Title: Grandpa Green Author: Lane Smith Illustrator: Lane Smith Publisher: Roaring Brook Press ISBN: 9781596436077 Themes: Family, memory, love, creativity, remembering, story, history Grandpa was a sailor, a husband, a gardener, a soldier and an artist… My favourite book of 2011, Grandpa Green is a whimsical beauty, an awe inspiring treasure, a joyful surprise… you [...]

Title: Button Boy Author: Sue deGennaro Illustrator: Sue deGennaro Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 9781741697971 Themes: collecting, being different, searching, generosity, helping others, being special, finding friends, looking Button boy made me smile, a big grin from ear to ear… Such a beautiful story by Rebecca Young of a boy who always has his eyes open for [...]

Title: The Little Old Man Who Looked Up At The Moon Author: Pamela Allen Illustrator: Pamela Allen Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 9780670075812 Themes: meaning of life, wisdom, questions, wonder, worry, journey, nonsense Pamela Allen writes what I like to call Australian postmodern parables. It’s not unusual to, upon completing a Pamela Allen story to find a [...]

Title: The Pros & Cons of Being a Frog Author: Sue deGennaro Illustrator: Sue deGennaro Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 9781742830636 Themes: friendship, imagination, differences, arguments, communication, personality, saying sorry Sue deGennaro has burst onto the picture book scene with some enchanting, creative and beautifully designed pieces of art and delightfully dreamy stories. The Pros and Cons [...]

Title: If I Could Paint The World Author: Sarah Massini Illustrator: Sarah Massini Publisher: Gullane Children’s Books ISBN: 9781862338043 Themes: creation, colour, art, creativity, transformation, imagination Sarah Massini brings us the beautifully illustrated and creative musings of a young artist who ponders what the world would look like I she was the one to colour [...]

Title: Stuck Author: Oliver Jeffers Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers Publisher: Harper Collins ISBN: 9780007263868 Themes: problem solving, stuck, humour, trouble, determination, creativity, inventiveness Oliver Jeffers has created a simple, creative, laugh-out-loud and ridiculous story about a young boy who meets a problem face up and who just won’t give up on trying to solve it. Join [...]

Title: Prudence Wants a Pet Author: Cathleen Daly Illustrator: Stephen Michael King Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 9781741699654 Themes: Pets, family, imagination, responsibilities, friendship Stephen Michael King partners up with Cathleen Daly to create this simple, beautiful, quirky tale of a little girl with a big imagination who, more than anything in the world wants a pet [...]

Title: The Huey’s In “The New Jumper” Author: Oliver Jeffers Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers Publisher: Harper Collins ISBN: 9780007420650 Themes: Difference, community, individualism, change, fads, popularity, friendship The thing about the Hueys… was that they were all the same. One thing is for sure – Oliver Jeffers understands the picture book, and the picture book understands [...]