Review: Dave is Brave

Title: Dave is Brave

Author: Amanda Gray

Illustrator: Daniel East

Publisher: Amanda Gray

Format: Paperback

Language: English

ISBN: 978 0 646 517636

For ages: 3 - 6

Type: Picture Book

About: This neat little paperback was designed by special education and early childhood teacher, Amanda Gray. Based in New South Wales, Gray has spent her career specializing in the support of children experiencing emotional or social difficulties, and her Learn to be Buddies series was born from her passion in this field.

Dave is Brave is a concise book, using direct and simple language. When young Dave is introduced, we learn he is brave. Brave enough to stand up to Golly the Bully who likes to mow down the toys of other young children on his tricycle.

When Golly behaves like a bully one too many times, Dave stands his ground, holds his head high, puts up his hand and says “Stop!”. Young Golly is so surprised by this confrontation, he has a change of heart and instead asks politely if he can play.

Showing young children how important it is to stand up for themselves by using words, not fists, Gray also takes things a step further by providing a list of questions and answers adults can ask children at the end of the story.

Illustrated with both colour and pencil outline illustrations by Daniel East, the author aims to produce a series of these books, using realistic pictures and true-to-life storylines to address and demonstrate social skills and behaviour.

Dave is Brave is available online at www.learn2bebuddies.com.au, where you can also learn more on this series and obtain information on accompanying CDs that include songs, listening activities, games and activity plans for teachers.

The book retails for A$14.99 or $10.45 at www.learn2bebuddies.com.au

The full book/CD pack is A$30 retail or $22.95 through www.learn2bebuddies.com.au

Also available at Ability Books.

You can also follow Amanda’s blog here.

Review: The Wheels on the Bus

Title: The Wheels on the Bus

Author: Mandy Foot

Illustrator: Mandy Foot

Publisher: Lothian, A$24.99RRP

Format: Hardcover

Language: English

ISBN: 9780734411174

For ages: 0-6

Type: Picture Book

About: Just such a lovely thing when a beloved classic is redone, and in this beautiful new book, illustrator Mandy Foot has done a classic children's song colourful justice.

A certain favourite of children everywhere, the wheels on this bus certainly do go round and round in this tale - all over the wilds of Australia.

Opening with a luscious map studded with voyaging hotspots, we're also treated to a page-tempter by a wee green ghecko. Will children be able to find this little critter on each page? They'll certainly love to try!

As the wheels on the bus go round, our wombat driver and passengers - a kangaroo or two, a family of kooky emus, a frill necked lizard and a koala - begin their journey across the Nullabor to Coober Pedy then on through the wilds of Tassie to the Great Barrier Reef, to see the penguins on Phillip Island; even a surf at Bondi Beach - and more.

As the adorable red bus travels across our wide brown land, stickers appear on its flanks, letting us know exactly where we have already travelled, and flora and fauna native to each site emerge from the author's brightly coloured paint box to charm both adults and kids alike.

Foot's darling illustrations are not only bright, they are whimsical and oh so cute - with glossy dark eyes, curious expressions and fuzzy fur you want to touch. Her renditions of our beautiful and varied natural wonders do not revert to schmaltz. They are fun, sunny and beautiful in their depiction, making any Aussie surge with patriotic pride.

Combining beautiful visuals with a classic children's song, The Wheels on the Bus is a must-own for any proud Australian reader - and would make a timeless gift for little friends overseas.

Kids will also enjoy the delightful Wheels on the Bus website, complete with faithful tune - http://www.thewheelsonthebus.com.au/ - where kids can learn more about the great Aussie sites featured in the book.

The Wheels on the Bus is published by Lothian, A$24.99 RRP

Author website

You can buy this book online:
The Nile - $22.49
Fishpond - $21.95
Booktopia - $21.95

The Book is Here!

They have arrived! Lashings of copies of my beautiful new book. And a silent house, no one to share it with. Sigh. Kids will be home soon to pore all over it, and I'll soon have my hands around a bottle of cold champagne to celebrate tonight.

I'm an author all over again and it feels good.

Riley and the Dancing Lion GIVEAWAY!

In celebration of the launch of my second book in the Riley adventure series, I am giving away one copy of Riley and the Dancing Lion to a lucky reader.

Join Riley and his friends as he travels to Hong Kong and Macau in search of the traditional dancing lion found only during Chinese New Year. Along the way, Riley finds plenty of comical lions from tappers to rappers and synchronized swimmers - but will he find the lion he is looking for?

Travellers of all ages will delight in this photographic tour of Hong Kong, as well stunning illustrations by Kieron Pratt.

Just leave a comment below telling me where you would adventure to if you had a little red plane, and why.

The winner will be announced on 6 December.

Good luck!

Giveaway open to Australian residents only.

Review of Riley and the Sleeping Dragon on CanberraKids

The beautiful Ingrid Jonach, Canberra-based children's author, has written a fabulous review on Riley and the Sleeping Dragon for the sensational CanberraKids website. CanberraKids is a one-stop shop of all things steeped in fabulousness for little ones and their big supervisors. Love it.

Click the picture above to view.

Thanks Ingrid! and thanks also to the lovely Janette from CanberraKids.

Australia's Youngest Self-Published Authors

Huge thanks to the Canberra Weekly for featuring a wonderful story on my Writer in Residence programme wwith Caroline Chisholm School Junior Campus, Canberra.

The course took 42 children aged between 6 and 12 through the entire book writing process, from creative conception through to publication and launch. The books were modelled on my own book - Riley and the Sleeping Dragon - featuring black & white photos of Caroline Chisholm School as well as gorgeous, brightly-coloured drawings by the children.

It was a proud moment watching those kids come and collect their very first print-run, in front of friends, family and peers.

Well done, kids! Australia's youngest self-published authors.

Review: The Beginning of the Full Stop

Title: The Beginning of the Full Stop

Authors: Rachael Rolls and Graham Fletcher

Publisher: Eloquent Books, US$10.95

Format: Softcover

Language: English

ISBN: 978 1 60860 347 3

For ages: 5-8

Type: Educational

About: When Pen decide to write a book, he is stunned to find his words keep falling out of his book. How can he stop them from escaping the page? An ingenious solution: a dot. A full stop. Period.

As Pen cruises through this punctuated book, he also discovers how to jazz up his text with a comma and even how to ask questions with a question mark.

This new book, a first from the authors, combines simple but bright illustrations with a series of colourful speech bubbles that make learning about punctuation fun. The pen and punctuation characters chat to each other like any children would, making it something kids can easily relate to.

Buy this book online:
Fishpond - A$21.97

Printing Faults

Oh crap, bother, darn it and drats.

I've been walking around the house as white as a sheet, then flushing red with embarrasment, then draining white as a sheet once again at the news I've just received.

My gorgeous account manager, Debbi, from Ligare just emailed to tell me that the wording on my book spine does NOT read Riley and the Dancing Lion, but rather Riley and the Sleeping Dragon. And they had just finished printing ALL the covers (double-sided) when one of the printers picked it up.

Of course, the first thing that flashed through my head when I got the news was "oh my Lord, how much of the mortgage will we have to refinance to cover this and will my marriage survive it?" followed closely by "I think I want to take the printer who discovered the fault and glue him to a pedestal and worship him until the end of my days".

Since receiving the news, I just walked the house in a daze until Debbi called with much good humour and grace, and offered me solutions that guaranteed we would end up keeping our house (and perhaps even our marriage).

Thankfully, the covers hadn't gone to spot UV (shiny bits, for the uninitiated) and they can now print over the mistake. One solution with a problem like this is to totally black out the spine but this seems such a shame, as I already printed my first book with no spine markings, and I really wanted the title to peek out on the shelves.

The second option is to black out the spine but then place the words in reverse, lower down the spine, so they come through orange (upon a black background). At first I was horrified the book would have a black spine, but I've only just wrapped up a beautiful, retro book for Riley for Christmas and it was orange with a black spine and it looked gorgeous.

Fingers crossed this also looks gorgeous and not like some horrid, glaring cover-up.

Oh horrors. Can't believe this. Debbi had deliberately pushed through the printing of the covers so the books can still be delivered on time but I still feel like such an idiot. I went over and over those proofs until I was blind, for goodness sake. Just goes to show you need a second pair of eyes.

Wannabe self-publishers beware. Get a second pair of eyes!!

Review: Running with the Horses

Title: Running with the Horses

Author: Alison Lester

Publisher: Penguin/Viking, A$29.95RRP

Format: Hardcover, dust jacket

Language: English

ISBN: 978-0-670-86833-9

For ages: 7+

Type: Picture Book

About: Prolific Australian children's author, Alison Lester, has created another beautiful children's picture book featuring gorgeous multimedia illustrations including ink, watercolour and photographs.

In writing Running with the Horses, Lester was inspired by the rescue of the Lipizzaner stallions from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna during the Second World War. A work of fiction, the author introduces to a young horse-lover named Nina, whose father, Viktor, is stablemaster to the Royal Academy of Dancing Horses.

Nina dreams of becoming an Academy Rider, but when she and her father have to flee from the city, Nina's world is turned upside down. Tearing away on horses in the night, including her beloved equine friend Zelda, they ride to the foothills of the mountains, certain they will be safe on the other side of the pass.

Danger, however, comes from all sides. How will Nina and her father make it to the safety of their family's home? Can Zelda the cab horse save them?

Running with the Horses is heavy on text and so is suitable for older readers, however, all ages will be absolutely enchanted by this historical adventure and its breathtaking journey to safety. A love of horses is not necessary to thoroughly enjoy this book, but a love of beautiful art and traditional, engaging literature is a must.

Author website

Publisher website

This book is available online:

The Nile - A$26.99
Booktopia - A$23.95

Riley and the Dancing Lion - the proofs arrive!!

Oooh - just look at this utter gorgeousness! oh my, oh my - my book in pre-press form, ready to go, ready to churn out of those magnificent printing machines and into a real life book.

SUCH a lovely process. Oh how I'd love to be a printer and watch all this beauty unfold.

So, I have the proofs. Ligare sent them by express post today. There are one or two teensy file niggles that I'll have to resubmit, but other than that, we're ready to roll!

I am expecting book delivery by 19 November, just in time for Handmade market.

I feel like an expectant mum all over again.

So happy right now.

Kids' Book Christmas Gift Guide

Santa has books in the bag this year with a fantastic array of titles for kids. All kids love a rollicking read, and this comprehensive gladbag mix won’t disappoint... visit my post at Australian Women Online for more.

ABA's Kids' Reading Guide

Riley and the Sleeping Dragon was recently featured in the Australian Bookseller Association's prestigious Kids' Reading Guide.

This guide is circulated around Australia amongst schools, libraries and bookstores, with highly recommended books for children.

Such an honour to be invited to join the catalogue this year.