How to Staycation like a Snail by Naseem Hrab

04 Sep 2026 Leave a comment

by Amy in 2 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , ,

Published: 27th October 2015Goodreads badge
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Illustrator: Meg McLaren
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★  – 2.75 Stars

Snail is an epic explorer … kind of. He loves the quiet things about adventures, like reading maps, hiking along slime trails, and collecting souvenirs. On big vacations, he finds the sights, sounds, and unfamiliar foods–like escargot!–way too overwhelming. In fact, his favorite part of a vacation is when he gets to return to his home SHHHweet home.

So, while his friends take a trip to the city, Snail and his buddy Stump decide to have an adventure in their own backyard–a staycation! The pair smell the silence, listen to the SHHH SHHH of the waterfall, and read their guidebooks with their indoor voices. Just when they start to wonder if they’ve run out of things to do, they notice something new: parachute seeds falling from the sky! The seeds have arrived for a vacation, and who better to show them around than Stump and Snail?

Snail’s second adventure is just as witty and charming as his first, with laugh-out-loud moments and hidden puns on every page. Snail and Stump’s staycation reveals the unexpected joys of staying home and promises that readers will find wonder around every corner, however close to home they may be.

Once again I have been lured in by an adorable cover, but unfortunately the story wasn’t to match. It was cute, it was funny, but it was only ok, not as delightful as I thought it would be.

The story follows the cute snail who highlights the joys of staying home, for the quiet person who doesn’t like loud noises and parties and prefers to go to museums and enjoy the park.

The narrative explores the idea that you don’t need to travel to enjoy a holiday, that you can appreciate the things around you and still have fun and meet new people.

Overall, it was a nice story. The shift in story was good, but could have been stronger, either as a real exploration of a stay at home holiday or as a plot driven narrative.

Snail was cute, his friend the tree was cute, and it was a good little story for those who like the alternatives to mountain climbing and partying whilst on holiday.

You can purchase How to Staycation like a Snail via the following

QBD |  Booktopia

  Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Embrace Your Body Taryn Brumfitt

21 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by Amy in The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , ,

Published: 19 April 2021Goodreads badge
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Illustrator: Sinead Hanley
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★  – 2 Stars

Based on the #1 hit children’s song, this picture book encourages everyone to love who they are, inside and out. Taryn Brumfitt is the fiercely passionate thought leader behind the Body Image Movement and director of Embrace the documentary. She is determined to inspire everyBODY to celebrate their body, regardless of size, color, ethnicity, gender, or ability.

 

According to the blurb it’s based on a song called Embrace but I don’t know it. Unfortunately there isn’t any narrative attached to the pictures. The basic affirmations on each page are nice, but they don’t connect or flow as you turn the page.

It started off well by talking about how everyone is different and all bodies can do a range of activities, but from then on the illustrations do a lot of heavy lifting.

Overall it seems like something that might have been better off staying as a song.

You can purchase Embrace Your Body via the following

QBD |  Dymocks | Booktopia

 Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Overdue: The Misadventure of Bob the Book by Gloria Koster

07 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , ,

Published: 1 August 2024 Goodreads badge
Publisher: Capstone Editions
Illustrator: Pawel Gierlinksi
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★  – 3.5 Stars

Meet Bob. He”s the all-time favourite library book at Wisdom Hill primary school. But Sebastian is nothing like Bob’s previous enthusiastic borrowers. In fact, Sebastian completely forgets about Bob!
Will Bob ever feel the love of a contented fan again, or will he be lost and alone forever? In this eye-opening tale told from a book’s point of view, author and librarian Gloria Koster showcases the joy of reading and the importance of taking care of books.

This story follows the misadventures of a popular book from the school library. It is beloved, highly sought after, and a great read. Until one day it arrives at a child’s home where it is neglected and then lost.

After Bob the book is keen to go home to another reader he soon becomes despondent when he realises he isn’t going to be read, and almost gets in a range of mishaps around the house. I liked this book compared to other library themed books because this one is about the other side of borrowing library books: when they are left at home and no longer able to be shared by everyone.

Bob even provides the reader with book care tips, which again, compared to other library book themed books it great. This book doesn’t celebrate being scribbled on or stained, or dropped in the bath. This is about keeping books safe and clean so others can enjoy them.

The illustrations are simple but full page and colourful. The narrative text is incorporated similarly to a comic book or graphic novel, but the layout remains in the picture book style.

I loved that our borrower Sebastian isn’t entirely to blame and the story shows a great way librarians can gently follow up and support readers who do keep their books out too long.

And, as someone who has borrowed a lot of books from the library, the irony is this book is itself overdue. But now I’ve written this up I can return it to the library shelves where it can be borrowed by the next keen reader.

Overall, this is a great story about reminding people to return their books on time as other people may want to read them.

You can purchase Overdue via the following

 Booktopia | Wordery |  Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Hogbert by Briony May Smith

24 Jul 2026 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , ,

Published: 31st January 2025Goodreads badge
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Illustrator: Briony May Smith
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Uh-oh! When a tasty trail lures Hogbert away from his family, he ends up all alone in the forest. Can he find his way home? Lush artwork, subtle fairy-tale references, and the kindness of new friends keep readers smiling.

When Mommy Boar sends her little snufflebugs to explore the forest for the first time, she cautions them to stick together. After all, the Big Bad Wolf could be near! But Hogbert’s keen nose has other ideas, and after following a trail too far, he finds himself trembling alone in fear. What’s that rustling in the leaves? Just a little red squirrel on her way to visit her sick granny! What’s that growl coming through the trees? Just a snoring white doe who took a bite of an apple that made her sleepy! With each temporarily scary encounter, Hogbert finds that the world is a less frightening place, and that the same sense of smell that led him into trouble may just lead them all out of it again.

Standard disclaimer that I was lured in by the absolutely adorable cover. Smith has done a brilliant job depicting teeny tiny Hogbert the baby boar.

Not only that, the story is gorgeous. The format is clever and the illustrations through the rest of the book are stunning. I love the design of the animals and the scale and angle Smith uses to portray the vast forest and the smallness of Hogbert and his new friends is incredibly creative.

Each character feels unique and their personalities come across on the page. Smith doesn’t try to make them overly personified, they are still animal in nature, but there are feisty bunnies, and a sweet fawn, plus many other forest creatures that work together.

I enjoyed the story was not as scary as Hogbert believed, but there was also truth in what he had been told. The big bad wolf is in the forest, but it may not be entirely true you will be eaten by them. The instinct of the animals is demonstrated well and I liked the sweet ending where the forest comes together to help the lost babies find their way home.

You can purchase Hogbert via the following

QBD |  Dymocks | Booktopia

Wordery |  Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Don’t Fall for the Trick by Jessica Bain

10 Jul 2026 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , ,

Published: 25 February 2025Goodreads badge
Publisher: Affirm Press
Illustrator: Scott Stuart
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

An empowering rejection of gender stereotypes, this book unpacks the unconscious biases that hold us back from true equality.

Have you ever heard something that doesn’t sound true? Something that you know for a fact is false? It feels like a trick, doesn’t it?

Every day, we come across many tricks that keep the world from being a truly equal place. This book helps kids and their grown-ups to learn the tricks that are holding us all back so that together we can smash gender stereotypes and create positive change.

Less a story and more an educational guide this is a book that talks directly to the reader about things they have observed, experienced, or may come across in their lives in relation to the patriarchy and societal “rules”.

Calling it The Trick is a great way to explain to kids that society used to, and sometimes unfortunately still does, have rules and ideas on what men and women, boys and girls can/should be. And while we have gotten better at understanding all rules are made up and colour has no gender, there are a few people who will keep perpetuating these ideas, even if they don’t mean to.

Bain explains the patriarchy in a simple way that shows how a long time ago there were ideas set in place that were enforced but weren’t true. This covers everything from women couldn’t vote, men had to go to war, to men being bosses and women only being assistants.

This is the “trick” being addressed. Bain tells reader in non-judgemental ways, with very brief sentences that there are no rules on what you can wear or enjoy and it’s up to us to gently point it out when people get it wrong.

Like the xkcd Today’s Lucky 10 000 comic, this book treats the reader as someone who now knows people out there don’t know about the Trick and they must rectify this to make a more equal world. It isn’t about judgement or criticism, Bain directs it as more of an educational moment. There are examples of boys being picked on for playing tea parties or men trying to enforce the idea that they aren’t good in the kitchen, and the all-knowing kids able to teach them that anybody can do anything.

Scott Stuart is back, from My Shadow is… fame but this time as illustrator only. The design on the kids is diverse and creative. I loved spotting all the tiny details in the background and the different scenarios people may come across The Trick.

The story Bain has written is great and is a great balance on teaching kids about the world without being too preachy or detailed. It is a gentle introduction to the patriarchy and a great stepping off point for kids and adults that there are no girl colours, boy sports, exclusion isn’t nice, and people can like, do, and play whatever they want.

You can purchase Don’t Fall for the Trick via the following

QBD |  Dymocks | Booktopia

Angus & Robertson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

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