AustLit

'I know your world is feeling grey but it won’t always be this way. And everyone alive can say they’ve felt the way you do today.

'We all have bad days, and bad days do pass.

'From creative superstars Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys comes a message of hope that we can depend upon and live by: bad days pass, and no matter what happens, we are deserving of love. An uplifting and healing book that every family needs in an era of overwhelming change.' (Publication summary)

'Smart is not just ticks and crosses,
smart is building boats from boxes.
Painting patterns, wheeling wagons,
being mermaids, riding dragons …'

‘Every page of this book in joyous, imaginative and life-affirming … All the Ways to be Smart is a celebration of what childhood can be, and it will likely become a classic.’

Source: Publisher's blurb. 

Under the Love Umbrella is a celebration of the enduring love that surrounds our children, wherever they are in the world. Inspired by the rhythm of the New York subway's L-train, the gentle rhyming text - accompanied by beautiful, vintage inspired illustrations - draws out the small things that can loom large in a little person's life, from big dogs to lost teeth, and from forgotten hats to friends who won't share. Whatever the troubles, the comfort of our love umbrella is always there, and parents and children will delight in this visual representation of the bond they share. This is a perfect gift book for new parents and babies, as well as for children embarking on big changes and new adventures, who may benefit from this lovely reminder of the permanence of love.' (Publication summary)

'The night before the Underwater Fancy Dress Parade, Alfie got that feeling...

Sometimes it's hard to be brave. Sometimes you get that feeling. Alfie isn't sure he can go to the parade, but his mum knows there's at least one special place for Alfie - a beautiful shimmery, underwater world that tells Alfie it's okay to feel shy. Because sometimes you're just not ready...until, one day, you are.' (Publication summary)

'Born in 1894, Albert Facey lived the rough frontier life of a sheep farmer, survived the gore of Gallipoli, raised a family through the Depression and spent sixty years with his beloved wife, Evelyn. Despite enduring hardships we can barely imagine today, Facey always saw his life as a "fortunate" one. A true classic of Australian literature, his simply written autobiography is an inspiration. It is the story of a life lived to the full – the extraordinary journey of an ordinary man.' (Penguin Australia abstract)

'A lighthearted novel for children about the game of chess.

'Jackson is sporty and popular.

'Anna doesn't like the sporty, popular people.

'So when Jackson joins the chess squad, Anna does not initially welcome him. But Anna is about to learn some things about friendship, chess and physical fitness.' (From the publisher's website.)