Affirm Press Giving Aussie Authors and Illustrators a Chance to Shine

Located on a quiet side street in South Melbourne, Affirm Press are making waves with their ever-expanding collection of engaging and innovative children’s picture books. As a small independent publisher they pride themselves on nurturing, championing and publishing Australian authors and illustrators. I’m delighted to share a quartet of titles that have been released over the last twelve months that would make fantastic gifts for children to find under the tree this Christmas.

Mighty Blossom; Nicki Greenberg

Little Blossom loves her footy and dreams of playing full-forward for her favourite team. Barely bigger than the football, the coach thinks that Blossom is far too small to make the team. She is however the perfect size to bring on the half-time oranges. Down but not out, Blossom watches and cheers from the sidelines. When Brianna gets injured in the final, Blossom finally gets her chance. Can the pint-sized possum help her team to victory…

Charged with tiny possum power and big aspirations, Mighty Blossom is a lively sporting story that will lift the spirits of little footy lovers. Delivered in a winning combination of energetic illustrations and fun rhymes and with the important message that size should never be a barrier to achieving your goals, Blossom’s story will bring smiles and will empower children to chase their own dreams both on and off the field.

The whole family will be cheering loudly for this plucky possum! Go Blossom!!!

Recommended for 3+.

I’m Your Favourite Book; Maggie Hutchings, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft

Do you have a favourite book? A story that you go back to time and time again? Perhaps it’s a childhood favourite that has journeyed with you into adulthood?

For one little girl, a certain book is her absolute favourite. It has been taken to the beach, dropped in the bath, scribbled in, food-stained and even eaten by the dog. Some pages are missing, the cover has lost its sparkle and the spine is bent and bowed. It has been lost, unsuccessfully replaced, and found again. Read every day, remembered word for word, cherished and held close to a heart. A special book has been found and will never be forgotten…

Told from the viewpoint of one particular book that the protagonist has read to the point where it is falling apart, I’m Your Favourite Book is a wonderful celebration of the magic of stories, of childhood obsessions and of finding something that brings unbridled happiness. As the book recounts its brief life, readers are pulled into a tale of fond memories, playful reminiscing, whimsical adventure and unfortunate mishaps.

​The joyous ode to books and the stories that we hold dear features a classic of children’s literature and although never explicitly revealed lots of clues are given throughout, including on the endpapers (I won’t ruin the surprise with a title reveal). It shouldn’t take too long to work out as Jess’ illustrations include some wonderful sketches based on original scenes. Although very different to typical artwork found in picture books, I really like the style. They transport readers back to a different era (very fitting given that the original publication date of no-reveal title was 1900) and they add a wonderful flavour to the reading experience.

My younger years have long gone but several of the books that I read, read and read again as a child still sit on my shelves. Two favourites were, and still are, Rumples and Tumbles go to the country and Richard Scarry’s Best First Book Ever. Spines falling apart, pages holding on by single threads, name carefully written in the front, colours fading; all the signs of well-loved books are evident.

Books and the stories they tell are magical and this quirky picture book is great for starting conversations about those reads that find a special place in our hearts.

Recommended for 2+.

The Sydney Harbour Fairy; Deborah Frenkel, illustrated by Cate James

Nanna is super excited to be taking Charlie on a Girls’ Day Out. They’ll have high tea, see a show, sniff the flowers and visit the Sydney Harbour Fairy, it is sure to be a day of fun. Charlie does not like the sound of this. She prefers pickles, yodelling and making things. And she absolutely hates fairies. But the harbour fairy isn’t anything like Charlie could have imagined. Perhaps Girls’ Day Out won’t be so terrible after all…

You don’t need to like fairies to enjoy this magical day out in the vibrant city of Sydney. Spending time with older relatives, especially grandmothers, is special, and The Sydney Harbour Fairy is a gentle story of love and warmth, new experiences, and of finding magic and wonder in unexpected places.

I don’t envy grandparents who have to plan days out with grandchildren, this is no easy task when you’re competing against an abundance of twenty-first century technology. Charlie’s Nanna proves that days out together are well worth it though. And with a bit of patience, lots of understanding and a sprinkling of magic the special bonds that transcend generations can be nurtured and grown.

Charlie is a very funny and imaginative little girl who adds her own quirks to the day out. She dreams up a machine to squish fairies, imagines limbs on Nanna’s delicious cupcakes, visualises a giant pink swan at the ballet and finds a dragon in the rose bed. She is very much the child who is not finding the joy in Nanna’s day out. But even Charlie cannot help but be wowed by the surprise at the end. And as the sun sets against the backdrop of the famous bridge and Opera House, the day is sure to be remembered with fondness.

Perfect for Nanna and grandchild to enjoy together and sure to provide inspiration for planning days out.

Recommended for 3+.

Neil, the (Boring) Amazing Sea Cucumber; Amelia McInerney, illustrated by Lucinda Gifford

Neil the sea cucumber is not exactly the most exciting ocean dweller. Not much happens on the seabed and Neil doesn’t really get up to much. Life is pretty boring and it has gotten even more boring since his only companion, Sandra, floated away. But life is about to get much more exhilarating and for a sea cucumber like Neil that could be both good and bad. Will he get eaten? Will Sandra return? And does he really look like a cucumber…

It’s not often that you get to experience the world through the eyes of a sea cucumber and if you were to listen to Neil he’d probably tell you that’s because it is not worth experiencing. But Neil, how wrong you are! Neil, the (Boring) Amazing Sea Cucumber is a sea-mazing, laugh out loud underwater adventure. The large format, early graphic novel has all of the charm, quirkiness, heart and fun of the Narwhal and Jelly series and will delight both the young and young at heart.

Neil laments his woes and rather tedious life with wit and deadpan humour that begin right from the moment we first meet him as he matter-of-factly states that he has no idea why he’s in a book because only cool sea creatures get to be in books. Far from boring, Neil is quite literally as cool as a cucumber and is by far the funniest vegetable-named marine animal in children’s literature.

​Ever worried about his right to be in a book, Neil will slowly (nothing a sea cucumber does ever happens quickly) charm his way into your life as he ponders whether he actually looks like the vegetable he is named after, deliberates over whether a cucumber is actually a vegetable (could it be a fruit?) and searches for his best friend. The pickle mistaken for Sandra scene is genius!

Far from dull, this dip into the ocean is exciting, joke-filled, feel-good fun. A brilliantly told and zany story is perfectly partnered with vibrant illustrations whose cleverness and simplicity reveal much. Neil’s world, where the action may be minimal but the laughs are plentiful, is vibrantly imagined in cool ocean blues, golden yellows and flecks of other colours as his fishy friends swim through the pages. Pay close attention to the eyes and facial expressions as, like in Jan Klassen’s series of ‘hat’ books, these tell all and are where many giggles and guffaws can be found.

Neil is the real deal! Kids and marine biologists after some LOLs are well-served here!

Recommended for 5+.

With huge thanks to Affirm Press for the copies I received in exchange for honest reviews.