‘Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.’ -- Albert Einstein (or not, as it turns out!)   So … can a fish climb a tree? Can a horse drive a car? Can a baby bake a cake?   And if they can’t, what wonderful things can they do?   From bestselling creators Jane Godwin and Terry Denton comes a quirky and inspiring book about celebrating who YOU are and the power and peace to be found in not trying to be anyone else.  

A BIG ISSUE BOOK OF THE YEAR This beautifully written rhyming text, matched with exquisite illustrations, explores love, loss, memory, and the power objects can hold. Arno had a horse, it was brown and it was black. He took it with him everywhere, but did he bring it back? When Arno loses his precious toy horse, all the kids in town help him to look for it. They look everywhere, but will Arno ever see his horse again? A touching story about loss, memory, and the mysterious ways we feel connected to those we love.

In this warm and humorous exploration of families, much-loved children's author Jane Godwin has teamed with internationally acclaimed Argentinian creator Yael Frankel. Together, they weave a colourful celebration of all the differences that make every family unique. So many families, some big and some small. Each one is different, let's look at them all! You'll be sure to recognise a family just like yours!

Six-year-old Isabelle doesn't have any brothers or sisters. But she does have her dad, her cat Steve, her friend Harry B, and her baby cousin, Bibi, who she's very good at looking after. And then along comes Isobel, a new girl at school. They have the same name, but will they be friends? Four gentle stories in one volume, all about Isabelle and her world, its trials and triumphs, its small moments and big dramas: friends, family, school life and growing up, from Jane Godwin, one of Australia's respected writers for children, and with delightful illustrations by Robin Cowcher. 'Jane Godwin understands what it is to be a child or young person, what matters to them at different ages and stages' Living Arts Canberra

SHORTLISTED FOR THE PRIME MINISTER'S LITERARY AWARDS 2021 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CBCA BOOK OF THE YEAR: OLDER READERS 2021 A runaway, a baby and a whole lot of questions... Lissa is home on her own after school one afternoon when a stranger turns up on the doorstep carrying a baby. Reed is on the run - surely people are looking for him? He's trying to find out who he really is and thinks Lissa's mum might have some answers. But how could he be connected to Lissa's family - and why has he been left in charge of a baby? A baby who is sick, and getting sicker ... Reed's appearance stirs up untold histories in Lissa's family, and suddenly she is having to make sense of her past in a way she would never have imagined. Meanwhile, her brother is dealing with a devastating secret of his own. A beautiful and timely coming-of-age story about finding out who you are in the face of crisis and change. 'This book is a joy to read' CBCA Judges report Praise for Jane Godwin: 'refreshingly unpredictable, bold and refuses to minimise the complex lives of [its] characters' - Saturday Age on As Happy as Here 'an empathetic exploration of family, friendship and how all our actions have consequences' - Readings Monthly 'gentle, well-written and thoroughly engaging' - Adelaide Advertiser

A bit Each Peach Pear Plum, a bit All the World, this acclaimed read-aloud celebrates colors, counting, and more. Deceptively simple yet packed with delights and now perfectly sized for babies and toddlers, it's an ideal baby shower or toddler birthday gift. Red house, blue house, green house, tree house. See the tiny mouse in her little brown house? As an adventurous little mouse sets off into the world, she introduces new concepts to the very youngest. From colors and counting to animals and vehicles, this rhyming read-aloud gem is sure to enthrall babies and toddlers, who will delight in the search-and-find element on every spread--the intrepid mouse herself! * "Wonderful...Delightful" --Kirkus (starred review) * "Excellent...Perfectly aimed at the very youngest" --The Horn Book (starred review) "Appealing...Calls for engagement on multiple levels" --Publishers Weekly "Fun...offers multiple opportunities for reader interaction" --SLJ

A gripping and suspenseful rite-of-passage novel about five teenagers and one night that will change them all, from award-winning author Jane Godwin. 'It's just a walk in the dark. What is there to worry about?' That's what the head teacher, Johan, says. And so the Year Nines from Otway Community School set out on an overnight hike, with no adults. But doesn't Johan know that a storm is coming? When five teenagers head in to the forest that late afternoon, none of them is aware what the night will bring. Each will have to draw on their particular strengths to survive. Each will have to face the unknown, battling the elements, events beyond their control, and their own demons. It's a night that will change everything. Set in the rainforest of Victoria's Otway Ranges, A Walk in the Dark is about friendship, trust, identity and family, consent and boundaries, wrapped in a compulsively readable, suspense-filled adventure. Five head into the forest, but will all five make it out? 'Quality storytelling . . . gripping' The Australian Women's Weekly 'Unique and intriguing' Better Reading 'Fantastically tense in places, A Walk in the Dark is a great read for all kids ages 11 plus' Readings 'Suspenseful and exciting . . . Extremely engaging . . . highly relatable and real. This novel has everything to keep the audience enthralled. No reader will be able to put the book down until the very end' ReadPlus 'This is deft, intuitive writing, deeply sympathetic, non-judgemental, canny. Jane Godwin understands what it is to be a child or young person, what matters to them at different ages and stages. Importantly, she values these concerns, treats them with due respect and creates stories in which her book people mature and blossom through the overcoming of self-doubt and their fear of the new and unknown. Good lessons for adults there, too' Living Arts Canberra

A bit Each Peach Pear Plum, a bit Go, Dog, Go!, this read-aloud joy is deceptively simple yet packed with delights for the very young--a preschool standout deserving of modern-classic status. A little mouse makes her way around the world, and invites preschoolers along as she sets out: Red house / Blue house / Green house / Tree house! / See the tiny mouse in her little brown house? Seamless, simple, and inspiring, the rhyming story abounds in concepts for the very young, with a particular focus on colors, and a delightful search-and-find element on every spread--the intrepid mouse herself! * "Wonderful...Delightful" --Kirkus (starred review) * "Excellent...Perfectly aimed at the very youngest" --The Horn Book (starred review) "Appealing...Calls for engagement on multiple levels" --PW "Fun...offers multiple opportunities for reader interaction" --SLJ

It's a busy day at Hattie's house. There's a lot to do before Dad's birthday party.Hattie is being very helpful, until it's time for her afternoon nap.Hattie's not even sleepy! But Mama looks tired. Very tired...A delightfully funny story about a little girl with big ideas, from a winning combination of creators.

Ivanhoe Swift left home when he was six. He had heard many songs about the world, and it was time to see it for himself. 'We won't know where you are!' cried his father. 'I'll know where you are,' said Ivanhoe. 'And you can look out for my kite in the sky. Goodbye, parents!' A delightful story about setting off to see the world... and the joy in coming home again.