The Colt from Old Regret by Dianne Wolfer illustrated by Erica Wagner

"The Colt from Old Regret" is part of the larger narrative poem "The Man from Snowy River," written by Australian poet Banjo Paterson in 1890. The poem captures the spirit of the Australian bush and the culture of horse riding. It begins with the news that a valuable colt has escaped and joined the wild bush horses, prompting a gathering of expert riders to recapture it. The poem highlights themes of bravery, skill, and the bond between horse and rider.

Dianne Wolfer has based her book on this famous Australian poem. Every part of the book design is so special - the cover will catch your eye, the end papers are perfect, the collage illustrations are rich and full of movement. 

Think about these sentences: "Alpine mint scents the air." "Birds startle. He trembles. The sky is a flurry of wings."  The mountain's craggy brow is close."  "A branding iron sears the air."

Along with the narrative created by Dianne Wolfer the full poem is included at the back of the book over several pages along with details about Banjo Paterson, bush poetry, brumbies, who was the man from snowy river and an author's note.

There was movement at the station, for the word has passed around
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses—he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.

The book is sumptuously illustrated with Wagner’s water colour painting and collage. The colours beautifully capture the light of the Australian bush and movement of the brumbies. Reading Time

An engrossing and suspenseful story that has the added bonus of connecting a young child with an iconic Australian poem. Storylinks

It doesn’t rewrite the poem, but allows Colt’s voice to be heard, and merely shows a different perspective of the event. It’s written in prose or free verse, so it can be read as a story or a poem, and feels like it has the same rhythm as the original poem. The Book Muse

The Colt from Old Regret would be a beautiful present to gift to a friend living away from Australia or as a keep-sake gift for a student graduating from High School. Here are the teachers notes. I am certain this book will be a CBCA 2026 notable title.

All of us in the children's literature community loved the illustrations in this first book by Erica Wagner. 

Hope is the Thing

Dianne Wolfer is an award-winning author of 25 books, including the acclaimed Light series, The Dog with Seven Names and The Last Light Horse. Most recently, Diane’s book Scout and the Rescue Dogs won the Children’s Book of the Year at the Western Australian Premier’s Literary Awards. Dianne completed PhD research into anthropomorphism at UWA and loves talking about animal characters in children’s literature.

Midge and Mo by Lara Williamson illustrated by Becky Cameron

Midge has changed schools. Everything is strange and all he wants to do is go back to the way things were. The teacher assigns a classmate to look after him. Mo is a happy and very positive girl. She loves the idea of showing Midge around her school but Midge just does not react to anything - not a soccer game, the school friendship flower garden, the giant sunflowers the class have been growing, or the climbing frame. Midge just sits under a tall tree in the playground. 

Through his eyes the world is a grey and sad place to be. In art he draws a sad rainy-day picture (sadly the teacher misinterprets this). After two days of trying so very hard to reach Midge, Mo talks to her teacher Mr Lupin. I love his advice:

"Don't give up Mo ... Nothing is in the right place for Midge at the moment. Perhaps he doesn't feel like he's in the right place either. New beginnings can feel like that ... You were new here once ... That's why I asked you to be Midge's buddy, because I was sure you would remember how your first day here felt, too."

Mo goes home and talks to her mum and dad and togther they come up with a really special gift for Midge and while I am sure he will still have sad days a little sparkle has entered his life at last. Oh and those huge sunflowers have now opened up and are showing off their own bright yellow happy colours. I also love the character names - Mo (I wonder if this is short for something) and Midge.

Publisher blurb: Midge doesn’t want to go to a new school. He wants everything to go back to the way it was – with his old school, his old friends and his parents back together. Mo is Midge’s buddy at his new school. She’s super smiley and can’t wait to be his friend, but the more Mo tries to make friends the more Midge retreats. It’s like there’s an invisible raincloud hanging above his head – drip-drip-drip. Then Mo remembers how she felt when she was new, and it makes her even more determined to help Midge feel happy and to show him that the sun will come out for him again soon.

This book is from the Little Tiger series published by Stripes. I have mentioned books from this series previously. I highly recommend adding lots of these titles to your school library. These are so appealing with their hardcovers, high quality paper, colour illustrations and most important of all - really good stories that are easy to read but also contain authentic and emotional narratives.

I previously talked about:

The Long way home

Little Rabbits big surprise

Little Bird Lost

Two Sides

A sea of stories

I also thought of another small chapter book from many years ago that also features a snow globe - Snow Dog by Malorie Blackman (it was a Corgi Pup title from 2001). It was reprinted with a different publisher in 2010 so you might find this in a library. 

The Light in Everything by Katya Balen

Two kids. Two kids with different life circumstances. Two kids with different emotional responses to change and trauma. Two kids who do not yet know each other. Two kids who are so different and seems impossible that they could ever even tolerate one another let alone become friends.

Now for the problem - their parents. Tom lives with his mum. Dad is in jail and this is a good thing because he was a dangerous man - he was severely physically and emotionally abusive towards Tom and his mum. Zofia lives with her dad. Her mum died when she was a baby. Dad is great but he is not always 'tuned in' because his work as a doctor is so intense. 

Have you guessed what happens here - yes this is just like the Brady Bunch except with less kids and less harmony. Tom's mum meets Zofia's dad; they all move into Zofia's house and then the kids hear that a new baby is coming.

Zofia lives her life in a storm of rage or a storm of activity. She is loud and opinionated. Zofia also loves to swim, and she has set herself a long-distance swimming challenge as a way to make her father proud. Tom is small for his age. He is terrified of the dark at night and so fills his room with lights and always carries a torch. Tom is also afraid of small spaces and of upsetting his mum. He knows his dad will not return but the possibility of this is also constantly on his mind. He also has difficulty with trust - especially trust of male adults. 

How will these two kids cope with living in the same house and going to the same, very small, school. Zofia has been at this school since Kindy. Tom is the new kid and yet everyone seems to like him straight away. It warmed my heart to see him make a friend almost from the first day. 

Two of the really appealing aspects of this book are the alternating voices and the very short chapters - you just keep turning the pages racing to that all important happy ending. Well yes there is a happy ending (spoiler I know), but Katya Kalen keeps up the tension for her readers because the baby is born too early, and she is very poorly. The other part of this book that works really well is the way the two main characters are so very different from one another. I kept wishing they would just talk to each other - that they could feel brave enough or open enough to share their fears and hopes and doubts.

This is Katya Balen’s third book, and, like her previous works, tackles emotionally charged issues with sensitivity, told in beautiful and poetic prose. She explores the complexities and challenges of adjusting to a new and blended family. Balen has a keen awareness of the reader, drawing us into the story and creating characters we care about: pages turn with ease as their stories unfold. Just Imagine

Here are the teachers notes for The Light in Everything and some book group discussion questions. I highly recommend The Light in Everything for mature readers aged 10+. 

Why did I select this book from the library? First of all, the cover is beautiful and now I discover this illustration is by HCAA Winner Sydney Smith. Now onto the author - I previously enjoyed several other books by Katya Balen. Her new book due in 2026 is Letters from the upside.

October October

I gave this book four stars and it won the Carnegie Medal in 2022

Foxlight

I gave this book five stars

Ghostlines

I am really keen to read Katya Balen's new book which comes out early in 2026:

Jella Lepman and her Library of Dreams by Katherine Paterson illustrated by Sally Deng

Subtitle: The woman who rescued a generation of children 

and founded the world's largest children's library

I am a member of IBBY Australia and so I am already familiar with the wonderful work of Jella Lepman but I learnt so much more from this new book. 

Dr Robin Morrow AM, past president of IBBY Australia said, in Magpies Volume 40, Sept 2025:

"... this comprehensive but accessible book (112 pages) is a must-have for public libraries and for upper primary and secondary collections, and an excellent resource for students researching influential women. ... The world has changed but the challenges for those who care about children, and good books and the possibilities for peace remain remarkably similar to those of eighty years ago."

The word that shines through most forcibly reading this book is determination. Jella Lepman acted on her vision that the children of Germany, who had lived through the most dreadful circumstances, children who had seen things no one, adult or child, should ever see, that these children needed to see different ways of living, and imagining and interacting and, she knew, that could come from children's books. But there were so many problems in Germany in 1945. She had to convince the authorities (men in the US army); she needed money; she needed books (lots of them hopefully for free); she needed helpers; she needed to maintain her strong voice and vision; she needed a space for her exhibition of books and children's drawings; and later she needed a space to set up a library. For all of this Jella Lepman used her determination. 

I loved the scene where she has to sneak in at night to use a typewriter and then has to invent 'a demanding high raking officer' who has ordered her to work late into the night. 

Because of her work and vision and fierce belief in the power of children's books as a force for good in the world today we have IBBY (The International Board on Books for Young People). Read more here.

I have read right through Jella Lepman and her Library of Dreams twice. There are parts that made me cry. Jella sees a little child in a bombed out city holding a winter flower; Jella follows another little girl who had been begging for treats from US soldiers only to discover older children are using her and taking everything from her begging; Jella is given money for a book mobile but this never eventuates because bureaucrats raise issues of money and staffing; officious men tell her the children will steal the books (this does not happen) and others declare they should not be allowed to touch the books with their dirty hands. I loved the idea of children from all over the world sending paintings to the children in Germany and the way Jella insisted her library should have a space for children to create their own art projects. Imagine attending her conference in 1951:

"But onto her greatest achievement; Jella had been seeking to make peace through children's books since 1949. Perhaps she should gather people from around the world who also gave their lives to children and their books, who might also believe that books could be a bridge for peace. Jella made up a list of people she considered the who's who of children's literature and sent out 60 invitations. Very quickly the acceptances poured in, along with pleas from people who had not received an invitation but who wanted to come."

And did you know that today you can visit her library in Germany - it is in Munich and it is housed in a castle. It is my own dream to one day make a visit to see the now impressive collection of over 600,000 items.

When you pick up this book make sure you look really closely at the cover - there are some famous characters walking alongside the children and then take of the dust jacket (yes I love that this book has a dust jacket) and even better the case reveal shows children having fun with some of those characters from the cover. 

Publisher blurb: Jella Lepman was a woman who stood her ground, challenged convention, and worked fiercely to transform her biggest dreams into reality. In 1945, when Jella was tasked with what seemed like an insurmountable challenge―to create a haven of imagination and joy for the children of a Germany scarred by war—she turned to a steadfast companion: books. As a Jewish woman who had fled from the Nazis, Jella was determined to restore a sense of childhood to the young people who had only known conflict and violence. Despite constant obstacles, Jella persevered, and with the help of publishers and children from around the world, she amassed an extraordinary collection of 4,000 children’s books in pursuit of her mission to promote peace. The roving literary collection would eventually find a home as the International Youth Library in Munich ...

Anyone with a connection to IBBY will want to grab this book with both hands! It is a good price from this online book seller, or you could put in a request your local library might be able to source a copy. I did find this audio book version. You could also read this using Overdrive from your library. 

Jella Lepman established IBBY and the International Youth Library. Here is a quote from her biography:

We are looking for ways to introduce children in Germany to the children's books of other nations. German children have almost no books left after the children's and youth literature of the Hitler era was eliminated. Educators and publishers also need books from the free world for their orientation. Children are not to blame for this war, so let your books be the first messengers of peace! They are to be compiled into an exhibition that will first travel to Germany, and later perhaps to other countries. To overcome foreign language difficulties, we ask above all for picture books and illustrated books. But good narrative literature should also be made accessible to the children in group work. We hope that German publishers will be able to acquire the translation rights to many of these books. We also ask your country for children's drawings and children's paintings. These pictures speak an international language and will delight the children. (Lepman 1964, 51 f.) Read more here - the IBBY Congress in Trieste

One bookseller said this book is perfect for:

• Librarians, educators, and parents seeking engaging history and nonfiction books for kids
• Fans of true stories, biographies, and fascinating facts
• Anyone interested in learning about children’s literature and children's book libraries
• Special occasion or thank you gift for teachers and librarians
• Fans of Katherine Paterson and her award-winning books, including Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, and The Great Gilly Hopkins

White Rabbit books said:

WORLD HISTORY FOR KIDS: This book reflects on the aftermath of WWII and its effect on children in Germany. By Jella Lepman’s inspiring example, readers will learn how working together and being part of a community can help bring peace after war, displacement, and loss.

FASCINATING TRUE STORY: This picture book biography introduces a little-known historical figure who changed the world through children’s books. Anyone who loves history, biographies, or children’s literature will find themselves inspired by the life and work of Jella Lepman.

IMPORTANCE OF BOOKS & LIBRARIES: Featuring inspiring illustrations of global cooperation, crates of international books being shipped to the library, and children in the harshest of conditions finding solace in reading, this book is perfect for celebrating librarians and their positive impact on young lives. It also highlights the ongoing work of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization that represents an international network of people who are committed to bringing books and children together.

A stirring, singular tribute to a woman well aware of the importance of children’s books in times of trauma and recovery. Kirkus Star review

Dr Robin Morrow mentioned Jella Lepman and her Library of Dreams could benefit from an index - but for my reading I wish there was a timeline - this would be an excellent way to gain an overview of Jella's work. I love these words from the Kirkus review I just quoted: The subject’s dedication, candor, and sheer chutzpah burst off the page.

Companion books:

The Lady with the Books

Katherine Paterson, as a supporter of IBBY and a HCAA winner, is the perfect person to take on creating this wonderful book so that children and adults can have a glimpse into the life and work of this incredible woman. I imagine she would have spent many years completing her research. You can see a list of all the awards given to Katherine Paterson. She is a Life Member of IBBY and a past winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Here are all the US winners of the HCAA:

• 1962 - Meindert DeJong (Author Medal)
• 1970 - Maurice Sendak (Illustrator Medal)
• 1972 - Scott O'Dell (Author Medal)
• 1978 - Paula Fox (Author Medal)
• 1992 - Virginia Hamilton (Author Medal)
• 1998 - Katherine Paterson (Author Medal)
• ​2020 - Jacqueline Woodson (Author Medal)

​

My name is a gift by Zeshan Akhter illustrated by Asa Gillano

When I met Daddy and fitted in his hands, I didn't have a name. 

So Daddy and Mommy whispered one in my ear. 

My name is the first present I ever got. 

It came wrapped in Daddy and Mommy's love.

Publisher blurb:  On the day Sitara is born, she receives a very special gift from her parents—her name. As Sitara grows, some people tumble up her name in their mouths until it's not her name anymore. So Sitara learns about the history, tradition, and culture that went into choosing her name, giving her the confidence to help others say it right. This heartwarming story not only teaches us the significance of our names, but it also highlights that trying to say names correctly, or asking if you're unsure, goes a long way.

"People I meet have never heard my name before." - this means they make up names or miss out letters. If you don't know how to say someone's name - just ask. The little girl in this story will also show you a world map as a way to explain where her name comes from. Her name means 'shine like a star'. Her name is Sitara. 

"When someone says my name carefully and kindly, it lights up my heart."

Names are so important. I have two sad stories to share about names. When my little mum moved into an aged care facility (it was a dreadful place) each of the resident names were displayed on the door of their room - I went to set up her room a few days before her arrival only to discover her name was spelt incorrectly - I really think there is absolutely no excuse for this. To my horror the registered nurse who had printed the sign was quite "put out" that I dared to ask for it to be corrected. The second example is from the same facility. My name has a silent letter. Many of the staff have English as a second or even third language but the nurse who needed to tell me when my mum needed help or had fallen could never ever get my name right in spite of repeated corrections. At first my friends thought this was very funny but over time it really upset me. Her way of mangling my name actually sounded quite rude. My name actually means "pearl". 

My name is a gift is an Empathy Lab title. It was published in 2024 and is available in paperback. I think this book should be an essential purchase for all Primary school libraries. Take a look at this post for other book titles that explore names. 

I am Nefertiti

Going for Pippies by Wilaaran Laurie illustrated by Tori-Jay Mordey

"My name is Wilaaran. My family has lived on this Country for thousands of years. 

We walk in our old people's footsteps, hunting, collecting and catching seafood. 

Today I'm goin' for pippies with the biggest mob. 

With me are my mum and dad, nans and pops, uncles and cousins. 

They're going to show me how to find pippies, just as our old people taught them."

The pipi is member of the clam family and staple of the Indigenous Australian coastal diet for thousands of years ... Pipis are fished year round in South Australia, but it's the larger New South Wales pipi that attracts most of the attention when the season runs, from early June to late October (or November in a bumper season). When cooked properly they have a subtle flavour and soft texture, perfect to try as a variation to other clams. 

Publisher blurb from Magabala Books: Going for Pippies is a beautifully illustrated children’s picture book that welcomes readers to a First Nations narrative about family, culture, traditions and a way of life. Join Wilaraan and his family as they venture on Country to collect pippies for dinner. At the very heart of the story is a family outing, demonstrating how generations come together to teach and share knowledge, such as the practice of gathering pippies. This reinforces the importance of intergenerational learning and the passing down of cultural wisdom.

Read more about Pippies:

Australian Museum

Marine Stewardship Council

Here is a recipe for the fritters that Wilaaran and his family enjoy at the end of the book:

To make delicious Pipi Fritters, follow these steps:

Ingredients: Gather 250 grams of tuatua/pipi meat, finely chopped; 1 small onion, finely diced; 1 firm tomato, finely diced; and foodies Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking.

Batter: In a bowl, mix flour, eggs, milk, and curry powder to form a smooth batter. Season and add the tuatua/pipi meat, onion, and tomato.

Cooking: Heat a frying pan or barbecue plate to medium and add enough foodies Extra Virgin Olive Oil to shallow fry the fritters. Cook spoonfuls in batches, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both sides.

Sydney are holding an indigenous food festival this weekend so it is timely to talk about this book. Thank you to Magabala Books for sending this review copy. You can read more about Going for Pippies in this review from The Bottom Shelf. 

Wilaaran Hunter Laurie is a Yaegl boy whose family come from Yamba on the north coast of NSW. Wilaaran enjoys playing footy and going to the beach to swim and fish. He currently lives on the Central Coast with his mum, dad and little brother. 

Wilaaran Laurie wrote this story when he was just five years old. He is now fourteen. This is something I would be keen to share with students - to show them the journey from idea to book can be a long one. 

Tori-Jay Mordey is an established illustrator and artist based in Meanjin/Brisbane. Born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, she is descended from the Meriam and Maluyigal clans. Her published works include Bakir & Bi co-written with Jillian Boyd (2013), and In the City I See (2018). Her other works include illustrating the portrait of Cathy Freeman in Shout Out to the Girls (2018) and the Children’s Picture Book A Blue Kind of Day (2022, Kokila). A Blue Kind of Day has a Kirkus Star review.

Read more about Bush Tucker here.

Companion books:

Three Dresses

Here is the Reading Time review

Home by Nicola Davies

The date is 2067. Society is now divided into two (or maybe four groups) - there are the corrupt rulers called Supas with family names like Murdoch and Nabisco, the Workers who are named for the tasks they perform such as Sacks, one of the two main characters in this story, there are also Rebels and Outsiders.

The Workers are controlled through drugs that are added to their food:

"No one needed to be told about Meal One or Two. Your body did that for you. Every morning you woke up wanting that fat straw in your mouth, and until you got it you felt very bad."

"Product helps Workers. It keeps them happy. Keeps their minds free of worry, of thoughts that might get in the way of their desire to work. And of course it makes them unwilling to leave their Stations."

Workers are also controlled via media propaganda. Meal Two works to calm the down and put them to sleep but before this Workers watch tv. The messages on tv are filled with the dream of Planet Home. They have been told there is another planet, life on this one where they live exist now is dangerous and toxic. Sacks does not even know words like bird or buffalo. Workers are told one day everyone will climb onto space rockets and they will be taken to Planet Home.

Supas "they were the richest, most powerful families. They had resources to build crystal domes to protect their Cities and grow food inside vast buildings. Stations. But they needed workers to grow their food and run their Cities - building, mending, cleaning. All the things Supas didn't want to do. So they offered ordinary people a choice: stay Outside and take your chances with the poisoned world or become a Worker."

The actual setting of this book is several hundred miles from Manhattan. The city is filled with disgusting refuse. The Supas live in the top floors of the badly damaged city towers. 

As this story opens rebels attack. Sacks escapes and so does a young Supa named Nero Nabisco. The race is now on for survival and to expose the corruption and overthrow the leaders and find a way to free the workers. Along the way Sacks and Nero also discover their own heritage, identity and most amazing of all they discover they are connected -they are twins.

Take a look at the labels I have added to this post - these will give you an idea about some of the themes.

There are graphically described battles in this book and horrible descriptions of battery chickens called Units so I will only recommend this book to mature readers aged 11+ especially if they enjoy Science Fiction or dystopian stories. Readers in Australia will not identify with the Native American culture that is explored in this story - it is a minor theme but one that added an interesting layer to the story for me. I do enjoy books which explore corruption and coercion and brainwashing (such as in cults) but clearly these are deep ideas suitable for mature readers. The prologue to Home is chilling. 

Companion books (many of these could have the label Post Apocalyptic):

The Last Human

Where the River runs Gold

The Dog Runner

The Glass Tower

How did I miss this book from 2005? I wonder how it came to be in the library where I have been working as a volunteer?  I told a bookseller in a shop the other day that I am a huge fan of dystopian middle grade books - Home is a perfect example. Home was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award. I wonder if IBBY UK have considered nominating Nicola Davies for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her body of work is SO impressive - from non fiction to picture books to complex novels like Home. Wikipedia have a list here of all her books up until 2023. Here is a 2021 interview where Nicola Davies talks about animals and non fiction and climate change. 

Bookseller blurb: Thrilling futuristic science fiction with an environmental slant. It's 2067 and the world has become virtually uninhabitable with all the pollution and toxins created by mankind. Ruling classes live holed up in the cities and workers live in Stations, safe from the outside world. But one day Station 27 is taken over by rebels. Nero, from the ruling classes, and Sacks, a worker, find themselves thrown together as they're captured by the rebels, their common enemy. As they begin to discover the terrifying truth about their world, the two children get separated and find themselves in great danger. Will they find each other before it is too late?

Listen to an audio sample here. This sample is a perfect introduction to this book - you could use it in a book talk with your library group of readers aged 11+.

Here are some other books by Nicola Davies which show the breadth and depth of her writing:

Ride the Wind

Last the story of a white rhino

Just Ducks

Butterflies for Grandpa Joe

King of the Sky