Book Review: Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica by Alison Lester & Coral Tulloch

 In Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch take their readers on a fascinating exploration of Antarctica through a specially selected mix of their own and others' work, through the stages from early exploration to present day.

 

 Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Imprint: Children's

Genre: Non Fiction

Pages: 96

RRP: AU$35.00 (hard back)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica is a feast for the eyes as well as the mind. It has been published under Allen & Unwin's Children's imprint and written with ages 8 - 14 in mind however Into the Ice will truly appeal to all ages. I've always had an interest in the early explorers of Antarctica and I love how this book shows the early history and also highlights the beauty and wonder of the continent.

You don't need to have an interest in Antarctica or its history to be captivated by this beautiful hardcover compilation of photos, paintings, sketches and notes from diaries of some of the most noted explorers.

Lester and Tulloch include their own reactions and feelings of awe as they see first-hand the wonder that is Antarctica.

Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica is the perfect coffee table book. A spellbinding book that you will be urged to pick up again and again.

My rating 5 / 5 ❄❄❄❄❄

I recommend Into the Ice for all ages - 96 pages of wonder and awe.

 

 

 

Book Review: The Boab Tree by Helen Milroy

The Boab Tree is a delightful story about friendship and belonging. 

 

 Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 29th October 2024

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 40

RRP: AU$24.99 (hardcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

When a tiny boab nut travels on the back of a bird far from the land of his ancestors he struggles to grow and survive in this unknown ground. Boab knew he had to return to his family. His new friends, the animals of the forest floor, work together to take the little boab tree back to his ancestral home and the land he knows.

 

The Boab Tree is a beautiful story about connection to country and ancestors with memories passed down through generations. This is a story about friends banding together and helping one another.

 

Helen Milroy captures the colours of country in her beautiful, bold double page spreads with text on one page and illustrations on the facing page.

The Boab Tree is an enchanting read-aloud story to share with your child. It would make the perfect bedtime story read over a few nights.

 

My rating 4 / 5 🌴🌴🌴🌴

Recommended age: 6 - 10 years

 

Teaching notes and activities can be found at Fremantle Press.

 https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/the-boab-tree/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Djinang Bonar - Seeing Seasons by Ebony Froome

Djinang Bonar - Seeing Seasons

by

Ebony Froome

illustrated by Leanne Zilm

 

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 1st August 2024

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 32

RRP: AU$24.99 (hardcover)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Djinang Bonar - Seeing Seasons

Discover the six seasons of the Noongar calendar in English and Noongar with emerging First Nations talent Ebony Froome and Leanne Zilm.

 

This beautiful dual language picture book is a gentle reminder to be aware of the environment and look around you to see the changing seasons, and how wildlife and nature herald in each change.

 

Djinang Bonar takes the reader through each season exploring the indicators that announce each change.

Djinang Bonar is a gentle book that teaches children about nature and that the changing of seasons can be seen in everything around them.

 

The exquisite, full colour, double page illustrations inspired by the natural environment of Western Australia are like beautiful paintings and are sure to capture every child's imagination.

Djinang Bonar is the perfect addition to any school library or classroom.

 

My rating 5 / 5 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

Recommended age: 3 - 6 years

 

Teaching notes and activities can be found at Fremantle Press.

 https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/djinang-bonar-seeing-seasons/

 

 

Book Review: South With the Seabirds by Jess McGeachin

 South With the Seabirds

by

Jess McGeachin

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 3rd September 2024

Genre: Non Fiction / Picture Book

Pages: 40

RRP: AU$29.99 (hardback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

 Review: South With the Seabirds

At the moment Jay is really enjoying true stories and stories about penguins. Imagine his delight when we received South with the Seabirds; a true story with penguins!! Wide eyed he asked me if this is a true story. "Yes". "So it really happened." "Yes, a long time ago."

South With the Seabirds, written and illustrated by Jess McGeachin, is the true story of Mary Gillham, Hope MacPherson, Susan Ingham and Isobel Bennett. The first female scientists to join an Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition.

Through simple language and full spread colour illustrations Jess tells the amazing story of these four women who were trailblazers for all women interested in science and the environment. An inspiration to both boys and girls and a reminder to follow your dreams even if the odds are against you.

South With the Seabirds is a fabulous resource for environmental talks for primary aged children. It includes information on the trip from Melbourne to the subantarctic Macquarie Island. The birds, ocean life and land animals of the area are illustrated and labelled.

Through the work of environmentalists Macquarie Island is slowly recovering from the damage caused by introduced species.

There is also a timeline of Macquarie Island, photo and bio of the four female scientists and notes on what young naturalists can do to help heal our world.

My rating 5 / 5 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

Recommended age: 6 -12 years

Book Review: Blink and Glow by Raven Howell

 Blink and Glow

by

Raven Howell

illustrated by Ann Pilicer

Publisher: Tielmour Press

Publication date: 15th July 2024

Genre: Children's picture book

Pages: 36

Price: AU$11.74 (Kindle)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via WOW Blog tour

 

Review: Blink and Glow

Leo and Lilly love to chase fireflies and spend time at the pond. Leo catches a firefly in a jar to take to school. Lilly catches a salamander. As their lights begin to fade both Leo and Lilly soon learn that nature is more beautiful when it is free.

 

Blink and Glow is a delightful children's picture book that is fun to read and also teaches the importance of respecting and caring for nature.

Bugs and insects may be pretty but they need to stay in their natural environment to lead a happy life.

 

After the children free the salamander and firefly Grandma shows them how to make a craft salamander and firefly sun catcher.

This book also has all the details so you can do the crafts with your children.

 

With beautiful double page colour illustrations and only a couple of sentences to each page Blink and Glow is the perfect bedtime read. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎

Recommended age: 3+ years 

 

 

Book Review: Footprint by Phil Cummings

Footprint

by

Phil Cummings

Illustrated by Sally Soweol Han

 

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Children's

Publication date: 27th February 2024

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 24

RRP: $24.99AU (Hard Back)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

Review: Footprint

Footprint is a beautiful reflective picture book teaching children to discover the beauty of the world around them and to care for the environment.

Children will be awed by the charming and detailed illustrations of the delightful fauna and flora that inhabit our world and for parents it's a chance to slow down and reflect on the simple pleasures of life.

Footprint is an enchanting picture book for younger children and older children will understand the message of conservation and caring for the environment behind the lyrical prose.

Sally Soweol Han's mixed media art work is a stunning addition to this contemplative and calming picture book.

 

 My rating 5 / 5 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

Publisher recommended age: 5 - 10 years

My recommended age: 3+ years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Leaf-Light by Trace Balla

Leaf-Light

by

Trace Balla

Publisher:  Allen & Unwin Children's

Publication date: 1st August 2023

Genre: Picture Book / Graphic Novel

Pages: 80

RRP: $27.99AU (hardcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Leaf-Light

 

Leaf-Light is told from the point of view of Miri, a young girl, who lives with her mother on Djaara Country in country Victoria. As Miri plays and explores with her neighbour and friend Wingo they learn about caring for native animals, the environment around them and being part of a community.

Leaf-Light is a stunningly illustrated and gentle graphic novel that empowers children, and adults, to embrace nature and community. The story shows the people, animals and birds living in harmony. Trace Balla encourages the reader to embrace joy from the little things in life, helping one another and spending time to be one with nature as we follow Miri and her friends go about their day playing, watching and learning.

 

There is so much love and detail in this book you could take days and days just going over the detailed illustrations and then come back and still find little things you missed. 

Leaf-Light is a truly special addition to any home library.

Age recommended 8 - 12 years (however suitable for all ages)

5 /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Trace Balla is a well-loved Australian children's book author, illustrator and writer of song lyrics who lives on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. She has won the CBCA Book of the Year Award, the Readings Children's Book Prize, the Wilderness Society's Environment Award for Children's Literature, a Comic Arts Awards of Australia Bronze Ledger, and an Honour Award for the inaugural SCBWI Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards. She has also been shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards (twice), Adelaide Festival Awards for Children's Literature, and ALIA Graphic's Notable Australian Graphic Novel Award.

Book Review: Being Zelda by Russell Irving

 Being Zelda

by

Russell Irving

Publisher: Self Published

Publication date: 24th April 2023

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 42

Source: Courtesy of the author

 

Review: Being Zelda

Russell Irving has written and illustrated a fascinating story about the Mantis shrimp. They can pack a mighty punch and accelerate faster than a bullet.

 

Shrimps, like humans, have different personalities and motivations.

Zelda is outgoing she wants to know what is beyond her burrow. She is curious about the bluefin tuna and the humpback whales. George is an introvert, preferring to stay in his burrow. He helps Zelda to explore the ocean in a safe way.

 

Irving's art is subtle and calming he uses the colours of the ocean floor and the swirling pastels of the coral spawn in his water-wash illustrations.

 

Being Zelda was an enjoyable story about a little adventurous shrimp however I don't think the children understood the concept of the different personalities. I think this needs to be spelt out clearly in the text. 

Being Zelda is a calming nature book that is enjoyable simply for its illustrations of the ocean floor and ocean life.

4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Russell Irving is a contented introvert who enjoys small gatherings, inner reflection and quiet time in nature. He has spent most of his professional life living and working as an environmental manager and educator across regional and remote parts of Australia, including many years working with the Aboriginal Ranger groups and in Indigenous Protected Areas.

These experiences have taught him the calming and healing benefits of spending quiet time in nature, learning to watch, listen and learn.

Book Review: Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon? by Serene Chia

 Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?

by

Serene Chia

illustrated by Sinem Kilic Rabito

 

Publisher: Self published

Publication date: 3rd June 2022

Genre: Picture Book

Pages: 32

Source: courtesy of the author

Review: Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?

The story opens with a full moon outside Kaitlyn's window and she wants to know what it is. Her mother tells her it's the moon. Every night Kaitlyn looks out of her window to find the moon. Sometimes it's hiding behind clouds or peaking between buildings. Sometimes you can't see it at all, but it's still there. 

This is a delightful picture book that follows Kaitlyn and her mum as they observe the changing face of the moon. She also learns about the first moon landing which instills a dream to one day fly to the moon herself. The nightly activity of looking for the moon gives mother and child precious time together.

The explanation of the new moon was a little confusing but with some added information Dot soon understood the concept. We have made our own moon phase sheet and are enjoying filling it out every few nights.

We loved all the details in the illustrations; the beautiful starry nights, the toys on the floor, the little octopus plushy, Kaitlyn running outside with only one shoe on. These are the small things that make up a beautiful, engaging picture book.

Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon? is an endearing illustrated book that is both fun and educational.

Instill a love and wonder for the moon in your child with Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Serene Chia began writing as a way to always hold the memories of spending time with her daughter close. Together they spent countless nights under the stars scanning the skies in what would be the inspiration for Mommy, Mommy, Where is the Moon?

Now a mother of two, Serene spends her free time savoring the perfect cup of coffee while planning family adventures guaranteed to live on long after they end.

You can purchase her books at serenechia.com

 

About the illustrator

 

Sinem Kilic Rabito is from a small town close to Varese in Italy. She has always been an illustrator at heart. From a young age, Sinem was always surrounded by crayons and doodling her own stories. Creating colourful and cute illustrations is her specialty. Her artwork is strongly inspired by nature.

visit her at sinemsimm.com

Book Review: Friendly Bee and friends by Sean E Avery

 Friendly Bee and Friends

by

Sean E Avery

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Publication date: 5th April 2023

Genre: Graphic Novel 

Pages: 160

RRP: $15.99AU (Paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Dot's review of Friendly Bee and Friends

This story is about a bee and wasp and how they became friends. My favourite character was the bee because he was so funny.

I would recommend my friends to read this book because it is about friendship and being kind to everyone even if they are boring or not pretty. I liked that Friendly Bee never gave up on trying to be friends with Angry Wasp.

My favourite parts of the story were when the slightly peckish caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly and when the enormous hairy spider gave Bee and Wasp a new hairdo.
The fact pages on bees, wasps, caterpillars and spiders were interesting. The ending was a big surprise and I liked that Bee’s and Wasp’s problem was solved and everyone became friends.   

 

Dot's rating 5 / 5   🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

My thoughts

Angry Wasp doesn’t want to be friends with Friendly Bee but Bee will not give up, he wants to be friends with everyone. Wasp is trying his best to ignore him but when he sees Bee in a sticky and dangerous situation he can’t turn away. 

 

Angry Wasp is starting to think that Friendly Bee is really quite annoying when he finds himself in a very sticky and dangerous situation of his own and he only has Bee to save him.

 

Friendly Bee is a humorous and cheeky graphic novel starring the funny, hyperactive and overly dramatic friendly Bee and the dour and unfriendly Angry Wasp.

 

A laugh-out-loud story of friendship with fun facts on caterpillars, spiders, bees and wasps.

 

Recommended age 5+

 

 

About the author

 

Sean E Avery is a teacher, writer-illustrator, sculptor and designer born in South Africa; living in Perth, Western Australia. Locally, he’s best known as the writer-illustrator of best-selling children’s picture book, All Monkeys Love Bananas, published by Fremantle Press. His last picture book, Happy as a Hog Out of Mud, won the 2022 WAYRBA Picture Book of the Year Award and his latest book, Frank’s Red Hat, is shortlisted for the 2023 Indie Book of the Year Award and already a hit with kids in Australia, Korea, France and Denmark. Internationally, he’s best known as a sculptor who uses CDs and DVDs to create breathtaking works of art that reside in galleries and private collections all around the world. He is curious, enthusiastic and ready to work hard for the things he believes in.

Book Review: The Bowerbird by Julia Donaldson

 The Bowerbird

by

Julia Donaldson

illustrated by Catherine Rayner

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Imprint: Macmillan Children's Books

Publication date: 28th March 2023

Genre: Picture Book

Pages: 32

RRP: $26.99AU (Hardback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of The Bowerbird

We are big fans of Julia Donaldson's books here at Little Squirrel's Bookshelf and we especially love her nature themed stories.

 

The Bowerbird features Bert, an irresistible little bird with a very big heart. Bert is a bowerbird and he is looking for love. He builds an impressive bower and decorates it with items he finds but he never has enough to attract the bird he has his eye on, the haughty Nanette.

 

 

I love that Julia and Catherine are bringing out books to teach children about nature and the way birds interact with each other. We fell in love with the Go-away bird who was a bit aloof and didn't interact with the other birds only to find that friends can be fun and there for you when you need help. Now we have fallen in love with Bert! He is so sweet and just wants to find a mate. We also learnt a lot about bowerbirds and how they collect things to make their bower pretty. We also meet the cunning Claude who likes to steal items from other bowers.

 

Will Bert find love?

 

Catherine Rayner’s delightful, full spread, watercolour illustrations add an extra visual dimension to this enchanting tale of finding your perfect match.

 

The Bowerbird is an enchanting rhyming story that's a delight to read and engaged the children. It is a wonderful introduction to bowerbirds and nature in general which can be expanded on with some more fact-finding. I was surprised how many different species there are!   

Our rating 5 / 5 🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

We decided to leave some blue objects out to see if we had any bowerbirds in our area.

About the author

Julia Donaldson has written some of the world's best-loved children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, which have sold over 25 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over one hundred languages. Her other books include Room on the Broom, Stick man and Zog, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, The Hospital Dog, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard adventures, illustrated by Lydia Monks.

About the illustrator

Catherine Rayner studied illustration at Edingurgh College of Art and has been short-listed for the prestigious Kate Greenway Medal four times, and won in 2009 for Harris Finds his Feet. In addition to illustrating for other authors such as Michael Bond, Holly Webb and Michael Morpurgo, she has also written her own picture books, including Ernest, Solomon Crocodile, Solomon and Mortimer and Smelly Louie, which won the Peter's Book of the Year award in 2015.