Cirrus@Austlit

'Her mother says you can't see her daddy's hurt because it's inside his head. One in five adults experiences depression in their lifetime, but young children are often left in the dark when their mother or father suddenly can't play like they used to.

'Together Things will resonate with the thousands of young children who know what it's like to live with a parent experiencing mental illness, helping them to understand -- in an age appropriate and sensitive way -- that it is okay for them to feel mad or sad about their parent's illness, but that, while their parent is getting better, they may have to do different things together to preserve their relationship, such as reading stories or drawing pictures, instead of the imaginative play their parent cannot currently envision through the haze of mental illness.

'Through wondrous illustrations and a compelling story, young children can understand the importance of mental health discussions and that sometimes they must adapt their interactions while the people in their lives focus on their mental health.'  (Publication summary)

'Every two seconds, someone in the world suffers a stroke. In Finding Granny, that someone is Edie’s beloved grandmother. When Edie comes to the hospital, she is confronted by the physical changes in her grandmother: muddled words, a crooked face, a woman confined to bed. This isn’t the ‘playtime, bedtime, story-time pantomime Granny’ that Edie knows. But when her mother takes Edie to watch one of Granny’s art therapy sessions, Edie starts to understand that the Granny she loves is still there.  Finding Granny is a heart-warming story of changing relationships and the bond between children and grandparents. It’s also a sensitive exploration of coping with illness and disability that will offer children much-needed comfort.'

Source: Author's blurb.

'Zane is different to other kids. He has his own made-up language. He likes to line things up. And he is frightened of things that don't seem to bother other people - like the colour black. His father gets frustrated and angry with Zane. His mother tries hard to explain things to him. But nothing seems to work. Zane just scrunches himself up into a ball and screams. Things are looking pretty bleak for Zane and his family; that is, until Zane's big sister starts to draw a chalk rainbow at the top of the front steps ... The Chalk Rainbow explores difference and diversity through a family living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It's also a story of unconditional love, of trust and of learning to look at the world through the eyes of others. The story is told by Zane's older sister in a way that young children can easily relate to. The ending is uplifting as all members of the family learn to look at things differently and find a way to move forward together.' (Publication summary)

'Patch the pony is lonely. He has fun with his young owner, Sam, and the other farm animals are friendly, but sometimes it feels as if he still doesn’t quite fit in. Then one day Sam has an idea and something happens that changes Patch’s life forever. Patch and Ruby is a wonderful, often very funny tale about friendship and finding out where you belong.' (Publication summary)

'Sarah’s mother is tired of finding odd socks in the laundry basket. Where do all the missing socks go? Sarah’s mother is pretty sure the puppy is responsible but Sarah knows better. And her mother simply mustn’t find out the truth! The Great Sock Secret is a wonderfully fun adventure into an imaginative world that’s home to some very cool fairies. You’ll never look at your socks in the same way again!' (Publication summary)

'A ballerina in a music box loves nothing more than to dance. Her days are filled with joy as she dances for her little girl owner, and also pops out of her box for some extra fun and excitement when the little girl isn’t looking! But when her owner grows up and isn’t a little girl anymore, who will dance with the ballerina then? Dance with Me is a gorgeous story about treasured possessions and the memories they hold.' (Publication summary)

'In these three delightful stories, fairies, ponies and ballerinas come out to play!

In Dance with Me, a ballerina in a music box loves nothing more than to dance. But when the little girl who owns the box grows up, who will dance with the ballerina then? A gorgeous story about treasured possessions and the memories they hold.

In Patch and Ruby, Patch the pony is lonely. Sometimes it feels as if he doesn't quite fit in on the farm. But one day something happens that changes his life forever. A wonderful tale about friendship and finding out where you belong.

In The Great Sock Secret, Sarah's mother is tired of finding odd socks in the laundry basket. Where do all the missing socks go? Sarah knows. But her mother mustn't find out! A fantastical adventure into an imaginative fairy-filled

Warning: these fairies are seriously cool!' (publication blurb).

'Sometimes Sophie worries — not during the day when she is busy with family and friends, but at night when everything is calm and quiet. Her family all try to help, but somehow they just make her worries worse. Until her mother thinks of a new approach … that might just involve an elephant or two! But wait, don’t think about purple elephants, whatever you do! Whimsical and humorous, this little girl’s story of finding a way to ease her worry resonates with children and parents everywhere.' (Publication summary)