The Girl who Raced the World by Nat Harrison

Maggie is an orphan. All Maggie Appleton has is a letter written by her mother that she must deliver to a stranger but on the way the letter is taken by a policeman/detective. Maggie is distraught but she continues her journey through London having just escaped from the workhouse only to make the surprising discovery that the man who was supposed to get this letter now works as a valet for the famous explorer Phileas Fogg. I need to tell you that all of this action takes place over the first 25 pages. 

Maggie is swept up into the famous journey around the world and, as you are sure to have already guessed, and time is ticking because this unlikely crew have to be back in London in just 80 days. Maggie also needs to get her important letter back from , but she needs to keep Mr Fogg away from the Detective Fix because she knows it is not true that Phileas Fogg stole thousands of pounds from the bank. Has he been framed?

If you love trains, ships, catastrophes, wild story twists, and heroes you will devour this debut book by Nat Harrison. I read the whole book of over 300 pages in one day - yes, it is that good. This book could also be a terrific family read aloud. Oh, and I love the gold embossed cover. There are world maps scattered through this book but I would also suggest you might grab a real, old-fashioned, atlas so you can follow the around the world journey in more detail. Your young reading companion is sure, also, to ask questions about the way time works in the world and how you can jump days when you travel from west to east.

Book seller blurb: It is 1872 and, when Maggie Appleton's beloved mother dies, she is left with nothing but a letter for a mysterious stranger called Passepartout. With nowhere else to turn, Maggie seeks out Passepartout and, in doing so, is drawn into an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Together with Passepartout's employer, the enigmatic Mr Phileas Fogg, Maggie journeys to Italy, India, Hong Kong, Japan and America, in a daring race against time to win the wager Mr Fogg has accepted. But with a bank robber on the loose, an angry Inspector on their tail and unread secrets in her mother's letter, Maggie soon discovers that there is much more at stake than keeping on schedule to win the bet. Who can she really trust - and will she ever find out where she truly belongs?

Listen to an audio sample.

Maggie is a feisty and relatable character, providing an ingenious and accessible doorway to the world of late Victorian explorers and their heroic exploits. Book Trust

Each character has a distinct voice and purpose, making the group feel like a true family created through shared experiences and mutual respect. Harrison also updates moments from Verne’s original story to reflect contemporary values. Just when readers think the journey is over, Harrison invites them to imagine where Maggie and her newfound family might travel next and what new adventures await them. This is a gentle, exciting promise that the spirit of exploration and love continues beyond the final page. Children's Books Ireland

Like other readers who pick up this book I have not read the Jules Verne classic - Round the World in 80 days - so my knowledge of the plot was somewhat limited. I am telling you this because your young reader aged 10+ can easily read this new book The Girl who Raced the World with absolutely no idea about the original story. They are sure to enjoy this action-packed adventure. Some readers though might, after reading this book, which is based on the famous 1872 book, want to hunt out the Jules Verne story or perhaps read an abridged version or listen to it as an audio book. Huge thanks to Gleebooks Kids for sharing this new book with me. The Girl who Raced the World is available in paperback but if you find the hardcover edition you must lift the dust jacket - there is a terrific surprise under the cover. 

Here it is (from Instagram)

I now discover I have read several books with covers designed by Tom Clohosy Cole. (Cobweb; An Elephant in the Garden; Clifftoppers).  Here are some teaching ideas to use with The Girl who Raced the World. 

The sequel to The Girl who Raced the World is due later this year:

Companion books:

The Silver Arrow

The train to impossible places

The Boundless

On the Blue Comet

The Ship of Doom

The Pearl in the Ice

The Year we Escaped by Suzanne Leal

I picked up this book (purchased from Gleebooks Kids) to read yesterday and finished it this morning. The Year we Escaped is one of the 2026 CBCA Younger Readers Notable titles.

This story explores a different aspect of the Holocaust and World War II where over six thousand five hundred Jewish people from the German regions of Baden and Saapflaz were transported to the Gurs Internment Camp in the Free Zone of France.

The author of this book Suzanne Leal heard about a small French village called Le Chambon-sur-Ligon. During the war some communities like these gave refuge to Jewish children. Suzanne stayed "at a guesthouse called Chez Tante Soly, where twenty-two Jewish children had been hosted and protected throughout the Second World War. ... What a story, I thought as my mind kept turning to the lives of these children caught up in that dangerous time. Where had they come from, I wondered, and how had they found their way to this remote village?"

This is the basis of The Year we Escaped which covers the period November 1938 to September 1941. We meet children from two different families. Klara lives in Germany and you will watch with horror as she experiences first hand the persecution of the Jews - smashing of her parents shop windows (Kristallnacht), horrible treatment by people in her town and then her dismay as she has to change schools. Her experiences reminded me of Dancing on the Bridge of Avignon by Ida Vos. Klara's mother decides they urgently need to leave but mother and daughter do not reach safety, instead they are taken to the Gurs Internment Camp. It is an utterly horrible place. The descriptions of the latrines will 'turn your stomach'. (There are extensive notes at the back of the book about Gurs and other aspects of WWII).

Meanwhile Lucien and his brother Paul live in Paris. Their father is a doctor but he is left behind when they are also forced to leave with their mother. By chance there are now four kids - Klara, her friend Rachel, Lucien and his younger brother Paul - in this camp. They quickly become friends. Klara works out a way to leave the camp and she and Lucien enjoy picking the blackberries (they are on the back cover of the book) but the kids don't appear to think about escape. Then suddenly Klara and Rachel are 'rescued' and taken by train to Le Chambon-sur-Ligon. Lucien and Paul's mother decides her boys need to find a way to get there too but for the boys it means sneaking out of the camp and embarking on a 750km train journey. This journey takes up the second half of the book - Suzanne Leal creates some terrific tension on their train journey and at every turn I kept anticipating that terrible things would happen to the young brothers. 

Leal blends fact, fiction and feeling so beautifully, crafting a story that’s deeply emotional and brilliantly paced. It’s historical fiction done right: full of heart, action and unforgettable characters. Readings Melbourne

Suzanne builds her story gradually detailing the changes brought about by a war that affects everybody’s life. She has obviously thoroughly researched Kurs as it is brought vividly to life. Klara and Lucien are passionate relatable characters, perfect advocates for peace, tolerance and acceptance, the dominant themes in this carefully structured novel. Story Links

You can read a chapter sample and find teachers notes on the publisher web page.

Awards: Winner 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize – Children & Young Adult Category

As an adult reader you know that the people left behind in the Gurs camp will be taken to places like Auschwitz but younger readers aged 10+ are sure to feel great relief knowing (spoiler alert) the four children will be safe right through the war years.  

Here is an interview with Suzanne Leal and Joy Lawn at Paperbark Words. 

Things are very hard for everyone in the Gurs camp but I kept expecting harsher descriptions of the starvation and inhumane conditions. Parts of the story were filled with tension for example when Klara is used to demonstrate the awful Nazi doctrine in class and when everyone is forced to leave their suitcases on the station platform but if you have a sensitive reader this book is nowhere near as harsh or confronting as other holocaust middle grade novels. Older students could compare the conditions in the Gurs camp with those described in Let the Celebrations Begin.

Companion books:

All the Beautiful Things

Anna at War

Hiding Edith

Beyond Belief

Interned

There's a Tiger on the Train by Mariesa Dulak illustrated by Rebecca Cobb

You’ll never guess what happened

On our trip down to the sea . . .

A tiger in a top hat

Came and sat right next to me!

There is a tiger on the train but also some hippos, crocodiles, piglets, and two pugs BUT dad is so engrossed in his phone screen he misses all the fun and amazement. 

From the author web page: This text won the Faber FAB Writing Prize for Diverse writers in 2020. Rebecca Cobb is an award-winning author/illustrator who has collaborated with other authors such as Julia Donaldson, Richard Curtis and Helen Dunmore. It’s the perfect day for a seaside trip. But who invited the Tiger in the top hat… and all those other animals? And will Dad ever look up from his phone? A rhythmic, rhyming romp about the value of living in the moment and spending quality time with those you love.

You can see inside this book here and read details of the story. 

The story was inspired by my own experience of balancing full-time work with a young family and feeling that I wasn't making the most of the precious time I had with my children. "There's a Tiger on the Train" is about taking time out to connect with those you love. I hope that children reading the book will join in with the rhymes and rhythms, have fun making some new animal friends, and enjoy the ride! And I hope that their grown-ups will be reminded to look up from their phones once in a while to see what they might be missing in the wonderful world of their own child’s imagination. Mariesa Dulak

Here is the title page:

This book published in 2025 should be essential reading for parents! And at the same time young children will enjoy this wild train ride and the 'noisy sections' with words like clank, rumble, chew-chew, spish-splash and everyone should join in with the huge roar at the end as the tiger grabs that wretched mobile phone. Sadly also, though, many children will relate to the little boy in this story who just needs his dad to put down his phone and listen and look and connect with his son in a meaningful way. Please consider adding this book to your school library wish list. The paperback is slightly expensive at over AUS$28 but I really do highly recommend There's a Tiger on the Train.

Phubbing is snubbing or ignoring someone else because you are using your mobile phone. In today’s modern world, we do it without thinking, but research shows that phubbing undermines interpersonal relationships and mental health especially when parents do it to their children. A staggering 70% of parents say they feel distracted by their mobile phones when they spend time with their children. And studies show that the more parents phub their children, the more socially disconnected that child feels towards them. So, when I sat down to write a book that included phubbing, I tried to imagine what it might be like to feel ignored by the most important person in your world and being too small and powerless to do anything about it. Books for Topics

Take a look at this blog post about The Global Day of Unplugging. 

Awards:

• Shortlisted for Oscar's Book Prize 2025
• Nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2025
• Shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2025
• Shortlisted for the Indie Book Award 2024
• Selected as a Books for Topics Book of the Year 2024
• Selected as a Waterstones Best Books of 2024
• Shortlisted for The Week Junior Book Award 2025

After reading There's a Tiger on the Train try to find other books illustrated by Rebecca Cobb - I am a huge fan of her art. I am keen to see her book A Wild Walk to School.  

The Empty Stocking

Who Lives Here?

Snow Day

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña illustrated by Christian Robinson

"These monthly train rides are never ending, and as usual, Milo is a shook-up soda. Excitement stacked on top of worry, on top of confusion, on top of love."

Milo and his sister are on the subway train in New York City. To pass the time Milo draws sketches in his drawing book. He observes the people who board the train and then draws imaginary scenes which show where each of these people might be going. The business man who is working on a crossword puzzle might be heading home to his fifth floor apartment where his only friends are his cats, some resident rats and his cage of parakeets. Next on board is a young boy in a suit. His hair is neat and his shoes are bright white. Perhaps this boy is a prince heading home to his castle where the butler waits with a plate of "crust-free sandwich squares". A bride steps onto the train. Milo draws her wedding scene in the cathedral and then he imagines the happy couple flying away in a hot air balloon. 

Milo and his sister finally reach their destination. Milo is amazed to see the boy in the suit in the same line. Where are they?

Milo's "even more surprised when the boy joins the long line to pass through the metal detector".

Mum is wearing an orange jump suit. A few pages back we that mum reads Milo bedtime stories over the phone. Near the beginning of this book we read Milo and his sister make this trip each month. 

This book is clearly set in New York City. This is especially evident when a group of break dances jump into the train carriage. People like this are called pan handlers. They ride the train for a stop or two then, after passing around their hat, they jump off the train and board another one. At the same time this is a universal story of hope and family. You might be thinking not many of the children in our classes or library groups would have a parent in jail but my former school was in a town with a maximum security jail and so this is a book which some of those children would certainly relate to.  And for other children this book provides a gentle way to discuss the lives of children who live in very different circumstances. 

Christian Robinson lived with his grandmother as a child because for most of his childhood his mother was in jail. "As a kid, of course, not having my my mother there was painful, certainly, but probably even more painful thing was holding on to that experience myself and internalising it and feeling disconnected, not having that connection with others. So I think this book has the potential to be healing, to create conversations, to create empathy and compassion."

There is also the important message in this book about the way we do judge people by their appearance. Milo discovers this is not necessarily true and his innocent assumptions about the people on the train may need to be revised. We are lucky to see his new ideas as he fills his drawing book with a new set of pictures.

"Maybe you can't really know anyone just by looking at their face".

Take a few minutes to listen Matt and Christian talking about their very personal connections with the story in this book. Here is the trailer from Penguin Kids. You can see art from this book at Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast. 

This book is:

Smart and sweet - School Library Journal

A memorable, thought-provoking story poised to make a difference for many. Kirkus Star review

This is the book that I continue to think about long after I’ve put it down or read it to my kids. School Library Journal There are three bonus videos on this site too. 

This poignant, thought-provoking story speaks volumes for how art can shift one’s perspectives and enable an imaginative alternative to what is…or seems to be. Horn Book

... this sweet but never saccharine story is a classic in the making. BookPage

In this post I have revealed Milo's destination but I am so happy the back cover blurb does not give away the 'secret' in this book.  Milo Imagines the World is also on the 2022 shortlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

This is the third book in a series by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson:

Carmen full of Wishes

You could compare this book with I am the Subway by Kim Hyo-eun.  With a group of older students you could also look at this wordless book from Canada:

I am the Subway by Kim Hyo-eun translated by Deborah Smith

"I rattle and clatter over the tracks. Same time, same route, every day."

"The Seoul subway network is one of the longest in the world and reaches far beyond the city limits. ... It carries an average of 7.2 million people per day ... "

It is so wonderful to open this book and see the way Kim Hyo-eun breaks one of the "picture book rules" by starting his book with six pages (three double-spreads) of the story before we reach the title page. And the words on the title page are actually part of the narrative. You can see art from this book at Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast. 

Over time the subway (our narrator) can now recognise and name 'his' passengers and from the way they walk or run, the things they carry or their demeanour 'he' can also gauge their mood and even their back story. Mr Wanju is running late but once he sits on the train he can calm down and relax. In the alternating page we know Mr Wanju is late because he was spending time with his daughter. 

At the next station we meet Granny. She is bringing fresh seafood to her family in Seoul. Then we meet Mr Jae-sung the shoe repair man; young Na-yoon heading to her after school class; and Mr Gu the glove salesman. 

Even though this story is set in Korea - it has a truly universal appeal. It would be fun to read this after taking your child for a ride on the subway or other train network in your city. 

This book is just perfect in so many ways. The water colour art is created with enormous skill; each character on the train has a distinct personality, and of course this book comes from a unique point of view - the subway itself. Take a minute to view this very special video based on the art in this book.  I also need to mention the scrumptious end papers beginning in the very early morning and ending as the sunsets. I am the Subway is one of those truly special books you can share with a young child and also with older students as a way to explore art techniques and book design. I can imagine a deep discussion over one of the pages near the end of the book where we see three pairs of shoes. This image is repeated on the back cover:

"a gentle afternoon light that washes over everything - old shoes, new shoes, clean and dull shoes."

With echoes of Korean cinema style, this book captures the ordinary of each day. The exquisite illustrations are created in watercolour. This is a book not to be missed. Kids' Book Review

A contemplative, poignant rendering of everyday journeys. Kirkus Star review

Kim’s author’s note mentions how her father taught his children to see many things; those details – “things not visible to the eye but still significant” – are exactly the elements that stupendously enhance each page: different gaits of people in motion, phones galore, bags and packages, and various expressions. Lucky readers, climb aboard: extraordinary explorations await. Smithsonian

Thanks to the subway train’s musings, readers gain poignant glimpses into the joys, sorrows and hopes of these passengers. The train’s voice is tender and compassionate, and the sound of its movement, “ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum,” is a refrain that anchors the book.  BookPage

If you want to look at another book where we see inside a daily transport system try to find this wonderful wordless book:

Illustrator: Julie Volk Title: Good morning, little Tram! Guten Morgen, Kleine Strassenbahn!

AND if you want to explore point of view I highly recommend:

A page in the wind

Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kastner

"Finally he had an idea. He found a pin in the lapel of his jacket, stuck it through the three bills, then through the envelope, and then through the suit lining. He had pinned his money down, so to speak. Well then, he thought, nothing can happen to it now."

Emil and his mother live in Newtown. Emil's father has died and his mother is struggling. She works as a hairdresser from her own home but money is always tight. Emil feels a great responsibility towards his mother. As the story opens Emil heading off to catch a train to visit and stay with his grandmother in Berlin. Mrs Tischbein has saved some money, quite a large amount, and Emil is entrusted to keep it save and deliver it.  At first the train carriage is crowded but for the final hours Emil finds himself alone with a man wearing a bowler hat. Emil is so worried about the money which he has 'hidden' in his inside coat pocket so he decides as an added security measure to pin the money to his pocket. Emil tries so hard to stay awake but eventually he falls asleep and his haunted by a terrible nightmare. In the play Emil is offered a drink while in the book the man offers Emil a chocolate. I did wonder did this contain a sleeping potion.  When Emil wakes up the money is gone. He sees the man in the bowler hat and so he jumps off the train and sets off after him.

It is clear Emil cannot confront this robber alone. Luckily a group of kids offer to help him and what a team they are.

"Bad luck is bad luck, any way you cut it. But having a few pals to help you out always makes things better."

They organise food, money and communications. I was thrilled that in the play they used an old rotary telephone and were not tempted to employ a mobile phone.

It is so awful when the money is stolen but the scene I enjoyed the most (in the book and the play) was when the gang capture the thief and Emil is able to identify his money because the notes have those pin holes.

You can read more about the plot and some of the controversy around the English translations:

• Tell me Another
• The Children's War
• A discount ticket to everywhere

Emil and the Detectives is one of those classic books that people of my generation probably remember reading. I certainly thought I had read this book as a child (the blue cover above seems very familiar) but perhaps I hadn't because I read it yesterday and most of the plot was new to me. This book was published in 1929 and translated into English in 1931.

I needed to read this book because today I saw the theatre production by Slingsby Theatre (from South Australia) written by Nicki Bloom. I am so glad the plot was fresh in my mind because it added another dimension to the play. How amazing to write a seventy minute play with just two actors and manage to give us the illusion of the gang of children, the city of Berlin, tram and train travel and the edge of the seat thrill of the chase as Emil and his new friends work together to capture the thief.  The lighting in this show is especially effective and brilliantly done. Watch this interview with the artistic director - Andy Packer.  Here is a fabulous set of teacher's notes to use with this production which will be performed in Melbourne in 2020. This is one of the best examples of theatre for children I have ever seen but I do think children in the audience need to be familiar with the book and I would suggest it is suitable for ages 10+.

Image source - Sydney Opera House December 2019

There have been five movie adaptions of this story, most in German, and several different theatre productions. This is the poster from the 1965 Disney movie.

Watch this video where several famous authors discuss this book and the National Theatre production in London.

A Rabbit Named Harris by Nan Hunt illustrated by Betina Ogden

Tuesday Treasure

Julio invites his Grandad to come on adventure.

"And this is what we'll do: we'll take something we need 

and something to love."

Julio puts his money box in one pocket and Harris - a small knitted rabbit in his other pocket. He can wrap his fingers around his friend when he needs comfort.

Julio is so patient with Grandad but he knows it is important for the pair to leave. Julio heard his father say he was planning to put Grandad in a Home.  Julio imagines this will be like the Dogs' Home and he "didn't want his Grandad in a place like that."

Julio and his Grandad take a bus down town. They explore the big department store and enjoy riding up and down on the escalators. Next stop, the library, where the pair do some quiet reading.  Julio buys some lunch - salad roll and strawberry milk and they enjoy the sunshine in the park. Finally they step onto a train. Grandad falls asleep and, after checking on Harris, Julio falls asleep too. The train travels far out of the city and night has fallen when it reaches the final stop. The next train does not depart until morning. Luckily a kind policeman talks to Julio and listens when Julio explains about dogs in cages and his worries about Grandad. Of course Mum and Dad arrive and all is explained.

"It was a real adventure, Grandad, wasn't it? Look, this is what I took to love. It's Harris, see? He was in my pocket all the time. What did you take to love, Grandad?'
The old man smiled. 'Why Julio, didn't you know? I took you to love!"

As a mark of how much I adore this book (a Tuesday Treasure) I recently tracked down a second hand copy from a shop in Noosa. Luckily for me this copy was quite cheap and it is in mint condition. I was also excited to discover A Rabbit Named Harris won the NSW Premiers Award in 1987 - The Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature. Some other titles that have won this award include Possum Magic, Who Sank the Boat?, Whistle up the Chimney and John Brown Rose and the Midnight Cat.

This wonderful and important book needs to be read alongside these other classic stories about grandparents and the impact of dementia. Click the titles for more details:

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

Newspaper Hats by Phil Cummings

In my hunt for books on this topic I have also discovered these two which look good. I hope to find them soon.