Children's book buyer favourites of 2022 – Athina Clarke
Our Malvern Children's Book Buyer, Athina Clarke, is sharing her favourite titles of the past year. They include gorgeous picture books, offbeat junior novels, and powerful books for older readers.
Evie and Rhino by Neridah McMullin
If I was only allowed one and only one favourite children’s book for 2022 it would have to be Evie and Rhino. This as an enchanting story, inspired by a real event – the 1891 stranding of a steamship and its cargo of exotic animals bound for the Royal Melbourne Zoo – masterfully reimagined into a wonderful ‘what if’ scenario. Evie, Rhino and their animal friends buried their way deep into my heart and wouldn’t let me go for weeks – I was profoundly moved to laughter and tears.
Animal lovers aged 9 and up should NOT miss this joyful and oh so satisfying reading experience!
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
Let me declare up front: not only do I love historical fiction but Ruta Sepetys is one of my favourite young adult authors.
I Must Betray You is set in 1980s Romania during the Ceausescu dictatorship and the young people’s revolt that toppled him. Romania’s history makes for dark reading with machinations, betrayals and inability to trust anyone, not even family members. The story is told from the perspective of a teenage boy who’s being blackmailed by the secret police to inform on friends and family in exchange for medicine for his beloved grandfather – essentially, a no-win situation.
This is a completely and utterly engrossing story. I found it especially chilling that the story is based on fact, with research from primary documented sources and personal interviews. I cared deeply for the characters and was horrified by their deprivations but ultimately inspired by their hope.
This one’s a sure hit for young adults, 13 and up, who enjoy a compelling thriller.
Free Kid to Good Home by Hiroshi Ito
Free Kid to a Good Home is a Japanese bestseller (in its 31st edition!) and now Gecko Press (one of my favourite publishers of children’s books) has translated it into English.
When a new ‘potato-faced’ baby brother arrives home, his singularly unimpressed sister runs away from home to find a family who appreciates her. She finds a cardboard box and pens ‘free kid’ on the side. Over the day, a lost dog, a kitten and a turtle join in the act of finding new homes. This is a wonderfully quirky book for young readers. It explores that almost universal sentiment of sibling rivalry (and anxiety) in a humorous, light hearted way; the story is subversive, the humour is deadpan and the spare black and white line drawings with red accents are incredibly effective.
This is a hilarious experience for any family with children aged 5 and up and a delight for independent readers aged 7 and up.
A Berry Long Walk: The Wild Life Book 1 by Laura and Philip Bunting
I love an odd couple story and A Berry Long Walk is just that! Our two wonderful protagonists, Wombat and Roo are an odd pairing; Wombat is a homebody who believes there are dangers lurking everywhere in the surrounding bush … whereas Roo is a ‘go getter’ who loves exploring and convinces Wombat to accompany her on a short walk with the promise of his favourite food – delicious bush berries aplenty! Of course, nothing goes to plan so there’s plenty of adventure, danger and arguments on this merry walk which reveals a story of friendship and confidence.
A Berry Long Walk is the first book in an engaging new series for newly independent readers aged 5 and up. There’s so much to love about this book: lots of humorous escapades, fun Australian animal characters and landscapes captured through bright colourful illustrations and (importantly) positive messages. And, best of all, Book 2, A Line in the Sand is available now!
Colours, Colours Everywhere by Julia Donaldson and Sharon King-Chai
Stock due December 1
This is an exquisite picture book, a splendid journey of vibrant colour and discovery, a feast for the eyes with an imaginative and playfully inspiring narrative. The story opens with a paint brush, a palette of colours and the hands of a child, ready to paint … but what? An unexpected flash of blue entices us to turn the page and discover a bright blue tree frog, our companion during this wonderful expedition. Our exploration of colourful landscapes and animals begins!
The story is propelled along by rhyming prose, wonderful illustrations and the most intriguing and clever design – unexpected cut-aways, peep-holes, foldout pages and flaps. Donaldson’s wonderful rhyming prose reads aloud beautifully; there’s a tremendous energy in the timing and with each page turn King-Chai’s inspiring illustrations add depth and delight as you find yourself asking excitedly, where will it go next? Cleverly, the story circles back to the little girl wondering what she’ll paint today … but now she has her companion beside her, the blue tree frog!
Julia Donaldson and Sharon King-Chai are a picture book marriage made in heaven! This is an outstanding creation, joyous and inspiring, encouraging children’s imaginative play with colours and paints. It’s a worthy companion to Animalphabet and Counting Creatures. All children should share in their beauty and be inspired!
Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire & David Litchfield
I was completely and utterly beguiled by Cress Watercress – I loved it! It’s bound to become a contemporary classic as it has an ageless spirit, sitting comfortably alongside such greats as The Wind in the Willows, Charlotte’s Web and Watership Down.
The story is an unforgettable adventure involving the Cress family (Mama, Cress, and little brother Kip); a family of rabbits coping with the loss of their father while adjusting to their new home and the perils of a new and daunting environment. Cress is an inimitable character and thoroughly captivating.
The story explores timeless themes of friendship, empathy, community, loss and the search for a place to call home, all with great warmth and humour. The vocabulary is rich with wonderfully wry puns – the dialogue positively sparkles – and the characters are unforgettable and completely realised. To top it off, the illustrations are absolutely beautiful; a magical full-colour woodland wonder!
It’s a book that can be read aloud and enjoyed by the whole family with children who are at least 7 years. It's also an incredibly satisfying book for older children to read for themselves.
A Perfect Wonderful Day with Friends by Philip Waechter
My customers in Malvern will attest that I wax lyrical about A Perfect Wonderful Day with Friends. It’s a perfect and most glorious picture book about a truly wonderful day enjoyed in the company of friends.
You’ll share the story and explore the wonderful illustrations repeatedly, and hopefully, the five friends of our story, Raccoon, Fox, Badger, Bear and Crow will inspire you to savour a truly magical day and evening with your friends.
Our story begins with Raccoon who decides to bake a cake but has no eggs, so he pops over to borrow some from Fox (who hilariously keeps chickens) and the day’s events subsequently unfold in the most beguiling way. It’s a perfect day of strolling through fields, blackberry picking, fishing and swimming, helping with some roof repairs and finally sharing a wonderful evening meal together.
Perhaps this delightful picture book is suggesting that happiness can be found in the utter joy of celebrating the unexpected with friends; there’s magic in every single day, all we have to do is participate. Share this wonderful book with the whole family – perfect for ages 4 and up.
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge
I think Frances Hardinge is a genius! She’s a multi-award winning author who crafts outstanding (and often dark) fantasy fiction. I’ve read most of her books and each one, including the latest, Unraveller, is completely original, strange and utterly beguiling; the world building is profound, the characters fascinating and the writing, sublime. Unraveller is a gripping page turner, a tightly woven web of deathly magic and conspiracy transporting our protagonists (and me) into a dangerous, unpredictable journey into the unknown. The only reason not to read into the night was the delicious fear that the story’s lethal and forbidden magic would escape the pages and engulf me ... luckily, there’s resolution and light at the end of the tunnel.
A fabulous book – highly recommended for ages 12 and up.
