Recently there has been a more open dialogue about what it’s like to live with anxiety, which has made me think about the worries we experience as children and how, as parents or caregivers, we react to those worries. Our response to a child who is uncomfortable about a particular situation, or struggling to find their place in the world, is a great responsibility. This month there are some beautiful picture books with simple messages about how to nurture a worried child, as well as characters children can identify with.

The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys opens with a heartrending illustration of a little boy in a defeated pose that I’ve seen in my son so many times. Alfie is so worried about public events (running races, parties, an upcoming fancy-dress parade) that his instinct is to avoid them. He has a sleepless night and a tummy-ache before the parade, and feels anxious that his mother will be angry with him for not wanting to be in it. But she isn’t angry at all. In fact, they go off on a day-trip to the aquarium and Alfie’s equilibrium is restored. Not only that but, without being pressured, Alfie makes a promise to himself to try entering the parade next year. I can’t say I’ve always reacted to my son’s worries without urging him to do the thing he was scared of (or, I confess, sometimes making him) but I’ve definitely learned over the years that letting him do things in his own time is key. So I thought this book about respecting a child’s right to say, ‘this is not for me, today at least’ was beautiful and positive.

Another common childhood worry is explored in Those Pesky Rabbits, in which a bear constantly refuses the offer of friendship extended by his new neighbours. In this sweet and gently humorous tale, not only do we learn the value of opening yourself up to new possibilities but also the art of persistence when it comes to shy people. The rabbits don’t give up on bear, even when he’s a little rude – they seem to instinctively understand that he needs special handling. Eventually they change tactics, which leads to success.

Then, in George In The Dark, we meet a little boy who is terribly brave and impressive by day but scared rigid simply to lie in his bedroom with the lights out at night. His parents tell him, as we probably all have at some point, that, ‘there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of’, which achieves nothing, of course. I thought the tension in George’s face was so right, and the text perfectly spare. In the end, George does overcome his fear when his favourite bear is lost in the darkest, scariest part of the bedroom.

And finally, one last picture book about figuring out your identity during childhood. If you were a fan of Oliver Jeffers’ and Drew Daywalt’s The Day The Crayons Quit you will love Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall. ‘Red’ the crayon has a label telling him what he should be but try as he might, he can’t help the fact that inside the label he is actually blue. The crayons around him – such as his mother, ‘Olive’, and his grandparents, ‘Gray’ and ‘Silver’ - who all behave as their labels dictate, try to encourage him when Red fails to … well, draw red things red. But then he meets ‘Purple’, who gently shows him who he really is. This is great fun and can be read on two levels.

Moving into Junior Fiction now and, regrettably, the book I most wanted to recommend to you in this category has already sold out! A new shipment is on its way though so I’ll keep you in suspense until it arrives. Fortunately there’s a great new crop of books for 6- to 10-year-olds to draw from until then.

If your daughters would rather climb a tree or do a science experiment than put on a frilly dress and play Princesses, they’ll love The Anti-Princess Club series by Samantha Turnbull. Although I can’t agree with the author’s assertion that she could find no books for girls without fairies and princesses in them before she decided to write some of her own, I say the more books that recognise girls’ diversity the better and this looks like a series that will really appeal. A new Squishy McFluff is also cause for delight (little girl, imaginary cat, rollicking rhyme), along with a new Violet Mackerel.

Kyle Mewburn’s Dinosaur Rescue series was an excellent mix of funny, adventurous and slightly revolting. Lots of kids who obsess over dinosaurs eventually discover dragons and this is exactly what Mewburn is tapping into next with Dragon Knight. The illustrations by Donovan Bixley provide a lot of the humour and energy. Equally fart-filled but not a dragon in sight is Johnny Danger about a young spy (read our review here). And sticking with humour, though for a slightly older reader of around 10 and into early teens, is Son of Death. This second novel by Andrew McDonald is an entertaining and clever book, and I urge you to read a blog post by the author: Why I Wrote A Book About Death For Kids.

Sometimes my 11-year-old daughter and I share books, and two authors we definitely agree on are Rebecca Westcott and Hilary McKay. Westcott’s third novel, Five Things They Never Told Me is just out but I haven’t been able to get anywhere near it yet for this very reason. And if you missed Hilary McKay’s Binny For Short in hardback last year, it’s now out in paperback. Binny is such a fresh, funny voice for tweens and early teens; she’s quite stroppy but means well, and actually reminds me of a tween I know very well…

This month sees the conclusion to Melbourne author Ellie Marney’s great young adult series inspired by Sherlock Holmes. By all accounts, Every Move is a fitting end to an exciting trilogy. But as good things end, new ones begin and The Hush by another Melbourne author, Skye Melki-Wegner, sounds like a highly imaginative and clever fantasy (Melki-Wegner also wrote the Chasing the Valley series of recent years). The Hush is set in a world where music is literally magic. Another fantasy I’m hearing great things about is The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson. And if you’re looking for something light and funny, catch up on the Geek Girl series which is now into its fourth story with All That Glitters.

It’s hard to pick a favourite in the non-fiction selection for this month. I loved The Story of Life: A First Book About Evolution. When my kids were young and their badgering about, ‘How the world began’ stretched my knowledge to its not-very-far-reaching limits, I relied on Neal Layton’s brilliant The Story Of Everything to help it all make sense. Sadly that’s no longer available but The Story of Life is a great replacement for it. It is told just like a story, with a solid narrative that children can really grab hold of. It isn’t dry – the author somehow manages to give enough detail to rocks and volcanoes to make even them seem like characters in the story. Plus, the illustrations are fun and attractive. If you’ve ever tried and failed to explain evolution to a young child, this is for you.

Other non-fiction favourites of the month include Creaturepedia, Atlas of Adventures A Collection of Natural Wonders, Exciting Experiences and Fun Festivities from the Four Corners of the Globe and Extraordinary People: A Semi-Comprehensive Guide to Some of the World’s Most Fascinating Individuals. These are the kind of books that make the best birthday gifts and will be used by children for years.

Finally, Dreams of Freedom by Amnesty International is full of quotes to inspire children to stand up against injustice and inequality. This stunning book also features illustrations by some of the greatest talents in children’s books and is perfect for use in the home or the classroom.

Emily Gale