FOUR MEANINGFUL

C H I L D R E N ’S B O O KS

A FORTUNATE LIFE by A.B. Facey, Fremantle Press AGE: Younger readers

Bert Facey was an ordinary man who lived an extraordinary life. He was born in 1894 in the wheat belt of WA. His father died when he was two and when he was deserted by his mother, his grandmother sent him to work at eight _ clearing, plowing, fencing, droving. He was an experienced bushman at 14 and a professional boxer in a travelling troupe at 18. He taught himself to read and write. Bert raised his family during the Depression, survived Gallipoli, and lost a son in WWII. New edition adapted for younger readers.

THE DAY MY BRAIN WENT CRAZY by Michelle Karavas, Creative Publishing AGE: 7+

Jake is good when he is out, but at home lots of things make him cross. When he is asked to eat veggies and to clean his room, Jake does the opposite – wrecks his room and throws his toys everywhere. “Why does my brain go crazy?” he asks, exhausted. Mum makes him a Calm Chart of things to do instead: punch a pillow or a mattress, kick a ball, squeeze lemons! And it works – so much so, mum lets him choose a movie as a reward. Karavas counsels children with depression, social skill anger, autism, grief and bullying.

WAVES by Donna Rawlins, Mark Jackson & Heather Potter, Walker Books AGE: 7+

Thought-provoking, gently illustrated stories of 15 journeys across the sea to Australia, from people fleeing persecution, war and famine, over tens of thousands of years. Yiddish Olga has not yet told her siblings they are orphans, as they sail on a rusty hulk from a camp to a safe place. Harry doesn’t have a Mam to see him off and Da hasn’t known him since coming back from war. He must make the Empire proud, as he sails to a better life. He takes care of Terrance, who has him name pinned to his coat.

SCAREDY BOOK by Devon Sillett and Cara King, EK Books AGE: 5+

Utterly original wide-eyed adventure from this talented author/illustrator team. Book loves living in the library – it is safe, warm and peaceful. But when his shelf-mates come back from trips outside; creased, torn, sticky, pages missing – and sometimes not at all! – he wants to take cover. Emma loves the library, too; it’s where she goes for adventures. One day Book straightens up his spine and turns to the girl with gumption. She takes him on a picnic, where crumbs fall between his folds! So what? A comfort to a clingy child and a helicopter parent.