If I had a hammer...

Caldecott Honor illustrator Stephen T Johnson's My Little Red Toolbox has all the tools a child needs to hammer, drill, and have hours and hours of fun! Each spread features a sturdy working tool that's easy to remove and great to play with.Kids will even learn about colors, shapes, and counting, too.

My Little Red Toolbox features seven cardboard tools that really work. A pencil and an erasable slate, for drawing up plans. A ruler to measure things. A saw that makes noise when it cuts wood. A drill with movable parts. A screwdriver and screws that turn. A wrench and bolts that turn. A hammer for pounding nails.

So that is what the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) says about My Little Red Toolbox.

After having a bit of a play with it, the Younger Sun staff agree wholeheartedly that this book is fantastic. Your children will learn about the steps it takes to make something - measuring, sawing, drilling and keeping the parts together with nails or screws. Plus - there is no plastic in sight, just good quality cardboard and excellent retro illustrations. It's interactive - come and check it out today (or tomorrow).

New Kingdom of Silk

Plum Puddings and Paper Moons, Glenda Millard (ABC Books)

The fifth book in the multi-award-winning and much-loved Kingdom of Silk series.

It’s almost Christmas in Cameron’s Creek and it’s a time for wishes, big and small.

But Scarlet, the oldest of the Rainbow Girls, is not so sure if wishes can come true.

The kitchen at the Kingdom of Silk is warm and sweet with the smell of buttery shortbread and steamed plum puddings. And in the kitchen of the Colour Patch Café, Scarlet has made a new friend, Anik.

When Anik tells Scarlet about his home far away and of all the things he has lost, Scarlet is determined to make a difference. And so she decides to declare peace on Cameron’s Creek, and maybe even the world.

We have loved the Kingdom of Silk series since the wonderful The Naming of Tishkin Silk and we are so excited about this latest offering from the brilliant Glenda Millard (and love the beautiful, whimsical illustrations by Stephen Michael King).

Australian Stories

My Island Home, Neil Murray. Illustrated by kids from Papunya & Galiwinku, and Peter Hudson.





Solid Rock, Shane Howard. Translation by Ruby James. Illustrated by kids from Mutijulu, Kaltukatjara and Imanpa, and Peter Hudson.






Took the Children Away, Archie Roach. Illustrated by Ruby Hunter and Peter Hudson.





All books published by One Day Hill.

Younger Sun Top Tips for the Weekend

The princess who had no kingdom, Ursula Jones and Sarah Gibb

Our latest favourite princess book, that is so much more than just a princess book. Now out in paperback.

Charlotte's Web, EB White

A beautiful new hardback edition illustrated in colour by Garth Williams

Midnight Zoo, Sonya Hartnett

An incredible, moving fable by this incomparable Australian author.

Mess: the manual of accidents and mistakes, Kerri Smith (author of Wreck this Jounral)

• Do not try to make something beautiful
• Do not think too much (There is no "wrong")
• Continue under all circumstances

Teen Bookclub on Tomorrow, When the War Began

We met to talk about Tomorrow, When the War Began (by John Marsden, published by Pan Macmillan) on Saturday.

Disturbing, but 4 and a half stars - Isabella
Gut-wrenching - Clare
Gory, and 4 stars - Pele
Explosive! - Alexandra
Sad, 4 and three quarter stars - Charlotte
Julian was only 10 pages in but LOVING IT.
Kate's read it over and over again and still loves it, 5 stars.

We talked about how real the story felt, like it could have been happening to us. It was really frightening to read, but so interesting and we couldn't put the book down. Most of us thought Homer was fantastic and funny and our favourite (although Corrie and Fi and Lee also got some votes). We thought that John Marsden is amazing at writing teenagers and that he got their voices completely right. We were all sad about the dogs. Pele wondered if Robyn could have been so innocent if she wasn't so religious. We discussed the moral dilemmas of fighting in a war, and what "good" and "evil" actually means.

It was a great bookclub, thank you to everyone who came. You are all now free to go and see the movie!

Next month we're reading This is Shyness by Leanne Hall. There are signed copies at the Younger Sun, available this month at 20% off!

Do you blog with it?

This is one hilarious book. Monkey is reading a book. Jackass doesn't quite get it:

'How do you scroll down?'

'Where's your mouse?'

'Can you make the characters fight?'

But the Jackass is about to discover just how awesome books can be.

Buy this book. You will love it.

And you don't ever have to charge it up afterwards!

(published by walker books)