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Published on 3 Comments on I’ve Got Eyes! by Julie Murphy

This is a guest book review by Mrs Brooks, a teacher librarian in Brisbane for I’ve Got Eyes! written by Julie Murphy and illustrated by Hannah Tolson. The children at her school library love reading this book!

The Eyes Have It!

I’ve Got Eyes! written by Julie Murphy, a trained zoologist and zookeeper, is a highly engaging non-fiction book about some of the exceptional eyes found in the animal kingdom.

Using double pages to combine easy to read and highly informative facts and colourful close-up illustrations, Julie and Hannah enable readers to discover fascinating clues about familiar (and not so familiar animals) and how their eyes have adapted to their unique environments. Can you guess which animal has HANDLEBAR eyes or why oblong eyes are VERY useful for a goat?

This book will amaze and intrigue readers as they pore over the pages, delighting in discovering why animal eyes are so different, whilst pondering the question – What can our eyes do?

Happy reading!

Published on Leave a comment on Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Andrew McDonald

Did you know your city is protected by a secret squad of crime-fighting pigeons? Yes, pigeons!

Some pigeons might spend their day cooing or looking for breadcrumbs, but not the Real Pigeons! This feathered secret crime-fighting squad solve mysteries and fight bad guys to keep your city safe. Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood reveal all in Real Pigeons Fight Crime.

GrandPouter has gathered together his team of pigeons who are perfect for fighting crime because they are fast, can attack and they're everywhere! Each pigeon in the team also has his own unique pigeon power. They hold their top secret team meetings in rubbish bins (which can be dangerous on bin collection day!) and are always on the look out for animals and people to help and mysteries to solve. They might be checking out your neighbourhood right now!  

In the three stories in this book, GrandPouter, Rock, Homey, Tumbler and Frillback work together using some very creative (or is that crazy) problem solving combined with their pigeon powers to solve The Great Breadcrumb Mystery, track down an elusive Bat Trapper and prevent a disaster at the Food Truck Fair. Keep an eye out for Rock's clever (and sometimes wacky) disguises and Tumbler's impressive flight moves when he flies at night with the bats. 

If you're looking for a new funny series to read then this is it. I'm sure you will have as much fun reading Real Pigeons Fight Crime as Andrew and Ben have had writing and illustrating it. They are a fabulous team who share the same wacky sense of humour that bursts out their book! You won't look at pigeons in the same way ever again!

Create your own Real Pigeon
Research pigeons to help you create your own Real Pigeon character.
What are its characteristics and pigeon power?
What is its name?
What will it look like?

Lucky for you, the second book in the Real Pigeon series called Real Pigeons Eat Danger will be coming in November! Read more about it HERE

Happy reading and being Super Coo fighting crime with the Real Pigeons!

Teacher notes

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Published on 2 Comments on The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby

The Mulberry Tree by Allison Rushby is mysterious, a little spooky and one of those books you can't put down because you need to know how the story ends. 

When ten year old Immy and her parents move from Sydney, Australia to a small English village they shrug off the legend of the ancient and fierce-looking mulberry tree in the backyard of Lavendar Cottage that has cast fear over the village for years. The villagers believe the mulberry tree steals away girls living in the cottage on the eve of their eleventh birthday and they superstitiously cross the road to avoid the mulberry tree and Immy's family. Immy struggles to make friends at her new school, her dad is still not himself after an incident and life is not working out as well as her family had planned. 

When Immy starts hearing a mysterious rhyme in her head she is determined to find out what happened to the two missing girls. Immy researches the legend at the local library and has help from her elderly neighbour Jean whose best friend Elizabeth was the second girl to disappear in 1945. Tension rises as Immy's eleventh birthday draws closer when she notices changes in the mulberry tree outside her window. The tree no longer looks angry, but rather tired and weak and even sad. Immy begins to feel sorry for the tree and wonders what could have caused the vicious marks on its trunk. "You can trust me" she told the tree. "I won't hurt you." 

Can brave Immy solve the mystery of the mulberry tree before she too disappears on her eleventh birthday?

Happy reading!

Teacher notes

Published on Leave a comment on The Heart of a Whale by Anna Pignataro

The Heart of a Whale by Anna Pignataro is a gentle story of a whale whose enchanting song brings happiness and hope, magic and wonder to the ocean and its inhabitants, but whale is lonely and nothing can fill his empty heart.

 Anna's whimsical water colour illustrations will take you swimming into the depths of the ocean through seagrass taller than a forest, past seabeds, through fathoms and over dreaming turtles and forgotten treasure and it will warm your heart when whale's wish is finally heard from far away.

Anna has used water colour, ink and pencil to create her illustrations. Open the book to see the full page front cover and have fun finding the many colourful sea creatures and plants throughout the story. This beautiful story is like a poem so read it aloud and let the rhythm of the words carry you along just like the ocean carried whale's song...

Do you have a favourite illustration or sentence?

Watch this video if you're interested in learning more about why whales sing.

Happy reading!

Published on Leave a comment on Ting Ting the Ghosthunter by Gabrielle Wang

Gabrielle Wang's title and vibrant cover entice you to want to read her latest book Ting Ting the Ghosthunter.

“This sequel to the award-winning Ghost in My Suitcase is a powerful magic realism story about ghost-hunting, finding yourself, Chinese mythology, family and culture”

Ting Ting's adopted grandmother Por Por is a famous ghost-hunter who is teaching thirteen year old Ting Ting the ancient skills and art of ghost-hunting. Ting Ting chose her name because it meant 'Thunderbolt' and she wants to strike the ground and make the ghosts tremble. She is getting tired of capturing harmless da duzi or 'fat belly' ghosts and wants to be a famous ghost-hunter.

When her grandmother mysteriously disappears on a ghost-hunting job,Ting Ting ignores the warning from the Yi Jing and takes it upon herself to find Por. When Ting Ting arrives at the remote Black Band Village she finds a dangerous ghost enemy with a frightening plan and learns a hard lesson when she thinks the enemy is weak and she is strong. Ting Ting will need to trust others, believe in her true self and call upon all of her ghost-hunting knowledge and skills if she is to save Por and the villagers. Can Ting Ting prove herself to be a true ghost-hunter?

When you have finished the book, look closely at the front cover. Can you see clues about the story that Gabrielle has included in her illustrations? She has also included exquisitely detailed black and white sketches throughout her book that give you little snapshots along the way.

Gabrielle has left me wondering if she has a new story in mind for Ting Ting and Little Cloud...

Writing and Illustration Workshop with Gabrielle Wang

This is a fabulous opportunity if you are  8 -12 years old and would like to develop your writing and illustrating skills in a workshop with Gabrielle.

Where: The Little Bookroom 

When: Monday, September 24th (school holidays)

Time: 3.00pm - 4.00pm (NOTE THE TIME CHANGE)

You can find more information and book your place HERE.

Happy reading and ghost-hunting!

Teacher Notes

Published on Leave a comment on Kids Book Fest @ Fitzroy Town Hall

The Little Bookroom is thrilled to present its first Kids Book Fest!

Come along on Saturday, October 13th to the Fitzroy Town Hall's Grand Ballroom to celebrate reading, writing, illustration and creativity and meet some of our talented Aussie children's book creators.

October 13 also marks 58 years since the doors of The Little Bookroom first opened. The Kids Book Fest is a fabulous opportunity to celebrate the way this amazing kid's bookshop has been bringing kids and books together! 

The Kids Book Fest has two sessions with a Storytime Spectacular for Little Kids and an Epic Extravaganza for big kids.

You can find more information and book your tickets HERE.

See you there!

Happy reading and celebrating!

Published on Leave a comment on Natural Born Loser by Oliver Phommavanh

Maybe that's the main reason Mr Humble picked me. I was a natural born loser, a nobody, but I was a nobody who believed in Barryjong. Now I've become somebody worth following. (Raymond) 

Natural Born Loser by Oliver Phommavanh is one of my favourite books of the year! 

There is so much heart in this story and after reading this interview with Oliver, you can see how his experiences as a student and teacher have played a big part in helping him write Natural Born Loser.

Not everyone wants to be a leader out the front and in the lime light, certainly not Raymond Bulanghagui. He sees himself as a follower and prefers to blend into the background, particularly around bullies. That is until the new principal, Mr Humble arrives and wants to turn Barryjong school around so it's no longer a joke amongst other schools and a breeding ground for bullies. Raymond's life changes when his best mate Zain dares him to 'audition' for a prefect position. No one is more shocked than Raymond when he is chosen alongside Zain, Randa and Ally who all seem to have more to offer than he does. However, Mr Humble has seen something in Raymond and gives him a chance to step up and be a leader.

The four prefects don't have an easy job ahead with bullymons like Russell Carney (Carn-age) and his cronies ready to bring them down at any opportunity. When Raymond dares himself to speak up at assembly and suggests they raise money for new air conditioners all of a sudden he goes from being a nobody to the students supporting him. I'm sure you too will be cheering on the four prefects as they learn to combine their talents and work together as a leadership team to raise their goal of $20,000. Their crazy fundraising challenges are fun for students, teachers and parents alike, especially the brilliant Dareathon! The fundraising culminates in an exciting Footy Fan Day and there's one final surprise from Mr Humble for the four prefects, who along the way have united the Barryjong Primary School community and turned it into a 'cool' school in more ways than one.

There's no stopping 'Barryjong United' now!

Mr Humble gave the prefects a poster with tips for How to be a Natural Born Leader. 
Raymond tried these tips that you might like to try too. What else would you add?

Follow the leaders you look up to
Practise the things that make you feel uncomfortable
Get to know the people in your team
Learn something new about people

Happy reading and thinking up i-dares for a Dareathon!

Teacher notes

 

Published on Leave a comment on Kensy and Max 2: Disappearing Act by Jacqueline Harvey

If you're looking for mystery and adventure and some danger along the way then head off to Rome with Kensy and Max in Disappearing Act these school holidays!

In their second book, Kensy and Max are now regular students at Central London Free School and have begun their formal training as agents for the spy agency called Pharos.

Thanks to coded messages from their missing parents, the twins know they are alive, but to protect their parents they can't tell anyone. So Kensy and Max spend the Christmas break at their grandmother's stunning estate, Alexandria which is also the countryside base of Pharos and filled with cleverly concealed state of the art training facilities (the hydraulic diving board is impressive!). Kensy and Max are excited about taking driving lessons, but when something goes terribly wrong with Esmerelda, some quick thinking from Kensy prevents a tragic ending. They're seriously wondering if someone is trying to get rid of them.

Kensy and Max finally meet their rather mysterious Uncle Rupert who causes quite a stir when he arrives at the Christmas party via parachute, but leaves them with more questions than answers. Despite missing their parents and Fitz their manny, Christmas is a fun celebration with ugly jumpers and a Thriller-esque dance-off before the twins head to Rome on a school excursion. Buoyed by a secret message from their parents, Kensy and Max hope to secretly meet them in Rome where Mr Reffell, their passionate history teacher is eager to show his students the history, art and architecture of Rome. However, when inquisitive Kensy notices a dark-haired boy acting suspiciously with a group of orphans near the Trevi Fountain it unexpectedly leads to Kensy and Max's first mission for Pharos. Along with their fellow agents-in-training, the twins put their talents and newly acquired spy skills into practice as they bravely attempt to rescue the Prime Minister's kidnapped son and put a stop to the plans of the evil criminal network, The Diavolo. You will definitely need to catch your breath at the end of this book!

One of Max's talents is cracking codes and he deciphers the Pig Pen Cipher to reveal an important message the team has intercepted. Read the information Jacqueline Harvey has included at the back of her book and watch this video to help you decode the book's chapter headings and try coding your own secret messages to share with friends or information you want to keep secret.

Happy Reading and coding!

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Published on 2 Comments on Pig the Grub by Aaron Blabey

Pig the Pug is back!  Eww...don't get too close!

Pig isn't just the world's greediest Pug, he's the dirtiest too. He spends his days rolling in mud, playing with unspeakable muck and leaking smells that make neat and clean Trevor's eyes water. Personal hygiene is not a priority for Pig the Pug. 

So BATHTIME was called!
'You stinky old mutt!
You need a good clean
from your ears to your butt!'

The last thing Pig the Pug wants is a bath! Trevor waits patiently in his shower cap as Pig ducks and weaves and doubles back trying to avoid the dreaded soapy water. Pig has a plan...

They watched as Pig gloated.
They watched as Pig crowed.

Definitely not an idea for you to try at home!!


Can you see Pig's plan?
What do you think will happen?

Happy reading! 

Published on Leave a comment on Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Go Wild by Tim Harris

Grab your tents, sleeping bags and marshmallows! Mr Bambuckle and 12B are off on a camping adventure in Tim Harris' third book, Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables Go Wild.

Camping doesn't start well for Damon Dunst who forgets to pack his tent. Luckily Mr Bambuckle has a spare tent. DO read Damon's instructions for 'How to put up a Tent', but DON'T follow them! When their tents have been set up and the students are relaxing around the fire toasting marshmallows, the last person they expect to be lurking in the bushes is the dreaded Miss Frost! Armed with a GPS and a thick folder of rules, the assistant principal has arrived to ensure Mr Bambuckle and 12B are following the rules because she believes 'discipline is the new order' and is still looking for an opportunity to fire Mr Bambuckle. However, Mr Bambuckle is already prepared and his motto of 'kindness and team work' empowers his students to work together to support each other when the nasty Miss Frost reveals her plans.

Canteen Carol is back and this time Mr Bambuckle expertly twists their hilarious conversation so she unwittingly agrees to supply food for their camp meals. Led by Slugger, the class work together to create an impressive meal on the first evening, ending with a mouth-watering dessert of Belgian-chocolate-dipped fairy bread garnished with flakes of toffee-caramel. Can you believe Miss Frost chose to eat her own food instead??

Unfortunately, but not surprising, Miss Frost is a person who holds a grudge and suspects it was Scarlett who used PhotoCrop to transport her to South America. Miss Frost is out for revenge and has planned a high-tech hide and seek challenge using her GPS to track down the students. We experience the challenge through Miffy Armstrong's eyes as she tries to overcome her fear of hurdles and the students work together as a team to win. However, it's Scarlett's courage that shines through in the end.

Thanks to their inspiring and mysteriously well planned teacher, the students in 12B continue to have fun and learn a lot about themselves and each other during their adventures in the wilderness. There are lots of laughs with Mr Bambuckle's witty puns, Damon's attempts to get to sleep; Vinnie's lesson about sucking up and Myra and Albert's Morse Code chat. I don't know about you, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the speckled-dagger vulture when I'm on my walks!

Stay tuned for Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables on the Lookout in early 2019 when Vex Vron goes missing...

Happy reading!

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