Weekend Reads round-up: 4 October: part four

 

Elefantastic!: a story of magic in 5 acts: light verse on a heavy subject.

Written by Jane Yolen.

Illustrated by Brett Helquist.

Handprint / Chronicle Books, 2025.

Sophisticated picture book.

Poignant and sad – and hopeful. Inspired by true stories, but not a true story, and not based on one true story.

Possible read-alikes:

• Seree's story by Irma Gold and Wayne Harris.
• The littlest elephant by Katherine Applegate and Lita Judge.
• Tarra and Bella: the elephant and dog who became best friends by Carol Buckley.
• The world's greatest elephant by Ralph Helfer.

 

The bear fairy.

Written by Paul Coccia.

Illustrated by Fred Blunt.

Tundra, 2026.

Picture book.

Let’s break those stereotypes! And stick up for your friends.

Possible read-alikes:

• There's no such thing as... fairies by Lucy Rowland and Katy Halford.
• The soccer fairy by Elli Woollard and Irina Avgustinovich.
• A fairy called Fred by Robert Tregoning and Stef Murphy.
• The trouble with giraffes by Lisa Mantchev and Taeeun Yoo.
• Zombie and Brain are friends by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and Laan Cham.

I will always be...

Written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington.

Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell.

HarperCollins, 2025.

Picture book.

What a refreshing book! Enjoyment rather than perfection!

Possible read-alikes:

• You are a story by Bob Raczka, Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell.
• Imperfectly perfect by Perry Emerson and Hoang Giang.
• When you take a step by Bethanie Deeney Murguia.
• Blob by Anne Appert.
• Pretty perfect kitty-corn by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham.
• Perfect Pedro by Simon Philip and Ella Okstad.

 

Cloud boy.

Written and illustrated by Greg Stobbs.

Oxford University Press, 2025.

Picture book.

Neurodiversity and distraction. Trying to not be distracted, and failing – and feeling like a failure – and feeling empty. But, teaching others it’s ok.

Possible read-alikes:

• Shibu's tail by Tess Thomas and Kamwei Fong.
• Archie can't sit still by Dani Vee, James Layton, and Davilyn Lynch.
• The Rock family band by Robert Tregoning and Laura Brenlla.
• Fitting in by Haruka Aoki and John Olson.

 

Spud and Snowball and Chattercat.

Written and illustrated by Judith Rossell.

ABC Books, 2026.

Children’s fiction.

Australian.

When you love your quiet life of napping and the sun – and it is interrupted by a bloody annoying thing that won’t shut up. And won’t let anyone else win the games they’ve made up.

Possible read-alikes:

• Bear and Bird by Jarvis.  
• Murray the Viking by Adam Stower.
• The fantastic freeze ray by Kailei Pew and Estrela Lourenço.
• Doggo and Pupper search for cozy by Katherine Applegate and Charlie Alder.
• The birthday cake thief by Vashti Hardy and Agnes Saccani. 

Goldilocks and the three dinosaurs

As retold by Mo Willems.

Walker Books, 2014.

Picture book.

I love a (well-done) fractured fairy tale.

I love Mo Willems.

I love dinosaurs.

This book is a hit!

Possible read-alikes:

• That is not a good idea! by Mo Willems.
• Goldilocks and the three crocodiles by Michael Rosen and David Melling.
• The three bears: sort of by Yvonne Morrison and Donovan Bixley.
• Good question: a tale told backwards by Sue Whiting and Annie White.
• Rapunzel by Beth Woollvin. 

Good night, gorilla

Written and illustrated by Peggy Rathmann.

Farshore, 2021. Originally published in 1994.

Picture book.

Works with small groups, or one-on-one – because the details in the pictures are a bit lost in larger groups.

A classic I’ve only just come across while hunting for zoo books!

Possible read-alikes:

• Bedtime for sweet creatures by Nikki Grimes and Elizabeth Zunon.
• Freight train by Donald Crews.
• Shoo! by Susie Bower and Francesca Gambatesa.
• Open up, please! by Silvia Borando and Lorenzo Clerici.
• Hole in the zoo by Mick Inkpen and Chloë Inkpen.  
• Slinky Malinki, open the door by Lynley Dodd.

 

One blue gnu.

Written by Danna Smith.

Illustrated by Ana Zurita.

Amicus, 2022.

Picture book.

Counting up and down, with colours, and animals.

Possible read-alikes:

• Snake brought cake: a New Zealand birthday zooprise! by Sam Smith and Daron Parton.
• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell.
• 1, 2, 3 to the zoo: a counting book by Eric Carle.
• Monster! Hungry! Phone! by Sean Taylor and Fred Benaglia. 

What do they do with all the poo from all the animals at the zoo?

Written by Anh Do with Simon Mellor.

Illustrated by Laura Wood.

Scholastic Australia, 2025.

Picture book.

Rhyming text.

Australian.

Out-landish stories about zoo poo.  

Possible read-alikes:

• What do they do with all that poo? by Jane Kurtz and Allison Black.
• Who is at the zoo? by Sharon J Boyce and Suzanne Houghton.
• The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his business by Werner Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch.
• How dinosaurs went extinct: a safety guide by Ame Dyckman and Jennifer Harney. 

How this book got red.

Written by Margaret Chiu Greanias.

Illustrated by Melissa Iwai.

 Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2023.

Picture book.

A plea for all the under-represented animals to see themselves in books. Something many humans can identify with.

Possible read-alikes:

• Everyone wants an octopus book! by Liz Ledden and Makoto Koji.
• Have you seen this book? by Angela DiTerlizzi and Tom Booth.
• Why are there so many books about bears? by Kristina Stephenson.
• Chick pea by Steve Antony.