Review: Dr Seuss Graphic Novel - Cat Out of Water & The Grinch Takes a Vacation

Introducing the first Dr Seuss graphic novel! 

Each title in this series has an individual author and illustrator.

The Cat in the Hat just wants to have fun. 

Fish initially convinces Sally and her unnamed brother not to open the door for Cat. 

His previous shenanigans caused chaos and an  inevitable reprisal for their combined actions.

So, the siblings pretend they are not home, but the shrewd Cat talks through the door until his persuasive suggestions change the course of their good intentions.

And they let him in.

Let’s get this party started is a powerful expression.  

Review: Bluey's Big World

Do you feel like you can’t keep up with Bluey’s life, likes and habits?

This book will help those, young and older, who have lost track of anything Bluey.

The most important characters come first, that is Bluey and sister Bingo.

What is Mum’s name? Dad’s name? Who are Bluey and Bingo’s friends? 

In Bluey's Big World, you can refresh your memory.

The house plan starts at the front door with an intimate look available of the surroundings and contents of each room.

Mum and Dad’s room is revealed.

Review: The Lost Book of Magic

The Lost Book of Magic is set in the Depression era of 1895, Melbourne, Victoria,

Poverty and drought has swamped the State to the point where, even the butcher’s meager bone remains taste like a banquet.

Amidst this lack, business at the Coles Book Arcade in Bourke Street, is slowing significantly.

Mr and Mrs Coles with their two eldest children sail off to Sydney.

Due to the slump, they are considering closing the store and opening one in a more viable location to secure the children’s livelihood.

Pearl and Valentine remain to keep shop under the watchful eye of the Manager, Mr Pike. 

Pearl decides to use her limited magic to spruce up neglected areas. Removing this financial pressure, she hopes her parents will reconsider the move.

Junior Review: Love Requires Chocolate

Ravynn K Stringfield cleverly weaves French touches throughout the novel, giving the reader a deeper insight into life as a student abroad in Paris.

Core character, Whitney Curry has thoroughly prepared herself for a semester abroad, arming herself with the perfect, yet extensive to-do list in order to experience the Paris magic at its best. 

Wanting to live the life of her idol, Josephine Baker, Whitney aims to set foot in all the places she did. Although she feels prepared for this trip, unexpected locations (and people) may leave her ideal trip up to chance.

Determined to keep her love and school life separate, the line between the two gets blurred and both her head and heart are overwhelmed.

Guest Post: Q & A with Meredith Rusu on The Creative Process by Nia Shetty

There’s a Robot in My Socks by Meredith Rusu is a light-hearted story that skillfully captures the wonders of childhood while addressing the complexities of emotions in a fun, engaging way. 

The book follows Jamie and her trusty robot companion through a delightful adventure that showcases how even ordinary items, like socks, can spark extraordinary moments. 

Rusu’s book is filled with playful humor, vivid imagery, and a creative blend of the real and the imaginary, making it a perfect read for young children and their parents who are navigating their own big feelings.

One of the standout features of this graphic novel  is how themes of comfort, emotion, and the occasional chaos of childhood are wonderfully mixed. 

Through the imaginative lens of a child’s world, Rusu touches on separation anxiety, the need for routine, and the importance of emotional expression, all with a charming robot by Jamie’s side. The vibrant illustrations by Martín Morón bring Jamie’s world to life with bright colors and whimsical designs, perfectly complementing the story.

Now, let’s hear from the author herself, Meredith Rusu, as she shares insights into the inspiration, characters, and creative process behind There’s a Robot in My Socks in our exclusive KBR interview:

Review: Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria

 

Bravepaw and the Heartsone of Alluria is the first book in a bold adventure series with a strong resourceful heroine.

The characters are animals but not all are the conventional type.

Titch the smallest mouseling in her family, wants to be a warrior.

She practices with her staff of sturdy oak, and pretends she is Bravepaw, the warrior mentioned in every story she has heard.

With her best friend, Huckleberry, she imagines all that could be waiting in the world beyond for them to discover and experience, for no one has ever left the Plateau.

As they stand wondering, a hare on a glider appears. 

A sword, and a staff with a crystal on top, are strapped to his back.

The hare warns them about an approaching danger and orders the inhabitants to take up arms.

Review: Sabina and the Cats of Rome

Sabina and the Cats of Rome is an action-packed adventure perfect for to younger readers.

A feisty young heroine up to any challenge, leads an imaginative cast of characters.

Sabina lives in Rome in a house with magical surroundings. 

She doesn’t realize how magical until the day she meets the talking cat.

The cat is the only daughter of the King of Cats of Rome. 

They can communicate because all royal cats learn to speak human.

Guest Post: Shaye Wardrop on the Pull of Dystopian Stories

Across books, movies and art, the dystopian story holds a strange grip on our imaginations.

The Hunger Games, The City of Ember, The Obernewtyn Chronicles. They all paint a rather gloomy vision of the future, but they draw us in. They are thrilling, fascinating and addictive.

But why?

I believe one strong pull is curiosity about the unknown and the uncertain. The dystopian tale transports us to worlds very different from our own. It gives us a glimpse into possible futures shaped by environmental disaster, technology gone wrong and leaders who seek control. It invites us to explore our own values and fears, and to think deeply about the consequences of the actions we (and others) take.

Review: Enter the Roo (Kung Fu Roo #1)

Kung Fu Roo is a new graphic novel series from the best-selling Anh Do and the first book is called Enter the Roo.

The stars of Kung Fu Roo are three friends: Kai, Harry and Charley. They love martial arts and are on the way to compete in a kung fu competition when the train they're travelling on is hijacked. 

Then the train is hit by a meteor. Yet stranger events are still ahead!

After awakening in hospital, Kai returns home to discover he has a new desire to eat salads, and even a sudden hankering for grass. What's happened?!

Kai, Harry and Charley work out that weird purple goo from the meteor had a special effect. 

People who were on the train when the meteor hit werehave taken on the characteristics of zoo animals and pets which were also on the train!

Review: Mookie Vs the Big Scary

Mooki is a cute, brave and adventurous alien from the Moon. He’s good friends with Cindy (a human girl) and Ralph (Cindy’s pet doggy who sometimes accidently wees on things).

In Mookie Vs The Big Scary, Mookie arrives on Earth in his spaceship, ready for action. 

He wants to climb an EPIC mountain, but Cindy’s not sure. She heard there’s a big scary on the mountain and doesn’t think they should go.

But Mookie is brave and daring. And with a little convincing, he persuades Cindy and Ralph to face the unknown.

Review: Hester Hitchins and the Falling Stars

Hester Hitchins and the Falling Stars is another outstanding novel by Catherine Norton.  It follows hot on the heels of her brilliant novel, The Fortune Maker.

Set in the 1860s, Hester, the main character, leads a brilliant cast that spotlights the gifts and abilities of females, how these were forcefully suppressed by themselves and others due to their gender, and the tremendous difficulties they encountered to be able to use their gifts to forge a place for themselves in the world.

Hester’s dad is missing, presumed dead at sea. 

Her mother died giving birth to the twins. 

Review: City Knife

The Chimera are on the move. They’re going to push beyond the city limits and attack the world’s remaining survivors. Bayat feels the weight of that threat on his shoulders for the part his own mother played in their creation. Pandora thinks there’s a way the Chimera can be cured. They’re running towards different versions of the future, but still they run together to the city with hope in their hearts — even if that hope is fading fast.

In another place, Emmeline battles the sickness that is slowly turning her into a Chimera, and Fatima gets ready to battle the creatures Emmeline is destined to become. Can Emmaline fight the sickness? Does she even want to? Fatima has believed the Chimera to be the enemy this whole time. But with Emmaline standing beside her, have things changed?

Review: Boy Vs Beast: Water Beast

Kai Masters is a Border Guard, training to be a Border Master. 

His job is to protect the Earth from the mega-beasts who once shared the world with humans.

Now the beasts want to rule, and they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. 

With his faithful robot dog, BC, and a whole swag of cool gadgets, Kai risks his life to battle the giant beasts.

In Boy Vs Beast: Water Beast, Kai and BC take on the Serpegatan, a mammoth-size snake-like water creature intent on taking him (and the whole world) down.

Review: Mr McGee And His Hat

Why, hello! Mr McGee is back—you know, the moustachioed fellow in a bowler hat.

Pamela Allen brings us Mr McGee and his Hat, another simple, yet engaging story with imagination and humour at its core. Her rhythmic and rhyming text, helps Mr McGee adventure across the page, for example, Up in the air, Mr McGee flew, his hat and his cat and his bed went too.

Mr McGee is portrayed in clear, simple shapes and bold colours. Allen’s distinctive use of white space offsets her detailed pen and watercolour art. She expertly depicts Mr McGee’s expressions and body language, highlighting the funny situations he finds himself in. All these characteristics assist young ones to comprehend the story.

Review: The Very Polite Knight

Finn is a polite knight. He’s not like Walter the sneaky knight nor Boris the fierce knight nor Ethel the tough knight. 

He’s very different from the other knights. He’s…. more polite. He’s kind and caring and that’s how he approaches everything he does.

The other knights don’t see the benefit of being polite. They’d rather fight and steal and be scary. Be tough and fierce and sneaky. But when the king falls ill and needs a rare flower to cure him, the knights’ approaches are all put to the test.

Guest Post: Stephanie Ward on Allen The Alien - You Are Welcome!

As a child, I was amazed by aeroplanes (and still am). Where are they going? Are the travellers heading off on an adventure or coming home? Can I come along? 

I was born and raised in a lovely, smallish-sized town, but the minute I was accepted into a university in 'the big city' I jumped at the chance. I haven’t stopped moving since – visiting all seven continents, traveling to dozens of countries and living in four countries. I’m always the new kid on the block.

Review: Tweet

Jay, and his budgie Clyde, are brothers at heart. Family. They are left with Poppa when their parents, specialists in bird behaviour and habits, go to Africa for research.

Their return is now four weeks overdue, and Jay and Poppa are unable to contact them.

Poppa dies suddenly. Jay and Clyde are left alone, then separated. Jay is put into foster care, but runs away to go in search of Clyde.

He discovers their house emptied of its contents, and all evidence of the family’s existence removed, which includes Clyde’s cage.

A series of sinister happenings begin for which there is no explanation.

Flocks of birds are congregating in masses all over the world. Is there an underlying message to humans in their behaviour?  

Review: Wolf Girl #11: Hide and Seek

Wolf Girl -11: Hide and Seek, finds Gwen and her pack of dogs – her family, leave Moon City, chased by the Braxans, who are determined to catch her. 

The group find refuge in an underground tunnel before they come upon a shopping centre reclaimed by nature.

At the Mall, a new adventure begins. The dogs sniff out a Pet Shop. Dog’s delight!

But this is not the sanctuary they imagine. 

Others are using the space for housing and security. The group again encounter threats, danger and choices.

But who are the family living there, also hiding from their pursuers.

Nothing comes easy for either group. 

When the soldiers catch up with them, its them against the dogs.

Review: Forbidden Journal Of Rufus Rumble #1: Worst Space Crew Ever

This funny, clever and exasperating journal of 11-year old Rufus Rumble’s outer-space travels, will entice both reluctant and voracious readers.

Stamped on the front with shiny gold bits that emphatically state ‘Must Not Be Talked About,’ this book - with its hand-written feel and engaging line drawings - will definitely be talked about.

Rufus Rumble lives more than a hundred years in the future, and this alone is enough to pique reader interest and intrigue.  Also, Rufus has a ticket to SPACE. And if that’s not enough, he’s also on a quest to find his mother who simply vanished one morning, leaving Rufus to live with his grumpy old Grandad.

Guest Post: Sandra Bennett on Researching An Adventure Story?

Adventure series writer, Sandra Bennett, visits today to highlight the importance of setting in stories. Learn how she is inspired to research her settings to create authenticity.

For me, research is absolutely essential before I start writing any book in my Adamson Adventures series. 

The first part of that research is deciding where to set the story. Many authors begin with an idea of a character, but for this series, it has always been about the location.

Right from the beginning, many years ago when I was in Bali, I knew I wanted to write an adventure story set on this exotic island.