Episode 4 - You, Me, Everybody!
In this episode, we interview Jessica Walton, author of the picture book Introducing Teddy, which is a story about gender identity and transition.
Jess is also a cancer survivor, amputee, queer, daughter of a trans parent, feminist and teacher. As well as picture books, Jess writes about disability, LGBTI issues and the intersections between her disabled and queer experiences.
Jess lost her leg to cancer aged 9, and has worn a prosthetic leg ever since. Sick of legs that tried to mimic real skin, she started wearing patterned prosthetic legs. She hopes to design a snow globe-style prosthetic leg one day, with glittery snow swirling every time she takes a step.
Find Jess online at:
Website: www.jessicawalton.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/introducingteddy/
Twitter: @jesshealywalton
Introducing Teddy by Jessica Walton and Dougal MacPherson
Errol and his teddy, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together. One sunny day, Errol finds that Thomas is sad, even when they are playing in their favourite ways. Errol can't figure out why, until Thomas finally
tells Errol what the teddy has been afraid to say: “In my heart, I've always known that I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. I wish my name was Tilly, not Thomas.” And Errol says, “I don't care if
you're a girl teddy or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend.”
Introducing Teddy introduces the youngest readers to understanding gender identity and transition in an accessible
and heart-warming story about being true to yourself and being a good friend.
Introducing Teddy can be found at
https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/introducing-teddy-9781681192116/
Jess also recommends:
Teddy Took the Train by Nicki Greenberg
A Family Is A Family Is A Family by Sara O'Leary and Qin Leng
https://groundwoodbooks.com/sara-oleary-on-a-family-is-a-family-is-a-family/
Just the Way We Are by Jessica Shirvington and Claire Robertson
The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith and Katz Cowley
Kids' Capers
Wow! There was a huge list of recommendations on this edition of Kids' Capers: books being read, just been read, soon to be read... we've thrown them all in here, so get those library cards out and check them out! Note that some of these books are categorised as young adult, so take a closer look to see what's best for each age group.
A Girl Called Owl by Amy Wilson
https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/a-j-wilson-(1)/a-girl-called-owl
Author Terry Pratchett
https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/types/for-young-readers/
Author John Flanagan
The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
https://www.booktopia.com.au/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians-series-by-rick-riordan/series68.html
Little Stars by Jacqueline Wilson, illustrated by Nick Sharratt
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/little-stars-9780552569941
Wonder by R J Palacio
The Beginning Woods by Malcolm McNeill
The Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
https://shop.scholastic.com.au/Product/688744/The-Adventures-of-Captain-Underpants-(
Author Jackie French
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/MZR/the-maze-runner-series
The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-artemis-fowl-series-by-eoin-colfer/series311.html
Everything for a Dog by Ann M Martin
https://www.booktopia.com.au/everything-for-a-dog-ann-m-martin/prod9781741698374.html
Whatcha Readin?
Kate recommends That's My Mum by Henriette Barkow and Derek Brazelle, as well as the other great products at Mantra Lingua publishers.
Liz recommends The Secrets We Share by Nova Weetman
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-secrets-we-share-9780702259784
Nat recommends Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/stargirl-by-jerry-spinelli/
Shout outs
On this episode, Liz gives a shout out to the Kids' Book Review website www.kids-bookreview.com. Kids' Book Review was founded by Australian author-illustrator Tania McCartney and is full of book reviews, news and interviews. They update it every day so there's always fresh content. And, if you'd like to get to know your favourite author a bit better, check out the 12 Curly Questions section - it's Liz's favourite.
On Our Radar
Kate is planning a book launch for her picture book, Finding Granny, illustrated by Gwynneth Jones, which is due to be released in July with EK Books.
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Granny-Kate-Simpson/dp/1925335690
Competition Details
Thanks to Hachette Australia, One More Page is giving away books 1 and 2 in the Ateban Cipher series by A L Tait: The Book of Secrets and The Book of Answers.
When a dying man hands him a coded manuscript, Gabe is hurled into a quest that takes him beyond his monastery home and into a world of danger, political intrigue and adventure. What is the secret of the book, and why is it so valuable? As he seeks to decipher the code and find a mystery man who may not even exist, Gabe learns that survival must be earned and that some of life's biggest lessons are not found in books.
Head to our WIN page and tell us in 25 words or less what you'd like to see more of in children's books. Entries must be in by 5PM Tuesday 3rd April 2018. The winner will be contacted via email, and announced on our website.
Other Bits & Pieces
During our listener question, Nat talks about...
A New Australian (series) published by Omnibus Books, in particular Teresa: A New Australian by Deborah Abela
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
https://www.hachette.com.au/jessica-townsend/nevermoor-the-trials-of-morrigan-crow
Thanks
A special thank you to illustrator Marianne Khoo for designing the One More Page podcast logo and other associated images. And to all the mums and dads who let Nat annoy their kids for the Kids Capers interviews.
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