It’s Okay to be Different is such a bright and cheerful picture book. See those quirky DayGlo illustrations on the front cover? That is the kind of smiley fun you’re in for throughout the book. At once a self esteem booster and a celebration of individuality, kids young and young at heart will love this book. Each page tells you it’s okay to be, have or do something and is supported by cute illustrations that even I, wanna be artist that struggles to create a legible stick figure, could attempt to trace draw.
Whether it’s being okay to:
Be a different colour – a black and white zebra standing next to a red, green, blue and yellow one
Talk about your feelings – I’ll listen to you, Mr Lion
Eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub – permission granted. Woohoo!
Have different Mums and Dads – these are some seriously awesome looking parents … this book includes lots of serious and seriously fun statements that will make you proud of being you.
And let’s face it, who you are is pretty darn wonderful anyway! I wouldn’t change a thing about you! 😃
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
It’s okay to be a different colour. It’s okay to dance by yourself. It’s okay to wear glasses. It’s okay to have a pet worm … It’s okay to be different!
In My World is an absolutely gorgeous book. With a beautiful rhyming story that takes you on a journey inside the hopes and dreams of a young child with autism and with artwork that captures your imagination, encouraging you to dream along with the child in the story, I adore this book and have already read it four times.
While I don’t know anyone who’s close to me with autism, an acquaintance’s son is on the spectrum and he’s an incredible kid. I’ve read bits and pieces about autism so I’m certainly no expert but have such an appreciation and admiration for these amazing people who experience the world differently than I do.
I made my way through this book with a smile on my face as Jillian Ma introduced me to this lovely child dreaming of adventures with dinosaurs, playing, conquering life’s obstacles and soaring through the sky free as a butterfly. Then after taking a step back to contrast how our view of their world differs from theirs, I was left with the hope that with help an autistic child’s dreams can come true.
The illustrations by Mimi Chao were so beautiful and invited me into this child’s dreams in a way that words alone couldn’t have accomplished. There was a softness and calming quality to the illustrations and I loved the inclusion of the yellow stars throughout.
This is one of those books where you can feel the love that has gone into it just by looking at it. I can imagine this book becoming a treasured bedtime story. It would also be a wonderful tool to help siblings understand their autistic brother or sister more and promote kindness and love.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Future Horizons for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
A simple, heartfelt story that follows the life of a child with autism through his imaginative journey as he seeks to be accepted, loved and celebrated for his strengths and abilities. Despite the qualities that make children on the autism spectrum exceptional, they all have hopes, dreams and feelings of belonging that all children desire. This book is a powerful reminder that with a little help from each of us, children with autism can fulfill their dreams.
Girl Talk is a wonderful guide for young girls that takes them through what happens to their body and mind as they go through all of the joy and drama that is puberty. I would have devoured this book growing up if it had been available back in the olden days. It includes a couple of case studies and the answers to some of the more common but often embarrassing questions young girls need to know.
This book covers a wide range of topics:
What puberty is
Why it happens and how it affects the outside of your body as well as your brain
Individual sections with information about breasts, bras, periods, body hair, pimples and skin care, eyes and teeth, body odour and personal hygiene, feet
The stages that boys’ bodies go through during puberty
Love and relationships
Sex and how babies are made
Contraception
Healthy eating and fitness
Body image
Body shaming
Social media and phones
Cyberbullying
Bullying and peer pressure
School life
Sexism and gender equality
Family talk
Depression
Growing up happy.
One of the things I love about this book is how it keeps telling its readers that what they’re experiencing is completely normal and that they’re OK!
One of your breasts is bigger than the other? Normal!
You like boys, you like girls, you like both, you like neither? Totally OK!
You don’t know how to tell if a bra fits you correctly? Here’s a checklist!
Not ready to have sex yet? Then don’t!
The writing style is engaging. While Lizzie Cox never forgets who her target audience is, she also doesn’t talk down to the girls who’ll be reading this book. Her writing style is very down to earth so no topic feels sensationalised and there’s no drama. It’s all just good common sense advice. She also consistently encourages girls to talk to a trusted adult for information and advice if they’re worried, scared or have questions. The illustrations by [author: Damien Weighill] are age appropriate, humourous and quirky at times but in good taste.
The helplines provided towards the end are UK specific and the target audience is listed as 8 to 11 year olds.
When puberty hit me I was best friends with a few extraordinarily sheltered girls from church families. I have nothing against church families but these ones in particular had their daughters so embarrassed about anything to do with their bodies that the girls wouldn’t even use the word breasts in conversations. They were referred to “up top”. Interestingly hypocritical though, one of the families had no problem at all with their 13 year old daughter that couldn’t name her body parts dating a 20-something creepy, slimy leprechaun (sorry to all the leprechauns out there for disparaging your good name!).
Needless to say these girls, while lovely, weren’t the most useful buddies to talk birds and the bees with, so my education came mostly through sneaking short reads of Derek Llewellyn-Jones’ 1971 Everywoman when my parents were out or hoping that someone had written in (using actual paper, an envelope and postage stamp) to Dolly Doctor asking one of my burning “Am I normal?” questions. For those of you that didn’t grow up in Australia, reading Dolly magazine was one of those girl rites of passages for those of us growing up in the pre-2000’s and still exists today.
I’d recommend this book for parents to give to their young girls, either for them to read alone and ask questions at the end or to go through together. It would certainly make it easier for parents to discuss topics that they may not be overly comfortable explaining to their daughter. It would also be a great addition to public and school libraries, and during school sex ed classes. There’s also a companion book by the same author and illustrator called Guy Talk which I haven’t personally read but if it’s anything like this book I would recommend it by association.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – QEB for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
From puberty to relationships, social media to school, this essential guide for girls growing up covers everything you have always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. Growing up can be hard and, at times, embarrassing. This funny yet sensitive book is here to offer practical advice and helpful information to help make growing up just that little bit less scary. Covering daunting but important subject such as personal hygiene, different types of bulling, relationships, and how to stay safe online, this book features case studies and questions from “real-life” anonymous readers to explore those embarrassing questions you don’t want to ask! Written by a former teen magazine editor and with funny illustrations and diagrams throughout, this is the go-to guide for any girl going through or approaching puberty.
OK, this book doesn’t fit in the horror genre nor is it set on or around Halloween. So why does it belong in this month’s theme? It’s about a teenage girl who goes missing and hasn’t been found a year later. If that isn’t one of the scariest, most horrific concepts ever then I don’t know what is.
The Witness became suspicious of the motives of the men on the train and thought about calling the Police but something stopped her. The next day one of the girls was reported missing. A year later she has yet to be found. The witness is wracked with guilt over their failure to act.
The Father is haunted by his missing daughter’s last words to him. He lied to the Police about where he was the night she disappeared.
The Friend has never told anyone what really happened that night.
The Private Investigator was in the Police force until something happened that haunts him to this day.
The First Postcard: “WHY DIDN’T YOU HELP HER?“
I Am Watching You takes you inside the search for a missing teenage girl. It draws you in and doesn’t allow you to sit comfortably on the fence. You are faced with the decisions each character made and forced to wonder what you would have done in their place. You may find yourself silently judging someone’s choice and later provided with further information that turns your preconceptions upside down.
Are we too quick to judge people based on what we see on the surface?
What is the media’s role in helping or harming an investigation?
Who’s to blame when someone goes missing?
What would you have done if you were the girl’s mother, father, sister, friend?
What would you do if you saw something that made you uncomfortable? Would you stand up for what you believe is right? Or would you look away and pretend you didn’t notice?
How do you live with the choice you made when that choice comes with ripple effects?
Told in third person, with the exception of the witness whose story is in first person, each of the alternating chapters leaves you on a knife’s edge. You’re craving resolution of the cliffhanger in that person’s story yet you’re so quickly immersed in the next person’s narrative that you find you can’t decide which answer you want first. Usually this sort of suspense would have me ready to throw my Kindle at the wall but that wasn’t the case with this book. I Am Watching You had me diving straight into the next chapter so I could uncover the answers sooner.
I found this an easy read in that the narrative flowed well and I didn’t have to work hard to immerse myself in the story. I got sucked straight into the story and each time I returned to it the vortex reopened and it felt like I never left. I also found it a challenging read as it required me to ask myself what I would have done over and over, and sometimes I was uncomfortable and didn’t like my answers.
I remained dry eyed but my heart ached for the anguish experienced by so many people I met through Teresa Driscoll’s words, and not solely because of the missing person case. While everyone’s story touches the missing girl’s life in some way, they each had their own lives with joy, torment and a depth that you rarely see with multiple character perspective novels. I look forward to reading future books by this author.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this book. I’m going to be watching this author, just not in a creepy way. 😜
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
What would it take to make you intervene?
When Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it – until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she’s decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls – beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard – has disappeared.
A year later, Anna is still missing. Ella is wracked with guilt over what she failed to do, and she’s not the only one who can’t forget. Someone is sending her threatening letters – letters that make her fear for her life.
Then an anniversary appeal reveals that Anna’s friends and family might have something to hide. Anna’s best friend, Sarah, hasn’t been telling the whole truth about what really happened that night – and her parents have been keeping secrets of their own.
Someone knows where Anna is – and they’re not telling. But they are watching Ella.
Sloths!!! One of my very favourite animals! I can’t see a photograph of a sloth and not smile. I especially love three-toed sloths, those gorgeous creatures with perpetual smiles and great affection for eyeliner.
I’m a huge fan of Lucy Cooke’s previous book, A Little Book of Sloth, so when I found out she had another book coming out I was jumping up and down calling, “Pick me! Pick me!”
Filled with the most adorable photos of baby sloths, adult sloths, two-toed sloths, three-toed sloths, sloths hanging out in trees, sloths in buckets and hammocks, interesting information about sloths and peace inducing quotes, I loved Life in the Sloth Lane.
Sloths teach us many things, including:
Don’t sweat the small stuff, or any stuff for that matter if you’re a three-toed sloth and don’t sweat at all.
The importance of rest. They rest about 70% of the day. Now that’s the life!
My favourite quote of the book is by Chade-Meng Tan:
“Because inner peace and inner joy are independent of worldly circumstances, they are available to you anyplace and anytime.”
This would make a lovely gift or coffee table book. Anyone who needs a smile should enjoy plenty while reading this book. I was ready to reach through the pages, pull out some sloths and give them all huge hugs, most likely while sitting in that super comfy looking hammock.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Why are sloths always smiling?
Perhaps it’s because they’ve mastered the art of taking it slow in a world whose frenzied pace is driving the rest of us crazy. Here, in a mindfulness book like no other, heart-tuggingly cute photographs of these always-chill creatures are paired with words of wisdom, all to inspire us to slow down, stop to enjoy the little things, and come up relaxed, centered, and smiling.
While I strongly believe that clothing’s not supposed to hurt you, there are plenty of people that don’t seem to have a problem with suffering in the name of fashion. There are heels that ruin your feet, jeans so skinny the logo button ends up imprinted on your belly, clothes you can’t sit down in, clothes that make you sweat, clothes that make you freeze, and ties that should come with a choking hazard warning.
But what lengths would you go to in order to pull off the latest style?
Is a fashionable death in your future?
I loved Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout Historyso much that it has inspired me to break out in poetry to give you a taste of some of the wonderfully wacky causes of death in this book.
Disclaimer: I know some of these ‘rhymes’ don’t exactly rhyme but you will never, ever hear me claim that I think I’m a poet.
Radium’s glow makes you look hot Until your jaw begins to rot
Your fancy bra’s underwire May conduct that lightning’s ire
Are you ready to break your toes To fit into tiny shoes like those?
Dye turns dark hair pale Until your kidneys fail
Lice crawl all around your wig And that mouse is mighty big
A man lay dying in the gutter “Blame that skirt”, they heard him utter
Breathe in those toxic fumes And you’ll soon go looney tunes
Fake silky attire was a phase Until it set the room ablaze
Wear makeup laced with lead And you’ll soon look pretty dead
With plenty of opportunities to die gruesome deaths for both men and women, for wearers and makers of the often toxic or flammable items, Jennifer Wright’s quirky book is perfect for those strange and unusual kindred spirits of mine who gravitate towards equally strange and unusual books.
While I had heard of some of these torture devices and death traps disguised as clothes and accessories throughout history prior to reading this book, I hadn’t read them in such an entertaining way before. I also learned a lot more than I would have expected from a book that’s under 60 pages.
With quotes from such sources as newspapers, a magazine and a medical journal, and including citations that allow those of us who are so inclined to delve deeper, Killer Fashion is one of those books I got a lot more morbid enjoyment out of than I should probably admit.
Each fashion item is allocated two pages. One page has a paragraph ranging from a few sentences to a page of information. The opposite page has a four line poem under an almost full page illustration. Using black, white, grey and red (of course!), Brenna Thummler’s illustrations ramp up the quirky factor nicely. Skeletal flapper girls dancing on stage? Brilliant! Just brilliant!
I definitely need to read this book again and investigate some of the books referenced throughout. I’m saying this with the greatest respect to the book, its author and illustrator; this would be a perfect gift book for the weirdo in your life. I would love it if someone bought a copy for me!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
A beautifully illustrated book about deadly fashion – real historical stories of strangulation by scarves, neckbreaking high heels, and riot-causing top hats – from the author of the popular histories Get Well Soon and It Ended Badly.
Isadora Duncan was Red Put on a scarf; popped off her head Fashion is silly, thought Stein It may tear your head from your spine
A darkly comic book about some surprisingly lethal garments. Featuring stories like the untimely demise of dancer Isadora Duncan caused by her signature red scarf and the bloody riot that greeted the appearance of the first top hat, among many others, these bite-size accounts will frighten and delight. Killer Fashion includes over twenty of these short tales along with beautiful full-page illustrations. Both morbid and humorous, this book will appeal to fans of Edward Gorey and dark historical trivia.
I adored origami when I was growing up. My interest faded until recently when I binge watched Prison Break. For some mysterious reason as I gazed into Wentworth Miller’s soul eyes for hours my interest in origami grew once more. 😍
Needless to say, I’ve seen so many origami books recently and the animal ones in particular have been … interesting. They’ll have the title saying the next project is a pig. The paper will be pink and there’ll be lots of folds and glue and all of this intricate work, then they show you the final product. I then look at the final photograph of their masterpiece and I’ll be thinking, ‘That’s a pig??? Okay … If you say so …’ 🤔
Not so with Dogs in Origami. The final products actually look like dogs and not only that, they look like the actual breed they’re supposed to be. Even at glance on the cover image you can identify the types of dogs they are – without captions!
Varying in complexity from intermediate to complex, you get step by step coloured pictures to make 31 projects (30 dog breeds) that progress in difficulty throughout the book. Each project only requires one square-sheet and you don’t need to cut or glue anything.
My personal favourites in each chapter are the Beagle, Scottish Terrier (I have two favourites in Chapter 1), Basset Hound, Bull Terrier, Boxer and Labrador Retriever, but they’re all amazing and so creative. I admire people who can make something artistic out of practically nothing.
Maybe I should start on the ‘I can’t believe that’s a pig’ before I move on to the intermediate Beagle unless I want my Beagle to look like it crawled out of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. Hmm … Now that’s an interesting Halloween idea …
I loved this book and look forward to my dogs looking like dogs in the nearish future. I really want to check out more of John Montroll’s books. This man is an origami genius!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dover Publications for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Origami master John Montroll pays tribute to man’s best friend with this guide to creating origami dogs. Suitable for folders of intermediate to advanced skills, the book presents step-by-step instructions and full-colour photographs for each model. More than two dozen breeds range from the familiar Beagle, Chihuahua, Yorkie, Boxer, and Lab to the more exotic Basenji, Akita, Otterhound, and Bernese Mountain Dog.
Internationally renowned author John Montroll has significantly increased the origami repertoire with his original designs. Best known as the inspiration behind the single-square, no-cuts, no-glue approach, the American origami master offers readers meticulously developed folding sequences that allow them to create better models with fewer steps.
“Ghosts don’t exist. They can’t touch me. They can’t hurt me. They aren’t real.”
The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts is one of those books that has everything you want and all the stuff you didn’t even know you needed, and yet it doesn’t feel cluttered.
Intelligent female main character that loves to read and doesn’t have a perfect body – ✔️
129 year old murder mystery to solve – ✔️
Intergenerational multi-family curse – ✔️
Ghosts, AKA, “I see dead people” – ✔️
Library in a castle on its own island with signed and first editions galore – ✔️
Time travel without a flux capacitor – ✔️
Bacon, eggs and coffee – ✔️
Secret passageways – ✔️
Sparkly gemstone jewellery – ✔️
Magic – ✔️
Kat grew up believing in the unbelievables. Ghosts were her childhood friends until something so scary happened that she had to stop believing. Fast forward eight years and Kat, now a junior at McTernan Academy, surrounds herself with people (especially unbelievers), animals, plants and stones, and recites her mantra to protect herself.
Kat accessorises with metal and stone – earrings, necklaces, bracelets, you name it, for additional protection. I loved that her knowledge of gemstones carries over into her descriptions of people whose eyes aren’t boring colours but instead are aquamarine, larimar, hematite and iolite.
Assisting Professor Astor with his research into the mysterious events 129 years ago at Castle Creighton, Kat knows she is delving into dangerous unbelievables territory. Along with best friend Morgan, Evan the Terrible and serial flirter Seth, Kat winds up at Castle Creighton to investigate what really happened there and to study the Radcliffe Curse. Now Kat is stuck on an island with a hurricane approaching and there’s no escaping the unbelievables.
I loved the way Castle Creighton’s creeptastic secrets unfolded throughout the story. This story had friendship, forgiveness, hope, secrets and betrayal. It also had love, lots of love. Now, you’ve heard of a love triangle, but have you ever heard of a love pentagon? As a bit of a summary of how a love pentagon works (and for the sake of not ruining who everyone is in love with, we won’t use their real names):
A is in love with B.
B is in love with C, is friends with A, is jealous of D, is using E to make D jealous.
C is marrying D but has history with and also still loves B.
D is marrying C but has history with E.
E still wants D but is having fun with B, is using B to make D jealous.
Did you get all of that?
Beginning The Girl Who Saved Ghosts immediately! I would’ve gone mental waiting for the sequel if I’d read The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts when it was first published.
Tip to readers: Make sure you have the sequel on hand when you finish this book. While a lot of plot lines are wrapped up other questions are raised and you’re not going to want to wait to find out what happens next!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Beckett Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Kat Preston doesn’t believe in ghosts. Not because she’s never seen one, but because she saw one too many. Refusing to believe is the only way to protect herself from the ghost that tried to steal her life. Kat’s disbelief keeps her safe until her junior year at McTernan Academy, when a research project for an eccentric teacher takes her to a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut.
The site of a grisly mystery, the Isle of Acacia is no place for a girl who ignores ghosts, but the ghosts leave Kat little choice. Accompanied by her research partner, Evan Kingsley, she investigates the disappearance of Cassie Mallory and Sebastian Radcliffe on their wedding night in 1886. Evan’s scientific approach to everything leaves Kat on her own to confront a host of unbelievables: ancestral curses, powerful spells, and her strange connection to the ghosts that haunt Castle Creighton.
But that’s all before Kat’s yanked through a magic portal and Evan follows her. When the two of them awaken 129 years in the past with their souls trapped inside the bodies of two wedding guests, everything changes. Together, Kat and Evan race to stop the wedding-night murders and find a way back to their own time — and their own bodies — before their souls slip away forever.
I love Grug! I read a lot of these as a kid and recently rediscovered them in packs of ten at Big W. They’re just as adorable as I remembered. Who says they’re for kids?! My mother and I love them! I actually bought the packs for Mum and have been randomly hiding individual books for her to find when she least expects it. Today I hid this one for her and it’s the LAST. ONE. I. HAVE! Need to remedy that ASAP!
In Grug Goes to Hospital, which I hadn’t read before, Grug shows Cara how he can swing on a rope and falls off.
Cara pulls Grug on the ambulance to the Bush Hospital. On the way the ambulance tips over and Grug gets a headache. Once at the hospital Cara patches Grug up, splinting his leg and wrapping a bandage haphazardly around his head before instructing him to rest. Grug gets a visitor while he’s in hospital and works on a project to cheer up other patients.
I adore Cara! You can almost hear her thinking, ‘What trouble are you going to get yourself in to now, Grug?’ She’s a great friend who’s always there to figuratively lend a hand – as a snake, she doesn’t have any. I love this series so much! It doesn’t matter what Grug does next. I’ll be reading about it no matter what.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Poor Grug has hurt himself! Keep him company as he goes to hospital!
At first glance this book looks really sweet and it is, but once you start reading you realise there’s a depth to it and sensitivity in its commentary about refugees.
Fleeing from a war torn area, this mother, her children and dog set sail in a small boat that barely looks like it can float on a journey to the unknown. Filled with so much hope, this book impressed on me the depth of this mother’s love and courage.
With few words and accompanied by watercolour and ink drawings by Stephen Michael King, this story was a lovely surprise.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
I am the small green pea, you are the tender pod, hold me.
Words sing over the pictures in this evocative story: a beautiful lullaby about what we can be for each other.
A mother and baby, a boy and a dog run for their lives. A little boat carries them across the sea. A polar bear, too, has come adrift. When will they find land? Where will they find friends? Who will welcome them in?
The Pea Pod Lullaby is an inspiring and timely story of courage, endurance, and hope … for a world in which we can reach out and embrace one another.
Schizanthus Nerd 