Kids
Dappled Annie and the Tigrish by Mary McCallum & Annie Hayward
On a remote stretch of New Zealand coastline, the daughter of the local lighthouse keeper is left to her own devices. The beauty of Annie’s surroundings, combined with the power of her imagination, create a magical world. Drawn to a…
The Duck and the Darklings by Glenda Millard & Stephen Michael King
Glenda Millard’s stories have a poetic sensibility and show a tender, sincere respect for people and animals alike.
In a dark, troubled place, Peterboy wants to bring light and good memories to his grandpapa, but their world is a harsh…
The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
This charming book delights me as much now as it did when I first read it as a child. Maria, an orphan, is sent with her governess to the West Country of England to live with her second cousin, a…
Squishy McFluff: The Invisible Cat! by Pip Jones & Ella Okstad
I’m unsure as to who is the cutest character in this story. Is it the wonderfully mischievous Ava, artfully dodging responsibility for minor misdemeanours, or the soft, furry Squishy McFluff, Ava’s naughty invisible cat?
This little dynamic duo’s wonderful adventures…
Rivertime Trace Balla
More graphic novel than picture book, this story for older readers is about tuning in to the rhythms of nature and appreciating the cornucopia of birds and wildlife that can be discovered. When 10-year-old Clancy’s Uncle Egg takes him on…
The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles de Lint & Charles Vess
This magical folktale of a young girl’s coming of age is an absolute delight. Lillian spends her days exploring the Tanglewood Forest and always leaves out food for the wild cats, birds and Apple Tree Man. When a snake bites…
Presto Change-o! by Édouard Manceau
French artist Édouard Manceau has had a lot of fun playing with simple, cut-out cardboard shapes to work a little visual magic. Turn the shapes on each page to change his clear, exuberant illustrations of simple objects into animals. See…
The Story Of Buildings by Patrick Dillon & Stephen Biesty
As a child I remember that ‘uplifting experience’ upon entering an example of great architecture, that positive effect on my sense of wellbeing that made me wonder how it was achieved. Reading The Story of Buildings brought back those fond…
Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes by Nicola Davies & Emily Sutton
To fully convey the true wonder of the scientific world to younger children requires great skill. To make it informative yet entertaining demands art. This beautifully produced picture book has both, with delightful illustrations that capture the invisible world of…
The Bloodhound Boys: The Great Blood Bank Robbery by Andrew Cranna
The little monsters of Skull River City have scary names and odd looks but they also behave like normal kids, and it’s this great balance of behaviour young readers can identify with and an exciting, death-defying plot that makes this…
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