Everyone Wants an Octopus Book Review
Written by @liz_ledden ๐ Illustrated by @makotokoji ๐ฆ Pubilished by @hardiegrantkids
Another gorgeous picture book that Iโve been meaning to post about for months! If you havenโt got your hands on a copy yet โ let me tell you why you should ๐ค
Inky ๐ canโt find a single book with a character who looks like him, yet there are loads of books about Inkyโs best friend, Quack ๐ฆTogether they decide to do something about this โ because everyone deserves to see themselves in books ๐
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 โperfectly 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 ๐
๐ Bravo for this book โ a perfect, gentle conversation starter about diversity and inclusion for preschool plus ๐ฆ
Like a Gannet - Meet Francie
Meet Francie!
She can glide like a swan, dabble like a duck and cut through the water like a cormorant. So when she sees her older cousins diving like gannets from the high diving board, she wants to do that too.
Inspired by my memories of being a child with a bigger body shape who wasnโt very sporty but who felt capable and graceful in the water, I really wanted Francie to have a bigger body type. Itโs slowly getting better, but I still think thereโs a lack of representation of diverse bodies in childrenโs books.
I hope Francie shows kids that, with courage, they can face their fears and strive for things out of their reach, learning along the way to accept their limitations and do it their own way. Just like gannets whose short legs and webbed feet make them slow, clumsy waddlers on land, but who transform into Queens of the Sea when they dive.
Iโm so happy with how @debi_hudson has illustrated Francie and I canโt wait for everyone to meet her in this joyous celebration of one little fledgling who wants to be a gannet.
Like A Gannet is out October 1st by @windyhollow Publishing.
Debut Crew - August
Yay! Itโs #debutcrew2024 time again ๐คธ๐ฝโโ๏ธ๐คธ๐ฟโโ๏ธ
My debut picture book ๐ฆ LIKE A GANNET ๐ฆ is almost here! Out Oct 1st - more book news coming soon
But for now itโs huge congratulations ๐๐๐ฅณ to the next eight of us who are officially published authors! ๐ค Please support these #debutauthors by getting their books at your local indie bookshop or requesting a copy for your library
๐ Here are our AUGUST releases ...
Book Review - Our Home
๐ Iโve bought so many gorgeous picture books lately - this whole year in fact - and Iโve been meaning to review them and share them and waah! Iโve never got to it!
So Iโm starting today, because we are away camping in the van ๐ and holidays create space in my head to do such lovely things ๐ค
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 didnโt understand and this book has all those feels ๐ค
So come along and see all these different Australian homes ๐ from a rugged coast to an outback station ๐ to a high-rise apartment ๐๏ธ.
The simple text leaves room for us to hear their sounds ๐๏ธ and the luminous illustrations help us imagine the different lives they might hold ๐๏ธ so we can all celebrate the sense of belonging a little house can bring ๐
Debut Crew - July
Yay! Itโs #debutcrew2024 time again!
This year is flying! My debut picture book ๐ฆ ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ โฑ ๐ฆ will be out in October ๐คธ๐พโโ๏ธ
But for now itโs huge congratulations ๐คธ๐ฟโโ๏ธ๐คธ๐ฝโโ๏ธ๐คธ๐ฟโโ๏ธ to the next four of us who are officially published authors!
๐ Here are our JULY releases ...
Debut Crew - June
Yay! Itโs #debutcrew2024 time again!
My debut picture book ๐ฆ ๐โฑ is getting closer - eek I just booked in my launch for Saturday October 26th ๐
But for now itโs ๐คธ๐คธ๐คธ and huge congratulations to the next three of us who are officially published authors and this month it is all #kidlit ๐ค So make a young person in your life extra happy by looking out for these gorgeous books in your bookstore or requesting a copy for your library.
(Strictly speaking itโs two new debuts because Bec is a 2024 double-book-debut-superstar and this is her second book this year!)
๐ Here are our JUNE releases ...
Storytime Idea - Fish
๐ Fish themed library storytime โ๏ธ
Read MoreDebut Crew - May
๐ Yay! Itโs #debutcrew2024 time again!
My debut picture book is getting closer but still not till October ๐คธ๐ฆ๐๐ฝโโ๏ธ๐คธ
For now itโs huge congratulations to the next seven of us who are officially published authors ๐ค
๐ Here are our MAY releases ...