Author: Maggie Hamilton Publisher: Penguin Format: Paperback
Hamilton alerts parents to the tactics of marketing gurus who are targeting our babies from birth. From the moment she is born, our girls are groomed to be consumers. Material girls have entered the building. The most powerful phenomenon this book revealed to me was ‘The power of the prettiest’. Due to the pressure of advertising, young girls are obsessed with their ‘look’ and make-up and clothes. Girls are encouraged to base their value on their appearance, with no attention paid to other values like kindness and generosity and helping others. As our daughters are bombarded with airbrushed advertising images of gleaming women reclining seductively, they are missing out on cultivating an imagination, self esteem and a realistic perspective expectation of women. Hamilton states “When young girls are sexualised, their focus shifts from thinking about who they are and what they want to do with their lives, to how to please and get the most attention.” Rates for violence, bullying, depression and self-harm are increasing amongst girls for a reason. If you have a daughter, I strongly recommend this book. With education and awareness comes the ability to protect our daughters’ innocence and allow them to have a childhood.
This is the touching story of a family, a beach holiday and Littledog. Australian in flavour without being ocker, the family enjoy barbecues on the deck, while the Hills Hoist full of swimmers and towels blows in the breeze. The relaxed nature of the holiday permeates the book, with the family and Littledog discovering more about each other with each passing day. Ainslie’s watercolour and collage illustrations add a gorgeous depth to the story and are visually beautiful. This sweet book may well become a favourite for both younger and older children, and those who read it to them.
Author: Camilla de la Bedoyere Publisher: Scholastic Format: Paperback
With a book from Ripley’s, the contents are sure to make you wonder whether you Believe it or Not! At just $14.99, this book is a great buy, packed with information about the human body and its functions, and full of facts about people who are exceptions to the rule. There’s a father and son with 12 toes instead of just ten, a man with hair over his entire face, both tiny and enormous babies, strong men, long tongues and all sorts of gross facts that kids will lap up. Included in the front cover is a glossy poster and a page of bookmarks with weird photos and amazing facts. A bit like a Guinness Book of Records with educational facts, this book will delight primary-school kids and gross out their teachers and parents. Ages 6+
Author: Sally Rippin Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont Format: Paperback
Billie and her best friend Jack are at ballet class with Miss Dainty. The girls are supposed to practice being floating butterflies and the boys are stomping trolls. But Billie’s enthusiasm becomes her undoing. After a week of practicing at home, Billie and Jack work out a creative solution to the problem. It’s great to see a book that subverts society’s expectations, instead showing an individual using their talents to the best of their ability. Billie is a heroine who is real and unique, and just a little bit quirky. The text is large and simple, but the fact that this is a four chapter book makes it an ideal book for readers who are not yet confident, but who don’t want to look like they’re reading ‘baby’ books.
