Get ready for Storytime
+ 12 new readaloud books to add to the rotation
May is a big month on the Australian literary calendar.
As well as Melbourne and Sydney Writers’ Festivals (see here for our list of Children’s Literary Festivals), on May 22 at 12 noon (AEST), ALIA’s National Simultaneous Storytime 2024 begins.
The basic idea is that one picture book written and illustrated by an Australian author will be read out loud in libraries, schools, pre schools, day care centres, family homes, bookshops and a host of other places around the country.
All at the same time.
This year, the featured book is Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker.
Megan described it in episode 115 of the YKNR podcast as being for a middle- to upper-primary audience, and also great for art for senior students.
“It’s just beautiful,” she says. “The imagery is beautiful and Aura has used every shade of blue under the sun and invented a few more. It captures the feelings of longing and collection, as well as the behaviours of bowerbirds.”
It’s a gorgeous story about the bowerbird collecting things – including a huge amount of rubbish and plastic that really shouldn’t be lying about in the environment.
“To me, it’s a really nice analogy of the way that young people, particularly teenagers, like to surround themselves with lots of things, lots of material possessions and collect them like bowerbirds,” Megan says. “But what they’re really looking for is connection, and this is such a beautiful book about realising that what you’re actually looking for is another warm person to be with, rather than just things.”
And don’t overlook the endpapers. “Aura Parker does incredible end papers and she always includes a ‘can you find this?’ puzzle element, which I love,” says Megan.
Listen to Megan’s full review of the book (and ideas for engagement) here.
TIPS FOR READING ALOUD
To celebrate the joyous occasion that is National Simultaneous Storytime, we’ve also unlocked Megan’s Top Tips For Reading A Picture Book Aloud for access by all of our subscribers. We hope you find them useful!
And once you’re on a Storytime roll, why not try these 12 recent picture books that we loved, but that might not have hit your radar!
What Stars Are For by Margeaux Davis
The Independent Pea by Maree Coote
Two Turtles by Kiah Thomas and Jake A Minton
Tayta’s Secret Ingredient by Amal Abu-Eid and Cara King
Ladybirds Do Not Go To Daycare by Ali Rutstein and Niña Nill
When You’re A Boy by Blake Nuto
Miimi and Buwaarr, Mother and Baby by Melissa Greenwood
Dinosaur In My Pocket by Ashleigh Barton and Blithe Fielden
The Beehive by Megan Daley and Max Hamilton
Your Holiday Was The Best! by Maggie Hutchings and Felicita Sala
Pasta! by Felice Arena and Beatrice Cerocchi
This Is My Book by Tim Harris and Heidi McKinnon
UPDATES FROM TEAM YKNR
We might look like a crack team of bouncers ready to take on the world, but Team YKNR is paddling furiously to keep our heads above water at the moment! Term two seems to bring an increase of pace, doesn’t it? Hope it’s smooth sailing at your place.
HELLO FROM MEGAN DALEY
Megan is an award-winning teacher-librarian working in Brisbane, the author of Raising Readers: How to nurture a child’s love of books, and co-host of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast. Her debut picture book THE BEEHIVE is out now! More about Megan here.
Megan has a house! After nearly a three year build, Megan, The Beekeeper + four have the keys and Megan is now drowning under boxes of books, kitchen gadgets, costumes and storage options.
MEGAN’S BOOKMARK REVIEWS
Each month, I share full reviews of two outstanding books that have crossed my desk. Bookmark these for your young readers.
‘Wurrtoo’ by Tylissa Elisara. Illustrated by Dylan Finney
I so enjoyed reading this gorgeous little hardcover tale of Wurrtoo!
It all began in a burrow. The fifty-fifth burrow of Bushland Avenue to be exact. If you were ever lucky enough to find this beautiful clearing on Kangaroo Island where the arching gum trees kiss, you'd know that Wurrtoo's home is the one at the end with the big red trapdoor and large gold doorknob. Can you see it?
Wurrtoo the wombat lives a quiet and solitary life in his burrow on Kangaroo Island, hoping to one day travel to the mainland and marry the love of his life, the sky. When Wurrtoo inadvertently saves Kuula the koala from a bushfire, he acquires the adventure companion he didn't know he needed.
With Kuula by his side, Wurrtoo leaves the safety of his burrow and sets out on an epic journey to cross the island, reach the mainland and climb to the top of tallest tree in the Forest of Dreaming. But it's fire season, and danger and strange creatures lurk behind every gum tree. To make it, the pair must face their fears together, learn the importance of friendship and discover the power of wombat wishes.
This is an Indigenous Blinky Bill meets Winnie the Pooh from 2021 black&write! fellow Tylissa Elisara and I am 100% here for it. Gifting this one far and wide to readers from 6+.
‘Right Way Down and other Poems’ Edited: Rebecca M. Newman and Sally Murphy
I do love a collection of poetry for the library and for home and this one is full of awesome writers and gorgeous poems complete with illustrations by the wonderful Briony Stewart on every page.
Stand on your head with Sally Murphy, explode some dynamite with Cristy Burne or shoot some hoops with Cheryl Kickett-Tucker. Grow a poettree with Meg McKinlay or curl up next to your cat with Amber Moffat and watch a bit of Stink-o-Vision with James Foley. These and loads more poems by Australian poets to discover in Right Way Down. These poems will have you laughing, thinking, and playing with words - whichever way you read them.
HELLO FROM ALLISON RUSHBY
The award-winning, bestselling author of many, many books for children and adults, Allison Rushby’s novels are firm favourites in the Your Kid’s Next Read community. Her latest illustrated junior fiction series, The Wish Sisters, is fast gaining fans. More about Allison R here.
What’s going on in the land of Allison R? Not much reading, that’s what.
Yes, it’s term two. The scary term. Why? Because term two is football, football and more football (when I say football, I mean soccer – I get in trouble if I call it soccer, though. I don’t know why…).
Anyway, it’s club football. It’s school football. It’s football assemblies. It’s team photos. It’s a whole lot of stinky washing.
And it’s the school football canteen where I have learnt how to use EFTPOS machines and make burgers and wrap burgers and put chips in little buckets (fryers are scary) and put together hundreds of little white paper packets of sour straps (gross) and snakes (might have had to eat a few of those). Sometimes I get to read a pickle jar, or best before dates on food packaging, but that’s about it.
I miss reading books on weekends. Bring on term 3, I say!
THREAD OF THE MONTH
I love everything about this post, which probably explains why the football people don’t understand me. The Dewey Decimal System and the benefits of using it in your own private library have never arisen on the football sidelines. Not that I’ve heard anyway.
HELLO FROM ALLISON TAIT
Writing as A. L. Tait, Allison is the internationally published, bestselling author of three middle-grade series: The Mapmaker Chronicles, The Ateban Cipher and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries. She is an in-demand speaker, a writing teacher for kids and adults, and co-host of the YKNR podcast. Her latest novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is out now. More about Allison here.
I am at the pointy end of writing my new book, with less than 10000 words to go and a whole lot of plot threads to bring together.
I am working towards a mid-June deadline but trying to make sure I leave enough time for an unloved and much-maligned – but essential – part of the writing process…
Editing.
The more novels I write the more I appreciate the true beauty of taking a first draft and turning it into something that’s actually good.
When I speak in schools, I do my best to explain the difference between moving a few commas around and actually editing your story, which for me is a three-stage process: Story, Sentences, Full Stops.
I’m also quick to let them know that nobody likes it but that anyone who really wants their work to sing – or to be published – gets to The End of their story, then takes a deep breath and goes back to the beginning to go through it again. And again.
A story will never be perfect, no matter how much you might wish it to be. But editing brings you closer.
Click the red button for a YouTube audio clip of my top three editing tips for kids .
ALL ABOUT VERSE NOVELS
Verse novels are having a ‘moment’ and in episode 154, Megan and Allison looked at the rise and rise of this area of children’s literature.
Why are verse novels increasingly popular? Why do kids love them? How do you read them? What can you do with them in a classroom situation?
We answer all of these questions (and more), as well as sharing a list of recommended verse novels, so don’t miss it! Listen at the button below or where you get your podcasts.
And don’t miss episode 155 (out now), when we talk to celebrated poet Joel McKerrow about his debut graphic novel URBAN LEGEND HUNTERS: THE DREADED MR SNIPE – and find out why he didn’t write a verse novel.
MAY BOOKMAIL WINNER
Each month, we give away a prize pack consisting of some of the brilliant bookmail sent to us for the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast. One winner* is chosen from our full subscriber list by random draw and announced here!
There are SIX books in the MAY prize pack.
The MAY bookmail giveaway winner is … Nicole Newbold.
Congrats! We’ll be in touch by email.
Want a chance to win next month? All you have to do is subscribe.
Here’s to stories!
We’ll see you in June with more bookish goodness. Later this month, paid subscribers can look forward to some insights into middle-grade books – particularly, short ones!
Allison T, Allison R and Megan
*Australian mailing addresses only. Prize consists of one copy of each book pictured, sent as a pack to the winner by Australia Post. Winner will be contacted by email and prize must be claimed within 14 days or a redraw will take place. You must be subscribed to the YKNR newsletter by midnight (AEDST) the night before publication each month to be eligible to win. No correspondence will be entered into.
Love this. Now I need to find kids willing to be subjected to my reading voice.