Dim's Write Stuff

Picture books are renowned for tackling a plethora of subjects that illuminate imaginative thought and spark creativity. None more so than those centred around construction, building, making . As an adult, I am constantly moved and enlightened by the ability of humans to design and create homes to shelter in and communities to thrive amongst. Imagine then how enthralling these types of books are for youngsters. This crafty collection of recent releases escorts young readers from architectural triumphs, to design to the notion of ‘home is where the heart (or pet) is’. Enjoy! Digby & Claude by Emma Allen and Hanna Sommerville This hefty picture book is a moving tribute to the re-developmental phase of housing in Australia in the late 1930s. It is also a powerful testimony to change, the evolution of friendship and resilience of community spirit. Digby and Claude unite as a change in the appearance and composition of their street begins; new flats are being built. As the demolition...

In the lead up to the silly season where, as everyone knows, the best present of all is a BOOK, it’s time to throw some scintillating options at you. This collection features content showcasing our reef and ocean life with a few surprises along the way. Click on title links to access more information for perfect summer reading. Enjoy! A Is For Australian Reefs: A fact astic Tour by Frané Lessac This is an ABC book with a difference. It’s not simply a collection of alphabetised sea creatures but a colour saturated, detail imbued meander around our coral reefs which includes nomenclature (species names) and terminology. Random fun facts pop up on every page adding interesting and depth to one of the most biodiverse environments on the planet. Highly recommended. Walker Books Australia, October 2022 ISBN: 9781760652258 Big World, Tiny World: Reef by Jess Racklyeft Another memorable masterpiece highlighting ocean life in and around our beautiful reefs. Racklyeft combines lyrical ve...

Over a slew of silly seasons aka Christmases, I’ve reviewed some truly stunning Christmas inspired books. You’ll find many of them  here  and as curated booklists at  DIM’S re VIEW S . This year, like my intake of dried fruit treats and sugar, I’ve reduced the selection to this humble handful. Droll wit, Aussie flavoured, and spirit-filled are the themes of the day or rather season so, enjoy! Happy Christmas! How Does Santa Go Down The Chimney? by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen Good question lads. This, my non-Shakespearean friends, is the real question, one exasperatingly left incompletely answered. This book is a magical, maddening meandering through the various ways our St. Nickolas aka Santa, is able to silently and stealthily enter the number of dwellings he does in the time that he has. As we follow SC across the rooftops (and under the front doors) seeking answers, other enigmatic quandaries are raised like whether or not he pauses to do laundry between hou...

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...

This week’s whopper book list features some of the most favoured and favourite Aussie characters of all time: our wildlife. Look them up in your bookshop or library for some full Australiana immersion . Babies At The Billabong by Maura Finn and Cate James Stunning textural illustrations illuminate one little girl’s late afternoon rambles around a billabong where she spies a bush load of Aussie animal babies. Nomenclature and rhyming singalong verse makes this a sweet read for 3 – 5 year-olds. Affirm Press August 2021 9781922419408 By The Billabong by Maura Finn and Cate James This is the precursor to ‘ Babies …’ and sports just as many gumnuts and superb imagery. A fun and frolicsome exploration of collective nouns that makes a gorgeous bedtime read. Affirm Press April 2020 9781925972474 Dry to Dry: The Seasons of Kakadu by Pamela Freeman and Liz Anelli Anelli’s mixed media artwork and Freeman’s elegant yet fact-driven narrative informs and entices readers to look...

Although I’ve explored the northern most reaches of Africa, I’ve never trekked across its savannah or trudged through its verdant forests. Perhaps if I had (maybe one day), I would have encountered some of the magnificent creatures that inspired this week’s book list (except for the tigers of course; I’ll pop over to India for those). Click on the title links to explore these books further and access ways to acquire them. Bear Was There by Sally Anne Garland Mouse is born and raised in a cosy embrace of love. His mother verses him in life and cautions him about its dangers, like Bear. But Mouse is young and carefree and explores his world with open abandon until one day; Mouse encounters a huge scary shadow – Bear! But as the seasons change and both Bear and Mouse mature, their relationship evolves until Mouse experiences an old familiar feeling … love. This gorgeously rendered tale of stranger-danger vs. trust, humility and acceptance is both charming to read aloud or savour quiet...

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  ...