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Wombat Underground: A Wildfire Survival Story by Sarah L Thomson ill. Charles Santoso

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 27 Jan 2022

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“The warmly colored illustrations are splendid, providing realistic depictions of the animals and the landscapes surrounding them. Wombat is presented as a cuddly, endearing animal; throughout, the artwork focuses readers’ close attention on how Wombat shelters inside its underground lair.” KIRKUS

Nearly 3 billion animals were affected by the Australian wildfires of 2020, and wombats played a crucial part in allowing their homes to transform as safe havens for other animals whose homes were destroyed in the fires. Paired with stunning and richly layered art by Charles Santoso, Wombat Underground teaches us that the time of greatest danger is also the time to open our door to those in the greatest need.

Inspired by viral online stories during the 2019-2020 wildfires in Australia featuring wombats ‘saving’ other animals taking shelter in their burrows, here is a lyrical story about strangers in need of refuge.

Up on the hill, Wallaby licks a puddle’s last drop. Skink slips into the shade. Echidna hides in grass as dry as tinder. Under the hill, Wombat carves out a cave that’s all his own. Then-KABOOM!-lightning strikes.

Written in simple and concise language perfect for a read aloud, award-winning author Sarah L. Thomson invites readers to see through the eyes of a wombat as  fire rages through Australia.

An archive BBC film for context:

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Ada Twist, Scientist: Why Files #1: Exploring Flight! – The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty & Dr Theanne Griffith ill. David Roberts

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 13 Jan 2022

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A new addition to the Questioneers series, a full-color nonfiction early reader series based on the new Ada Twist, Scientist Netflix series!

Why do airplanes look the way they do? Why can’t birds fly when they’re first born? And why do some paper planes fly farther than others? Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files is the perfect nonfiction resource for all these questions and more. Discover everything there is to know about flight from Ada Twist, Scientist-from information about creatures that fly, to the history of aircrafts, to modern technology that allows us to soar through the air faster than ever!

Based on the bestselling series and the new Netflix show, this nonfiction series is perfect for the young scientists of tomorrow.

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The Green Planet – BBC Earth by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe ill. Kim Smith

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This is our Green Planet: a hidden world where plants care for other plants and can smell, taste, touch, hear and even… ‘talk’.

Earth is dominated by plants, which outweigh all other life – from tiny duckweed floating in our ponds to giant sequoia trees towering above us. It’s easy to take plants for granted, but we depend on these light-eaters, oxygen-generators, and rain-makers for every breath of air and mouthful of food we take. But that’s not all. In the world of plants, time passes more slowly, but if we speed months into minutes we can peer into this hidden world and realise: it’s a battleground. Plants are working to thwart their enemies, and to trick animals into working for them.Right under your feet, and all around you, is a secret world you’ve probably never noticed. Until now. Let’s explore our Green Planet: a secret world of plants that might change how you see plants forever…

Discover all there is to love about our astonishing Green Planet, the stories of its inhabitants, and the challenges it faces. In collaboration with BBC Earth, this illustrated non-fiction book captures the intrigue, drama, and beauty of the groundbreaking new BBC TV series: The Green Planet.

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Viking Boy: the Real Story: Everything you need to know about the Vikings by Tony Bradman ill. Thomas Sperling

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Take a real-life tour of the everyday world of Gunnar, a teenage Viking boy: find out how the Vikings lived, what they believed, how they travelled and fought, and gained their legendary reputation as warriors. Gunnar tells us the real story of growing up as a Viking in an exciting first-hand account, introducing us to family and friends, famous warriors, sea-raiders and even a Norse god!
Packed with historical facts, figures and anecdotes, with illustrated information panels on topics from Viking poetry to battle and bloodlust, this is a brilliant new read for Viking fanatics, both at home and in the classroom.

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365 First Words – Little Word Whizz by Dr. Meredith L. Rowe ill. Monika Forsberg

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 6 Jan 2022

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A rich, visual encyclopaedia of first words from a London-based Swedish illustrator.

A companion title to An Interesting Word for Every Day of the Year (which we also recommend), this title introduces first concepts including colours, numbers and shapes, as well as parts of the body, things that go, animals and the world around us.

Compiled in consultation with a Harvard Professor of Early Learning and Development, who is particularly interested in uncovering how variations in children’s early communicative environments contribute to language development, it’s a book that will be valued in all Early Years settings and in households with young children eagerly developing their speaking, listening and observational skills.

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Iceberg by Claire Saxby ill. Jess Racklyeft

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“Richly informative and brimming with detailed facts presented in lyrical, sophisticated, evocative language—an expert merging of knowledge with grace. Text and image balance each other perfectly in their delicate yet powerful tone, conveying exactly the world Saxby and Racklyeft set out to reveal to us. The first-person plural postscript is a quiet plea for the respect this landscape demands, and in turn for a global landscape in dire need of protection.” Books + Publishing

The author featured on The Science Show (ABC Australia)

In the final freeze of an Antarctic winter, green tails wave across a star-full sky, as if to farewell endless nights. If this world looks empty, look closer … Penguins trek across the ice to their winter homes. As the temperature warms, birds fly above on their long migrations. And with the advent of summer, beneath an iceberg, the sea is teeming with life. Ocean, sky, snow and ice – minute greens and giant blues – dance a delicate dance in this evocative portrayal of the life cycle of an iceberg.

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Ashoka the Fierce: How an Angry Prince Became India’s Emperor of Peace by Carolyn Kanjuro ill. Sonali Zohra

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 16 Dec 2021

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“This lushly illustrated picture book cleverly alternates between dark and light palettes to reflect Ashoka’s transformation. The text is clear, straightforward, and compelling, emphasizing Ashoka’s humanity and fragility in child-friendly language. A compelling treatment of the life of an important South Asian ruler and religious leader.” KIRKUS

The story of an angry young boy who becomes an arrogant, violent man and then has a change of heart. He transforms himself through the teachings of the Buddha into a compassionate, tolerant emperor in service to all living beings.

A lesson to the young that our lives are determined by the nature of our thoughts and that we can move at any time to living life on the path of love as opposed to one that brings harm to ourselves and others.

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Adventures in Time: The First World War by Dominic Sandbrook

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Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week 14 Nov 2021

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Travel back in time to The First World War, as historian Dominic Sandbrook takes us from the soaring heights of an aeroplane cockpit to the desperate depths of the enemy trenches. We are plunged first hand into a conflict like no other as, amid the greatest clash of empires ever known, the future of the world hangs in the balance…

The Adventures in Time series brings the past alive for twenty-first century children. These stories are every bit as exciting as those of Harry Potter or Matilda Wormwood. The only difference is they actually happened…

Companion title to his book on The Second World War.

Breaking News: How to Tell What’s Real From What’s Rubbish by Nick Sheridan ill. David O’Connell

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Times Children’s Book of the Week 11 Dec 2021

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A funny, practical and ever-so timely guide to the NEWS for 8-12-year-olds. Find out how to understand and navigate 24/7 news, how to spot the facts from the fake . . . and what to do if the news becomes overwhelming. Perfect for fans of Matthew Syed’s You Are Awesome and Rashmi Sirdeshpande’s Dosh.

It’s never been easier to access the news; TV, radio, billboards, newspapers and endlessly buzzing on to the screens in our pockets. But with more and more news available, it’s hard to know what to trust. Where do stories come from? What’s real news and what’s fake? And what role does social media play in all of this?

Insightful, hands-on, essential and reassuring, Breaking News will help children navigate the peaks and pitfalls of our modern day news cycle, through laugh-out-loud text, amusing illustration and interactive activities.

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The History of the World in 100 Animals – Illustrated Edition by Simon Barnes ill. Frann Preston-Gannon

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An exquisite edition of The History of the World in 100 Animals by author and journalist Simon Barnes, adapted and abridged for younger readers, with superb illustrations by award-winning artist, Frann Preston-Gannon, illustrator of I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree.

This outstanding gift book proposes the 100 animals who have had the greatest impact on humans and the way we view the world around us. From the bees who pollinate our food to the chimpanzees who share over 98% of our DNA, this book explores the unique and thought-provoking relationship between humans and animals throughout history. This fact-filled guide is sure to inspire and delight animal lovers young and old, and will make the perfect gift this Christmas.