5th November Tsunami Awareness Day

Quality children's picture books — richly illustrated and often poetically written — can introduce young readers to people, places, and times they might not otherwise experience. 

It's important not to scare children when talking about something powerful and real like a tsunami. Adults need to take care to assure children about how rare these events are and how safe they are where they are living.

Children's books are both a timely and timeless resource because of the way they encourage kids to make a connection to the people and places portrayed. They build upon the news and facts by providing a context for understanding who was affected and what was lost. With the guidance of a parent or teacher, picture books and serialised novels can be used to develop understanding and empathy and perhaps the will to help.

I teach an enrichment group of Year 2 students and often I serialise Pearl Buck's The Big Wave, look at life in Japan through picture books and together with the students research tsunamis. They know what tsunamis are because of the media and they are very aware of natural disasters as they live in a country that has been devastated by bushfires and floods. When I was their age I knew nothing about tsunamis and very little about Japan, but I was a keen reader and I know that I would have loved this unit of work. It would have satisfied my need to read, know more and travel elsewhere. I did know Hokusai's Big Wave painting because my parents had a print of it and it fascinated me. There are so many wonderful picture books that feature it now. See:

• The Great Wave  by Veronique Massenot 

• One Day in Japan with Hokusai by Julia Altman

• Hokusai by Deborah Kogan Ray         

You could choose however to just look at tsunamis and there are enough books for students this age to search out and read. Look for:

• Tsunami! by Kimono Kajikawa and Ed Young

• Kenta and the Big Wave by Ruth Ch

• The Tsunami Quilt by Tammy Yee and Antony Fredericks

These next three books tell the true story of a baby hippo who was orphaned during the Indian Ocean tsunami in 

• Mama: A True Story, in Which a Baby Hippo Loses His Mama During a Tsunami, but Finds a New Home and a New Mama   by Jeanette Winter

•  A Mama for Owen by Marion Dane Bauer and John Butler

• Owen and Mzee: True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella and Craig Hatkoff

• Wisdom: The Midway Albatross by Darcy Pattison and Kitty Harvill

• Elephant Mountain  by Janeen Brian and Sally Rippin

• Bibile: the True Story of a Baby Orphan Elephant  by Teresa Cannon and Liz Wilks

• Elephant Alert by Jackie French

• Running Wild  by Michael Morpurgo

• High Tide in Hawaii by Mary Pope Osborne

There are these nonfiction texts in the library, but there are many others, many which are more recent:

• Sweeping Tsunamis by Louise and Richard Spilsbury

• Ocean Tides and Tsunamis by Baby Professor 

• Can Surfers Surf on Tsunamis? by Baby Professor

• Understanding Earthquakes and Tsunamis by Olivia Williams

• Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters by Mary Pope Osborne

• The Tsunami Book by Gillian Jolly

• Earthquakes and Tsunamis by Emily Bone

• The Science of Natural Disasters: The Devastating Truth about Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunamis by Alex Woolf and Andy Rowland

3rd November World Jellyfish Day

It is Jellyfish Day. Jellyfish look beautiful but they are often dangerous because of their stingers and they are indicators of unhealthy oceans for scientists.

Once, the ocean was full of friends. But lately, a little jellyfish named Luna has noticed that things are changing--friends are disappearing! When she sets out to find them, she discovers that everyone has a part to play in protecting the careful balance of the ocean. In this beautifully illustrated and timely tale, little Luna comes up with a powerful way to deliver a message that inspires helpfulness and hope. 

What a stunning cover, this new book about jellyfish has! I have written about this day before here and here, but jellyfish books always seem to have amazing illustrations so I wanted to share this new one with you. You can see Julia read her book at Bristol Aquarium if you do not have a copy. This story tells us that jellyfish are an indicator species. Jellyfish are a profoundly powerful symbol for the declining health of our world's oceans. They are known as an indicator species because changes in their populations represent greater changes in the ecosystem. Around the world today, jellyfish are thriving in record numbers because they can live in the warmer seas and among the rubbish in it.

Jelly-Boy  by Nicole Godwin, Somebody Swallowed Stanley  by Sarah Roberts would be good companion reads as they also deal with jellyfish and rubbish in the ocean and Little Turtle and the Changing Sea by Becky Davis would be a good compare and contrast.If you would like to explore jellyfish further see what you could borrow here.

Also new,  is a picture book story about an expedition to find a giant jellyfish. The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish  is a debut book by author illustrator Chloe Savage. The subtitle 'What magic lies beneath?' makes you need to read it even more.

31st October World Cities Day

World Cities Day is observed on October 31st every year.  The general theme of World Cities Day is Better City, Better Life. 

The aim of the day is to raise awareness about global urbanisation and push for global cooperation in sustainable urban development. World Cities Day aligns with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goal 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities — which deals with urban development sustainably and Goal 17 Partnerships for the Goals. World Cities Day was announced by the U.N. in 2013 and has been observed every year since. The day brings to light the inequalities within the biggest cities in the world and pushes for greater social inclusion, including equality and access to services and opportunities.

Cities have been centres of trade, religion, culture, and education throughout history. However, the sheer scale of urban settlements today only became possible after the Industrial Revolution. The revolution drove people to cities in search of job opportunities in factories. Urban population growth has also been supported by technological advancements — these include the invention of steel, electricity conduction, elevators, etc. Over half the world’s population lives in cities now, and it’s more important than ever to make these people aware of how to sustainably co-exist within cities.

By 2050, 70% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities, compared to 55% currently, according to the United Nations. Cities currently take up 2% of the world’s total landmass and while they produce 80% of global GDP, they also produce 70% of carbon emissions.

The children I teach travel. They have been to many of the world's great cities. A parent will often say we are going to ______ , do you have any books about there? It is usually London, New York, Tokyo, Paris or Rome, but there are other cities of interest.

We have books that look at cities in general terms:

• Great Cities of the World by Russell  Ferrett

• Cities of the World by Piero Ventura

• In Focus: Cities by Libby Walden

• Capital: Explore the World's Capital Cities by Taraneh GhajarJerven

• See Inside Great Cities by Rob Lloyd Jones

• How to Build a City  by Isabel Otter

• Engineering the City: How Infrastructure Works  by Matthys Levy

• In the City by Carron Brown

• Cityscape  by April Pulley Sayre

We have books that look at specific cities: 

• Hello Sydney by Megan McKean

• All the Buildings in Sydney by James Gulliver Hancock

• Hello Melbourne by Megan McKean

• Hello London by Megan McKean

• Maisy Goes to London  by Lucy Cousins

• Katie in London by James Mayhew

• A Walk in London by Salvatore Rubbino

• Mr Chicken Lands on London by Leigh Hobbs

• A Walk in Paris by Salvatore Rubbino

• Mr Chicken Goes to Paris  by Leigh Hobbs

• Mr Chicken Arriva a Roma  by Leigh Hobbs

• A Walk in New York by Salvatore Rubbino

• New York New York  by Laura Krauss Melmed and Frane Lessac

• I Live in Tokyo by Mari Takabayashi

And Lonely Planet Kids has City Trails  for London, Paris, Tokyo, Rome, Sydney, Singapore, Barcelona and Washington DC.

We have books that are set in cities:

• Maisy Goes to the City by Lucy Cousins

• Nana in the City  by Lauren Castillo

• Little Elliot, Big City by Mike Curato

• Otto in the City  by Tom Schamp

• Small in the City by Sydney Smith

• Claude in the City  by Alex T. Smith

• A Lion in Paris  by Beatrice Alemagna

• In the City  by Roland Harvey

• Walking in the City with Jane: A Story of Jane Jacobs by Susan Hughes 

• My City Speaks  by Darren LeBeuf

• Somewhere in the City by J.B. Frank

• Florette  by Anna Walker

• Windows by Julia Denos and E.B. Goodale

And of course, there's some wonderful stories about visiting the city, but being happy to go home again:

• Any version of Town Mouse and Country Mouse. These two are beautifully illustrated:

Town Mouse, Country Mouse  by Libby Walden and Richard Jones

Town Mouse and Country Mouse  by Helen Ward

• Peggy  by Anna Walker

• The Cow Who Fell in the Canal by Phyllis Krasilovsky and Peter Spier

17-23 October National Bird Week – Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2022

Bird Week in Australia is drawing to a close. While covering books in the library this week, I realised just how many books about birds we had added to the library this year. Every new delivery seems to have had a picture book that included or was about birds.

All of these were published this year, and if you haven't seen the first two on the list, you need to, as they are extraordinary.

• Peregrines in the City by Andrew Kelly and Sue Lawson

High on the ledges of one of the tallest buildings in Melbourne, the peregrine and ticerel come to lay their eggs. 

• On the Trail of the Plains-wanderer by Rohan Cleave and Julian Teh

On the Trail of the Plains-wanderer tells the true story of one of Australia's most critically endangered bird species. This unique, quirky and precious bird faces many threats, but continues to survive against the odds.

•Swoop by Nicole Godwin and Susannah Crispe

Why do magpies swoop and why do we have such a fascination with them? Discover more about these clever, cheeky, and charming songbirds through this delightful book.

• Swifty: the Super-fast Parrot  by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Astred Hicks

Swifty grows from a hatchling to a fledgling in the blue-gum forests of Tasmania. She is then ready to make a challenging migration, following the blossom trail across Bass Strait to mainland south-eastern Australia.

• Song of the White Ibis  by Phillip Gwynne and Liz Anelli

A beautiful and powerful story to challenge the way we view one of our most infamous birds, and ourselves.

• Rusty the Rainbow Bird by Aleesah Darlinson and Mel Matthews

Fly with Rusty the Gouldian finch as he searches for a mate and saves his young family from fire. 

• A Shorebird Flying Adventure by Jackie Kerin and Milly Formby

This book takes you on  a trip to the Arctic tundra and back. On the way you’ll meet the birds who travel phenomenal distances every year and explore their precious wetland habitats and breeding grounds.

• An Important Message from Mr Beaky  by Cassie Leatham and Sue Lawson

Meet Mr Beaky!
He has an important message about what it means to be an Aboriginal person in Australia.
Mr Beaky is blue and white, not green and yellow, but he is still a native bird. 

•  Owl and Star by Helen Milroy

This story is also by an Indigenous author illustrator. Owl loved the sparkle of the stars. He would sit out on his tree at dusk and wait for them to appear. One evening, Owl became worried. His favourite little star had not shown herself. 

Then add these from last year

• The Bush Birds by Bridget Farmer

This book has exquisite illustrations, features many Australian birds and has flaps to add interest.

• Nestling Cockatoos: the Story of Squeak and Squawk by Angela Robertson-Buchanan

Have you ever met a sulphur-crested cockatoo? They are as intelligent as a toddler and can live up to ninety years of age. Squeak and Squawk were rescued when their tree-hollow home was cut down. They were only two weeks old. 

• Awesome Emu  by Gregg Dreise

Way back, before once-upon-a-time time, there was the Dreamtime, and during this period lived a very confident emu called Dinewah. He was tall, fast and colourful. Most animals thought he was a show-off, but he was too busy talking about himself to take any notice…

And coming early next year

 

• Bush Birds by Helen Milroy

28th October Last Friday in October World Lemur Day

What animal loves to bask in the sun, has sweat glands in their wrists, and is found only in Madagascar? The lemur. It is a small primate. They resemble a monkey, with a long tail and thick fur. They always live in trees and are very active mostly at night.There are several types of lemurs and day by day lemur species are moving towards extinction. However, a series of restoration processes has also been taken to protect the types of lemurs from the dangers that they face.

Lemurs are another animal that the children in Australia will not see unless they are on holiday overseas or at a zoo, but like raccoons, meerkats and sloths they fascinate them. They are quite popular as characters in picture books. 

The objective of this day is to raise awareness about the need to preserve this endangered species, and to celebrate its unique attributes. The holiday was first observed in 2014, when it was founded by Jonah Ratsimmbazafy in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Lemurs are often the sidekick to the main character and do not have the starring role. This is the case in Steve Antony's popular Mr Panda series where the lemur is in every book and the students comment on him, but he is there among a host of other black and white animals. Here are some lemur books where the lemur is the focus to help you celebrate:

Information books

• My Life in the Wild Lemur  by Stuart Jackson-Carter & Meredith Costain

• Ring-Tailed Lemurs by Victoria Blakemore

• Go Wild! Lemurs  by National Geographic Kids Stories

• Follow Me!  by Ellie Sandall

• What Makes a Lemur Listen? by Samuel Langley-Swain

• How to Lose a Lemur  by Frann Preston-Gannon

• The Lemur's Tail by Ophelia Redpath

• Lemur the Dreamer  by Courtney Dicmas

• Milo's Pet Egg  by Rebecca Elliott

• This Book Belongs to Aye-Aye by Richard Byrne (an aye-aye is a kind of lemur)

• Flying Lemurs  by Zehra Hicks

And these three about Lenny the Lemur

• Poo! Is That You?  by Clare Helen Welsh & Nicola O'Byrne 

• Wee! It Wasn't Me!  by Clare Helen Welsh & Nicola O'Byrne

• Slime! It's Not Mine! by Clare Helen Welsh & Nicola Byrne

And these feature a lemur, but have a purpose other than to entertain

• Lemur Feels Let Down A Book About Disappointment  by Sue Graves & Trevor Dunton

• Lemur's Guide to Healthy Eating  by Lisa Edwards & Sian Roberts

23rd October International Snow Leopard Day

Nearly all the pug books in the library have been borrowed and the display is looking very sad and depleted, so yesterday we went looking for another day to celebrate with books...dada...Snow Leopard Day! We had a dozen or so books and a plush toy so it was easy to do. By the time we closed many of these had been borrowed by parents after school too.

Snow leopards are sparsely distributed across 12 countries in central Asia, from southern Russia down to the Tibetan plateau, including Mongolia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. They’re usually at home in high, rugged mountain landscapes at heights of over 3,000 metres – and climate change may shrink their available habitat.

Fascinating Facts About Snow Leopards 

• Snow leopards are able to prey on animals that are up to three times their own body weight.
• They have massive, thick tails, which are able to help them maintain balance and shield them from harsh weather. Their tails are almost as long as their entire body.
• A study from the WWF has recorded snow leopards living at 5,859 meters above sea level. This is the highest altitude that has ever been documented for big cats. This is about the same height as the highest mountain in Canada.
• You may be surprised to learn that snow leopards are not able to roar. Instead, they mew, yowl, and growl. They also prusten, which is also known as chuffing. This is a non-threatening vocalization, which is made when they blow air through their nose.
• The fur on the stomach of a snow leopard is almost five inches thick. This is so that they can survive in the harsh and cold mountain climates.
• These animals are often referred to as ‘ghosts of the mountain’ because they spend most of their lives in solitude and they are rarely seen.
• Snow leopards are the only big cats that call Asia’s cold deserts their home. These deserts are sometimes referred to as the third pole because they feature ice fields with the biggest reserves of freshwater outside of the southern and northern polar regions.

There are many graphics like the one below giving this kind go information. There's a very informative video here.

Look for these books:

• Snow Leopards  by Jill Esbaum

• Snow Leopards  by Victoria Blakemore

• Leo the Snow Leopard  by Juliana and Craig Hatkoff

• Snow Leopards by Valerie Boden

• Saving the Ghost of the Mountain  by Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop

Illustrated:

• Snow Leopard: Grey Ghost of the Mountain by Justin Anderson and Patrick Benson

• The Snow Leopard  by Jackie Morris

• The Snow Leopard by Theresa Radcliffe and John Butler

• Little Mist  by Angela McAllister and Sarah Fox-Davies

• Snow Leopards by Nicole Poppenhager and Ivan Gantschev

• Yardil by Roseanne Hawke and Elizabeth Stanley

Novels:

• Zoe's Rescue Zoo: The Lucky Snow Leopard by Amelia Cobb and Sophy Williams

• The Rescue Princesses:The Ice Diamond by Paula Harrison

• WWF Wild Friends: Snow Leopard Lost