Anthology News

August 18, 2023 by Sally

I have been waiting and waiting for this announcement to be made, and am so glad that Fremantle Press have finally made it official: Right Way Down is being published in 2024.

I have been lucky enough to be working on this book as co-editor with the amazing Rebecca M. Newman, poet extraordinaire and publisher of Alphabet Soup Books. Rebecca sourced funding to get this project off the ground and we have spent many pleasant hours selecting and ordering and editing the anthology. Briony Stewart has spent many more hours devising delightful illustrations, And then Fremantle Press suggested that they might like to come on board and help us get this offering o the world.

Look at the amazing cover! It is just amazing, and hopefully will lead lots of young readers to pen the book and read poems by some very talented West Australian poets, including Rebecca, A.J. Betts, Cristy Burne, Cheryl Kickett-Tucker, Cass Lynch, Amber Moffat, Meg McKinlay, Sally Morgan, James Foley, Dianne Wolfer and me, among others.

Can’t wait to read it? Neither can I – but we do have to wait until March 2024, when it will be released for your reading pleasure. I have until then to contemplate whether there is any chance of me doing a handstand (hint: the title poem might require a handstand) at the launch.

To see the full Press release click here.

What I Read in April 2023

May 1, 2023 by Sally

Oh dear! A whole month has gone past since I last found time to post here. Just as well I do a monthly reading round up – it at least makes it hard to go any longer without posting. April has been busy, so I was surprised to realise I still managed to read 13 books. From picture books, to graphic novels to long form historical fiction, with some classics thrown in, it was an eclectic mix as always. Here’s what I read this month:

Books for Children

1. 1. 1. Cloudspotting, by Samantha Tidy & Susannah Crispe (Windy Hollow, 2023). I love a bit of cloud spotting myself – whether its just contemplating the beauty of a cloudy sky or spotting shapes in the clouds. So I was delighted to be asked to launch this picture book in WA. When my copy arrived I discovered that while it is indeed about the loveliness of watching clouds, it is also about family, and father-daughter outings and more, as the young protagonist accompanies her father on a early-morning crabbing trip.
    2. Friendly Bee and Friends, by Sean E. Avery (Walker Books, 2023). I lvoed this little graphic novel which follows the adventures of Friendly Bee, who wants to be freinds with every bug he meets – including Angry Wasp, Slightly Peckish Caterpillar and even Enormous Hairy Spider, intent on drinking Bee up. Lots of humour and silliness, but a so some gentle messages about friendship and getting along.
    3. Little Jiang, by Shirley Marr, illustrated by Katy Jiang (Fremantle Press, 2020). I love Shirley Marr’s writing (and Shirley Marr, who is a lovely friend) but had somehow not read this one, until now. An exciting, heart warming and quirky tale of how Mei Ling, who is born able to see ghosts and seems to be followed by misfortune, manages to save not just her family’s restaurant, but her whole town.
    4. The Machine Gunners, by Robert Westall (Puffin, 1975). I have read this classic many times. I think I probably first read it in high school, and then taught it in my early years of teaching. Now I have a copy that, somehow, came to me having previously been for sale in a second hand bookshop in Cork, Ireland. How did I end up with it? I honestly don’t know, but I do love a well travelled book. All that aside, this was in my to-read cupboard and will now go back on my keepers shelves – I am not ready to part with it, because I know I’ll read it again.
    5. When I’m Big, by Karen Blair (Penguin, 2023). I always love a new Karen Blair picture book – but I was especially excited to get my hands on this one because I won a little piece of the original art, won at an auction at the CBCA WA Annual Night With Our Stars. The book is a gorgeous interpretation of the mixed feelings of a sibling waiting the arrival of a new baby – with fears about being ‘big’ and what that might mean. Gorgeous!

Books for Young Adults

Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending, by Jodi McAlister (Wakefield Press, 2022). I enjoyed this book for older teens. Nineteen year old Libby navigates first sexual encounters, university life and the challenge of trying to figure out how to be herself rather than trying to pretend to be who she thinks she should be.
Invisibly Grace, by Avery McDougall (FortySouth, 2022). I bought this one, along with Libby Lawrence, soon after the CBCA Notables list for 2023 was announced. I love that these lists not only profile good quality books, but also remind readers such as myself of what they might have missed. This one deals with the subject of invisible illnesses, with Grace Turing suffering an undiagnosed chronic illness but determined not to be known as the Sick Girl at the new school she is starting at.

Books for Adults

1. No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering, by Thich Naht Hahn. I listened audiobook version of this little book about the reality of suffering as part of being human, and the use of mindfulness and meditation to face and transform suffering. The author is a well known Buddhist monk and the lessons and insights were useful reminders of the importance of mindfulness.
2. Frankenstein , by Mary Shelley. Another audiobook listened to in the car. I find this a great way of reading or rereading classic books that I might otherwise not find time for. This particular classic is one I’d not read before, so it was interesting to read the story and get to know the original story which has been reinterpreted a lot of times.
3. The Happiness Jar, by Samantha Tidy (Storytorch, 2023). I read this as a precursor to launching it, with the author, in WA this month. This is a book that covers a lot of territory – the jar, filled with memories of things that made its owner (Rachel( happy, is found by her mother(Beth) amongst her possessions after she dies. The story traces the journeys of Beth and of her son Matthew, as they try to fulfil Rachel’s wishes – for them each to take half her ashes on journeys that Rachel has planned. Matthew must travel to a remote Kimberley community, and Beth to India. For each the journey is confronting as they overcome their owns pasts and their grief at losing Rachel. Themes including the generational impacts of the Vietnam war on returned soldiers and their families, grief, religion and cystic fibrosis are all worked together into a satisfying whole.
4. Redhead by the Side of the Road, by Anne Tyler (Penguin, 2020). I have bene trying my hand at capturing and releasing BookCrossing books, and when I saw this one had been released at a Little Street Library not too far from home, I went there especially to collect it. Then, true to form, it sat in my to-read pile for a while before I finally got to it. It wasn’t a long read – I read it in one day, and while it wasn’t high-action, I enjoyed it. Micah is a man who is very set in his ways and doesn’t see much point in changing. But when a teenager who claims Micah is his father turns up at his doorstep, Micah starts to realise his life is perhaps not going as well as he thinks.
5. The Blackout, by Ruth McIver (Audible Original, 2023). This thriller was a free download from Audible, and filled a couple of car trips. Narrated by three characters, each read my a different voice, which makes listening easy, though being about some pretty yucky murders, ‘easy’ is maybe not the best word choice.
6. The Bookbinder of Jericho, by Pip Williams (Affirm Press, 2023). My favourite book in the last couple of years was The Dictionary of Lost Words, so when I heard there was a companion book, I had to read it – and I wasn’t disappointed. I was lucky enough to go a long to a high tea where Pip Williams spoke, and the depth of her knowledge, research and passion was obvious, as it is on the pages. Set, like Dictionary, in Oxford against the backdrop of WW1 and in the publishing world, this is fascinating. The main character, Peggy, is a bookbinder, working at Oxford Press but dreaming of being able to enrol at the university and be part of telling the stories. With appearances by some of the characters from Dictionary, it has made me want to go back and read that – and it is lovely that, as companion books, they can be read independently and in either order.

That brings my total for the year to 45 books. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading. Talk soon!

What I Read in March 2023

April 5, 2023 by Sally

It is April, the year is whizzing by (seems to happen every year!) and it is time to look at what I read in March. Nine books this month, as diverse as ever – from a picturebook to a lengthy tome about trauma. The books I have been recommending to others – Minds Went Walking and Dirty Laundry (see below), for quite different reasons.

Anyway, here’s what I read:

Books for Young Readers

1. Senor Pilich the Monastery Cat, by Fr. Anscar McPhee OSB (Network Books, 2006). This is a funny little book that I suspect was given to my offspring at some point and has sat on my shelf unloved for a long time. Now I’ve read it, and given it the attention it needed. Told from the perspective of a cat who apprehends a criminal in the New Norcia Monastery. I have my own book coming out in June which is partly told from the perspective of a cat (Queen Narelle) so it’s lovely to read another one.

2. The Cockatoo Wars (Tales From the Bush Mob), by Helen Milroy (Magabala Books, 2023). I was lucky enough to hear the author talk about this book at the recent CBCA (WA) Night With Our Stars, and, of course, just had to buy a copy, which I look forward to haring with my grandies as well as with my students at university. The tale of two wise mother cockatoos, and their babies – one black and one white – who withdraw from their clans’ ongoing battles and live harmoniously. It becomes up to them to work together to stop a bush fire and restore harmony to the bush.

3. Frank in Time, by Rod Clement (Angus & Robertson, 1998). I picked this up on my local library remainder trolley for $1. There probably should be a law against having remainder trolleys right where I have to walk past them – this wasn’t the only book I bought, but it is the one that caught my eye and made me stop and browse. I really like Rod Clement’s illustration style and this humorous take on history involves the young protagonist and his dog (Frank) taking a trip to the museum and comparing the past with today. In each illustration, Frank is either part of the history, or up to some mischief.

4. Fog A Dox, by Bruce Pascoe (Magabala, 2012). Last year I realised there were some gaps in y reading of notable titles by First nations writers, and I set about trying to rectify this. I am unsure why I hadn’t read this book, because I certainly knew about it and admire Pascoe’s other works. I adore this book and am glad I now own it – a story of unusual friendships, kindness and respect.

Books for Adults

1. Minds Went Walking: Paul Kelly’s Songs Reimagined, curated by Jock Serong, Mark Smith & Neil A. White (Fremantle Press, 2022). I’ve had this one for a little while but glad it finally rose to the top of the pile, even though it has left me singing Paul Kelly songs everywhere I go. Not a bad thing really. Each contributor has been inspired by a single Kelly song, writing about their own experiences with the song, or a creative response to the song, making each contribution unique.
2. Someone Else’s Shoes, by Jojo Moyes (Penguin Books, 2023). I listened to the audio version of this, expecting it be light and fluffy. And it was certainly light in places, but was really a story of sisterhood between women and I found myself cheering them on. A good driving story.
3. Not Now, Not Ever: Ten Years On From the Misogyny Speech, edited by Julia Gillard (Vintage, 2022). I started reading this on International Women’s Day, which was a good time to do it. I laughed, I cried, I got angry and I thought A LOT.
4. Dirty Laundry: Why adults with ADHD are so ashamed and what we can do to help , by Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery. I listened to this on Audible, but will be buying the print copy if I can find it in Australia. Written by a couple who are also, apparently, Tiktok famous for their videos about living with ADHD, I found this easy to listen to, and enjoyed hearing about ADHD from the perspective of a woman who lives with it and her husband. Really useful insights, and a lot I could relate to.
5. The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma

(Penguin, 2014). Fairly heavy going because it is about how trauma impacts both the mind and the body, and discusses case histories, therapies and more, mostly from the viewpoint of the therapeutic practitioner. Sometimes though, hard is worthwhile, and I found these insights both informative and useful.

Total for the year to date is 32. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading.

What I Read in July

August 1, 2022 by Sally

It’s a new month which means time to share what I read last month. July was cold, and a bit lazy – I took a week’s annual leave from my day job, and read a lot. And then I had Covid, with a week of enforced rest – and read a lot more. So I was not so surprised to realised I had managed 23 books in the month. And some good ones too! Here’s what I got through:

Books for Kids

Alex and the Alpacas Ride Again, by Kathryn Lefroy (Fremantle Press, 2022). This is the sequel to Alex and the Alpacas Save the World, which I read when it was released, and has been rereleased so that new readers can enjoy them both. It was great to get to see what happens next to Alex – who thought she’d saved the world (with some help from her grandpa and his alpacas) , but now discovers that the job was only half done. Set in Melbourne, with plenty of action and a dash of humour, this is a gripping read.
Zadie Ma and the dog who chased the moon, by Gabrielle Wang (Penguin,2022). Zadie’s life isn’t always easy – her father has shell shock from fighting in the war, and her mother seems to love Zadie’s little brother Teddy, but not Zadie. To escape, Zadie writes stories – but when she discovers that her stories have a way of coming true, she decides to write the story of a dog, in hopes she will end up owning that dog. Whimsical, and lovely.
The Lost Child of Chernobyl, by Helen Bates (Otter Barry Books, 2021). This was in my to-read pile for a while, and I think must have been sent as a review copy. A graphic novel, inspired by the real events of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. Although the child’s story is fictitious, the real events and the message of healing and of humankind’s impact on the world, is very real.
Cat Problems, by Jory John, illustrated by Lane Smith (Walker Books, 2021). Another one from my review pile (can you tell I’ve been having a clean out?), this is a humorous tale of one cat’s day, which is filled with problems – moving sunbeams, noisy household machines, and even another cat who is ALWAYS in the way.
The Way of Dog, by Zana Fraillon ((UQP, 2022). You know I love pretty much every verse novel ever, so it will be no surprise when I say how much I loved this offering. Written in the voice of the dog, Scruffity, there’s some humour but also lots of feelings, as Scruffity and the people he meets have some big life challenges. I may have cried, but that’s also no surprise..
August and Jones, by Pip Harry (Lothian, 2022). Jones isn’t happy about moving to the city, but August is happy when he is chosen as her buddy, to show her around the school. The two quickly become friends, and support each other through some really tough times. Pip Harry is an amazing writer, and this one’s another winner.
Across the Risen Sea, by Bren Macdibble (Allen & Unwin, 2020). Not sure why I hadn’t read this book yet, given that Bren’s one of my favourite writers for middle grade, and an all round lovely person, too. But I realised I didn’t have it, and bought a copy from a lovely bookshop in Dunsborough, and then read it in a day, because I couldn’t pout it down. Set is a post apocalyptic world, with two young friends drawn in drama and adventure involving dangerous trip across the inland sea which global warming has created, evading pirates, giant sharks and crocodiles, in a quest to save their peace-loving village. What’s not love?
A Clue for Clara, by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin, 2020). I bought this after listening to Lian speak at the recent CBCA National Conference. She is a clever, funny speaker, and I was not at all surprised that this translates into her writing as well. Clara is a chicken who has decided she wants to be a detective, just like the one’s she has seen on the Boss’s television. But she’s a small scruffy chicken and not even the other chickens take her seriously – so how can she convince the humans? Fortunately she meets Olive, the daughter of the local policeman. Lots of fun and adventure ensue.
Tilda, by Sue Whiting (Walker Books, 2022). I have been looking forward to this one for quite a while, since Sue told me the piece of her own family history which inspired the beginnings of Tilda’s story. So I was delighted to receive a review copy ahead of its September release, and read it in two sittings. Set at the turn of the twentieth century in a fictional orphanage, where Tilda is left by her father when he goes to serve in the Boer War. Tilda is mistreated by the dreadful Sister Agatha, and must use all her courage – and some resourceful friends – to survive. A wonderful read.
Rita’s Revenge, by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Having adored Clara, I was delighted to see there was a sequel and, of course, I had to read it. What’s funnier that a chicken detective? A duck out for revenge on that chicken! Just like the first book, this is clever, funny and exciting in equal measure.
Ella and the Useless Day, by Meg McKinlay & Karen Blair (Walker Books, 2002). Another review copy, and another one I have been waiting for excitedly. I wasn’t disappointed. Far from being useless, Ella’s day is very rewarding, as she and her dad clear out all the items clogging their house that they deem useless – and discover that these very items may indeed be useful for other people. Such a fun book, with a subtly lovely message.
I am Susannah, by Libby Gleeson (Angus & Roberston, 1987). I’m really enjoying dipping into some of the Australian authors I deeply admire. Frist published in the 80s, this one still holds up . Susie’s best friend has moved away, and this devastates her. Now she is navigating issues of peer pressure, friendship and independence, with no one close who understands, least of all her mum.
Miss Penny Dreadful & the Midnight Kittens, by Allison Rushby, with illustrations by Bronte Rose Marando (Walker Books, 2022). A fun new series, set in 1872, with the main character, Penny, finding herself travelling with her famous authoress aunt and caught up in the mystery of apparently bewitched kittens. The ending hints at the next mystery, and I look forward to reading it.
Dreaming by Starlight, by Siobhan Curham (Walker Books, 2022). A middle grade story about friendship and fitting in. The main character, Jazz, has moved to England from Australia and is having trouble settling down until her older cousin tells her about a secret club she used to run called the Midnight Dreamers (who featured in earlier books by the same author, although this one stands alone, too). Jazz follows the same steps and finds three new friends, each with their own set of challenges.

15. The Boy Who Met a Whale, by Nizrana Farook (Nosy Crow, 2021). I bought this on the basis of its amazing cover. and really enjoyed it – a blend of adventure, resilience, facing up to fears and more. And yes, there are whales!

16. Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief, by Katrina Nannestad (ABC Books, 2021). Another beautiful cover, and another beautiful book. Set in Russia in 142 as a six year old Sasha is orphaned and finds himself travelling with the army, sheltering but also providing comfort and support to his new friends.

Fiction for Young Adults

The Hidden Girl, by Louise Bassett (Walker Books, 2022). Another review copy. I enjoyed this debut novel , set in Melbourne and Indonesia. Mel has a chequered past at school but has tried to keep her head down at her new school. When she discovers a diary with a coded cry for help, she finds it increasingly difficult to stay out of trouble and do the right thing.

Fiction for Adults

Cotillion, by Georgette Heyer (Heinemann, 1953). When my mother downsized late last year, I was gifted her collection of Heyer’s books, which I had loved in my late teens but not delved into since. I finally made time to read one – Cotillion. Regency romance, with an heiress who will only inherit if she marries one of her benefactor’s great nephews. Amusing, and an easy read, just right for a cold winter evenings. I’ll be reading more, when I have time.
The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle. It’s taken a while, but having finished this one I’ve now listened tot he entire collection of Sherlock Holmes books. Nice tor each the end because it’s an achievement, but will miss the writing and the voice of Stephen Fry, who has beenr eading them to me for months and months, in between other audiobooks.
Benang, by Kim Scott (Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 1999). I hadn’t read this before, though had long meant to. Now I have I wonder why I took so long, but also how many rereadings the book will need before I have unravelled its complexity. There is a lot going on – and that confusion for the reader is deliberate, because the subject matter is complex, and deep and also the narrator’s unravelling of his family’s history is just as confusing for him. Harley is a Noongyar man who is trying to work through the truth of this fact, with the knowledge that his grandfather, a white man, believes he has ‘bred’ Harely to be the frist white Noongyar – ie that he has bred the Noongyar out of him. A disturbing premise, but not as disturbing as knowing that this work is rooted deeply in the history of Western Australia and colonial policies.

Poetry

Adultolescence, by Gabbie Hanna (Simon & Schuster, 2017). I picked this one up because of its title, and enjoyed the sometimes irreverent, often funny and very real poetry it contained, dealing with love, life and adulthood in all its guises.

Nonfiction for Adults

The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals, by Hannah B. Harvey (Audible, 2012). I got a lot out of this. Aimed at those who want to tell stories – either professionally or more informally, I found that it had a lot to offer a writer as well and, because I use oral storytelling in my sessions, I picked up lots of tips there, too.
Bedtime Story, by Chloe Hooper, illustrated by Anna Walker (Scribner, 2022). Oh gosh! This is the most beautiful, heartbreakingly honest book. I cried in the first chapter, and several times afterwards. A letter from the author to her son as the family navigates a journey through i9llness. Hooper searches for a children’s book to help, and the book delves into children’s literature, and at he lives of children’s authors, along with issues of life, death, honesty and so much more. With stunning illustrations by the amazing Anna Walker, this is truly a beautiful book

That brings my total for the year (so far) to 104 books, creeping closer to my target of matching last year’s 153. We’ll see – 49 more seems doable, but it’s been a year of busyness so we shall see.

What have you been reading?

What I Read in June

July 1, 2022 by Sally

Oh my! June has flown by – with only one post since my last ‘What I Read’ post. I will write more soon about just why I have been so busy in June, but, in the meantime, here is what I managed to get read in amongst the busyness.

Books for Kids

All in the Blue Unclouded Weather, by Robin Klein (Text, 2017). Continuing my exploration of Robin Klein’s works. This one was first published in 1991, but was re-released as part of Text’s Text Classics. I hadn’t read this before, but adored getting to know the Melling sisters, and will be following up with the sequels.
Whisper on the Wind, by Claire Saxby & Jess Rackleft (Allen & Unwin, 2022). I love everything Claire writes, and this lyrical offering is no exception. It is gentle, and whimsical, and the illustrations are simply divine.
Seree’s Story, by Irma Gold & Wayne Harris (Walker Books, 2022). I seem to keep using the word divine when talking about picture books – but I’m afraid that I’ll keep using it, because it is the perfect word. This is the story of a young elephant taken from her mother for a life in a circus – and of their joyful reunion. Irma Gold is a fabulous wordsmith, and Wayne Harris one of my favourite illustrators, making this – you guessed it – a divine offering.
Girl from the Sea, by Margaret Wild & Jane Tanner. I was lucky enough to buy this at the recent CBCA National Conference – which meant that I could then get it signed by the author. Margaret Wild is an absolute treasure (and was the author of the very first verse novel I ever read). This is a stunning book – with Wild’s lyrical tale of a girl watching a family living in a cottage by the sea, and Tanner’s illustrations, mostly in grey scale with tinges of blue, haunting and beautiful.
Ninni Yabini, by Cheryl Kickett-Tucker & Tyrown Waigana (Fremantle Press, 2022). This came to me as a review copy, and I am very glad to have received it. A beautiful story of a black swan family, told in dual languages – Noongar and English. It is so wonderful to see that the Noongar language – the language of the Noongar people of the South West corner of Australia, where I live and work is made accessible to children, families and educators through the story. I look forward to sharing this with my grandchildren and with my education students.
How to Tackle Your Dreams, by Fiona Hardy (Affirm Press, 2022). A story about football – and sewing. A surprising combination, which works well. Homer is a footy star, but not as big a star as his mother, who is in her debut in the women’s league. Homer still loves footy but he’s dealing with the absence of his father and his passion for sewing, which is pushing his friends away.
Old Fellow, by Christopher Cheng & Liz Anelli (Walker Books, 2022). A day in the life of two old fellows – a man and his dog, and their adventures, mostly in the local park. A joyful celebration of aging, community and the bond between people and their dogs.

Fiction for Young Adults

Impossible Music, by Sean Williams (Allen & Unwin, 2019). Pulled from my to-read pile as I headed out the door for a flight, and I was so glad this one chose me. I read the whole way from Perth to Melbourne and then, in the hotel, had to finish it before bed. A moving story about facing up to the huge challenges life can throw up – for SImon, it is losing his hearing literally overnight.
Another Holiday for the Prince, by Elizabeth Jolley, illustrated by Steven Bray (Angus & Robertson, 1996). Another op shop treasure. This is a small boo, reproducing a Jolley short story with the addition of illustrations and layout making it a kind of graphic novel. I really enjoyed the format as well as the story, told from the perspective of a teen whose mother seems to do everything in life to please the older brother – known as The Prince. An excellent short story.

Fiction for Adults

Matthew Flinders’ Cat, by Bryce Courtenay (Penguin, 2002). This had been in my to-read pile for a while, after I bought it from a discard pile. Not sure why I had not read this before – I always find Courtenay’s work quite readable. I struggled a little with the nature of some of the subject matter here, set against some of the unsavoury parts of Sydney life.
A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald, by Natasha Lester (Hachette, 2017). I listened to this on audio, and really enjoyed the depiction of 1920s Manhattan, as well as the story of Evie, who is destined to be a wife and homemaker for a rich banker’s son, until she realises that she wants more: to be a doctor. Cut off by her family, and pushed out by all but her closest friends, she has to fight for what she is sure is her destiny.

Non Fiction for Adults

Love Stories, by Trent Dalton (Harper Collins, 2021). I listened to the audio version of this. What a joy to listen to Dalton read this heart filled book. I thought it would be a series of short stories, but what it is is a celebration of love in all its forms, as strangers share their stories of love with Dalton, and he, in turn, reflects on what love is.
Word of Dog, by Megan Anderson (Fremantle Press, 2019). I bought this one at a Fremantle Press event in 2019 and then found it last week still in the paper bag when I was moving things out of my rental unit. Oops. Anyway, it is a quick, quirky read – though you can also dip in and out, because each page stands alone, Anderson’s dog art accompanied by little vignette-quotes from anonymous people on all kinds of things.

That brings my total for 2022 to 81 so far. Half way through the year, I’m on track for my goal. Hopefully in July I will boost that total – I am taking a whole week off my day job next week.

May Reads

June 2, 2022 by Sally

May is over and June has begun, so it’s time to look back at what I read in the past month. It’s been a chaotic month, and I feel like I’ve hardly sat down, let alone read – but I actually managed to get through 24 books. Just shows what you can do when you snatch little pockets of each day to do what you love. Here’s what filled those pockets

Books for Kids

1. 1. What Snail Knows, by Kathryn Apel, illustrated by Mandy Foot (UQP, 2022). A really lovely verse novel about moving, friendship and family. Lucy and her Dad are always on the move, making it hard to make friends. But Lucy has Snail and, at her latest school, a human friend too. You can see my full review at Aussiereviews.
  2. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, by Julie Sternberg, illustrated by Matthew Cordell (Amulet Books, 2011).Another verse novel – I’ve been on a bit of a binge lately, reading as many as I can get my hands on. This one is a gentle story about facing change. When the narrator, Eleanor, hears that her beloved babysitter is moving away, she is devastated. But as she prepares for other changes, including the start of a new school year, Eleanor builds a relationship with her new sitter.
  3. 10.10 Poetry Anthology, edited and compiled by Bridget Magee. I won this book in a giveaway, which was particularly cool because I didn’t know I had entered it. It was a subscriber giveaway, drawn from subscriber’s the lovely Bridget’s Wee Words for Wee Ones Blog. All the poems are connected to the theme of ten – bot not all about the number ten. Instead there are poems about TEnderness, TENacity, TENsion and so on. Very clever. If you want a taste, you can hear one of Bridget’s own poems from the book here.
  4. Elmer Makes a Break, by Patrick Cook (Puffin, 1982). I rescued this from a library throw out trolley a few years ago, and it has been in my to read pile ever since. It was just the thing for a quick read on a cold May day. The humorous tale of a rat who wants an adventure, but gets more than he bargained for when he becomes a lab rat.
  5. Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne. I listened to the audio of this on a long drive in the country, and it certainly made the drive even lovelier. I love Pooh and his friends, and this was just a lovely trip down memory lane, to hear the voices done for me as I followed the adventures.
  6. Birdie, by Eileen Spinelli (Eerdmans, 2019) Another verse novel fromt he U. S. Birdie is still dealing with the loss of her much loved Dad, so when her mother stars dating again, she is not impressed. She is more open to her grandmother having a new boyfriend. At the same time she needs to deal with changes in her friendships. A lovely gentle story about grief and relationships and growing up.
  7. When We Were Very Young, by A. A Milne. Having read Winnie-the-Pooh, I couldn’t resist also dipping in to the rest of my collection of Milne’s work. This was a favourite collection of poetry in my childhood, and I still adore it – it even inspired a Poetry Friday post this month – and has done before, too.
  8. The Ghost Locket, by Alison Rushby (Walker Books, 2022). I do love a ghost story, and really enjoyed this one, set in London, where eleven year old Lolli deals with a sinister ghost lurking in the historic house run by her beloved Aunt Elsie.
  9. Tasmanian Devil, by Claire Saxby & Max Hamilton (Walker Books, 2022). My friend Claire writes the most beautiful, lyrical nonfiction ever. Yes, I’m biased because she’s my friend, but it’s true – she brings nature to life in exquisite ways. This time it’s the tassie devil, and the illustrative work of Max Hamilton is simply gorgeous too.
  10. Eleanor, Elizabeth, by Libby Gleeson (Second Look Press, 2016). Reading Letters from Robin last month left me wanting to rediscover not just teh works of Robin Klein, but also some of my other favourites from the 80s and 90s. This lead me to reread this one, from Libby Gleeson, one of my favourite authors for young people. The story of Eleanor, who is unhappy about moving to the country, but finds comfort through connecting with her grandmother, whose diary she discovers and reads.
  11. Red, by Libby Gleeson (Allen & Unwin, 2012). And another Libby Gleeson book, this time set in Sydney following a massive natural disaster. Red wakes up with no memory of who she is or why she is there. Her new friend Peri, himself homeless even before the storm, helps her unravel her past and what it is she must do next.
  12. Spi-ku: A Clutter of Short verse on Eight Legs, by Leslie Bulion & Rebert Meganck (ill.) (Peachtree Publishing, 2021). I do not love spiders, but I did love learning more about them through this collection. Using a variety of poetic forms and accompanying nonfiction text, this is a fun way of exploring spider facts.
  13. Blubber, by Judy Blume (Athaneum, 1974). Another classic read. First published in 1974 but this was my first time reading. Still topical and accessible as a look at the impacts of bullying, and the pressures of peer groups.
  14. At the Pond, by David Elliott, illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford (Candlewick, 2022). So much poetry this month! This one is a picture book length collection, with each poem introducing a different pond-resident and, at the same time, moving through the day. The illustrations, with collage and paint, are just divine.
Books for Young Adults
1. 1. 1. The Black Flamingo, by Dean Atta (Hodder, 2019). Oh how I loved this book! Not only is it a verse novel, which (if you haven’t picked up on this) is my favourite genre, but it is is also just an amazing exploration of belonging, as Michael navigates his queer identity, his family dynamics, friendship and more.
    2. Roxy, by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman (Walker Books, 2021). What a ride! This book made me uncomfortable from the moment I realised it was being narrated by two prescription drugs – and yet this discomfort was the very point of the book, and kept me reading. The premise is that what humans know as drugs or opioids are really malevolent gods, and two of those drugs – Roxy and Addison – are competing to see which one can can produce a lethal result the fastest – playing with two siblings as their targets. Confronting but very clever.
    3. Finding Jupiter, by Kelis Rowe (Walker Books, 2022). I love receiving review copies and the way this takes me in such varied reading directions. Ray does not want a relationship, so when she meets Orion she is not ready for the attraction she feels. Orion is also resistant, but he feels pulled towards Ray in a way he can’t explain. Their romance is rocky, but it’s the tragic past that links their families that makes things tricky.
    4. Came Back to Show You I Could Fly, by Robin Klein (Text Classics, 2017). First published in 1987, this book was just beyond my own teen reading years, so I have only ever read it as an adult, but I remember thinking it amazing in the 90s when I first read it. This reread did not disappoint. The characters of ten year old Seymour, q naïve and lonely boy, and Angie, a drug addict, and the way they form an unlikely friendship is really compelling and beautifully rendered. I wish I could write like that!
Books for Adults
1. 1. 1. His Last Bow, by Arthur Conan Doyle. I started working my way through the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes stories last year, and this is the second last title. One to go. I am still enjoying the language and style, and (as I’ve said before) listening to them being read by Stephen Fry.
    2. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Simon & Schuster, 2021). This was recommended to me by one of my university students, who told me is one of the best books she’d ever read. High praise, and enough o make me curious. I really enjoyed this story – a glimpse at life behind the scenes in Hollywood’s glamour years, as well as an exploration of the challenges of being LGBTQI in this community, and of love in all its forms.
Nonfiction for Adults
1. 1. 1. Ten Steps to Nanette, by Hannah Gadsby (Wavesound, 2022). I love listening to audiobooks, because it helps me on long drives, and also when doing dull stuff like housework. But there are some books that I believe should be read on audio because of the value of the author’s voice – and this is one of them. Listening to Hannah Gadsby tell her story is an absolute privilege. Not always easy, because of the subject matter, but always riveting and heartfelt and very moving. Superb.
2. Let Go, by Hugh van Cuylenburg (Penguin, 2021). From the author of The Resilience Project, which I read twice last year, this one is a good complement, exploring the additional challenges to resilience which the pandemic, social media and more can throw up, and new insights into van Cylenburg’s own journey.

3. The Ballroom Murder, by Leigh Straw (Fremantle Press, 2022). The true story of a murder that happened in Perth in 1925, when a young woman, Audrey Jacob, shot dead her former fiancé – in he middle of a charity ball at Government House. Drawing from newspaper accounts, court records and other historical documents, this is an intriguing story. Mine was a review copy – the book is not released until August.
4. Fathoms: The World in the Whale, by Rebecca Giggs (Scribe, 2020). Youc an tell from the cover that this is a book about whales – but it is about so much more, too. Framed against an exploration of the whale and humans’ relationship to whales, this books is philosophical, sad, and hopeful in turn. beautiful reading.

This brings my total for the year to 68 books read so far – nearly half way to my goal which, I guess, means I’m on track.

That’s it from me, but I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading.