Children’s and Young Adult book reviews.
I Can Only Draw Worms, Will Mabbitt (author & illus.), Puffin Books (Penguin Random House) 2017 Synopsis: This book is about worms. I can only draw worms. You might think worms are boring – but you’d be wrong. These worms have incredible adventures! I can’t draw those bits, though, so you’ll have to imagine them. […]
The Very Noisy Baby, Alison Lester (author/illus.), Affirm Press, Nov 2017 Synopsis: Here is the story of a very noisy baby. She could bellow like a buffalo. And roar like a lion. And howl like a wolf for a very long time. The baby loves to make all kinds of sounds. She’s really very loud. […]
It’s time for the annual book selections that topped our ‘favourites list’. The ones that had us rip roaring with giggles, the ones that made our hearts stop beating, and the ones that simply took our breath away. It’s always tough to choose, especially since we literally turn over hundreds of books in a year. […]
Wolfie: An Unlikely Hero, Deborah Abela (author), Connah Brecon (illus.), Random House Australia, 2017 Synopsis: I, The Wolf, am sick of being the bad guy. I’m taking over this book. Dear Readers, Fairytales are nonsense. They’re full of wolves pestering pigs and picking on sweet little girls in red hoods. But I would never do […]
#BraveAndStrongAllDayLong #BooksOnTour #BlogDash #Day2 Welcome back to our sunny blog tour! Here’s our take on this important book with a universal, child-centred appeal. Review: Brave And Strong All Day Long, Elizabeth Cummings (author), Johanna Roberts (illus.), EC, November 2017. Aptly dedicated to those who risk their lives to save others, and to the brave and […]
Do Not Open This Book Again, Andy Lee (author), Heath McKenzie (illustrator), Lake Press, 2017 Do Not Open This Book Again is the sequel to the very popular Do Not Open This Book by comedian Andy Lee. Throughout the first book, the main character, Whizz – an appealing mix of gross and cute – begs […]
#TheHowlingSands #BooksOnTour #BlogBlast #Day1 We’re thrilled to run this blog blast with Karen Hughes and her exciting middle-grade novel, The Howling Sands! We hope you get swept up in the magic with us! 🙂 Kalika Magic: The Howling Sands, Karen Hughes (author), November 2017. Synopsis: One hundred years ago, the mysterious Veladin vanished into the […]
#EsmesWish #BooksOnTour #BlogBlitz #Day4 If you’ve only heard snippets, and rave reviews, of Esme’s Wish, here’s even more of a taste of this powerful tale and beautiful writing; a glimpse into the fantastical world of the mystical creatures of Esperance… Esme stared ahead at the city, desperately hoping it wasn’t just a mirage. From a […]
#EsmesWish #BooksOnTour #BlogBlitz #Day1 Welcome to the blog blitz for Esme’s Wish by Elizabeth Foster, a fantastical mystery for tweens. Thanks for your company! 🐉 🏰 Esme’s Wish, Elizabeth Foster (author), Odyssey Books, 2017. Synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father’s wedding, her protest is dismissed as the actions of a stubborn, selfish […]
Dinner on the Doorstep, Elizabeth Cummings (author), Bronte Goodieson (illustrator), Coogee (publisher), October, 2017 Having a chronically ill parent is an immensely difficult and confusing time for a young child. From deeper issues like the fear of death, to the simple disappointment of not having mum’s home-cooked favourite for dinner, children’s emotional experiences are complex. Dinner […]
