Thelma, the pony who wished to become a unicorn in the eponymously-named picture book, Thelma the Unicorn, only to discover that she missed her frThelma, the pony who wished to become a unicorn in the eponymously-named picture book, Thelma the Unicorn, only to discover that she missed her friend Otis and her home pasture, returns in this follow-up adventure. As the world mourns the loss of its unicorn star, Otis urges Thelma to return to her public life, and to once again become a unicorn—doing good, and spreading joy. After all, whatever the haters might say, the world needs its unicorns...
I always enjoy Australian author/illustrator Aaron Blabey's books, whether that be his picture books about that disreputable pug, Pig, or his beginning chapter-book/graphic novels about The Bad Guys, and The Return of Thelma the Unicorn was no exception. I don't think it was quite the equal of the first book, which I thought was a little more appealing, due to its message about being yourself, but it was still quite entertaining, pairing a fun and immensely readable narrative in rhyme with bright, colorful artwork that captures the humor of the story. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed the first book about Thelma....more
From stardust to stardust, the narrative of a life is spun out in Australian author/illustrator team Mem Fox and Freya Blackwood's picture book, The TFrom stardust to stardust, the narrative of a life is spun out in Australian author/illustrator team Mem Fox and Freya Blackwood's picture book, The Tiny Star. Falling to earth one night, a star takes the shape of a tiny baby, is adopted by loving parents, leads a full, long and loving life surrounded by relatives and friends, before passing away—back into stardom. Shining from the celestial heavens, the star gives comfort to the loved ones left behind...
When I first happened upon this book at my public library, I mistook it for a Christmas title for some reason. I'm trying to recall whether it had been mistakenly placed on the Christmas display—I think it had been, but couldn't swear to it. In any case, being on the hunt for new and new-to-me Christmas books, and being a devoted admirer of Freya Blackwood's artwork, I immediately snatched it up and brought it home. I was not all that dismayed to find it wasn't a Christmas story (Freya Blackwood, after all), and was intrigued by the idea of a star living out the life of a human. It brought back memories of my college astronomy class, and the time my professor informed we students that the old hippie belief in humanity being nothing but stardust was in fact scientifically sound, as every atom that goes to make up our world, and us, comes from massive stellar explosions in the cosmic prehistory of our area of the universe.
In any case, I certainly didn't approach this one with anything other than a pleasant expectation of enjoyment, given my fondness for the illustrator, and the fact that author Mem Fox is a titan in children's literature, both Australian and global. Unfortunately, despite all this, The Tiny Star was a miss for me. I found the narrative unconvincing, and even unmoving. Many other online reviewers apparently found it emotionally resonant, and quite poignant, and I can certainly see that this narrative of the seasons of life might evoke such feelings. For me however, I kept expecting there to be something more meaningful, some insight that a star living as a human would give us—something more than just the idea of a long life well-lived, and well-loved. I found myself thinking of Kurt Vonnegut's most unusual Nativity Story, Sun Moon Star, in which the creator of the universe finds himself in a baby's body, and must see the universe in a different way. Here there is none of that—no sense of how the star perceives the world and the cosmos, now that it has become flesh. I also found myself thinking of Marion Dane Bauer's magisterial The Stuff of Stars, in which the author constructs a story beginning with the birth of the universe and concluding with the birth of a baby made of stardust. There the link to stars is deeply meaningful, tying the infinitesimal smallness of a human to the great scope of the cosmos, but here it feels incidental. The human who comes from a star in this story is referred to as "it" throughout, constantly reminding the reader that "it" is a star in human shape, rather than a human (a person, not an object) made of stars. As if to emphasize the star-ness of this person, "it" returns to the heavens after death, leaving no mortal remains, and resuming its status as a star. It is a reversal of the idea of people being made from stardust, and in turn making other stardust creatures and objects, when their bodies return to their constituent elements.
Reactions will vary of course, and some will (and have) found this one meaningful, where I have not. That said, I was so repelled by this book, so unexpectedly put off by the narrative, that I might have given it a two-star rating, were it not for Blackwood's lovely illustrations, which depict a loving, diverse family. Her artwork is always worth the price of entry, so I'm not sorry to have read this one, but I don't really recommend it. Seek out the Bauer, if you are looking for a truly meaningful cosmological baby book, and the Vonnegut, if you want a story about the ties between divinity and humanity....more
When Itchy Witchy sneezes she causes all kinds of mayhem in this rhyming early reader from the Sunshine Reading Series, originally produced by the AusWhen Itchy Witchy sneezes she causes all kinds of mayhem in this rhyming early reader from the Sunshine Reading Series, originally produced by the Australian educational publisher, Sunshine Books. From the cat to the mouse, the garden to the house, the clouds and the rain, and then all back again—Itchy Witch's sneezes have a powerful effect...
A brief eight pages, this early reader has only thirty-nine words (forty-three if you count the title), and is considered part of Level C, when it comes to the Sunshine Reading Series. Despite its brevity, and its intended use in reading acquisition, it is actually quite well written, with a nice rhythm and rhyme. I finished it wishing there were more to it—a testament to New Zealand author Joy Cowley's skills as a writer. The accompanying artwork by Wendy Hodder, who also illustrated Trouble on the Bus, Margaret Mahy's own witchy contribution to the Sunshine Reading Series, is colorful and quirky. Recommended to reading teachers, for use with their beginning readers who enjoy witchy fare....more
Aunty Joy Murphy, an elder and storyteller of the Aboriginal Wurundjeri people of Australia's Yarra (Birrarung) River Valley, introduces readers to thAunty Joy Murphy, an elder and storyteller of the Aboriginal Wurundjeri people of Australia's Yarra (Birrarung) River Valley, introduces readers to the traditional welcome ceremony of her people in this lovely picture-book. The words of welcome themselves are presented in both Woiwurrung and English - "Wominjeka Wurundjeri balluk yearman koondee bik. Welcome to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people" - and the narrative then proceeds to describe some of the traditional Wurundjeri beliefs about their place in the world, and how they should live. Mention is made of their creator spirit, Bunjil the eagle, and his role in making the world. The book comes full circle by the end, reiterating the welcome expressed at the beginning...
Published in 2016 in Australia as Welcome to Country, and here in the United States in 2018 as Welcome to Country: A Traditional Aboriginal Ceremony, this was the debut picture-book of Aunty Joy Murphy, and was followed in 2019 by Birrarung Wilam: A Story from Aboriginal Australia. I happened to read that subsequent book first, and finding it so lovely, decided to track down this earlier title. I'm certainly glad that I did, as I found the narrative here fascinating, and the accompanying artwork from Lisa Kennedy - an illustrator of Aboriginal Trawlwoolway descent, who also worked with Murphy on Birrarung Wilam - absolutely lovely. If I had any criticism to make of the book, it would be that I think it should have been fully bilingual, rather than confining the Woiwurrung text to the beginning and end of the book. As I mentioned in my review of Birrarung Wilam, I find the few Woiwurrung words I have learned thus far lovely - I really enjoy the sound of them! - and would appreciate the inclusion of even more. That said, this was still an engaging, lovely look at an Aboriginal people most likely unfamiliar to most American audiences. Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy learning about new places and peoples, or who are seeking authentic stories from an Aboriginal Australian perspective....more
Aunty Joy Murphy, an elder and storyteller of the Aboriginal Wurundjeri people, joins with Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly and illustrator Lisa KennedyAunty Joy Murphy, an elder and storyteller of the Aboriginal Wurundjeri people, joins with Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly and illustrator Lisa Kennedy, a descendant of Tasmania's Trawlwoolway people, to tell the story of the Birrarung, or Yarra River, in this gorgeous picture-book from Australia. From its source upcountry, in the yerin (bush), where parnmin (rain) falls on the djerung (leaves), and then gathers into a yaluk (creek), the Birrarung flows across the country, providing a wilam (home) to many animals - the boroin (superb fairy-wren), yanggai (black cockatoo), marram and murrum (kangaroo and joey), dulai-wurrung (platypus), waa (raven), warin (wombat), tadjerri (sugar glider possum), bathmu (duck), boggon (water rat) and wadjil (pelican) - before reaching its destination, and joining palem warreen (salty waters). Overseeing it all is ngua (the sun) and Bunjil, the eagle that is the creator spirit of the Wurundjeri people...
Originally published in Australia as Wilam: A Birrarung Story, and then in the United States as Birrarung Wilam: A Story from Aboriginal Australia, this superbly beautiful picture-book pairs an engaging and information narrative with breathtakingly gorgeous artwork. I liked the fact that the main text used Woiwurrung words - Woiwurrung is a language spoken by a number of related tribes, the Wurundjeri amongst them, whose traditional territory was in central Victoria - and that the words were defined at the rear, in a glossary. I also liked the glossary itself, which was arranged by order of appearance in the story, rather than alphabetically, and which was divided into separate sections for each page of the book, with a miniature picture of that page above each list of words. The narrative is educational, not just about the Birrarung (Yarra) River and the many animals that live on or near it, but because it teaches some Woiwurrung vocabulary. I always appreciate learning bits of new languages in this way, but I thought the Woiwurrung words were particularly lovely - Bunjil, tadjeiri, wadjil - and I enjoyed sounding them out. Lisa Kennedy's illustrations, done in acrylic, are a pure pleasure to peruse, utilizing a vibrantly colorful palette and beautifully stylized folk-art motifs.
This was just a wonderful book, and I thank the friend - thank you, Kathryn! - who recommend it to me. I will definitely be seeking out Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy's other collaboration, Welcome To Country. Highly recommended to all picture-book readers who enjoy stories about the natural world, or learning about new places and peoples. Also recommended to anyone seeking authentic stories from an Aboriginal Australian perspective....more
A young Ghanaian girl listens to her mother's stories of the fine house where she once lived, at the mouth of the river running through their inland vA young Ghanaian girl listens to her mother's stories of the fine house where she once lived, at the mouth of the river running through their inland village. When sickness comes and kills her parents, the girl sets out for the coast, hoping to find a home with her mother's family. What she finds instead are aunts who take her in, but only as an overworked and abused house servant, rather than as a niece. Late one night, as the girl wanders along the shore, hoping to collect the shells necessary to recreate her mother's necklace, stolen from her along with all of her other possessions, she meets Mami Wata - the Water Mother. Moved by the girl's suffering, this goddess has come to offer her a different life under the sea...
Although the edition of Mami Wata that I read was published in Ontario, Canada, the book is originally from Australia, and belongs to the five-volume Women of Myths & Legends series, along with such titles as Deirdre of the Sorrows and Xochiquetzal. The narrative from co-authors Kath Lock and Frances Kelly is engaging, and the accompanying artwork from Mary Mayberry colorful and expressive. I've been looking for folktale retellings featuring Mami Wata, ever since encountering her as a character, in Tracey Baptiste's children's fantasy novel, Rise of the Jumbies. My understanding is that she is a water goddess figure revered in many West African cultures. This title offers a (possible) retelling of a Ghanaian story, whereas Virginia Castleman's Mommi Watta: Spirit of the River presents a retelling of a Liberian tale. Unfortunately, there is no additional information here, about the source material that the co-authors used, nor any discussion of the figure, and her appearance in Ghanaian or any other culture. Even the description of this as a Ghanaian tale is vague, as no mention is made of specific ethnic or tribal group. I am glad to have read this one, given the dearth of stories available in print, about this important West African deity, but I was disappointed in the absence of any additional information about the tale. With the caveat that readers be aware of this flaw, this is one I would recommend to young folklore enthusiasts....more
When Clancy moves from his old house - a small, cozy bungalow - to his new house - a tall, urban townhouse - he does not share his parents' enthusiasmWhen Clancy moves from his old house - a small, cozy bungalow - to his new house - a tall, urban townhouse - he does not share his parents' enthusiasm for this new abode. Everything seems too big to him, and he thinks longingly of the spaces in his old home that made him feel safe and comfortable. Eventually going outside, he begins to play with some of the empty boxes left over from the move, and encounters Millie, the girl from next door, who introduces herself and asks to join his game. As the two play make-believe, Clancy forgets to be unhappy, and begins to adjust to the idea of this being his new home...
Talented Australian author/illustrator team Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood, who have also collaborated on such titles as Half A World Away (originally Amy & Louis in Australia), Look, a Book!, and many other titles, join forces again in Clancy & Millie and the Very Fine House. A sensitive examination of the emotional difficulties involved in moving house, it presents a hopeful vision of that experience, emphasizing the opportunity for new friendships and experiences, as exemplified by Clancy's games of make-believe with Millie. I like stories that emphasize the inner resources of the child, and Gleeson's tale here does just that. The accompanying artwork from Blackwood, who is one of my favorite contemporary Australian illustrators, is charming, and is particularly skillful in the scenes in which Clancy compares his former home to his current one. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about moving and/or about imaginative play, and to fellow fans of Freya Blackwood....more
When Lucy asks her mother for a hug in this sweet Australian picture-book, only to be told it is the last one, she is very careful to conserve it. SheWhen Lucy asks her mother for a hug in this sweet Australian picture-book, only to be told it is the last one, she is very careful to conserve it. She shares the hug with a variety of family members, always asking for it back. But when she hugs her dog Annie, and Annie runs off, it seems as if the hug is lost. Fortunately, Annie returns, with a hug (and kiss) far more slobbery than the one she was given...
The Runaway Hug is my first book from author Nick Bland, but definitely not my first from illustrator Freya Blackwood. Blackwood is, in fact, one of my favorite contemporary picture-book illustrators, and I sought this book out largely because I enjoy her work so much. I was not disappointed on that score, finding the illustrations here charming. The chaos of a busy family home is captured in all of the little details, while the love of the family that lives there is adeptly depicted in the faces, gestures and body language of the characters, whether human or dog. The story, in which a series of hugs is given, reminded me a bit of James Mayhew and Sue Hellard's Where's My Hug?, in which a boy is embarrassed to get a hug in public from his mother, only to be dismayed later, when he asks for it, and is told that is has been given away. The complexity of hugging certainly seems to be a topic that picture-book creators enjoy, to judge by these and other titles. If half stars were available, I would give this one a 3.5 star rating, but as they are not, I've rounded up, given my enjoyment of the artwork. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for fun, warmhearted family tales, as well as to fellow fans of Freya Blackwood's lovely illustrations....more
Baby is turning one in this sweet Australian picture-book, and his parents throw him a birthday party at the park, complete with treats, games and lotBaby is turning one in this sweet Australian picture-book, and his parents throw him a birthday party at the park, complete with treats, games and lots and lots of other babies. The babies have lots of different qualities and characteristics - shy, friendly, brave and fussy - but all have (mostly) a good time, and birthday baby goes home happy but exhausted...
Originally published down under in 2018 as Birthday Baby, and then here in the states in 2019 as Baby Day - I have no idea why the title needed to be changed - this book pairs a very simple text from co-authors Jane Godwin and Davina Bell with lovely, expressive artwork from illustrator Freya Blackwood. This is my first title from Godwin, but I know Bell's work through such titles as All the Ways to be Smart and Captain Starfish, and Blackwood is a personal favorite, when it comes to picture-book illustrators. It was my love for her work, in fact, that led me to track this one down. As mentioned, I found it sweet, although the chief appeal for me was Blackwood's artwork. It's very simple, and is one I would chiefly recommend to picture-book readers looking for baby and toddler titles, as well as to fellow fans of the artist....more
A sailing ship comes upon a host of sinister sounds when it approaches the edge of the Frozen Sea in this original fairy-tale from Australian author/aA sailing ship comes upon a host of sinister sounds when it approaches the edge of the Frozen Sea in this original fairy-tale from Australian author/artist Amanda Walsh. The captain of the ship explains that a terrible battle was fought in this area a year before, and that the sounds of that calamity, frozen since that time, are now thawing out. Realizing that there is nothing to be frightened of, the people begin playing with the sounds, the children even attempting to eat them. Eventually, when they have all melted together, the ship sails on, leaving peace behind it...
Until picking up The Mysterious Hubbub, I had been under the impression that the only one of Amanda Walsh's titles to be published in the United States was The Buried Moon, in 1991, but apparently this one was also published here, the year before. In any case, I found her story in this one decidedly odd. The playful tone, once the people realized they weren't in danger, struck me as somehow oblivious, given the tragedy of what went before. Does one visit a battlefield, or the site of some atrocity, and throw a party? On the other hand, there were aspects to this tale that I found very creative. The way in which the sound-words could be seen - they were represented in color, visually, against a backdrop of black and white illustrations - and the children's evident desire to eat them, given their candy-like appearance, reminded me of scenes from Norton Juster's classic fantasy novel, The Phantom Tollbooth, in which Milo buys edible letters from the market. I also liked the general idea of the story - the echoes of the past being frozen, and then suddenly thawing, when people came near - even if the execution was a little uneven. I think Walsh had a good idea here, but somehow didn't quite bring it to life. I'd recommend this one chiefly to picture-book readers looking for quirky, obscure titles with a creative premise....more
Australian author/artist team Mem Fox and Vivienne Goodman lead the reader through a guessing game about "that crazy lady called Daisy O'Grady" in thiAustralian author/artist team Mem Fox and Vivienne Goodman lead the reader through a guessing game about "that crazy lady called Daisy O'Grady" in this witchy picture-book. Each two-page spread features a question about the lady in question - is she tall?, does she wear a black dress? - on the right-hand-side page, and a full-page illustration on the left. Gradually, the reader realizes that Daisy O'Grady is a witch, although the narrative concludes with the information that she is not a mean one...
The fourth picture-book I have read from the prolific Fox, Guess What? is a title I expected to enjoy immensely, given my interest in witchy picture-books, and my appreciation for some of the author's other work. I did end up finding it quite interesting, and think that its question/answer format, when paired with the attention-grabbing, photo-realistic paintings of Goodman, make it an excellent read-aloud title for story-time. That said, somehow I just didn't warm to it, despite my interest. The artwork is apparently quite controversial, with a number of elements - bits of nudity, disturbing dead fish in underwear, and so on - that have led to it being challenged in various places. For my part, I found these elements more humorous than offensive, and suspect child readers will simply accept them as one more detail in the strange and surreal world depicted so vividly by Goodman. I struggled with my rating on this one, as I didn't find the book appealing, from a personal aesthetic perspective, but did find the design interesting, and the artwork striking. Recommended to fans of the author and/or artist, or to readers looking for unusual question-answer style picture-book narratives....more
When the enemy bombs the library, all of the books are destroyed except for the one Peter's father has checked out. A true treasure, the book tells thWhen the enemy bombs the library, all of the books are destroyed except for the one Peter's father has checked out. A true treasure, the book tells the story of their people, and when the father and son must flee, they take it with them. The travails of the road prove too much for Peter's father, and the young boy must bury him by the wayside, and carry on alone. Eventually the box with the book in it grows too heavy for him, and he buries it underneath a linden tree, intending to return for it one day...
A moving exploration of the hardships of war, and the importance of keeping one's traditions and culture alive, even in the most difficult times, The Treasure Box is just the latest thought-provoking book I have read from Australian author Margaret Wild, who seems to specialize in children's stories that explore difficult concepts, from the necessity of both joy and sorrow for a true sense of being alive (The Stone Lion) to the intersection of mental illness and dystopian futures (Woolvs in the Sitee). The illustrations by Freya Blackwood, an artist whose work I absolutely love - The Selkie and the Fisherman is possibly my favorite, although all of her books are lovely - are simply beautiful, and something a little bit different from many of her earlier titles. I seem to recall that her artwork in earlier works is painted (watercolor, I think?), whereas here there are both painted and collage elements, with bits of text worked in to each scene. Some of this text, according to information on the colophon, is taken from foreign-language editions of Australian author Morris Gleitzman's books, but some is in English, and is apropos to the scene in question. When bits of paper rain down, after the library has been bombed, they contain words like "ever forget," "hope," "sang," and "great empty."
A powerful and poignant book, with a moving story and gorgeous artwork, The Treasure Box is one I would highly recommend to anyone searching for children's tales addressing themes of war, loss, survival, and keeping hope and tradition alive....more
Sitting outside of a great library, the eponymous stone lion in Margaret Wild's poignant tale is as frozen in heart as he is in body. He gazes upon thSitting outside of a great library, the eponymous stone lion in Margaret Wild's poignant tale is as frozen in heart as he is in body. He gazes upon the world and is unmoved by its suffering, and indifferent to its joys. Longing to come alive and explore the park across the street, the lion is counseled by a wise gargoyle that only the most generous of hearts is granted such a wish. When a homeless little girl named Sara collapses in front of him, after laying her infant brother before him, the lion is finally moved, and longs with all his being to be able to bring the children into the warmth of the library...
Australian author Margaret Wild seems to have a knack for telling thoughtful and thought-provoking stories. I vividly recall reading her Woolvs in the Sitee and finding it incredibly interesting and haunting, so I am glad to have found another winner from her pen. The messages highlighted here - that feeling and accepting both sorrow and joy is intrinsically linked to being alive, that the generous heart can accomplish miracles - are worked seamlessly into the narrative, which stands on its own, separate from any didactic purpose, as an engaging story. The artwork by Ritva Voutila is likewise immensely appealing, depicting a grey and sepia-toned Depression-era world, one that feels both historical and timeless. The use of subtle color, and of light and shadow here, is very skilled. It's easy to see why this was shortlisted for The Children's Book of the Year Awards, handed out by The Children's Book Council of Australia. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories that address issues of homelessness, poverty, generosity, and the central role of emotion is being alive....more
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