Book Monitor - books from across the world

Engaging reads for children, from Books go Walkabout

Belonging Street – Poems by Mandy Coe

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On August 7, 2020

In Featured children's book, Otter-Barry, Poetry

At a time when we definitely need poems to lighten our load, to find some of our hidden feelings and to express joy and laughter, Belonging Street brings a wonderful collection of poems from a popular poet, encompassing the natural world, city life and family belonging.

Much needed poetry….

Two of the poems especially appealed to me; My Name is Grey , with a verse

I am the owl’s wing and winter sky,

I leap in the mad March hare.

I hide in the hedgehog’s prickles,

And sleep in the wolf’s thick fur.

And My Name is Blue,

I am the kingfisher’s pride

and the boat’s wide sail.

Belonging Street includes poems to encourage empathy, a sense of belonging and care for our planet- an important collection for our time.

Mandy Coe, the poet, performs in schools and workshops in the UK and you can listen to Mandy read her poems on the BBC Teach School Radio.

Otter Barry have a great range of poetry books in their collection , which they publish four times a year. They are an exciting children’s imprint aiming to make a difference, push boundaries and publish books that children will love.

At Books Go walkabout we are passionate about empowering young voices and never has their been a time when this is more needed, so welcome and enjoy Belonging Street.

Sue Martin

Dear Ugly Sisters, poems by Laura Mucha and illustrated by Tania Rex

By

On August 10, 2020

In 7+ years, Otter-Barry, Poetry

Great poetry!

An outstanding new voice in children’s poetry with her debut collection full of varied, effervescent and thought provoking poems.

Laura has already achieved much through literacy events, poetry workshops and blog writing and this brand new venture into a book of her poems is a great way for us all to find her poems at our finger tips.

Read the poem Dear Ugly Sisters below,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ0yRqyptVI

Laura Mucha is an award winning poet, author and speaker. She has won two international poetry prizes, the Caterpillar {poetry Prize, 2016 and the inaugural YorkMix Poems for Children 2019. She also writes for adults too with her debut book, Love Factually/We Need to Talk About Love published in 2019.

Tania Rex was born and raised in Bilnius, Lithuania, where she still lives and graduated from Vilnius Academy of Art.

Otter-Barry Books publishes four poetry collections a year and is an imprint which pushes the boundaries for publication in the world of children’s book publishing.

Sue Martin

How to Design a Novel – Rehan Khan

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On November 6, 2020

In The Book Monitor, Book events, Featured authors, Featured children's book

Rehan Khan, author of Carnegie nominated ‘ Tudor Turk’ will be running a live 2 day course on; How to write and design a novel, on 12-13th December 2020. (...this is an entrance fee event, see link below…Ed.)

You can register for this event here – https://courses.rehankhan.com/Pjr25

We know there are many of our blog readers who would love to write a book themselves. Maybe you are one of those? Do you have a story inside you to tell? Do you love reading and would like to to write a book? This course may be just right for you.

Rehan is the author of A Tudor Turk and A King’s Armour, an historic fiction series with Hope Road Publishers. They are great books and bring a totally new dimension to that period in history.

This is a unique opportunity and the focus on designing the novel will enable a way into writing. Finding the backdrop of the story, providing the setting, thinking about the characters, planning and enabling some hooks for the story to unfold.

In the UK as we head into lockdown 2, maybe this will give you some inspiration and motivation to find a way to write that book.

But in any case, try reading A Tudor Turk and A King’s Armour over lock-down. You will find yourself in another world, full of daring adventure.

Sue Martin

    Inheritance by Carole Wilkinson

    By

    On November 13, 2020

    In All Ages, Black Dog Books, Featured authors, Featured children's book, History, New titles

    What can happen when you slip through time? What events would you most like to change?

    A wonderful book…

    How would you feel if you were at the centre of something so outrageous that you would do anything to change history?

    Inheritance is a powerful and moving book, with a message for us all. The story is focused through Nic who has been left in the care of her grandfather at the remote family property in the depths of Australia. She is feeling misplaced and unusually for her unable to make friends at the local school, because of her name.

    ‘It’s because you’re a Mitchell,’ says Thor.

    Between them they uncover a most dreadful event at Yaratgil ( the family home), linked to her ancestors and to Thor’s.

    Nic’s mother had died when she was born, but Nic discovers that travelling back through time is something they have in common.

    Carole uses her expertise in research and historical facts (some well-hidden) to uncover a dark and shocking secret that haunts the land, and the people who live there.

    It’s an intriguing story and holds the reader from beginning to end.

    Carole Wilkinson, the author is an award-winning author of many books, including the famous Dragonkeeper series about a slave girl in the Han Dynasty. Carol lives in Melbourne, Australia.

    First Book in the Award Winning DragonKeeper series

    Books Go Walkabout works with Carol on author visits across the globe, most recent in Hong Kong. Book Monitor blog is the review part of our books projects across the world.

    Black Dog books, part of Walker Books, Australia are the publishers with have an excellent range of books for all ages.

    We recommend Inheritance for many readers, probably aged 10 to beyond!

    Enjoy the book, I found it impossible to put down!

    Sue Martin

    Stories Across the World

    Landing with Wings by Trace Balla

    By

    On September 16, 2020

    In All Ages, Allen and Unwin, BookMonitor, Books go Walkabout, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Featured illustrators

    Beautiful illustrations…

    ‘A story of hope- a way forward, beyond boundaries and fences towards belonging, community and country, welcome and home.’ Trace Balla

    A spectacular book! Children will just love this way of recording stories, with pictures, annotations, and conversations. It has so much meaning and misses all those extra words which can detract from the events.

    Finding roots where you can call a place home is important. Landing with Wings does just that as it follows the story of Miri Miri and her Mum, as they set up home in a place in the country in Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Australia. Finding friends in the world outside is the first thing, like the frog in the creek, the spotted pardalote and the silver eyes birds.  Miri Miri goes to school and starts meeting other children and people, being part of the community and the place.

    But her Mum, who has stayed at home making the house feel like home, is sad and thinking about moving away. Until that is, Miri Miri introduces her to Swee and Laylah, and it just all starts to work out.

    There is so much in this book, which records life in Australia, providing the wings to fly, finding somewhere new, and the roots to make the place your own. The annotations and descriptions of wildlife, nature and the earth are amazing. The First Nations people of  Dja Dja Wurrung, the Elders and especially Uncle Rick (in the illustrations!) are key to this book as well as the young Aboriginal leaders of the future.

    Trace Balla talks about her book…

    Trace Balla is author and illustrator is an award winning Australian children’s author and illustrator. Her book Rivertime won the 2015 Readings Children’s Book Prize and the Wilderness Society Picture Book Award in the same year. Trace is often found sketching in nature, riding her bike with her son, dancing, and growing vegies in her garden in central Victoria. She works as an illustrator, community artist, art therapist, animator, and writer of songs and stories.

    Don’t we all need more ‘rivertime’?

    As you can tell, Landing with Wings has touched my soul and I hope one day sometime soon I can be back in Australia and out there in the countryside (bush!).

    Sue Martin

    Stories across the world…

    Girl From the Sea by Margaret Wild and Jane Tanner

    By

    On September 16, 2020

    In Allen and Unwin, Books go Walkabout, Children's books, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Featured illustrators

    A haunting quality…

    A shipwreck, a house by the sea and a family. This is a beautiful story, a book with incredibly spiritual illustrations and just a few words, and yet it says so much. I read it and looked at it many times picking  up a subtle undertext through the illustrations. It is a book to have when times are hard and maybe we are all lost for words.

    Margaret Wild is an Australian author and her thoughtful, award-winning children’s books have been published with great success in many countries. They include Old Pig (shortlisted, CBCA Picture Book of the Year), Fox (winner, CBCA Picture Book of the Year), The Dream of the Thylacine (honour book, CBCA Picture Book of the Year), and On the Day You Were Born, all illustrated by Ron Brooks. Margaret has been the recipient of the Nan Chauncy Award and the Lady Cutler Award for her contributions to Australian Literature.

    Jane Tanner began illustrating picture books in 1984 with Margaret Wild’s There’s a Sea in my Bedroom (shortlisted, Kate Greenaway Medal. Her many awards and shortlisted books include Drac and the Gremlin by Allan Baillie (joint winner, CBCA Picture Book of the Year. In 2017 Jane illustrated Storm Whale by Sarah Brennan (nominated, Kate Greenaway Medal; shortlisted, Prime Minister’s Literary Award; shortlisted, Queensland Literary Awards).

    Allen and Unwin are the Australian publishers Girl from the Sea joins an incredibly powerful list of beautifully published books with meaning and power to touch people and bring changes to our world.

    There is a haunting quality to Girl From the Sea and it fits a perfect place for thoughtful and evocative life experiences.

    Sue Martin

    Wonderful words and pictures, everywhere

    Shoestring The boy Who Walks on Air by Julie Hunt and Dale Newman

    By

    On September 4, 2020

    In 9 to 10 years, Allen and Unwin, Books go Walkabout, Featured authors, Featured illustrators, New titles

    But trouble is brewing…

    A gripping illustrated adventure about a travelling circus troupe, a future-telling macaw and a cursed pair of gloves that Shoestring must conquer once and for all. A companion to the award-winning KidGlovz.


    Twelve-year-old Shoestring is leaving behind his life of crime and starting a new career with the Troupe of Marvels. Their lead performer, he has an invisible tightrope and an act to die for. But trouble is brewing – the magical gloves that caused so much turmoil for KidGlovz are back.

    When he’s wearing the gloves, the world is at Shoestring’s fingertips. It’s so easy to help himself to whatever he likes – even other people’s hopes and dreams. But when he steals his best friend’s mind, he’s at risk of losing all he values most.

    Julie Hunt is the author to this amazingly intriguing and, like nothing else you will ever read book! It is a compelling sequel to KidGlovz, winner of the 2016 Queensland Literary Award and named as one of Booktrust UK’s 100 best books for middle readers.

    Dale Newman has captured the imagery of Shoestring perfectly and she
    has been engaged in creative life for many years.and now works as a freelance illustrator. KidGlovz was her very first-ever epic graphic novel. Dale lives on the New South Wales coast of Australia with her partner and son, who kindly agreed to model for the book. Her artwork also appears on the cover of Julie’s award-winning novel Song for a Scarlet.

    Obsession, revenge and the threads that bind us…

    Allen and Unwin are the publishers,they have created wonderful materials to go with this book. You can download a free set of Teacher’s Resources to go with Shoestring which will create some excellent writing skills.

    Every so often a book lands on my desk in Cambridge, UK which grabs me! After ten minutes on the sofa, Shoestring is coming home with me to read tonight. Definitely one to read.

    Sue Martin

    Books and authors from around the world

    A King’s Armour- Book Two in The Chronicles of Will Ryde and Awa Maryam Al-Jameel

    By

    On March 18, 2020

    In Hope Road Publishing, 9 to 10 years, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Libraries

    The story is set in Istanbul, 1592. In the court of Sultan Murad the Third, where a mysterious manuscript arrives claiming to know the location of the fabled armour of King David.

    The Sultan goes into melt down to discover the site of the armour, so frantic is he to be the bearer of the armour and gain the protection of the legendary breast plate.

    He has never led armies into battle but with this armour he would be sure of success, or so he believes.

    This is the second in the series of The Chronicles of Will Ryde and Awa Maryam Al-Jameel and is an action-packed adventure in Istanbul. A story about unity and how a diverse set of individuals work together to seek a common goal.

    “ Will and Awa, our protagonists, navigate, trying to keep true to their values yet weary of their obligations to their imperial overlords.” Rehan Khan.

    Rehan was born in London and now lives in Dubai with his family, where he also works as a visiting professor in an international business school. His first book in the series; A Tudor Turk was a great success and is nominated for The Cilip Carnegie Medal 2020.

    Hope Road Publishing is an independent publisher promoting literature with a focus on Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, along with neglected and often unheard voices. They have some enormously good books with  wonderful diversity.

    A King’s Armour is an amazing book, packed with adventure, intrigue and history. The characters are brought to life by the expertise of the author and the story carries on at a pace that makes turning every page a joy.

    Exceptionally worth reading and buying for children ages 9-14 or thereabouts. Great for home, school or library and would ably support other curriculum areas in school.

    Sue Martin

    The Story of Inventions by Catherine Barr & Steve Williams, illustrated by Amy Husband

    By

    On March 6, 2020

    In All Ages, BookMonitor, Books go Walkabout, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Featured illustrators, Lincoln Children's Books, New titles, Non Fiction

    The Story of Inventions is just the book for anyone interested in  discoveries and uses today. From wheels and lodestones to vaccines and engines, this book is packed with information and illustrations which bring life to the words.

    The page on flight, for instance, explains that for many years planes were only used for cargo. But now planes fill our skies carrying people all over the world, making the world a smaller place.

    Surprisingly, the idea of computers was first invented in 1830’s with machines to do the maths. By the 1940’s computers were used to crack codes which helped to finish the second world war. Today we would be totally lost without them.

    Catherine Barr is well know for her books for Frances Lincoln Publishers; especially The Story of Life and The Story of Space. She has worked for the Natural History Museum, among other places and is a keen author of non fiction titles with enormous appeal.  Steve Williams is a biologist, a teacher and beekeeper ,as well as an ardent writer of interesting books for children.

    Amy Husband is a talented, award winning illustrator and her illustrations in this book are brilliantly supportive of the text.

    A book for me to read this evening and I am sure I will find out and remember much about inventions that I never knew before.

    Sue Martin

    Wild in the Streets- 20 Poems of City Animals

    By

    On February 22, 2020

    In BookMonitor, Books go Walkabout, Children's books, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Featured illustrators, Poetry

    This is a captivating book full of poems about different animals living in cities across the world. A book of adaptation; bats, boars, coyotes, huntsman spiders, honeybees and reticulated pythons. Poems which reflect the nature of the animal and its new habitat and at the back is a glossary with  different types of poems like cinquains to sonnets, and acrostics to reversos.

    ‘It may be hard to believe that wildlife can survive among the densely packed houses, huge skyscrapers, tarmac, pavements and sewers. Some animals were there before humans encroached on their territory and others have been introduced on purpose, like the Honeybees in Vancouver.’ Marilyn Singer

    Reticulated pythons were in Singapore before the city existed and survive in the sewers and waterway, living on rats, cats and birds. Monarch butterflies have long migrations but at the end of the summer gather in Pacific Grove,California before travelling north again in the Spring.

    Marilyn Singer is the author and Gordy Wright is the illustrator and they have combined their talents to produce this beautiful book published by Words and Pictures.

    An exciting and inspiring way to think about animals in our cities.

    Sue Martin

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