Kids do all sorts of things to our hearts, and this is the concept My Heart by Katrina McKelvey and Deb Hudson explores. When I found out you were coming … my heart glowed. When we shared our first snuggle … my heart melted. From birth through the toddler years and all the way up to the first day of school, this heart-warming picture book explores that loving connection between mum and child that grows as kids do. McKelvey pours her whole heart into this story, creating a wonderful book for the younglings as well as a story for older kids to explore when their older, to learn about their ..read more

Mia and her family live above their fruit shop. Their extended family are always around with lots of Greek food at the centre of their gatherings.  Mia loves to sing, dance, and entertain at every opportunity. She is excited because her stylish, beloved aunty - theia Athina who lives in Paris, is coming to visit. (Mia is her theia’s ‘one’ and ‘only’. That’s what her name means in Greek). The family is preparing a party to welcome her, with lots of traditional food. Cyprus haloumi is at the top of the list. At school, Mia’s drama teacher takes the class to see a play starring her favouri ..read more

Fear not, you are not seeing double. We are super excited to introduce another new Junior Reviewer into our illustrious KBR family.  Last week we met the delightful, Elle Freestone. Now it's time to put your hands together for the utterly fearless and fabulous, Asha Freestone.  Like her sister, Asha will be sharing her enthusiastic love of all things literary with us in the months to come.  We simply can't wait to read more, Asha! Meanwhile, welcome! Discover more about Asha via her 12 Curlies, below. 1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you. I can recite the alpha ..read more

One of the first things that is apparent with this stunning picture book, is the slightly subdued nature of the divine illustrations. Set on a rainy day, these pencil drawings are anything but gloomy – rather, they have an air of magic and mystery about them. Indeed, they are totally compelling in all the best ways. Reena hates rainy days. She hates the way the dark clouds make everything look so dull. Rekha loves rainy days. She loves the way the rain makes the earth smell. These sisters are utterly adorable, and when Rekha drags Reena outside to catch a glimpse of an amazing rainbow in the ..read more

It’s hard not to wonder, with the visual riot and chaos of cooking pancakes in this fabulous book, whether there have been spies in my household for years... Sautrday is Pancake Day is a gorgeous, messy and delectable (I use that word loosely) rendition of a family tradition taken to extremes. The huge pancake on the cover is tactile with those little holes that signify the very best of pancake-dom. Fancy. Milo makes the best pancakes, but today, Henry doesn’t feel like them. What? Why? Who in their right mind doesn’t like pancakes? This book sets out to explore all of the best things th ..read more

Name: Blithe Fielden Describe your illustration style in ten words or less. Fun, playful, colourful, scribbly, imaginative, narrative, child-like, nostalgic What items are an essential part of your creative space? If there is one thing I have learnt since my move from England to Australia 18 months ago, it is that it's possible to work almost anywhere as an illustrator. As long as I have a sketchbook on hand, a pencil case filled with an assortment of colourful pencils and somewhere to sit down - whether that is a table in a park, a blanket on the grass or a bench in the city, I can happily ..read more

Move over MacGyver, there’s a new Queen of Improv in town and her name is Miss Weatherby; that’s Winnie to you and I.  Young teen, Winnie rocks as an inventeress. Yes, the gender specification is acceptable because the time period Winifred rocks in is the late 1800s as in the latter part of Queen Victoria’s reign, which adds a delicious extra layer of richness to Alison Stegert’s first middle grade fiction, Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies. This astoundingly long-titled novel is an extravaganza of remarkable indeed. An exciting mash-up of Nancy Drew come Famous Five sporti ..read more

A touching story based on the author’s real-life, features Natasha, a Jamaican teen facing imminent deportation in the next 24 hours, and Daniel, who has been living in the shadow of his older brother his entire life.  When they cross paths at a bookstore, neither of them knows that this is the start of a unique and heartwarming love story. Both Natasha and Daniel have their own demons to fight, with each of them living in homes that feel broken as they dream of a way to escape their reality.  Ironically, 'dream' is not a word in Natasha’s vocabulary as she only sticks to the facts ..read more

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you. Waddling around the north end of Albert Park Lake are a pair of black-and-white ducks. I am obsessed with watching them and how in-sync they are. 2. What is your nickname? Abro, or as my high school jumper had embossed FABROLOUS. 3. What is your greatest fear?Snakes - yikes! Or, not having access to a waterway for an indefinite period of time. I need my oceanic fix. 4. Describe your writing style in 10 words. Whimsical, heartfelt and harvested by metaphors of the natural world. 5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a write ..read more

The images in The Bird Art of William T. Cooper are of immense beauty.  They are accompanied by valuable information on bird life.   The text is presented by his wife, Wendy Cooper, botanist, author, and explorer. This is a companion volume to The Botanical Art of William T. Cooper, and is made up mostly of unpublished artwork, with a few exceptions. A stunning collection, the book is perfect for older children interested in learning about Australian and other magnificent birds and the areas that they frequent. During his earlier years as an artist, Cooper painted mainly landscapes ..read more