Book Week Eve Pownall Award Shortlist: I am a Magpie I am a Currawong

This book is on the shortlist for the Eve Pownall Award, which is an award for an information book, but it has minimal text so could just as easily be an Early Childhood choice. Bridget Farmer is a master illustrator of Australian birds and here she has chosen two birds that are very common in Australian backyards. They do look alike, being a similar size and both black and white, but this book allows young readers to discern differences. My young readers immediately commented on the eyes.

There's a myriad of wonderful books about Australian birds that could be used in conjunction with this book. (see this blog post for Wobbly Bike) Students can use the index of the books to see if these two birds are mentioned. Magpies will probably get more text than currawongs, but that will make it fun.  

You need a book like this to hear the difference in their calls, but online you can find their calls if you don't have this book.

Birds in Backyards website is a good place to get information on both of these birds too. The location map and the soundbite of their calls will allow for comparison too. I can see a Venn diagram being used for compare and contrast activity. The magpie page states that the magpie has one of the world's most complex bird songs. How amazing is that? The currawong page explains that the currawong got its name from its call.

The library has several stories about magpies, but I could only think of one about currawongs. Then when I checked in the catalogue there was another one.

Currawongs:

Magpies:

  

Book Week Early Childhood Shortlist: The Wobbly Bike by Darren McCallum and Craig Smith

This book The Wobbly Bike  by debut author Darren McCallum and 'old hand' Craig Smith is a joy and will certainly make you smile. It is fun and very pertinent to this age group.

So often the parents at school will say 'my child can't ride a bike. When will he learn?' in a manner that implies that it is the school's job to teach him, and then they add 'we live in a unit/ apartment'.

I think this is sad because it means that this child isn't outdoors at the park often or that his parents don't see it as their job to make time to ensure he does learn. Learning to ride a bike is about time, practice, perseverance, risk taking, adult belief and investment in their child, but so rewarding when a child shouts 'I can do it!'

Linked displays:

1. books about learning to ride bicycles

2. books set in the Northern Territory and /or Darwin and books by authors who live in the Northern Territory

3. books about Australian birds

4. other books by Craig Smith

Display 1: Learning to Ride a Bike

The library often has a display about bikes. The preschoolers are very keen to borrow books about bike riding. If you are putting together a display, these are popular

• Don't Let Go! by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross   (this would make a perfect companion text)

• Don't Let Go, Dad!  by Mark Wilson

• Hello, Bicycle!  by Ella Boyd and  Taming a big-kid bike

• Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle  by Chris  Learning to Ride a Bike

• Two Wheels  by David Gibb and Brizida Magro  (this would make a perfect companion text)

• Let's Ride a Bike  by Ruth Walton

• I Love My Bike  by Simon Mole and Sam Usher

• Off We Go!  by Will Hillenbrand

• Logan's Big Move by Logan Martin, Jess Black and Shane McG

• Frank and Bert: the One Where Bert Learns to Ride a Bike  by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

• The Bike Lesson  by Stan and Jan Berenstain

• Duck on a Bike  by David Shannon

• Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike  by Dashka Slater and Laura Hughes

• Bike on Bear by Cynthia Liu Kristyna Litten

Display 2: Books set in the Northern Territory 

• Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo  by Alison Lester

• To the Top End  by Roland Harvey

• My Home in Kakadu  by Jane Christophersen

• Dry to Dry: the Seasons of Kakadu by Pamela Freeman and Liz Anelli

• Walking the Country in Kakadu  by Diane Lucas, Ben Tyler and Emma Long

• Collecting Colour  by Kylie Dunstan

• Big Rain Coming  by Katrina Germein

• Too Many Cheeky Dogs  by Joanna Bell and Dion Beasley

• Aunty's Wedding  by Miranda Tapsell and Samantha Fry

• Look See, Look at Me!  by Leonie Norrington and Dee Huxley

• Cyclone by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

Leonie Norrington, Joanna Bell, Samantha Fry, Rosemary Sullivan, Katrina Germein and Kylie Dunstan have all lived in the Northern Territory at some time.

Display 3: Books about Australian Birds

The teaching notes for the book suggests:

• Have your class work in groups to research different species of birds in Australia. What do they look like? Where do they live? How many birds illustrated in the story can they identify?

Display of books like these would help with this:

Coming in August from CSIRO

Display 4 Books illustrated by Craig Smith.

The library has more than 100 books illustrated by Craig Smith. Time to revisit these two humorous tales:

And these two more serious tales:

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

7th September Magpie Time Again.

It is Spring in Australia and the time when magpie chicks are born and the fathers become very protective and swoop at anything that ventures into their territory. Good dads! Just like the dads of the children I teach, very protective and defensive. There have been two new picture books about magpies enter the library recently so I thought now would be a good time to showcase them.

• Swoop  by Nicole Godwin and Susannah Crispe is a new title from CSIRO Publishing. Here's the blurb:

Magpie has one job, one desire, one purpose: KEEP THE EGGS SAFE. 
Always on alert for danger, will Magpie's determination be enough when rock-carrying intruders arrive? 

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. 

• The Story of Swoop by Matt Owens and Emma Gustafson

This true life story is from New Zealand.

Heart-warming internet sensation! A true story of animal rescue and release. When firefighter Matt stopped to rescue a lost magpie chick, a very special friendship unfolded. Swoop the magpie soon became part of Matt's family, along with Mogli the cat. But where are her feathered friends? 

Then look for these too:

• Mad Magpie  by Gregg Dreise

• Magpie Mischief  by June Peka and Jo Thapa

• Harry's Hat  by Kerry Kitzelman

• Waddle Giggle Gargle!  by Pamela Allen

• Magpie Learns a Lesson  by  Sally Morgan and Tania Erzinger

• Fox by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks

• The Naughty Magpie  by Eleanor Nillson and Susy Boyer  (Aussie Nibble)

If you can find a copy of The Windmill at Magpie Creek  by Christobel Mattingley (book or children's film) this is a good discussion starter on how to arm yourself against these defiant birds.

22nd October National Bird Week 22-28 October 2012

It is National Bird week here in Australia!  Every October, Bird Life Australia organises and promotes Bird Week with the goal of inspiring Australians to take action and get involved in bird conservation. For almost 100 years, October 28 has been designated ‘Bird Day’ across Australia. The theme and poster pose the question 'Who's nesting where?'   It is always fun to do a unit of work on birds because Australia has the most amazing native birds. We can look at emus, cassowaries, cockatoos, galahs, lorikeets, budgerigars, kookaburras, lyrebirds, pelicans and owls. All the expat students always comment on how big and how noisy they are. 

To coincide with this focus question, I tried to limit the books I displayed to Australian books and Australian birds. Among them were these fiction titles. There is a large range in length, tone and difficulty here.

* Enoch the Emu   by   Gordon Winch & Doreen Gritswood
* Edward the Emu  and Edwina the Emu by Sheena Knowles & Rod Clement
* The Penguin Shore  by Tim O'Brien & Mark Wilson
* Silly Galah by Janeen Brian  (poems)
* One, Two, Cockatoo by Sarah Garson
* Cassowary's Egg by Garry Fleming
* The Best Beak in Boonaroo Bay; The Hunt; High Above the Sea and Fox and Fine Feathers  by Narelle Oliver (she does birds so well!)
* Kookaburra School by Jill Morris
* Enora and the Black Crane by Arone Raymond Meeks
* Hello Barney by Mary Pershall & Mark Wilson 
* Mozzie and Midgie by Doug McLeod & Sandra Okayli (spoonbills)
* The Rainbirds  by David Metzethen & Sally Rippin (currawongs)
* Lucy's Cat and the Rainbow Birds by Anthony Hill & Jane Tanner (lorikeets)
* Little Tawny by Kim Dale (tawny frogmouths)
* Storm Boy  and Pannikin and Pinta by Colin Thiele (these two stories about pelicans make great serials for young children because of their illustrations. There is an illustrated version of Pinquo, his story about little penguins and their nesting habits too.)