Alexa Dretzke
Alexa Dretzke is a children’s & YA book specialist at Readings Hawthorn
Review — 11 Nov 2013
Fighting For Freedom by Cassy Liberman & Lucy Desbordes (Illus.)
Nancy Wake, a true heroine who worked for the French Resistance and Allies in World War II as a courier, was one of the most wanted spies by the German…
Review — 24 Sep 2013
Hannah's Night by Komako Sakai
This charming picture book depicts Hannah waking to find it is still night time. Her sister and parents are sound asleep so her only companion during her nocturnal wanderings is…
Review — 10 Sep 2013
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
From the team that created the wonderful Iggy Peck, Architect comes another gem. Rosie dreams of being an engineer. She tinkers away with the bits and pieces she has collected…
Review — 1 Oct 2013
Lillypilly Hill by Eleanor Spence
Eleanor Spence was one of my favourite authors when I was a young so I was excited when I heard Text were reissuing Lillipilly Hill. The spirited Harriet has…
Review — 3 Sep 2013
I Got This Hat by Jol Temple, Kate Temple & Jon Foye
It all seems pretty simple – a picture book about hats – and as we know, hats are fun but then again they can be serious. So the writers and…
Review — 28 Aug 2013
Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
As the omnipresent narrator explains, Two Boys Kissing is about the power of possibility. It’s not about sex, it’s about the power of seeing two boys who love each other…
Review — 3 Sep 2013
Starting School by Jane Godwin & Anna Walker
Jane Godwin and Anna Walker have formed a very successful partnership with their two previous picture books, All Through the Year and Today We Have No Plans. Their new…
Review — 30 Jul 2013
Letters to Klaus by Klaus Flugge
Remember the days when letters with stamps were posted? The momentary mystery of what the contents held, deciphering the handwriting to identify the sender.
Times have changed and personal mail…
Review — 30 Jul 2013
Peck, Peck, Peck by Lucy Cousins
Peck, Peck, Peck is fun, fun, fun and well timed for Father’s Day. Daddy woodpecker teaches his baby bird how to peck, and from then on she pretty much practices…
Review — 28 Jul 2013
Silver Buttons by Bob Graham
A new Bob Graham picture book is always a delightful addition to children’s publishing. His gentle stories celebrate family and home and embrace the wider community and multiculturalism. Silver Buttons…