Norah Colvin

Live Love Laugh Learn … Create the possibilities

Tag: Picture books

  • Two new books by Norah Colvin for Library For All

    Two new books by Norah Colvin for Library For All

    Earlier this month I was excited to receive copies of two new Library For All publications in the mail, especially when they were books written by me! The books are two versions of the same text, one in English, A Fast Car, and the other in Swahili Gari Linaloenda Haraka.

    I have now contributed over twenty books to the Library For All collection, with five published in languages other than English, including Gari Linaloenda Haraka (A Fast Car in Swahili), I maamaeka iaa? (Where Do I live? in the language of Kiribati) and Ami-nia Jardin Arkuiris (Our Rainbow Garden in Tetum, the language of Timor-Leste). Where Do I Live? and What Do They Give Us? are also published in Burmese and Vietnamese. Of course, I am delighted to be able to contribute to the wonderful work of Library For All in this way and support the development of literacy worldwide.

    About Library For All

    From their website:

    “We believe everyone should have access to stories that reflect their world—and see the potential in new ones. Alongside our local and global partners, we develop, publish and deliver culturally relevant books for children and young readers, breaking barriers where access to learning resources is limited.”

    “We’re passionate about building partnerships to ensure knowledge accessible to all, equally.

    From offline locations in Papua New Guinea, to remote communities in Ethiopia and crisis areas in Ukraine, Library For All is already supporting more than 560,000 children on their learning journey.

    One study revealed that children reading with us could recognise 71% more words than their peers.”

    Tetum, an Austronesian language spoken on the island of Timor that is an official language of

    Accessing the Library For All collection

    While the entire collection of digital books is available to download free from Library For All through a free app, the purchase of printed books from the collection helps to support the work of Library For All. You can find all the books and access the apps for both Android and Apple in their website shop here.

    My books can be found on my Amazon Author page.

    Enjoy exploring the Library For All collection.

    Best wishes,

    Norah

  • When Grandma Burnt Her Bra by Samantha Tidy & Aśka – a review – #readilearn

    When Grandma Burnt Her Bra by Samantha Tidy & Aśka – a review – #readilearn

    Today it is my pleasure to review a brilliant new picture book: When Grandma Burnt Her Bra, written by Samantha Tidy, illustrated by Aśka, and published by EK Books.

    About When Grandma Burnt Her Bra

    Publication information

    When Grandma Burnt her Bra

    Samantha Tidy & Aśka

    9781922539465 | Hardback | 32 pages | 215 x 288mm | $24.99 | 6th September 2023 | Children’s Picture Book

    A revolutionary grandma tells her grandchild the story of the women’s rights movement, and the ‘dinosaurs’ she had to fight against. History and humour combine in this lesson about equality for little readers.

    The Blurb

    Maggie’s grandma burnt her bra when she was young!

    Not because she didn’t like underwear, but because she wanted to protest against women not having the same rights as men.

    Maggie and her grandma think those kinds of ideas should be extinct – just like the dinosaurs!

    Join them on this fun-filled adventure through the history of women’s rights and be inspired to keep the feminist flame burning!

    About the author Samantha Tidy

    Samantha Tidy is a writer of fiction and non-fiction for both children and adults. She seeks out stories that cultivate connection, resilience and build community. She believes strongly that books can help us imagine a better world for the next generation to inherit. She is passionate about libraries, sustainable stewardship of our planet and using hope, action and compassion to regenerate our future. Samantha’s previous titles include Our Bush Capital (Storytorch Press, 2020) and The Day We Built the Bridge (MidnightSun Publishing, 2019).

    About the illustrator Aśka

    Aśka, (pronounced ‘Ash-ka’), is creative dynamite. She is an energetic visual storyteller, a comic maker and an ex-quantum physicist. Passionate about visual literacy, Aśka is an engaging presenter who travels across Australia teaching drawing-as-a-language to enthusiastic audiences. She has published many books and comics, volunteers for numerous literary organisations, and is the recipient of several government Arts grants, prizes, and the May Gibbs Fellowship. Sometimes she sleeps. Aśka’s illustrations are featured in previous EK Books titles My Storee, The Incurable Imagination and This is NOT a Book!

    What I like about When Grandma Burnt Her Bra

    A book that includes a feisty grandma, an inquisitive child and a whole bunch of cave men and dinosaurs – what’s to not love?

    Continue reading: When Grandma Burnt Her Bra by Samantha Tidy & Aśka – a review – readilearn

  • Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! By Sharon Giltrow — a review – #readilearn

    Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! By Sharon Giltrow — a review – #readilearn

    Today it is my pleasure to review the hilarious new picture book Let’s Go Shopping, GRANDMA!, written by Sharon Giltrow, illustrated by Dhwani Gosalia and published by Dixi Books. This post is part of a Books on Tour promotion.

    About author Sharon Giltrow

    Sharon Giltrow grew up in South Australia, the youngest of eight children, surrounded by pet sheep and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children and a tiny dog. Sharon is a children’s author who writes humorous and heartfelt picture books and speculative, adventure-filled middle grade books. Since 2020 Sharon has built a collection of literary work including BEDTIME, DADDY! and GET READY, MAMA! LET’S GO SHOPPING, GRANDMA! is her third picture book. A fourth, LET’S GO TO THE BEACH, GRANDPA! is due to be released in 2024. Her debut early middle grade book SAMARA RUBIN AND THE UTILITY BELT – Book one in THE UTILITY BELT series was released in July 2023.

    Sharon can be found at her website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

    About Let’s Go Shopping, GRANDMA!

    For ages 3 – 8

    Published by Dixi Books

    A hilarious tongue-in-cheek role-reversal story, following the success of Bedtime, Daddy! and Get Ready, Mama!, Sharon Giltrow has done it again!

    The blurb

    Taking Grandma shopping can be tricky! She will dawdle to the bus, ask to push the trolley and plead for chocolate. But with cuddles, a few deep breaths and a piggy back ride, you and your grandma will get the shopping done!

    Let’s Go Shopping, GRANDMA! is an essential guide for anyone who has ever had to take a grown-up shopping.

    What I like about Let’s Go Shopping, GRANDMA!

    Let’s Go Shopping, GRANDMA! is such a fun book. I was immediately captivated by the bright vibrant colours of the cover illustration. The characters appear to be having a lot of fun while they shop. Though I do wonder if that’s a little frazzle I see around Grandma’s edges, she has an armful of chocolate so it can’t be all bad.

    The story is engaging and fun through the whole shopping experience, from the initial invitation to shop to the recuperation afterwards. The story is told from the child’s point of view, having to keep a check on Grandma’s behaviour throughout the shopping process. Adults and children alike will recognise and identify with behaviours that are explored. Other than a misbehaving trolley, there are not too many events that couldn’t be interpreted from either’s point of view. But it is the twist, telling the story from the child’s point of view, that really accentuates the humour in what can be a challenging situation if we let it. If we can expect, accept and laugh at the things that happen when we’re out shopping, like stopping to talk to friends, wanting treats at the checkout, having to pee halfway through the shop, etc,

    Continue reading: Let’s Go Shopping, Grandma! By Sharon Giltrow — a review – readilearn

  • Love me, Love my ADHD by Chrissie Davies – a review – #readilearn

    Love me, Love my ADHD by Chrissie Davies – a review – #readilearn

    Today it is my pleasure to review a beautiful new picture book Love ME, Love my ADHD written by Chrissie Davies, illustrated by Trish Burton and published by Chaos to Calm Consultancy. This post is part of a Books on Tour promotion.

    About Love ME, Love my ADHD ­– the blurb

    For ages 5 – 12

    ADHD kids are pretty amazing! They have a special way of thinking that’s different from their neurotypical friends, which can sometimes make them feel like they don’t fit in. But don’t worry; with the right support from family, friends, and peers, ADHD kids can do incredible things!

    Welcome to the world of Clancy and Tully – they see the world a little differently and in the most amazing ways!

    Love Me, Love My ADHD is a heartwarming book that shines a light on the world of children (and families) living with ADHD.

    Focusing on the strengths and challenges that come with being an ADHDer, this book emphasises that ADHD is not a one-size-fits-all experience and that no two ADHDers are the same.

    Even on their hardest days, our ADHDers have something valuable to offer, and we should always celebrate our differences. Now you can spend a day in the life of these kids and see how their family, friends, and peers support them to achieve their best.

    Written by child behaviour expert Chrissie Davies and illustrated by Trish Burton, Love ME, Love My ADHD encourages families, educators, and, most importantly, children to understand this complex neurotype and how it presents itself in the human brain.

    Includes strategies and resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers.

    About author Chrissie Davies

    Chrissie Davies is a child behaviour expert, trauma informed educator, consultant, writer, guest speaker, loving mama of two, and passionate advocate for understanding neurodivergent children. She is committed to empowering and supporting families to live their life with radical acceptance, curiosity, playfulness and a bucket load of love. She lives with her husband and young family on the Surf Coast of Victoria.

    Chrissie can be found at her website: https://www.chaostocalmconsultancy.com/ and on social media at Facebook & Instagram. 

    About illustrator Trish Burton

    Trish Burton is a Melbourne based artist, illustrator and educator with a dedication to inspiring creativity in others and creating artworks and illustrations that captivate audiences and set brands apart. She skillfully manages to add a little piece of her magnetic personality to all she creates through her love of pattern and colour. Trish is an Artist, Illustrator, Educator and lover of everything creative!

    Trish can be found at her website: https://www.trishburton.com.au/ and on social media on Instagram.

    What I like about Love ME, Love my ADHD

    The vibrant colours and energetic illustrations are immediately captivating, and the opening text invites us to enter to find out about the world of ADHDers, telling us it may not be what we expect.

    Continue reading: Love me, Love my ADHD by Chrissie Davies – a review – readilearn

  • Inspire Creativity with International Dot Day – #readilearn

    Inspire Creativity with International Dot Day – #readilearn

    September 15-ish is International Dot Day.

    The goal of International Dot Day is to inspire people of all ages to embrace the power of personal creativity, to make their mark on the world, making it a better place.

    Creativity is important to me. I love being creative. I love inspiring creativity in children, and I acknowledge that it is only through creativity that we can innovate, advance and improve our world. For this reason, I am posting a day early to ensure you all know about International Dot Day in time to celebrate. However, any day is a good day to celebrate and promote creativity.

    The Dot — the book

    The Dot, written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds and published by Walker Books in 2003, tells of an art teacher who encouraged a young artist, who didn’t believe she could, to make her mark on a piece of paper. Although the story features an art teacher, Reynolds dedicated the book to his 7th grade math teacher who, he said, ‘dared me to “make my mark”.’

    Like Reynolds, I believe there is a spark of creativity in everyone and that a dot is as good a place as any to start. What I really love about this book, is the way the teacher encourages the student Vashti, who then goes on to encourage others in a similar way. The ripples of a ‘you can do it’ philosophy spread. Who know where they will reach? Hopefully everywhere.

    How International Dot Day began

    (from the website)

    International Dot Day began when Iowa teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Reynolds’ book, and noticed the original publishing date of The Dot was Sept. 15, 2003. Shay and his students decided to celebrate the book’s birthday – and, little did they know, launched what would become a worldwide celebration of creativity and courage to “make your mark.”

    “The Dot, is an invitation to students to be creative, and experience a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, said Shay, a public school teacher for over two decades “Every great teacher works for those transformational moments.”

    Exploring the themes of creativity, bravery and self-expression, The Dot is a story of a perceptive and caring teacher who reaches a reluctant student who thinks she can’t draw by encouraging her to be brave enough to “just make a mark and see where it takes you.”  The Dot has been translated into many languages (including Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Hebrew, Spanish and even Braille) and the animated film of The Dot (produced by Reynolds’ multimedia design and development firm FableVision Studios and co-producer Scholastic) earned the Carnegie Medal of Excellence.

    Continue reading: Inspire Creativity with International Dot Day – Readilearn

  • Dreaming with Eyes Open CBCA BOOK WEEK 2022 – #readilearn

    Dreaming with Eyes Open CBCA BOOK WEEK 2022 – #readilearn

    Book Week is almost upon us. It runs from 20 – 26 August. The theme for Book Week this year is Dreaming with Eyes Open.

    The beautiful artwork in the poster for this year was created by author-illustrator Jasmine Seymour. You can hear her speak briefly about the artwork and what the theme means to her in this video in which the theme was announced. I think you’ll agree that the artwork is beautiful.

    Book Week is an annual event organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and has been held every year since 1945. It is a celebration of Australian children’s books, their authors and illustrators. Celebrations take place in schools and libraries across Australia with displays, story telling and reading, competitions and parades. I think the favourite activity for many is dressing up as storybook characters.

    Shortlisted books

    All the books shortlisted for the awards are listed on the website. A ‘read more’ button beside each book takes you to teaching notes, critiques by the judges, reviews and other activities where available.

    The books are organised into different categories for the awards:

    • Book of the Year: Older Readers
    • Book of the Year: Younger Readers
    • Book of the Year: Early Childhood
    • The Picture Book of the Year
    • Eve Pownall Award (a focus on factual material)
    • CBCA Award for New Illustrator

    We eagerly await the announcement of the winners.

    Australian School Library Day

    This year, to coincide with Book Week, the first annual Australian School Library Day will held on 24 August 2022 (the Wednesday of Book Week). The purpose of the day is to highlight and celebrate school libraries. What a great combination of celebrations of children’s literature, reading and libraries. The Australian School Library Day (ASLD) website has suggestions of how you can join in the celebration.

    The following information was provided by Students Need School Libraries in their promotional brochure for the day.

    “Did you know?

    The School Library Association of Victoria first developed School Libraries Day as far back as 1994. It was an official day for lobbying for school libraries by targeting principals and politicians. By 1999, School Libraries Day went International and was adopted by the International Association of School Librarianship. 
    It now exists as International School Library Month (ISLM), where each nation is encouraged to select their own day in October to celebrate school libraries.  This year’s ISLM theme is Reading for Global Peace and Harmony. 
    How fantastic to see our Aussie school library staff having a global impact!”

    I agree! I’m sure you do too.

    Other great resources

    Continue reading: Dreaming with Eyes Open CBCA BOOK WEEK 2022 – readilearn

  • Let’s Celebrate Queensland Day 2022 – #readilearn

    Let’s Celebrate Queensland Day 2022 – #readilearn

    Next Monday 6 June is Queensland Day, and, since I am a Queenslander, I thought I’d share a little about my home state, including Queensland authors and illustrators I have interviewed over the years.

    12 Facts about Queensland

    1. Queensland is in north-eastern Australia. It is the second-largest state by area (after Western Australia) and the third-largest in population (after New South Wales and Victoria).
    Image courtesy of Hidesy’s Clipart https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Hidesys-Clipart

    2. Queensland is bordered by New South Wales, Northern Territory and South Australia. The Pacific Ocean is along its eastern coastline.

    3. The most northern part of Australia, Cape York, is in Queensland. Though I am told it is very beautiful and is a popular camping and four-wheel drive destination, I’ve never been there. (I’m not a camper or a four-wheel driver.)

    4. One of the seven wonders of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef, is located along Queensland’s coastline.

    5. The world’s three largest sand islands, Fraser, Bribie and Stradbroke, are also located on Queensland’s coast.

    6. The capital of Queensland, Brisbane (where I live), is located in the south-east corner of the state.

    7. Queensland Day celebrates the day in 1859 that Queensland separated from New South Wales to become an independent colony.

    8. Queensland’s state fauna emblem is the koala. The koala is a marsupial (mammal with a pouch) that is native only to Australia and lives mainly along the east and south coasts.

    Image used courtesy of The Painted Crow https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Australian-Plants-Clip-Art-Emblems-4686986

    9. Queensland’s state floral emblem is the Cooktown Orchid. It is native to northern Queensland and was named after a town there.

    10. Queensland’s state bird emblem is the brolga, a tall bird which is noted for its graceful mating dance.

    11. Queensland’s state gem is the sapphire, and the aquatic symbol is the anemone fish from the Great Barrier Reef.

    12. Anyone in Australia who follows sport, probably doesn’t need to be told that our state colour is maroon.

    Continue reading: Let’s Celebrate Queensland Day 2022 – readilearn

  • Make Time for families in National Simultaneous Storytime 2022 – #readilearn

    Make Time for families in National Simultaneous Storytime 2022 – #readilearn

    Next week, on Wednesday 25 May at 11:00am AEST, we will be celebrating the 22nd National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS). Are you ready?

    The event

    National Simultaneous Storytime is an annual event organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) with the aim of promoting the value of reading and literacy.

    Each year an Australian picture book is chosen to be read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the nations on either side of the Tasman Sea. Selected books explore age-appropriate themes and address key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

    It is free to register for the event. If you do, on Monday 23 May you will receive various free downloadable material, including a PDF of the book, to support your own event. You can register right up until the event begins. There are also many other free teaching resources available on the website, including resources from Learn From Play, Clever Patch, and Clever Bean.

    The book

    The book selected for this year’s simultaneous story time is Family Tree written by Josh Pyke, illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh and published by Scholastic Australia. Family Tree is a celebration of family, community and the circle of life. It begins with the planting of a seed and is told from the tree’s point of view. As the tree grows, so does the family.

    ‘It started with a seed,

    and that seed was me.

    And, over time, laughter filled my garden…

    A heartfelt celebration of family, community and the seasons of life, to cherish and to share.’

    Visit Scholastic Australia’s website to purchase your copy of the book.

    To help build your enthusiasm, here is a video of Josh talking about his book Family Tree.

    I hope you and your children enjoy this exciting event. I’d love to know how you celebrate. I’ll be joining in, reading along with my own copy or perhaps joining in with the event organised at my local library. There’s so much fun to be had in books and libraries.

    What I like about Family Tree

    I love the way this book is told from the point of view of the tree, the way it notices changes in the family and the community through the

    Continue reading: Make Time for families in National Simultaneous Storytime 2022 – readilearn

  • The Precious Plum ― an original fairytale by Jennifer Horn – #readilearn

    The Precious Plum ― an original fairytale by Jennifer Horn – #readilearn

    Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Jennifer Horn, author and illustrator of a delightfully nostalgic but contemporary fairytale The Precious Plum.

    About Author-Illustrator Jennifer Horn

    Jennifer Horn is a Brisbane-based freelance illustrator and budding children’s writer. Her debut picture book “The Precious Plum” was released in October 2021 amongst some very musical live book launches. She illustrated the cover of Anthology Angels’ children’s fundraising anthology, Once Upon a Whoops!: Fractured Fairytales and Ridiculous Rhymes (2021). Her short stories have appeared in each of Anthology Angels’ annual publications since 2018: It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas (2018), Spooktacular Stories (2019) and Tell ‘Em They’re Dreaming (2020). Her first Young Adult short story, Faulty Connection, was published in Rhiza Edge’s dystopian and sci-fi anthology, Crossed Spaces earlier this year. She was awarded a Highly Commended for her submission of middle grade illustrations at the 2020 CYA Conference.

    With a background in Architecture, Jen draws on her love of stories and adventure to create whimsical illustrations in a Quentin-Blake-inspired squiggle style. She enjoys reading books over local community station Reading Radio, and playing keys, including the piano accordion.  She has also been part of Art Department teams on several Brisbane-based films, including Romance on the Menu on Netflix and The Umbrella on Amazon Prime.

    About The Precious Plum

    When a baker of magical goods for her village attempts to help her good friend the Gentleman, she finds an important ingredient goes missing in the process.

    A tale for all who have unwittingly left a piece of themselves behind, The Precious Plum is a whimsical fairytale about finding that sometimes the things we are looking for are right where we left them.

    What I like about The Precious Plum

    The Precious Plum is a beautiful fable about love and kindness that will appeal to adults as well as to children, or to children as well as to adults.

    I have read this book a number of times, and each time, I have been left with a sense of peace and contentment. It makes me want to pause and breathe in all of nature’s beauty, all the joys of the world. It is like a brief interlude stopping to smell the roses but through the words of a book.

    Continue reading: The Precious Plum ― an original fairytale by Jennifer Horn – readilearn

  • Let’s Get Ready, Mama! with Sharon Giltrow and Arielle Li – #readilearn

    Let’s Get Ready, Mama! with Sharon Giltrow and Arielle Li – #readilearn

    Today it is my pleasure to review a beautiful new picture book Get Ready, Mama! written by Sharon Giltrow, illustrated by Arielle Li and published by EK Books. This post is part of a Books on Tour promotion.

    About author Sharon Giltrow

    Sharon Giltrow is an Authorcator, an Author Educator, based in Western Australia. She writes humorous picture books and middle grade speculative fiction. Her humorous debut picture book Bedtime Daddy, released in May 2020, is a companion book to this new release Get Ready, Mama!

    Sharon has worked with children for all of her career, formerly as a teacher of children who are hearing impaired and Deaf-Blind, and now as an Early Childhood Educator and Teacher Education Support working with Young Children with Developmental Language Disorder.

    Sharon is an enthusiastic and inspirational speaker with a passion for developing children’s oral, visual, and written literacy. She has experience presenting to children from zero- to ten-year-olds. Through Sharon’s author talks students, inspired by a real-life author, will discover the joy of literacy and unlock their hidden creativity.

    Find out more about Sharon Giltrow on her website.

    About Get Ready, Mama!

    Even the most reluctant risers will find the fun in the morning routine with this lively role-reversal story about a mama who just doesn’t want to get ready!

    Getting ready in the morning is a mission for many families with young children, but this inventive, tongue-in-cheek story provides a fun way of speeding things along. Full of heart and humour, Get Ready, Mama! is for anyone who has heard enough of “5 more minutes”.

    What I like about Get Ready, Mama!

    Get Ready, Mama! is a fun role-reversal picture book in which an enthusiastic child attempts to motive a reluctant mother to get up and going in the morning. What a hilariously non-threatening way to discuss those very same avoidance tactics used by many children, and even more, a fun way for parents to play-act reluctance in order to motivate their own children to take responsibility for getting up and getting ready in the mornings.

    Any parent who has ever had to coax a child to get ready in the morning, and I think that’s probably most of us, will identify with Mum’s

    Continue reading: Let’s Get Ready, Mama! with Sharon Giltrow and Arielle Li – readilearn