It is April 3rd so I am little late with this post which I titled my April reading pile. My "to read" pile is, as always, slightly out of control and it does contain books that have lingered for many months (Leila and the Blue Fox August 2025) and as usual other books seem to have jumped up the queue while my pile grows taller.
Rosa by Starlight by Hilary McKay illustrated by Keith Robinson
I actually finished this one today so I will talk about it in more detail soon. Here is the publisher blurb: Rosa lives in a world where she discovers there is magic. It arrives with Balthazar, a large black cat, just when she needs it most. Even so, it takes all her courage to stay hopeful and adventurous when her dreadful aunt and uncle move into her life. And when she finds herself abandoned in the ancient city of Venice, can magic help her then? Perhaps it can. The stars are watching, and there are lots of cats in Venice . . .
Why did I pick up this book from a major chain retailer? I really like the cover and I have read other books by Hilary McKay such as
The Skylarks' War.
I am Ray's Imaginary friend by Brian Moses illustrated by Bethan Welby
Bookseller blurb: Did you know there was a School for Imaginary Friends? Well there is and one of its star pupils is the narrator of Ray's story. Ray loves life in his village, until one day he hears his parents talking about moving house. Horrified by the idea, Ray invents an imaginary friend to talk to and even runs away. Eventually Ray is able to accept the move, and also the Ukrainian refugee mother and child who come to live with his family in their new home. As Ray finds his feet again, the Imaginary Friend wonders if he is needed any more, or if he can also move on?
Why did I pick this one? I saw this in a shop a few days ago. I recognised the title as one I had seen mentioned on social media, I do like the cover, and I am a huge fan of imaginary friend stories such as
Leo and Ralph;
O'Diddy;
Crenshaw;
Bob; and
Tish.
LoveReading4Kids said:
This (I am Ray's Imaginary Friend) heartwarming story is a real masterclass in the power of empathy. The verse structure makes this a very accessible read and the delicate and beautiful line drawings throughout, add to the appeal, making it a real must have for home or classroom.
Romeo v Julie by RA Spratt
Publisher blurb: Selby does not want to be in the school play. She is much happier behind the scenes painting sets – anything to avoid standing on stage in front of an audience, performing for disinterested classmates and overenthusiastic parents. So Selby did not plan on landing the lead role of Juliet . . . and she certainly never planned to land in Verona and meet Juliet in person. With chaos, wit and R.A. Spratt wisdom, if those who rush stumble and fall, Romeo and Juliet are about to crash-land into a modern-day town!
Why and where did I find this one? The wonderful manager of
Gleebooks Kids recommended this one. I am not really a fan of timeslip stories although I have read a couple of others based on Shakespeare such as
King of Shadows by Susan Cooper.
Rima's Rebellion by Margarita Engle
Publisher blurb: Rima loves to ride horses alongside her abuela and Las Mambisas, the fierce women veterans who fought during Cuba’s wars for independence. Feminists from many backgrounds have gathered in voting clubs to demand suffrage and equality for women, but not everybody wants equality for all—especially not for someone like Rima. In 1920s Cuba, illegitimate children like her are bullied and shunned. Rima dreams of a day when she is free from fear and shame, the way she feels when she’s riding with Las Mambisas. As she seeks her way, Rima forges unexpected friendships with others who long for freedom, especially a handsome young artist named Maceo. Through turbulent times, hope soars, and with it…love.
Why did I buy this? I have read (and loved) other books by
Margarita Engle. I started looking for her books after meeting her at a USBBY conference. Rima's Rebellion is a Young Adult title but I found it on the Middle grade shelves in a city bookstore. It is a verse novel and I love this format.
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
Blurb: Subhi is a refugee. Born in an Australian permanent detention centre after his mother fled the violence of a distant homeland, life behind the fences is all he has ever known. But as he grows, his imagination gets bigger too, until it is bursting at the limits of his world. The Night Sea brings him gifts, the faraway whales sing to him, and the birds tell their stories. The most vivid story of all, however, is the one that arrives one night in the form of Jimmie, a scruffy, impatient girl who appears from the other side of the wires, and brings a notebook written by the mother she lost. Unable to read it, she relies on Subhi to unravel her own family's love songs and tragedies. Subhi and Jimmie might both find a way to freedom, as their tales unfold. But not until each of them has been braver than ever before.
I picked this book up at a charity book fair late in 2025. A few months ago I read another book by Zana Fraillon -
The Ones that Disappeared. I also hoped, well actually expected, her junior verse novel
Song of a Thousand Seas would win the CBCA 2026 Younger Readers award but sadly and to my great frustration it did not even make the shortlist.
Dog Star by Megan Shepherd
Blurb from the author page: Laika is a Cold Dog, a stray pup fighting for her life on the streets of Moscow. Then, one winter night, she is plucked from her alley to become a starflyer, a dog trained to travel into space. Distrustful of people, Laika tries to do everything she can to escape. That is, until she meets Nina. Nina is a Cold Girl, lonely and full of questions. Her best friend has moved to America in a rush, leaving Nina to face the school bullies all by herself. Plus, her father’s work as a scientist in the Soviet Space Program grows more secretive by the day. When the two meet in her father’s laboratory, their growing bond slowly warms the chill that has settled in each other’s hearts. As the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union grows fierce, Laika and Nina uncover shocking secrets and hard truths that will test their friendship. How will they find the courage to chase their dreams all the way to the stars?
A Roomful of Magic by John Marsden
Blurb from the author web page: Naomi and Nick are staying the night with their friends Sam and Lucy when they hear the sound of someone crying coming from far away. They all begin to investigate, and soon find a light coming from beneath the floor under Sam’s bed, and a ladder leading down into a very curious mist... As they descend the ladder, the children find themselves amongst many tall dark trees, and Sam and Naomi know they have returned to the magic rainforest. This time there are new problems to solve, and some old friends to help find solutions. But there are some old enemies too, who will do anything to cause mischief!
I picked this up from a pile of discarded library books. I did have this book in my former school library (the nephew and niece of
the late John Marsden were two of our students) but I had not read it.
My Sweet Orange Tree by Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos
Publisher blurb: Meet Zezé – Brazil’s naughtiest and most loveable boy, his talent for mischief matched only by his great kindness. When he grows up he wants to be a poet with a bow-tie, but for now, he entertains himself playing pranks on the residents of his family’s poor Rio de Janeiro neighborhood and inventing friends to play with. Zezé’s pranks can be a little too mischievous – at least, so say his parents, who punish him harshly when he misbehaves. His father is out of work and the family unhappiness falls hardest on Zezé, the second-youngest of seven siblings. That is, until he meets a real friend, and his life begins to change. With the help of Pinkie, the talking orange tree, Manuel, who gives Zezé rides in his car, and with his own endless supply of resourcefulness and imagination, Zezé will triumph over any adversity. This worldwide classic of children’s literature has never been out of print in Brazil since it was first published in 1968. Translated into an astonishing number of languages, it has won the hearts of millions of young readers from Korea to Turkey, Poland to Thailand, and many other countries too, with its inimitable blend of the heart-rending and the whimsical.
I do enjoy the classics shelves in well stocked independent bookstores. I found this intriguing 1968 book in Gleebooks.
Vicky and Jun friends at play by Patricia Toht illustrated by Hoang Giang
Blurb from author page: Meet Vicky, a lively squirrel, bursting with great ideas, and June, a gentle hedgehog, thoughtful and reserved. Vicky likes games that are loud and fast, like Follow the Leader (and she always wants to be the leader). June prefers to read or play quiet games like I Spy. Can two critters who are so different still be the very best of friends?
I am always on the hunt for satisfying early chapter books for newly independent readers and if they have colour illustrations as this one does - that's even better. I borrowed this from the library where I volunteer. Sadly this one might be a little too expensive if you have a limited book budget ($20). The second book from the series Vicky and June: Pals and Petals is due out later this year.
Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett illustrated by Carson Ellis
This is a new picture book and it is fabulous. I knew I HAD to have this book after reading Mac Barnett, Jon Klasses and Carson Ellis discussing it here.
There is the first bit, where the girl’s father sets in motion a dangerous set of challenges: his daughter must go to court and weave straw into gold. This bit has a very classic fairy tale rule of three structure, where the girl is placed, over three nights, into three increasingly large rooms, with increasingly large piles of straw.
Jon and Mac take deep dives into lots of books - click this link.
Finally I do have a backlog of newAustralian books I have finished that I will talk about over the coming weeks - Once upon Tomorrow by Karen Comer; The Surface Trials by HM Waugh; Nerds vs Aliens by Barry Jonsberg; and Raised by Wolves by Tristan Bancks plus a few picture books I picked up from a library yesterday!
