Review: Taronga Presents: Poo at the Zoo, Bk #1; Party Animals, Bk #2

Here is an excellent series of four illustrated chapter books, created in partnership with Taronga Conservation Society Australia. Poo at the Zoo is the first.

Sophia and Ollie are best friends and have many things in common. Both love animals. Sophia wants to be a Wildlife Vet like her mum, who works at Taronga Wildlife Hospital. Ollie wants to become a Biologist or Zookeeper. His dad also works at the Zoo.

Two weeks of school holidays begin, and the friends start their volunteer traineeship. They are given lanyards, but don’t know what to expect. When told their first task is collecting poo from the animal enclosures, they are initially shocked.

They are allocated to the koala Mateo, under supervision. Tthey know all the animals’ names as they spend most of their spare time at the Zoo), 

Each day they must collect and count all the koala faecal. This is the way Mateo’s health is monitored. The poo is then taken to the lion enclosure.

It’s ‘guess the poo’ time and the friends must identify which poo has come from which animal. (An illustration shows the different types of poo).

The two friends are determined to accept and undertake, whatever is expected, for them to become official volunteers.

Sophia and Ollie are dedicated and enthusiastic.  Even with the not-so-pleasant tasks. They adapt and overcome all difficulties they encounter, as they head in the direction of their dreams.

The friendship between Sophia and Ollie is built on an easy-going familiarity and light-hearted humour. Animal jokes are scattered through the text.

The story line includes the internal and external workings of the Zoo, the roles of the staff, happenings in the Wildlife Hospital, and the language used when referring to animals and their care.

Snippets of animal behaviour are included, and at the end, through Ollie’s Fun Facts, which are diligently recorded, are statistics regarding the animals released back into the wild.

The setting of this title is the Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

 

It’s Ollie’s birthday. His parents have organized a special day for him at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo, in Dubbo. All Ollie wants is to have Sophia share the surprise with him, as she hasn’t visited that area since she was very young.

As volunteers at the Sydney Zoo, the children are given access passes. Max, Ollie’s dad, has rented bikes to enable them to explore the Zoo at their ease.

Sophia has ordered something special for her best friend. But it hasn’t arrived yet. She becomes anxious and distracted.

Throughout the day, she keeps making excuses to check at the office if the parcel has come.

Will Ollie think Sophia is keeping secrets from him? This question buzzes through her head.

Sophia’s behavior is irritating Ollie, and she knows it, but can’t risk spoiling things by explaining why to him.

The day passes with them catching up with animals that have been transferred to Western Plains from Sydney.

Will Sophia’s parcel arrive on time?  

Because of the character Ollie’s ability to collect and retain facts, a great deal of overall information surrounding the animals’ lives: their habits, diet, and habitats, flow through his dialogue.

Readers will benefit from the wonderful new words associated with the animals which will educate and expand their vocabulary.

This series opens a new avenue of interest for children regarding futures in animal care.

Title: Taronga Presents: Poo at the Zoo, Bk1; Party Animals, Bk#2
Author: Kristin Darell
Illustrator: Laura Wood
Publisher: Penguin, $14.99
Publication Date: 3 September 2024
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781761347436; 9781761347443
For ages: 7+
Type: Junior Fiction

Guest Post: Lucy Hawkins on Her New Life In Spain!

I recently moved my young family from Australia to Spain. We had a wonderful life in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, one of my daughters had just started school and had made best friends and the other was happy at kindergarten. 

But my husband’s job selling software to wineries was remote and we could relocate if we wanted to, and while the kids were little we thought it was probably now or never. So, we sold the house, the car, all our furniture, started the visa application and booked our flights to Palma, Mallorca.

I had been thinking of Mallorca since I lived there 15 years ago. It’s the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, it has a mountain range, picturesque historic villages and is surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean. It’s beautiful and feels safe along with being full of life.

12 Curly Questions with author Jess Galatola

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

Not many people know that when I was 13, I volunteered to work for free in a bookshop, in the hopes of earning an ongoing position. After cleaning every shelf in that shop (which took a full day), I scored my first casual job at QBD The Bookshop. I later found out that cleaning every shelf in one go was a dreaded once-a-year occurrence. I didn’t care. I was happy to be surrounded by books and use my staff

discount to start collecting picture books, YA novels and art and history resources that I felt I would use one day when I become a teacher (which I did, eight years later). Those formative years in the workforce continued to foster and fund my love of reading!

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.

Review: Plantabulous! More A to Z of Australian Plants

‘I wonder what that plant is called?’ Ever heard yourself or your kids saying this? Me too! I often find myself walking through the bush curious about the name of plants. 

Plantabulous! More A to Z of Australian Plants not only helps me identify plants with indigenous, common and genus names but also captivates with its vivid illustrations and inspiring information. 

Plantabolous! details 26 native plants and follows up from, Plantastic! A to Z of Australian Plants. It also includes a glossary and a map with a list of plant ecoregions. 

A botanist with a passion for Australian native plants, Catherine Clowes has created a thoughtful book which exudes her enthusiasm. For each letter of the alphabet, a plant is listed with striking illustrations, an activity and facts. For example, did you know that the native palm called burrawang, is a plant from before the dinosaurs! 

12 Curly Questions with author Amy Freund

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

Ooh, this is a hard one as I’m such an over-sharer, but when I’m feeling under the weather or just need a pick-me-up, I watch cheesy 80s action movies; the more unbelievable the better. Anyone ever seen Under Siege? Absolute classic.

2. What is your nickname?
My family nickname is Amybob and my uni friends call me Amypants, both named after my idol, Spongebob Squarepants.

3. What is your greatest fear?
I am TERRIFIED of huntsmans: they are just too big and hairy! I used to live in Eltham, and every hot day at least two huntsmans would be hanging out in my bedroom; so much so that I nicknamed them ‘Fred and George’, like the Weasley twins. I still get a bit on edge every time it’s a hot day that Fred or George will come and visit my new home.

Are We There Yet? 20th Anniversary Edition

This 2005 CBCA Picture Book of the year, encapsulates all that we love about Alison Lester’s stratospheric journey as a children’s book creator. 

It was pure delight to unwrap this brand new, sparkling, coppery-golden foiled 20th anniversary version of the book for review. Told through the voice of eight-year-old Grace, this new incarnation of the book has not aged a jot.

Lester is a national treasure and it is easy to see why. Two decades on, this book is still delightfully fresh, funny and relevant. Timeless family dynamics and developmental stages are chaotically and tenderly rendered in both words and pictures.

Review: Meerkat Mayhem

Meerkat’s worms are his favourite fare. He eats as many as possible and as often as he can.

One day Meerkat decides to set out for a walk after one of his scrumptious meals but finds he can’t move.  

Helplessly stuck in his burrow with half of him sticking out, a kindly elephant offers to give him a pull.

Could she get Meerkat out?

No, she could not!

Then a giraffe comes along and takes hold of elephant and pulls.

Can the growing group of animal friends, working together as a team,

Review: Molly and Maple

'...Losing her sight wasn't the worst thing for Nettie... [it] was that people started to think differently about her. Some people even seemed to think less of her...'

This powerful opening to Molly and Maple sets the tone for the challenges faced by anyone with a disability - and that's (astonishingly) over 21 per cent of Australians.

In the case of Annette (Nettie) Holden, a former journalist, government and business public affairs officer, the loss of her sight was devastating and challenging. But it was also a chance for her to transform her new life into something truly inspiring. 

The story of Molly and Maple celebrates Nettie's journey - from using an international white cane to two beloved guide dogs that walk beside her, literally and figuratively, as canine guardian angels.

Review: Clementine's Christmas

Clementine is excited by all the activity in the house.

It is Christmas Eve. The family is gathered to share the joy and love that unites them. 

Preparations are ready for the morning, except for the one thing that remains for Granny to finish. 

But she can’t find her wool.

Clementine and her family search for the missing purple skein of wool. 

They look high and low, beneath the coloured paper chains that hang from pictures, and around the tree. At last! Success! 

Review: Hazel's Treehouse

Hazel’s Treehouse is a beautiful hardback book, the perfect size for holding in small hands and with just enough texture and colour on the cover to make it feel very special indeed.

In this collection of delightful short stories with exquisite, timeless and funny line drawings, we meet Hazel and her friends.

‘Hazel is nine years old, as long as her bunk bed and as kind as a marshmallow.’

Hazel shares a treehouse in the bush with Pokey the ‘feelings’ echidna, Odette the pademelon, Walter the wombat and little Tiny, the honey possum. Together the friends get up to all sorts of mischief and adventure – in the very best of ways.

I personally don’t know of any 6-year-olds who wouldn’t want to live inside this beautifully rendered treehouse with a menagerie of Australian animals as their best friends.