Book Bites: You Gotta Have Friends


I’ve recently been examining the notion of friendship; what ignites it, how enduring it is, why it is simultaneously strong yet exquisitely fragile. Friendship cannot exist exclusively but is enriched with kindness and compassion, understanding and infinite patience. Friendship is, I guess, love. And love encompasses the best bits of friendship. This small handful of picture books encapsulates this notion in better ways than I could ever explain. I invite you to get better acquainted …

Old Fellow

Liz Anelli’s homely and divinely detailed drawings are the perfect accompaniment to Christopher Cheng’s touching tale about two old fellows; an affable elderly man and his furry black dog. They share their days together wondering the suburban streets of their neighbourhood and ambling through the local parks. Life around them is a riot of colour and action. They walk, muse, rest, and remember when they used to play ball and dash after birds. Now is more of a time of simply sitting and smelling and being in the moment of pure, everlasting friendship. This simple ode to the passing of time pays homage to the longevity of companionship while reflecting on the joys of being part of something even greater: community.

Title:  Old Fellow
Author:  Christopher Cheng
Illustrator:  Liz Anelli
Publisher:  Walker Books Australia
Publication Date:  May 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760652395
For ages:  3 – 7
Type:  Picture Book

Buy the Book:  Booktopia, Boomerang Books, Waker Books Australia


Accidentally Kelly Street

Dawn breaks over Kelly St, a tree-line place of quaint unassuming houses and closely knit neighbours but for one family, it is not just the start of a new day but something even more magnificent. This illustrated rendition of the iconic 90s Frente! song, Accidentally Kelly St, was prompted by current immigration issues (in Biloela Queensland), and promotes a world that embraces change and new chapters supportively, unreservedly and whole heartedly, just like the residents of Briony Stewart’s Kelly St do. Astonishingly, the original lyrics need no alteration, sliding comfortably alongside Stewart’s cheering and considered illustrations. This is celebration of community, of friends and strangers coming together in perfect harmony, in giant colourful, unadulterated armfuls of reaffirming joy. And just like the super-catchy lilting vibe of the summertime classic, Accidentally Kelly St chimes with pure sweetness. Because life can should be so sweet.

Title:  Accidentally Kelly Street
Illustrator:  Briony Stewart with lyrics by Tim O’Connor from Frente!
Publisher:  Affirm Press
Publication Date:  October 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781922848055
For ages:  4 – 8
Type:  Picture Book

Buy the Book:  Affirm Press, Booktopia


The Blue Umbrella

If compassion is the sum of caring and community, this charming picture book is the slate it is written on. One day a little girl becomes the recipient of a small blue umbrella. She takes it with her when out on a walk with her mother despite there being not a rain cloud in sight. Incredibly it begins to rain so, to remain dry and warm together, the girl invites her mother underneath with her. Even more incredibly, the umbrella assumes Tardis-like characteristics eventually sheltering the entire community from the torrential downpour. Young, old, infirmed alike; all remain dry and safe and so engrossed by each other’s company and new found friendships that there they remain, united in play and companionship until well after the sun comes out. I adored the surreal profundity of this notion of inclusivity that broadens into community well-being. The Blue Umbrella is the perfect showcase of kindness and empathy.

Title: The Blue Umbrella

Author:  Emily Ann Davison
Illustrator:  Momoko Abe
Publisher:  Anderson Press
Publication Date:  February 2023
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781839132520
For ages:  3 – 8
Type:  Picture Book

Buy the Book:  Andersons Press, Booktopia, Walker Books Australia


Jigsaw: A Puzzle In The Post

The artistry and cleverness of Bob Graham hardly needs introduction. His simple and seemingly obscure narratives hide infinite possibilities that are immediately relatable because his characters are so darn plausible. Jigsaw is no exception. One day a beautiful jigsaw puzzle arrives in the mail. The Kellys, unwrap it and with time on their hands, launch into its completion. The puzzle takes longer than anticipated and after nearly a year of determined puzzling, Dad declares there’s a piece missing! The family embark on a seemingly impossible search for the missing piece. Hope is all they have when faced with an insurmountable mountain of forgotten history and past moments to sift through but even that is not enough. Until fate delivers and together, they complete a sunrise. This is a buoyant tale of trust, hope and tenacity; interestingly, the very attributes pre-schoolers seem to possess in natural abundance. With nothing more than the words, ‘Good luck to you all,’ the jigsaw ignited passion and purpose within Kitty and Katie’s family. Whether as homage to those with time to spare or the passing of time or the sublime ideal of just spending time together, Jigsaw … imbues the notion of making the best of the most ordinary or arduous of situations whilst exploring the value of nostalgia and its serendipitous measure of our time on this planet. Extraordinary reading with an amped up stay positive feeling; epitomising the very essence of having a good friend by your side.

Title:  Jigsaw: A Puzzle In The Post
Author / Illustrator:  Bob Graham
Publisher:  Walker Books
Publication Date:  July 2022
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781529503319
For ages:  3 – 7
Type:  Picture Book

Buy the Book:  Walker Books, Booktopia

 

 

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