Review: Kimmi: Queen of the Dingoes

Award-winning writer Favel Parrett has produced another powerful and moving story of survival to follow Wandi, which was published in 2021 to great acclaim.

Kimmi: Queen of the Dingoes reveals Parrett’s continued passion and dedication to the preservation of life for these beautiful, intelligent, and frequently underrated animals.

Kimmi is a Tropical dingo destined for greatness.  Queen status. A female in a long line of leaders, she was born small in a litter with three males.

Threatened by a hunter, her mother and brothers are protected by a human mother and son who love these animals and have cared for and protected them.

But there are those who see dingoes as destructive and worthless.

Review: Caroline

Mark Wilson’s divine biographical picture book on Caroline Chisholm is not her life story alone, but also another superb work of art by this multi-talented creator. 

Meaningful, precise text draws the reader into the depicted era through dress styles, surroundings, architecture, and social norms.

Wilson’s brilliant full-page colour illustrations contend with his back ink ones. The images are like photographs – distinct; ablaze on the page. 

Beauty fills the reader’s vision and draws sighs of utter satisfaction. This includes the breathtaking end pages.

Descriptions of Caroline’s life of care and responsibility for others, specifically for migrant

Review: Shearer

This is the true story of one Australian shearer’s life, his determination, and fearless character.

In 1892, Jack Howe, in seven hours and forty minutes, sheared 321 sheep to create a world record.  

 It remains unbeaten.

Born in Darling Downs in Queensland, the remainder of his interesting biography can be found at the end of the book with an original photo of Jack.

Review: Sunshine: How one camp taught me about life, death and hope

Sunshine: How one camp taught me about life, death and hope is a memoir in the form of a graphic novel.

Created by Jarrett J Krosoczka, Sunshine is the story of a memorable summer in his teenage years. It's an experience that changes his life.

When he was sixteen, Jarrett spent one week as a student leader at Camp Sunshine, a holiday camp for children with life-threatening illnesses, and their families.

At Camp Sunshine Jarrett meets people like thirteen-year-old Diego who has a brain tumour and uses a wheelchair. Jarrett's interest in art and his drawing abilities provide an opening for developing a friendship with Diego, and the other kids.

He learns some of the challenges, frustrations and impacts of cancer and its treatment. And he discovers that when you're faced with a life-threatening illness, personally or by close association, the way you look at life changes.

Review: Inkflower

When a masterful storyteller distils the essence of the past and reinstates it into a meaningful, moving context for those for whom that past never existed, the result is forcibly compelling. Inkflower by Suzy Zail is this and more.

Zail weaves truths and imaginings into a novel for young people that both spellbinds and beleaguers belief. 

She states her father taught her we have to talk about the things that scare us before we can change them, so too must the reader experience some uncomfortable realisations just as teen protagonist, Lisa Keller, is forced to after learning about the terminal condition of her beloved father.

Emil Keller (formerly Rosenfeld) has a successful career, comfortable home and doting family. And only a handful of months left to enjoy them. 

Review: Enid Blyton: The Biography

As a child, I was a great fan of The Famous Five, and read just about any Enid Blyton books I could get my hands on. As an adult, I’ve not re-read them, probably because I’m pretty sure the experience would be disappointing. However, having been such a reader of them in the past, I was keen to read Enid Blyton: The Biography.

Authorised by one of Enid Blyton’s daughters, it’s written by Barbara Stoney. First written in the 1970s, less than a decade after Blyton's 1968 death, an updated edition was released in 2006. Stoney spent a huge amount of time researching the author, and had unprecedented access to letters and diaries, as well as interviewing people who knew or met Enid personally or professionally.

Review: Charley Harper's Animal Kingdom

Charley Harper is a mid-century artist who long ago captured my heart. His work is beyond iconic, exquisite and way ahead of its time, with graphic design-style illustrations that are both pure simplicity and intricate detail. Using elements like line and pattern to bring richness to shapes filled with predominantly flat colour, Harper's illustrations are both modern and retro, stylised and classic.

Cover Reveal: Dorrie

Cover reveal! 

Dorrie, by KBR's Founder Tania McCartney, is a biographical tale of a young Dorothy Wall, the creator of Australia's iconic larrikin koala, Blinky Bill. 

A picture book for children aged 3+, it follows the journey of a young girl from the land of the long white cloud to the squeaky beaches of the world's oldest continent - a place of hot red deserts and squeaky beaches, with cackles in the trees and spiky brushes in the bushes.

Dorrie is a master creator. She sings, dances, sews, crafts jewellery, designs patterns, paints nature and draws superb illustrations for all manner of magazines, catalogues and books.

But when a cheeky koala appears in a tree outside her window, her world is turned upside down. A fascination and passion for Blinky soon becomes her life work - and a lifelong friendship is born.

Published by Angus & Robertson/HarperCollins Children's Books, Dorrie will hit the bookshelves on 1 February 2023. You can pre-order right here and folllow Tania on Instagram for some upcoming illustration reveals, giveaways and lots of Blinky fun! 

Stay tuned for a Dorrie review on KBR.

 

Guest Post: Chloe Hooper on What To Read To Your Children When Explaining Loss and Grief

Last month I fare-welled a dear friend as she left our world in the form we'd always loved her in to become another. The loss was felt all the more keenly for the fact that she was a youngish mum leaving two beautiful children behind. This is not the first time such a loss has occurred and in all likelihood, it won't be the last. Such is life. Before she died, I sent her and the children a copy of my picture book, The Fix-It Man hoping it will provide some degree of soothing and comfort, understanding and peace in their days to come. 

I'm a fervent believer in the power of storytelling to address and normalise the more weighty and onerous moments in life. So too is Chloe Hooper, bestselling author of, Bedtime Stories. What follows is a collection of picture books she curated and reviewed with her young sons. There are some absolute gems here. Feel free to add , The Fix-It Man, if you wish. Ed.

Review: Bedtime Story

We need to talk about Bedtime Story. Like, we really need to talk about it: in small clusters around the water cooler, when we pick up the children from school, while we cycle down city streets and as we kayak raging rivers. Okay, maybe not that last one.

But still - we do need to talk about it.

Chloe Hooper’s husband has been diagnosed with an aggressive, life-threatening illness and her children are quite small, just 3 and 6. So, she asks an important and timeless question – How do we talk to children about death in a way that leaves them loving life?

Review: Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket

Adam Gilchrist's Champions of Cricket is a special book for young cricket buffs. It might also appeal to older cricket lovers, too.

As one of Australia's most famous cricketers, a wicketkeeper and batter, and now a commentator, Adam Gilchrist, known as 'Gilly', knows cricket better than most. 

This book is Gilly's list of 30 cricketers who have made a significant impact on his career, and the game of cricket in Australia. They are some of the players who have inspired Gilly, and their stories might inspire young cricketers today.

A two-page biography is provided for each of the 30 players, along with statistics from their playing career. They capture something of the cricketers' experiences, all from the perspective of Gilly's childhood and professional perspective.

Review: Born to Run

Born to Run is the picture book edition of Cathy Freeman's autobiography of the same name.

It traces Cathy's life, beginning as a young girl growing up in Queensland. That's where she spent time with her family and spent a lot of time running. It's also where she ran her first race, and won.

Cathy's story tells readers how she would practice sprinting by chasing her brothers on a dry, sandy riverbed. And she would practice running laps at a local track. 

Review: Rachel's War

This biographical fiction was inspired by the real life of Rachel Pratt, an army nurse in WW1 stationed in France, who was awarded the Military Medal for bravery.

Exquisite illustrations by the author, Mark Wilson, allow our hearts to be moved by the descriptive images – some in colour, others in black fine line pen. These add to the narrative in their singular way.

Broken by grief after losing both parents in the Fitzroy River floods, Rachel was looked after by her brother Robert from age thirteen.

Review: Night Lights

It may seem extraordinary to our Gen Alpha readers of today that not so very long ago, our nights were not so bright, meaning, the world was a place of less light pollution, certainly it was not illuminated by the blue light of so many devices as it is now. 

It is this sentiment that author, Inda Ahmad Zahri and illustrator, Lesley McGee impart in their new picture book, Night Lights.

Night Lights is more than an evocative plea to value nature and honour the night. It is an impassioned return to the author’s childhood home in Malaysia and a spellbinding invitation to experience her memories of growing up in a verdant tropical paradise, focusing on the various forms of light that illuminated her world.

Review: Becoming: Adapted For Younger Readers

Discover first hand Michelle Obama’s modest childhood growing up in the Robinson family. Along with her older brother Craig, they lived in an upstairs apartment in her Great Aunt’s place on the south side of Chicago.

Her parents taught them to work hard and remember to laugh, how to think for themselves and be unafraid to use their voice for what they believed in.

In the early 1980s, Michelle attended Princeton University and slowly adjusted to life away from home - discovering the fast and exciting pace of New York.

With Michelle’s aptitude, sitting for law exams become a natural progression of her academic life. She soon found herself applying for Law Schools with the next stop being Harvard University. Law was not her passion, but she did what was expected of her.

Review: The Flying Angel

Tull Suwannakit is quickly becoming one of Australia’s best illustrators of children’s books. In his latest, The Flying Angel by the talented Vicki Bennett, stylish illustrations support the emotive text. Detailed and in neutral colours, the artwork is almost photographic in its precision.

With Anzac Day approaching, many beautiful books will be circulating. This is one of them.

Review: Untwisted: The Story of My Life

If you thought you learnt all about Paul Jennings, children’s book writer, through his children’s writing, you will be surprised by the truthful insight into who he really is, with his extraordinary and revealing autobiography, Untwisted: The Story of My Life.

This book will stay with me forever. It is the epitome of resilience, renewal, reinvention and strength of character.

Jennings unashamedly speaks of his life, respecting certain people by not mentioning their names, but being faithful to the episodes his life contains that brought him to who he now is; the situations, personal and professional, he fought hard to overcome or correct.

It is an inspiring book. His struggle with personal relationships and depression, is authentically approached.

His honesty concerning things he actively addressed to change gives hope to hopeless situations. In reading this book, empathy and understanding for each human struggle surfaces.

Review: Bindi

Bindi is a verse novel told through the eleven-year old voice of the book’s namesake.

Presented in three parts – Seedlings, Cinders and Sprouts, with titled poems, it speaks of Land, bushfires that rage through the country, many caused by the lack of traditional back burning to limit undergrowth, renewal, family life, community, teachings of Elders, and caring for Country and each other.

It is written with the inclusion of Gundungurra words, of which there is a list of interpretations at the end of the book.

Review: The Missing

Michael Rosen was the UK Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. He's responsible for books like We're Going on a Bear Hunt, What is Poetry?, A Great Big Cuddle, and many others.

The Missing is 'the true story of [his] family in World War II'. It's a very personal and moving book.

Michael grew up hearing only that his paternal great-uncles had been 'there' before World War II, but not afterwards. 

No one could tell him what happened to them.

As an adult, Michael began seriously searching for information. He asked questions, travelled, and met American cousins he'd not known before. 

Over the course of many years he uncovered the truth, and in The Missing, he shares the story of his journey to discover what happened to the relatives who had disappeared.

Review: Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia's First Children's Author

Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia’s First Children’s Author is a documented journey of discovery undertaken by award-winning writers and sisters, Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell. 

Having grown up in an encouraging, nurturing environment filled with books, writing, and stories, the girls were always told stories about their ancestors, especially great-great- great-great grandmother, Charlotte Waring Atkinson.

It was unknown to them that she was the author of A Mother’s Offering to her Children. Written in 1841 when Charlotte and her children were destitute, the identity of the writer had been a mystery until 1981.

A warm-toned, flowing narrative is shared by Kate and Belinda in alternate chapters. Filled with history, personal stories of their childhood and adult experiences, and a family life filled with love, are trunks of vivid images.