The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Yoko Takana

“You must follow the elephant,” said the fortuneteller. “She will lead you there.”

This is the second time I have read The Magician's Elephant.  This time I noticed:

• The inventive character names: Peter Augustus Duchene; Vilna Lutz; Madam La Vaughn; Leo Matienne; Hans Ickman; Count Quintet; and the dog Iddo. 
• The rich vocabulary: gesture, audacity, honorable, midst, excruciating, and sleight for example
• I had forgotten about the importance of dreams in this story
• The city and the winter cold feel like additional characters.
• The way Kate DiCamillo builds the story so that a reader just knows there will be a very happy ending. I was so happy to discover Leo and Gloria longed for a child of their own.
• Readers have to 'join the dots' in the final scenes to work out that this does come true and the two children are now living with and loved by Leo and Gloria Matienne.
• There is an important minor theme in this story about the futility of war.
• It is wonderful that this book is designed with lots of white space and a larger font size.
• The short chapters and rapid scene changes make this a perfect book to read aloud.
• The way the people in the town became obsessed about the elephant reminded me of the books I talked about in a previous post that tell the story of the arrival of a giraffe in France. 

Blurb from author page: When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes — hope and belonging, desire and compassion — with the lightness of a magician’s touch. On this page Kate talks about her book too (5 minutes)

Awards and Honors

• ALSC Notable Children’s Book
• American Booksellers Association Indies Choice Book Awards
• American Library Association Notable Children’s Recordings
• BookBrowse Awards, Best Young Adult Book
• Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth
• Chicago Public Library Best Books for Children and Teens
• Colorado Children’s Book Award
• Delaware Diamonds Booklist
• Hudson News Best Book of the Year
• Indie Next List
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award
• Maine Student Book Award
• Minnesota Book Awards
• Parents’ Choice Award
• Publishers Weekly Cuffie Award
• Washington State Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award, Picture Books

Tonight, I have discovered there is now a movie of The Magician's Elephant. After watching the trailer the movie looks very, very different from the book. 

This page from Candlewick has a wealth of activities and an audio sample to use with The Magician's Elephant. 

Reading like a fable told long ago, with rich language that begs to be read aloud, this is a magical story about hope and love, loss and home, and of questioning the world versus accepting it as it is. Brilliant imagery juxtaposes “glowering and resentful” gargoyles and snow, stars and the glowing earth ... Kirkus

Here are a couple of text quotes:

He stood in the small patch of light making its sullen way through the open flap of the tent. He let the fortuneteller take his hand. She examined it closely, moving her eyes back and forth and back and forth, as if there were a whole host of very small words inscribed there, an entire book about Peter Augustus Duchene composed atop his palm.

Not far from the Apartments Polonaise, across the rooftops and through the darkness of the winter night, stood the Bliffendorf Opera House, and that evening upon its stage, a magician of advanced years and failing reputation performed the most astonishing magic of his career. He intended to conjure a bouquet of lilies, but instead, the magician brought forth an elephant.

The questions that mattered, the questions that needed to be asked, were these: Where did the elephant come from? And what did it mean that she had come to the city of Baltese?

I first read and talked about The Magician's Elephant (published 2009) back in 2010. Today on my train journey I re-read and devoured the whole book again and I absolutely loved it. I think I have read nearly every book written by Kate DiCamillo. She recently visited Colby Sharp's school in Parma - I loved reading about the visit and also I loved the way all of the staff embraced this visit and shared many of her books with their students.

You can see the gentle art from inside The Magician's Elephant on the illustrator web page. Here is another book illustrated by Yoko Tanaka:

Dandelion's Dream

Sparrow Girl

A Leaf Called Greaf by Kelly Canby

Bear is suffering the loss of three of his siblings although we don't know this at the beginning. There is a hint in the illustration where you can see the outlines of three bears drawn in white pen sitting on a tree branch above Bear. We know these other three bears are not there because the text says:

"In the shadow of a tree that felt larger than life itself sat Bear, all alone. The wind bit and flicked at his fur. The cold scratched at his nose."

Stop for a minute and think about some of the word choices in this sentence: "felt larger than life itself" - overwhelming is a word we might use. And what about the word "bit" - sharp and painful. 

Then a leaf falls off the tree. 

"(it) floated its way down onto Bear's belly. It was the greenest, most beguiling leaf Bear at ever seen."

YES, you really did just read the word beguiling. And yes, this is a children's book - that's why we read books to our children - so that they can encounter rich words like this. 

What about this leaf? It feels special, it smells special but here comes another 'crunch' word. 

"It reminded him of mourning."

Wait a minute is that a typo - mourning - surely it should say morning! Oh no - go back to the title. Greaf - is this a book about grief? Yes, it is because now Bear has this leaf, he carries it everywhere. 

Now onto this sentence which broke my heart:

"On the rare occasion Bear felt playful, he would wrestle with Greaf, as he once had with his brother and sisters."

If you know about grief, then you know it can be really hard to allow yourself to be happy. There is often a feeling of guilt because we wonder if we should laugh or play while we are supposed to be feeling sad. But grief changes in life just as it does in this book. The leaf was once a green and soft and it smelt good but over time we watch the leaf change. Finally, has become "rough and brittle and crisp and tense". And "for the first time in a long time, Bear let it go."

Thank you, Kelly Canby. Your book is profound and uplifting and never saccharine. In fact, this is such a deceptively simple story which is beautifully explored through text and illustration. There is so much to talk about and think about here on the topic of how we handle one of the deepest human emotions - grief. 

A Leaf called Greaf is a CBCA 2025 Picture Book of the Year Notable title and it is one of three of four books that I am certain will be shortlisted. Check out my post about These Loved Things by Josh Pike. And I also think A Leaf Called Greaf will make the final set of winners. 

One of the things that I think is important in Picture Book judging, when we think about an award such as the one from the Children's Book Council of Australia - relates to the universality of the book. Is this a book that could be shared with a child in another English-speaking country? Is this a book that should travel beyond our shores? Would you be excited to see this Australian book for sale in London or New York. Is this a book that transcends and age classification? (You could read this book to a child aged 6 or 7 and equally to an older child or gift it to an adult). I can answer YES to all of those questions when I think about A Leaf Called Grief. Also a fabulous picture book like this should expect readers to 'join the dots' - to have to think about the story and its deeper meanings. 

From the simple, huggable, emotive drawings of Bear to the deeply evocative background colours that speak of isolation, struggle and gentle acceptance, the illustrations summon up a lot of feelings. Reading Time

You can see inside this book here on Kelly Canby's webpage and she also shares some other review comments. Click on her name which is a label for this post and you will find other splendid books by Kelly Canby.

Some years ago, I penned a post here about an adult book called Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper. She was looking for books to share with her very young children on the topic of loss and grief and death. Even though her partner did not die, and her children are much older now I hope she has a chance to see this glorious book because I'm sure it will touch her heart, and I think it might match her hopes for a book that she could have shared with her children. 

Please take four minutes to watch this video about the importance of talking about grief with our children and listen right to the end because her final words are crucial. Then try to find these brilliant companion books:

The Last Goodbye

Fox: A Circle of life Story

The Bear and the Wildcat

Waiting for Wolf

The Dead Bird

These long-loved things by Josh Pyke illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh

"I snuggle up and read you books that you read to me ... "

"I hold your hand and smile."

The text in this book is an ode to a long relationship which is coming to an end. The older adult or grandparent, is losing their memory, but the grandchild works hard to maintain a connection through shared memories. The memories come from photographs and experiences such as reading books together or eating a delicious cake with cream and jam along with visiting familiar places.

This book is a CBCA 2025 Picture Book Notable title. I think it might have a chance at making the shortlist. 

I love to think about an illustrator receiving the text for a picture book - perhaps on just one sheet of paper. There are no rules or constraints. The illustrator can use their creativity and imagination to add another dimension to the story. Picture books are such a unique art form - the combination of a literary text and art. Ronojoy Ghosh uses so many perspectives in his digital illustrations in this book along with very interesting ways of showing shadows. Each page turn is a total change of scene, colour and text placement. 

Here are some lines of the text that resonated with me:

"Words and songs and names may fade like leaves on a breeze, they might float away ... but the place in your heart where they land remains and when you no longer can, I hold your hand and remember."

Here are the very detailed Scholastic Teachers Notes.

You need to read this book very slowly and in a quiet place - try to set this mood if you are reading this book to a group in your library. This is a book you could read to children from Grade 2 right up to Grade 6. If you can allow the children to touch the cover of this book and talk about why the book designer has decided to deboss the image. With a group of older students you should also notice the dedication by Josh Pyke to his own grandmother Catherine. And talk about why the end papers are filled with autumn leaves. 

Other books about memory loss and the relationship between a child and a grandparent:

Phyllis and Grace

The Forgettery

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Dance like a Leaf

Mr Mornington's Favourite things

Telephone of the Tree by Alison McGhee

"You know what she told them? To stop it. To go away. 

That she was waiting for Kiri to come home."

Early in this story there are fragments or tiny hints that Kiri will not come home. Ayla thinks about the significant events from their past together such as drawing trees in their second grade class when Mr Nesbitt said to draw 'what you want to be when you are thirty' and both Ayla and Kiri draw trees. A telephone appears in Ayla's tree. Ayla has no intention of using it, after all it is not connected to anything, but others want to use the telephone and one of these is a little boy with the nickname Gentleman. He is mourning the loss of his pet lizard named Sweetheart. The death of this beloved pet is another tiny story hint about the absence of Kiri. Then the pizza guy uses the phone to call his dad. Then another person comes - a dad with his tiny baby who wants to talk to his wife.

"The pizza guy told me about this telephone. He comes here and talks to his dad when he needs to."

The trees in this street are all markers of life and death. Ayla can name each tree and match it with a birth or the end of a life. Then she sees a new tiny birch tree has been planted and her anger flares.

Reading this book needs to be gentle quiet experience - you already know the outcome or the destination, so it is important not to race to get there but rather to slow down and let the story gently unfold. And yes, even though I knew Kiri was not coming back I cried when Ayla finally allowed herself to revisit the awful events that led to death of her friend. 

Raw and sad but lit with occasional glints of humor and ending, as it should, on a rising note. Kirkus Star review

Publisher blurb: Ayla and her best friend Kiri have always been tree people. They each have their own special tree, and neighbors and family know that they are most likely to be found within the branches. But after an accident on their street, Kiri has gone somewhere so far away that Ayla can only wait and wait in her birch, longing to be able to talk with Kiri again. Then a mysterious, old-fashioned telephone appears one morning, nestled in the limbs of Ayla's birch tree. Where did it come from? she wonders. And why are people showing up to use this phone to call their loved ones? Especially loved ones who have passed on. All Ayla wants is for Kiri to come home. Until that day comes, she will keep Kiri's things safe. She'll keep her nightmares to herself. And she will not make a call on that telephone.

I was so interested to read Alison was inspired to write this book after reading about a telephone in Japan outside the town of Otsuchi. It is an old fashioned disconnected rotary dial telephone that people from all over use to call deceased loved ones.

"The image of the phone and the reason for its existence was so powerful to me that I knew, right away, I wanted to create a book inspired by it."

Thanks to the person who commented and alerted me to this picture book.  You can read more here. 

Here is the author web page

Companion books:

Love that Dog

I recognised the author's name when I spied this book in Melbourne last month. I read Snap (published in 1999) decades ago and then re-read it for this blog in 2015. I have also included covers of other books by Alison McGhee. I think Maybe a Fox covers similar themes to Telephone of the tree. Alison McGhee is also the author of the junior novel series Bink and Golly and picture books like Countdown to Kindergarten, Someday illustrated by Peter Reynolds and Always illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre.

Snap

Maybe a Fox bookseller blurb: Sylvie and Jules, Jules and Sylvie. Better than just sisters, better than best friends. Jules’ favourite thing is collecting rocks, and Sylvie’s is running – fast. But Sylvie is too fast, and when she runs to the most dangerous part of the river one snowy morning to throw in a wish rock, she is so fast that no one sees what happens when she disappears. At that very moment, in another part of the woods, a shadow fox is born: half of the spirit world, half of the animal world. She, too, is fast, and she senses danger. When Jules goes to throw one last wish rock into the river for her lost sister, the human and shadow worlds collide with unexpected consequences. Written in alternate voices – one Jules, the other the fox – this searingly beautiful tale tells of one small family’s moment of heartbreak as it unfolds into something epic, mythic, shimmering and, most of all, hopeful.

The Hare-Shaped Hole by John Dougherty illustrated by Thomas Docherty

Hertle and Bertel are the best of friends. They are different but that doesn't matter. Like all good friends they support each other in every situation. Then one day Hertle is no longer there.  

Life and death are mysteries - especially death - the hollow feeling when a dear friend or family member is no longer there. Wow!! This book deals with a BIG topic - the death of a friend - but it takes quite a different approach. When Hertle Hare vanishes, all Bertel the Turtle can see is a great big empty hole. 

How can he fill this hole. Spoiler alert - thank goodness for the quiet wisdom of Gerda Bear.

"Now, Gerda was gentle, and Gerda was steady, so she waited with Bertle until he was ready. She cuddled that small turtle-child as he cried and let him feel all he was feeling inside."

Gerda suggests filling the hole with happy memories. The hole will not go away but filling it with these memories helps to lift some of the deep sadness Bertle is feeling. We have seen his full range of emotions from confusion to anger and denial, so it is wonderful to see him finally find a way to move forward. 

Depicting several stages of grief, this sweet book is a tender portrayal of a character grappling with loss. The narrative is open-ended—Hertle is just “gone” one day—so readers in many situations will be able to relate. The steady, rhyming text works well with the painterly, roughly textured illustrations, which balance out the sad subject matter. There is no happy ever after – Bertle’s smile at the end is a sad one – but this reflects the reality of learning to live in a different way, without the person you have loved so dearly. This is crucial to help children understand their complex emotions, but it is done with a gentle touch. Just Imagine

Depicting several stages of grief, this sweet book is a tender portrayal of a character grappling with loss. The narrative is open-ended—Hertle is just “gone” one day—so readers in many situations will be able to relate. The steady, rhyming text works well with the painterly, roughly textured illustrations, which balance out the sad subject matter with a bright palette.  Kirkus

Here is a set of discussion questions to use with this book although I think this is a book I would share with one child in a family rather than in a large classroom setting. Add this book to your list of books that deal with loss and grief - it is a truly special one to share with a young child. (but as I have mentioned previously it is good to talk about these topics long before there is a loss in your family)

You can see other books illustrated by Thomas Docherty here. And you can see other books by John Dougherty here. 

Awards:

• Shortlisted for the 2024 Oscar's Book Prize
• UKLA Book awards 2024 Shortlist

I did enjoy the names of the characters in this story - Hurtle the Hare and Bertle the Turtle which is surely a nod to the famous Aesop fable of the Hare and Tortoise.

Companion book (please try to find this) it would be the perfect book to read after The Hare-Shaped hole.

The Bear and the Wildcat

A Small Collection of Happiness by Zana Fraillon illustrated by Stephen Michael King

"Hattie's father had told her then that full-moon wishes were the most powerful wishes of all ... Ever since that night, whenever there was a full moon, Hettie would push open the window. She would look at the moon and imagine she was back there on that hill with her father. And then she would whisper her strongest, most fiercest, 

most important wish to the moon."

This story is told in twenty-five parts or fragments. I cannot call them chapters as each one almost stands alone and yet of course they are interconnected and do need to be read from first to last.

The Characters:

1. Hattie

Hattie is a young girl who lives in a tall, run down, apartment building in an urban city. Hattie is a lonely girl with a lively imagination. She is in need of a friend and also an adventure. We only very briefly glimpse her mum on page 170 and we are never really told explicitly about Hattie's dad but there are fragments in this story which will tell you dad is no longer there and perhaps he has died. Hattie holds memories of their times together close to her heart. 

2. Ada

Ada is an older lady who has recently lost her partner - a woman who she loved so deeply named Bessie. Ada arrives late one night and moves into the empty apartment next door to Hattie. In her pocket she has an envelope which contains a mysterious letter. 

"No one saw Ada arrive. Not even Hettie. No one saw her drip and squelch and puddle her way through the gates and down the path. No one saw her wait and wait and wait for the elevator that had been broken for a year already and wasn't about to start working now .... No one saw her slowly drag her suitcase up the metal stairs - thump, thump, thump - to the fourth floor."

Ada seems gruff and set in her ways but over time she and Hattie somehow forge a close relationship. Ada is writing a very curious book entitled How to Live. It is filled with quirky advice (I loved this part of the story) such as:

"Spend at least a week walking in someone else's footprints."
"Go to the top of a hill and whistle your favourite song into a bottle. Leave the bottle on someone's doorstep so that when they open it, they too can enjoy the song."

3. Salim

Is a boy who is a little younger than Hattie. He has seen the footprints of the elusive panther that people think is prowling their neighborhood. His mum makes delicious soup which Hattie would love to eat. It is very clear right from the beginning that Hattie and Salim are destined to become friends even though Hattie herself would deny this. 

After Ada's arrival on the stormy night Hattie heads next door to visit her new mysterious neighbour. Over time we watch as Hattie and Ada share tiny moments of joy such as watching baby spiderlings unfurl their tiny threads and float away on the breeze; listening to the world very early in the morning before the sunrise; and collecting special objects to add to their bag - their small collection of happiness. And they both enjoy cups of tea and the Friendship Biscuits Hattie bakes - I do wish the recipe was included at the back of the book. We also watch the evolving friendship of these two, very different characters.

I am not sure I can relate too much of the plot of this book without spoiling your own reading journey. This story is told in fragments (I have used that word a few times here) and reading it felt like I was trying to catch a butterfly. You can see this beautiful creature, but it is always just out of reach and perhaps just out of focus - an exquisite tiny piece of the natural world. This book is also an exquisite piece of expertly crafted storytelling with a gentle conclusion.

Here is a text quote:

"Hettie slumped onto the couch. She ran her fingers over Ada’s patchwork quilt and wished that she had something like this, something passed down through her family. Her family was all so scattered and lost and forgotten that she hardly knew anything about them. Sometimes she felt like she didn’t really belong anywhere. She wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by a great, big, huge family. To know there was always someone to talk to, someone to go to if you needed help. Someone who had stories to pass on and secrets to share. Someone who would give her a quilt one day and who would know that she would pass it on herself."

Do not rush your reading of this story - slow down, take your time, enjoy the way each fragment (that word again) quietly reveals more about Hettie and Ada. There are page breaks between the 'chapters' and I think these are designed to help you slow down your reading.  I do hope the CBCA judges add this book to their 2025 Younger Readers Notables list.

I am not a big fan of endorsements on book covers but it is very special to see UK author David Almond says: "I enjoyed this strange, inventive and moving tale." 

Oh and I do LOVE the cover. Give it a shake when you find the book so you can also see the way the designer has included spot vanish as an added layer of sparkle. 

I can also see why the publisher thought to ask Stephen Michael King to illustrate this book - he was the perfect choice and I imagine he loved contributing to this book. You can see inside this book and read the opening pages here. And you should explore these teachers notes by Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright. 

Robyn Sheahan-Bright says: This whimsical tale has the stamp of a classic story. It is a multilayered tale about happiness, wishes, reality and imagination, family and friendship, urban renewal, urban myths, and individual and community memory. Peopled with two memorable characters, Hettie and Ada, it powerfully reinforces the notion that both imagination and human connection can enrich and sustain a life in a myriad of ways.

This unique and quiet story reminds us that we should look for what matters in the small, everyday moments, as this can mean more to people than the big moments. The Book Muse

This is such a unique, whimsical story with elements of magical realism and captivating, often abstract ... Facebook Reading Opens Doors with Elise Ellerman

With its themes of friendship, hope and happiness, it will definitely find a place in the hearts of many young readers who enjoy a story with a difference. Kids Book Review

Companion books:

Hazel Green 

(Read the comment below from Zana Fraillon)

View from the 32nd Floor

This one is long out of print, but I constantly recommend it- hope you can find it.

The Silk family series

Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer

Scout's mum has died and because her dad is a long-distance truck driver, Scout is now at boarding school. As is often the way with boarding school stories Scout feels lost and she is also bullied. Luckily, as the story opens, the Christmas holidays are beginning and here in Australia that means Scout can leave school behind for the next five or six weeks. In the first week, leading up to Christmas, Scout joins her dad as he drives through Northern Victoria and Southern NSW with a delivery of dog food which has been donated by a philanthropist. 

At each animal shelter Scout meets some sweet dogs and other rescued animals including a baby wombat. The owners of the various shelters explain why dogs are left and how desperate they are to find new owners for these pets. Scout is a girl of action. She can see some of these dogs would be fabulous companions for other long-haul drivers like her father. Her class teacher has set up a pen pal assignment for the summer holidays and Scout is matched with a kind girl called Anika. Together, via email, they design a website for the rescue dogs and (spoiler alert) Scout finds the perfect little dog to join her own family.

Meanwhile ferocious bushfires are engulfing enormous parts of Southern Australia. The air is filled with smoke and Scout and her dad have to race home and prepare their own house in case the fire reaches the town where they live. If you are book talking Scout and the Rescue Dogs you could read aloud pages 198-203 which describe the fire coming so close to their home. I have a Pinterest of other books that explore bushfires here in Australia. 

"Shelters full of pets as rental crisis bites" Sydney Morning Herald 23 March, 2024 by Tim Barlass

By coincidence, our Sydney Morning Herald newspaper had an article today about animal shelters and the huge number of dogs and cats being surrendered. This is an issue which is explored in Scout and the Rescue Dogs. In the article today the animals are taken to rescue centres because their owners need to be able to rent somewhere to live and having a dog or cat is not looked on favorably by landlords. In Scout and the Rescue Dogs - dogs and cats are taken there when they turn out to be unwanted Christmas presents. And there is also the horrendous issue of illegal puppy farms and the urgent rescue of very badly mistreated dogs. 

Scout and the Rescue dogs has been shortlisted by the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) in the Younger Readers category.

Here are the judges' comments: Realistically set during the 2019/20 bushfires, this book journeys with Scout and her dad as they deliver donations of dog food to animal shelters throughout southeastern 

Australia. The bushfires and the geographical details related to their travels are accurately presented. Grieving the loss of her mum, sparked by their travels, the people they meet and a school friendship project, Scout develops a website to connect shelter dogs with truck drivers needing company. Responsible internet use, described throughout the text is commendable and age appropriate. Including creative design features, this fictional narrative is heartwarming and uplifting, dealing sensitively with topics of parental loss, environmental threat, bullying and separation balanced by optimism and the love Scout shares with her father and with animals.

Strengths

• Scout has an authentic voice.
• Scout is a problem solver and her idea of matching shelter dogs with long distance truck drivers is practical and realistic.
• There is an interesting side story in this book about girls and STEM, fostering curiosity and hobbies like rock collecting.
• Adult readers will well remember the dreadful bushfires referred to in this story.
• The urgency of the bushfire danger, Christmas celebrations and the delivery of donated dog food to various animal shelters is an effective device which moves the plot along at a good pace.
• Scout and her dad have a warm relationship, but I did find all the 'dad' jokes a little tedious at times. On the other hand, you could use these with a group of students in your library as a way to introduce the lighter side of this story.
• The concept of philanthropy is one that is worth exploring with upper primary readers.
• You could use this book to explore maps of Southern NSW and Northern Victoria - in fact I kept hoping the book might contain a map because I was very keen to follow their journey.

Dianne Wolfer has a generous selection of photos of dogs in trucks here. 

Weaknesses

• Is this book worthy of our most prestigious award? I think it is an enjoyable story which I would happily recommend to a reader aged 10+ but there is nothing here that excited me. I look for books that stretch a reader; that contain a rich vocabulary; and that involve deep emotions.
• The CBCA criteria under Literary merit says:  The language exhibits breadth and variety of vocabulary and precision. And under the Theme heading: Ideas and messages within the narrative are skilfully presented and crafted. The reader can recognise the themes or develop a fresh perspective. I was not able to apply these criteria to this book.
• This story is very Australian and very location and time specific - I am not sure it will appeal to, or translate to, an international audience which is something I always hope will happen with our CBCA winners.
• At times all the extra issues in this book felt quite overwhelming - climate change; puppy farms; koalas burnt in bushfires; struggling farmers; death of a parent; animal rights; injuries to firefighters, and animal euthanasia. 

Here are some very brief teachers notes from Scholastic. Here is a review from The Bottom Shelf. 

Read these reviews for more plot details:

The talented Dianne Wolfer has created an interesting chapter book full of innovative thoughts and ideas around the importance of considering properly, what is involved in choosing a dog or giving one as a gift. Kids' Book Review

Dianne Wolfer has written an engaging, heartwarming novel that touches on some big topics, including the death of a parent and dangerous bushfires (the terrible 2019/2020 summer bushfires are used as background context). While it is confronting in parts and doesn't shy away from honestly discussing these issues it carries a lightness courtesy of Scout and her father's loving relationship, a lovely smattering of dad jokes, Aussie slang and cultural references to summer cricket, Christmas traditions and road trip sights and sounds. Read Plus

Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer with illustrations by Tony Flowers is oozing with community spirit in the face of adversity, layered, authentic and endearing characters, a glimpse into the world of community outreach by truckies and gorgeous dogs needing to find their forever homes. This story seamlessly weaves together in a riveting and non-didactic way many themes including, the truckie community full of heart and spirit making deliveries during the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires, climate change, responsible pet ownership, puppy farms, a positive father daughter relationship, grief and loss. Reading Opens Doors

See other books by Dianne Wolfer including these ones which I really enjoyed. She has written a huge range of titles including picture books, picture books for older readers and novels:

The Dog with Seven names

CBCA Book of the Year Early Childhood 2014

Grace and Mr Milligan by Caz Goodwin illustrated by Pip Kruger

Grace has a very special relationship with Mr Milligan who lives next door. Mr Milligan owns a goat called Charlie and Grace loves spending time, especially on the weekend, with Mr Milligan and old Charlie. They go to the beach, they enjoy strawberries in the garden (with cream), and they eat grapes and apples. But Charlie is an old goat and one day he falls ill and sadly dies. On his final day Mr Milligan takes Charlie on a memory walk down to the beach, over to see Grace, and through the garden. 

After Charlie dies, Mr Milligan withdraws into his house. Luckily Grace is a problem solver. Each day she visits her old friend and takes along a treat - strawberries, grapes and apples but nothing is working so she invites Mr Milligan to a picnic. They are able to talk about Charlie and reminisce about their time together but Mr Milligan still seems so sad until Grace runs inside and returns with a big bowl of whipped cream and Mr Milligan finally finds his smile. OH, and your young reading companion will smile over the possibilities of the final page. 

"Cream makes all the difference ... and so do you."

Caz and Mr Milligan has been short listed for our CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) awards - Early Childhood Picture Book and New Illustrator. Here is an audio interview with Caz Goodwin and Reading with a Chance of Tacos [begin 12.25].

An ideal resource to use for explaining ageing, loss and grief, and how loving memories can be the most precious of all requisites in life. Kids' Book Review

There are several challenging themes for readers – death and dying, grief and loss — but Goodwin has introduced them empathetically and sensitively, leaving lots of room for discussion. The theme of friendship as an antidote to loss is portrayed throughout the book, strengthened by the love and happiness which Grace has shared with Mr Milligan. Reading Time

Judges critique Early Childhood: This gentle, beautifully told story explores themes of friendship, loss, grief and healing. The carefully crafted text reveals genuine friendship between the two main characters, their shared joys and their love for constant companion, Charlie, the goat. There is use of repeated phrases, humour, alliteration and rich, descriptive language. The narrative transitions sensitively, allowing readers to realise the passing of Charlie in their own time. A gentle pace offers opportunities to pause and reflect, whilst the use of the progression of the days of the week effectively conveys the passing of time. The pairing of the text and dynamic, sensitive illustrations is faultless and deftly edited throughout. The final double spread is wordless, depicting the cycle of life.

Caz Goodwin has written seven books including these:

Judges Critique New Illustrator: Pip Kruger is an accomplished freelance illustrator who lives on the coast of South Australia. She employs a lovely, folksy style that beautifully captures the essence of whimsy and love in this book. The cleverly executed endpapers hint at the importance and value of memories. Colour, framing and a variety of shot types and angles are executed in a highly engaging way and the characters’ emotions and personality are shown beautifully through gesture, body language and the inclusion of unique details. The illustrations are colourful, joyful and lively and sensitively depict the grief and joy in the story and provide substance to the relationship of Grace, Mr Milligan and his ageing goat, Charlie. 

Companion books:

The Biscuit Maker

Rose meets Mr Wintergarten

Pip Kruger is a freelance Illustrator. She lives in a small seaside town on the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, with her husband and two daughters.  Since completing a Master of Design in 2012, she has created graphics for international children’s and lifestyle brands, illustrated for local and state government agencies and magazines, designed logos and branding packages, and developed a line of illustration-based greeting cards, prints and textiles.  Pip's work incorporates hand-drawn elements with digital collage, fabric patterns and textured decoration. She celebrates the personal touch and appreciates imperfections and freehand lines that bring warmth and charm to her unique illustration style. From the publisher page

Maggie and the Pirate by Ezra Jack Keats

There is an important layer to this story that is quietly implied. Take a look at these text quotes:

"Maggie and her parents lived in an old bus which they had made into a home."

"It was the cage ... I wanted it real bad ... I didn't mean for the cricket to die. My ol'man - he never makes any things for me. He doesn't ever talk to me."

In the illustrations we can see a shanty town and the children are wearing mismatched clothing and they have bare feet. So as an adult reader we know poverty is implied. It is important for our children to see other kids living in very different circumstances even if they don't have any understanding of poverty as depicted in this book. 

Maggie loves her little cricket. He lives in a small cage made by her grandfather. 

When her mother asks Maggie to go to the grocery store she hangs the cage on a tree but when she returns the cage and her little cricket friend Niki are gone. On the tree there is a hand written note that says : "The pirate was here."  Maggie is determined to find this "pirate".  Perhaps the title of this book is a little misleading. The "pirate" is just another kid - a lonely, poor and perhaps mistreated kid - who likes the look of the that cage. When Maggie finally tracks him down there is an accident. The boy is perched in a makeshift tree house. It crashes to the ground and the little cricket is killed. 

"They buried Niki. Maggie wrote his name on a piece of wood and put it over the small grave. Paco picked some flowers and brought them over. Then they sang sad songs."

The boy appears and he explains why he took the cricket and the cage - he is deeply sorry. He takes the cage from Maggie and puts a new cricket inside. 

I love the quite words of the ending. Again so much is left unsaid:

"They all sat down together. Nobody said anything. They listened to the new cricket singing. Crickets all around joined in."

Look at the power words here - together, they listened, joined - the promise of new friends!

I mentioned a few days ago that the library I visit each week have filled a tub with books that have not been borrowed for a long time. One of these is Maggie and the Pirate by Ezra Jack Keats. The books in this school library are generally in almost mint condition but this book is quite worn out which is strange because it has not been borrowed since 2001 and in total it has only been borrowed 14 times beginning in 1985. 

I learnt a new word today reading the Kirkus review of Maggie and the Pirate: 

Unlike Keats' city slums, this palm-treed, riverside shantytown has a ramshackle insouciance.

insouciance means: free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant

Now comes the difficult decision for the library. Ezra Jack Keats is a very famous US illustrator and his collage illustrations are wonderful and still fresh all these years later. Unfortunately Maggie and the Pirate is now out of print. There are lots of other Ezra Jack Keats books still available so perhaps the library should be content with these but I do know the Teacher-Librarian likes to hold the "body of work" of significant authors and illustrators. Another issue is the confusion that this book is not really about pirates and perhaps the cover is not very appealing to a modern child even though I do like it. Oh and the topic of actual pirates is a fraught one because real pirates do exist and if your school has refugee children this is a topic you should either avoid or treat very sensitively. 

I have talked about two books by Ezra Jack Keats:

Jennie's Hat

Whistle for Willy

Here are other books by Ezra Jack Keats: