Another month filled with bookish delight.
This post is long (so many good books!)
But if you stick with me till the end, there is the chance to win a copy of one of my favourite books from the month.
Every library visit seems to yield gem after gem.
This was one of my favourite library books for the month…
Little Kunoichi the Ninja Girl by Sanae Ishida
A tale about perseverance and hard work.
As soon as I saw these illustrations I knew I would love this book.
It’s quirky, it’s charming and the girl protagonist is delightful and endearing.
Little Kunoichi goes to Ninja School where she struggles with her lessons.
She teams up with equally hapless ninja trainee, Chibi Samurai to “shugyo” (train like crazy.)
They train like crazy and showcase their skills at the Island Festival.
There is a gorgeous, subtle humour underpinning the story, but we also feel great empathy for Little K and Chibi.
At story’s end, there is an end note filled with information about the Japanese cultural references within the text.
I felt a bit bitter about having to return this to the library.
Someone please buy it for me for Christmas?!

My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood
A brilliant book stays with you long after you’ve read the last word.
There is a reason this book won CBCA Picture Book of the Year.
Moving, uplifting and timely.
Cartwheel’s family has escaped war and find themselves in Australia.
Everything is new and strange and feels cold.
English words pour over her like a waterfall.
At home, she seeks comfort in a blanket of her own words and familiar memories.
One day at the park, Cartwheel meets a little girl who shares many words with her.
As Cartwheel’s ability to communicate grows, she begins to weave a new blanket.
Cartwheel feels safer and more like herself.
The small, simple acts of others affect our feelings of belonging.
At the last school I taught at, we had a large community of students from refugee backgrounds.
I thought of many of them as I read this book.
It’s a story that could easily be all of their stories.

One Word From Sophia by Jim Averbeck and Yasmeen Ismail
Sophia really wants a giraffe.
She develops compelling arguments to persuade her mother (a judge,) her father (a businessman) and her uncle (a politician.)
Sophia creates a cost analysis. A poll. She pares down her words with each argument, until she realises she just needs to use her manners and one word.
This book uses words like effusive, loquacious and verbose. (Luckily there is a glossary!)
You’ve got to love a book that doesn’t dumb down the language for kids!
This book also depicts a mixed-race family, so it’s a win for diversity in publishing as well.
Sophia has such sass.
A is for Australia by Frane Lessac
This glorious book takes readers on a fact-astic tour around Australia.
A different place is explored for each letter of the alphabet.
Each spread is filled with lots of interesting facts related to the place and the illustrations are just gorgeous.
A great gift for any little Aussie friends living in faraway lands.
I Am The Wolf… And Here I Come! By Benedicte Guettier
This appears to be a simple board book about getting dressed.
Until the last page, when The Wolf proclaims that he is “coming to get” the reader.
My Toddler loved snapping the book closed quickly to avoid being “caught” by The Big, Bad Wolf.
Initially, my Husband and I thought this book may be too scary for The Little Ladybird.
We even considered pulling it from the reading pile.
The Little Ladybird loves the interactivity of this book and it’s the first one she has “read” aloud to herself.
Super cute. It’s a firm favourite now and is going on the “To-Buy-For-Christmas” list.

What’s Up, MuMu? by David Mackintosh
David Mackintosh is a legend in his own right. But this book came with an endorsement from Oliver Jeffers on the cover. OLIVER JEFFERS, people!
MuMu is having one of those days where he just feels blah.
His friend Lox thinks he can help shake the blah feeling by taking MuMu to do all of his favourite things.
Nothing seems to work and in the process, this makes Lox feel blah.
At which point MuMu steps in to try and help Lox shake his blah mood.
This is a story about friendship, patience and skyscrapers.
Quirky, fun and filled with amazingly awesome, graphic illustrations.
Frank by Connah Brecon
I grabbed this book off the shelf based on it’s cover.
I was wooed by that funky-looking teddy.
This book contains not 1, but 2, dance-offs.
If that’s not reason enough to seek it out, then I don’t know what is!
Frank’s problem is that he is never on time.
He is always stopping to help and connect with others.
This is a whimsical read, with a good dose of wacky thrown in.
Operation Alphabet by Al MacCuish, Luciano Lozano and Jim Bletsas
Every book collection needs to have this masterpiece.
I owned this book before having kids, and would regularly pull it out to share with my Kindergarten classes.
Charlie Foxtrot is struggling with his reading at school.
Luckily, two agents from England’s Ministry of Letters (where all words begin their life) notice his plight.
The Special Alphabet Service are dispatched to help Charlie with his ABCs and introduce him to the wonderful world of words.
Check out this clip if you aren’t already sold.
(You can also buy a cool Singing Alphabet app to accompany the book.)

My Dad is a Giraffe by Stephen Michael King
For Father’s Day, we enjoyed this book.
Dad is tall, big and fast. Much like a giraffe.
The first and last illustrations show us that Dad is not actually a giraffe.
The whimsical text and illustrations draw out the similarities.

In our house, Dad received “My Dad Thinks He’s Funny” for Father’s Day.
I’ve posted about this hilarious book before.

Too Busy Sleeping by Zanni Louise and Anna Pignataro
How special is it when you find a book that seems to be written just for your little ones?
Earlier in the year, My Little Ladybird welcomed a baby brother into her life.
Day after day, we explain to her that one day her little brother will be “big enough” to play with her.
At the moment though, The Little Bear is too busy sleeping.
Much like Eleanor’s little brother in this gorgeous, new Australian picture book from the dream team of Zanni and Anna.
Eleanor wants to play with her new brother. Reuben is too busy sleeping. The use of this lovely refrain throughout the book provides children with that brilliant opportunity to join in with the text.
Anna’s illustrations are infused with warmth, homeliness and love. I love examining the gorgeous pieces of fabric she has incorporated into her pictures.
This is the perfect book for anybody about to welcome a new sibling into the world (or who already has!)

We were lucky enough to win a copy of Too Busy Sleeping via Instagram.
We are so enamoured with it that I have bought a second (signed!) copy. I would love to give away this gorgeous book to one of you lovely people out there!

Just leave a comment below about the picture books you are enjoying at your place at the moment.
Make sure you leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

You can also gain extra entries via the relevant posts on Instagram.
Look at those endpapers!

Terms and Conditions

1. The prize is 1 copy of “Too Busy Sleeping” by Zanni Louise and Anna Pignataro. Prize value $29.95.

2. This is a game of chance. Winner will be chosen at random.

3. To be eligible, entrant must leave a comment on this blog post. Extra entries can also be gained via relevant posts on Instagram.

4. The giveaway is open internationally.

5. The giveaway opens Friday 2 October 2015 and closes 10am AEST Saturday 10 October 2015.

6. The winner will be announced on the blog and Instagram and notified via email.