Weekend Reads round-up: 4 October: part one

Where the heart is.

Written by Shirley Marr.

Illustrations by Michael Speechley.

Walker Books Australia, 2026.

Australian.

Picture book.

I honestly thought this was a northern hemisphere book – it is very European. Migration due to winter wouldn’t have been a very Australian thing, I would have thought.

Anyway, some possible read-alikes:

• The longer the wait, the bigger the hug by Eion McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar.
• Any room for me? by Loek Koopmans. 
• Be back soon by Anna Wilson and Jenny Bloomfield.
• Somewhere for Little Bear by Britta Teckentrup.
• Stay awake, Bear! by Gavin Bishop. NZ author. 
• The big dreaming by Michael Rosen and Daniel Egnéus.

 

Pō mārie, my moko.

Written by Casey Kaa.

Illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White.

Scholastic New Zealand, 2026.

Aoteara.

Picture book.

Rhyming text.

Weaves te ao Māori, mātauranga Māori, throughout.

Possible read-alikes:

• A day with Yayah by Nicola I. Campbell and Julie Flett.
• Going down home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons and Danile Minter.
• Jeong is jeong by Jessica Yoon and Michelle Lee.
• Lots of love from Grandma by Tracey Tasker and Monika Filipina.
• Grandad’s world by Michael Foreman.
• We go slow by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and Aaron Becker. 

Deli days.

Written by Jenna Rothberg.

Illustrated by Marta Pantaleo.

Scribble, 2026.

Picture book.

A debut picture book deeply rooted in the author’s personal memories and family heritage.

Possible read-alikes:

• My nonna loves by Adelle Frittitta and Claudia Frittitta.
• Stay for dinner by Sandhya Parappukkaran and Michelle Pereira.
• Going fishing with Nana by Frances and Lindsay Haji-Ali, and Karen Briggs.
• The cafe at the edge of the woods by Mikey Please.

George and the Dragon.

Written and illustrated by Christopher Wormell.

Penguin Random House UK, 2019.

Picture book.

This went down a treat in my house with the 65+ year olds – nearly universal appeal.

It didn’t go where any of my house expected, which adds to the fun.

Possible read-alikes:

• Not now, Bernard by David mcKee.
• A mouse just ate my house! by Kes Gray and Sebastien Braun.
• Baby Kraken by Ani Manzanas.
• No climbing by Ross Collins.
• The monster in the lake by Leo Timmers; translated by Bill Nagelkerke. NZ translator. 
• The monster at the end of this book by Jon Stone and Mike Smollin. 

Hīkoi: a Māori alphabet book for little (and not-so-little) activists.

Written by Pania Tahau-Hodges.

Illustrated by Josie Selkirk.

Also available in a te reo Māori version Toitū.

Aotearoa.  Picture book.

I heard this book, and its genesis, earlier this year. I have been waiting ever since. I am so glad that the team chose to stay with the te reo Māori alphabet letters and order.

There is nothing quite like this, but you could try:

• The greatest haka festival on Earth by Pania Tahau-Hodges and Story Hemi-Morehouse. Te reo Māori edition Mokopuna Matatini.
• Love is powerful by Heather Dean Brewer and LeUyen Pham.
• A is for activist by Innosanto Nagara.
• Change sings: a children's anthem by Amanda Gorman and Loren Long.
• Sometimes people march by Tessa Allen. 
• Speak up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola. 
• Stand up! Speak up!: a story inspired by the climate change revolution by Andrew Joyner. 

Back in my day.

Written by Kevin Nemeth.

Illustrated by Brent Wilson

Affirm Press, 2026

Australian.

Picture book.

Tall tales and stereotypes. Right until the end.

Possible read-alikes:

• Daddy, tell me a story by Kathleen Long Bostrom and Ela Smietanka.
• A hatful of dreams by Bob Graham.
• Put your records on by Corinne Bailey Rae and Gillian Eilidh O'Mara.
• We became jaguars by Dave Eggers and Woodrow White. 

Tiki and Jill and the Great Australian Camel Race.

Written by Kate Simpson and Dr Jill Colwell.

Illustrated by Craig Smith.

Allen & Unwin, 2026.

Australian.

Sophisticated picture book.

Biography.

What a fascinating piece of history!

Possible read-alikes:

• Hoosh!: camels in Australia by Janeen Brian.
• Animal helpers: how animals from around the world help us by Ben Hubbard and Sara Ugolotti.
• Nala's world by Dean Nicholson and Frann Preston-Gannon.
• Bandoola: the great elephant rescue by William Grill.

 

Bowerbird brave.

Written and illustrated by Aura Parker.

Scholastic Australia, 2026.

Australian.

Picture book.

Part of a series about Bowerbird.

A bit meh. Very earnest. 

Possible read-alikes / read-insteads:

• Lena the chicken (but really a dinosaur!) by Linda Bailey and K-Fai Steele.
• The magic scarf by Em Cosh.
• The mice of Mushroom Forest by Zanna Goldhawk.
• What the crow saw below by Robert Tregoning and Greg Stobbs.

 

Here come the aunties!

Written by Cynthia Leitich Smith.

Illustrated by Aphelandra.

Heartdrum, 2026.

Indigenous creator.

Picture book.

Although set in the Muscogee Nation, the message is nearly universal. Aunties are definitely important, and that crosses cultures. They’re not all biological, either.

Possible read-alikes:

• Summer is for cousins by Rajani LaRocca and Abhi Alwar.
• Seasons by the lake: adventures in Greenland by Naja Lund Aparico and Alex Nees.  
• My cousins, my world by Sharara Attai and Michelle Pereira.
• What will my story be? by Nidhi Chanani.
• The beautiful layers of me by Sophia Payne and Ruchi Mhasane. 

Gigantic.

Written and illustrated by Rob Biddulph.

HarperCollins Children's Books, 2023.

Picture book.

Rhyming text.

Determination. Being yourself. Small is mighty.

Possible read-alikes:

• Wowee! look at that tree! by Ben Knight.
• The blue tomato by Amber Aü.
• Rory the remarkable dragon by Kathryn Rammell.
• A different dragon by Nick Gill and Luma Wildish.
• The lion & the mouse by Jerry Pinkney.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Oceania

Liar's test.

Written by Ambelin Kwaymullina.

Text Publishing, 2024.

Seven will come. Two will die. Two will sleep. Two will serve. One will rule. I didn't want to rule the Risen. Wreak a little havoc upon them, though? That was something else entirely. Bell Silverleaf is a liar. It's how she's survived. It's how all Treesingers have survived since they were invaded by the Risen and their fickle gods. But now Bell is in the Queen's Test-she's one of seven girls competing in deadly challenges to determine who will rule for the next twenty-five years. If Bell wins, she'll have the power to help her people and take revenge on the Risen. But first she has to make it through the challenges alive. She doesn't know how much she's been lied to, or where she fits in a bigger story, a mystery stretching back generations. And she's facing much bigger dangers than the Queen's Test. She's up against the gods themselves. Liar's Test is a fast-paced, intricately woven fantasy novel with an unforgettable heroine inspired by the strength and power of Aboriginal women.

So, when’s the next one coming?!!!

Riveting, edge-of-your-seat material.

Slight romantic interest going on.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Oceania

 

Migration.

Written by Steph Matuku.

Huia Publishers, 2024.

Farah can't wait to escape her mother's incessant demands and attend the legendary Western Wānanga, where the best military fighters are trained. Through daring battles against her classmates and encounters with cryptic temple masters, Farah sheds her life as a person from the upper ranks of society and becomes an intuitive. But when her world comes under attack, she learns who she really is.

Colonisation through a science-fiction lens.

Action, adventure – death and violence. A little touch of romance. 

And lots to think about. 

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

 

The shark prince.

Written by Malia Maunakea.

Penguin Workshop, 2026.

A middle-grade fantasy novel about Nohea, a Hawaiian boy who belongs to a family whose male members inherit the ability to transform into sharks. After his father's disappearance, Nohea lives with his mother and grandmother while trying to manage the family curse. Hoping to win prize money in a surfing competition to help his family remain in Hawaii, he enrols in school for the first time, where he forms friendships and faces personal challenges. As classmates begin to disappear, Nohea investigates whether the events are connected to his family's supernatural inheritance.

Mystery, family drama, making friends – and a world deeply embedded in ‘Ōiwi culture.

As someone with Pākehā (settler colonist) heritage – I could see the strong resonances with te ao Māori (the Māori world). 

Read along side T. K. Roxborogh's Charlie Tangaroa books. 

The author, Malia Maunakea, is Kanaka ‘Ōiwi (Native Hawai’ian).

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

  

Charlie Tangaroa and the god of war.

Written by T.K. Roxborogh.

Illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers.

Huia Publishers, 2024.

Like every year, the summer brings new people to Tolaga Bay. It's been a full year since Charlie saved his hometown from destruction at the hands of gods, warring sea creatures and natural disasters. Charlie and his younger brother, Robbie, are enjoying their normal lives - fishing off the wharf and helping out at their mum's store - that is, until a visiting scientist is stabbed at the local campground, days before a meeting between local iwi and the government. So begins Charlie's quest to uncover a mystery taking place in the hills above the town.

A middle book in a series can be ho-hum. Thankfully, this is not the case here.

The author, Tania Roxborogh, is of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri, Scottish, German, and Irish descent.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Graphic Novel or Comic

  

The ribbon skirt.

Written and illustrated by Cameron Mukwa.

Graphix, an Imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2024.

Graphic novel.

Ten-year-old Anang wants to make a ribbon skirt, a piece of clothing typically worn by women in the Anishinaabe tradition, for an upcoming powwow. Anang is two-spirit and nonbinary and doesn't know what others will think of them wearing a ribbon skirt, but they're determined to follow their heart's desire. Anang sets off to gather the materials needed to make the skirt and turns to those around them - their family, their human and turtle friends, the crows, and even the lake itself - for help. And maybe they'll even find a new confidence within themself along the way.

A joyful story of acceptance, in many guises – and the importance of role models. I love that Anang’s grandparents are so accepting and matter-of-fact. As are the friends and mentors from the non-human world. And some humans.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: The Americas

  

Being home.

Written by Traci Sorell.

Illustrated by Michaela Goade.

Kokila, 2024.

On a day filled with anticipation, a young Cherokee girl bids farewell to her familiar city life and documents the changing landscape through drawings as her family moves to their ancestral land and embraces their new home.

From my article for World Kid Lit: 

A joyous return to Home, through the point of a view of a child. This book works against the stereotype of ‘Rez’ life as sub-standard and lacking. It also is an antidote, a reversal, of the times First Nations citizens were forcibly moved.

Traci Sorrell is a Cherokee Nation citizen who lives within her tribe’s reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. Michaela Goade is a member of the Tlingit Nation and grew up in her ancestral homelands along the southeast coast of Alaska.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

  

Light and colour.

Edited by Corey Tutt.

Hardie Grant Children, 2026.

Illustrated nonfiction.

Light from our Sun and other sources is all around, bringing colour, heat and energy. Over time, humans have harnessed light to create fire, fluorescent light and even scientific equipment like lasers. But light and colour are tricky. Too much or too little light changes our body chemistry, when it bends it can fool our eyes, and it can even act like a wave or a particle. Explore what First Australians and scientists have learned about the incredible properties of light and colour.

Part of a series which includes Numbers in Nature, Earth’s changing surfaces, Animal survival.

A wonderful synthesis of Australian First Nations knowledge and science, with Western science.

Weekend reads: 22 March 2026

 

Rere atu ki Poronihia = Flight to Polynesia

Written byTangaroa Paul, nā Luca Tu'avao Walton ngā pikita.

Oratia Books and Ngā Pātaka Korero o Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland Council Libraries, 2026.

Picture book.

Bilingual.

Te reo Māori.

Sequel to Rere atu taku poi! = Let my poi fly by Tangaroa Paul and Rebecca Gibbs.

An earnest and sincere exploration of non-binary representation around the Pacific, told through traditional performing arts.

Possible read-alongs:

• Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, and Daniel Sousa.
• Ho'onani: hula warrior by Heather Gale and Mika Song.
• Téo’s Tutu by Maryann Jacob Macias and Alea Marley.
• Raven’s ribbons by Tasha Spillett and Daniel Ramirez.
• The spectacular suit by Kat Patrick and Hayley Wells.
• A fairy called Fred by Robert Tregoning and Stef Murphy.
• Strong by Rob Kearney, Eric Rosswood, and Nidhi Chanani.
• Sadiq wants to stitch by Manta Nainy.
• A song for Nolan by Rushie Ellenwood and Sally Chen.
• A costume for Charly by CK Malone.
• My fade is fresh by Shauntay Grant and Kitt Thomas.

 

Black dog.

Written and illustrated by Levi Pinfold.

Templar Publishing, 2011.

Picture book.

Facing fears – or realising they were blown out of proportion.

Possible read-alikes:

• Safe at last by Richard Jones.
• Shy Willow by Cat Min.
• Eeny and her sisters by Jane Yolen and Kathryn Brown. 

You choose bedtime.

By Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart.

Puffin Books, 2025.

Picture book.

What do you need to make your bedtime perfect?

Possible read-alongs:

• The kiss and The hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar.
• Just go to bed by Mercer Mayer.
• Tuck me in by Nathan W. Pyle. 

Let's go! = haw êkwa!

Written and illustrated by Julie Flett.

Greystone Books, 2024.

Picture book.

A celebration of community and skateboarding – and Cree-Métis heritage.

Possible read-alikes:

• Logan's big move by Logan Martin, Jess Black, and Shane McG.
• Skater Cielo by Rachel Katstaller.
• Ride, roll, run: time for fun! by Valerie Bolling and Sabrena Khadija.
• Together we ride by Valerie Bolling and Kaylani Juanita. 

Kwesi and Nana Ruby learn to swim.

Written by Kobina Commeh.

Illustrated by Bárbara Quintino.

Barefoot Books Ltd, 2025.

Picture book.

Kwesi and his Nana Ruby use the story and strength of Mami Wata to face their fears and learn to swim.

A powerful story of reclamation and rejecting the generational effects of racism.

Nana Ruby emigrated from Ghana to the USA.

Possible read-alikes:

• Together we swim by Valerie Bolling and Kaylani Juanita.
• Yaya and the sea by Karen Good Marable and Tonya Engel.
• Where’s Rodney? by Carmen Bogan and Floyd Cooper.
• Swimming with seals by Maggie de Vries and Janice Kun.
• Over or under? by Pip Harry and Hilary Jean Tapper.
• When love is more than words by Jocelyn Chung and Julia Kuo. 

 

Littlelight.

Written and illustrated by Kelly Canby.

Fremantle Press, 2020.

Australian.

Picture book.

A small child quietly – and powerfully – rejects the aggression and xenophobia of the mayor. Their powerful action sends ripples through the town and a complete rejection of the mayor’s prejudice and hatred. More grown ups should read, and actually take to heart the messages of, picture books.

Possible read-alikes:

• Y Ddinas Uchel/The Builders written and illustrated by Huw Aaron.
• Who left the light on? by Richard Marnier, Aude Maurel, translated by Emma Ramadan.    
• The wall in the middle of the book by Jon Agee.
• Walls by Tania Ingram and Ruth-Mary Smith.
• Usha and the stolen sun by Bree Galbraith and Josée Bisaillon.
• Out of the blue by Robert Tregoning and Stef Murphy.
• One light by Christie Matheson and Anuska Allepuz. 

The Library of Bears.

Written and illustrated by Cat Rabbit.

Berbay Publishing, 2025.

Australian.

Picture book.

I think the best thing about this book is the illustrations – which are the cutest little soft toys and accessories! They are at an intense level of accuracy, observation, and detail.

Possible read-alikes:

• Alone by Scott Stuart. 
• The Hotel for Bugs by Suzy Senior and Leire Martin.
• Nop by Caroline Magerl.

Books with 3D / assemblage / diorama illustrations:

• Anything by the taonga (treasure) that is Jeannie Baker.
• The princess and the pea by Lauren Child. 
• Picture a tree by Barbara Reid.
• The bean’s story by Tatiana Aslund and Vasanti Unka.
• Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales. 
• The visitor by Antje Damm.
• Frostfire by Elly MacKay. 
• Great job, Mom! and Great job, Dad! by Holman Wang. 

Juniper sails through the solar system.

Written and illustrated by Sarah E Willis.

Bearger Studios, 2025.

Picture book.

The blurb says: “Juniper is a young Micronesian girl who comes from a long line of explorers who traveled the vast Pacific Ocean thousands of years ago. Now she embraces their legacy and sets sail to explore the solar system.”

Juniper is from Aelon Kein Ad (the Marshall Islands).

An earnest book.

Possible read-alongs:

• I love my island by Moemoana Safa'ato'a Schwenke and Moanaroa Te Whata. 
• Moana adapted by Laura Hitchcock, illustrated by Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay. 
• Abigail and the birth of the sun by Matthew Cunningham and Sarah Wilkins.
• Ada and the galaxies by Alan Lightman, Olga Pastuchiv, and Susanna Chapman.
• Those magnificent voyagers of the Pacific by Andrew Crowe and Rick Fisher.
• Fishing for islands: traditional boats and seafarers of the Pacific by John Nicholson. 

Hugged by the night.

Written by Harold Green III.

Illustrated by Karabo Poppy.

Chronicle Book, 2026.

Picture book.

Rhyming text.

Animals representing African diaspora.

Possible read-alikes:

• Teddy's midnight adventure by Yoko Mori, translated by Cathy Hirano.
• A happy place by Britta Teckentrup.
• The Midnight Panther by Poonam Mistry.
• I feel a foot! by Maranke Rinck and Martijn van der Linden.
• Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o and Vashti Harrison.
• Shine like the stars by Anna Wilson and Harry Woodgate.
• Think big: a mythological fable about animals who discover how to live their best lives by Kat Kronenberg and David Miles. 

 

One goose, two moose and One goose, two moose, three raccoon, four baboon.

Written by Kael Tudor.

Illustrated by Nicola Slater.

Scholastic, 2024 and 2025.

Picture book.

Rules and breaking them. Complete chaos – and fun.

Possible read-alikes:

• Bear cubs don't do queues by Maudie Smith.
• Wrong! by Ciara Flood and Lucia Gaggiotti.
• Perfectly polite penguins not! by Georgiana Deutsch and Ekaterina Trukhan.
• Line up, please! by Tomoko Ohmura, translated by Cathy Hirano.

   

A cup of quiet.

Written by Nikki Grimes.

Illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson.

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025.

Imaginative play – and the wonders of being quiet.

Possible read-alikes:

• Quiet by Tomie DePaola.
• All around us by Xelena Gonzalez and Adriana M. Garcia.
• Grandpa's gift by Fiona Lumbers.
• Quiet time with my seeya by Dinalie Dabarera.
• Birdsong by Julie Flett.
• The sun never hurries by Roxane Turcotte and Lucie Crovatto, translated by Barbara Creary.
• Grandad's world by Michael Foreman. 
• Sandcastle by Philip Bunting. 

  

 

The quacken.

Written by Justin Colón.

Illustrated by Pablo Pino.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024.

Picture book.

Beware… the Quacken! Disbelief in a local legend leads to terror (in an age appropriate, picture book way).

Possible read-alikes:

• A campfire tail by Sarah Glenn Marsh and Ana Gómez.
• The bear out there by Jess Hannigan.
• Don't trust fish by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat.
• The duck never blinks by Alex Latimer.  
• Don't feed the coos! by Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox.

 

My tiger.

Written by Joy Cowley

Illustrated by David Barrow.

Gecko Press, 2026.

Aotearoa. Picture book.

Note: possible blackwashing in the illustrations.

A fun and slightly gruesome story, where bossy adults get their comeuppance.

Possible read-alikes:

• Bark, George by Jules Feiffer.
• Mog and the V.E.T. by Judith Kerr.
• Don't scare the dentist by qualified dentist and licensed comedian Sam Smith and award winning illustrator Daron Parton.
• Brenda's revenge by Sarah Tagholm and Laurie Stansfield.
• Penelope Rex and the problem with pets by Ryan T. Higgins.
• Mister Kitty is lost! by Greg Pizzoli.  
• Have you seen my invisible dinosaur? by Helen Yoon.   
• I want a dog by Jon Agee.
• Not that pet! by Smriti Halls and Rosalind Beardshaw. 

 

Me and other bunnies.

Words and pictures by Mo Willems.

Union Square Kids, 2025.

Picture book.

A book about pronouns – not gender related ones. When does ‘them’ become ‘us’?

Possible read-alikes:

• What are your words?: a book about pronouns by Katherine Locke and Anne Passchier.
• Phonobet by Kathy Weedon and Kim Drane.
• Mind your Gramma! by Yvonne Morrison and Nikki Slade Robinson.

 

Thundermaestro.

Written by Annemarie Riley Guertin.

Illustrated by Maria Brzozowska.

Familius, 2022.

Picture book.

The sounds of a storm, shown through a child’s imagination.

Possible read-alikes:

• Storm dragon by Dianne Hofmeyr and Carol Thompson.
• Nighttime symphony by Timbaland feat. Christopher Myers, and Kaa Illustration.
• The rain train by Elena de Roo and Brian Lovelock.
• Downpour: splish! splash! ker-splash! by Yuko Ohnari and Koshiro Hata, translated by Emily Balistrieri.
• The best sound in the world by Cindy Wume.
• Nightsong by Sally Soweol Han.
• When Isaac hears the rain by Julie Thompson and Leah Giles. 

Mermaid, schmermaid.

Written by Terence Araneta.

Illustrated by Cassandra Paillé.

Little Drummer Books, 2026.

Aotearoa.

Rhyming text.

A bit meh – but ok. Seeing beyond the obvious, and valuing what people are good at. The non-mermaid characters are arrogant and annoying. The mermaid is sweet and cloying.

Possible read-alikes / instead ofs:

• Mermaid lullaby by Kenneth Kraegel.
• Mermaids are the worst! by Alex Willan.
• Knight Owl and Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise.

More mermaid recommendations are available on the Storytime Solidarity website. 

Dumpling day.

Written by Meera Sriram.

Illustrated by Inés de Antuñano.

Recipes by Laurel P. Jackson.

Picture book.

Counting.

Rhyming text.

Different cultures represented through dumplings, or their equivalents.

Possible read-alikes:

• Luli and the language of tea by Andrea Wang and Hyewon Yum.
• Soup's on around the world by Denyse Waissbluth and Chelsea O'Byrne.
• My rice is best! by Selina Brown and Maxwell A. Oginni.
• Tomatoes in my lunchbox by Costantia Manoli and Magdalena Mora. 

My sister, the Todzilla.

Written by Jacinta Froud.

Illustrated by Matt Shanks.

Affirm Press, 2026.

Australian.

Picture book.

Rhyming text.

Hangry and tired – the perfect recipe for an attack of the Todzilla!

Possible read-alikes:

• The witching hour by Jennifer Harris and Adelina Lirius.
• One upside-downy day by Renée Kurilla.
• Grumbelina by Esther Krogdahl and Aleksandra Szmidt.
• Red red red by Polly Dunbar.
• Tiny tantrum by Caroline Crowe and Ella Okstad.
• Barbara throws a wobbler by Nadia Shireen.
• I love you just the way you are by Virginia Miller. 

Catnip m ❤️ use. [mouse]

Written and illustrated by AJ Smith.

Kids Can Press, 2025.

Picture book.

Vera, a cat, just wants to play quietly with her catnip mouse. Gipp, a dog, wants to play with Vera.

Disaster ensues – and a fight. Can these friends make it up?

Possible read-alikes:

• Cat Dog by Mem Fox and Mark Teague.
• Twisty-turny house by Lisa Mantchev and EG Keller.
• Blanket by Ruth Ohi. 
• In or out by Stacy Gregg and Sarah Jennings.
• George & Tao by Claude K. Dubois, translated by Daniel Hahn.
• Can I play? by Nicola Kinnear.
• Bear is never alone by Marc Veerkamp, Jeska Verstegen, translated by Laura Watkinson.
• My very own space by Pippa Goodhart and Rebecca Crane.
• Leave me alone by Bera Brosgol.      
• Oh, Carrots! by Mariajo Ilustrajo. 

 

If you make a call on a banana phone.

Written by Gideon Sterer.

Illustrated by Emily Hughes.

Clarion Books, 2025.

Picture book.

A wonderful addition to the flights of fancy of consequences books.

Possible read-alikes:

• How to talk Monster by Lynn Plourde and Mike Lowery.
• Hello by Viola Wang.
• Monster! Hungry! Phone! by Sean Taylor and Fred Benaglia.
• Spacebot by Mike Twohy.
• The only astronaut by Mahak Jain and Andrea Stegmaier. 

Beegu.

Written and illustrated by Alexis Deacon.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.

Picture book.

Beegu is an alien who struggles to find friends, until they meet children.

Possible read-alikes:

• The stray by Molly Ruttan.
• We are definitely human by X. Fang.
• Lights on Cotton Rock by David Litchfield.
• Augustus and his smile by Catherine Rayner.
• The invisible boy by Trudy Ludwig and Patrice Barton.
• The Thing at 52 by Ross Montgomery and Richard Johnson.

 

Marilyn's monster.

Written by Michelle Knudsen.

Illustrated by Matt Phelan.

Walker Books, 2015.

Picture book.

They say you need to wait for your monster to find you – but what if they don’t?

Sort of imaginary friends – but not quite. There is a listof imaginary friends books on the Storytime Solidarity website.

Possible read-alikes:

• I need my monster by Amanda Noll and Howard McWilliam.
• The adventures of Beekle: the unimaginary friend by Dan Santat.
• The whisper by Pamela Zagarenski.
• The magical yet by Angela DiTerlizzi and Lorena Alvarez.
• Waiting is not easy by Mo Willems.
• Lonely bird by Ruth Whiting. 

Officer Buckle and Gloria.

Written and illustrated by Peggy Rathmann.

Putnam’s, 1995.

An oldie – but cute story about friendship – and safety.

Note: positive police stories are not suitable for all communities.

Possible read-alikes:

• Utterly otterly night by Mary Casanova and Ard Hoyt.
• Dog gone by Rob Biddulph.
• Alone by Scott Stuart.
• How dinosaurs went extinct: a safety guide by Ame Dyckman and Jennifer Harney.

World Kid Lit Month: Bingo for 0-6: The Americas

We All Play Kimêtawânaw. 

Written and illustrated by Julie Flett. 

Translations into Plans Cree (y-dialect) by the Cree Literacy Network. 

Greystone Books, 2021. 

A little delight of a book, with boundless fun and energy.

From the author’s afterword:

[W]e are all connected [land, plants, beetles, etc], living in relationship and in care to one another, in kinship. In Cree, this is called wâhkôhtowin.

Weekend Reads: 30 November 2024

My First Animals. 

By Émilie Lapeyre. 

Ladybird Books, 2022. 

ISBN 9780241549018. 

Board book. 

A world of words book. Asks questions, so is good for demonstrating how to integrate that into your sharing of books with little ones. 

Simple and clear. 

Who Needs a Hug? 

By Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt. 

Candlewick Press, 2021. 

ISBN 9781536212495. 

Board book. 

Very cute, pretty standard board book. 

Shapes. 

By Sasha Morton. 

Boxer Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781915801456. 

Board book. 

A Spring Street touch and trace book. 

Tactile book. 

Encourages looking around you to spot the shapes found in the book. 

Run Like a Rabbit. 

By Alison Lester. 

Allen & Unwin, 2021. 

ISBN 9781915801456. 

Australian. 

Board book. 

Great book for interactive / movement storytimes.

Hello Dinosaur: Iguanodon. 

By David Partington. 

Campbell Books / Pan Macmillan, 2024. 

ISBN 9781035016952. 

Board book. 

A good introduction to the iguanodon, with sturdy pull and push tabs and slides. 

Hey! Look at You! 

By Sandra Boynton. 

Boynton Bookworks, 2024.  

ISBN 9781665953160. 

Rhyming text. 

Animal-shaped mirrors, and animal sounds make a magical combination. 

We Are Friends in the Sky. 

By Sue Downing. 

Dorling Kindersley, 2021. 

ISBN 9780241510629. 

Board book. 

Friendships between various creatures / beings / elements (what do you call them?) And, and introduction to the solar system, of a sort. 

Donut Touch! 

Seb Davey and Alex Willmore. 

Gemini Children's Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781917082099. 

Board book. 

Sharing and donuts. A good interactive book for younger children. 

Great read-aloud potential. Spot the differences between pages. Guess who ate the donuts. 

The Good Night Garage. 

By Tori Kosara. 

Flying Eye Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781838741778. 

Rhyming text. 

Andromorphic animals and vehicles. 

 

The Velvet Messenger. 

By Megan Hess. 

Hardie Grant, 2024. 

ISBN 9781761212666. 

Rhyming text. Unexpectedly darker than I expected. Definitely Disney evil queen territory. 

Long and aimed at older picture book readers. 

There's an audience for these, and it is pretty girly. 

Tiny Jenny: little fairy, big trouble. 

By Briony may Smith. 

Walker Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781529526806. 

A small human-like fairy (ie sans wings) is adopted by a family of wrens. She is teased, and sets off to find her people. She meets the fairies, and they are bad. 

With the help of good friends, and her family, good overcomes them. 

Alphabet. 

By Alain Grée. 

Button Books, 2024 (originally published in 2012). 

ISBN 9781787081628. 

Why are there only some lines of text? It just confused me. 

Lulu Gets a Cat! 

By Anna McQuinn  and Rosalind Beardshaw. 

Alanna Max, 2024 (originally published in 2018). 

ISBN 9781907825583. 

A quite earnest book about pet adoption, including practicing the skills needs to care for one. 

People Are My Favorite Places. 

By Ani Castillo. 

Little, Brown and Company, 2024. 

ISBN 9780316424660. 

A lockdown-inspired book. 

This would be interesting to share in a storytime about senses, as so many of the missing things are sensory experiences. 

The Monster Game. 

By Philip Bunting. 

Omnibus Books / Scholastic Aust, 2023. 

ISBN 9781760975197. 

Australian. 

Anxiety? Bedtime fear? It is sort of funny, might sort of work, but I'm not convinced this will help any little one struggling with monster at bedtime fears. 

Night Lunch. 

Eric Fan. 

Tundra Books, 2022. 

ISBN 9780735270572. 

Atmospheric and sepia-toned. Quirky and quiet. 

Older children. 

What's In a Name? He Aha Tō te Ingoa? 

By Renisa Viraj Maki, Hona Black, and Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. 

Oratia Media, 2024. 

ISBN 9781990042638. 

A very earnest book, very well-meaning, and with an important message. The importance of names and pronouncing them correctly. 

Just it doesn't work 100%, as an enjoyable story. 

We're Moving Away. 

By Niña Nill. 

Bright Light, 2023. 

ISBN 9781761212321. 

Australian. 

The problems of moving countries: of leaving parts of yourself behind. But, also finding new things and experiences, and people, in your new country. 

Dear Moko. 

By Hinemoa Elder and Miriama Grace-Smith. 

Penguin, 2024. 

ISBN 9781776953417. 

Whakatauki and whakatauaki (Māori proverbs / sayings) aimed at mokopuna (grandchildren / descendants) provide life lessons. 

Look and Cook Breakfast: a first book of recipes in pictures. 

By Valorie Fisher. 

Astra Young Readers, 2024. 

ISBN 9781662620683. 

An earnest attempt at making a recipe book for visual learners, and those beginning to read. There is a fair amount of text to get through in order to understand the pictures.

Art of Protest: what a revolution looks like. 

By De Nichols, Molly Mendoza, Diego Becas, Olivia Twist. 

Big Picture Press, 2021. 

ISBN 9781787417663. 

Protest artwork from around the world, from the 1960s to now. 

Art Is Everywhere. 

By Joe Haddow and Ellie Hawes. 

uclanpublishing, 2023. 

ISBN 9781915235565. 

Non-fiction. 

I appreciated how broad the definition of art is. From sculpture, to comics, to poetry. 

Includes tips to make your own art. 

Gold Rush: the untold story of the First Nations women who started the Klondike gold rush. 

By Flora Delargy. 

Wide Eyed Editions, 2024. 

ISBN 9780711263871. 

I struggled to find the First Nations women in this book. Woman, yes. 

But, it seemed to be mainly a succession of white women.