Night Monsters Book Review

'The animals in the bush are scared. Something is making terrible noises- is the snake making that hissing? Is it a bear making that growling sound? Can you hear an evil goblin snoring? Help! a giant is roaring!'

Night Monsters was published November 2013 by The National Library of Australia , written by Nina Poulos, and illustrated by Cheryl Westenberg. 

Cackle Kookaburra, Waddle Wombat, Ernest the Echidna, Prunella Possum and their Australian bush friends join together in this rollicking rhyme to reveal who is making all the noises at night.

Larry the Lyrebird finally confesses that he is making all the noises with his mimicking ability. This leads to lively, illustrated information at the back of the book about how the Lyrebird got its name, which has the fancier tail, how they build their nests, and where they live.

With its bright, vibrant illustrations and likeable characters, Night Monsters is a must for children. It begs to be read time and time again as children will enjoy the anticipation of knowing what's going to happen and interacting with the animal sounds. 

 

An Aussie Year

An Aussie Year; Twelve months in the life of Australian kids is Tania McCartney's latest picture book for 6-10 year olds, published by Exile Publishing. 

An Aussie Year, features five fresh faced Aussie kids; Ned, Lily, Zoe, Kirra and Matilda, as they take us through a year in their lives. Each character has their own heritage, interests, and family traditions but each represent the salad bowl of culture that typifies our beautiful country.

Illustrator Tina Snerling, has beautifully captured vibrant and detailed works of art for children and adults to read, admire, and share. Bursting with national pride the story meanders through a vibrant landscape of celebrations, traditions and events - both monumental and every day.

It is a brilliant resource for the classroom for teachers and students as is supported by extensive teaching notes and it relevant to many modules of the new school curriculum including; humanity and social science, history and citizenship, geography, the arts, languages, and design and technology.

Loving produced with a durable printed laminated casebound cover, An Aussie Year is one of those picture books that begs to be read time and time again as each time something new is discovered and learnt. 

Tania McCartney is an author, editor, reviewer and features writer. The founder of Kids Book Review and an ambassador for the National Year of Reading 2012, she is passionate about literacy and has spent many years presenting and speaking on reading, books and writing. She lives in Canberra with her husband and two kids, in a paper house at the base of a book mountain.

Tina Snerling is an illustrator, children’s wear designer and graphic artist. She lives in Brisbane with her husband, two kids and a wild imagination to draw the world with childhood innocence.

Blog Tour Eco Warriors to the Rescue!

I'm so excited to be included in Tania McCartney's blog tour reviewing her picture book, Eco Warriors to the Rescue! Make sure you jump on board the tour by clicking on the links on the bottom of this post.

Book Review:

Eco Warriors to the Rescue! is the latest picture book written by Australian children's author, Tania McCartney and published by the National Library of Australia Publishing.  

Banjo, Ned and Matilda are curious everyday kids but they are also real life Eco Warriors. Join them as they search for the best ways to keep our Australian native plants in tip top shape and battle the enemies that threaten our environment such as litter and pollution.

Children will feel inspired to keep Australia green by the colourful glossy photographs of the Eco Warriors in action and will hopefully become proactive in protecting the flora and fauna in their local community.

Eco Warriors to the Rescue! is perfect for Eco Warriors young and old as there's plenty of interesting facts in the back pages to discover, appreciate and care for our beautiful Australian native flora.

This is another spectacular book for Tania McCartney and the National Library of Australia .

Tania McCartney is an author of both children’s and adult books. An experienced magazine writer and editor, she also founded respected literary site Kids’ Book Review. She is passionate about literacy, and loves to speak on reading, books and writing. Her latest books include Eco Warriors to the Rescue! (National Library Publishing), Riley and the Jumpy Kangaroo: A journey around Canberra (Ford Street), Caroline Chisholm: The Emigrant’s Friend (New Frontier) and An Aussie Year: Twelve months in the life of Australian Kids (EK Publishing). Tania adores books, travel and photography. She lives in Canberra with her family, in a paper house at the base of a book mountain.

Eco Warriors Tour Dates:

Sunday 1 September

Sneak Peek

Tania McCartney’s Blog

taniamccartney.blogspot.com

Review

Boomerang Books Blog

blog.boomerangbooks.com.au

Giveaway

Pass It On

jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com/school-magazine

Mixed Media Illustrations for Picture Books

Angela Sunde

Under the Apple Tree

Monday 2 September

Book Review

Book Giveaway

Kids Book Review

kids-bookreview.com

Eco Tips for Little Readers

Sheryl Gwyther’s Blog

sherylgwyther.wordpress.com

Bringing Up Eco Warriors

The Book Chook

www.thebookchook.com

Review

Books for Little Hands

booksforlittlehands.blogspot.com.au

Literature Supporting Sustainability

Children’s Books Daily

www.childrensbooksdaily.com

Author Interview

Alison Reynolds

www.alisonreynolds.com.au

Tuesday 3 September

Giveaway

My Little Bookcase

www.mylittlebookcase.com.au

Review

5 Multi-Media Writing Tips

DeeScribe

deescribewriting.wordpress.com

Review

Writing for the National Library of Australia

BuzzWords

buzzwordsmagazine.com

Review

Elaine Ouston Blog

elaineoustonauthor.com

Review

Giveaway

Soup Blog

soupblog.wordpress.com

Book Review, Eco Warriors to the Rescue!

Eco Warriors to the Rescue! is the latest picture book written by Australian children's author, Tania McCartney and published by the National Library of Australia Publishing.  

Banjo, Ned and Matilda are curious everyday kids but they are also real life Eco Warriors. Join them as they search for the best ways to keep our Australian native plants in tip top shape and battle the enemies that threaten our environment such as litter and pollution.


Children will feel inspired by the colourful glossy photographs of the Eco Warriors in action and will hopefully become proactive in protecting the flora and fauna in their local community.


Eco Warriors to the Rescue! is perfect for Eco Warriors young and old as there's plenty of information in the back pages to discover, appreciate and care for our beautiful Australian native flora.

Book Review of My Band

Can you guess which instrument I'm going to play? 

Can it be a guitar? 

Can it be a saxophone?

My Band is an interactive picture book written by Elizabeth Lea, illustrated by Chantal Stewart and published by The National Library of Australia. By using clues to guess which instrument is under the flap, children will discover how the instrument is played and whether it belongs to the woodwind, the brass, the percussion or the string family.

Featuring lively and appealing illustrations, My Band portrays the joys of playing a musical instrument and through eight craft activities at the end of the book, encourages children to make their own instruments to play in their own band. 

Suitable for children 0-7 years, My Band is the perfect addition to a child's library as it offers endless reading experiences for children with parents, caregivers, teachers or alone, and develops an early interest in the world of music and instruments.