Issue Details: First known date: 2016... vol. 31 no. 5 November 2016 of Magpies : Talking About Books for Children est. 1986-1995 Magpies : Talking About Books For Children
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Contents

* Contents derived from the 2016 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
Fine Focus : Rachel Tonkin, a Life in Art and Illustration, Tamsin Whaley , single work review essay
'Art, to the artist, is inevitable, but the rest of us want to know: what are the whims, accidents and resolutions that shape a career? How does each artwork come to be just like that? What colour was the telegram delivery bike in South Melbourne during World War II? And what is that chimp doing over there? Like a good biography, Rachel Tonkin's retrospective steers us through her five decades in book illustration and writing, botanical art, and fine art and sculpture, and lets us make some connections' (Introduction)
(p. 4-8)
Meet the Australian Children's Laureate Leigh Hobbs, Robyn Sheahan-Bright , single work essay
"For me it's the feeling that I want to 'spread the word' wherever possible and not just to the converted ... to galvanise a spirit of enthusiasm for what's good and worthwhile and absolutley necessary about the presence of librarians and libraries in schools.' (Introduction)
(p. 14-16)
[Review Essay] Blue Sky, Yellow Kite, Russ Merrin , single work essay review
— Review of Blue Sky, Yellow Kite Janet A. Holmes , 2016 single work picture book ;
(p. 18)
[Review Essay] Wonderlands ; The Illustration Art of Robert Ingpen, Moira Robinson , single work essay review

'This handsome volume is remarkable in several ways. First it marks the 80th birthday of its creator, Robert Ingpen, who already has two books listed for publication in 2016. Secondly, it is a book about his books, nearly 100 of them, and Robert is still hard at work on them.' (Introduction)

(p. 24)
[Review Essay] Counting through the Day, Joy Lawn , single work review essay

'Immediately evident from the cover and endpapers, Counting Through the Day is beautifully constructed, from Anna Pignataro's inviting pencil watercolour, gouche, and vintage fabric and felt collage to Margaret Hamilton's careful word choice and structure.' (Introduction)

(p. 28)
[Review Essay] Ducks Away!, Rayma Turton , single work review essay

'A simple excursion for a family of ducks very quickly becomes an amusing and clever vehicle for a non threatening introduction to counting.' (Introduction)

(p. 28)
[Review Essay] The Sisters Saint-Claire, Liz Derouet , single work review essay

'Cecile is the youngest of a family of five mice. While her four sisters go to the market to sell their produce, Cecile stays home and cooks for their return.' (Introduction)

(p. 28)
[Review Essay] Christmas at Home, Helen Purdie , single work review essay

'There is no doubt that this is an Australian family, celebrating an Australian Christmas. Dawson's charming and colourful cartoons of a suburban celebration abound in clues : Dad and the kids in thongs and shorts; neighborhood gatherings on the lawn and around the barbie; and Christmas lunch, including prawns, en plein air.' (Introduction)

(p. 29)
[Review Essay] The Naughtiest Raindeer Goes South, Sue Osborne , single work review essay

'Nicki Greenberg's third installment in the adventures (or misadventures) of Ruby the Reindeer does not disappoint. Once again, Ruby the precocious sister of the famous Rudolf, is causing consternation.' (Introduction)

(p. 29)
[Review Essay] Agatha and the Dark, Liz Derouet , single work review essay
Agatha returns in this delightful picture book for younger readers. Soft pattern endpapers lead the reader to the inside cover page to show Agatha quivering in bed with monster paws emerging beneath. This picture book is not just about being afraid of the dark, but of being being afraid of other things.
(p. 30)
[Review Essay] Captain Sneer the Buccaneer, Melinda Allan , single work essay review

'There can never be too many pirate picture books, and Captain Sneer the Buccaneer will make a wonderful edition to any pirate themed lesson or story-time kit. The delightful catchy rhyming verse begs to be read aloud and is the perfect length for reading aloud to a group of preschoolers or younger primary school students.' (Introduction)

(p. 30)
[Review Essay] Somewhere Else, Katharine England , single work review essay

' From Gus Gordon who gave us Wendy the chicken with attitude and the New York romance of a heart-sick singing moose and a lonely alligator oboist (Herman and Rosie) comes a wistful French-flavoured tale about a life limited by embarrassment.' (Introduction)

(p. 30)
[Review Essay] The Gobbeldygook and Scribbledynoodle, Tali Lavi , single work review essay

'Even young children of the exceptionally timid variety will find it difficult to be scared by the monsters in this book: the furry Gobbeldygook, whose jagged teeth are forever affixed in a disarming smile and who is initially spooked by the appearance of the other, a hybrid of Kermit the Frog and a gangly alien.' (Introduction)

(p. 30)
[Review Essay] Spark, Moira Robinson , single work review essay

'The author of this grim account of a bushfire actually knows firsthand what it's like: he ran for safety with his Oma when he was just eleven years old during the Ash Wednesday fires in 1983. Adam Wallace has written the story as if he was the fire itself.' (Introduction).

(p. 31)
[Review Essay] Aliens, Ghosts and Vanishings : Strange and Possibly True Australian Stories, Fran Knight , single work review essay

'A compilation of intriguing and amusing stories which amuse, frighten, delight and tantalise is offered in this book. The stories are divided into six groups : Mythical Creatures, Mysterious locations, Haunted Places, UFO Sightings, Bizarre Disappearances and Strange Happenings. Each group contains about half a dozen stories, some of which will be familiar to readers, while others will be wholly unknown.' (Introduction)

(p. 34)
[Review Essay] All of Us Together, Rebecca Kemble , single work review essay

'It's the 1930's in Australia and the O'Casey family is feeling the pinch of the Depression. Daniel, Adelaide and Lydia's father has lost his job and cannot find another in their town, so he takes to the road to look for work. Daniel is now the man of the family and tries to stay out of trouble, though it isn't easy with his friend Bede only too willing to drag him into it. As Daniel tries to navigate the world without his father, and with an ever-shrinking family income, he learns the importance of honesty and the real value of family.' (Introduction)

(p. 34)
[Review Essay] Ellyse Perry Book One : Pocket Rocket ; Book Two : Magic Feet, Patricia Halsall , single work review essay

Ellyse Perry, aged twelve, loves to play sport. Will she be able to handle the challenges of high school and still find time for all her sports? Life is more complex now with extra homework, social occasions, a timetable mix-up and Ms Parkes won't let her on the school cricket team because she thinks Ellyse is too short! Will cricket mee all her sporting needs?' (Introduction)

(p. 34)
[Review Essay] The Unforgettable What's His Name, Evie Marshall , single work review essay
— Review of The Unforgettable What's His Name Paul Jennings , 2016 single work children's fiction ;

'We haven't heard much from Paul Jennings since his Don't Look Now series and it's nice to see a novel from him after all this time. Illustrated by Craig Smith, this is a charming read that addresses loneliness and isolation in children as well as embracing the symptoms of his uniqueness.' (Introduction)

(p. 36)
[Review Essay] Radio Rescue, Vicki Thornton , single work review essay
'Jim lives with his family on their remote outback station Four Wells. They all love station life. Dad with the sheep, Mum with the chooks and Jim chasing goannas and exploring with his dog Bluey. But at times, it is a lonely life for all of them.Radio Rescue looks at the impact of radio communication on the isolated homesteaders in the outback.' (Introduction)
(p. 36)
[Review Essay] When the Lyre Bird Calls, Carmel Ballinger , single work review essay
The cover of When the Lyrebird Calls describes it as a time slip novel set in 1900 Australia, in the tradition of Playing Beatie Bow. The cover of the book is similar to one of the covers of Playing Beatie Bow with the same muted colours and a glass dome, reinforcing the links between the books. In each book the main character is a young girl who is transported back to 1900 Australia via an item of clothing.' (Introduction)
(p. 37)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Last amended 7 Mar 2017 14:17:10
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