Monday, 12 December 2022

Book Review: Buddha and the Rose by Mallika Chopra

 

Title: Buddha and the Rose
Author: Mallika Chopra
Illustrator: Neha Rawat
Publisher: Hachette Aus
Imprint: Running Press Kids
Publication date:13th December 2022
Genre: Children's Picture Book
 Pages: 32
RRP: $24.99AUD (Hardcover)
Source: Pacific and Court
 
 
My review of Buddha and the Rose
 
Buddha and the Rose is a retelling of the myth of Buddha and a simple rose. Told by Sujata a milk maid who brought food to Buddha to break his fast.
 
This is a simple and calming story reminding us to stop and see the world in all its wonder.
In our busy everyday lives this is a poignant reminder for both adults and children to stop listen and really see the world.

Beautifully illustrated with calm yet vibrant water colour pictures that give an uncluttered feel whilst also showing tiny elements of the life around us. Butterflies flitting, bees , stars and birds; there is a quiet joy in the pictures and simple dialogue that evokes a mood of serenity.

Buddha and the Rose is the perfect book for parents and children to slow down and reflect on the simple pleasures in life.
 
Ages 4 - 8 years

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Mallika Chopra is a mum, media entrepreneur, author, and public speaker. She is the author of the Just Be series, which includes Just Breathe: Meditation, Mindfulness, Movement and More, Just Feel: How To Be Stronger, Happier, Healthier and More, and Just Be You: Ask Questions, Set Intentions, Be Your Special Self, and More, and My Body is a Rainbow: The Color of My Feelings, her first picture book. In September, she’ll release Buddha and the Rose.

In Living With Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace and Joy, Mallika shares insights she gained while seeking meaning and balance as a mom and entrepreneur who felt she was overwhelmed by work, family, and too many responsibilities.

Mallika has taught meditation to thousands of people and is currently a mindfulness consultant for the animated series, Stillwater, on Apple TV+, which recently premiered its second season. She enjoys speaking to audiences around the world about intention, balance, and living a life of purpose.


About the illustrator

Neha Rawat is a children's book illustrator from India and the grand prize winner of the SCBWI Summer Spectacular Portfolio Showcase 2020. She worked as a software engineer for five years before freelancing as an artist creating personalized illustrations, comics, and merchandise. She eventually realized her love for children's books and storytelling through art. In her spare time, Neha can be found cuddling dogs, doing yoga, and being around nature. 
 

Friday, 25 November 2022

Book Review: The Adventures of Cargo the Army Truck - Cargo Gets a New Job!

 The Adventures of Cargo the Army Truck
Cargo Gets a New Job!
by
Paul Dekmetzian

 
Title: The Adventures of Cargo the Army Truck: Cargo Gets a New Job!
Series: The Adventures of Cargo #1
Publisher: Self Published
Publication date: 8th March 2022 
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Pages: 26
Format: Paperback 
Source: Courtesy of the author
 
 
My review of Cargo Gets a New Job!
 
If your child loves everything cars and trucks they are going to love Cargo the Army Truck.
 
Paul Dekmetzian has delivered a truly delightful and engaging series for young truck enthusiasts. In book one we are introduced to Cargo and how he worked as an army truck until he was retired. 
 

 
He was then bought by Billy and they delivered supplies to people in remote areas in outback Australia. Cargo and Billy could always be counted on to get the supplies to the people who needed them. 
 

 
When Billy retires Cargo meets is next owner, Paul.
 
We all loved this book and can't wait to start book 2 to see what adventures Cargo and Paul will have.
The stories are narrated by Cargo which makes him appear larger than life with a real personality of his own, strong and proud of the job he does to help people in remote localities.
 
I could see this story as an on screen cartoon series the likes of Roary the Racing car, Finley the Fire Engine or Tayo the Little Bus. Cargo had the same fun life-like feel as these types of shows. 
Beautifully illustrated with full colour spreads and an engaging storyline based on a true story. Cargo Gets a New Job! is sure to appeal to all little car and truck enthusiasts.
 
You can buy the book on Amazon
There is also a matching colouring-in book!

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
About the author
 
Paul Dekmetzian lives in Melbourne, Australia. Between 1973 and 1981, he was engaged with the Australian Army, first as a School Cadet and then as a young Private at Monash University Regiment. This involvement sparked the interest of a lifetime.
 
 As the grandfather of eleven and an active member of the Victorian Military Vehicle Corps (VMVC), Paul has witnessed firsthand how excited people of all ages get when they see these historic vehicles, both on the road and on display.
He believes that the positive effect of engaging with this history should not be underestimated and hopes that The Adventures of Cargo the Army Truck will ignite the curiosity of a new generation of Australians.
 

Wednesday, 9 November 2022

Book Review: The Lolly Shop #3 - Calm Before the Snow

 
Title: Calm Before the Snow
Author: L,B & E Hackney
Series: The Lolly Shop #3
Publisher: Self Published
Publication date: 25th July 2022
Genre: First Chapter Book
Pages: 170
Format: Paperback
Source: Courtesy of the author
 

My review of Calm Before the Snow 

Calm Before the Snow is the third book in The Lolly Shop series and what a fun read it is!

The series is set in Queensland, Australia and Bax and Ethan are hoping it give the town snow for Christmas. Dex the bilby is trying to think of ways to stop Vulpes destroying the bilby habitat in the alternate world of Nochternelle. He uses a portal to visit the boys for help.

Calm before the Snow would have to be my favourite book in the series, although Dot loves them all.
Bax and Ethan are back to making more magical treats after the big break in from book 2.
There are are treats to give your pets so they can talk. Who wouldn't like to know what their pet is thinking! This made for some humorous moments that caused us all to chuckle.

Along with all the fun there are ecological themes such as sustainability, regeneration, protection and growth of native species, plus the danger of introduced species killing native animals and destroying the eco-system of the area.

Calm Before the Snow is a fun story with an engaging plot sure to be enjoyed by the 6 to 10 years age group.

my rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐



 
 

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Book Review: Lego City Building Site

 Lego City Building Site
 
A Push, Pull and Slide Book
 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Publication date: 10th August 2021
Genre: Children's Educational
Pages: 8
RRP: $9.99AU
Format: Boardbook
Source: Own purchase 

Our review of Lego City Building Site
 
Everybody get to work - let's knock down that wall.
 
Join the construction crew as they demolish the old building, clear the rubble and start on a new buiding.
 
What can it be? 
 
Work the cement mixer, clear the rubble and lift the heavy doors.
 
Turn the page to reveal what the workers are building!
 
Lego City Building Site is another hands on book for toddlers, rich in imaginative play and themes of working together. We loved matching the Lego pieces and making our own building site.
 
⬇️⬆️➡️⬅️ With tabs to push, pull and slide on every page it’s a fun way to enhance motor skills, develop hand-eye coordination and grow the imagination.  
 
Made in hardy board format with thick pages and tabs that won't easily be torn or ripped out ensuring hours and hours of play.

The Lego City is a fabulous collection of books and we are eager  to collect the whole series.
 

Recommended age - 18months to 5 years

Our rating 5 / 5 👷👷👷👷👷
 
 

Wednesday, 2 November 2022

Book Review: Runt by Craig Silvey

Runt
by
Craig Silvey 
 
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Publication date: 5th October 2022
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Pages: 352
RRP: $19.99AU Hardback
Source: Won - uncorrected proof

My review of Runt

Annie Shearer is 11 years old. She likes to fix things just like her grandpa Wally Shearer. The people of Upson Downs think it's weird that Annie wears a leather tool belt wherever she goes but Annie finds it very useful. Annie connects with a stray dog everyone calls Runt and the two become inseparable.

Runt is small but fast, and an expert at rounding up sheep. When Annie sees a dog agility competition with prize money she pictures it as a way to fix all her family's problems. But first she will have to fix Runt as he refuses to perform in front of a crowd.

Runt is a heartwarming story filled with humour and love. Craig Silvey gives his readers messages of being yourself, living with kindness, staying optimistic, accepting people (and dogs) how they are and not having to fix everything around you.

Annie and her family are characters you will want to cheer for. They try their best at all they do and sometimes fail but never give up. Brother Max is a Youtubing dare devil, mum loves to cook, quite often with disastrous results and dad Bryan has a secret project in his shed.

I can see Runt on the big screen with its larger than life characters to cheer for and dastardly villains to boo. Silvey has produced two almost comical villains. Earl Robert Barren is buying up the town and he has his eye on the Shearer farm. Fergus Fink is out to win the dog agility competition and he's not adverse to cheating.

Runt is an outstanding story, perfect for fans of Babe and Matilda. With its simple prose and uncomplicated plot it is suitable for the younger middle grade reader aged 6 - 10.
Adult readers will enjoy the themes of family, community and kindness. Runt is a pleasurable escape for all readers.
 
My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐


About the author
 
Craig Silvey is an author and screenwriter from Fremantle, Western Australia.
His critically acclaimed debut novel, Rhubarb, was published in 2004. His bestselling second novel, Jasper Joneswas the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year for 2010.

His third novel, Honeybee, published in 2020, is an award-winning bestseller. Honeybee was the 2020 Dymocks Book Of The Year, won the Indie Book Award for Best Fiction, and was shortlisted for both the Literary Fiction Book of the Year at the 2021 ABIA Awards and the Adult Fiction Book of the Year at the ABA Booksellers’ Choice Awards. In 2022, Honeybee was voted Number 1 in the Better Reading Top 100.

Runt is his first novel for Younger Readers. 
 

 
 

Wednesday, 12 October 2022

Book Review: Make Tracks - Cars by Johnny Dyrander

 Make Tracks: Cars
by
Johnny Dyrander
 
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Publication date: 2nd August 2022
Series: Make Tracks #4 
Pages: 10
RRP: $19.99
Format read: Boardbook 
Source: Courtesy of the publisher 

My review of Make Tracks: Cars

Jay loves this fun board book that helps build hand eye coordination

This sturdy board book features five different styles of cars and each car has their own track and tiny car counter that you can manoeuvre around the track. Stop at the crossings, drive around the winding road, race around the track, drive a four wheel drive around the muddy lake and catch a taxi into the airport.

Each car has a large glossy picture with all their features labeled. 
 
This will be a much loved book by any little car enthusiast. 
 
My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 
Recommended age: 2+ 

About the author

Johnny Dyrander is an illustrator based in Stockholm, Sweden. He was born and raised above the Arctic circle in northern Sweden and grew up surrounded by reindeer and northern light. He moved to Stockholm in his early twenties and began studying at various art schools. He's been working as an illustrator since he finished his studies at the University College of Arts, Crafts & Design in Stockholm.

When he's not spending time in his office illustrating, Johnny likes to travel, spend time with his family or drive down to his house in southern Sweden, pick up a hammer and saw and pretend to be a carpenter. He builds things in wood with quite mixed results.
 
 

Tuesday, 11 October 2022

Book Review: Hockey Wars by Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

 Hockey Wars
by
Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson

Publisher: Indie Publishing Group 
 
Publication date: 12th September 2018
 
Genre: Middle Grade
 
Series: Hockey Wars #1 
 
Pages: 128
 
Format read: Paperback
 
Source: Courtesy of Author Services Australia 
 
My review of Hockey Wars
 
Hockey Wars is an enjoyable Middle-Grade read focusing on friendship and sportsmanship that is sure to leave the reader smiling.
 
Millie and Cameron have been life-long friends, attending the same school and playing on the same hockey team, but when Millie decides to start an all-girls team a rift begins to form in the friendship starting a rivalry between the boys and the girls.
 
I liked this fun story about a feud between the girls team, the Hurricanes, and the boys team, the Lightning, over who gets to use the practice pond after school.
In this first book we are introduced to the main characters, eight boys and eight girls in 4th Grade at Dakota Elementary School. It was good getting to know each characters' quirks and how they felt about the feud.
 
The story was fast paced and I was eager to find out how, or if, Cameron and Millie would become friends again.
 
Ice hockey is not a huge sport in Australia with many of our rinks closing over the years however the themes of co-ed sports and girls versus boys are relatable to any sport.
Being in the stands at ice hockey games for many years I understood and had a laugh at the hockey puns on the girls t-shirts.
 
Hockey Wars has relatable themes of competitiveness, friendship, first crushes, teamwork and having the courage to say you're sorry.
 
Recommended age 8+
 
My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purchase the book on Amazon
 
 
About the authors 
 
Ben Jackson was born in Tasmania, Australia, and is a successful indie author that has been writing for over four years. Ben is married to Sam Lawrence, and together they specialize in self-publishing children's books.

They have been married for several years and have traveled together between Australia and Canada. Ben is also a freelance writer that specializes in writing website content for businesses and a wide variety of different articles.

They have published a series of children's books called My Little Fart and Hockey Wars, as well as If I Was A Caterpillar and several other non-fiction books. 
 
 
 
 
 

Book Review: The Backyard Games by Alister Nicholson

In The Backyard Games you can join in with the neighbourhood kids as they organise their own Olympic Games with lots of friendly competitio...