Sydney based children's writer Lucie Stevens has authored and co-authored many books for the education market. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is Steven's first novel for children. Stevens has hit the mark, producing a wonderful, spooky story that draws from a wealth of traditional well known and lesser known European fairy tales and other traditional stories and classics to produce a delightful ghostly story. The reader will find echoes of The Brothers Grimm's Jorinde and Joringel and Cinderella. The secret garden (1911) by Frances Hodgson Burnett is brought to mind with the Victorian house in which Albertine is confined. The setting is mainly within the house (the nursery, drawing rooms and kitchen) but Albertine does venture to the church and graveyard, on carriage rides and finally to see The Great Exhibition. Nightly visitations by her deceased Nanny Tobbins through her window is reminiscent of Peter Pan (1911) by J.M. Barrie. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is infused with a rich literature heritage and will make its own contribution to the tradition of quality novels for children. One of the things Albertine loves most is when her father reads to her before she goes to bed. One of the worst losses brought about by the arrival of "The Stepmother" is the risk of losing this precious time together. The purple flower is a motif throughout the story- a flower linked to a German fairy tale and worn by Albertine's father as a symbol of his love for her mother.
Nine-year-old Albertine's belief in fairy tales and ghosts is scorned by Nanny Tobbin who later (after breaking her neck falling off a horse)returns as a very annoying ghost causing Albertine a lot of trouble. Albertine has experienced a lot of loss. Her mother has died and then Nanny Tobbin dies. Albertine retreats into a world of ghosts- a world which was very much an interest of the Victorian era. Warm and grounded cook doesn't believe in the paranormal, nor does her father but the new maid Susan does. Susan believes in the Tarot cards which she reads for Albertine. Father thinks that Albertine's talk of visitations by Nanny Tobbins is the product of an overactive imagination and the strain of grief.
Quiver is Albertine's closest companion. He is a little Italian greyhound who seems to be able to understand and communicate on an almost human level. He is always on Albertine's side even when she comes to the most muddle-headed conclusions about situations. Cook is a comforting presence, Albertine's father is loving but distracted and "The Stepmother" ... " Black cloak, black gloves, black hat, she looked neither bright nor sweet. Quiver whimpered...the Stepmother's shadow advanced up the path and into the house...like a thunderstorm had come inside..." The characters are well developed. Through the third person narrator the reader knows all of Albertine's thoughts. She is a resilient, energetic little girl but often as the reader will see, she gets things wrong and though well- meaning, makes rash and silly decisions.
At twelve o'clock every night the ghostly Nanny Tobbins returns causing increasingly dreadful nightly havoc for which Albertine receives the blame. Albertine has to come up with a plan before she is shipped off to live elsewhere with a relative.
Infused through the text is a smattering of German words as Albertine's father is German and he has employed a German cook and nanny. German fairytales likewise influence Albertine's thinking and imagination and the cuckoo- clock figures large.
Funny, quirky and full of adventure, R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is a delightful story about a little girl coping with loss and change in Victorian England. New possibilities and hope and tenderness emerge.
A thoroughly funny and delightful read.
Themes Ghosts, nannies, The Great Exhibition, loss, grief, stepmothers, Victorian England, coping with change, adapting.
Wendy Jeffrey
Ebb & Flo: Short cut by Laura Bunting and Philip Bunting
This is the first book in this series that I have read – a very enjoyable experience and a book that I will be keeping for my grandson. Ebb goes off to have his hair cut, but his wriggling and jiggling means that Tut cuts and slips and Ebb gets a bad haircut. His friend Flo tries to reassure him but Ebb lets his hair grow and grow until it is out of control. What will he do?
This is a fun read aloud for pre-schoolers who will love the funny pictures of Ebb as he sits in the hairdresser’s chair and then grows his hair, refusing to get it cut. I loved the zany illustrations of Ebb’s hair when it grows past his knees and the many looks that he tries: the bun, the bowl, the bob and the tornado amongst others. There are so many laugh aloud moments in Short cut, appealing to both adults who might read it aloud and children who will love to giggle at the text and pictures.
The Ebb & Flo series is ideal for beginning readers, with its rhyming words, repetition and use of phonics. Short cut would be ideal as a book for parents to share, and for teachers to have as a supplementary reader in the classroom.
Themes of friendship and dealing with emotions are engaging, and as having a bad haircut is likely to be familiar, it is easy to relate to the story. And for children who love stickers, there is a page of them at the back, as well as instructions of how to draw Tut’s parrot.
Themes Haircuts, Reading, Humour.
Pat Pledger
Are wolves afraid of the dark? by Huw Lewis Jones. Illus. by Sam Caldwell
Thames & Hudson, 2024. ISBN: 9780500653227.
Generations of children, stretching right back to the late 17th century when the wolf ate Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother in Charles Perrault's Le Petit Chaperon Rouge and the Brothers Grimm wrote Little Red Cap and similar stories to encourage young children to behave or else, the species has endured a bad reputation in literature - even in Wolfgang and the Magic of Music, the creatures are unwilling to join his band because they are afraid of him - and the phrase 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' is in common usage. So the creators, field guide Huw Lewis Jones and nature illustrator Sam Caldwell put on their real-life hats and invite young readers on an expedition to investigate the truth, starting with the title which would seemingly be at odds with what they already know and believe about the subject, and which is an activity they, themselves, have probably mastered.
Preparing the explorers for their adventures by identifying what they need as well as warning them that what they know now might be challenged, even changed, Huw and Sam introduce subspecies of grey wolf living in forests throughout Europe, North America and China, as well as red wolves in North Carolina and other members of the canid family, including coyotes. Along the way, the aspiring naturalists discover the habitats and habits of the species, learn the difference between a 'timber' and a 'tundra' wolf, what traits wild wolves share with domestic dogs, why wolf poo is so important to scientists and the challenges they face so that, in fact, wolves have far more to fear from us than we have from them!
Even though wolves are not native to Australia and are only found in zoos here, nevertheless there is still a fascination with this apex predator as witnessed by the recent interest in reports about the Sire Wolf being brought back from extinction (although the claim is disputed) and so this is a worthwhile addition to the collection that not only provides new insight but does so in an engaging way with easy-to-read text in manageable chunks and plenty of illustrations.
Themes Wolves.
Barbara Braxton
Edie Tells a Lie by Ingrid Laguna
Text Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781922790729. (Age:8 -12 years) Highly Recommended.
Ten-year-olds, Edie and Bowie, are inseparable - best friends and neighbours. When Bowie and her family move to the country, Edie is bereft. She has lost her companion. The person that knows her best. The person that she can be herself with. Struggling to make new friends becomes a gnawing challenge for Edie and when she and Aleki buddy up, it seems that Edie might have just succeeded. Aleki is from a large, noisy Samoan family and Edie wishes she had more family as it is just her and her mum as Edie’s Polish father has passed away.
In Edie’s desire to be popular and be seen, she tells Aleki a lie. What is seemingly small to start with, grows to be bigger than Edie imagined and has devastating results for her. She loses Aleki’s growing friendship and trust and school becomes a challenge. Unsure of how to make amends, Edie seeks support from her mum. A morning at the market and time spent translating a Polish letter Edie found opens up new possibilities to right the wrongs and learn more about her Polish family. Edie also discovers that Bowie is struggling in her new environment and they are able to reconnect and support each other.
This heartwarming and powerful story for middle grade readers shares the angst of making new friends, the difficulties faced when mistakes are made and the resulting consequences, as well as the sense of relief when things begin to work themselves out. Edie’s vulnerability, her deepest thoughts as well as the journey she is on are sensitively shared with the reader. A highly engaging read.
Themes Friendship, Polish History & Culture, Samoan Culture, Loneliness, School, Family, Mistakes, Consequences, New Beginnings.
Many readers and their parents will be able to relate to this entertaining story written in a letter writing format to and from a young child and a piece of broccoli. For those who do not quite find broccoli to their taste, this skilfully written and humorous story may just convince them to have another try.
The bright green front cover with the very unhappy face on the child holding a piece of broccoli on a fork will engage readers from the beginning with the end papers reflecting further aspects of the story. The letters from the child are brutally honest about their dislike of broccoli with bolded and underlined key words and passionate explanations of their feelings. The replies from broccoli are measured and thoughtful and provide the child with more to think about. As the letter writing progresses, it begins to feel like the child who disliked broccoli may be on the verge of conceding defeat but… there is clever twist!
The colourful full page illustrations vary in their format with each letter the hero of the page. The detailed visual images added by the illustrator complement the text perfectly and contribute to the overall appeal of the story with the facial expressions being a standout.
Themes Dinnertime, Broccoli, Letter Writing, Facts, Humour.
Kathryn Beilby
The tractor has a wobbly wheel by Tim Saunders. Illus. by Carla Martell
Allen & Unwin NZ, 2025. ISBN: 9781991006929. Recommended.
Oh no! The tractor has a wobble wheel and a wobbly wheel is not ideal, So we must fix this wobbly wheel!
And so the farm animals set to, each with their own idea, but each making things worse until all they have is a leaky, squeaky, lumpy, clunky, shaky, bumpy, thumpy, knobbly wobbly wheel. What can they try next? And will it solve the problem?
Using all the prompts that very young children adore in their stories such as known characters, familiar scenarios, humour, rhyme, rhythm and repetition, this is a story to share with little ones just for the sheer joy of having the words roll off your tongue, watching them realise the pattern and then join in. You don't even have to be in a rural area like me for them to have fun with it. Imagine them moving and sounding like the wheel; predicting who will be the next "mechanic" and whether the attempt will be successful; and then their reaction to the ending. It's the epitome of why we share stories with them!
Hats off to these Kiwi creators for this burst of fun.
Themes Tractors, Wheels.
Barbara Braxton
Dr Golly's guide to family illness by Dr. Daniel Golshevsky (Dr Golly)
A quick glance at the Contents pages of Dr Golly's Guide to Family Illness will convince any reader that this book would be an excellent reference to have on hand for any family. It clearly describes what to do when a child is sick and how to tell if it’s an emergency. It gives a toolbox for managing illness and then goes through common symptoms of things like fever, vomit, poo, coughing, rashes and skin infections. There is a section on feeling better and staying well that includes pain and medication, immunisation and hygiene. The Childhood Bingo! section contains information about many of the things that children may bring home from daycare and school. Readers will find information on the common cold and other upper respiratory illnesses, viruses with rashes, skin infections, ear infection, head lice and common medical issues for older kids like headaches, bedwetting, snoring and acne. The sections give a comprehensive description of the symptoms of each of the medical conditions, ways to prevent and treat and when to seek medical advice. For example, under gross things, head lice, a common childhood complaint, is explored in detail, giving ways to recognising it, when to check for medical help, how to check for nits, treatment and management at home and myths and facts about headlice. Instead of an index there is a Quick reference at the back of the book listing common complaints in alphabetical order, childcare and school exclusion cases and page number references. This is followed by a handy quick reference with pictures of different rashes including hand, foot and mouth disease, nappy rash and school sores and page references for information. Finally there is a positive message to parents about using the medical system when necessary and always trusting their instincts.
Dr Golly's Guide to Family Illness is a positive, user-friendly handbook that would reassure parents and caregivers about different childhood ills and give accessible advice in treating them at home and when to seek medical advice.
Themes Refernce, Childhood illnesses.
Pat Pledger
Neeka and the Storm by Tina Strachan. Illus. by Max Hamilton
Neeka and the Storm is the second book in the refreshing and entertaining Wilder Zoo series. This engaging story begins with eleven year old Year 5 student Neeka riding her bike around the zoo feeding some of the animals including the Galapagos tortoise, penguins, Tasmanian devils and the African elephants. She is though increasingly aware of the impending storm and the need to start her last book for the school’s Reading Challenge with a looming deadline.
The relentless rain and Neeka’s need to finish ‘The Secret Garden’ for the challenge is causing great conflict with her desire to be out in the Zoo helping the staff look after the animals. As the heavy rain intensifies problems begin to arise for the zoo such as flash flooding affecting the relocation of the endangered Javan green magpies, a power blackout in the animal food preparation area and maintenance shed, a huge 100 year old fallen tree, missing zookeepers, flooding, unsettled animals and an animal nursery in Neela’s bedroom. All these events make for an exciting action packed story where Neeka, her friends, and a skeleton zoo staff work together to help maintain the zoo and the animals.
Added to the mix, is the need for Neeka to finish reading her book. Her school is scheduled for a day at the waterpark and will receive new sports equipment but it is entirely dependent on every student completing their sheet with five books read and signed off. Will Neeka be able to finish the challenge after her busy and exhausting weekend, and unexpectedly losing her book in the creek?
For those children who love animal stories set in zoos, this will be an enjoyable read. It is full of challenges and an array of likable characters including some very special non-human ones!
Themes Zoos, Animals, Storms, Reading Challenge, Family, Problem solving, Working together, Friends, Schools.
Everglade: Rise of the witch is a delightful story about a funny and likeable little twelve-year-old girl called Wren who is slowly coming to understand and accept herself as being a witch in a world that actively rejects witches and magic of any kind. Despite the action which involves the dreaded and revolting Eater and many scary moments, it's a gentle and warm story involving friendly and "can-do" characters who work together to fight evil. And its a book about finding your true home and overcoming being different and an outsider. In the beginning, Wren is a real outsider, hiding her identity and living with a horrible aunt because her mother has been killed.
Rise of the witch is the first book in Everglade - a fantasy trilogy by Perth-based children's author Kitty Black who has a background in psychology and education and an interest in incorporating neurodiversity into the characters. This incorporation is very natural and unforced. The characters may have unusual reactions and thoughts when faced with situations and these thoughts and reactions can be funny and in their unexpectedness, throw the villains right off course. In her effort to escape from Everglade, Wren has to cross to another world. Black's world building is not too complicated which makes this series a great introduction to the world of fantasy novels. A simple map in the front pages shows the places she must traverse to reach her goal. She has to travel through the Deadwood with its inherent dangers (like any fairy tale wood) to reach Meadowcourt. Her two travel companions are slightly off-centre too but staunch and loyal supporters each bringing their particular skills to help in dangerous situations.
The jaunty third person narration keeps the reader abreast of the thoughts, feelings and actions of the characters as well as the banter between them. The banter is unfailingly funny throughout. Open at any page and the offbeat, witty, dead-pan conversations and thoughts can be found. The delightful cover and full page illustrations are by Rebecca Crane who is well known for her illustrations in the Pearly and Pig books by Sue Whiting and other titles. Her illustrations are of dynamic characters who appear full of energy and new ideas- so suited to the characters in Rise of the witch.
Whilst combating the evil Eater and his minions, Wren has to overcome and understand the death of her mother, the fact that she too is a witch who has to discover her power and try to save magic from being sucked right out of the world to be replaced by a particular kind of ordered nastiness. Can she do it?
Similar to Fledgewitch by Lian Tanner but simpler in terms of the fantasy world built, Rise of the witch is recommended reading for middle grade students who enjoy reading about feisty little witches (practically a genre in itself). The next two books in the trilogy will be something to look forward to.
Anyone looking for a book set in a picture-perfect seaside town with a wonderful bookshop and a budding romance is sure to enjoy The Wildest Dreams Bookshop. 17-year-old Anna has just finished her exams and is certain that she has failed them. To make matters worse, her boyfriend Max has dumped her, saying he wants to find himself on a trip to Paris. Her friends all have summer jobs so when her aunt invites her to help in her bookshop, she travels to Cornwall, not expecting to enjoy herself. But there is handsome Jacob, a local surfer and handyman, who she keeps seeing around. Then her aunt breaks her leg, and Anna is forced to take over the bookshop, trying desperately to save it from financial ruin.
I rushed through The Wildest Dreams Bookshop loving the characters and the setting. Anna’s growth from an unhappy young woman who wears London clothes and straightens her hair, to one who lets her hair go curly is engrossing. She uses all her skills and spreadsheets to help pull her aunt’s bookshop out of financial trouble, organising the shop and inviting a celebrity author to launch her new book there. She is ably assisted by Raye and Jacob, although labelled a bad boy, shows his true colours by helping to renovate and coming up with ideas when disaster strikes. Meanwhile she begins to appreciate the town and its inhabitants when they rally round to save the shop.
Lovers of romance will enjoy the gradual development of feelings between Anna and Jacob. And of course anyone who loves books and bookshops will delight in The Wildest Dreams Bookshop and will be happy to while away a few hours escaping into its shelves and travelling around the beautiful Fox Bay.
Themes Romance, Books and bookshops, Coming of age.
Pat Pledger
Libby's footy adventures by Libby Birch. Illus. by Robin Tatlow-Lord
Libby Birch is a well-known Australian Rules footballer and her book, “Libby’s Footy Adventures, was a chance for Birch to fill the gap she saw in the market for representation of young girls playing footy.” AFLW News. And wow! She does this very successfully. Illustrated with engaging pictures by Robin Tatlow-Lord, Birch tells an absorbing story about a young Libby who played almost every sport, but liked team sports best. When her friend Mia tells her that some AFLW players are coming to run a training session she is uncertain about going as she has only ever kicked a footy with her brother in the backyard. But Mia reassures her, lends her some clothes to wear as well as a pair of orange footy boots. She learns a lot from the training session, and so will any reader: how to hold, bounce and kick the ball and use her eyes to find teammates. Georgie Prespakis and Courtney Hodder are there to train them and Tatlow-Lord’s drawings show an eager and determined Libby learning and really having fun. Her friends Mia and Daniel encourage her to join Auskick at their footy club and with her parents' help she joins a team and puts her skills into helping her team win a game.
The narrative flows along smoothly with the illustrations complementing the text, making it a great read aloud at home or in the classroom. The story cleverly blends the fun of playing footy, the joy of being part of a team and the way that friends can encourage others to join in and enjoy themselves. Readers who are familiar with AFLW will recognise the names of Georgie Prespakis and Courtney Hodder and both children and adults will recognise the importance of mentoring young players and helping them to learn new skills.
Libby says in her introduction, “Sport is for everyone, and footy is for everyone...Remember, it's not all about winning or being the best." Highly recommended, Libby’s Footy Adventures will be a very welcome addition to other books about sport.
Written for those of her students who thought more about their formals than graduating, R. A. Stephen’s book title No dress, no idea says it all. Twelve months out from the end of year school formal, Tarni is totally obsessed with finding the perfect dress for the big event. She has a checklist of everything she will need: dress, shoes, make-up, jewellery; and her casual work earnings are dedicated to her budget. Then things start to go wrong: the perfect dress she sets her sights on is incredibly expensive, and other expenses start to intrude, such as her school jersey, driving lessons and licence fee. And she has no idea about what she wants to do after graduation.
This book is one in the Rhiza Shorts series of teen fiction with ‘minimal words, maximum impact’. It’s a short easy read, the language uncomplicated, and the themes including friendships and problem solving, all up-beat and relevant to its target audience, teenagers who find it hard to read anything much longer than their phone texts. The themes of friendships, study stress, budgeting and careers are aimed at 18 year olds, but the light tone and easy format is also suitable for younger readers. This makes it an excellent choice for struggling or reluctant readers. It would be worth checking out others in the series.
Themes School formal, Budgets, Friendship, Graduation, Careers.
Helen Eddy
Happy Birthday, Little Wombat by Charles Fuge
Walker Books, 2025. ISBN: 9781760655341.
It's Little Wombat's birthday and it is going to be a great day. Koala gives him an explorer's stick "for bashing through the undergrowth" and Bilby has made him his very own flag to "stick in the ground when you discover somewhere new."
And that's just what they did as they made their way to the river where Mum has made a special surprise picnic. But not only did Little Wombat discover his other friends waiting for him, but also an even better use for his new presents!!
Little Wombat and his friends are fast becoming a preschool favourite series as not only are the creatures familiar and seemingly the same age as they are, they do the sorts of things that little ones do while there is always a subtle message to gently absorb as they read - this one about being safe when messing about on boats. But even if they haven't spent a birthday on a boat, nevertheless young readers will have plenty of stories to share about their own birthday celebrations and wishes while there is also the opportunity to learn about calendars, months and making a graph of who celebrates when with each creating a candle or a cupcake to add to the relevant column.
Themes Birthdays, Wombats.
Barbara Braxton
Golden by Jade Timms
Text Publishing, 2025. ISBN: 9781923058354. (Age:16-18) Recommended.
Eddie (Edwina) was the last person to see her brother-in-law Jackson alive. The trauma lingers and has damaged her connection to her grieving sister, Viv, and her parents; her twin brother, Pat, is now mostly ignored; her friendship group are now almost distant memories; and her hold on life is fraught. It is her work at the Juice Bar that gives her structure, but everything else is a mess. She lives in a coastal area where surfing and the ocean are important, but Eddie can barely consider heading back to the water, and it takes all her emotional strength to start training for the iconic Mud Run instead. The arrival of the new guy in town restores a ‘heart beat’ to Eddie’s life, but her heart-ease is far from secure and she is brittle often. Can Eddie recover or has distress become her only existence? Where is the hope she needs?
This is a teen drama with a liberal serve of emotional angst, grief and psychological distress, with a side salad of veganism, family quirkiness, teen partying and friendship, and all served with blended smoothies. There is a seriousness to Eddie’s struggles that means the reader feels her pain from almost the first page. To be estranged from your own twin, to have lost almost every friend because of your own attitudes - these are deeply troubling examples of her psychological distress. Consequently, readers should be mature enough to cope with the mental trauma and grief experienced by many in the story. Teen friendship is shown with a sense of fun (and occasional risk-taking) and sometimes same-sex attraction. Although there is a sense of hope at the end of the book, there are many dark periods with a forlorn central character. Written for a teen audience 16-18, this is a character-driven walk through grief and trauma and so readers must be prepared for the seriousness of this life journey. Mental health is a victim following a traumatic grief, so those already battling their own issues may find this difficult to read.
One koala one hundred trees by Leesa Allinson & Heather Potter & Mark Jackson
Wild Dog Books, 2025. ISBN: 9781742036854. (Age:3+) Highly recommended.
Finding an injured koala on their farm, Dad and his daughter get in touch with the local wildlife rescue team. The woman who comes to collect the animal, tells them there is a joey in her pouch and not to be too optimistic about the animals’ survival. Dad armed with the fact sheet given them by the rescuer, decides to plant more trees as a habitat for the koalas they sometimes see on their property.
But it is a bigger project than theycan achieve alone. Posters are placed around the town, asking for supporters. 10 trees are enough for one koala she says, and asks people to come and help. Her posters attract the interest of a journalist and the story is told in the local paper. On the designated day Dad and his daughter are pleased to see so many people come to help. They allocate different jobs to the helpers, gratified to see the results of their efforts at the end of the day. They are on the way to build a koala corridor so that the animals can move from one lot of forest to another.
A charming story embedded with lots of facts about koalas and their habitat, along with fact sheets and information about what can be done is offered in this beautifully crafted book.The illustrations are wonderful, reflecting life on the farm and in a small community, while showing how koalas live in the little bush that is left. The images reinforce the text showing what a dedicated and informed community can do to alleviate the problem of the decline of the koala.
Married couple Jackson and Potter have been recognised for their illustrative techniques, having a number of exhibitions, designings tamps, illustrating books awardedby the CBCA, including Little Lon and Waves. More information about theirwork can be found here.
Themes Koalas, Endangered species, Community action, Australian flora.
