DIM’S DICTIONARY OF DYNAMIC READS: Somewhere Beyond The Sea


A Piscean by nature, it follows I automatically soak up anything associated with water. Here is an aquatic themed book list sure to ‘whet’ the appetites of ocean lovers.

Click on the title links to explore these books further and access ways to acquire them.

Aquatica: A beginner’s field guide by Lance Balchin

Imagine a world bereft of the natural order because of we humans. A world where artificial robotic life has replaced real species and most terrifyingly, multiplying faster than surviving humans can control. A few years prior to this account, Liberty’s journal of Mechanica surfaced. This is her latest chronicle of the underwater life forms that now plague the oceans. Incredible detail describes each robotic menace, all accompanied by stunning diagrammatic sketches and paintings. Imaginative, beautiful and quietly disarming, this is a must for lovers of future dystopia, sea creatures and saga type fantasies. A supremely standout picture book.

Five Mile, April 2017   97817620404147

I’m Fabulous Crab! By Nicki Greenberg

A dazzling cover resplendent in shimmer and shine, this tale of Henry the Hermit crab dances from one glorious page to the next. Each spread is an eye-feast of reef brights and deep sea detail as Henry encrusts his dull grey exterior with every bit of sea treasure-bling he can accumulate. The result is truly fabulous but also makes him a bodacious target for those intent on doing Henry harm. Henry’s solution to being a sensational stand-out and still survive is testimony to ingenuity and sharing.

Affirm Press, April 2021   9781922400734

Jasper Juggles Jellyfish by Ben Long and David Cornish

I love a good bit of alliteration. And jelly fish. And juggling, which makes this perfectly metred rhyming counting book sensational fun. Numbers, collective nouns and goofy grinning jellies pay clever homage to tenacity and perseverance. A great fun read-aloud.

Ford Street Publishing,  2018   9781925736021


Morphing Murphy by Robert Favretto and Tull Suwannakit

This tale emerges slowly and seemingly with no other purpose than to follow the evolving body of Murphy the former-tadpole. At each momentous stage of his transformation, Murphy experiences emotions of incredulous disbelief, shock and then acceptance. He eventually realises change is advantageous and good, something worth embracing and living for. And like the incredible metamorphosis that transforms a humble tadpole into a grinning frog, the twist ending is a delightfully unexpected surprise. Another entertaining read aloud good for crowd sharing.

Ford Street Publishing,  2020  9781925804324

Ten Little Yoga Frogs by Hilary Robinson and Mandy Stanley

There are frog books and yoga books. This combines the two in an authentic counting, posing experience designed to enthuse and enlighten littlies. Easy to follow and read, this one is great for those sharing Zen time with youngsters 2 – 6.

Catch a Star – New Frontier imprint,  2021  9781922326126

Three Dancing Frogs by Leigh Hardingham and Patrick Shirvington

Soft pastel hued illustrations depict the story of a country soiree. Bush buddies gather around a moonlit pond just as a brisk storm buffets through but not before three little frogs put on a graceful display of ballet. Young fans of dance will get a kick out of parallel build-up of tension both in the lead up to the performance and the storm.

New Frontier Publishing,  2020 9781921928819

Who Fed Zed? by Amelia McInerney and Adan Nickel

Goldfish love eating. They’d eat until they die which is why, Zed the red and white goldfish, comes close to a perilous end a few times in this riotously droll tale about a group of friends faced with two problematic pets: a flea ridden, Jed and a half-dead, Zed. McInerney’s gift for conveying multi-layered meaning through a few lines of comic verse couples brilliantly with Nickel’s retro-esque style illustrations and sombre colour choice. It’s a tale that belies a serious understatement of food packaging ambiguity and food allergies. Unique and chuckle worthy.  

Allen & Unwin, July 2021   9781760524432

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Goldfish Boy

Image
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
Read more

Review: My Shadow Is Pink

Image
What are little boys made of? Is it really frogs and snails ; everything that is not sugar and spice and all things nice that are otherwise attributed to the makeup of girls? Should blue be the only shade that maketh the man? Debut author illustrator, Scott Stuart blows these outdated tropes well and truly out of the water with this deliriously amusing and tender picture book, My Shadow is Pink . Our intrepid main character’s little face is a picture of consternation after he concedes that his shadow is not the strong blue that trails the other males in his family. His is a delicate shade of rose and mirrors that which he loves most: sparkles, dancing, twirling and dressing up. Despite his father’s reassurances that his shadow will adopt a more ‘manly’ appearance one of these days , and the little boy’s own yearning to fit in with the other acceptable shadow groups, he is unable to dismiss his conflicting feelings. Then one day an invitation to let his shadow dress up in its favour
Read more

Christmas Countdown Day 3 - The Grandest Bookshop in the World

Image
The Grandest Bookshop in the World It’s something I’ve always wanted to do – live in a bookshop and be surrounded by the magic of words and other spellbinding things, like cake. Siblings Pearl and Vally Cole are living that dream. But it’s not just any old bookshop; it’s the Cole’s Book Arcade in Melbourne. Their fantastical story germinates from their father’s own stirring rags to riches tale and meanders closely to the actual chronological time line of the eccentric Edward Cole, founder of Coles Book Arcade in the late 1800s. The key thing to remember be you staff, family member or patron of the Arcade is that buying a book is secondary to enjoying your visitation. Customers are encouraged to relax, read, dine on tantalising fare, wander through the exotic gardens harbouring monkeys, or perhaps select a curious toy for a well-behaved youngster. These fascinations really did exist and in the Cole children’s thrilling tale form the critical backdrops to their chilling (fictional) a
Read more