Zoe Foster Blake’s beloved character Fart is back. Together with his new friend Burp, they’re off on a new adventure to use their bad pongs for good in Fart and Burp are Superstinkers!
Let Frog, Dog and Cat guide you through the alphabet from Aardvark to Zebra in this hilarious new picture book, Oi Aardvark.
Frankie and the Fossil is an irresistible story about being heard and finding your herd. It’s a sweet and funny picture book for anyone who loves dinosaur fossils, friends and cheese sandwiches.
He’s back! Pig, the cheeky little pug, is ready for Halloween and on a rampage for treats in Pig The Monster!
Jimmy Rees has offered fabulous light relief for many throughout Australian’s various lockdowns and now with Bedtime Sorted he’s sharing a laugh with the children about the bedtime excuses.
Back to Sleep by Zoe Foster Blake is a clever, playful, laugh-out-loud story that celebrates the ups and downs of family life. Kids and parents will enjoy sharing.
Stop the Dad Jokes is full of Dad jokes that are embarrassing, goofy and NOT FUNNY! A trip to the zoo with Dad means seeing lots of animals… and hearing plenty of dad jokes too!
Katrina Germain brings Dad back by popular demand with more hilarious material in My Dad Still Thinks He’s Funny.
Ahh… children’s books. We love their ability to share big ideas in fun, engaging ways; tell tales of mischief, feelings and friendship; bring characters to life through unexpected adventures; delight budding imaginations and inspire little people to become life-long readers.
We have scoured the internet to find six of the most delightful and heart-warming children’s books that we know you are going to love reading these school holidays.
Oli and Basil: The Dashing Frogs of Travel by Megan Hess
Meet Oli and Basil, the dashing frogs of travel, in Megan Hess’s first World of Claris story! Two frogs dream of flying, but don’t realise that they’ll need each other to take to the skies. Oli is an artist who dreams up wild, fabulous machines, but he doesn’t know how to build them. And Basil is a master craftsman who can build anything from scratch, except he doesn’t know what to build. If only there was a way that these two dashing frogs could become friends. From the beloved creator of the Claris stories comes this heart-warming adventure about the joys of newfound friendship. You can see Megan’s other books here.
Malala Yousafzai (Little People, Big Dreams) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
When Malala was born in Mingora, Pakistan, her father was determined she would have every opportunity that a boy would have. She loved getting an education, but when a hateful regime came to power, girls were no longer allowed to go to school. Malala spoke out in public about this, which made her a target for violence. She was shot in the left side of her head and woke up in hospital in England. Finally after long months and many surgeries, Malala recovered, and resolved to become an activist for girls’ education. Now a recent Oxford graduate, Malala continues to fight for a world where all girls can learn and lead. This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the activist’s life. You can read Malala’s own story here.
Bedtime is Boring by David Campbell
Billy Bunny REALLY doesn’t want to go to bed. He’s NOT tired! Not even a little bit. It may be bedtime, but Billy is NOT going quietly… See if Billy wins the bedtime battle in this hilarious sequel to Stupid Carrots, written by (a quite tired) David Campbell.
Maybe…by Chris Haughton
Chris Haughton is a fan favourite in our household. Maybe is another funny, suspenseful and keenly observed cautionary tale about pushing boundaries and indulging your more mischievous, cheeky side (when nobody is looking). Three little monkeys, and their big monkey, are sat high up on their branch in the forest canopy. “Ok, monkeys! I’m off,” says the big monkey. “Now remember. Whatever you do, do NOT go down to the mango tree. There are tigers down there.” Mmm . mangos! think the little monkeys. They LOVE mangos. Hmm … maybe . maybe they could just look at the mangos? That’d be ok, right? You can see Chris’ other books here.
With a Little Kelp from Our Friends: The Secret Life of Seaweed by Mathew Bate
Did you know that feeding seaweed to cows can reduce the methane in their burps and farts by more than half? Or that a forest of kelp absorbs more carbon than a tropical rainforest of the same size? We can even make edible bioplastics from seaweed! Beyond the tideline, there are around 10,000 types of seaweed. An essential ingredient for life on Earth, seaweed has sustained animals and people for many thousands of years. From ancient history and mythology to modern uses in food, health and medicine, discover how seriously cool seaweed is, and how it can even help tackle climate change. Complete with a guide to common seaweeds and foraging guidelines, this charmingly illustrated picture book will educate and inspire, and encourage respect for the natural world.
Reggie Red by Josie Layton
With freckles and curls so big and so red, Reggie felt worried…’Just look at my head! Others have hair that is brown, blonde and flat, How can I make MY hair look like that?’ Reggie Red tells the story of a little girl who discovers that beauty is far more than what you see on the outside.
Enjoy!
There has never been a better time to get reading – reading can provide entertainment, knowledge and comfort, and is a perfect thing to do at home! We know that many of you are having more time to kill, and are asking for suggestions of series books – something substantial that can hold your attention for longer. So this week we are showcasing some of the most popular multi-volume children’s books, guaranteed to give kids hours of reading pleasure – even those who are usually reluctant to pick up a book!
Wings of Fire 1-5 Boxed set by Tui T Sutherland
This fantasy series, set in a world of dragons, has enormous word-of-mouth cred amongst upper-primary aged readers. Five young dragonets strive to fulfil a prophecy that they will end an ancient war and finally bring peace to the dragon tribes of Pyrrhia. What sets Wings of Fire apart is that its dragons are the main characters, with a rich and complex civilisation, whilst humans are considered “scavengers” and peripheral to the story. Tui T Sutherland’s impressive world-building has now grown beyond the 20+ books into a big and active fandom. The first three books are now available in graphic novel format.
Slime by David Walliams
Slime is hot off the presses and sure to delight David Walliams’ many fans (as well as creating many more). Inspired by the recent craze for slime, this story sees young Ned discover the origins of slime, and use it to wreak revenge on the horrible grownups who love nothing more than making children miserable. David Walliams is often compared to Roald Dahl and it is easy to see why – his stories are funny, with touches of the grotesque and the fantastical, all underlaid with a call for empathy. David Walliams has published 18 children’s novels. While these are mostly standalone, there are recurring characters to spot, such as Raj the newsagent.
WeirDo 1-9 Boxset by Anh Do
Weir Do is a thoughtful boy with a weird name and a weirder family. The WeirDo books are slice-of-life stories that are packed with illustrations and laugh-out-loud funny – perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The latest is #14 – WeirDo: Vote WeirDo! where Weir’s chances of being elected class captain may be derailed by an EPIC HAIR DISASTER. WeirDo is the first children’s series written by the multi-talented Anh Do, who has gone on to create other bestselling series including Hot Dog, Ninja Kid, Wolf Girl, as well as Mythix.
Kensy and Max 5: Freefall by Jacqueline Harvey
You may already know Jacqueline Harvey from her delightful Clementine Rose and Alice-Miranda series; now she is trying her hand at spy thrillers aimed at both boys and girls. Kensy and Max are twins whose lives are turned upside-down when they are whisked off to London and discover their parents are missing. The race is on to understand the strange things happening around them, and find their parents! There’s mystery, spy craft, exotic locations and lots of chases. Volume 5, Freefall, sees Kensy and Max as agents-in-training, struggling with ethical dilemmas while trying to capture a master criminal in New York.
Welcome to the Brilliant World of Tom Gates box set by Liz Pichon
This is a box set of the first 12 books in the Tom Gates series. (We’re now up to Book 17.) Tom Gates is a series of illustrated diary stories about an endearing but chaotic boy and his family. The pages are heavily illustrated with distinctive doodles and funny little details, the tone is chatty, and the situations are funny and totally relatable. What’s more, Tom Gates is a tried-and-true recommendation for reluctant readers and those who need extra reading support – perhaps Tom Gates books are so accessible because Liz Pichon is herself dyslexic, and she has written these stories to be just what she would have loved to read as a child. The illustrated diary format might even inspire young fans to create their own Tom Gates-style stories!
The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth is dystopian fiction with a twist! Unlike dystopian YA, which tends to be dark and grim, this tweens-and-early-teens series shows that a zombie apocalypse can be pretty funny. 13-year old Jack recruits four of his classmates to fight off a succession of monsters after a zombie outbreak hits his hometown. They have to learn to work as a team to stay alive, and they are the world’s last chance against the evil overlord Rezzoch! This Wimpy-Kid-meets-Walking-Dead series has zombies, monsters, wisecracks, and crazy gadgets – no wonder it’s a New York Times bestseller. Now also an animated series on Netflix.