Bernie keeps a sense of control over her life by putting the things in her world into boxes in her mind. She has a school box filled with the classmates, the teacher and school routines and equipment. She has Nanna box filled with the enjoyment of shared times at Nanna's house, nighttime stories and the love of Nanna's dog. She even has boxes for meals - certain things belong in each meal box - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Inevitably there comes a day when her boxes are disrupted. Bernie sees her teacher at the grocery store.  "Bernie did not talk to Miss Williams that day." Mum gives h ..read more

"My name is Hieronymus Finch-Thackeray, and I think you are splendidly suited  to become the 113th assistant librarian. What say you?" You might like to begin here with my previous post about The 113th Assistant Librarian - which I wrote after hearing the author Stuart Wilson and before I read his book almost in one sitting! "My dear boy, books are powerful ... They are more than simple bound pages. Books may record the past, predict the future, or hold the darkest of secrets. At their best they are societal equalisers. At their worst ... well! Words can teach the truth as easily as ..read more

My Strange Shrinking Parents CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2023 IBBY Australia Honour Book How strange to see this in The Guardian - I wonder what made the journalist Angie Schiavone think of this topic? I guess she found the book she shared with a grieving friend A leaf Called Greaf was so perfect it inspired her to dig deeper.  Read more here on the Fremantle Press web page I am glad Angie Schiavone interviewed Rachel Robson from Gleebooks Kids.  She adds some valuable insights into this important topic. The item in the Guardian is organised with headings - grief, love, fe ..read more

This book is very difficult to categorize. On the one hand it is an engrossing story of life during the Iron Age from the first century AD. On the other hand, it this is such a sad and, in some ways, an awful and violent story. It focuses on two characters living during the Iron Age - Estrild and Varick. You are certain to care deeply about these two young friends until the shocking scenes where both adolescents die. But of course, one of them does have to die because this book has begun in modern times when the well-preserved body of a child was found in a peat bog. So, there is the side ..read more

Susan Jeffers Someone asked in a children's book Facebook group for suggestions of books that tell the story of The Nutcracker Ballet. You can read the plot here.  I borrowed a few from a school library. Many of them didn't appeal to me but I do like the work of Jane Ray and Susan Jeffers. Then I did a little digging and found some other gorgeous versions. I won't retell the story here but of course these picture books are all abridged versions of the original novella by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Here are some book covers and you are sure to recognise some of these very famous illustrators ..read more

  The seed grows into a little fir tree. After seven summers a man comes early in Winter and carefully digs up the tiny tree. The tree becomes the focus of their Christmas and brings joy to his young son who is not able to walk or leave his bed.  This pattern continues for several years until one Winter the man does not come. The little fir tree thinks he has been forgotten and then in a beautiful turn of events a group of caroling children arrive and leading the way is the young boy who is now able to walk into the forest to see his special tree. Interspersed throughout the book ..read more

  When you add this book to your family Christmas read aloud tradition I am sure your children will delight over the names of the three boys - Casimir, Isidor and Felix. All three want to please their father so they head into the forest to find a perfect Christmas Tree. But what a disaster. The family do not need three trees.  "Never mind .. why don't you see if you can give your trees away to people who don't have one yet? And when you get back your mother and I will have a surprise waiting for you." So, the boys visit the orphanage but alas they already have a tree. Next stop the ..read more

"Good gravy. What is actually going on here?" "Holy mackerel" Getting kicked out of one orphanage and being sent to another is absolutely the best thing that could ever have happened to Maggie. Yes, I did say the 'best thing'. Sister Immaculata delivers Maggie Fishbone to The Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways and Unwanted Girls.  Maggie's first impression is that this is a thoroughly dreadful place. I have emphasised some of the words in these quotes to give you an idea about this place: "The woman frowned, let them in, the closed the door behind them with a heavy thud." "T ..read more

This book opens with a graceful Blue Whale making a journey from the southern oceans to the warmer waters of the tropics ... "but today something is different. Her heart is slowing down. It is wearing out. It is pumping less and less oxygen to her lungs, brain, and other internal organs. This year she will not make it to the feeding waters in the north. Her vision blurs and darkens. Her breathing slows. Her awareness fades. Her heart quiets and finally stops. This year, this day, this moment, after ninety years of life, as all her living things must do at some point ... she dies." This is ..read more

The Younger Sun Bookshop 26 Murray Street, Yarraville VIC 3013 It is always fun to visit Melbourne and even better when I go to different bookshops and YES of course I did buy a few books - even though I worry about lifting my luggage! Last week I bought these five books. I have read all of them except one: Published in 2019, purchased from The Book Grocer Read my review Published in 2020, purchased from The Younger Sun bookshop Read my review Published in 2024, purchased from Ladyhawke, Ivanhoe Read my review Published in 2024, purchased from Readings Kids  Published in 2 ..read more