Music Camp by Penny Tangey

Music Camp by Penny Tangey UQP Guest author post by Penny Tangey for ‘Joy in Books’ at Paperbark Words In Grade 5 I attended an interschool music camp and had the time of my life. I made new friends, laughed, broke rules and played music. Later, I went to other music camps and had intense, […]

Saturation by William Lane

Saturation by William Lane Saturation by William Lane (Transit Lounge) is a gripping, easy-to-read dystopia for adults that explores issues of climate and other anxieties. On writing Saturation by William Lane It seems every second person wrote a novel during the Covid lockdowns. Saturation is one of these novels. The Covid crisis, along with the […]

The Bee Squad by Judy Friedlander

The Bee Squad: Boosting biodiversity in your neighbourhood by Judy Friedlander Published by NewSouth Publishing “Children around Australia have started a revolution. From the coast of Western Australia to western Sydney, they’ve been discovering the nature in their schools and neighbourhoods, planting to attract bees, birds and butterflies, and building insect hotels. They’ve been learning […]

Tim Winton & Juice

Tim Winton & Juice Legendary Australian novelist Tim Winton was introduced as a ‘prophetic voice’ before his brilliantly composed, erudite and literary-rich Richard Johnson lecture, ‘Exiles at Home: what our contempt for nature is costing us’ hosted by cpx in Sydney. Winton acknowledged First Nations Peoples such as Dr Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann as our original Australian prophets, as well […]

We the Sea Turtles by Michelle Kadarusman

We the Sea Turtles: A Collection of Island Stories by Michelle Kadarusman Published by Pajama Press Book review by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at PaperbarkWords blog “Lately, our songs are filled with more sorrow than joy. Human pollution is choking our oceans. Garbage and fishing nets are strangling us. Human activity is causing natural disasters that […]

The Helios Book by Slade Carter

The Helios Book by Slade Carter Guest author post about The Helios Book by Slade Carter for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog The Helios Book is first and foremost an adventure story. I wanted to write a book where things happen, so it’s packed full of action. The book starts out as a mystery, with Londoner twins Hugo […]

World by Martine Murray & Anna Read

World by Martine Murray & Anna Read (published Parachute Press) World is a 2024 CBCA Notable book in the Picture Book of the Year category. Congratulations. Chloe Hooper describes World in her cover puff as, “A wise and generous fable with a vital message”. Martine Murray first came to my attention in 2001 with her novel […]

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature by Libby Hathorn, illus Christina Booth

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of natureLibby Hathorn, illus by Christina BoothLothianReviewed by Joy LawnReleased July 2023HardbackISBN 9780734421555RRP $24.99Category: Children’s picture book Mother Earth by Libby Hathorn, illus Christina Booth (Lothian Children’s Books) (This review was commissioned by Books+Publishing and is reproduced with permission.) Libby Hathorn and Christina Booth are the respected […]

BOWERBIRD BLUES by Aura Parker

BOWERBIRD BLUES by Aura Parker On Writing and Illustrating BOWERBIRD BLUES Guest author/illustrator post at PaperbarkWords blog by Aura Parker My latest creation, Bowerbird Blues is a picture book about longing, searching and love. A story which has slowly simmered along over the last few tumultuous years and means a great deal to me. My […]

Big Tree by Brian Selznick

Big Tree by Brian Selznick Big Tree Book Review by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at PaperbarkWords blog Brian Selznick’s first major work The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a seminal book. Its combination of page after page of black and white drawings interspersed with pages of written text and its setting in a 1930s […]