Book Review - Everyone Wants an Octopus

Everyone Wants an Octopus Book Review

Written by @liz_ledden ๐Ÿ™ Illustrated by @makotokoji ๐Ÿฆ† Pubilished by @hardiegrantkids

Another gorgeous picture book that Iโ€™ve been meaning to post about for months! If you havenโ€™t got your hands on a copy yet โ€“ let me tell you why you should ๐Ÿค—

Inky ๐Ÿ™ canโ€™t find a single book with a character who looks like him, yet there are loads of books about Inkyโ€™s best friend, Quack ๐Ÿฆ†Together they decide to do something about this โ€“ because everyone deserves to see themselves in books ๐Ÿ“š

Everyone Wants an Octopus Book is a fun, bright, engaging picture book for children 3+ that handles this important theme in a clever, inviting and super accessible way โ€“perfectly pitched for young children.

I love the cute characters, gorgeous lolly coloured palette and octopus facts peppered throughout, as well as the creatorsโ€™ note at the end which delves a little deeper into the why of this book.

Diverse, inclusive books are important for all kids โ€“ to be mirrors so they can see themselves in the stories they read, and windows so they can learn about and understand people who are different to them. And hopefully learn along the way that we are all more alike than we are different ๐Ÿ’›

๐Ÿ™ Bravo for this book โ€“ a perfect, gentle conversation starter about diversity and inclusion for preschool plus ๐Ÿฆ†

Book Review - Our Home

๐Ÿ“š Iโ€™ve bought so many gorgeous picture books lately - this whole year in fact - and Iโ€™ve been meaning to review them and share them and waah! Iโ€™ve never got to it!

So Iโ€™m starting today, because we are away camping in the van ๐Ÿš and holidays create space in my head to do such lovely things ๐Ÿค—

OUR HOME @catherinemeatheringham and @mhdesignillustration and @windyhollow

I always loved these kind of concept books when I was a kid. Imagining if I lived there or which one I would choose. I found it fun, inviting and peaceful in ways I didnโ€™t understand and this book has all those feels ๐Ÿค—


So come along and see all these different Australian homes ๐Ÿ  from a rugged coast to an outback station ๐Ÿšœ to a high-rise apartment ๐Ÿ™๏ธ.


The simple text leaves room for us to hear their sounds ๐Ÿ•๏ธ and the luminous illustrations help us imagine the different lives they might hold ๐Ÿ˜๏ธ so we can all celebrate the sense of belonging a little house can bring ๐Ÿ’›

Book Review - Recent MG Books I loved

๐Ÿ“š Latest Middle Grade (MG) reads I loved

What Snail Knows @kat.apel @mandyfootillustrator @uqpbooks
Tender heartwarming early MG verse novel ๐Ÿ’œ

Get Your Act Together, Doris Kozlowski @jodabrowski @affirmpress
Laugh out loud relatable MG about friends, family and embracing who you are โค๏ธ

The Star Whale @nicolakidsbooks @p.horacek_ @walkerbooksaus
Gorgeous poetry collection celebrating nature by two masters ๐Ÿ’™

Tweet @morris_gleitzman @penguinkidsaustralia
Funny, wacky and emotional magical realism about looking after the planet and the power of love ๐Ÿ’›

Book Review - Nova's Missing Masterpiece

๐Ÿ“• ๐ŸฅณNovaโ€™s Missing Masterpiece is the fab new collaboration between the CBCA award winning author & illustrator duo @brookegrahamauthor @robin_tatlow.lord @ekbooksforkids

SEL focused like #theworrymonster but instead of ๐Ÿ’œ for anxiety this one is โ™ฅ๏ธ for anger!

๐Ÿ–ผ Nova has made a magnificent masterpiece to give her Dad as a ๐Ÿฅณ๐ŸŽโ€” but now she canโ€™t find it. And itโ€™s nearly time for his party!

๐ŸŽข This assured text allows the young reader to feel in safe hands, even as the vibrant, expressive illustrations draw us right into Novaโ€™s emotional rollercoaster of increasing frustration, anger and panic ๐Ÿ˜ ๐Ÿ˜ก๐Ÿคฏ as she looks everywhere for her missing masterpiece that is nowhere to be found

๐Ÿพ Luckily Nova has her faithful staffy, Harley by her side throughout. Not just a source of the comfort and support all pets give us, Harley also provides a model of calm. By watching him, Nova learns effective strategies to self-regulate and help smooth out her bumpy emotional ride

Novaโ€™s Missing Masterpiece will be a great resource for parents and teachers & to help young readers learn to manage big emotions like anger & problem solving under pressure.

Book Review - Ladybirds Do Not Go to Daycare

๐Ÿž๐Ÿ’› LADYBIRDS DO NOT GO TO DAYCARE by @alirutstein and @ninanill is a joyful, reassuring picturebook perfect for every child off to daycare, preschool or kindy for the first time โ€” especially helpful for any child who feels a little anxious or hesitant about it all ๐ŸŽ’๐Ÿฑ ๐ŸšŒ

This is just the sweetest book! Iโ€™m lucky to have Ali in my critique and writersโ€™ group @writelinks and her voice is distinct โ€“ sweet, gentle & authentic with a dash of quirky humour โ€” which is obvious from the very first page. Iโ€™m pretty sure the mum in this book is actually Ali ๐Ÿ’› And Niล„aโ€™s illustrations are so adorable and capture Raviโ€™s cute little personality and his apprehension, as well as his mumโ€™s love, in equal measure ๐Ÿž

Maybe best of all, if you turn to the last page of the book you will see Ravi drawing ladybirds with three of his new day care friends, and (I hope this isnโ€™t a secret ๐Ÿ‘€) each of these little friends will soon have their own companion titles to make the most adorable back to school book set ever ๐Ÿ“•๐Ÿ“’๐Ÿ“˜๐Ÿ“—

I was so happy to attend the launch last December ๐Ÿš€ I made a special ๐Ÿž badge for the occasion. It is no surprise that the launch was the sweetest โ€“ not just because Ali baked the most delicious launch cupcakes Iโ€™ve ever had ๐Ÿง or because @quickbrownfoxbookshop is just the sweetest and most supportive childrenโ€™s bookshop ๐Ÿ“š or because @sandhya_librarybagbooks was the perfect emcee ๐ŸŽค or because @zewlanmoor is my fave wingwoman ๐Ÿ‘ฏโ€โ™€๏ธ but mostly because Ali and Niล„a are just the sweetest peeps ๐Ÿ’›and they got to do their launch together ๐Ÿž๐Ÿž๏ธ Congratulations Ali, Niล„a, @brightlightpublishing @hardiegrantkids โ€“ I predict this book is going to be on very high rotation at my libraries ๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿฟโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿฟโ€โ™‚๏ธ