Bad Badger by Maryrose Wood illustrated by Giullia Chigini

Deceptively simple, exceedingly smart, and lovely to eye and ear alike, this is a delightful little book. Betsy Bird Fuse 8

Badger (his name is Septimus) looks different from other badgers. He also has a very different lifestyle and different tastes and interests. But Septimus is filled with doubts. Is he really a badger? He enjoys his little cottage not far from the sea. He listens to his favourite opera music on his phonograph. He has his special shell collection on his mantel but is something missing in his life? To is great delight and surprise, he seems to have found a friend. A seagull has come to visit not just once but every Wednesday towards the end of the day. They share tea (from a saucer for Gully) and biscuits and conversation. Well they sort of have a conversation. Gully can only say 'caw' but somehow Badger is able to 'interpret' what each 'caw' means either by the tone or body language. They also enjoy watching the glorious sunset. 

Tone is a big aspect of this story or more exactly of the way it is told. As a reader we live, while reading this book, inside the badger's head feeling every moment of doubt and every confusion as Septimus tries to second guess just how Gully is reacting to their relationship and as he tries so hard not to upset Gully or cause her (spoiler Gully is a girl) to, I can hardly write these words, to leave.

Wednesday has become so precious to Septimus.  As a reader you are sure to recognise his loneliness even though Septimus never uses this word. Then comes a marvelous day when Gully invites his badger friend to visit the beach. Sadly, it is not a terrific day for Septimus because the sand gets into this fur and the water is salty and uncomfortable the sun is too hot and he is missing his pack and supplies. Gully persuaded him to leave everything at home such as boots, and a chair and snacks. The best part of the day, though, comes at the end when Badger can lie back in his bath:

"The bathwater was the exact temperature he preferred with just the right number of bubbles, and a thick dry towel waited on the hook. ... Septimus stretched in the miniature sea of his bath, to which he added a soothing drop of lavender oil."

Oh and on that day too Gully gifts Badger a wonderful new shell for his collection - surely this means their friendship is secure? Alas though, perhaps it is not, because then Gully disappears.

There are two major scenes in this story which I will leave you to discover. When Gully goes missing Septimus visits two private investigators but they turn out to be a pair of snails! And later Septimus visits other badgers deep in the forest and he makes some important discoveries about his name and about his 'unique' appearance. 

After reading this book you might ponder the title and why Septimus thinks of himself as a bad badger - a great way to talk about (not in a formal way with a class) with your young reading companion the role of self-esteem and doubt and that inner voice we all have. Then you might think about the subtitle 'A love story' which should open up a whole other conversation about friendship and the give and take and ups and downs of relationships. 

Here are some of the delicious words you and your reading companion/s will encounter in this utterly charming story: inkling; preening; intrigued; perception; rhetorical; hindsight; funicular; inscrutable; superlatively; and unencumbered.

Bookseller blurb: Septimus is not good at being a badger. He adores the sunset. He dreams of going to Venice. And he lives alone in a charming cottage by the sea. He's not unhappy with his tidy, solitary life, but there are times when being so bad at badgerdom makes him wonder if he's even a badger at all. When a gull of very few words lands on the windowsill, Septimus leaps at the possibility of friendship. However, his new confidant soon goes missing and Septimus is bereft. Determined to find his best-and only-friend, he ventures into new territory and encounters a cast of surprising characters. Can Septimus be as brave and bighearted as he'll need to be to find Gully? Or is he really a bad badger after all?

It’s a simple story that somehow manages to bring up all kinds of complex questions along the way. Best of all, kids will come up with their own answers to those questions. It’s a book that speaks to the very heart of what it means to be a real friend and a true friend, to someone else. Betsy Bird Fuse 8

You also need to know that the art/illustrations by Giulia Ghigini are fantastic.

The book precisely pinpoints the anxieties and fears that many experience when making new friends, especially those grappling with insecurities. Wood narrates with a wry sense of humor that’s particularly evident when Septimus converses with other animals, such as a pair of snail private eyes. Gentle illustrations complement the tale’s understated tone and perfectly bring to life the cozy settings. Kirkus Star review

At the start of Book Week here in Australia I visited three of our big city bookstores - Abbeys, Dymocks and Kinokuniya along with a local one near my home. I was dismayed to discover NONE had the 2026 CBCA award winners on display - although Abbeys did have Once I was a Giant by Zeno Sworder on their small high book section counter.

To celebrate Book Week of course I decided to buy a book - and this is the book I picked. You are probably somewhat surprised because it is not Australian, it is not an award winner (even though it should be) and it is not new (published in 2025) BUT this will make my list of the BEST books I have read this year so I did make a great choice for a book to enjoy during Book Week. 

And now, joy of joys, I have discovered there is a sequel:

In her review Betsy Bird says about Bad Badger: Some will say, “They don’t make ‘em like this anymore,” but I say, “They never made them like this, and I’m glad they started now.” 

I agree but I do feel as though I have read a book or two with a similar feel to Bad Badger featuring a main character filled with self-doubt and charming quirky habits maybe I am thinking of the badger in the Heartwood Hotel series for younger readers. Anyway, here are some possible companion books:

These are two different covers for the same book

The Story of a Seagull and the cat who taught her to fly

Sunk and Badger

Violet and Jobie

Birdy by N West Moss

I need to try and be happier—but I don’t know how

When they told her that her mother had finally died, Birdy lay on the floor of the McGraths’ apartment (they had been next-door neighbors for Birdy’s whole life), sirens wailing outside, and thought the world would stop, but it hadn’t. After a while, she heard noise on the street below: people shouting, taxis honking. The world kept spinning. When the McGraths brought home chocolate ice cream that night, it tasted good, which was surprising. Life moved forward.

Birdy (her real name is May) and her brother Mouse (his real name is Michael) are sent to live with distant, elderly relatives named Mitzie and Shadow. Birdy is told this is temporary until a foster family can be found. She is told she will be able to stay with her precious brother - they won't be separated. But are these things true. What if Birdy and Mouse are separated? What if these strangers don't like her? 

The urgent thing was to stay together. The only thing they carried with them of any value now was one another.

She thought of saying a lot of things, like thank you for taking us and thanks for keeping us together and thank you for coming all the way to New York City even with your husband in the hospital, and for not asking a lot of questions, but Birdy hated saying thank you all the time. It made her feel needy, which she guessed she was. “Okay,” she said again, to fill the quiet of her missing thank-yous.

Birdy wondered why Mitzie and Shadow wanted them. She had thought maybe they were broke and wanted kids there to do chores. Why else would two old people take kids into their house? It didn’t seem like that, though—they didn’t seem broke.

Birdy is on high alert. She has been ever since her mum became ill. Taking care of Mouse is her responsibility. In a way Birdie has never had the chance to be a child - to play, to laugh, to make friends or to have fun. 

She tried not to think about her mom dying all alone in the hospital without the two of them there, coughing a lot probably, no one to hold her hand. The painful thoughts spooled out from Birdy like she was a ball of misery twine. She didn’t want to think about how much she missed her mother, or how mad she was at her for dying, or for being so sad, or for leaving Birdy in charge all the time. She was mad at her mother for having to work so much, and for being impatient.

As is often the way with stories like this there are so many heart-wrenching misunderstandings. These of course give this story so much tension that you will just keep turning pages desperate for that all important, happy ending.

One of the most beautiful (and teary moments) in this story comes when Birdy visits the charity shop. She is looking for new clothes but we know she also loves to read. One of the staff offers her The Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt but Birdy says no (inside my heart I was telling Birdie to say yes). 

“We just got a whole set of the Tillerman Cycle books.” When Birdy didn’t say anything, he said, “They’re old I guess, but my sister loved them. With this kid named Dicey who runs away from home with her brothers and sisters.” That sounded interesting, but Birdy tried to act like she wasn’t listening. ... “I can give you a deal if you want the set.” Birdy waved her hand and hunched over and walked as fast as she could to the register, carrying her clothes in her arms. She didn’t have seven dollars to buy all those books. Forget it. Go away, she thought. GO AWAY. ... “Hey,” he said to Birdy. “We have to make room for new books just coming in, and if you want these you can have the whole set for a dollar.” His voice trailed off. “If you want.” He waited. “I checked with my boss and she said it was fine. A dollar for all seven.” 

I guarantee you will fall in love with the characters in this story and with the kindness offered by Mitzie, Shadow and most of all by the new uncle the kids meet - a guy named Clay. Then there is teenage camp counsellor named Bruce - I just wanted to hug him for his kindness, sensitivity and emotional intelligence.

He was really looking at them, like they were the only people in the world and he was seriously interested in them. He looked at them like he had all the time in the world, like there was nothing better on earth to do than to spend time right there with them in the driveway. So, this was her mother’s brother.

I added this book to my Kindle because Colby Sharp highly recommended it and BOY oh boy he was right. N West Moss is actually Nanette West Moss and this is not her first book but it is her first Middle Grade book.

There's something oddly comforting about this story. Maybe I just want to hang out with Mitzi while she bakes in the kitchen. Ms Yingling

Bookseller blurb: Eleven-year-old Birdy and her younger brother, Mouse, have always looked out for each other. They make the perfect team: Birdy is realistic and practical, while Mouse is affable and trusting. After their mother dies of cancer, Birdy and Mouse are forced to move out of the city to the country with relatives they've never met. Aunt Mitzie and Uncle Shadow's house is full of organized chaos, and it takes Birdy time to adjust to having adults around. But the kitchen is always stocked, and both kids are allowed to play outside as often as they want. There's only one problem: it's all temporary. Their social worker has promised to find them a permanent home by the next school year, whether they want to leave or not. As the summer unfolds, Mouse starts to feel attached to their new life. But Birdy knows better-adults have never been reliable. When Birdy's fears get the best of her, she makes a big mistake that could jeopardize their future.

Here are two more beautiful quotes:

It was peaceful, like they were healing up after a long illness or something. A thought was forming in the back of Birdy’s mind (one she wouldn’t understand completely until later) that maybe sitting with your brother, or whoever loves you most in the world, is how a person grieves. Piling little rocks and leaves and feathers on top of one another can make you start to feel like your chest isn’t collapsing. While she was looking for stuff to pile on top of other stuff, she had a sense of what “better” might feel like and how to steer toward it.

It was a sudden feeling that inflated something in her, like drinking too much soda in one gulp. She didn’t want to like him. She knew that hope was a dangerous thing that could make you feel especially good and then when the truth of things came out, however high up your hope had taken you was how far down you would fall.

Companion books:

Missing May

Same Stuff as Stars

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman

One for the Murphys

The Higher Power of Lucky

Something like Home

Pictures of Hollis Woods

Baby by Patricia MacLachlan

A searching, beautifully written story. Kirkus

Larkin lives with her artist mother, father and grandmother Byrd on an island (perhaps it is Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard). The island is overrun with visitors each summer so the residents really enjoy the quieter times when all the mainlanders have left.

We ate dinner as the sun set; candles on the table, the dinner a yearly celebration that tomorrow the island visitors would leave. The seasons on our island rose and fell in a rhythm like the rise and fall of the tides. Autumn was ours with quick colors, leaves flying until they were gone and we could see the shape of the island. The land rose and fell, too, from the north point where the lighthouse stood, curving down into valleys like hands holding pond water. Soon winter would come, the winds shaking the windows of the house, the sea black. Herring gulls would sit out of the wind on our porch, watching for spring that would come so fast and cold, we would hardly know it was there. Then summer, visitors would come off the ferry again, flooding us, the air heavy with their voices. And again, at summer’s end they would be gone like the tide, leaving behind small signs of themselves: a child’s pail with a broken handle, a tiny white sock by the water’s edge. Bits and pieces of them left like good-byes.

But have the summer visitors all left? At the end of chapter one Patricia MacLachlan hints that change is coming and it is coming tomorrow. The family and Larkin's special friend Lalo return from their tradition of farewelling the final ferry to find a baby on their doorstep.

“I cannot take care of her now, but I know she will be safe with you,” Papa read. “I have watched you. You will be a good family. I will lose her forever if you don’t do this, so please keep her. I will send money for her when I can. I will come back for her one day. I love her.”

Sophie's mother loves her baby but she has had to leave her behind. Papa warns Larkin the baby's mother will return.

“I like Sophie,” I said. “I don’t love her.” “Don’t,” said Papa. “Don’t love her.” He sighed. “I like her too,” he said after a moment. “Mama will love her soon,” I whispered. “If not already,” murmured Papa. “I’m scared,” I said after a while. “For Mama.” There was a silence.

There is a hint of sadness to come on the opening page of this book - it is a quote from a poem:

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. —from “Dirge Without Music” Edna St. Vincent Millay

This family are carrying a deep sadness. Mama and Papa won't talk to Larkin about her baby brother who only lived for one day. He never had a name and Larkin never saw his little face.

A tiny stone sat there, surrounded by big headstones with angels and flowers and names engraved on them. There was no name on the tiny stone, just the word BABY and a date that showed that the one buried there had only lived for one day.

A great topic for a PhD could be the portrayal of librarians, school librarians and Teacher-Librarians in middle grade books. I adore Ms Minifred she works at Larkin's school. She is a minor but also important character. She loves words, poetry (spoiler alert there is a love story in this book too) and Rebel (who) had come to the island with his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he was eighteen and had never left. That was fifteen years ago. We had seen pictures of him then, and he hadn’t changed. He was still thin, and his hair stood straight up. He had a mysterious tattoo on his arm that said “Wild Eunice.”

I often think about collecting the opening sentences of books - perhaps using them as a way to share books with readers or even as writing inspiration. Here is the opening sentence of Baby:

In the evenings my father danced.

Here is another beautiful sentence: Byrd lifted Sophie and whirled her around until Sophie laughed. A small island plane flew over our heads and away. And Byrd’s pearls broke, showering Sophie and falling over the meadow grasses like tears.

Publisher blurb: Larkin's family welcomes Sophie into their home, caring for her and teaching her games and new words. They come to love this baby as their own, all the while knowing that eventually Sophie's mother will return one day to take her from them.

The writing in this book is so far above nearly every book I have read over the last few months. I read a huge number of kids books and while many are okay and a few are good, none quite reach the heights of the exquisite writing in this book. It should not have taken me so long to read Baby which was published in 1995. My friend first mentioned it back in 2012 when she read my post about the most famous Patrician MacLachlan book Sarah, Plain and Tall. The label on this post will take you to lots of other Patrician MacLachlan titles. In this post from 2020 I talk about themes in her books such as music, poetry, questions, and family relationships. You might also notice many books include loss. 

Awards for Baby by Patricia MacLachlan:

• WINNER 1994 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
• WINNER 1996 South Carolina Children’s Book Award
• WINNER 1994 Texas Bluebonnet Award

There are only a handful of children's middle grade authors that I put into the category of superb - Patricia Maclachlan; Kate DiCamillo; Sara Pennypacker; Kevin Henkes; Patricia Reilly Giff; Katherine Paterson; Jason Reynolds and Katherine Applegate from the US. Katherine Rundell and Onjali Q Rauf from the UK. And Zana Fraillon, Judith Rossell, Deb Abela, Tristan Bancks and Shirley Marr from Australia.

Companion books:

The Naming of Tishkin Silk

The Summer we found the baby

Foxlight

Here is the full poem by Edna St Vincent Millay:

“I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. 

So it is and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: 

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned 

With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. 

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. 

Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. 

A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, 

A formula, a phrase remains, - but the best is lost. 

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, - 

They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled 

Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve. 

More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. 

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave 

Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; 

Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. 

But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.”

The Thing about Christmas by Jo Dabrowski illustrated by Briony Stewart

Just when you think you have read every possible variation on a Christmas book along comes this one - The Thing about Christmas. Do not worry - I have not gone mad - I know it is March and not December but The Thing about Christmas is a 2026 CBCA Early Childhood Notable title.

The joy of this book is twofold - the illustrations interpret and go way beyond the rhyming text AND this book acknowledges that Christmas does not need to follow a formula. Your family may be small, or mum and dad might live in separate houses or perhaps you don't celebrate this season or Christmas might coincide with a deeply sad event in your life (make sure you look very closely at that page where we see a tiny photo of the family). 

The final words sum up the 'message' of this book (sorry it is not really a message in the sense of being too didactic so please don't worry about my use of the word 'message').

"There's no right or wrong, whatever you do. Christmas in your home's unique, just like you. Because Christmas is not about all of that stuff. Christmas is love and love is enough."

The CBCA judges agree the 'standout' feature of the book are the illustrations:

Taking a closer look at the illustrations - on the first page a child sits in front of a screen looking at an idealised Christmas scene with all the trappings of tree, presents, lights, big family, stockings and a glowing fire. Even though we only have a back view it is very clear this is NOT the Christmas this child will experience. Turn the page and we zoom in on the real-life scene we just saw on the screen which then means the next page might give you a jolt as again we see a child, a different child, standing beside a tiny, slightly forlorn Christmas tree with only a couple of small presents underneath. This child is not looking at a screen, instead he can see a different family-filled celebration in the house next door. It is equally sad when we see a child sitting in a empty room with their two stocking/socks hung over a wall heater and not over the traditional chimney. 

For me, though, the most powerful and poignant page is the one with this text:

"Or maybe your Christmas is split up in two, and the one thing you wished for didn't come true."

Now go back through the whole book and notice the repeated children and their adults. The girl dropped off by her dad appears in another scene decorating a gingerbread house with her mum. The boy who is looking at the neighbours, is later seen with his brother and grandmother having fun with their sword presents and their mince pies on the table! 

Image source: Little Book Press

In another scene dad has died but for Christmas, mum and her son have fun in the sun at the beach. In an early scene we see the family with their chicken, not turkey, dinner and then on Christmas day mum has had her baby, so all the family are seen visiting the hospital. The final double page spread is a summary of each family presented as a reflection in a Christmas bauble - such a lovely way to recap the story. 

The thing about Christmas is that it is an intensely individual festival for each and every person and family. This book is a sublime insight into that concept. Just so Stories

So much care and love has been poured into every illustration in The Thing about Christmas. Briony Stewart used a similar technique of connected stories in her book These Little Feet. 

In all honesty I would never use these but here are the teacher's notes for The Thing about Christmas. 

In 2023 I penned a blog post about the illustrator Briony Stewart. Perhaps you saw her terrific book about the Tooth Fairy.

Tooth Fairy

I previously talked about the other two books (three in total) that Jo Dabrowski has on the CBCA 2026 Notables list - Dear Broccoli and The Making of Martha Mayfield.

Koala Lou by Mem Fox illustrated by Pamela Lofts

"There was once a baby koala so soft and round that all her saw her loved her. 

Her name was Koala Lou."

One hundred times a day her mother would say 'Koala Lou, I DO love you!'. But over time more babies arrive and Koala Lou's mother becomes very busy. She no longer stops to say 'I do love you' although of course she did. Koala Lou wants her mother to hug her again so she decides to enter the Bush Olympics. If she can win then her mother will surely say 'I do love you' once again. 

"It was Koala Klaws who went first. Her climb was a record-breaking twenty-two metres in seventy seconds flat. The spectators whistled and cheered and wildly waved their holiday hats."

Now it is time for Koala Lou. 

"But she wasn't fast enough. In spite of all her training and all her hoping, it was Koala Klaws who won the gum-tree climbing. Koala Lou came second. Koala Lou went off and hid. She heard the shouts of the Bush Olympics and cried her heart out."

I think you will be able to guess how this story ends - with those all important words - Koala Lou I DO love you. Yes - that is the illustration on the cover - it comes right at the end of the book.

This book is a perfect ambassador for Australia - on this page you can see our Flannel Flowers and Kangaroo Paws (flowers) and animals in the story include the platypus, emu and in the illustrations you will spy a quoll, bilby, numbat, possum, Tasmania devil, and a galah.

Bookseller blurb: There was once a baby koala, so soft and round that all who saw her loved her. Her name was Koala Lou. Koala Lou is the first born in a large family. She feels sad because her mother seems too busy to pay her any attention. Perhaps if she wins the tree-climbing at the Bush Olympics her mother might notice her again . . . Koala Lou starts her training right away!

Mem Fox talks about writing this book here. She says: A grueling two years and 49 drafts later, the final 585 words of Koala Lou were published ...  You can see a full set of books by Mem Fox here. 

There are quite a few videos of Koala Lou - if you need to 'read' the book this way try to find one with an Australian voice. The toy of Koala Lou is no longer available.

A few days ago, I listed some books you could share with your child or in your library about Australia perhaps for Australia Day (26th January) and one I mentioned was Koala Lou. This means I discovered I had not talked about this book which is such fun to read aloud.

In 2023 Koala Lou (1988) was 35 years old and a special anniversary edition was released:

And here is the US cover:

Pamela Lofts (1949-2012) is also famous for Wombat Stew, Hunwick's Egg and Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell.

Blurb: The dingo pair set out to sea - their hearts were beating fast. Their boat was but a redgum log with neither sail nor mast. Follow intrepid adventurers, Skip and Nell, as they travel round Australia 

on their way to that boat race way out west.

Buffy: An Adventure Story by Bob Graham

Buffy is an assistant to Brillo the Magician but he is not famous. In fact, we see his home is a cardboard box outside the theatre and on the poster advertising the show Buffy's name appears in tiny writing right at the bottom. The trouble is Buffy is becoming more popular than Brillo and so one night he is kicked out into the rain. Yes, it is pure jealousy.

Bookseller blurb: This is an enchanting adventure story about a performing dog. Buffy is a performing dog with HUGE talents. He can play the harmonica, tap-dance and do magic tricks. But when he outshines his master the magician, Buffy is in the doghouse. Kicked out onto the street to fend for himself, Buffy has the blues...until sweet Mary Kelly bursts into his life like a fanfare from Heaven! At last, after all his wanderings, he finds someone who really appreciates his extraordinary talents.

I have been talking about a few Bob Graham books this month because I discovered there are titles I previously had not mentioned here but should have. Buffy was published in 1999, and I well remember reading it to groups of students in my former school library when Buffy was shortlist by the CBCA in 2000 for their Picture Book of the Year award. That copy was a larger format hard cover - mine now is a small format paperback. Sadly, Buffy is now out of print but I am sure you will find a copy in most school libraries here in Australia. In the US Buffy is called Benny.

If you are familiar with Bob Graham books you will recognise the logo on this truck - YES, it is from Max. In fact, there are references to Max in so many other Bob Graham books (like a story within a story) - such as in Ellie's Dragon when Ellie goes to the movies and on the big screen, we see Max. This idea builds on from an earlier one seen in Tales from the Waterhole, where Morris and Billy are seen watching Max on their television. This symbol is also on a tanker truck in Home in the Rain because that is the brand of the petrol station and that same tanker is also seen in A Bus called Heaven.

Companion books:

Three

Mutt Dog

Finding You

The Little Things I love? Sydney Morning Herald Saturday September 20th

I love libraries - Julia Baird

On Saturday I read this opinion piece by Julia Baird. She based her piece on a poem by the late US poet Andrea Gibson who penned a Substack filled with the things they loved. 

Julia decided to make her own list - she spent ten minutes and came up with a huge variety of "life's loves" many of which are sure to make you nod or smile. When I read her list of over 60 'loves', I immediately related many of them to favourite children's picture books - as you will know Picture Books are the "not so little" things I love. So here are some of the loves from Julia's list (she did have lots more) with my book additions:

I love the first sip of hot tea.

Luli and the Language of Tea

I love the light in people's eyes when they see something 
beautiful, a dolphin, or newborn, constellation or baby bird.

These little feet

I love the ridiculous racket cockatoos make.

I love the way children paint.

The Concrete Garden

I love grandfathers who keep lollies in their pockets ...

A hatful of Dreams

I love sunrises and sunsets.

Dawn

I love hope.

Hope

I love knitters of beanies and bears.

Sebastian lives in a hat

I love red autumn leaves.

Fletcher and the falling leaves

I love spiders that can spin webs as strong as steel from tiny frames.

Aranea A story about a spider

I love that trees talk to each other.

Apple and Magnolia

I love that bees communicate through two kinds of dance ...

Bee

I love the sound of whale song.

The Whales' Song

I love the weird, flabby ugliness of blob fish.

Blob The Ugliest animal in the World

I love newspaper letter writers

A page in the Wind

Of course, for every book I have put there are potentially so many more but as Julia suggested I only spent a few minutes thinking and these were the first titles I thought of. I was not able to share the link to the piece by Julia Baird because you need a newspaper subscription.

For my own list I love picture books; I love lighthouses; I love puffins; I love pelicans; I love to visit small islands; and of course, visiting a library or a bookshop is utterly and completely my happy place.

Puffling

I also need to mention this very special book that was written by Sophie Blackal during covid:

Things to look forward to: 52 large and small joys for today and every day