Hari's Bones by Danny Parker illustrated by Rache Antonio with music by Matt Ottley

Hari is a cautious girl. She shuns danger because she wants to stay safe. She needs to avoid physical and emotional harm. Hari holds all her bones in a bag but she does have dreams and she certainly doesn't just sit around doing nothing. She can see things to explore in the world and beyond and so she flies her kite, uses a net to gather feathers and from her feather seat she watches the unfolding universe and constellations. But then the day comes when Hari needs to break out of her safety bubble.

The kids call out to her. Hari is standing in the outfield of the ball game, and the ball is heading her way. She needs to catch it but this is risky. Hari will need to overcome her fears, grab that ball and run. Doing this she makes an amazing discovery:

"She peaked at her bones - not a scratch! Her eyes sparkled."

Hari finds she can join in - she can dodge and hop and swerve and spin and splash and still be okay. It seems her dream of reaching the moon might now come true, so it is time to work her plans (blueprints) and models. Her future is filled with endless possibilities.

When you reach the final page of this book - please stop and ponder the final end paper. It shows a small paper aeroplane moving over the night sky and reaching high to the stars showing the endless possibilities Hari can now enjoy. Now go back to the first spread - this same image has been used to open this story showing Hari always had the potential to follow her dreams. These two images beautifully book end the story.

Bookseller blurb: A story for the curious. Hari is always trying to avoid trouble, but one day, trouble comes to find her. To her surprise, the very things she's done to stay safe become her superpowers. A story for the curious, gentle risk-takers, those who suspect there is more to adventure than climbing up and jumping off. Written by the award-winning author Danny Parker and illustrated by emerging illustrator Rache Antonio this children's picture book includes original music composed by acclaimed artist, Matt Ottley, with text narrated by the author.

This is a picture book for slightly older readers. I think many kids (and even some adults) will relate to these words from the text (I certainly did) and this quote could be a terrific way to open a conversation with your library group:

"Hari wouldn't climb a tree, wasn't tempted by trampolines, bicycles, skateboards or scooters."

Whether you share this book with younger children so they learn that being curious, creative, imaginative and quiet as they discover their world is perfectly acceptable, or with older children to help them understand how working towards their aspirations of the future helps shape who they are now, it is a must-have for any collection devoted to student well-being, identity and self-acceptance. A Book and a Hug

Something I often think about is the way an illustrator is sent the text for a picture book - perhaps just typed on one sheet of paper. In the case of Hair's Bones, the art of Rache Antonio works so well to extend the text and to add a rich additional layer of meaning to the story. Take a look at the terrific teachers notes from Scholastic which also include sample illustrations. 

It would be good to share Hair's Bones alongside another book by Danny Parker. I am sure it is no coincidence that this book from 2016 was illustrated by Matt Ottley:

Read more about Danny Parker here

I recently talked about Dany Parker's book Perfect illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Matt Ottely has created a musical accompaniment to enjoy alongside this book (there's a QR code at the back of Hari's Bones) and others. Matt did not do the art in this new book, but it does invite comparison with several of his previous titles which are also part of his "The Sound of Picture Books" project. Read more here. Our 2026 CBCA slogan is 'Symphony of Stories' - this work by Matt Ottley would be so perfect to share as you explore this theme - his work to add orchestral scores while the audience enjoy visuals from his books is an extraordinary experience.

Stickboy

How to make a bird

Teacup

You can see art from Hari's Bones and hear the music by Matt Ottley on the book trailer. 

IBBY Australia nominated Matt Ottley for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen award in 2024 and back in 2019 I shared his work at the Texas Book festival. Thanks to Matt Ottley for sending me a review copy of Hari's Bones. 

In a previous blog post, I talked about how much I enjoyed the music Matt Ottely composed to go with the splendid book Dumazi and the Big Yellow Lion. 

Dumazi and the Big Yellow Lion

I also need to mention the beautiful art in Hair's Bones which comes from a new illustrator- Rache Antonio. She has been illustrating children’s books since 2022 as a means of capturing the wonder, humour, depth and complexity of the human spirit, and the world we live in. She has a degree in Fashion Design and Applied Arts from ECA and has worked in fashion, costume, music festival production and illustration.  Born and raised in rural Scotland, she now lives and works in Somerset, UK.

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

As this story opens Lizzie boarding a ship bound for the USA - she is being sent to stay with her wealthy grandmother. Trouble is Lizzie has NO intention of taking this trip. Her mother is missing and Lizzie needs to stay in England and find her. Yes there is a war unfolding and yes it might be dangerous but Lizzie knows her mother is not dead, as she has been told, and that she needs to find her brother and then solve the mystery of her mothers disappearance. The opening scene where she tricks her chaperone and gets off the boat would be a fabulous way to introduce this book to your library group. 

Lizzie has such a cheeky and distinctive voice in this story which is told with alternating voices. I Ioved the scene where Lizzie 'tricks' the chaperone for the second time and also her unfolding relationship with Colin - son of the innkeeper. 

You can 'hear' Lizzie in these three quotes:

I prefer being straightforward. My older brother, Jakob, used to be straightforward. Before Willa disappeared, that is. Willa is our mother. Killed in a bomb blast, they told us. A falsity I refuse to accept. I no longer refer to her as Mother because she’s not currently here to “mother” me. So it’s easier, and hurts less, to call her by her first name. Precocious? Probably. Willa is American. From a posh place called Cleveland. Some say that explains why I’m so straightforward, because I’m half American. They say the word “American” as if it’s scandalous. I love that. Willa loved it too.

“I don’t know what’s being done here, sir. But from the look of the wallpaper, this room has not long been a war office. From the annoyance in your tone, you are not welcoming visitors this evening. My apologies for that. I’d be grateful if you could provide a bit more information or clues to solve the puzzle,” I reply.

“Perfection? But perfection is boring and forgettable. It’s the imperfections that I find interesting.” “Goodness, you sound so adult. Are you a philosopher, Elizabeth?” “I prefer Lizzie, if that’s all right with you. And heavens no, I’m not a philosopher. I just have the awful habit of speaking whatever pops into my head. I think it’s because I’m half American.”

And here is the voice of Jakob:

Am I in charge of her now? No, I can’t be. I’ve got work to do. More important work than I ever imagined doing. There’s no way I can look after Lizzie at the same time. I can’t even talk to her. Can’t answer the storm of questions I know is coming. I wish I could just turn to her and say, “Look, Lizzie, I’m a cryptanalyst. A code breaker. It’s all very hush-hush.” Sounds ridiculous, I know. A line from a bad play. But the thing is, if I told her the truth, how I got into all of this, she’d accuse me of exactly that—imagining myself in some far-fetched spy drama.

The Bletchley Riddle has almost 400 pages and 94 chapters - but the action just races along. I found myself reading this book deep into the night and again early the next morning. I highly recommend this one for readers aged 10+.

Publisher blurb: It is the summer of 1940. The world is at war. These days, you don’t know who you can trust or who might be a secret spy… Maths whizz Jakob Novis has been recruited to the secret codebreaking centre at Bletchley Park. As Jakob works to crack the Nazi’s Enigma cipher, his younger sister Lizzie is busy on an undercover mission of her own: to find their mother. Filled with codes to decipher and mysteries to unravel, this is the unputdownable historical adventure that will have you on the edge of your seats.

Take a look at the official trailer. 

A rich, enthralling historical mystery that engages and educates. Kirkus

In a compelling mystery, written by two award-winning authors, and told in two voices, the dark cloud of their mom’s disappearance hangs over vivid, well-researched depictions of the Bletchley Park code-breaking operation. The story incorporates many of the significant, real-life, historic heroes who, together, arguably shortened WWII by years. It also depicts life in London at the onset of the war. It’s topped off perfectly with a sweet dash of adolescent crushing. A book and a hug

It was good to know a little about the circumstances of this story prior to reading The Bletchley Riddle. I had already read I Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey and seen the movie The Imitation Game an Oscar-nominated movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley from 2015 and also the television series The Bletchley Circle. I have now discovered the I Spy is the first book in a trilogy - Book 1: I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery (2023) Book 2: Hide and Seek: A Bletchley Park Mystery (2024) Book 3: Wink, Murder: a Bletchley Park Mystery (2025). I am not sure if I have seen the other movie Enigma staring Kate Winslet from 2001. 

It is amazing and somewhat exciting to think about the work of code breakers - even though the circumstances in this story are based on real life and of course this is about life and death for thousands of innocent citizens during World War II. The codes themselves were so complex it seems amazing that they were ever cracked. Those men and women who worked at Bletchley had such brilliant minds and amazing perseverance. 

Image source: Bletchley Park

This book is a perfect blend of adventure, characters you come to care deeply about and real events. Here are two quotes about the work at Bletchley: 

The work undertaken at Bletchley was extremely secret, with staff forbidden from discussing their roles with anyone outside the park – even their own families. The need for secrecy was so great that some Bletchley veterans never revealed the true nature of their wartime service, even decades later.

Work at Bletchley Park began in the Mansion and its outbuildings, with a staff of around 150 people. As more and more people arrived to join the codebreaking operations, the various sections began to move into large pre-fabricated wooden huts set up on the lawns of the Park. For security reasons, the various sections were known only by their hut numbers. The first operational break into Enigma came around the 23 January 1940, when the team working under Dilly Knox, with the mathematicians John Jeffreys, Peter Twinn and Alan Turing, unravelled the German Army administrative key that became known at Bletchley Park as ‘The Green’. Encouraged by this success, the Codebreakers managed to crack the ‘Red’ key used by the Luftwaffe (German air force). In addition to German codes, Italian and later Japanese systems were also broken. Source Bletchley Park

Further Reading

History Tools: Uncovering the Enigma: The Untold Story of Bletchley Park‘s Codebreaking Triumphs

Visiting Bletchley Park - this site contains a wealth of information - well worth a deep dive

History Learning

Warfare History Network

Companion book:

Max in the House of Spies

The voice of Lizzie also reminded me of this book:

Faceles

In her review Ms Yingling mentions this book as another title to explore about the code breakers of WWII.

Read more on the author web page

You could use The Bletchley Riddle as a way to talk with your students about writing effective descriptions - here are a couple of terrific examples:

The man looks Jakob up and down and so do I. He’s taller than I remember but still has a boyish face. His trousers and jacket are wrinkled. Tie poorly knotted. Faint gray crescents ring his tired brown eyes, and his bedraggled curls are longer than usual. Has he been sleeping on the street?

A tall, narrow figure in a trench coat and hat stands alone on the moonlit platform. He starts toward us with the awkward gait of a marionette. He inhales on his cigarette, and the glowing tip illuminates his face. Something about him resembles my old doll with the smashed glass eye, or a curious illustration from a medical encyclopedia. I like him instantly.

A man in a tweed suit stands alone and sock-footed in the grass. His eyes are closed and his face lifts toward the sun. He wears an apricot bow tie which, by my estimation, makes him very approachable.

The Other Ducks by Ellen Yeomans illustrated by Chris Sheban

"Two is not a line. Two is a follow. A line is more ducky."

Blurb: This Duck and That Duck are inseparable, but they long for more friends to waddle with. When they discover The Other Ducks beneath the water, their excitement turns to frustration as these new companions refuse to leave the pond. With winter approaching and their feathers itching for warmth, will This Duck and That Duck find a way to bring The Other Ducks into their world? Dive into this charming tale of friendship and discovery as these ducks navigate the challenges of expanding their circle.

The two ducks in this story, male and female, are so naive about the world (something your young reading companion will both relate to and laugh over). They are only two but they want to form a line so they need more ducks. In the pond/puddle of water they discover two more companions but very strangely on cloudy days these two others disappear and for some reason they won't follow This Duck and That Duck out of the pond. Then suddenly they discover they can fly and in the sky they do find other ducks - but where are they going and why?  The final page of this book will give you the biggest smile. 

This Duck (a confident female) and That Duck (a trepidatious male) enjoy each other’s companionship in the “wadey-water” until discovering a wider world makes the extrovert wish for more friends.This Duck yearns to lead a “more ducky” line when they move about, prompting her to wish for Other Ducks. Yeomans’ language is a delightful combination of the childlike and the existential. When questioned about the meaning of “Other Ducks,” she replies, “Like us, only not us.” Sheban’s soft, textured compositions are rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite; they start out sunny, with warm greens and yellows in the foreground and cool lavender shadows and shapes on the horizon. The lighting and mood change with the seasons and situations. ... A marvelous portrayal of the humor and uncertainty surrounding growth—and the comfort in having a fellow traveler. Kirkus Star review

This book was published in 2018 so it is now out of print BUT if you can find a copy in a library (as I did) you should grab it with both hands and settle down to read this with your young reading companion or borrow it to share with your preschool group. I live near a lake/lagoon with plenty of ducks - it would be so brilliant to read this book during or after your visit to see my ducks. 

Reading a wonderful picture book with a young child is such a meaningful way to discover rich words. In this book we have rushes, lush, wadey-water, waddle, splashed and splished, fretted, and this wonderful final sentence:

"And every single one of them felt downright ducky."

Chris Sheban is the illustrator of these two books below. I would like to see Three Squeezes, Someone like me (Patricia MacLachlan) and Job Wanted. He also illustrated What to do with a box which I will borrow next term from my friend's school library AND I now discover he did the covers of Because of Winn Dixie, Tiger Rising and Paperboy. See more here.

The Lonely Book

The story of a seagull and the cat who taught her to fly

You're Too Little by Katie Stewart

You have big eyes to see in the dark.

You have strong paws to hold on.

And you have a super special tail.

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

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

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

Image source: Australian Geographic

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

Image Source: WA Museum

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

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

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

Image Source: Birdlife

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

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

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

This book is part of a series:

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

Two Turtles by Kiah Thomas illustrated by Jack A Minton

Terrence and Frank are serious rivals. Everything is a competition. If you have siblings you might relate to this. 

"Who has the shiniest shell ... Who can walk the slowest ... Who is the best at pretending to be a shark?"

Then Frank falls off the cliff or perhaps he rolls off - is this an accident? - he cannot bear to lose so he turns this mishap into a competition too and calls out to Terrence 'Bet I can beat you to the bottom'. 

Naturally Frank takes up the challenge and he also jumps off the cliff. Luckily (or perhaps it could be a disaster) this is a very very high cliff. This means there is time to think. About halfway they both realise this could end very badly. At this point you, the reader, are invited to offer some help.

Both turtles have lots of things inside their shells. There are things they have stowed that can could save them but ... you and your young audience need to shout:

HEY, TERRANCE AND FRANK! JUST WORK TOGETHER!

What did they have in their shells? Do they land safely? And most important of all did they learn a life lesson about cooperation (not competition)?

Two Turtles is listed on TWO CBCA 2025 Notables lists - Picture Book of the Year and the Early Childhood list so I thought it must be an amazing book - sorry but I was slightly disappointed. First off I disagree that this is a book for very young readers aged 0-6. 

I made similar comments about Jetty Jumping (here are the teachers notes) and the inclusion of risk-taking behaviours for an audience of very young children. Jetty Jumping is a beautifully illustrated book and it tells a special story but I worried about it being listed for very young children. 

Secondly, Two Turtles is overtly didactic with its lesson about the importance of cooperation, but the ending shows the two turtles are not going to change that that their propensity to see every aspect of their relationship as a competition and it seems their rivalry will continue.

I do like:

• the way this book 'breaks the fourth wall'
• the expressive faces on the two turtles (and the bird)
• the humour - packing a toaster
• the wise little bird watching these silly turtles - you could write a whole story from his/her perspective
• the wordless page
• and there is room here to read other books such as The Hare and the Tortoise (text reference: who can walk the slowest); and The Great White Man-eating Shark by Margaret Mahy (text reference: who is best at pretending to be a shark). 
• The story structure is interesting moving from the present back to the past and then ending where the story started.

I'm not such a fan of:

• Repeated digital illustrations (you can see inside this book here)
• The sudden arrival of extra birds on the second last page - where did they come from?
• Two pages of black showing the side of the tall cliff
• The patterned end papers - do they relate to the story or are they decorative?
• I'm not sure how the four pigs fit into the narrative and also there is a puzzling wire frame around the tree stump where the bird is trying to catch a worm
• There are tiny butterfly decorations on some pages - are these necessary?

The Kids' Book Reviewer totally disagrees with me. 

The illustrations are stunners, with a gorgeous green and brown palette throughout and the funkiest of animal pals. A birdy spectator features on the pages, expressing its own views about the juvenile turtles with the most entertaining facial expressions. ... Two Turtles is a story for everyone. It’s a story about all of us. I highly recommend you grab a copy. It’s an award winner for sure!

What Book Next.com say: But instead of this becoming a tale of a terrible tragedy, readers will laugh out loud at the antics of two rival turtles. ... Entertaining to the last possible moment!  

Other reviewers liken Two Turtles to books by Jon Klassen such as This is not my Hat. Some other (better) books about rivalry for readers aged 6+ are:

The Real Winner

Best Test

I previously read and enjoyed a middle grade novel by Kiah Thomas - The Callers.

The Callers (five stars from me)

Jake A Minton entered this book in the CBCA New Illustrator award 2023. It didn't win but I was one of the judges and we all agreed this book had very special illustrations. 

There's no such book

What do you do with a Chance? by Kobi Yamada illustrated by Mae Besom

"I thought about it a lot. I wished I had taken my chance. 

I realized I had wanted it,

but I still didn't know if I had the courage."

"I promised myself that if I ever got another chance,

I wasn't going to hold back. If I got another chance,

I was going to be ready."

I've seen these books on lists and in library displays but it has taken me until now to pick up a book by Kobi Yamada to read. I am blown away!

When I was younger, I took more chances but with age, I have become way more cautious and at times even fearful. I wonder does experience make you braver or the opposite - filling your head with ideas of what might go wrong. These are deep questions and demonstrate that the What do you do with a chance? is one for all ages - young children up to adults. You might like to preview this book from this gentle video reading. 

"So what do you do with a chance? You take it ... 
because it just might be the start of something incredible."

After I read the book aloud, I don’t need to go through a long justification of why picture books work well in middle and high schools. What I like about this series is that each book is different from the other two. They overlap in their conceptualization and they all are remarkable choices for the instruction of symbolism and creating writing–but they all teach very different, big ideas. Unleashing Readers

Through the use of color, the watercolor-and-pencil illustrations vividly accentuate the contrast between the drabness of a risk-free life and the brilliant intensity of one fully lived.  Kirkus

Here is an interview with Kobi Yamada. 

What do you do with a Chance? is the third book in the series. What you do Matters is the three book set:

All our Australian school libraries - Primary and High school - should add these books to their collections.

Our Australian illustrator Elise Hurst is now illustrating books written by Kobi Yamada - how wonderful. 

Frank's Red Hat by Sean E Avery

Frank is a creative soul. He discovers the joy of knitting and he makes a splendid hat but the other conservative penguins are not sure this is a good idea. They like their safe predicable black and white world and then when their friend Neville is eaten by a killer whale they are convinced nothing good will come from wearing Frank's hats.

But Frank is not a penguin who accepts defeat.  He continues to make his hats embracing so many exotic colours. 

He tries to share his best hat with his old penguin friends but the run away terrified. Luckily for Frank someone else has been watching all of this. The seals love his hats and so Frank regains his confidence and his creativity. Frank has been given a very distinct and very appealing personality.

This book gave me a huge smile. I adore the illustrations which remind of the award-winning illustrator Jon Klassen who also uses similar textured effects.The use of analogue and digital illustrative techniques lends this book an air of sophistication. 

There are some deeper meanings here but I just love the lightness of touch given to the story, the perseverance of Frank, his creativity, and the hilarious twist at the end. This book will open up conversations about risk taking, difference and courage along with a terrific discussion about the names we give to colours. It also opens up opportunities to think about other perspectives such as the penguins and their resistance to change. 

The end papers are perfect. I love the way the illustrations delightfully extend the text such as when Frank uses the broken walrus tusk as fish spike. Those eyes on the walrus say so much. Then things go full circle when we see the walrus has his tusk tied on with pink wool and, like the seals, he too is wearing a special hat but wait a minute - look at the nose on the snowman - oh no!

The story pace is perfect too. Sean Avery shows us how to read a line like “it’s for keeping our head warm – in style” by the simple placement of that dash. In terms of the plot line, I enjoyed the moment of drama when Neville is eaten by a killer whale – the text makes this feel less tragic and more about the cycle of life and death on the ice.   

Frank’s Red Hat is one of those picture books that certainly can be shared with younger children but which will also generate deeper discussions and enjoyment for older students too. This story addresses so many themes: the other, fear, conformity, 'group think', diversity. 

Frank's Red Hat was short listed for our Children's Book Council Book of the Year awards - Picture Book. I was a judge this year and so some of my comments are based on the critique I wrote which you can see here. 

Here are some junior teaching ideas from the publisher Walker books. Here is the website for Sean E Avery - he lives in Western Australia. Here is a video where Sean shows his art process. 

Flocked by Chren Byng illustrated by Andrew Joyner

No one ever leaves the flock

"Welcome to the flock. In the flock, everything is good. In the flock, everything is warm. In the flock, everything is safe. .. Do not question the flock. The flock is all you need. The flock is all you know. You are the flock and the flock is you. You are happy in the flock."

There’s sure to be a correct literary term for this plot but I call it a “grass is greener story” and I have read lots of them. Daisy by Brian Wildsmith; Wendy by Gus Gordon; Once upon a Small Rhinoceros by Meg McKinlay; and the famous Iranian allegory The Little Black Fish by Samad Behrangi. 

The point of difference here is the tone of indoctrination which is a theme you could explore with older students. The flock do not question their lot in life and everyone is expected to conform. The page where all the sheep are smiling is especially chilling. Is the head sheep a dictator? 

The pages set under the sea and in the busy city street offer a stark contrast to the ‘sameness’ of the flock in the field.

The final pages ask the reader to ‘fill in the gaps’. We see that the young sheep has survived and indeed thrived in the outside world so perhaps after reading the post card, others in the flock might take a step out into the wider world? The expression “pulling the wool over our eyes” comes to mind when I look at the woolly end papers. I think this is more than a story about bravery and stepping out of your comfort zone and it is interesting that the youngest community member is the one who is curious about the world and it is the youngest sheep who is willing to take a risk and defy convention.

You could also view this as an allegory about group think. It plays on the notion that people are like sheep - who follow one another around without thinking. If you look at the labels I have added to this post I think you can see there are terrific possibilities for using this book with a group of older students to explore "bigger" themes such as propaganda; conformity; independence; misuse of power; risk taking; and adventures. This is a book that repays rereading and older children will love being able to predict where the story is going and even what happens next.

The character of the little sheep himself is especially appealing. We see his personality and interests start to develop – with the sideways glances away from the flock and towards the little red flower. You can see more books illustrated by Andrew Joyner here. 

Companion books:

Brian the Brave

Louis I King of the Sheep

Daisy 

Once upon a small Rhinoceros

Louise the Adventures of a chicken

The Little Black Fish

The Seed of Doubt by Irena Brignull illustrated by Richard Jones

A young boy lives with his father on the farm. He dreams of the wider world. "A world where he could do anything and be anyone." The boy plants a seed and it grows into a huge tree. But as the tree grows so do the boy's fears and doubts. His beautiful optimism about the future dwindles into pessimism and a deep reluctance to take any risks. Luckily his father is kind and wise. 

"Doubt is like a seed. It starts off tiny but it sure grows fast." BUT you need to "remember what I've always told you? You can do anything, anything you want."

Image Source: Painted Mouse

There is a fine line in picture books between having something an adult (author) would like to share with children or something an author thinks might assist them - some words of wisdom and other authors who write books that are laden-down, burdened with didactic messages. Books that are so heavy with good intentions that any joy that should come from reading, any beauty that can come from an exquisitely told tale - is lost. 

Didactic: intended to teach people a moral lesson; something that is didactic is intended to teach people something, especially a moral lesson.

Luckily The Seed of Doubt is not a heavily didactic story. It is a gentle fable of hope, love and the importance of a positive attitude. 

This is not a book about climbing trees even though that might be your impression from the cover. Instead this is a book about:

• Following your dreams
• Giving yourself permission to take risks
• Belief in your own abilities
• Courage
• Parental love and guidance
• Patience
• Goal setting

When you read through this list and then read this book I hope you will agree this is a book to share with a group of older Primary students - they are sure to be inspired. It could even be a book to read at the start of a new school year.

Publisher blurb: A little boy dreams of a world beyond the farm where he lives – a world full of mountain ranges, oceans and cities, where he could do anything. But one day he plants a seed from which doubts start to grow. Instead of thinking of all that he could do, he thinks more of what he could not. Can he overcome his fears and chase his dreams?

Read an interview with the author.

Movingly told is this beautiful story of a boy’s journey back to self-belief, equally movingly illustrated by Richard Jones. ...  It’s all too easy to let those small seeds of self-doubt take root and this book is a lovely starting point for talking about faith in oneself, determination and positiveness either at home or in the classroom. Red Reading Hub

Here are two other books illustrated by Richard Jones:

The Proper Way to meet a Hedgehog

Whale in a Fishbowl

The illustrations in The Seed of Doubt are very special. Thinking about the importance of illustrations in a picture book here are a few quotes from Evaluating Illustrations in Reviews of International Picture Books  Cheri Anderson, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona:

Illustrations create a depth of meaning within picture books that are essential to the reading experience for that book.

Through skilful use of visual elements, such as colour, line, space, and perspective, the illustrator engages the emotions of the reader and directs the reader’s attention. 

... we believe picture books involve an exquisite weave of both words and images

Picture book themes - letting go, accepting change

 

I recently read these two books about letting go; about courage; about change; and about risk taking both of which are told through as a parable or fable. At first glance you might think these are books about trees, leaves, seeds and autumn but really they have much deeper themes and they have such contrasting illustration styles.

Little Tree lives in the forest with the other trees. When Autumn begins all of his companions shed their leaves but "he just hugged his leaves tight." Seasons come and go but Little Tree just won't let those leaves go. The forest trees around him grow taller and taller until "one summer, Little Tree could no longer feel the sunlight." Finally he does let go and something miraculous happens. Read more about Little Tree in these review comments:

A strong picture book with an important message that is cleverly told, this book encourages young readers to embrace change and the uncertainties of life. Waking Brain Cells

In Little Tree, Loren so perfectly captures what it means to move on with courage and bravery. ... I believe that everyone, children and adults alike, will bring their own experiences to this book and come away with renewed hope and encouragement that it’s OK to move on and let go. Reading with Mr Teut

In this video Loren Long talks about his book and the deeper themes he wanted to share. 

My second book, Stay Little Seed, was originally published in Italy with the title Chissadove. When the wind blows all the seeds fly away - north, south and "even who knows where." But one tiny seed stayed. The tree and the seed form a relationship with the tree protecting the little seed until one morning a magpie plucks the seed off the tree. Luckily the magpie drops the seed. The tiny seed is not "who knows where" it is very close and over time it grows into a new sapling. Read more about Stay, Little Seed in these review comments:

Stay, Little Seed celebrates the rhythms of the natural world and shares a gentle message for all of us, no matter our age: Sometimes, by letting go and being brave, we begin life’s greatest adventures. A Book and a Hug

Careful nurturing begets the launch into the unknown: Valentini celebrates both as natural and fitting. Kirkus

Cristiana Valentini comes from Italy and Philip Giordano lives in Japan. You can see the whole book here.