It’s a Book: Welcome to the World If I Could Eat the Stars

April 28, 2026 by Sally

It’s a … BOOK! Proud parents Rebecca M. Newman, Sally Murphy, and Briony Stewart are delighted to announce the safe arrival of If I Could Eat the Stars, delivered by Fremantle Press ably supported by dozens of contributors. All well and older sibling Right Side Down is happy there is more poetry in the family.

Welcome to the world darling book. We look forward to you bringing adoring gazes, then toddling around the country before you walk – run – into hearts, homes, libraries and schools. (And, dear readers, if you see our baby in the wild at bookstores or libraries near you, please let us know here on this post, or over at Instagram.)

What I Read in December

December 31, 2022 by Sally

It’s the last day of December which means a wrap up of my reading for the month. I read 8 books, a number which surprised me because I spent lots of time with family this month, and also napped more, so still managing 8 books. was not a bad achievement. Here’s what I read.

Books for Children

1. The Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss. I’ve been enjoying listening to children’s classics through Audible – until I reached this one. I am sorry to report that, while I knew my old favourites would be dated, and therefore would hold some values that just don’t hold up to contemporary life, this is the first one where I struggled to keep listening. The idea of a family being shipwrecked and then having a survival adventure should allow me to overcome some of my concerns – but it didn’t. I won’t list them all here, but the attitudes to women and to ‘savages’ (who don’t even appear in the book) as well as mindless violence against animals (as opposed to hunting for survival) mean that I wouldn’t recommend this book to a younger reader without a lot of room to discuss and interrogate. This article is a critique of the film version, but still covers some of the same concerns I had.

2. Raggedy Ann Stories and Raggedy Andy Stories, by Johnny Gruelle (Audible). Another audio book of a classic, and much more enjoyable. Toys that come alive and have adventures is a far cry from the above, though, being written over a century ago, there are some aspects that are outdated.

3. Mr Dumby’s Duck, by Colin Thiele, illustrated by Mark Wilson. Written by one of Australia’s best loved authors, and published in the same year he died, this is a cute little story about a man and his much-loved duck – who also proves very handy as a guard-duck. I rediscovered this one as I rearranged my bookshelves, and am glad.

4. Accidentally Kelly Street, by Briony Stewart with lyrics by Tim O’Connor (Affirm Press, 2022). I have been very excited about this picture book for a long time – knowing that Briony was working on it, and having adored this song since it was released. But I did not predict just how amazingly she has interpreted the song, depicting a family making a new start in Kelly Street. You have to see it for real to see why it took my breath away. Go and buy it, and share and discuss it.

5. Sea Horse, by Bruce Pascoe (Magabala Books, 2015). This was my last read for the year and a good one to finish on. I have been consciously working to ensure I read more books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, our first nations people, both to educate myself and to ensure I have a really diverse collection to share. This is the story of Jack, who, on a camping trip with his family, spots a sunken boat under the water, beginning an adventure with mystery and excitement.

Books for Adults

1. Tell Me Lies, by J. P Pomare (audible, 2022) This is the second book of this author I have listened to. Psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns.

2. To Teach: The Journey, in Comics by William Ayers and Ryan Alexander-Tanner (Teachers College Press, 2010). This was a gift from my boss – very appropriate given that we both work in the School of Education. Possibly the best book I’ve seen for teachers, and student-teachers – and it’s a comic! Just such a wonderful way to explore the highs and lows of teaching, but, more importantly, the importance of imaginative teaching. Love it!

3. The Wrong Sister, by Fiona Palmer (Hachette, 2022). I picked this one up purely because of the tile – having four sisters, the title tickled my fancy. Not my usual kind of read but a good December read, with an exploration of family, trauma and romance, set in Western Australia’s north.

This brings my total for the year to 169, which is 16 more than 2021. On reflection, while I am happy with this total, my goal for 2023 will be not to read more, but to ensure I really enjoy reading – because I set myself a numerical goal, I did find myself sometimes feeling guilty if I did not get through ‘enough’ books, and had to remind myself that it wasn’t a race. So, we shall see how I go in 2023. I do have an enormous to read pile, and so many books I want to read – so I may still reach a big number. But I am going to also give myself permission to put a book aside if I’m not enjoying it, or to read slowly to really savour a good one.

What I Read in August

September 6, 2021 by Sally

August was bookmonth and so my reading time was more limited – but I still managed to get through eleven books. This is what I read:

Books for Children

Cuckoo’s Flight, by Wendy Orr (Allen & Unwin, 2021). A wonderful complement to Orr’s two previous books set in the Bronze Age. Although each stands alone, I have enjoyed reading all three over the past few months and being immersed into the time period and into Orr’s beautiful writing.
Great White Shark, by Claire Saxby & Cindy Lane (Walker Books 2021). I have been waiting for this picture book to come out for what seems forever. Written by by amazing friend Claire, one of Australia’s best writers of creative nonfiction of children (as well as other forms) and illustrated by another amazing friend Cindy, who is a debut illustrator but established artist, this book is as amazing as I expected. How’s that for an unbiased review? Okay, maybe a tiny bit biased, but heartfelt.
Mina and the Whole Wide World, by Sherryl Clark, with art by Briony Stewart (UQP, 2021). Always love a verse novel, and when it’s written by Sherryl Clark I know it will be brilliant. This is a gentle story about belonging, friendship and family. the illustrations are gorgeous, too.
Are You There, Buddha? by Pip Harry (Lothian, 2021) . Another verse novel, this time for a middle grade readership and exploring issues really important for this age group, including first periods, peer pressure, self identity and family. That sounds a lot, but it’s woven together in a lovely story.
Leilong the Library Bus, by Julia Liu & Bei Lynn (Gecko Press, 2021). gecko press always produced quirky books that make me smile. This one is no exception – about a dinosaur who desperately wants to go to the library with his human friends, but is just too big to go inside. It takes a manager changing their perspective to find a solution – Leilong becomes a library bus!
The Elephant, by Peter Carnavas (UQP, 2017). This is one I’ve been meaning to read ever since it came out, and I finally got my hands on a copy this month, and read it in one sitting. Carnavas has a gentle and quirky way of both writing and illustrating, that means he handles some difficult topics really well, and in this, his first novel, he deals with grief and depression in a way accessible to children, and adults too. Lovely.
Exit Through the Gift Shop, by Maryam Master, illustrated by Astrid Hicks (Pan, 2021). I loved this one. It deals with a really difficult topic – the narrator, Anahita, his dying of cancer – with a wonderful blend of humour and realism. Not an easy subject to deal with in a palatable way, but I think Master nails it.

Books for Young Adults

The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne (Walker Books, 2021). It took me a little while to get into this one, but that may have bene the busy week I was having. Set in a post apocalyptic future Britain, where lawlessness reigns, and nobody is safe from wild beasts, gangs and damaged people. Scarlett and Browne are an unlikely pair who travel across the country robbing banks and avoiding abduction, gradually finding they can rely on each other to escape almost every situation.

Books for Adults

Find Us, by Benjamin Stevenson (Audible, 2020). This was an Audible original and a free download. As I’ve said in previous posts, I quite like the free extras that Audible offers, which exposes me to authors and genres I might not otherwise read. This is a psychological thriller, and a wee bit disturbing – but in a way that was well put together and had twists and turns that kept me guessing.
Love Objects, by Emily Maguire (Allen & Unwin, 2021). A complex, engaging story of family. Nic is a trivia-buff, cat-loving hoarder. Her niece Lena is her closest friend, but is struggling with issues of her own, including the fall out from a terrible betrayal by a rich boy classmate. When Nic is injured, their relationship is challenged and the family’s past troubles resurface. I really enjoyed the way Maguire balances some difficult topics with endearing characters.
After Story, by Larissa Behrendt (UQP, 2021). This is the beautiful story of a mother and daughter travelling together and, though it isn’t planned that way, healing some of their old wounds. Della has never recovered from the abduction of one of her children. More recently, her partner has died. Her youngest daughter Jasmine takes her along on a trip to England to visit places connected with stories Della has never read, by authors she hasn’t heard of. Gradually, though, these places help her confront the past and find a path forward.
The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig (Audible, 2020). I listened to this one on Audible – the free Member’s Extra download this month. The story of Nora who, lonely, unemployed and seemingly without hope, decides to take her own life. She finds herself between life and death in a library where she confronts her regrets and has an opportunity to sample other versions of her life. If she finds the perfect one, she is promised, she will be able to live out that life. An interesting take on a potentially grim topic.
Playing With the Grown-Ups, by Sophie Dahl (Bloomsbury, 2007). I picked this one up on a charity table outside by local Coles and read it in a couple of days. It’s the story of teenager Kitty whose life is dominated by the whims of her artistic, but irresponsible, mother, who moves between rural England, America, and London, taking Kitty and her younger siblings along for the ride, and forcing Kitty to grow up much faster than she might like.

That brings my total for the year to 108 books, so far. What have you been reading?