a new favourite — a detailed and delightful alphabet book about Australian history!

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a new favourite — a detailed and delightful alphabet book about Australian history!

ages 5 to 10 years
When you’re young, history is learned in snatches—a story here, an idea there—all designed to offer a sense of one's own place in the history that is being made today. Trouble is, the snatches approach can sometimes inadvertently lead to whitewashed or selective understanding.

If you’re looking to share snatches of Australian history that are respectful, balanced, and full of interest, M is for Mutiny is perfect.

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combining the excitement of real letters (yes, real letters!) with the fun of fairytales is a winner for little kids

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combining the excitement of real letters (yes, real letters!) with the fun of fairytales is a winner for little kids

ages 3 to 7 years
Few things are more exciting for children than receiving mail—just for them. The joy of knowing that someone is thinking of you and the excitement of finding out what’s inside makes checking the mailbox a treat. The Jolly Postman combines that with the fun of fairytales!

This was one of my favourite books growing up and it's still a hit whenever I read it aloud.

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one to make you laugh—a clever take on before and after

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one to make you laugh—a clever take on before and after

ages 2 to 8 years
Before and after photos are something of a modern obsession—weight loss, home renovations, teeth, hair, even cars (think Pimp My Ride)! We just seem to love looking at change.

My Pictures After The Storm feeds that innate human fascination in a way that is laugh out loud funny. It's fundamentally cheerful and offers such a clever and witty look at life. This is a book that's full of humour, bursting with life and colour, and terrific for thinking about change

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a YouTube channel to try + 5 favourite picture books by Japanese authors

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a YouTube channel to try + 5 favourite picture books by Japanese authors

Have you seen the YouTube channel Rare Earth by Chris Hadfield and Evan Hadfield? 

The first series is set in Japan—there are seven relatively short videos (usually 10 minutes or less)—and series two on Cambodia has just started. I’m sure you’ll find both really interesting.

My family has been watching and loving the Japan series. They're fascinating, sometimes unsettling, always thought provoking. Here's one we liked: 

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a stereotype-smashing story + Ivy & Angus in their Book Week costumes

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a stereotype-smashing story + Ivy & Angus in their Book Week costumes

ages 2 to 7 years
We recently went through all our books trying to find the perfect costume for our playgroup's Book Week parade. There were many contenders, but in the end Ivy chose A Proper Little Lady.

She saw it and proclaimed "This will be the perfect book, I’m so excited!". I was pretty excited too and not just because it was a costume that required no sewing! This was one of my favourite books when I was Ivy's age and I feel a special kind of closeness in sharing and enjoying 

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Carl Sagan on reading + 8 books on pathways to literal and metaphorical freedom

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Generally, for kids aged about 4 to 12 years.
Perhaps you have a special book that represents freedom to you—or perhaps freedom came as an accumulation of many books. Either way, reading is both a gateway to freedom and a freedom in itself. 

Here are 5 books about the path from literal slavery to freedom, they're books that also illuminate the path to freedom from metaphorical slavery, making them particularly wonderful for kids and adults alike. These are books that tell the truth and invite moral thought, with words and pictures that entrance and intrigue.

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a book to grow skills in spotting fake news—and to fuel a love of history

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a book to grow skills in spotting fake news—and to fuel a love of history

ages 4 to 12 years (and older!)
Fake news is such a fraught and difficult topic! No matter which side of politics (or life in general) we align with, fake news can lead us astray.

It’s an issue for kids too, making skills like critical reading, viewing and listening increasingly important. But no one wants to overburden them or take the joy out of learning—and this book is a terrific help. It teaches critical thinking and watching skills and it’s heaps of fun for kids and adults to work on together.

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