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< Back Gabriella Fiorletta What I See is Love A day filled with love. A day in the life of a little girl, and her appreciation of the love that surrounds her. A little girl wakes up in the morning and receives a warm embrace from her mom. She sees love. Her dad drives her to school and blows her a kiss. She sees love. Her teacher greets her in class. She sees love. Her grandma bakes her cookies for lunch. She sees love. She plays with her friends at recess. She sees love. She looks at herself in the mirror before bedtime and notices how beautiful she is. She sees love. What I See is Love is a sweet and heartfelt illustrated picture book by Gabriella Fiorletta about love. Through simple narrative and everyday scenarios that young children will recognise, the book explores various expressions of love in a child-friendly way. It is a beautiful reminder that there is love all around us and we are all loved. It shows that you don’t need to use the words ‘I love you’ to show love. Love is expressed through our actions towards each other, the things we do and the things we feel and not what we say. It is also a reminder that love starts with ourselves, and encourages children to appreciate the unique qualities that make them special. I enjoyed the gentle and dreamy illustrations by Nyrryl Cadiz, the pastel color palette and the crayon-style drawings. A perfect book for a parent or caregiver to read to a child, to show them the are loved. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A sweet and heartfelt illustrated picture book, and a reminder that love is literally all around us. Purchase here

< Back FA Khan ABCs of My First Surgery ABCs of My First Surgery is an alphabet picture book about surgery for young children. The book follows the story of Maya, a little girl who is having surgery for the first time, to fix a broken bone in her arm. From Aa to Zz, the book contains all the essential information needed to help prepare a young child for surgery. The book provides key information about different healthcare professionals (such as nurses, anaesthesiologists, orthopaedic surgeons and paediatricians) and different procedures (such as, blood pressure testing, electrocardiogram), surgical instruments and equipment, and different healthcare conditions, treatments and medicines. This is an engaging and insightful read for both children and parents alike, and I learnt many new fun and fascinating facts. Going into hospital can be a very scary and daunting experience for children, and this book will help children feel safe and secure in this new setting. The book will help children (and parents) build knowledge and vocabulary of key terms used in surgical procedures, and will help children to understand what will happen, helping to alleviate any concerns or anxieties they may have. With clear, simple language that is accessible for young children; bright, colourful and engaging illustrations; and a sweet character that young children will relate to; this book is an excellent resource to help young children, and their parents prepare for their first surgical procedure. ABCs of My First Surgery, by author and physician FA Khan, is an excellent resource to help prepare young children for surgery, and an essential addition to any hospital library or waiting room. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : Written by a trusted physician, parent and caregiver, this is a fascinating, engaging and insightful A to Z picture book about surgery for children, and the perfect resource to help prepare young patients for a hospital procedure. Purchase here

< Back Ken Waldecker Princess Ella and the Great Squirrel Chase One day, Princess Ella is playing on her swing in the grounds of the castle, happily enjoying the sucker her daddy bought her. When suddenly, the sucker flies out of her mouth and gets stuck in a tree. Poor Ella cannot reach the sucker. She sees a little squirrel and asks him if he can get the sucker out of the tree. Mr Squirrel climbs the tree and grabs the sucker. But rather than give it back to Ella, he starts to eat it! Ella chases the squirrel all over the castle grounds and through the forest, but the squirrel is way too fast. When Ella finds a net, she finally catches the squirrel. But, after the squirrel has drooled all over the sucker, maybe Ella doesn’t want it back after all! Princess Ella and the Great Squirrel Chase is a sweet and funny illustrated picture book by author Ken Waldecker. The book tells the story of Princess Ella, a little princess who enjoys playground adventures and even more so, sweet treats. Princess Ella is a cute and curious little princess, with a fun and bright personality. Young children will enjoy the colorful illustrations and reading about her adventures. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A sweet and funny illustrated picture book, with a charming protagonist and a very naughty squirrel. Purchase here

< Back Christine Tussing Detective Stan the Crayon Man and the Missing Birthday Cake Can Detective Stan solve the mystery of the missing birthday cake? Detective Stan’s pink crayon glows brightly, which means there is an emergency in Colorful County. He races over to Pretty Pink’s bakery and finds Pretty Pink in distress. Someone has stolen the cake for Mellow Yellow’s birthday party. Detective Stan begins his investigation by interviewing all the crayons, but there are no signs of the cake, or the thief, anywhere. He searches the bakery and looks for clues. He finds messy sprinkles and purple drippy drops on the floor. He heads to Polite Purple’s home, but it can’t be her, as she was at the hair salon all morning. Detective Stan looks at all the different color combinations that make purple and considers whether two crayons worked together to steal the cake. Will Detective Stan find the culprit and solve the case? Will Mellow Yellow get a cake for his birthday party? And will Detective Stan get home before his mom notices? Detective Stan the Crayon Man and the Missing Birthday Cake by author Christine Tussing is a charming illustrated picture book. The book, written by the author when she was just eight years old, is a unique, creative, and playful story about a little boy who loves his crayons and loves to solve mysteries. When his crayons glow, he knows they need help, and he goes on an amazing adventure to Colorful County to help the crayons. Each crayon has a name and character based on their color, and the mystery clues are based on color-combinations. Young readers will enjoy following the clues and solving the mystery. The book will spark young children’s imagination, and will also help them to learn colour combinations. The illustrations by Izzy Bean are delightful. I particularly like how the two different worlds are represented – the real world where Stan lives; and the fantasy world of the crayons. I would love to see more adventures of Detective Stan! Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A charming and fun illustrated picture book that will spark young children’s imagination and creativity Purchase here

< Back Charly Froh How to Solve the Mystery of Crying Space-robot Novo travels to earth to solve a mystery, by author Charly Froh Space robot, Novo, from the planet Infinita, is back for another exciting adventure. His week starts with shopping at the Martian Market, but on his way home, Novo is caught up in a space storm that destroys his venus-bot flowers, and causes liquid to leak from his laser eyes. Novo tries everything to make the liquid stop, but nothing will stop the drip-drop dripping. His only option is to contact his earthling friends. They will know exactly what to do! So, Novo whistles for his scooter, vrooms towards earth, and is reunited with his earthling friends. The earthlings explain the liquid is tears from crying, and people can cry when they are happy, joyful, angry or frustrated. But, Novo still cannot explain his tears as he feels neither happy, joyful, angry or frustrated. The earthlings listen to Novo’s story, how the space storm destroyed his precious flowers, and how he feared the rain would rust his body, and then suddenly the tears stopped. With a little help from his earthling friends, Novo realised his tears were tears of sadness, and that talking about his sadness helped him feel much better. Novo returned back to Infinita to share his news with all the other space-bots. How to Solve the Mystery of Crying by author Charly Froh is a cute and funny picture book about an adorable little robot who travels to earth to solve the mystery of his leaking eyes. This is a delightful book and Novo is a sweet and adorable character, who will appeal to younger readers. The book deals with a complex topic in a really simple, engaging and age-appropriate way, and will encourage young readers to share and discuss their thoughts and feelings with others. The illustrations by Zuzana Svobodova are bright and engaging, and with lots of interesting and funny details, will keep readers entertained for hours. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A delightful picture book about a sweet and adorable robot character, who goes on a space-tastic adventure to solve the mystery of crying. Purchase here

< Back D Burton Smith Quoth the Raven Author D. Burton Smith offers a fascinating insight into the world of a young raven. Named after an Edgar Allan Poe poem, Quoth the North American raven lives high up in a nest on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. He is one of three chicks, and his mom and dad take good care of him and his siblings. They keep their nest fresh, clean, and tidy, and bring food for the chicks every day. Until he is two or three years old, and finds a partner of his own, Quoth joins a rowdy group of young ravens, called the unkindness of ravens. He enjoys dropping and catching objects from the sky, and he catches small animals, like mice, to eat. He likes shiny things, and often picks up objects that have been left by humans. One day, he meets a raven named Viola. After courting for many months, Quoth and Viola build a nest together and prepare for their own chicks. Quoth the Raven is a delightful and beautifully illustrated picture book by author D. Burton Smith, about the life of a North American raven, named Quoth. The book follows his journey from before he was born, his life as a chick and a young adolescent, until he meets a life partner of his own. Burton Smith describes the behaviours and habitat of this beautiful, and often misunderstood, bird. While often associated with death and illness, raven’s are one of the smartest birds in the world. They can use tools, play games, and mimic animal, bird, and even human sounds. Ravens can even recognise people and hold grudges against those who have wronged them! The illustrations by Paul Hock are stunning. Each page is a work of art, with vivid colours and intricate details that bring Quoth’s world to life. Written from the perspective of the raven, this is a charming story that will engage readers of all ages. While primarily aimed at children, the illustrations and story make it a pleasure to read for adults and children alike. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A delightful and beautifully illustrated picture book, that will spark children’s curiosity about the natural world and this magnificent species. Purchase here

< Back Jacqueline Crann Being Different Is The New Cool Maddie learns to accept and celebrate her differences. A little girl named Maddie was born with a birthmark on her face and a white streak in her hair. Maddie’s unique features make her stand out, and sometimes people stare at her. Maddie loves to dance, but when she goes to dance class, she wears a hat to cover her head and hair, to avoid people asking questions or saying mean things. One day, when practising her dance routine, her hat falls off her head and onto the floor. Some of the children start laughing. The dance teacher, Miss Cherry, explains that everyone is different and the importance of treating people with kindness and respect. Miss Cherry reassures Maddie that her birthmark and hair streak make her cool and unique, and she should be proud of herself. When Maddie’s baby sister is born, Maddie discovers she has the same birthmark as herself. Maddie promises to teach her baby sister that being different is the new cool. Being Different Is the New Cool is an inspiring picture book for young readers by author Jacqueline Crann. The book follows a little girl named Maddie who has a condition called Poliosis, which causes a streak of her hair to turn white. At first, Maddie worries about what others will say and wears a hat to hide her hair, but with support and reassurance from her dance teacher, she soon learns to accept and embrace her difference. The arrival of her new baby sister also makes Maddie more determined to celebrate peoples’ unique qualities and attributes. The book is an excellent resource for parents and educators to open up discussion about diversity and self-acceptance with young readers. Young readers will learn the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion, and of accepting people just the way they are. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : An inspiring picture book for young readers, and a wonderful celebration of diversity. Purchase here

< Back Ariel and Brandon Blackwell The Beat In My Head Brandon finds belonging through beats, by authors Ariel and Brandon Blackwell Brandon loves to hum and tap along to sounds and beats in his head. Wherever he is, whatever he is doing, he can make music out of sound. But when he starts to hum and tap along to the sounds in the classroom, his teacher thinks he is not listening and is distracting the other students. The teacher calls his mom, and his mom worries something might be wrong, as Brandon doesn’t have many friends or talk very much. But Brandon is happy, music makes him feel happy and safe. Brandon’s mom takes him to see a therapist and the therapist thinks he is just a little shy. The therapist encourages Brandon to try sports and get involved in new activities. So, Brandon tries a number of different sports, soccer, karate and golf, but he isn’t a natural athlete and discovers sport isn’t for him. Everything Brandon hears, the thwack of the ball and the smack of a kick, distracts him from the game and creates music in his head. Brandon’s mom doesn’t know what else to do to help, but takes him to a music concert, to let loose and have some fun. While dancing and singing along to the music, Brandon notices a guy with headphones, focused on a console and bobbing along to the music. He learns the guy is a sound engineer, who blends and balances music to make it sound good. Later, Brandon meets the sound engineer, Mr Davis, at his church and becomes fascinated by his work. Mr Davis teaches Brandon how to work the audio console, and Brandon discovers a passion for audio engineering. The Beat in My Head by authors Ariel and Brandon Blackwell is an inspiring picture book about a young boy who struggles to find his place in the world. He is only happy when he is listening to music, and making beats in his head, but his behaviour is seen by others as unusual. Through audio engineering, Brandon is able to express himself through music, and he finally finds a sense of purpose and belonging. The book is based on the true story of how the author, Brandon Blackwell, found his vocation and became a successful audio engineer. It will inspire other young readers to be creative, and to express themselves in any way that makes them feel happy. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A wonderful and inspiring picture book, about a young boy who finds a sense of purpose and belonging through music. Purchase here

< Back Donna Wyland Psalms in Rhyme for Little Hearts A collection of twelve well-known psalms, written in rhyme for younger readers. Psalms in Rhyme for Little Hearts is an illustrated picture book for younger readers with a beautiful collection of twelve psalms, all written in rhyme, by author Donna Wyland. The book contains a selection of well-known psalms (Psalms 1, 4, 8, 15, 19, 20, 23, 24, 27, 29, 32, and 33), each presented in rhyming verse which beautifully captures the essence of the original text, while being accessible and enjoyable for younger audiences. After each psalm, there is a prayer that younger readers can reflect on and apply to their own life. Expertly crafted by Wyland, the rhymes translate complex topics into simple, joyful, and lyrical rhymes. The rhymes will help younger children understand and remember each psalm. Courtney Smith’s vibrant illustrations bring the psalms to life beautifully, and allow young readers to connect with each message. Wyland’s creative use of rhyme, and Smith’s vivid illustrations, make this book accessible and engaging for young readers. This is a great introduction to the Book of Psalms, and a wonderful resource for any teacher, caregiver, or young student. The book will help engage children in spiritual conversations, and will encourage readers to study the original psalms, which are also included for reference at the end of the book. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: This joyful collection of psalms would make a great addition to any home, school, or church library. Purchase here

< Back Betty Cetas Oscar and the Awful Horrible Smell Can Oscar the troll find the source of the stinky smell? Oscar the troll lives deep in the forest. He loves the forest and knows it very well. He even knows all the forest smells, the good smells, and the not-so-good smells! But one day, while out picking blueberries, Oscar notices a very unusual and very stinky smell. He can’t quite put his finger (or nose, rather) on the smell, so he sets out into the forest to investigate. He travels throughout the forest, and the smell gets stronger and stronger. It isn’t his armpits, although they are pretty stinky. It isn’t the mushrooms, which smell pretty terrible. Nor the dead fish inside the wolverine’s cave, which smell vile. What could it be? Oscar continues to search high and low throughout the forest, but still cannot find the source of the stinky smell. He decides to return home, but the smell even follows him into his house. As he puts his feet up to rest for the evening, he suddenly discovers the source of the foul smell! Oscar and the Awful, Horrible Smell, is part of the Troll Tales and Other Stories from Grandma’s Cottage series, by Betty Cetas. The book follows the adventures of Oscar, a rather grotesque looking, but loveable troll. This is an entertaining and funny book, and children will laugh out loud at Oscar’s antics as he tries to find the source of the smell. Children will enjoy searching with Oscar as he trundles through the forest and they will enjoy guessing where the smell might be coming from. There is a very funny twist at the end of the book, that will delight younger readers. Young children love silly stories, and the funnier, dirtier, smellier, and more gruesome the better! They will love this story and fall in love with the adorable (but rather smelly) Oscar. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A stinky, fun-filled adventure with a very loveable troll. Purchase here

< Back Brett Gunning & Stacy Padula On the Right Path: Book Two Jordan learns important life lessons at basketball camp, by authors Brett Gunning and Stacy Padula Jordan and his siblings are at basketball camp. Jordan is competitive, he wants to score the basket. He wants to win. But Jordan is so focused on the basket, he doesn’t see the opposition and he doesn’t see one of his teammates in a prime position to take the shot. He makes an error and loses the shot. Coach Pete takes the opportunity to remind Jordan and the rest of the team the importance of teamwork when playing basketball, and to always put the needs of the team before your own. Jordan listens carefully, and in the next game the team work more cohesively together and score many more baskets. Later that day, with Coach Pete’s advice still ringing in his ears, Jordan applies the same learning at the dinner table. This is a fabulous book to help instil the importance of teamwork in young children. It shows the power of basketball (and sport in general) to change peoples’ lives, through the development of teamworking skills and other core life skills. It also shows the great work that sport coaches do in developing and supporting young people through life. This book will appeal to boys and girls interested in basketball and other sporting activities, and would make a fantastic addition to any home or school library. We enjoyed the vibrant, detailed illustrations by Maddy Moore, and we particularly liked the diversity of images represented. Star Rating: 5 Stars Summary ‘More than basketball – this book shows the significant role that sport plays in developing and supporting young people through life. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ Purchase here

< Back Dee Hale A Girls Only Club - No Boys Allowed! Holly and friends build a clubhouse just for girls. Friends, Anna, Kim, and Holly are having a sleep-over at Holly’s house. But it has been a long summer, and the girls struggle to think of something new and fun to do next. When the girls find Holly’s dad stacking old boxes in the garage, they have an idea. They want to do something fun without interference from Holly’s annoying little brother, Robbie. They decide to build a castle clubhouse from the old boxes in the garden, and paint a big sign that says, “No boys allowed!” Robbie doesn’t like tea parties anyway, so he doesn’t mind. The girls settle into the clubhouse and Robbie races around the garden on his bike, every time he gets a little closer to the clubhouse. But Robbie soon gets bored on his own, and he starts to pester the girls. They tell Robbie to go away, “No boys allowed!” So, Robbie has an idea. He builds his own clubhouse out of blocks. But when Robbie delivers tasty treats to the girls, they soon realise that it is much more fun when everyone can join in and play together. A Girls Only Club -No Boys Allowed! is a cute and charming picture book by Dee Hale about a group of girls who build a girls-only clubhouse. The girls need their own space to do the things that girls like to do, but they soon realise it is more fun when everyone is included. Both boys and girls will enjoy this picture book. Whilst it is important that girls (and boys!) have their own time and space, the book encourages children to be kind to others, especially the opposite sex! The illustrations by Remesh Ram are bright and colorful and capture the fun and mischief of children playing perfectly Star rating: 5 Stars. Summary : A fun, cute and charming take on the girls v' boys scenario, highlighting the importance of kindness, collaboration and inclusion. Purchase here