All the Blues in the Sky Renee Watson

"I didn't know

best friends could die"

"You will miss her every day of your life.

Sometimes, the memories will bring tears and sometimes a smile.

The memories won't always overwhelm you,

they will bring comfort too."

You HAVE to let this novel, which is partly told in free verse, unfold slowly. Yes, on the day of Sage's 13th birthday her best friend has died but the when and where and how why are found in the journey you take as a reader.

Sage is grappling with her grief and the adults don't seem to have any answers:

If I live long enough to be an adult

and if I have children when I am an adult

I will tell them.

And I will tell them that sometimes

you go to sleep crying

and wake up crying

and that life after losing someone you love

feels like one big ocean of sorrow

and you might feel like you are

drowning,

but always there is something 

to hold on to 

to keep you afloat.

Sage meets four other students in her school grief group. Ebony's dad died suddenly from a heart attack; Zay's grandmother died in her sleep after a long illness; Ana's twin sister died from leukemia; and DD's brother was murdered by the police. Sage feels that she can relate to Ebony and DD because in both cases the death came suddenly, and these deaths were totally unfair. Sage is sure the death of HER friend is all her fault but how can a car accident be her fault?

There are two rules in the grief group - everyone shares openly and everyone listens with compassion.

DD's brother was murdered:

Now she is a sister familiar with words she's never had to say

so often, know so well; police brutality, death, rage, injustice, press conference

obituary, funeral, casket, hearse, graveyard, protect, indictment, trial, jury, verdict, guilty, sentence,

involuntary manslaughter, memorial, closure?, closure?,

grief, grief.

Sage has her own set of words such as vehicular manslaughter, hit and run, and criminally negligent homicide.

Blue is the empty chair at the desk in the classroom where my best friend used to sit.

Blue is the ache in my heart when I pick up the phone to call her and remember she's gone.

Blue is Aunt Ini's warm hugs.

Blue is a hot mug of cocoa on a cold stormy day.

Blue is all the calm, all the heartbreak,

all the hope

all the tears, all the laughter. ...

For all the blues in the sky,

there are as many blues in the heart.

Just a warning you will be sobbing by the final pages of this book.

Bookseller blurb: Sage's thirteenth birthday was supposed to be about movies and treats, staying up late with her best friend and watching the sunrise together. Instead, it was the day her best friend died. Without the person she had to hold her secrets and dream with, Sage is lost. In a counseling group with other girls who have lost someone close to them, she learns that not all losses are the same, and healing isn't predictable. There is sadness, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, pain, love. And even as Sage grieves, new, good things enter her life -- and she just may find a way to know that she can feel it all. In accessible, engaging verse and prose, this is an important story of a girl's journey to heal, grow, and forgive herself. To read it is to see how many shades there are in grief, and to know that someone understands.

This is a verse novel from 2025 for sensitive mature readers aged 12+ but sadly here in Australia you will need to wait for the paperback edition - the hardcover will be well beyond the budget of most school libraries. 

A heartfelt portrait of the complexities of grief and the indomitable human spirit. Kirkus Star review

The counselling group in All the Blues in the Sky reminded me of this book:

Just Like Jackie

Other books by Renee Watson:

The Secret of the Magic Pearl by Elisa Sabatinelli illustrated by Iacopo Bruno translated by Christopher Turner

Publisher blurb: Hector lives with his family at the Marina in an Italian coastal town where they organize tourist expeditions to explore the many wonders of the sea. Hector’s dream is to become a deep-sea diver, just like his father. Then, one day, an unscrupulous entrepreneur opens a much newer center next door, forcing them to close their business. This man has a single purpose, to find the legendary Pearl in order to sell it and make money. Hector decides to find a way to thwart the plan and save what matters most to him: the sea, his family, and his dream.

This book was published in 2021 but it is a new discovery for me. I'm sure I have seen the cover on Social Media so when I saw this in the library I visit each week [they purchased it in March 2023] I grabbed it quickly. The format of this book is one I really love. A large size illustrated story - not a picture book and not quite a small junior novel - although that is the intended audience. The story is told in just seventy pages with a colourful illustration or two on every page. 

The chapters are divided using a full page illustration based on Nautical flags and each chapter has a heading which gives you an idea of the plot line:

1."About why the story of the Pearl is the truest"

2. "About why Amedeo Limonta is the bad guy in this story."

7. "About why sinking in the sea is like walking on the moon."

13. "About why I am, and always will be, a deep sea diver."

Here is the deep sea diving suit used by Hector's dad:

Here are some text quotes from this book:

"I have tomatoes on toast for breakfast. I put on my diving suit and Mom takes a photo of me near the fridge and next to Dad's diving suit. Before she lets me go, she gives me a hug and says 'Be careful! Keep your eyes wide open. You're going to see marvelous things down there! Break a leg!' She always says this thing about breaking a leg. I've go no idea what it means."

"The moment I'm in the water I feel a unique silence - as if someone has closed off the world with a stopper. How much water is in the sea? I'd love to measure it."

"The first day is a big success.  Hundreds of people line up to see the Pearl, which shines with a glow that takes everyone's breath away. No one needs a flash to take a photo; the Pearl shines a light of her own."

The Kirkus Star review said: Beautiful, remarkable, amazing, and wonderful in every way. 

The setting for this story reminded me of this picture book:

For Love

This book was originally written in Italian with the title Mio padre e un palombaro. 

Now for the bad news [again sorry]. Here in Australia this book costs over AUS$35 and so I am sure it is going to be way too expensive for the average Primary School to consider. Perhaps it will be released in paperback soon and if that happens I highly recommend this as a splendid addition to your collection. It could also be a terrific read aloud for Grades 3 or 4. You can see inside this book here [in Italian]. Here is a delightful short video with subtitles where the author and illustrator introduce their book. Read more about Red Comet Press here. I am very keen to see Peng's Vase by Paolo Proietti which is a book from this publisher.  It looks like a terrific companion book to go with The Empty Pot by Demi.

Review comments for The Secret of the Magic Pearl:

“Beautifully illustrated with magical pictures by Iacopo Bruno, this Italian fantasy by Elisa Sabatinelli takes us to a village out of time with a boy who loves the ocean and dreams of diving like his father and grandfather before him. Keep an eye out for this book and the other titles from Red Comet Press! Bravo!”  – Brian Selznick, Caldecott Medal Winner

Spellbinding. Sabatinelli creates an energetic and guileless voice in Hector, as he describes the settings and unique characters surrounding him with beautiful, evocative language; readers are transported to windswept coastal Italy, witness to small town shenanigans and stormy sea journeys with the turn of each page. Bruno’s illustrations are equally immersive, seamlessly weaving through the chapters with spreads and margin artwork that is sometimes educational, sometimes comical, and always captivating. Baby Book Worm

If you like the idea of large format illustrated books with splendid stories look for these:

Mysterious Traveller

Night Sky Dragons

What if, Pig? by Linzie Hunter

Many of us worry about small things and I am sure this is a natural process bur this becomes a problem when small worries grow out of proportion. It is so dangerous to live with the constant thought of "what if".  Perhaps this book will help a young child, in a small way, to see the complications that arise when worries become all consuming. 

Pig decides to host his Birthday party and invite all of his friends but then the worries begin to pile in - will anyone come? Will too many friends come? What if this party is not as much fun as those hosted by the others? Pig cannot cope with all of these mounting worries so he cancels the party and retreats to his home. 

The best part of this book (spoiler alert) is the way his friends all band together to give Pig the best birthday every. I do enjoy stories about surprises like this especially when they show the kindness, understanding and generosity of friends. Then, in truly beautiful moment, one by one his friends reveal they have worries too. 

What if Pig? is a story that many children will relate to, it highlights the little voice inside us all that makes us doubt whether or not we are good enough and makes us worry about all the little things that could go wrong. It shows that friendship is a wonderful thing and that we shouldn’t keep worries secret. Just Imagine

The humour and the optimistic tone of this appealing book lighten the important message it conveys. A Library Lady

Another book with a surprise party that I love is Frog and a Very Special Day by Max Velthuijs. Here is Linzie's web site.  I do also have a small Pinterest collection of books about Birthday parties. Companion reads:

PS I was excited to hear my blog mentioned (42.50 min mark) on the Your Kid's Next Read Podcast this week - Episode 43. In this podcast the presenters share their favourite book bloggers and reviewers and also, as always, alert you to new books they have received in their mail (aren't they lucky that publishers send them review copies - I dream about this!). 

Here comes Lolo by Niki Daly

Here Comes Lolo is a brand new book series perfect for beginners who are ready to move onto easy chapter books or you could use this book as a family read aloud. The tone is not preachy but there are some important messages such as:

• You get what you get and you don't get upset
• Honesty is the best policy
• One good turn deserves another
• If you see something is wrong - say something

Lolo lives with her mother and grandmother (Gogo) in a small apartment behind her grandmother's dressmaking shop.

There are four short stories and each one is filled with light and fun. Lolo is a happy and optimistic little girl. She lives in South Africa and the illustrations show us her everyday life.

" ... she skips through life, home and school leaving a trail of laughter, a few frowns and a lot of warmth and love along the way." Children's Books Ireland

1. A gold star and a kiss for Lolo
Lolo is so excited to receive stars from her teacher at school.  The best star of all is the gold one which is given for reading. On this happy day Lolo is given a star but disaster strikes on the way home.

2.  Lolo's Hat
Lolo sees the perfect hat in the store but when she returns it has been sold. At church Lolo sees her friend wearing the beautiful hat. Thandi does not like the hat so she gives it to Lolo but this hat was expensive and Mrs Makalima (Thandi's mum) is not happy.

3.  Lolo and the lost ring
Lolo learns a lesson about honesty. She finds a valuable ring and puts up a poster to find the owner. The people who call her most certainly do not own this ring. How will Lolo know the call is from the real owner?

4.  Lolo and a little dog called Hope
The dog next door is suffering from serious neglect and mistreatment. Lolo is determined to help even though her mum and Gogo say it is better not to get involved.

Lolo is a fun-loving, likeable character, whose experiences and dilemmas are typical of children her age. She considers the impact her actions have on others, making this a great book to promote discussion about emotions, empathy, kindness and friendship. BookTrust

There are two books so far about Lolo. Here is the second one from the series. I highly recommend these sweet stories for readers aged 6+.

Niki Daly comes from South Africa.  Here are some of his other wonderful books which you are sure to find in a library.

The third book about Lolo will be available later this year.

Dumazi and the Big Yellow Lion by Valanga Khoza illustrated by Matt Ottley

Dumazi, a Zulu girl, is on her way to the waterhole to fill her empty calabash pot. She comes across a lion caught in a trap.

"I've been trapped for many days without food or water ... Please save my life and set me free!"

Dumazi has to decide what to do? This story is filled with problem solving and decision making. She asks the lion to promise not to eat her.  He makes the promise so Dumazi sets the lion free but once the ropes fall away he breaks his promise.

"I am so thirsty, I could drink the whole African River Limpopo. And I'm so hungry I could eat a Zulu girl."

Dumazi is shocked but also she is a quick witted girl. She offers to let the lion eat her but suggests they should first talk to the other animals and ask their advice. The lion reluctantly agrees. They ask the giraffe but Aunty Giraffe is worried about humans and the way they are cutting down trees. The giraffe tells the lion he can eat the girl. Dumazi quickly suggests they need to ask one more animal. The lion reluctantly agrees and so walk on and meet an elephant. Just like the giraffe, the elephant is worried about humans - the poachers take tusks. The elephant tells the lion he can eat the girl.

Luckily for Dumazi, a small monkey has been listening to all of this. He is such a clever monkey. He challenges the lion to show him the ropes that held him captive and then he tricks the lion back into those ropes. The lion is trapped, Dumazi is saved but is everything really resolved? No Dumazi feels sorry for the lion.

"She picked up her kalimba and returned to him. From nearby, she played gentle music and the big yellow lion fell into a deep, deep sleep. Dumazi crept up to the sleeping animal and untied the hunter's ropes."

You may be surprised to see what happens next.

This book is the complete package. It is a clever story that reads like a fable or a trickster tale. It has vibrant illustrations, a text with just the right amount of repetition for young readers and as a bonus the book comes with a wonderful music CD all packaged in a beautiful hardcover book. This is a book to enjoy in a classroom, in a library and it is also a book you should consider for your home shelves.

I say music because this CD is so much more than just a reading of the story. It has music composed by Matt Ottley and sung by Valanga Khoza.  The orchestration matches each animal that Dumazi encounters. It is a really special listening treat.  Here is a set of teachers notes from Scholastic made available by Pegi Williams. This is a book you should share with a music teacher. It would be perfect for a collaboration between the library and a music specialist if you are lucky enough to have someone who has this role in your school.

I am going to predict (here is another one) that THIS book will make our CBCA notable titles and from there the 2020 Book of the Year short list.

Listen to an interview with Valanga Khoza where he talks about playing the kalimba, he sings and plays the kalimba in this interview too and he explains his childhood in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

"A strange animal arrived one day looking dusty, tired, sad 

and frightened. 

He was pulling a big suitcase."

Stop and think about these opening lines. Why is he sad? What has happened to make him frightened? This suitcase is big - what could be inside? It is so heavy he has to drag it. The image above is from the title page. You can feel the weight from this illustration.

Now watch the Nosy Crow trailer and a video where Chris Naylor-Ballesteros talks about The Suitcase.

The strange animal meets a fox, rabbit and bird. The group are curious and ask about the contents of the suitcase. The list of contents sound utterly impossible. A teacup, a table, a chair, a kitchen and even a wooden cabin. The strange animal is exhausted and he falls asleep. The fox decides they should open the suitcase so they can discover the truth.

"Meanwhile the sleeping stranger dreamed about running away and hiding, about climbing over mountains and swimming across deep waters. And he dreamed about his suitcase and all that he had inside it."

When the suitcase is opened I gasped. What the fox has done is so dreadful. It's a violation but what happens next will warm your heart and, I know this sounds very deep but, I think the final scenes will give your young reader a sense of hope for humanity.

This is my favourite type of picture book where a seemingly simple narrative is a disguise for a deeper message but it is all done with a light touch there is no feeling that the author had an agenda or a message or an 'axe to grind' or a moral to impart. You might remember I talked about Almost Anything by Sophy Henn recently. It has a very different theme but I think it demonstrates this idea of that old adage "show don't tell."

This is in every way a five star book.

Here are some review comments:

The message here is powerful and profound and beautifully served by the simplicity of the telling. Love Reading4Kids

What better book could there be to share with a nursery or foundation stage class during refugee week than this one, offering as it does, hope and the possibility of new friendship. Red Reading Hub

I would bet that many folk would come away from this book with various different levels of interpretation of the core powerful message of being kind, and treating strangers a little better - but wow, this is so subtly and cleverly done. Read it Daddy

I would link The Suitcase with The Thing by Simon Puttock and Shelter by Celine Claire.  You could also look at Welcome by Barroux and Room on our Rock by Kate and Jol Temple.

In this video you can see Chris creating his characters. I loved hearing Chris says "Picture books are for everyone!"

Here are two other books by Chris. You can read the long journey that it took to make I'm going to eat this Ant on his blog.

The last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan

This novel in verse is a remarkable feat of mimicry. 

The poems sound exactly like they were written by real fifth-graders. Kirkus

August 27
First Day
Rachel Chieko Stein

We only have 180 days
at Emerson Elementary.
When this school year ends,
I will have spent
one thousand days
in this building.
I want a thousand more
so I'll never have to say
goodbye to friends
like Sydney and Katie.
I wish Emerson
could be my school forever,
but everyone is talking about a plan
to tear the building down.


You already know that I adore verse novels so I was excited to begin reading the Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. I read the whole book in one sitting - yes it is THAT good.

There are 18 kids in this fifth grade class. You might need to explain to an Australian audience that at this school elementary ends with fifth grade and next year these kids will head off to Middle School. This should be an exciting time which culminates in a special ceremony as the fifth graders are clapped along the corridor to the Middle School next door but the school board have decided to sell the old school building and hence the title. Yes this group are indeed the last fifth grade.

The teacher gives every student a notebook where they write poems every day. (There are notes about the poetry forms at the back of the book along with some writing prompts). These poems will go into a time capsule. The plan is to building shopping centre to replace the school so I imagine this time capsule will be placed in the walls of the new supermarket.

Laura Shovan uses poems from each child as a way to share the class journey over the whole year and along the way we also learn so much each individual.   If you have read Because of Mr Terupt you will recognise this concept. And if you have read The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary you know how to follow a book with multiple voices. I found the little illustrations were a great help but I also need to keep flipping back and forth just to catch up on the back story of each child.

The class are studying the US Bill of Rights. It seems obvious they need to present the school board with a petition.

October 24
Speaking my Mind (an extract)
Rennie Rawlins

Maybe it's true
a bunch of fifth graders
have no say in what happens
to our school, but
in fifth grade we're supposed to be
studying democracy
and constitutional rights,
right?
Well, I already know
the First Amendment
is the right to free speech.


Now read on. Here is the poem from the 20th February by Edgar entitled Bad News:

The bad news is, our petition failed.
The Board won't ever know
some fifth graders wanted to save Emerson.

Wait a minute - this is not a spoiler because it is only 20th February.  The US school year runs from August 25th to June 9th. This group of kids are not going to take no for an answer.

Donalyn Miller loved this book - read her review for the Nerdy Book Club.

Here are the publisher's teaching notes. Poetry for Children  also have a teaching ideas page. Here is a review with more plot details.  Here is an interesting podast interview with the author Laura Shovan.   You can see inside this book on the publisher website. In an Australian classroom you could pair this book with Troy Thompson's Excellent Peotry (Poetry) Book.

Listen to an Audio sample which has been made with multiple voices. This might be a useful way to share this  book with a class.


We meet 18 diverse, distinctive, quirky, totally believable kids navigating the changes that come with friendships old and new, first crushes, and other relatable challenges such as divorce and step families, death and illness of family members, being the new kid, homelessness, assimilation and identity. Jama's Alphabet Soup

A bike like Sergio's by Maribeth Boelts illustrated by Noah Z Jones

The first thing I thought when I finished this book was - how clever to write a book with a strong moral message presented with such a light touch that you only consider the moral after reading. Then I read this decoloresreview and I saw some aspects of this story in a different way.  I am now planning to read this book to a group of Grade 2 children here in Sydney. None have ever experienced poverty, I don't think they will notice the skin colours used by Noah Z Jones but I do wonder what they may think of the 'message'.

Ruben has no bike. All of his friends have bikes but Ruben's family are poor. We know this because when his Mom writes her grocery list we see her counting the money in her purse and then crossing things off her list. 

For me this is not entirely a book about honesty it is also about 'walking in another person's shoes'.  Ruben picks up a dollar in the grocery store that has been dropped by a regular customer. He decides to keep the money - it is only a dollar he thinks. But when he gets home he discovers it is not one dollar it is one hundred dollars. When you are exploring this book in Australia you would need to show the children US money. In Australia our notes are all different colours and of course we no longer have a one dollar note. 

Ruben feels bad about the money and he also realises if he tries to spend it on that long desired bike serious questions will be asked. At the end of his first day with the money he checks his bag and discovers the money is gone. 

"Rain is falling as I retrace my steps from school to bike shop to home.

Leaves and money look the same.

Rain and tears feel the same.

It's nowhere."

Ruben suffers through another long day at school. To add to his torment their math topic is money. Ruben checks his bag one more time and discovers it is still there in a small zip pocket. He heads over the grocery store to buy milk and juice for his mom and sees the lady who lost the money. "I remember how it was for me when that money that was hers - then mine - was gone."

Here is the Kirkus review. Here is an excellent trailer made by the publisher. Take a look here at some other picture books about owning a bicycle. My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything also has a terrific Pinterest collection on this topic.

With a group of older students I would read Mr Chickee's Funny Money for another perspective on finding money.

Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman

Begin with the first words of this book:

Once there were three bears ...

Is this the familiar fairy tale? No of course not - these bears are called Dash, Charlie and Theo and they live beside the sea and love to play in the sand. On returning from their time at the beach the three bears take advantage of the fact that their mother is away from home. There is a glorious jar of honey on the mantle. Look at the title page - the three have been longing to grab this and now there is an opportunity. Struggling to reach the 'forbidden' jar they accidentally knock their mother's precious blue shell off the shelf. It is smashed in to small fragments.

"Afraid of their mother, who, after all was a bear, the three fled from their house down to the beach where they huddled behind their boat."

Look at the words here. Fled - they are terrified of the consequences. Huddled - you can feel these three youngsters trembling.

What will they do? Go home, face their mother and admit they were naughty or follow Dash's suggestion and try to find a replacement shell.  Here is another beautifully placed word:

"And so just like that, the sly bears slide their boat into the sea and set sail."

Sly- they know they have done the wrong thing but they think they can cover their tracks and mother will never know!

The three meet an old salty who advises them to head to a small island shaped like a hat. "If you look in the right place, I reckon you'll find it."  I love the idea that they sail "further than they had ever gone before."  This truly is an adventure. Maybe it will be even more scary than facing up to their mother!

Image source: https://bookriot.com/2015/01/09/one-look-favorite-picture-book-art-2014/

There is no shell on the island even though they explore everywhere including a scary cave. If you were using this book with an older group of children it would be interesting to draw a feelings graph because at this point in the story emotions spill over and the three start to apportion blame. They don't notice that a wild storm is approaching. Now they need to forgive and forget and work out how to survive.

Look at this line - it made me smile:

"They didn't care whose fault it was anymore, they were all in the same boat."

When you pick up this book take time to look at the end papers. They are perfect.

I've been collecting images of books I want to read and this was one in my file. I found it in a library yesterday but as usual I can't remember why or where it was listed.

Three Bears in a Boat was published in 2014. Watch this video where David Soman talks about his book - it will make you laugh.

There is so much more to this book which the wonderful Betsy Bird discovers and explains in her review for the School Library Journal. I would not have recognised references to Huckleberry Finn, Moby Dick and I have no idea about the third boat which Betsy thinks keen children's literature fans will recognise from the checkerboard, lantern and toy sailing boat. I am not sure about Betsy's idea about the name of the boat - Ursula K - I think this refers to ursula meaning little bear. Although the placement of K does support her idea that it is a reference Ursula K LeGuin.

I love her idea of comparing Three Bears in a Boat with Where the Wild things are. Both are about journeys and adventures and explorations without parents but it is the words at the end of each that deserve special attention.

Where the Wild Things are: "and into the night of his very own room where he found his supper waiting for him and it was still hot."
Three bears in a boat: "Then she bought them inside for a warm supper. But they didn't get any dessert."

I think you could have a wonderful discussion with older children about these endings. Talking about concepts like consequences, punishments, honesty, responsibility, truth and love.

I would pair this book with with Humphrey's Bear and Once upon a small Rhinoceros. You could also compare Three Bears in a Boat with the stories by Ursula Dubosarsky in Honey and Bear.

As I read this book I kept remembering a small book from my former school library which would be great to pair with Three Bears in a Boat. I looked in the online catalogue but could not locate it. I am sad now to discover this book has been removed from their collection along with many other special and important titles. I do hope I can find this one in another library. This is a truly special book that should be shared with young children.

There are page turns where you simply sit for a moment and linger, looking at the new vista before you until you are ready to read the words on the page. Waking Brain Cells


Humorous and intelligent—and with watercolor seascapes so luminous that readers will want to jump in—this is a book to be treasured for years to come. Kirkus Star Review

The Adventures of Catvinkle by Elliot Perlman

"Think of how many more friends you could have if you allowed dogs into your world. Anyway are we really so different from cats? If you put fresh water in a bowl in front of us, do we not drink? If you put a comfy wicker basket beside a warm fireplace, will we not crawl in and get snuggly?"

In real life dogs and cats are not usually friends. They may tolerate each other or live in a state of constant hostility.  In stories cats and dogs are often portrayed with quite different viewpoints and life experiences. It interesting to compare the way various authors have examined this relationship.

Recently I talked about Dog by Andy Mulligan where the cat, called Moonlight, is simply awful. She is manipulative and a liar.  Compare this with Diva and Flea where Diva, the little shy dog, needs the bravery and kindness of Flea to expand her horizons and Flea herself is a brilliant and insightful friend. You might also re-read the classic story The Incredible Journey where two dogs and a Siamese cat journey across America to find their family.

Catvinkle and Ula have an equally complex, but in this case, friendly relationship. Catvinkle lives with Mr Sabatini. She has a very comfortable life. One morning Mr Sabatini sees a lost dog. "The dog shyly came up to him. ... As he was patting her he read her name Ula ... He noticed, too, that Ula's big brown eyes were a little sad, and that the fur on her coat was not sitting entirely smoothly. ... Being a barber he would notice a thing like this."

Ula is taken home where he is left in a room with Catvinkle. This meeting could turn out quite badly and Catvinkle's life could be turned upside down but Catvinkle discovers something wonderful about Ula.

"What's that smell?' Catvinkle asked.
'Oh no, you're probably going to say I smell wet and that you hate the smell of wet dog,' said Ula. 'Go ahead, you might as well. Everybody says it.'
No, not at all! It's all ... musky. It's like a beautiful musky ... I feel so calm and relaxed breathing in this musky smell."

Calm is what Catvinkle needs because she is due to compete in the National Kitten Baby-Shoe Dancing competition where she will compete against her enemy Twinkiepaws. The idea of this competition should give you a real motivation to read this warm but offbeat tale.

I loved the dialogue between Ula and Catvinkle. I hope these examples make you smile too:

"How many animals have wanted to come and live with you and Mr Sabatini?' asked Ula. 'Lots,' said Catvinkle. 'More than I can count on one paw.' 'How many can you count on one paw?' asked Ula. 'As many as I like. It's my paw. I can use it again and again for counting. I've three others you know."

 "Do you like trying new things?' asked Ula. 'Oh yes. Sometimes I take my water before my salmon and sometimes I'll take my water after my salmon. A couple of times - and this will blow your mind - I've started my salmon then had a few licks of water and then gone back to my salmon, licking the bowl clean with both sides of my tongue. Crazy, I know! But I'm that kind of cat. I live on the edge!"

I am looking forward to seeing the actual book when it is published in October this year because I understand it will be issued as a small hardback which seems appropriate for the European setting. Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for the advanced reader copy.

Here is a set of teachers notes with detailed questions and writing ideas.

Little Croc's purse by Lizzie Finlay

While playing hide and seek one day Little Croc finds a pretty purse.  Inside there are five silver coins, seven golden coins and crisp 20-croc note  There is also a secret something hidden in the lining.

There is a strong moral presented in this book about the rewards that come from honesty and from giving but these are told in such a joyous and carefree way that Little Croc's purse is sure to make you smile.  Young readers will also love the neat pattern as Little Croc retraces his journey using the reward he has from finding the purse as a way to share his happiness.

"Little Croc divided his treasure into three envelopes labelled 'spend', 'share' and 'save'.  He used his 'spend' envelope to pay (for his lemonade, three envelopes and a pencil) and tucked the others safely into his purse."

There are some lovely touches in this little picture book - the name of the owner is Mrs Doolally.  The purse smelled of perfume and the cafe called Croc Monsieur's.

This week we read The Swap and I picked up Little Croc's purse because I was hunting for other stories about crocodiles.  It will be fun to share this book with our youngest students.

You might like to read the Kirkus review.

Along with making worthy points about the benefits of honesty, modeling responsible financial behavior and even somehow managing to keep Little Croc from coming off as a goody-goody, she introduces a young hero who is refreshingly oblivious to gender expectations—bravo.