I love Christmastime and books like this are one of the main reasons. Two of Australia’s best, author Collette Dinnigan and illustrator Luke Sciberras, bring the sights of Australia to the pages along with some lovely Christmas vibes in this festive tour of Australia.

Christmas Eve, and Santa’s sleigh was overflowing with wrapped presents. Leaving the North Pole behind, the reindeers took flight into the night sky and Santa’s broad smile filled his face. One of many stops on his busiest night of the year, Australia. Santa was always excited to visit this extraordinary land of changing landscapes, iconic landmarks and unique animals. Come hop aboard Santa’s sleigh for a magical sleigh ride around a country like no other…

The Christmas books have started arriving and Little Bilby’s Aussie Bush Christmas has got me feeling all festive - yes I know it’s only October but I love Christmas.

It’s Christmas time and the bilbies are keen to turn the Aussie Bush into a Christmas wonderland. The Aussie Bush is the perfect place to hunt for decorations with wonderful flowers to collect and kind animals ready to offer their own help. The bilbies will soon have the bush looking all christmassy…

With a passion for animals, nature and all things bright and colourful, CBCA award-winning artist and illustrator Jennifer Cossins is responsible for several brilliant non-fiction books for children. In her latest offering, she turns her attention to the strange animals that she has long been fascinated by and that also happen to be her favourite ones to draw, birds.

Birds inhabit every continent on Earth and are one of the most fascinating members of the animal kingdom with their unusual appearance and often strange and unique behaviour. Coming in all shapes and sizes and equipped with feathers, beaks, claws and often excellent eye sight, each species is unique. They can be fast, slow, clumsy, skilled, deadly, passive, clever and sometimes a bit silly. Birds are brilliant and there is nothing else on Earth quite like them…

Who would want a new sibling when you could have your very own dinosaur instead?

It’s exciting times, mummy is growing something in her tummy and daddy has said that it is a new playmate. The little girl is desperately hoping it will be a dinosaur. But when the surprise finally makes an appearance it is very much not like a dinosaur or any of the other animals that the girl is hoping for. It’s a tiny human!

What on earth is a little girl supposed to do with a thing like that?

Even cranky chickens deserve to have a BFF in this warm-hearted and funny tale of friendship and acceptance.

Everything about chicken is cranky; eyebrow, eyes, beak, feet. And absolutely everything makes chicken cranky; the sun, the rain, its tail, dirt, leaves, odd socks, sprinkle-less cupcakes, food with holes. Life for chicken is one big crank. Then along comes the friendly and endearing Speedy Worm who is determined to turn Cranky Chicken’s frown upside down. But will Speedy and Cranky become BFFs…

The first in a new series, Cranky Chicken is a delightful addition to the selection of graphic novels for newly independent readers. Like many graphic novels for this age, this one presents two mismatched animal characters who form an unlikely friendship and embraces the message of accepting others as they are.

My first experience of the fabulous Fairy (little) penguin was at Philip Island in March 2006. I spent a wonderful evening down on the sand watching the penguins waddle out of the ocean and up the beach to their burrows amongst the sand dunes. To call it magical would be somewhat of an understatement. So, I was incredibly excited when The Accidental Penguin Hotel arrived at my door, a story about Fairy penguins and how they have had to find new homes due to overcrowding.

For years, the little penguins have come from their island home to the rich waters of the bay to hunt for the shoals of fish that provide a filling meal. At the end of the day and with bellies full, they carefully navigate their way through the Rip and the shipping channel to return to their burrows. The island is home but it is rapidly running out of space; younger males find it difficult to find a good nesting site and even harder to attract a female.

My favourite classroom canine is back in author Jonathan Meres’ second story about the world’s most adorable dog. After causing mischief at the beach in the first book, Noodle the Doodle is up to his usual antics as he gets involved in the school’s charity fundraiser and he is determined to raise the woof.
 
Mr. Reed has some important news to share with the children at Wigley Primary. It’s not his birthday. They’re not going to start reading a new book. There is a new arrival. At first, Samir is quiet and shy, but with a little help from Noodle the Doodle he is soon laughing and chatting to his new classmates.

Later in the day, Mr. Reed delivers more news - the children are going to put on a talent show to raise money for charity and almost everyone is excited to take part. Samir however is unsure what his talent is or whether he wants to join in. Perhaps Noodle can help out…

Right kids, listen up. Crime is no laughing matter and it is definitely not funny. Now, just put that thought aside for one moment because when Tom McLaughlin’s writing a story about it then crime is bursting with laugh-out-loud fun and hilarious hijinks.

In a very English part of England live the Goodfellows. They are what you might call the perfect family; the children win school prizes and captain sports teams, the parents work hard and volunteer to help the community. Their not so exciting lives takes an unexpected turn when a meal in a pizza restaurant results in the family winning an all expenses paid trip to New York. A dream holiday of sight-seeing, shopping, delicious food and New York experiences awaits. But no sooner have they gotten off the plane than they mistakenly identify themselves as ‘goodfellas’ and are soon up to their necks in crime and danger…

When my five-year-old niece saw the cover of this book she immediately wanted to build her own little monster. Out came the play dough, lots of talk about little monsters (of which she is the most awesome of ones) and a bit of story-time with this monstrously fun read.

Zac and his cousin Essie love Saturdays. Saturdays mean a day with Granny Mo who turns everything sunny and makes grumbles pop like bubbles. The cousins have been helping Granny Mo find the perfect pet but none are quite right. Cats are too zoomy, snakes are a bit tricky, house rabbits are rather nibbly, chickens are messy and axolotls from Mexico just stare. It looks as if Granny Mo will never find a suitable pet until a trip to the riverbank for a spot of mudlarking uncovers a very strange little creature and pet hunting becomes the least of the problems…

I’m a huge fan of award-winning author-illustrator Sami Bayly’s two previous books in this superb series of illustrated encyclopaedias that highlight just a few of the wonderful animals that we share the planet with. I was absolutely thrilled to receive a copy of her latest book, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature, and began reading full of excitement, wondering what amazing animals and plants would be revealed.

We all need a best mate right? Someone to scratch our back, to give us a lift, to help keep us safe, to offer a room for the night, to feed us. Sixty pairs of various plants and animals have got it all worked out down to a tee and know exactly who they need to be friends with. From spiders and lizards to crocodiles and birds to kinkajous and trees. Get ready to meet some of the most peculiar BFFs…