I Need a Hug

I'm doing a really bad job of trying to read the CBCA nominated titles this year (see the Shortlist here). The winners are announced at midday today! And I haven't even managed to get through the picture books. C'est la vie I suppose.

I Need a Hug is a delightful picture book for the very youngest children, by the ever present Aaron Blabey, letting us know that everyone needs some kindness and affection sometimes. No matter how prickly

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or slithery they are.

I Need a Hug was an Early Childhood Notable Book this year. Here is a terrific profile on Aaron Blabey, showing his cute little studio in the Blue Mountains which is full of music and musical inspiration.

Aaron feels lucky to have a job as a writer. "Our job is to make something out of nothing" and that what he does is simply "Me walking around thinking up stuff and then trying not get in the way of it". Rather incredibly his first book, Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, was written on toilet paper (toilet paper that is now framed and on his wall)!

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

I'm never usually sure about picture books that are illustrated songs. I wonder what purpose they really serve. But I had no such qualms reading And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda. It's amazing and totally obvious what purpose it serves. I hope it is widely taken up in our schools. 

And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is an iconic anti-war song written by Eric Bogle in 1971. Eric had arrived in Australia from Scotland aged 25 only two years earlier, and it was in 1971 with the Vietnam War ongoing and very unpopular at home that Eric saw his first Anzac Day march in Canberra. He knew that the time was right for another anti-war song, but he decided to set it in Gallipoli rather than Vietnam. 

"Gallipoli, on the other hand, is deeply imprinted on Australia's national DNA."

A statement that still rings true. Bruce Whatley has done an incredible job with the illustrations. He's used a muted brown and khaki palette throughout most of the book, with small highlights of colour, to represent the murky hell of the Gallipoli peninsula. 

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Sadly there isn't an illustrators note included in the book, but Bruce has indicated on his website that this is another book illustrated using acrylic and his (non-dominant) left hand. Bruce Whatley creates such extraordinary images with his left hand, I find it completely astonishing. 

There is an acknowledgement at the front to say that many sources were used as inspiration including photographs from the Australian War Memorial Archives, the Imperial War Museum and newspapers from the time. 

If you can't find a copy of the book, and you should, then the book trailer is almost like reading it. 

There are countless versions of the song, but I think The Pogues is possibly my favourite.

Teacher's Notes

A great video of Bruce Whatley showing kids how to draw (sadly using his right hand). Oh but here he is encouraging us (well kids really I suspect) to use our left hands. He says that "You've got no expectations with your left hand". Well I have no expectations with my right hand actually, I don't expect to be able to draw anything reasonable with it. I wish I could, but I just can't draw. Perhaps I could start drawing with my left hand and use that as an excuse to say why it's so bad... But it's quite fascinating that he would make compositional decisions that he wouldn't normally make when he is working with his left hand, and his work is more emotional. 

Circle and Flying for Your Life

Jeannie Baker is a big name in Australian picture books. She has made such a wonderful body of work over the years. The illustrations in her books are all photos of the amazing, intricate collages she makes, and her books often deal with environmental themes or urbanisation. I've read most, but not all of her books, and seen a previous exhibition of her artwork. 

I'd somehow never heard of Jeannie Baker's new book Circle until I walked into my favourite bookshop and snatched it off the shelf recently. I read it standing there, then I bought it. I was rather excited. You see it's about migratory birds, and bar tailed godwits in particular. I stalked godwits in New Zealand a few years ago and am thrilled to see their extraordinary lives highlighted in this book.

Circle tells the story of the godwits migration, leaving Australia for the Arctic, and later returning. Their departure is witnessed by a young boy, a rather enthusiastic birder, in a wheelchair who longs to fly like the birds.

As with any Jeannie Baker book there are a fabulous set of collages, 23 here. Jeannie Baker began making collages at art school, initially collecting textures, but becoming more representational as an illustrator. Children love pouring over illustrations with lots of detail and Jeannie Baker provides so much of it- there's always a new detail awaiting discovery.

My favourite Circle collage, a glorious double page
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She has taken some artistic licence as the godwits appear to be in their breeding plumage all the way along their journey (sorry for the nerdy very amateur birder comment), the red providing a better contrast and more colour to the images.

I was a bit confused by the final image for a while. Why are people shown taking their dogs and horses where they are clearly prohibited?

And what is the boy doing with that dog? It helps to realise that it is not his dog that is chasing the birds into flight. The boy casts down his crutches and binoculars and is trying to stop the dog from charging at the birds. In one of the videos linked below Jeannie explains that she was using the boy to show that we can all individually make a difference in our local area. 

There is an Author's Note at the end giving more information about godwit migration, and a Godwit Migration Map.

There is an exhibition of Jeannie Baker's marvellous collages for Circle travelling Australia at the moment, and will be for the next two years. I can't wait to see it somewhere. The exhibition is then proposed to follow the path of the godwits internationally and be shown in Alaska, South Korea and China.

You can hear Jeannie Baker talk about Circle here. And an interesting SMH profile of the artist here.

Coincidentally I recently listened to an amazing 4 part radio documentary Flying for Your Life, an ABC and BBC coproduction. It complements Circle beautifully. If you can access these extraordinary episodes I'd highly recommend it. I learnt so much from each episode. Episode 1 is in Australia and explains our main threats to shore bird populations here - development, environmental degradation and dogs. It also describes how a migration actually starts.

Episodes 2 and 3 deal with the Yellow Sea, the most important staging and feeding areas for their migration north. The Yellow Sea is shallow and provides 20% of the world's fishery products. Sadly two thirds of the intertidal habitat of the Yellow Seas has been "reclaimed", i.e. destroyed in the past 50 years. It is funny to hear North Korea described as the "biggest organic farm in the world" and portrayed as possibly the saving grace for migratory birds. It had never occurred to me that people could eat shore birds before.

Episode 4 tells of the behaviours of the birds in their Northern summer breeding grounds in Alaska and Russia. Here global warming is the biggest threat to the birds, they are starting to hatch at times to miss out on the peak feeding times and are becoming smaller birds with smaller beaks. The birds completely change their foods for the southern and northern hemispheres, and change their body composition to prepare for their flights. The birds appear to monitor air pressure to time the start of their migration, and can fly at up to 80 km/hour! Bar-tailed godwits fly nonstop, up to 1500 km per day to travel the 11-12,000 km from Alaska to Australia and New Zealand in 8 or 9 days.

http://australianwomenwriters.com

Finding Winnie

It's amazing what you can learn from a kids book. Finding Winnie is a charming picture book that tells the back story of Winnie-the-Pooh. It turns out that Winnie was a real black bear before finding enduring fame as a fictional bear in the stories of A.A. Milne. 

Lindsay Mattick's great grandfather was a Canadian vet who was called up to fight during World War I. On the long train journey from his native Winnipeg Captain Harry Colebourn bought an orphaned bear cub at a brief stop at White River, Ontario in 1914. He was to name the bear cub Winnie after his home town of Winnipeg, and take her across the Atlantic to England.

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In England Colebourn realised that it was rather improbable to take a black bear onto the battle fields of France, and so he took Winnie to London Zoo. Winnie found fame at the zoo because of her friendly hand-reared nature and children were allowed into her enclosure, one of them being Christopher Robin Milne. Christopher Robin so loved Winnie that he renamed his own stuffed bear Winnie, and of course the rest is literary history.

Did Christopher Robin give Winnie tooth decay?

In Finding Winnie this change is marked as a new story. 

"Sometimes," I said, "you have to let one story end so the next one can begin."

"How do you know when that will happen?"

"You don't," I said. "Which is why you should always carry on."

Lindsay Mattick grew up feeling related to Winnie-the-Pooh and went on to name her son Cole in honour of his great-great grandfather. Mattick dedicates Finding Winnie to Cole:

May this story always remind you of the impact one small loving gesture can have. 

Australian Illustrator Sophie Blackall has written a fascinating four part series of posts about how she researched and illustrated Finding Winnie on her blog. 1. 2. 3. 4. Finding Winnie won the Caldecott Medal 2016. Sophie Blackall made a video full of excitement in appreciation of her win. I think it's fantastic that a Canadian and an Australian made the most "distinguished American picture book for children" last year. 

Teacher's Guide to Finding Winnie

Gus & Me

I was rather interested in Keith Richard's Life when it came out a few years ago. But I do know that the opportunity to read a 576 page autobiography of a Rolling Stone is not going to happen anytime soon in this lifetime for me. So what happy circumstance to find a picture book from Keith, although I suspect it doesn't cover quite the same material as Life. Ahh, through the wonders of the internet someone has bestowed the adult version of Gus & Me (an extract from Life about Gus). Others are amused by the concept of Keith Richards writing a picture book too.

Gus & Me is the story of a young Keith and his grandad Gus, Theodore Augustus Dupree. Keith spent many pleasurable days walking all over London. They had many adventures,

and Gus passed on his musicality and love of music to Keith. Now Keith is a grandfather too, and passing his love of music on to his own grandchildren.

Even today, all these years later, I think of Gus.
Every time I walk onstage, every time I write a song,
every time I reach for a guitar and play
a few dinka-plinks for my own grandchildren,
I say to myself,
Thanks Granddad, Thanks Gus!

I hope that Gus lived long enough to have some idea of Keith's ability and future life. Gus & Me comes with a CD which features Keith reading the story and also Keith playing one of the first songs that he learnt with Gus, Malagueña. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised but on the CD Keith says before his reading that "Books are one of the greatest loves of my life", maybe I will try to read Life one of these days... The family talent continues as Keith's daughter Theodora Dupree Richards has illustrated the book.

Cyclone

Jackie French can write and publish books faster than I can read them. There's always many, many new books from her waiting to be read (her website lists 9 books scheduled for release this year!), as well as her extraordinary back catalogue of course. So it's never a surprise to find a new book on the shelves at the local bookshop, which is where I came across Cyclone. Naturally I picked it up straight away. Cyclone is obviously a thematic continuation where the fabulous Flood and Fire left off.

Cyclone tells the story of Cyclone Tracy which devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974. I thought of Cyclone Tracy immediately on seeing the cover, but then wondered if she would write of another more modern cyclone- but Cyclone Tracy remains Australia's most devastating tropical cyclone. Eighty percent of Darwin's home were destroyed! 41,000 of the 44,000 population were rendered homeless. 30,000 people needed to be evacuated out of Darwin.

Once again Jackie French has created a moving, yet hopeful, picture book poem out of this devastation.

Outside, a giant
groans and growls,
A wind that batters,
shrieks and howls.

In December 1974 Jackie French was manning the phones in Canberra in her new job at the Depratment for Urban and Regional Development. She took phone calls from Cyclone Tracy survivors. Cyclone is dedicated to the man who told her of how his family shelter in their backyard barbecue. Decades later Jackie has told his story to us all.

The mood is inadequately captured here in my reproduction
The dark broodingness of the storm
The tiny dots of colour of 1970s Christmas lights
The warmth of the tree and light through the window

And Cyclone has been masterfully illustrated by Bruce Whatley. Bruce used black and white photos taken at the time to research his illustrations and then chose a "toned-down palette" to give a documentary vision to the images. He's captured the building storm, the fury unleashed and the aftermath in an amazing way. The whole design really works. The font is like an old school typewriter evoking the precomputer 1970s.

Teacher Notes for Cyclone.

http://australianwomenwriters.com

Good Night, Sleep Tight

Good Night, Sleep Tight is a masterful picture book from Australian powerhouse Mem Fox. I was intrigued by this book after I heard Mem speak about it and some of her other books at the Mudgee Readers Festival in 2013.

Mem is a great exponent of children's literacy and she wrote Good Night, Sleep Tight after she heard the fact that if a child knew 6 nursery rhymes by heart by the age of 4 then they would be in the top reading group by age 8. So she wrote a story with 7 nursery rhymes embedded within it, the six necessary ones, and a spare one - just in case. And it works really well.

wonderful bright Judy Horacek illustrations

Parents will remember most of these rhymes from their own childhood, although there was one that was completely new to me, and the rhyming repetitive link Mem has written has perfect Mem Fox cadence.

'We love it, we love it!' said Bonnie and Ben.
'How does it go? Will you say it again?'

Good Night, Sleep Tight is a perfect gift for new babies. It comes in a sturdy board book format too, to stand up to the many readings that will ensue. Even picture books can have fascinating back stories, Good Night, Sleep Tight was originally published in 1998, and then spent many years out of print before being brought back by a father's request.

See Mem read Good Night, Sleep Tight.

http://australianwomenwriters.com

Thelma The Unicorn

Aaron Blabey is everywhere at the moment. He released at least seven books that I know of last year alone, and there are more on the way. It would almost be too much, if they weren't all fabulous. Thelma the Unicorn is especially fabulous.

Thelma is really a shaggy pony, but she dreams of being glamorous and special.

She doesn't want to be outdone by pretty fillies in the field, she dreams of being a unicorn.

Thelma felt a little sad.
In fact, she felt forlorn.
You see, she wished with all her heart
to be a unicorn. 

And in a miracle of transformation just a carrot and truck full of paint and glitter later- Thelma is a unicorn.

But being a glamorous, sparkly unicorn is not all it's cracked up to be. What with continual stalking by fans and papparazi Thelma can't get a minutes peace.

Younger children may not notice the strong message of self-acceptance, the references to celebrity culture and chasing fame, but parents sure will in this cautionary, be-careful-what-you-wish-for tale.

My copy recommends Thelma for primary school age children. Which is rather bizarre- Thelma is perfect for preschool kids as a read out loud book and kids need to hear her message from a very early age.

You can see Aaron give an enthusiastic reading of Thelma here.

Pig the Fibber

Last year we had the sensational Pig the Pug, a very fun book about a very naughty pug called Pig. (See my review). This year Pig is back, being naughtier than ever. And poor Trevor is copping the brunt of it again. Pig likes to do naughty things and then lie about it and blame Trevor.

Of course Pig learns that lying is naughty in the end, but in the meanwhile there is lots of pug naughtiness and even some pug fart jokes.

Sadly my photo doesn't capture the full
malevolence of the cloud of green fug

Wonderful rhyme make Pig the Fibber a perfect read aloud book.

Aaron Blabey is one of the big names of Aussie picture books. Somehow he has managed to publish seven books this year! 7. I can't keep up.

This week I've fallen in love with another pug too. Loca lives in Belfast, and has a particular problem with running. So funny, you can't watch her just once.

AusReading Month 2015 at Brona's Books

Don't Think About Purple Elephants

It seems there are many books written about children's fears and concerns. So much so that there are quite a few lists about them out there too. One from Readings. Or Kids Book Review. Don't Think About Purple Elephants is a great addition to this topic.

Some child are born confident, plucky and happy-go-lucky. Others are born worriers. Sophie is usually a normal, confident girl enjoying her school, her family and her friends. She has a safe life, with a supportive loving family. But at bedtime the worries start to crowd in.

Sophie's worries aren't huge, they aren't life and death, but they are enough to stop her getting to sleep and can disturb her enjoyment of the next day.

Thankfully her mother is very clever and she, and some purple elephants, help ease the burden of Sophie's anxiety. It is all beautifully illustrated by Gwynneth Jones. Don't Think About Purple Elephants was inspired by Susan Whelan's daughters struggles with bedtime anxiety when she was seven.

I came across Don't Think About Purple Elephants back in March because it was launched at the Newcastle Writers Festival. It was a great festival and I saw many wonderful sessions. So many in fact that I didn't get the chance to go to the launch. But I did make sure to buy a signed copy, which I will now donate to my local library. Thankfully author Susan Whelan blogged about the launch.

http://australianwomenwriters.com

Anzac Ted

I picked up Anzac Ted from a display at my local library a while ago. I'd not heard of it before but was interested in the many books that have been written about the Centenary of Gallipoli, and it has an appealing cover. It has an appealing inside too.

Anzac Ted is told in a somewhat unexpected rhyme for a war story.

Anzac Ted's a scary bear
and I can tell you why.
He's missing bits, his tummy splits,
he only has one eye. 

Anzac Ted is the beloved toy of a young boy, but he's more than that- he's a bear with a history. He belonged to the boys grandfather, and Ted was indeed an Anzac who went to war with Grandpa Jack. The other children in the boy's class can't understand Anzac Ted's importance, they can't see beyond the exterior to see his significance, importance and truth.

Belinda Landsberry is a first time author/illustrator with Anzac Ted. She won the Kids Book Review Unpublished Manuscript Award in 2103 for another title, Where Do Odd Socks Go? which sadly doesn't seem to have been published yet.

She's done a great job with the illustrations for Anzac Ted- particularly the sepia toned war time ones.

Anzac Ted is the second book that I've read recently from the newish published of children's picture books, EK Books. The first being Don't Think About Purple Elephants (review coming soonish). I think they're off to a flying start, and fulfilling their mission to publish outstanding stories with meaningful ideas as their essence. I will look forward to reading more of their books.

Check out my ever expanding war book list.

http://australianwomenwriters.com

The Brothers Quibble

I do enjoy Aaron Blabey's work and try to keep up, but somehow I missed The Brothers Quibble when it was released last year. It was only when I read the very fun Pig the Pug also last year (see my review) that I saw The Brothers Quibble was chosen to be the book for National Simultaneous Storytime 2015 (11am May 27) that I sought it out.

The Brothers Quibble is a very clever book about sibling rivalry. From the dedication onwards it is fabulous.

For those who had sharing thrust upon them. 

Spalding Quibble is an only child. Living the life of an only child.

Until the inevitable, awful thing happens.

Spalding reacts in a rather typical first child way. 

The Brothers Quibble is a great journey into sibling rivalry, and what families must do to get along. It is particularly clever, and you notice it is even more clever every time you pick it up.

Kingston Library have uploaded a Virtual Storytime version of The Brothers Quibble.

And SBS have made a French translation available!

Check out the NSS website and The Book Chook for a great range of resources for activities.

The Man Who Loved Boxes

I came across this title recently in the list of 25 Classic Australian Kids Books from Good Reading Magazine last year. It's an intriguingly titled book. I've read a few of Stephen Michael King's books, and seen him speak in person, so I was curious enough to search it out. Turns out it is his first picture book from 1995.

The Man Who Loved Boxes didn't grab me straight away. It needed a few reads for me to appreciate it's gentle warmth. The story of a father and son.

The father has difficulty expressing his love for his son. He loves boxes, and can do all sorts of things with them.

The Man Who Loved Boxes is a beautiful book about two people bonding over shared activities. Even in this, his earliest book Stephen Michael King had developed his distinctive style of illustration. I love the palette he used. Purple on every page. Always good.

And scowling old ladies.
Always great.

The Man Who Loved Boxes is well worth seeking out.

Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau

When I came across Happy Birthday Madame Chapeau in a list of kids book suggestions in the Sydney Morning Herald late last year, I knew that I had to read it, so fishpond was soon delivering it to my door. Paris, hats, birthdays what could be better?

Madame Chapeau is the "worlds finest hatmaker". Naturally her atelier is in Paris.

She makes "brilliantly singular" hats for her customers.

But Madame Chapeau is lonely, despite her success. Each night she dines alone.

I love that Andrea Beaty has drawn her inspiration from the real world of fashion. Madame Chapeau is Isabella Blow reincarnated (who always reminded me of Louise Brooks), and her hats form a veritable history of hats. From design classics such as Elsa Schiaparelli's Shoe Hat, Charlie Chaplin's Derby to that rather disastrous toilet seat that Princess Beatrice wore to the most recent royal wedding.

Madame Chapeau is a sweet picture book for the fashionable young girl.

Dreaming of France is a wonderful Monday meme
from Paulita at An Accidental Blog 

French Bingo 2015