a big imagination, but he can’t imagine being the Oxherd Boy . . . yet. When the day comes for Ah-Fu to bring the huge family ox home from the woods, he worries that he’s not big enough to do the job.Will fear and self-doubt drive Ah-Fu home empty-handed? Or can he rely on his wits and compassion to become the Oxherd Boy his family expects—and prove to himself that he is, indeed, big enough? Delightfully paired with exquisite illustrations, this empowering story inspired by traditional Chinese philosophy shows kids big and small how to trust themselves and embrace what they can be.

The illustrations, painted digitally using traditional Chinese techniques, are by turns realistic and minimalist, then fantastical and lush, capturing an agrarian countryside filtered through the unbridled imagination of youth. This tale of quiet persistence, enhanced by the ox’s impressively expressive eyebrows, will strike a chord with young readers looking for their own burst of courage. A gentle adventure for big dreamers in small bodies. Kirkus

Big Enough is a debut picture book with a character taken from her previous book:

The Oxherd Boy (a book for adults) has 160 pages and was published in 2024. Here is the publisher blurb: In this exquisitely illustrated parable grounded in the three pillars of Chinese philosophy, a young boy, his family ox, and a rabbit living in his garden help each other navigate the daily work of love, compassion, and community. Examining the world through the lenses of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, their conversations convey tender, uplifting messages for life's various crossroads. As they adopt a sparrow, bathe in rivers, comfort their neighbors, and tend to their chores, the characters’ different perspectives are reflected in their conversations: the boy’s Taoist love of nature and all it entails, the ox’s Buddhist compassion for others, and the rabbit’s Confucian practice of mutual respect and care. While they don't always agree, the friends settle on the basic truth that purpose comes from simply engaging with life—and with each other. Painted in a contemporary gongbi style, one of the oldest continuous art forms in the world, the atmospheric illustrations from Taiwanese American artist Regina Linke conjure a timeless, mystical land where the friends have made their home. The potent combination of magnificent art and gentle revelations will capture the hearts of readers, whatever their age.

Post update - Regina Linke has a new book (coming in 2026) to follow on from Big Enough:

Publisher blurb: It's a beautiful day in Ah-Fu's village, and all he wants to do is fly his kite, ride in his grandfather's oxcart, and have a picnic. But a tangled string, a busy aunt, a fallen tree, and more threaten to ruin Ah-Fu's chances of enjoying this perfect day with the people he loves. Can little Ah-Fu come up with creative ways to help his friends and family, or will his plans for a nice day be ruined? Inspired by traditional Chinese philosophy and told alongside gorgeous illustrations, this modern fable encourages readers of all ages to use inventive problem-solving strategies and lend a helping hand wherever they can.

You're Too Little by Katie Stewart

You have big eyes to see in the dark.

You have strong paws to hold on.

And you have a super special tail.

You have want it takes. Why not give it a go?

Bookseller blurb: Pygmy Possum wants to climb far, far up into the trees to taste the sweet blossom nectar. But everyone keeps telling her the same thing- 'It's very high. You're too little. You might fall.' Are they right, or will she find a way? This is a gentle tale of believing in yourself in the face of others' doubt and recognising your own strengths.

The main character in this story of bravery and confidence is a Western Pygmy Possum. Here is a photo:

Image source: Australian Geographic

Books with a repeated refrain are perfect for preschoolers either to read beside your own child or with a group. I like the way the Australian animals in this book really look like real animals and also the choices of animals are perfect because many of these will be less well known to young readers and so might spark some curiosity. 

Image Source: WA Museum

Katie Stewart reads her book in this video. Here are the teaching notes from the publisher. As background reading for teachers or if you set a research task for older students you might like to read more about each of the Australian animals in this story:

• Western Pygmy Possum
• Numbat
• Brushtail Possum
• Gecko
• Weebill

This is a Weebill - I had not heard of this bird

Image Source: Birdlife

This is a gentle tale of believing in yourself in the face of others’ doubt and recognising your own strengths, to have faith in yourself regardless of others’ opinions and develop resilience, perseverance and that inner strength that allows risk-taking as well as dealing with success and failure. The Bottom Shelf

Thanks to Fremantle Press for sending me a copy of this book which was published on 29th July 2025. This book reminded me a little of Puffling. If you are talking about growing up, confidence, perseverance, self belief and 'the right time' you could read these two books side by side.

The story is set at night because these animals are nocturnal but that gives rise to my only tiny criticism of this book - I found myself wanting a break from the strong saturated blue of the night sky which is used on every page. 

This book is part of a series:

Katie Stewart is an author and illustrator. Born in the north of England, she came to Australia at the age of nine. She started her working life as an archaeologist and ethnohistorian, went on to teaching and then to being a mother. She later worked in a school library, but her lifelong dream was to be what she is now. She is married to a farmer, has three children, and her great love of animals means she has a lot of pets and takes lots of nature photos. In her spare time, she tries to play the harp or wanders the countryside with a metal detector amusing the neighbours and occasionally finding an interesting piece of history. Her books have been shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year (2020 and 2021) and shortlisted for the WA Premier’s Book Awards (2022).

We are the Wibbly! A Tadpole's Tale by Sarah Tagholm illustrated by Jane McGuinness

This book just begs to be read aloud. Our young narrator always seems to come last. Youngest siblings are sure to relate to this and other children will sympathise with his feelings of being slow to catch up with the group. As Kirkus says: While some life cycle books feel dry, this one is enlivened by humor and the modest but compelling narrative, which follows a distinctive pink-cheeked tadpole who’s decidedly ambivalent about this whole metamorphosis business.

I love his individual voice and the way he uses invented words. This is an absolutely perfect book to consider for any preschool library or bookshelf. It is a terrific way to talk about the lifecycle of frogs and the art in this book is just so very appealing. It reminds me of a preschool art technique blowing bubbles through paint. See more books illustrated by Jane McGuiness here. 

Image source: Jane McGuiness

Invented words and fun phrases: water-flying; hunger-muncher; 'you will not do believing this'; juiceable dinners; I am the fasterest; 'oh my crikeys'; air-swimming.

Look at this diagram and you can see the changes he goes through:

Publisher blurb: OH MY CRIKEYS! Doesn't life move fast? One moment you're in the Wibbly, relaxing with your Wibbly friends. The next, they've all grown tails and turned into tadpoles! And what's more, they are bursting OUT of the Wibbly ... AND you've got to keep up! Some tadpoles don't feel ready to become frogs. And some never wanted to become tadpoles in the first place.

Frequent exclamation points propel the springy narrative, and sprinkles of quirky invented words and unconventional grammar feel very froglike indeed. ...  Splashy illustrations in ink, mixed-media, and Photoshop leap with energy, while the gently rounded, big-eyed frogs are cute yet still accurately rendered. A page of backmatter nicely summarizes the frog’s life cycle. A hopping good book perfect for budding biologists. Kirkus Star review

Here is a very extensive Pinterest collection of books about frogs and toads from my friend Kinderbookswitheverything. 

I would pair We are Wibbly with this book:

One Tiny Tree Frog

Ettie and the Midnight Pool by Julia Green illustrated by Pam Smy

I spied this book in Melbourne (Ladyhawke, Ivanhoe) and I recognised the author name but I couldn't think which book I had previously read. I was delighted to find it was House of Light. I said in that post that I would like to read more books by Julia Green but sadly I didn't really love Ettie and the Midnight Pool in the same way. I found the anger Ettie levels against her grandmother quite awful. I know Ettie is growing up and questioning the way her grandmother seems to set so many rules. Ettie is also desperate to know more about her absent mother and she wants her grandmother to acknowledge life is not like a story with a happy ending. In fact, when Ettie finds out that the famous myths and other classic stories her grandmother has told her do not have the endings her grandmother always shared and that these stories are actually filled with tragedy and sadness Ettie becomes even more determined to defy her grandmother.

Near their home there is a disused slate mine. Ettie is not supposed to venture beyond a certain point, and she is most definitely not allowed to swim in the lake at the bottom of the mine. I am sure you have worked out she breaks both of these rules and that her behaviour has dangerous consequences. Ettie is not alone though and perhaps she would not have been so defiant or attempted such dangerous activities if she had not met the mysterious Cora.

It would have been good to find a list of the famous stories referred to in Ettie and the Midnight Pool such as Pandora's box, Persephone and Demeter, Orpheus and Eurydice, and Icarus. Familiarity with these might help readers more deeply appreciate Ettie and the Midnight Pool. There are also references to Little Red Riding Hood (think of the cautionary tale) and The Incredible Journey by Shelia Burnford which is a book I loved as a child. I also wanted to know more about Ettie's absent mother. The story implies she cannot travel home because of Covid restrictions but there is also a hint that her mother has no plan to return and that she thinks Ettie should be raised by her grandmother. 

Readers aged 11+ might enjoy Ettie and the Midnight Pool. These reviewers all enjoyed this book (way more than I did) and you can click these for more plot details. 

Not everything is spelled out for the reader who is given space to form their own conclusions in this haunting, intriguing tale. There is a wonderful use of myth and traditional tales to underpin the message that you cannot, and should not, try to protect children from the dark side of life. We cannot fully appreciate the light without understanding the darkness that exists. Superbly descriptive writing, evocative illustration and psychological depth make this an unforgettable read. Love Reading4Kids 
This review also includes an interview with Julia Green (27 minutes).

'Powerful, haunting and incredibly atmospheric . . . told with all Julia Green's great skill and shot through with a vein of dark mystery. A truly special book' Nicola Davies

Enhanced by Pam Smy’s powerfully evocative illustrations, Julia Green’s wonderful descriptions of the countryside, in combination with intrigue and nail-biting moments, make this a mesmerising story that lingers in your mind long after you’ve set the book aside. Red Reading Hub

This would make the perfect read for those children who are thinkers, who want something different or special to read. Every class has them and it’s always a joy to have a gem like this to offer when they are ready for their next book! It is a wonderful, layered story, full of love, longing and life. Through the Bookshelf

Julia Green’s writing is always incredibly powerful – an ode to nature with a hopeful call to action. Ettie and the Midnight Pool is no different. Readers feel the rhythm of the earth – the peace, the heartbeat, the story of the land – as they think about their own place in it. From the freshness of the hay meadows to the oak trees to the iciness of the water, nature is enchanting and the most beautiful place to be. Scope for Imagination

Ettie and the Midnight Pool companion book:

October and October

Julia Green is an author of over twenty novels and stories for children and young adults. She has worked as a publicity assistant for a publisher, a library assistant, an English teacher, and is currently Emeritus Professor of Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. 

I will swim next time by Emily Joof illustrated by Matilda Ruta

"But when we went to the beach my tummy felt tight. I really wanted to try, but it still felt wrong inside. Definitely, possibly, perhaps I'd swim - next time."

So many of us here in Australia live near the coast. Other kids, who live further inland, are sure to have a beach holiday some time in their childhood, and rural kids often have access to rivers and lakes and of course their local town pool. This book is a beautiful and quiet exploration of the courage it takes to step into the water and swim for the first time. 

Here is a video of the author talking about her book. Emily Joof is from Gambia but she lived for a time in Sweden. Watch the trailer. This book is also an Empathy Lab title for 2024. 

I will swim next time was first published in Swedish with the title Det djupa blå.

The story offers a model for parents looking to quell children’s fears, support their dreams, and allow them room to grow. Given that many swimming pools have historically excluded African American communities and that Black children face an elevated risk of drowning, a narrative that spotlights a Black family reveling in the water is especially welcome. ... Gentle, inspiring, and important  Kirkus

This adorable, sweet book is all about reassuring little ones that they can take their time with things they feel nervous about, and that there’s no rush to get to grips with new experiences like swimming. Everyone will come to it in their own time, and Mum is happy to be patient and supportive. Book Trust

Here is a new Australian picture book which is the perfect companion read (I expect to see this one listed as a 2025 CBCA Early Childhood notable title). Read more here from Pip Harry. 

I'm jumping waves at the beach with Dad.

If they're small I can leap over their frothy peaks.

Easy!

But further out, when they're big, you have to duck dive under.

Maisie is learning about ocean swimming at the beach. The small waves are easy, but how will she know when to dive under the bigger ones? And will she be brave enough to try? Lucky Dad is there to help her.

Here are some very useful teacher resources for Over and Under by Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright. There is a very comprehensive book list at the end of these notes with so many more books to explore on the topics of the beach and learning to swim including a favourite of mine Bear and Chook by the sea.

Bear and Chook by the Sea

Summer of Shipwrecks by Shivaun Plozza

Do you have a best friend? Is this friendship so important to you that you would try to change yourself to keep this friend? Is it possible to think of someone as your best friend when you only meet once a year for two weeks when your families visit a seaside campground? It is this last point that I found a little unlikely and yet this was the main driver of the plot - with Sid desperate to win the approval of Lou. 

Sid regards Lou as her best friend and so when Lou brings Hailey along this year it is clear things will be different. You have read this plot line before I am sure - once there were two friends and now there are three girls - is there a way they can all be friend. The annual holiday location is called Shipwreck Coast and Sid is totally caught up in the story of a shipwreck from years ago. 

"Since forever I've spent the last two weeks of summer holidays camping at Penlee Point, so I know about every shipwreck that's ever happened her. ... The Penlee set off form London ... March, 1879; there were fifty -four people on board; ... the Penlee hit a reef off Desperation Point and only took ten minutes to sink; the ship was carrying nineteen million dollars worth of treasure; ... only one person survived: Katherine Natpier."

Last summer Sid and Lou found a coin which surely must come from the ship's treasures. Sid has huge plans for her time with Lou but this year everything is different. Hailey just wants to sit on the beach. Hailey is 'cool' and she wears a bikini and she has her period. Hailey seems to know about boys - how to flirt with them and get their attention. None of this interest Sid but she feels she needs to change so she and Lou can go back to the way things were.

It has taken me a while to read this book mainly because instead of settling down and reading long sections I tended to read only 3-5 pages at a time. I was a little invested in the main character Sid but most of the time she really exasperated me. I just wanted to say 'please stop trying to please Lou because she is no longer noticing you'. 'Please be brave enough to be yourself'. 'Please stop making promises and telling lies so you can get back with Lou'. Lou is giving all her attention to Hailey and Lou in turn is letting Hailey manipulate her activities, taste, reactions to boys and especially her relationship with Sid. Growing up should not be this hard. Poor Sid. 

The suggested age for this book is 10+ but I think it might better suit 11+. Other reviewers really enjoyed this book:

Summer of Shipwrecks is a tender and poignant story of best friends growing apart, and the grief that accompanies this change. It’s also an exciting mystery of long-ago shipwrecks and lost treasure, and how life continues – even after incredible suffering. For me, a highlight is the relationship which slowly develops between Sid and her almost-stepsister, which vividly relates all the awkwardness, pain, and surprising moments of joy which can occur as two families become one. Readers ... who like contemporary, character-driven fiction will wholeheartedly enjoy this story. StoryLinks

ReadPlus review. Reading Opens Doors.

Here is an interview with the author and Joy Lawn for Paperbark Words. There is a link to a set of teachers notes for Summer of Shipwrecks on the UQP page but in my view this is not a book I would use for class study - it feels more like a book to be read privately by a girl who is either at the end of Primary School (Grade 6) or just beginning High School. 

If your readers enjoy this book, I would recommend these companion books especially Junonia which follows very similar themes of change and growing up and summer holidays and altered expectations. 

Shouting at the rain (5 stars from me)

Junonia (5 stars from me)

The first summer of Callie McGee

You could also look for a couple of older books - Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord (2014); and Takers and Returners by Carol Beach York (1974).

Just before I left for the IBBY Congress in Trieste a parcel arrived from UQP (University of Queensland Press).  I simply didn't have time to read the two books which were released 3rd September - Summer of Shipwrecks The Lost History by Melanie La'Brooy. The Lost History is a sequel to The Wintrish Girl but with over 430 pages I won't be ready to talk about this one for a week or two. 

I previously read this book by Shivaun Plozza:

Meet me at the Moon Tree

Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus illustrated by Jose Aruego

From time to time, I think about Leo the Late Bloomer (1971) because it was a favourite book of a very skilled Kindergarten teacher who worked at the first school where I was appointed back in 1984 in rural NSW. I have also mentioned Leo the Late Bloomer a few times over the years here on this blog so I was pleased to pick up a copy (in close to mint condition) at a recent charity book sale. 

Leo couldn't talk. Leo couldn't draw. Leo couldn't write.  Leo couldn't read. He was also a very sloppy eater. But his mother knows they just need to wait. One day Leo will bloom! Dad just needs to be patient and listen to mum!

I love the way, when he finally does speak, Leo says a whole sentence and not just those punctuation words such as no, yes, up, down, more, mum, dad etc. 

Having reading this book again decades after I first saw it, I can now see it might be a book you could share with new parents in a preschool setting or at the start of kindergarten. If I was reading it to a group of children in a library or classroom I would talk about the concepts we associate with Growth Mindset such as "some things might take longer but that's okay"; "When I struggle I grow"; and "It's okay for me to make mistakes". And you could talk about the way we are all different and we all learn differently and the importance of patience and perseverance. This book might also fit in with your family if your child has older siblings who 'seem' to be great at everything - reading this book side by side with your young reading companion might allow you to talk about the concept of 'not yet'. Try to find the book Frog is Frog where Frog is trying to find his talent.

I now discover there was also a sequel -Leo the Late Bloomer bakes a cake (1982) but I have not found a cover image to share. 

I found these two classroom ideas.

Robert Kraus (1925-2001) wrote and illustrated over 100 books. Here are a couple of other books by Robert Kraus:

Measuring me by Nicola Kent

This book is such a delight. It will help a child make sense of themselves through a series of easy to understand comparisons. This book should be added to all preschool and Kindergarten classrooms. Every child will also potentially see themselves in these pages too:

The children depicted are diverse: one uses a walking aid, for example, and the girl on the cover has a tracheostomy to aid her breathing. Kent has a tracheostomy herself, and knows how vital it is for children with physical differences to find themselves represented incidentally ‘as part of the rainbow of humanity’ in books and other media. It’s particularly welcome to see a book about the wonders of the human body quietly taking this approach. Books for Keeps

• I'm as tall as ten tin cans.
• My nose can detect 50,000 different scent and my tongue has thousands of taste buds.
• The biggest bone is my thigh bone. It's about the height of a cat.
• When I'm standing still my body gives off enough energy to power a light bulb.

Written from the perspective of a child and featuring bright, adorable illustrations of different children, the book captures the sense of curiosity and wonder that children have for the world around them. It introduces the concept of measuring in a personal and relatable way, making it easier for young learners to grasp – and to have fun with!  Book Trust

This book would make a wonderful gift for a young child aged 3-6. If you are reading this book to your class Kane Miller the US publisher have a set of discussion questions. 

A brilliant bonus at the back of the book is an equally ingenious, sturdy, height chart. This has the usual measuring tape along one side, but tins in the middle and animals beside them so you can compare them to your own height and to each other. Emperor penguins are much larger than I imagined! You are encouraged to find other things to measure yourself against too and I can see this provoking lots of excited activity. Love Reading 4Kids

You can see lots of other books by Nicola Kent here. They sure do look appealing.

The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

A little boy has a puppy and some chickens. He asks his mum 'Will the chicks grow? Will the puppy grow? Will I grow too?'

He watches the seasons change. The flowers grow, the trees grow, the corn grows in the field, the chicks become chickens and the puppy becomes an adult dog but what about the little boy? As Winter turns to Spring his mother packs his warm clothes into a box.

Spring, Summer, Autumn and then it is Winter again. 

"The little boy put on his warm trousers again and looked in the mirror. 'My trousers are too tight. The legs are too short.' .. 'My coat is too tight. The sleeves are too short."

I'm sure you know what has happened.

I picked this book up from our local charity bookfair today (it only cost $2). It has a dust cover! and under the cover there is a height chart to display for your child. The illustrations by the wonderful Helen Oxenbury are scrumptious. I will gift this book to the mum of a new baby. The new baby will arrive in early May. 

From the publisher: A classically beautiful picture book from Helen Oxenbury and Ruth Krauss. Share the universal experience of growing up and discover the rhythms of the seasons in this wonderfully timeless story. A little boy, some chicks and a puppy live on a farm. They see the first signs of spring growing in the fields and the little boy asks his mother if he and the puppy will grow too. Of course you will, she assures him, and as spring turns to summer he sees his dog growing taller and the chicks become chickens. But as the seasons change and everything grows around him, the little boy feels like he has stayed the same. Can he really be growing too?

The text of this book was written by Ruth Krauss in 1947. Later this book was published in 1975 and then in 2007 Helen Oxenbury added her illustrations. I think this book well deserves the label classic.

Companion book:

Big

You could also look for these:

When you're older

Milly and the Mulberry Tree

I read a review that also recommend this one too: