Dim's Write Stuff

The seas of friendship are challenging to navigate regardless of age or creed. It’s natural for most youngsters to slip effortlessly through the minefields of companionship whilst others struggle with its ambiguities and complex set of social rules. This smattering of picture books highlights the many beautiful highs and lows of friendship. Baz & Benz With a handful of succinct words, Heidi McKinnon creates a lively dialogue between best owlet mates, Baz and Benz. Baz is diminutive yet big on persistence; adopting the tedious interrogative tone a younger sibling might employ when trying to alleviate anxiety. His repetitive quizzing about the strength and longevity of his friendship with Benz eventually wears thin on poor old Benz who becomes increasingly annoyed. Can true friendship endure such taunting or is this the end of Baz and Benz? Simple, funny illustrations accentuate these characters and the endearing storyline. Also available as a board book. Title:   Baz & B...

Considering that over 75 per cent of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, it makes sense to invite a deeper knowledge of our wondrous oceans and seas. This selection of recent picture books are a feast of colourful fun and facts guaranteed to whet the curiosities of many budding oceanographers. My First Book of Sea Creatures Vibrantly illustrated by Zoë Ingram, this illustrated nonfiction picture book is a joy to read and cinch to navigate through. Colourful end pages immediately immerse readers into the world of 20 sea creatures ranging from clownfish, hermit crabs, narwhals and coral polyps. Species specifics are boxed alongside bold and brilliant ‘Did you know?’ fun facts. Particularly alluring are the size scales provided beneath each brief creature description for example, sea snakes are 17 – 128 cm long, equivalent to the length of a bicycle. Everything is reinforced with brilliant visuals. An index at the end of the book provides a colourful reference for kids to tick off ...

A book launch! I hear you exclaim. Where? When? What? Um, well, I regret to inform that you have missed that particular book party boat - the official book launching IRL event hoo-ha for Oswald Messweather took place in April. But wait! The good ship YouTube is still floating mine and Ozzie's boat and YOU can enjoy just about every riveting moment of the day right there, right now! Hurrah!  Brian Falkner with Dim and Ozzie Dimity Powell​ … seems to have the ability to touch on subjects that in other hands would seem worthy or didactic, and to make them heartbreakingly real and emotional, in a way that is accessible to both children and adults. It is beautifully illustrated by Siobhan McVey​. Brian Falkner,  children’s author, interview With very little professional help (the hubster filmed it all on his phone, phew!), a lot of excellent support by Yvonne Mes and the crew at The Mad Hatters Bookshop in Manly (thanks Laura and Isabel!) a brilliant creative cast of on-set extr...

My ability to draw is only slightly less inspiring than my ability to handstand. I can however, picture my stories as I write them with razor sharp clarity, in my head at least. Translating these internal storyboards to a real life illustrator is not always easy so I'm lucky that illustrators like, Siobhan McVey who provided the striking visual narrative for, Oswald Messweather , are adroit enough to create strong ' visual partners ' for my words without my input. I was fascinated to learn that when a storyline and language resonate powerfully enough with a potential illustrator, their creativity leaps into unsolicited action. In other words, sketches and images, characteristics and colours flow authentically and without hesitation. The organic way a visual narrative uncurls in an illustrator's head, eventually spilling onto the page to hug and caress my words is, for me, the most magical part of the picture book making process. To experience more of the magic, read thi...

Unless you’ve been to the afterlife, and successfully returned, chances are you are not super familiar with the supernatural. These next few YA novels ease maturing young adults into spine-tingling conjecture about spectres, the worlds they habitat and conditions of existence they are forced to abide by. It’s bewitching stuff. The Ghost Squad This thriller by Sophie Masson takes place in the not too distant future following a global cataclysmic event which renders the world virtually tech-free. Living in a world stripped of modern day conveniences, young Polly is thrust into a heart-racing quest of survival. Guided by her own instincts and a beguiling young teen by the name of, Swan, Polly grapples with new found knowledge about two opposing clandestine organisations, the government run Ghost Squad and the Base whose shared intent is for the control of information about the afterlife. Since what is commonly referred to as the Pulse (theoretically a massive solar flare disturbing e...

A huge number (pardon the pun) of counting books regularly cross my reviewing line of sight, some fun, some novel, some nonsensical. The thing that sets Counting Creatures by the ineffable, Julia Donaldson and illustrator extraordinaire, Sharon King-Chai, apart is the exquisite presentation and thoughtful use of content. This is decidedly more than a counting book. It verses children in the prerequisite 1 - 10 then continues in multiple of fives which prolongs the enjoyment and exercises young brain muscles. A forest, tree top and meadow full of interesting creatures lurk, fly and float in a wonderful wildness of stunning colour and detail.  Children are invited to count these creatures and then venture a guess as to how many babies they might have; a bat has one for instance but who has more babies than that? The most exuberant thing about this counting and naming book is the gorgeous arrangement of flaps and fold out pages each hiding the answer and a surprise or two.  Comb...

The coupling of these two picture books may at first glance seem peculiar but spend time with each and you’ll soon appreciate their shared affinity. Both are exquisite examples of tender hearted story telling relaying huge-hearted subject matter in ways young readers can easily embrace. Both are illustrated with a gentle hand and soothing colour palette. I urge you to explore more… Extraordinary! Penny Harrison has hit her stride with this glorious picture book showcasing hope. At least this was the main message for me. So many children’s books attempt to broadcast the notion of ‘hanging on’ and ‘feeling hopeful’. We tell children regularly that they are special and unique. Sometimes, we even reward mediocrity in an effort to level their ‘feelings’ playing fields thus doing their self-esteems a terrible disservice. This book rejects all that in favour of acknowledging a child’s desire to dream without boundaries; to harness unicorns and sail around Mars for example. Of course childr...