Dim's Write Stuff

Thompson's work never fails to enthrall and entertain. This is a majestic foray into the minds of two very different people; one in old age with the onset of dementia, struggling with the enormity of making sense of a lifetime of memories. The other his granddaughter determined to find what he has 'lost'. The search takes both them and the the reader through a detailed adventure of perception, memory, reflection and finally resignation. Some lost things are never found, like time and youth but with kindness and understanding, their previous existence can be cherished. Full page spreads burst with colour, clever jokes, ties to previous works and well-known entities. None of us really know what we are looking, but Thompson prompts us to search anyway. The whole effect has a rather Graeme Base feel to it which is brilliant in my book.  The use of colour, deliberate placement of 'clues' and exploration of 'normal' locations within a home keep minds and eyes acti...

As part of the recent National Education Summit (Diverse Learners Symposium ) held in Brisbane, Queensland's own award-winning children's author, Aleesah Darlison was invited to discuss diversity in Kids' Lit via the 'Portrayal of ADHD, Mental Health, Anxiety, & The Spectrums in Children’s & Young Adult Literature'. The role of a children's author is vast and varied but for me involves sharing and caring. To create stories that elicit emotional connections with young readers while still fascinating and entertaining them is a challenging mix to perfect. Luckily, these are just the sort of tales I love to tackle; ones often embracing difficult subject matter, that speak to different people from multiple levels and in so doing, echo and normalize real life situations.  Many of my titles reflect this premise, including Oswald Messweather ,   a picture book that focuses on the emotional aspects associated with the debilitating condition of obsessive compuls...

When a masterful storyteller distils the essence of the past and reinstates it into a meaningful, moving context for those for whom that past never existed, the result is forcibly compelling. Inkflower by Suzy Zail is this and more. Here is my review of this incredible tale which first appeared on  Kids' Book Review, 11 July 2023. Zail weaves truths and imaginings into a novel for young people that both spellbinds and beleaguers belief. She states her father taught her we have to talk about the things that scare us before we can change them, so too must the reader experience some uncomfortable realisations just as teen protagonist, Lisa Keller, is forced to after learning about the terminal condition of her beloved father. Emil Keller (formerly Rosenfeld) has a successful career, comfortable home and doting family. And only a handful of months left to enjoy them. Diagnosed with the debilitating Motor Neuron Disease MND, Emil embarks on one last quest before his time ends; to sh...

The alluring title and intricate cover design of this novel provides instant grab but it’s the immediate saturation of raw authentic atmosphere that really pulls you into Salama’s story. Debut author Zoulfa Katouh pours her heart and soul into Salama but does so with enough measured restraint and humour to ensure this exposé of Syria’s present day atrocities appeals not only to adult readers but also its intended YA audience. And, it’s an allure that lingers all the way to the heart touching end. Salama is a young Syrian girl living in Homs, a city located on the Orontes River in western Syria. A city razed to the ground by Syria’s ugly ongoing Civil war. She lives amongst the destruction surviving on less than nothing, enduring nerves more frayed than the fabric of any remaining normality. Every ounce of energy is directed into maintaining the welfare of others, namely those brought into the local hospital in which she works to be cobbled back together again. She mends, stitches, s...

Challenger Deep might not be your typical resort pool-side read but this mind-splitting psychological YA fiction had me from the first glimpse of its ambiguous cover art (of the Australian edition) and the first improbable, incongruous lines: There are two things you know. One: You were there. Two: You couldn’t have been there. Plus, Neal Shusterman, so … this is what accompanied me to the sunbeds. Deep, mysterious, soul crushing, Neal Schusterman oscillates fifteen-year-old Caden Bosch between reality and madness with unnerving accuracy in an intensely immersive narrative about mental illness. I’m not sure why it took me until now to dip into this one but if stories have a way of finding you at the exact time you need them, then Challenger Deep hit its mark with me. Life often resembles a rollercoaster ride. In recent times, mine’s been more of a washing machine of anguish and tortured emotions. At least you can open your eyes on a rollercoaster. Let out a scream now and then. Perh...

Have you ever left a book on the shelf for months and months, eager to read it but not quite in the right mood to do so? Other titles assume a kind of procrastinate preference over your erstwhile looked-forward-to folio until suddenly, it beckons, loud and unrelenting. Read me, read me now! I love the synchronicity of reading the right book at the right time. This is how I experienced, Kate Foster’s latest novel, The Bravest Word, at time when life needed a little more explaining and the soul a little extra massaging. Without getting over personal or dwelling on the genesis of this story or Foster’s motivation for writing this book, The Bravest Word , is honest and raw and incredibly uncomplicated in its complexity. Matt is an only child with the world at his eleven-year-old feet. He is on the cusp of football legendary-stardom and the start of secondary school. He has loving parents and buddies who always have his back yet for reasons unknown to him, mystifying and confusing, h...

Stop the Sleigh! I want to get off. Not many can say 2021 has been their most spectacular year - memorable, yes - rated on their top ten of best years ever, nah. At least it felt that way for this little black duck. In fact it's been more than a little 'puzzling'. Yet amidst the terrifying onslaught of one tsunami (or blizzard in Santa speak) of frustration and disappointment after the other, seas settled just long enough (for a split second) to make a quick inventory of that which I thought was irrevocably lost over board during the wildest assaults.  Health and family still there - just - check Roof over my head - check Rain sloughing through the gutters, greening the garden - glorious check More books and stories published - yea ha, check More book babies to look forward to in the new year - chuffed as, check. Food on my plate, and stacking on my hips, oh well - still a big fat tick. And it continues.  Despite continued inconvenience on the work front #thanksCovid, liv...

Ah, the Terrible Twos, that period of a small human’s life where defiant behaviours and boundary pushing become their central focus and consume more energy and concentration to execute than ‘going potty’. Here are some of the defining characteristics of that delightful developmental phase, just in case you haven’t experienced the joy first hand yet. Saying “NO” (ALOT) Kicking, hitting, biting Temper Tantrums Screaming Fighting with siblings Not following/ignoring rules Tuning you out Throwing themselves on the ground in a total meltdown Incredibly, my darling girl experienced none of these signs save for the odd dummy spit that we both talked our way through calmly, quickly. Similarly the Troublesome Threes and Fearsome Fours were all a bit of a doddle. We slid effortlessly into the Fun Fives once again avoiding the Snarky Sixes. And so on. Sincerely. Our playgroup companions merely shrugged their exhausted shoulders with disbelief and congratulated us on good parenting. But it wasn’t ...

Deep in a wooded land live a family united by love but also by the burden of anxiety. Then one day, a very shaky box deposits Cookie, who transforms them. Even as Mental Health Awareness month winds to a close, books like, Cookie remind us all of the mental anguish young people may experience at any time of their lives. For some, it may never cease, for others, finding solace in a soul like, Cookie is an indescribable source of comfort and hope. It is little secret I adore Border collies, having accrued a few myself. Border collie puppies are sweeter than candy and better than sunshine for brightening ones mood and making things better, so what better character than, Cookie, a charming black and white pup, to tell the story of his relationship with Girl.   Once Cookie settles into Girl’s family, Cookie learns to love Girl without restraint. Together they find the yummiest smells and discover the chewiest chewy things. Play time is fun time but Cookie appreciates cuddle snugg...

October marks a myriad of mental health milestones. And while the swirl of acronyms and dates, hashtags and headlines may set your mind tumbling into confusion, take heart in the solid certainty that now, more than ever before, the acknowledgement of and support for people in mental distress and decline is growing. And that is a good thing, too great to measure. Why? Because it allows people to recognise, accept and most importantly, REACH OUT for help when  they need it most rather than live in quiet shame and agony. This is an admission I myself am slowly coming to realise, as well... How though does this all relate to my advocacy to create Kids' Lit with heart, soul and purpose? Well,  occasions like: OCD Awareness Week, Mental Health Month , Disability Awareness month to name but a few, all serve as avenues for sufferers of mental illness or those whose peers and or family are afflicted with mental disorders and conditions, to explore and learn more. In short to become...

Forever. A notion that suggests everlasting, enduring conditions or effects. But haven't we been told that nothing is forever? Be that as it may, the good folk at Forevability ably headed by Tabitha Page believe that sustaining hope for those whose forever-afters may appear more bleak than others is something worth pursuing.  Their mission is to: support, understand, empower and teach by offering people with various health conditions, disabilities and mental disorders a veritable library of hope beautifully encased in a huge (and growing) collection of children's books. The titles range from picture books, early readers, middle grade fiction and young adult fiction. There are even a few cross over 18+ selections. Each genre is subdivided into subject areas that address certain conditions: mental health, disabilities, own voice, grief, medical procedures, anxiety and so on. The titles are carefully curated to match the subject area and offer visitors an amazing cross section o...

Twelve-year-old Matthew Corbin is your regular pre-teen boy living in an unspectacular cul-de-sac deep in British suburbia. The major difference between him and the other inhabitants of Chestnut Close however is the state of his red-raw hands and tortured mind and the fact that he barely steps outside his terraced-home second story bedroom. Matthew is afflicted with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, OCD and can barely function as a result. From his fishbowl vantage point, Matthew keeps track of his neighbours, dutifully recording their every movement, their comings and goings, and their habitual rituals in his notebooks. In this way we are introduced to the residents and their characteristic irks and quirks from the get go in a way that is both intriguing and comical. Matthew’s observations allude to his condition; he is both analytical and detailed in his approach. The orderliness of his notations suggest a mind used to repetition and accuracy, an intense desire to ‘get things r...

Dim and Ozzie. The subject of mental health can be blurred at times. The genesis behind a story is oftentimes as fascinating and alluring as the story itself. Understanding why an author chose to follow a character's calling, explore their anxieties, desires, hopes and dreams appeals to ones voyeuristic tendencies and makes the whole experience more sincere and substantial. This interview, conducted on behalf of Wombat Books explores my motivations for wanting to share Oswald's story.  Oswald Messweather is a picture book that I hope creates bridges between understanding and frustrations. The behavioural disorder of OCD is a debilitating condition for adults let alone children  to live with. The associated social fall-out that occurs from living with intense anxieties and perceived shortcomings is something very few of us successfully avoid. Perhaps sharing stories like this one will help lessen the gaps between stigma and support and provide children and their carers with ...

This book had me at its title, Paws : simple and unambiguous with a huge promise of something cleverly canine exciting the dog lover in me. Having woofed this middle grade fiction down faster than my dog can empty a bowl of kibble, I wonder though if author, Kate Foster had other implications in mind when naming her latest book; we authors are fond of layered meanings and wondrous wordplay after all. For me Paws is a story about self-identity and recognition, of ‘pausing’ for thought not just to give ourselves more time to process a particular situation or emotion but also to appreciate another’s; so much easier to write than do especially if you are 11-year-old Alex Freeman dealing with autism.   Alex’s most pressing life goal is to secure a true and proper friendship before he is obliged to set sail on the unnavigable social ocean of high school. He believes his best chances lie in winning a coveted PAWS Dog Show trophy so spends his mornings and afternoons training his const...