North and South: A Tale of Two Hemispheres

By Sandra Morris

North and South: A Tale of Two Hemispheres
By Sandra Morris

Thank you to @walkerbooksaus for sending me this book In exchange for an honest read and review

Story 📖

I currently have a class that are so interested in non-fiction books and this one fit the brief perfectly. The concept of North and South is so great – interesting children to the concept of hemispheres and that opposite sides of the world have opposite weather. One easy way to illustrate this was to pull out some Christmas books from both Australia and other countries and have a look at the differences. It helped us to understand that in the Southern Hemisphere it is hot at Christmas and in the Northern Hemisphere it is cold at Christmas. Very complex and interesting discussion for preschool aged children.

We also loved using this book to explore all the different types of creatures that live in different places across both Hemispheres.

Summary 📖

This book is really well laid out, the illustrations are great and gives so many interesting facts on different animals, what climate they thrive in and what type of animals they are.

Suggestion 📖

We loved this one. It’s perfect for young readers aged 3-9 years and helps introduce them to so many creatures and the concepts of hemispheres. Well recommended!

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Back To Sleep

By Zoe Foster Blake

Back To Sleep
By Zoe Foster Blake

I am a huge fan of Zoe Foster Blake (and her husband Hamish Blake) and have been using her skin care Go – To for many years. I also had the pleasure of meeting her husband Hamish when in Melbourne for work a few years ago. What I had not done is read any of her picture books but that all changed this week.

Story 📖

The children and I pulled this one out of the collection for the first time this week and we were thrilled that we did. The story is a great read but the illustrations really made the children laugh.

We loved seeing Dad sucking his thumb, Mum spilling her water all over her bed and Finn needing to act like the parent to his parents. This book really made us laugh throughout the whole story and the 3 and 4 years in my class thought it was a very funny thought if they had to look after their parents.

Summary 📖

We love this story. We loved the humour, we loved the illustrations and it really helped stretch our imaginations as we thought about what are some of the things that we would do if we were looking after our parents.

Suggestion 📖

This one is perfect for young readers aged 3-7 years old and it will really make them laugh as you point out the funny points in the illustrations. 100% would recommend. Great for discussing child and caregiver relationships with young children and the concept of bedtime rituals and routines.

Second First Impressions

By Sally Thorne

Second First Impressions
By Sally Thorne

Thank you so much @hachetteaus for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest read and review.

Story 📖

I am a huge Sally Thorne fan and The Hating Game was one of my most favourite reads in the last 5 years. I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint.

Ruthie is a 24 year old that lives a very predictable, safe and routine life working in a retirement village. Ruthie likes to have everything just so until she meets Teddy.

Teddy comes into Ruthie’s life and suddenly her life isn’t so predictable and safe anymore. What if Teddy is the person that can help Ruthie find out who she is supposed to be?

Summary 📖

I loved this book. I thought the characters were really well written and I loved how the friendship between Teddy and Ruthie developed over the course of the book.

Summary 📖

If you like a feel good and well written lark of a read, I would recommend picking this one up!

Before I Saw You

By Emily Houghton

Story 📖

I loved this book. I picked it up from my local library and I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed this book.

Alice wakes up in the hospital in a critical condition are she is severely burnt in a workplace accident. As she starts to recover physically, her emotional scars still run very deep.

Alice is placed in a ward with a bedmate neighbour, Alfie who is also recovering from a serious accident and is learning to live life again with one leg.

As they start to get to know each other and become friends one thing remains a constant, Alice keeps the curtain firmly closed around her bed and refuses for anyone to see her.

Alfie begins to really love having Alice fit company but can you develop feelings for someone you have never seen?

Summary 📖

I loved the premise of this book. It’s such a unique concept and really digs deep into trauma, mental health and friendship. I loved how relatable Alice and Alfie both were and loved watching this story unfold.

Suggestion 📖

I really loved this and it was one of the best books I have read in a while. Would recommend this to anyone – I think it’s relatable to most people.

Mo and Crow

By Jo Kasch

Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley

Happy Publication Day to this gorgeous little picture book. Thank you to @allenandunwin for sending me this book in exchange for my honest read and review.

Story 📖

Mo lives alone. He spends all day doing whatever he wants, all by himself…just the way he likes it! He has a big wall that he has built around his house to keep everyone out. It does the trick well, that is until Crow comes along.

Crow slowly starts taking down parts of Mo’s wall (much to his dismay) and what comments is a cat and mouse chase of who can change the wall the quickest. As soon as Crow changes the wall, Mo fixes it and this leaves them both on tenterhooks.

One day Crow stops changing the wall and Mo wonders if he likes being alone as much as he originally thought.

Summary 📖

The children and I read this one last week and quite simply, we found it delightful. We loved watching the story unfold particularly through the illustrations and it created a wonderful discussion about the importance of friendship and looking at the illustrations when listening to the story. The words are great here but the illustrations really illuminate the story and drew quite a lot of belly laughs from a group of preschoolers.

Suggestion 📖

We loved this one and I witnessed lots of children going back to independently read this one over and over again.

The Long, Long Afternoon

By Inga Vesper

Happy Publication Day to this debut novel. Thank you to @allenandunwin for sending me a copy to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Story 📖

When the story commences it is 1959 and we meet our protagonist, Joyce. Joyce lives in a new subdivision in California with her husband, Frank and two daughters. Joyce has an idyllic life. A beautiful home, two gorgeous daughters, a loving husband and she is an active part of the local community.

Everyone loves Joyce, or do they. One afternoon, there is blood on the kitchen floor and Joyce is missing. The story from there keeps you on the edge of seat until the last page.

Who is Joyce?

Summary 📖

I love anything mid century so was really excited to read this one and it did not disappoint. It really shows that the idyllic 50s were not always as idyllic as it appears, particularly for women.

This book really delivers on its social commentary on race, class and gender issues in a time that was not really that long ago. This reads like a really well written noir novel and it kept on my edge of my seat until the very end.

Suggestion 📖

I would recommend to everyone as I truly thought this was such an incredible debut novel and I really enjoyed it.

The Love Square

By Laura Jane Williams

Story 📖

This was one of my must read library books for February but sad to say it didn’t live up to my projected hype.

Our protagonist is Penny a chef that owns a cafe and as we meet her she is someone that is unlucky in love with a complicated backstory.

Penny owns a cafe and meets Francesco, a fellow chef and this kicks off a friendship that is defining over the book.

We watch Penny fall in and out of relationships with ease while Francesco remains a constant throughout most of the story.

Summary 📖

This book started off incredibly strong for me but ended up quite flat. I found it hard to relate to Penny as a protagonist and often found her story arc incredibly frustrating.

Suggestion 📖

Wasn’t for me but other rom com fans out there might enjoy it. Would love to hear of any similiar or different opinions!

Moonlight Mums

By Laura Stitzel

Story 📖

I picked this one up yesterday from the shop and loved the concept so much that I immediately took this into work to read with the children today.

This book is all about how some mums in both the human and animal world have to go to work and be away from their babies/children but that they always try to make sure they make it before bedtime.

The children and I loved the story and loved the illustrations and there was lots to point out and discuss as we moved through the book.

Summary 📖

As someone that has always worked full time since my son was a baby – this book had a very important message. I think society is always quite quick to judge working parents and I love the reframing of the child experiences love even if it looks different from another family.

The illustrations are beautiful and the message is just absolutely on point.

Suggestion 📖

Love this one for any families that have working parents and love the messages for young children. Perfect for young readers aged 3-6 years.

Meet Cute

By Helena Hunting

Story 📖

Some may recall that my 2021 reading resolution was to be more conscious of my consumption. You can expect to see much more of a mix of library, audio and ebook and I will identify as such when reviewing.

This novel was one that I picked up at my local library and I am really pleased that I did. Kailyn has always been very calm, level headed and studious until the day she meets Dax at law school who coincidentally also starred in her favourite Disney style show as a teenager.

Dax and Kailyn lost touch after college until one day he walks into her law office. After that, they keep on meeting until they realise maybe it isn’t a coincidence, maybe it’s their very own ‘meet cute’.

Where will they end up?

Summary 📖

I really liked this book. I loved the cover (it’s so cute!) and I’m really glad I picked it up. It was an easy read with likeable characters that was well written.

Suggestion 📖

I would suggest this to anyone that likes sweet, easy reads. The author did a great job of keeping the reader engaged and I enjoyed reading it!

If Winter Comes, Tell It I’m Not Here

By Simona Ciraolo

Story 📖

I’m so glad that I picked up this book @kinokuniya_sydney a little while ago. I saw the beautiful cover and knew I needed to get this for my class.

This book is all about a little boy that is experiencing his first change of season. When Summer ends there is no swimming, no ice cream and the days are short and wet. Is there anything that he will learn to love about Winter?

Summary 📖

The illustrations and story length are perfect for my new class. The story helps us think about what we like about different seasons and also great to discuss and reflect on do we do the things in the book or we do different things.

Suggestion 📖

Such a great book for a preschool aged child. My class and I really enjoyed reading this one and this is perfect for young readers aged 3-6 years.