7 minute read
On the shelf
Goal!!! by Lydia Williams
Little Lydia moves from the desert to the big city. Leaving her animal friends behind is hard - but before long she’s meeting new ones at the zoo. At first she can’t keep up with Tiger, Bear and Gibbon - their skills are amazing. But soon Lydia discovers that learning from others is the best way to improve AND have fun. A joyous and triumphant picture book about friendship, sport, and teamwork by Lydia Williams, goalkeeper for the Australian Matildas and for UK’s Arsenal. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $19.99.
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A pair of pears and an orange by Anna McGregor
Big Pear and Little Pear love playing together. But when Orange joins in, their games don’t work and Big Pear feels left out. A relatable, hilarious, and kindhearted tale about navigating friendship when three definitely starts to feel like a crowd! From the author of much-loved Anemone is not the Enemy. This is an entertaining and gently educational tale, perfect for reading aloud with early primary school-aged kids who may be feeling jealousy around newly formed friendships and changing social dynamics.’ Published by Scribe Publications. RRP $24.99.
20 years ago Trixie Whitmore published Kokey Koala and the Bush Olympics children’s picture book just in time for the Sydney Olympics. Now, after her passing last year, Trixie’s family has republished the book in hardcover as a tribute and legacy to the late author. Then nominated as a recommended resource by the NSW Education Department, Kokey Koala and the Bush Olympics is the story of a cute koala who, with determination and courage, participates in a series of Bush Olympics sports with the hope of winning an Olympic gold medal. www.kokeykoala.com.au. RRP $19.99
For Love by Cristina Neri
Set on a sleeping volcano in the Mediterranean Sea, this book conjures a magical world filled with bees, caper bushes, peaches and prickly pears. Superbly illustrated in a unique style using a limited palette, For Love will capture the imagination of all young readers and adults alike. Written from the heart, Cristina Neri tells a tender story of a father who teaches his daughter that not only is beauty an opportunity to feel love but that even the most painful occasion invites us to experience the power of love. Published by Lake Press. RRP $24.99.
Drum Roll Please … It’s Stevie Louise by Tanya Hennessy
Meet Stevie Louise. She is an entrepreneur, an entertainer, and an extrovert on the inside (wait, is this a thing?). Stevie has a brilliant plan. She’s going to have fun, make money, and most importantly, make sure the Brooke Street kids stay best friends forever. Then a new neighbour arrives and threatens to derail all Stevie’s plans. But the show must go on. After all, Stevie is a professional. A gloriously warm, funny and relatable story from much-loved comedian, writer, radio announcer and social media sensation Tanya Hennessy. Published by Albert Street Books. RRP $16.99.
The Boy Who Stepped Through Time by Anna Ciddor
When Perry steps into a crumbling ruin while on holiday in France, he is not expecting to be transported back 1700 years to Roman times. While he hunts desperately for a way home, he must blend in as a slave - even if it means eating mice for dinner. Gradually, Perry is caught up in the fascinating world of grand Villa Rubia and a life he could never have imagined. But when he makes a new friend, he thinks he might already know her terrible fate. Perry is faced with an impossible choice: to find his way home or stay and guard his friend’s life - and risk being trapped in the past forever… Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $19.99.
How to Make a Pet Monster Flummox by Lili Wilkinson
Doesn’t everyone want their very own pet monster? If you are like me, the answer is NO, because you think monsters don’t exist. If you are like Willow, the answer is YES DEFINITELY. Willow and I found an ancient spell book called the BIGGE BOKE of fetching monsters, which shows you how to make REAL MONSTERS. We made HODGEPODGE, who’s a bit furry and a bit stinky. He’s my best friend. Willow wants to make a best friend, but I’m worried. Now that I know monsters are REAL, what if this new one is REALLY dangerous? Published by Albert Street Books. RRP $14.99.
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
Izumi Tanaka has lived an uneventful seventeen years in her small, mostly white, northern California town, keenly aware of all the ways in which her family is different from most of her classmates’. But then Izumi discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity... and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan. Which means outspoken, irreverent, can-burpthe-alphabet Izzy is literally a princess. Soon she’s traveling overseas to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she’s only dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras... Published by Pan Macmillan. RRP $18.99.
Julia Morris makes it easy by Julia Morris
Hilariously half-baked life advice from yet another deluded celebrity. Welcome to Julia Morris’s immaculately conceived EASY system: a crackpot satire on celebrity self-help culture. Julia will help you figure out the stuff you don’t need to do, cut down on the crapola you’ve decided you don’t want to do, make the stuff you absolutely have to do a breeze - and ensure you enjoy the whole lot. Brace yourself for a deluge of slacker life hacks, nice-butnot-very-bright advice and life-changing inspiration. If you think this book is going to be like other celebrity self-help books, think again Published by Harper Collins. RRP $12.99
The Pick-up by Fiona Harris and Mike McLeish
Lizzie, Sam and Megan are very different people who became best friends over good coffee and good laughs at school drop-off. Single-mum Megan is contemplating a slightly scandalous relationship. Newly divorced Sam is navigating the ‘delights’ of online dating. And Lizzie is flat out juggling four kids and an absent husband. As if that wasn’t enough, this year the trio have decided to embrace their inner parent helper and volunteer to go on the annual school camp. If they think their personal lives are chaotic, this camp’s going to teach them what chaos really means... Published by Echo Publishing. RRP $29.99
As a radio DJ in London, Christian O’Connell appeared to have it all. He hosted the number one show in the UK for over two decades. But now, for the first time, he reveals why he gave up his coveted position in British radio and risked everything to move to Melbourne as GOLD 104.3’s new breakfast host. No One Listens to Your Dad’s Show is not just about radio and getting back on top (spoiler: he eventually did). Instead, in hopes of raising awareness of these issues, Christian bravely details his mental health challenges that predetermined his move to Australia. In addition, Christian also leads a discussion on life transition, the mid-life crisis and the happiness curve. Published by Allen & Unwin. RRP $32.99
Generation Alpha by Mark McCrindle & Ashley Fell
Generation Alpha are the most globally connected generation of children ever. Covering those born between 2010 and 2024, these kids are living through an era of rapid change and a barrage of information - good, bad and fake. For parents, teachers and leaders of Generation Alpha looking for guidance on how to raise their children, worried if their kids are spending too much time on screens, concerned how global trends are impacting them and wondering how to prepare them for a world where they will live longer and work later, this is the book you need. Published by Hachette Australia. RRP $34.99
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Fairy Parties • High Teas • Pamper Party • Magic Show • School Holiday Fun Phone 9018 5095. 529 Highett Road Highett and 399 Bay Street Brighton.
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Pete the Sheep
Saturday, 10 July at 11am
Adapted from the picture book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley, Pete the Sheep is a lively and mischievous award-winning musical for young audiences and their adults. All tickets $30
