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Hey Kid Lit Friends,
I’m sure a lot of you have been following the fires in Australia. After months of burning, recent rainstorms have created some relief but also a lot of damage with golf ball sized hail. Despite the rainstorms, there are over eighty blazes still going that have been aggravated with strong winds.
I know a lot of us have been supporting causes to help Australia. For those of us who want to help our kids learn more about this beautiful country, check out the books listed below and then check out the recent news to see what’s happening. I found this visual guide by the BBC helpful to look at, as well as this Q&A that responds to some frequently asked questions about the fires.
Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Early one morning when the sun came out, Six woolly wombats went walkabout.
This whimsical counting poem follows six brave little wombats on walkabout in the Australian outback. But the wilderness is bound to bring more excitement than an innocent counting game. Soon enough, the curious wombats learn to beware the hungry dingo!
Birrarung Wilam: A Story from Aboriginal Australia by Murphy Aunty Joy Kelly Andrew, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy (8/4/20, Candlewick)
Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly and Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri people Aunty Joy Murphy join to tell the Indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s beautiful Yarra River — from its source to its mouth and from its prehistory to the present day. The writing dazzles with poetic descriptions of the trees, plants, and wildlife that thrive in harmony along the iconic waterway. Lush and vibrant acrylic paintings from Indigenous illustrator Lisa Kennedy make the mighty Yarra come to life — coursing under a starry sky, drawing people to its sunny shores, mirroring a searing orange sunset.
Dreamtime: Aboriginal Stories by Oodgeroo Nunukul, illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft
Australia’s most famous Aboriginal writer offers reminiscences of her childhood on Stradboke Island off the Queensland coast, communicating her pride in her heritage, and presents a collection of traditional Aboriginal folklore.
Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles, illustrated by Rod Clement
Tired of his life as an emu, Edward decides to try being something else for a change. He tries swimming with the seals, he spends a day lounging with the lions, and even slithers with the snakes. But Edward soon discovers that being an emu may be the best thing after all.
Welcome to Country: A Traditional Aboriginal Ceremony by Murphy Aunty Joy Kelly Andrew, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy
Welcome to the lands of the Wurundjeri people. The people are part of the land, and the land is a part of them. Aboriginal communities across Australia have boundaries that are defined by mountain ranges and waterways. Traditionally, to cross these boundaries, permission is required. Each community has its own way of greeting, but the practice shares a common name: a Welcome to Country. Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin, the senior Aboriginal elder of the Wurundjeri people, channels her passion for storytelling into a remarkable and utterly unique picture book that invites readers to discover some of the history and traditions of her people. Indigenous artist Lisa Kennedy gives the Wurundjeri Welcome to Country form in beautiful paintings rich with blues and browns, as full of wonder and history as the tradition they depict.
Stories from the Billabong by James Vance Marshall, illustrated by Francis Firebrace
From the author of Walkabout come ten of Australia’s ancient aboriginal legends, authentically and elegantly retold. Here you can discover how Great Mother Snake created and peopled the world with plants and creatures, what makes Frogs croak, why Kangaroo has a pouch, and just what it is that makes Platypus so special.
The Australian Animal Atlas by Leonard Cronin and Marion Westmacott
Come on a journey into the world of Australia’s wildlife, exploring all the different habitats, from parched deserts to lush rainforests. Disocver the mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects that live there. Search for the animals hidden in each habitat scene. Find out about the fish that walks; the sixth sense of the platypus; the deadly venom of the desert death adder; the strange table manners of the sea star.
Outback: The Amazing Animals of Australia by Dan Kainen and Ella Morton
Using Photicular® technology that’s like a 3-D movie on the page, OUTBACK whisks you to the vast, remote world of wild Australia, where heat waves dance forever and animals, isolated by the vagaries of continental drift, are unlike those found anywhere else on Earth.
Each moving image delivers a rich, immersive visual experience—and the result is breathtaking. The kangaroo hops. A wombat waddles. The frilled lizard races on two legs across the desert floor. A peacock spider dances and shows off its vibrant colors. Experience it for yourself!
Pouch! by David Ezra Stein
Caldecott Honor winner David Ezra Stein’s delightful tale of a baby kangaroo’s first hops toward independence is perfect for board book audiences. Joey wants to go exploring, but at first he isn’t sure he’s ready to leave Mama’s safe, warm pouch. Touching on a universal childhood experience, this sweet tale celebrates trying new things.
Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French, illustrated by Bruce Whatley
Wombats are cuddly-looking, slow-moving Australian animals. Their favorite activities are eating, sleeping, and digging holes. Here, in the words of one unusually articulate wombat, is the tongue-in-cheek account of a busy week; eating, sleeping, digging holes . . . and training its new neighbors, a family of humans, to produce treats on demand.
This is Australia by Miroslav Sasek
Like the other Sasek classics, these are facsimile editions of his original books. The brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved, remaining true to his vision more than forty years later and, where applicable, facts have been updated for the twenty-first century, appearing on a “This is . . . Today” page at the back of each book. The stylish, charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek’s witty, playful narrative, make these books a perfect souvenir that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember them from their own childhood. In This is Australia, first published in 1970, Sasek swings down under, winging his readers into Sydney, with its famous bridge and space-age Opera House; bustling, modern Melbourne; colonial Adelaide; semitropical Brisbane; the garden city of Canberra; mineral-rich Perth; and Alice Springs, Australia’s most famous outback town.
Twig by Aura Parker
Heidi is a stick insect, tall and long like the twig of a tree. It’s her first day at a busy bug school, where she hopes to learn and make new friends. But finding friends isn’t easy when no one can find you!
A River by Marc Martin
So begins the imaginary journey of a child inspired by the view outside her bedroom window: a vast river winding through a towering city. A small boat with a single white sail floats down the river and takes her from factories to farmlands, freeways to forests, out to the stormy and teeming depths of the ocean, and finally back to the comforts—and inspirations—of home. This lush, immersive book by award-winning picture book creator Marc Martin will delight readers of all ages by taking them on a transcendent and aspirational journey through an imaginative landscape.
Around the web…
There’s a new video series for 8 to 12-year-olds by author Danielle David called This Writer’s Life. Check it out!
Celebrating Awards Season at the Library, via Book Riot
33 of the Top Middle Grade Books on Goodreads, via Book Riot
What are you reading these days? I want to know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Until next time!
Karina
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