a beautifully illustrated call to be wary of first impressions—and to seek out the best in life

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a beautifully illustrated call to be wary of first impressions—and to seek out the best in life

ages 2—8 years
There’s a scene in Emma (by Jane Austen), where Emma is talking to her friend (or plaything depending on your viewpoint) Harriet about a proposal. Emma says, ‘You must be the judge of your own happiness.’—and then proceeds to tell her how to judge her happiness!

Most of us are spared an Emma in our lives—we mostly judge our own happiness and find our own way. But sometimes we can be so secure in our current happiness that it becomes difficult to envision a different happiness.Children are prone to this too.

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a tender hearted look at dementia and the beauty of a life lived with simple pleasures

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a tender hearted look at dementia and the beauty of a life lived with simple pleasures

ages 4 to 12 years
Angela—who gets up before daybreak—waits for a special visitor. As she waits she bakes shortbread cookies, the ‘lovely sweet smell’ reminding her of her childhood. ‘That’s why she makes them so often.’

She becomes anxious as she waits and, with ‘her heart lurching in all directions’, she tries playing along to a quiz game on television. ‘That’s when she hears a small voice behind her 

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a heart tugging look at how it feels to be different and a call to be more accomodating

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a heart tugging look at how it feels to be different and a call to be more accomodating

ages 6 years to grownup
Everyone knows what it is to feel different or misunderstood. It's part of modern life—we meet many people in many circumstances and we don’t always ‘click’. And that’s fine, mostly we just do what needs to be done and move on until we come to a place we really do fit. But, for some people, being different or misunderstood is a constant. Ivan is such a child and he tells us that he is, in fact, a crocodile:

“I look like a boy but, inside, I am a crocodile. It’s not something you can see, of course, because it’s inside.

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the life-changing value of speaking up—for yourself or for someone else

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the life-changing value of speaking up—for yourself or for someone else

ages 2 to 8 years
When I read this book to four-year-old Ivy, she sat in silence, then, at the last page, said, “Let’s read that again.”

Twig is that sort of book—beautiful to look at, with a story that's relatable and full of interesting ideas to process. 

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a lovely book for kids going through 'hard to find friends' times

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a lovely book for kids going through 'hard to find friends' times

ages 2 to 8 years
Do your little ones have imaginary friends? Some of mine did. It was cute to hear them chatting away to someone invisible—less cute when I once had to wait in the rain because an imaginary friend called Minga had to get in the car first and then took her own sweet time about buckling up her seatbelt! There are lots of good reasons to enjoy the imaginary friend stage, one being...

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the sweetness of renewed hope

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the sweetness of renewed hope

ages 2 to 8 years
There seems to be a visceral human connection to gardens—they’re inspiring and calming. And, as much as visiting any garden lightens the soul, it’s the nurture of our very own gardens that speaks to so many of us. That’s especially true of children. In this story, Mae and her family move from the country to the city and, in the process, leave behind her beloved garden...

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how one boy begins to approach the meaning of life—on a camping trip

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how one boy begins to approach the meaning of life—on a camping trip

ages 8 to 14 years
Beloved by parents, in part due to the cloistered risks the trip offers to children, camping is the stuff of dreams for many children too. Except when it’s not. For Henry Hoobler, who will go into year 3 at school when his family camping trip ends, there's some mild anxiety going on...

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