Review: Vivi & Oki: What's That Sound? by Dominika Tomanek

 Vivi & Oki is a new series of board books by Dominika Tomanek created for the very youngest readers. The first book in the series is What's That Sound?

Illustrated by Anna Kalicinska

Publisher: Self Published

Publication date: 2025

Series: Vivi & Oki

Pages: 22

Format: Board book

Source: Courtesy of the author

Babies recognise sounds long before they develop the capacity to vocalise words.

All around us are the sounds of everyday life. As an adult it is easy to block out these background sounds however young minds are attuned to every noise.

My grandson will point to the sky when he hears a plane or say woof woof when a dog barks in the distance. Many times I don't notice these sounds until he brings them to my attention.

Dominika's board book champions these sounds and brings them to life in this gorgeous interactive book.

Follow Vivi and Oki as they go through a day of fun and sounds. From the beep of the alarm that wakes them in the morning, the splash of the waves at the beach, the swoosh of the swing at the park, the vroom of the vacuum cleaner to the flip of the pages of their bedtime book.

What's That Sound? is a wonderful read-aloud book with over 50 sounds for babies to listen to and repeat.

We absolutely love this book with its gorgeous illustrations of everyday family activities and all the sounds that surround us. Being available as a board book is such a bonus as little ones can flip through the pages and connect with the pictures.

Vivi & Oki: What's That Sound? is a book that will grow with your child and help create special moments together as your little one explores and learns new sounds.

My rating 5 / 5  👶👶👶👶👶

Recommended age: 6months - 3years

#viviandoki #boardbook #kidsbookswelove #picturebook #booksfortoddlers #earlylearning #littlesquirrelsbookshelf #ausbookbloggers

Mailbox Monday - 16th February 2026

 

MAILBOX MONDAY

On Mondays I will be posting the new books I have received for review, won and purchased over the previous week / month.

Book for review:

The Fast Lane by Pip Harrry

Published by Larrikin House available from 28th April 2026.

About the book:

Every day, in sunshine or showers,

Daisy swam precisely 100 laps at

her local pool.

When laidback Frank bombs into The Fast lane, speedy lapper Daisy is frustrated by his slow strokes. Will this fiercely competitive piggy find room in her heart (and her lane) for a dawdling frog?

A charming, fun picture book for kids with a competitive side.

My Spinning Anxious Brain by Dani Vee

Published by Larrikin House available from 31st March 2026

About the book:

My Spinning Anxious Brain celebrates the resilience and courage it takes to have anxiety.

A positive story that empowers kids to accept their brains, love who they are and normalise their feelings.

This beautiful picture book explores the challenges of experiencing anxiety while providing strategies to help keep kids calm.

Celebration Festival by Alysia Kelly

Published by Larrikin House on 28th January 2026

About the book:

Evie Loves Celebrating!

This year she's judging the grand Celebration Festival, with her cheeky pup, Biscuit (who does not like fireworks!).

With so many wonderful cultures to learn about and celebrations to discover, how will Evie choose a winner?

Join Evie on her Celebrations adventure as she learns Mandarin, plunges into freezing water and squelches tomatoes!

#thefastlane #myanxiousspinningbrain #celebrationfestival #aussieauthor #reviewbooks #newrelease #picturebooks #ausbookbloggers #bookmail #2026releases 

Review: Being Indy by Zoe Gaetjens

Being Indy is a story of community, acceptance and speaking up.

The concept behind this powerful story is to support and empower children to embrace their individuality and be their true selves.

illustrated by Estee Sarsfield

Publisher: Westwords

Publication date: October 2025

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 40

RRP: $29.95AU (hardcover)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

The Mountain was a fine place and many people wanted to live there but to live on The Mountain new members had to assimilate and be like everyone else.

Percival was the ruler of The Mountain and he had strict rules. 

I loved Estee Sarfield's imagining of the Mountain community as a playgroup which children can easily relate to and imagine that they too would want to play in this playground. The playground community is shown in black and white and any differences in colour.

Indy loved colour but she also wanted to play on The Mountain so she changed herself to fit in with everyone else.

It isn't long before Indy learns that someone must stand up and show their true self and that someone is her. Soon others join her showing their colours.

Percival put his strict rules in place to stop any name calling, finger pointing and bickering but he soon sees that when everyone is allowed to show their differences the community still functions in harmony.

Being Indy is the perfect book for younger children to understand that even though people are different they can still play together in harmony. For older children it is a great opener for discussions on assimilation and acceptance.

Being Indy is a book for our times celebrating our differences rather than covering them up. Being Indy teaches children that it is okay to be yourself.

My rating 4 / 5 🛝🛝🛝🛝

Recommended age: 4+ years

#beingindy #childrenspicturebook #childrensbooksonacceptance

#booksonindividuality #ausbookbloggers #littlesquirrelsbookshelf

Review: A Friend for Hope by Amie White

 A Friend for Hope is a gentle story about new friendships.

illustrated by Olena Oprich

Publisher: Noctilune Publishing

Publication date: 17th July 2025

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 47

Price: $15.39AU (paperback on AmazonAU)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

On first looking at the cover and title you might think that the little girl's name is Hope and she has a dog as a new friend. However on reading the story Zoe is the new friend for Hope the dog. I found this a bit confusing as Hope being in the title of the book you would think she was the main character. 

Zoe is an only child and homeschooled. Her mind often wanders away from her studies as she looks out the window at the other children playing outside.

Her parents realise Zoe may be lonely and as a surprise take her to the animal shelter to choose a dog as a friend.

All the dogs are jumping around and barking but Zoe picks an older dog who is sitting quietly in her kennel. Zoe feels a connection with this dog because she is quiet just like Zoe.

At first Hope didn't move from her corner but Zoe patiently sat by her quietly reading books until Hope felt ready to join her in outside activities.

Olena Oprich's large and bright illustrations are bold and expressive. The facial expressions on the characters tell a story all of their own. I feel like some of the pictures were just too large and close up, like you had to hold the book away.

Amie White has written an engaging story of patience, friendship and a quiet bonding experience through reading.

A Friend for Hope would be an excellent book for a family thinking of adopting a dog from a shelter. Teaching children to be patient while the dog adapts to it's new surroundings.

While younger children accepted the story as is, older children questioned why Zoe wasn't allowed to play with the other children. There was no mention in the story of being new to the area or that she was shy. Another question was why were the children playing outside her window on a school day. 

My rating 3 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐

Recommended age: 3 - 6 years

#afriendforhope #childrenspicturebook #ausbookbloggers #animalrescue #animaladoption #friendship

Review: The Deadly Diamond by Mark Greenwood

 The Deadly Diamond is the fourth book in Mark Greenwood's history hunter series.

Each book in the series delves into an historical mystery that has been left with question marks hanging over the case.

Other books in this series:

The Dragon's Treasure

The Vanishing

The Wonder Horse

" Every year, millions of visitors from across the world visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. They come to gaze upon the world's most notorious diamond. The Hope Diamond is a miracle of nature."

The Deadly Diamond harks back to ancient times. It's 1668 and a blue diamond said to be the all-seeing eye of the temple god is stolen. The Brahmin priests cast a curse forevermore on any mortal who possessed the idol's eye.

The story follows the deadly history of the blue diamond as it has been stolen, sold and resold by thieves, commoners, kings and queens. Cut and reshaped again and again. Some say the curse is real.

Mark Greenwood separates myth from fact in this fascinating investigation into the Hope Diamond's remarkable history. Could the Hope Diamond be the same diamond stolen from the idol's eye centuries ago?

Did the owners of the exquisite blue diamond meet untimely deaths or were they just coincidences that happened to make for captivating newspaper reporting at the time? Mark Greenwood cuts through the sensationalism to deliver the facts.

The story is wonderfully written with the inclusion of photos and sketches to ignite curiosity and inspire discovery.

The Deadly Diamond is a fascinating story that is sure to have readers searching for more information on The Hope Diamond and the people who had it in their possession.

I would have liked more information on the ancient mines and the mining process.

My rating 4 / 5 🔷🔷🔷🔷

Recommended age: 8 - 12 years

Teaching activities and notes can be found at Fremantle Press

https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/the-deadly-diamond/

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 3rd June 2025

Series: History Hunter

Genre: Middle Grade / Non Fiction

Pages: 112

RRP: $14.99AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: Oliver and the Twisting Tornado by Chrissy Hobbs & Ben Jackson

 Oliver and the Twisting Tornado, Chrissy Hobbs and Ben Jackson's second book in their Navigating Natural Disasters series, is another thoughtfully written and informative picture book which would make a wonderful resource for both caregivers and teachers of young children aged 5 - 10 years.

Illustrated by Tanya Zeinlova

Publisher: Indie Publishing Group

Publication date: 9th July 2025

Series: Navigating Natural Disasters #2

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 34

Source: eCopy courtesy of the authors

Oliver and the Twisting Tornado was written to help children manage storm-related anxiety and feel confident taking action.

The story explains the difference between a watch alert, a warning alert and an emergency alert. All explained in simple language that children will understand.

Tanya Zeinlova's realistic sketched illustrations depict familiar objects around a family home which enables children to connect with the story on a familiarity level.

Full double page colour spreads follow the story step by step as the children prepare for the weather event, enter the shelter and then exit when the tornado has passed making it easy to follow the line of the story even for children who cannot as yet read.

Understanding what is going to happen helps to keep children calm.

I loved that the story ended with the town coming together to help clean up with people from out of town also offering a helping hand.

The certificate for, reading and learning about tornado safety, in the back of the book is a fun extra to use in an educational environment with everyone receiving a certificate.

A checklist of what to do to prepare for a weather event is also included which would be ideal to have handy for an anxious child.

Oliver and the Twisting Tornado is a gentle and sensitive picture book that encourages confidence and resilience in the face of adversity.

My rating 5 / 5 🌪🌪🌪🌪🌪

Recommended age: 5 - 10 years

My review of Max and the Mighty Hurricane

#oliverandthetwistingtornado #childrenspicturebook #ausbookbloggers #earlylearning #childrensbooksonnaturaldisasters 

Mailbox Monday - Sat 17th January 2026

MAILBOX MONDAY

On Mondays (yes, I know it's Saturday but let's not let that little detail get in the way of a good post title) I will be posting the new books I have received for review, won and purchased over the previous week/ month.

The Midnight Chew by Sally Morgan

About the book: 

In this fun, canine adventure, Boofa Boy Jones and Skippy Gillespie must learn the importance of sharing.

When Boofa Boy Jones steals Skippy Gillespie’s very big bone, a marvellous doggy race ensues. All through the night the pair run through the suburban streets from the doggy dump to the dog park and home again. But who will win the mighty bone, and will they feast all alone?

Archie the Amazing Axolotl by Lana Johnson

About the book:

Archie is a pink axolotl who lives in the shimmering waters of Wiggle Bottom Lagoon. He's full of energy, creativity, and ideas, so many ideas. He loves to build things out of pebbles and pondweed, and sometimes he blurts out his thoughts before he's even finished thinking them. But oh, the brilliance that lives in Archie's mind.

The Pout Pout Fish Movie Storybook

About the book:

The Pout-Pout Fish is a glum, gloomy swimmer who doesn't quite fit in . . . But maybe he hasn't gone on the right adventure yet! Swim along with Mr. Fish as he discovers new places and meets new friends. Turns out being pouty isn't really his destiny. It's much easier to find the courage to be yourself with friends by your side.

The movie tie-in edition of the New York Times bestselling, blockbuster sensation The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna features new characters and many fin-tastic surprises.

Vivi & Oki: What's That Sound by Domonika Tomanek

About the book:

As the first book in the Vivi and Oki series it gently introduces early sounds to help your baby begin connecting sounds with words.

Whether you're snuggling up at home or reading on the go, make story time playful and fun.

A Friend for Hope by Amie White

About the book:

Nine-year-old Zoe Meadows is the new kid in Ivy Creek. For homeschooled Zoe, every day starts the same: breakfast, then to the living room where Miss Ellis awaits. Only today, Zoe can’t focus—not when she notices neighborhood children playing outside, children she’s yet to meet.

Watching all this unfold, Zoe’s parents decide it’s time for a companion—the furry kind, to be precise. Everything changes when Zoe meets Hope at the dog shelter for the first time. The two girls form an inseparable bond over the following months and find in each other the one thing they both craved for a long, long time: a forever friend.


#themidnightchew #archietheamazingaxolotl #thepoutpoutfish #viviandokiwhatsthatsound #afriendforhope #picturebooks #bookmail #australianauthor #ausbookbloggers #friendship #sharing #earlylearning