The Peach King by Inga Simpson, ill. Tannya Harricks

The Peach King: A contemporary fable about the resilience of nature written by Inga Simpson, illustrated by Tannya Harricks Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia Interview with Inga Simpson & Tannya Harricks about The Peach King “When Little Peach Tree was just a sapling, not much more than a stick bending in the breeze, all they could […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Boy and the Elephant by freya blackwood

The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood Picture Book Review Freya Blackwood is indisputably one of Australia and the world’s best picture book creators. Her works continually appear on the CBCA awards and winners lists and she has also won the international 2010 Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration. All of her books are standouts. […]

The Book of Australian Trees by Inga Simpson, illustrated by Alicia Rogerson

“Trees tell stories about places … When you first stand in a forest, the trees all seem the same. But if you look more closely, they are each a little different, like people.” (The Book of Australian Trees) I have read and loved all of Inga Simpson’s novels for adults – Mr Wigg, Nest and […]

Snow by Gina Inverarity

“When I came into the world I brought a deep, soft quiet with me. For that is how the world is when it’s covered in snow. Quiet.” (Snow) Snow is New Zealand-based Gina Inverarity’s first YA novel. Her concept is brilliant and her writing extremely strong. It will no doubt be regarded as one of […]