Another new month, another look back at what I read last month. as you’ll see, I took another dive into the works of a favourite picture book creator, amongst other fabulous reads, with a total of nine books for the month.
Books for Younger Readers
-
Into the Blue, by Cristy Burne (Fremantle Press, 2024). I love reading books about places I know well, so a story which, in part, takes place on one of my favourite snorkelling spots, the Omeo Wreck in Coogee, WA, is a real treat. But, while snorkelling is certainly part of the story, it is also about family, honesty and doing the right thing, packaged in a very readable tale.
Kelpie Chaos, by Deb Fitzpatrick (Fremantle Press, 2024). What’s not love about another book set in WA, and featuring a puppy? This one features a loveable kelpie called Zoom, who lives up to his name and causes a few problems along the way.
I Like Books, by Anthony Browne (Walker Books, 2003). I love the work of Anthony Browne, and a social media post from a friend and colleague sent me on a bit of a buying and reading spree, to fill some gaps in my collection. This is the first of several, and the title says it all.
Gorilla, by Anthony Browne (Walker Books, 1983). Another of Browne’s work, the story of a lonely girl and a gorilla.
Willy the Wimp And another. The first Browne book I ever saw was a Willy book, so always lovely to continue to meet him in others.
Willy’s Pictures, by Anthony Browne. And a third. This one is really clever. Willy paints pictures which look very familiar – they are like famous paintings from da Vinci, Manet and more – but with Willy and his friends replacing human figures.Dragon Skin, by Karen Foxlee (Allen & Unwin, 2021). Not sure why I hadn’t read this before. It is stunningly moving, heart wrenching, and easy to see why it was an Honour Book in the 2022 CBCA Book of the Year Awards.
Books for Adults
What Happened to Nina?, by Dervla McTiernan (Harper Collins, 2024). I ended last month with a couple of murder mysteries, and began the month with this one, not exactly a mystery, but certainly a thriller, with layers of complexity around relationships, families and the lengths they will go to.
Virginia Lane is Not a Hero, by Rosalind Stopps (Harper Collins, 2024). While the front cover perhaps suggests a lighter feel, this is a read which deals with some weighty topics – grief, child abuse, terminal illness, suicide, race and more. But, at the same time, it offers hope and show what ordinary people can achieve when they come together to solve big problems.
That brings my total for the year so far to 28. Definitely fewer books that I used to get through when I wasn’t a full time academic, which in some ways is a shame, but does mean that I really treasure any time to read for pleasure. I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading lately.