February 2008

This is a list of books which I hope will be a useful resource for teachers and librarians for the Primary Years Programme of Inquiry of the International Baccalaureate.  I have tried to choose books which do not have a narrow focus but which are trans-disciplinary in concept.  Please contact me if you would like recommendations for books on specific subject areas, and at a particular age level.  The list will gradually be added to and improved as I have time to add to it and as I get more feedback from teachers and librarians.  I have divided the list into the six organizing themes (though I realise that there can be considerable overlap between various themes) and have made up separate lists for fiction and non-fiction titles.  I have given an indication of reading levels to each of the titles. Titles newly included in this updated list are marked •

Please Note   All prices are in Australian dollars and include the 10% GST tax.  However this GST does not apply to exports from Australia.

If you would like to order any of the books on the list, send the orders to Austral Ed by post, fax or by email.  Payment can be made with bank cheques in Australian dollars, by direct bank transfer or by Credit card.   Freight is sent by the most economical method within Australia or overseas, depending on urgency. 

Recommended by Kate Shepherd

Who we are

Kids by Catherine and Laurence Anholt     pb $15.95
This picture book contains many detailed charming illustrations of a large variety of kids doing all the different sorts of things that kids do.   Young children will love to look at the pictures and talk about what is happening.  (4 – 8 years)

• All about Me by Selina Young hardback $28.00

This delightful book describes all the things that happened to Alfie as he grew from just a tiny baby to when he was 3 years old.  Alfie’s grey cat and his toy lion also comment on each of Alfie’s activities throughout the book which add to the humour and also probably our understanding of the effect of Alfie’s activities on other family members.  This is a child’s eye view of growing up - from crying and smiling, to crawling, to learning to walk and ride to birthday parties and reading books.  The book is quite long for a picture book but there is a lot to talk about.  (3 – 6 years)        

Big Book of Families by Catherine and Laurence Anholt     pb $15.95

This is a picture book which is packed with families of all kinds.  Great for discussion.  (4 – 8 years)

We All Went on Safari  A Counting Journey through Tanzania by Laurie Krebs illustrated by Julia Cairns   hardback $27.95    pb $13.00
This is a delightfully illustrated counting book which, as well counting up to ten in numbers and in Swahili, introduces us to some of the wonderful African animals of the grasslands of Tanzania.  This bright and lively counting book also serves as a very helpful introduction to this African country with information about the animals and the names of the children. (4 - 10 years)

Dog In, Cat Out by Gillian Rubinstein  pb $10.00 
Starting from early in the morning, when the dog goes out for food and the cat comes in, we see the activities of the family throughout the whole day as each animal comes in or out.  It is such a simple picture book but so clever in its concept as it shows the passing of a day, with the only text the changing refrain of “Dog in, cat out”, or “Dog out, cat in” or “Dog out, cat out”.  There is much to talk about.  (5 – 8 years)

Clive eats Alligators, Tessa Snaps Snakes, Rosie Sips Spiders, When Frank was Four  each  by Alison Lester  pb $16.00 each.     These simple picture books show the individuality and strong likes and dislikes of seven children.  Good to use as a catalyst for discussion of what students like and dislike.
In the same series, Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo  pb $16.00 describes six new Aboriginal friends that Ernie meets when he goes to live in the north of Australia.  This is a wonderfully simple but vibrant introduction to Aboriginal life and to the tropical seasons in the north of Australia.   (5 – 8 years)

Cleversticks by Bernard Ashley illustrated by Derek Brazell  pb $11.95 
When Ling Sung starts school, he doesn’t like it because everyone can do things that he can’t do.  However all his problems disappear when he discovers that he can do something that no one else can do – he can use chopsticks.  A picture book which is a great confidence builder.  (5 – 7 years)

Would you rather? By John Burningham  pb $17.95
A book of choices which invites lots of discussion as children decide whether they would rather help a witch make stew or help Santa when he delivers presents, whether they would rather eat mashed worms or spider stew.  (5 – 8 years)

Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of Colours  by Onyefulu Ifeoma  Big Book  $39.95   While Chidi only likes the blue of his best shirt, his sister loves all the colours of their African village.  This picture book cleverly combines an exploration of colours with a description of an African village, a simple text and beautiful photographs of the houses, designs, food, plants etc in the village. (5 – 10 years)

Guess the Baby  by Simon French and Donna Rawlins  pb $13.95
A sparkling picture book about a class of young children who are delighted when Jake’s baby brother comes to the classroom.  There is a lot of discussion about babies and when each child (and the teacher) bring a photo of themselves as a baby to school there is animated discussion as they try to work out who is who.  (5 – 8 years)

First Day by Margaret Wild illus by Kim Gamble  pb $14.95

A delightful picture book which captures the varied emotions of a group of six very different children on their first day at school.  The book follows the actions and thought of the children throughout their whole first day at school.   (6 – 10 years)

This is Our House by Michael Rosen illus by Bob Graham  pb $15.95  
George has decided that he is the only one who can play in the big cardboard house but the other children are determined that everyone shall play in it.  A charming and humorous picture book about sharing and cooperation.  (4 - 8 years)

The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman  illustrated by Karin Littlewood   pb $15.95   Hassan is miserable at school in England where everything is grey, and where he can’t talk to anyone since he doesn’t speak English. When he paints a picture of his far away home, he remembers the terrible time when the soldiers came.  However the next day he talks to an interpreter and paints another picture in bright colours for his mother of their happier times, of the country which used to be their home.   (6 – 9 years)

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi  pb $16.95 
A story about a young Korean  girl who thinks she will choose an American name when she comes to live in America in order to fit in better.  However in the end she decides that her name, Unhei meaning Grace, reflects herself and her culture.  A lesson in cultural understanding in the classroom.  (7 – 10 years)

• Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World by Selby B Beeler illus by G Brian Karas pb $14.95   This is a fascinating book as it describes traditions of what children from around the world do with their baby teeth that have fallen out.  A common tradition in many countries from Africa to Asia to Europe is to throw the tooth onto or over the roof of their house.  (6 – 9 years)

• Sami and the Time of the Troubles by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland illustrated by Ted Lewin hardback $33.95   pb $16.95   Sami and his family have to spend much of their day in doors, sheltering away from the bombs and gunfire that are everywhere outside in the streets of Beirut.  A beautifully illustrated and moving picture book describing the anguish of people trying to survive in countries torn apart by warfare. (7 – 11 years)

My Dog  by John Heffernan illus by Andrew McLean            pb $16.00
A very moving understated story in picture book format of terrible suffering as a consequence of ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia.  Seen through the eyes of a young boy, the story is sensitively illustrated in water colours.  It would be a moving introduction to discussion on human rights.  (8 – 11 years)

Christophe’s Story by Nicki Cornwell  pb $12.95
Christophe is an eight year old boy from Rwanda who flees the fighting in his country to come to England as a refugee with his family.  His problems in settling in are described but the book is also about different ways of telling stories.   Christophe doesn’t want to read stories in books because his grandfather had always told him stories aloud, and had said that if stories are written down then their spirit is lost.  However Christopher tells aloud to his class the story of how he came to England and of the violence in Rwanda but decides he is happy for it to be written down word for word so that many children can hear his story.  (7 – 10 years)

Flour Babies   by Anne Fine  pb $12.95
A very entertaining novel which a class is given a lesson in responsibility when they have to care for their “flour babies” which are really six pound bags of flour, as if they were real babies.  (9 – 13 years)

No Gun for Asmir  by Christobel Mattingley  pb $16.95 
This novel is set in war torn Sarajevo.   A Muslim mother and two children escape to become refugees without knowing what has happened to the father left behind in Sarajevo. This moving story is told from the point of view of Asmir, the elder boy and is based on a real life story.  (9 – 13 years)

Boy Overboard  by Morris Gleitzman   pb $16.95   Also as 2 audio cassettes  $14.95,  CDs  $24.95   Gleitzman has succeeded in writing a comic/tragic account of a refugee family from  Afghanistan.  Jamal and Bibi are ordinary kids who love soccer and kids will relate to their plight as they are forced to flee Afghanistan, because their mother has been running a school for girls, which was of course forbidden.  Their lives are often in great danger but amazingly enough it is often very funny.  There is much that can be discussed.  Girl Underground is the sequel where Bibi and Jamal are now in a detention centre in Australia.  pb $16.95   (9 years up)

• The Mozart Question by Michael Morpurgo illustrated by Michael Foreman hardback $24.95     This the story of a famous violinist who decides to tell a young reporter about his past which he had previously kept secret.  He describes how, as a young boy, he learnt to play the violin in secret and later discovered that his teacher and his parents had all played the violin in an orchestra in the Nazi concentration camps.  It was their playing that kept them alive but they saw thousands sent to their deaths in the gas chambers.  His father had vowed never to play again.  Paolo promised his father that he would never play Mozart, for Mozart was the music his parents had to play in the concentration camps and his father just couldn’t bear to hear it played.  This book is written with heartfelt simplicity and is beautifully illustrated with watercolours.    (9 – 15 years)

Parvana by Deborah Ellis  pb $14.95
Set in Afghanistan in the time of the Taliban, Parvana is an eleven year old girl who used to love going to school but under the Taliban ruling was forced to stay at home.  When both her parents lose their jobs and then her father is arrested, their plight becomes desperate since girls and women were not allowed to leave the house unless accompanied by a man.  In order for the family to survive, Parvana disguises herself as a boy.  The story gives us an insight into some of the recent traumatic events in Afghanistan.  The emphasis is on a young girl’s courage and determination.  (The original Canadian is called The Breadwinner)     The sequel is Parvana’s Journey  pb $15.95    (10 - 14 years)    
       

Where we are in place and time

The Cherry Dress by Elizabeth Honey  pb $13.95   
The story of Sally’s much loved cherry dress which was altered again and again as Sally grew and then was passed from one family to another till finally it was a dress for teddy.  A simple story in which the passing of time and sense of community are very strong.  (5 – 8 years)

Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester  hardback  $24.95
This is a picture book about a journey round Australia made by Grace who is eight years old and her family in a campervan. She describes the many special highlights of the trip: places they visited, things they did together in the car to make the long hours travelling pass amicably and also the different reactions of the various members of the family to the trip. This is a very entertaining way to get an idea of the vast differences in the various regions of Australia while following the detailed map of their journey.  (6  to 11 years)

Where’s Jamela? Story and pictures by Niki Daly  pb $15.95  Jamela is not happy about shifting to a new house in a new neighbourhood but when they shift in and Jamela looks out of the window she is reassured by the sight of the same stars in the night sky.  A story set in a lively black South African neighbourhood.  (5 – 8 years)

How My Parents Learned to Eat  by Ina R Friedman illus by Allen Say  hardback $33.95  pb $14.95    A charming and amusing story of a young girl recounting how her parents, one as a young Japanese school girl and the other a young US sailor, learned to master the difficult art of eating with the utensils of the other culture (chopsticks or knife, fork and spoon).   (6 – 10 years)

• My Place in Space by Sally & Robin Hirst and illustrated by Roland Harvey & Joe Levine  pb $14.95   It is wonderful that this innovative book is back in print.  When the bus driver in a small country town in Australia asks Henry and Rosie if they know where they live, he is dumbfounded when they answer the question in extraordinary detail, giving not just their address in Gumbridge but also providing complete and up to date information about the astronomical whereabouts of earth in the universe.  Illustrations are cartoon style of the town of Gumbridge but as Henry and Rosie describe the various parts of the universe, air brushed paintings the sky changes through the Solar System, to the Milky Way etc.        (7 – 14 years)

Masai and I   by Virginia Kroll,  illustrated by Nancy Carpenter   pb $16.95
A young girl from the city imagines how different her life would be if she were a Masai living on the East African plains.  On each double page spread of this picture book, the illustration blends and links the two ways of life. For example, the sheet the girl spreads to make her bed merges on the opposite page into the cowhide spread on the bare earth of the Masai dwelling.  An extra dimension to the story is given to the story because the girl and her family are black and she is exploring her feelings of kinship with the Masai.  (6 - 10 years)
           
The Two Bullies by Junko Morimoto translated by Isao Morimoto  pb $14.95   Ni-ou was the strongest man in Japan and Dokkoi was the strongest in China but when they get within hearing distance of each other they show that bravery is not one of their strengths.  This traditional story from Japan is illustrated with great inventiveness, humour and beauty using both traditional and modern elements of style.  (6 – 10 years)

When Jessie Came Across the Sea  by Amy Hest illust by P J Lynch  hardback $38.95  pb $15.95   A beautifully illustrated picture books vividly describing a young girl’s journey from eastern Europe when she migrates to a new life in America at the turn of the nineteenth century.  (7 –13 years)

• Going North by Janice N Harrington,  pictures by Jerome Lagarrigue  hardback $31.95  The illustrations have an impressionistic feel and they are warm and expressive in their depiction of a black family leaning the friends and family in Alabama and making their way north to Nebraska.  A young girl describes in free flowing verse the apprehension of her family as they leave in 1964 in the hope of a better life up north.  The journey north has its dangers and as the car, almost empty of petrol, pulls up at Joe’s Gas with its friendly black faces the relief is heartfelt.  However nothing is explained.  The fact that it is understated makes the impact all the more powerful.   The family is described as pioneers in their journey north in the hope of a better life.  A wonderful picture book which can be used for discussion with many different age groups.   (6 – 13 years)

My Place  by Nadia Wheatley illus by Donna Rawlins   pb $19.95
By moving backwards in decades from 1989, this sophisticated picture book shows how a particular neighbourhood in Sydney has changed from an urban street to the first white settlement and before to the time when the Aborigines lived there. The story is told through the eyes of the various children who lived there.  An innovative book which inspires students to work on similar projects wherever they are in the world.  (8  years up)

Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say   hardback  $33.95 
A beautifully illustrated picture book for older students.  Allen Say’s grandfather made the journey from Japan to the United States when he was a young man and this story beautifully describes through text and illustrations the love that he and his grandson feel for both countries.  Many students will relate to the feelings of longing expressed.   (8 years up)

Abdullah’s Butterfly by Janine Fraser illustrated by Kim Gamble   pb $12.95  
Set in a village in Malaysia this is the story of Abdullah, his love for his grandfather and his family and how he tries to bring extra money into the family by catching beautiful butterflies.  Told by a tourist visitor to the village who at first does not understand that Abdullah’s family has very little money, the story is simple enough for seven year olds to read but opens up possibilities for discussion about topics such as poverty in developing countries for older children as well.   (7 - 11 years)

Ride the Wild Wind: The Golden Pony and other Stories   by Jackie French
pb $14.95   A most unusual collection of horse stories as it has stories from a wide range of periods over the ages.  It begins with a story set six thousand years ago in the Ukraine, which shows how the first contact of friendship between a horse and young girl could have come about.  Other stories are set in Ancient Greece, at the time of Genghis Khan, of King Arthur and in Australia in the nineteenth century.  Jackie French writes about the bond that has developed over thousands of years between people and horses. (8 - 12 years)

Barefoot Book of Knights written by John Matthews illustrated by Giovanni Manna hardback $34.95  pb $24.95   When ten year old Tom is sent to the castle to be a page, he is much comforted by the stories told to all the pages and squires by Master William, the Armourer.  The stories about Knights are from Britain, Germany, Russia, Brittany, Persia, Japan and France.  Each one illustrates some aspect of the knightly code of chivalry showing that not only is a brave heart required but it is also necessary to learn to cooperate with others, to have a sense of humour and to know one’s own weaknesses.  (8 - 11 years)

Castle Diary: The Journal of Tobias Burgess, Page by Richard Platt and Chris Riddell  pb $12.95   Set in the year of Our Lord 1285, this book describes a year in the life of 11 year old Toby Burgess as he sets out to become a page in his uncle’s castle.  Toby is an articulate chronicler and he writes with humour and occasionally indignation, about his duties as a page, his lessons, his first hunt, attempts at archery and so on.  This vivid description is “illuminated’ by the detailed and carefully researched illustrations of Chris Riddell.  (8 – 13 years) 

Egyptian Diary: The Journal of Nakht by Richard Platt illustrated by David Parkins  hardback  $34.95  pb $17.95  Set in the year 1455 BC Nakht is the son of a scribe and he is learning t be a scribe himself.  This is the story of their journey from a small town on the southern Nile to the city of Memphis where his father has been appointed as an important scribe.  The exciting story involves a tomb robbery and describes the daily life of many Egyptians including artisans, farmers and builders.  The detailed and lively illustrations as well as Notes, Glossary and Index provide additional information. (9 – 14 years)   
 
Casting the Gods Adrift by Geraldine McCaughrean  pb $14.95
This dramatic story is set in Egypt  in the time of Akhenaten and his beautiful wife Nefertiti.  Tutmose and Ibrim are honoured by the Pharaoh because of the exotic animals and birds that their father captures and presents to the Pharaoh.  Tutmose describes his life at the new capital and the plans of the Pharaoh (shocking to his father and many other Egyptians) to allow only the worship of just one God, Aten, the sun-God.  This is an extremely well told story which makes life in the Egyptian court come alive.  (8 – 11 years)  

• The Goat Who Sailed the World  pb $14.95 
This book has two narrators, a young twelve year old boy called Isaac Manley and a much travelled and superior Goat.  This narrative device gives us two very different perspectives on Cooks’ amazing voyage around the world from 1768 to 1771, when Australia was discovered and the ship was almost wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef.  A very entertaining and informative book. (8 – 14 years)

Ramose Prince in Exile by Carole Wilkinson  pb $16.95
This is the first book in a series set in Ancient Egypt about Ramose who was the pharaoh’s rightful heir but who has had to escape and live in disguise since a plot against his life.  These are exciting adventure stories which give many details of courtly and everyday life at the time of Ancient Egypt.  Other titles are Ramose and the Tomb Robbers, Ramose Sting of the Scorpion and • Wrath of Ra  pb $16.95 each  (9 – 12 years)

Sing to the Dawn  by Minfong Ho  pb  $12.95 
Set in a marginal rice growing area of Thailand this short novel would be an excellent introduction to a discussion of the effect of climate and geography on village life in parts of Asia.  Some of the frustrations, difficulties and injustices of village life are revealed in this story of Dawan, a 12 year old girl who strives to continue her education at a city high school in Thailand in spite of competition from her brother and opposition from her father.  (10 years up)

Kensuke’s Kingdom  by Michael Morpurgo  pb $14.95 
When Michael is washed up on an island he struggles to survive on his own.  He is about to give up when food appears.  He is not alone.  This is a wonderful story of survival and about Kensuke, an elderly Japanese man who lives on the island and has survived for many years using traditional Japanese skills and crafts. (9 – 15 years).

Red Scarf Girl  A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji Li Jiang  pb $13.95  
A deeply moving autobiography set during the Cultural Revolution in China.   Ji Li Jiang describes her own experiences as a twelve year old girl puzzling to understand the strange and terrifying events that befell her family at that time.  An excellent introduction to any study of the Cultural Revolution.  (11 years up)
 

How we express ourselves

My painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me by Maya Angelou  photographs by Margaret Courtney-Clarke   pb $18.95   Told in the words of Thandi an 8 year old Ndebele girl from South Africa, this is an engaging portrait of Thandi, her mischievous little brother and the importance in the lives the people of the village of the vibrant paintings on their houses and colourful beads and embroidery which they love to wear.  A lively rhythmic text and beautiful photographs make this picture book a delight. (6 – 9 years)

Skip across the Ocean : Nursery Rhymes from around the world collected by Floella Benjamin, illustrated by Sheila Moxley  pb $16.95    A collection of nursery rhymes and lullabies from round the world, some of which are written in English and also in their original language.  (5 - 8 years)

A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Form  selected by Paul B Janeczko illustrated by Chris Raschka  hardback $29.95     A delightful selection of poems which are examples of 29 different poetic forms.  The author explains that knowing the rules makes the writing of the poem more challenging, more exciting, more like a game.  Each poem is imaginatively illustrated and the poems are chosen for their wit, beauty and as examples of their particular form.  There is a detailed description of the forms and how it works at the end of the book. (10 – 14 years)

Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork & Lena Anderson  hardback  $26.95
A fictional story about a little Swedish girl, Linnea, who visits Monet's house and gardens at Giverny and also the art galleries on a journey to Paris.  Information about Monet's life and discussion of his paintings is included in the text and there are also reproductions of paintings, photos and illustrations.  This is a captivating story which also provides a large amount of factual information. (7 years up)

D is for Doufou: An Alphabet Book of Chinese Culture  by Krach Maywan Shen illus by Hongbin Zhang   pb $26.95    An exceptional book which gives an insight into the pictographic nature of the Chinese language through 25 Chinese words and phrases.  It gives a fascinating historical and cultural background through well known words such as kungfu, feng shui or more complex words like “ai” meaning “love” where the explanation shows some of the cultural differences between Chinese and western ways of thinking.   Wonderful illustrations in the style of Chinese folk art. (9 years up)
  

• Around the World in 80 Tales by Saviour Pirotta illustrated by Richard Johnson  hardback $40.00   These 80 tales come from all six continents.  The stories are lively, often humorous and are well told and would read aloud well.  They reflect the very different cultures from which they are taken.  Colourful illustrations by Richard Johnson complete this very attractive and useful book.  (6 - 11 years)

         
Seasons of Splendour by Madhur Jaffrey  pb  $16.95
These are marvellous retellings of traditional tales from Hindu epics, which Madhur Jaffrey has enriched with descriptions of how the stories were told and celebrated in her own family.  The stories have been arranged in sequence as they might be told at religious festivals in the course of a Hindu calendar year.   It is a collection which gives a rich personal insight into Indian life.  (8 years up)

Tales Told in Tents: Stories from Central Asia  by Sally Pomme Clayton and illustrated by Sophie Herxheimer  hardback $27.95  pb $14.95
Sally Pomme Clayton describes how on her visits to Central Asia she has always been warmly welcomed with food, hospitality and stories.  She has further researched the stories and retold them in a lively engaging style.  The stories are from the steppes, mountains, deserts and cities of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.  They give us a glimpse of the countryside and the history as well as the resilience of the people and also their sense of humour.  Notes at the end of the book describe the origin of each story and some of its background.  (8 - 14 years)   

Stories from the Silk Road  retold by Cherry Gilchrist, illustrated by Nilesh Mistry   pb $24.95   This is a collection of stories from the many cultures and peoples along the ancient trade route, the famed Silk Road, which caravans and travellers used from eastern China, through deserts and high mountains to the fabled city of Samarkand, on through Iran and then on via various routes to Europe.  In her vivid retelling of these stories Cherry Gilchrist uses a narrator called the Spirit of the Silk Road to give some background information about the Silk Road and to introduce each story.  (8 - 13 years)

This Same Sky: a collection of poems from around the world selected by Naomi Shihab Nye   pb $21.95   An excellent collection of poems from round the world.  A very impressive range and choice of inviting poems from a truly wide range of countries and cultures. (8 years up).

Weird Stuff by Richard Tulloch  pb $14.95
This is a very funny novel about a boy who, although he thinks he has very little imagination is always able to think up fantastic excuses for being late for school.  However when it comes to creative writing he can never think of anything to say. This all changes when he borrows a pink Easyflow pen from a friend and he finds he can hardly stop writing but to his dismay, the writing is flowery and romantic. In the midst of all the fun, Richard invites kids to look at and compare various writing styles.  This book would be great to read aloud and then to discuss.  Sequels are Freaky Stuff and Awesome Stuff  pb  $14.95 each   (9 - 13 years).           

How the world works

Who sank the Boat?    By Pamela Allen  pb $14.95 
One of Pamela Allen’s picture books which deals with science concepts.  The boat sinks further each time that donkey, then cow, pig and sheep get into the boat.  The boat manages to stay afloat but finally sinks when tiny little mouse gets into the boat.  The question is who sank the boat?   It is wonderful to have a picture book demonstrating a science concept with such exuberance.  (4 – 11 years)

Mr Archimedes' Bath   by Pamela Allen  pb $13.95
Mr Archimedes is having a bath with various animals, as they get into the bath water splashes over the side.  Again Pamela Allen has great fun in getting children to think about what is happening.  (5 years up)
 

How we organise ourselves

One is a Snail Ten is a Crab: A Counting by Feet Book   by April Pulley Sayre and Jeff Sayre Illustrated by Randy Cecil    pb $15.95
This is a counting book with a difference for it encourages children to add up and to see the differences between numbers and patterns of numbers and even to attempt simple multiplication.  The snail with its one foot is used for one.  A boy has two feet and so three is a person and a snail.  Six is an insect, and seven is an insect and a snail.  It gets more complicated at ten which is a crab and that means twenty is two crabs.  Thirty is three crabs or ten people and a crab.  And so on up to one hundred which is ten crabs or “if you're really counting slowly” one hundred snails.  Great fun.  (4 – 6 years)

• Market! By Ted Lewin  hardback $34.95
Ted Lewin’s beautiful illustrations are the highlight of this book with its stunning double page paintings which depict in fascinating detail market scenes from round the world.  Markets depicted include markets in Ecuador, Nepal, Uganda, Morocco, a horse market in Ireland and a fish market in New York city.  The text is simply written and describes how the people get their goods to the market, what they sell and how.  A fascinating book with much to discuss about markets and how they work round the world. (8 – 10 years)
 

Sharing the planet

The Waterhole  by Graeme Base  hardback $29.95  pb $19.95 
At one level this beautifully illustrated picture book is a complex counting book.  However for those who search the detail on its pages, it also has a strong message about the diversity of animal life round the world and the importance of water, as the level of the water in the waterhole gradually becomes less. (8 years up)

Where the Forest meets the Sea  by Jeannie Baker   hardback $27.95  pb $15.95
Big Book $39.95    This picture book is made from intricate collages.  Set in the Daintree rainforest in northern Queensland, it shows a fragile rainforest area next to the sea, easily threatened by too much human activity.  (7 years up)
The Hidden Forest   by Jeannie Baker  hardback  $27.95  pb $15.95 Big Book $39.95  This picture book, also made from collage work, is set in the kelp forests of the oceans round Tasmanian.  As usual the collages are made up of natural materials - rock, sand, wood, feathers and seaweed.  This is an unusual look at life in a very different type of forest – a forest which is in the ocean.   (8 years up)
Window   by Jeannie Baker hardback $27.95   pb 15.95   Big Book $39.95  is a study of a changing view through the window of a house as more and more houses encroach on the countryside seen from the window.
Belonging hardback $27.95 pb $15.95 Big book $39.95   follows the same format as Window  but it looks at an inner city suburb bleak in its drabness, ugly signs, graffiti and dilapidated houses and how over time the street is gradually transformed into a green inviting place where people can meet and enjoy their environment..

Blueback: A Fable for all Ages  by Tim Winton  pb $14.95  large format pb $19.95
An environmentally conscious story about Abel and his mother who live by the sea and whose lives revolve round the ocean.  They endeavour to protect their bit of ocean and the creatures who live in it from anything harmful.  (9 years up)

All prices are in Australian dollars.   If you would like to order any of the above books, send orders to Austral Ed by fax, post or email.

For additional lists of recommended books and newsletters from Austral Ed, visit our website       www.australed.iinet.net

© Kate Shepherd 2008.