Indigenous Picture Books

Lisa @ANZLitLover is hosting her annual Indigenous Literature Week. Normally this week is also NAIDOC week, but due to Covid it has been postponed until 8th -15th November. The 2020 theme is 

Always Was, Always Will Be. 

Always Was, Always Will Be. recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. 

The picture books below honour this theme with their focus on country, family, success past and present, dreaming, songlines and sharing language & culture. They share a pride in Aboriginal heritage, acknowledging the wrongs and the suffering but looking forward to a more hopeful, inclusive future.

Respect | Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson | Magabala Books | 1st May 2020

You have to respect this book.

It's heart is in the right place. Every page reflects love of country and family.

Respect combines a deep concern for taking care of each other, with acknowledging cultural heritage and traditions. It generously shares a part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture with the wider community.

Magabala Books are planning a series of such books:

Respect is the first title in the ‘Our Place’ series of four children’s picture books which welcome and introduce children to important elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Lisa Kennedy's illustrations are stunning. Full of warmth and colour and a pleasing simple design that engages and draws the reader in.

I can't wait to see the other three books in this series.

Aunty Fay Muir is a Boonwurrung Elder.

Lawson's first book with Aunty Fay was Nganga: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Words and Phrases.
Lisa Kennedy is a descendant of the coastal Trawlwoolway people of north-east Tasmania.

Family | Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson | Magabala Books | 1st July 2020

Family is book two in the Our Place series of picture books from Magabala Books. It's an Indigenous picture book about heart and home.

These books are designed for a preschool aged audience. Simple, clear language is used to show how caring and sharing for country and mob is an integral philosophy of Aboriginal life. This book focuses on how daily rituals and traditions create belonging and connection.

The earthy tones and palate used by Seymour throughout the book, feature family groups interacting together with country.

Respect and Family are both gentle, positive introductions for younger readers to Indigenous family and culture.

Aunty Fay Muir is a Boonwurrung Elder.
This is the third book that Sue Lawson has written with Aunty Fay.
Jasmine Seymour a Darug writer and artist.


Cooee Mittigar | Jasmine Seymour | Magabala Books | 1st November 2019

The full title for this book is Cooee Mittigar: A Story of Darug Songlines.
Cooee mittigar means come here friend. Seymour & Watson, two Darug women, invite us inside to share their story and to pay respect to country.

Darug country encompasses the greater Sydney Basin and Hawkesbury River.

Seymour & Watson have created a story that celebrates the Darug language by embedding it naturally within the text.

A glossary at the back provides simple meanings for each new word, but each word is also explained on the page where it is used, separate to the main text.

Mulgo, Black Swan takes us on a history lesson through Dreamtime and songlines, before moving onto a seasonal journey through Darug country.

Cooee mittigar. Tread softly on our lands.

Know that this dreaming was here. Is still here.

Will be forever.

Beautifully illustrated with native animals and local plants.
This is my pick of the crop (so far) for Indigenous picture books published in the past year.

Shortlisted – 2020 CBCA Award for New Illustrator
Notable – 2020 CBCA Book of the Year Awards: Eve Pownall Award

Coming Home to Country | Bronwyn Bancroft | Little Hare Books | 1st February 2020

Bancroft's illustrations feel very personal. They feature the rivers of her childhood in northern NSW that flow from page to page. Love of country and nature jump off each page in bold colours as Bronwyn takes us on a journey through her home, past and present.

A sense of where her home is grounds her. Knowing where she belongs allows her to go out into the world to make her own way. 

Over the years, her way, has included time as a textile and fashion designer, artist, activist and children's picture book writer and illustrator.

In 2016 Bancroft was the Australian Finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award (Illustrator).

She is now a finalist for the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Born in Tenterfield, in northern NSW, Bronwyn Bancroft is a descendant of the Djanbun clan of the Bundjalung nation.

Our Home, Our Heartbeat | Adam Briggs | Little Hare Books | 1st May 2020

Yorta Yorta rapper Adam Briggs' energetic, enthusiastic personality oozes from every page and lyric in this book.

In 2014 Briggs released a song during Naidoc week called The Children Came Back. The song celebrates successful, well-known Indigenous athletes and artists, past and present. It was written on the 25th anniversary of Archie Roach's song Took the Children Away to continue the conversation originally started by Roach. His aim is to normalise Indigenous success.

Briggs claims his song is a "history lesson, a monologue, a celebration and an education." 

I've included the lyrics from the song below but urge you to search out the various youtube videos of the song, including the live versions done with Paul Kelly and Dan Sultan.

I'm Fitzroy where the stars be
I'm Wanganeen in '93
I'm Mundine, I'm Cathy Free-
Man, that fire inside a me
I'm Adam Goodes, and Adam should
Be applauded when he stand up
You can look to us when that time stop
I'm Patty Mills with the last shot

I'm Gurrumul, I'm Archie
I'm everything that you ask me
I'm everything that you can't be
I'm the dead hearts, heart beat

The children came back
The children came back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back

I'm Doug Nicholls, I'm jimmy little
With a royal telephone
I'm the world champ in '68
Boy I'm Lionel Rose
I'm William Cooper, I take a stand
When no one even knows
I'm the walk off, I'm the sound of
The children coming home

I'm Gurrumul, I'm Archie
I'm everything you ask me
I'm everything you can't be
I'm the dead hearts, heart beat

The children came back
The children came back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back

Let me take it home, I'm Rumba
I'm the sand hills on Cummera
I'm Les Briggs, I'm Paul Briggs
I'm Uncle Ringo with all them kids
I'm Uncle Buddy - everybody love me
Ain't none below, ain't none above me
I'm the carvings outta every scar tree
I'm those flats that birthed Archie

Now Mr abbott, think about it - me and you we feel the same
That might sound strange, I'm just saying,
We both unsettled when the boats came

I'm Gurrumul, I'm Archie
I'm everything you ask me
I'm everything you can’t be
I'm the dead hearts, heart beat

The children came back
The children came back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back.

Our Home, Our Heartbeat is a younger readers version of this song. Briggs then made a very deliberate decision to have non-traditional illustrations, choosing a contemporary, almost cartoon style with bold, bright colours and lots of action.

From Lunch Lady interview |  21st May 2020

the Dreamtime stories, which are all fantastic, and all the artwork is amazing and fantastic. But cool, we have that. Let’s not do that, because people who are really good at that are already doing it. Here’s my contribution. It’s not here to take away. It’s here to add....I wanted it to be really super vibrant. I wanted everything to be bright and colourful and not like earthy ochre tones. I wanted it to really pop.

Kate Moon is a Melbourne based designer and 3D artist.

Rachael Sarra is a contemporary Aboriginal artist from Goreng Goreng country.

Claris The Chicest Mouse in Paris | Megan Hess #PictureBook

Every time I see these very chic, very elegant picture books, I want to say Cla-reece. I have an acquaintance called Cla-reece. However to read these stories, I have to make a huge mental effort to say 'Paris-Claris' in my head a few times to find the rhyme.

I've been saving this post for today, the very first day of July, to help me get Paris in July off to most graceful, glamorous start possible! If you're not sure what I'm talking about (where have you been darling?) then pop over to Tamara's Thyme for Tea blog to check out the coins et recoins.

2020 is the tenth anniversary of Paris in July. To celebrate this year's theme of élégance, I've invited Claris and Megan Hess to the party. Hess is an international fashion illustration with an expanding range of fashion design picture-books-for-adults on her catwalk, including one all about Coco Chanel, (which may explain my unexpected fascination in such girly, frilly books to those who know my ongoing intrigue with Coco). Other books include Paris Through a Fashion Eye, The Dress, Iconic and Elegance.

Claris The Chicest Mouse in Paris, Hess' first picture book for children, was published in August 2018. From the gorgeous end papers littered with pink dresses and pink & gold bling you know that this foray into the world of fashion will be as girly-girl and frilly as you can get!

I always experience a weird conflict when I read these books. My younger self was a tomboy with a capital T. From about age 8, I hated wearing dresses or anything resembling pink. It has taken marriage and a family of boys to help me embrace pretty clothes and the colour pink. As I read these picture books I move between eye rolling tomboy exasperation to gushing girly awww's as I make my way through all the intense, non-stop cuteness that defines and decorates each page.

Claris is a Vanity Fair reading, éclair eating country mouse who dreams of the big city and fashion and frills. She also ‘longed for an elegant friend of her own.’ A chance meeting with two stylish frogs, ‘one in a beret’,and she is whisked her away in a hot air balloon and on her way to Paris!

However, Paris and dreams come true, not easy. 

Claris has to find herself a new maison in which to live, only to find herself at the mercy of snotty, snitchy daughter and a grey cat! Instead of allowing fear to rule her life, Claris takes a chance, a big risk, in fact, to save the grey cat...from the snotty daughter and sartorial disaster!

Naturally Claris and Monsieur Montage become fast and best friends. He helps Claris with discarded dolls house furniture so she can furnish her new apartment in the attic. And he gathers together all the old doll's clothes rejected by the snooty daughter. Claris gets to work, turning them into works of art for herself and her friend. Her motto is ‘you should always be brave and help someone in need.’

Some of the rhymes are not as elegant as the illustrations, which makes reading this book aloud a bit de trop. But I suspect you're turning the pages in this book for the fashion and bling, the charm and the colour, and for the glimpses of Paris life, not the rhyme.

                                                       

Claris and the Fashion Show Fiasco was published in 2019. The end papers are adorned with yellow dresses and pink & yellow bling. 

It is now springtime in Paris and life is tres belle. This is the season of the fashion show! 

A mishap at the breakfast table means that Claris' family leave without their fashion show invite. Claris, with the help of Monsieur Montage, is determined to save the day. Together, they embark on an adventurous, stylish and iconic journey across Paris on their way to the Chanel show. 

The adventure comes with a map and includes the reappearance of the two stylish frogs from book one. We also meet more animal friends, all enthralled by fashion week in Paris.

Once again, adventure, bravery and friendship are the dominant themes, while kindness, chic and savoir faire are the main flavours.

Claris, Bonjour Riviera is Hess' latest worked published earlier this year. This time our end papers feature blue dresses and blue themed fashion bling. 

Summer has arrived in Paris and the très chic thing to do is holiday on the Riviera, at the Hotel du Cap, no less! The two stylish frogs, plus all the other animal friends from the fashion show, arrive in the hot air balloon for a ‘fabulous soiree.’

Naturally, Claris finds an adventure and another opportunity to practice being brave and helpful. This time she rescues a song bird whose wing gets stuck in a thorn. Valerie from Antibes is a bit of a diva, but spectaculaire nonetheless.

Teamwork and bravery is it's own reward of course, but Claris also enjoys the excitement of a new friendship and the pleasures of brie and camembert!

Each book features a fashion spread with six images of Claris dressed in Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Pucci etc. This is where Hess excels. Her love and enthusiasm for the fashion world spills over into every design for Claris.

The final page of each book reveals Hess in one of the dresses she loves so much, surrounded by her illustrations.

I hope you agree, that this has been a truly elegant, truly Parisienne way to begin our #ParisinJuly 2020 tour. 

Bonne nuit and bonne lecture!

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse has been one of this year's runaway hits at work in the lead up to Christmas. We cannot keep it on the shelves and the UK publishers (Ebury) cannot seem to print enough for demand. School librarians are buying this book by the bucket load. And the Instagram buzz around this book is HUGE.

If you love Winnie-the-Pooh and love a heartfelt message about kindness, caring and hopefulness, then I'm sure this will be a hit with you too.

It shares all the innocence and joie de vivre of Pooh.

It's thoughtful, gentle and motivational.

It celebrates friendship.

It's poignant and full of universal truths.

Mackesy's illustrations are whimsical and tender.

The end papers are just lovely with their cantering, flying horses moving around a musical score.

It's a treasury of kindness from start to finish.

I'm sure that some people will find this too twee or cringe-worthy, because there are always Scrooges.

Bah Humbug!
Let the haters hate; the rest of us can feel warm and fuzzy as we bask in haze of kindness.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is the kind of book that makes you crave snowy days, hot chocolates and warm fires.

The desire to snuggle up with favourite little person to explore each page and discuss each message is irresistible.

Minimalism is the key to Mackesy's success. And authenticity.
You can feel his lived experience behind each thought.

Elegant sketches with accompanying wise words, make each page instagramable and hashtag worthy!
They are of this time, yet timeless.
They make you feel nostalgic.
They make you feel better.

In this time of political unrest, climate change and busy, distractible lives, the boy and his animal friends are a timely antidote to all the seems wrong with our world.

Recently the Barnes and Noble booksellers voted it as their Book of the Year for 2019.

"We are pleased to announce Charlie Mackesy’s extraordinary 'The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse' as our winner,” says CEO James Daunt. “This is the book more than any other that has caught the magpie eye of our booksellers. Word of mouth amongst our booksellers has made this inspirational book the surprise bestseller of the year."

If your soul needs nourishing, then this is the book for you.

Recommended for 4 yr olds - 104 yr olds.

Junior Fiction - the rest!

Following on from my recent post featuring several fabulous Australian junior fiction titles, I thought it was time to venture further afield to see what the rest of the world (or at least the US, UK and Japan) were doing in this field.

The Afterwards is a new story by U.K. poet A. F. Harrold, illustrated by Emily Gravett, the well-known picture book illustrator. Like so many books for kids these days, the story explores friendship, death and loss. It is quite dark at times and some children may find the 'other world' that our young protagonist is able to visit quite creepy in much the same way that Neil Gaiman's Coraline's 'other mother' is creepy. But the ending is positive with a focus on living in the moment, honouring those you loved and being present.

Dear Professor Whale by Megumi Iwasa and Jun Takabatake (illustrator) wasn't quite as sweet and charming as Yours Sincerely, Giraffe, but it still highlighted the importance of friendship, kindness and belonging via the old-fashioned means of communication, letter writing.

The action centres around the reviving of the Whale Point Olympics. The older Olympians are honoured and revered while the youngsters are encouraged to engage in friendly competition and teamwork rather than winning gold medals at all cost.

The empathy message may have been laid on a bit thick this time round, but it's hard to take offence when it's so well-meaning and good-natured.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang is for the older end of the junior fiction spectrum - probably 10+ and is loosely based on her own experiences as a new immigrant to the States in the early 1990's. Yang wanted to tell her son about how she grew up and what it was like being an immigrant. In a letter at the front of the books she says,

I grew up in a motel. I didn't have any toys or nice clothes. My parents were struggling...and life was very, very hard for us; it was hard for everyone in our motel, from the immigrants we hid at night to the guests who stayed by the week, folks who got mistreated by the police and were stuck in the same sad cycle of poverty.

I had been searching for a way the right way to tell my son all of this, a way that didn't scare him, but inspired him....Draft after draft, I dug deeper and deeper until the shame and pain and joy of my childhood were so open and exposed, it scared me.

For such a hard won story, it reads lightly and easily. Diversity is celebrated, as is a strong sense of family and friendship. Belonging, perseverance and hard work are standards held up for admiration. Disadvantage and racism are sadly also on show and not just from the American population, Yang also subtly shows the tensions between mainland Chinese immigrants and Taiwanese Chinese.

One of my new favourites though is Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo. Her writing is stunning as always and Louisiana is a delightful, spunky creation. Suddenly, without explanation, Louisiana is on the run with her Grandma. What follows is a journey of major self discovery as Louisiana learns some painful home truths and discovers just how strong and resilient she really is.

We all, at some point, have to decide who we want to be in this world. It is a decision we make for ourselves. 

Forgiveness, hope and courage are DiCamillo's calling cards - they shine very brightly in this tender, bittersweet story. And it wouldn't be a DiCamillo story if we didn't also learn about the kindness of (some) strangers (although don't get me started on the grandmother!)

Perhaps what matters when all is said and done is not who puts us down but who picks us up.

I'm starting to loose track of ALL the princesses-turned-monster-fighting-superheroes in The Princess in Black series by Shannon Hale but #6 and the Science Fair Scare is still full of all the fun, derring-do, go-girl attitude of the earlier stories.

It's hard NOT to be charmed by these sassy young things with their alter-ego monster-fighting persona's. But I guess at some point, I'd like to see these girls (& the dashing young Goat-Boy) come out from behind their masks and let the world see who they really are all the time.

Book 6 feels like a transition point. Everyone now seems to be 'in' on the secret and it would be nice if the girls didn't have to pretend to be pretty, prim princesses in public any more.

I love junior fiction at this time of year. It's entertaining, easy reading. But they're not always light on topic or emotional impact. These books feature BIG themes with BIG heart. They are books that can be enjoyed by adults just as much as the younger people in their lives. There is way more to junior fiction than the Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries, and I for one, am very grateful for that!

Iconic:The Masters of Italian Fashion by Megan Hess

By all accounts Megan Hess' books about fashion should not be my thing at all. I'm not into fashion, haute couture or otherwise. I don't give a fig about luxury brands or prestigious designers. But Coco Chanel has always fascinated me - it's her rags and riches story that intrigues me more than her fashion label. Chanel's early fashion ideas stemmed from strong feelings she had about women, freedom of movement and independence - higher dress lengths, removing corsets, simple, elegant, easy to wear designs - are all hallmarks of her label designed to give women liberty and style.

Which is how Hess first came to my attention.

Coco Chanel: The Illustrated Life of a Fashion Icon (2015) appealed instantly with its illustrated picture-book-for-adults feel. It was fun, whimsical and a stylish gift book. Although I can't but help think that Chanel's ideal of freedom of movement would be seriously challenged by the dress featured on the front cover of Hess' latest book, Iconic: The Masters of Italian Fashion!

The book is divided into four pages of text per designer/label followed by 10-12 generous pages of dress designs. I started off feeling sceptical, but Hess' brief bio's on each designer turned out to be rather fascinating, even though they were placed on unadorned white pages with lots of space around the text. It was a curious choice for a book so obviously designed to be aesthetically pleasing in every other regard.

I learnt that Armani initially trained as a medical student, until WWII & compulsory military service put paid to that idea. His modus operandi on the catwalk stemmed from his early years studying medicine, "the body was truly his canvass".

Dolce & Gabbana love to create bespoke shows - in an apartment with a bedsheet curtain and burger-shaped invites to a fast food restaurant venue for instance.

The Fendi sisters decided to 'inject new blood' into their business in 1965 by employing an up and coming German as their head designer. Karl Lagerfeld & Fendi have never looked back!

Missoni changed how we viewed and wore knitwear.

During the 1948 Olympics, the Italian team wore 'comfortable and stylish' knitted uniforms designed by Missoni. Often combining up to 20 different materials & textiles, their 'signature zigzag pattern' became a 'defining brand of the 1970's'.

Their philosophy is that 'a woman should wear (a piece of clothing) because she loves it, not just because it's practical.'

'You don't buy Prada; you invest in Prada, because a Prada item will hang in your wardrobe for decades.' It's 'minimalism for maximalists'.

Miu Miu is the youngest of the Italian designers featured in this book, 'the label has an air of nonchalance that cannot be imitated.'

Named after Miuccia Prada, it was launched in 1993. 'Where Prada is restrained, Miu Miu is rebellious...;where Prada is classic, Miu Miu is experimental.'

Gucci created luxurious 'timeless pieces' that embrace all things Italian.

He started work at the Savoy Hotel in London in the early 1900's where he realised that a 'suitcase could be more than just a suitcase; it could be a symbol of status.' Gucci's first workshop made saddles before moving onto luxury suitcases. WWII leather shortages found him experimenting with hemp fabric bags.

Pucci represented Italy in the 1932 Winter Olympics as a skier - he also designed the teams ski wear.

After WWII he became know for 'sports chic' and 'designed luxury resort wear for women accustomed to the jetsetter lifestyle.'

When he moved to Capri, his designs 'embraced island life'.

Throughout the book, Hess also revealed snippets of personal information in most of the bio's mostly to do with her various jobs within the fashion industry as well as some personal memories of her first prestigious brand name purchases.

A lovely mini gift book for that budding designer or artist in your life or for anyone in need of a splash of glamour and luxury!

#AustralianWomenWriters

#NonFicNov

A Walk in the Bush by Gwyn Perkins

I feel that the CBCA has slightly tweeked their judging criteria this year. The categories for the Early Childhood Prize and Picture Book of the Year have been clearly differentiated by how the illustrations are used and by the ages of their readers.

CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood:
Entries in this category should be books suitable in content and style for pre and beginning readers for children in the age range 0 to 6 years (infants and pre-school level). This include works of fiction, poetry, wordless, board and concept books. The illustrations reflect all the text on the page and often do NOT add extra meaning to the storyline.

CBCA Picture Book of the Year:
Entries in this category should be books of the genre in which the text and illustrations achieve artistic and literary unity and the story, theme or concept is enhanced and unified through the illustrations. A picture book can be written and illustrated by a sole creator or a collaborative effort between two or more creators. The text and illustrations work cohesively. The illustrations are an integral part of, or extend the meaning on the page. The age range for this category is 0 to 18 years.

Gwyn Perkin's A Walk in the Bush has won this year's Picture Book of the Year Award. Perkins is both the author and the illustrator.

He uses simple pen drawings, a soft colour palette & Photoshop to create an evocative, heart-warming stroll through the Australian bush. Perkins is based on a little island in the middle of Pittwater in northern Sydney, he also spends a lot of time in the Blue Mountains. All three areas are lovingly depicted in this book.

Perkins is obviously an advocate for mindful walking as opposed to serious hiking. His granddad character takes the time to listen to the birds, notice changes in the flora and smell the gum leaves. He tells bad granddad jokes to his grandchild/cat character and is constantly encouraging Iggy to engage with the natural world around.

One of the big successes here is Perkin's ability to tell so much of the story via believable, tender body language (instead of dialogue). There is genuine affection and caring between the two characters, even when they sit quietly enjoying the peace of the bush. Meanwhile the watchful wildlife constantly bring your attention back to the connection between the granddad and Iggy.

Each picture is a double page spread. Words are kept to a minimum while feeling oozes from every detail. Sharing this book with my colleagues produced oodles of laughs and bucket loads of awww's!

A worthy winner indeed of a book prize the celebrates the beautiful and meaningful combination of art and words.

Perkin's follow up book, A Day at the Show is equally as charming, funny and delightful. I also loved the nostalgic feeling I got from wandering around an old-style country show with granddad and Iggy...and chook. A 2019 contender for sure!

Book 19 of #20booksofsummer (winter)

Fantastically, Fearless, Rebel Women in Books

It would be nice to think that books were one of the places where equality of access and representation were available to both sexes, especially given that over half the authors of all books written are now women. Sadly, though, it is still not the case.

Reviews of books in leading newspapers and journals around the world still show that women lag behind men in pretty much every arena (VIDA 2015 Count). There was also the recent video showing a young girl and her mum pulling books out of their library bookshelf that featured male only protagonists (human or animal), books with shared male/female protagonists, books where the girls barely spoke or failed to participate in the action etc, until they were left with the handful of books featuring positive female protagonists.

Recently the Little People Big Dreams series hit the Australian market and showed that there is a huge market for stories about girls. Especially books about successful, resourceful, smart girls.

This year at work we have had three new books about women and girls that have gone ballistic. We've had trouble keeping up with the demand as the publishers scrambled to bring in more stock from overseas and reprint.

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World by Kate Pankhurst is a picture book for the 4+ age group.

Pankhurst (a descendent of the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst) has compiled a book celebrating the life and achievements of 12 fantastic women.

Featuring Emmeline, Frida Kahlo, Coco Chanel, Gertrude Ederle (the Channel swimmer), Mary Anning, Mary Seacole (nurse), Agent Fifi, Sagagawea (translator and guide for Lewis and Clark), Rosa Parks, Anne Frank, Amelia Earhart, Jane Austen and Marie Curie, each double page spread is illustrated in a cartoon-like way with speech bubbles, maps, text boxes and loads of humour.

The book finishes with a 'Gallery of Greatness' full of inspirational girl power quotes and a challenge to its young readers about how they might, too, change the world.

For the older reader (12+), Rachel Ignotofsky has collated Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World. 

Beginning in 350 CE with Hypatia, an astronomer, mathematician and philosopher in Alexandria, she travels around the world to highlight women scientists throughout the ages.

Each woman's history is discussed, plus any obstacles that she may have had to overcome to do what she did. But the main focus is on their incredible accomplishments. 

Ignotofsky has also included pages of timelines, statistics on the gender gap in science and lab tools.

Ignotofsky has a new book coming out later this month called Women in Sports: 50 Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win. 

Like her science book it will feature famous, internationally renown women as well as lesser-known champions plus more stats on female participation in sport, pay and muscle anatomy.

I can't wait to see which group of women she tackles next.

Finally we come to the best-selling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and

Francesca Cavallo.

This is the book that has had the most attention and the biggest buzz. Aimed at the 9+ market, Favilli and Cavallo have indeed created 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women. 

Most of the bios begin with the 'once upon a time' tag and tell a fairly simplified, and dare I say, sanitised version of each woman's life. For example Anna Politkovskaya's page finishes with 

Anna continued to risk her life until she died, writing the truth in order to make the world a better place.

A quick wikipedia search reveals that she was in fact murdered in the elevator of her block of flats in 2006. She had also been held, beaten and tortured previously. Her murderers have never been brought to justice.

There is nothing wrong with making a story of someone's life - after all, we all do it with our own lives, in one way or another. Each bio is also only one page long. Only so much information can be included.

Favilli and Cavallo have clearly chosen to view all these women and their achievements through a positive, inspiring, feminist lens that is suitable for younger readers. They have avoided language that echoes those used by victims or martyrs.

And for anyone who, like me, feels that the story is too brief or too safe, they can always do a quick google to flesh out the details!

One of the big pluses about Rebel Girls are the generous full page portraits of each of the women. Sixty female artists from all round the world contributed illustrations for the book. They have used a wide variety of styles and media which makes the book a visual feast as well as being inspirational.

Goodnight Stories features a large number of modern day women who are still alive and still achieving great things. Which begs the question, what's next?

For starters, the authors are planning a second book of Rebel Girls, and as they did with the first book, they will be using Kickstarter crowd funding to do so.

The Big Dreams, Little People series published by Frances Lincoln, continues with three new releases
- Emmeline Pankhurst, Audrey Hepburn and Rosa Parks - due in the Australian market before Christmas.

My other favourite girl power picture books include:

The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch

Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole

Louise Builds a Boat by Louise Pfanner

Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty

Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty

The Princess in Black series by Shannon & Dean Hale