"No reading at the breakfast table"

... to my nine year old son.  'Stop reading and get out of bed'.  And then having to say it again.  And again.  (Ok by this point it is a little annoying ...). What's got him going on reading this last few weeks is the '13 Storey Treehouse' series by Andy Griffiths.  I think I might love that man just a little bit (although having never met him, it is purely a You Help Boys Get Into Reading kind of love). While there are only three books in the series so far and they take about 1/2 an hour to read it's not going to keep him going for long.  But since the man that I have the  You Help Boys Get Into Reading  love for has written LOADS of books, I think we're now, as they say, cooking with gas.* *I like to throw in a bit of KRudd for my Australian readers every now and then

These are some of my most popular books from 2012 for kids who have just started to be able to read a little on their own. This has been my most borrowed series of the year.

If you read no other kid's book this year, read this book.  My 12yo daughter read it earlier this year and loved it.  And it's been sitting on my desk for weeks but I've been distracted by other books.  I'm so glad I finally got around to it.  I was crying by the end.  It is a beautiful story. The story is about a 10 year old boy called August  who is born with severe facial deformity that means he has been homeschooled.  But his parents have decided that it is time for him to attend a mainstream school so the story begins with his orientation visit to Beecher Prep where he's going to start grade 5. This is a book perfect for upper primary kids.  The author has captured the world of this age in an incredible way.  The story is told from the point of view of the different kids involved in the story.  From the main character August, to his older sister Via.  From the point of view of his new friends Jack and Summer.  From ...

Latest Nanny Piggins book is out.  Number 7 in the series, called 'The Daring Rescue'.  This is a great series and I've had a lot of success with this book at work.  Kids in Years 3-6 have enjoyed it and it is fun to read out aloud.  My number 3 child read it in one sitting.  She's assures me she read it properly despite it taking less than two hours.   R. A. Spratt I read an article a few weeks ago about the author.  Her name is Rachel Spratt and she used to be a comedy writer for Australian TV.  She now has two kids of her own and started writing the series when her kids were little.   I LOVE this puppet!

My sister got me on to the 'Fly Guy' series.  This series is perfect for your early reader (age 4-8) who wants to feel like they are reading a chapter book but isn't quite there yet.  And even more perfect for boys.  Fly Guy is Buzz's pet and Fly Guy is great because he can actually SAY Buzz's name - 'B u z z z z'.  Doesn't every little boy feel attracted to the idea of capturing something like a fly/snail/caterpillar as a pet at some point? Pictures are great - very funny, slightly gross (of course, attractive to little boys).  Covers shiny and bright. Exciting to find something else to attract boys to reading.

For the 13 yo Tintin fan For the 11 yo girl For the 11 yo girl For the 5 yo For the 7 yo boy For the 7 yo boy For the 13 year old boy For the 11 1/2 year old girl For the 9 yo girl (who loves fantasy)

My friend Heidi Goh has written and illustrated this beautiful kid's book, launched in September here in Sydney.  Heidi and Ben have two little boys (7 and almost 5) and it is reflected in her story. 'York's Universe' is the story of York who lives in an apartment block in the city.  A new teacher comes to York's school who is from the country and tells them all about the country.  After this conversation, in his imagination, York moves out of the city (Sydney) into the country and then out into space, out of the solar system and into his universe. It reminds me of all those complicated conversations I've had with my 7 year old boy about space and maps and suburbs and cities. It is a lovely book - lovely to read and lovely to look at.  I've read it with a few groups of kids in the library and they've enjoyed it.  Especially the 5 to 7 year olds.  They love talking about space and they love imagining different worlds. You can buy it from  http:/...

I loved this book (but it's really meant for primary age - to early high school children!).  Connor is in Year 6, and is facing the selective schools test in a few weeks time. The selective schools test is a big deal in Sydney. It enables bright kids to get into academically selective government high schools. It means a free, reasonably good education (this is the perception anyway - my son is in a selective school so time will tell if they live up to their expectations). It is especially a big deal in migrant families. The author, Oliver Phommavanh, is from a Thai family and totally went against his own parent's expectations by pursuing comedy. He also happens to be a primary school teacher in Sydney. So he knows the educational system and the pressures of life in a migrant family first hand. Connor's dad died when he was little and he is the great hope of his wider Chinese family. His mum takes him to the hospital to meet doctors 'to inspire him'.  But he sec...

My kids read a lot of the new books that come across my desk at my work.  This is handy for me, because they read them, tell me what they are about, whether or not they like them and then I look like I know what I'm talking about at work! Here are a few of our recent favs, with the kid's 'verdicts'. Btw, these aren't necessarily just for girls, but it's my girls who have particularly liked these. The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon- Verdict:  Funny (they all liked this including the 13yo) Halfing by Rebecca Lloyd.  Verdict:  Enjoyable (if you like adventure/fantasy) The Golden Door by Emily Rodda.  Verdict:  Great (first in a new series by the author of the Deltora Quest, Rowan of Rin) Give me four reasons by Lizzie Wilcock.  Verdict:  Loved it (great if you like books about friendships, transitioning to high school) The Considine Curse by Gareth P. Jones.  Verdict:  Really enjoyed it (mystery boo...

I'm in a season of 'bluriness'.  Hopefully very short lived, because I despise being busy.  Just the thought saps all my energy out of me.  It's a blur because you keep going (as you do) but don't quite recall how you got from Monday to Friday.  But I'm going to attempt some form of a record of events - if for no one other than myself - bear with me. Highlights of the week :  final, final visit to orthodontist (would show you the teeth, but this 'season' has resulted in an endless round of cold sores that I scare myself with every time I look in the mirror).  Sitting through my daughter's 7.45am French Horn lesson - such a beautiful instrument to listen to.  My Mum staying and doing my washing and cleaning the children's bedrooms (the floors have been rediscovered) and going to the shops to buy the 4 crucial ingredients for last night's dinner.  Going to an interesting meeting for work that made me feel that I'd actually learnt somethin...

One of the great aspects of my job as a children's librarian is that I get to spend a good deal of time looking at the books selected for the short-list by the Children's Book Council of Australia for their annual prizes. I'll be interested to see who wins but I already have quite a few favourites from the early childhood shortlist.  I'm still working my way through some of the other categories. 'It's Bedtime William!' by Deborah Niland, tells the story of William, who is not very good at going to bed (sound familiar anyone?!) but on this particular night really does have a lion asleep in his bed (his parents, unsurprisingly, don't believe him).  Unfortunately the lion wakes up and wants to play, then doesn't want to go to sleep and makes William quite tired and grumpy.  Kids love the irony of the book (and it is quiet therapy for the parents).  I really enjoy reading this book aloud.  Good fun. 'Maudie and Bear' by Jan Ormerod is actua...

Over at his blog Trevor Cairney has reviewed a new book by Pam Allyn called 'Best Books for Boys'.  I'm really interested in this topic because it's the No. 1 question I get asked at work by parents looking for books for their sons.  I'll be getting this book and having a read. Check out some of my old posts about boys , reading and book recommendations.

I'm very excited to have found another series of books like the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series.  I'm often asked if there are other books like them (which are hugely popular among boys in Year 3 and 4 - for many of them, these are the only books they've read recently).  I've often asked myself, as a children's librarian, if there are any other books like them. The books are called 'Big Nate:  In a class by himself' and 'Big Nate strikes again' by Lincoln Peirce.  Big Nate was originally a comic strip published in the New York Times.  Another book is due out in August 2011.  They are very similar to 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' - have that level of irreverence and naughtiness that appeals to this age group.  Big Nate also has an island on Poptropica - the popular online game for this age group.  Lincoln Peirce was apparently a hero of Jeff Kinney's (author of 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid') and Kinney has always looked up to him. So ...

I'm always trying to find books that are good for kids who have just started reading, are desperate to read on their own, but can't cope with anything too difficult.  I like to find books that have short sentences, not many words to a page, illustrations and only a few complex words for them to have to work out on their own. I've recently found these books by Sally Rippin called the 'Billie B. Brown' series which seem to fit my criteria.  They are for girls, but the girl is a tomboy who has friends who are boys.  They are a nice alternative to the painful (yet, so loved) Rainbow Magic books (which, as an aside, were enormously helpful in getting my girls going with their reading). Darcey Bussell's 'Magic Ballerina' series are a similar reading level to the Rainbow Fairy books (a step above Billie B. Brown) and another alternative to the fairy books. For the boys, some series that I like are Louis Sacher's 'Marvin Redpost' series, 'Z...

I asked on facebook the other day for suggestions of books suitable for ten year old girls.  So here's the complied list from everyone's contributions.  The ones with ** are ones that my daughter has read this year and loved particularly.  Feel free to suggest any of your own ideas. Pollyanna  by Eleanor H. Porter T he Babysitter's Clu b by Ann M. Martin **My sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson Harriet the Spy  by Louise Fitzhugh **Diary of a Wimpy Kid Amelia Dee and the Peacock Lamp, Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, and the Hazel Green series  by Odo Hirsch Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo **When you reach me by Rebecca Stead The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick ** The Phoenix Files Series  by Chris Morphew Alice Miranda Series by Jacqueline Harvey Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder ** Cicada Summer  by Kate Constable The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende Patricia St John books Bridge...

Earlier this week I wrote a post about kids loving  reading books in a series . Today we spent ages searching for the first Harry Potter book because one of the kids wants to start the series again.  We kept finding the second one or the fifth one but not the first. So Abbie says as she's going to bed, "Mum, I'm reading the first book - it's called 'Dig, Dig Digging' and then the second book is called 'P. B. Bear'". They are both stand alone picture books. I think we must discuss books that are in series quite a lot.   'Which one are you up to?', 'Is it different to the second one?', 'I liked the fifth one the best' etc., etc.! btw 'Dig, Dig, Digging' is a great book especially if you have a preschooler boy who loves cars/trucks/buses.