I have a Trace Moroney-related confession. I am a massive fan girl. When I first started out in teaching, I inherited a classroom that had a bare classroom library. So I enthusiastically set out to stock it. I bought whatever good-quality books I could find at second-hand book stalls and op shops. I got my hands on a box set of Trace Moroney ‘s “When I’m Feeling….” collection. At that time, I was teaching first grade and HOLY MOLY, those little books about feelings were so useful. I have loved, and used, her work for a long time.
So the name Trace Moroney takes me back to the start of my teaching career. This is a bit of a full circle, pinch-me moment to have Trace here on my blog! Her latest series, My Emotions, is another valuable set of books for your bookshelves and classroom libraries. Much longer in form than the “When I’m Feeling…” books, this new series explores the layers of emotions that come along with the process of an experience or event. It offers well- researched techniques to help children develop valuable coping skills and build resilience – so that when the experience inevitably happens, your child is better prepared and has more confidence to self-regulate their emotions.
Introducing Trace Moroney!
I am … Trace Moroney, a creator of children’s picture books that translates big feelings for little people™.
My work focuses on enhancing emotional and social literacy for children … and their parents and guardians too.
I am an author; illustrator; designer; publisher; company director; parent (to one son and two naughty pugs); psychology student; chief cook and loo-cleaner; and … am generous; kind; sometimes stubborn; intolerant of a**holes; energetic; authentic; self-deprecating; highly empathetic; and enormously passionate about life, the universe, and everything!
I find inspiration …from everyday life experiences; academic research; reading; listening; chatting with friends; and walking (preferably on bushy mountain tracks) – as this is when I can enter into an (almost) meditative state and find that the squillions of ideas and snippets of information tumbling around in my head — can formulate into an exciting idea for a book. Annoyingly and occasionally, I have forgotten a ‘brilliant’ idea by the time I get home – so, have learned to voice-record the idea on my mobile phone.
I am excited about … my new series entitled My Emotions! This new series explores the layers of emotions that come along with the process of an experience or event. It offers well-researched techniques to help children develop valuable coping skills and build resilience – so that when an experience or event inevitably happens, they are better prepared to navigate their way through it.
When I’m in a creative slump, I … go walking and/or throw myself into some extensive physical exercise! However, I rarely experience creative slumps – nor have time to have them!
I’m really proud of … my resilience! I have experienced several abusive relationships – from a parent, an ex-partner, and a few in between – and while it has been incredibly difficult to manage at times, I am most proud of my tenacity to ‘pick myself back up’ and ‘keep my eyes on the prize’ … in other words – keep focused on the abundance of good things in my life; the exciting goals to achieve … and to enjoy the journey.
I am proud to be the mother of my son. He has taught me so much about myself, and he is the most incredible young man I have ever had the privilege to know.
I only wish I had his capacity for being tolerant!
Someone once told me … never run with scissors!
My advice …
Define ‘forgiveness’ as: giving up the hope that the past can be any different.
‘Let it go’ … OK — so this is one that I am still working on!
What a year it has been for picture books!
Back in June, we shared our 10 favourite picture books of the year (so far.)
The second half of 2018 did not disappoint.
Here are 9 more of the best picture books of 2018.
* And let’s just point out that writing a post like this is FRAUGHT!
As soon as I wrote it, I kept seeing books and thinking “Oh! That shoulda been on THE LIST.”
So the books on this list are ones that have been LOVED here by children and parents alike. I have also used many of these in the classroom to the delight of many a student.
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This gorgeous board book celebrates the small everyday acts of love that take place within a family home.
The vibrant illustrations depict families in all their glorious, diverse forms.
What makes a family a family? Love.
Monster Party by Alison Lester and Jane Godwin
Alison Lester and Jane Godwin collaborated with the students of remote Rawa Community School, located on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, to produce this book with students’ artworks and stories based around life in the Punmu community. Any book that uses the word “gallumphing” will always have my heart.
A gaggle of adorable children show us how they can make shapes and lines with their bodies.
My kids were intrigued by seeing other kids in print and ADORED the idea of using their bodies to imitate shapes.
When I first read this book, my first instinct was to rush out and find a Kindy class to share it with. But my rational brain kicked in and I figured that the authorities would NOT APPROVE of me rushing into a random classroom AT ALL. I want to teach Infants forevermore just so I can use this book repeatedly in all Shape and Geometry lessons.
I bought this book after comments like “Pink is for girls!” started popping up at our place.
This book challenges the gender stereotype of pink for girls vs blue for boys.
Colours are for everybody.
A beautifully diverse cast of characters celebrate colour and encourage readers to simply enjoy whatever it is that they enjoy.
“Smart is not just ticks and crosses, smart is building boats from boxes.”
This book needs to be in the hands of every policy-maker in the sphere of Education, in every classroom, in every library, and in every home.
I intend on reading it every NAPLAN season to gently let my students know that what makes you unique can’t be shown in the data from a standardised test. *excuse my creaky knees as I get off my soap box*
This book is an utterly glorious call to celebrate your strengths and your own unique smarts.
Davina Bell and Alison Colpoys are a dream team of picture book creators.
Just look at those two names on the cover there! What a dream team!
Giraffe suffers from a very human problem- he feels self-conscious and compares himself to others.
He notices something about himself that he feels is a negative and can’t see the positive in it.
The negative? His long neck.
Sometimes we just need somebody else to point out the positives.
In this case, Turtle shows Giraffe just why his long neck is so special.
Do you know somebody raising a creative kid?
A spunky, sparky kid with a vivid imagination who is itching to move on from picture books?
This is the book for them.
Tiggy has a magic paintbrush that she uses to create imaginative solutions to the problems she faces.
The content and colourful illustrations of these books are exquisitely perfect for the early reader looking to move out of picture books into short novels.
This is an exquisite book for the 8 – 12 year old reader.
The old tin hat has always been a part of family life in Michael’s home.
Michael then discovers that it belonged to his great-great-grandfather, “Our Jacko.”
His ancestor was killed at Ypres in 1915 and Michael uncovers the young soldier’s diary.
A powerful and moving story on the importance of remembrance and carrying on the legacy of those who served.
At 64 pages, this is a perfect mix of text and emotional illustrations for the independent reader. However, it is really a text to be shared and pondered.
If you’re looking for a Christmas book present for a young chick in your life, you’d best make it this one.
Heck, I reckon all Aussie chicks, no matter their age, would benefit from having this inspirational and powerful manifesto on their bookshelf.
It features an incredible array of Aussie women who have stood up, stood out, been seen and taken up their rightful space.
The images and titles of each book will take you to Book Depository. As a Book Depository Affiliate, purchases clicked through from my blog result in a small commission. You do not pay any extra for your books! Commission is used to maintain Oh Creative Day. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy here.
Our Christmas picture books get packed away every year. It’s like toy rotation, but with books.
So every November when I pull them out, it’s exciting to “rediscover” our favourites.
We countdown to Christmas with a book advent.
(Check out our tutorial on handsewn book bags for a Christmas book advent.)
Here are 30+ of the best Christmas picture books for kids.
The photographed books are straight from our collection. I’ve also included lots of suggestions that I’ve heard raving reviews about. These ones are on our wishlist- at this rate, I’ll be adding to my childrens’ Christmas book collection until they are well into their 40s.
Just a note: I loathe putting age categories on books, as I find this can be restrictive. Please use the age guides as just that. A guide. My preschooler still enjoys certain board books and is interested in reading early chapter books. The best books can be enjoyed by all ages.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
Best Christmas Picture Books for Toddlers
Dear Santa by Rod Campbell More lift-the-flap goodness from the Dear Zoo creator. How will Santa decide upon the perfect gift? If Dear Zoo is beloved at your place, this Christmas version will be a hit.
Dream Snow by Eric Carle In my humble opinion, Eric Carle is one of the world’s greatest picture book creators. It would be remiss of me to not have him in our Christmas picture book collection! A kind farmer, who bears a strong resemblance to Santa, drifts off to sleep on Christmas Eve dreaming of snow. When he awakens, he realises he has forgotten to lay out presents for his animals. Eric Carle’s acclaimed illustrations were made for the magic of Christmas.
Spot’s Christmas by Eric Hill A sweet snapshot of the busyness of Christmas time with everybody’s favourite canine. Another lift-the-flap!
That’s Not My Santa by Fiona Watt and Rachel Well You cannot underestimate the power of these touch and feel books with their colourful illustrations. This is a festive addition to the extremely popular series.
Bob by Sandra Boynton No toddler book collection is complete without a Sandra Boynton book (or 6) in it! This book actually contains 7 Christmas tales, all accessed from colourful picture tabs.
Little Mouse’s Christmas by Riika Jantti Little Mouse is a cheeky preschooler and thus a very popular character here. This charming book captures the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Day.
Pig the Elf by Aaron Blabey The Pig the Pug series make for such fun read alouds. The world’s greediest pug shows his true colours (as expected) during the Festive Season.
The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas by Justine KormanThe Poky Little Puppy is one of the most popular books of all time. Whilst I acknowledge that it’s not the greatest piece of children’s literature ever written, who can go past a bit of nostalgia at Christmas?
Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht and Jarvis I ADORE the work of Jarvis so this one is a no-brainer. A beautiful read aloud that explores all the rituals of the Festive Season.
The 12 Days of Christmas by Britta Teckentrup I can never remember the words to this carol but there is no need to when you have this beautiful book on hand. Some exquisite paper engineering enables the peep-through pages to reveal each day’s gift.
Santa Rex by Molly Idle There are definitely not enough Christmas books featuring dinosaurs. Thank goodness for this beauty from the creator of the Flora series.
Walk This World at Christmas Time by Debbie Powell I’ve tried to convince myself that I can’t spend any money on Christmas picture books this Festive Season. But I really, really, really want this one! Each page is an exploration of how a different part of the world celebrates Christmas.
Presents Through the Window by Taro GomiChristmas Eve requires so many presents to be delivered in such little time. A hilarious look at how being efficient on Christmas Eve can lead to present mix-ups a-plenty!
Best Christmas Books for 6+
Tony’s Bread by Tomie dePaola This is the tale of one of my favourite Christmas treats- panettone. Or pane di Tony. Or Tony’s Bread. Tomie dePaola’s books are always so fun to read with their Italian words sprinkled through the text. This is the tale behind how panettone came into being.
Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien Every November, an envelope from the North Pole would appear for the Tolkien children. This is the treasury of the amazingly detailed letters that Tolkien would write for his children under the pen name of Father Christmas.
I hate to make a call like “there is one book that should be in every Christmas picture book collection….” but I’m going to do it anyway. This one is a classic. So many envelopes and papery goodness to explore in this classic.
The images and titles of each book will take you to Book Depository. As a Book Depository Affiliate, purchases clicked through from my blog result in a small commission.
You do not pay any extra for your books! Commission is used to maintain Oh Creative Day. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy here.
Picture books help children make sense of the world whilst exposing them to diverse characters and perspectives that they may not encounter in their everyday.
As somebody who grew up in a multicultural household and community, I am passionate about ensuring that my kids’ bookshelves are heaving with picture books about diversity and celebrating difference.
Here are some of our favourites.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support.
This book does an exquisite job on a few levels. It highlights how we can all like different things and still get along nicely. It is a book that also gently challenges gender stereotypes.
The beauty lies in the way it does so without being didactic and preachy.
Jack likes trucks. Alex likes dolls with sparkles.
But Jack doesn’t want to play dolls and Alex doesn’t want to play trucks.
They don’t let this difference get in the way of a fun time playing in the sandpit and resolve the situation through compromise.
“Right up the very top of Australia there is a special place. My friend Normie comes from there, and he says, ‘Things are different to what you might see in the city. Same, but little bit diff’rent….”
This gorgeous book juxtaposes the reality of Normie with that of his city-dwelling friend.
They compare elements of their everyday lives, pastimes and families.
A gorgeous text for highlighting that we can have more in common than we realise.
“Smart is not just ticks and crosses, smart is building boats from boxes.”
This book needs to be in the hands of every policy-maker in the sphere of Education, in every classroom, in every library, and in every home.
I intend on reading it every NAPLAN season to gently let my students know that what makes you unique can’t be shown in the data from a standardised test. *excuse my creaky knees as I get off my soap box*
This book is an utterly glorious call to celebrate your strengths and your own unique smarts.
Davina Bell and Alison Colpoys are a dream team of picture book creators.
Disclaimer: Amy Cox from Playful Little Learners is one of my InstaBuds and she is a brilliant person.
She is passionate about giving kids the space to develop into their own selves through play.
This mum of 4 is one inspirational powerhouse.
Amy has teamed up with another InstaLegend, Caitlyn Burchell, to produce this rhyming text that encourages little ones to embrace what makes them unique. It feels as though you are reading a mother’s love letter to her child.
A polar bear appears in the woods. The other animals are filled with mistrust.
Why does he keep covering himself in leaves? What does he want?
This glorious book gently highlights the plight of polar bears in a warmer world.
More importantly, we are shown how xenophobia is poisonous to us all. How outsiders need our kindness and helping hands more than our judgement.
Seems pretty apt for our current world situation, no?
My friend Agnes is a powerhouse. She emailed to tell me about this idea she had for a picture book.
Within a few months, I was holding that very idea in my hands.
Little White Arch is trying to find his place in the world. He wonders what his colour could be.
He meets many characters along the way who try to convince him of the merits of being their colour.
This is a lovely tale about not needing to be defined by any one single thing. An ode to diversity, acceptance and kindness.
Befitting the title, the illustrations are a riot of colours.
This gorgeous board book celebrates the small everyday acts of love that take place within a family home.
The vibrant illustrations depict families in all their glorious, diverse forms.
What makes a family a family? Love.
When this book arrived, it was ON REPEAT FOR WEEKS.
It tells the tale of Terry, a plain-looking little fish. He yearns to be flashy and fancy-like like the tropical fish.
With a little help from his friends, he manages to turn himself into a dolled-up tropical fish. Which proves problematic when faced with a dangerous predator.
I love this book’s message of playing to your strengths. Sure, those tropical fish may look all fancy-like and flashy, but embracing what makes you unique is where it’s at, right? I also love that it reminds us of how good friends will stick by you (even if you forget your seaweed roots and try to swim with the cool school fish.)
The illustrations are a kaleidoscope of vibrant colour and we’ve spent much quality time poring over them.
A trio of polar bears are living a peaceful life until the piece of ice they are on breaks off. They are set adrift in a vast ocean.
They arrive at land on several occasions, but the animal inhabitants of each place reject or ignore the bears’ pleas for a place to live.
Finally, they discover an empty island. Until three monkeys appear looking for a home. Will the bears welcome them?
Barroux’s beautiful story was inspired by the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis and promotes inclusiveness and welcomeness for children.
There are many mixed reviews on this book. Many are critical of Barroux’s seemingly simple and trivial treatment of a complex issue. I feel that this is not Barroux’s best work by far. I do however feel that this is a lovely text for opening discussions with children about how we can be inclusive.
Stanley Paste is different. He is really small and this leads to a range of problems and unwanted attention.
Then Eleanor Cabbage arrives. She is the tallest girl Stanley has ever seen.
Eleanor’s height leads to a range of problems and similar attention.
The two form a tight friendship.
As always, Aaron Blabey addresses deep themes like acceptance and empathy in a joyful and humorous way.
I have not actually read this book or held it in my own hands.
I have, however, read many rave reviews about it. So I’m including it in this list to remind myself to source it!
From all that I have read on it, this book is a spectacular ode to self-love and embracing individuality.
I asked the good people of Instagram what their favourite picture books about diversity were, and they came back with an impressive list.
You can see more suggestions here on that post.
Buy your picture books about diversity-
The images and titles of each book will take you to Book Depository. As a Book Depository Affiliate, purchases clicked through from my blog result in a small commission. You do not pay any extra for your books! Commission is used to maintain Oh Creative Day. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy here.
The theme for Book Week 2018 is “Find Your Treasure.”
How good is that? There are so many treasures to be found between the pages of a good book!
Scroll down for your free printable Book Treasure Hunt.
Use it with your little readers to celebrate all the gold within books throughout the year- not just during Book Week.
How to have your own Book Week Treasure Hunt at home!
We began by digging through the recyclables collection. (I feel like many of my stories begin this way.)
We dug out some “treasure chests” and painted them.
It is then quite clear that we bedazzled them with gem stickers to our hearts’ content.
I am still finding gem stickers stuck to floorboards.
In retrospect, I feel like it would be perfect at this stage to also dig out some pirate books to accompany the making!
Print out your book treasure hunt.
Cut out the objects and place them into your treasure chest. I initially rolled them up into scrolls because CUTE!
It’s actually just easier if you fold them up.
We played by pulling a piece of paper from the treasure chest.
I then prompted with “What book can you find that has a ____ in it?”
And the hunt was on!
(You could also choose to use the printable in a Bingo-style.) We then collected all our “treasure” on the table.
Once your book treasure hunt is over, you could review the books gathered and here is where the teachable moments lie.
You could ask:
What do you think of this character? Why? Who was your favourite character? Why? Where was this book set? Was there a problem in this book? How was it solved? What were you feeling when _____?
You could make connections between the book and your child’s life. Do you know a dog/ cat like the one in the story? Have you ever been to the city?
The beauty of this activity is that you could use it again and again and again. Not just during Book Week.
Because books should be celebrated every day!
Ummmm…. can somebody please hit the pause button on 2018?
I’m still here trying to figure out my New Year’s resolutions and apparently it is already June?
At this halfway point, I thought it’d be an opportune time to share some of the best picture books of 2018 (so far.)
Because, unlike me, you may actually be organised and have your New Year’s resolutions sorted.
Heck, you may be even starting to think about the picture books that will be appearing under the Christmas tree.
THERE! I SAID IT! THE C-WORD! AND IT’S ONLY JUNE!
What I’m really trying to say, is that you might want to pin some (OR ALL) of the books in this post.
Perfect for presents or for your own bookshelves- these are our favourite picture books of 2018 so far.
I’ll start with some of our fave board books before working up to picture books for older, more mature readers.
Although, I abide by the life philosophy that you should never stick too closely to age recommendations on books.
My 4-year-old still adores toddler books whilst also wanting to explore chapter books.
It is beneficial for young readers to be exposed to a diversity of books.
Books with more mature content may need adult guidance and scaffolding, but HELLO TEACHABLE MOMENTS!
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
This is a large format board book that has my kids in hysterics every time they read it.
It is cleverly constructed to maximise wordplay fun.
One side of the spread contains a phrase. The right side contains a bold and bright illustration.
You open out the fold to reveal a rhyming phrase.
Fresh orange juice….. fresh orange goose Cheese on toast… sneeze on toast
Suit case… fruit case
My 3-year-old and 4.5-year-old believe they can “read” this book.
They are not decoding the words and reading per se, they are reciting from memory, using picture clues and playing with the sounds in words.
Why is this important? Because in this pre-reading stage, they are building strong self-concepts that they ARE confident readers.
I will forever love this book for that very reason.
2018 will go down as the year that my children discovered Little Fish.
These books are brilliantly engaging with their simple text and vibrant illustrations.
You can find Little Fish books in the lift-the-flap format, with finger puppets, that explore counting…..
It feels like there is one for every occasion!
When this book arrived, it was ON REPEAT FOR WEEKS.
It tells the tale of Terry, a plain-looking little fish. He yearns to be flashy and fancy-like like the tropical fish.
With a little help from his friends, he manages to turn himself into a dolled-up tropical fish. Which proves problematic when faced with a dangerous predator.
I love this book’s message of playing to your strengths. Sure, those tropical fish may look all fancy-like and flashy, but embracing what makes you unique is where it’s at, right? I also love that it reminds us of how good friends will stick by you (even if you forget your seaweed roots and try to swim with the cool school fish.)
The illustrations are a kaleidoscope of vibrant colour and we’ve spent much quality time poring over them.
A duck frantically races through the farmyard shouting “Duck!” at other farm animals.
The other animals figure that he is confused and rude and reprimand him for calling them ducks.
The duck is actually trying to warn the other animals of impending disaster.
It’s not until the final spread that he realises he probably should have shouted “Run!” instead.
This is a hilarious book that is excellent for exploring the role of predicting when reading. It is also a great text for exploring the relationship between image and text and how they work together to convey a story.
I started spotting this book on social media a few months before it was released.
And I coveted it.
When it arrived, I was not disappointed. Like our children, we should love all our books equally. Truth be told, this is probably my fave book of the year.
A child’s enthusiasm for birthdays knows no bounds. This is the tale of Albert’s birthday.
Unfortunately, his parents aren’t very enthusiastic people and Albert’s birthday is just like any other ordinary day.
Until Grandma Z arrives and they celebrate together on a most extraordinary adventure.
It’s an adventure that involved teaching Icelandic horses how to can-can, robot pinatas and discovering a new species of beetle.
I love this book for the way it explores the power of the imagination. I have loved sharing it in the classroom and at home.
What child doesn’t love talking about birthdays?!
It’s a book about edamame beans who play ping pong. Need I say any more?
Rhetorical question. Of course imma gonna say more.
Ping and Pong are beans with lofty ambitions- they dream of being world champions in their noble sport.
They persevere with their training, becoming the best of the best.
But the world wants to know which bean is THE best. So friend must face friend.
Does the joy come from winning or does it come from taking part?
Mauro Gatti’s illustrations are gloriously playful and amusing. The message of participation and perseverance over winning is delivered in a manner that is soy entertaining.
The kids’ verdict? “It’s funny and the illustrations are awesome.”
Mr Shaha is the Science teacher you wish you had at school.
This brilliant text shows you how Science is all about embracing wonder, getting excited about the “I-Don’t-Knows” and seeing failures as super opportunities for learning.
Mr Shaha leads you through a series of excellent experiments based on household items.
His words are accompanied by the seriously rad illustrations of Emily Robertson.
One of the best procedural texts for kids that I’ve seen in aaaages.
Wren yearns for some peace and quiet. A newborn sister means that his noisy, inner-city family home is even noisier.
He tries everything to block out her wailing. To no avail.
So he decides to move to his grandparent’s country home.
He enjoys the peace and quiet. For a week. The grass is always greener, isn’t it?
I adore how this book explores how being a part of a family also sometimes requires space and time alone.
This is a joyous debut from Katrina Lehman that, teamed with the gloriously busy and colourful illustrations from Sophie Beer, celebrates the sweet chaos of family life.
As I flipped through Waves for the first time, I could feel the weight of the book’s message in my hands and in my heart.
Waves is a narrative non-fiction that charts the waves of migrants that have arrived on Australia’s shores across history.
Each spread features the story of a child migrant.
We begin with Anak who traveled on rafts with his family and dog, 50,000 years before the present from what we now know as Indonesia.
Nianzu migrates in the late 1850s, off to find his fortune on the goldfields to pay back the big debt owed to the agent that gave him passage.
Karim comes in the 1870s from Afghanistan accompanying his cameleer uncle to help open Australia’s interior.
We see how world events influence the waves of refugees, the Industrial Revolution, World Wars, the Holocaust, the war in Vietnam.
We end with the story of Abdul, excited about going to school and in disbelief that he will be able to walk safely on the streets without fear of being shot.
This is a text-heavy book. The experiences of the character and the reasons for their migration are detailed.
An amazing book to explore Australia’s immigration history and to open discussions about refugees. It’s also extremely thought-provoking. How will History judge us?
The images and titles of each book will take you to Book Depository. As a Book Depository Affiliate, purchases clicked through from my blog result in a small commission. You do not pay any extra for your books! Commission is used to maintain Oh Creative Day. For more information, you can read my Disclosure Policy here.
Not Australian? The Amazon links will take you to Amazon. I am also an affiliate with Amazon and will receive a small commission. You do not pay any extra for your books.
If you prefer, you can order from Australian based online bookstore Booktopia.
Thanks for your support. Happy reading!
Some of the books in this post were provided free for review purposes. I always post my honest opinions and never post books that I do not rate.
My advice …
When this book arrived, it was ON REPEAT FOR WEEKS.
We then collected all our “treasure” on the table.
