Gifted children, from an early age can show the capacity to think creatively, critically and abstractly. Have you ever had them ask a question and you wondered how they came up with that thought? Or wondered why they have thought so hard about...
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2018 has been a great year, filled with so many wonderful books sent for reviews and bought for home or our school library. I don’t have the time right now to list all of my favourites and I don’t know if I can choose either!! But...
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Have you ever believed that you could go anywhere you wanted? Do anything you dreamt of? Or could be anything you wished? When you’re going to the moon by Sasha Beekman and Vivienne To is a beautiful story about believing in yourself and...
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“No, you cannot have a pet lizard -” Lizzy’s mum said, “And before you ask, no snakes either. No reptiles of any sort.” Lizzy’s Dragon by Melissa Gijsbers is a wonderful new fantasy novel for younger readers...
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I’m writing this story in a bottle lost at sea….. Magic Fish Dreaming by June Perkins is a collection of poems for children that ignite imagination, incite dreaming and explore the great land and wildlife of Australia. Poetry is not...
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I’ve always loved adventure stories and magic stories so A most magical girl by Karen Foxlee was a great find! Shortlisted in the 2017 CBCA, this story takes the reader on a magical journey through a part of London I am sure you never thought...
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The idea of swimming on top of freshly mown grass which has been swamped by fresh water conjures up ideas of the simple and care free nature that comes with being a child. This scene, amongst others in Swimming on the Lawn by Yasmin really sums...
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Mrs White and the Red Desert by Josie Boyle, illustrated by Maggie Prewett is a fascinating story about life in the desert for three children and the trouble with the red dust that blows in and over everything in it’s path! This group of...
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Linking literacy to books is a passion of mine (as you may have guessed) but so is learning to read. The early years of any child’s life and then formal education are vital for building a love of literacy. If we miss those years children...
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This week, on Tuesday 21st March, the world celebrated World Poetry Day! Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings. (UNESCO, 2017) So why do we need...
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If a worm has no back bone, is it really that tough? We are often told to aspire to be the early bird…what would a worm aspire to be like? Is it fair to say that all worms hang out with bad apples? There are too many worm analogies...
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Bronwyn Bancroft’s poetry brings the vibrant colours to life as we sail through shadows,ferns, clouds and raindrops. Each page brings another part of Australia to life with shades, hues and patterns. As you read Colours of Australia, a...
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