The Moon's Revenge by Joan Aiken illustrated by Alan Lee

Seppy is the seventh son of a seventh son. His father is a coach-maker and he expects Seppy will follow this trade but Seppy's first love is music - playing his small, hand made violin. One night Seppy decides to visit an old ruined house in his small seaport town. He has the idea to ask the voices people say can be heard from inside:

"How can I learn to be the best fiddler in the country?"

The reply is strange:

"Throw your shoe at the moon. ... Each night for seven nights, throw your shoe at the moon."

Seppy's family are poor but he does have six elder brothers and his mother has kept all their shoes. They are inside the grandfather clock. 

I love the shoes that Seppy takes down to the beach each night: "a pair of tiny, soft, kid-skin shoes that he had worn when he was one-year old"; a "small rabbit-skin boot"; "a red crocodile-skin slipper that a lord's wife had given his mother"; "a doe-skin boot that a travelling musician had gien his mother in exchange for a plate of stew"; "a shiny calf-skin shoe with a pewter buckle"; "a sheep-skin slipper"; and on the seventh night he threw up one of his hog-skin clogs.

Each time he leaves the remaining shoe on the sea wall. And when he looks up on the final night he sees that the moon is now dirtied all over. Seppy has angered the moon. 

"Yes! I have to give you a wish, you impertinent boy! But you have marked my face for ever, with your dirt shoes, and for that I shall punish you. You must go barefoot for seven years. And until the day when you put those shoes back in the clock, your sister will not speak. And you and all your family will be in great danger, but I shan't tell you what it's going to be. You can just wait and see."

But Seppy does have a sister - or does he?

Things to think about - what does it mean to be the seventh son of a seventh son, and what about the word revenge, and the power of that curse, how the shoes might be linked to this, how Seppy (he is a hero of the story after all) might save the day or save his family and help his beloved sister to speak. And in the end will he gain his heart's desire and become a famous musician?

Here are some illustrations from this book:

I stumbled on an Instagrammer who is posting her favourite picture books from the past. She shared The Mirrorstone by Michael Palin illustrated by Alan Lee a couple of weeks ago. This book was one of two from a series - the other being The Moon's Revenge. I checked my blog and was slightly shocked to discover I had never shared this book here. I have read this book to hundreds of Grade 2 and 3 children in my school library. It is a winner as a read aloud and a terrific way to talk about fantasy stories. I also discovered I did not own this book and so I ordered a copy from Better World Books in the US and one week later my copy arrived. The Moon's Revenge was published in 1987 and so is long out of print. 

The Mirrorstone

The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

“Do you swear to venture forth bravely and find the answer to any question, 

no matter the challenge?”

If you mashed together Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth you might come close to the plot of this book - such a wild ride. You will turn the pages so quickly as you read this book desperate to see if Lenora can survive all the mayhem.  

The only extra things I would have liked were a library map and perhaps a Dewey decimal chart showing all the library departments where Lenora was sent by the Chief Librarian Malachi. Lenora goes to the calendar room, the map room and the unknown room which actually has information about tardigrades, all the while she is being chased by the enemy who brings darkness. Along the way her status rises and she is awarded new badges. Lenora has to be very mindful of the library motto:

Knowledge is Light

Bookseller blurb: With her parents off traveling the globe, Lenora is bored, bored, bored until she discovers a secret doorway into the ultimate library. Maze like and reality-bending, the library contains all the universe's wisdom. Every book ever written, and every fact ever known, can be found within its walls. And Lenora becomes its newly appointed Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian. She rockets to the stars, travels to a future filled with robots, and faces down a dark nothingness that wants to destroy all knowledge. To save the library, Lenora will have to test her limits and uncover secrets hidden among its shelves.

In the chaos of this story there is also commentary on censorship, the role of libraries as providers of free information, the importance of curiosity, and of course the value of libraries as organised repositories of books, maps, charts, ephemera and so much more. Materials from everywhere and every time period.

"The Forces of Darkness wish to control people, and it is every knowledge that prevents them from doing so. ... They can only rule where there is ignorance, they can only create fear where the truth has been hidden, they can only gain power when the light has been snuffed out. Librarians are their greatest enemy, and we have fought them throughout time, and always will fight them as long as that light burns anywhere, no matter how weakly."

I may not have kept reading this book actually because it all became a little too silly for me but then I took a detour last night and glanced at the Kirkus review. Such is the power of their work that the star they gave The Library of Ever spurred me on to stick with this story although I am not so sure I need to read the sequel. I did enjoy Lenora's common sense, determination, perseverance, and her amazing general knowledge. She certainly adapted well to the roles of Assistant Apprentice Librarian and later Assistant Librarian. 

There are moments in this story that made me smile:

"The tardigrade snarled. 'As far as we tardigrades are concerned, Pluto is and always will be a planet. end of discussion. ...Lenora saw no reason to argue. She had always thought that Pluto seemed like a perfectly fine planet, whatever the adults might tell her. She took out her notebook. Pluto is, always will be, a planet. This she underlined firmly."

"I would like to know,' she said, 'how to find Wales.' 'You've found them,' said the whale. 'We are in fact, beluga whales.' 'Oh,' said Lenora. 'I mean Wales, the place, not whales, the mammal. 'Hmph' replied the whale ... And I suppose you think that just because I am a whale, a mammal, that I automatically know the location of Wales, the place?"

Not the first tale to be set in a universal library but unusually clever in the details and commendably accurate in its own way. Kirkus Star review

At its heart, The Library of Ever is a love letter to librarians and an ode to the importance of access to knowledge and information for everyone. The Winged Pen

Here is a fun interview with the author and the web page for Zeno Alexander. I picked up my copy of The Library of Ever at a recent charity book sale for $2. This book was published in 2019 but it is still available as is the sequel:

Bookseller blurb: Lenora returns to the magical Library—which holds every book ever known on its shelves. But she discovers the Library is under new management, its incredible rooms and corridors turned sinister and oppressive. Lenora quickly connects with a secret resistance that’s trying to free knowledge from the darkness threatening it. Her new friends introduce her to an ancient lost city, hang-gliding, and mathematical beings larger than the universe itself.

Companion books:

The 113th Assistant Librarian

Lost in a Book

The Lost History

Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library

The Lost Library

The Phantom Tollbooth

The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe by Karen Foxlee illustrated by Martina Heiduczek

The curse: "We must find The Marigold's stolen treasure and return it before the dawn of the last day of the seventh year. If we don't we are doomed to be turned to sand."

"You are much more than your name, always remember that. All of us are a tale within a tale within a tale."

So, time is ticking. As this story begins it is the seventh year - April 4th 1719 and they only have until December 31st to complete their quest.

Every crew member (called the Worshipful Company of Uncommon Seamen) on the ship and every 'kidnapped' child is there because they possess a magical gift. With Lavender this gift is of hearing and naming the winds. You are right if you are thinking this is a very important skill on a sailing ship. 

I really wanted a character list for this book so I have created one:

• Lavender Wolfe - left at a wharf by her mother, snatched by the cook Big Agatha and taken onto a pirate ship named The Good Marchioness "the most magical and cursed pirate ship that ever sailed the seven seas". Lavender is renamed Hans Whitby (Whitby is the name of the town where she was 'found').
• Big Agatha the ogress and magical cook - she hugged "so hard that you were turned to flummery with being loved." "I can sense a teaspoonful of magic in an urchin quick as the whiskers grow on my chin. Yet I cannot say what that magic all be." 
• Colin one of the kitchen rats - he/she is especially kind to Lavender
• Poppet - another kitchen rat - he/she knows all the recipes cooked by Agatha
• Odine - a chicken 
• Samuel, Thomas, and Peter Portugal all ship's rats but none are able to complete the voyage with Lavender
• Michael - a boy who has been magically trapped in shell
• Captain Odyessia Pleasant - she is the captain of The Good Marchioness. One of her arms is a huge bird wing. "She was beautiful; a ragged scar across the left side of her face, from her lip to her missing ear, ... Captain Pleasant had a wing instead of a right arm. A large wing reached down almost to the floor, glowing coppery beneath the lanterns."
• Ginger - cat who can transform into a sailor
• Oliver de Basseterre - a baby
• The Princess with no name and her father the Wizard King
• Captain Barnabas Bloom - pirate and father to Michael. He is transformed into ... (sorry I can't tell you)
• Queniva - a sparrowhawk
• Crew - Sasha Blackhat; Jonas; Tiny Percival; Percy; Grimes and Savage
• Lyneham prisoner from the ship the pirates attacked and pillaged. (He is not to be trusted)
• The Little Duchess - Ghost-fetcher and her guardian The Dowager
• Princess Yasbel de la Esclera who has her named changed to Phillip - she has magical hair

Ships - Lady Eloise - a ghost ship which holds the spectral map; The Good Marchioness the ship carrying Lavender and others who need to break the curse; The Marigold which is the ship carrying the Princess to her betrothed and The Fair Fortune the ship of Captain Barnabas Bloom.

Recipes - all contain extra magic - I learned a new word or two in this book - ananas it's a pineapple and the word clapperdudgeon which means beggar.

Agatha calls the kitchen kids (all with boys names) rats but in fact she showers them with her love and enormous hugs. 

Text quotes:

"I never wanted to meet a ghost ship nor glimpse one from a distance. But I wanted to see the spell canister and its last spell resurrecting the princess and Michael out of the shell. I wanted Samuel and Peter and Octavius returned. I wanted everything restored, which meant me going home. I wanted more story. I wanted questions answered. I wanted to know how Captain Pleasant came to be cursed and how Ginger could turn into a cat."

"And I knew that I, Hans Whitby, previously of the pickling shelf, floor scrubber, potato peeler, spoon-shiner, still with the name of Lavender tucked safe inside me, magic porridge-stirrer, tender of wounds, meant for the sea, rescuer of prisoners and friend of a ghost-fetcher, with a tiny drop of blood from a cutlass upon my chest, climber of masts, was about to die."

This book is a huge saga - with nearly 400 pages and a myriad of characters and a complex plot. Young readers aged 10+ will need reading stamina and also plenty of time because I think you need to read this book over just two or three days so you can keep track of all the threads. I am speaking from experience because I read this book over five days in very small snatches and I kept having to turn back to previous scenes to follow all the twists and turns. There is the potential at the end of the story for a sequel but I actually hope Karen Foxlee does not continue her story and rather leaves the future adventures of young Lavender to our imaginations. 

You can find teachers notes on the publisher web page. Take a look at the labels I have assigned this post - these might give you further ideas about some of the themes (such as the importance of names and destinies) and these also hint at some major plot details.

A new book by Karen Foxlee is always something to celebrate and The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe is a wondrous and wonderful tale indeed, full of mystery and magic, inventive and memorable characters and a compelling protagonist. Story Links

This is a children’s book full of pirates and dangerous land and sea adventures. It is also a story of growing up and being there for others. It is about a growing awareness. Lavender was to learn that all of us are much more than what we first seem. We all have a tale within us. Even within the worst of us, goodness can be found. There are fair winds trapped within storms and even love hidden in bad spells. Queensland reviewer's collective

Blurb from author web page: Lavender Wolfe is a pickpurse, with a magical secret. She is all alone on a wharf when she is snatched by Big Agatha and thrown into the galley of the pirate ship, The Good Marchioness. Disguised as a boy (for only boys may live in the galley) and renamed Hans Whitby, Lavender has to make her home among the kitchen rats. However, The Good Marchioness is no ordinary no ordinary ship. Captained by Odyessia Pleasant, a fierce pirate with long blonde hair, violet eyes and a bird’s wing in place of an arm, the crew are on a desperate voyage – to find and return stolen treasure before all those who sail within the cursed pirate ship are turned to sand. Lavender included. Lavender is quick-witted and sharp as a tack, and as her magic starts to be revealed she finds herself coming under the arresting gaze of Captain Pleasant. Will Lavender help break the curse? Or will she be just another victim of this story within a story, her true identity lost to the sands of time? An adventure as big as the ocean and as warm as your heart. All aboard!

I do have to talk for a moment about pirate stories. Sadly, there are real pirates in our world we now call them people smugglers. A few of us have begun to re-think our picture books about pirates especially if members of your school community have come to Australia as refugees. Strangely I read another Australian middle grade novel with a pirate theme last month - Oceanforged my Amelia Mellior. The issue of pirates and of glorifying them in kids story books is one I need to ponder a little more deeply. This is not intended as a criticism of The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe it is just something to consider. 

Here is some further reading about this topic:

Sails and Souls: The Literary Evolution of Pirates from Simple Rogues to Morally Complex Heroes in Children’s Fiction

I am a huge fan of Karen Foxlee.  Take a look at these:

Lenny's Book of Everything

Dragon Skin (ages 11+)

A most magical girl

Ophelia and the marvelous boy

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner

Twelve weeks. 

46 peaks. 

Finish by Labor Day 

and all the charges go away.

A local youth has been arrested for vandalizing St. Mary’s Cemetery over the holiday weekend. Lake Placid Police responded to a complaint of someone kicking headstones shortly after 4:00 p.m. on Friday.

• Why did Finn do this?
• What will be the consequence?
• What do we know about the grave?

School is not easy for Finn either. And now he is told he has to complete catch up work for English and PE. Here is his English assignment:

Poetry Project: What Makes a Hero?   Assignment: Draft, revise, and edit a collection of at least twenty poems about people you consider to be heroes. You may write about anyone who inspires you, living or dead. Your collection should begin with an introduction poem and must include at least five different poetic forms (haiku, sonnet, acrostic, concrete poem, found poem, riddle poem, erasure poem, free verse, magic 9, ode, pantoum, sestina, villanelle). Be sure to make use of poetic devices such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes, and metaphors. Have fun!

Finn's dad is famous in this town because there is a photo of him rescuing a girl after the tragedy of 9/11. Of course that was years ago. 

I see that photo in my sleep. 

Every detail. 

Dad’s black coat white with ash. 

His hair. 

His face. 

Like a statue carved in cold gray stone, 

lines chiseled in his forehead, 

around his eyes. 

Muddy tear streak down his cheek 

as he ran from the North Tower. 

He had a survivor! 

He was carrying her in those strong statue arms. 

Her leg was bleeding and she wore 

one red shoe, 

the other lost somewhere 

in the ashes, smoke, and screams.

The punishment for the vandalism is to climb 46 mountains. Finn is angry about his dad - but what has happened? You will adore meeting all the people who climb the mountains with Finn - they are compassionate and wise and quietly help him to make sense of his life and his personal tragedies. Oh and the dog is wonderful! I also loved the way Kate Messner structured this story. 

You will NOT be able to put this book down. It is such a page turner. Highly recommended for readers aged 10+.

Blurb from the author page: Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn’s about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now. Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he’s in big trouble for kicking down some dead old lady’s headstone. But it turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks with her dead mother’s dog, and they can call it even. In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don’t care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn’s final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.

Here are some text quotes:

She’s the prosecutor in charge of my case. There might not be a court appearance after all, she says, and I’m so relieved I miss what comes next but I snap to attention when she rattles off the price of the headstone I busted: $2,600 for a weathered hunk of rock.

It’s called PTSD. (That’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, in case you’re wondering.) But if you’re a 9/11 firefighter’s kid you already know those letters, learned them with your ABCs, when you learned not to ask questions in September. When you learned how to make your own lunch and sign your own permission slips, and pretend everything was all right.

Some Awards:

• New York Times Bestseller
• USA Today Bestseller
• National Indie Bestseller
• Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2025
• School Library Journal Best Books of 2025
• Kirkus Best Books of 2025
• Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books, 2025
• 2026-2027 Texas Bluebonnet List Nominee
• 2026 Charlotte Huck Honor
• 2026 NCTE Notable Novels in Verse
• Best Kids’ Books about Mental Health 2025, Child Mind Institute

The first-person narration vividly conveys a disgruntled teenager’s feelings, including moments of humor and contemplation. The novel wrestles with loss and legacy intertwined with weighty events, challenges, and themes—PTSD, alcoholism, toxic masculinity—and their resulting impact on Finn’s emotional well-being. The supporting characters are encouraging adult role models. Characters present white. An adventurous work whose authentic voice celebrates the outdoors and everyday heroism. Kirkus Star review

As I read this book, I was in awe of Messner’s skill. She combines so many disparate elements into a book that feels organic and beautiful. Her use of a verse novel format makes so much sense here, allowing us to feel what Finn does even as he is in denial about much of it. His poetry project weaves its way through the verse, capturing his voice and rage. Finn can’t see himself through most of the book, can’t see the people around him and their support, can’t see his father and the truth about him, can’t find his way through. This is a book about what nature can do for a person who is lost and not looking to be rescued. It is a book about the various ways that heroes enter our lives, the forms they take that are unexpected and sometimes drooling dogs, the connection that can result in shared experiences. It is about so much at once and yet again, is superbly focused and deftly written.  Waking Brain Cells

Companion books:

Not Nothing

The Last Egg by Sofie Laguna illustrated by Jess Racklyeft

A mother bird is sitting on her nest. She has three eggs. The father bird is very attentive bringing her fresh worms to eat but then one morning; after hearing distant screeching in the night; the parents wake up to find a fourth egg in their next. The mother bird insists it's okay and that they have a responsibility to hatch this egg too. The problem is the first three eggs hatch on time, the baby chicks are just like the parents, and over time these three grow up and fly away. Meanwhile the fourth egg has not hatched. Should the birds abandon this egg? It is most certainly time they flew away to a warmer climate. In fact the snow is now falling and both are desperately cold.

The plot here will feel familiar, you might think of The Ugly Duckling with a twist - a dragon! The art in this new picture book is very appealing. And when you reach the end of the story, your young reading companion is sure to want to go back to the beginning to find that all important story hint (foreshadowing). 

You can find some teachers notes on the publisher page. 

Jess Racklyeft’s imaginative, evocative, playful illustrations with touches of whimsy, capture the different seasons and passing of time with varied colour palettes to reflect spring, winter and summer. She superbly brings to life the bonds between the characters and the emotions they feel. Jess imaginatively uses colour to create suspense, drama and intrigue.  This is a book for all library collections which offers endless opportunities for discussions about family, acceptance, compassions, the spirt of community and strength in diversity. Reading Opens Doors

The Last Egg is a beautiful story about family and caring, and the sacrifices we make to look after people who don’t look like us, but are still family in many other ways. It is also about community, and coming together to create a loving environment for children, helping people when they need it, and coming together when things get dire to ensure the vulnerable are not left behind. The Book Muse

Companion texts:

This one is very old - I hope you can find it - Fey Mouse by Hazel Edwards

Dragon love penguin

Just plain fancy

And for an art comparison try to find this one:

I talked about the illustrator Jess Racklyeft recently. She has donated this original bird illustration for our IBBY Australia Mini Masterpiece art auction (14th - 28th November 2025).

Jess Racklyeft creates a variety of illustrated things - picture books, paintings, prints, pins and cards - mainly in watercolours. She works from her studio at the beautiful Abbotsford Convent and regularly has picnic lunches watching the neighbouring sheep and horses! Her art often combines collage - either on paper or digitally assembled - experimentation and lots of watercolour. Sometimes she writes the books as well. Jess worked in publishing sales for almost a decade before making the leap to full-time illustration and writing, and since then has won several illustration accolades including CBCA Picture Book of the Year for Iceberg (written by Claire Saxby).

Sofie Laguna is the author of many books including Too Loud Lilly; When You're Older; Our Australian Girl: The Grace stories; The Song of Lewis Carmichael; Stephen's Music; Bird and Sugar Boy; and an Aussie Bite title - The forever house. 

Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon

"Maybe we're missing out on something here in the woods? What if there's something else out there? Beyond the trees. Beyond the horizon, where the sun goes down into the ground for the night and the moon is released from the big box in the sky."

"One cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

Don't you just love that word in the title - Bewiderness - your young reading companion might anticipate that the two characters on the cover are bewildered and that they are either IN or travelling TO the wilderness.

Blurb from author webpage: In the Bewilderness, life is good. Best friends Luis (the large furry one) and Pablo (the small furry one) spend their days wandering through nature, playing songs on the guitar, and eating Slow Joe McNally’s pinecone porridge with their neighbors. When dreamer Luis receives an unexpected invitation to attend a performance of The Weary Mermaid in the big, bustling city, he finds it hard to ignore the allure of the bright lights. Luckily, he doesn’t have to go it alone—and it’s a good thing, because it’s a long journey through the Bewilderness, and Luis has many questions. Will they meet laser-eyed gargoyles, zombie chickens, or tyrannical cow rulers? Will they get there on time? Why is quicksand so slow if it’s called quicksand? Thankfully, with his grumpy but loyal best friend by his side, they’ll soon find out. ... Or will they?

This is a story of two unlikely friends - a bear and a mole. It is a 'grass is greener' story and it is also a tale of true friendship. If you are sharing this book with a young group of students, you could perhaps also look at some versions of Town Mouse and Country Mouse. As is often the way with unlikely friends stories this pair have contrasting personalities. Pablo is slightly cynical and verbose while Luis is naïve about the world especially the world beyond their woods. In another way this story also has deeper themes about our need for cultural experiences, rich lives and perhaps even deeper - it could be about the meaning of life itself - but maybe I am getting too carried away. 

Gus Gordon has included such a rich vocabulary in this book - mostly spoken by Pablo. 

sophistication backwater; behemoth; wayward; disoriented; rabid; ravenous winged creatures; repressed society; wanderlust; preordained; elegant chaos; immeasurable; and manifestation of intellectual achievement. So, this graphic novel and the tone of the humour will suit readers aged 9 or 10+.

It is fun the way the pair of friends 'rib' each other with their ascribed nicknames of Furball and Turnip. I also enjoyed the wordless pages - a chance to slow down and just see their world.

"Well Furball, we're off to see what the Big City has to offer. Will it be a vast wealth of culture and energy or a bottomless pit of despair?' 'There could be pretty lights ...!' 'That hide a broken-down society crippled by expectations of grandeur."

The Kirkus review of Into the Bewilderness is so insightful. The reviewer likens Pablo and Luis to Laurel and Hardy and I learned a new word for their friend Ray who is perhaps a yeti or a bigfoot. Kirkus use the word cryptid. Cryptid: an animal (such as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster) that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist.

Appealing, colorful artwork complements the philosophical, character-driven plot, including stunning two-page spreads that showcase the wonder of the woods and a sparkling night sky. With gentle humor, the author explores themes of curiosity, friendship, and the value of different perspectives. School Library Journal

This is a delightful and wacky graphic novel that will have adventurous spirits of all ages smiling as they follow this charming pair. The book doesn’t talk down to readers, containing impressive vocabulary and concepts that work on a number of levels. It’s a gorgeous little hardback and an absolute joy for ages 9+. Readings Melbourne

Gordon writes with wit, warmth, and compassion. He shares small but important insights into humanity, whilst also exploring more philosophical themes such as understanding our place in time and space, explaining the elegant chaos of the universe or unpacking the meaning of culture, all of which are handled deftly with humour. Reading Time

Here is the US cover with some tiny changes - I wonder why? The endorsement is from Sergio Ruzza - I do love his books (see them at the bottom of this post).

I read Into the Bewilderness in one huge gulp. It took me just over an hour to devour the 180 pages. I laughed and I gasped - there are two gasp-worthy scenes in this story. Gus Gordon is the author and illustrator of over 80 books, and he should be very proud of his first graphic novel which I know took many hours to create. You can see his work in progress on Instagram.

One of my favourite moments is when Pablo and Luis arrive in the Big City. They are hungry. Luis would like a tuna fish sandwich and Pablo would like some pecan pie. Turn the page and we see them standing outside a business named Tuna Fish Sandwich and Pecan Pie Restaurant - perfect!

You can see inside Into the Bewilderness here. 

Joy Lawn interviewed Gus Gordon and asked him about his book - here are a few quotes by Gus from her blog Paperbark Words:

This bear and mole deserved a larger story. So, I decided to sit down and write one chapter, and see where it led me. I did a lot of research, looking at other graphic novels, from here and abroad. I really hadn’t looked at many before, but I must admit that it felt familiar, in a sense, and once I began to flesh out the story, things kind of fell into place.

The wonderful thing about the graphic novel format is that it’s incredibly versatile. As long as the story is progressing, it doesn’t matter how you tell it visually. It embraces almost all the elements of storytelling. Much like a picture book, you can use the page space to breathe, and slow the pace down, not a single panel in sight. Perhaps a bird slowly making its way down over the forest below for pages and pages. Or, conversely, you can use multiple vignettes to speed the story up.

Home is always a powerful notion in stories, and it features heavily in Into the Bewilderness, as I mentioned earlier. A familiar theme that has been pointed out to me from readers, as a recurring feature of my stories over the years, is the theme of loneliness. That in the end we are alone in this world, and despite the undeniable importance of family and friends, it’s up to us to make the most of our short lives. 

When the pair of friends travel to the city to see a show I thought of this wonderful book:

And the expression of true friendship and an adventure in a big city (Gus says he was thinking of Detroit but I thought of New York) reminded me of this special book also by Gus Gordon:

Herman and Rosie

These are books by Sergio Ruzzier - he did the endorsement on the US cover of Into the Bewilderness.

Read more here.

The Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere

A charming winner about purpose, bravery, 

and making one’s dreams come true. Kirkus Star review

As a young elephant, Gabriel dreams of sailing the high seas. When he asks the sailors they say:

"You're a bit young, lad. Come back when you're older. Come back when you're stronger."

So, over the following days, months and years, Gabriel reads books about sailing, he practices his rowing and of course, because he is a young elephant, he grows bigger and stronger. I imagine you have guessed what happens when he asks the sailors again if he can join them.

"Oh, Gabriel, you've grown a bit! You're too big for the boat, lad! We're sorry."

Gabriel is not crushed. He is a problem solver. He builds his own boat and luckily it is finished just in time because a huge storm hits the coast, and the sailors are way out at sea and in danger of drowning. Our young hero Gabriel saves the day, but this is not the end. The other sailors can see his talent and so together they build an even bigger boat so everyone can join in. 

When you talk to your young library group about this book, after reading and enjoying the story, you could talk about the story structure which begins in the present when Gabriel is an old elephant remembering his past, then there is a series of flash back scenes about his childhood and journey into boat building and ultimately the rescue and then the story returns to the present with Gabriel reminiscing about his past. You can see inside this book here. This book was published in 2024 and is available here in Australia in paperback for a really affordable price so you should consider adding this little gem to your school library. If you have a music teacher in your school, it would be fun to learn some sea shanties.

There is so much to love about this book: the repeated ‘heave ho’ of the seamen; the animals in the harbour, mending nets and building boats; the lifeboat crew ... (and) it is the detail that will fascinate readers from 3 years upwards; old Gabriel has a cat called Milou, and young Gabriel is depicted with a very small cat in his duffel coat pocket, or following him as he runs through the harbour, or sitting beside him as he gazes at the sea through his window. And the seagulls alone are worth following through the book as they echo the mood of every page in this delightful fable of determination and courage. Just Imagine

If you loved the problem solving and determination of young Stella in Stellaphant then you must look for The Elephant and the Sea. 

Stellarphant

Here is another book by Ed Vere:

How to be a Lion

Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire by LM Wilkinson illustrated by Lavanya Naidu

Bookseller blurb: Titch and Huckleberry are on an epic quest. They have followed their hearts ... right into the path of a terrifying swamp monster, and a village full of brainwashed squirrels! Maybe their hearts aren't to be trusted? Maybe Titch is just an ordinary little mouse and not Bravepaw after all ...? But Bravepaw or not, Titch is not about to give up. Can she defeat the greedy turtle controlling the squirrels, and discover what his glowing green gem has to do with the legend of Bravepaw and her quest to save Alluria?

This is the swamp monster called a Bogbungler

It is wonderful scene when this slimy loathsome creature is defeated 

by Titch, Huckleberry and their new brave friend, a squirrel named Briar.

Image source: Instagram Lavanya Naidu

This book opens with the prophecy that you might remember from book one:

When the sky fills with shadows

And all is turned to grey

Bravepaw will come.

When hope turns to ashes

And all have lost their way

Bravepaw will come.

The Heart will light the dark

Night will turn to day

When Bravepaw comes.

Titch and Huckleberry have set out on their journey. They find themselves lost in a swampy area. Luckily a new friend named Briar arrives to help them but she then shows them something terrible. This area is a terrific place to find mulberries but somehow all the local squirrels have been enslaved by an evil turtle named Muskeg. Muskeg has a gem around his neck and this seems to be where is power comes from. Titch realised this is connect with the dreadful curseworms you might remember from the first book. At this point I need to stop and say you do need to read Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria in order to make sense of this second installment. So once again Titch and her friends have to defeat several enemies and then find a way to continue their journey and fulfil the prophecy. 

Last night I re-entered the world of Bravepaw and the heroes Titch, Huckleberry and little Dollop. This is the second book in the series but so far I cannot find out how many more are planned. We discover in this second instalment that Titch and her team have to find all the 'Gems of Harmony'.  In this book they have found and restored the Clawstone. We also know they now have to go to the library city of Lexhelm where they will find clues about the other missing gems. So the way is open now for book three!

I was so disappointed Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria did not make the 2025 CBCA Younger Readers Notable list but now it is even more important that you don't lose sight of this series. They should be added to your school library - a great quest, terrific writing, memorable characters, inviting covers, Australian, and perfect for junior readers aged 7+. 

Titch, Huckleberry and Briar are some of my favourite characters in contemporary children’s literature, and a series like this shows that children’s books can be timeless, they can be the kind of book that doesn’t attach themselves to a specific time or era. These can be very powerful, because rather than connecting with readers through a time, place, or items they can recognise, they use themes and what makes us who we are to connect us with the story and the characters.  The Book Muse

Better Reading list three reasons to read Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire:

1. Who says you need to be a giant warrior to be a hero? Titch proves that even the smallest creatures can have the biggest hearts! She might be unsure at first, maybe she’s not Bravepaw after all, but one thing’s for sure: Titch won’t back down. She’s a great example that even when you feel small or ordinary, you’ve still got the power to be a hero. Plus, there are some magical gems along the way that might help too. Extra sparkles for that heroic flair!

2. The best part of any fantasy adventure? Magical prophecies that might come true! Titch needs to discover the truth about her quest, the legendary Bravepaw and the mysterious glowing green gem the turtle is wearing. What’s its connection to the fate of Alluria? How do the Gems of Harmony fit in? 

3. There’s so much mystery and wonder, you’ll want to unravel every single secret hidden in the pages.

Sure, there are monsters and gems, but the real magic in Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire is the unbreakable friendship between Titch and Huckleberry. They stick together, face dangers head-on and remind us that being brave isn’t just about fighting—it’s about supporting your friends, no matter what. This story shows that the strongest heroes are those who can rely on their loyal friends!

When I read the first Bravepaw book I immediately thought of the Redwall series (and other heroic animal stories) and it seems this was one of the inspirations for Lili Wilkinson. That's great but I do hope she only plans to write three or perhaps four books for her series. There are 22 books in the Redwall series - I think I read about four or five before I lost my stamina.

Here is a quote from the teachers notes for the first book:

‘Bravepaw sprung into existence over breakfast with my fabulous publisher Susannah Chambers. Our kids are besties, and we were discussing their reading and play. My kid Banjo loves reading funny, silly books like the Treehouse series and Real Pigeons, but when he plays, it’s deadly serious, high-stakes adventure. I found myself longing to introduce him to the classic children’s fantasy that I loved as a child – Brian Jacques’ Redwall, Tamora Pierce’s Alanna and Isobelle Carmody’s Obernewtyn. But at the time he was still a bit too young for those. The Bravepaw series is an introduction to high fantasy for junior fiction readers. It’s got all the tropes, all the adventure, but packaged in an easy to read, early chapter book format, complete with Lavanya Naidu’s stunning illustrations.'

Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise

I do hope you have already met Owl. After his victory over the dragon, he is now appointed as the Knight of the Night Watch. He has his nighttime routine. 

"While the other knights slept, he lit the torches, patrolled the walls, and made sure the fires were burning. All night long, Owl kept the castle safe."

At the end of each night, Owl has dinner and then heads off to his bed. Of course, we know owls are nocturnal, so he works at night and sleeps all day. But, in the best of stories, there is of course sure to be a complication - something to disrupt this daily pattern and I am sure you have already identified the disrupter - it is that little gal on the cover - Early Bird. She is young, enthusiastic, keen to be a knight, and she has no volume control as evidenced by the way she talks in a larger font and capital letters. Oh, and notice all of those exclamation marks.

"Hi - are you awake? My name is Early Bird! I'm your BIGGEST fan! I want to be a Knight Owl just like you! You can teach me everything. I'm a super-duper learner. I KNOW that I can be a Knight Owl!"

Owl just cannot cope with all this enthusiasm - he needs to sleep. While owl is sleeping or trying to sleep Early Bird keep herself busy - busy and noisy. Wait until you see Owl's eyes later that afternoon. Owl begins to show Early Bird the patrol routine but before the sun set Early Bird falls asleep. After several days of constant chatter by Early Bird, Owl explodes - STOP.

"You are not an owl! You are not a Knight! You are a VERY early Bird. ... PLEASE GO AWAY."

If you were making a graph of this story - this is a very low point. Little Early Bird heads of into the dangerous forest. If I were to read this book to a group of children, I would most certainly slow down and perhaps even pause at the point so the listeners might think for themselves about what might happen next. Luckily Owl misses little Early Bird and so as darkness falls he sets off to find her. Remember she has that LOUD voice. Wait until you see how our new small hero is able to save the day and also win over the friendship of Owl. You will also want to mix up a batch of pancakes with maple syrup to celebrate this wonderful moment of acceptance and new friendship.

An immersive, charming read and convincing proof again that even small bodies can house stout hearts. Kirkus Star review

When I read Knight Owl I gasped at how wonderful it was. If I was still working in my school library Knight Owl would most certainly be a book I would have shared with groups of students. And now we have another treat - Knight Owl and Early Bird. Listen to a conversation with Christopher Denise (13 minutes). You can see other books by Christopher Denise here. And you might like to follow him on Instagram.

I suspected there would be a different (and significant) image under the dust jacket. I adore these tiny videos of when covers are revealed. Here is a still image showing the illustration under the Knight Owl and Early Bird dust jacket.

Check out my previous post about Knight Owl by Christopher Denise which won a Caldecott Honor.