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Tag: Individuality

Published on Leave a comment on My EXTRAordinary Mum by Dani Vee and illustrated by Alexandra Colombo

My EXTRAordinary mum by Dani Vee is an exuberant celebration of an extraordinary mum who is true to herself.

The young girl who narrates My EXTRAordinary Mum loves her quirky, fun-loving mum who follows the beat of her own drum. Together they share adventures big and small, making daisy crowns, playing drums under the stars, rollerblading, telling stories under blankets and taking road trips without a destination. Along the way, mum encourages her to try new things, be kind to others, lean into the unknown and most importantly to be true to herself. This extraordinary mum also reminds us how extraordinary we all are...simply by being ourselves.

My EXTRAordinary Mum's playful rhythm makes this story fun to read aloud as it carries us along on the adventures. Alexandra Colombo's vibrant illustrations and little details capture this mum's zest for life and the loving bond she shares with her daughter. 

Read My EXTRAordinary Mum with your mum and she might even tell you some of the things she did before she became your mum. 

What makes your mum EXTRAordinary to you?

Happy reading!

Published on Leave a comment on Dharma the Llama by Matt Cosgrove

 

Dharma the Llama likes reading for hours and hours and hours. The other llamas can't understand why she's always reading. When they're out stampeding, Dharma is having her own exciting adventures lost in the pages of her books. Dharma is happy doing her own thing and doesn't listen to the sneering and jeering, but when the other llamas get stuck in a big pit of mud, it's Dharma and her books to the rescue! Finally the llamas have to agree...It sure pays to read!

Matt Cosgrove has created another fun, colourful and joyful book that begs to be read aloud. Dharma is a great example of being 'you' and doing what you love. She is also a total bookworm and Dharma the Llama celebrates reading, the adventures you can have and how books can help us learn new things. I really enjoyed the way reading sparked Dharma's creativity to solve problems, especially her astronaut idea. Matt has also had fun giving some of Dhama's books a 'llama make-over'. Can you spot them? Try giving some of your favourite books a 'llama make-over' too!

Get creative and download Matt's illustrations from Dharma the Llama and add your own colour.

RAP BOOKS...

Something very exciting has recently happened to Dharma the Llama. Dharma's book has been made into a rap performed by Jessica Mauboy. 

Have fun doing karaoke with the Dharma the Llama rap. 

There are other raps on the  BIG W Rap Books website including Alpacas with Maracas by Matt Cosgrove and rapped by Tom Thum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy reading and rapping!

Published on Leave a comment on There’s Only One Mum Like You by Jess Racklyeft

There's Only One Mum Like You is a delightful celebration of mums. Cuddly mums, brave mums, quiet mums, playful mums. Our mums are there for us each day in their own unique way.

I love your quiet stories,
songs sung loud in the rain.
No one can hug like you, Mum,
or makes me feel the same.

This is Jess Racklyeft's first book as both author and illustrator and I hope this is the first of many! Jess has included some of her favourite animals from around the world with their mums in her gentle water colour illustrations. Jess says she thought of each page like a movie set from deep underwater, to the jungle canopy, to tobogganing downhill at sunset. She has also had fun using the landscape format by including some illustrations where you will need to rotate the book...especially if you want to see pigs flying! 

As you read, think about what makes your mum unique and the big and small ways that she is there for you each day...

There's only one mum like you, Mum.
I love you for being you.

You might like to join Jess at a card-making workshop at one of the Melbourne bookshops below...don't forget to book your place!

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

Published on Leave a comment on Other Worlds: Perfect World by George Ivanoff

If you are a bit of an adventurer and like exploring then the Other Worlds series by George Ivanoff  has action and adventure mixed with sci-fi and fantasy that would be perfect for you!

The different characters in each stand-alone book find themselves drawn to a key that takes various forms depending on the person. They will want to touch it and by touching the key, they will open a doorway to another world...

In Perfect World, Computer geek Keagan didn't expect to find himself in a world of clones obsessed with perfection when he was out buying pickles for his mum! 

Taking a shortcut, Keagan finds himself drawn to a computer chip locked in a cabinet of a weird shop called Matilda's Collectibles. When he trips over and the cabinet shatters, Keagan grabs the computer chip. A shimmering doorway appears and Keagan finds the doorway open to Perfect World.

Perfect World is where people are cloned in groups of five. Everything in the city is controlled. Children learn by having information streamed directly into their brains. Perfection must be maintained at all costs. There is no room for individuality. Is this really a perfect world? Would you want to live in it?

Keagan who is different and therefore imperfect ends up at the Dumping Ground. This is where he finds the rejected clones known as the 'Refuse' living in the sewage tunnels filled with junk from the Perfect World above. Keagan meets feisty Eone and the other rejects who have embraced being different and use the junk around them to enhance their individuality. Keagan joins Eone in her mission with the Elders to bring about change to Perfect World. Will perfection or individuality win?

Will Keagan be able to escape Perfect World and find his way home?

There are four books in the Other Worlds series:

Perfect World...a weird world of clones who are obsessed with perfection

Beast World...a crazy world that looks like steampunk London

Game World...a strange virtual reality – part of a game world where humans are battling computers for survival

Dark World...a scary world ravaged by the Darkness

Read more about each book HERE

Happy reading!

Teacher notes

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